The Debrief: A Week of Doing, Not Just Dreaming
The Debrief
I’ve been thinking about my conversation with Kalsoom all week. She has this way of making you feel like it’s okay not to have the perfect plan, just start, and figure it out as you go. Hearing her story made me want to get out of my own head and do more. It’s so easy to talk ourselves out of trying because we don’t tick all the boxes. But she built her seat at the table from scratch. I needed that reminder.
Honestly, this week I noticed how much I overthink. I let fear of not doing things “right” stall me. So I tried to just move—even if it was messy.
Parenthood, Priorities, and the Power of “Why”
There’s something about being a parent that changes how you see everything. I find myself asking “why” a lot more:
Why am I saying yes to this?
Why am I working so late?
Why am I letting other people’s urgency become my emergency?
Kalsoom talked about how her “why” got sharper after having a child. I feel that too. Kids are mirrors—whatever you say or do, it comes back at you in the funniest, sometimes hardest ways. I catch myself wanting to show them what self-trust and boundaries look like, not just talk about it.
Tiny Experiments That Worked (for Me)
Social media: I put my apps in lockdown mode (10 pm–4 pm).
That’s wild for me. I still check stuff for work on my laptop, but my phone isn’t just a distraction machine anymore. I feel lighter.
I started reading at night again.
I finally found an accountability buddy. We’re not competing, just sharing what stuck with us. I’m actually finishing books for the first time in forever.
Curation over consumption:
I’m quick to hit “not interested” if content doesn’t serve me. Feels small, but my headspace is cleaner.
One “win” per night:
Each night, I write down one thing I did well, sometimes it’s big, sometimes it’s “I didn’t lose my patience.” It’s helping me see progress I usually ignore.
What This All Means (for Me, Maybe for You Too):
Time is precious, and it’s slipping whether I use it or not.
Saying yes to please others almost always leaves me regretting it.
Doing, even badly, is better than dreaming perfectly.
Current reads:
If you’ve figured out a tiny hack to protect your time or a book that made you see things differently, hit reply and share it with me. I want to know how you’re keeping it real, too.
“ Stop waiting to feel ready. Ready is not a feeling. It is a decision.”
— Sai M