Finding Home in an Age of Mobility
Humanity has been on the move since, well, forever. We are explorers by nature. But we also long for home. In the current age of digital nomads and COVID-induced work-anywhere culture, many of us are finding movement especially easy. For many, this is a wonderful benefit. Cities are emptying of workers. Many of those workers came from rural areas and miss the small towns and wide-open spaces. Others, having spent
Developing Virtues in Tough Times
There is no time like the present to consider developing your virtues. Having virtue is often described as the mark of a great person. What are virtues? And how are they developed? Virtues are the qualities within us that make us our best selves. Lists of virtues date back to antiquity. Socrates (470 – 399 BCE) offered four main virtues: Courage, Moderation, Justice, and Wisdom. In early Christianity, seven virtues
Exiting the Holidays Stress Free
Holidays should be about joy. And family. And cozy time by the fire and good food. But for most of us this is not the case. Or at least it is not the whole story. December is also the most stressful month for many of us. Between 14 and 20 percent of Americans get the “winter blues” or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) each year. Part of this is natural. The
“Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari – Book Review
This week's blog is a book review on “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari. It's been listed on Bill Gates's and Barak Obama's list of favorite books. And it seems to be a timeless classic. Because it is so thick, let's just talk about some interesting points from the beginning of the book. 3 revolutions The 3 revolutions who shaped who we are: The cognitive revolution. This started 70,000 years ago
Moving into Stillness
As a college student, in my twenties, I studied Modern Dance and Buddhism. I learned to meditate in a classroom on the third floor of the oldest building on campus in old rickety wooden desks. In that stale classroom, I learned to follow my breath and cultivate loving kindness. Even though both of these meditations are as old as the forests the Buddha taught them in, they both felt like
How to Awaken your Gratitude Circuitry
There I was, having another nightly talk on the phone with my Dad. Out of nowhere, he said, “I can’t wait for 2021 to be over. This was a really bad one. How was it for you?” I didn’t even really take a pause. I just reactively said, “I thought it was great.” “Well,” he said. “I’m glad it was good for you.” And I suddenly felt guilty. And we