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Read Maggie MacDougal’s SPLASH!

Grab your favorite mug and get cozy—here is everything you need to know to start your week, brewed to perfection.

Wall Street spent the week swirling the glass on the latest Federal Reserve chatter. While inflation seems to be settling like fine sediment at the bottom of a decanter, the job market is showing surprising buoyancy. Retail sales for January came in crisper than expected, suggesting consumers aren't quite ready to put their wallets into cellar storage just yet. The consensus? We’re seeing a complex vintage, robust enough to avoid a crash, but with enough acidity to keep investors on their toes.

Across the pond, the global stage felt like a crowded tasting room. European leaders convened in Brussels to address energy resilience, aiming for a more balanced bouquet of renewables. Meanwhile, trade discussions in Southeast Asia are adding a spicy kick to international relations, as emerging markets demand a larger seat at the table. It’s a delicate balance of power that requires a steady hand and a long finish to ensure no one leaves the table with a sour taste.

Domestic headlines were as varied as a flight of regional varietals. Discussion in D.C. centered on a new infrastructure push to revitalize the "cork" of our national transit systems—the aging bridges in the Midwest. On the West Coast, innovative environmental legislation is sparkling, as California looks to lead the way in sustainable urban viticulture (and living). It was a week of turning grand ideas into reality, ensuring the American landscape remains vibrant and well-nourished.

The sports world delivered a high-tannin week of high stakes. As the road to the championships narrows, the intensity is reaching a fever pitch. In basketball, we’re seeing veterans age like fine wine, outperforming rookies with sheer depth of play. Over on the ice, the mid-season grind is separating the top-shelf contenders from the house pours. Whether it was a buzzer-beater or a photo finish, the drama was served neat and chilled.

Hollywood poured out a generous serving of buzz this week as awards season nominations began to settle. The indie darlings are providing a refreshing, zesty contrast to the heavy-hitting studio blockbusters. In the streaming world, a new historical drama has everyone intoxicated by its lush production design. Between surprise casting announcements and red-carpet reveals, the world of entertainment remains the perfect nightcap to a busy week, effervescent, distracting, and always leaving you wanting one more sip.

Let’s have a little chat about "excellence."If hearing that word makes your eye twitch because you’re already trying to be an excellent employee, an excellent parent, and an excellent manager of the household mental load—stop.

Breathe.

According to author Brad Stulberg, we have been doing this all wrong. In a world that constantly screams "hustle," Stulberg’s new book, The Way of Excellence, offers a life raft. He clarifies immediately that excellence is not perfectionism, it isn’t optimization, and it definitely isn’t obsession. If you are exhausted just trying to "check off our chores, work out, and put dinner on the table," you are precisely the person who needs to hear this. Here is how to find a slice of "aliveness" for yourself without adding to your stress.

Lower the Bar (Then Throw Away the Bar) Stulberg defines excellence simply as "involved engagement in something worthwhile that aligns with your values and goals".

Note that he said nothing about being the best, ranking first, or having a spotless kitchen. Excellence isn’t a destination where everything is perfect; it is a journey of being immersed in something that actually matters to you.

The "Me Time" Trinity If you are trying to figure out what your "thing" should be (besides managing everyone else’s schedules), Stulberg suggests looking for a project that meets three specific needs:

• Autonomy: You need control over how you spend your energy (for once!).• Competence: A path where you can actually see yourself improving.

• Belonging: A connection to something bigger than the laundry pile. Use this as a litmus test: Does this activity align with your core values, such as creativity or health? If yes, keep it. If it’s just another obligation, toss it.

Stop Fighting Your Biology. We all have that friend who wakes up at 4:00 a.m. to meditate and run a marathon before the kids wake up. If that makes you want to cry, Stulberg has your back. He argues that "although routines can be magical, there is no magic routine". Instead of copying an influencer’s schedule, determine your own "chronotype"—your body’s natural preference for sleep and activity.

If you are a night owl, stop forcing yourself into a morning mold. "Map the activities that you’re doing with the energy that you have," so you aren't constantly trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

The 48-Hour Rule (for Drama and Victory) When you finally carve out time for your passion project, you might fail. Or, you might win big. Stulberg advises the "48-hour rule": give yourself two days to grieve the defeat or celebrate the victory, "and then you get back to doing the work itself". This keeps you from getting addicted to praise or paralyzed by despair.

So, if you burn the soufflé or paint a masterpiece, take 48 hours to feel your feelings, then get back to the process.

Here is my final sip. You may extend this timeframe if you need to celebrate something significant for a week—we won't tell.

Remember, keep saying it's a "Brave New World."

I know, trying something new when you are already mentally overloaded can be scary. Stulberg suggests replacing that fear with curiosity by using the mantra "Brave new world." It’s a way of saying, "I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but let’s find out". It transforms anxiety into an experiment. So, this Sunday, ignore the dust bunnies. Find something that makes you feel competent and autonomous, and step into your brave new world.

Marcel

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