I tasked ChatGPT with writing me a punk rock song about beer.
Here’s what I got:
Verse 1: Pint in my hand, head banging to the band Feelin’ alive, fueled by the beer can Gotta have it cold, gotta have it now Gonna raise hell, gonna break down
Chorus: Beer, beer, it’s my anthem Gotta have it, gonna drink it Never gonna stop, gonna keep it coming Beer, beer, it’s my anthem
Verse 2: Sipping suds, feeling no regret Gonna live life, gonna forget All the troubles, all the pain Gonna drink it down, gonna go insane
Chorus: Beer, beer, it’s my anthem Gotta have it, gonna drink it Never gonna stop, gonna keep it coming Beer, beer, it’s my anthem
Bridge: Punk rock and beer, they go hand in hand Gonna keep it loud, gonna take a stand Gonna keep it real, gonna keep it true Gonna drink it down, gonna see it through
Chorus: Beer, beer, it’s my anthem Gotta have it, gonna drink it Never gonna stop, gonna keep it coming Beer, beer, it’s my anthem
Outro: Gonna drink it all, gonna drink it fast Gonna make it last, gonna make it last Gonna keep it going, gonna keep it strong Gonna raise my glass, gonna sing my song
Beer, beer, it’s my anthem.
There’s so much going on in the AI-Tech space right now; it’s enough to make your head spin. It’s almost getting too hard to keep up. I started creating images this summer and have been having a ton of fun experimenting with them and learning (Twitter and YouTube are fantastic resources for learning image prompts). I’ve been combining some of my art with stories written by ChatGPT. These tools open up the possibilities for creative expression for artists and writers alike.
I understand the fear surrounding AI technology: students will cheat, kids will get lazy and won’t learn to write correctly, artists are being ripped off, and illustrators are quickly losing assignments. All (mostly) valid points.
The ones that will win in this AI arms race are the ones that use the technology to help them work smarter and faster — and not lean on the tools to do their work for them.
Those who say that they are too busy for meditation are the ones who need it most. I was one of those people. But after years of scattered thoughts and ADHD-like tendencies, I knew I had to try something to calm my scattered brain.
It’s been about 20 years, but meditation is still a non-negotiable part of my morning routine.
Meditation can seem intimidating at first, especially if you’re new to it. Many people think of spiritual gurus when they hear the word meditation, conjuring images of folks lounging on cushions in a cloud of incense and mellow sitar tunes. That sounds pretty good, but it is not at all required. (That’s why they call it “practice”; it’s a learned skill.)
Meditation has been practiced for centuries. It offers a wide range of benefits, both physical and mental. Here are just a few:
Reduces stress and anxiety
One of the best-known benefits of meditation is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. Meditating can quiet your mind and calm your body, which can help lower your stress levels and improve your overall sense of well-being.
Improves focus and concentration
If you have a hard time staying on task or tend to get easily distracted, meditation can help. It helps improve your focus and concentration by teaching you to be more present and mindful in the moment.
Increases self-awareness
Meditation allows you to tune in to your thoughts and feelings in a way that can help you better understand yourself. It can also help you become more aware of any negative thought patterns or behaviors that may be holding you back.
Promotes emotional well-being
Regular meditation can help you manage your emotions more effectively and respond to difficult situations more calmly. It can also help you cultivate positive emotions such as gratitude and compassion.
Improves physical health
Meditation has been shown to have a number of physical health benefits as well. It can lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, and even boost the immune system.
Enhances relationships
Relationships with others can improve and become more meaningful if you practice meditation to help you become more mindful and present. Additionally, it can aid in the development of empathy and compassion for others, resulting in more amicable interactions.
Increases happiness
Through relaxation, self-reflection, and inner peace, meditation can help foster greater joy in life. You will be happier not only with yourself, but also with the world around you!
How Do I Begin?
So, how do you get started with meditation? One tip I have for beginners is to start small. Don’t feel like you have to set aside an hour each day to meditate right off the bat. Even just a few minutes of meditation each day can be incredibly beneficial. I started with 5 minutes; now, most mornings, I start with 20 minutes. As I said, that’s why they call it “practice”—you get better the more you do it.
Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down, and set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. Close your eyes and focus on your breath, letting your thoughts come and go without getting too caught up in them. If your mind starts to wander, gently redirect your attention back to your breath.
It’s okay if you find your mind wandering a lot at first—that’s completely normal. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at staying present and focused.
If you’re new to meditation, it can be helpful to start small and gradually increase the length of your practice as you become more comfortable. It’s also a good idea to find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down and to set a timer, so you don’t have to worry about the time passing. It can take some time to get the hang of it, but the more you practice, the more you’ll start to see the benefits.
Beware the ‘Monkey Mind’
The concept of “monkey mind” is often used in the context of meditation to describe the restless, scattered, anxious state of mind. It’s called “monkey mind” because the mind jumps around from thought to thought, much like a monkey swinging from branch to branch.
In meditation, the goal is often to quiet the monkey mind and bring the focus to the present moment. This can be challenging, especially for beginners, because the mind is naturally drawn to wander and is easily distracted.
The monkey mind can be particularly active during times of stress or anxiety, making it even more difficult to quiet the mind and find inner peace. This is one of the reasons why meditation is so helpful for reducing stress and anxiety: it helps to calm the monkey mind and bring a sense of clarity and focus.
One way to deal with the monkey mind during meditation is to simply acknowledge the thoughts as they come up and then let them go. This helps you dissociate from your thoughts and allows you to return to the present moment.
It’s also helpful to have a specific focus during meditation, such as the breath or a mantra, to help bring the mind back to the present when it starts to wander. With practice, it becomes easier to quiet the monkey mind and find a sense of inner calm and clarity through meditation.
When to Meditate
There is no “best” time to meditate; the most important thing is to find a time that works for you and fits into your schedule. Personally, I find mornings optimal; it clears away the grogginess of the morning and makes me more focused and ready to tackle the day.
Here are a few things to consider when deciding when to meditate:
Energy levels
Some people find it easier to meditate when feeling rested and energized, while others prefer to meditate to wind down at the end of the day. Experiment with different times of the day to see when you feel most focused and alert.
Personal schedule
Consider your daily routine and see if there are any natural lulls in your schedule that could be a good time for meditation. For example, some people like to meditate first thing in the morning, while others prefer to meditate in the evening before bed.
Time of day
Some people find it easier to meditate in the morning when the mind is fresh and the day has yet to get hectic. Others prefer to meditate in the evening as a way to unwind after a busy day.
Ultimately, the best time to meditate is whenever you can carve out a few minutes for yourself and find a quiet, comfortable space to sit or lie down. So, choose a time that works for you and stick with it—the important thing is to make meditation a regular part of your routine.
Each week, more Americans listen to podcasts than have Netflix accounts.
According to Edison Research, 44% of the population in the United States has listened to a podcast at least once. Even more impressive is that 21% of the population listens to podcasts monthly.
There are 383.7 million podcast listeners globally. It is predicted that there will be around 424 million podcast listeners worldwide by the end of 2022. As of June 2022, there were over 2.4 million podcasts with over 66 million episodes between them.
Some stats via BuzzSprout:
In 2022, 62% of the population 12+ has listened to a podcast, and roughly 79% are familiar with the medium.
73% of the U.S. population 12+ have listened to online audio in the last month.
Over one-third (104 million) of Americans listen to podcasts regularly.
38% of those ages 12+ in the U.S. are monthly podcast listeners.
43% of listeners ages 35–54 are monthly podcast listeners (the most popular age group for podcast consumption).
26% (80 million) of Americans are weekly podcast listeners.
88% of Americans own a smartphone.
Smart speaker ownership grew by over 22% during the first year of the pandemic as more people worked from home.
In 2022, 35% of Americans 18+ will own a smart speaker.
During Covid, podcasting experienced unprecedented growth, and podcast audiences diversified.
Name practically any topic, and there’s a podcast for it.
So, if you’re trying to build or bolster a brand, what are you waiting for?
The barriers to starting an online business have never been lower. Starting a podcast is more accessible than many people think. Anyone can create and launch their own podcast with the tools within reach. Plenty of resources are available to help you get started, and it can be done relatively quickly and inexpensively. You can have your podcast up and running in no time.
