Today’s reads are for the weary multi-tasker, the small-talk awkward and the hopeful writers. It’s for those who are grieving and anyone longing for home. Enjoy your weekend, friends.

Multitasking

Multitasking is Killing Your Brain by Larry Kim for Medium

“When we complete a tiny task (sending an email, answering a text message, posting a tweet), we are hit with a dollop of dopamine, our reward hormone. Our brains love that dopamine, and so we’re encouraged to keep switching between small mini-tasks that give us instant gratification.

This creates a dangerous feedback loop that makes us feel like we’re accomplishing a ton, when we’re really not doing much at all.”

 

Quiet Revolution

It’s Not Small Talk, It’s Social Ritual by Sarah Jones for Quiet Revolution

“The answer is to replace dreaded small talk with enjoyable social rituals. Once you incorporate social rituals into your everyday life in place of small talk, you never have to make small talk again.”

Christie Purifoy

For Everything There is a Season by Christie Purifoy

“I can’t tell the whole story yet. We are still living it. Also, so much of that story isn’t mine to share. And yet I can say this: when you observe suffering from the outside all you can see is the suffering. Despair can feel like the only option.

Having sat, for two weeks, on the inside, I want you to know that despair doesn’t feel like an option. Peace is too real. Hope is too bright. God, the Ancient of Days, has drawn close.”

 

Flower Patch Farmgirl

Ecuador Through 10 Year Old Calvin’s Eyes by Calvin Martin

“The people that were there were severely poor but what I thought was that the poorer the person the larger the heart because the whole time they were laughing and singing and talking. It’s almost like people who have less maybe have more, in the spiritual side of life.”

 

The Rabbit Room

In the Light of Home by Jennifer Trafton for The Rabbit Room

“When that house, standing empty now, is finally sold, a character in my story will die. And that is necessary, and as it should be, but the change of setting carries a grieving with it. Though I have lived in many places in my adult life, there is no other place in the world—yet—that is home for me in quite the same way, in the very deepest sense.”

Write a Book Proposal

How to Write a Book Proposal

Over 1500 people have already signed up to join Brian Dixon and me for these free live webinars where I teach you how to write a non-fiction book proposal. We’ve already done one and have 2 more coming!

Join us from the comfort of your own sofa on Monday night, February 8 at 8:30 pm EST. And because we had so many respond, we’ve added a 3rd date if Monday doesn’t work:Friday February 19 at noon ESTSimply sign up here to reserve your spot.

Trina says: “Love this. Best webinar–reaching to the heart with the practical info.”

Rachel says: “I just discovered my target audience by listening to this- so much clarity!”

Welcome to Chatting at the Sky. I’m glad you’re here! If you would like to receive regular reminders to create space for your soul to breathe, sign up here for my monthly notes from the bench, where I’ll share books I’m reading, favorite things, and encouragement for your soul you won’t find anywhere else.