Hey Reader

One of my favourite (old af) memes will always be this one from Courage Wolf:

This type of mentality has been my default since high-school.

Whether it was taking on every class representative role I could, coordinating cohort-wide social events and trimester-long study programmes, or anything in between, I always wanted to go "above and beyond".

Currently, this mindset is getting me through making the +100 layouts that are going to be featured in a video for Gaming Journal ideas 😝 In theory, that's coming out this week...but also in theory, it was supposed to come out in January 😂

While the "then chew it" mentality has helped me in a lot of situations, I'm starting to think that making it my default setting might not always be the best idea.

There are definitely times it's been useful and I've used it to push me outside of my comfort zone. Courage Wolf has helped me achieve things I didn't really think were possible, like posting daily videos during Vlogmas.

Other times though, the results gained haven't really felt worth the stress and exhaustion 😅

While "then chew it" can have great payoffs, I don't think I want it to always be the place I end up at, which brings us to this week's tip.

The idea - Check your "default settings"

The idea of "default settings" comes from the tech industry, and effectively means the way a device works when you first start using it.

Much like a new tech device, we also have "default settings" that sway our responses and decision making.

Some will serve us well while others can hold us back.

One of my defaults is the "then chew it" mentality. My default when it comes to approaching a new project, like making an ideas video for YouTube, is to make it the-most-complete-and-extensive-list-of-ideas-ever-seen-on-this-topic...which is exhausting 😂

Another example comes anytime I'm feeling overwhelmed. Even if the overwhelm has nothing to do with food, my default response is to order takeout. It’s quick and easy, but it doesn’t really align with my health goals.

While these defaults aren't really serving me well, that doesn't mean that all defaults are bad.

A default that I've had for the past few years is called "Bujo Wednesday". Every week, normally on a Wednesday (...funny that 😝) 1-3 friends and I meet up to hang out, have dinner, and potter in our journals.

It's nothing super fancy, just a bunch of friends taking turns to make each other a meal and spend time together.

Given that a lot of adults feel they don't see their friends enough, this standing weekly "appointment" is a default that I cherish. Even if we're not spending time doing anything all that special, consistently seeing my friends weekly is something I really value.

Good or bad, just because something is a "default setting" for us, that doesn't mean it can't be changed.

A default I've been addressing this year is working in the evening just because I felt like things had to get done.

Even though I'm the one who sets my own deadlines (most of the time) I was ending up with workweeks that stretched to 60+ hours with little separation between work and personal life.

It's taken some work, but challenging this "default setting" I've had for years is paying off so far 😊

Let's take action

Consider the different areas of your life and what potential "default settings" you have.

Remember that not all defaults are bad, though I did feel a little hard-pressed to find positive examples in my own life 😂, so see what you can come up with.

Identifying the defaults is only the first step though. Then we have to think about whether we want to change those settings or leave them be 👀

Let's chat about it next week!

For my "then chew it" default, I'll probably still bite off more than I can chew from time to time...and I'll probably end up chewing it, but I'm hoping that by changing my "default setting", it'll happen less often.

Until next time!

- Jess

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