Hey friends 👋

Fall is here, but life hasn't slowed down quite yet. Between the house, work and a few side projects, things are still pretty busy around here.

There are also some exciting product releases and new content coming up soon, so I'm looking forward to sharing more over the next few weeks.

Reflections & Insights

Every strength is also a weakness and vice-versa

Recently, I tried one of those "based on everything you know about me, what are my top five strengths and weaknesses?" prompts with ChatGPT again. The funny part is how dramatically the result changes depending on whether you ask it to praise you or roast you. Same person, same traits, completely different framing.

However, the most interesting insight was that most of my strengths would eventually become weaknesses when taken too far and my weaknesses sometimes become differentiating strengths in the right context. Knowing yourself is therefore less about fixing or optimizing everything away, and more about understanding your tendencies well enough to navigate them.

It also made me think about how unagitated the whole interaction was while asking the same question to your family or friends can be pretty disturbing. I guess we're still social creatures, after all. Another reason why AI can be a helpful tool.

Be the change you want to see

There are plenty of things in life we don't choose, and not everyone starts with the same opportunities, health, support or circumstances. Still, I've been thinking about how easy it is to get stuck in a cycle of expecting things to go wrong, complaining about them and then treating that expectation as proof that nothing can change.

Sometimes the first step out isn't a huge life overhaul, but a small shift in perspective: trying something, asking for help, changing an environment, or simply believing that a different outcome is possible.

That's not to say that everything is under your control and thus your pity is your fault. Clearly, it isn't. But, eventually, some part of building a fulfilling life has to come from us. Other people can support, encourage and guide us, but they can't steer the ship forever.

Maybe that's the uncomfortable part: no one is coming to live your life for you.

Monthly Favorites

🎶 Song: SOKO – We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow
Not much to say. Just a beautiful song about love.

📚 Book: Sophia Fritz – Toxische Weiblichkeit
Apparently only available in German, but a must-read for all genders. We talk a lot about toxic masculinity, but rarely about toxic femininity. This book dives deep into that, especially into socially constructed gender roles and how they can end up hurting everyone.

📽️ Video: I Found a Tiny Kitten in the Desert… She Jumped on My Shoulder and Never Left
A lovely, touching story of two friends meeting in the middle of a desert.
Also ... why am I crying?

Book Club

Voting for the next book as well speak. If you want to join, be quick! Of course, you're also always invited to join for a later round.

Interested in joining our book club?
Then hop into my Discord and check out the #book-club channel.
Note: We're mostly active in a private chat, but ping me if you want to join regardless!

Monthly Journaling Prompt

Which of your weaknesses might actually be a strength in the right context?

We tend to think of strengths and weaknesses as opposites, but most traits can be either depending on the situation. Being stubborn might also mean being persistent. Being sensitive might make you more empathetic. Being overly analytical can become a real advantage when everyone else is rushing to conclusions.

Instead of asking what you should fix about yourself, try asking where one of your supposed weaknesses might actually serve you.

Thanks for checking in—see you next month!

Best,
Robin