Do you listen to the same music as your parents? Whether we’d like to admit it or not, research suggests that our earliest musical memories continue to influence our taste! “What research?” you might ask. Well, in one study, pregnant women were assigned a specific song to listen to on a regular basis. A year after their babies were born, the researchers let the babies listen to their assigned song and another song — and sure enough, the babies wanted to keep listening to the song they’d heard in the womb! 👶 🎧 Interestingly, as we grow up and can start blasting any record we like at a volume of our choosing, familiarity still seems to play a role in what we prefer. But why is this? It’s because we find predictable sound sequences the most ambient — they just shouldn't be so predictable that they feel boring. You probably think of dancing to your favorite song in a packed concert hall as more exhilarating than safe, but the safety that comes with predictability matters more than you think. This is because listening to music is a vulnerable experience — we surrender to the sounds around us and immerse ourselves in them completely 💓 🎼 Would you like to discover more about what shapes our musical preferences, and find out what science has to say about music’s evolutionary benefits? Then who better to learn it from than neuroscientist and musician @daniellevitinofficial! For #WorldMusicDay, we highly recommend the Blink to his popular book “Your Brain on Music”!

In honor of #Juneteenth, we’d like to highlight an important chapter of 20th century American history: the Great Migration, in which millions of Black Americans left the Jim Crow South in pursuit of a better life in cities like New York, Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles. In her book “The Warmth of Other Suns”, Pulitzer prize-winning author and journalist @isabelwilkerson asks: Why did so many Black Americans leave the South, and were they in the end better off in the North? Interestingly, Wilkerson finds that those who left often didn’t consider themselves part of a mass movement—each of them had their own complex and personal reasons for leaving. But there was one common theme in all their stories: they were tired of being treated as second class citizens. But the North was far from a promised land: In fact, analyzing the rising levels of poverty and crime, as well as the housing crises and riots in Northern cities, many social scientists have questioned whether those who left made material gains. But, Wilkerson poignantly argues, these analyses fail to take into consideration the deep personal meaning the movement had for many Black Americans. For these migrants, the simple act of leaving the South was a powerful expression of their independence — and despite the challenges and setbacks they faced, few regretted it. To discover the personal stories of a few of the Black Americans who made this journey, we highly recommend the Blink to “The Warmth of Other Suns” 🎧 🧡

And we have more empowering dad statistics to share this #FathersDay! 47% of American fathers play with their kids more often than they recall their parents doing; 46% also spend more time reading with their children; and 56% say “I love you” more often than their parents did. In other words; dads are more involved than ever before! Yet despite these positive trends, only 39% of fathers feel they’re doing a “very good job” at being a parent, compared to 51% of mothers. For *all* parents who are trying their best but worry they're still falling short, we’d like to recommend the Blinkist collection “The ABCs of Parenting.” In it, you’ll find helpful titles on everything from setting healthy limits on phone time, to raising children who are responsible and generous with money. Check out “The ABCs of Parenting” on the Blinkist app today, or share it with a dad in your life who could use a little support and encouragement! 👨🏽‍🍼💘

Are you better off being an optimist or a pessimist? 🤔 In “The Optimism Bias” cognitive neuroscientist and author Tali Sharit sets out to answer the age-old question — and we’ll give you a spoiler: she comes out in favor of optimism 💫 But why is it better to expect positive than negative outcomes? It’s because optimism and pessimism can be self-fulfilling prophecies. If we look ahead at the future with positive expectations, we're more motivated to bring our goals to life. But optimism comes with another important perk: if we optimistically believe we can learn from our mistakes, we’re better equipped to handle setbacks. To learn more about the benefits of cultivating a positive mindset, don’t miss the Blink to “The Optimism Bias”! But first, tell us in the comments: Do you consider yourself an optimist? 👇

You might have heard the quote “the first Pride was a riot”— and this is true. On the night of June 27th, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. This wasn’t the first time this queer space was targeted by the police — but on this night the Stonewall’s patrons fought back, igniting a series of demonstrations across the city in the days that followed. To commemorate the event, the first Gay Pride Liberation March took place one year later, in June 1970 🌈 ✊🏽 In today’s video, @hayleypalmaer tells you more about this important turning point in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. To honor the LGBTQIA+ community’s victories, but also to highlight the discrimination and violence the community still faces, we’ve put together the collection “LGBTQIA+ Icons and Activities”, which you can access via our link in bio. On this note, we’d also like to mention that Hayley’s t-shirt is made by artist @mars.wright, whose work is centered around the powerful message “trans joy is resistance” 🏳️‍⚧️💜

