Wise Wednesdays

 The boss who gives you too much to handle? The colleague who talks over you? The schedule that doesn’t work for you anymore? What else? Social media manipulation? Unjust politics? Conflict escalation? Every day we’re exposed to things we may not want, and feel we’re forced to consent to.  Yet, we often have some degree of free choice that we don’t fully embrace. Why? Because we’re afraid, tired, and anxious. But you can take it one step at a time. Right now: What are you tolerating in your career in order to meet other people’s expectations? What are you consenting to inappropriately in your relationships to avoid disappointing someone? What’s an uncomfortable conversation it’s time to have about what you truly need and want? What’s a simple change you can make to your diary to focus on what matters most to you? Write one thing down and take action today. Let me know how it changes your quality of life. Have a great week, Amina P.S. There's still time to join next week's Lead...

  In Victorian times, it was fashionable to build ornate structures in gardens called follies . These architectural features served no real purpose other than to enhance the landscape or impress guests. While they looked good, they often required significant resources to build and maintain, all without offering any practical benefit. [Photo: A medieval ruin? An ancient civilisation remnant? No! It's a Victorian Folly made of concrete faux-stone. Sydenham Hill Wood, London.] Today, we might not build follies, but we often do something similar with our personal boundaries—compromising on them to “look good”, please others, or assuage guilt and anxiety about not being perfect. Saying yes when you really want to say no. Agreeing to things you don’t have the energy for. Taking on too much, even when you're already exhausted. Like follies, compromising your boundaries might bring a temporary glow or even a dopamine hit. But over time, it drains your energy and can lead to super...