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Tag: listening

Confucius, The White Album, Donnie Darko, Tim Ferriss, and an Islamic Saying

Sunday Supplement #158 (May 19th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“By three methods may we learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is the noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

– Confucius

Book of the Week:

The White Album – Joan Didion 

Joan Didion was a journalist, writer, and screenwriter. She is considered a pioneer of the New Journalism school along with the likes of Hunter S. Thompson, Gay Tales, and Tom Wolfe.

The White Album is Didion’s look at the aftermath of the 1960s in America in the realms of counterculture, the Hollywood lifestyle, and the history and culture of California.

I never heard of Joan Didion or her works, but a friend passed along her book and told me about her screenplays. I found both areas intriguing.

Didion’s examination of the era from her perspective is balanced with a memoir-esc reporting of personal events she was going through.

I found it interesting to experience a view of a turbulent time in America through the eyes of a journalist living in the midst of many of the historical events.

Movie of the Week:

Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko is a bizarre film about a troubled teenager who escapes an unexplained accident and becomes plagued by visions of a man in a bunny suit, who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes in his suburban town.

That brief description tries to encapsulate the plot of Donnie Darko, but the story excellently explores the human experience of the different ways of navigating life.

The main character, Donnie, finds that many in his community focus on outward appearance and put on a face that everything is good and life is lovely. He attempts to understand his own fears and challenge those who act as if negative emotions should be ignored.

A young Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the leading role, and the supporting cast has many excellent performances, including Patrick Swayze, Drew Barrymore, and Jena Malone.

I found Donnie Darko to be one of the few movies about adolescence that addresses the awkward and scary experiences their world can be. The film isn’t all doom and gloom, though, and I highly recommend it if it piques your interest.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Lessons, Hacks & Books That Changed My Life – Tim Ferriss | Chris Williamson

Tim Ferriss is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, top-rated podcaster, and lifestyle blogger. I’ve featured his podcast interviews, books, and quotes in previous Sunday Supplements.

Chris Williamson hosts the podcast Modern Wisdom, where he interviews leaders across various fields and discusses current events, politics, philosophy, science, and hobbies.

Tim’s podcast has recently passed one billion downloads. In this episode of Chris Williamson’s podcast, Tim discusses his biggest lessons from two decades in the self-improvement arena.

I find interviews and podcasts like these amazing brainfood. Hearing someone speak about the wisdom they’ve picked up along their journeys is a worthwhile addition to your routine.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Whoever knows himself knows his Lord.”

– Islamic Saying

I could find an exact source for this Islamic saying. Some attested it to a Hadith, while other sources stated it was a message pulled from various Quran passages.

Regardless of the source, I found this passage a powerful reminder of how important it is to reflect on your beliefs and actions.

When first reading this quote, it can automatically trigger religious beliefs or a higher power. I like to think about the rightful actions these higher powers and spiritual texts refer to.

Reflecting on this, I ask myself if my thoughts and actions align with my beliefs and who I want to be.


Reflect on who you want to be, act in accordance with those answers, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Katori Hall, 1984, Harold and Maude, Simon Sinek, and a Bible Passage

Sunday Supplement #157 (May 12th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Follow your intuition, listen to your dreams, your inner voice to guide you.”

– Katori Hall

Book of the Week:

1984 – George Orwell

There are many classic books that I’ve heard of and thought I’d eventually get around to reading. Finally getting to a novel like 1984 is a reminder that the classics genre is there for a reason and should be perused more than while you’re in high school.

George Orwell’s dystopian 1949 novel 1984 takes place in Great Britain, known as Airstrip One,   a province of the totalitarian superstate Oceania. Much of the world is fighting a perpetual war.

Big Brother, a dictatorial leadership, leads Oceania and controls the masses through the Party’s Thought Police.

Winston Smith is a worker at the Ministry of Truth who secretly hates the Party. He starts a relationship with a colleague, Julia, and they attempt to join a resistance group called the Brotherhood.

1984 is on many Top Books lists. I found it to be a satirical cautionary tale. It’s an engaging read and one I found well worth passing along as a recommendation.

