Good morning, happy Saturday – May 10, 2025 in the Year of the ZAO: Day 130.

Today’s lesson is always a good one to master in the realm of entertainment and entrepreneurship — and honestly, life. It's the reminder that your thoughts create your emotional weather. You can't feel anger, sadness, or stress without first entertaining the thoughts that invite them in.

It’s wild how much our experience is just a feedback loop from our minds. Like breathing — we forget it's happening until we pay attention. But unlike breathing, when we forget we’re thinking, the consequences hit harder. Our thoughts go stealth mode, and next thing you know we’re upset, stressed, or spiraling… all because we forgot we were the ones writing the script.

Try it: feel angry without an angry thought. You can’t. The same goes for jealousy, anxiety, even burnout. The feelings don’t show up uninvited — they walk in through the door we opened.

That realization isn’t about guilt. It’s about power. If your thoughts created the storm, then your awareness can bring the calm. The practice? Notice them. Label them. Let them pass — like flies at a picnic. You swat, you laugh, you keep eating.

This isn’t about suppressing. It’s about separating you from the noise. And that’s one of the most valuable skills any creator or founder can have. The more you master your mind, the less the world can shake you.

– BetterCallZaal on behalf of the ZAO Team