What we’re Reading/Watching/Listening to this Month
Hi, guys! Jenn here. It’s already the second month of a new year and as an organization we wanted to share some of the things that have been inspiring us to think more deeply about our mental health, prioritizing our well-being, and ways we can build supportive community. We hope to publish these posts monthly, and would love to hear from you about what’s inspiring you lately so that we can add to our lists and share.
Reading
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
I found this book in 2019 when I was looking for a way to take a break from social media. Little did I know at the time, this book would educate me on the many benefits of building a different approach to how I engage with social media platforms on a personal level. Cal’s book teaches a thoughtful way of examining how we use technology and social media, why we use it and how we want to integrate it into our lives.
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
Our Boston 2018 alumna Kasey Maher leads us in a weekly yoga flow series on Instagram and each 20-minute session is based on a chapter of this book. Join us on Fridays as we learn about how we can transform our lives by identifying the self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy in our day-to-day lives, and instead use techniques to empower our thinking to build the fulfilling life we envision for ourselves.
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
From Katie: My primary care physician had been recommending this to me during the pandemic, so I finally picked it up towards the end of 2020. Released in 2005, the lessons in the book hit me harder in 2020 than I could have expected. Trust the process with this one. Whether you’re spiritual, religious, or nothing at all – it’s about finding your true self and being your true self. Get ready to hold yourself under a magnifying glass, and let Tolle’s lessons sink into the spaces in your life that feel a little off right now. Take your time, but consider this a must-read.
Watching
This documentary/drama hybrid explores the dangerous human impact of social networking, with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations. We recommend it to anyone who uses social media (pretty much all of us, in some capacity, right?) to truly understand what is happening behind the scenes.
Screenagers & Screenagers Next Chapter
These films have been on my to-watch list for awhile and I finally made the time to watch. As a mother of two pre-teens, I constantly worry about the effects screens are having on my kids, and now with the pandemic and their schools being 100% distance-learning, they’re spending more time than ever before on their devices. I learned positive, collaborative approaches to screentime balance through watching this film and highly recommend them. For $18 you can rent both films to watch on demand over a 4-week period.
Netflix series – Headspace: Guide to Meditation
Narrated by Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe, this 10-episode series takes a friendly, animated look at the benefits of meditation while offering techniques and guided meditations to jump-start your practice. It’s engaging and motivating, but I’d recommend NOT binging this series. Definitely take time to savor each episode and tap into the Headspace app in between episodes to practice what you learn from watching the show.
Listening
Your Undivided Attention – episode #26: Are the Kids Alright?
Your Undivided Attention is a powerful podcast that was created by the Center for Humane Technology, a 501c3 nonprofit co-founded by former Google Design Ethicist Tristan Harris. This episode explores the role social media plays in the teen mental health crisis and the need for higher standards in addressing the issue.
Last Day podcast by Lemonada Media
Co-founders Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer both lost their brothers to addiction. They came together to create a women-run podcast network that “shares the unfiltered version of the human experience.” Season 1 of Last Day chronicled the opioid crisis in our country, and the current season tackles the growing suicide rate, by telling real stories and speaking with experts to try to comprehend how we can turn things around. This is one podcast that will easily fuel long walks so grab your headphones and head out into nature.
Tell Them I’m Brave by Natalie Layne featuring Phoebe Scott
We can’t get enough of our new theme song, Tell Them I’m Brave. It was as if singer/songwriters Natalie and Phoebe jumped into our minds and soaked up all that makes This Is My Brave the community we are, and wove the experience of This Is My Brave into a song. Our most recent program, Stories from the Black Community features singer Annie C. Connally performing Tell Them I’m Brave, and you can snag your own download of the song by clicking here.
We’ll be back at the beginning of March with a new list of our favorite books, shows and listens. If you have a suggestion for us, please send it to us via our Contact Us page.
