Curated Collection
We compiled a collection with something for everyone as a gift to Friends of ILLUMINATION on Medium and beyond.
Dear Friends of ILLUMINATION,
Happy February, January was very busy and a challenging month for us as most of our contributors were unhappy, frustrated, and disappointed. Even our chief editor, Dr Yildiz paused writing.
This Is My Last Story on Medium Until the Algorithm Is Fairly Adjusted
Publishing on ILLUMINATION publications will be paused until this unfair issue for authentic writers finds an amicable…medium.com
Most of our editors got disheartened and some left the platform. Here is a poignant story by our senior editor Britni Pepper.
Goodbye, Medium!
It’s not me, it’s youmedium.com
In December we posted our first volume of outstanding stories. Our readers loved the collection and asked as to curate such memorable stories. If you missed that collection here is the link:
Sample Best Stories of 2024 for Avid Readers -Volume 1
We compiled a collection with something for everyone as a gift to Friends of ILLUMINATIONmedium.com
We curated and featured around 400 stories in a new list so please share them on social media for many readers to find the featured stories by our team.
Friends of ILLUMINATION collection
Edit descriptionmedium.com
Today we created another such collection for your enjoyment.
But before presentation them we’d like to highlight our current situation.
Our Disappointment with the Recent Situation of the Platform
Regrettably, Medium seems to blacklist our Friends of ILLUMINATION account most like due to their faulty algorithm flagging almost everything other as spam or AI written. We escalated this to our chief editor to guide us and take necessary actions.
If Medium does not welcome Friends of ILLUMINATION then we will remove this volunteer community service to other platforms.
Here is our 4 days of stats in February indicating our publication writers and followers do not see our curated collections. ILLUMINATION now has 191,000 followers but our curated collections are suppressed or flagged as spam on our own publication.
The Friends of ILLUMINATION profile received ZERO reads this month. We feel like being blacklisted.
We pour our hearts to curate, review, publish and feature human written stories. Yet SEO optimized, hidden AI content humanized with tricks is amplified as articulated by Dr Broadly in stories we link below. This is heart breaking for volunteers of this community.
Our efforts publishing and curating many great stories yielded in $1. As volunteering team, we don’t do this service for money. We point out it as if our account earns so little in 31 days equating $0.03 daily and now $0 i February what is the chance of new writers earning income on this platform?
These stats make no sense and looks embarrassing to us. But we will continue to try for a while and see what will happen. Our goal is to support authentic writers and give diverse reading options to our readers.
Our senior editor Dr Broadly wrote several articles about latest issues including growing plagiarism issues, flood of AI content, and flagging authentic content as spam.
Here are a few of his stories that might give you some ideas and you might start a healthy dialogue on these issues:
How Copyleaks Went Rogue from 61.6% to 99.8% Wrong in 3 Days
Here is an example of why many technologists, scientists, journalists, and authors no longer trust Copyleaks…medium.com
Asking AI to Find AI Is the Dumbest Thing Humans Have Ever Done
AI is now ruling the writing world — empowering content platforms while unfairly punishing real writers who have never…medium.com
Apparently, I’m a Spammer Who Joined the $0.02 Club Liked 1000s of Others
How technology missteps can turn loyal contributors into unintended casualties. Welcome to the bizarre world of Medium.medium.com
Who the Hell Writes 15 Stories a Day? Medium, Stop Twisting the Truth & Remove Those Spammers!
Amid a payment fiasco rattling the digital writing world, Medium blames mythical spammers to dodge fixing a…medium.com
My Previous Story Was Dramatic, But This One Is Mind-Boggling
This is a realistic tale of how personal plagiarism evolved into a sophisticated and organized scam, marking the…medium.com
Medium is no longer a fun environment as it used to be.
Dr Yildiz inspired us and we were excited to start this friendship initiative as a free service for Substack Mastery Boost Pilot tier 1, but the platform does not value our contributions.
Be a Friend of ILLUMINATION
Find Your Voice, Curate Inspiring Stories, and Build Your Audience with Support from a Thriving Community Leveraging…medium.com
We will reconsider our options and work on a new strategy to support our writers and readers. Like many of our readers we downgraded our FoM account and will not upgrade it until Medium sorts out the recent payment issues for our writers.
In addition to Substack Mastery Boost Pilot, wow we have a new initiative called ILLUMINATION Health and Wellness Network on Substack. It will support healthcare professionals, health and wellness writers, and readers interested in reading about these topics. Dr Yildiz articulated the purpose and strategy clearly.
