​What's the worst hand in poker?

Maybe it’s a 7-2 off suit. 

We may get frustrated. We’re not happy. But we understand that terrible hands are out of our control. So we try to minimize the damage and wait for a better hand to play. 

The same goes for challenging situations at work and at home. Yes, we have more control than in poker. However, problems often arise because other people hold different values. Understanding the limits of what we control and don’t is liberating.

How do you decide when to fold and when to play?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​Speaking louder, with confidence, and making firm eye contact is nice. But it doesn’t mean the idea being pitched is worthwhile to do. 

If you have trust, you can focus more on the idea and less on your communication style.

How might you earn trust? 

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​A friend of mine helped me take care of my son. After I thanked her, she said, “no worries.”

I’ve parroted that line for years. Whenever someone thanked me, I would say, “no worries.”

However, why emphasize the negative? I wasn’t worrying.

What happens when we replace “no worries” with “my pleasure?”

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​The more you use your muscles, the stronger it gets. The less you use it, the weaker it gets. 

The same goes with apologizing. We all make mistakes. How might you get more comfortable apologizing?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​What’s your favorite hobby?

Likely, you could talk for hours about it. You can dive deep into the details with others who are equally passionate. 

How would you change your approach when talking to an eager beginner? An expert?

What might you gain if you could easily flex your message?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​Some tasks are complex. They take time, planning, and work. For example, creating an app, writing a dissertation, and developing a drug are complex.

Some tasks aren’t complex but hard emotionally. They don’t take much time, planning, and work. However, they can be draining. These usually include personal decisions where emotions are involved, and the outcome is uncertain, like breaking up with someone, letting a worker go, or deciding on health treatments. 

Understanding which tasks are complex and emotionally hard can help us focus. 

What might you gain if you become more comfortable making emotionally demanding choices?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​Has anyone ever given you something you don’t need or are interested in? Then, what did you do with those gifts?

Sometimes, I’ll say no thank you. Other times, I’ll return it for something else or pass it along to a friend who would enjoy it more. 

The same goes for the skills we’ve developed in the past. Whether you learned a musical instrument, developed coding skills, or other technical skills, these are all gifts from your younger self. Appreciate them. Be thankful. 

However, you don’t have to keep them. If you don’t enjoy these activities, you acknowledge the gifts you gave yourself and move on to where your interests now lie without guilt. 

What gifts from your younger self would you like to acknowledge, then move on from?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​No one likes it when a dog bites.

Dogs often bite as a last resort. Often, they give several warnings. They’ll tense up, pull their ears back, and growl. Recognizing the signs and deescalating helps the dog and humans before bites happen. 

Similarly, there are multiple signs people give before leaving their jobs for another opportunity. Again, recognizing these signs and intervening makes the experience much more pleasant for both parties. 

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

While sitting in the waiting room at the eye doctor, I noticed that people of different ages and cultural and racial backgrounds all have something in common. 

They all are heads down, looking intently at their smartphone. 

Though it seems humanity can’t agree on anything, culture pushes people in directions. So we can make a difference. 

What’s something you hope society will cherish for years in the future? How might you take one step to help make this happen?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​

​Who are some people that energize you, lift you up, and make you feel more hopeful after talking with them?

How might you spend more time with people who inspire you and minimize the time with those who pull you down?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​What’s one of the most expensive activities on the planet?

Social media. Facebook or Tik Tok might be free to join. But it costs a fortune in time and attention. 

What skills might you learn, activities might you experience, or relationships might you grow if you free yourself from social media?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell 

​Chess is tough. There are a dizzying amount of possible moves to make. Agonizing over each decision is not fun. Decision paralysis sets in, and people give up the game.

Then came Speed Chess. Players are limited to 3 minutes to make all their moves. The clock forces people to make moves faster. Instead of trying to make the perfect move, people try to make good enough moves. People give themselves permission to make mistakes since the clock is running.

In life, there are some decisions that we should take our time (marriage). However, others may benefit from having time controls to help us go.

What work activities could you use a time control to make it more enjoyable and effective? 

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell