“The most important decision you will ever make is to be in a good mood.”
– Voltaire
The Most Important Decision
A Poetic Almanac of Birds by Maria Popova
This must be the most beautiful personal project I have come across in a very long time.
My friend Maria Popova has found her love for birds and Tarot and felt moved to create her own card deck of divinations from the birds. (The deck is limited edition, for her friends only, but it might become available in the future.)
For now, we can bask in the beauty of some of her Bird Divinations and buy them as prints here, with all proceeds going to Audubon.
Maria is a national treasure. I’ll keep saying it. What a beautiful soul.
Reporting Live from the Swiss Alps
This little family is on its yearly pilgrimage to the Swiss Alps. Our days consist of: Hugging family, joyously eating bread, dancing in yoghurt aisles, swimming in all of the beautiful outdoor swimming places, and petting cows. You can follow along over here on Instagram if you want.
Be Better not Bitter
Be Better not Bitter by Folk.
How to Have a Difficult Conversation
I LOVE Jefferson Fisher’s content on Instagram. I have taken so many of his communication tips into my life. Incredibly helpful. He just recently launched podcast where he dives in a bit deeper.
Tim Andraka Illustration
I can never look at a rooster the same way again.
To Be Hopeful
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”
― Howard Zinn
Creativity
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
– Albert Einstein
Assume Lack of Context
“The person you’re working with might not know what you know, might not see what you see.
It’s tempting to begin where we are.
But it’s more useful to begin where they are.”
Vimcal
The fastest way to send someone your availabilities. pic.twitter.com/WcUGTGndpH
— Vimcal (@vimcal) May 29, 2020
Vimcal has some super cool features, my favorite is Slots, a super easy and fast way to send someone your availability. (I don’t use Calendly)
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
The Elephant in the Room
The room is
almost all
elephant.
Almost none
of it isn’t.
Pretty much
solid elephant.
So there’s no
room to talk
about it.
– Kay Ryan
Is it a book?
Every page of this book is a slice of cheese. Made me laugh.
Studio Stool
What a practical and simple invention. Studio Stool by Manual.
The Bookshelf Skirt
Love this woman and her bookshelf skirt.
Human
Currently on repeat in my house. (How does this man not age one bit?)
Trader Joe’s Wisdom
“The faster you’re moving the more you’re in fear. The more you’re in fear, the more you’re thinking about yourself. The more you’re thinking about yourself, the less compassion and kindness you have for others.”
From this Reel.
Rainbows in My Clouds
I love Maya Angelou‘s notion of taking anyone who has ever been kind to her energetically on stage with her when she gives talks. That way, she is never alone. Always supported. I will think of this next time I give a talk.
50 Ways To Fuel A Conversation
1. Be the first to say hello.
2 Introduce yourself to others.
3. Take risks and anticipate success.
4. Remember your sense of humor.
5. Practice different ways of starting a conversation
6. Make an extra effort to remember people’s names.
7. Ask a person’s name if you’ve forgotten it.
8. Show curiosity and sincere interest in finding out about others.
9. Tell others about the important events in your life. Don’t wait for them to draw it out.
10. Demonstrate that you are listening by restating their comments in another way.
11. Communicate enthusiasm and excitement about your subjects and life in general
12. Go out of your way to try to meet new people wherever you are.
13. Accept a person’s right to be an individual with different ideas and beliefs.
14. Let the natural person in you come out when talking with others.
15. Be able to succinctly tell others-in a few short sentences-what you do.
16. Reintroduce yourself to someone who is likely to have forgotten your name.
17. Be ready to tell others something interesting or challenging about what you do.
18. Be aware of open and closed body language.
19. Smile, make eye contact, offer a handshake, and go find the approachable person.
20. Greet people that you see regularly.
21. Seek common interests, goals, and experiences with the people you meet.
22. Make an effort to help people if you can.
23. Let others play the expert.
24. Be open to answering common ritualistic questions.
25. Be enthusiastic about other people’s interests.
26. See that the time is balanced between giving and receiving information.
27. Be able to speak about a variety of topics and subjects.
28. Keep up to date on current events and issues that affect our lives.
29. Be willing to express your feelings, opinions, and emotions to others.
30. Use T when you speak about your own feelings and personal things, rather than “you.”
31. Visually show others that you are enjoying your conversation with them.
32. Be ready to issue invitations to others to join you for other events/activities to further the relationship.
33. Find ways to keep in touch with friends and acquaintances you meet.
34. Seek out others® opinions.
35. Look for the positive in those you meet.
36. Start and end your conversations with the person’s name and a handshake or warm greeting.
37. Take the time to be friendly with your neighbors and coworkers.
38. Let others know that you would like to get to know them better.
39. Ask others about things that they have told vou in previous nonversation
40. Listen carefully for free information.
41. Be ready to ask open-ended questions to learn.
42. Change the topic of conversation when it has run its course.
43. Always search for the things that really get another excited.
44. Compliment others about what they are wearing, doing, or saying.
45. Encourage others to talk to you by sending out positive signals.
46. Make an effort to see and talk to people you enjoy.
47. When you tell a story, present the main point first and then add the supporting details.
48. Include everyone in the group in conversation whenever possible.
49. Look for signs of boredom or lack of interest from your listener.
50. Prepare ahead of time for each social or business function.
50 Ways To Fuel A Conversation, by Debrah Fine
Screen.Studio
I saw Jason Friend rave about this screen recording software by Screen Studio. (Posting here, in my personal public archive, so I will find it again.)
Very Well Then
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
-Walt Whitman
Resting Stone
Yep, I bought a resting stone. Now everything is better.
Email Sign-Offs
This collection of email sign-offs over on Arena is a treasure trove. I usually sign-off with Waving from Brooklyn, or Warmly, but I might have to add a few of these to the list now.
Less Afraid
“It’s hard not to be afraid. Be less afraid.”
– Susan Sontag
(via)