The hottest Self-Improvement Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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You can do it

Disaffected Newsletter ā€¢ 1518 implied HN points ā€¢ 14 Jun 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Addiction Mental health Recovery Self-Improvement Personal Stories
  1. You have the power to choose to quit drinking and make positive changes in your life. It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as it's a choice that helps you.
  2. Stopping drinking can reveal a lot of painful truths about your life and choices, but facing those realities is necessary for growth. It's hard at first, but it can lead to a healthier perspective.
  3. Believe in your strength and ability to change. Don't underestimate yourself; your willpower is stronger than you think.

Inconsiderate Yogi

Situation Normal ā€¢ 112 implied HN points ā€¢ 27 Oct 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Lifestyle Mindfulness Yoga Self-Improvement Social Behavior
  1. It's important to have personal codes of respect in shared spaces, like returning shopping carts and being on time for yoga classes. Small actions can make a big difference in everyone's experience.
  2. Distractions can come from others, but often our own minds are the biggest distractions. The real challenge in yoga is to focus on being present and mindful despite these distractions.
  3. Wandering thoughts during practice can be seen as a normal part of the experience. Returning to focus is what truly matters in learning to be present.
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Finding My New Fitness Family

The Recovering Academic ā€¢ 554 implied HN points ā€¢ 02 Jan 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Fitness Mental health Physical health Wellness Self-Improvement
  1. Fitness culture has evolved over the years, moving away from toxic masculinity and dominance-oriented training to a more inclusive and positive approach.
  2. Exercise can be a way to compensate for emotional distress and voids, but it's important to shift towards a healthier mindset focused on overall well-being.
  3. The shift in workout environments, from segregated spaces to inclusive settings, reflects a desire for a more positive and supportive fitness community that values happiness and holistic wellness.

The uncomfortable yet productive kind of pain

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday ā€¢ 926 implied HN points ā€¢ 13 Feb 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Self-Improvement Mental health Physical health Personal Growth Well-being
  1. Many of life's greatest experiences involve initially overcoming discomfort and pain, leading to growth and transcendence.
  2. Recognize and reframe feelings of discomfort to gauge if something productive might be happening on the other side.
  3. Differentiate between productive, growth-inducing discomfort and unnecessary fear that may hold you back from personal development.

Increase the Odds of Getting Boosted by Submitting Your Stories to These 60 Medium Publications

Kristina God's Online Writing Club ā€¢ 739 implied HN points ā€¢ 13 Nov 23
šŸšŒ Education Writing Marketing Self-Improvement Publishing Content creation
  1. Submitting your stories to Medium's Boost-eligible publications can greatly increase your chances of getting noticed. It's like giving your work a better chance to shine.
  2. When a story gets Boosted, it can earn significantly more money and engagement than a non-Boosted story. Getting Boosted really can make a big difference.
  3. There are many active publications on Medium, so you just need to find the right fit for your writing. Once they see your amazing stories, you'll have a better shot at success.

Letting Now Jakob make decisions for Future Jakob

Play Permissionless ā€¢ 259 implied HN points ā€¢ 03 Apr 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Productivity Self-Improvement Mental health Well-being Decision-making
  1. Balancing structure and spontaneity is crucial for personal productivity and progress
  2. Making decisions in advance for future tasks can lead to more objective and effective choices
  3. Creating a clear separation between present decision-making and future actions can improve decision quality

Your weekly links and recs round-up #37

The Shift With Sam Baker ā€¢ 379 implied HN points ā€¢ 16 Feb 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Fashion Relationships Aging Friendship Self-Improvement
  1. The post is a weekly roundup featuring interesting articles on various topics like moving on from chapters in life, divorce stories, resilience, friendships, and interviews with experts.
  2. The content includes thought-provoking pieces on caregiving expectations, being an old friend, and insightful discussions on marriage, divorce, and aging.
  3. The subscribers get access to a curated collection of readings on diverse subjects, as well as exclusive content reserved for paid subscribers.

Change what you do, to change where you go.

