A newsletter by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
\n\n
\nWe don’t realize how much time we spend writing every day: we text our friends and families, we leave comments on social media, we send emails, we create documentation, presentations, and more.
\nWell, good news: writing is actually good for you. Let’s explore the science-based benefits of writing and how you can make the most of this amazing tool only humans have been found to use.
\nRegularly writing about your ambitions could be the key to a happier, healthier you. In a fascinating study, researchers compared the impact of writing about past traumas to writing about one’s “best possible future self.”
\nWhile both approaches yielded similar positive outcomes, there was a crucial difference. Participants found that exploring their aspirations for just 20 minutes a day significantly improved their well-being while being less upsetting than writing about their past traumas. This shows that turning inwards doesn’t always mean you need to look at the past.
\nAnd writing about your ambitions doesn’t have to be private either. According to Dr Alice Flaherty, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, online writing may trigger the release of dopamine, similar to other dopamine stimulants such as listening to music and looking at art.
\nBy writing online, you may have some of the same therapeutic effects you would get from writing privately, with the added benefit of accountability. That’s a pretty good deal for an activity that’s completely free.
\nIf you’re going through a difficult experience, writing can help you cope better. A study that followed recently fired engineers found that the ones who consistently engaged with expressive writing were able to find a new job faster.
\n“The engineers who wrote down their thoughts and feelings about losing their jobs reported feeling less anger and hostility toward their former employer. They also reported drinking less. Eight months later, less than 19% of the engineers in the control groups were reemployed full-time, compared with more than 52% of the engineers in the expressive writing group,” explains Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist at Wharton University.
\nBy expressing our thoughts and emotions on paper, we can process difficult experiences more effectively, reduce negative feelings, and even improve our practical outcomes. Whether you’re facing job loss, personal setbacks, or any other hardship, taking the time to write about your experience could help you bounce back faster and stronger.
\nPracticing gratitude can enhance your empathy, increase your self-esteem, help you sleep better, improve your overall psychological health, and more. And writing is a great tool to practice gratitude.
\nAccording to research, people who take the time to reflect on the good things in their life once a week by writing them down are more positive and motivated about their current situation and their future. We naturally tend to dwell on things that go wrong or not as well as we expected, so it’s a great exercise to reflect on the things you’re grateful for by writing them down.
\nAdded bonus if you also take the time to thank the people who supported you so they know you’re grateful for their help. Not only will you unlock the inherent benefits of practicing gratitude, but you’ll get to connect with others at a deeper level—another good practice for your mental health.
\nIt may sound obvious, but writing regularly has been shown to help people communicate complex ideas more clearly. You know how sometimes you want to explain something and feel like it sounded better in your head? Writing is a great way to flex to practice translating what can feel like confusing thoughts into words other people can make sense of.
\nThe act of writing forces you to organize your thoughts and break down complex ideas into simpler, more digestible parts. This process not only helps others understand your ideas better but also deepens your own comprehension of the subject matter.
\nThis has benefits both in terms of emotional intelligence—expressing how you feel—and in what are considered hard sciences such as mathematics, where complex concepts often need to be explained clearly.
\nThe takeaway here is that writing is not just a means of recording information, but a powerful tool for clarifying and refining your thoughts. By regularly engaging in writing, whether it’s explaining a scientific concept, detailing a work process, or even articulating your feelings, you’re essentially training your brain to communicate more effectively.
\nThis improved communication skill extends beyond writing itself, enhancing your ability to express ideas clearly in verbal interactions as well. So, the next time you’re grappling with a complex idea or struggling to explain something, try writing it out.
\nYou might even progressively build a writing habit—a great foundation to a version of you that’s happier, healthier, more resilient, more grateful, and a better communicator… What’s not to like about writing?
\n\n 🛠️ TOOL OF THE WEEK\nVenturekit is an AI-based strategic partner that helps founders explore potential paths forward and make better decisions. In this interview with founder Dawson Whitfield, we talked about how AI can help navigate uncertainty, leveraging data for strategic planning, finding business insights using technology, how data can empower entrepreneurs, and much more. \n
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• Sukha helps you find your focus and finish your work faster. Join thousands of productivity-minded people who overcome procrastination, overwhelm and distraction with the #1 coworking website with focus music. Transform your life and reduce your stress in just one hour. 14 day free trial, no credit card required. 20% discount with code NESSLABS in August.
\n• Nervous System Mastery is a five week bootcamp that will equip you with evidence-backed protocols to cultivate greater calm and agency over your internal state. Learn to rewire maladaptive stress responses & improve the quality of your sleep. Enrollment closes September 27 (use code NESSLABS for $250 discount).
