Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five
Issue 100 - 100th
Welcome to a very special edition of Deep Life Reflections.
100 issues. 100 reflections. 100 steps along the journey ✏️
Two years ago, on February 24, 2023, I sat down and wrote the very first edition of Deep Life Reflections. I titled it The Journey Begins. Well, 99 issues later, the journey isn’t just beginning—it’s well underway.
By coincidence, The New Yorker is also celebrating a major milestone this month: 100 years since its first issue was published in 1925. The magazine’s commitment to quality and integrity is one of the reasons I started writing in the first place. In fact, I keep a framed print of 100 New Yorker covers in my home as a reminder of what great writing can be.
But today isn’t about The New Yorker—it’s about Deep Life Reflections, and the 100 weeks of thinking, reading, watching, talking, and writing that have shaped it.
First, I want to thank you—whether you’ve been here since issue #1 or joined more recently. Your comments, reflections, and insights mean a lot, and I love reading them. Many of you also write, create, and explore your own passions. If this newsletter has played even a small role in bringing more clarity or meaning to your journey, then these 100 issues have been well worth it.
For this milestone edition, I want to reflect on why I write about what I read and watch, why I believe in capturing my thoughts, and what’s next after a hundred weeks of Deep Life Reflections.
Join me as we explore this special 100th anniversary issue.
1. Why I write about what I Read
Books have always held a special interest for me—more than just words on a page. They are how I interrogate ideas, sharpen my critical thinking, and make sense of the world.
I’ve always loved the act of reading itself: a good book in the quiet stillness of the early morning, a cup of black coffee in hand. Fiction offers an escape—a reminder, as someone once said, that a reader lives a thousand lives before they die. But whether it’s fiction, non-fiction or self-improvement, I’m really selective. I once worked out that based on my current average of 25-30 books a year, I might only read 1,000 more books in my lifetime. And Google tells me there are 130 million books in the world. 1,000 is still a lot of good books, however—and with them, a lot of learning, wisdom, and enjoyment in the years to come.
Reading is where it begins then, but writing is what solidifies it. Writing forces me to clarify insights, extract meaning, and connect ideas to life. Writing helps me maintain intellectual curiosity—and it’s hard. As it should be.
I also have a deep-seated belief that the antidote to our shrinking attention spans isn’t more bite-sized, algorithmic-driven content, but richer, more engaging stories and reflections. Whether someone chooses to read deeply is entirely their choice, of course, but I’d wager it’s more satisfying than watching ten TikToks back-to-back—the equivalent of a calorie-dense sugar rush versus the slower digesting yet more nutritious meal.
I’d like to play a small role in helping shift the tide back toward depth over distraction, flow state over endless scrolling. I believe books and long-form writing are part of that solution. And if you’re reading this, you probably do too.
2. Why I write about what I’m Watching
Like books, I’ve always been fascinated by films, documentaries, and high quality television. It goes back to early cinema visits and living room memories of childhood classics like Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jaws—the magic of the movies and my VHS video recorder.
In my early 20s, I harboured dreams of being a scriptwriter, buying a few books and playing out ideas. At 17, I’d wanted to take a Film & Media Studies course, but the entrance grades were ridiculously high for someone with good but not outstanding academic achievements. So, the way I see it, I’m catching up now.
Writing about film over the past 100 issues has only deepened my appreciation of both the filmmaking and writing process. I always watch ‘Director’s Commentaries’ and soak up all the trivia of a film on its IMDb entry. I loved learning that Francis Ford Coppola went to a local coffee shop every day in L.A. and bashed out the adapted screenplay of The Godfather on a busted old typewriter. He sat in a corner, furiously typing for hours as the world went by.
Films help us understand life. They shape how we see the world, and they bring us stories that need to be told—in ways that heighten all our senses. A powerful recent example is Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, particularly the infamous Trinity Test—the world’s first nuclear detonation. Nolan makes us first see, then feel, and finally hear the soul-shattering destruction of a nuclear bomb. It’s cinema at its finest.
Maybe one day I’ll write a screenplay. Until then, I’ll keep watching, analysing, and writing about film. One of the little joys of this newsletter is making a recommendation—highlighting a little-known film or documentary and knowing it might bring someone a couple of hours of pure enjoyment.
So, let me conclude my thoughts here by recommending three of my favourite little-known documentaries next time you’re stuck for something to watch:
🎥 Searching For Sugarman
🎥 Man On Wire
🎥 The Alpinist
3. Why I write about what I’m Contemplating
A lot has changed since I started writing this newsletter two years ago.
I’ve had a major career shift. After 24 years in the corporate world, I took a leap in a totally different direction—to invest in myself as a coach, to write more, to speak more. To build something of my own. What started out as a simple resource site, Deep Life Journey has now grown into a coaching business, dedicated to helping others find clarity and purpose. And it still remains an important space for all my writing, reflections, and photography.
I’ve faced a health crisis. Open-heart surgery was a major life event that came out of nowhere—a defective heart valve, despite living a healthy, sports-focused life. It forced me to redefine my relationship with running and endurance, not as something to push beyond, but as something to respect. A reminder that limits are not failures, but realities to embrace. I’m continuing to work my way back, day by day.
I’ve suffered a deep personal loss. Losing my mum just three weeks ago is still raw. It’s something I’m continuing to process. But I feel good progress has been made in these last two weeks—especially through talking to friends and family. Acceptance and surrender are critical to grief. On Monday, we prepare to celebrate her life—surrounded by family, friends, memories, and laughter.
Through it all, writing Deep Life Reflections each week has been an anchor—something to look forward to each Friday morning. Identifying a theme that connects all these creative works. It has been a way to make sense of change, explore ideas, and remain curious about the world and my place in it. I always feel really good after publishing each issue. A sense of accomplishment.
In the early days, I had the nagging sense of ‘What if no one is reading?’ But writing is about finding clarity, not counting clicks or read rates.
Each issue I write helps me see my thoughts more clearly. And if it has brought even one person clarity, comfort, or connection, then it has been worth every word.
4. What about the Future?
Reaching 100 issues is a milestone, but it isn’t the destination. There’s more to come and also some new areas of interest to possibly expand into.
I’ve started sharing some of my work on Substack—a platform built for long-form writing and meaningful discussion. Debate and discourse happen respectfully, and it’s a far cry from the toxicity of certain other social platforms. So far, so good. If you’re interested, you can follow me here.
I’m also exploring the idea of a podcast called Deep Life Conversations—talking to people about their journey and the lessons they’ve learned, especially through my role as a coach. This might also create opportunities to collaborate with others across different media platforms. Next month, I’m a guest on a podcast with one of my readers, someone I’ve been mentoring for five years.
Before the year is out, I turn 50. A new decade always brings reflection—a chance to ask: What do I want? What don’t I want? Fortunately, I’m pretty clear on this.
I don’t want hustle culture—never have really. I’ve written before about Slow Productivity, and I stand by it. Doing less, working at your natural rhythm, working deeply, and creating a life that feels meaningful.
I plan to continue using this philosophy to coach, to write, to travel, and—one day—to publish my first book.
This feels like a good plan for the next decade—with the flexibility to adapt, and the clarity to know what matters.
5. A Question for you
What is something you’ve invested in over the last two years (or longer), and how has it shaped who you are today?
Thanks for reading and being part of the Deep Life Journey community.
If you have any reflections on this special 100th edition issue, please leave a comment here.
Have a great weekend and see you for the next hundred!
James
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