“Deep listening is an act of surrender. We risk being changed by what we hear. When I really want to hear another person’s story, I try to leave my preconceptions at the door and draw close to their telling. I am always partially listening to the thoughts in my own head when others are speaking, so I consciously quiet my thoughts and begin to listen with my senses. Empathy is cognitive and emotional—to inhabit another person’s view of the world is to feel the world with them. But I also know that it’s okay if I don’t feel very much for them at all. I just need to feel safe enough to stay curious. The most critical part of listening is asking what is at stake for the other person. I try to understand what matters to them, not what I think matters. Sometimes I start to lose myself in their story. As soon as I notice feeling unmoored, I try to pull myself back into my body, like returning home. As Hannah Arendt says, ‘One trains one’s imagination to go visiting.’ When the story is done, we must return to our skin, our own worldview, and notice how we have been changed by our visit. So I ask myself, What is this story demanding of me? What will I do now that I know this?”
― Valarie Kaur
Deep Listening
Revolutionary Love
This speech by Valarie Kaur made me weep a few months ago while walking through a Brooklyn park. Listen to the very end. It’s powerful. So very powerful.
I am beyond thrilled and honored that Valarie is our guest at CreativeMornings/NYC this Thursday, November 19th.
I wish everyone on this planet would read her book See No Stranger – A memoir and manifesto of revolutionary love.
I am humbled I’ll get to be in conversation with Valarie this Thursday at 4:30pm ET. Join us. (It’s free.)
How Tim Ferriss Digests Books
I loved this video in which Tim Ferriss breaks down how he reads and synthesizes books. Super interesting.
Kirby Vase
Kirby is a ceramic vase, available in three shapes, each with a distinct personality. Where have you been, all my life, Kirby family?
Link Pack
This is wonderful. Created by London based Channel Twelve.
– This pickle bottle stopper made me laugh.
– Wow, I didn’t realize: “The inaugural Op-Ed page appeared on Sept. 21, 1970. It was named for its geography — opposite the editorial page — not because opinions would be expressed in its columns.” And Now a Word From Op-Ed, By David Shipley
– How to Gradually Become a More Relaxed Person
– I have fallen in love with this tv-stand/sideboard.
– Loved this read: “Plants can see, hear, smell and respond.”
– Weee! app delivers Asian groceries. Ooooh!
– IKEA’s New Line of Flexible Furniture is Perfect for Small Spaces
– Loving this black ball vase.
– Available let’s you share your calendar availability right inside of Gmail
– I love (!!!!) my cat litter box. Who says that?
– This is your brain on love, a Radiolab episode.
– This floating sideboard is making my heart beat faster.
– “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” –Joseph Campbell
– This is the world I want to live in.
– Bebel Gilberto: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
– “For nearly fifty years, I’ve been teaching canoeing up in Canada. The first rule is clearly the most important: the best way to learn is to get into the boat.” Where does creativity come from?, by Seth Godin
– A big thank you to General Assembly for sponsoring my blog this week. Join GA for our week long festival where they will deliver some brilliant workshops, introductory classes and keynotes all online and free.
VINO Corkscrew and Bottle Opener
This wine bottle opener design made me smile.
Women
Highly recommend surrounding yourself with honorable, courageous, generous, supportive, no-bullshit women who make you want to show up to their level. Above all of changes I’ve made, and the personal work I’ve done, this has made the greatest difference in my life.
— Jennifer Romolini (@jennromolini) November 11, 2020
I feeling this Tweet. I have sensed an intense desire in me recently to surround myself with strong, courageous, generous women. I am lucky I have so many of them in my life. Women lifting each other up is glorious.
Public Goods
I am in love with the minimalist aesthetic of Public Goods. They believe the products you use everyday should be healthy, sustainable and easy to access. They deliver well-designed, eco-friendly essentials directly to you. Learn more about their brand here.
Blue Whale Bank
Love this Blue Whale Bank.
This Instant
“When you feel confused or burdened by problems focus on *this instant* and ask yourself: What problem do I have right now? You will find that there is no problem *now*. A challenge that requires action, possibly, but not a problem.”
— Eckhart Tolle
♥ / General Assembly’s Free Festival
A big thank you to General Assembly for sponsoring my blog this week.