Elevate ā€¢ 517 implied HN points ā€¢ 16 Dec 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Habits Growth mindset Self-Improvement Mindfulness Productivity
  1. Our lives are influenced by patterns and routines, some chosen consciously and others unknowingly. Changing habits can propel us forward or hold us back.
  2. To change where we go, we must change what we do. Setting clear goals, creating action plans, and building support networks are essential for effective change.
  3. Embrace failures as learning opportunities, cultivate a growth mindset, and regularly review and adjust your actions to transform obstacles into stepping stones for growth.

"Unbundling" experiences

Civic Renaissance with Alexandra Hudson ā€¢ 439 implied HN points ā€¢ 29 Jan 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Self-Improvement Society Psychology Ethics Personal Stories
  1. Our experiences and those of others may not always represent the whole picture, so it's important to avoid generalizations.
  2. Unbundling experiences can help us avoid negative assumptions about the world and others based on limited encounters.
  3. Choosing stories of exoneration over condemnation can empower us to see the dignity in others despite their mistakes.

The Stories We Tell: Myth, Memory, and the Self

Mind & Mythos ā€¢ 159 implied HN points ā€¢ 04 May 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Mythology Identity Psychology Narrative Self-Improvement
  1. The stories we tell about ourselves are important for understanding who we are. They help us make sense of our experiences and give our lives meaning.
  2. Everyone creates a personal narrative or myth that shapes their identity. This story involves past events, emotions, and lessons learned, influencing how we view ourselves and our future.
  3. Rewriting our personal story can improve our mental health. By changing how we interpret challenges and failures, we can craft a more positive narrative that enhances our sense of purpose.

The Truth About Courage

Play Permissionless ā€¢ 139 implied HN points ā€¢ 14 May 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Improvement Courage
  1. Internal barriers to courage often find support in the world around us, such as fear of damaging our ego or social status.
  2. Overcoming these barriers involves understanding and reframing the opinions of those who mock failure - their views may not align with our values or goals.
  3. Many fears lose their power when we make them specific, evaluate them objectively, and question the worst-case scenarios, revealing that the risks are often not as severe as perceived.

Want to Build Your Client Base? Get Started with These 3 Things First

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES ā€¢ 79 implied HN points ā€¢ 22 Jun 24
šŸ’¼ Business Entrepreneurship Marketing Client Relations Business strategy Self-Improvement
  1. Start with identifying a problem that needs solving. Focus on what others need instead of just your own ideas.
  2. Choose the right clients who align with your values and needs. This helps you work better and smarter with a specific group.
  3. Give before you ask for anything. Start by offering something for free to build trust and show what you can do.

Old Dog + New Tricks = Life Hack

Ladyparts ā€¢ 798 implied HN points ā€¢ 17 May 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Self-Improvement Mental health Personal Growth
  1. Society often pushes us to constantly achieve, but sometimes it's okay to do things just for the joy of doing them.
  2. Engaging in new activities, like improv classes or learning to play an instrument, can bring unexpected joy and purpose, even if you're not aiming to be a pro.
  3. Taking a chance on trying something new in times of despair can lead to life-changing experiences and discoveries.

The value of streaks

Mostly Python ā€¢ 838 implied HN points ā€¢ 04 Jan 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Fitness Mental health Physical health Self-Improvement Lifestyle
  1. Streaks are more flexible and achievable than New Year's resolutions, leading to significant benefits.
  2. Challenging yourself with streaks can result in both physical and mental growth, helping you push past limits.
  3. When pursuing streaks, choose attainable goals, embrace the journey, and reflect on the experience to avoid burnout.

You Think Freelancing Means Freedom? Think Again

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES ā€¢ 59 implied HN points ā€¢ 29 Jun 24
šŸ’¼ Business Freelancing Entrepreneurship Work-life balance Productivity Self-Improvement
  1. Freelancing can feel freeing, but it often leads to stressful situations, like juggling client work with personal life. It's important to recognize when to seek help or create a team you can trust.
  2. Transitioning from freelancing to entrepreneurship requires a clear understanding of your lifestyle goals and what success means to you. It's not just about making money, but building a fulfilling life.
  3. Personal growth and willingness to change are key to evolving your business. Being open to learning and shifting your role can help you create a more sustainable and enjoyable work environment.