I won’t get into the minutia of how exactly to start a podcast — there are many resources better than me to inform you about that.
Some of the misconceptions around podcasting:
You need expensive equipment. Your phone is good enough to record with. There are also plenty of free tools to help you get started.
You need a large following. This is 100 percent untrue. You’re not going to be Joe Rogan, not this month or ever. But that’s not the initial goal.
Podcasts need to be long — at least an hour! More misinformation. At SUMO Heavy, we put out the eCommerce Minute podcast; each episode was less than 30 minutes (mostly around 15 minutes). We had over 700 episodes, and listeners are still checking out old episodes.
This article explains how your podcast can become a pillar in your content strategy. Let me explain:
Let’s say you have a podcast about interviewing artists and their daily routines. We’ll assume you’ve already set up your social media channels.
You’ll post a link to your followers and potential followers when you publish.
But it shouldn’t end there.
1. Make a transcript and publish it to your blog. Make sure you post your latest episode transcripts along with embedded audio. You never know who might accidentally discover your podcast via search.
2. Get those emails! Set up a mailing list capture and build your list. Direct listeners there to capture emails for your list and to serve as a directory for episodes and show notes. This also helps your SEO. Your casual listeners could become your top fans if you keep them in the loop!
3. Make YouTube Videos. Record your guests on Zoom or Skype, then publish to your YouTube channel. YouTube is an excellent content search, and recommendation engine, so accidental discovery is possible.
If you can’t get a video recording, design an engaging title card and post just the audio file.
4. Don’t sleep on TikTok and Instagram Instagram has gone video-heavy. TikTok is also becoming a search engine. Post clips of your video or audio with engaging graphics — research your keywords.
5. Quote Graphics Take quotes from your guest and republish them on your social channels. Use a free design tool like Canva to create attention-grabbing graphics.
These are just five easy pieces of additional content that can be part of your brand strategy. If you have other ‘guerilla marketing’ tactics to share, leave them in the comments!
Illustration: Dystopian Santa by @JohnSuder [Midjourneyv4]
Awesome Things is a weekly newsletter featuring ~10 of the best things on the internet – no hard news, gruesome stats, or politics – curated by John Suder and delivered fresh each Friday morning.
Minimalism is a lifestyle and design movement that emphasizes simplicity and functionality. Minimalism involves reducing unnecessary possessions and distractions and allowing you to focus on what is essential and valuable to you.
The idea behind minimalism is to declutter your life and eliminate excess so you can live a more intentional and fulfilling life. Removing things that don’t serve a purpose can free up physical and mental space and make room for what is truly important to you.
One of the critical benefits of minimalism is that it can help you save money. You can reduce your expenses and save money by eliminating unnecessary things you don’t need or use. Minimalism can also help you become more organized and efficient, as you’ll have fewer things to manage and maintain.
In addition to the practical benefits, minimalism can bring peace and clarity to your life. By simplifying your possessions and surroundings, you can reduce stress and distractions and focus on what is truly important to you.
To start practicing minimalism, begin by taking an inventory of your possessions and identifying what you truly need and use and what can be eliminated. It can be challenging to confront your attachment to material possessions and question whether they serve a purpose in your life.
One approach is to start small, such as decluttering a single room or closet and gradually work your way up to larger areas. You can also adopt the “one in, one out” rule, where for every new item you bring into your home, you must get rid of something else. This can help prevent your possessions from accumulating over time.
Another aspect of minimalism is being mindful of your consumption habits. This means considering the environmental and social impact of the products you purchase and choosing items that are made sustainably and ethically.
A minimalist lifestyle does not mean living a bare and austere life but rather focusing on what is truly valuable and important to you. It is a personal journey, and what works for one person may not work for another. The key is to find a balance that works for you and helps you live a simpler, more meaningful life.
A minimalist lifestyle can simplify your life and help you find happiness and fulfillment. By decluttering your possessions and surroundings, you can create more space and clarity in your life and focus on what truly matters to you. So, if you want to simplify your life and focus on what truly matters, then minimalism may be a worthwhile path for you to consider.
