What if one skill could protect your most important relationships, guard your mental health, and help you make better decisions almost automatically?

That’s not a promise I make lightly.

But after years of studying and teaching this, a journey that took me from Brown to UCSD to Oxford, I believe it more than ever.

The skill is awareness.

Not as a concept. As something you actually train.

The Super Skill: Mindfulness as an attention training

Think about the last time you said something you regretted to someone you love.
Or the last time you kept putting off something important and couldn’t explain why.
Or the moment a small comment from a colleague ruined the rest of your afternoon.

In each of those moments, something happened before the reaction. A split second where, if you had just seen it clearly, you could have chosen differently.

That split second is what this skill trains.

Most people think mindfulness is about relaxing. It’s not. It’s about seeing clearly. And when you can see clearly, your reactions, your patterns, your habits, you stop being pulled around by them.

You get to choose.

Daniel Goleman spent over two decades studying emotional intelligence. The first pillar, the foundation, the one everything else is built on?

Self-awareness.

Aristotle called us teleological beings; we move toward what we can see. The problem isn’t that you lack motivation. It’s that you lack clarity, you can’t move toward something you can’t see.

This is why the training I teach isn’t just mindfulness in the ‘relaxation’ sense. It’s an attention training rooted in the same evidence-based practices taught by psychologists at Oxford University.

And the research is striking.

When used with people suffering from recurring depression (the stubborn kind that keeps coming back), it outperforms antidepressants. Not because it numbs or suppresses. But because it teaches people the skill to see clearly.

People who complete this training describe it as finally being able to watch their thoughts instead of being dragged by them. That distance, that tiny gap between stimulus and response, is where all the good decisions live.

At a neurological level, this practice literally strengthens the part of your brain responsible for awareness. Measurable, grey matter, for good.

That’s not a metaphor. That’s neuroscience and the gift of neuroplasticity.

And it shows up everywhere. In how you respond to your partner when you're tired. In how you handle pressure at work. In whether you reach for the phone or reach for what actually matters.

Becoming Super

Awareness is the root skill.

Everything else, better habits, calmer responses, deeper relationships, clearer decisions, grows from it.

Which is why, for the next 48 hours only, I’m offering something I’ve never offered here before.

Super Sunday members get 50% off the Attention and Stress Mastery Training.

That’s 8 weeks of the full program, the same one outperforming antidepressants in clinical research, for $249 instead of $497.

(check your email for the code or subscribe to get it)

I’m not putting this anywhere on my socials. This is only for you, and only for the next 48 hours.

And, you still get the 100% money back guarantee. No questions.

Details here. I’d love for you to experience what clarity actually feels like.

Have a Super Sunday ⚡️

With much joy,

Hashim

This week, I caught myself procrastinating in real time.

The slot was in the calendar. The environment was clear. There was no reason not to start.

And yet, there was this heaviness. This weight sitting between me and the first action. I just... didn’t want to begin.

Maybe you know this feeling.

It’s not laziness. It’s not a lack of discipline. Research shows 88% of workers procrastinate at least one hour every day. So if this is you, you’re in good company.

The real issue isn’t willpower.

It’s that we make starting feel bigger than it actually is.

I eventually got started, but only after remembering what I know about how procrastination works. And these three reframes helped me get moving.

The Super Skill

Three traps procrastination sets (and how to bypass them)

Trap 1: Thinking about the whole thing

Your brain imagines finishing, not starting. “I don’t have time for a 45-minute workout.” That thought alone shuts you down.

The bypass: Think in mini-tasks. Your only job is to begin. Put on the gym clothes. Open the doc. Make the first mark. Momentum will carry the rest.

Trap 2: All or nothing

“If I can’t do it properly, why bother?” This is perfectionism disguised as practicality (my biggest kryptonite).

The bypass: Partial progress is real progress. A 10-minute walk still counts. A rough draft still moves the work forward. Done imperfectly beats not done.

Trap 3: Forgetting the why

You feel the effort now but can’t feel the benefit yet. “This is going to be boring or tiring.” And so you stop before you start.

The bypass: Reconnect with why this matters. Whether in the moment or regularly, writing how this small step connects to the bigger picture. It shifts the emotional weight. (I started adding the big picture 1-word to the task name/calendar invite as a reminder)

You just need to start.

Once you get started, let the momentum carry the load.

Becoming Super

Procrastination is often less about the task and more about our relationship with discomfort.

The moment you can notice the heaviness (and stay curious about it instead of reacting to it) everything shifts. That’s not a soft skill, that’s a trained one.

If you want to build that kind of awareness from the inside out, the skills I teach in my Attention and Stress Mastery training are rooted in exactly this; the same evidence-based practices taught by psychologists at Oxford University. It might be the next step for you.

If you’re interested, you can apply or see the details here.

Which of the three traps do you fall into most? I’d love to hear.

Have a Super Sunday ⚡️

With much joy,

Hashim

Ever notice how willpower seems to vanish exactly when you need it most?

When stress is high — deadlines piling up, emotions running hot, life pulling you in ten directions — willpower feels almost unreachable.

And yet, that’s precisely when you expect yourself to make the right call.

To eat well.
To exercise.
To not reach for the phone at midnight.

