I Used to Judge Myself for Taking Shortcuts

Now I Call It Strategy

Tonight, I made dinner with ChatGPT.

I gave it a quick list of ingredients from my fridge—some turkey strips, tortillas, a bit of cheese—and in seconds, it gave me a recipe. Ten minutes later, I was eating hot, melty quesadillas.

Simple. Satisfying. No stress.

And it hit me: I wouldn’t have thought of that on my own.

Not because I’m incapable—but because my brain was tired. Decision fatigue is real. When you’re already juggling work, life, and a million tabs in your head, figuring out what to eat feels like a whole thing.

But it doesn’t have to be.

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We Overcomplicate Everything

I used to think using tools like AI was cheating.

That I’d lose my problem-solving muscle. That it would make me lazy or dependent or less “self-sufficient.”

But honestly? That belief was keeping me stuck.

Using tools isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.

The goal isn’t to outsource your whole life.

The goal is to free up time, energy, and decision-making power so you can focus on what actually matters to you right now.

Tonight, that meant eating something homemade instead of ordering takeout (again).

Tomorrow, it might mean automating reminders to stretch, setting calendar blocks for gym time, or prepping your weekday meals on Sunday.

These small decisions build a life that’s lighter.

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You Can’t Always Rely on Motivation

Sometimes, we wait for motivation to do the thing—go to the gym, write the report, call the friend.

But future-you doesn’t need motivation.

Future-you needs systems.

Systems can be digital (like AI, Notion, calendars) or physical (like laying out gym clothes the night before).

They’re just cues. Nudges. Triggers that make the next right step a little easier.

And every time you do something that helps future-you—your brain learns.

It learns that showing up works.

That you’re the kind of person who follows through.

That this life… is actually buildable.

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Start Here: Simplify Something Small

So here’s your soft start.

What are three activities in your life that feel harder than they need to be?

• Cooking?

• Working out?

• Staying connected with people you love?

• Budgeting?

• Planning your day?

What can you automate, simplify, or prep once so that it keeps paying off later?

Maybe it’s pre-chopping veggies.

Maybe it’s a recurring reminder to call your parents.

Maybe it’s building a “default dinner” list with 10-minute recipes you can rotate through.

Whatever it is—make it easy for future you.

Because when life starts to feel doable, you show up more fully.

And that’s where the momentum begins.