How did Suleika Jaouad's unique childhood influence her sense of home and identity?

Born in New York City, Suleika moved constantly between Switzerland, Tunisia, and the US from ages 2 to 12 due to her professor father's sabbaticals. This led her to feel like a 'misfit in every culture,' and the concept of 'home' became elusive. She disliked her unique name, Suleika, which comes from her Tunisian father.

How did Suleika secure a place at Princeton despite an unconventional high school education?

Suleika dropped out of high school at 16, taking classes at Skidmore College and studying music at Juilliard's pre-college program. She wrote an essay for Princeton arguing her unconventional education was equivalent to a high school diploma, and her unique background helped her gain admission, fitting the dean's vision for 'green-haired students.'

What crucial lesson did Suleika learn about writing and storytelling at Princeton?

In a journalism class called 'Writing about War,' Suleika wrote a profile of a classmate injured in a suicide bombing, then tracked down the bomber's mother in the West Bank to get her story. This experience electrified her, showing that she could create dialogue and connection between disparate perspectives, even from a dorm room.

How did Suleika Jaouad get diagnosed with leukemia and what was her initial hospital stay like?

A year after college, Suleika was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia. She initially expected a short stay but spent almost two months in medical isolation. Standard chemotherapy failed, and her only options were experimental trials, profoundly changing her relationship with time and her future aspirations.

Which books were most impactful for Suleika during her illness, and why?

Initially, Suleika resisted cancer literature but found solace in 'The Fault in Our Stars' for its humor and relatability. Lucy Grealy's 'Autobiography of a Face' became her 'sick girl bible,' helping her grapple with disfigurement and the long-term imprints of illness, exploring themes of beauty and self-perception.

How did Suleika address the physical and emotional challenges after finishing cancer treatment?

After four years of treatment, Suleika had scars, infertility, extreme fatigue, and a compromised immune system. She realized 'moving on is a myth,' grappling with the dissonance between being 'cured' and truly 'well.' A doctor diagnosed her with PTSD, which helped her confront her reality and create a plan to heal.

What inspired Suleika to embark on a 15,000-mile solo road trip, and how did it affect her?

After treatment, Suleika learned to drive and felt a desperate need to escape her 'stuck bubble.' She planned a solo cross-country road trip to visit 22 strangers who had written to her column. The trip, initially terrifying, helped her build independence, work with her limitations, and ultimately make 'a kind of home in the wilderness of the in-between.'

How did Suleika Jaouad land her New York Times 'Life Interrupted' column?

During treatment, Suleika started journaling as part of a '100-day project.' She blogged her entries about illness, love, and healthcare. After her blog gained traction, she boldly proposed a weekly column and video series to a New York Times editor, writing from the 'trenches of treatment' without knowing the ending, and it was accepted.

What advice does Suleika Jaouad offer for people in a 'darkness or stuckness'?

She suggests two things: first, make a list of all past difficult things you've survived to remind yourself of your resilience. Second, adopt a 'tender skin' approach by allowing and sharing vulnerability, as 'sunlight is the best disinfectant for darkness' and fosters intimacy and connection.

What does Suleika Jaouad's daily journaling practice look like and what is a 'to-feel list'?

She journals daily by hand, waking up, letting her dogs out, making coffee, and writing. The absence of a backspace forces her to follow thoughts to their end. Before her to-do list, she writes a 'to-feel list' (e.g., 'breathing,' 'gratitude'), which helps set a clear intention for the day, a remnant from when she had limited energy during illness.

What are 'The Isolation Journals' and how can people participate?

During the pandemic, Suleika started 'The Isolation Journals' to help people convert isolation into artistic solitude. Every week, she releases a free journaling prompt contributed by artists, writers, and musicians. It has attracted over 100,000 participants and fosters a sense of community. You can sign up for the newsletter at theisolationjournals.com.

Key Moments

Suleika Jaouad - Invaluable Road Trips, the To-Feel List, and Artistic Homes | The Tim Ferriss Show

Tim Ferriss

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Suleika Jaouad discusses life interruptions, the power of vulnerability, and finding resilience through art and road trips.

Key Insights

Creative expression, particularly journaling, can be a powerful tool for navigating difficult life experiences and fostering self-discovery.

Embracing vulnerability and sharing one's truth, even when it's uncomfortable, can lead to profound connection and healing.

The concept of 'moving on' from trauma is a myth; true healing involves integrating experiences into one's present life.

