HUMANS OF TANZANIA
In another adventure off the beaten track, I met Mussa near a place called Bububu (go on, say it). I think it sounds like driving through pot holes. It’s a half hour drive from Stone Town in Zanzibar, Tanzania, through many, many pot holes. Mussa has a shop in town and I’d wandered in to look at the beautifully made batik dresses when next thing you know, I was signed up to learn the art of batik with the master himself.
Who is going to be replaced by AI?
A guide to which jobs are on their way out and which still require eye contact
52 things I know now that I’m 52
I wrote a listicle like this when I was 42. Ten years on I have learned some more…
This is a 12 minute read. Not one word of this article was generated by AI.
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.
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.
Cyberbullying: A story of revenge
Lucy Bloom discovers that cancel culture is sometimes just a cool word for cyberbullying and the outcomes can be surprisingly positive or devastatingly final, depending on your mental health.
Why Q and As are total fizzers
A very common format for events is keynote speaker followed by ‘Q and A with the audience’. I have not hosted Q and As after a conference speech of mine since 2018. Why? They kill the mood faster than a minute’s silence for the Queen.