My goal is to give people a nudge in the direction of calling their mothers, or a mother figure in their life. This is actually what I intended by saying "call important people in your life". I didn't intend to imply that everyone's mother has an important role in their life today. I thought it would be a valuable prompting for many people in the tech startup community to receive, because the pandemic is making people feel less connected.

For those on the fence, I would like to nudge some of them, but not all of them, to call at least one mother figure in their life. For those who were going to call a mother figure, but were going to wait until the last moment, I would like them to call earlier. Mother's Day is traditionally celebrated in the morning, after all. I also had in mind people who were going to forget.

My views have been shaped in part by self-help books I've read, as well as what I've learned by taking yoga, improv, and meditation classes. I think it's better for most people to remove any protective shell they have around them, if they can find a safe way to do so. "The Untethered Self" by Michael Singer [1] gave me a lot of insight into it. When I'm aware, I try to let thoughts come and let them pass. I find I have an easier time doing this when I have good habits (including yoga, improv, meditation, running, and music). Sometimes I do build up a shell around myself, but I eventually open back up again.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Singer/dp/1572245379

Oh, and you if you need a little more persuading or motivation you might want to check up on books by Sam Harris [1] and Michael A. Singer [2]. The first one is also a neuroscientist and a famous sceptic, and the second is a former programmer and a successful businessman. Personally, when I was in a similar place as you are now, I found that simply reading Singer’s book was a form of therapy.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spirituality-Without-Religi... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Untethered-Soul-Journey-Beyond-Yourse...