Critical Thinking
A Secret to Rise Above Microstress
Robin Dunbar popularized the idea of the Dunbar Number. You’ve probably heard of it. It’s the hypothetical number of people we can manage to maintain at any given stage of life. There are roughly 500 people we might recognize in the grocery store and smile and say hello, 100 we would invite to a wedding, ...
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda, and What People Actually Regret
Here’s a real story, but let’s anonymize him. We’ll call him Joey. So Joey, a local mild-mannered grown-up went to a high school soccer match in Virginia, and sat with friends and colleagues in the stands, on the home side, the side hosting the game. The game got competitive, the kids got all riled up, ...
It’s Okay. You Can Say No Without Burning Bridges.
As Vanessa Patrick describes in her book, try instead using an empowered refusal. An empowered refusal is when you tell the other person you are not available for their ask because it doesn’t align with your values, goals, and identity.
We Actually Can’t Stand Cruelty
At our core, human beings yearn for connection, understanding, and community with one another. Though cruelty and violence sometimes arise, they are but brief shadows cast against humanity's inherent pursuit of compassion.
If There Are No Monsters in the Closet, Why Am I Still Afraid?
Hello and welcome back to our newsletter! Last week I was writing about why we can’t pay attention, and also wondering who would make it to the end of my article. Turns out, many of you did, after taking a few breaks along the way. This week I’ve got conspiracy theories on my mind. Why ...
