Friday Musings are back

What's going on

It's been almost a year since my last Friday Musings. Tomorrow is my birthday, and it seemed like the right time to be coming back to this space.

I feel like so much has changed this past year. Some changes have been apparent, like my mom getting very sick, others have been quieter, but impossible to ignore. For the first time, I can notice how parts of me are changing, and be more aware and proactive about that. Identity shifts and how to address them intentionally is something I'm talking about in my next video, so I won't go into more detail just yet.

The world has changed a lot, too. Many of us are grappling with FOBO (Fear of Becoming Obsolete), brought on mainly by all the advances in generative AI (and the loud promises and mass layoffs tied to it). When you think you've finally caught up, everything's shifted again. The world of content creation is changing a lot as well. More and more posts and video are created by or with the help of LLMs.

I'm not sure I like the direction this is going, it feels like it's driving a wave of homogenization and creative flattening (and don't get me started on the emoji overload!). Also, just because we can create a lot more (of everything), doesn't mean we necessarily should. But I also don't want to criticize other people's choices; we're all trying to do the best we can in an increasingly complex world. I still stubbornly write my own emails and come up with my own video ideas. I'm writing this post myself. When I write in French or Spanish, I rack my own brain for the right words and grammar. Only at the end do I have a tool check my work. But I often wonder whether this is a smart choice (and I definitely fear being left behind and becoming obsolete!).

I guess this can be an invitation for us all to use the new tools that can make life easier, while never forgetting to ask ourselves why and how we're using them, and without letting them take over our own work and judgment. This also reminds me of the "shiny object syndrome" I talked about a while ago.

From my channel

People pleasing kept me safe. Until it wrecked my health.

My latest video on YouTube is about what people pleasing will eventually do to you unless you understand where that comes from and how to move past it, one tiny disappointment at a time.

Article of the week

What Happens When Parents Say “I Was Wrong”

The article focuses on the parent-child dynamic, but a lot of what the author says applies to apologies in general—what the research around apology suggests, why we may struggle with saying we're sorry and how to do it the right way.

I really appreciated the definition of apologies as “psychological vitamins”.

A breakfast worth waking up for

You may be familiar with chia seed pudding. But did you know you can get the same benefits with "chia seed yogurt"?

A couple of years ago I started having chia seed pudding because it allowed me to start the day with a good dose of easily digestible fibre, especially important for someone with digestive issues like me. But I missed my morning yogurt, which also provided the added advantage of probiotics. Until a few months ago one of the doctors I follow posted about swapping the milk for yogurt, which still lets the chia seeds hydrate and become more digestible. I make mine with Greek yogurt and collagen for protein, leave it in the fridge overnight, and in the morning add fruit and some nuts or almond butter. Depending on the day I might add an egg or a half scoop of pea protein powder for an additional protein boost. I really look forward to it every morning when I wake up!

Quote of the week 

"Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable".  (Mary Oliver)

Moving forward, you can expect new musings on a pretty regular basis, plus a note whenever a new video goes out or I'm reviewing a past post. It's a work in progress!

Hit reply or leave a comment to let me know how your summer is going, and to offer any feedback or suggestion. And pass this on to anyone who might enjoy it.

Until next time,

ML