Welcome to The Brighter Side of Everything.
This newsletter serves a simple purpose → To help you build optimism, resilience and a solution-focused perspective.
Each week, I’ll share actionable insights that not only brighten your day but position you to be a leader within your own life and seize life’s opportunities.
Read time: 15-20 minutes.
Self-Help Is Everywhere - But will you actually use it?
Bright Reads - Quick links to fun or insightful articles.
Trevor Noah - Defying the odds, one joke at a time.
Bookmarks - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah.
A Bright Idea to Consider - How “I Don’t Know” can take you far.
A Previous Post - The art of life.
Positively Hilarious - Smile like you mean it.
Daily Gratitude Journal - Transform your daily routine through reflection.
Hello, Brighter Side readers! ☀️
Thanks for being here.
Just this morning, I noticed this was the 64th edition.
That time has flown.
I love writing this newsletter, and even more so, hearing from you about your experiences.
A quick reminder though.
I’m not here to convince you of anything.
My goal is simply to share the experiences, ideas and lessons I’ve picked up over the years.
The ones that have served me well.
The ones that have shaped my perspective and guided my decisions with the hope they open a window or spark something useful inside you.
This week, we’re diving into what actually turns self-help into real, lasting change.
It’s never just the words, but the action you take.
Plus, we’re looking at Trevor Noah’s journey as proof that optimism and humour can light the way through the most challenging times.
If anything here helps you through a rough patch or offers a new perspective, that’s more than enough for me.
So stay open, keep the optimism alive and let’s see what sticks.
See you on the Brighter Side,
Chris
P.S. Please feel free to send me feedback on how I can improve. I respond to every email.
Busy isn’t the goal
Wing turns busy days into real progress. A full-time virtual assistant runs calendars, inboxes, and follow-ups, removing the drag that burns leaders out.
The result: more focus, more output, and the headspace to lead.
Walk into any bookstore.
Scroll through social media, or listen to a podcast and you’ll notice something.
Self-help is everywhere.
Mindset hacks, nutrition tips, productivity frameworks, morning routines, coaching programs.
You can’t escape it.
On the one hand, that’s great.
We live in a time where wisdom, both ancient and modern, is more accessible than ever.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Knowledge is worthless without action.
A good friend recently asked me, half-joking: “Isn’t all that self-help stuff just BS?”
My answer was simple.
That depends entirely on what you do with it.
Self-help can be empty theory, or it can be the spark that changes your life.
The deciding factor isn’t what you read or who you listen to.
It’s what you do.
The Trap of Consuming Without Doing
We’ve all been there.
You buy the book that everyone swears by.
You highlight the inspiring lines.
You nod along with the podcast.
For a moment, you feel like something inside has shifted.
But then?
Nothing.
Same habits. Same frustrations. Same excuses.
That’s because consuming self-help tricks your brain into believing you’re making progress.
Buying a book feels like momentum.
Listening to a podcast feels productive.
Highlighting that one breakthrough paragraph feels empowering.
But none of it matters if no new behaviour follows.
Think of it like the gym.
Signing up feels great.
Having the membership card feels even better.
But unless you show up, sweat and stick with it, nothing changes.
The Industry Knows What It’s Doing
This isn’t only driven solely by personal procrastination though.
The truth is, much of the self-help industry is designed to keep you from solving your problems too quickly.
If one book changed everything, you’d never buy another one.
That wouldn’t be a great business model, would it?
Instead, most frameworks are old wisdom with shiny new packaging.
Stoic philosophy regularly resurfaces as resilience training.
Ancient mindfulness gets sold as productivity hacks.
Cognitive therapy becomes a catchy “rule” or “method.”
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Sometimes we need a new metaphor, a modern voice, or just the right timing for the advice to finally click.
But don’t fall into the trap of believing the next book or podcast will magically unlock your potential.
Spoiler: it won’t.
“People seem to be much more interested in collecting ideas than actually doing anything with them”.
Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy
Most of self-help can be boiled down to a handful of painfully obvious principles:
Stop lying to yourself.
Do the hard thing first.
Be consistent.
Look after your body and mind.
Repeat.
That’s it.
It’s not complicated.
But simple doesn’t mean easy.
If it were easy, everyone would have financial freedom, six-pack abs, healthy relationships and perfectly balanced lives.
The real struggle lies in the gap between knowing and doing.
And the only way to cross that gap is action.
Messy, uncomfortable action.
Don’t Force What Doesn’t Fit
Another reason people stall?
Trying to force-fit advice that isn’t meant for them.
