Hello Reader!

I'm back from two fun-but-full-on weeks in the States and am ready to share this Thursday's three useful things. Here are this week's picks to help you turn overthinking into expert thinking:

1. Your values are calling you from inside the house! Here's a better way to discover what's truly important to you​
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2. “Imposter syndrome is a lagging indicator of cultural gaslighting.” And nine other latent signs, by Jessica Hagy
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3. Finally, an official spelling for zhuzh, a new sense for hallucination, and other perfectly cromulent recent additions to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary​

Extra thoughts…

How can learning about new additions to the dictionary help us become better thinkers? As covered in a recent episode of Because Language podcast featuring one of my favorite sociolinguists, Rob Drummond, there is an interesting relationship between language awareness and prescriptivism. Illustrated by Rob's unscientific-but-accurate graphic:

In other words, shifting our perceptions about language and the dictionary can get us closer to that last mile, perhaps arriving at a more sensible place?

Do you have any language peeves that you struggle to let go of? What words were you surprised to see in the dictionary list and why? If you share your top three, I'll reply with mine!
Kim

PS. Here's a Halloween-themed bonus link for you:

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​Kim Witten, PhD - Coach & Consultant

Hello! My name is Kim Witten and I’ve spent four decades overthinking absolutely everything. I’ve turned this ability into a super skill to get stuff done and now my mission is to help others do the same. Read more about my journey​

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