Welcome to the Attention Issue. This one’s all about reclaiming focus and rediscovering what it feels like to create for the sake of creating— to savor the moments that matter too much to miss and make room for the moments that deserve our full, undivided selves.
In a world constantly competing for our attention, reclaiming it feels almost radical. Lately, I’ve been trying to break the habit of endless scrolling to rediscover a deeper motivation to create—something that truly serves me, not the tech overlords. Ironically, here I am writing this newsletter! But it’s a tricky balance. There’s always this tug between being fully present and the lure of my phone, tempting me to scroll just one more time. I want to create purely for myself, not for algorithms or fleeting online validation. Yet sometimes, it feels like my energy gets caught in a dopamine loop, feeding the urge to scroll rather than building something lasting, something real.
Motherhood, though, has forced an unexpected reset, a digital diet of sorts. Time with my son draws me into his world, where crayons, googly eyes, and modeling clay bring me into the ‘now’ like nothing else. Screens have no place there. Sitting on the floor with him, I’m reminded of the raw energy in simple, unpolished acts of creativity, where the act itself is the reward. Being fully in the moment with him has made me rethink my relationship with creativity, and what I need to let go of to experience something fuller.
In my parenting, I’m working on another attention practice: letting Tal experience boredom, frustration, and curiosity without intervening. It’s not easy—especially when we can escape discomfort or conflict with a swipe. Already, he’s mesmerized by my phone, drawn in by its glow or what he calls “beeps”—that ineffable quality of buttons, flashes, endless things at his fingertips. But there’s something irreplaceable in letting him sit with his thoughts, allowing him to work through his curiosity and restlessness on his own terms. That in itself is an act of creativity.
For myself, I’ve found a few ways to resist that same pull. The Opal app checks my habits, breaking the cycle of mindless refreshing and keeping me off apps before bed. Long-form content—books, articles, printed pages and the pieces of inspo below—has been a grounding escape, tangible and free from notifications. And then there’s the hands-on side of creativity: projects that need time and focus, stepping outside with Tal where it’s just us, fully present.
What helps you reclaim your attention?
Malwine Stauss: I love the scale and use of space in Malwine Stauss’ work. She really takes up a canvas. How good this would look hanging up in my kitchen!
Immaterial Podcast: Blankets and Quilt: First of all, I love Immaterial—it’s layered, rich, and intimate, pulling you deep into each artist’s world. In Blankets and Quilts, the episode dives into the deeper stories of quilts as carriers of memory, identity, and survival. It emphasizes how ordinary, practical objects like blankets and quilts become more than just textiles. Through artists like Loretta Pettway Bennett and Marie Watt, we see how quilts can be both utilitarian and artistic, connecting generations through acts of preservation, creation, and community. It’s motherhood in fabric: a legacy of piecing together love, resilience, and whatever life hands you.
Soccer Mommy’s New Album Evergreen: Evergreen is like my dream early-2000s playlist met the alt-goth energy of The Smashing Pumpkins. Soccer Mommy nails that raw honesty that’s half coming-of-age movie, half diary entry. Her sound’s messy, open, and unapologetic—like she’s cracking her heart open and inviting you into the imperfect, complicated parts.
Anna Mills 2025 PLANT Calendar: Anna Mills’ work is all about handmade analog TEXTURE. Her 2025 calendar is beautiful, it’s all about PLANTS—it’s my second year ordering, and each page is frame-worthy. The riso print textures make every plant detail feel alive.
How to Do Nothing: One of my favorite books and my go-to reminder of the creative power that can come from simply… not doing. Odell reframes the idea of attention as a resource, challenging us to withdraw from the attention economy and reclaim a sense of place, time, and purpose. It’s not just about ignoring the noise but finding beauty and inspiration in the act of presence. This book feels like it’s freeing up space to get creative—giving you permission to “do nothing” and find richness there.
Ezra Klein’s Show: Your Mind is Being Fracked: This episode with D. Graham Burnett dives into how our minds are constantly fragmented by tech and media overload, making it harder to find the quiet needed for creative flow. It made me think about the ways we can reclaim focus as fuel for art and ideas, almost like pulling our minds back together from this scattered state. The way Klein talks about attention hits close to home—it’s about seeing attention as a form of care, something we owe ourselves and our work.