better cookies.

what can i do instead?

instead of asking: how can i be more like them? ask: how can i be more like me? how many versions of me do i occupy? where do they live? how do they grow? what will they bloom into? what rituals do they practice? how do they... See more

Ask culture and guess culture are vastly different in behavior and expectations. Here are some highlights:

Ask culture expectations

Ask for what you want, even if it seems out of reach or like a big unreasonable request

Take care of your own needs, and others will take care of theirs

It’s fine to make requests that people will probably say no to

People

Jean Hsu • Ask vs Guess Culture

the discomfort is not the obstacle. the discomfort is the curriculum.

how to live with the discomfort of learning (instead of running from it)

altered my brain chemistry

one way to live with the discomfort is to reframe it as evidence. instead of telling yourself “i’m bad at this,” try “i’m inside the process.” the first thought breeds shame and avoidance. the second breeds patience. the language you use with yourself matters because it dictates whether you return to the desk, to the studio, to the practice space.... See more

how to live with the discomfort of learning (instead of running from it)

but learning demands a temporary surrender of pride. you can’t learn while protecting your image at the same time. you have to allow yourself to sound clumsy, to look unpolished, to admit you’re not there yet. it feels like loss in the moment — loss of dignity, loss of certainty — but it’s really the ground clearing itself so that something else... See more

how to live with the discomfort of learning (instead of running from it)

it helps to remember that mastery is mostly muscle memory disguised as confidence.

how to live with the discomfort of learning (instead of running from it)

open.substack.com

i’m more energized and less scared to learn more things.

“If you inherently long for something, become it first. If you want gardens, become the gardener. If you want love, embody love. If you want mental stimulation, change the conversation. If you want peace, exude calmness. If you want to fill your world with artists, begin to paint. If you want to be valued, respect your own time. If you want to live... See more