Movie of the Week:

Harold and Maude

I’ll start by saying this film probably isn’t for everyone. Harold and Maude is a dark comedy about a young man obsessed with death who meets a septuagenarian obsessed with life.

The movie follows the classic trope of an older mentor guiding a youth, but it does it with a brilliantly crafted story.

Bud Cort captures the spirit of Harold brilliantly while Ruth Gordon stuns as Maude. And Harold’s mother, played by Vivian Pickles, is a worthy shout-out for a supporting role.

Harold and Maude is a movie that makes many top lists for classic films, and I believe it stands the test of time and is worth recommending.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Art of Listening | Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek is a bestselling author and speaker on business leadership. He spoke at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in 2016 and has an imprint at Penguin Random House.

This video starts with Sinek explaining that the art of listening isn’t just hearing others’ words but understanding their meaning.

Sinek discusses the importance of giving someone the space to feel heard and, in doing so, creating trust.

For me, a highlight from this video is when Sinek discusses Deeyah Khan’s documentary White Right: Meeting the Enemy. It’s fascinating what genuine listening can accomplish.

I’ve featured Simon Sinek in several previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoyed this video, check out the other posts.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is a folly and shame unto him.”

– Proverbs 18:13

I’m a big fan of this Bible passage because its message is one that I prioritize in my rules for engaging with others.

Less seriously, I think we can get excited by what we want to share or say and often don’t fully listen to others when engaging in conversation.

However, if we genuinely want to connect with someone, we have to listen and leave space for not needing to respond.

A more serious lesson from this passage is passing judgment before hearing someone else’s side. It can be very easy to dismiss someone’s side based on our own, and it’s worth working on hearing others before judging them.


Make space for listening, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Sophocles, Mindset, Half Nelson, TED-Ed, and a Bible Passage

Sunday Supplement #97 (March 19th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a drink.”

– Sophocles

Book of the Week:

Mindset – Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck researched the power of mindset and how success can be significantly influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.

Dweck’s book Mindset delves into how a fixed mindset (those who believe that abilities are fixed) are less likely to succeed than those with a growth mindset (those who believe abilities can be developed).

While the outcomes behind these findings might seem obvious, the extent to which they are accurate and how mindsets are developed is extraordinary.

In Dweck’s book, she covers how these different mindsets can be picked up from various sources and at various times in your life.

I highly recommend checking this book out, if only to familiarize yourself with Dweck’s research findings and seeing how you’ve been influenced and how you influence others.

Movie of the Week:

Half Nelson

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s film Half Nelson follows a junior high school teacher with a drug habit and the friendship he forms with one of his students after she discovers his secret.

Ryan Gosling plays the teacher, and Shareeka Epps plays the student. Both give outstanding performances, and Gosling was nominated for an Oscar for the role.

Half Nelson avoids many of the inspirational clichés of the teacher-student genre and instead offers a glimpse of those trying to get by and doing their best.

The film isn’t on many best-movies lists, but the performances of Epps, Gosling, and Anthony Mackie, combined with a nuanced script, make it worth putting on your watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

4 Things All Great Listeners Should Know | TED-Ed

This TED-Ed video starts with a quote from Laurie Buchanan, Ph.D., “When we listen, we hear someone into existence.”

The video then delves into what studies about what excellent listening requires and how it can improve our relationships and develop our worldview.

There are four tips about what great listening looks like in the video, including asking questions to confirm understanding and asking for a moment to reflect.

The video breaks down the different tips and provides valuable tools worth picking up to see if you’re utilizing the best methods for connection.

I’ve featured TED-Ed videos on a few other Sunday Supplements. Check them out if you enjoyed this video!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Where there is no guidance, the people fall. But in an abundance of counselors, there is victory.”

– Proverbs 11:14

I picked this Bible passage because of its link to the quote at the beginning of the Supplement. For me, the standout of the verse is focused on what makes a good counselor.

The idea of a counselor or someone who gives guidance can often get scrambled when the person offering help thinks they know what’s best for the person receiving without listening.

What everybody needs sometimes is not someone who tells them what they should do but someone who can listen to what the person needs.

The space for conversation allows for the needs to arise, and only then can they be addressed.

Don’t jump to conclusions; listen to yourself and others, and have a blessed week ahead!

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