Here’s the thing most people miss:

Willpower was never meant to carry you through those moments.

It’s a limited resource. It drains throughout the day much like your phone battery. By the time stress kicks in, you’re often running on 10%.

So the real question isn’t “how do I get more willpower?” it’s “how do I need less of it?”

The answer: you build systems that run without it.

I call them life algorithms.

An algorithm is simply a rule: if this happens, then do that.

It’s the backbone of every app on your phone. And it works just as well for your daily habits.

Think about it; you already run on algorithms. You put zero effort into reaching for your phone first thing in the morning and scrolling through notifications. Nobody taught you that. Nobody motivates you to do it. It just… happens.

That’s conditioned behaviour.

Your brain’s autopilot. And it’s powered by an ancient structure called the Basal Ganglia that lives for repetition.

The problem?

Most of your autopilot routines were never designed by you. They were shaped by convenience, by apps engineered to hook you, by whatever was easiest in the moment.

The opportunity?

You can reprogram that same autopilot, deliberately.

Here’s how, in three steps:

1. Pick one small action and commit to it in advance.

Not when stress hits. Before it does. That’s the whole point; you decide now so you don’t have to decide later. Example: 5-15 minutes of movement every morning.

2. Lock in the when and where.

Vague plans die fast. “I’ll exercise more” is a wish. “Every morning before work, in my living room” is an algorithm waiting to be activated.

3. Attach it to something you already do (this is where the magic is).

Find a behavior that’s already automatic and chain your new action right after it. Example: the moment I finish washing my face, I walk to the exercise mat. No gap. No thinking. Bathroom → mat.

That last step is everything. It removes the pause where procrastination lives.

Once you get this, you can stack algorithms into a sequence that flows on its own:

Wake up → Journal → Move → Meditate → Deep work.

Each action triggers the next. No willpower needed between them. No standing around wondering “what should I do now?” which, let’s be honest, usually ends with you on your phone.

Here are mine:

• If I wake up → I grab my journal to map the day (not my phone)

• If I’m done with exercising → I sit and meditate, even briefly

• If I catch myself not breathing intentionally → I take one deep breath right there

These aren’t massive commitments. They’re tiny rules. But because they’re linked, they create a chain reaction that carries me through the first two hours of my day without needing to summon any motivation.

And when stress spikes later in the day? I’ve already banked my most important actions. The pressure doesn’t derail me because the hard part ran on autopilot before the stress even showed up.

Back to you:

What’s one ‘if this, then that’ rule you can set right now so that when stress inevitably shows up, the decision is already made?

Look at your morning. Look at your transitions between tasks. Look at the moments you usually lose focus.

Pick one. Anchor it. And make it stupidly simple to start.

And don’t forget to make it fun 😊

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. How did this Super Sunday land? It is slightly longer than usual, and I am testing if this feels more enjoyable for you to read. Let me know how I did (hit the poll below or reply to this email with any thoughts).

This is the trap:

You think procrastination means you are lazy or undisciplined.

Then the self-criticism starts. Confidence drops. The task feels even heavier.

This shows up at work with delayed projects. At home with things you keep putting off. In your personal goals that never quite begin.

In reality its just a task design issue, not a personal flaw.

What you actually want is simple:

More momentum. More self-trust. The feeling that you can start when it matters.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is reducing procrastination by shrinking the start.

Instead of trying to force motivation, you make starting easier and clearer.

Step 1. Notice without blaming.

When you catch yourself avoiding something, pause.

Simply name it: “I’m procrastinating right now.”

Remember, this is normal human behaviour. The moment you let go of self-judgment, you regain choice.

This step is critical, often skipped but it sets the foundation for the mode of mind you approach your task.

Step 2. Shrink the task.

Here’s the strategy: Do not think about finishing. Think about starting.

Ask one question: “What is the smallest next step?”

Open the document. Write one sentence. Review one slide. Send one message.

All you need is starting, and then momentum can carry the weight.

Step 3. Connect with your why.

Remind yourself why the task matters.

Have a short-term why: “This moves today forward.”

And, have a deeper why: “This supports the kind of person I want to become.”

This works because attention drives action. When you reduce overwhelm and reconnect to purpose, the brain shifts from avoidance to engagement.

That’s how momentum is created.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about never procrastinating. It is about reducing the time between intention and action.

When you can start quickly, everything changes; you build self-trust, your work compounds, and your goals move from ideas to reality.

Small starts create big momentum.

This is exactly the mindset we train through the Attention Mastery Training. Live guided sessions where you will do exercises and discuss this in small and big groups. Enrollment for the 4th Cohort starting in April is now open.

Details here.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

You can be surrounded by people and still feel disconnected.

At work, at home, even during the holidays, relationships can start to run on autopilot.

Most people don’t realise it, but small moments of neglect add up. So do small moments of care.

When you give relationships your attention, you can transform them:

The nourishing ones give back more, and the challenging ones stop damaging you.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is building relationships through quality attention.

1. Start by giving compassion to yourself.

It sounds counterintuitive, but self-compassion is what trains you to become more compassionate with others.

This makes it a strategic move.

You get better at showing compassion by practising it often, and the most accessible place to practise is with yourself.

Because there are a thousand moments in a week when you can bring yourself kindness after stress, mistakes, disappointment, or self-doubt.