When you think of an organized home, do you think of your own? Mostly likely not 😅 And that's because we’ve been taught that good organization consists of color-coordinated boxes stacked neatly inside closets, meticulously arranged file cabinets, and minimalist visual arrangements where nothing is out of place. The problem is just that this cookie-cutter standard of cleanliness doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and if you stray from this norm, you’ll likely come to think of yourself as unorganized and messy. Cassandra Aarssen (@clutterbug_me), professional organizer and author of the book “The Clutter Connection”, is here to offer a fresh perspective: you’re not messy — you’ve just been forced to use a system that doesn’t suit your natural way of arranging your space. Aarssen’s best advice to move from chaos to workable order? Forget the one-size-fits-all approach and instead get to know *your* organizational style. To learn more about butterflies, bees, ladybugs and crickets — and the approaches that work best for each of them — check out the Blink to “The Clutter Connection! 🧹🐛

Real talk: Your top priority should be to have fewer priorities ☝️ But we know the struggle—dropping a commitment is so much easier said than done. Luckily, Brené Brown is here to help. In her bestseller "Dare to Lead", she shares powerful and actionable advice for aspiring leaders, and for anyone trying to build their courage in the workplace. So, if you don't have more urgent items on your to-do list today, why not give the Blink to "Dare to Lead" a listen? 🎧

If you’re a Gemini, you’re the life of the party, because you’re equal parts intellectual and social butterfly! 🧐 🦋 Your quick wit and curiosity make you a great conversationalist, especially when you find a crowd that appreciates your hot takes, daring jokes and encyclopedic knowledge of everything from Roman emperors to Academy Award winners. As an openminded explorer, there really aren’t many things you’d flat out say “no” to—well, except for dull routines and FOMO, that is. Speaking of which, your fear of missing out is a constant source of anxiety, because although the options are endless, you sometimes have to choose just one. But fret not, dear Gemini; the Blinkist team has put together a collection to support you! In “Gemini—The Versatile Intellectual”, you’ll find 10 titles to help you make decisions and sustain long-term relationships—because, you know, not *all* committments are bad. “Gemini—The Versatile Intellectual” is out on the Blinkist app now. Give it a listen today, or share it with a Gemini pal who could use a little support and inspiration! 🎧 💕

New episodes of Simplify are here! ❣️🎧 In this first episode, @cschills does some Instagram self-help myth-busting—like, do you really have to love yourself before you love someone else?—with @rickhansonphd and @f.hanson. Tune in wherever you usually get your podcasts—and subscribe so that you never miss an episode! We'll be sharing a new one every other week through the summer. If you're wondering what else awaits you on Simplify this season, here's a little preview: • With @robertglazer_. you’ll discover the 4 capacities smart leaders are building in their post-pandemic teams • With sociologist Valerie Fridland you’ll learn how to powerfully wield “bad English" like “like” and “um” • With @natlue you’ll find out what kind of people pleaser YOU might be—and how to stop being one ☝ Check out the first episode today! And look for the deluxe version of each Simplify episode—the Simplify Guides—featuring additional book recommendations and conversations with our guests and Caitlin and Ben that you won’t hear in the podcast episode, in the Blinkist app! 📲

Head over to our link in bio to get 50% off your Blinkist premium plan before tomorrow evening 🔔 ⏰ With over 6500 titles on everything from career and success to mindfulness and happiness, the Blinkist app is here to help you unlock the best version of yourself! 🌱

Do you agree with Henry Kissinger, who was born 100 years ago today? 🎂 Kissinger grew up in the small German city of Fürth, but he emigrated to the United States at the age of 15 to escape Nazi persecution. As a prominent political thinker, Nobel laureate and Secretary of State under the Nixon and Ford administrations, Kissinger played an important role in shaping global diplomacy during the second half of the 20th century, though his practice of “Realpolitik” remains controversial. You may for example know this famous line of his: “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.” For Kissinger’s 100th birthday, we invite you to explore his complex historical legacy. In our library, you’ll find the Blinks to Kissinger’s own books “Leadership” and “World Order”, but also the Blink to Christopher Hitchens’ “The Trial of Henry Kissinger”, which examines the darker sides of American foreign policy. Before you head over to the Blinkist app, we’d love to know: What qualities do you think make someone a good leader? 👇

We’ve got a surprise for you: Blinkist is offering a weekend flash sale that starts in 3 … 2 … 1 ... now! 🏁 Hop on over to our link in bio to claim your 50% discount, and start exploring 6500+ titles on everything from history and science to parenting and relationship psychology. New discoveries and personal growth guaranteed 🚀