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ChatGPT Lite Part 5 of 6 – Resources for Learning: Influencers and Online Learning courses

This is part 5 of 6 posts introducing ChatGPT and a path forward to consider for adoption and learning growth. 

  1. Part 1 of 6 (Introduction) can be found here. 
  2. Part 2 of 6 (Description of GenAI framework and ChatGPT “fit”) can be found here. 
  3. Part 3 of 6 (Steps to Getting Started) can be found here. 
  4. Part 4 of 6 (High-Level Concepts to Understand) can be found here.

Once the core suggestions are adopted (install ChatGPT and purchase the Plus monthly subscription) and you have started to work with the platform (“kick the tires“), the process for learning, creativity, and skills growth is to embrace a personal dedication to investing in yourself. No one can tell you an exact path to follow or the right or wrong ways to develop yourself. When technology is brand new, there is good news and bad news to accept:

  • Good news – you get to touch and experiment with the tool to find what is compelling for you. The TwinzTalk duo loves touching and experimenting with tech tools, and we have been early adopters throughout our lives.
  • Bad news – you must walk your own path of assessment and growth. You are responsible. No one can give you exact answers on what works for you.

While YOU are responsible for deciding your path forward (Don and I strongly discourage the decision to dismiss the technology as not relevant to you), resources exist to accelerate learning. In this section, we are sharing resources on influencers and online learning that we have identified and have been invaluable to our growth in using ChatGPT Plus. We hope some of these resources are valuable for you.

Influencers

Conor Grennan

  1. Website – https://www.ai-mindset.ai/
  2. The AI Mindset Newsletter – https://www.ai-mindset.ai/newsletter
  3. The Truth About Prompting – https://www.ai-mindset.ai/ai-mindset-newsletter/truth-about-prompting
  4. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorgrennan/
  5. YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@ConorGrennan

Allie K. Miller

  1. Website AI with Allie – https://www.alliekmiller.com/
  2. The AI with Allie Newsletter – https://aiwithallie.beehiiv.com/ (subscribe and receive 50-page FREE ChatGPT Guide)
  3. AI with Allie – Becoming an AI-Enhanced Human (FREE 5-day educational email course) – https://www.alliekmiller.com/becoming-an-ai-enhanced-human
  4. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alliekmiller/
  5. YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@AKMofficial

Ethan Mollick

  1. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/emollick/
  2. Substack – https://substack.com/@oneusefulthing
  3. NPR Interview ‘Everybody is cheating’: Why this teacher has adopted an open ChatGPT policy – https://www.npr.org/2023/01/26/1151499213/chatgpt-ai-education-cheating-classroom-wharton-school

Paul Roetzer

  1. Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute – Founder Paul Roetzer – https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/about/paul-roetzer
  2. Marketing AI Institute – Paul Roetzer blog – https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/blog
  3. The Marketing AI Show – Paul Roetzer and Mike Kaput weekly (Tuesday) podcast – https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/podcast-showcase (insightful and always timely – highly recommend!)
  4. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulroetzer/

Courses

Listed below are courses I have completed and found helpful. Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning are my favorite go-to sources for free or nominal personal development courses. We recommend browsing these platforms and locating topics you want to learn more about. The barrier to entry is often low (free or nominal cost), and the available content is spectacular. The hard part? Making the commitment to invest in your growth. You are in control. As Seth Godin would encourage, “Go. Make a ruckus.” Dedicate yourself to learning and then share your learning with others.

Coursera – Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT- Instructor Dr. Jules White, Vanderbilt University 

Coursera – ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis – Instructor Dr. Jules White, Vanderbilt University

Udemy – ChatGPT, Midjourney, DALL-E 3 & APIs – The Complete Guide – Instructors from Academind (Maximilian Schwarzmuller)

LinkedIn Learning – courses are free with a paid LinkedIn subscription

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ChatGPT Lite Part 4 of 6 – High-Level Concepts to Understand

This is part 4 of 6 posts introducing ChatGPT and a path forward to consider for adoption and learning growth. Part 1 of 6 (Introduction) can be found here. Part 2 of 6 (Description of GenAI framework and ChatGPT “fit”) can be found here. Part 3 of 6 (Steps to Getting Started) can be found here.