It is also usually the hardest place to practice, because you are often far more judgmental with yourself than you are with anyone else.

When you make a mistake, follow the 3-step process for self-compassion (h/t Dr. Kristen Neff):
1. Be kind (like you would with a friend who is struggling)
2. Recognise common-humanity (we all make mistakes and no one is perfect)
3. Use mindfulness (to focus on the issue at hand without catastrophising)

2. Notice bids for connection.

Pay attention to the small moments when someone is asking to be seen, heard, or supported.

It may be a sigh, a story, a joke, a question, or a quiet bid for attention.

Instead of splitting your attention between two tasks, turn toward.

Make eye contact. Put the phone down. Respond.

Noticing those bids is the smallest building block of creating positive connections.

3. Create one micro-moment of kindness each day.

Send an appreciation text.

Ask someone how they are, and really listen.

Leave a thoughtful note.

These micro-moments of kindness teach your brain to turn towards connection instead of away from it.

And the kindest thing you can do is giving someone your full attention.

Use it with people you love and those you don’t even know (like the delivery person).

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about having perfect relationships.

It is about becoming someone who returns to kindness, presence, and generosity faster.

When you do this, you lead better. You listen better. You love better. You make people feel safe around you, and that changes everything.

Try the points above at work and at home this coming week.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. The quality of your relationships is shaped by the quality of your attention. If you are serious about building deeper relationships, join us for the Attention Mastery Training — a new cohort is starting in April. Enrollment is now open.

When people find themselves in the midst of chaos, they feel two pains:

The pain of uncertainty, that’s inevitable.

And the pain of reactivity, that’s completely optional.

They can’t see the thin line between choosing a strategic response and panicking about the panic.

In those moments, an untrained mind tries to control what can’t be controlled.

And that makes everything louder inside.

You want steadiness that holds, even when the world feels unpredictable.

You want to feel safe enough to think clearly again.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is stabilise first, then choose.

Step 1. Name what is happening in you.

Say quietly: “This is a shock.” Or “This is fear in my body.”

Do not argue with it. Just label it.

It turns overwhelm into something you can work with.

Step 2. Anchor in one physical cue.

Put both feet on the floor. Feel your breath in your belly. Use your hand to feel it.

Exhale longer than you inhale.

Then orient. Look for 3 neutral objects and name them: “Door, table, light.”

This tells your nervous system, “I am here, right now.”

When your nervous system is anchored, your response becomes wiser.

Step 3. Split what you can control from what you cannot.

Ask: “What is one helpful action that is within my control in the next 10 minutes?”

It might be texting a loved one, moving to a calmer room, drinking water, putting on background sound, or stepping away from constant updates.

Then ask: “What am I trying to control that I cannot?”

Let that part go, even if just 5%.

Why it works:

Labelling recruits attention. Anchoring settles it. Control questions build psychological flexibility, so you respond from your values rather than from reflex.

Use it this week:

• When a sudden event throws off your peace

• After a disturbing headline, when your mind starts doom-looping

• At night, when your body is tired but your alert system will not switch off

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about never reacting. It is about recovering faster, with less collateral damage.

When you can stabilise first, you stop feeding the fire with frantic thinking, and you protect your energy and relationships.

Yes, the outer world can be uncertain. And your next 10 minutes can still be intentional. Start there.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

Most people don’t realise this, but what they call a ‘distraction’ is often avoidance in disguise.

Tell me if you’ve experienced this:

The moment you feel discomfort, you reach for email, snacks, scrolling, or irrelevant work.

And while it feels comfortable satisfying that ‘micro dopamine hit’, you end up going through the day, but you don’t move forward.

What you really want is progress on what matters.

One that feels calm, steady, and real.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is micro-staying, which means training your attention to remain present for 10 seconds longer than you want to.

Nothing fancy, super powerful.

Step 1. Spot the escape urge:

When you feel the impulse to switch tabs, check your phone, or tidy up your space, label it.

Say quietly: “Urge to escape.”

That stopping is where all the discomfort lies. Your body and mind want to run forward, and you decide to tighten your grip on the ropes.

Step 2. Two breaths, nothing else:

Take two slow breaths.

On the inhale, notice where the discomfort sits in your body.

On the exhale, soften your face and shoulders.

(try it now while reading this text to see what this feels like)

Step 3. Choose a tiny stay:

Stay with the task, the emotion, or the sensation for 10 seconds.

Then decide again.

Not forever. Just 10 seconds.

Why it works:

Naming the urge creates space, and the breathing steadies attention. A tiny ‘stay’ strengthens your psychological flexibility, which is the core of real focus for real progress.

Use it this week:

• Before starting your deep work slot

• In the middle of reading something important

• At night, when your mind wants to scroll instead of sleep

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about loving discomfort. It is about becoming the kind of person who can stay present when it matters.

Each time you pause instead of escape, you reclaim your attention.

And attention is your superpower. When you can do this on demand, you lead better, focus better, and show up better at home.

Have a Super Sunday! ⚡️

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. There are less than a few hours left for joining the Attention Training Cohort starting next week. And a new cohort for April is opening too. Details here.

Not a Super Sunday letter today, just a quick update on the Stress Mastery Training.

