The hottest Personal Growth Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

Suzy Weiss: Admit It, Being an Adult Is Hard

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1112 implied HN points • 28 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Many young adults feel unprepared for real life and common tasks, like cooking or handling finances. It's normal to struggle with adult responsibilities.
  2. Workshops and classes focusing on adult skills, like listening and managing relationships, are becoming popular. They help people learn what they missed out on in school.
  3. People today are facing unique challenges, like fewer kids and financial stress. Sharing experiences in community settings can provide support during tough transitions.

how to be cool

Mind Mine • 1906 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Coolness comes from being true to yourself and embracing your uniqueness.
  2. Coolness stems from self-acceptance and breaking through internal barriers.
  3. The path to coolness involves developing your individuality, taste, and self-expression.

The Moment I Knew I Had ADHD

The Reclamation Era • 79 implied HN points • 08 Aug 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. The author experiences moments of panic and shame related to forgetting important tasks or details. This reflects a struggle many face when managing responsibilities.
  2. ADHD is a constant presence in the author's life, often affecting daily organization and memory. It highlights the challenges people with ADHD encounter regularly.
  3. The author's messy closet symbolizes the chaos in their mind and life, representing feelings of failure and frustration. It shows how external clutter can mirror internal struggles.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Could You Live Without a Computer? I Can.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1140 implied HN points • 12 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Living without a computer can lead to more free time and less distraction. It feels good to focus on real life instead of being pulled into the digital world.
  2. Using technology in moderation can be really tough because devices are made to grab your attention all the time. It's better to find ways to minimize your tech use completely.
  3. Switching to a less advanced phone helped improve one's life, but it’s still a challenge to resist using computers, especially when trying to write or stay productive.

Tfw no gf

Egg Report • 1749 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Personal Growth
  1. The importance of self-acceptance and embracing one's unique identity
  2. The struggle with societal norms and expectations, especially around relationships and success
  3. The internal conflict between personal desires and external pressures

on being selective

Mind Mine • 1690 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. Focus becomes harder as you become more selective with your life choices.
  2. Being alone is important for reflection and maintaining inner alignment.
  3. Check in with yourself regularly to ensure you are living intentionally and in alignment with your values.

Bad first experiences

Kenny’s Sub • 139 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
💼 Business Personal Growth
  1. Many people's first attempts at something new often go poorly, and that’s a common experience. Expecting failure can help you handle it better.
  2. Most businesses face a high chance of not succeeding, especially in their early years, so it's important to stay realistic about challenges.
  3. After a bad experience, it’s crucial to not give up on your dreams. Keep trying new things, as you might discover you enjoy or succeed at them later.

serenity

Poems, Short stories and other things.. • 58 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. Sometimes not asking the question or opening a door is a deliberate act of self-care, not avoidance.
  2. You can change your priorities to protect your sanity, and stepping back doesn't mean you've given up.
  3. Let moments move through you without letting them take pieces of who you are, keeping your sense of self intact.

#196: What else is there?

Maybe Baby • 2845 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Cleaning can be a way to cope with feelings of anger and frustration. Taking action, like organizing your space, can help you feel more in control.
  2. Being part of a community can help reduce feelings of isolation. Simple interactions, like greeting neighbors or attending local events, can bring joy and connection.
  3. Leaving your comfort zone is important for personal growth. Taking small steps to engage with the world outside can lead to better mental health and a sense of belonging.

Wiggly Consistency

Seven Senses • 879 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Building consistency in your daily habits can lead to positive changes in your life. Small, regular actions can help you feel more secure and grounded.
  2. Starting small with new habits is often better than going all in right away. Even two minutes of a new practice can help you develop a routine without feeling overwhelmed.
  3. Flexibility in your routines is important. Consistency shouldn't feel like a strict schedule; it should allow for moments when you can stray away without feeling like you've failed.

The Surprising Pleasures of Widowhood

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1057 implied HN points • 08 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Losing a partner can bring intense feelings, but it can also lead to unexpected happiness and personal growth. Many find that life after loss can be richer than they anticipated.
  2. Being in a support group for caregivers is helpful, as it offers a safe space to share experiences and emotions with others who understand.
  3. Cherishing the good memories and communicating love at the end can bring peace during difficult times and contribute to healing afterward.

New Year housekeeping and mental bric-a-brac

Disaffected Newsletter • 1019 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Personal Growth
  1. Communication is key when you're having issues. If you don't tell someone exactly what the problem is, they might not be able to help you.
  2. Things can go wrong with automated systems, like emails ending up in spam folders. Always check there if you’re not getting messages.
  3. Personal growth can happen when you re-evaluate your past and beliefs. Sometimes, realizing things weren't what you thought can lead to big changes in how you see the world.

Don't be an asshole

Tech Ramblings • 39 implied HN points • 25 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Personal Growth
  1. Being a good software engineer is not just about coding. It's also important to have writing and social skills.
  2. Most project failures happen due to human issues, not technical ones. Understanding people and reducing conflicts is key to project success.
  3. Having empathy, showing respect, and evaluating ideas fairly are important for teamwork. Treat others well and focus on solving business problems.

These Grapes Are Sour

The Reclamation Era • 179 implied HN points • 24 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. It's okay to feel sad about what we couldn't achieve. Being honest about our feelings can be tough but it's a part of healing.
  2. Sometimes we convince ourselves that what we didn't get wasn't really valuable. Acknowledging our true desires is important.
  3. Vulnerability can be a strength. Sharing our struggles may help us connect with others and find support.

