Appearing Superhuman Vol. 29
My weekly newsletter brings together a collection of fascinating finds, challenges I'm tackling, and the automations, processes, and habits I employ to " appear superhuman."
Weekly Highlights:
The Secret to a Fight-Free Relationship
10 minutes | Rhaina Cohen
I'm gonna leave the article's intro here since that tees it up better than I could:
"For decades, when Liz Cutler’s husband, Tom Kreutz, did something that bothered her, Cutler would sometimes pull out a scrap of paper from the back of her desk drawer.
On it she would scribble down her grievances: maybe Kreutz had stayed late at work without giving her a heads-up, or maybe he’d allowed their kids to do something she considered risky.
The list was Cutler’s way of honoring a promise she and her husband had made. They would talk about their frustrations only in scheduled meetings—which they held once a year for a time, and later, every three months. It’s a system they’ve adhered to for more than 40 years."
What a wild idea! The nastiest scraps usually erupt in the heat of the moment, right? But strip that away, cool off, and chew the fat later with a level head? I bet it changes the entire game.
(alternative paywall free link)
How To Stop Getting Brain Fog All The Time
16 minutes | Dr Rhonda Patrick
Crack the code on brain fog with this no-nonsense breakdown that's less about mystic arts and more about what you're shoving into your face (hint: it's your diet).
Dr. Rhonda Patrick brings the straight talk, practical tips, and a couple of laughs—minus the snake oil.
This Is Why You Don't Have A Six Pack
6 minutes | James Smith
I'm a new subscriber to Mr. Smith's content, and damn, it's a breath of fresh air. The guy's got a knack for cutting through the BS, serving up bite-sized gems that hit you with clarity a sledgehammer couldn’t match.
This one? Dropped some brain-benders I hadn’t even begun to noodle on, like how being a bit more down on your luck might actually nudge you closer to snagging what you’ve been chasing. Trust me, it makes a lot more sense once you dive in.
Quote I’m Revisiting:
"How quickly someone answers you is rarely a sign of how much they care about you. Delayed replies to emails, texts, and calls are often symptoms of being overextended or overwhelmed. Unless it's urgent, the true test of a relationship isn't the speed of response. It's the quality of attention." - Adam Grant
Just Keep Swimming Trudging
This week’s been kicking my ass. I'm wading through the muck of my ambitions and commitments, feeling stretched thinner than cheap toilet paper.
Just last week, floating in the bliss of vacation, posting daily and keeping up with life's demands seemed like a breeze. Fast forward, and here I am, fumbling to stay afloat in the sea of my own making, staring down a long weekend that demands more from me than I've got to give.
Ever find yourself in over your head? Gnawing on more than you should’ve dared to bite off?
Hang in there; this storm will blow over.
It’s probably the shadow of the post-vacation workload haunting me. I reckon I'll clear the decks in a few days, paving the way for a sunnier, smoother week ahead.
In these moments, I'm reminded of a scene that sticks with me - Paul Bettany’s Geoffrey Chaucer in "A Knight’s Tale," where he's stripped bare on the road and asked what he's doing he says,
I'm trudging. It's the the slow, weary, depressing yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in life except the impulse to simply soldier on.
In case you need a good laugh (or some inspiration to soldier on), here's the full scene:
Question(s) to you:
You're gonna feel swamped sometimes, like the world's caving in, and you're on the losing side. When that shadow looms over me, I shift gears into full-throttle mode. I call it a sprint.
I double down, stacking my work duties like a daredevil. Then, I dive into a marathon of work—12, 16, hell, 18-hour stretches if that's what it takes. It's a brutal few days, sure, but I'd rather face a few days of hell than months of that relentless pressure dragging me down.
So, when you're in the trenches, don't retreat—hit the turbo button and power through to clear skies.
What area of your life might require you to hit the turbo button?