Hi there, how's it going? It's the last Monthly Round-Up of 2018, and possibly my last Monthly Round-Up for awhile. This year, it's been fun to share articles and podcasts that have caught my eye/ear, but I'm thinking of changing things up in 2019 in a still-to-be-determined way. We are all changing, and what works for us in one season of life doesn't always work in the next. So stay tuned, and we'll see how this blog develops during 2019!

Today I'm sharing:

• An article about the benefits of journaling. If you're looking for a new habit to try out next year, consider starting a journal.
• A Science Vs podcast episode about online dating. Can science really help us find love?
  
• An article with observations and lessons learned from a 30th college reunion.

Article: What's All This About Journaling?
"Journaling may sound hokey to some. But it can be one of the most useful and cost-effective tools we have to forge a better, more emotionally and mentally healthy life."

Podcast: Online Dating: Can Science Find You Love?
"Paul's work has found that there's something about falling in love that the science just hasn’t been able to capture. For now, he says relationships are more like earthquakes than the weather, and that means we can’t really predict when they’re going to happen."

Article: What I Learned About Life At My 30th College Reunion
"Nearly all the alumni said they were embarrassed by their younger selves, particularly by how judgmental they used to be."

November brings on a season of being social (Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, office holiday parties, family gatherings, New Year's). Are you ready? Or maybe not?...

I'm posting this a little early in case it might help you out with all of the conversations you'll be having soon.

• An article about being a better conversationalist.
• How checking in with a friend can mean so much.
• An article about those in your life who are more introverted.

Article: 3 Tips To Have Better Conversations
"Be genuine. Be interested. And stop hogging the conversation."

Article: Just Check In
"It’s amazing what a few well-timed words delivered via text message can do to make you feel loved and supported."

Article: 13 'Rules' For Being Friends With An Introvert
"If you have to invite other people, at least give us a heads up. There’s hardly anything worse for introverts than being ambushed by a raucous crowd when they were expecting a quietly intimate chat."

It's mid-autumn, but it's hard to tell that weather-wise here in California. Here are a few items that have caught my eye while I've been waiting for some chilly weather and rainy days to move in.

• An article about the aging process.
• A short podcast (two minutes!) about what Harry Potter can teach us about knowing ourselves, our strengths, and what we need.
• An article on the importance of having a regular bedtime.
  

Article:
I Don't Feel Middle Age, Until I Do
"I’m not complaining. Really I’m not. I feel fortunate that I get to grow older, and I have to laugh as I watch myself and my peers morphing into our parents."

Podcast:
A Little Happier: A Lesson From Harry Potter About Knowing Who You Are
"It’s when Harry Potter accepts his own nature, and his own strengths, and works within them to meet his dragon."

Article:
Every Adult Should Have a Bedtime
"Not only is a regular bedtime just about the most enjoyable habit available to us living things, but it is extremely good for us."

How was August for you? Are you ready to head into the fall?

I've read some great articles this month. Here they are:

• An article on saying goodbye to online dating, and going back to the old-school way of meeting people in real life.
• Making friends as an adult can be challenging. This article takes a look at what science has to say about it!
• And for fun: A never-ending "to-do" list can be discouraging. How about writing a "Done!" list?
  

Article:
This Woman Quit Dating Apps and Decided to Meet Men IRL, and It Changed Everything
"The more comfortable I became talking to everyone, the more confidence I gained talking to men. I began living openly, boldly, and unapologetically."

Article:
How To Make Friends, According to Science
"A recent study out of the University of Kansas found that it takes about 50 hours of socializing to go from acquaintance to casual friend, an additional 40 hours to become a “real” friend, and a total of 200 hours to become a close friend."

Article:
The New, Supremely Satisfying Way I End My Day.
"What helps me to keep on keepin' on is to truly give myself credit for the things I get done each day—both personally and professionally. And to that end, I've developed an auspicious habit: I write a to-do list in reverse at the end of the day."

Hello, how was your July? Are you doing the things you wanted to do this summer?

Below are a couple of items that caught my attention this month:

• A TED Talk about the importance of caring for your emotional health.
• An article about we why should all read more!

 
TED Talk: Why we all need to practice emotional first aid by Guy Winch: “Why is it that our physical health is so much more important to us than our psychological health?” A talk about how emotional injuries stay with us unless we treat them as seriously as physical injuries.
 
