Mina Le's writing process & unlimited beverage rule.
"I feed my inner child by letting her go crazy on the drink menu."
I think
might be the coolest person in the world. I first discovered her on Youtube, where she has created deeply-researched, enthralling video essays on sincerity, plastic surgery, personal style, and Hollywood. She also writes the newsletter and held a summer book club. I love Mina’s voice, her commitment to curiosity, and the way she treats fashion as a language of its own. I hope you enjoy her Cheat Sheet as much as I do!!
CHEAT SHEET is a series that unveils the objects, rituals, habits, places, and secrets that make life better. It’s like the blue-lined paper you’d make for yourself with all the formulas, tips, and strategies for an exam.
MINA LE’S CHEAT SHEET
1. Stretch
I consider “stretching” to be only one peg lower than “drink more water” in terms of annoying suggestions to improve your life. But just like drinking more water, stretching actually works. I used to be a naysayer, but earlier this year, I started taking voice lessons and what I witnessed thanks to my dear coach Dan was… amazing. I wouldn’t say I'm Mariah Carey, but after several months of practicing every day, I’ve noticed my vocal cords feeling stronger and my range getting more flexible. It made me think about how if the muscles in my throat can do this, what can muscles in the rest of my body do? I’m going to be blunt too: I’m afraid of aging. I fear for the days when I lose my mobility completely, and as I approach 30, I’ve become more intense about delaying those days, as well as appreciating the days I have now. When I go running in the park (and I’m feeling absolutely nauseous and wanting to die), I think about how one day, I’m not going to be able to run at all. And I’m going to be looking back and wishing that I ran more. As a person who strongly believes in living life without regrets, I’ve been tearing it up on that yoga mat and my body has never felt better.
2. Print out essays
People have asked me a lot throughout the years what my video essay writing process is like. It’s been consistently chaotic, but one thing I have changed recently, and which has streamlined everything for me, is printing out all my research. Like what novelists do, I’ll arrange them all on the floor and move the papers around to see which arguments and evidence flow best in what order. It’s super satisfying since I’m a visual learner. I also find that physical paper is less straining on my eyes, allowing me to read more deeply rather than skimming around (a habit I have when reading on the ole clanker).
3. Recognize your free will
Inherently, we all know we have a certain amount of free choice in this world, and yet capitalism likes to suppress that free choice or that awareness of free choice. Example: Say I scroll all day on TikTok. I feel as though I can’t escape because my dopamine receptors keep craving more and more. I’m stuck in a loop. Except… I’m not stuck in a loop! On days like these, I say to myself, “I have free will,” “I have free will to stop scrolling,” “I have free will to not respond to someone on the internet.” But sometimes, I say, “I’m using my free will to doomscroll.” Or “I’m using my free will to wait in this long ass line for a matcha latte at Community Goods.” The point is to feel like an active participant in your life, to feel that your bad choices can be changed or that your bad choices are indeed your choices. Maybe it’s a cope to reframe in this way. I definitely think corporations and corrupt governments are still responsible for many problems and we shouldn’t alleviate them from anything, but reminding myself of the control I do have over my life has made me a less anxious person overall.
4. Order however many beverages you want
Growing up, my parents were always very frugal in the beverage department. Oh, how my heart would long for a Thai Iced Tea from Bangkok Garden every Friday night… To this day, I’m not sure if it was a sugar issue, a money issue, a caffeine issue or all of the above, but I know I was denied and have carried that chip on my shoulder ever since. Now that I have my own disposable income, I feed my inner child by letting her go crazy on the drink menu. Obviously, do not go into debt ordering beverages, but when you’re feeling a little low, there’s no better cure than ordering both the latte and the juice. Trust me.
5. Don’t be on your phone in public as a display of dominance
I have and will continue to show up to social events (sometimes alone) and power through any awkwardness without my phone. I used to go on my phone in fear of being judged for not having anyone to talk to, but have since realized it’s actually weird to judge someone for not having fun. Being bored is not a crime. Not having fun is actually a responsible feedback signal to the host to get their shit together (jk). But most often than not, no one is judging, and making eye contact and having open body language will actually invite people over to chat. If you MUST have a security blanket, opt for a book or a notebook so at least someone can ask you what you’re reading/writing. Notice how no one has ever asked what someone is doing on their phone? (Sidenote: if you see me on my phone at a social function, it’s because my mom or my manager is hounding me… in which case, I have no free will.)
Thank you Mina! You can find more of her here: Mina Le on Youtube, on Substack, @gremlita on Instagram and TikTok.
Catch up on previous CHEAT SHEETS:
#3 and #5 are so good (actually #2 too reading and touching paper is superior to reading on a screen)
I've also been doing yoga almost daily now for a month and I feel soo much better