Hi! Welcome to our 25th newsletter! 💡learnshiv is here to make learning easy for you. In this constantly changing world, the only way to future-proof yourself is diversification, and that’s what I’m here to help you do.

This week, I’ve decided to introduce a new structure that I think will be much more helpful and useful for you. Please reply and let me know if you like it! (I read every reply.)

I’d like to show you three ways to future-proof your life in the categories of work, world and well-being. I’ll still include the Glossary of Growth, but instead, it’ll be “Word of the Week” (or WOW) in each of those sections. Don’t worry - I’ll also still be doing course reviews, book recommendations, webinar/podcast recaps and giving away free downloads!

Here’s what we’re talking about in this week’s newsletter:

• 👉🏽 How to future-proof your life

  • Work: Develop a “Portfolio Life”, WOW: Visual Disorganization

  • World: How to work with people with different political views, WOW: Cultural Competence

  • Well-being: Why you should never keep a compliment in your head, WOW: Metacognition

💻 W O R K

Develop a “Portfolio Life”
I learned about this concept in this podcast episode from the show Ten Percent Happier, and I highly recommend it! Here’s how you develop a - “Portfolio Life” and how it helps you future-proof yourself.

1. Diversify Your Identity and Skills: Create a personal Venn diagram of your skills, interests, and experiences. Pursue multiple areas of expertise and develop various skills that can be applied across different fields.

2. Design Flexible "Business Models" for Your Life: Consider different approaches such as having a day job with side projects, zigzagging between careers, or being a multi-hyphenate. Be open to changing your portfolio as your life circumstances evolve.

3. Build a Supportive Network and Tell Your Story: Invest in diverse connections, create a personal "board of directors” for advice, and craft a clear narrative that explains how your varied experiences connect. Share this story to help others understand your unique value.

By developing a portfolio life, you create multiple pathways for success, increase your adaptability to change and build resilience against economic and technological disruptions.

🌎 W O R L D

How to work with people with different political views
In 2020, the Harvard Business Review published a great article about this from a manager’s perspective. I’ve summarized it below:

• Set ground rules for respectful dialogue: Establish clear guidelines for political discussions, emphasizing respect, active listening, and seeking to understand others' perspectives. Encourage co-workers to reflect on their own beliefs and be open to different viewpoints.

• Focus on common ground and shared values: Despite political differences, you and your colleagues likely share common organizational goals and values. Concentrate on these shared aspects of your work life and focus on them instead of points of contention.

• Maintain professionalism and separate personal views from work: While it's unrealistic to ban political talk entirely, ensure that political differences don't affect professional relationships or work quality. Remember that you can respect and work effectively with someone even if you disagree with their political stance.

Working effectively with people of differing political views future-proofs your life by enhancing your adaptability, communication skills, and perspective, making you more resilient and valuable in an increasingly diverse global workplace.

🧠 W E L L - B E I NG

Why you should never keep a compliment to yourself
On Instagram, I love following emonthebrain because she teaches me fun neuroscience facts like this one! Here’s why you should never keep a compliment to yourself:

• Giving someone a compliment enhances mental well-being: Performing acts of kindness for others, including giving compliments, is significantly better for improving mental well-being than doing things for yourself.

• Giving someone a compliment increases happiness: Expressing nice thoughts about others (like giving compliments) leads to greater levels of happiness than just thinking nice things without expressing them.

• Giving someone a compliment reduces stress: Giving compliments and focusing on others takes the emotional energy off yourself and redirects it to others, which can help reduce stress levels.

Giving compliments and engaging in acts of kindness future-proofs you by building emotional resilience, strengthening social connections, and developing emotional intelligence – all crucial skills for navigating an uncertain future.

Thanks for reading our 25th newsletter. I want you to be prepared for the ways in which our world may change and affect our lives, careers, relationships, and more in the future. 💡learnshiv is meant to share my three passions with you, share what I learn, and make your life easier by helping you learn, too, in a digestible way.

If you’re reading this, reply, and I might give you a sweet treat.

Have a great week, and stay curious,

Shiv 💁🏽‍♀️