Info refinery #18:
Good to be writing here again, it has been a month since the last newsletter. Many new things happening: Setting up a coding club for data visualization, taking over a local meetup, new dog. Welcome!
🧠 What’s on my mind
Confidence is being honest.
I attend a group meditation meetup in Helsinki every now and then, a great group of people, and very interesting discussions around the topics for every week. Some weeks ago the topic was confidence. I realized that confidence is being honest.
The best way to be honest is if you have confidence in yourself, you feel at ease with yourself and are not afraid of making mistakes. It also requires confidence to be vulnerable and accepting what you don't know.
One of the values I preach is honesty, life is easier when you can be honest. But I understand it is not easy for everybody, not everybody is privileged enough to live a life where confidence can be developed. I have not always been confident, but as I get older (close to 30) I feel that I have developed a healthy dose of confidence that helps me be honest.
Another of the interesting thoughts that came during meditation is that I can get both confidence and anxiousness from the same thing. Let me explain, I do data analysis as a living, sometimes I am like: "this is easy, I'll just do it". However, sometimes I don't have a clear how to start, which creates resistance and anxiety. It often just takes a bit of brainstorming or note-taking to clarify what to do and then confidence comes back. Remember, that even if you are anxious doesn't mean that you are not capable of doing it, sometimes a bit of clarity goes a long way.
🤯 What have I learned this month
Twitter gold: As a reader of Atomic habits by James Clear, I can say this Twitter thread sums up the thinking of James Clear greatly.
Self compassion: You want to push yourself but going too far can be demotivating and frustrating. Finding a balance is not easy, but why don't we look at how we react with others? "Give ourselves the same kindness and care we'd give to a good friend". Great and direct writing that will make you think about how you treat yourself. (link)
Common sense and food: "Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food". Concepts remind me of the term realfooding, very popular in Spain, which advocates for real ingredients that rot and that are not ultra-processed. (link)
😮 Interesting things
Physical habit checklist: Youtuber Mike Boyd builds an enclosure to get ahold of his habits, by combining knowledge from the 30 days challenges he has done in the past. Absolute genius.
Wheat beer notes: If you like beers, check out the notes I took in a course I attended, it is a mix of history and characteristics of different styles and beer names. (link)
Heavy metal for kids: Hevisaurus is a Finnish metal band for kids. It was difficult to believe the first time I saw it. Pretty cool though.
🍴 Food for thought
Measure your commitment to the goal, not your progress, looking at progress can motivate you to slack off
📊 Visualization of the week
See you next time!