🌸 Spring '24
A round-up of recommendations from Spring 2024
Hey friend,
Hope you’ve been enjoying the first couple weeks of summer 🌞. As is tradition, below you’ll find a round-up of resource recommendations from the past few months. This list reflects the books, essays, podcasts, shows, videos, and experiences that had a positive impact on me and others subscribed to The Pause over the past three months (thank you if you shared a rec with me ❤️).
Explore what looks interesting and if you happen to read, watch, or listen to something that positively affects you these next few months please don’t shy away from sharing.
Love today and every day,
~ L
P.S. A reminder about formatting…
Each recommendation will have a brief description and link to access it.
If a recommendation has a “*” next to it, it means it has been recommended before or was recommended twice this time around.
P.P.S. You can revisit the past year’s recommendations below:
🎧 Listening Recommendations
Podcasts
Dr. Daniel Amen: 3 Steps to Stop Your Brain’s Guilt Cycle & How to Re-Parent Yourself to Build Mental Strength | On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I loved this podcast with Dr. Daniel Amen talking through how to parent kids (and ourselves) to become mentally strong. Dr. Amen runs Amen Clinics and has created the largest database of brain scans in the world—he shares his findings from thousands of kids’ brain scans in the episode. A fascinating listen for anyone (and a book to go along if you like what you hear).
Why Trying Too Hard Can Backfire On You | Hidden Brain
You know when you hear a podcast episode that just hits at the right time? This one felt like that for me. A much-needed reminder on how to prevent overthinking and how to cultivate the (sometimes under-appreciated) skill of letting go.
Amanda’s Diagnosis & What’s Next (Pt. 1) | We Can Do Hard Things
This was the kick-off on a larger series surrounding one of the We Can Do Hard Things hosts’ breast cancer diagnosis. I learned so much in these episodes about breast cancer, including stuff on mammograms (like how if you have a certain type of breast tissue a mammogram will not detect cancer and you need a MRI). Highly recommend if you’re close to or in the age-range of needing a mammogram and want to be more educated about what to expect. Also see: Part 2, Amanda Returns Post Surgery: Here’s What She Wants You to Know, Part 2, and Early Detection, Mammograms & Breast Cancer Care with Dr. Rachel Brem.
Music
Not Like Us | Kendrick Lamar
This track, on repeat. Kendrick is arguably my favorite rapper of all time, and he’s on his A-game on this track. I thoroughly enjoyed that week-and-a-half of rap him and Drake gave us, but this track took the cake (also, the reaction videos have continued to be a delight). Listen if you want to get pumped up.
📖 Reading Recommendations
Books
Raising Mentally Strong Kids: How to Combine the Power of Neuroscience with Love and Logic to Grow Confident, Kind, Responsible, and Resilient Children and Young Adults | Daniel G. Amen, MD & Charles Fay, PhD
https://danielamenmd.com/raising-mentally-strong-kids/
This book was a breath of fresh air. I loved the mix of neuroscience and practical psychology surrounding parenting. Dr. Amen and Dr. Fay used brain scans, their own experiences as child psychologists, and neuroscience to back their suggestions for parenting up, and it all just kind of made sense. At the end of the book there’s an extremely helpful list of the suggestions they make for parenting for quick reference. A really resourceful and insightful read.
Essays
Willie Mays, Baseball’s Electrifying Player of Power and Grace, Is Dead at 93 | The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/sports/willie-mays-dead.html
This was a beautiful piece on Willie Mays and his impact on the game of baseball. He’s an important man in the history of the game and in SF Giants baseball, and as a lifetime Giants fan, I was grateful to see him get recognized for so much of the magic he brought to the game and life.
📺 Viewing Recommendations
YouTube
Ludacris | Hot Ones
I love Hot Ones interviews, and this one with Luda is my favorite in recent history. I especially loved his positive attitude and reaction to Da Bomb. Great if you want something light and entertaining to enjoy.
Step by Step tutorial for Naturally Wavy Curly Hair | Wavy Curly Ali
Ok, kind of weird recommendation, I know! But as someone who has always had wavy hair that I couldn’t figure out how to style (hey-o for gel-scrunching to crispness in the late 90’s/early aughts), this video taught me SO MUCH. It’s less than 10-minutes and almost all technique/how-to. An awesome watch if you want to learn how to lean into your wave.
Streaming
Girls5eva | Netflix
HilARIOUS. If I could have watched five more seasons of this, I would have. It’s executive produced by Tina Fey so has very quick 30 Rock/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt type humor, except it focuses on a one-hit wonder ‘90s girl group attempting to make a comeback in modern day while navigating the ups and downs of middle-age. Quick 30-minute episodes. If you grew up in the boy band/girl group era, this is for you.
Hacks | HBO Max
A DELIGHT. The writing on this show is exceptional. Premise is an aging Las Vegas comedian is forced to team up with a TV writer (who got canceled from the show she was working on for an unwoke tweet) to try and save her career/show on The Strip. Witty. Kinda-raunchy. A comedy with depth and substance. Truly enjoyed every minute.
✨ Experience Recommendations
Substacks
Letters From Love with Elizabeth Gilbert | Liz Gilbert*
Lastly, I’m recommending this Substack again because I really think it’s that good. The comment section on each week’s love letter is one of my favorite corners of the internet to cozy up in. I love getting lost in the love, and I love seeing kind people trying to move through life supporting other kind people trying to move through life. A+ for enjoyment and proof of the good in people.