Proof of Life: six lessons learned from sourdough baking
I chased a new squirrel this year: sourdough baking. It took me three months of baking a loaf a day to nail the perfect loaf. I was coached by a friend who took four years to get it right. A sourdough coach! True story.
What to do when you’re bored: 5 ways to gamify your brain
Boredom isn’t just an everyday drag, it’s a neurological signal. When your brain says, I’m bored, it’s signalling a mismatch between what it craves (novelty, challenge, meaning) and what it’s getting (doom scrolling, waiting in the school pickup line, boarding a plane, another Zoom meeting that could have been a poke in the eye).
What’s the worst thing that could happen? Don’t let fear trick you into a boring life
If you catch yourself asking that question – what’s the worst thing that could happen? – you’re doing exactly what the brain is designed to do: ‘suss the sitch’ to make sure you will survive. But in the modern context and by some irritating glitch of the brain, perhaps an obsession with avoiding discomfort, humans like to focus on the worst-case scenario much more than they ever should, leading to safe, comfortable BORING lives and a lot of worry about things that will never ever happen. Stuff that! When you have only one wild precious life to live, an appetite for risk is your gateway to greatness.
Kindness: a selfish pursuit, a boomerang of joy
We’re often told to put our own oxygen mask on first, and yes, self-care matters. But studies increasingly show that helping others can be a more effective form of emotional and physical nourishment. Altruism lowers depression risk, boosts life satisfaction, and fosters stronger social bonds.
From Doom Scroll to Bloom Scroll
A couple of months ago, I created a new Instagram account. A fresh start. Then I followed only one type of account: ART. Something cool happened.
The 7 signs of ageing
This headline doesn’t sound like me at all. She’s been hacked! The ‘seven signs of ageing’ have been a marketing ploy my whole life. Normal skin characteristics like ‘visible pores’ have become features that big brands like Olay and Nivea have turned into a problem.
Protest fashion: how the humble T shirt became an agent of change
Women have been using fashion to protest oppression since the suffragettes owned the colour purple, but it was the good ol’ fashioned T-shirt and screenprinting technology that delivered a relatively cheap billboard for rage, writes Lucy Bloom.
Everything I know about obstetric fistula
Once upon a time, I was the founding CEO of a multi-million dollar Australian charity which funded a network of hospitals and a midwifery school in Ethiopia.
No creative flow? Have longer showers
Humans are unique mammals for our creativity and knack for storytelling. However, we also overthink and ruminate which is a significant weakness of the species, crippling for many. Overcome the story you tell yourself, allow for an environment that is juicy for ideas and you too can be truly creative.
Not quite a punch in the face, but close
I was 49.5 years old when I was first introduced to the social phenomenon referred to as ‘lateral violence’. I was at the beginning of a three-month online bullying campaign against me executed by women, all between the ages of 17 and 28. They were young enough to be my kiddies, some of them out to destroy me like their next Saphora voucher depended on it.