We get it, 2020 has been the year you want to press the skip button on. Tech Education company General Assembly want to give back to the global community and have some fun whilst doing it.
Join GA for our week long festival where we will deliver some brilliant workshops, introductory classes and keynotes all online and free {We sure do love that word}.
A sample of our faves:
– Photography Today with Creative Mornings London
– Designing a More Human Future with Dropbox
– Land That Dream Gig with Anyways Creative
– Learn about User Experience Design
It’s people like you, people with hustle, wanting to find purpose, passion and make a positive impact for the future.
Check out the week’s lineup and register for free!
Tam Tam Pop Stool
Oh, the memories. We had one of these Tam Tam Pop Stools in our bathroom growing up. I loved rolling around with it on the floor as a kid. And loved taking the lid off. So happy to see they still exist. Tempted to get one, for memory sake.
No For Breakfast
“I eat no for breakfast.”
— Kamala Harris
Watch this for context.
Urban Erosion
I love these graphical photographs titled Urban Erosion by Dutch photographer Maarten Vromans.
Room In Your Heart
“Keep some room in your heart for the Unimaginable”
– Mary Oliver.
Link Pack
Nata Metlukh’s animation “Awkward” lives up to its name as it transports viewers right back to the last time they bumbled a handshake or didn’t properly judge the distance
– The 10 Happiest Songs, According to Science
– The Curve, social distancing stories that bring us closer together.
– Whoa, this is a treasure trove: Coaching and Feedback Tools for Leaders\
– I love this color wheel. Makes a great gift for a kiddo. Or a kiddo at heart, like me.
– So many resourceful answers in this Twitter thread about how people organizer their favorite recipes.
– Why Some Memories Seem Like Movies: ‘Time Cells’ Discovered In Human Brains, a 3-Minute Listen over on NPR
– I want me a “knuffelcontact”: Everyone Gets a Cuddle Buddy in Belgium’s New Lockdown.
– Blinks came out with more games. (My kids love Blinks table top games – analog mixed with digital!)
– “To choose to live in a city is, at the end of the day, to choose human nature over Mother Nature. It’s to choose to live in connection with other people, accepting in equal measure all the risks this brings as well as the rewards. It’s the choice to be part of the collective.” The Death and Life of the Greatest American City
– This looks interesting: Compose high-performing audience-based ad copy in seconds with copy.ai
– This is a beautiful book for little ones: Little Champions of Justice, 8 true stories about social justice, courage, and kindness — for ages 6-10
– Poketo teamed up with Casetify and created some beautiful Phone and AirPod cases.
– Sandwich Haikus. Delightful. (And I don’t even like Sandwiches.)
– In No Great Hurry, 13 Lessons in life with Saul Leiter
– I am starting to crack. I downloaded the Petfinder app, looking at adult and senior dogs to rescue. I’ll start out with this black pug sticker for now.
– Not that I have room for fancy frying pans in my small kitchen but this Egg Frying Pan is exciting for an egg sunny side up lover like me.
– I love love love Japan’s Mundane Halloween Costumes
– Tattly Tins bring on the happy.
– Gah! Team Simon Sinek is hiring a Graphic Designer. Love seeing the growing number of remote jobs on the CreativeMornings Job Board.
– Thank you Float for sponsoring my blog this week:. The world’s top creative teams, including BuzzFeed and MetaLab, use Float to plan their projects and schedule their team’s time.
How Are You Organizing Your Favorite Recipes?
How are you organizing your favorite recipes?
Print outs? Saved PDFs on your computer? Services that aggregate them? Pinterest? Hand written in a notebook?
What magical human here has figured out the perfect system? Let me learn from you. pic.twitter.com/gkgKZ1lGoU
— [email protected] (@swissmiss) November 5, 2020
So many resourceful answers in this Twitter thread. How do you organize your favorite recipes? Comment below?
Exhale
Exhaling. Finally. It’s been a long 4 years.
Boom City
Fireworks cut in half. By Andrew Waits.
Ocean Waves
(via Emerline)
Softbody Tetris
This Softbody Tetris is weirdly soothing to watch.
Tiger Swiss Shoes
Whoa, blast from the past: I had a pair of these as a little kiddo growing up in Switzerland. Anyone with me here?