Why do you think it’s more difficult to get out of bed in the morning than ever despite an avalanche of information, ceaseless research, and a flurry of experts constantly doling out advice on relieving stress and anxiety? Every five minutes, new solutions are introduced to tackle problems that seemingly never existed before, purporting to enhance our well-being, even if we were feeling great before. For everyone below the age of 30, this scenario barely requires statistical evidence – it’s an undeniable reality. Have you ever encountered a so-called expert or study who treats you as an individual, really considering your unique circumstances before providing a blanket remedy?
Or perhaps you’re more familiar with a doctor who provides a cursory 30-second examination without prying for additional information, only to subsequently prescribe a treatment that proves ineffectual. When the ‘expert solution’ falls flat, you’re often blamed for its failure. Does this sound all too familiar? This illustrates the potential pitfalls of valuing efficiency over effectiveness. It’s undeniably efficient (and profitable) to generalize, but at what cost? Who gets left behind because they don’t fit neatly into a predefined category, study, or societal norm?
Everything discussed in this article has references from scientific studies and is in essence CBT- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or ways to change your behavior to limit anxiety. However they are simplistic in their execution with examples from real life celebrities who actually practice these solutions. We don’t claim that anything we present here is the ‘right’ and only way for you. Be warned though as we will make you step out of your comfort zone and present ideas and thoughts that may anger you because they come from a wide range of perspectives that may not be yours. But that’s the purpose since this planet has 8 billion people who will never think the same way as you on many topics, and a bunch of information crunched into your brain much of which makes no sense to you as an individual.
“It's the only thing you can't buy. I mean, I can buy anything I want basically but I can't buy time.”
Warren has always used an archaic flip phone until very recently. This stems from his understanding of life’s necessary balance. After all, there’s a time for relaxation, food, sleep, work, and yes, even leisure. Now, let’s apply this lesson to your life. Have you ever thought about whether you need your smartphone after work hours? A simple, basic phone can handle calls and text messages. Plus, these methods of communication can be more personal and arguably healthier for your well-being. Even the richest investor on the planet takes a break from the markets. A few years back, Warren’s firm, Berkshire Hathaway, invested significantly in Apple. As common investment wisdom advocates using the products from companies in which you’ve invested, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, gifted him an iPhone. Warren only uses the iPhone to make phone calls and nothing else, attributing it jokingly to his old age. However, smartphones have been around for a very long time now.
The core of Warren’s strategy, like many others in business, is effective time management. It’s about defining boundaries and reducing stress. After all, he uses his complimentary iPad to keep an eye on market trends, so why would he need his phone? This principle can be trotted out for employees in any company. If you want a balanced life, engage with the products that help you earn your keep and know where to draw the line. There’s a universal truth in this – even a titan like Warren Buffett can’t squeeze more than 24 hours into a day. There’s an inherent need for balance.
It’s accepted that not all methods will resonate with everyone. Some people may need to use every feature on their smartphone constantly. But are most of us in that boat? Do we genuinely need to give in to the urge to glance at incoming messages every few seconds when we’re not on duty? Consider setting up automated text alerts on your old-school flip phone for urgent matters. Can we not wait until we clock in to respond? Many professionals, such as lawyers, are adept at maintaining these boundaries, try reaching one after their working hours or imposing an immediate deadline and see what happens, you’ll get a response a few months down the road. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is all about creating these small yet significant measures.
Note: See the references section for supporting studies
“It’s my experience that great engineers will only work for a great engineer. That is my first duty, not that of CEO.”
Is there a dreamer more public than Elon? He exemplifies the “aim for the stars, settles for less” perspective, taking it to unprecedented heights. This encapsulates the spirit of a proficient Engineer, even a self-taught one like Elon. A mentality, many struggle to comprehend, thus rendering engineers as one of many misfits of society. Does it come as a surprise that most of them struggle with something as mundane as combing their hair? They are too engrossed in their dreams. Do materialistic possessions truly bring happiness to dreamers like these? Take for instance, this man, the world’s wealthiest individual, residing in a modest, 30-square-meter prefab dwelling, often sleeping in his office or a friend’s sofa. Yes he has a private jet, an exception to the rule and a necessity for time-management. Despite all the outspoken critics, this man manages to single-handedly set the tone for climate change advocacy, supplying us with unparalleled weapons to face it. Although he may not align with ‘liberal’ tendencies, it’s noteworthy to recall it’s the engineers, farmers, and other oddballs, with all their curious nuances, who contribute tirelessly to making the world a far better place than it was. Perhaps the real unorthodox ones are the ones bleeding for Hermes bags, whatever Gucci makes, riding in their Ferraris, screaming at the top of their lungs, or fantasizing about any one of these things. Elon may be onto something, despite his intense level of devotion to his work and need to write something constantly.
Note: See the references section for supporting studies
"I read my most recent royalty cheques and find the pain goes away quickly"
Over two decades ago, our author was a dreamer, and a single mother struggling to survive by doing what she loved most, writing. Today, her dreams have manifested into a reality that surpasses even her wildest imaginings, with her “Harry Potter” series making her a billionaire. These fans, just like her detractors before her fame can’t appreciate J.K. anymore because of her personal beliefs, the same ones that made her famous in the first place and attracted her fans. She has been the focus of widespread social media criticism over recent years due to her stance on a specific transgender issue. She believes changing the definitions of biological sex or gender from male or female, undermines women’s rights and feminist issues. Regardless of this, she expresses staunch support for the battles faced by trans individuals against discrimination, though her perspectives on this issue differ. The quote above is J.K’s reaction to her fairweather fans who want to threaten her with money (i.e. boycotts) to get her to change her viewpoint. The author isn’t even invited to some of her conferences.