Two things:

1. The Wednesday cohort starts next week. Enrollment closes this weekend.

If you’ve been thinking about it, this is the time to decide. Same 8-week live attention training based on the techniques psychologists at Oxford use to treat chronic stress. Small group, 12 people, taught by me.

https://stressmastery.becomingsuper.co
Super Sunday community code: SUPERFRIEND
Enrollment closes Sunday 11:59 PM Dubai time.

2. If Wednesdays don’t work for you, a new Sunday cohort is now open for April.

Same course, same experience, different timing. If the Wednesday schedule wasn’t right but the training interested you, this one might be a better fit.

Reply to this email or check the page for April dates and details.

Whichever timing works, I’d love to have you in it.

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. Full refund within 7 days after session 1 if it’s not a fit. Nothing to lose by trying.

This is the trap most people fall into:

They rely on pressure, deadlines, or other people’s opinions to push them forward.

Think: Getting in shape, studying for a course, or working on a project.

It works for a moment, then they feel drained or they quit.

They depend on external motivation that fluctuates and isn’t guaranteed.

You can play the game differently.

By focusing on intrinsic motivation, the kind ofmotivation that comes from within, you create steady energy, calm focus, and a performance that feels good, not forced.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is switching from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation, on demand, using a 7-minute reset.

Step 1. Spot what’s driving you:

Pick one goal for this week. Ask: “What’s my real reason for choosing this goal?”

If the answer is praise, fear, money, comparison, or proving yourself, label it: extrinsic.

If the answer is growth, meaning, curiosity, contribution, or enjoyment, label it: intrinsic.

Step 2. Convert it into an intrinsic reason:

Take the same goal and rewrite the reason in a way that feels personal.

Try these prompts in a quick journal note:

• “If nobody noticed, why would I still do this?”

• “Which deep personal value does this goal express?”

• “Which strength do I want to practice here?” (kindness, bravery, love of learning, perseverance, etc.)

If you want extra clarity, take this Values in Action strengths survey and use your top strengths as fuel. It’s a gold standard in positive psychology assessments (and is free).

Step 3. Build momentum with one tiny action:

Break the goal into daily micro goals and choose a 5-minute ‘starter step’ you for each micro-goal.

Use this 3-step fail-safe framework:

Schedule it daily at a specific time.
Keep it simple: 2-3 bullet points about of what you’ll focus on are enough.
Don’t skip two days in a row

Why this works: When you name what drives you, you increase psychological flexibility. When you tie action to values and strengths, your attention and effort feel more self-directed. Momentum then becomes its own motivation.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about being motivated at all times.

It is about choosing the kind of motivation that does not burn you out. When you can shift from ‘I should’ to ‘I choose’, you lead better, you create better work, and you come home with more patience.

This is exactly why training your attention to notice and drive such a mental shift is so important (and quite frankly, so necessary in today’s over-saturated world).

Stay Super! ⚡️

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. Only 8 seats remain in the Attention Training Cohort on 25th February this month. Details here.

See it clearly… your life is experienced in moments.

Your past is a stack of present moments you already lived.

Your future is a stack of moments you have not met yet.

The most powerful moments are those of transition; the seconds where you move from one thing to the next.

We usually rush through them, but they hold the real key to spaciousness on busy days.

When you start noticing transitions, you can stop a bad event from becoming a bad day.

And you can actually register rest and ease, even when your calendar is full.

2. Super skill

Today’s super skill is The Transition Pause, a few seconds reset between one thing and the next.

Step 1. Mark the ending and beginning with a sentence:

When an activity ends, stop for one breath.

Say one simple sentence: “Okay, this is done. Now I will ___.”

It doesn’t matter what the next activity is; the focus here is transitioning.

So, yes, even if the next thing is not really productive, like scrolling or checking email. The point here is intention, not perfection.

Step 2. Strengthen your focus

We spent our lives skipping those moments, not ever experiencing them.

It is a big ask to tune into those and create space for consolidation and intention.

Such ability requires sharp focus, and one that is available on demand.

Train your attention daily so you can strengthen your ability to focus on what you want, when you want, and for however long you want.

Step 3. Practice often

Like with anything new, practice makes progress.

You get better the more reps you put in.

Start small (like big transitions between work and home or meetings), and you will eventually build the capacity to intervene at a much strategic level (like in between racing, unhelpful thoughts. Now that’s powerful.)

Why it works?

Mindfulness trains attention to step in right at the handoff point, rather than letting autopilot take over.

Positive psychology calls this building psychological flexibility; you practice choosing your next move based on values, not impulse. It also reduces attention residue, so the previous task does not keep stealing your focus.

Use it this week:

Use it between meetings, especially if your tone needs to shift fast.

Use it after a tense email, before you reply or open another tab.

Use it when you finish work, so you can arrive at home with your mind where your body is.

3. Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about having a calm life. It is about creating calm moments inside a busy life.

When you respect transitions, you stop stitching everything together into one long, heavy blur.

Those micro-pauses add up. You think more clearly, you lead better, and you waste less time on unplanned detours that quietly stretch your day.

If you’re ready to train your attention so you create those micro-moments on demand, join us in the attention training cohort. Capped at 12, and 4 seats are already taken.

Have a Super Sunday!

