I notice I keep choosing the slower, less efficient routes to different things lately, and I am loving it for exactly those reasons. As if I am craving to entertain a pace of life that’s fading past, and yet simultaneously breathing new life to it, in this age of irreversible pace.
With no real plan other than to locate one title at a bookstore I ended up wandering through the aisles, running my fingers down spines of colorful covers, before walking home with a handful of titles.
I’ve also been breaking up anchoring hours of productivity with sets of air-squats rather than spending those missed minutes, glued to my chair, arguing with my brain to snap back to focus mode. I was also joyfully cooking on the cuff, as I often do, but this time: pausing to notice which flavors and textures compelled me most before I scoured the pantry for the dish my imagination was salivating for most.
Much of the past week had one rhythm in bold: slowing down, to create intentional moments of fully present living. And this week especially I was locked in at preserving my very human pace; and I feel grateful for it.
Slowing down is what many of us are confronting in the age of AI: unmeasured, hand-made, and an intuitive version of life that we’re all, at some level attempting to reconnect with. It’s also often the better mode for our nervous system too.
Which brings me to the thing I’ve been pondering most about: writing, in the age of AI. If you love writing, as a participant and admirer, I think you’ll agree that the act of writing without AI’s meddling is sacred. Personally, my handwritten journal is where my most sacred thinking happens.
But, what happens to this kind of writing: the kind typed on a keyboard, shared with potentially millions at the click of a button, and disseminated through apps, websites and screens?
I agree with Jasmine Sun on this:
What are your thoughts on AI and AI writing?
I think and write about the small things that compound into a life well-lived: brain, mind, body, and soul. Free to join. If it’s speaking to you, becoming a patron is the best way to keep what’s being built here going.
Lo-Fi Brain stimulation. The most analog brain stimulation I indulged in this week: slowly roaming a bookstore, IRL. (Side note: support your independent bookstore, if you’re lucky enough to know a good one in your neighbourhood.) Otherwise, like me, wander a larger establishment instead. It’s been too long since I last roamed a bookshop freely. And while I had one title in mind, as usual, I walked out with a handful instead. Chancing upon books that leaves a lingering curiosity is one of my favorite pastimes. Though I’ll admit I am also a champion of tsundoku: the affectionate Japanese term for buying books with the best intentions of reading them, eventually. But, I digress. Venturing into the children’s section, silently pretending to myself I was looking for a gift for my nieces, I realized I am in my Roald Dahl phase again. After a friend’s recommendation of a stellar podcast series: The Secret World of Roald Dahl by Aaron Tracy, reignited my curiosity for his stories. So, at the bookstore, I thought why not see which of Dahl’s other adult stories are on the shelves. To my delight, I found the two-volume complete collection of his adult short stories, which I am thrilled to savor. As I haven’t been able to satisfy my craving for Dahl’s genius, since I chanced on a copy of his short stories last year, randomly while roaming the canals of Tokyo’s Meguro River last spring. Still one of my favorite finds to date. The book and the bookstore, Cowbooks.
Create a shared gratitude practice. With the comfort of a close girlfriend chat, as our version of modern sisterhood, a friend reminded me why rest and recovery for the mind is a moment to share. The other day, a friend opened our group chat with a simple invitation: let’s share what we’re each grateful for. We all know everyone is busy in their own way, especially once friendships start spanning timezones. But this was one of the simplest, low-touch ways, to share a moment—despite geographical distance, with people you care about. Building a personal gratitude practice is always a plus, but as social beings, sharing amplifies the ritual. This was an impactful way of building that gratitude muscle, with the added value of meaningful connection too. It was hard not to feel something as friends took turn to chime in on what they were grateful for. Having each other’s support, no matter the time or day, was one.
Inject micro-moments of movement to break up blocks of focus. Many of us spend most of the day in front of a screen, sometimes not moving for hours. There’s a growing body of research that even a short walk outside, or any movement break to break up focused work is one of the best ways to sharpen your focus for longer that elevates productivity too. In a 2022 systematic review in PLOS ONE found that brief “micro-breaks” of just a few minutes can meaningfully reduce fatigue and enhance task performance across the workday. So, if weather is the hinderance, like it is for me, resistant to sweating through my clothes when walking outside through heat and humidity of living in the tropics, then perhaps an alternative might work for you. Do air squats as mini breaks between blocks of writing and focus. With weights in hand if I am feeling it, to get the blood flowing. Placebo or not, the feeling doesn’t lie. It’s been a helpful reset, mid-focus, peppered throughout the day to keep me powered through the rest of the day, especially post-lunch-slumps that may catch me off-guard at the most inconvenient moments of the day.
Mini-self care rituals. Sometimes it feels like the beauty complex is selling us, women especially, more steps to add to our routines, with tall promises of ever-elusive fountain of youth. Pushing self-care into the edges of another thing to add to our infinite list of to-dos. The self-care space, if not approached with care, can ironically become overly complicated with unnecessary layers. So some nights, I treat myself to one small ritual that I know will nourish my soul. Research done during the pandemic lockdowns, suggests that even modest, everyday self-care activities are associated with lowering stress, according to a 2021 study in BMJ Open. So my personal go to: scoop’s Rose & Pink Body, whenever I am craving a little midweek self-loving. High ROI, low effort. Best of all, you’ll slip into dreamville with the softest, rosy-scented skin. For the men (I have not forgotten you): an after-shave you splurge a little on with a scent you’re in love with will go a long way. Report back in the comments if you disagree.
Movie. Christy. First, something you should know: I cringe at violent videos and never condone acts of violence, whatsoever. I do, however, LOVE the sport of boxing; a passion I credit entirely to my grandad’s obsession. This film, and the harrowing it told, is a reminder of why storytelling matters. It’s a story that needed to be told, thanks to the bravery of the real living legend Christy herself, and Sydney Sweeney’s thrilling performance, is one I left inspired by. What I walked away with was awe at how unbelievably courageous some women are: not only physically, in sport, but in how they meet the sometimes unfair challenges that life throws. It was a great reminder, too, that everything worthwhile demands challenge and grit. Sport, being 100% merit-based, is one of the greatest equalizers human potential that often shines a light on the difference between cowards and warriors in the flesh. Great one to watch!
Music. Jo Soegono. I’ve featured this fresh talent from Indonesia before, but his latest album has captured my attention this week: Rasa&Rasa. (Rasa can mean feeling, emotion, taste, sense, or sensation depending on the context; repeated colloquially, it can mean somewhere near “the feels felt” or the “the sensations of feelings.”) These melodies are waiting to soothe you. I’m in a state of bliss every time a track plays. What I love most is how language is never a barrier to the vibe, and once you have a listen, you’ll understand immediately why these songs are the perfect soundtrack to serenade you into the mood for June.
Recipe. High-protein mapo tofu recipe.
