Hello beloved readers,
Did you know there is a bountiful "How to Live" website with an archive of evergreen material stretching back a year and a half? It's true! Don't forget to visit and use the site as a resource; that's what it's there for.
xx, Amanda
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One last thing before we get started...
I discovered a newsletter called The SAMPLE, which I've become fairly obsessed with. The gist:
Every morning, The Sample sends you one article from a random blog or newsletter that matches your interests. When you get one you like, you can subscribe to the writer with one click. Sign up here. I've found SO MANY AMAZING newsletters through them.
Now, let's get into it...
February was relentlessly hard for many of us. I've been sick since November 5th, and these past few months, I have felt both untethered and stuck—an incongruous pairing.
All this is to say, WELCOME TO MARCH, friends.
During this relentless wave of sickness, I've read more than ever (and I've always been a huge reader). From books to websites, I discovered a long time ago that the antidote to my numb-stuckness is to find something that satisfies and generates my curiosity, that nibbles at the edge of my desire to learn as much as possible about the things I find fascinating.
I feel most alive when newer concepts bang into older ones, sparking something original and uniquely shaped.
Introducing new thoughts and ideas gives me mental energy, which lifts me from most numb, stuck, and existentially bored (often long) moments. This is vital information for me to know about myself. Even if I can't get out of bed, I can (almost) always read.
Do you know what lifts you up, or just out, when you're numb and stuck? If not, here's an idea: ... The next time you feel the way you wish you always felt, take note of what you're doing that brings you energy. Write it down. Do you feel energized by watching movies? Write that down. Does listening to a specific type of music do it? Please write it down.
When I'm in a state that I wish I weren't, I cannot, for the life of me, remember anything that has ever brought me joy. This is why I urge you to WRITE IT DOWN. I have one dedicated space in Evernote where I write down everything that helps, reminds, nudges, consoles, or re-engages me.
My mental health relies not just on antidepressants but on constantly activating my brain so I can remember that the world is not as small as it often seems living in the same body, in the same apartment, in the same neighborhood, without enough money or the level of energy I need to travel or even go on local adventures.
I don’t want to burden you by barraging you with 25 different websites, books, movies, or playlists, so I thought I'd offer the one site that never fails to engage me when I need to shake myself out of malaise or despair. I hope it offers the same brain-activating energy for you, too. If it does, don't forget to bookmark it and call upon its URL in times of blankness. And if you have some sites that help you, please send them to me!! (I'll write it down.)
May I present...
Before there was the Rorschach Test, there was Klecksography!
Machine learning is not new! Have a look at some of the original gadgets.
STORIES
Spiritualism was a religious movement kick-started by two sisters, 11 and 14-year-old Kate and Margaret Fox. Despite faking their communion with the dead, the movement thrived. Here's a peek into Spirit photography.
Ah, the good old days. When the answers to all medical woes could be gleaned from the stars.
Want to be a living landmark? You can be!
Pointing to rainbows is bad!
Once upon a time, too much traveling could land you in an asylum
I worry for those who were lactose intolerant.
I often think I was born at the wrong time, but then I read things like this, and my mind is instantly changed.
"My bread is really expert!" Virginia Woolf wrote in a letter to Vita Sackville-West. Virginia Woolf found unexpected joy in cooking.
Live from Radio La Colifata! A radio show run by patients in a psychiatric hospital aims to destigmatize mental illness.
Women have always had a whisper network in which to share vital, life-saving information.
PLACES
Did you know that Argentina is one of the most therapy-friendly places in the entire world?
The hikikomori is a class of social recluses in Japan. They're looked down upon and castigated, but they're trying to re-characterize their image by publishing their own newspaper!
A century ago, single women vacationed on Georgian Bay and soon purchased their own islands, claiming their happiness and freedom.
How activists reclaimed access to good healthcare through acupuncture in the Bronx!
Face masks and the influenza virus in 1918
This is just the tip of the iceberg. It's a veritable feast of intellectual and mental sustenance.
If you wander over there, send me your favorites!
Until next week, I am...
Amanda
Email me if you have questions, comments, or ideas for topics!
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Cover art by Edwina White
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