Life & Wellbeing
Books, food, travel and the small habits that make life better. 51 links.
Topic: Life & Wellbeing51 links
A Portrait of Matty Matheson
A weekend recommendation for the soul: how the chef and The Bear star is remaking the world on his own chaotic, brilliant terms.
highsnobiety.com · #351
Forget Dry January!
This year I'm doing 'Analogue January': A gentle rebellion against screens.
livingetc.com · #346
How to Pay Attention (Again)
An essay on the neuroscience of focus that rewires the mind. A poetic, brain-based reminder that nowadays attention isn’t just a skill but an act of resistance.
contemplationstation.substack.com · #335
How to Book Club Anything
This new idea turns articles, podcasts, even playlists into a book club - all with the aim to bring people together through conversation.
Why Writing by Hand Still Matters
A beautiful exploration into handwriting in our hyper-digital age, and why the writing differences of each generation matter.
straitstimes.com · #334
Where to book hunt in Amsterdam, a playground for contemporary book design
An Amsterdam correspondent analyses why the city is so known for its publishing prowess, and shares a comprehensive list of places for designers, printers, publishers, and enthusiasts alike, to check out.
itsnicethat.com · #330
Your brain is biased to negativity. Here’s how to be more positive.
Negativity bias may have evolved to help us survive. But it also can ramp up our anxiety.
washingtonpost.com · #330
Postcard from Madrid: lunch at the world’s oldest restaurant
Botín has been going strong for 300 years — but can it avoid being a tourist trap?
ft.com · #330
What a Hyperfixation Really Is
We asked experts what it really feels like to maintain an extreme level of focus.
time.com · #328
Ten Outstanding Short Stories to Read in 2025
longreads.com · #328
short stories selected by Pravesh Bhardwaj.
longreads.com · #328
Laurie Santos’s Pursuit of Happiness
Yale’s resident well-being expert talks about what it means to live a good life and shares some books that might help us get within reach of one.
newyorker.com · #326
The Worthwhile Trend of Romanticizing Your Life
Why do we feel the need to save life’s finer things for "special occasions"?
hardcopy.online · #325
Spending Ourselves to Sleep: How Rest Became Beauty’s Latest Luxury
Beauty and wellness brands are launching luxurious “sleep wellness” products left and right. How helpful are they?
highsnobiety.com · #325
IKEA uncovers the globe’s sleep secrets: Where the world sleeps soundly – and where sleep is a struggle
A new IKEA report reveals we get 1 hour and 20 minutes less sleep than we want – and it uncovers a mathematical formula for achieving the perfect night’s rest.
ikea.com · #325
‘Narcissists – only more devious’: the truth about dark empaths
They seem sensitive and caring – but really they just want to manipulate you. So how do you recognise the danger signs?
theguardian.com · #324
How meditation deconstructs your mind
Want to learn how to meditate? Scientists have a new theory that might change how you practice.
vox.com · #322
The Gift of Imperfection
In this summary, discussion on how this tendency to aim for perfection develops and how we can overcome it to be more true to ourselves.
hulry.com · #317
How Should We Mourn the End of Summer?
Mourning over the loss of big things in life is considered ‘normal’, but it’s okay to grieve over small losses too – like losing summer. Here’s how to handle it.
nytimes.com · #313
Full catastrophe living
Embracing when things go wrong, with acceptance and a positive outlook on the silver linings you could take away.
deathtoshitads.beehiiv.com · #313
Getting an allotment totally changed my summer – and radically altered my relationship with food
Over the summer, this author discovered how long it takes to grow cauliflower, the true meaning of seasonal foods and how to preserve your hard-earned crop.
theguardian.com · #313
Inspired by the Olympics? You can become an athlete at any age.
Don’t know where to start? Here’s how to build athletics into your routine – tips from coaches and athletes.
vox.com · #310
Ten Inspiring Stories From the Olympics 2024
From boxing mothers and all-time champions to multi-sport Paralympians – here’s the most inspiring gearing up for Paris.
uk.huel.com · #310
If You Have Time to Scroll, You Have Time to Write
Let’s be honest, it’s all about priorities says this author.
medium.com · #310
The Binding by Bridget Collins –– recommended by Karen
Forbidden love blended with fantasy, history and reality. A captivating story set in an alternative world where painful memories are wiped and bound in the pages of books. Bookbinder apprentice Emmett Farmer’s life changes when he meets and forms a connection with Lucian Darnay.
Let's Become Fungal! by Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez –– recommended by Katie
Networks, community, collaboration and behaviour – learnings from, yes you read it correctly, fungi and mycelium. Explore twelve fascinating teachings and see how this ecological wonder challenges and inspires your ways of thinking.
Breath by James Nestor –– recommended by Jen
To breathe is to live. However, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly – and it’s having dire consequences on our health. Journey from choirs to ancient burial sites to find out how small corrections can significantly improve your breathing and health.
Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker –– recommended by Ben
If you’re looking for some good post-holiday habits, then getting more sleep is a great one. From decades of research and scientific insights, find out how and why you need sleep, plus its incredible health benefits – improve learning, mood and energy levels, and prevent diseases.
Duplicity: My Mother’s Secrets by Donna Freed –– recommended by Sara
After the death of her adopted mother, Donna sets out to find her birth mother, however uncovers a shocking truth — she was the daughter of a pair of infamous con artists. This fast-paced and thrilling memoir tackles questions of motherhood and identity and nature vs nurture. This leads us nicely to Sara’s complementary recommendation…
A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly –– recommended by Sara
This book is referenced in Duplicity as the fictional story of a murder the aforementioned con artists aimed to copycat in a life insurance scam – what a follow-up. A rich and beautifully balanced portrayal of two women, their potential and the risk of it being buried under societal and familial responsibilities.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt –– recommended by Georgios
From a “play-based childhood” to a “phone-based childhood”. A defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech — and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood.
Girl in a Band: A Memoir by Kim Gordon –– recommended by Nils
As a founding member of Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon’s memoir is a tale of girlhood, womanhood and her role as an icon in 80/90s New York. She shares her remarkable story in this frank and fascinating account.
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh –– recommended by Sarah
This one is for the crime thriller lovers. “The serial killer isn’t on trial, he’s on the jury”. Join con-man turned defence lawyer Eddie Flynn as he gets to the bottom of this dizzying plot. Packed with twists and turns – you won’t be able to put it down.
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami –– recommended by Max
A mesmerising mystery story about friendship — after randomly being abandoned by his best friends, Tsukuru Tazaki couldn’t form intimate connections with anyone. Until he meets Sara, who finally has some answers to what happened with his friends all those years before.
Rest of World’s 2024 reading guide
A collection of book recommendations from influential decision makers at global companies — from TikTok to iFood to Shein.
restofworld.org · #307
The Hulry Newsletter
Be 1% better every week through mindful reflections and hand-picked apps, articles, books, videos and more in your inbox every Friday.
hulry.com · #307
The Ambling Mind
With a slow, deliberate pace you can think freely and more creatively. Exploring the value of taking a walk, especially when you’re feeling a bit stuck.
theconvivialsociety.substack.com · #305
It's not meditation, it's activation
Currently testing out Superhuman Inc., similar to a meditation app, but instead, it’s motivational audio. There are activations for everything from spring cleaning to morning walks.
superhuman.app · #304
Book tip: The Wayfinders
There are approx 7,000 languages spoken in the world today. However, 80% of Earth’s population speak just 83 of those languages. Wade’s book makes the argument why ancient wisdom matters in our modern world.
amazon.com · #303
What the 5 love languages get right, and what they get very wrong
While love languages often help couples get in the habit of communicating better, just this one approach isn’t going to last in the long run –– we need a balanced diet.
vox.com · #299
How to be Alone with Your Thoughts
With unlimited media available to consume at every moment of the day, many of us have stopped listening to or engaging with our inner monologue. But unsurprisingly, harnessing the power of silence can have profound benefits.
vox.com · #298
Whatever the Problem, It’s Probably Solved by Walking
Nourish your body and soothe the mind, there are ample gifts in your amble.
nytimes.com · #297
If you want to live a life rich in meaning, first you must learn how to do nothing
Explore the tools that can bring awareness to the micro choices we make daily - are they aligned with what truly calls and enlivens us?
theguardian.com · #293
This Website Exposes the Truth About Soaring Food Prices
After hearing Austria’s labor minister say it would take months to build a new supermarket price comparison site, independent software developer Mario Zechner proved the government wrong - in just two hours.
wired.co.uk · #291
How Much Coffee Is Too Much Coffee?
There’s no better way to read about the health benefits and possible risks than over a cup of the good stuff - don’t worry it’s not as bad as some people say!
nytimes.com · #291
Why a vacation is good for you – even before you take time off
Many of us will be returning to work, well-rested after the summer vacation, but did you know that holidays are actually good for us before we even go? We better book that next trip!
edition.cnn.com · #288
Don’t overthink gardening
If you’re ‘gardening-curious’ but think that you lack the space and time to get going, this is your sign to give it a chance this summer.
theatlantic.com · #287
How to log off
Experts share advice on how to forge a healthier, happier relationship with your devices and the internet - a mini-guide on how to log off.
technologyreview.com · #287
Whatever the Problem, It’s Probably Solved by Walking
Nourish your body and soothe the mind, there are ample gifts in your amble.
nytimes.com · #281
Does spring cleaning have mental health benefits?
Some people like it, some people don’t, but turns out, a good spring-cleaning can have positive impacts on mental health, such as sense of control, intentionality, and calmness.
vogue.com · #280
The Radical Act of Eating With Strangers
The pandemic hit social circles hard, so in a time when reconnecting with people in real life, what could be better than meeting new people over dinner?
nytimes.com · #277
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Wellbeing28, Books16, Essay12, Food & travel8, Tool3