This newsletter is (mostly) selfish. It’s all about the things I think about as a mortal in this world, trying to be a tiny bit better every day. Read on for some reflections on the best things I have done for myself this month. If my selfishness improves your journey, then right on! - follow along.

Since this is the first in a series, I should explain the name: Abandon the Script. This is not a screenwriting newsletter, but rather an invitation to let go of "shoulds" and expectations we cling to that give us grief. I spent most of my life making myself small or playing by someone else’s rulebook. My new motto is to abandon the script. The times I have done so, I have felt the most alive, most energized, and the most me. So, why wouldn’t I want to lead with that? Let’s call it doubling down on who I am.

I deleted all messaging apps from my laptop after realizing I was trapped in a cycle of constant reactivity. Despite blocking out time in my calendar for deep work, I couldn't make progress on what mattered most.

When I audited my time, I broke everything into three categories: boulders (deep thinking, important work), stones (medium tasks), and sand (emails, admin, quick replies). The metaphor comes from that old demonstration where you fill a jar—if you pour in the sand first, the boulders won't fit. But if you place the boulders first, then the stones, the sand fills in around them. I knew exactly what my boulders were, yet I spent entire days shoveling sand.

The problem wasn't my schedule, it was the micro-interruptions. Every notification triggered a Pavlovian response: dopamine hit, immediate reply, broken focus. These tiny diversions compounded throughout the day, bleeding away the energy and attention that my boulders required.

The solution was simple: remove the temptation entirely. If you'll eat the candy when it's in the house, don't keep it in the house. Design your success. 

I pair my uninterrupted time with Pomodoro timers. I tell myself, "Just do this one task for 20 minutes." The timer makes it feel manageable, and usually those 20 minutes fly by. I reset and go again. At the end of each day, I actually feel the satisfaction of pushing my  boulders incrementally up the hill.

As for the sand? I still shovel it, but in dedicated time blocks with the same no-distraction rules. When I start my day triaging emails, that's my only task. Everything gets done, but on my terms.

Here’s my go to Pomodoro timer (yay fun colors), I use and have gifted to others. ⏳

I can't take credit for this, I just found it on Instagram. Every year starting November 1st, the creator makes a "26 before 2026" list, and it immediately clicked for me.

I'm drowning in perpetual lists: unfinished projects, lingering chores, a bag of shoes that's been sitting in my trunk for six months waiting to be re-soled. These lists weigh on me, and they only get heavier as I keep adding to them or shuffling items into yet another backlog (yes, I'm a compulsive list-maker).

The "26 before 2026" challenge is different. You pick 26 one-off tasks you want to complete before the new year. The key is that everything must be a single action, not a habit you're trying to build. I could take those shoes in and be done. No more guilt every time I open my trunk.

The Rules 👀

The beauty is that you're not even expected to cross everything off of the list. Just making the list creates intention and momentum. Even completing two things puts you closer to how you want to feel in 2026, and that's still progress worth celebrating. 🥳

Stay unscripted (or start writing your own screenplay (more on that to come)).

Love ,

Emmy Lu