Knowing, doing and 'staying on the bus'

The Half Marathoner ā€¢ 569 implied HN points ā€¢ 30 Mar 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Fitness Mental health Personal Growth Self-Improvement
  1. Having a clear plan and sticking to it can lead to successful outcomes, such as completing a marathon.
  2. The concept of 'staying on the bus' emphasizes the importance of patience and commitment to see long-term results.
  3. Immersion in the initial phases of learning or pursuing a goal can lead to unique and distinctive work in the future.

Joy or Perfection?

Seven Senses ā€¢ 479 implied HN points ā€¢ 11 Nov 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Improvement Mindfulness Emotional Wellbeing Personal Development
  1. Choosing joy over perfection can lead to a happier life. Perfectionism often steals our joy and makes us feel disconnected from others.
  2. It's okay to struggle and not be perfect at things. Embracing the learning process can bring more fulfillment than focusing solely on being the best.
  3. Our past experiences of feeling inadequate can affect us today. Accepting our imperfections allows us to find happiness and connection again.

New report: How altered states shape our minds

Monomythical ā€¢ 53 implied HN points ā€¢ 20 Nov 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Mental health Meditation Psychedelics Self-Improvement Research
  1. The jhanas are meditation practices that can create strong, blissful experiences similar to psychedelics. Many people who try them report significant changes in their lives and well-being.
  2. There is still limited research on the jhanas, which makes studying their effects challenging. Most researchers have not yet focused on these practices, making it harder to find participants for studies.
  3. A new report highlights the experiences of people who attended jhana retreats, providing valuable insights. It aims to spark more questions and research into how these meditation states influence our minds.

Repairing Ourselves.

The Future Does Not Fit In The Containers Of The Past ā€¢ 53 implied HN points ā€¢ 10 Nov 24
šŸŽ­ļø Culture Literature Arts Philosophy Aesthetics Self-Improvement
  1. Poetry helps us connect with our deepest feelings and can aid in personal healing. It shows us that we can rebuild ourselves through words and creativity.
  2. Water symbolizes life and healing, teaching us the importance of being adaptable and working harmoniously with our environment.
  3. Kintsugi is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, reminding us that our scars and flaws can be beautiful and part of our unique story.

What I wish someone would have told me about relationships.

Changing The Channel ā€¢ 498 implied HN points ā€¢ 10 Oct 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Relationships Personal Growth Self-Improvement
  1. People, including ourselves, are capable of change despite the belief that they cannot.
  2. The idea that people don't change can lead to prematurely ending relationships that have the potential to grow into something great.
  3. Believing in our capability for real change is vital, rather than subscribing to the notion that personal transformation is impossible.

From Intentions to Actions: Achieving Goals with Implementation Intentions

UX Psychology ā€¢ 297 implied HN points ā€¢ 05 Jan 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Psychology Goal setting Research Habits Self-Improvement
  1. Form implementation intentions to bridge the gap between intentions and actions by creating specific if-then plans linking cues to goal-directed behaviors.
  2. Research shows that forming if-then plans can significantly increase the likelihood of achieving goals in various areas such as health, consumer choices, and personal goals.
  3. To apply implementation intentions, choose specific goals, identify situational cues, specify goal-directed responses, form if-then plan statements, and commit to following through.

Exploite tes peurs

Venture Prose ā€¢ 658 implied HN points ā€¢ 05 Feb 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Improvement Entrepreneurship Personal Growth Emotional Intelligence
  1. Recognize and exploit your fears as a way to drive yourself to do better each day.
  2. Entrepreneurs should not shy away from acknowledging and utilizing their vulnerabilities as a source of motivation and growth.
  3. Seek feedback from others to identify recurring behaviors that may be limiting you, and work towards understanding and overcoming them to reach your full potential.

Compress your life, feel better

An Educated Guess ā€¢ 58 implied HN points ā€¢ 08 Nov 24
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Mental health Stress management Self-Improvement Productivity
  1. Being busy can make life feel overwhelming and less enjoyable. Many people feel they can't fit in fun or self-care because they're too occupied.
  2. Using a tech concept called compression can help manage daily tasks better. If tasks are repetitive or similar, your brain can handle them more easily, kind of like how a ZIP file works.
  3. Stress isn't just about how much work you have. It's also about how tasks are organized and whether they're predictable, which can make a big difference in how we experience our day.