The podcast speaker discusses how their past behavior of adding more activities to drown out unwanted feelings has evolved to building in empty spaces and saying no to practically everything, in order to find balance and avoid actions that no longer serve them.
The speaker describes how they dealt with overwhelming feelings by adding more activities until they realized it was not sustainable. They discuss how building in empty space has helped eliminate noise and prioritize tasks better.
The speaker discusses how they make decisions about requests and categorizes them into either a hard no or a full-body yes, with the latter being more difficult when it involves people who were once supportive but now have many favors to ask.
The speaker discusses the insufficiency of common anxiety and productivity tips for complete relief from anxiety and fear of missing out, highlighting the importance of addressing underlying emotions and beliefs.
The speaker discloses that not investing in startups since 2015 has come at a social cost, as some acquaintances expect a fast and compliant response and view their position as entitled. However, the speaker believes the cortisol-fueled culture of startup investing causes more harm than good.
The fear of disappointing others is a threat to our belonging and can lead to feelings of being unsafe and isolated. Managing the basic risks of love, safety and belonging is essential for our well-being.