Write About Now

The pandemic and economic turmoil have sparked many to ask: What’s next for me in my career and life — and how do I get there? But most of us hesitate to make big changes for reasons such as financial insecurity, fear of the unknown, and fear of failure. Enter my guest Joanne Lipman, a seasoned journalist, and author of the new book, Next! The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work. Joanne interviewed hundreds of people and poured over research to come up with a roadmap for people to make successful career changes. On this episode, she lays out the 4 s's: search, struggle, stop, and solution. These will help guide you on your exciting new path to change.  

Dave Asprey joins the show to talk about his new book Smarter Not Harder: The Biohacker's Guide to Getting the Body and Mind You Want. Dave is an entrepreneur, author, and biohacker best known for founding Bulletproof Coffee. Using his body as a guinea pig, he experiments with different diets and fitness routines to optimize for health and wellness. He once said he aims to live to be 180 years old. Some of his views are controversial, but many swear by their effectiveness — and his made him a millionaire many times over. We cover such topics as how to tap into your body's natural operating system, the myth that willpower (or lack of it) is the problem, foods to eat and avoid, the best 10 minute workout you can do, and why he believes embracing your inherent laziness will increase your energy and optimizing your biology. Whether or not you agree with Dave, there is a ton of useful info to chew on here.  Subscribe to my substack, Small Talk @ https://jonathan856.substack.com/ Join the WAN Patreon community for bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/writeaboutnowpodcast For more about Dave Asprey: https://daveasprey.com/

Love em or despise em, the number-one pop songs at any given time reflect the zeitgeist of popular culture and say a ton about how young people consume music. Guest Tom Briehan is a senior editor at Stereogum, where he writes “The Number Ones” column, cataloging the story behind every No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart since 1965. His new book, The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music, singles out the singles that made an indelible mark. He tells the fascinating story of some of those songs, from "The Twist" to "Black Beatles."  Subscribe to my substack Small Talk  Support the show on Patreon

We're taught that anxiety is damaging and painful, and we must eradicate it like a disease, preventing it, medicating it, and overcoming its hold on us. But what if anxiety is actually an evolved advantage that protects us and strengthens our creative powers? That's the radical argument of this week's guest Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and author of Future Tense: Why Anxiety is Good for You (Even If It Feels Bad). Tracy talks about why humans have anxiety, the difference between anxiety and fear, why anxiety feels so awful, the relationship between anxiety and hope, and how to start embracing and appreciating anxiety — rather than worrying about it.    Please subscribe to my substack Small Talk @ https://jonathan856.substack.com/ Support the show @ https://www.patreon.com/writeaboutnowpodcast 

Nina Schick, an author and expert in Generative AI, dives into the rapid rise of technologies like ChatGPT and their impact on writing. She discusses how this AI can enhance or threaten the creative landscape and highlights the ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated content. Nina also explores the geopolitics of AI, emphasizing the importance of human oversight to maintain quality and integrity. Lastly, she encourages writers to adapt to these changes, using AI as a tool rather than viewing it as a foe.

Most of us know very little about our home's history. But for some, finding out who lived there before you and what went on between those walls can be a bone-chilling experience. UK-based writer Matt Blake wrote about such a discovery in a recent story for The Guardian Newly divorced, Blake bought a pretty Victorian house to share with his daughter. But as strange details begin to reveal themselves, he realizes that the home has a dark past.     

We are amidst a pop music revolution largely dictated by an algorithm. Should we be afraid? John Seabrook joins the show to discuss his latest article in The New Yorker, "So You Want to Be a TikTok Star?" TikTok now has over 1 billion users and the app is transforming how artists create and market their music and how we listen to songs — for better and worse. Seabrook has written for the venerable New Yorker for over 30 years, specializing in stories about music, culture, and technology. His book "The Song Machine" detailed how hits were manufactured in the early 2000s, and this article picks up where that story left off. 

Guest @davidhochman is a veteran journalist and founder of Upod Academy, an online writing school for freelancers. On this replay of one of WAN's most popular episodes, David dives into the hacks that writers can incorporate into their daily routines to increase their creativity and skills.  More information on Write About Now @writeaboutnowmedia.com Subscribe to my newsletter @Small Talk on substack Support the show @ patreon.com/writeaboutnowpodcast

Mindful meditation has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain, but many of us don't have the time or patience to make it a regular practice. Guest Jake Eagle says he has the solution - micro-dosing mindfulness. In his new book The Power of AWE, he and co-author Michael Amster, MD, share a simple mindfulness practice that can help you achieve the benefits of meditation in a matter of 20 seconds. For more information: linktr.ee/jonathansmall  

Only 8 percent of us will stick to our New Year's resolutions before the end of the year. Guest Amy Morin says that's because our goals are often too lofty or not specific enough. She offers some smart strategies for making and not breaking resolutions this year that will make you feel better about yourself. Amy is the editor-in-chief of VeryWellMind.com and the author of a series of bestselling books on strategies mentally strong people use. Her TedTalk is one of the most listened to of all time.