February 2016 archive

Increase Your Awesomeness With This One Simple Trick

Meditation is a super power!

  Imagine for a moment I developed a pill that could reduce stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, insomnia and fatigue. It could improve hypertension and symptoms of psoriasis, as well as boost your immune function, creativity, focus, empathy and memory. It will improve your relationships and generally make you a more pleasant person to be …

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Decluttering: Philosopher Ninja Style

Simple and uncluttered

  This last summer I was introduced to an odd little book by Marie Kondo titled The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. A friend of mine read this book and was in the process of decluttering – and by decluttering I don’t mean sorting through the junk drawer …

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A Hack For Your Life-Hacks

A hack for your life hacks

  Experiment. Optimize. Inform. That’s it. These three simple words are the summary of a slow revolution that’s been happening for the past decade. Originally referring to computer code that simplified one’s life, “hack” now refers to just about any simpler solution to a seemingly more complex problem. Often times these hacks are not obvious …

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A Brief Observation on Shame

Shame and Identity

Shame and Identity After reading my last article someone sent me the following comment: When someone asks me what I do or a living, I feel a certain degree of shame. It feels like I am not only afraid of being judged by others, but I am afraid of judging my own identity. Shame is …

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Be What You Are

Be what you are, not what you do. The first question a stranger asks us at a party is usually “So, what do you do?” They are specifically asking what you do for a living, or alternatively phrased “What activity to you trade your life energy for that gives you money in return”. Why is …

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So You Want to Eat Like a Happy Philosopher…

Eat like a happy philosopher

Food. Our lives are centered on food. Most of us eat three meals a day, often with additional snacks. Much of our social interaction revolves around it. Think of all the times you interact with friends and family and how much involves food and drink. Food may seem like a tangential topic to the subject …

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Cycles

Cycles

An interesting way to look at our existence is the realization that much of our experiences exists in cycles; day and night, seasons, life and death, economic boom and bust, political cycles, etc. On a personal level there are cycles within us; alternation between sadness and joy, tension and relaxation, excitement and boredom. Basic human …

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