On Listening as An Act of Love

As people, we crave to be heard. But we don’t always listen. In this hour-long podcast, StoryCorps founder David Isay shares the lessons he has learned from listening to others tell their stories, people from his father to complete strangers. To Isay, his project is about “giving the people the chance to have these conversations, and be listened to. And in that act of sitting with a loved one, and being asked who are you, and what have you learned in life, and how do you want to be remembered, being reminded how much their lives matter.” Amidst all the uncertainty that exists in all of our lives right now, you might find it healing to listen to someone share their thoughts and noting down what you’ve learned from the conversation. I (Stella) was deeply touched by this honest conversation. Listen here.

On Expanding Your Network

Networking is hard, even in non-pandemic times. In this piece, Julie Weeds offers advice on how to broaden your professional network. For example - it’s ok to join groups that are “not for you.” You do not have to have majored in English to join a writers’ group. Also, consistency is key. Each week, reach out to someone in your network, or ask a friend or mentor to connect you to someone you’d like to have a conversation with. You can also work on developing your personal “brand narrative,” a one-slide summary of who you are, your personal attributes and your proudest achievements. Make it more engaging than a traditional resume. Start today. New York Times.

On Sharing Your Inspirations with Experience Lab

Hey there. For the past year we have been sharing stories and articles with you that we have personally found engaging and informative. Many of you have let us know that you’ve found our resources helpful, and nothing makes us happier. Now, we’d love to hear from you. Do you have a podcast, story, or article that you listened to or read this week that you loved? Or have you created something recently that you are proud of, be it a poem, a song, or just some thoughts of reflection? Do you want to share it with us and other Sunday Letter readers? Remember, all our readers are students and recent graduates just like yourself.

If you’d like to share something with us, simply send your inspirations to stella@explab.org, with an attached link or document anytime before the end of Friday each week. We can’t wait to hear from you!