Sunday Edition: 3 Things I Learned from a Recent 'Cleanse,' the Optimization Trap, and a Book I Loved

Plus the one thing I bought from MDW sales.

The Sunday Edition is Tuesday’s little sister—off-the-cuff updates I’d bring up over a coffee catch-up with a friend.

I’ve been thinking a lot about “optimization” this week—it seems to be the season for it. The New York Times published a piece about Oura rings making us all health-paranoid (exactly a year to the date after I wrote my own take on this!). I had a conversation with new friends about the tyranny of metrics; how the number on a scale, a “sleep score,” or calories burned feel tangible and can easily tip into obsession, especially for perfectionists. The “false promise” of optimization was also the topic of

Elise Loehnen

’s podcast this week, and

Amina AlTai

released a book this week on “the ambition trap.” It’s possible I’m noticing it all this week, because I’ve been putting the finishing touches on next week’s Morning Person post, all about awe, which I believe is the antidote to his compulsion to optimize. More coming soon! Until then, read on for photos and highlights from my week, including:

• The one thing I bought from MDW sales

• My favorite restaurants in Portland

• The best book I’ve read in months

• My three takeaways from the cleanse I did last month

• A podcast episode that inspired a meaningful “small change”

• How I avoided mid-week burnout

P.S. Just a reminder that there are never any affiliate links, sponsorships, or comps here—just genuine recs! x