Why I Created a Health and Wellness Network on Substack & How I Will Support It
Welcome to the new ILLUMINATION Health and Wellness network for healthcare professionals, business people, and health…medium.com
Around 34,000 members joined our network in the last 2 years. We will scale this network to millions in 2026 to make a global organization as a vibrant and supportive community. Thank you for joining our exciting journey.
Links to Exceptional Stories Published in 2024
Munchausen Syndrome: The Hidden, Alarming Dangers of Fabricated Illnesses in Children, Usually by mothers Mike Broadly, DHSc
Gratitude in Recovery: Navigating the Emotional Terrain After Having a Heart Attack Mark Sanford, Ph.D.
Vascular Access for Chemotherapy Bruno Soriano Pignataro MD PhD
A Plea to the Theory of Everything Scholars Dr. Ali Hechmi Raddaoui
Why Are Global Cancer Rates Rising for Young People Under Age 50? Wayne Stelk, PhD
Balancing the Benefits & Risks of Aspirin Based on Literature & Professional Case Studies Dr. ADAM TABRIZ
3 Ways Past Narcissistic Abuse Accelerates Your Confidence and Business Success Melissa Kalt, MD
The Promise of Longevity Studies: Insights from the Rejuvenation Startup Summit in Berlin Dr. med. Titus Maniera
Cellular Responses to Ketosis: Can Cancer Cells Listen and Behave? Mike Broadly, DHSc
Why Suicide Rates Are So High Among Farmers & What Can We Do About It? Mike Broadly, DHSc
A Beginner’s Guide to Cancer and Current Thinking on How to Beat It Matt Williams-Spooner, Ph.D.
Open to Love Instead of Trauma by Leveraging the Power of 3 Prominent Theories Lorwen Harris Nagle, PhD
Press Reset Buttons to Transform Your Life With Second Chances Dr. Preeti Singh
Is Technology a Thing of the Spirit? Ask Reverend AI. James Alexander, MATheol, MA, PhD
The Day I Officiated at a Lesbian Wedding Cedric Johnson, PhD
The Amazing Benefits Of Whole Milk. So Why Do Food Guidelines Demonize It? Dr. Lutz Kraushaar
It’s Open Season on “Black Lives Matter Protesters” William Spivey
How ADHD Affects Communication Skills and How to Improve Them Dr Mina Boazak, Psychiatrist | MD
The Science Behind Misrembering And Why Most of Us Refuse to Believe It Happens to Us David Mokotoff, MD
Addicted to Food: 7 Practical Ways to Manage Binge Eating C K
Tell Adolescents This: You Are the Author of Your Own Personal Story Stella Yan, PhD
They’re Back! The Return of Confederate Statues, Memorials, Flags, and School Names William Spivey
There Are 22 Free Preventative Care Treatments Covered by the ACA. Lauren Grawert, MD
An Unexpected Conservation Ally: Dogs Sniffing Out Endangered Species Isabel Villasmil, MRes.
How to Avoid Gallstones: A Guide for Young People Maria Cross
Taking Responsibility: A Lesson from BoJack Horseman Brother Bhunru
4 Effective Exercises to Ease the Pain of Knee Osteoarthritis Dr. K P Vasudeva Rao
Island Medicine: A Doctor’s Journey in Rural Maine Joan Naidorf
The 1-Person Business Model Is Good, but the 2-Person Model Is Better Sinem Günel
This Is What Happens to Your Brain When You Leave the U.S. Anastasia Frugaard
Our Marriage Wouldn’t Survive Human Nature — Laura G Owens — Writer
The Greatest Heist in Canadian History Was Not What You’d Think Jason Ward
Rough Edges and Tender Hearts: A Primer for Highly Sensitive Young People Jay M E
Understanding the Nuances of the Juvenile Adult Rev. Sheri Heller, LCSW, RSW
And All That Jazz — Part 1: The Boy With the Melodic Minor Scale in His Head Martin D. Hirsch
Do You Want to Be Happy, or Do You Want to Be Perceived As Happy? Joseph Dalton
Remembering Our Shared Humanity Gail Marie Valker, Revolutionary Mama 🕊️🌱
A Purple Sports Car, Two Grieving Parents and the Painful Stigma Around Substance Use Gill McCulloch
Mysteries of the Brain: My Fascination with Savants Rene Volpi Jr.