Not every framework or method will fit your life.
Some address areas you’ve already mastered.
Others just don’t align with your values or priorities.
Trying to force it is like hammering a round peg into a square hole, it never works and only leads to frustration.
Instead, filter relentlessly.
Take what resonates, adapt what you need and ignore the rest.
Focus on your gaps, not somebody else’s idea of what needs fixing.
Practical Lessons to Actually Move Yourself Forward
So, how do you escape this endless cycle and actually make progress?
Start here:
1. Stop Shopping for Answers: No new books, programs, or podcasts until you’ve implemented something you already know. Write down one action from the last thing you read and commit to doing it this week.
2. Choose One Thing: Don’t try to overhaul your whole life. Pick one principle, just one, and practice it daily for 30 days. Small, finished actions beat big, abandoned ones every time.
3. Focus on Behaviour, Not Belief: Don’t wait to feel ready. Don’t wait for motivation. Action shapes belief, not the other way around. Show up before you feel like it. This self discipline is the ignition you need.
4. Expect Discomfort: Lasting change feels uncomfortable. That’s how you know it’s working. Resistance isn’t failure, it’s proof you’re pushing your limits.
5. Track Visible Progress: Measure what matters. Whether it’s the workouts you’ve completed, nights without drinking, conversations had, or money saved. Track it. Visible proof fuels momentum.
The Compounding Effect of Small Habits
I’ve written about this before, and will again.
Change rarely comes as a dramatic overnight transformation.
It usually happens through small actions.
Repeated consistently.
Compounded over time.
We don’t need a massive reinvention.
We need boring consistency.
We need to keep showing up when it’s unglamorous.
We need to practice small wins until they stack into something extraordinary.
That’s what most self-help authors are really saying, buried under countless covers and conference talks.
Transformation doesn’t lie in consuming more information.
It lies in doing the tiny, unsexy things daily, long enough for them to snowball into radical change.
My Takeaway
Self-help itself isn’t inherently good or bad.
It’s neutral.
A book, a podcast episode, a quote.
They’re just sparks.
They can inspire, they can motivate and sometimes they can wake you up.
But sparks don’t build fire.
The fire (the lasting transformation) comes only from action.
From holding yourself accountable.
From pushing through discomfort.
From carrying difficult things through to completion.
Again and again, until results compound.
So the next time you think, “Maybe I just need one more book, one more podcast, one more mentor to figure it out…”.
Stop.
The truth is, the answers aren’t out there.
They’ve been inside you all along.
No book, no coach, no guru is coming to save you.
The only one who can?
You.
Start today.
Keep going.
Don’t let your knowledge sit idle.
Turn it into action.
“Without action, knowledge is often meaningless. As Aristotle put it, to be excellent we cannot simply think or feel excellent, we must act excellently.”
If this concept speaks to you, you can learn more about how to train yourself to take action, here:
5 brilliant books to demystify the brain.
The 39 coolest neighbourhoods in the world in 2025.
From problem to possibility: how your attention can improve your life.
Mundane moments made more memorable.
7 jaw-dropping fall foliage destinations.
Trevor Noah - born 20th February 1984 - Johannesburg, South Africa.
Imagine being a kid who can’t legally walk next to his own mother in public.
That was Trevor Noah’s reality in apartheid South Africa.
A world so tightly controlled by race that even his birth, as the child of a Black mother and a white father, he was literally born a crime.
What an utterly ridiculous situation to face as a young child.
Instead of letting fear shrink his horizons, Trevor learned to dance between worlds.
Armed with humour, a quick wit and a stubborn belief that no rulebook could contain him.
Who Is Trevor Noah (and Why He Matters Now)
Trevor’s story is about more than overcoming adversity, it’s about transforming it.
From dodging police as a child to finding creative ways to buy ice cream on Sundays (not allowed for Black families).
He became a master not just of languages but of adaptation itself.
He grew up learning to code-switch (sometimes across six languages in a single day)
Why?
Just so he could navigate life, connect, and, occasionally, get out of serious trouble.
Before the late-night stage lights shone over him, he was already a survivor.
But Trevor’s superpower wasn’t solely resilience.
It was the audacity to turn struggle into laughter and hardship into a universal story about hope, identity, and optimism.
Today, Noah is a comedian, bestselling author, and the founder of a thriving foundation.
He inspires millions by modeling what happens when you meet life’s chaos head-on.
And still choose to laugh.
From Chaos to Connection
Trevor’s mother, Patricia, was his north star.
She taught him to question, to invest in knowledge, and (maybe most importantly) to never, ever feel sorry for himself.
