The Curious Bunch | Issue #83

Hello there! 👋

It feels so so SO good to be back! 😄

This might well be the first time you've heard from me.

After taking an almost year-long unintended break from curating my newsletter, I'm back again with some fascinating tools, thought-provoking reads, and inspiring success stories.

Here are a few highlights from my life:

• I got married on April 19, 2024. (yay!❤️)

• I worked with 5 clients in the past few months and one client for almost over a year now. All of them are either content marketing or content writing clients.

• I took my second 10-day meditation retreat, and it helped me the most during my worst phase of life.

• Successfully running Hyderabad Book Club (but with breaks in between!) since almost a year now and met some wonderful people through the book club.

...and many small things have happened over the past year that changed the course of my life. Hence, the absence! 😅

During my absence, I have received a few lovely emails from my long-time readers and was pleasantly surprised to know that they still remember me and my newsletter. 🥹 I couldn't have been more grateful for your presence in my life.

Now that I'm back again, I plan to continue curating and honing my skills to bring you the best of the internet. There are a few changes made to the structure of the newsletter, but it largely carries the same essence as my old newsletter.

Also, I completely understand if you no longer resonate with the newsletter. Please feel free to unsubscribe anytime if this is something you don't want in your inbox anymore. I'd hate to take up any more space than I should. However, I'm forever grateful for sticking with me so far and encouraging me to curate better. ❤️

Alright! Now that we're done with the necessary introductory things, let's move on to some interesting finds from the past week...👇

Curious Pick 🔮

Meco - The best new app for newsletter reading.

As a curator and a newsletter junkie, I'm subscribed to over 50 newsletters, and my biggest problem is sorting through hundreds of emails each week to find the stuff that I want to read.

Thankfully, Meco has a solution!

Meco is an app designed for reading newsletters, allowing you to read your favorite content in one place, without the clutter. The process is simple: just download the Meco app, add your favorite newsletters, and start reading! 😄

How I use it:

Currently, I connect my Gmail account with Meco and pull in all the newsletters I regularly read, sorting them into different groups based on their content. For example, if a newsletter focuses on tech or productivity, I tag it under ‘Productivity’, and so on.

So, if I want to read only ‘Productivity’ content, I can simply go to that folder and read them whenever I receive new emails. How neat!

What problems it solves:

• Declutters your inbox and offers a space to read your favorite newsletters in a distraction-free environment.

• You can organize your newsletters by primary topics, with the option to customize these topics.

• Discover new newsletters to subscribe to based on your interests, all without leaving the app.

• Listen to recommended podcasts tailored to you directly within the app.

• A reading mode is available for those sensitive to blue light.

Limitations:

• Currently, Meco is available only on the web and as an iOS app. Android users have to wait. Android users will have to wait, but you can join their waitlist here if you want to be one of the first to use it.

So far, I've only noticed great features on Meco, not many limitations! 😄

If you want to clean up your inbox, get started with Meco here.

Similar tools to explore:

• Stoopinbox

• Substack

• Newsletterss

The Good Stuff ⚡

1. Insanely Cool Tools

If you’re someone like me who’s always on the lookout for new and cool tools, this one is for you!

Discover tools from the internet you never knew existed, curated with founders, tech enthusiasts (and amusement) in mind.

2. Notion Apps — Convert Notion databases

Sharing Notion links is old-school.

Convert your Notion databases into interactive apps without any coding.

Build unlimited mobile-friendly apps with this drag-and-drop tool and share instantly with a web link — for free! YES!

1. The Twelve Foundations for a Good Life
8 minutes | Scott H Young

What defines a good life?

In this article, the author outlines a plan to cultivate 12 key foundations, dedicating one month to each, to build a meaningful and fulfilling life.

I’m inspired by the idea of focusing on one foundation per month while maintaining balance in other areas of life. I might just give it a try.

Check it out if you’re curious and want to join me!

