What's worth reading this week 🗞️
- Adam Grant wasn’t a 4.0 GPA student (which gives me hope for my life), but he’s one of the most prolific academics in history (or that’s how it feels at least), and he has a top-notch essay in the NYT about how getting straight-A’s won’t set you up for success. If I had kids, I’d make them read this essay every night. Also, if criticism leaves you in emotional turmoil, here’s how to detach. Also, why do yoga when you can go to a stretching studio (they’re the new hotness, apparently)? Also, the secret to good health may be a walk in the park — a lot cheaper than a stretching studio.
- The story of the hard work behind a footballer’s iconic smile. Also, do you have a child born in August like me? If they were diagnosed with ADHD, it may just be because they’re young for their grade (like I was). Also, here are the eight things parents of resilient kids do, and here is artist Zanele Muholi paying homage to the history of black women.
- Listening to this song will reduce anxiety by up to 65 percent, according to neuroscience. If that doesn’t do it for you, here’s how to make order of the chaos in your life and how to get to the other side of pain. It can be quite painful to balance full-time work with creative projects. Here’s how to do it, and here’s how to overcome the scarcity mindset.
- The story of someone who quit social media … and how much happier she is for it.
- This is the story of a man who has lived on a cruise ship fr 13 years. That’s no short period of time, and speaking of time, blame your brain if you can’t work towards a long-term goal. Also, here’s an excuse to celebrate two birthdays.
Bonus: When someone who writes a book you LOVE takes you on a tour of the books she reads.
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The essay: How to beat the cold this winter ❄️
There are different kinds of cold. There’s the crisp, clean cold that blasts against your face and slams into you like a punch to the gut. There’s the sneaky cold that, after ten or fifteen minutes seeps into your bones and makes you wish you brought a heavier jacket. Then there’s the wet, soggy cold that accompanies raindrops or wet snowflakes. It doesn’t care how thick your jacket is or the temperature rating of your boots. It finds a nook or a cranny in your winter armor, and it creeps in.
This weekend, I went on a hunt for a new winter coat, since I am heading to Illinois for the holiday break. I am bracing for what I consider to be horror-inducing degree temperatures. Everyone who asks me what I am doing for the holidays has to endure my whimpering over how cold Illinois will be and how silly it is of me to be going there smack in the middle of winter. My poor partner, who will be joining me on this trip, has listened as I’ve asked repeatedly whether this or that jacket is appropriate enough and if I should get long underwear (I will.).
While it will be much colder in Illinois, it is also getting cold here in California. My body is moving more slowly, my apartment is succumbing to mess and chaos. The pile of junk mail, which I usually attack with a vengeance, is continuing to grow like an evil amoeba, taking over my entire desk. There are bills I know I should be paying, and replies I know I should be sending, but my body and mind have slowed to a crawl. All I want to do is sit under the covers and stay warm. The act of riding my bike feels like climbing a mountain, and my work out is slower with more ‘harrumphs’ and ‘oh god’s.
Recently, my partner pointed out to me that I was saying ‘I’m tired’ a lot and that it seemed like I wasn’t quite myself. At first, I started to worry. Maybe there was something wrong with me. Maybe I had mono! Maybe I had a tumor! Or maybe I was just cold, tired, and needed to sleep for 9 or 10 hours.
So, that night, I slept for hours. I went to bed when it was dark and woke up when my body felt like it - roughly 8 hours later. Then, I went back to sleep and slept a few more hours. I felt wonderful. The tiredness I felt before faded away, and I was back to my usual self.
Then, I went outside.
My body immediately slowed down, my brain got foggy, and I wanted nothing more than to turn back around and go to bed. But I powered through and went to yoga class. Thankfully, it was a hot room. On the way home, I resolved to make my home a temple to warmth and sleep. I went out and bought two candles, cleared out my dirty laundry, cleaned up the evil mail amoeba, cleaned up the kitchen, vacuumed, cranked up the heater, and got to writing. I immediately started feeling better. The hyyge of the candles, and the calm clean of my apartment helped me settle down and, oddly gave me energy. With that energy, I braved the cold to get ingredients for homemade ramen (don’t get any ideas — it involves a $0.99 bag of ramen noodles and frozen vegetables).
So, with a warm heart, head, and belly, here are my tips for beating the cold this winter:
- Get plenty of sleep. We’re programmed to get a lot more sleep this time of year. We like to sleep when it’s dark. Go figure. Don’t fight nature; she’ll always get her pound of flesh.
- Get cozy. Buy some candles, some new, warm blankets, and a fuzzy rug. Get super plush towels and up the heat (if the power bill doesn’t make you want to cry). Make homemade soup.
- Own your environment. Your home is your castle. Muster up the energy to get it clean, and catch up on what you need to do. Besides, it’s cold outside, all the more reason to stay at home and answer the mail.
In the meantime, wish me luck in Illinois.
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Thank you so much to all of the 1,000+ subscribers to 'E is for Everything' and especially those like Natalya Pemberton of the Presidio Graduate School. Natalya has been with me and donated to support this little, crazy newsletter since its earliest days. I do 'E is for Everything' for fun, but sending newsletters isn't free (sadly). So, your support matters. Natalya has generously supported E is for Everything on Patreon. Please jump on through or click on the big orange button to learn more about how you can support this newsletter too. (Yes, I am a bit behind on 'thank you notes' -- they are coming!)
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I'm imperfect, and I'm cool with that. Do you wish I shared something else? Did I get something wrong? (Failure is learning.) Please reply directly to this e-mail. I will always and whenever possible give credit where it's due for great recommendations and inspiration. Have a great week around the corner.
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