My Hopes For This Blog
Welcome!
I have created this personal website/blog for a few reasons:
1. Learning + Contribution - I love learning and sharing what I've learned with others. I hope that this website will be a fun and meaningful way to do that.
2. Writing - I enjoy the journey of getting words on the page. Writing also helps me retain what I've learned and clarify my thinking. I hope to continue writing, no matter what I’m doing in my professional life.
3. Accountability - Publicly sharing my own diabetes journey (Adam’s Corner, Bright Spots & Landmines), process, tools, thinking, and habits has had a positive impact on my health. I found myself far more likely to stick to things I had written about - i.e., "practice what you preach." I’ve also learned so much from readers along the way. I hope those patterns continue via this blog.
I want this blog to stand behind the following values:
Service - to be helpful and of service to others
Curiosity - to seek out, experience, and learn new things
Kindness - to be kind, compassionate, considerate, caring, and nurturing towards myself and others
Flexibility - to be present, open up, and do what matters
Growth - to keep changing and growing
Health - to look after my physical & psychological wellbeing and help others do so
These six values come from exercises I've done on myself via Motivational Interviewing (example here) and ACT (example here) - two of my favorite schools of therapy. By “values,” I mean my heart’s deepest desires for how I want to behave in the world, the type of human being I want to be, and what I want to stand for in life.
As I embark on this new writing adventure, one quote comes to mind:
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.”
- Shunryū Suzuki in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
This phrase has been a north star for me over the past two years in graduate school. It has helped me remain open and curious. I put less pressure on myself. Dan Pink summarizes the stance nicely in this wonderful video on “intellectual humility.” I want to be a scout that explores new territory, rather than a solider defending positions. I want to enjoy the pleasant surprise of discovering I’m mistaken. I prefer to understand, rather than be right.
If you have ideas for what you'd like to see on this website - writing topics, resources, Q&A, etc. - please contact me!
Best,
Adam