Life
And Just Like That, It's October
And it's shaping up to be a great opportunity to get back on track with some of my (previously) good habits
Shannon Hilson
Writer of essays, reflections, and cultural commentary. Exploring creativity, inner life, and what it means to grow wiser on purpose.
Life
Does Everything I Love Need to Become a Project?
On creative curiosity, the seduction of possibility, and figuring out which interests actually deserve a job
A Case for Being Selectively Influenced
A Thursday meditation on borrowed tastes, birthday traditions, and letting other people surprise you
Life
Dispatches from the Lost Fortnight
Scenes and artifacts from two weeks off the usual map
Life
Other People Are Using the World, Too
A weekend of Car Week annoyances sent me down a rabbit hole about consideration and perspective
Personal Development
The Lost Art of Learning Just Because You Want To
Why adults deserve an education built around curiosity instead of credentials
Life Lessons
6 Ways Your World Gets Smaller as You Age (and Why That's a Good Thing)
What I didn't expect to learn about getting older, paying attention, and figuring out what matters most
Creativity
Recognizing the Patterns in Your Own Creative Work
What creative patterns and nudges can reveal about the body of work you're cultivating
Artificial Intelligence
On AI, Blogging in 2026, and Other Creative Conundrums
This doesn't feel like it actually belongs on Substack, so I'll stick it here instead
Self Care
Freshly Dyed Hair, Clean Sheets, and Other Things That Make Life Better
Small acts of maintenance won't change your life overnight, but they can make everyday life a lot more enjoyable
Life Lessons
Googling an Ex Isn't Always About the Ex
Looking up someone from your past can tell you a surprising amount about people and about the younger version of yourself who knew them
Movies
8 Ways Labyrinth Somehow Prepared Me for Adult Life
David Bowie, goblins, impossible staircases, and a surprising amount of wisdom for navigating adulthood