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3 Takeways from My Plastic Free July

Circle containing the worlds plasticfreejuly.org choose to refuse single-use plastic
I've arrived at the end of Plastic Free July. It was a month that affected my life in meaningful ways. I've made it the whole month using very little plastic and I feel like I see the world differently. Recently, Ajahn Jayasaro used a metaphor that resonated with me: if you've lived in a dirty room your whole life, it's hard to forget a clean room if you see one. Seeing the abundance of plastic in the world has made the world feel a little bit like a dirty room and it has felt good to clean up the spaces I inhabit.

More Compassion Everywhere

Gray concrete bench with the word compassion on the side
Photo by Dave Lowe

I woke up this morning and I saw something that annoyed me. I noticed almost immediately how unhelpful it was for me to be annoyed, which gave me a temporary sense of satisfaction. But I still went down the rabbit hole. The details are unimportant because I am sure all of us could easily relate: "How could that person possibly have made that choice? Don't they know how inconvenient their choice will be for me? Don't they know what I want?" I could just sense the anger bubbling over and I felt almost helpless.

It's Time for a Plastic Free July

A badge with the words plasticefreejuly.org 2022 join the challenge
We do lots of earth-friendly practices in our house, but in the past 24 hours or so, I have realized that I would like to be more mindful about my plastic use. I feel like I've gotten a little bit lazy. But it turns out July is the perfect month to start re-incorporating some of the practices that I used to do and reduce the amount of waste that I produce. There is a thing called Plastic Free July, and if my participation does even a little bit that leads to cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities then that feels it it would benefit my well-being as well as the well-being of the planet and other people.

Cultivating a Healthy Mind at Work

Hacking Culture logo plus the words Stephanie Wagner on Cultivating Healthy Minds at Work
In a recent episode on Hacking Culture I interviewed Stephanie Wagner from Healthy Minds Innovations about their Health Minds @Work program, "hacking the mind," and tools that cultivate and measure well-being. We discussed various critiques of workplace wellness programs and how Healthy Minds might be able to support your company or organization. This article explores a few of the topics we discussed.

It's Time to Celebrate the International Day of Yoga

Blue Roll-Up Yoga Mat on a White Background, for fitness and meditation, with the title "international day of yoga"
Photo by Marco Verch (CC BY 2.0)

In 2014 the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 the "International Day of Yoga" and it has been celebrated annually on June 21 ever since. Because so many people around the world embraced yoga to stay healthy and fight social isolation during the pandemic, the theme for 2022 is "yoga for humanity." How can you not like a day that is literally for humanity (the most abundant and widespread species of primate on the planet)?

Passionate about Your Job? Here’s Why That Might Not Be Good for You

Positive senior man in eyeglasses showing thumbs up and looking at camera
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
You might wish you were more passionate about your job. Or that you had the kind of job you could at least imagine being passionate about. Something that made you jump out of bed in the morning, excited about a new day filled with fist pumps and joy. But psychologists differentiate between two types of work-related passion – and they may not both appeal, even if you’re more than a little fed up with your current role.

How to Reduce Digital Distractions: Advice from Medieval Monks

Monk drinking from a bowl and filling a pitcher
Image: Easily distracted; from the Sloane Manuscript 2435, f. 44v. Courtesy the British Library
Medieval monks had a terrible time concentrating. And concentration was their lifelong work! Their tech was obviously different from ours. But their anxiety about distraction was not. They complained about being overloaded with information, and about how, even once you finally settled on something to read, it was easy to get bored and turn to something else.

Body Scans and Action Crises

Man in green shirt and blue knit cap sitting on floor
Photo by Mulyadi
When we encounter difficulties in the pursuit of our most important goals, we must decide to either continue our pursuit or give up. These moments when we must make a choice are called "action crises." At these key points in our life, people make lists of pros and cons, talk to trusted friends and family, or perhaps carve out some time alone to just think. Another method for coping with goal-related difficulties is to practice body scan meditation.