Thanks, Ly, for providing us with fantastic insight for this week.

I read something recently that stuck with me. A man walks into a coffee shop. The barista asks for his order.He says, “I don’t want black coffee.” She tries to help. “Okay, would you like a cappuccino? A latte? A mocha?” He repeats, “No. I just don’t want black coffee.” She steps away to make other drinks. When she comes back, she’s trying to remember his order. And the only thing she remembers is… black coffee. So that’s what she hands him. It’s such a simple story, but it says a lot. When we focus on what we don’t want, even with the best intentions, that’s what takes up space. That’s what gets remembered. That’s what gets repeated. And honestly, we do this all the time with our self-talk. “I don’t want to mess this up.” “I don’t want to feel overwhelmed.” “I don’t want to fail again.” “I don’t want to be behind.” Our minds hear the same thing the barista heard. Black coffee. Black coffee. Black coffee. The brain doesn’t respond well to vague avoidance. It responds to direction. If we don’t clearly name what we do want, we shouldn’t be surprised when we keep getting more of what we’re trying to avoid. This isn’t about pretending everything is positive. It’s about being intentional with where you place your attention. Instead of “I don’t want to be stressed,” what do you want instead?I nstead of “I don’t want to feel stuck,” what are you moving toward? Instead of “I don’t want to screw this up,” how do you want to show up? Clarity in self-talk matters more than we think. Because what you repeat is what gets reinforced. And what gets reinforced tends to show up. 💬 What’s one thing you’ve been telling yourself you don’t want, and how could you rephrase it into what you do want instead? Sometimes the shift is that simple.

As you look back on this week, I want you to consider a different question. Not “Did I do everything right?” But “How did I treat myself while I was doing it?” Because many high-achieving women are very good at executing. They follow through. They problem-solve. They handle things. On the outside, it all looks solid. The part that often gets overlooked is the internal experience. Did you allow yourself to feel capable without pressure? Did you move forward without second-guessing every step? Did you acknowledge your effort without immediately raising the bar again? This is where self-love either shows up or quietly goes missing. The woman you are becoming doesn’t just get things done. She does them without abandoning herself in the process. She lets competence and compassion exist at the same time. That’s the work to notice today. Not what you accomplished, but how you stayed with yourself while you were accomplishing it. �� Where did you notice yourself handling things well this week, and how did you speak to yourself while you did?

By the time we get to discipline, the issue usually isn’t confusion. You already know the next step. You named it yesterday. The real tension shows up after that, when your mind starts offering reasons to delay. Not because you don’t care, but because taking the step makes it real. So, discipline, at least the way I see it, isn’t about pushing harder or being tougher on yourself. It’s about deciding not to overthink something you already know matters. Your future self didn’t wait until everything felt clear or comfortable. She moved while things were still a little messy. She trusted that clarity would come from action, not before it. Today is simply about doing the thing you already know matters. Not perfectly. Not dramatically. Just honestly. You don’t have to make it mean anything more than that. One step taken is enough information for today. You can evaluate later. For now, showing up counts. And you’re allowed to let that be enough. �� What is the next step you already know you need to take, and when will you do it today?

There’s a moment that happens after insight, and it’s easy to skip over. You can see who you want to become. You can hear how your future self would talk to you. And then you look at your life as it actually is right now. That space in between is the gap. Most people either pretend it isn’t there or feel bad that it exists at all. Neither helps. The gap isn’t a problem. It’s information. Necessity is about being honest about where you are, without making it mean you’re failing. It’s noticing, “This is how I’m thinking. This is how I’m acting. And this is where I want to be instead.” The work today isn’t to close the whole gap. That’s overwhelming and unrealistic. The work is to choose the next step that moves you a little closer to here to there. One conversation. One boundary. One habit. One decision you’ve been avoiding. Small steps count when they’re aligned. �� What’s one next step that would move you closer to who you want to become or what you want to accomplish, even if it feels simple?