What I Learned About Gender Issues When Reviewing Discussions on Parkrun Events Britni Pepper
A Mermaid at Midnight: An Intriguing Journey Through Dreams and Reality Jes Kerzen
Happy Valentine’s Day, Daddy Dr. Deborah M. Vereen-Family Engagement Influencer
Echoes of Absence: Reflections on Separated Hearts Shayla Renee 💖
Celebrating 10 Years Cancer Free Shayla Renee 💖Our editor Mike Broadly, DHSc featured this very important story. Breast Cancer: Why Every Woman (& Man) Should Read This Empowering Story
Propranolol, Modafinil, & Sildenafil: 3 Molecules That Helped Me Make It When I Needed Davor Katusic
I’m Using Rationalization to Cope With Losing My Voice George “Ace” Acevedo
Why Airchat Is the Next Big Social Media Platform, You’ll Be on Soon Isaiah McCall
The Remarkable Thing That Happened When I Stopped Blaming My Dad Kelly Crawford
Homophobia: The Fear of Skeletons Inside Our Own Closets Kensu Fetsani
What Will It Cost You to Get Published as a Book Author? Alison McBain
5 Hidden Costs Associated with Amazon FBA Hardly Anyone Talks About Rishav Jain
The Legacy of My Late Father: A Treasure of Wisdom Ammara Hassan
25 Years of Entrepreneurial Adventure in Information Technology Business Jozsef Kovacs
Reboot Your Mind: Retreat, Rejuvenation, and Transformative Thinking Jozsef Kovacs
Savoring Spring: A Public Transport Journey Through Central Europe Jozsef Kovacs
How to Identify a Technology Wave, Ride It, and Forge a Multi-Hundred Billion Dollar Global… Sridhar Pai Tonse — Startup Coach
Why Black People Who Smoke Use Menthol Cigarettes Arthur Keith
I Fell in Love After Getting Married. But Not to My Husband. Sushmita Singh I featured this story as it touched my heart and several editors felt disappointed as a broad audience could have loved it. A Heart Warming Story of a Woman Who Fell in Love After Marriage But Not With Her Husband
Bombs Don’t Destroy Terrorism. They Create It. Gail Marie Valker, Revolutionary Mama 🕊️🌱
Do You Really Think Your Thoughts Are Your Own? Dmitry Potylitsyn
Why I’m Happier, More Fulfilled, More Relevant, and More Excited Than I was 20 Years ago Paul Long
From Womb to World: Echoes of the Orchestra of Existence Jussi Luukkonen — your curiosity guide
How To Bulk and Cut Properly for Optimal Long-Term Muscle Growth David Welburn
Is It True Alcohol Makes You More Creative, or Is That a Lie? Diana Leotta
True Confessions from a Mother’s Heart Dr. Deborah M. Vereen-Family Engagement Influencer
I Got a Large Money Bequest from a Non-Family Member Wendy King
I’m Mentoring Women In Tech Startups: Dedication For Inclusive Growth Niko Kivelä Mike also featured this story as our editors found it very impactful. Why and How to Support Women in Tech and in Other Male-Dominated Sectors
What Advocating for Ukraine Aid on Capitol Hill Taught Me Oksana Kukurudza’s Sunflowers Rarely Break
Conflict Rises as Physician Assistants Strive for Autonomy Matthew Bamberg
Is Feeling Sexually Aroused In Inappropriate Situations Normal? Johanna Ginter
Removing the Gorillas from My Back and Enjoying My Life Again Matthew Bamberg
A Former Cop’s View on the Undeniable Link Between Social Media and Mass Shootings Joshua Mason
“There Is No Free Lunch,” the Muscle Told the Lungs TheUnknownDoktor🐙
My Father Went from a Hansom Cab to Watch Men Walk on the Moon Tom Hanratty
How Dopamine Fasting Trains Your Brain to Enjoy Doing Hard Things Jari Roomer
Having Compassion for My Sexual Assailant Anthony Eichberger
I Went Full Monk Mode (for 28 Days), and Here’s What Happened Next Nitin Sharma
5 Signs We’re Sabotaging Our Beautiful Lives and How to Stop It Intentionally Jerine Nicole
Abraham Lincoln And The Right Amount of Truth Mark Armstrong
My Doctor Insists I Take Statins to Lower My Cholesterol Bebe Nicholson
Ten Easy and Fun Games for Seniors Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming) Mike also featured this story as he loved it as an elderly.
