41 / Hassles. Do Nothing. Familect. Ironman.

How do you take the unexpected difficulties?

Aug 31, 2021

Creating is infectious. You can create moods, emotions, products, and experiences. Get out there and create, but expect bumps along the way.

"Doing nothing is an active decision. Sometimes we don’t want to make a choice, so we don’t. But staying silent on something you believe in or staying in a job or career you’re not sure about isn’t doing ‘nothing’. Rather, you’re making an active choice. Often it’s worth taking a risk." — Sarah Nguyen

Not making a decision is actively making a choice! It has taken me a long time to internalize this concept, so I love when it can be stated so eloquently. Deciding on an action is a risk, but it's often better than deciding on inaction. Where in your life are you deciding to do nothing?

THREE DAYS LEFT! I need to hit my fundraising goal of $3,500 before Saturday. I'd be honored if you would help me get there. Support my IRONMAN fundraiser and help me reach my goal.
Have old AirPods laying around? PodSwap offers your AirPods a new chance at life after they die. I love Apple products, but the AirPods are notoriously bad for the environment: battery, no reusable parts, small plastic components. It's a small act, so swap any old pods for a clean, new pair.
Bodyweight workouts can be done anywhere, at any time, with anyone. This workout has become famous online because it can be adjusted to every fitness level and is a full-body, no-weights workout. Let me know if you give it a try!
Does your family or friend group have its own vocabulary? If a stranger sat among certain friends of mine, there might be full sentences that would require translation. There's a word for this: familect. And there are lots of social reasons for creating this new language, too. A fascinating read.
Music is one of the most intimate parts of our lives. We listen to music everywhere: in the kitchen, the gym, the bedroom, and the office. On Spotify, "more than 100 billion data points are created every day." Here's how they track you and what you can do to stop it.

Accepting Hassle and Nonsense

Leaning into tough situations and the wisdom of awareness

(Read this online here.)

Sometimes nothing goes your way. But your attitude is the most important piece through the difficulties. I'm reminded of these thoughts this week and went back to read my post from March to refresh myself on what it means to take hassle in stride.

Relinquishing control over that which I cannot control and understanding things will veer off course are both part of life. I hope this can serve as an equally powerful reminder for you as it did for me.

(original publish date: March 2, 2021)

As one does, I stumbled across an article on Useful and Overlooked Skills. It piqued my interest, especially the first skill of the seven: “Accepting a certain degree of hassle and nonsense when reality demands it.”

We all experience burdens and inconveniences in our days. It keeps things interesting. I’m experiencing this while I travel through California and Utah for the next few weeks. Regardless of how much care is taken, plans can go awry.

It catches us off guard and reminds us that we don’t have quite as much control as we think.

Losing that sense of control can trigger panic or rage. “You realize how useful it can be once you spot someone who lacks [the skill]. They struggle to get through the day, upset by the smallest hassle.”

There is an art to taking unseen hassle and nonsense in stride. You see a sense of calm flow over those experts at applying this skill. They receive the hassle as new information, adjust the course of the plan, and continue forward with the best decision given the new inputs.

A sense of awareness helps to increase our acceptance of hassle and nonsense. I’m aware of what’s in my control and what might happen that I can’t predict or control.

And to be sure, this isn’t to say that you should accept all hassles that come your way. It’s about building awareness to know that a certain degree of hassle and nonsense will arise, and being skilled enough to know how to handle it.

Meditation, self-talk, and knowledgeable mentors can all help to strengthen this skill that reality demands of us. As can reflection of your personal experiences.

I have a long way to go but have made great strides in this skill through these tools. It’s especially important when stakes and tensions are high. How have you seen this skill, or lack thereof, in yourself and others?