Hi friends! I wanted to share some of my favorite Beautiful Voyager finds of the year to make space and get ready for the year ahead. Scroll to the bottom to see my list of intentions for 2023. Hope you are all feeling fresh new year energy today, wherever you are. Love, Meredith
Best app: Loóna
Since it would unseemly for me to choose the two apps I worked on this year (How We Feel, which Apple chose as an App of the Year for Cultural Impact and Shuffles, a fantastic app for creative exploration), I’m choosing another app that really caught my eye in 2022. I wrote a short piece what makes this app special, which boils down to thoughtful craftsmanship on the part of the creators.
Loóna is made up of “dreamscapes”— though you could imagine the experience being used in other ways than sleep aid. Listening to a relaxing story while “coloring” in a 3D landscape helps me fall into a meditative and creative mindset. Note that it’s not free: a 1-month subscription for Loóna goes for $12.99, while a 1-year subscription is $39.99 (price may vary by location).
Best newsletter: Amanda Stern’s How to Live
This should not come as a shock to any regular readers of this newsletter. Amanda’s newsletter is a revelation! It’s so on point and timely, yet grounded in the history of psychology. I’ve written before about her coverage of Alfred Adler and the courage to be disliked, the Morita Method with its roots in Zen, Jonah Hill’s documentary, and her incredible list of resources filtered by category. I guarantee that if you’re interested in the same topics I am, you will love this newsletter.
And if you want to learn more about Amanda’s background, check out this podcast interview I did with her a couple of years ago.
Best book: Healing by Thomas Insel
Again, this will not be a surprise to regular readers of this newsletter, but it’s worth including Healing in this roundup. What I love about this book is that it debunks common misconceptions about our mental health system in the U.S. — for example, the belief that there are not enough therapists.
From there, Insel digs into ways that the system could be improved — for example, training the current therapy workforce in treatments that work for problems like anorexia-nervosa or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Too often, people facing these issues end up in psychodynamic treatment, which digs into early conflicts without measuring outcomes.
Best playlist: Bevoya’s Ever Evolving Playlist
My husband Michael created and maintains this Spotify playlist for all of us beautiful voyagers. What sets it apart from other playlists is that it is always evolving. Every time he plays the list, he tunes into how the songs make him feel (on our behalf). If a song doesn’t hold onto its power over time, it gets removed or switched out. New songs are added all the time. Music is an incredible way to feel, and this playlist helps us feel…everything.
Best podcast: Heavyweight
This 2020 article from the Boston Globe sums it up well: “The precept for “Heavyweight” is powerfully simple: Goldstein helps guests with some deep regret, buried in their past, achieve resolution….In every episode, Goldstein acts like an emotional sleuth, reuniting people riven by some flashpoint conflict, often decades later, to finally work things out.”
I’ve been a sucker for Heavyweight for years. A friend of mine knows the show’s creator, and I’ve pitched the show twice. When asked why I want to be on the show so badly, I say, “I want Jonathan Goldstein to spot things in my life that I don’t see.”
Like great books, Heavyweight makes you feel more connected to all people through the mundane specifics of life. I never messily dive into new episodes the way I do the other podcasts I listen to. I always pause a moment before hitting play because I want to stay present and listen every time.
I would love to hear your favorites of the year! Email me back with finds. I promise to explore them and share them around.
Finally, my list of 2023 intentions
Last year, my New Year’s resolution was deceptively simple: “Figure out what is wrong with your hip.”
This may not sound like a typical resolution, but it was actually the best resolution I have ever made. In April, when getting an x-ray, I thought, “You have all year, but figure out what is wrong here.” And then in June, when I was getting an ultrasound, I thought, “I still have six months.” When I finally got my diagnosis in October, I felt like I was right on track, even though the journey had taken over a year.
This year’s resolutions/intentions are connected to last years. My diagnosis was
severe adenomysis and endometriosis — which is treatable! In February, I will be getting a hysterectomy that will hopefully get me on the path of being pain free.
Resolution #1: Clean out the vines that are causing the pain.
Once the ground is fertile (ironic, cause it’s a hysterectomy!), it’s time to starting growing something new. This will be pursuing new interests and opportunities—example: voice acting. I actually love it. Could I do it in some way as a form of self-expression? Paid or unpaid?
Resolution #2: Plant seeds and keep growing.
This morning I sat in the sun for a half-hour, just feeling the warmth on my face. I could feel it giving me energy.
Resolution #3: Let the sun shine, figuratively and literally.
Finally, I am returning to a past favorite intention. Finding flow is about letting go. Following flow is about paying attention to what happens when you do.
Resolution #4: Follow flow.
I’d love to hear some of your resolutions too. Wishing you all a fantastic new year!