The weekly perspective

One question to ask yourself

What is the next right thing?

I learned this in my meditation teacher training. It's part of the noble eightfold path of Buddhism, the steps towards alleviating suffering. Sounds pretty idyllic don't you think, no suffering? I posed this question at the (still getting over it) ETPHD event on Saturday. The eightfold path speaks of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. When you consider this, you're cultivating wisdom, ethical conduct and mental discipline (and apparently reaching enlightenment). As you get stuck in daily decisions this week, lost in the stories you're telling yourself about the future or worrying over the past, in the present moment can you ask yourself, what is the next right thing?

Something to consider

“Everything worthwhile in life is won through surmounting the associated negative experience”


Mark Manson. Whatever you're struggling to achieve, wherever you're struggling to see progress, know that all those 'negative' experiences are culminating to result in the eventual outcome. Wishing for it to be easier is wishing for something less worthwhile.

One thing I'd tell my younger self.

We lose more from fear itself than the thing we are afraid of.

It's the stories, the panicking, the overthinking and the worrying. That's what steals from your life. What's truly scary is the amount of time fear does steal. Not the thing we're afraid of. Accept a bit of fear you have right now over that thing you're scared of as a sign of living a human life, a natural response to be embraced, do the scary thing (if there's action to be taken) and realise, the worst of it was in your head.

One thing to try this week

Stop skim-reading the people you love. 

Read those people around you - friends, family, partners and children, as though they are never-ending stories. Listen with curiosity as though you've never heard them speak. Take a beginners mind in your time with them. Notice the felt experience of your love for them, and the way they show you they love you. Sit in that experience of love and connection - the foundations of our wellbeing. 

A few things to tell you...

Struggle with food and your body around holidays? I've made you a toolkit for navigating them (& mostly, enjoying them) here. 

We spoke about secret eating, the balance between relationship with food and dieting & motivational pep talks on the EIQ Nutrition podcast last week. Listen here. 

One more thing...

Please share your favourite stuff.

I'm really trying to have a more positive impact this year (it's where this Monday email spawned from). If there's something you really relate to or know someone who'd benefit from something in this email, please share it and pay it forward. Words are magical, and if I've learned anything from writing these emails to you for years, you never know when someone needs to hear the exact thing you've got to say.