Their life wasn’t easy.
Domestic violence, poverty and seeing opportunities snatched away because of colour was the norm.
Not the exception.
Patricia raised him to see beyond what was and imagine what could be.
That, is optimism in action.
Some days, resilience was about survival, like leaping from a moving car to escape an angry stepfather.
But it was also about choosing connection over isolation and using whatever you had, even a joke or a hard-earned punchline, to bridge divides.
Later, Trevor made those “toolkit” moments the heart of his comedy.
He flipped personal pain into powerful commentary about family, racism and the beauty of finding common ground.
His rise to “The Daily Show” was the result of relentless curiosity, creative risk and embracing discomfort as part of growth.
“In society, we do horrible things to one another because we don't see the person it affects. We don't see their face. We don't see them as humans.”
Reflection: Owning Your Story With Optimism
What stands out about Noah is how much he lets his real self show.
Flaws and all.
He’s been candid about mental health.
About battling depression and ADHD, not as a disclaimer, but as an invitation for others to be real too.
Watching him, it’s clear that authenticity is his north star.
Both on stage and off.
And it’s never just about him.
Through the Trevor Noah Foundation, he invests in education and tech for South African youth.
Believing that providing tools and equal footing is what fuels community transformation.
Optimism isn’t just an attitude for Trevor.
It’s his plan.
Practical Lessons from Trevor Noah
Rewrite your own narrative: Trevor took the label “born a crime” and built something powerful from it. Find opportunities to flip old limitations into strengths. Share your story, own your journey.
Resilience grows in community: Trevor’s support network started with his mother’s wisdom and expanded outwards. Lean on mentors and friends, but remember to help others, too. Connection fuels resilience.
Growth means taking risks: Trevor’s life is proof. Sometimes you need to risk rejection and failure to make progress. Don’t wait, always choose action over regret.
Authenticity sparks connection: By showing up as himself, struggles and all, Trevor draws people in. Be real. Your honesty can inspire courage and trust in others.
Optimism opens doors: When Trevor combines hope with effort, good things follow. Use optimism as motivation to seek new opportunities, especially during tough times.
My Takeaway
Trevor’s story reminds us that adversity isn’t something to duck or avoid.
It’s raw material for reinvention.
He turned hardship into fuel for connection and bold comedy that disarms and unites.
His success proves that even in the face of cruelty or chaos, the right question isn’t “Why me?” but “What next?”
Every time Trevor finds humour in a dark moment, he offers us a roadmap.
Face the pain.
Don’t flinch.
Then twist it into something that brings people together.
So the next time life catches you off guard (and it will), borrow from Trevor’s playbook.
Pause, spot the absurdity and see if you can flip the script.
Because sometimes, the bravest thing you can do isn’t to fight the darkness.
It’s to turn it into a punchline.
Hand it back to the world.
And let everyone see the strength in your laughter.
“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to.”
If you want to learn more about Trevor, don’t miss my review of “Born a Crime” below.
Within those pages, you’ll find the full, wild reach of Trevor’s humour and humanity.
A masterclass in overcoming, connecting and finding hope wherever your two feet stand.
Some books open a window to another world.
But this one feels like Trevor Noah just pulled up a chair beside me and started sharing his wildest stories.
As noted above, his journey from South Africa’s townships to the world stage is remarkable.
Born a Crime goes even deeper.
The pages are packed with moments so outlandish, brave or moving that they’ll leave you wondering.
“Did that really happen?”
Why It’s Worth Your Time
Born a Crime is a deeply personal memoir.
Trevor takes you straight to the heart of apartheid South Africa, where simply existing as a mixed-race kid was against the law.
He pulls you into a world where quick thinking, humour and resilience were survival tools.
There’s real history here, but it never feels like homework.
History that needs to be shared and relfected upon.
Noah’s writing sparkles with hilarious moments, sharp observations and plenty of heart.
What Makes It Stand Out
The real magic comes when Trevor juggles honesty and humour.
His perspective lets you feel the fear and the absurdity.
His relationship with his mother is fantastic.
She’s the book’s highlight.
Tough, loving and seemingly unbreakable.
One story that stuck with me?
Young Trevor launching his first “business” selling pirated CDs, only to have the operation unravel in a way only he could tell.
You get it all.
Everything from small, tender moments to wild escapades that make you marvel at just how much one life can hold.
Practical Lessons from ‘Born a Crime’
Break the rules, question the script: Nothing in Trevor’s world was straightforward. He learned to see past the surface, challenge unfair systems and create his own luck. His story nudges us to question what’s “normal” or “unquestionable” in our lives, too.
