(#51) Thought loops
brain scribbles from the past few weeks
Thoughts
I just remembered this girl I met at an internship one summer. She had social anxiety, and instead of dealing with the usual small talk or interacting with anyone, she’d heat up her Hot Pockets with a hair straightener. A straightener. It was one of those things that made me laugh at the time, but now I look back and wonder what kind of pressure she was under to hide out like that. I hope she’s doing okay, wherever she is.
One of my favorite quotes is “That which is most personal is most universal.”
I come back to this all the time. Because we think we’re alone in our thoughts, in our weirdness, in our feelings—but we’re really not. The stuff we’re scared to say out loud is often the stuff everyone else is thinking too. There’s something freeing in just saying it.
“Everybody is full of shit, and nobody gives a shit.” This lady told me that while we were both waiting in line the other day, I thought it was funny. I mean, it’s harsh, but it’s also kind of true?
Reading is still the best way I know to expand your mind as an adult. It’s kind of wild—when we’re kids, everything is new, and we’re constantly learning just by being alive. But as adults, if we’re not careful, we can get stuck in the same loops of thought, the same conversations, and the same routines. Books shake that up. They introduce you to different lives, different thoughts, and different possibilities. Reading is how I remind myself that my version of the world isn’t the only one.
The same way certain substances can leave long-term effects on your body, the right people can rewire your brain. Seriously. Some people come into your life and just shift your entire perspective. They challenge you, inspire you, and hold up a mirror. I think we underestimate how powerful it is to be around someone who just thinks differently. They leave a mark on your brain chemistry in the best way.
We live in a world where algorithms and AI can tailor everything to our exact preferences. Our feeds know us better than some of our friends do. But then something happens in real life—grief, heartbreak, anxiety—and suddenly, no algorithm can save you. You can’t scroll away from real life. It hits you in the face. And that’s when the work begins. Not curating, not escaping, but facing it all head-on.
📸 Screenshot
🎵 Music
such a good song
Links
Flightradar24: See almost any plane in the sky, in real-time
The Deep Sea: Who says we’ve only explored 5% of the ocean? It’s all here.