What are some questions we can ask ourselves when making big life decisions especially as it relates to our purpose and the impact we wish to have in this world? Jeff Bezos focused on the regret minimisation framework when he decided to change careers and start Amazon. His approach is backed by science that shows that we tend to regret actions not taken far more than we regret failed attempts. As Bezos’ states “If you can project yourself out to age 80 and say, “What will I think at that time?” it gets you away from some of the daily pieces of confusion.” Richard Branson takes a similar approach by focusing on his feelings but also those of the next generations. As he states: “My children remain at the front of my mind when I make important decisions…and I always ask myself: “Is this something my children and my grandchildren will be proud of?” and “Will it make the future a little bit brighter for the next generation?” Another approach is to take the advice of philosopher Ruth Chang who suggests that you ask yourself not “What should I do?” but rather “Whom do I want to become?”

Today’s challenge: Reflect on an important decision you need to make this week and apply one of the suggested questions to guide you on the right path.

When it comes to work, self-confidence consists in trusting your knowledge and capabilities to succeed in your role. In The SelfConfidence Workbook: A Guide to Overcoming Self-Doubt and Improving Self-Esteem by Barbara Markway, she highlights how our genes, cultural background, childhood experiences, and other life circumstances all play a role in shaping our self-confidence. In fact between 25 to 50 percent of the personality traits linked to confidence may be inherited. Although we cannot change our genes or our past, there are certain things we can do to increase our self-esteem. In the book The Psychology of Winning by Dr Denis Waitley, he suggests practicing positive self-talk. Statements such as “I can” and “I look forward to” will increase self-esteem since it feeds our subconscious self-image positive thoughts about ourselves and our ability to perform. Another way to develop and maintain high self-esteem is to avoid emotional reactions to external events and to rely more on rational thinking by making decisions based on logic and common sense. Practicing mindfulness exercises, such as focusing on your breath, is another way to lower anxiety levels so you can face your biggest confidence challenges.

Today’s challenge: Think of one thing that you would do differently in your role if you had more self-esteem as a result of positive self-talk and logical thinking.

Rejection can be part of our personal and professional lives. Even minor rejections can lead to major mental distress, since it harms our self-esteem and often leads to self-criticism. In Guy Winch’s book, Emotional First Aid, he suggests avoiding this by reminding yourself of your strengths and past achievements in order to boost your sense of self-worth. If negative thoughts still emerge, think of counterarguments that are relevant to the situation you are facing, and think about the qualities you have that make you a great person. Also reconnect with people you love so you can restore your sense of belonging, and practice self-compassion. Jian Jiang in his book Rejection Proof, highlights that rejection is subjective since it is based on so many factors that may not even be about you. And finally, when rejection happens, if the person is willing to share, ask him/her “why” you were turned down, so you can use this insight to learn and improve.

Today’s challenge: Reflect on a recent rejection you faced, the lessons learned, and what you would do differently in the future.

For certain individuals, sugar could be associated with celebrations, from birthdays to wedding parties. For others, sugar can appear to provide emotional support, especially in times of high stress when cortisol is activated in our body. This in turn triggers cravings and overeating. If your tendency is to eat high-sugar foods, this will activate the feel-good chemical dopamine, which leaves you craving even more sugar. If this is your reality, it is time to explore how you can reduce your sugar intake in a sugar-filled world. According to research by Molly Carmel, in her book Breaking Up With Sugar, she suggests first understanding your relationship with sugar and recognizing which emotions trigger your desire to eat more sugar. Then, eat healthier foods every three to four and a half hours to avoid getting too hungry, since this often leads to unhealthy food choices, and make sure you drink lots of water throughout the day. Finally, if you are up for it, try a sugar-free challenge for a certain period of time to truly change your sugar cravings by cutting all sugar based foods and drinks. The less you will eat it, the less you will crave it.

Today’s challenge: Replace any sugar craving you have during the day with a fruit or a glass of water. Repeat for as long as you can in the coming days/weeks.

In the spirit of bringing more joy to your world, are you ready to go bananas with a good laugh knowing that it will make you more productive after this micro-break? A fun fact right out of the jungle: monkeys are very close to humans on the evolutionary scale, and eat bananas exactly like we do by peeling the skin off. In fact, we share 99 percent of our DNA with chimpanzees. Monkeys are also very intelligent and often demonstrate behaviours that resemble our own.

Today’s challenge: Surprise! 3 monkeys just got delivered to your office or home. What fun things would you teach these monkeys? Gather with some friends/colleagues and go bananas about the funniest ideas. Share some of them using the Public button.