Three Bullet Thursday: June 3rd, 2021

Hi friends! Inspired by Tim Ferriss’ Five Bullet Friday, every Thursday I will be sharing three things I’ve been exploring during the week. Welcome to Three Bullet Thursday!

• Quote I’m Pondering: “When did the future, Ellis once wrote on the back of a postcard, switch from being a promise to a threat?”
  • This line, from one of the last chapters in Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk, was so impactful that I had to put the book down for a few minutes… because its true – at least for me.
  • As a kid, I was so excited for the future and all the imagined potential – getting a car, having some money, exploring the world. But as an adult, the excitement is often replaced with anxiety – I’m worried about my financial future, what I should do to be happier, how not to mess up the relationships in my life.
  • And I don’t think I’m the only one (or one of the only one’s if we count Chuck). So where does this scarcity mindset come from? How do we learn it? And is it helpful?
    • To be fair, I want to note that as a younger person, my headspace wasn’t always wise or healthy, however, I do remember believing that the future would bring the relief.
    • So back to the question. First off, yes, as a function of age – having more robust responsibilities and specific desires has something to do with it – but that still doesn’t explain where the deep seeded fear comes from. Because the fear is generally baseless – we are worried about circumstances in a future we have never been to. We have the same capacity to imagine a scenario where we succeed as one where we fail. So why do we, or at least I, often imagine the latter? When did the future switch from being a promise to a threat?

• What I’m Watching: MasterChef Season 11 Episode 1
  • My guilty pleasure is reality TV competition shows, so naturally I was excited for the season premiere of MasterChef, as show where a few talented home cooks compete for prize money and more importantly, opportunities to make cooking their career.
  • In this first episode, dozens of home cooks present their signature dish to the judges in hopes of earning the coveted “white apron”- the official invitation to the competition. So I’m watching the show, and as some of these aprons were given out, I found myself getting emotional – feeling such admiration and joy for the folks that were making their dreams come true. And this my friends, is why I love these shows. Whether the person is singing, blowing glass, or cooking food, for the duration of the competition, they are dedicating every cell in their being to this dream – and it’s the most beautiful thing to witness. Feeling inspired!

• What I’m Listening To: Gregory Alan Isakov
  • Gregory Alan Isakov makes music that is simultaneously calming and thought provoking. I have literally played one of his albums while I lie in the grass and watch the clouds pass above. Or while I journal. Or while I drive. Or any other time I want to contemplate my life.
  • For instance, as I am writing this sentence, I am listening to If I Go, I’m Goin from the album This Empty Northern Hemisphere. One of my favorites!

Hope you enjoyed this week’s Three Bullet Thursday! Please share your thoughts feedback in the comments below, especially if you have any recommendations for me!

See you next week!