An idea from Spencer Sekulin.

The following is an excerpt taken from the first edition of our brand new print magazine. To get your hands on a copy, filled with original content from some of the world’s bestselling authors, follow this link and use the code ‘SUBSCRIBER10’ for 10% off.

Life is not a straight line, and it was never meant to be easy. The path that we all walk is as Seneca once said: terrain on which thunder and lightning play.

Life is uncertain at the best of times, and at the worst can seem chaotic, unbearable, where it becomes an act of courage just to live. History is replete with it: wars, famines, pandemics, upheavals, and all manners of disruptive times have come and gone — and will come still, in my life and in yours. …

An idea from Danny Forest.

The following is an excerpt taken from the first edition of our brand new print magazine. To get your hands on a copy, filled with original content from some of the world’s bestselling authors, follow this link and use the code ‘SUBSCRIBER10’ for 10% off.

I was an insomniac. As much as I tried to calm my mind, I couldn’t help but go down the rabbit holes of my inner thoughts, preventing me from falling asleep. During the day, things would go well enough, but at night it was a torment of never-ending, mindless reflection. I was always tired and had low energy. I functioned well in the morning but felt useless in the afternoon. If only I could calm my thoughts in the evening and get a good night’s sleep. …

Just kidding, but that’s what people seem to think. Let us explain.

What’s up Mind Cafe crew?

Recently, Jordan Gross, Jon Hawkins and I have been hearing a fair few writers express their disappointment about how difficult it is to get into Mind Cafe. Many have even said that it’s near-impossible, and so there’s just no point in trying anymore.

While it’s difficult, it’s certainly not impossible. Trust us — we’d know. To clear up some of the confusion, Jordan has spent a lot of time writing the following article about what makes it so hard, how to increase your chances, and a few reasons why your pieces might be rejected.

You can read Jordan’s article in full by clicking this link. …

An idea from Spencer Sekulin.

The following is an excerpt taken from the first edition of our brand new print magazine. To get your hands on a copy, filled with original content from some of the world’s bestselling authors, follow this link and use the code ‘SUBSCRIBER10’ for 10% off.

When were your happiest moments? For me, they were the ones in which I was present, totally lost in my senses — moments of hearty laughter with friends, moments surrounded by nature, moments of complete immersion in the smell of food and the gentle hum of background music, moments of feeling the texture of the pages of a book while I read, moments of watching snowflakes sauntering gently downwards like the white petals of cherry blossoms. …

Sometimes, all we need to do is unplug.

The concept of a digital detox is nothing new. We’ve all read the reports: phones are making us miserable. Social media is crushing our attention span. Technology is the thief of our happiness.

As more resources, statistics, and warnings populate our digital periphery, the demonization of social media is becoming a popular trend. Many would claim that our digital habits are wreaking havoc on our happiness, focus, and mental wellbeing, and that things are only going to get worse.

But is this really the case? Is our addictive consumption of social media really such a harmful pastime? Whilst asking many similar questions myself, bringing my digital activities under scrutiny and questioning the future of our tech-dominated lives, I returned to one of my favorite books on the subject — Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet. As an author, Matt is known for his lifelong struggles with depression and anxiety. …

An idea from Remy Franklin.

The following is an excerpt taken from the first edition of our brand new print magazine. To get your hands on a copy, filled with original content from some of the world’s bestselling authors, follow this link and use the code ‘SUBSCRIBER10’ for 10% off.

The importance of confusion may seem clear in retrospect. But what do you do in the moment, when nothing is clear, and you feel lost, stuck, or miserable? How can you learn to enjoy this experience as a meaningful moment on the path to personal growth?

The key is to cultivate that curiosity and openness that makes confusing experiences, questions, and conversations interesting. This is a lifelong practice, but it starts with accepting confusion as valuable. …

An idea from Danny Forest.

The following is an article taken from the first edition of our brand new print magazine. To get your hands on a copy, filled with original content from some of the world’s bestselling authors, follow this link and use the code ‘SUBSCRIBER10’ for 10% off.

In many countries, they simply eat on the ground. I remember this shocking me at first. ‘They have a couch, surely they can afford a table with chairs,’ I thought. But I was ignorant. It wasn’t about money; it was about a culture of simplicity.

They didn’t need the table. Who invented the need for a table, anyway? We also saw people eat very simple things. Toronto, where I used to live, is very much a foodie city, not unlike New York, Los Angeles, and London, for example. The rest of the eastern world didn’t work that way. You eat rice for every meal. Maybe some noodles. Who cares about the plating and oversized portions? It was simple, and it was great. A few effective spices, portions just enough to satisfy your body, and a good dose of love — that was the recipe for success with those meals. …

An idea from Kim Duke.

The following is an excerpt taken from edition one of our print magazine. To see the full edition, check it out here and use our code ‘SUBSCRIBER10’ for 10% off.

When adversity crashes its way into your life, it doesn’t give you the luxury, courtesy, or kindness of a warning. One minute you’re thinking about what to cook for Sunday dinner or where you’d like to holiday this year. And then the next minute you’re hit by the tsunami of hardship which sweeps away in an instant everything that is normal.

The car crash, the diagnosis, the job loss, the words “I want a divorce” all cause you to gasp in shock and to immediately flounder and struggle. Life has forced you onto a dangerous journey and there aren’t any guarantees you will arrive safely. There’s really only one thing you can do. …