With much joy,

Hashim

Why this matters today

Have you ever said yes to keep the peace, only to resent it later?

This is the trap: You avoid an awkward moment now, then pay for it with stress, fatigue, or disappointment.

And it’s understandable.

Boundaries can feel selfish, especially with colleagues, friends, or family.

But contrary to common thinking, setting boundaries is often the kindest thing you can do.

When you have healthy boundaries, you create more calm, more respect, and cleaner relationships.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is setting boundaries that create clarity and inspire respect.

Step 1. Invite their boundaries first:

Ask: “What works best for you?” or “Any boundaries I should know about?”

This flips the dynamic from confrontation to collaboration.

It also signals maturity. You’re not policing them; you’re designing a better way to work together.

Step 2. State yours clearly, while staying kind:

Use a simple formula:

Appreciation + boundary + what you can do instead.

Example: “Thanks for thinking of me. I don’t take calls after 7pm. I can reply tomorrow morning.”

Pro-tip: Be prompt. The earlier you name a boundary, the more people build it into how they relate to you.

Step 3. Hold it with consistency, not intensity:

Most boundaries fail because they are announced once, then abandoned.

Do not mistake flexibility with ignoring your own limits.

If it gets tested, especially at work, repeat calmly: “As I shared earlier, I can’t do that today. I can do Friday.”

No long explanations. No over-apologising. Just calm clarity.

And if this feels impossible with your manager, it might not be a boundary issue. It might be a values-alignment issue. Then the real question is, what are you willing to tolerate?

And remember: Whenever you say yes to something, you’re simultaneously saying no to something else. That something else may be much more valuable to you.

Why this works: Boundaries increase trust because they reduce guesswork. In positive psychology terms, clarity supports better relationships. It creates psychological safety and fewer hidden expectations.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about never feeling pressured.

It is about choosing self-respect without losing your warmth. When you can set a clean boundary on demand, you lead better, you communicate better, and you show up better at home.

Kind boundaries are not walls; they are instructions for how to love and work with you well.

Have a Super Sunday!

With much joy,

Hashim

Why this matters today

Here’s the hard truth: Most people spend all day using (or abusing) their bodies.

They bend it in unhealthy ways just to see the screen better.
They sit all day because it ‘feels comfortable’, but is as bad as chronic smoking.
Even when they eat, they focus only on taste, not nourishment.

They do all this not out of hate for the body, but out of love for the mind.

Yet they forget the mind lives inside the body:

When one is depleted, the other is starved.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is designing body-mind breaks that keep you resourced, not just productive.

Step 1. Recognise and stop being disembodied:

Being disembodied is not some dramatic state where you can’t feel your body.

It’s the chronic habit of not noticing:

You stop tracking your posture.
You eat on autopilot.
You don’t check in with the places that are tense, tight, or quietly asking for help.

When you understand the power of truly being in your body,

And you set the intentions for wanting to meet it adequately,

You’ve already won half the battle. Awareness is always the first step.

Step 2. Design the kind of break you will actually do:

Don’t make this vague. Design it:

How long?
Where will you do it, work, home, car, or pantry?
How often?
What exactly will you do?

My simplest technique:

2 to 4 intentional breaths.
Gaze at one point, or close your eyes.
Inhale for 6 seconds. Exhale for 8 seconds.

That’s it.

What it does naturally:

1. It gives you a real break (about 1 minute).

2. It pulls attention back into the body.

3. It interrupts the mental tunnel that makes you forget.

Then your body will usually take over: You adjust your posture, stretch as needed, and feel grounded again.

No impossible poses, just making room for your body intelligence to speak.

Step 3. Set up a reminder system:

If you’ve read this far, you probably already know the value of taking care of your body.

You might even already know exactly what helps, you just forget.

You’re not alone. The intention is there, but the follow-through feels weirdly elusive.

That’s normal. This is why mindfulness matters; it strengthens the link between intention and action.

So set up reminders.

• Physical reminders where you drift: Desk, laptop, kitchen counter, etc…

• Digital reminders: Calendars or recurring task.
  Pro tip: Use your phone alarm (please don’t add another app, you don’t need another distractor).

Label it something simple: Body-mind micro-break.
Then do one minute whenever you’re aware of it and need a break.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super isn’t about ‘hacking the system’.

It is about living in a way your nervous system can actually sustain.

When you can return to the body on demand, you think clearer, respond better, and recover faster. You lead better. You parent better. You stop paying for ‘productivity’ with tension, fatigue, and low-grade burnout.

Start small: One minute, a few times a day. Then let consistency do the heavy lifting.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. February Stress Mastery Cohort opens soon. I’ll send the details in a few days; spaces are limited in each round.

Here’s the truth: Life’s never perfect.

And that’s not a sad truth; it is a meaningful truth.

One where failing carries the gift of learning.

Where randomness sparks creativity.

Where unmet expectations can fuel motivation.

The real win is accepting reality as it is, and still adding joy inside it.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is adding joy without needing life to be perfect.

Step 1. Meet reality, as it is, without resisting:

• Pick one ordinary moment today. A meeting, the school run, cooking, commuting.

• Put your attention on what is happening right in front of you.

• Notice what’s there, and soften your body, especially jaw, shoulders, and belly.

