We All Need a Timeline Cleanse
The world is boiling in a pot of political instability - here's how to remove it from the stove
I was going to write a long piece about Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, but then I thought — “Do we really need another piece that reminds us about the geopolitical fragility in the world? Especially when the domestic situation in my home (America) is so unstable and on edge.”
So I wrote a piece about Why Japan’s 7-Eleven Will Never Work in America and made a YouTube Short.
A lot isn’t working in America right now. But before I discuss how we can keep our sanity, here’s why I wrote about Japanese 7-Elevens.
They are emblematic of both American and Japanese culture — convenience vs. quality, palates informed by years of societal influence (e.g., hot dogs under heat lamps vs. fresh onigiri), and the social status of convenience store workers (respected in Japan vs. underpaid in America).
America and Japan couldn’t be more different, and 7-Eleven illustrates how. I visited stores in Manhattan and Tokyo, both of which told the stories of our different cultures. And despite rumors that Japanese 7-Eleven may be headed for the U.S. market, I came away convinced that Japan’s model will never work in America.
Read the full essay here, including why Japanese convenience stores already failed once in America.
Which brings me to the real point of this newsletter — how do we keep our sanity in a boiling world?
6 steps towards a timeline cleanse
After the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the consequences that have followed (like the government pushing to cancel and silence Jimmy Kimmel), we all need to take a break. We need to clean ourselves of the dirt that social media, algorithms, and the 24/7 news cycle has caked on us.
I may not have been alive during the Civil War or the tumultuous year of 1968, but I cannot remember a time in my life where we’ve been more divided as Americans. It’s easy to go insane constantly following the news right now. We may feel like we’re neglecting our civic duty by ignoring it at this moment of chaos and instability.
We aren’t.
We could all use a breath of fresh air. Some time away from our phones and screens in general. I’m confident it will make us happier and better people.
So if you feel in need of a cleanse, here are some actions you might take.
Go outside. Fall is in the air across much of America. Go for a walk. Look at the trees. Be mindful of the moment. Be grateful. Breathe. It’s amazing what mother nature can heal.
Read a book. A real one with physical pages. Read what you love. Whatever excites you. There is still no better source of knowledge and enlightenment. Opt for older and timeless wisdom. Here are 5 books that transformed my life.
Create something. Write. Paint. Play an instrument. Sing. Anything. It will bring you more fulfillment than doomscrolling social media or watching cable news.
Focus on your work. Whenever I’ve had dark times in life, I throw myself into my work. The best distraction is having a mission.
Better yet, focus on your family. World events and news cycles come and go, but your family is constant. Nurture and prioritize those relationships.
Remember that you can only change what you can control. My wife taught me this one. None of the recommendations above mean that you must be silent in the face of tyranny. But understand your limits. Write your Congressman. Post on social media. Make your voice heard. But appreciate that you alone can only control and influence so much. Focus most of your energy on what you can control — yourself, your family, and your home.
We may feel powerless, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have power
It’s easy in moments of instability to feel powerless. Maybe even hopeless at times. Like the world is spinning out of control and you’re going down with it.
But you do have power — the power over yourself, what daily choices you make, whose content you consume, which businesses you patronize, and where you choose to live and travel. The people have shaped America time and again. Through her peaks and troughs across history.
I’m confident the people will prevail once again. Especially after a good cleanse now and then.
Thanks for being here. Have a good weekend.
I had to stop watching a lot of the news when Trump got reelected. I just couldn't do it anymore. I get alerts through my email, but it's very limited. So I limited my intake dramatically. And you're right. I don't like it because I like being informed, but at the same time, you will literally drive yourself insane.
I’ve intentionally limited my time on social media since last week.
Stepping back from the chaos doesn’t mean we’re giving up.
It means we’re refilling our resilience buckets.
Mine will be filled in one week when I head to Spain.
I cannot wait.
Happy Friday, John.