Hannah Aster

SEO Team Lead

Hannah is a seasoned writer and editor who started her journey with Shortform nearly five years ago. She grew up reading mostly fiction books but transitioned to non-fiction writing when she started her travel website in 2018. When she's not writing or traveling, you can find Hannah working on home reno projects, crafting, or taking care of plants.

Expertise

Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English and minors in professional and creative writing

Mindfulness Activities For Your Daily Life

It seems like everybody is talking about mindfulness these days, but what really is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment and aware of what you’re doing. And, as it turns out, the benefits of mindfulness are both mental and physical. Not only does practicing mindfulness reduce anxiety, depression, and stress, but it’s also been shown to improve your sleep, boost immune functions, assist in weight loss, and lower blood pressure. Additionally, practicing mindfulness is also known to increase your focus at work and school and to improve relationships. If one practice is known to

How to Initiate Change and Get People Onboard

What can the fable Our Iceberg Is Melting teach you about initiating change? Why do so many people resist change? How can you kickstart change in your organization? In their fable about change, Kotter and Rathgeber discuss the difficulties of initiating change in a company. They discuss the difficulties of convincing others that major change is necessary and what to do when you encounter resistance. Keep reading for advice on how to initiate change in your company or personal life.

The Humble Life of George Catlett Marshall

Who was George Catlett Marshall? How did Marshall’s humbleness and humility allow him to rise up the ranks? In his book The Road to Character, author David Brooks highlights George C. Marshall’s life because he displayed humbleness and self-sacrificing behaviors that are rarely seen today. Marshall advocated for others rather than himself and eventually ended up winning a Nobel Peace Prize. Continue below for a brief overview of George C. Marshall’s life.

Building Trust in a Team in Times of Change

Why is teamwork so important when it comes to making changes in an organization? How do you build trust in a team? In the fable Our Iceberg Is Melting, the main character, Fred, noticed that the iceberg his colony lives on is full of cracks and won’t survive the winter. He puts together a meeting to initiate change, but that’s only the first step when it comes to making major changes, The second step is to make a team. Continue below to learn how to to build trust in a team, according to John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber.

Asa Philip Randolph: A Civil Rights Movement Hero

Who was Asa Philip Randolph? What was her contribution to the Civil Rights movement? Asa Philip Randolph was a major player in the Civil Rights movement. He organized a Black labor union, started the first Black American magazine, advocated for nonviolent resistance, and more. If Randolph hadn’t given up his salary job to advocate for Blacks, the world might not be the same place. Keep reading to learn about the life of Asa Philip Randolph.

Frances Perkins: A Biography of Self-Sacrifice

Who was Frances Perkins? In what ways did Perkins assist in making the New Deal? In his book The Road to Character, David Brooks talks about several historical figures who acted selflessly to benefit the greater good. The first person Brooks outlines is Frances Perkins, the woman behind the New Deal. Here is a brief overview of Frances Perkins’s biography, as written by David Brooks.

Why Outside Ideas Are Critical for Dramatic Change

Is your organization in dire need of a change but you don’t know where to start? How can looking to outside sources help expand your options? In the fable Our Iceberg Is Melting, the penguins realize that their iceberg will not survive the winter but they can’t come up with solutions on how to fix it. Only when a seagull pays them a visit do they realize that their best course of action is to leave the iceberg altogether, something they never considered. Here is why outside ideas are crucial when it comes to making big changes.

How to Prevent Burnout: Stop Giving Too Much

Are you a natural giver and find yourself focusing more on others than yourself? Do you want to know how to prevent burnout from giving too much of yourself? In his book Give and Take, Adam Grant discusses the benefits of being a giver in life. He also takes some time to address the downsides of being a giver—specifically, the burnout you can feel after giving too much without reciprocation. Continue reading for Grant’s advice on how to prevent burnout from giving too much.

David Brooks: Morals in Society are Shifting

In what ways have morals in society shifted? What is the difference between moral realism and moral romanticism? In his book The Road to Character, author David Brooks talks about the societal shift from moral realism to moral romanticism. Moral realism is the idea that virtue is made, not born. and moral romanticism is the idea that humans are pure at the core. Learn the pros and cons of each type of thinking and why societal morality has shifted over the years.

How to Spread Ideas of Change in an Organization

Does your organization require major changes to stay afloat but others are resisting change? Do you want to know how to convince others about what needs to be done? In their fable about leadership and change, John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber discuss the difficulties of enacting change within an organization. They provide advice on how to slowly spread ideas until most of the members are on board. Here’s how to spread ideas of change within an organization.