This quote has to be one of my favourites from the past couple of years. For me, it serves as a reminder to treat people well and to prioritize kindness. You never know what other people are going through. On any given day, the people you interact with are facing their own internal battles.
At a base level, people want to feel important. Whether that manifests itself in being listened to, asked how they’re doing, or just given basic respect. As Maya states, people never forget how others make them feel, and as such, it can be helpful to remain conscious of other’s feelings and express kindness whenever possible.
As a test of this quote, I’d ask you to think back to people in your life you haven’t interacted with in a while. Odds are, the predominant feeling that arises will be an emotional reaction to how that person made you feel, even if it was years ago.
For me, and to avoid complexity, this message boils down to something quite simple: treat other people with kindness.
Online course that provides outsized learning:
The Science of Well-Being - Laurie Santos, Yale University
I took this course, offered 100% free from Coursera, back in 2019, and two years later I still remember a lot of the lessons it taught me. The individual lectures taught by Laurie are engaging, and the course structure covers a lot of interesting concepts, from the things that don’t make us happy (but we think they do) to the things that truly make us happy (but we don’t think they do) and also why people are so bad at prioritizing their own happiness.
And, I think this is the most valuable part, the course is actionable as it provides weekly “happiness challenges” to do each week, after explaining the scientific benefits behind each challenge.
Students can take a benchmark test before starting the course and then at the end of the last class to measure any change in their mental well-being. Through multiple studies, it was proven that taking this course and doing the weekly activities actually has a positive and enduring impact on your happiness.
With 4.9/5.0 stars and a 97% rating across 28k reviews, a lot of people have really loved the program. The time commitment is super low, with 1-2 hours per week for about 10 weeks in total.
If you want to become happier, better understand happiness and why humans can have such a hard time with being happy, and “self-help” books haven’t done the trick, I think enrolling in The Science of Well-Being may be a great value-add. Pro-tip: It’s also something you could include on your resume.
To dig deeper visit this link and check out the course homepage.
Watch this:
I’m no watch expert (believe it or not), but my close friend, Sam Thomas, has done some really great work exhibiting different watches that he loves, with a bit of a historical and story-telling twist.
On that note, I’m going to pass the mic to Sam for this:
Watch of the week: Seiko Presage “Mockingbird” - Ref. SRPD37J1
The Mockingbird belongs to Seiko’s “Cocktail Time” collection, a series of watches inspired by cocktails. The Mockingbird, is inspired by the cocktail of the same name. The cocktail is an exciting blend of tequila, ginger and agave; it is both delicious and adventurous.
The watch’s carefully selected colouring matches the quality and excitement of the drink. A deep brown leather band pairs perfectly with the rich, detailed green dial and the stainless steel case announces its quality. The Mockingbird is an excellent dress watch that can add to a conversation, but not distract from it. Just like a cocktail.
If you enjoyed that snippet and would like to see more, feel free to check out Sam’s Instagram page @gearsandgrommets for more.
Company I’m supporting:
Muttonhead
Muttonhead is a Toronto-based apparel company that manufactures its clothing in a “sweatshop free” factory located in Toronto, Ontario. You can think of it as the Canadian version of Patagonia.
I like the brand because they create Canadian jobs, promote ethically made clothing and fair-trade practices, and a bunch of their clothing is made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles. I have a plain white t-shirt from them, and it’s one of my favourites. Check out their website.
App I’ve found useful:
Airr.io
For those of you who love listening to podcasts, but frequently find yourself forgetting key parts or scribbling quotes down (like I often do) you may love this app.
Airr is a typical podcast app, in that you can stream and listen to any podcast you’d be able to across other platforms, but it differs in one notable way. If you come across a quote from a podcast that you love and want to remember or come back to, Airr allows you to take an “air quote” where you press a button, and it will record the audio and create a written transcript of that section of the podcast. You can also sync Airr with other apps to then export your “air quotes” to your phone, email, or a note-taking app.
I’ve found it to be really useful, both for convenience and saving time, and would recommend checking it out.
Mantra I’ve been thinking about:
I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
Dale Carnegie, an author of several renowned self-improvement books, had this mantra taped on this bathroom mirror to see every morning for most of his life. For me, it provides a nudge to treat people with kindness but also highlights the transience of life, as you never know how long you or the people you love will be around.
As you get older and life changes, you may see certain people less frequently, so it’s important to make the most out of your opportunities to have a positive impact on the lives of others.
Question to reflect on:
For a time when you’re overwhelmed or feeling scattered, ask yourself: How much would I pay to relive this experience 20-30 years from now?
This question provides a helpful mental reset for me when I feel like the pace of life is moving too quickly and stress is building up and fosters an appreciation for the present moment I’m living in. It reminds me that oftentimes, life right now is not as bad as it can seem and my problems aren’t as impossible as they feel.
Each day, time passes that you can’t get back. I have to actively choose to be grateful for the time that I have rather than feel burdened by the day-to-day hustle and bustle when life gets busy.
That’s all from me for this week folks.
Feel free to check out any of the links if you have time and are interested in learning more.
On another note, please hit the reply button to this email if you have any questions or feedback for me and have a few spare seconds. I want to make this newsletter the best it can be for readers and I’d love to hear your thoughts on what was useful and what could be changed.
Have a great rest of your weekend and stay beautiful.