Article: Why reading books should be your priority, according to science. Reading is good for your health: “...the practice of reading books creates cognitive engagement that improves lots of things including vocabulary, thinking skills, and concentration. It also can affect empathy, social perception, and emotional intelligence…” A great excuse to pick up a (fiction) book! (See the article for an argument to read more fiction.)

How was the month of June for you?

For this Round-Up, I have all podcasts for you:

• One on heartbreak.
  
• A podcast episode on bias.
  
• How to create a morning routine.

This American Life Episode #339: Heartbreak. “Partly today, we have an anatomy of the completely contradictory feelings that are part of a breakup. I think that’s what makes it such a special and particularly cursed state.”
 
Smartest Person in the Room Episode #29: When A Black Person Says It's About Race. “The divide between black and white America has never felt greater. Is reconciliation possible? In this series, we’re exploring how to cross the divide.”
 
The Lazy Genius Episode #58: The Lazy Genius Morning Routine. “How do we develop a morning routine? Maybe not quite what you expect. Have a listen, and create mornings that make you feel like yourself.”

It’s the end of May, the sun is shining here in California, and summer is not so far off.

In this Monthly Round-Up, I’ve listed a few items that have caught my attention this month:

• A podcast on making end-of-life decisions.
• An article on gratitude.
• A book about the words that matter in relationships.
  

Podcast:
In Terrible, Thanks for Asking Episode #11, end-of-life care and decisions are discussed. It’s not a light conversation for sure, but it gives us lots to think about. (Warning: this episode contains discussion about death, brain cancer, hospice, and the right-to-die law.)

Article:
This short and sweet article on gratitude is a great reminder to take stock of what we are thankful for today, in this moment.

Book:
In Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say, Kelly Corrigan writes essays about the words that nurture relationships. This is a memoir that is bittersweet, tender, funny, and warm.

Welcome to spring! Here are some resources that caught my eye this month. All are related to knowing yourself better.

In this post:

• A blog post about an easy way to start journaling.
• A podcast about setting goals based on the person you want to be.
  
• A book about personality types.
  

Blog Post:
Ever think about journaling as a way to be in touch with what you're learning, how you're growing, and what you're struggling with? In this article by Michael Hyatt, he provides a simple journal template with eight questions that can make the journaling process easier.

Podcast:
In podcast episode #45, the Lazy Genius talks all about setting goals based on the person that you want to become. It's a short episode (13 minutes) but it's packed with stuff to think about.

Book:
In her book, Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything, Anne Bogel gives us an overview of eight different personality frameworks. In a conversational, memoir-ish way, she explains how each of the frameworks help us know ourselves better. If you'd like to dip your toe into personality types, this is an easy way to figure out where you might want to start.

Happy March! This is a round-up of what has caught my eye (and ear) this past month.

• An article about the importance of having close friendships.
• A podcast about how to make a friend.
• A book about habit change.

 
Article:
In Nir Eyal’s article, Happiness Hack: This One Ritual Made Me Much Happier, he writes about how having good friends is crucial for your mental and physical health. Intentionally maintaining friendships keeps them alive. If friendships aren’t maintained, Eyal writes: “This is how friendships die- they starve to death.” His solution? A “kibbutz” style friendship.

Podcast:
Were you ever taught about how to make a friend? How do we learn this? The Lazy Genius Episode #13: The Lazy Genius Makes a Friend is a very short introduction on the basics of making a friend.

Book:
In Better Than Before, Gretchen Rubin writes about how we can develop healthy habits and eliminate the negative habits. She writes about the importance of knowing yourself and how you work, and how knowing this will help make or break these habits. She combines research and personal stories into a very readable, practical, and motivating book.

Happy February! Here are a few resources that have caught my eye (and ear) recently. Below you'll find:

• An article on how reading literature increases empathy.
  
• A podcast on introversion.
  
• An article on the dangers of smartphone addiction.
  

Article:
In How Reading Rewires Your Brain for More Intelligence and Empathy, Derek Beres writes that “Novel reading is a great way to practice being human.” He makes a great argument for reading more! Time to visit the library.
 
Podcast:
Introversion and extraversion can be commonly misunderstood. Take a listen to Personality Hacker Episode #82 in which the discussion is all about introverts and how they experience the world. This may help you know yourself better, or that introvert in your life better.
 
Article:
In Keep Your Head Up: How Smartphone Addiction Kills Manners and Moods, Adam Popescu draws attention to the psychological, social, and physical costs and dangers of looking at your smartphone too much.