Two Small Changes That Have Made This Year (Slightly) More Bearable
Impulsive decisions that became surprisingly sustainable.
One month into 2026, and we have already witnessed a lot of tragedy and heartbreak, but also communities bravely stepping up to protest and show support for one another. Some organizations to consider donating include the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota and Minnesota’s frontline organizers. And it is always beneficial to know of mutual aid organizations around the country, both in your area and in cities that have also been targeted, which you can discover at Mutual Aid Network.
Early in the New Year I didn’t make any resolutions (as I noted here, I don’t believe in them), but I made two impulsive decisions and wanted to see if I could sustain them past a few days—and I have. Both of them have helped me find a little solace, and now that it is a month later, I thought it was worth sharing if it helped others too.
Read a book first thing every morning (no matter what)
Like a lot of people, the first thing I used to do immediately after waking up was reach for my phone and check the news and social media. When I glanced at the headlines on the first weekend in January and saw what had happened in Venezuela, I felt my body and brain seize up and panic set in. I knew there were many days ahead of us that would evoke this same feeling. And from that moment forward, I thought, no more.
I now reach for a book instead. Whether it is several chapters or several paragraphs, I now make it a point to always begin the day this way.
As we all know, the news has continued to be frightful and upsetting. Not knowing what the day will bring is even more reason why I find some solace in this practice. It reminds me of my childhood, when I’d read a book under the covers before bedtime. I now find myself waking up early just so I can recreate that cozy feeling, with the added benefit of reading more books in one month than I have in a long time.
It has been better for my mental health, helping me break my habit of reaching for my phone when in need of distraction. I still do on occasion, some days more than others, but so much less than I used to do.
I read five books in January, each one a winner, and highly recommend all of them.
And I’m starting February by continuing to read The Wilderness as well as the Merle Oberon biopic, Love, Queenie, on audiobook.
I don’t know if I’ll always be capable of reading several books a month; so far, it has been a positive byproduct of making this change. What is more important to me that I am taking time to read every single day, which makes me a better author and makes me feel better, period.
Going—and staying—inbox zero
When I opted out of Google’s AI-related smart features1 late last year, I hadn’t realized that by doing so, Gmail stops sorting your emails into “Primary,” “Promotions” and “Social” tabs, collapsing all three tabs into a single inbox.
This means every email I receive (except the ones that end up in my spam folder) gets sent to the same inbox. The torrent was overwhelming—and it was nonstop.
Work and personal email comingled with coupons and reservations and press releases and notifications and donation requests and newsletters. It left me feeling like I was pressing my hands against a crack in a dam, the water already at my knees.
I can’t handle having more than 3-5 unread messages in my inbox, because it makes me anxious and severely unfocused. And while I like supporting my fellow writers by reading their Substacks, trying to keep up with them felt like homework. I began to feel guilty to have them staring back at me unopened in my inbox. It was a Sisyphean endeavor that I could never complete.
Once the holidays ended and we all returned to work, it was even more of an inundation. And not long after, I received an alert that I was almost out of storage. It was a signal that I could no longer continue to operate this way. Once again, I thought, no more.
To deal with my storage issue as well as the digital clutter, over the course of several days I did the following:
Search for all unread emails that had piled up in the “Promotions” and “Social” tabs dating back to over a decade2 and longer, and doing a mass delete and unsubscribe;
Identify the opened emails that had piled up in those two tabs because I didn’t have to see them in my primary inbox before now, and searching for all of them and doing a mass delete and unsubscribe;
Change my Substack settings so that I don’t receive newsletters in my email, but instead have to read them in the app. This means that a few times a week, I’ll carve out time to search the subscription inbox and read the ones that stand out to me, without feeling the need to read every single one. (And of course feel free to skip mine too, we’re all so busy);
For every email I receive that is not personal or work-related, based on the subject line I either immediately delete it, or open and star the email to go back to take a look later when I have the time.
For the first time in ages, my inbox is manageable. It’s not a perfect system, and I could be much better organized. But it is one less thing causing me anxiety, and right now, that isn’t nothing.
One month later, what I think of as “small shifts” in behavior and mindset feels entirely sustainable and have made this year slightly more bearable. If you decide to try one or both, please let me know!
A “Free Happiness” refresh
I began this newsletter with the intention of sharing cute, funny videos I described as “quick serotonin boosts.” But as Free Happiness evolved to encompass other topics, I thought it worth organizing these posts for better discoverability. On the homepage, you can now find my writing divided into Serotonin Boosts, Personal Essays, and pieces about Writing and Publishing.
Reading recommendations
I tend to shy away from things that feel overhyped, but Erin Carlson’s conversation with Becca Freeman at You’ve Got Mail is what convinced me to check out Heated Rivalry, and I’m so glad I did. It’s gratifying when the thing that everyone is obsessed with deserves all the commotion and then some.
One more thing to read about Heated Rivalry: Alexander Chee’s piece, “In Your Arms I Would Start a War.” If you’ve seen the show, you understand the power of “I want to go to the cottage.” But through Chee’s perspective, it becomes even more resonant. It’s wonderful that Heated Rivalry has become a hit because it appeals to a wide variety of viewers. But it is worth reading to understand what it means specifically for queer audiences who see themselves reflected in Shane and Ilya’s story, which is what makes this show such a triumph.
I learned of Chee’s essay thanks to Haili Blassingame’s piece, “We don’t need escapism in 2026, we need optimism.” I’ve been reading a lot about “escapist fiction” and what readers are seeking right now, and I think Haili’s perspective is spot on.
Over at Ministry of Pop Culture, we’ve covered current events through the prism of pop culture: a look at the Oscar contenders that address anti-authoritarianism, the impact of watching the videos coming out of Minnesota, and the current state of protest music. Also, if you’re a fan of Pluribus, we had a conversation about the TV show through our perspective as authors.
And finally, the late Catherine O’Hara was a legendary actor and comedian, and widely beloved as one of the nicest and most talented people in Hollywood. If you want a masterclass in acting, watch her Best Original Song performance of “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow” from A Mighty Wind at the Oscars, which she and Eugene Levy performed in character. Their duet is both brilliant and deeply affecting. (Additional context for this performance can be read at Vulture.)
ICYMI (Serotonin Boosts edition)
Thanks for reading, and wishing all of us a warmer week ahead. 💐
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Basically, opting out means not letting their AI read your email to collect data. To learn how to turn off this setting, click the link.
So many unopened emails from Groupon!
Love both these ideas so much! 🙌🏻
I am truly in awe that you can be at a zero inbox so 🙌 I also changed the newsletter setting finally and that is a game changer! Now I need to get back to your book!!