Ourselves: Personal resilience

Some helpful resources for understanding what’s behind individual perspectives, actions, and interactions.

• Waking Up app, created by Sam Harris: “A new operating system for your mind.” Meditation for over-thinkers with life hacks like “Time Management for Mortals” and “The Kingdom of Sleep”. Paid subscription but 30-day free trial available.

• Hidden Brain podcast, created by Shankar Vedantam: Fascinating exploration of the “unconscious patterns that drive human behavior” that blends science, curiosity, and common sense for a better picture of what’s going on in there.

• Atlas of the Heart, by Brene Brown: Accessible, easy read for understanding the diversity and depth of human emotions.

• The Language of Emotions, by Karla McLaren: Deeper dive into emotional intelligence and how feelings convey important information.

• The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk: Fundamental to my understanding of the connection between body, brain, and mind, and how experiences, especially early in life, impact how we see and relate to ourselves and others.

• Consolations by David Whyte: Clever, simple, beautiful poetry for people who love language. (Whyte also wrote The Three Marriages: Reimagining Work, Self, and Relationship, a refreshing read for reorienting ourselves around care.)