Listen + Learn

Podcast - A Heartbreaking But Necessary Story About an Indigenous Boy in Canada - The Secret Life of Canada

I vaguely remembered seeing the before-and-after photo they discuss in this podcast, The Secret Life of Canada. It's of a young, indigenous boy who was forced into a boarding school in Regina, Saskatchewan in Canada. The picture is famous in Canada, but few know the real story of who that boy even was and what happened to him.

This is a heartbreaking reminder of what happens to an individual--and an entire group of people--when you're not allowed to control your own story.

Podcast - Trusting Your Instincts and the Victim Triangle with Diana Chapman

This is the second time I've listened to Diana Chapman being interviewed on a podcast. She's co-founder of the Conscious Leadership Group, and I especially find her description of the Victim Triangle so compelling and helpful. Her warm, direct approach is a welcome relief in a world where mental health spaces are still so hard to navigate and understand. 

By the way, Farnam Street is my favorite podcast and content-driven newsletter.

Why these resources matter for your mental health

We so often think we know a story--when we really don't. This is true as much for our own stories as it is for other people's stories.

The stories we tell ourselves shape our minds, which harden or heal our hearts.

Thinking about the storylines that you have running through your head--and whether they serve you or not--is almost always a good use of your time.

Read + Expand Your Mind

Short Article - The Great Benefit of Putting Your Ideas Into Words (Warning, Paul doesn't have a secure version of his site, so you may need to search for his name and click the first article that comes up on his site if your browser won't open this)

Paul Graham is a super familiar name in Silicon Valley, but I think his ideas deserve a wider audience. He just came out with this one this week, and it resonated so much with me. It's about why writing things down completely changes your understanding of something--and then solidifies it.

Weekly Newsletter - If You're Not a Word Person, Sketchplanations is a Fantastic Visual Way to Learn About Key Concepts

Just click this and read through the archive. Awesome stuff, and I'm a person who can't even see images in his head. If you are a visual learner, you need to be on this list. I'm not that kind of learner, and I'm on the list, so that's saying something.

Book to Make You Think - How to Broaden Your Mind By Learning From the Past

I randomly found Breaking Bread With the Dead in a progressive bookstore in one of the most conservative / libertarian counties in Montana. AND...the book is about learning to be comfortable with difficult ideas from opposing viewpoints. Just perfect. I'm about halfway through, and the author, Alan Jacobs, is truly insightful.

Poetry Book to Make You Feel - Poems to Make the Soul Sing: A Collection of Mystical Poetry Through the Ages

Here's a book edited / compiled by Alan Jacobs, the same author who wrote the above book. When I was in college, I was positive I would never be a religious / spiritual person. But I've only become more spiritual as the years go by.

Whatever you believe, I challenge you to read through these beautiful, mystical poems from various religious + spiritual traditions.

Why these reading materials matter for your mental health:

As Paul Graham mentions in his post, writing down what we know makes us realize that we don't know it as well as we thought. The writing process forces us to clarify our thinking.

Reading thought-provoking works is also part of that writing process. Why? Because it's just the beginning of getting to what you believe. But the new thoughts become fodder for your next journal entry or blog post.

OK. Whatever you think of Paramore, hear me out, please. Whether you think they are just "for kids" or you already have decided you hate their music, or you looked at the video preview and you hate what Hayley, the lead singer is wearing, this live performance is beyond amazing. 

I've watched this video more than 50 times. OK, probably more than 100 over the last few years.

"Last Hope" is about what happens when you try to force yourself to be a certain way. Deep down there is a spark that keeps glowing.

I get goosebumps listening to this every single time.