Before you send this, open your AI tool of choice, add one sentence at the end describing what you've been putting off. Then send the whole thing. Act as a coach helping someone take action. I have something I want to move forward on, but I keep putting it off. Help me break it into simple steps I can actually follow. I feel overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. Keep it clear, direct, and encouraging. Give me a step-by-step plan with actions I can take today. The thing I keep putting off is: [write it here before you send this] Feel free to share as much as you're comfortable with. What did it give you? Did anything surprise you?

Before you start using AI tools regularly, there is one setting worth changing on each platform. By default, most AI tools use your conversations to train and improve their models. That means what you type could be reviewed and used to teach the AI. You can turn this off, here is how: ChatGPT (OpenAI)- 1. Open ChatGPT and click your profile icon in the bottom left corner 2. Select Settings 3. Go to Data Controls 4. Turn off "Improve the model for everyone" Once this is off, your conversations will not be used to train future versions of ChatGPT. Gemini (Google)- 1. Open Gemini and click your profile icon in the top right corner 2. Go to Manage your Google Account 3. Click Data and Privacy 4. Search for Gemini Apps Activity 5. Turn it off This stops Google from saving and reviewing your Gemini conversations for training purposes. Claude (Anthropic)- Claude's free version does not currently offer a simple toggle to opt out of training. Your options: - Use Claude in a Private or Incognito browser window to reduce data retention - If privacy is a priority, use ChatGPT or Gemini with the settings above turned off - Check Anthropic's current privacy policy at anthropic.com for updates, as this may change, - One more habit to build right now: Never paste anything into an AI tool that you would not hand to a stranger. That includes passwords, financial details, full manuscripts, unpublished business ideas, or private client information. Even with training turned off, treat every AI conversation as a semi-public space. What to do after you adjust your settings: Come back and drop a reply below. Let us know which tool you use and whether you found the setting. If you had trouble finding it or have other tools, post here and we will learn together. Part of the HMAIAY™ Method by C. LaDalle - howmayaiassistyou.ai/guide

You don't need to know everything about AI to use it well but knowing these terms will help you follow along, ask better questions, and feel more confident in conversations about AI. Bookmark this post. Come back to it whenever something sounds unfamiliar. A Algorithm — A set of instructions a computer follows to complete a task. Think of it as a recipe — each step runs in order to produce a result. Artificial Intelligence (AI) — Technology designed to mimic human thinking, helping with tasks like writing, searching, summarizing, and decision-making. Automation — Using AI to handle repetitive tasks without doing them manually each time. Example: scheduling posts, sorting emails, generating summaries. B Bias — When AI reflects unfair patterns from the data it learned from. Always apply your own judgment to what AI produces. C Chatbot — An AI program designed to simulate conversation. Some are basic; others (like ChatGPT or Claude) can help with complex tasks. Chat History — The record of your past conversations with an AI tool. You can often turn this off for privacy — recommended when sharing anything sensitive. Context Window — How much text an AI can hold in mind at once. In very long conversations, earlier parts may be "forgotten." Starting a new chat reset this. Copyright — Your legal right to own your creative work. AI-generated content exists in a gray area — always save your original drafts with timestamps. D Deepfake — AI-generated images, audio, or video that make it appear someone said or did something they didn't. Think critically about what you see online. G Generative AI — AI that creates new content — text, images, music — based on your instructions. ChatGPT, Claude, and Midjourney are examples. H Hallucination — When AI states something confidently that is incorrect. It's not lying — it's pattern-matching gone wrong. Always verify important facts. I Iteration — Refining your prompt to get a better response. If the first answer isn't right, adjust and try again. This is normal and expected.

Mindset over Matter Welcome. Before you try to figure out AI, take a moment to think about you. Not what the tool can do. What you naturally do. Are you someone who builds? Creates? Organizes? Solves problems? There is something you already do without being asked. Something you would do even if no one paid you. That matters more than any tool. You can use AI in a general way, and that is fine. But when you take what already comes naturally to you and place the speed, access, and support of AI behind it, everything changes. That is where things start to move. As you learn, you will hear new terms. We will define them. We will make them make sense. Keep this in mind: You are not interchangeable. The tools are. No one has your exact experiences, your way of thinking, or your perspective. What you create will carry that. AI can support it, shape it, and speed it up. It cannot replace it. Pay attention to what comes to mind as you read this. That is usually where things begin. You do not need to force it. Just do not ignore it. — C. LaDalle❄️

If you are here early, thank you. You are part of the first group shaping what this space becomes. This is not just a place to learn AI. This is a space to understand how to use it in a way that actually works for you. AI moves fast, but you do not have to. We will slow it down, make sense of it, and build from where you are. Here is what you can expect as this grows: • Simple, beginner-friendly ways to use AI • Clear explanations of terms and why they matter • Practical tools, prompts, and real examples • Optional guidance for building, writing, or creating with AI • Conversations that help you think, not just follow steps There will also be foundational support for those who need it, including basic phone and computer guidance. This space is meant to feel useful, honest, and easy to be in. No need to perform here. Just be real, ask when something does not make sense, and share what you are learning. Your first step: Read the free Prompt Guide → [HMAIAY Prompt Guide] Your second step: Introduce yourself in the comments below. Share your name, your location, and one thing you would like to learn or figure out using AI. That is enough. We will build from there. — C. LaDalle