Here are ten little gems I’ve picked out for you this week—ideas and recommendations that might make you pause, smile, or see something in a new light.
I.
A wonderful quote I’ve come across this month from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti on how real intelligence is the ability to look at something with awareness and without ego:
“Observation without evaluation is the highest form of human intelligence.”
Source: Jiddu Krishnamurti, quoted by M. Rosenberg in Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life.
II.
Q&A: I’ve been feeling that what artists or creators need more than discipline or talent is vision. If you’re constantly changing what you do based on what other people say, you completely lose yourself and you become something that is constantly affected by what’s around you as opposed to something stable and authentic. Read my full answer to this reader’s question over here.
III.
An inspiring act of generosity: When wildlife sound recordist Martyn Stewart learned he was terminally ill, he responded with an act of generosity. Over a lifetime spent traveling through more than sixty countries, Martyn had recorded nearly 100,000 sounds of the natural world — from the haunting howl of the wolf that can be heard echoing through the forests, to the crackle of ice breaking in the Arctic tundra, the chorus of a tropical rainforest, and the braying calls that characterize the way Punta Tombo Penguins communicate with each other. Instead of keeping these treasures to himself, he chose to give them away — a gift to the world, and a way to preserve the voices of nature for generations to come. In 2021, Martyn founded The Listening Planet Foundation, a home for his life’s work and a living legacy of sound. Take a moment to listen to this Laysan Albatross, shared on SoundCloud.
IV.
Productivity hack from Oliver Burkeman. For less anxiety and more happiness, treat your to-do list like a dinner menu.
V.
VI.
On my mind this month: It’s easy to forget how much something hurt when the ache becomes nostalgia.
VII.
This is what insiders are saying about my book recommendation The Great Gatsby:
‘The Great Gatsby is a weird one for me. I love how beautiful and glamorous everything seems at first—Gatsby’s parties, the opulent lifestyle, the whole idea of the American Dream. But when you look closer, it’s all kind of hollow. It’s like this shiny exterior, but inside, everything’s empty. It’s a bit of a nightmare.
Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy, but when you really think about it, he’s not in love with her; he’s in love with what she represents—this idea of perfection that he’s built in his mind. Daisy is also not exactly what I’d call a great person. She’s charming, sure, but she’s selfish and shallow in the end, and that’s part of what makes this story so fascinating. It’s not just about love—it’s about how we get caught up in these illusions, thinking that wealth or status or love can fill the emptiness inside.
What strikes me most about this book is how it lays bare the emptiness of it all. The characters are so focused on chasing things that won’t actually make them happy, and in the end, they’re left with nothing. It’s such a raw look at how chasing an ideal can end up destroying you. It’s not the easiest read, but it’s definitely one that sticks with you.’ (3,5 out of 5)
— Valerie
VIII.
Another generous initiative: As a long-time admirer of Eckhart Tolle’s teachings, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of presence and awareness over the years. That’s why I find the Eckhart Tolle Foundation’s Prison Outreach Initiative so moving and meaningful. By partnering with Edovo, the Foundation has made Eckhart and Kim Eng’s recorded teachings available to over 900,000 incarcerated individuals in the U.S.—people often forgotten by society, yet deeply in need of healing. In a prison system focused on punishment and survival, these teachings offer something rare: inner freedom. A way to connect with peace, even in the most difficult circumstances. A way to see themselves not as broken or defined by their past, but as more than their story. It’s nice to see how presence now reaches places that need it most.
IX.
Fun fact for this month: Some cats can actually be allergic to humans. It’s pretty rare, but when it happens, they can show allergy symptoms just like we do.
X.
In the spotlight this month:
Portrait of a girl, 2001, pastel on paper, 40 x 30 cm. By Neel Korteweg.