Artistic pursuits and personal exploration, like Suleika's road trip, can serve as vital 'rights of passage' for survivors.

Finding a community, whether through shared experiences or artistic projects like the Isolation Journals, is crucial for resilience.

The journey through illness and trauma often involves a profound shift in one's relationship with time and future planning.

Even in the face of isolation, human connection and shared experiences can offer immense strength and solace.

THE VIGIL: COMPASSION IN UNEXPECTED PLACES

Suleika Jaouad recounts her experience reporting on a hospice unit within a maximum-security prison. Staffed by fellow inmates trained in hospice care, the unit offered a unique space for prisoners to find redemption by caring for those in their final days. This immersion revealed the profound capacity for compassion and the potential for restorative justice, challenging her preconceived notions about incarcerated individuals and the nature of mortality.

FROM REJECTION TO REVELATION: THE WRITING JOURNEY

Jaouad's path to writing wasn't straightforward, marked by an early rejection from a creative writing program. However, a journalism class on writing about war at Princeton ignited her passion. She discovered the power of juxtaposing disparate perspectives, notably profiling a classmate injured in a suicide bombing and the bomber's mother, revealing a surprising empathy and connection between them. This experience solidified her belief in writing as a way to bridge divides and explore complex human experiences.

HEALTH'S INTERRUPTION: FACING LEUKEMIA AND ISOLATION

A sudden diagnosis of aggressive leukemia dramatically altered Jaouad's life, thrusting her into extensive hospitalization and medical isolation. This period, intended to be a brief stay, stretched for months. She found solace not in grand literature like 'War and Peace,' but in narratives that reflected her immediate reality, such as 'The Fault in Our Stars' and Lucy Grealy's 'Autobiography of a Face,' which resonated with the raw, unvarnished experience of illness and disfigurement.

THE AFTERMATH: MOVING FORWARD OR MOVING THROUGH

Surviving leukemia meant transitioning from active treatment to the complex phase of recovery. Jaouad grappled with the physical and emotional after-effects, such as infertility, fatigue, and a compromised immune system, while also confronting the societal expectation of emerging 'braver' and 'stronger.' She realized that 'moving on' was a myth and that true healing involved integrating the trauma into her present life, acknowledging the imprints it left and learning to navigate life 'along fault lines.'

THE ROAD TRIP AS A RIGHT OF PASSAGE

To find her footing after illness, Jaouad embarked on a solo cross-country road trip, seeing it as a self-created rite of passage. She connected with strangers from her 'Life Interrupted' column, people who had also faced significant life challenges. This journey, though physically demanding and initially frightening, became a powerful exercise in independence, self-reliance, and learning to live with her limitations, ultimately teaching her to 'make a kind of home in the wilderness of the in-between.'

THE POWER OF THE TO-FEEL LIST AND VULNERABLE SHARING

Jaouad emphasizes the importance of intention through a 'to-feel list,' a practice born from her limited energy during illness, to guide daily actions. She advocates for a 'tender skin' approach over a 'tough skin' mentality, suggesting that sharing vulnerability, like in her conversations and journaling, is essential for healing and connection. She also shares 'Isolation Journals,' a project born during the pandemic, which invites community through shared prompts, highlighting that vulnerability begets connection and that survival is an act of creation.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Suleika reported for the New York Times Magazine from a maximum-security prison's hospice, which is staffed by fellow prisoners. She found it profoundly inspiring, observing incredible compassion and restorative justice as prisoners cared for their dying peers. The experience challenged her preconceptions and allowed vulnerable storytelling.

Topics

Mental Health & Psychology Human Performance Mindset & Self-Improvement Creative Expression Personal Growth Grief And Loss Healing From Trauma

Mentioned in this video

Products

LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix

A sugar-free electrolyte drink mix, used by Tim Ferriss daily and helpful for people on keto, low-carb, or paleo diets, or after endurance exercise. Available in flavors like Citrus Salt.

People

Suleika Jaouad

Author of the New York Times best-selling memoir 'Between Two Kingdoms,' Emmy Award-winning New York Times columnist, and creator of 'The Isolation Journals.'

Vladimir Nabokov

The author of 'Speak, Memory,' whose writing style Suleika Jaouad tried to mimic in her early attempts at serious writing.

John Green

Author of 'The Fault in Our Stars,' a book identified as impactful for Suleika Jaouad during her treatment.

