Sit down with a book, magazine, or long-form article, block out distractions, and dedicate our minds to better ideas.

It’s an act of rebellious empathy.

I try to cultivate this kind of lifelong curiosity in myself and encourage it in those I coach. What matters most isn’t how much we know but how we think. In this world of quick takes and loud opinions, intellectual wellness helps us sort through the clutter to see what’s useful. We can pause, think deeply, and focus on what truly matters.

All cognitive luxuries share something in common: they need time, space, and sustained attention in a world designed to fragment these. I find it helpful to think about them in three categories:

1. Spaciousness (thinking slowly) is respite from constant input and urgency. It’s when you can let your mind rest and reflect – those moments when you can... See more