Hell Yeah or No
Kicked off the year with exciting launches, new coaching, reflections from our book club, a free tool to create your personalised Wheel of Life, and tips for tackling chores efficiently!
Hey friends đź‘‹
I hope you’ve had a wonderful start to the new year and a successful January so far!
Personally, I kicked off the year with a calm, Think Week-style retreat to set myself up for a great year.
Since then, things have only gotten more intense, as I’ve been tackling multiple firsts that felt intimidating at the start. I launched my first 4-week coaching program, released a small and free app to generate your personalised Wheel of Life, and filmed my first YouTube video (stay tuned—it’s coming soon!).
For this first issue of 2025, I’m introducing a new structure to my newsletter.
Each month, I’ll share my learnings, tips, and goodies, highlight my monthly favourites, and (once per quarter) reflect on insights from our book club. Finally, I’ll leave you with a community question where I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Learnings, Tips and Goodies
- The Wheel of Life: I recently released a free app to help you create your personalised Wheel of Life. If you’re unfamiliar with the exercise, check out my blog post where I explain what it is, how to use it and why you definitely should!
👉 Try the app here or read the blog post to learn more - Maintenance Routines: Housekeeping can feel like a never-ending task that piles up faster than we can clear it. These chores are often draining and distracting if not managed properly. Frustrated with this cycle, I started using "maintenance routines".
The idea is simple: batch similar tasks together and assign them to specific days of the week. This way, everything gets done without constantly lingering on your mind. So far, it’s been a game-changer for us!
Monthly Favourites
🎶 Song: So Soon - Then
Been listening to this one on repeat for weeks—perfect fit for this cozy time of year.
📚 Book: Derek Sivers - Hell Yeah or No
A thought-provoking short book on prioritisation, goal setting and life in general.
🥗 Recipe: Vegan Paella
A plant-based variation of the classic Spanish dish—we’ve made it at least five times this month!
📽️ Video: No. the world is not falling apart.
A compelling story about optimism.
Book Club
In January, I finished Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers.
I’ve always loved Derek’s books and this one resonated deeply because it aligns so well with my own principles. Here are my top 3 reflections:
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Old opinions shouldn’t define who we are in the future:
One of the most powerful aspects of self-reflection is accepting that our opinions and preferences change over time. That doesn’t mean we were “wrong” in the past—it’s just growth. For instance, I used to argue with my parents over things we actually agreed on, simply because it contradicted the opinions I held as a teenager.
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Art is useless by definition—but that’s the beauty of it:
This might sound controversial at first, but think about it: if art were useful, it would be a tool. True art serves no purpose other than enjoyment, and that’s what makes it so special.
It reminds me of this speech by my favourite philosopher, Alan Watts. The process of creating art is infinitely more fulfilling than aiming for a result. -
Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years:
This principle rings true for all time intervals—1 day vs. 1 week, 1 week vs. 1 month, and so on. It’s a great reminder that showing up consistently and improving just 1% each day is the key to long-term progress.
Next month, our book club is diving into the classic Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. If you’re interested, we’d love for you to join us!
💡 Want to participate in my book club?
Join my Discord community and check out the #book-club channel. We read one book per quarter and meet twice to discuss our learnings.
Community Question
What’s your favourite trick for staying on top of chores or repetitive tasks? Have you tried batching or a similar approach?
Reply to this e-mail and let me know—I might highlight your trick in the next issue!
Thanks for checking in and see you next month!
Best, Robin