Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟

I write about mindful productivity and personal growth. On a journey to live a simpler and more intentional life. 10+ year writer exploring content writing.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

Take every advice you hear with a grain of salt (including mine).

Why?

Because you don't have the full context of why it's working.

Because there's no single answer that works for everyone.

Figure things out for yourself.

Stick with what works best for you.

Quit the rest.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

I spend 2022 chasing time.
I tried to make the most of every minute.

Life passed me by.
I couldn't do anything.

January came.
Time stopped flying by.
All it took was ...

Turning off the autopilot mode.

I tasted life.
I improved on what matters.

I have time and so do you.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@martyna_io I have 2 😅

Socratic questioning helped me be self-aware (how I act, how I see myself, the way I think/feel/fear/cope)

Keeping a journal (to track my health/well-being) helped me trust my sensations and guide doctors in their diagnoses/recommendations (saved my life 3 times)

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@LaBeaFischer We often use the "it's too late" excuse (consciously or not) because it's an easy way out to avoid facing fear.

If we convince ourselves that it's too late, we give up control over our life (and we won't act).

The real question is, are we okay dying knowing we didn't try?

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@christinetrac1 I thought about you today when I saw a YouTube recommendation for female powerlifting championships 😍

Take it easy this weekend 😘

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@martyna_io 💯

I wonder if this is because we don't want to deal with any negative consequences of making a hard choice.

Knowing how to set boundaries helps to protect your time, attention, and energy.

Knowing that saying no to X allows you to say yes to Y is more motivating.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

Everyone talks about setting boundaries.

Yet few talk about what goes with it.

Values.

Why do I say this?

Because you can discipline yourself as much as you want.

You won't stop wondering about what you should do UNTIL you know what's most important to you and WHY.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@romanasayshai Not a founder (yet) but @Shawn_BraveYes is a gem 😍

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@WordsByMatt Asking a friend or my husband to keep me on check if I don't do X. Tell them about the excuses I might use and the underlying fear that makes me act this way. But most of the time, the thought of disappointing someone I care about or myself is enough to make me do the work.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@DmytroKrasun Maybe I'm dumb, but I don't see the problem.

Twitter is a business.

It can change its algorithm at any time to retain people's attention.

You can either play by their rules or stop trying.

Truth is, Twitter doesn't owe you anything, and neither does your audience 🤷‍♀️

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@contentkuba Am I saying I can't afford to be as inconsistent as I've been in January? 😂

I know you didn't mean to call me out, but thank you for being a good friend 🥹😊

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

This is hard to admit, but this was me not too long ago.

I thought I knew myself.
But the sad truth is, I didn't have the courage to be self-aware.

There's no other way around it. And the more you avoid it, the longer you'll struggle to achieve your goals.

[Mark Manson @Markmanson]

If you're consistently doing your best yet not getting anywhere, it's probably time to question how accurate your definition of "best" is.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

"Only work on the things you love."

I recently read this, and I'm perplexed.

One side of me thinks:
"Life isn't a fairytale where you only work on what you love."

And the other one thinks: "If you can delegate and focus on what you love, why wouldn't you?

What's your take? 🤔

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@christinetrac1 @heymattia I have things under control, at least for now 😘

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@martyna_io Exactly.
Productivity is a tool, and you get to choose what you want to do with it.

There's some of that, but I think there's also this need to make it hard for ourselves because we feel we don't deserve it if it comes "too easy" 🤔

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

"Productivity is about doing more in less time"

I disagree.
Yes, you want to dedicate more time to what matters the most.
But, you also want to be engaged in what you're doing.

You made it through the list.
But what's the point if you don't even remember experiencing it?

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

The biggest myth about productivity:

The more you do, the better.

I know what you're thinking.

"Less to do tomorrow."

Now think about this.

You have less to do.

You finish it.

You win.

You create momentum.

Everything else is a bonus.

You see, it doesn't have to be hard.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@talktoterryco Believe me, it wasn't always that way 🙃

I have ADHD, and I'm living proof that the time you get up doesn't say anything about whether or not you'll do things that move the needle.

You won't go anywhere if you force yourself to fit into someone's else rules, though.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@thebrianto I've never thought I would say, but I don't see that as a failure.

I don't judge the feedback I get because that's exactly what I was looking for: getting factual data (not unrealistic expectations) on what I can do in the best/worst scenario.

One more week to go 🙏😉

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

We're 30 days into the new year.
And I've already failed 3 times.

And yet, it's still the best decision I made recently because:
→I can reflect on my actions as I go
→I can adjust my goals as I go
→I can set habits based on feedback from experiments

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

2 weeks ago, I told you I didn't set goals for the year yet.
Here we are now, and I still don't have any.
Instead, I'm taking my own advice.

3 weeks.
One area I want to work on.
The outcome dictates the next move.
Everything that passes the worst-case test could become a goal.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

@DelDiligence I'm not questioning the importance of boundaries.

I'm only saying that setting boundaries and knowing your values go hand in hand.

Knowing what matters the most to you in your life (and what's guiding you) will help you decide where you set the line you can stick with.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

You either:
Keep pushing yourself beyond your limits.
Keep doing things your way and fail.

You see this?
This is why you think you need to fill every minute of your day.

Truth is, you don't.
Because you need time to think.
And you can't think without space in your day.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

Sharing this got me thinking.
Why was I frustrated about wasting time?
Why did I put that pressure on myself?

Truth is, I don't need to rush.

I need to ask myself if what I do:
Is a distraction?
Is helping me moving forward?

Taking the best decision shouldn't make me feel bad.

[Maha is learning to surf chaos 🌟 @heymaha]

Don't you hate it when you feel you're wasting time?

I do too, but...
What I hate more is letting frustration rule my actions.

So I pick my battle.
And start over something I finished.

Being intentional isn't all about preparation.
Sometimes, you need to pause and go backward.