Robb Wolf

Former research biochemist and two-time New York Times best-selling author of 'The Paleo Solution' and 'Wired to Eat,' who created LMNT electrolytes after discovering their benefits in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Willie Nelson

A musician whose song 'On the Road Again' Suleika Jaouad played at the start of her cross-country road trip, trying to set a positive mood.

Cheryl Strayed

An author whom Suleika Jaouad interviewed, who advised her to write the story she needed to write, even if it was about cancer, instead of avoiding it.

Audre Lorde

Author of 'The Cancer Journals,' a book mentioned as potentially impactful during Suleika Jaouad's illness.

Julia Cameron

Author of 'The Artist's Way' and the 'Morning Pages Journal,' whose journaling practice is mentioned by the host.

Lucy Grealy

An incredible poet and author of 'Autobiography of a Face,' whose work Suleika Jaouad found deeply resonant, helping her interrogate beauty and the long-term imprints of illness.

Susan Sontag

Author of 'Illness as Metaphor,' whose quote about dual citizenship in the 'kingdom of the well' and 'kingdom of the sick' inspired the title of Suleika Jaouad's memoir.

Viktor Frankl

An author whose quote, 'Between stimulus and response there is a space and that space is our power to choose a response and our response lies our growth and our freedom,' resonated with Suleika Jaouad's journey after trauma.

Miguel de Cervantes

Author of 'Don Quixote' and the source of Suleika Jaouad's chosen billboard quote: 'Until death, it is all life.'

Organizations

The New York Times Magazine

A publication where Suleika Jaouad's reporting and essays have been featured.

Princeton University

Suleika Jaouad's alma mater, which she attended on a full scholarship after an unconventional high school path.

Skidmore College

A small liberal arts college where Suleika Jaouad audited classes for free after dropping out of high school, sparking her serious interest in writing.

NPR

A public radio network where Suleika Jaouad's reporting and essays have been featured.

First Descents

A non-profit that offers outdoor adventure trips for young adults (18-39) impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions, where Suleika Jaouad briefly met 'Salsa.'

Software & Apps

The Isolation Journals

A community creative project founded by Suleika Jaouad during the COVID-19 pandemic to help people convert isolation into artistic solitude through journaling prompts.

Books

The Cancer Journals

A book mentioned by the host as potentially impactful during Suleika Jaouad's illness.

Autobiography of a Face

Suleika Jaouad's "sick girl bible," a book by Lucy Grealy about living with disfigurement after surviving bone cancer, which deeply impacted Suleika as she grappled with the imprints of her own illness.

Wired to Eat

A New York Times best-selling book by Robb Wolf.

Illness as Metaphor

A book by Susan Sontag, which contains the quote 'Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick,' inspiring the title 'Between Two Kingdoms'.

Morning Pages Journal

A journaling practice by Julia Cameron, described as a way to clear one's mind by putting disabling thoughts on paper.

The Paleo Solution

A New York Times best-selling book by Robb Wolf.

Between Two Kingdoms

Suleika Jaouad's New York Times best-selling memoir, which explores her journey of illness and recovery.

Speak, Memory

An autobiographical memoir by Vladimir Nabokov that influenced Suleika Jaouad's early writing experiments.

The Fault in Our Stars

A best-selling book about two teenagers with cancer that Suleika Jaouad found incredibly funny and important during her illness, helping her feel less isolated.

The Artist's Way

A book by Julia Cameron, which advocates for the practice of 'morning pages' journaling.

condition

post-traumatic stress disorder

A condition a doctor diagnosed Suleika Jaouad with after her cancer treatment, helping her understand her post-illness struggles and begin a focused healing plan.

Media

On the Road Again

A song by Willie Nelson that Suleika Jaouad played to set the mood at the start of her solo cross-country road trip.

Grey's Anatomy

A TV show that Suleika Jaouad watched consecutively for entertainment during the early months of her hospitalization when she lacked the energy to read.

Life Interrupted

An Emmy Award-winning New York Times column and video series written by Suleika Jaouad, recounting her experiences with leukemia.

The Artist and the Thief

A documentary mentioned by the host that showcases an example of an incarcerated person fearing release back into the world.

Companies

Allform

A new company launched by Helix Sleep, making premium customizable sofas and chairs that are shipped directly to your door at a fraction of the cost.

Helix Sleep

A mattress company that Tim Ferriss has been using since 2017, which recently launched Allform, a new company making sofas.

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