Hi First name / friend,

 

During my weekly preview call with my accountability partner last week, I got a huge insight that I kept reflecting on since then, and wanted to share with you here.

 

Keen as always, she noticed that I had a pattern lately in the way I talked, so she was kind enough to hold up the mirror for me to see it. It was the comparison trap again, this time with my 2020 self.

 

The year 2020 was indeed a big year for me. I had the luxury of time, especially during quarantine, which helped me get goals moving forward like launching my podcast and The Power of Now video series, in addition to decluttering my home among other achievements. In our recent calls, I kept repeating the sentence: “Compared to last year, I felt happier, things were more exciting, I did more…etc.”

 

She gently asked me to notice this and to remind myself that every year comes with its own elements. It is not fair to myself to overlook the consistent and hard efforts I’ve been putting forth this year. Moreover, the exposure I am lucky to have this year is way bigger than last year’s.

 

Yes, we do compare ourselves to others and most times it doesn’t feel great, but we can be really hard on ourselves when we compare our current selves to our past selves who lived different seasons which we may or may not live again.  

 

Another note we discussed was that perhaps starting things is more exciting than keeping at them, and that’s where discipline and remembering our why comes in. I also need to ask myself “How can I bring joy to this moment?” more often and act on the answer, and definitely pat myself on the back kindly saying: “Well done, Bardees, you have come a long way”.

 

Say it to yourself please: “Well done, First name / my friend, you have come a long way.”

 

Happy back to school season 🚍 by the way, enjoy the sparks below. 

Here is your weekly dose of The Sunday Spark ⚡ a newsletter listing 5 inspiring things I thought were worth starting your week with: 

  1. Stop Stealing dreams is a manifesto by Seth Godin about schools; how they came to be and what they are for. I recommend checking the illustrated version.  It is so brilliant that I had attempted to translate it myself to Arabic (I even paid for translation help) only to discover later that another loyal reader had done it already. Share it with others, let the school conversations begin. Here is the audio version.
  2. “Learning How to Learn” is a free online course you may want to consider right now. It has been taken by millions and ended up being one of the most popular massive open online courses with its brain-based approach to teaching and learning
  3. The course creators have just released a new book called Uncommon Sense Teaching that I started reading to help me with the kids this school year.
  4. Benjamen Zander is an amazing classical music conductor who "uses music to help people open their minds and create joyful harmonies that bring out the best in themselves and their colleagues." Watch his amazing TED talk here, I dare you not to smile or maybe cry watching it. Oh also, look up his book.
  5. A quote to help you honor your unique creativity by expressing it:

"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open."

― Martha Graham

(resurfaced through Readwise, download this awesome app to remember books you read)

See you next Sunday, First name / my dear friend

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Have a Brilliant Week!

 
 

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