  1. Prompt engineering – overview: Prompt engineering is designing and refining inputs (prompts) given to AI models, like ChatGPT, to optimize the quality and relevance of their outputs. This process involves carefully crafting questions, statements, or scenarios that guide the AI to generate responses more aligned with the user’s intentions.
  2. Prompt Library – prompting styles will be a repetitive process. Build a library of frequent prompts used. Per ChatGPT, “Developing a prompt library—a curated collection of well-crafted prompts designed for various tasks, questions, or scenarios—offers numerous advantages for users engaging with Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. This practice harnesses the model’s capabilities more effectively and efficiently.”
  3. Custom Instructions – per ChatGPT, “Building personal “custom instructions” for ChatGPT is akin to personalizing a tool to work more effectively for your specific needs and preferences.” Seth Godin describes and gives examples of custom instructions in his blog post, ChatGPT for you dated September 20, 2023.
  4. Iterative process – The ChatGPT thread builds on the previous prompts, helping to expand thinking or dive more deeply into a topic. Per ChatGPT, “The iterative learning process in a prompt thread with ChatGPT refers to the model’s ability to build upon previous interactions within the same conversation to generate responses that are more accurate, relevant, and customized to the user’s ongoing queries or requirements.”
  5. Hallucinations – Per ChatGPT, “In the context of GPT models, hallucinations refer to instances where the AI generates information or data that is inaccurate, fabricated, or not grounded in reality. These hallucinations can range from minor inaccuracies to entirely false narratives or facts. Understanding and mitigating the risk of such hallucinations is crucial.”

The list above will quickly expand as you work with ChatGPT, yet a brief understanding of these topics will enhance your ability to work more meaningfully with the platform. Below are influencers and courses to consider that will allow you to delve deeper into your areas of interest. Stay curious and open to learning, and show up daily to build your skills and real-life examples that will inspire you to keep going.

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Personal Development | Introduction of Three-Part Blog Series Inspired by Nils and Jonas Salzgeber

Personal development has been a lifelong passion for my twin brother Don and me, born out of our competitive college years and desire to be our best selves. What started as self-serving during our college years has evolved into striving to bring out the best in ourselves and others.

Introducing the Inspiring Work of Nils and Jonas Salzgeber

In Part one of this series, I’ll share the background of Don and my personal development journey and introduce you to brothers Nils and Jonas Salzgeber. Their mission of personal mastery through their newsletter and website, NJLifeHacks.com, resonates with us. They combine ancient wisdom like Stoicism with modern science to help people become better versions of themselves.

I’ll also preview the three book recommendations that are covered in this blog series:

  1. Coach Wooden’s Leadership Game Plan for Success by John Wooden and Steve Jamison
  2. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
  3. The Little Book of Stoicism by Jonas Salzgeber

Part two dives deeper into the timeless life lessons we can learn from legendary basketball coach John Wooden. His wisdom on hard work, staying in the present, and improving yourself to improve the team is powerful.

Part three explores Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues that were key to his success and pursuit of self-improvement. These character traits like temperance, sincerity, humility, and others are relevant today. Walter Isaacson’s insightful biography of Franklin is also referenced.

I hope this series inspires you never to stop learning, improving and becoming the best version of yourself. Let’s go on this adventure together and help bring out the potential in each other along the way. Stay tuned for part one coming up next!

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ChatGPT Lite Part 3 of 6 – Steps to Getting Started

This is part 3 of 6 posts introducing ChatGPT and a path forward to consider for adoption and learning growth. Part 1 of 6 (Introduction) can be found here. Part 2 of 6 (Description of GenAI framework and ChatGPT “fit”) can be found here.

Where do I start once I have ChatGPT Plus? This is one of the most common questions that Don and I are asked. We cannot tell you what the best use cases are in your situation, but we can provide examples that stimulate thoughts for ideas. We firmly believe that once you start working with ChatGPT, your creativity will be ignited, and you’ll be off and running!

From a macro perspective, we believe that the mainstream availability and ongoing development of GenAI and, for discussion here, ChatGPT is an advancement in technology that every person needs to be curious about and engage a willingness to experience the potential of how this can and will impact their world. Whether you are paying for ChatGPT Plus or not, you already ARE paying for it (if not – you are paying through inefficient efforts and reduced talent development – which is imperative in today’s world).

Through our TwinzTalk efforts, we have created a hierarchy to contemplate when working with ChatGPT and other LLMs:

  1. Determine your task to be done.
  2. Is the task a “black or white” (a concrete answer is achievable)?
  3. Use the tool to ACCELERATE what you do. Productivity can be exponentially enhanced.
  4. Use the tool to ENABLE what you should do. Tasks such as documentation of processes are now quickly and painlessly achievable.
  5. Use the tool to ALLOW what you cannot currently do. An example would be Advanced Data Analysis to write Microsoft Excel VBA or Python code needed – beyond existing skillset.

