An ode to possibility, a card deck for a remarkable life
+ skills to survive a Zombie apocalypse, bottling up the goodness of the sea and more
If you’re new here, this is The Digest, a bimonthly selection of articles, podcasts, books or other that I have found compelling, clever or even entertaining. Enjoy!
Hey friend,
In this last stretch before the end of the year and the upcoming holidays, I have been avidly reading in my little spare time. There is a lot going on in the world — and a lot is worrying about the world. I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of searching for light (even IRL). It’s been dark and grey here in Geneva, as it always is at this time of the year (that’s why we go skiing, FYI).
I’m offering you my top selects from the last few weeks since I skipped The Digest the other week in favour of a Looking Forward post.
On my reading list, this week is a short history of the F word.
And on my gift list… Well, there’s a story I’d like to tell you first.
I am very fond of Debbie Millman, the highly respected podcaster and teacher, who I discovered through her first interview with Tim Ferriss, called ‘How to Design a Life’, which aired in 2017. My flight was touching down in Frankfurt in the very early hours of a cold winter morning when I started to listen to the two-hour-plus episode. I was in transit coming back from a month off work, the longest holiday I’ve allowed myself in my adult life. It wasn’t just for fun; it was a survival choice: I was fighting burnout. To do that, I literally went to the other side of the world — that day, I was coming back from a visit Down Under.
This touching conversation between the two podcast hosts (and the earlier interview on Millman’s own podcast) was transformative in many ways. Perhaps it is also one of the several remarkable interviews that moved me to give podcasting a go myself.
One idea, in particular, struck me, the one of the 10-year essay, an exercise Millman used to give her Masters students at the NYC School of Visual Arts. Here’s where that came from.
In 2005, Debbie took a class herself at the School of Visual Arts with the great Milton Glaser, who passed away not long ago. One of the exercises in his class was writing an essay exploring what life could look like five years into the future and taking into account everything you hoped it could be. Debbie dedicated herself to this assignment, and everything she wrote came true.
Magic? Perhaps. Or maybe clarity can help us move towards what we want to see happen in our lives.
I could tell this was an exercise for me. So I earmarked the time stamp of the interview, and I wrote my own dream-future essay after I got home later that day.
I found it so inspiring that I regularly use it as an exercise for my coaching clients. It’s one of several tools that I find helps us project into the future. I believe it helps us shape our lives, if only we dare to look at what we truly want for ourselves.
This winter, Ms Millman is offering us a gift — she has created a card deck called the Remarkable Life Deck, made up of exercises to help us go beyond our day-to-day, dreaming our way towards the realisation of our remarkable lives.
I’m five years into my 10-year projection, and there’s still a lot that I’m waiting to see happen. In any case, thanks to her - and that great conversation, I’m paving the metaphorical way for my own remarkable life.
You can discover the card deck here.
Listen to the clip from the Tim Ferriss interview and follow the prompt here.
Last April, I was delighted to be part of the TED crowd in Vancouver and surprised when we were prompted to sing along to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9’s Ode to Joy. Not your usual conference stuff.
I was right at the back of the theatre and gave it a proper go, being an ex-singer and all. The reason we were singing? We were being directed by English conductor and musical director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Benjamin Zander - and he was trying to prove a point.
If you’ve never heard of Zander, wait for it, and start by watching his earlier talk for TED. Then if you fall in love with him like a million others did (and me), try his wonderful book The Art of Possibility, co-written with his wife Rosamund Stone Zander (best experienced in audio because narrated by the couple and punctuated with music throughout).
Zander started us off by exploring the difference between "positive thinking" and "possibility" and yes, that’s what led us to the celebratory chorus of ‘an Die Freude’ in the original German.
TED just published the talk, it’s quite magical, funny, and could possibly leave a lasting mark on your soul, as it did on mine. You can watch it online or on the TED Talks Daily here.
Thanks as always for reading me, I so appreciate it. Don’t be a stranger; drop me a line and tell me what’s on your reading list (or gift list) this December.
Have a good one,
Quote
‘If you imagine less, less will be what you undoubtedly deserve. Do what you love, and don't stop until you get what you love. Work as hard as you can, imagine immensities, don't compromise, and don't waste time.’
Debbie Millman
Looking Around
Good news:
Yeah, we need some of that. Scientists have identified the hormone that causes morning sickness in pregnant women, and a cure is underway.
Did you know that Taylor Swift has inspired a Harvard course?
This recent NYT op-ed explores the systematic fracking of human beings for our attention and makes a case for attention education. I must say I agree. FYI, Mindfulness meditation is a form of attention education; read about it in Dr Amishi Jha’s book Peak Mind.
With hybrid work, our cities are no longer contained within the boundaries we think: discover the rise of the Meta city.
Looking Out
Skills to see you through a Zombie apocalypse. Yep, it has something to do with coaching. I’m grateful to have read this, courtesy of the Akimbo alumni network.
“Know who you are, now relax and meet people where they are.” That’s the advice from Carla Harris, a Wall Street veteran in conversation with Adam Grant. A fabulous, dynamic and inspiring woman. To pass on to young graduates everywhere. Listen here.
The high stakes of low quality, an opinion piece by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia.
Melinda Gates wants to change the face of venture capital. It's about time, too.
The evolution of the creator and influencer economy.
How can you tell who cares about their jobs or assignments? Not their displays of enthusiasm, as explained in this HBR article. Don’t assume introverts aren’t passionate.
Looking In
TikTok is all excited about silent walking. If you always have music, podcasts or people in your ears, read this to get a snapshot of the benefits of a silent walk.
‘Flâner’ is a very French word which isn’t easily translated but you can think of it as a leisurely walk. But Axios explores in this piece why ‘flâner’ aka a wandering around instead of walking with a goal in mind, may be beneficial for us. Hint? More happiness, less anxiety, and make you feel more connected to a greater purpose, studies suggest.
‘Allons donc flâner un peu.’
Lastly, and importantly, my good friend Bridgitte Dempsey Klein, a beauty entrepreneur and founder of the French natural skincare brand Yanne Wellness, speaks to me about innovative skincare, bottling up the goodness of the sea and connecting to her roots in my latest podcast interview on Out of the Clouds.
We cover her journey from the London School of Economics and an initial trajectory in international relations to retail instead, and then beauty PR and communication, landing her at Lancôme. Later, she recounts how, in a super pivot, she set up a bespoke fur business in Paris, inspired by her maternal grandmother.
Her French mother’s influence has also been a major factor, with Bridgitte naming Yanne Wellness after her. We spend plenty of time discussing the natural skincare brand, with Bridgitte also sharing the stories of the several key moments that culminated in the pitch for this new venture that combines innovative skincare with food supplement systems.
My favourite way that Bridgitte describes her mission? Bottling up the goodness of the sea to bring vitality and glowing skin to Yanne’s clientele.
This is a warm, inspiring and generous interview from an innovative entrepreneur. Visit the link in my bio for the episode. Happy listening!
