I saw this image and it really got me thinking. I’m a massive advocate of the idea of try everything first. Before you do something you can’t take back, try everything first. Try everything first. That advice has save my life multiple times. And the more I share it, the more lives it saves. But this image has prompted something new, what is the equivalent of ‘try everything first’ when it comes to thriving. When it comes to choosing to live a life that is worth living, to become self actualised, to follow our dreams, to do what we were put here to do. Let me know what advice you could give someone to prompt this sort of emotional response.

I just spent a couple of hours today with my eldest crafting a guided meditation for him (and kids like him) to act as a daily session that will both help them calm and regulate, as well as give them tools to do so on their own. He helped with the wording, structure, pacing, volume mixing, and imagery, making it 'perfect'! If you have a kid (or are just after a quick and simple 5 minute calming session), you can play the session below, or click into the classroom and find it in the 'fundamental practices' course. My boy is pretty happy with his work, so if you have any feedback, feel free to respond to this email and I will pass it on :)

This is an old video, but quite literally I think about it at lest once a week. As a social experiment, a photographer took a picture of subjects, and then told them she was taking pictures of things she found beautiful. The transformation is incredible. In the video you witness them all light up. It makes me realise just how powerful words really are, both in manifesting our own reality, but also how they impact others. This video inspired me to write a poem. I wanted to highlight the power of words in crafting the future: "by complementing the future she crafted the present her words revealing a truth others couldn’t yet see not for lack of trying but because she hadn’t yet spoken the truth was merely a dream waiting for her to birth it into reality now here, its eternal nature is manifest the future, now present, informs the past and thus her words were true before she ever spoke them" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW8BDgLpZkI&t=141s

I’ve been sitting on this quote for a week and cannot shake the impact: “Everything is an ad. Everything is genAl. Everything is a glimmering facade peeling off at the edges. Everything is a Faustian Bargain. Promising you ease and wonder and reassuring you that the consequences will be so distant it won't matter. Nothing matters. Take the deal. It's never been more important to do real stuff. Even if it's terrible. Especially if it's terrible. The zeitgeist is hollow. Full of just the idea of authenticity. It is starving for something real. Don't take the deal. Be a discordant note. Be a shimmering speck of silver in a sea of plastic. Write cringe poetry. Make art that looks like nothing. Sing songs with uncertain melodies. Be an excruciatingly odd thing in a world that is constantly trying to force you into a template.” THOUGHTS: You matter, I matter, we all matter. A collection of individuals is more valuable than a unified whole. Yes, individuality is accepted, but only when individuality is exceptional. On the podcast yesterday we were talking about the idea that you are crazy until you make it, then you are a visionary. Not (always) in real life, but definitely online there is a push to conform. Filters to change how you look. AI to to craft your words. Boxes to fit in. Stories to play out. I love this quote though. And it makes me realise that the meta game response to the world that is coming, is to be so uniquely yourself. To refuse to let the edges be shaved off. To enjoy art and hobbies and other things just because you enjoy them. Not because you’re trying to make money, or to impress, or to fit in. Just because. To go and sit in the beautiful imperfection that is yourself, that is nature, that is real. I was talking to my partner about a potentially awkward social situation with a friend. And she said that’s what friendships are, they are messy, they involve back-and-forth, involve work, and have friction. That is exactly the point. We are not robots. We are not carbon copies. And we will not be able to thrive in an environment that tries to make us into such things.

Was just introduced to the this 10 minute guided meditation by Milk & Honey mental health (on YouTube) and thought that you may appreciate it. It begins with a visualisation of a river and reframes thoughts as leaves that we observe and let go. I found it helpful to quiet a busy mind and encourage calm. Also, If you have any resources you would like to share, please do! https://youtu.be/exLaebgFO_8?si=zgNatcL1AhGvZc8E