Why Writing Is the Best Tool for Personal Growth

Writing is wonderful. Thanks to the generation effect, it helps you better remember what you read – even if it’s just by taking notes – and it’s good for your mental health. Building a writing habit is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself as a maker. As Anaïs Nin would … Read More

Your Brain on Cortisol: How to Rewire Your Stress Response and Reclaim Your Energy

You’re working late on a deadline when someone emails about an urgent meeting tomorrow. Within seconds, your body prepares you for action and your cortisol levels rise. Cortisol isn’t inherently problematic; it’s a sophisticated chemical messenger that helped our ancestors survive countless threats. Yet in today’s environment this evolutionary advantage has become a potential liability. … Read More

The Comedown Effect: Understanding the Emotional Aftermath of Achievement

A month ago, my book Tiny Experiments finally made its way into the world after years of work. Launch day brought a flurry of notifications and messages of support, along with that strange feeling of seeing something that existed only in my mind now in other people’s hands. There’s something surreal about thousands of hours … Read More

The Liberating Effect of Uncertainty

When I was seven, I wanted to be a paleontologist. I collected rocks and fossils, memorized dinosaur names, and could tell you exactly which period the Stegosaurus lived in (it’s the Late Jurassic, in case you’re wondering). Then it was veterinarian, astronaut, fashion designer – each passion consuming me completely until the next one came … Read More