It is a good idea to think about going Slow in a world where fast seems to be the default setting. Slow just means taking your time, being more deliberate and more mindful. Slow is about quality over quantity. Slow is about the means and not the ends. Slow is about experience and self-expression and not … Read more
Social consumption has declined because consumption is becoming increasingly solitary. Put another way, people are spending more time consuming alone. This has consequences for mental well-being, social well-being and environmental well-being. With the advent of cheaper electronic goods like televisions, stereos, personal computers, tablets and smartphones people isolate themselves much more than in the past. … Read more
“The minute you do what you really want to do, it’s really a different kind of life”– Buckminster Fuller Do you do what you really want to do in you work? If you don’t here are some very good reasons why you definitely should. 1. You will enjoy life more When you are not happy … Read more
Barry Schwartz who wrote The Paradox of Choice believes that in affluent societies too much choice is detrimental to well-being. When there are a plethora of choices, whether it is beer, jeans, cellphones, salad dressing or mutual funds, people are much less satisfied with the choices they make. That’s if they actually make a choice, … Read more
Close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives. Study after study reveal this, including one of the longest ever studies of human well-being. “Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too,” said Robert Waldinger, the director of the … Read more
I strongly encourage you to watch this TEDx talk. It’s a little bit cheeky to have a blog post that is a Youtube video, but I could have banged on for ages like I often do and never have got across what Jon Jandai, a Thai farmer does in 15 minutes so plainly. It’s a powerful … Read more
We say ‘Do more good with less’. ‘Do more with less’ is a catch-cry in the sustainability movement but it is also a catch-cry for businesses who despoil the environment. The point is that doing more with less is fine if what you are doing is good – but what if it’s bad? Modern western economies … Read more
Money, where it comes from and what it can buy, is not everything. In our society, the economy gets way too much attention – in policy-making and political rhetoric, in the media, even in the education system. This is amplified by the unrelenting bombardment of advertising and promotional messages the average person faces every single day. Needless to say, … Read more
Throughout history people have used taken advantage of the benefits of the modest lemon. People have used lemons not just as a flavourful food ingredient but also for its health and other practical benefits. The following (incomplete) list of benefits will hopefully motivate everyone to plant a lemon tree now. Culinary benefits of lemons Lemons … Read more
It’s all too much! The following list of data* highlights the fact that people in modern economies, like America, have too much stuff. Not only is it more stuff than is needed for a life of well-being, but it is also weighing us down, it is a burden in the true sense of the word. 1. … Read more