#5 - Directions
Another week of Jinn's Newsletter - 3 ideas to map out.
Keep the feedback coming! I'm trying my best to tailor it to your needs.
Directions
Back in the day, to find my way across Melbourne, I’d crack open the Melways (Melbourne-ways!) directory and orient myself. Now the system has evolved. Open Google maps, type in the destination, get step-by-step directions, and even live congestion updates. Technology, impressive.
A few weeks ago, the freeway shut down for long-promised roadworks. We were heading to the zoo and suddenly it was bumper-to-bumper, random detours, chaos everywhere. Directions were not directing.
But we can’t blame the tech, the failure was expecting the maps to do all the thinking. Tools help simplify complexity - but they’re only part of the journey. Sometimes it’s following the map, sometimes it’s following your instincts.
Just because a system worked before doesn’t mean it will now, especially in times of change and uncertainty.
When do you rely on the guides, and when do you trust your own path?
Precision vs accuracy
I do sometimes indulge in the certainty of Google Maps telling me I’ll arrive in 22 minutes. It feels precise, like I’m delivering truth to whoever’s waiting. (Makes up for my occasional tardiness!)
Then I get attached.
Every red light, every driver who misses the turning arrow, every slow car - it all feels like sabotage. Suddenly I’m rally-driving through backstreets to protect my sacred ETA. Not exactly safe. Definitely not role-modelling well for the kids.
And the thing is, if I arrived two minutes later.. or even five.. the sky is not falling.
Deadlines have buffers.
Life has delays.
Control is often an illusion.
So, what outdated ETA are you chasing?
To change or not to change
Then there’s the tension between jumping too soon and staying too long.
On one side sits curiosity and optimism - the side street that might be faster, the chance to try something new.
On the other sits persistence and caution - a commitment to the road you’re already on, the certainty of where it leads, the discipline to keep going.
Neither direction is inherently “wrong.”
Perhaps the skill is noticing which one has the louder pull, understanding what’s driving it, and simply asking: What matters most to me right now?
Careers, jobs, life choices - these are familiar crossroads. One step is self-inquire, another is recognising that it’s ok no matter what you choose.
Self-compassion matters; there’s no perfect path.
Where do you need to step towards today, guided by what matters most?
Learning the old arts
