When Fighting Evil, The Most Valuable Skill To Master, And A Small Gift

Here are 10 findings that I thought might trigger your curiosity this month;

I.

A wonderful quote I’ve come across this month from Friedrich Nietzsche, about the danger of focusing too much on defeating ‘evil’:

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”

Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (1886), Aphorism 146.

II.

Q&A: We’re all surrounded by endless distractions—social media, notifications, and just the constant buzz of things pulling at our attention. It can be a challenge to find that quiet space to focus and actually get things done. I know I sometimes find it all a bit much. In this month’s Q&A, I answered a reader’s question about what I think is a total ​game-changer​ for getting things done at work. Want to know more? Keep reading!​

III.

What Readers Are Saying: one of the latest reviews I received from a reader for my book recommendation What happened to you?:

‘I must admit, I was a bit skeptical at first. I normally don’t gravitate towards books in the self-help genre, but this piece is one of a kind. I liked their approach to promoting empathy. They insightfully highlighted the existence of emotional wounds in people, no matter who we are. It’s a powerful reminder to step back and resist the temptation to pass quick, hasty judgments based on mere fragments of behavior alone. Instead, they encourage a holistic view, urging readers to look beyond the surface. There is also a profound message of hope that resonates, at least with me, to foster and nurture our relationships. The book serves as a exquisite blend of scientific research and practical wisdom, offered in a conversational and accessible manner. The easily understandable insights make it a valuable guide for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of human nature. Highly recommended!’

IV.

Learning Spanish: The idea behind this list of the 100 most used Spanish words is simple. Find out what’s useful and used most often so you can focus on that first to improve your Spanish faster. It’s classic 80/20. Dive into this curated list of the 100 most used words in Spanish.

V.

A small gift: When I think of the Christmas holidays, one thing that always comes to mind is curling up on the couch and watching those cozy, feel-good classic movies we all know and love. Throughout the year, I’ve put together a playlist with the best movie soundtracks to bring me back to those fun cinematic moments. Now, I’ve published it on Spotify for you to enjoy! Let me know what you think!

VI.

Archives: It’s hard to believe it’s been 36 years since the Berlin Wall came down. For those who lived through it, that day is carved into memory. For the rest of us, we inherit its weight through stories—some passed down, others found in the quiet corners of archives. I’ve always thought of archives as time machines. A single piece of footage can show more than pages of words ever could.

There’s something haunting about the way tragedy hides itself—how certain wounds go unspoken, buried deep in family histories or cultural silence. Every culture has its quiet places, the things we don’t talk about. But if we forget them entirely, they stay buried forever.

That’s why archives matter. They don’t just preserve facts—they preserve feeling, even the ones we’d rather look away from. They remind us. Sometimes gently.

VII.

A thought I’ve had this month: Kintsugi. Instead of hiding cracks, Kintsugi highlights them with gold, turning damage into something that tells a story and makes it uniquely valuable. It reminds me that our flaws can actually make us more interesting. We get to wear our cracks with a new kind of pride and beauty. Life is like a river—constantly moving, sometimes calm, sometimes rough, but always shaping us as we go.

VIII.

A documentary that I watched: I’m Tim—about the life of Avicii in his on words. The archival tapes give you a glimpse inside his life and although it’s so sad how it all ended, you’ll get a pretty good look on what a beautiful, pure person this must have been. Worth to watch.

IX.

This Month’s Fun Fact: A single strand of spaghetti is called a ‘spaghetto.’

X.

In the spotlight this month:

Anneke Brassinga ‘winter’, 2016, acrylic on linen 30 x 40 cm,
by Neel Korteweg

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Lisanne