A How-To Guide
As the RARE SENSE Substack has grown from one article a month to now including monthly book recommendations, podcast episodes, and weekly mind fitness training, I feel it’s time to provide a How-To manual so you can easily navigate this site and other related content. That’s what this article is. I will keep it updated and pinned to the top of the main page for future reference as well.
What follows is an overview of every aspect of the RARE SENSE universe. It’s diverse, and as always, my intent is not to tell anyone the exact right formula for mind fitness. Instead, everything is for people to explore and try in the pursuit of creating their optimal personal mental health training routine.
I’m also now putting portions behind a paywall. Paid subscribers will get access not available to others. I’ll cover the details in each section below. It’s a matter of necessity as the amount of work involved has gotten substantial on my end. But I also think it’s a steal. For $5/month or $50/year, you get comprehensive mind fitness instruction every week at a minimum. Some people spend more than $5 per day at Starbucks. Hopefully, you value a month of mental health training more than a single venti caramel frappuccino. It’s certainly better for you. Although admittedly, coffee and happiness go hand-in-hand for me…
Here we go. Let’s start by walking through the various sections of the Substack delineated by the tabs at the top of the home page.
Training
I program a short daily workout for your mind weekly titled “Mind Fitness - Week of MM/DD/YY.” These are various techniques I’ve used to help overcome conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. They include meditation, breathwork, journaling, problem-solving, skills-based learning, and numerous other practices in different combinations. None of it is invasive, and only takes a few minutes per session. I’m not trying to fill your time up with more tasks. Conversely, I hope to introduce you to various facets of mind fitness so you can give them a shot and adopt the ones you like into your bespoke regimen. Take the best and leave the rest.
Published every Sunday. Paid subscribers receive all posts. Free subscribers get 1-2 full posts a month and partial versions the rest of the time.
Articles
I write one long-form article every month that goes deeper into the theory behind these exercises or related best practices and topics. I do my best to explain why they can drastically improve your quality of life, in my opinion. When applicable, I’ll also include reflections from my related personal experiences. Most articles take five to ten minutes to read.
Published on the first of every month. Paid subscribers receive all articles. Free subscribers get occasional full articles and partial versions the rest of the time.
Books
Every month, I recommend a book that goes into even greater depth on topics associated with mental health. Often, these expound on the subject of my article or a recent podcast episode, but not always. These are all works I’ve read personally and found enlightening and valuable.
Published mid-month every month. Paid and free subscribers receive every book recommendation.
Podcast
There are numerous people out there with in-depth knowledge about many of the topics I discuss. The RARE SENSE podcast allows me to showcase their expertise and have in-depth conversations with them. Guests include former sufferers, practitioners, and others who are making a positive impact on mental health. You can find all episodes on any major streaming platform, including Apple and Spotify, in addition to Substack.
One to two episodes published every month on no set schedule. Paid and free subscribers can listen to any of them.
Archive
Three months after publishing, all of the above content, except podcast episodes, goes into an archive status. If you wish to read these posts, you must be a paid subscriber.
Only paid subscribers get access to the archive.
Notes
Notes is like a social media platform internal to Substack without the ads, negativity, and acrimony found elsewhere. I use it for small odds and ends that don’t fit into one of the categories above. As a subscriber, you’ll automatically see my posts. Feel free to like, reply, or share them as you see fit. You can also post your own links, thoughts, quotes, photos, etc. I hope this becomes a space where every RARE SENSE reader can engage with me and one another.
No set schedule. Paid and free subscribers have full access.
Chat
Chat is a conversation space like a group DM or live hangout. I don’t use it often but I occasionally post short prompts, thoughts, and updates. You can join the discussion or start a thread. It’s also the best place to ask me a question directly.
No set schedule. Paid and free subscribers have access, but only paid subscribers can start threads.
App
Subscribers receive the training, articles, book recommendations, and podcast episodes via email, but anything posted in Notes or Chat is only sent via the Substack app. If you don’t want to miss anything, it’s best to download it and turn on push notifications. You’ll also be able to access the other RARE SENSE Substack content there.
Paid vs. Free
Here’s a summary of what you get as a paid or free subscriber:
Paid
All mind fitness training posts
All articles
All book recommendations
All podcast episodes
Access to the archive
Access to notes
Access to chat and the ability to start threads
Free
Occasional or partial mind fitness training posts
Occasional or partial articles
All book recommendations
All podcast episodes
No access to the archive
Access to notes
Access to chat but no ability to start threads
Other
You can also find RARE SENSE content in other places, all linked to the official website.
Guided meditation and breathwork videos and video versions of podcast episodes can be found on my YouTube channel. Please subscribe.
Try the RARE SENSE Challenge for a twenty-day mind fitness crash course if you want to jump in with both feet.
You can connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter @thischrisirwin.
If you want me to speak to your organization about mind fitness, please fill out my contact form. You can also sport some cool RARE SENSE gear.
Whether you decide to be a paid or free subscriber, I think you will get a ton of value from RARE SENSE. However, paid subscribers receive maximum benefit, and my eternal gratitude for your support. Please leave feedback or comments and share anything as you see fit. Thank you!
DISCLAIMER: RARE SENSE content is not medical advice. Nor does it represent the official position or opinions of any other organization or person. If you require diagnosis or treatment for a mental or physical issue or illness, please seek it from a licensed professional.