What I Know for Sure: A Simple Tool That Changes Everything
Have you ever noticed how we fall into the same traps over and over again? I definitely have.
A few years back we spent a weekend with my in-laws. Before we started the two-hour drive home, we had bagels for breakfast. They were soooo good. About thirty minutes into the drive, though, I started to feel really tired. Soon enough, I had to pull over. I simply could not stay awake.
At first, I wasn’t sure what was going on. But over time I figured out that my system just does not tolerate bagels. Of course, I kept trying (slow learner over here). And every single time, I ended up landing on the couch with my eyes closed, wiped out for a few hours.
Eventually, I created a note in my phone called What I Know for Sure. Guess what the first entry was? Bagels make me pass out cold.
Over time, that note became a treasure chest of personalized wisdom. I started adding other things I learned about myself, my health, and even life in general. And I use this tool with clients too, because they run into the same challenges, repeating patterns that derail them until they stop and connect the dots. Seeing my clients build their own treasure chest makes me so happy, because it becomes a resource they can come back to again and again.
The beauty of What I Know for Sure is that it is simple. You just need to curate it. Write down your truths as you learn them, and then actually read them over and over. Some of my clients set an alarm to remind themselves a few times a week. For me, it is part of my morning routine. You can also scroll through it while waiting in line, instead of mindlessly grabbing your favorite game or social media app.
Fun fact: the phrase What I Know for Sure was popularized by Oprah Winfrey. It apparently began when film critic Gene Siskel once asked her, “What do you know for sure?” That question inspired her to start a regular column in O, The Oprah Magazine, which later became a book. For me, the phrase has become about my own reflections by now. It is a way to build a personalized wisdom journal, one entry at a time.
Keeping a “What I Know for Sure” list is a gentle way to hold myself accountable. I have learned that my energy, my food choices, and my daily rituals all affect how I show up. Having this collection of lessons in one place keeps me grounded and reminds me that I do not have to keep re-learning the same hard lessons.
Here are a few examples from my own list:
Bagels make me pass out cold.
Morning workouts are best for me mentally, but afternoon workouts give me better physical output.
If I skip my morning routine, the rest of my day feels scattered.
If you were to start your own “What I Know for Sure” list today, what would your first entry be?
Here’s to learning, and remembering, what YOU know for sure.