This framing of “input mode” is so refreshing — it gives structure and language to a season most of us just try to muscle through or mentally check out from. The way you contrast the two traps (forcing fantasy plans vs. disconnecting completely) with this third path of low-pressure experiments and playful testing made me feel a lot less guilty about the small, curious things I gravitate toward when life is heavy.
Really loved the specificity of your examples — from AI visuals to presentation tools to the Content Repurposer — and how each one answered a concrete question you’d been carrying instead of becoming another productivity performance. It’s such a kind reminder that “survival mode” can still quietly feed future strategy, and that play can be preparation, not procrastination.
Experiments are my new favorite coping mechanism. Last year me soul have pummeled through the month leaving lots of regrets in my wake. This year me just wants to take a breath and enjoy the moments.
This framing of “input mode” is so refreshing — it gives structure and language to a season most of us just try to muscle through or mentally check out from. The way you contrast the two traps (forcing fantasy plans vs. disconnecting completely) with this third path of low-pressure experiments and playful testing made me feel a lot less guilty about the small, curious things I gravitate toward when life is heavy.
Really loved the specificity of your examples — from AI visuals to presentation tools to the Content Repurposer — and how each one answered a concrete question you’d been carrying instead of becoming another productivity performance. It’s such a kind reminder that “survival mode” can still quietly feed future strategy, and that play can be preparation, not procrastination.
Experiments are my new favorite coping mechanism. Last year me soul have pummeled through the month leaving lots of regrets in my wake. This year me just wants to take a breath and enjoy the moments.