Humour is a survival skill: Whether he was hustling food at recess or navigating real danger, Trevor leaned into laughter. Joking was sometimes a shield (and sometimes a bridge). “If my mother had one goal, it was to free my mind,” he writes, and humour was one key to that freedom.
Family are our original life coaches: Trevor’s mother, Patricia, is a force of nature. Her mix of strictness, faith and love is unforgettable. She teaches that love doesn’t require perfection. It requires persistence and showing up. Even when life goes off the rails.
See the world through new eyes: Reading this book deepens your empathy. While we may never fully grasp the complexities of each others lives, Trevor's voice (raw, honest and at times vulnerable) leaves a lasting impression.
My Takeaway
I came for the comedy and left with so much more.
A window into courage, resourcefulness and a fierce love that doesn’t quit.
Born a Crime challenged me to rethink what resilience really looks like and reminded me how powerful it is to find laughter, even when the world feels stacked against you.
It’s a memoir that makes you see the cracks in the system and the light that shines through them.
It feels like more than just a collection of stories.
It’s a call to keep questioning and keep caring.
About our histories, our families and how we shape the next chapter.
Some books change how you look at life.
This one dares you to change how you live it.
“We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.”
Got a recommendation?
Please share; I'm always keen for great suggestions.
The Lesson
Ever felt like you need to know everything?
Or at least pretend you do?
Honestly, it’s exhausting (and not all that helpful).
This week, here’s a bright idea: let’s swap the pressure of certainty for “I don’t know, but let’s find out together.”
There’s something downright refreshing about admitting you don’t have all the answers.
While the majority of people dodge admitting when they’re wrong, choosing curiosity and teamwork sets you apart.
It’s self-aware, honest and it’s a trait that will carry you a long way.
Go Deeper
Why does this approach matter so much?
Because the ability to say “I don’t know” opens room for real conversations and new ideas.
Most fear that admitting uncertainty makes them look weak.
But it actually builds trust and invites collaboration.
The truth of the matter is, if you think you’re always right?
That’s the first thing you have wrong.
Let me share a quick moment lots of parents (and kids!) will recognise.
Imagine you’re helping your kid with their math homework and suddenly you’re both staring at a problem that uses a totally new method.
Something you’ve never seen before (this happened to me last week).
Instead of pretending you’ve got it all figured out, you smile and say, “Wow, that’s different from how I learned! Want to watch a video and learn together?”
So, you both sit down, find a YouTube video, and work through the steps.
Suddenly, not knowing the answer isn’t scary.
It’s actually kind of fun.
Your kid learns that it’s perfectly okay to admit when something’s tricky.
And as the two of you crack the problem together, you both end up feeling proud, connected, and ready for another challenge.
Practical Steps
Ready to try this out yourself?
Start with Honest Curiosity: When someone asks a question you don’t know the answer to, respond with genuine interest. Try saying, “That’s a great question. I’d love to learn more about it. Want to look it up with me?” This makes it okay for everyone to be open and curious.
Build a Shared Solution: If a problem pops up at work or home, invite others to help you solve it by brainstorming together. Often, someone else’s perspective will reveal a solution that never crossed your mind. Plus, working together strengthens trust and teamwork.
Reflect and Appreciate Growth: At the end of each day or week, take a moment to look back at what you learned with others. Did you uncover something new, or gain insight with someone’s help? Noticing these moments builds confidence in collaborative learning and reminds you that “not knowing” is 100% ok.
Model the Approach for Others: Encourage friends, colleagues or family (especially kids) to try saying “I don’t know, but let’s find out together.” When others see that it’s normal to not have all the answers, they’ll feel safer being honest and asking for help too.
My Takeaway
Letting go of “I have to know it all” has made life simpler for me.
And honestly, a lot more fun.
Some of my favourite “aha!” moments started with simply admitting I was a little lost.
Inviting others to learn with me has turned challenges into adventures and helped build stronger bonds.
So, next time you’re unsure or stuck, be brave enough to say:
“Let’s find out together.”
Embrace not knowing, because that’s where the best discoveries begin.
At first, it can be intimidating to admit what you don’t know.
But, take it from me.
Over time, it will become more comfortable.
Especially once you experience how rewarding it can be.
“There’s no shame in admitting what you don’t know. The only shame is pretending you know all the answers.”
The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.
🖊️- Kakuzo Okakura ☀️
— #Chris | The Brighter Side of Everything (#@thebsofe)
6:32 PM • Sep 17, 2025
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