I watched this video about OneClock and waking up gently. I am sold.
Hot Smoking Conscience
“A book is nothing but a cube of hot, smoking conscience.”
— Boris Pasternak
With a Spirit of Generosity
“Generosity sometimes involves personal sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice that feels different than cheap dental floss. “Generous generosity” can actually move us more toward embracing uncertainty. If having, or keeping, what is “mine” creates a sense of certainty, then giving it away involves sacrificing that security at some level. And “mine” can extend beyond money or stuff. What about “my” time? “My” plans? “My” life? If I give it away, will my own needs be met? At the most basic level, giving is an act of deep-rooted trust. It is an energy that directly combats a spirit of scarcity.
Someone once said that it is not “whether you have it” but “how you have it.” Do we hold it in such a way that we are willing to part with it? It seems that our level of detachment often informs our level of generosity. But it is not an exact science. In other words, generosity is not a line item in our budget for which we write a calculated check each month (although that’s a good place to start). Rather, heart filled giving is really quite fluid and requires an ongoing spirit of awareness. In our humanity, we do it imperfectly, but we hope others are generous with us when we miss the mark.”
With a Spirit of Generosity, by Jen MacNab
Make Sure You’re Inspired By Your Own Story
This is the first time I am sharing the talk I gave in November of 2019 at the House of Beautiful Business in Lisbon. (Whispers: It was the first time one of my talks garnered a standing ovation. It must have hit a nerve!)
In my talk, I tell the story of how CreativeMornings came to be and I am appealing to all creative manifesters to step up, give a damn and go beyond the low-vibration game of success.
I believe we are in a time of awakening and more business leaders are shifting from a purely analytical approach to running their business to a more heart-centered approach. I am here for it!
But most of all, my message to everyone was simple: Whatever you do, make sure you’re inspired by your own story.
(A big thank you to the team of House of Beautiful Business for letting me post the audio of the talk. And no, there is no video recording.)
Link Pack
It’s been super winter-y here in NYC and I started searching for adventure winter videos on YouTube. This one captivated me.
– David Lynch on his daily routine.
– Foundation is bringing digital creators and crypto natives together for you to create, explore, & collect digital art.
– How to Download Instagram Photos
– I am in awe of the Great Green Wall Project
– Just added Hungry Hearts to my Book Wishlisth over on Bookshop. (My friend Priya Parker contributed an essay!)
– How does Wifi Work? An electrical engineer explains.
– Tiller looks interesting. My friend Erica Heinz Tweeted about it.
– The Founder of Go Fund Me wrote an Op Ed saying “The situation is nothing short of a national emergency. Hello Congress, Americans need help and we can’t do your job for you.”
– Can you fall n love with a free-standing sink? Yes, I can.
– In love with these vases by Aqua Culture.
– LEGO has released a three-and-a-half-hour playlist that can serve as relaxing background noise while you play with their build sets. What’s even more interesting is that all seven tracks—each 30 minutes long—were composed using LEGO bricks instead of traditional musical instruments. Here’s the link to the LEGO White Noise playlist on Spotify.
– Immensely satisfying old puzzle boards, used for educational purposes to create words
– What does a cup of flour weigh? It’s surprisingly complicated (via)
– A book featuring coworking spaces from around the world, including mine, Friends Work Here.
– ‘Same Energy’ is a new visual search engine that finds related images by style and mood
– We asked the CreativeMornings community about books they re-read often or gift to others. The response blew us away.
– Some great answers in this thread asking What is the best advice you ever got for managing adult life?
– Lovely: Photographer Ken Ohyama’s Cutouts of Japanese Urban Buildings
– “Our level of detachment often informs our level of generosity.” I enjoyed this listen: Jen MacNab with No Sidebar talks about having a spirit of generosity. You can also read it here.
– Ordinary Habit makes beautiful puzzles.
– Funmingo looks so much fun!
– Can’t help but feel like this Armored Bird recently.
– Come work with me! CreativeMornings is hiring a Content Marketing Manager. Application deadline is this coming Wednesday.
– Thank you to Matthew Manos of Productive Enough for sponsoring my blog this week. Productive Enough is a free toolkit for overwhelmed entrepreneurs, freelancers, and leaders who are looking for a more mindful way to get things done efficiently.
