Stuff #88 - No feeling is final

👓

Hola from Spain, I'm Matt...

I'm taking in some sunshine, a mixture of work, relaxation and Vitamin D recharging.

I commented on Twitter on Friday that last week was a rollercoaster, with extreme ups and downs. I hope that you've been able to insulate yourself from some of the news and you have found the 'highs' in your week.

Take care of yourself, please.

Thank you for being a part of Stuff. If you received this email from an excellent friend, and would like to subscribe, please go here. If you'd like an archive of Stuff from the beginning of 2022 - it's here.

Onward with the Stuff that MattRs this week...

Monday Motivation: Make this week the one where you step out of your comfort zone and overcome your fear. Here are 103 comfort zone challenges that will gently push you to do something new. Grab a blank sheet of paper and a pencil and try #13 right now. You'll feel amazing afterwards.
Your new superpower: Build your own mise-en-place. I know that many of you are knowledge workers, and this excellent article guides you through creating your own mise-en-place that fits your work. It's a genius read that I have returned to multiple times as I think about my workflows.
Essential Reading: The excellent Dr Hannah England shares tips on how to be a true servant leader, and why this is a worthwhile path.
Take care: Walking is clearly good for your mental and physical health - but how many steps do we REALLY need to take every day. Clue - it's not what you think it is.
TWIL: One of the original dwarves in Disney’s Snow White was named “Deafy” whose primary trait was misunderstanding others. This idea was later (thankfully) jettisoned in favor of “Sneezy”. There were 14 other rejected names!
How do you feel today, really? This clever little app can track your mood, and let you take control of your mental health. What gets measured gets improved, right? Here's another one that does similar.
Use them wisely: Minus is a finite social network, where you only get 100 messages for life. Just like real life, there are limits. I signed up last week, and I'm still pondering what my first message might be.
A flat white and some inspiration please: There seem to be a lot of these tools around now, this site plays background sounds from a busy coffee shop. This is a symptom of lockdown and hybrid working, where we are craving tools that help recreate 'normal' environments.
Haribo, c'est beau la vie: I love gummy bears, here's the lesser known history of the colourful sweet.
Finally: QuizQuizQuiz is another daily game. Simply answer three multiple-choice questions, aiming to get all three correct. It's pitched to be just the right level of challenge.

📫

Do you love independent writing? I recommend The Sample. Every day, they will send you a newsletter you might like, no obligation.

🎧

My aural stuff for you this week is short but brilliant.

In a Few Places Along the River is a three track 'album' of ambient / drone music that is atmospheric and relaxing. It's made by Abul Mogard, a Serbian composer who started life as a metal factory worker before turning to beautiful music.

I've listened to this a lot recently, and find the very gentle instrumentation and production relaxing and thought provoking. Highly recommended listen.

Listen to Abul Mogard - In a Few Places Along the River on Spotify here.