Appropriate ease

For the next installment of the 87% club, I have two guests! First, I talk to playwright and disability justice advocate Michaela Goldhaber, who you may recognize from her frequent attendance at the GRETAGRAM book club! Then, I chat with Cathy Haynes, the author of The Fullness of Time: Marking the Day by Birdsong, Blooms, Shadows, and Stars.

These conversations both circle around a phrase my favorite yoga teacher taught me. It’s originally in Sansknit, in Yoga Sutra book 2, number 47:

prayatna-śaithilya-ananta-samāpatti-bhyām

Scholar I.K. Taimni translated it this way: “by relaxation of effort and meditation of the ‘ Endless ‘ (posture is attained).”

My teacher uses the phrase “appropriate effort,” which I think is what the 87% club is all about. I’m not saying don’t do ANYTHING (though that does sound fun!) — I’m asking how you can shift your energy toward things that bring you joy instead of overextending yourself on things that might not actually matter.

This episode includes two voicemails, which seem to agree. I can’t wait for you to hear this one!

It is August, and this month, we’re reading Land by Maggie O’Farrell! (print | audio

I am hosting the Zoom conversation on Sunday, Aug. 23 at noon CT. Email me if you’d like the link!

1. I have a cool new gig!!! As of this week, I’m officially one of the hosts of The Nightly, a nighttime call-in podcast from Hatch! Here’s the deal: listeners call in and share whatever’s on their mind. It’s a pleasure to host because I get to talk about sports one night and whether a cat speaks Korean another night.

   Getting to explore a huge variety of topics is why I got into journalism in the first place, so this is a dream (lol) job! And here’s where you come in: we need callers!!! So, if you’d like to participate, send an email or voice memo to thenightly@hatch.co or call or text 904-NIGHTLY (904-644-4859). Come hang out!!!

   

2. I am so excited to get to interview Hernan Diaz when he’s in Chicago for his new book Ply! Here’s event info.

See you next week,

**Note: All book titles in this email link to my affiliate page at bookshop.org, where I receive a percentage of the purchase price (and you support a website that supports local indie bookstores!). I don’t actually care where you get your books, as long as you support indies when you can! Libraries are really cool too!!!