TwinzTalk Hierarchy – Thinking about use cases for ChatGPT and other LLMs

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ChatGPT Lite Part 2 of 6 – Description of Generative AI (GenAI) and how ChatGPT fits into the framework of GenAI

This is part 2 of 6 posts introducing ChatGPT and a path forward to consider for adoption and learning growth. Part 1 of 6 (Introduction) can be found here.

A brief description of GenAI and ChatGPT is provided below. “Zooming out” to take a higher view helps to clarify where the ChatGPT LLM fits into the picture of the larger theme of GenAI.

Prompting ChatGPT with “Please describe the concept of generative AI and how LLMs such as ChatGPT fit into the concept,” this helpful explanation was generated:

“Generative AI refers to a type of artificial intelligence that can generate content, whether text, images, music, or any other form of media. It’s not just about analyzing or processing existing information but creating new, original content based on the data it has been trained on.

Within the realm of generative AI, Language Models (LMs) like GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) are specialized in understanding and generating human-like text. These models are a subset of generative AI focused explicitly on natural language processing (NLP), the domain concerned with the interaction between computers and human language.

ChatGPT, a variant of the GPT model, fits into the concept of generative AI as a state-of-the-art language model. Here’s how:

  1. Pre-training on Diverse Corpus: ChatGPT, like other LMs, is pre-trained on a vast and diverse text corpus. This pre-training allows the model to understand language patterns, grammar, context, and writing styles.
  2. Generative Capabilities: ChatGPT can generate coherent and contextually relevant text based on the input received after pre-training. It’s not just retrieving answers from a database but generating them, often creating content that didn’t exist before.
  3. Fine-tuning for Specific Tasks: While the base model is already powerful, ChatGPT can be fine-tuned for specific tasks or exhibit certain stylistic or thematic preferences in its output. This makes it highly versatile and adaptable to different domains.
  4. Understanding and Generating Contextually Relevant Content: ChatGPT, especially in its latest iterations, is adept at understanding context and generating relevant content. It can continue a conversation, answer questions, write stories, code software, and much more, often in a remarkably human-like way.

In the broader picture of generative AI, LLMs like ChatGPT represent a significant leap forward in our ability to automate and enhance various text-based tasks and interactions. They are key players in the ongoing evolution of AI, pushing the boundaries of what machines can understand and create in terms of human language.”

Ernst & Young overview – GPT component of Artificial Intelligence

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Unlocking the Keys to Long-Term Fulfillment and Happiness: Insights from Influential Authors – Part 3 of 3 | Attributes of Mindset for Personal Development, Kindness, and Generosity

Personal Development and Helping Others

ChatGPT Dall-E Image – Personal Development Contemplation

“Take what you do seriously. Do not take yourself seriously.” This quote is a theme Don and I have embraced throughout our careers and lives. In our chosen paths in our lives, we must be serious about doing our best and continually preparing to be the optimal contribution we can be. The world is counting on this, and often, we are paid to deliver our talents to an employer. The employer is counting on us and, in turn, provides a paycheck that enables us to support ourselves and those we love. The obligation to perform is serious.

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

—Steve Prefontaine

Do not sacrifice the gift. Prioritize time continually to build your skills and build an asset that brings greater value to the world. Personal development must be a priority and is non-negotiable. In a blog post dated March 31, 2024, I wrote about personal growth and the inspiration our family received from Dr. Aziza Shad’s example. Who among us would accept a medical professional who is not committed to their own personal development? Take what you do seriously and always be learning and growing. Non-negotiable.

A #TwinzTalk initiative developed by Don and me focuses on an agenda of personal development topics. One section within the agenda is our list of recommended books. The list includes thirty non-fiction books focused on personal growth.

With our evolving and growing skills, we must be kind and generous to help others. An abundance mindset that embraces “when others win, I win” will serve you well in the long run of life.

Attributes of an Abundance Mindset, Kindness, and Generosity

ChatGPT Dall-E Image – holding door for a stranger

A theme near to my heart and one that has been rewarding for me throughout my life is embracing the concept that kindness and generosity are imperative attributes contributing to our individual fulfillment, success, and happiness. Caring about helping others is a surefire long-term strategy. This is not a purely altruistic suggestion. When others win, we eventually win. I am happy to see April Rinne and others in my social media world are also adamant believers. I am certain their influence over the years has inspired and shaped me to become the professional I am today (and the work never stops).

