Lani Assaf
@laniassaf
Lani Assaf
In Lauren Oyler’s essay about anxiety last week, she referenced a late 19th century diagnosis known as Americanitis , which described “the high-strung, nervous, active temperament of the American people.” Whether incited by advances in technology (causing loss of sleep, excessive worry) or capitalism (causing long work days, fast pace of life), the... See more
Haley Nahman • #172: Trick questions
I have noticed that when all the lights are on, people tend to talk about what they are doing – their outer lives. Sitting round in candlelight or firelight, people start to talk about how they are feeling – their inner lives. They speak subjectively, they argue less, there are longer pauses.
To sit alone without any electric light is curiously crea... See more
To sit alone without any electric light is curiously crea... See more
Jeanette Winterson • Why I Adore the Night, by Jeanette Winterson
“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations
... See more“Society tends to paint a picture that the final act of every big dreamer’s journey is in scaling up to unimaginable heights, but I think it’s the opposite – it’s actually in scaling back down after trying to reach the proverbial top. Make time to pursue things that can’t scale. I’d bet it does you as much good as ‘real’ therapy ever could.”
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... See moreWhat are you like when you’re with yourself? I feel like when we write or teach or do public talks, a part of us lights up that’s perhaps more open and alive and positive than we otherwise are. You in particular seem to really ignite in the public sphere. When you're alone, is that energy still ignited in you? If not, how does it manifest?
This rem... See more
This rem... See more
Jane Ratcliffe • The Warm Vanilla Pudding Hum Of Well Being: A Conversation with Liz Gilbert, Part II
Ask for feedback on your attempts, not advice on your ideas.
It's like we're living separate lives that we then tell each other about, not sharing in the living itself.