|
|
|
|
|
The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
|
A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
|
|
July 21st, 2023 | by Kyle Brennan
|
|
Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox every week?
|
|
|
Thought of the Week
|
The easiest way to make a decision:
|
What would you tomorrow want you today to do?
|
What I'm Reading
|
|
On @the.holistic.psychologist clinical psychologist, Nicole LePera posts fantastic reels about instructive self-analysis such as the various attachment styles, growing up as a "lost child", co-dependency, people pleasing, and setting boundaries.
My therapist knows I'm a big reader, and she actually recommended How to Do the Work without me even bringing up Nicole's IG page. I decided to check it out.
The book is about healing from trauma (both big and small) and recognizing how past family dynamics and traumas can result in bad habits or relationships. It is a good primer on mindfulness and other techniques that all of us who are striving to be healthy adults need to practice. To be honest, I think it fell a bit short as many of these topics are covered in better books like The Body Keeps the Score or Thinking Fast and Slow.
But if you’re interested in:
- Self-healing
- Working through your traumas no matter how big or small
- Becoming more self-aware
- Recognizing and understanding your emotions/triggers better
- And having that desire to live authentically
This is a great place to start. I also recommend following the author’s podcast and Instagram @the.holistic.psychologist
Rating: 3.1 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
|
|
My Most Recent Blog Post
|
|
|
Our minds race endlessly — all day, all night, and even while we’re sleeping. How often do you stop to sit and slow it down for just a few moments?
|
|
Show I'm Watching
|
|
Ramit Sethi gained fame for his book I Will Teach You to Be Rich and his blog. Despite the cheesy title, I found his book to be one of the best on financial principles, philosophy, and essential money management.
|
|
Lauren and I both read it at the same time since it's one thing to have your own finances in order, but a whole other ballgame once you're married. Couples need to talk about finances regularly in order to ensure they have a mutually shared vision that aligns with their spending habits. Ramit's new Netflix show does exactly that, as he spends time with couples and individuals to analyze their current financial situations and gives them the tools and philosophies to steer them on the path toward a rich life.
|
Song I Can't Stop Listening To
|
|
I first saw Noah Kahan perform in front of a crowd of less than 70 people at a NYC bar just before COVID. He's now a star selling out theatres and doing songs with Post Malone. Me and Lauren have been huge fans since that night and it's wild to see him get so big so quickly. His music is a cool mix of folk, wit, sadness, and nostalgia. Dial Drunk may be his best song yet.
|
Quote I'm Pondering
|
|
If you can’t read and write, you can’t think. Your thoughts are dispersed if you don’t know how to read and write. You’ve got to be able to look at your thoughts on paper and discover what a fool you were.”
— Ray Bradbury
|
|
Check Out the O&R Podcast!
|
|
Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss how bad The Grateful Dead is, the benefits of therapy even if you think you don't need it, how impactful Arnold Schwarzenegger is on American culture, and how Napoleon, all things considered, was kind of an asshole.
|
Books discussed in this episode:
|
|
Check Out My Amazon Favorites Bookstore
|
|
|
Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
|
|
  
|
Reminder to share this newsletter with friends and family! Subscribe link here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kyle's Published Work
|
|
|
|
|
|
33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
|
|
|
|
Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
|
|
|
|
Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
|
|
|
|
There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