Protect Your Heart
on how to not take on their mess.
listen.
ask questions.
be a mirror.it’s not about you.
it’s not about you.
it’s not about you.protect your heart.
From the book love language by Adrian Michael
Three Women I adore
This Unlocking Us episode made me squeal: Brené Brown in conversation with Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman on love, life, and the pursuit of creative space. Three women I admire and adore.
(We had Debbie and Roxane as guests at CreativeMornings last year. You can watch the conversation here.)
Fancy Dress
I just stumbled upon this gem of a Tweet. I mean, look at these images? Look at the happy carrot man!
Omnia Lamp
Omnia lamp made me look.
The Good News
They don’t publish
the good news.
The good news is published
by us.
We have a special edition every moment,
and we need you to read it.
The good news is that you are alive,
and the linden tree is still there,
standing firm in the harsh Winter.
The good news is that you have wonderful eyes
to touch the blue sky.
The good news is that your child is there before you,
and your arms are available:
hugging is possible.
They only print what is wrong.
Look at each of our special editions.
We always offer the things that are not wrong.
We want you to benefit from them
and help protect them.
The dandelion is there by the sidewalk,
smiling its wondrous smile,
singing the song of eternity.
Listen! You have ears that can hear it.
Bow your head.
Listen to it.
Leave behind the world of sorrow
and preoccupation
and get free.
The latest good news
is that you can do it.
♥ / Productive Enough
A big thank you to Matthew Manos for sponsoring my blog this week.
If you constantly find yourself with too much on your plate, you need to check out Productive Enough.
Productive Enough is a free toolkit for overwhelmed entrepreneurs, freelancers, and leaders who are looking for a more mindful way to get things done efficiently.
The 8 mindful productivity and time management tricks included in Productive Enough will help you get more done, while also reducing stress.
My name is Matthew Manos. I’m an award-winning designer and entrepreneur. But after chronic stress landed me in the ER, I had to completely change my relationship to work. Everything I learned from that journey is included in Productive Enough. Pay-what-you-want, even $0, and you’ll get the PDF file in your inbox. I hope these methods help you as much as they helped me!
Get your free download, and make 2021 the year you become productive enough.
Slim Pickins
This is the moving story of Slim Pickins Outfitters, the nation’s first Black-owned outdoor gear shop, and its owners Jahmicah and Heather Dawes. Let’s support these fine humans.
Life in a Day (2020)
(via Chris)
Totally Fixed Where We Are
The interpretive Angst Dance made me laugh out loud. What a cool family!
DIY Screen Printing Kit
Love this DIY Screen Printing Kit. What a fun gift!
Drive & Listen
Drive and Listen is a website where you can drive through cities all across the globe while listening to their local radio stations. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!
(Thank you Kyle)
Spark Goodness
Brad Montagues’ Instagram is soothing my soul.
Minimalist Glow Candlelight
Oh, this is an elegant design of an LED ‘candle’. (I wish they showed it when not on!)
Link Pack
The Moon in Real Time, by Seán Doran (via Chris)
– Come work with me! We are looking to hire a Content Marketing Manager and become the voice of CreativeMornings.
– I love Marimekko’s bold patterns. Always have. Always will.
– Big fan of the aesthetic and the products of Public Goods.
– Beautiful, Brooklyn handmade black salt bowl.
– NIKE unveils the NIKE GO FlyEase, an easy-on, easy off no-lace sneaker
– Wakamai Fondue – The tool that answers the question “what can my font do?”
– Three American Mothers on the Brink, by Jessica Bennett
– Studio Ghibli: Everything you need to know about the legendary Japanese animation house.
– “Read 20 pages to start the day.”
– The concept of a passive house explained.
– What would you keep in the 175 pocket jacket?
– “Get plants. Overwater them until they die. Replace plants. This is better than overwhelming your children with this kind of attention that has to go somewhere.” Your Guide to Parenting Teenagers in a Pandemic
– Tattly make for a perfect Valentine’s Day gift.
– The world’s top agencies, studios, and firms use Float to plan their projects and schedule their team’s time. (I appreciate them sponsoring my blog this week!)
Vestaboard Smart Messaging Display
I admit, I am secretly dreaming of owning a Vestaboard.