My First Mega-Viral LinkedIn Post: Lessons on Potential Monetization and Content Marketing Plans Pranshu “Maverick” Dwivedi
LinkedIn DMs Are Not As Evil As You Think They Are Tara Fitness 🔥 Minimalist Solopreur
✅ Loving Forever: A Story of a Beautiful Woman and Her Death 🚀 🚀 Dr. Wayne Stein, Manifestations ✅🍿
What Made These Iconic Aussie Films So Influential & Unforgettable? Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming) Mike did my job for this as an Australian.An Exceptional Story That Brought Tears to My Eyes Today
Glimpses Into My Media Passion from Virtual to Augmented Reality Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming)
“Lễ Giáng Sinh” — Embracing the Christmas Spirit in Vietnam Somil Gupta
Why Were Some Oxford Students Partying Hard Right Before Their Final Exams Instead of Studying Aninda Baruah
6 Groundbreaking and Inspirational LGBTQ+ Television Characters Seda A.
How can we awaken from the dream of life to see what we really are? Vic Shayne
What I’ve Learned From Spending My Twenties In Chronic Pain Vincent Van Patten
My Unexpected Success on YouTube Has Given Me the Courage to Dream Bigger Lawson Wallace
I Failed at Almost Every Subject in 10th Grade — Now I Am Thriving in Life Johanna Ginter
Learning to Soar, One Day at a Time John Clark — The Voice of Courage
The Psychological Interpretations and Symbols Behind Catherine’s Nightmares Michelle Kwan
21 Again Again & Again: This Legend is a Dad, Grandad, & Great-Grandad ! Fred: Almost Famous
Why I Believe Fasting Doesn’t Cause Heart Disease But Obesity Does Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming) Aiden wrote this story as a summary of four thought leaders including my story to calm the fasting community. Perfect Storm in a Teacup: Can Intermittent Fasting Increase Heart Disease Risk by 91%?
Book Reviews This Month
We curated reviews of the Cortisol Clarity book written by Dr Mehmet Yildiz and released on 1 January 2025 as a gift to society.
Cortisol Clarity: The Complete Guide to Understanding and Managing Cortisol Hormone
Why is cortisol such a tricky hormone, and why did you write a book about it instead of other hormones?medium.com
Cortisol Clarity Book Review by a Psychoanalyst and Psychologist Dr Bronce Rice
Review of Cortisol Clarity Book by Dr Mehmet Yildiz Dr. Gabriella Korosi
A Thoughtful Dive into the Cortisol Labyrinth by Mike Broadly, DHSc
Cortisol Clarity: Why Cortisol Is a Tricky Hormone and How We Can Manage It In Smart Ways by Dr Albert Jones,
Cortisol Clarity Explaining a Multifaceted Hormone for Stress, Metabolic Health, and Beyond Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming)
The Book “Cortisol Clarity” Is Launched for the Public and Healthcare Professionals by Nova Drayke,
Unveiling the Cortisol Labyrinth: A Journey Toward Better Health by Alfred B. Jogo Ena (Bajawa Buku),
Cortisol Clarity: An Epiphany About Our Existence! Alka Joshi
Reviews of Substack Mastery Books
Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author Svyatoslav Biryulin
Why Substack is a Goldmine for Writers Over 50: An exclusive interview with Dr Mehmet Yildiz, author of “Substack Mastery” Jerry Keszka
How to Win on Substack: Dr. Mehmet Yildiz on Nailing Content Strategy, Building Audience, and Monetizing With Mastery Ana J
The Substack Mastery Book Helped Me Make My Every Metric Green on My Dashboard Mike Broadly, DHSc
My Review of “A Powerful Toolkit for Advanced Substack Newsletter Mastery” Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming)
A Game-Changing Resource & Exceptional Book for Advanced Freelance Writers Mike Broadly, DHSc
Links to Interviews with our writers