\n• The Daily Upside is a free investing newsletter created by Wall Street insiders and bankers that delivers actionable insights. And the best part? It’s completely free. Join 1M+ readers and subscribe today.
\nMany thanks to our sponsors for supporting the newsletter. Want to feature your product here? Email joe@nesslabs.com 💌
\nIf you enjoy the newsletter, you'll love our community of curious minds who grow together through interactive workshops and safe discussion spaces. Here is preview of what’s happening this week:
• Overcome self-doubt and impostor syndrome. Join Gosia Fricze for a one-hour interactive self-reflection session on Monday, Aug 26 where you will answer questions in writing to explore your fears.
• Improve your productivity and creativity. Take one of our self-paced courses to help you make the most of your mind, with exclusive worksheets and exercises, all from the comfort of our online community.
• Join a coworking session. Tackle your to-do list while connecting with fellow community members. Fellow community members are hosting sessions on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays covering all timezones.
• Conduct a weekly review. Reflect on your progress for the week and plan your next projects with Ben Covington during our weekly community review & planning.
• Get inspired by others. Consult our growing collection of case studies from fellow curious minds who have conducted successful experiments in their personal and professional lives.
All of these and future events are included in the price of the annual membership ($49), as well as access to the recordings of all our previous sessions and past cohort-based courses.
\n\nHave a friend who wants to make the most of their mind? Send them the newsletter using your unique referral link below and unlock Reflective Minds, a database of good questions from great thinkers and creators.
\n\nTake care!
Anne-Laure.
P.S. I will be in LA in October, join me at the Second Brain Summit!
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Edition #237 – August 22nd, 2024 Hello friends, My PhD dissertation is due on August 30th. The final copyedits for my book are due – you guessed it – also on August 30th. Sometimes life is funny like that. I don’t think I’ve ever written this much in my entire life. When I close my eyes at night, I see a blinking cursor jumping around words underlined with squiggly red lines, typos appearing faster than I can fix them, like a writer’s version of a whack-a-mole game. This is a bit meta, but I’m currently using all of my mindful productivity tools so I can hit those deadlines without sacrificing my mental health. Fortunately, writing has many benefits, and when I’m a bit frustrated by an awkward sentence or recalcitrant paragraph, I remind myself that I’m giving my mind a really good workout. This week, you’ll learn about all the ways writing is good for you, so you too can appreciate it more. Lastly, if you’ve emailed me and I haven’t replied, now you know why! I always do my best to eventually reply to everyone who reads the newsletter, so I’ll come back to you in September. Thank you, and enjoy the read! Anne-Laure.
Why Writing is Good for YouWe don’t realize how much time we spend writing every day: we text our friends and families, we leave comments on social media, we send emails, we create documentation, presentations, and more. Well, good news: writing is actually good for you. Let’s explore the science-based benefits of writing and how you can make the most of this amazing tool only humans have been found to use. 1. Writing makes you happier and healthierRegularly writing about your ambitions could be the key to a happier, healthier you. In a fascinating study, researchers compared the impact of writing about past traumas to writing about one’s “best possible future self.” While both approaches yielded similar positive outcomes, there was a crucial difference. Participants found that exploring their aspirations for just 20 minutes a day significantly improved their well-being while being less upsetting than writing about their past traumas. This shows that turning inwards doesn’t always mean you need to look at the past. And writing about your ambitions doesn’t have to be private either. According to Dr Alice Flaherty, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, online writing may trigger the release of dopamine, similar to other dopamine stimulants such as listening to music and looking at art. By writing online, you may have some of the same therapeutic effects you would get from writing privately, with the added benefit of accountability. That’s a pretty good deal for an activity that’s completely free. 2. Writing makes you more resilientIf you’re going through a difficult experience, writing can help you cope better. A study that followed recently fired engineers found that the ones who consistently engaged with expressive writing were able to find a new job faster. “The engineers who wrote down their thoughts and feelings about losing their jobs reported feeling less anger and hostility toward their former employer. They also reported drinking less. Eight months later, less than 19% of the engineers in the control groups were reemployed full-time, compared with more than 52% of the engineers in the expressive writing group,” explains Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist at Wharton University. By expressing our thoughts and emotions on paper, we can process difficult experiences more effectively, reduce negative feelings, and even improve our practical outcomes. Whether you’re facing job loss, personal setbacks, or any other hardship, taking the time to write about your experience could help you bounce back faster and stronger. 