1. Poetry: The Brown Bird and On the Phone With Carolina from the Pharmacy Help Desk and Dear Summer and Upon My Release by Julie Barton, Just One Scene in One Movie and Those of Us Who Choose to Turn Toward Grief and A Scrap in Time by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Not the Only Thing from James Crews on The Weekly Pause, Otherwise by Jane Kenyon shared by Patti Digh, and Long Summer by Barbara Crooker on Heart Poems.

2. From Seth Godin: False scarcity, The hustle loop, Under the circumstances, and Bringing goodwill to the conversation.

3. the length of her nails, “It is Not Normal to Cling This Tightly” from Elissa Altman.

4. Why I choose to live a “boring” life, a video from Sarah M. “In this video, I talk about why I choose to live what many would call a ‘boring’ life — a slow, intentional, quiet existence that prioritizes peace over pressure, simplicity over chaos, and inner fulfillment over external validation. There are no wild nights or packed calendars here. Just cozy mornings, quiet routines, and the everyday beauty of slow living. From embracing my introversion to reclaiming my time, I share the journey that led me to redefine what it means to live a meaningful life. Whether you’re feeling burnt out by hustle culture, overwhelmed by social expectations, or just curious about the joy of slow living — this video is for you.”

5. How to Break Free From Your Phone on The New York Times. (gift link)

6. How (and why) you should embrace the “art of doing nothing”.

7. 99 Alternatives To Scrolling On Your Phone.

8. The pleasures of reading. “Jancee Dunn, author of the NYT’s Well newsletter, asked me a while back to answer some questions about reading. Just a couple of items from my reply made their way into her column — she had plenty of other people to interview! — so I thought I would post my whole email to her here.”

9. I know you’re tired but come, this is the way, “naming our sacred gifts” from Alix Klingenberg on Earth & Verse.

10. Looking for New Ways to Live. “That was as close as I ever came to death in the mountains, before I even climbed one” by Emily Meg Weinstein.

11. Ancient Wisdom: How to Die Well. “I believe death should not be seen only as an ending. It is a teacher, a mirror, a catalyst. It shapes how we live, and where we seek meaning.”

12. 10 Entrances to Hell You Can Actually Visit. “Has someone told you to ‘go to hell?’ If so, let us direct you to these potential portals to the underworld.”

13. From Satya Robyn’s Move Towards Love series: Five Pond Practices, “and how they will help you to be a healthy & happy pond/person” and How Much Choice Do We Have? “MTL 2: Moving Towards Love & Seeing Love Reach Out.”

14. From Jamie Attenberg: Factoring in the Joy in Your Writing, “Sorry to be cringe, but I do have some thoughts on the matter” and How to Deal With Your Messy Notes, “It only hurts for a second.”

15. How do you like to be supported? “It’s a simple, but difficult, question” from Patti Digh.

16. What Burning Man doesn’t want you to see. (video)

17. Help! I’ve Become a Helicopter Parent to My Dog on The New York Times. (gift link)

18. Small, Easy Acts of Joy Mean Big Gains in Happiness. “A community science project finds that modest reminders to find joy in the day can have benefits that are on par with those of more ambitious well-being interventions.”

19. I wallowed in booze for four decades. Here’s what five sober years have taught me. “To give up drinking once seemed unthinkable – and when I finally made the leap, it didn’t go quite as expected.”

20. Tricks to snap yourself out of a funk (in 15 minutes or less). “In a slump and want to turn your day around? Try these science-backed techniques to help improve your mood in a matter of minutes. They can help you feel energized when you feel sluggish, calm when you feel stressed or connected if you feel lonely. No special tools or materials required (unless you want to jump in the ice bath!).”

21. On Not Writing, and Letting Wildness Be Your Guide. “Leila Chatti Wrestles With the Daily Idea of Being a Writer.” This post was so gorgeous, upon reading, I immediately bought a copy of her book.

22. I hope death feels like…this. (video)

23. Gaza City, September 1, 2025. (video) HOW is this still happening?!

24. Teacher uses “On the Road” to teach kids kindness. (video) “Teacher Derek Brown has been showing his fifth graders ‘On the Road’ stories for more than a decade, saying the stories teach them how to be ‘grounded and good.’ This week, Steve Hartman surprised his class.” 

25. And finally, this collection of random things I saved to my phone this week.