• Pay attention to what happens next.

  Less resistance creates more space. More space lets joy coexist with challenge. This also trains your nervous system to stay present when things are messy.

Step 2. Train your mind to notice what’s good:

• Each evening, write 3 good things from the day. Tiny ones count: A kind message. A warm tea. A problem solved.

• For one of them, add one line: “What did I do that helped this happen?”

• Then savour for 10 seconds. Feel it in the body. Do not rush past it.

  You don’t need affirmations or daily motivational speeches (though, do that if you like). All you need is a reliable system the trains your mind to make space for what’s also positive.

Step 3. Make micro-progress on what matters:

• Choose one super big goal, then ask: “What is the smallest action I can do this week?”

• Make it specific and repeatable. 5-15 minutes: One message. One page. One walk.

• Add one relationship micro-goal, too. Reach out, plan, or be fully present for those you love.

  Progress creates momentum. Aristotle called us teleological beings (we get joy from setting targets and achieving them).

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about never feeling disappointed or stressed.

It is about staying close to life as it is, and finding joy inside the real texture of your days. When you can accept reality, spot the good, and take micro-steps toward what matters, you stop living with ‘conditional joy’.

You lead better, you parent with more presence, and you recover faster after setbacks.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. Last chance to join the January Stress Mastery cohort. Click here for details.

It is not a Super Sunday letter; it is a short note that I think will genuinely support your current journey of showing up at your best.

Enrollment is now open for the Mindfulness for Life (MBCT) stress mastery course. If you want to join, or see what other people think of it, click here:

https://mbctwithhashim.becomingsuper.co

I know this course will be helpful to you because I’ve seen that most people approach stress backwards.

They try to eliminate it. So they tighten control, push harder, and burn out faster.

Stress mastery is different. You train the skill underneath everything: Attention, awareness, and choice under pressure.

Snippets from past participants:

“Joining this course was a transformative experience.”

"I found the course incredibly beneficial.”

“This program has surpassed my expectations, and I will be forever grateful for this life-changing opportunity.”

This course helps you:

• Notice stress earlier (before it hijacks your attention)

• Respond instead of react

• Stop the overthinking loop

• Handle emotions in the body with more skill

• Build a calmer, sharper baseline

• Show up better at work and in relationships

How it works:

• 8 weeks, live instructor-led sessions (with me)

• Structured weekly practices (simple, repeatable)

• Course handbook and exercises

• An optional half-day silent retreat to deepen the skill (past participants loved this)

• Support throughout the program

• PLUS: 3 months of Super Together after, to keep momentum

If the timing is right, I would love to have you in it.

If not, stay with Super Sunday. You will still benefit.

To celebrate you taking action, I am sharing a 15% thank you code for the Super Sunday community.

Use code: SUPERFRIEND

Valid if you enroll in the next 5 days (closes Tuesday 20th January at 11:59 PM Dubai Time)

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. I’ve captured in the FAQs most of the questions that previous cohorts asked. If you’re still unsure, hit REPLY and I’ll try to help you.

This is the trap…

You keep adding to your to-do list, but you still feel behind.

Everything looks equally urgent, so your brain stays in chase mode.

Then one, notification or ‘quick scroll’ steals the hour you needed.

Ending the day feeling not-so-accomplished and more stressed.

Instead, you want to end it knowing you made time for what matters.

Let’s design that system:

Super skill

Today’s super skill is being strategic with time: planning, protecting attention, and making small minutes count.

Step 1. Get out of your to-do list and into your calendar.

Your to-do list lies to you.

It makes a 2-minute task look the same as a 2-hour project.

Instead, pick your top 3 priorities for the next 24 hours and put them into calendar blocks.

Name the block clearly. ‘Draft proposal.’ ‘Pay invoices.’ ‘Gym.’

If it is not for today, schedule it for when it is truly needed: Next week, next month, even next year.

Once it is placed, it is out of sight and out of mind.

Step 2. Train your attention to stay on task.

Most people try to manage time and always run out of it.

That’s because you cannot manage something that flows on its own. Einstein’s work tells us it is a dimension of experience.

What you can manage is attention.

• Choose one task. Remove one distraction. Put your phone out of reach.

• Set a 10-minute timer and practice staying with the task for the full 10.

• When you get pulled away, notice it, name it, return. That’s mindfulness off the cushion.

Research often cites that it can take around 23 minutes to fully regain focus after a distraction! (so protection always beats recovery)

Step 3. Strategise your minutes.

If you tell yourself, “I’ll scroll for 15 minutes,” do the math first.

15 minutes × 30 days = 7.5 hours a month. That is 90 hours a year.

If your best deep work day is about 4 strong hours, those 15 minutes can add up to more than 22 deep work days across a year!

Imagine what you can achieve with that.

You do not need to plan every minute. You do need to respect where this minute goes.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about ‘super productivity’.

It is knowing what matters, then holding your attention there. When you can do this on demand, you lead better, think more clearly, and come home with greater presence.

Attention training is the hidden lever behind real productivity, because focus is what turns minutes into outcomes. If you want to build this skill properly, with structure and practice, this is exactly what we do inside the MBCT course. Enrollment is now open.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

Know this: You can be busy and still feel spacious.