Interview Recep Taylanhan, Interview John Worthington, Interview, Joellyn Rose Keener, ✍️Author Deaf and Determined, Interview Thomas Cherickal, Interview, Shamim Rajani, Interview, Svyatoslav Biryulin,Interview, Danielle Benvenuto, Interview Scarlet Ibis James 🦩, Interview Biswanath Datta,Interview Veronica Llorca-Smith,Interview James King, Interview Lauren Grawert, MD,InterviewJerry Keszka, Interview Davor Katusic,Interview David Gerken,Interview Claudio D’Andrea, Interview William Spivey,Interview James Boylan, Interview Ruby Noir, Interview Lata Kokal (formerly Neha Sonney), Interview Brother Bhunru, Interview Joshua Mason, Interview Michelle Mariscal, Interview Tim Denning, Interview Wendi Gordon, Interview Elle, Interview Waleed Mahmud Tariq, Interview Bill Petro, Interview Sylvain Zyssman, Interview Matthew Bamberg, Interview Øivind H. Solheim, Interview Abhishek Biswas, Interview Payal Koul, Interview Matt Lillywhite, Interview Genius Turner, Interview Shirley Willett, Interview David Mokotoff, MD, Interview Martin D. Hirsch, Interview Gill McCulloch, Interview Adelia Ritchie, PhD, Interview Dr. Lutz Kraushaar, Interview Tim Denning, Interview Lorwen Harris Nagle, PhD, Interview Matt Williams-Spooner, Ph.D., Interview Pernoste & Dahl, Interview Luay Rahil, Interview Melissa Kalt, MD, Interview Ayodeji Awosika, Interview Dr. Preeti Singh, Interview Dr. ADAM TABRIZ, Interview Dr John Frederick Rose, Interview Yogesh Haribhau Kulkarni (PhD), Interview Hakima T A N T R I K A, Interview Mark Sanford, Ph.D, Interview Raymond M.E. Aguirre, Interview Keri Mangis, Interview John D. Leavy, Interview Sinem Günel, Interview Toni Koraza, Interview Annelise Lords, Interview, Mike Zillo, Interview Aurora Eliam, CMP, Interview Charles Roast, Interview Libby Mitchell, Interview Timothy Key, Interview, Christopher D. Connors, Interview Desiree Driesenaar, Interview Jill Ebstein, Interview Bill Abbate, Interview Anita Lesko, Interview John Cousins, Interview Ali Qutmiera, Interview Roxanna Azimy, Interview Karen Madej, Interview Celtic Chameleon, Interview Maïa Belart, Interview Kevin Buddaeus, Interview Rasheed Hooda, Interview Julia E Hubbel, Interview Suntonu Bhadra, Interview Aisha Yusuf, Interview Sharon Hurley Hall, Interview Angel Joy, Interview Tim Maudlin, Interview Mallika Vasak, Interview Yannis Dokos, Interview Lawson Wallace, Interview Chelsea Renee MAT, Interview Earnest Painter, Interview MaryJo Wagner, PhD, Interview Phil Truman, Interview Martine Weber, Interview Michael Patanella, Interview Tree Langdon, Interview Holly Jahangiri, Interview Aric D Mayer, Interview Chris Hedges , Interview Paroma Sen, Interview Jeff Hanlon, Interview Chowa Sekai, Interview Marianna Saver, Interview Annelise Lords, Interview Amy Cottreau, Interview Sabana Grande, Interview, Agnes Laurens, Interview P.G. Barnett, Interview Liam Ireland, Interview Jith
If you want to be interviewed by Dr Mehmet Yildiz please leave a comment on this story, contact him on ILLUMINATION Slack workspace, or reach out to him via his website contact form.
If you are new to Medium, you can join our 17 publications by sending your Medium ID via a form in our writer registration portal.
You can check out our submission guidelines below:
ILLUMINATION, Curated Newsletters, SYNERGY (Newsletter Booster), Technology Hits, ILLUMINATION Book Chapters, Readers Hope, Magnetic Newsletter Pro, Substack Mastery Boost, and Health & Science Publication.
This story was for writers on Medium; however, we integrate Medium with Substack to provide a better service to our contributors. Both platforms have different strengths and weaknesses. Writers need to be aware.
For freelance writers interested in Substack, we have multiple publications and also started rolling out the Subtack Mastery Boost Pilot in November, which is expected to end by December 2025. Details are in our recent newsletter.
Here are our Substack newsletters, which offer free and paid subscriptions. We will promote your newsletters using the following sites:
Thank you for reading our curated collections and supporting the work of these inspiring writers. We look forward to supporting your writing and reading needs in 2025. We will keep you updated with our activities via our Ko-Fi site.
Get an email whenever Friends of ILLUMINATION Support publishes.
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