In this article, we won’t be pointing fingers or declaring which perspectives are valid – particularly regarding the unfortunate experiences many Transgender people face. We’ll leave that heated discussion to the realm of social media. Instead, we are here to shed light on how one can tackle bullies. Yes, those individuals who malign you, belittle your allies, attempt to muzzle you, and persistently harass you on social media are indeed bullies, no matter their underlying reasons. This holds even in the case of wars, where most are often unjustifiable despite purported ‘noble causes’. They both share a common consequence – inflicting harm or vengeance on people. Even the celebrated billionaire J.K. Rowling has to step away from social media for small periods at a time to maintain her mental well-being, as she took a year off from Social media. For her, it’s easier to walk away than for most people living from paycheque to paycheque, because she doesn’t need one, while many of us do use Social media to get a paycheck. So take this advice with a grain of salt and do your best.
Have you ever felt anger bubbling up while scrolling through your feed? Chances are, the answer would be affirmative for many. Why not try switching off your social media for a few months and monitor the change? In your professional life, delegate the task of staying updated on social media trends to your marketing and sales teams. At the same time, you concentrate on creating bespoke solutions for those around you.
Note: See the references section for supporting studies
“No matter how hard I try or what I wear, or what I say, or what surgeries I get, I will never reach an acceptable version of womanhood ... But as long as I have the queer community that sees me for my truth – I’m gonna be OK.”
Let’s take the opposite viewpoint from the political/social topic in our previous entry to emphasize that no one should feel compelled to follow the crowd, align with current societal norms, or in Dylan’s case let their detractors bring them down. There is always someone who will accept you for who you are and how you feel. Dylan is a TikTok star infamous for detailing her life as she transitioned to being a woman who landed a sponsorship agreement with the BudLight beer brand. The contract was subsequently canceled due to a backlash from BudLight’s customers most of whom simply wanted to drink their favorite beer without feeling forced into a political viewpoint. That’s fair, as ramming your values down someone’s throat is never the way to go in terms of improving mental health and is never good business. Bud Light customers were a certain way, and happy with who they were.
What wasn’t fair and very hateful, were the social media bullies that went way too far in denigrating the TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney as she received a fair amount of hate akin to J.K Rowling, simply for who she was. After all, Dylan was just doing what she loved to do and promoting who she was. No one can take that away from you and luckily for Dylan, she received tons of support from awards to other items. Again no matter your perceived moral ground, there is little need for bullying, wars, or holding on for too long to the past. Therefore always take solace in those who believe in you, unless you think Trans people or Bud Lite customers should be in jail, not working, not going to school, or being wiped off the planet. That’s beyond horrific and there’s no place for that and you should seek help for your anger issues. Live and let live and remember there are 8 billion people in this world many of whom won’t agree with you that you have to work with and talk to every day.
Note: See the references section for supporting studies
"I don't drink these days. I am allergic to alcohol and narcotics. I break out in handcuffs.
For over a decade in the 90s and 00s, Robert, was a ‘lost cause’ going in and out of jail and rehab. His wife, Susan Downey, a film producer herself gave her husband a choice between his friends and her. Robert’s new social circle, played a crucial role in Downey Jr.’s recovery. It worked out for him as he became Hollywood’s most bankable star once he made his changes. In all honesty, there are no Marvel blockbusters without Robert Downey Jr., as his recovery made billions for a lot of people. Recovery from addiction in very simple terms is getting your mind used to something else, feeding the good habits with positive routines, other than the substance that destroyed you, and the people who enabled these substances in the first place. Yes, unfortunately, routine is part of the recovery process as a structured life is essential hence one of many reasons younger people are more susceptible. Addiction is one form of anxiety, a supercharged form, but not the only one. Try new friends, or maybe just go with a few close ones keeping in mind that the world will never be your echo chamber and not all of us are social butterflies.
Yahoo Finance (Warren Buffett), CNBC (Warren Buffett), CNBC (Elon Musk), The Guardian (Dylan Mulvaney), AZ Quotes (Robert Downey Jr.), Vanity Fair (Robert Downey Jr.), X (J.K. Rowling), The Telegraph (J.K. Rowling), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Smartphone Use and Anxiety), Frontiers in Psychology (Smartphone Use and Anxiety in Young adults), American Psychologist (Positive psychology – I.e Reach for the stars and settle for less), The Journal of Consumer Affairs (Voluntary Simplicity – I.e Downgrading your lifestyle), International Journal of Research and Review (Digital Detox – I.e Turning off social media), American Psychological Association (Express yourself in writing), Science Direct (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or Internet Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – Gaining strength from those who support you), Plos.org Post Conflict Affiliation (Affirmation from an enemy’s friend) Cambridge University Press (Change your friends)
All images are AI-generated using Fotor and are not meant to describe the subject matter they portray factually, but figuratively.