Or you can have a normal day and still feel chased by it.

The difference is not your calendar. It is the tiny moments of attention you keep losing.

You want to move fast without feeling frantic. You want calm focus, not constant sprint mode.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is creating micro-space on purpose.

You are not trying to ‘do more’.
You are training your nervous system to stop treating every moment like an emergency.
Your goal is simple: Add small pockets of space so your day feels workable again.

Step 1. Savour the existing breaks

Micro-breaks already exist. You just tend to fill them with more thinking, scrolling, and doing.

Instead, use them as chances to return to life as it is.

Showering. Brushing your teeth. Waiting for the kettle. Stuck in traffic. Riding the elevator.

The more you notice these moments, the more spacious your day feels (even when nothing changes on your calendar).

Step 2. Create NIZs

No-Input-Zones. They are your best strategy.

No phone. No news. No podcasts. No messages. Just you and the moment.

Plug them in for 5-10 minutes every 90-120 mins.

Extremely doable, even (or especially) in a day packed with meetings.

NIZ options: a bathroom break to freshen up, sitting quietly, or playing with you dog.

You are not being unproductive. You are recovering on purpose.

Step 3. Pay attention to the transitions

This is often never registered in your consciousness.

(you’re not alone; we're quick to switch from one task to another)

Mainly because what’s to come is overdue, or what we are doing is so daunting we can’t wait till it’s over.

But those transitions are everything — treat them as buffer zones to shift intentionally from one activity to the next.

You will find it easier to let go of the previous and be fully present for the next.

Try this in the last minute of work before you head home.
Try it after a work call before lunch.
Try it before you walk into a meeting, or before you open your inbox.

Why it works: You reduce cognitive load, restore attentional control, and build psychological flexibility. You stop fighting your mind and start guiding it.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about perfectly calm days. It is about returning to steadiness on demand.

When you create micro-spaces in the middle of pressure, you lead better, decide faster, and show up at home with greater presence.

You stop living in reaction mode. You start moving with choice.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. This is precicely what we train in the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Training.

Week after week we get together and train attention so you can move from being on auto-pilot to truly crafting your days.

MBCT has a proven track record of decades of evidence-based research. It is so effective in training your attention, it has been proven to be as effective (and hence a better alternative) to taking anti-depressants for people with recurring depression.

It’s a potent life skill training.

Click here to learn more and join the waitlist for the cohort starting this month.

This is the trap…

You build momentum, you finally feel proud, then your mind quietly offers you a ‘small treat’.

One skipped workout.

One late night.

One scroll session (that turns into an hour).

It’s sabotage disguised as comfort.

What you want instead is growth that sticks.

Reliable performance and calm discipline.

A steady identity you can trust.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is outsmarting the Saboteur and staying 100% committed, without being extreme.

Step 1. Decide 100%, not 99%

Choose one habit for this week. Start with exercise.
Make a clean decision, no wiggle room.
Write one identity line: “I’m someone who trains on schedule”.
Then, very importantly, define the minimum. “Even on busy days, I do 10 minutes.”

This is not intensity. This is removing the daily debate.

Step 2. Pre-plan your breaks

Plan your ‘off’ like an athlete. Put it in the calendar.
Decide what a break is, and what it is not.
Example: '“Friday is rest day. Rest means a catch-up and early sleep, not a binge”.

When breaks are planned, they stop feeling like failure, and they stop becoming a loophole.

Step 3. Pre-commit, commit, recommit

Pre-commit via identity (step 1).
Commit daily in the moment (tip: use a paper journal)
Recommit when you fail (you will eventually, but outsmarting means you don’t drag)

Quick evening reflection. What helped, what got in the way, what is the restart plan for tomorrow.

No shame, just data. This is how identity becomes consistency.

Why it works?
Identity reduces decision fatigue. Daily recommit builds psychological flexibility, so one wobble does not become a spiral.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about never slipping. It is about returning to your path faster.

When you can decide cleanly, plan recovery, and recommit without drama, you become reliable to yourself.

That reliability is confidence. It changes how you work, lead, and love.

This is exactly the kind of inner training we build inside the 8-week Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. Click here to join the waitlist.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

Do you notice this? You can know exactly what to do and still not do it.

You save the podcast, screenshot the framework, buy the course.

Then real life happens, stress, distractions, old habits, and the plan disappears.

This is what psychology calls: the knowledge-to-performance gap.

Instead, you want a bridge.

One that enables follow-through that feels calm, consistent, and real.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is translating knowledge into action.

Step 1: Train attention, not just intention.

Pick one tiny behaviour and attach it to a clear cue.

• When you open your laptop, take one slow breath.

• When you sit in the car, relax your shoulders.

Attention is the muscle that turns good ideas into real choices.

It is the driving force that turns knowledge into action.

Step 2: Build a daily practice that is too small to fail.

Set a 5-minute daily minimum. Same time, same place.

One page of journaling, one strength you will use today, one mindful pause.

Consistency beats intensity, especially when you are busy.

Step 3: Lead with gain, not gap.

Start with curiosity, not fixing.

Ask: “What’s already working?”

Then: “What is one small upgrade for today?”

When you lead with gain, you create psychological safety in your own mind (that makes change easier to repeat.)

