Week In Review: History of Apple Cider Donuts

Alcohol, personality types, and apple cider donuts…

Enjoy this week’s curated list of articles, videos, and more from the web—now organized by relevant category—to help you build the life you want.

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Featured Thoughts: Alcohol Usage

New research shows that no amount of alcohol is good for you.

But I can’t be the only one that feels we’re missing something by repeatedly telling people they shouldn’t drink because it’s bad for them.

• Emotional regulation
• Stress relief skills
• Social skills to combat anxiety
• Hobbies not centered around alcohol

Don’t tell people they shouldn’t drink.

Give them the skills so they don’t want to.

By the way, you aren’t wrong if you decide alcohol has a place in your life. I enjoy a few adult beverages on occasion. I enjoy the experience of a good drink with friends.

Not everything you do has to be a pillar of good health.

But I do have three personal rules I abide by when it comes to alcohol:

1. I never drink alone
2. I never drink to cope with negative emotions
3. I never drink two days in a row

(That last one I get relaxed on when I’m traveling for vacation. Otherwise, I stick to it while I’m at home—but not always perfectly.)

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Friendship

I Never Thought I’d Write This Book

Takeaway: When I moved to a new state, I had to rebuild my entire social life from scratch.

I think back on all the lessons, skills, and mistakes that shaped that journey—the people I lost because I couldn’t see what was happening right in front of me, and the friendships I managed to grow against the odds.

This book is the manual I wish I had then.

Every insight, every strategy, every truth that makes building friendships predictable, repeatable, and simple.

It’s not ready yet, but you can sign up for the waitlist and immediately receive a portion of chapter 13 on conversations so you never have to have an awkward conversation again.

Join The Waitlist

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Psychology

Why Are We Drawn To Personality Tests?

Takeaway: Whether it’s personality tests, astrology signs, or Buzzfeed quizzes, people seem drawn to explanations that help them make sense of who they are. And this seems to be an innate human experience.

Even though the biological explanations behind many of these systems have been disproven, their appeal lies in how they make complex human behavior feel more understandable and predictable.

Modern personality tests echo this innate desire by offering neat categories that help people feel seen, validated, and connected to others who share their “type.”

I crafted four Mindset Archetypes for this very reason—to turn complicated human experience into a digestible framework to help people understand how their mindset operates. You can take this free Mindset Archetype quiz below:

Take The Mindset Quiz

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Productivity

Getting It Done Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

Takeaway: What’s the key to following through on tasks even when you don’t feel like it?

According to the research, trusting yourself to figure things out even without a clear game plan.

“If you are insecure about your process and abilities, then you’re liable to catastrophize when the path forward is unclear or when things feel off. Rather, if you are secure in your process and abilities, if you have evidence to lean on, then not much can faze you.”

This self-trust is called self-efficacy. There are four ways to build self-efficacy:

1. Past performance (Experience)
2. Vicarious experience (Role Models)
3. Verbal encouragement (Support/Accountability)
4. Positive emotional states (Mindset/Self Talk)

These elements mix to create the belief that you can figure it out even when things are uncertain.

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Curiosity

The History of Apple Cider Donuts

Takeaway: Late September is quintessential Autumn. And cider donuts are a better spokesperson for Fall than pumpkin spice, IMO. (Don’t get me wrong, I love a good PSL.)

It turns out, it started as a marketing gimmick by the Doughnut Corporation of America to sell more donuts. (And yes, there used to be a Doughnut Corporation of America.)

Dammit, it worked.

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P.S. Thanks for reading this week’s article round-up. When you’re ready to take the next step in the building the life you want, here are three ways I can help:

1. Take the 2-minute Mindset Type Quiz: Learn your type here.
2. Download the Money Method Calorie Guide to kickstart weight loss.
3. Book a risk-free call with me directly to uncover hidden barriers and strategize a plan to help you see results.