I really loved this from ’s latest newsletter. It’s gotten me excited about finding creative ways to increase baseline joyfulness against the mushy malaise of pandemic-time.
What are some of the best changes you've made along these lines?
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Thinking about this has shown me how people-dependent many of my normal moves are! Cooking is a regular source of joy—but it's so much better when cooking for friends. Vocal harmony is a wellspring—but group singing is a high-risk activity! Perhaps a park jam is in order…
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One part of me reacts: "Ah, good! This is an opportunity to find more self-reliant sources of joy! Resilience!" But another part responds that I already work alone all day and accept very few meetings—more emphasis on solo time is probably not what I need!
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Update: after some breakthroughs in geometric topology, we've figured out how to fit a baby grand into our tiny SF home. Scheming to replace my 1923 Steinway K with an Estonia 168 (I've been haunted by that piano since 2008…) My version of 's convertible, I guess??
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Daily evening walk has been essential for me, at least 45 minutes! Gives the day a bit more of a "shape".
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I implemented benkuhn.net/lux/ and it's been a pretty nice change in how the home office makes me feel.
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Ah, interesting! I use a ridiculous LED light at my desk in the winter, but I haven’t tried it during the summer: I actually struggle with too much light in my office! But it may just be at the wrong angles. You find it helps even in summer afternoons?
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I bit the bullet and drove to Virginia to buy a barbell (they were sold out on the internet)
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Also, it doesn't work for everybody but having extremely rigid daily structure has helped a lot.
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Hey, had an amazing set of podcast episodes on "Flourishing during a massive disruption" (see episodes 64-69). I suspect you may really enjoy it if you are interested in ideas on how to cope with the pandemic gloom. I absolutely LOVED it!
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i started djing again (listening to more music much more actively), started surfing last month (learning a new *challenging* skill as an adult: 💯), ~daily yoga practice for about 3 months (good vibes + core strength), working through the smugglers cove book (🍹).
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