Why this works:
Mindfulness strengthens attention and choice.
Positive psychology shifts you into growth and capability, which builds momentum.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about collecting better strategies. It is about becoming the kind of person who follows through.

When you can translate knowledge into action on demand, you lead better, you communicate better, and you come home with more presence.

This week, measure progress by one thing:

Did you return to the practice, even when you did not feel like it?

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

PS. Click here to join the waitlist for the upcoming Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Cohort starting mid-January 2026. It is a course on stress mastery and attention training. I will let you know before registration opens and unlock early-bird pricing.

Let’s be clear, life is not going to stop throwing hard things at you.

A difficult manager. A health scare. A tension-filled relationship. A failed project.

Some of this is everyday stress. Some of it can be real trauma.

(If what you carry feels like trauma, get professional support. Therapy is not a luxury, it is part of healing)

For the rest of your difficulties, research shows something important:

Resilience can turn struggle into growth.

Psychology calls this Post-Traumatic Growth.

You are not stuck with “this is just how it is.”

Super skill

Today’s super skill is using positive emotions to power resilience.

Not fake positivity.

Emotions like hope, contentment, and love.

Dr Barbara Fredrickson’s work shows that these emotions broaden your awareness.

You think more creatively, you see what is still working in the middle of difficulty, and you find new solutions. Over time, this builds a spiral of inner resources that support growth instead of collapse.

Here is how to practice it this week:

Step 1. Create an energised state:

Move your body, even for 10 minutes.
Sleep like it matters.
Eat in a way that gives you steady energy, not spikes and crashes.
Meditate or breathe consciously for a few minutes.

A regulated body is the ground for a resilient mind.

Step 2. Become a meaning hunter:

When something challenging happens, ask:

“What role could this play in my future decisions.”

“What is this teaching me about my boundaries, my values, or what really matters.”

You are not saying “this is good.” You are saying “I will use this.”

Step 3. Journal to accumulate learning, not just distress:

End your day with a short reflection. I call it the WIN of the day:

W = Wins of the day, what worked, or what you’re grateful for (aim for 3)
I = Improvement, the thing that can be improved (limit this to 1)
N = Next, what will you do next to work on improving that thing.

Capture even one sentence on how you might respond differently next time.

This turns raw experience into wisdom instead of rumination.

Use this with a challenging manager.
Use it when an external stressor feels out of your control.
Use it after any failure against your expectations.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about liking your difficulties.

It is about becoming the kind of person who can meet hard moments and squeeze growth out of them without bypassing the pain.

When you can create small pockets of hope, contentment, and meaning inside difficulty, you become more grounded, more creative, and less afraid of life. You trust that whatever comes, you have a way to work with it.

We go deeper on this in the MBCT Course, where you practice working with difficulty in real time so you can develop the skill to meet it elsewhere.

Click here to register your interest in the upcoming MBCT Cohort starting mid-January 2026. I will let you know before registration opens and unlock early-bird pricing.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim

Why this matters today

See it clearly; stress is not going anywhere.

You feel distress when you are not progressing on your goals.

You feel distress when communication breaks down in your relationships.

You feel distress when you make mistakes and handle yourself with judgment and blame.

Life will always include pressure and problems.

What really changes your quality of life is how much genuine joy you can create in the middle of that pressure.

You want to feel satisfied, grounded, and grateful, even when things are not perfect.

Super skill

Today’s super skill is practising appreciative joy on purpose.

Appreciative joy is the quiet contentment and sense of ease that comes from being grateful for what you already have.

Not the one-day big win. The everyday goodness that is usually taken for granted, forgotten, or not even registered because your attention is somewhere else.

Joy is not just a state of mind. It is a practice. You cultivate it with intention.

Step 1: Keep a daily “3 Wins” reflection.

Every day, write down 3 things you are grateful for.

The small things matter: A walk in nature. Being able to pay for what you already have. A moment of laughter.

Science is clear; this boosts your happiness in the present and your optimism about the future.

Step 2: Build a wins résumé.

Create a list of your precious achievements, personal and professional.

Like a CV, but for real wins that mattered to you.

Revisit this at least once a month. Let it remind you of your capability, your growth, your resilience.

Step 3: Write gratitude letters.

Write to the people who matter to you.

Tell them exactly what you appreciate about them and what they do that fills your heart with joy or makes you feel like you matter.

(you can send the letter or just write it for yourself; both create joy)

This works because you are training your attention to broaden. Instead of letting it sit only on what is not working, you also notice what is working.

You start measuring the gain, not just the gap.

From that fuller picture, you feel more fulfilled and you generate better ideas and strategies to move forward.

Use this when goals feel stuck.

Use it after a small win.

Use it on days when your mistakes and self-criticism are loud.

Becoming Super

Becoming Super is not about eliminating stress. It is about becoming the kind of person who can create real joy in the middle of difficulty.

When you do that, gratitude becomes fuel.

It supports you in facing challenges instead of escaping them. You keep going toward what you want with a full heart and a mind at ease.

This is exactly what we cultivate in the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy course; from week one you practice gratitude and appreciative joy, making space for what is already working so you can work more skillfully with what is hard.

Click here to register your interest in the upcoming MBCT Cohort. I will let you know before registration opens.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

With much joy,

Hashim