Happy Saturday Reader!

What really happened this week:

I'm writing to you again from my little garage in Venice Beach – where all my AI magic begins.

The past few days? Total craziness.
Termite alert. House packed up, moved out, moved back in.
Three days away – all handled 100% analog. Yep, that’s possible too. 😉

But as soon as the chaos settled, my mind went straight back to the one topic that’s been circling my head all week:

TL;DR:

• Data protection is still excuse #1
• I started small: meal planning with ChatGPT
• Result: more time, less fear, growing curiosity
• My tip? Don’t start at 100%. Start at 1%.

The number one excuse I hear from German women: Data Privacy Anxiety

I hear this sentence in every talk. Bitkom. Microsoft SkillHer. M.Stories.

Every workshop.

Again. And again. And again.

And yes – I call it what it is: an excuse.​
Because I used it myself. For a long time.

It got to me so much, I ended up posting a spontaneous (and very emotional) digital wake-up call on LinkedIn.

"What if ‘data protection’ is just a well-disguised excuse — to stay in your comfort zone instead of finally starting with AI?"

I’ve been there, too

I’ve lived in California for over 13 years now – and maybe I’ve become a little more relaxed about tech than some of my friends back in Germany.
​

But deep down? That classic German data privacy anxiety still lingers in me.

Is it the same where you live?

Do people in your country also feel that hesitation – or is this more of a German Angst thing?

Because honestly…
​What does ChatGPT really do with my data?
Who’s reading along?
Can I even control any of this?

I don’t have a tech background. And when I see “Terms & Conditions” or “Data Privacy”?
My brain goes straight to: Nope. Too much.

But I also knew: If I really wanted to understand it, I had to try it myself.

I started small – and practical with meal planning

No business case.
No client data.
Just me, my family, and the weekly task I hate the most: meal planning.

I imagined ChatGPT as my new assistant.
(Sometimes she’s a woman. Sometimes he’s a man – depends on my mood.)

I paid $20/month.
“Worst case? I’ll cancel,” I told myself.

Yopu can even try "her" for free.

She was friendly. Helpful. Eager.
My new AI assistant.

​
Trust? Not yet.
But curiosity? Oh yes.

My very first AI prompt

No business case.
No client data.
Just me, my family, and the weekly task I hate the most: meal planning.

I imagined ChatGPT as my new assistant.
(Sometimes she’s a woman. Sometimes he’s a man – depends on my mood.)

I paid $20/month.
“Worst case? I’ll cancel,” I told myself.

She was friendly. Helpful. Eager.
My new AI assistant.
Trust? Not yet.
But curiosity? Oh yes.

📝 My very first AI prompt

That was it.
Short. Simple.

And then?​
Seconds later, I had a full weekly meal plan.
Not perfect – but honestly? Pretty great for a first try.

I added more context. A few details, uploaded examples.

Here's what I told her:

What normally takes me two hours – and a lot of stress moments…

…was done in minutes.

And the more I used it, the better the plans got – and the smarter my assistant became.

Now she even greets me with “Hello Spatzi”

And yes – after 2.5 years working together, we’ve got a REALLY friendly, collegial vibe.
​

But don’t worry: I’m still the boss.
And I’m getting better and better at prompt-delegating.

My aha moment

I felt it:
​Time saved. Stress gone. Curiosity unlocked.

That little voice inside me?

And now?

I honestly wouldn’t want to be without her.
She helps me 24/7.
Never sick. Never annoyed. Always polite.

And when she talks nonsense?
I’m here to check the output.
​That’s what a good boss does.​
​

What I’ve learned along the way

In these past few years of using AI daily, here’s what I’ve come to believe:

• I don’t jump on every shiny new tool
• I let ChatGPT explain data policies to me like I’m five
• I turn off training data in the settings
• And I remind myself regularly
• This is a tool. Not a person.

Before every prompt I send, I ask myself:

Your AI use case for the week

Now it’s your turn.

Here’s my 5-step quick-start guide for you:

1. Download a free chatbot – e.g., ChatGPT
2. Disable training data in the settings
3. Choose a small, personal use case – like a meal plan, school email, or to-do list
4. Use the 6 elements of a great prompt:
   ​Task · Context · Examples · Role · Format · Tone
5. Upload helpful examples (click the “+” in the prompt field)

And then?
​Just hit send. See what happens. And be amazed.

💬 And if you catch yourself thinking:

Then congrats:
​You’re on the right path.

Final thought

Anxiety and curiosity often sit side by side.​
One holds us back. The other pulls us forward.

So the question isn’t really:

It’s:

What’s your small (or big) safe AI use case this week?

I’m curious.
​Write me – seriously. I’d love to hear your experience.

❤️ from Venice Beach

Simone Lis