Hi friend!

Here's your forever-free email I send at 7 am every Friday.

Each week, I send you something cool you can watch, read, use, and listen to.

If you dig it, or if you have any suggestions, reach out to me and let me know. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you hate it, cancel anytime. If you hate me, cancel me anytime...

Here's something for you to...

1) watch.

The Skill You're Slowly Losing

By YouTuber and productivity guru, Thomas Frank.

This lovely video describes cognitive offloading: our tendency to rely on technology or simpler sources as a crutch for solving problems.

In other words: we are becoming worse at problem solving, critical thinking, and pushing through Resistance, because we have things that can do all of this for us.

When you're out in the woods all alone, you can't troubleshoot on Google or order an Uber. You'd have to rely on your own abilities.

I'm not saying you should have someone drop you off in deep wilderness, but it's something worth keeping in the back of your mind.

2) read.

Hell House by Richard Matheson

A gripping horror novel about a haunted house. Classic.

This guy also wrote I Am Legend (shoutout Will Smith).

Aside from this story being genuinely creepy--and at times, terrifying--it does the thing that separates crappy horror from captivating horror: it makes you care deeply about the characters.

Each character is so realistic and lovable in their own way. This is a deadly combination for a horror story because you truly have a stake in their wellbeing. It's too easy to put yourself in their shoes.

If you're a fan of horror, or simply need a gut-wrenching read after dark, this is the book for you.

3) use.

The 5-Second Rule

A TED Talk from speaker, author, and certified badass, Mel Robbins.

In this video, Mel describes her famous 5-second rule:

"If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill it."

Since starting my own freelancing and coaching businesses, this technique has proven to be incredibly helpful. It has been the difference between me sitting down to work and laying in bed scrolling on my phone.

4) listen to.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

A heart-warming and hilarious story about an orphanage of six magical children.

I mean literal magic. The house consists of: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian, a green blob, oh...and the anti-Christ.

Linus--a by-the-book case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth--must decide whether or not this orphanage is up to code.

This audiobook has been purely delightful. Each character is impossible not to love...even Lucy (Lucifer's son).

There are also a number of adult themes, like being accepted, loneliness, purpose, and much, MUCH more.

Extras.

Favorite blogs.

Writing a Blog Every Day for a Year: Here's What I've Learned

Pretty self-explanatory. Thanks to anyone who has ever read anything I've ever written. Something bigger is coming soon :)

Motion vs. Action

The difference between accomplishing something and preparing to accomplish something.

Bonus!

If you've been enjoying these newsletters, I encourage you to spread the word. It'll be worth it.

In fact, use the referral link at the bottom to refer friends you think would also like The Friday Four.

If you refer 3 people, I'll send you a personalized video of me, singing and dancing about how much I love you.

I'm not kidding :) Off to the races!

Quotes.

“The grass isn’t greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it.”

-Sarah Turner

“The reward of being accepted is often greater than the reward of winning an argument, looking smart, or finding truth. Most days, we’d rather be wrong with the crowd than be right by ourselves.”

-James Clear

“If you’re never happy with what you have, you will never be happy with that you get.”

-Joey Schweizer

Thank you as always for the support, friends! If you enjoyed this newsletter, I encourage you to forward it or invite your friends to subscribe. I hope you all are happy and healthy!

Much love.

Dill 💙