2. How to get out of a bad mood
5 minutes | The Action List

If anyone knows how to shake off a bad mood quickly, it’s definitely not me. 😅

Whenever I go through PMS, experience random mood swings, or my husband does something to irritate me, I instantly find myself in a really bad mood.

The way I’ve asked my husband to handle my bad moods? Just give me about 10 minutes of space instead of constantly asking, “Are you feeling better now?”

In reality, my mood never improves in just 10 minutes—it usually takes at least a day or more!

This article really resonated with me, offering some helpful tips on how to get out of a bad mood.

1. Three Simple Ways to Recharge
5 minutes | Diana Hill

If you're feeling uninspired and drained, there are mindful ways to recover from burnout.

Here are 3 simple ways:

• Notice What’s Worth It

• Try Productive Procrastination (my favourite!)

• Have More Fun

2. How to Read More: The Simple System I’m Using to Read 30+ Books Per Year
4 minutes | James Clear

Sure, reading great articles online or skimming through an interesting tweet on X is enjoyable. But nothing beats a good book!

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, shares how he shifted from 'reactive' reading to 'proactive' reading as a daily habit.

If you're looking to read more books, give his approach a try!

1. Languify — Optimize copy right in your browser.

Building a landing page or an app and struggling to get your copy right?

This AI tool optimizes copy seamlessly, increasing the SEO and the UX of your website.

Check it out!

2. Why your lead magnets don’t work.

I initially struggled to gain subscribers for my newsletter, but then I discovered something called “lead magnets.”

However, I quickly realized that not just any lead magnet would do.

"People don't pay for information; they pay for organization and application."

In other words:

Offer a quick win, not just more information.

My favorites from this list:

• Checklists (easy to create and quick to consume!)

• Templates (takes effort, but they’re great for showcasing your value)

• Mini-Course (engages your audience and builds trust effectively)

1. How this freelancer made $27,000 in 1 month

Earning $1,000 per month through content writing is a significant achievement for me! However, earning $27,000 in a single month? Now, that's an unbelievable feat!

I began reading this article with a great deal of skepticism, but the interviewee provided practical advice along with resources on how to secure gigs that pay more and are worth your valuable time.

I would highly recommend taking the time to go through this interview if you are a content writer.

2. How Katt started, grew and sold No-Code Exits

Interested in starting, growing, and selling a newsletter for huge $$$?

Read this case study on how Katt sold her successful newsletter called 'No-Code Exits'.

The title speaks for itself, and her inspiring success story is something anyone could replicate if approached the right way.

Shout-Outs 📢

Bonus Content 🎁

📌 OTHER INTERESTING STUFF

• Top 10 GenAI Web Products. (link)

• Bubble Developer Roadmap — What you need to learn to build apps without any prior coding knowledge, in a matter of days. (link)

• How to Craft Onboarding Surveys Users Love: 5 Do’s and Don’ts. (link)

• Schopenhauer’s 38 ways to win an argument. (link)

• How to Make Better Decisions with Second-Level Thinking. (link)

• How To Be More Resilient: 6 Steps To Success When Life Gets Hard. (link)

• A Few Little Ideas And Short Stories. (link)

❤️ HERE'S HOW I CAN HELP YOU

• Planning to start a newsletter? Here's a free checklist for you!

• Want a shout-out from me? Book here.

• Sponsor The Curious Bunch and get your brand or project much needed attention it deserves!

• I am also currently available for freelance work! Check out my work here. 😊👩‍💻

🙏 THANK YOU

My heartfelt thanks to Carlotta, Lance, Joy, Jan, Sammi, Chung Wai Yan, Saurabh, Jeremy, Olaf, Gayatri, Thomas, Ken Haycock, Rishikesh, Crystal Campbell, Simon, David, Kunal, Sara, Janey, Rosemary, Rahul, Jagadesh, Wilson, Sanketh, Ninan, Veer, Nicholas, John, Vinamra, and 30+ others for supporting The Curious Bunch by sharing coffees with me. ❤

Want to support this newsletter and my work? You can now buy me coffees! ☕

With Love,
Vidya

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