There's More To Life Than Books You Know

But not much more...replacing scrolling for reading and other joyful acts

What’s Occurring?

The start to 2025 has kind of been pretty rough right?

I feel like everywhere i turn it’s just one thing after another and my nervous system is getting more and more nervous as the days go by.

I want this newsletter to be your escape and have you walking away feeling nourished and ready to tackle what the world throws at you.

So I’m putting together a few thoughts, books, practises and a new YouTube channel recommendation to ease your anxiety and help you find comfort in creativity…after all thats what creativity and art are for right?

Let’s dive in and swim through the sea of goodness that is out there if you know where to look.

Scrolling Sending You mad?

Have you tried books?

My dad said to me years ago that if it were reversed and somehow the internet existed before books he thinks people would be so impressed with the creation of this printed thing, you take anywhere and hold, touch and keep forever… and in 2025 I’m inclined to agree.

Books feel like this new thing, like eating whole foods, when really it’s been around forever and hasn’t gone anywhere…I’ve just lost myself in my iPhone and kind of gotten away from the fundamentals of life.

In an attempt to be more self aware, I have decided to replace certain behaviours with others. The one that has both stuck and is also making me a lot happier is, you guessed it, burying my head in a book!

Instead of scrolling to take up spare time in the in-between moments I am instead getting through a few pages of something that is doing the following…

• Helping me to switch off, or rather switch into something really captivating and not be distracted by incoming notifications and ghastly news

• Birthing new ideas

• Giving me a zest for life and creating opportunities for conversations with fellow creatives IRL and online that don’t just cover off the usual topics of dread, despair and the new IG grid aspect ratio

Reading is my happy safe place. I am building healthy routines around it too and sleeping better.

I’m looking for new books to read all the time now and finding myself, asking myself…

What are you interested in? What do you want to explore? What do you want to know more about?

This is a very active way to engage in my interests, both new and undiscovered, as opposed to the very passive way we let ideas and content flood us without much choice or thought of - what do we actually want to consume?

I have so many predictions about the future of content, tech, social media and the like but I won’t share that today.

One thing I will say, is that we need to ensure our input is quality, the same way we would with our eating habits.

You are what you eat, just as much as you are what you consume online.

After any length of time scrolling or checking apps, emails etc. I feel like when I look in the mirror I fear I will have turned into the final iteration of Demi Moore’s character in The Substance.

A monster consumed by the internet and all it’s rubbish.

Of course I am someone who creates online and I intend to keep doing this, so my caveat here would be that we must be mindful, both as consumers and creators to how we are adding to this online pile.

I know I am being very conscious of this and feel I’m able to be online in a very robust way but still speak my truth, be authentic and have my own interests, but also yours in mind. I want to add true value and I genuinely want to connect, not via emojis but by real words and voice notes. I want to leave a lasting impression.

Alright so what the hell have I been reading? Here are some titles I’ve enjoyed that maybe you want to seek out. I have links in this issue to them but if you can get them at your local bookstore that would be so very fabulous because being in a bookstore is one of life’s simplest, yet most immense pleasures.

FREUD/LYNCH - BEHIND THE CURTAIN

I literally finished reading this the night before David Lynch passed which feels so eerie and so Lynchian I guess…

I had the wildest dreams whilst reading this book as dreams are the main discussion and something both Freud and Lynch were pretty obsessed with. It’s very academic and I had to stop to google words sometimes but I have some major education gaps so you might be fine reading it.

I was thinking throughout the book “I wonder when Lynch will make another film and if he does what will it be like?”

We will never know now and it’s really such a huge loss in so many ways but I will say it’s been incredible to see how much he is being celebrating and sited as an influence by such a diverse array of people.

Lynch is somewhat of a first creative love for me and I know we’ve lost a friend but i also know that many will create wonderful things inspired by him and in lieu of him.

I’m looking forward to seeing those dreams come to life.

FEEDING THE MONSTER

Okay so this might not seem very relaxing to some people but I’m absolutely devouring this book right now in the evenings before bed - haha - Insert nightmares here. No but really, it’s not as wild as it may sound and it’s actually very culturally enriching to read about horror, both new and old, and how it’s held a place in our society for decades.

I’m a lover of anything that exists on the fringe or dwells in the darkness, especially within us as humans and for me, understanding that darkness actually eases my anxiety and dread.

I love flawed characters and artists who aren’t afraid to show us them and let us know that there is a monster in all of us in some way, shape or form.

This notion makes me feel more connected, even in it’s morbidity, and allows me to accept things, understand them and maybe even empathise, with more things, actions and humans in life, which I believe is an emotion greatly absent right now in our society.

This author also has a podcast which i haven’t listened to yet, but you can find it here and let me know how you like it.

THE CREATIVE ACT: A WAY OF BEING

This book has done the rounds so I’m pretty late to the party, but better late than never when it comes to gaining insight into the process of someone like Rick Rubin!

I’m a fan of Rick’s vibesman approach to everything and his unrelenting lack of technical skills which oozes punk-fuck you sensibility to anyone who is qualified, which makes me chuckle and fuels my own stubbornness when it comes to focusing on hard skills for pretty much any facet of life. But that’s another rant for another time.

I’ve just started this book and I’m marking up pages and passages to review and share with you in an upcoming video on YouTube.

It’s easy breezy reading, just pick up and absorb some Rubinisms and feel totally recharged and like the world is waiting for you to create. It’s a positive book and I think we need that.

I will say that I feel Brian Eno is maybe the OG creative genius and not enough people are privy to Eno’s insane ability to create, reimagine, subvert, cross genres and just be this total force and polymath, much like the late and great Lynch.

These people pop up so rarely in our lifetime so it’s important to consume them as much as humanly possible.

A Circuit Breaking Message About Doing #allthethings

Sometimes the internet is a beautiful place and the other night that beauty was presented to me by way of Joshua Heath Scott aka JHS pedals, who if you play guitar or are even vaguely interested in such things then I would guess you know who I’m talking about.

If you are not of the guitar persuasion, don’t look away because this video (featured on the pedal company founders peronsal YouTube channel ) is well worth a watch for anyone who is a creative being and thats pretty much all of us!

Joshua is debunking the “stay in your lane” adage that we so often hear these days, especially when it comes to online and “niching down” which I personally find hard to adhere to being someone with multiple interests.

Don’t sleep on his other videos either, there is a great one on Seth Godin and what we can learn from his genius + many more great recs and morsels of advice.

I’m also really loving this album by band “Son of dribble” which another rec that might aggravate your senses with it’s lofi recording and badly mixed levels, but to me it’s like angel song because I love an assault on the senses.

“Dusty” and “Candy Boy” are stand out tracks for me.

Stay safe everyone and don’t forget to let me know your thoughts below and share this issue with someone who you think needs a creative pick me up!

Love Lucy xx