Originally posted as a thread on X.

From what was an extremely rich discussion at DesignUp For A Cause — an online conference by the DesignUp community — here are few personal takeaways:

1. Not more action, but more stillness — Alysha Naples. Focus on being, and not doing.

2. Our mind is constantly racing, while our body is still and stagnant — Param Venkataraman. Try and reverse that.

3. We won’t always have the answer to every question. Embrace not knowing, and go through the journey — Preethi Gopinath. The pandemic has made uncertainty a constant. Be comfortable with uncertainty.

4. While comparing with others seems toxic, it is still distant. It can get more toxic to constantly compare yourself to this ideal version you may have for yourself — Param Venkataraman. Been there, done that. Needed this reminder. As Alysha Naples said, “You are already enough.”

5. Philosophy and design have one common thread — Wisdom. Philosophy is understanding wisdom to lead a joyful life. Design is about understanding it to create joy through experiences — Preethi. I paraphrased that a lot, but walked away with a comparison I hadn’t thought of before.

Thank you DesignUp For A Cause for that lovely conversation. It was the community driven therapy I needed.