The evolution of social media and many genuine relationships developed over the years have lifted me up, and the kindness and generosity people bring every day inspire me to strive to bring the same to my network IRL and virtually, to honor and pay it forward for those who have helped me “level up.” We are who we surround ourselves with, and I have found many treasured people who lead by example of how to care, be generous with their talents, and treat others. That’s the tribe I want to belong to and am blessed to have in my life.

The level of kindness and professionalism I witness on social media and with online communities of practice (currently involved in Brainstorm Road Seth Godin-inspired Purple Space, and Harold Jarche’s Perpetual Beta Coffee Club PBCC) has sharpened my lens about all the relationships and interactions in my life. I strive to do my best to help others and to be in community with other like-minded humans.

A final book recommendation is Adam Grant’s Give and Take. Adam makes the case that givers often succeed in their careers and lives. He makes the point that helping others does not need to be grand gestures that take a large commitment of time. A Good Morning America video on YouTube highlights the idea of the “5-Minute Favor.” I know you will be inspired to take action!

Additionally, April Rinne referenced Adam in a spectacular LinkedIn post where she referenced generosity and his book.

Assess your priorities and how those can move you toward your goals and dreams. Once you have clarity, establish a commitment to personal development and be intentional about leading with generosity, kindness, and concern for others. I promise you inspiration and a gratifying cycle of positivity that will bring enhanced growth and happiness to your life! Many of these steps cost no money – just a little consideration when interacting with others.

Please do not sacrifice the gift that you have to make a difference for yourself and others!

Bill Tomoff – Community Trash Pickup
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Body of Work: Introduction to Kindness Advocacy

Twin brothers with sign stating "A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle"

Excellence and kindness. These are themes in my life that became more intentional after our family discovered the concept of post-traumatic growth in 2015. Inherently, my personality has always bent toward a gentler and softer approach toward others. Yet, my commitment has since sharpened and become a steadfast part of how I approach my daily life. Thanks to the work of Gary Vaynerchuk, Tom Peters (his book The Excellence Dividend was my book of the year in 2018), and Daniel Burns KindLoook initiative discovered through my participation in the community of practice “Writing in Community,” I now unabashedly consider myself a kindness advocate and [desperately] want others to join the movement!

On July 2, 2022, on a beautiful sunny day in Berthoud, Colorado, my wife Terri and I were on vacation visiting our dear friends Linda and Mark Misencik when I was contemplating my daily writing to be completed. My exact words from my writing entry for the day included:

“Another book idea is percolating while contemplating experiences on vacation.

Working title (“paint at the wall”) to evolve and work with:

“Excellence and Kindness: Live It. See It. Celebrate It.”

My “lens” towards life gained even greater clarity that day. I would strive to intentionally live with excellence and kindness; I would make an effort to see it happening around me, and when I witnessed it, I would celebrate it by acknowledging the kindness or, if unable to acknowledge it, I would move forward inspired to pay kindness forward in honor of the moment I witnessed. Excellence and kindness can and do ripple beyond the act. I choose to believe this and live accordingly.

This thought, shared in the book Thriving as an Empath by Judith Orloff, MD, resonated with me:

“In Buddhism, karma is the destiny you earn through actions and behaviors. What you give is what you get.”

Through my journey of kindness advocacy, my life has been enriched by discovering others who share the mutual desire to make the world a kinder place. I am eternally grateful for everyone who has touched my life with kindness – because they cared. I leave you with this quote:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

― Maya Angelou

It feels good to make others feel good. When you light another candle, your candle loses nothing. In fact, your candle will burn brighter!

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#TwinzTalk Life Advice and Lessons Learned

On December 3, 2023, I gifted my twin brother Don my unpublished memoir Double Vision: Seeing Life Through Twin Eyes. The book led with advice and life lessons we have learned through our careers in business and working closely with each other – as only a twin could do. Directly from the book, I share the following:

Book Back Cover Blurb

In collaboration with ChatGPT, the back cover blurb for the book sets the context of the gift I have received by the good fortune to share my life with a twin brother:

In his reflections, author Bill Tomoff delves into the profound bond he shares with his twin brother Don. Beginning their journey together in 1958, Bill and Don have navigated the complexities of life, intertwining their personal and professional paths in an extraordinary dance of support, competition, and growth.

This book is a heartfelt tribute to a relationship that exemplifies resilience and mutual inspiration. Through anecdotes from their childhood to their careers in accounting and technology, Bill paints a vivid portrait of a life enriched by Don’s presence. Their story is one of shared trials and triumphs, a testament to the unique connection between twins and the strength of having a constant ally.

