January 7, 2024

Hello friends,

Grab a cozy ☕ and let’s get started!

I’m sure you’ve seen tons of posts about New Year’s resolutions/intentions/goals by now. Today, I want to invite you to think about something different.

Consider this question: what plot twist awaits me this year? You can even write it down next to your goals as a little reminder. We’ll chat more about why in this week’s idea.

Have a wonderful week!

Irena Spegar

Idea of the Week

LIFE’S PLOT TWISTS

A new year makes us plan and strategize — goals, intentions, resolutions. We want a year to unfold like a well-directed movie. What we tend to forget is that part of every good movie is a good plot twist. We love movies or books with great twists, turns and surprises because that’s what makes them memorable and exciting.

But we have little tolerance for twists in our own lives. We feel they’re messing with our plans, making us feel lost when things don’t go our way. The truth is — you never know when life’s about to throw you a plot twist. New characters show up, unexpected events happen or forces of evil try to prevent you from achieving what you want. Does this mean that your life’s movie sucks? Not at all.

One thing you can do is embrace the sense of openness for the unexpected. It’s the awareness that the unexpected is to be expected, from small surprises like a canceled flight to big twists like meeting a person that changes your life.

Keeping the spirit of openness means that we become more accepting of life taking us in directions we never could have imagined. If we are too rigid with our planning, we lose touch with serendipity that can create so much joy in our lives and we’re also more vulnerable to the hardships we might face.

The unexpected can become exciting and inspiring, and it’s necessary for the development of the character in your movie. So, what plot twist awaits you is a question worth contemplating.

SPEAKING OF PLOT TWISTS:

Here’s our little list of books with jaw-dropping twists

Sundaying Kit

PONDER 💭

We found this really interesting question to ponder — “What part of yourself did you have to destroy in order to survive in the world this year? But most importantly: what have you found to be unkillable?” Arabelle Sicardi

TRY ✨

This list of mocktails is perfect for the dry January peeps, or anyone in search of new delicious and colorful drinks. 🍸

USE ⚙️

For all our book lovers. We are amazed by how good this literature map is at recommending authors similar to ones you already love. You enter the name of an author and it shows other authors you might enjoy.

WATCH 🎬

A heart-touching and raw video on loneliness. The NYT team got thousands of video messages from their readers talking about why they feel lonely and how loneliness impacts their lives.

LISTEN 🎧

People want to be loved, but they also want to be admired. Check out this The Next Big Idea episode on why we want to feel valued by others and how we play status games to achieve that external validation. Will Storr says, “if you are perceived to be of value, you will be rewarded with status.”

READ 📖

Most Beautiful Small Towns in the World: Gorgeous Villages – Thrillist
When we’re out and about, we usually hit up the big cities. But check out this list of beautiful small towns around the globe. They could totally spice up your travel plans.

12 lessons from 5 years of running a tech meetup – Dave Kiss
A super practical read on how to organize events and meet more people on the same path. From the importance of venue to creating the agenda, we definitely need this knowledge!

EXTRA LOVE 🧡

🏵️ Interior designers adore Josef Frank, as do we.

🖋️ “Apricity” (noun): the warmth of the sun in winter.

🤗 Now, this is wholesome

Sunday With…

KRISTYN TRIPLETT

A registered dietitian, meditation instructor, and writer living in the mountains of Evergreen, Colorado. Her storylines are inspired by nature and human connection. Her words often allow us to see the world in a new light, reminding us that this life is a gift.

Check out Kristyn’s newsletter

Sundays have always been sacred to me. A word and day to savor. They also seem a little scary thinking about another week ahead with so many unknowns. On Sundays, I often walk along a trail near my home to greet the trees and take in their wisdom. One Sunday, as I was strolling, I stumbled into a man and his cute pup who had more energy than I could wrap my head around. I asked, “How was your day?” He stopped in his tracks and kindly replied, “Was my day? What about, how is my day? It’s 4:00, and we have the whole day ahead of us!” I stopped in my tracks, took a deep breath, and was given a life lesson at no cost. This Sunday was life-changing.

From here on out, I stopped with the was and focused on the is. I used to look at Sundays being over mid-day and worry about what’s to come. Now, I try to embrace the entire day until I get under the covers.

Maybe this is your sign, a gentle reminder, that we never know what life lesson is ahead of us. Every Sunday is not guaranteed. We get to live that day. The entire day. Maybe you’ll find yourself brave enough to ask that stranger on the trail or at the coffee shop late afternoon, “How is your day?” What a gift. Never forget the power your words hold. They can change someone’s Sunday. They can change someone’s life.

Share The Boonly with a friend

View this email online.

Unsubscribe

At The Boonly, it’s our mission to create and provide a community that helps you live a more enjoyable and fulfilling life. When The Boonly was established in 2022, we wanted to make the community an inclusive, welcoming table where everyone can come to unwind and thrive! After years, and over 8000 combined followers across the newsletter to Twitter, we will always aim to get better at what we do every single day! In addition, our primary focus is on our relationship with you. This way every time you hang out with us, you end up getting an idea that takes your self-growth to the next level. We particularly appreciate when our following provides feedback via testimonials, reviews, and comments left on our site or social media accounts. Because with that feedback, we can use it to make your next newsletter even better than the last! Since we put so much effort into the relationship with you, we hope that any investment in us is exactly the way you hoped it would be. Because by choosing to go with The Boonly, it’s our promise that we provide a community you will fall in love with over and over again. Now, as much as we care about making the world joyful and more fulfilling, we also care about your privacy. The Boonly is owned and operated by The Boonly. We’re committed to the right to your privacy and strive to provide a safe and secure user experience. Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, store and use personal information, provided by you on our website. It also explains important information that ensures we won’t abuse the information that you provide to us in good faith. By accessing and using our website, you can trust that what you want to be kept private, will be kept private. If at any time, you would like to read our Privacy Policy and get a better understanding of your rights and liabilities under the law. Feel free to visit our site, find the privacy policy in the footer and read it. If there is something you are concerned about or wish to get more clarity on, please let us know by contacting us at [email protected]. The Privacy Policy also informs you of how to notify us to stop using your personal information. If you wish to view our official policies, please visit our website www.theboonly.com