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Stephan Joppich
Stephan Joppich

4.8K Followers

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Who I am, what I write about, and how to get in touch. — Hey there! My name’s Stephan Joppich, and I’m an engineer turned writer. (Fun fact: I used to write under the pen name Leo Sharp. If you’re interested in why I embraced my “real” name, you can check out this story.) The golden thread that runs through my work is the…

About Me

2 min read

About Me

2 min read


18 hours ago

Can Loneliness Actually Kill You? (A Nuanced Look at the Science)

Turns out, loneliness is a double-edged sword. — I stared at the screen. Flabbergasted, I scrolled through the search results. “Loneliness: the Silent Killer.” “The Detrimental Effects of Loneliness on Your Health.” “Loneliness as Dangerous as Smoking 15 Cigarettes a Day.” These weren’t the headlines I’d hoped to find amidst a period of grave loneliness. I actually looked…

Loneliness

12 min read

Can Loneliness Actually Kill You? (A Nuanced Look at the Science)
Can Loneliness Actually Kill You? (A Nuanced Look at the Science)
Loneliness

12 min read


Published in

Mind Cafe

·Apr 22

The One Thing People Get Wrong About Minimalism

Minimalism isn’t a reversed arms race to own less; it’s actually about curation. — For years, I completely misunderstood minimalism. I used to think minimalism was about living a frugal life, eliminating as many possessions as possible, and creating a clean aesthetic. Flashy colors should be banished, I assumed. Just like owning multiple versions of the same item, physical book copies, my smoothie maker.

Minimalism

8 min read

The One Thing People Get Wrong About Minimalism
The One Thing People Get Wrong About Minimalism
Minimalism

8 min read


Apr 15

The Overview Effect: An Astronaut’s Astonishing Antidote to Loneliness

And how you can easily replicate it — no ticket to space required. — It’s the most merciless environment you could possibly imagine. Extreme radiation. Temperature differences of 275°F. Meteorite hazard. Zero oxygen. An infinitely dark vacuum. But the toughest part about space — as veteran astronaut Scott Kelly once said — is “being away from your loved ones, your friends, your family.” Space…

Loneliness

10 min read

The Overview Effect: An Astronaut’s Astonishing Antidote to Loneliness
The Overview Effect: An Astronaut’s Astonishing Antidote to Loneliness
Loneliness

10 min read


Published in

Mind Cafe

·Apr 8

5 Minimalist Purchases That Bought Me Endless Clarity

How to scan your stuff for value and filter out the clutter. — Talking about minimalist purchases may seem ironic to some people. The best minimalist purchase, these people might argue, is no purchase at all. But I think that purchases and minimalism are two sides of the same coin. How? Our purchases unveil our relationship with stuff, and talking about them makes…

Minimalism

6 min read

5 Minimalist Purchases That Bought Me Endless Clarity
5 Minimalist Purchases That Bought Me Endless Clarity
Minimalism

6 min read


Apr 1

Beyond Isolation: 12 Types of Loneliness That May Surprise You

Or: Why loneliness goes deeper than not having friends — Loneliness is not the same as being alone. You can feel lonely in a crowd, in marriage, and, of course, in isolation. Being alone is objective and neutral, whereas loneliness is personal, painful, and multi-faceted. And yet, our conversation around loneliness is marked by one-dimensionality and a lack of vocabulary…

Loneliness

9 min read

Beyond Isolation: 12 Types of Loneliness That May Surprise You
Beyond Isolation: 12 Types of Loneliness That May Surprise You
Loneliness

9 min read


Mar 25

How to Feel Less Lonely: 7 Evidence-Based Ways to Reconnection

A comprehensive guide to (re-)connecting with other people and yourself — A few years ago, on a frosty winter night, my loneliness hit so bad that I curled up in front of my radiator. I wanted to replicate human warmth. I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel something. But there was nothing. My chest felt like an airlock that was…

Loneliness

16 min read

How to Feel Less Lonely: 7 Evidence-Based Ways to Reconnection
How to Feel Less Lonely: 7 Evidence-Based Ways to Reconnection
Loneliness

16 min read


Published in

Books Are Our Superpower

·Mar 18

Finish More Books: How to Unlock the Power of Patient Reading

A guide to calming your impatience and rediscovering reading. — Until recently, reading anything felt straight-up strainful. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to read. I kept buying more books, my TBR had grown like bamboo on fertilizer, and, as a writer and philosophy student, reading is part of my job. …

Reading

8 min read

Finish More Books: How to Unlock the Power of Patient Reading
Finish More Books: How to Unlock the Power of Patient Reading
Reading

8 min read


Published in

Mind Cafe

·Mar 11

3 Minimalist Principles That Significantly Simplified My Life

Guidelines for simplicity that emerged from years of trial and error. — Over the past three years, I tried countless things to create a simpler, more minimalist life. To name a few: I cleared out my entire apartment, lived out of a backpack (twice), went on a pilgrimage, and radically changed my consumption habits. But I also did a lot of stupid…

Minimalism

7 min read

3 Minimalist Principles That Significantly Simplified My Life
3 Minimalist Principles That Significantly Simplified My Life
Minimalism

7 min read


Published in

Mind Cafe

·Mar 4

The Importance of Having an Existential Crisis

Thinking (too) deeply about life is an essential human feature. — Every few months, I sink into a deep existential crisis where I question everything — who I am, what I’m doing, the point of it all. It feels like getting sucked into a vicious grinder that pulverizes any sense of purpose I created for myself. Or like waking up on…

Philosophy

5 min read

The Importance of Having an Existential Crisis
The Importance of Having an Existential Crisis
Philosophy

5 min read

Stephan Joppich

Stephan Joppich

4.8K Followers

Ex-engineer • Meditations on loneliness, books & minimalism • Newsletter → stephanjoppich.com/newsletter

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