Relief versus Risk

I recently listened to a YouTube talk by Codie Sanchez, CEO of Contrarian Thinking, titled Stop Rambling: The 3-2-1 Speaking Trick That Makes You Sound Like a CEO.

I clicked on it because I want to sharpen my communication style. I tend to be either too quiet, too direct, or I ramble. I don’t always default to the right tone — and while that can be a strength, it sometimes needs refinement.

During the talk, she shared a story about a man who was reluctant to sell his company. The question wasn’t even the point of the video. It was just part of a story she was telling — but it’s the part that made me rewind and listen again.

“What can I do to make this feel more like a relief than a risk?”

I loved that question.

As someone who struggles with paralysis by analysis when making decisions, this felt like an entirely new way to approach things. I almost always focus on what co

uld go wrong and how to mitigate those risks. My brain naturally goes to contingency planning.

It probably ties back to my career.

As an Account Manager, my role was to ensure every client had as positive an experience with our company as possible so they would continue to grow with us. That meant constantly looking ahead to identify and mitigate risks before they happened. If something did go wrong, it was about resolving the issue as quickly as possible. Proactive planning. Clear communication. Avoiding negative outcomes.

I was trained to manage risk — not necessarily to look for relief.

I rarely thought about relief.

Because relief felt… risky.

Yet this question is so simple — and yet it completely shifted something for me.

What is the relief I might experience when making a decision — not just the risk?

Will the relief outweigh the risk?

I’ve decided to use that question as part of how I “curate” my life this year.

Curate is my word for the year — intentionally choosing what stays and what goes, and using relief as a filter.

So goodbye to the things that bring more stress than joy.

This year, before I default to risk analysis, I’m adding one more question:

Where is the relief?

And maybe that’s part of becoming a better communicator, too.

When you’re making a decision, do you focus more on the risk — or the relief?

With love & glitter,
Valerie ✨