Bill’s reflections are a chronicle of twinhood and a celebration of gratitude. He credits Don’s influence for much of his personal and professional development, underscoring the importance of support systems in achieving success. This book is a compelling narrative of two lives beautifully interwoven, a journey of learning, adaptation, and relentless pursuit of excellence, made possible by the unwavering bond between twin brothers.

Advice and Life Lessons Learned from the Twinz

Throughout our lives and careers, Don and I are grateful to have learned many lessons that have helped guide our approach to our worlds. We hope some of the points noted below will resonate with you and help you “level up” and achieve greater fulfillment and success.

A great joy in our lives is when we can share and help others through our own life experiences. If any of these tips resonate with you, please share them in your world!

  1. Do your best: Your best is all anyone can ask.
  2. Play the infinite game: Be aware of the game you are playing.
  3. “Don’t let work get in the way of progress.” – Don Tomoff
  4. “Be gentle. Be kind – you never know what someone is going through.” – Bill Tomoff
  5. Help others: In every interaction, think “help this person.” – inspiration from Bruce Kasanoff
  6. Invest in yourself: Your time and resources. Prioritize personal development.
  7. Read. Read: “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” – Harry S. Truman.
  8. You will fail: You will make mistakes. Learn from these moments.
  9. Learn from other people’s mistakes. Charlie Munger’s encouragement.
  10. Be humble and carry a beginner’s (always learning) mindset.
  11. Live a life of kindness and gratitude and express appreciation to others.
  12. Send handwritten thank you notes: Expressing appreciation for family, friends, colleagues, customers, and others who help your journey through life is a superpower.
  13. Generously share your knowledge and skills.
  14. Live with an abundance mindset – not a scarcity (win-lose) mindset. There is room for everyone to win.
  15. Embrace a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset.
  16. Do not gossip, judge others, or share unwanted opinions.
  17. Lead by example.
  18. Change yourself to change others.
  19. People need people: Remember the African proverb – “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.“
  20. Embrace a morning routine of quiet time for reading and contemplation.
  21. Be humble, be curious, and not judgemental – always be learning.
  22. Understand the strength in these three words: “I don’t know.”
  23. In your actions and daily life – “leave it better than you found it.” For example – see Bill Tomoff’s departing note to colleagues at the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.
  24. Take what you do seriously. Do not take yourself seriously.
  25. Care – about doing your best, helping others, personal development, doing good, and being kind to yourself and others in your world.
  26. Work to deserve respect, trust, success, etc. – while we do not control external factors, we CAN live to enhance our lives and deserve the desired outcome.
  27. Participate in Communities of Practice. Bill Tomoff’s blog “Navigating New Horizons: Social Media to Communities of Practice.”
  28. To be continued (the learning and growth never stops…)
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ChatGPT Lite Part 1 of 6 – How to Get Started: Introduction

Introducing ChatGPT Lite

Since the introduction of ChatGPT in December 2022, #TwinzTalk Don Tomoff and I have prioritized learning and working with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other LLMs, such as Anthropic’s Claude AI.

In the work that Don and I do, we continually challenge ourselves to “narrow the path” and present actionable information that encourages others to invest in their learning and identify ways to leverage technology to benefit their lives personally and professionally. In this regard, Generative AI and specifically the ChatGPT Plus LLM have become the most urgent focus for everyone. The advancements in these technologies are going to continue and accelerate. This document is focused on an introduction to getting started with ChatGPT adoption. We are referring to this as “ChatGPT Lite.”

Topics to be covered include:

  • Description of Generative AI (GenAI) and how ChatGPT fits into the framework of GenAI.
  • Steps to getting started with ChatGPT.
  • High-level concepts to understand.
  • Resources for learning – influencers and online learning courses.
  • Sample of use cases to inspire your creativity for personal use.

Before diving into the topics, in our interest of narrowing the path, we consider the following steps essential:

  1. Establish a ChatGPT account through the OpenAI website.
  2. Enroll in ChatGPT Plus. This cost is currently $20 per month, and we emphasize that this must be considered a non-negotiable personal investment for every individual.
  3. Commit to being curious and learning daily. Drip, drip, drip, the learning compounds by dedicating and investing personal time.
  4. Understand that adoption of ChatGPT Plus is an individual decision and NOT subject to the approval of an employer. The opportunities to expose yourself and learn with this technology can be done personally without crossing the boundaries of professional roles possibly involving an employer’s intellectual property.