3. Writing increases your gratitudePracticing gratitude can enhance your empathy, increase your self-esteem, help you sleep better, improve your overall psychological health, and more. And writing is a great tool to practice gratitude. According to research, people who take the time to reflect on the good things in their life once a week by writing them down are more positive and motivated about their current situation and their future. We naturally tend to dwell on things that go wrong or not as well as we expected, so it’s a great exercise to reflect on the things you’re grateful for by writing them down. Added bonus if you also take the time to thank the people who supported you so they know you’re grateful for their help. Not only will you unlock the inherent benefits of practicing gratitude, but you’ll get to connect with others at a deeper level—another good practice for your mental health. 4. Writing helps you communicate clearlyIt may sound obvious, but writing regularly has been shown to help people communicate complex ideas more clearly. You know how sometimes you want to explain something and feel like it sounded better in your head? Writing is a great way to flex to practice translating what can feel like confusing thoughts into words other people can make sense of. The act of writing forces you to organize your thoughts and break down complex ideas into simpler, more digestible parts. This process not only helps others understand your ideas better but also deepens your own comprehension of the subject matter. This has benefits both in terms of emotional intelligence—expressing how you feel—and in what are considered hard sciences such as mathematics, where complex concepts often need to be explained clearly. The takeaway here is that writing is not just a means of recording information, but a powerful tool for clarifying and refining your thoughts. By regularly engaging in writing, whether it’s explaining a scientific concept, detailing a work process, or even articulating your feelings, you’re essentially training your brain to communicate more effectively. This improved communication skill extends beyond writing itself, enhancing your ability to express ideas clearly in verbal interactions as well. So, the next time you’re grappling with a complex idea or struggling to explain something, try writing it out. You might even progressively build a writing habit—a great foundation to a version of you that’s happier, healthier, more resilient, more grateful, and a better communicator… What’s not to like about writing? ⚡ Brain Picks• Sukha helps you find your focus and finish your work faster. Join thousands of productivity-minded people who overcome procrastination, overwhelm and distraction with the #1 coworking website with focus music. Transform your life and reduce your stress in just one hour. 14 day free trial, no credit card required. 20% discount with code NESSLABS in August. • Nervous System Mastery is a five week bootcamp that will equip you with evidence-backed protocols to cultivate greater calm and agency over your internal state. Learn to rewire maladaptive stress responses & improve the quality of your sleep. Enrollment closes September 27 (use code NESSLABS for $250 discount). • The Daily Upside is a free investing newsletter created by Wall Street insiders and bankers that delivers actionable insights. And the best part? It’s completely free. Join 1M+ readers and subscribe today. Many thanks to our sponsors for supporting the newsletter. Want to feature your product here? Email joe@nesslabs.com 💌 🤝 Brain TrustIf you enjoy the newsletter, you'll love our community of curious minds who grow together through interactive workshops and safe discussion spaces. Here is preview of what’s happening this week: All of these and future events are included in the price of the annual membership ($49), as well as access to the recordings of all our previous sessions and past cohort-based courses. 🌊 Brain WavesHave a friend who wants to make the most of their mind? Send them the newsletter using your unique referral link below and unlock Reflective Minds, a database of good questions from great thinkers and creators. Take care! P.S. I will be in LA in October, join me at the Second Brain Summit! |
A weekly newsletter with science-based insights on creativity, mindful productivity, better thinking and lifelong learning.
February 27th, 2025A newsletter by Anne-Laure Le Cunff READ ON THE WEB Hello friends, Earlier this week, I was on a meeting with my publisher when I received the finished copies of Tiny Experiments. I thought it’d be fun to open the package while on the call… and I ended up crying in front of the entire team. There’s truly something special about holding in your hands the fruit of several years of work. The doubts, the questions, the research, the writing and rewriting… All of a sudden, this...
February 21st, 2025A newsletter by Anne-Laure Le Cunff READ ON THE WEB Hello friends, Two weeks left until the book launch! Tickets are sold out for NYC and London, with a few still available for Austin. I’m on my way to Boston where I’ve been invited to record a podcast. This morning, as I was journaling before heading to the airport, an amazing realization hit me: whatever the outcome of the launch, I’m incredibly lucky to share these ideas with the world. I had to learn how to read and...
February 13th, 2025A newsletter by Anne-Laure Le Cunff READ ON THE WEB Hello friends, This morning, I woke up to a familiar feeling I hadn’t felt so acutely in a while. “Oh, hello old friend,” I thought as I recognized the familiar pangs in my stomach – the ones that show up when I experience fear. Sometimes, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where fear is coming from, but in this case, I know exactly what’s going on: just three weeks to go until the launch of Tiny Experiments, my biggest...