my therapist recommended it to me. i might be too dumb to read this but it's interesting and kinda funny.
also reading and enjoying My Dog Tulip by J.R. Ackerley. first time i've read a dog thing that wasn't too sentimental.
read Senselessness by Horacio Castellanos Moya. that book is nuts. you'll knock it in a weekend.
also this Molly Brodak piece titled "how to be a good listener"
Related Recs
So I read way too much fiction so Im trying to balance it out by listening to nonfiction audiobooks that will give me some life skills hehe. I started with this book (spotify audiobook linked) and i really like it so far! my mom recommended it to me and its really interesting so far because it follows Adlerian Psychology and I just love learning about different psychological perspectives and such. Theres also another book called The Courage to be Happy by the same authors and its definitely going to be my next listen.
Jan 14, 2025
๐ช
my therapist told me i should read this book. i dismissed it because it was categorized as self-help. i was expecting it to tell me that my material conditions would go away if i changed my attitude. the neoliberal ideology that makes this genre so harmful. but i tried and i found it really really useful!
the thesis of the book is that you don't need to obey your thoughts and feelings or struggle against them. you can accept and acknowledge them without making them control you. this approach helped me reconceptualize what was going on inside my head. i don't think i ever would have figured this out on my own. there's also exercises that you can try. think trial and error. you just need to find one that works for you.
not everything in this book will apply to everyone. depending on your material conditions it might be a waste of time. there are valid reasons to hate your life. in those situations you should try to change your life and not your attitude. but if you are just looking for a new attitude this could be useful.
one concept i found really helpful was listening to the voice in your head like an anxious older relative. they have good intentions and are very concerned about you. but they're not always right or reasonable. and when they are it doesn't mean you have to listen to them. just laugh and say thanks. i know you are trying to be helpful. but i don't need your advice right now. then go and live your life how you want to.
Dec 4, 2024
๐
I love finding wisdom in trite, intentionally wise and clever places (ex. Musicals) I feel like Iโm always in a place where I could learn or know more about myself or why I am internally structured the way I am. Reading self help books can be a vibe and it is one to me. Just read โThe Mountain is Youโ that one was nice, โAtomic Habitsโ is amazing, love Joe Dispenza across the board.
Sep 6, 2023
Top Recs from @tree
๐
love seeing all these animals on trail cameras
Jan 22, 2024
๐
kind of corny but still good wisdom. it's about battling the internal resistance to doing your work. i used to re-read it as a form of resistance, actually
May 8, 2024
๐ป
documentary about a man who lived with grizzly bears in the alaskan wild. he filmed himself for several years until one of the bears killed him.
Jan 24, 2024