With this overview introduction completed, please follow along as we delve into the specific topics detailed above!

Parts 2 through 6 of this ChatGPT Lite series of blog posts can be accessed through the links below:

  1. Part 1 of 6 (Introduction) can be found here. 
  2. Part 2 of 6 (Description of GenAI framework and ChatGPT “fit”) can be found here. 
  3. Part 3 of 6 (Steps to Getting Started) can be found here. 
  4. Part 4 of 6 (High-Level Concepts to Understand) can be found here.
  5. Part 5 of 6 (Resources for Learning: Influencers and Online Learning courses) can be found here.
  6. Part 6 of 6 (Sample Use Cases to Inspire Your Creativity for Personal Use) can be found here.
#TwinzTalk – Let’s Connect the Dots…
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Cultivating Contentment: The Potential of Intentional Daily Reviews

Executive Summary – Collaboration with ChatGPT

On October 10, 2023, inspired by Sahil Bloom’s post, I began a five-minute daily reflection ritual, focusing on five aspects: Win, Gratitude, Stress or Tension, Helping Others/Shining the Light, and Activity/Personal Development. After 100 days, the practice remains a source of intentionality and personal alignment, offering clarity and a momentary escape from the digital frenzy.

Daily, I handwrite my reflections on an index card, cherishing the tactile process as a form of self-care. This habit, reminiscent of my morning meditations and inspired by the Stoicism encouragement to “put each day up for review,” encourages introspection and gratitude. Seneca’s wisdom on self-evaluation resonates deeply, prompting me to scrutinize my actions and thoughts, contributing to my ongoing quest for self-improvement.

Through this simple yet profound practice, I’ve realized the transformative power of pausing and pondering daily life. It’s a reminder of what truly matters, enabling me to confront life’s challenges with a grounded and grateful heart. I advocate this practice for anyone seeking fulfillment, urging them to start small and witness the profound impact of daily reflection.

Original Reflection

October 10, 2023. After reading a post by Sahil Bloom on social media, I began a daily reflection process of prioritizing five minutes to reflect on five aspects of my day. Sahil’s post highlighted three items, and I subsequently added two additional prompts to reflect upon.

Sahil’s original three were:

  • Win
  • Gratitude
  • Stress or Tension

My additions:

  • Help Others/Shine the Light
  • Activity/Personal Development

My goal with this exercise is to intentionally reflect and appreciate/inspire my daily approach to life. On January 17, 2024, I completed 100 consecutive days of reflection. I am unsure how long I will continue this process, but I feel the daily reflection brings me value by helping me be intentional about my perspective and how I want to bring myself to the world daily.

The daily reflections are handwritten on an index card. I deliberately chose to do this exercise manually vs. electronically. Sitting with my thoughts and handwriting my observations are my way of slowing down and creating a pause in my life – away from the distractions of the non-stop digital worlds we live in. The gift of the process is the daily reminder of the areas I want to prioritize and be certain to “sit with” for a few minutes to look at my day and ask, “How did I do today, and what highlights do I want to remember?” Writing my observations by hand creates a few moments of joy/contentment for me. The act itself is a gift I am giving to myself and is a small part of my self-care.

An aspect of my personal development that I wrote about in my blog post dated May 20, 2023, Dawn of Awareness: A Journey of Self-Discovery through Morning Meditations, is my love of morning quiet time, where I read several daily meditations that help me reflect and prepare for the upcoming day. The Daily Stoic Meditations is one of the books included in my process.

The Daily Stoic Meditation for January 22nd, The Day In Review, resonated with me. The encouragement is to prioritize time to evaluate our day and assess how we feel about our day’s performance. My approach with the index card is a mini-version of the daily stoic recommendation. While I reflect and write, my mind assesses the areas I have identified as a priority in my life. As noted in the Meditation:

“I will keep constant watch over myself and—most usefully—will put each day up for review. For this is what makes us evil—that none of us looks back upon our own lives. We reflect upon only that which we are about to do. And yet our plans for the future descend from the past.”

—Seneca, Moral Letters, 83.2

“Take time to consciously recall the events of the previous day. Be unflinching in your assessments. Notice what contributed to your happiness and what detracted from it. Write down what you’d like to work on or quotes that you like. By making the effort to record such thoughts, you’re less likely to forget them. An added bonus: you’ll have a running tally to track your progress too.”

Can a short process of assessing and journaling each day enhance your life? I encourage you to start small and try it! May you find contentment and fulfillment as you “put each day up for review.“