How to be more earnestly curious

Adaobi’s Newsletter • 17 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Earnest curiosity is a quiet, warm way of listening that makes people feel known and interesting.
  2. It naturally includes people and disarms defensiveness by assuming best intent, which makes honest conversation possible.
  3. You can practice it with simple habits—ask how people spend their time, follow and recount conversational threads, keep eye contact, notice outsiders, and follow up on incomplete answers.

Homing tendencies

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 1837 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Personal Growth
  1. Moving homes can trigger deep-rooted anxieties, stemming from disrupting the safe sanctuary one has spent years creating.
  2. The concept of 'home' is a complex mix of physical shelter, emotional security, and a place where one can always return to, and the fear of losing it can be deeply ingrained from childhood.
  3. Transitioning between homes can bring about self-reflection, exploration of uncertainties, and a mix of emotions, but it also offers opportunities for growth and new beginnings.

A Sadness That Holds Hope For Joy

The Recovering Academic • 1108 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. The author's experience in academia made him doubt his profession and himself, leading to a significant shift in his life.
  2. The transition out of academia was filled with sadness and nostalgia, but also led to new beginnings and hope for the future.
  3. The recovery process involved accepting personal truths, finding support in others with similar experiences, and rediscovering joy after difficult times.

Humanity Must Awaken From The Dream Of Separation

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2239 implied HN points • 28 Dec 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Personal Growth
  1. Many people think they are separate from others and the world, which causes a lot of suffering. We feel this even though our true nature isn't separate; it's just a belief we hold.
  2. We create problems as a society because we compete instead of collaborate. This competition leads to issues like poverty and war.
  3. If humanity can realize that we are not separate, we can work together and solve many of our biggest challenges. This realization has the potential to change everything for the better.

2025 in Books

Investing 101 • 110 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
📚 Literature Personal Growth
  1. Keep an antilibrary mindset: unread books are a research tool that remind you how much there is to learn, and embracing that humility fuels ongoing reading and writing.
  2. Modern capitalism is distorted by short-term, shareholder-first incentives that can wreck institutions. New technologies like AI risk being amplified by speculative short-termism.
  3. Reading widely—especially science fiction and reflective philosophy—helps you explore big questions about individuality, collective consciousness, and faith. Making reading a habit also models curiosity for your children.

Sons of Borderline mothers

Disaffected Newsletter • 1258 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Many men who grew up with borderline mothers experience emotional struggles and trauma. Their pain is often misunderstood because society doesn't talk about these issues much.
  2. Growing up in a chaotic or unsafe environment can lead to deep-seated feelings of inadequacy and anger in adulthood. Men may feel stuck or frustrated when they see others succeed in family life.
  3. It's common for men from these backgrounds to feel alone and not understood. Sharing these experiences can help break the silence and offer support to those who relate.

Experiences Quitting Twitter

Something to Consider • 99 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Quitting Twitter can be easier than you think. After a short period of craving, you might find more freedom and productivity.
  2. Removing social media entirely might be more effective than just cutting back. It's like going on a strict diet; all or nothing might work better for habits you want to change.
  3. After cutting out Twitter, you might feel an initial sense of anxiety but it can quickly turn into a sense of relief and focus, helping you pursue more meaningful activities.

The Recovering Academic in 2023

The Recovering Academic • 970 implied HN points • 29 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. The author shares their journey of leaving academia and dealing with grief, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and community in the recovery process.
  2. The plan for 2024 includes more thought pieces on higher education, collaboration to build community, original memoir and poetry sharing, and interviews to explore interesting life stories.
  3. Despite challenges, the author looks forward with anticipation, focusing on personal growth, gardening, and embracing individuality in their writing journey.

Home, Seek Home

Seven Senses • 979 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Home can mean many things, like where we were born, grew up, or where we currently live. It can feel confusing and different for everyone.
  2. Finding home is often more about the connections we build with people and the experiences we share than a physical address.
  3. The search for home may never fully end, and it's a natural feeling for many. It's about creating a sense of belonging wherever we go.

Be It Resolved!

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2156 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Make time to appreciate the beautiful things around you every day. It can really lift your spirits and change your perspective.
  2. Focus on writing more deeply and ambitiously. Challenge yourself to explore new forms of writing you haven't tried before.
  3. Invest in your friendships by regularly reaching out and making plans. Being a good friend can bring joy to both you and those you care about.

on self-trust

Mind Mine • 1493 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. Self-trust helps you understand yourself better through a cyclical relationship of knowing and trusting.
  2. Outsourcing decisions can lead to resentment and a loss of self-confidence in decision-making.
  3. Make decisions based on your own inner knowing and trust, as only you truly understand yourself.

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

Inland Nobody • 160 implied HN points • 27 Nov 25
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. Moving to a new city can lead to exciting and unexpected experiences, like finding love almost immediately.
  2. Having a good year can boost your mood and motivation, making you feel like things are going your way.
  3. It's important to take your time with creative projects to ensure they are the best they can be before sharing them with others.

S.A.C.R.E.D. Mindset

Blackbird Spyplane • 1658 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Growth
  1. The S.A.C.R.E.D. Mindset encourages saving annoying creatures and respecting earthly divinity.
  2. Taking a moment to save an annoying creature feels much better than killing it.
  3. Practicing the S.A.C.R.E.D. Mindset involves making small gestures to show kindness towards all creatures.

the paris diaries

Mind Mine • 1434 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Growth
  1. The author explores the concept of feeling like a foreigner in one's own home but finding a sense of belonging in other places.
  2. Observations on the enjoyment and slower pace of life in Paris compared to North America, appreciating the French culture of savoring moments.
  3. Reflections on the idea of choosing one's own path in life and the importance of embodiment and physical connection in personal growth.