Hey friends 👋🏻
I presented at the Australian Music Therapy Association Conference this weekend.
It was a case study using AI to write songs to support self-expression.
This was the moment I realised I’d become my future self.
I was never the outspoken type. Being under the spotlight? Terrifying. Even as a musician and music therapist, I preferred the background.
But I’d set a goal years ago. Put myself out there. Improve my public speaking. Create real impact in my profession.
Standing on that stage this weekend—that was the payoff.
The past version of me would’ve brushed it off immediately. “Cool, what’s next?” Onto the next mountain without acknowledging the climb.
Not this time.
There’s a lot of invisible effort behind these milestones.
The practice sessions no one sees. The self-doubt you push through. The small, unglamorous steps that compound over time.
Don’t underestimate the baby steps you’re taking today. They’re building something.
And reminder: there’s still time to hit your goals before 2025 wraps up.
Today in 3 minutes or less, you’ll learn:
✔️ How to stop being your own worst critic
✔️ A simple audit for what’s actually working in your life
✔️ Why your racing heart isn’t always a problem (and how to reframe it)
Doable ideas 💭
Catch one negative self-talk phrase this week. Replace it with something neutral or kind.
You don’t have to go full toxic positivity. Just stop the spiral.
“I’m terrible at this” becomes “I’m still learning this.”
“I always mess up” becomes “That didn’t go as planned.”
Notice the pattern. Interrupt it. Choose different words.
Reflections 🪞
What parts of my routine are serving me, and which ones aren’t?
Not everything you do daily deserves to stay. Some habits were useful once. Now they’re just inertia.
Audit ruthlessly.
Mindfulness 🧘🏻♀️
I did something weird whilst preparing for my presentation: I practised it after elevating my heart rate.
Burpees, then straight into the talk. Running in place, then back to the slides.
Why? I was deliberately creating the physiological state of being nervous on stage. Racing heart, shallow breathing, tension—the whole package.
Then I got used to it.
Because here’s the secret: nothing was actually life-threatening.
It was all in my head. My body sensations were just reflecting how much I cared about the outcome.
This applies everywhere. Receiving bad news. Writing important emails. Initiating difficult conversations. Your body responds the same way—elevated heart rate, muscle tension, breath changes.
These are simply signals that something matters to you.
Here’s the reframe that changes everything: You actually welcome these exact sensations at the gym.
Elevated heart rate during a workout? That’s progress. Muscle tension? You’re getting stronger. Heavy breathing? You’re pushing limits.
Same sensations. Different context. Different interpretation.
These physical responses aren’t inherently negative. They’re just your nervous system doing its job.
By practising mindfulness, we can observe these sensations without the catastrophising narrative. They’re temporary states, not threats. Your racing heart before an important moment? That’s your body preparing you to show up fully for something you care about.
The next time you feel that surge of adrenaline, pause. Name it. Reframe it.
“This energy means I’m about to do something that matters.”
Then use it.
Ideas Worth Pondering 🧠
Writer Jeanette Winterson on the connection between art and an open mind: “Most of us spend a lot of time censoring everything that we see and hear. Does it fit with our world picture? And if it doesn’t, how can we shut it out, how can we ignore it, how can we challenge it? We are continually threatened in life, it’s true. But once you are alone with a book, and it’s also true with a picture or with music, all those defenses drop and you can enter into a quite different space where you will learn to think differently about yourself.”
Did you love this article?
If so, please let me know by either:
- #1: Forwarding this to a friend whom you think would benefit from actionable well-being tips
- #2: Hitting reply. Send me a sentence or two about what you enjoyed. I meant it when I say I’d love to hear from you. Typing into the void isn’t nearly as fun as interacting with real humans 🙂