Tiny changes, Enlargement, Athlete tragedy

Read + Understand

Use this seriously-small-improvements method to build habits that stick and FINALLY accomplish your big ideas

Why this matters for your mental health

Dr. Robert Maurer, I salute you. 

This book was so good that I wrote a post this week to summarize the main sections for others. 

The key idea is that thinking and acting big isn't always better. 

It turns out, you actually need small actions, thoughts, and questions to get things done. 

This makes so much sense, as the many, many examples in the book will show you.

Finally end phone addiction with this orderly, commonsense approach

Why this matters for your mental health

Phone addiction is real. I spend way, way too much time on my phone. Even as a trained (not-practicing) social worker and self-help fanatic, I'm not immune to the addictive properties of technology.

I found this book when I was walking around my local library for fun. Yeah, I'm one of those guys. 

I read it in about two afternoons, and it made me reconsider a lot about how I use my phone and other digital devices.

Decide which digital tools you actually want to use, and intentionally add them back into your life

Why this matters for your mental health

Cal Newport is a computer-science professor who doesn't have any social media accounts. 

His method for doing a digital detox followed by a digital reintroduction is brilliant. 

I've read almost all of his books. 

So Good They Can't Ignore You and Deep Work are also phenomenal.

Stanford soccer star's death renews questions about student-athletes' mental health. The pressures they face present distinct challenges, experts say

Why this matters for your mental health

This makes me so angry and sad. 

It's not just student-athletes who deal with massive pressure placed on them.

It's mothers. It's employees. It's people society has forgotten about and says "pull yourself up by your bootstraps." 

I was once in a horrible depression where I thought there was no way out and no way I could continue to fake it in all areas of my life. 

No one should ever, ever feel this way. 

We must learn from horrible tragedies like this one.

Learn + Immerse Yourself in What Works

Read one of the best life-advice articles ever (Enlargement?? Mind blown.)

Why this matters for your mental health

I know what I said in the link text is a bold claim. 

But there's a reason that Burkeman has one of the best life-advice books of the last few years in the interestingly titled 4,000 weeks. 

He writes beautifully and thoughtfully. 

If all you do is read the portion of this article that talks about "enlargement" for making big decisions, then your life will be SO much better.

Learn a language while watching TV shows.

Why this matters for your mental health

To actually learn something, you need to want to do it. 

Making it fun can make all the difference, and this app is FUN. 

I'm going to be spending some time in Mexico soon, and I've been brushing up on my vocabulary and listening comprehension with Lingopie.

I've been watching a kids' show from Mexico called Oswaldo, and it's one of the funniest things I've watched in a long time.

This might be the only time I've signed up for a service through a YouTube ad. 

The elephant in the room is that language-learning apps like Duolingo might be fun, but they trick you into thinking you're learning a language. 

You're just memorizing phrases and words. Immersion is the key and what you need instead.

I spoke more and understood more from studying abroad for a month in Mexico than I did in years and years of Spanish classes in school.

Watch 

Kintsugi is using voice biomarkers to improve mental health awareness and access to care

Why this matters for your mental health

Here's the thing. Helping people with mental health issues is such an imperfect process. 

You know this, and I know this. 

Kintsugi is trying to use the sounds in people's voices to get them the help they need. 

Watch the founder talk about what they are trying to do with this service.

We need more innovative processes that aren't just about slamming people with more digital versions of traditional therapy that repeat the same access issues we experience in person. 

It makes sense that both co-founders are immigrants to the U.S who tried to navigate a broken system. New ideas, for the win.

This is an oldie but a goodie. 

Ok, it's 9 years old. For my goofy 34-year old millennial self, that's saying something. 

I've been listening to it for years because it lifts my spirits.

One of the best mood-boosting tips I know is to take a song I love and then use YouTube to find an acoustic version of it. 

There's something more emotional and pure when you remove all the over-production from songs. 

This may be better than the studio version, but I'll let you be the judge of that.