Natalie Feinsinger Uses ChatGPT to Balance Social Energy Budget

Aspen —Did you ever wonder if your social calendar is actually bankrupting you?

That’s the question Natalie Feinsinger asked herself last weekend after attending her 40th high school reunion. She didn’t need a financial audit. She needed to understand why she was exhausted by Sunday morning’s brunch, despite a terrific party the night before.

Feinsinger wrote in the Aspen Times that she looked at the "eclipse portal" — the astrological window between eclipses — not as some highfalutin alchemical opening for dramatic transmutation, but as a practical window for small changes. The change she identified wasn’t moving to Alaska or getting divorced. It was realizing she’s not a textbook introvert. Not all social interactions drain her.

The difference lies in the depth of the conversation. She stopped by the Pitkin County Library after brunch and had a quick chat with librarians Noelle and Patrick. That interaction left her energized. Small talk, however, racks up charges on her "personal-energy credit card" that she has to pay for later.

Let’s do the math on that energy budget. Feinsinger started using ChatGPT to analyze her own behavior. The result? Deep conversations about books, reading, writing, and intellectual rabbit holes add credit to her energy card. Shallow chatter debits it.

She’s now experimenting with an energy budget before saying yes to requests. What will this experience give me, and what will it cost me? Do I want what it gives me enough to willingly pay the price?

It’s a simple concept. You have a limited amount of social capital. If you spend it on people who don’t engage your brain, you’re left broke by noon. If you spend it on people who challenge you, you’re left with a surplus.

Feinsinger noted that the time between eclipses is largely considered an opening for change. Two weeks isn’t a very long spell, so start small. The goal isn’t to stumble around unconsciously. It’s to navigate the changing vibrations instead.

She had her reunion last weekend. It was fun reconnecting with classmates who don’t live here anymore. But the exhaustion was real. Her overactive brain started rattling. How do you get the enjoyable social part without the depleting exhaustion part?

The answer is in the details. She popped open her laptop and went straight to her ChatGPT “personal” thread. Nothing says qualified life coach quite like asking a robot to explain yourself to you. She recommends it. You’ve probably tried it. You should try it again.

The insight was clear. Deeper conversations add credit. Small talk racks up charges.

This isn’t about isolation. It’s about efficiency. It’s about noticing what isn’t working and making one slight change. Big changes may come down the road, but they begin by becoming more conscious of the choices we’re already making.

For Feinsinger, that means paying attention to how she spends her energy. Is her card already maxed out, or does she have enough available credit for one more deep dive into a good book?

The practical bottom line for locals is this: stop apologizing for leaving early. If the conversation is shallow, you’re paying a tax you don’t owe. If it’s deep, you’re investing. The eclipse portal is open. Use it to balance your books.