Why We Do What We Do
What motivates our action? In this TED talk life coach and motivational speaker, Tony Robbins, shares his thoughts on the art of fulfillment. "It's about appreciation and contribution.," Robbins shares."You can only feel so much by yourself." In his talk he discusses the "invisible forces" that motivate everyone's actions ... posted on Aug 04 2015, 17,781 reads

Emerson on the True Measure of Wisdom
"We live amid surfaces, and the true art of life is to skate well on them...To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom." In this article, Maria Popova shares quotes on how to live a rounded and rewarding life, from Emerson's beautiful essay titled "Experience". ... posted on Aug 03 2015, 1,596 reads

Staying Human in a Time of Climate Change
In scientist M Jackson's new book, While Glaciers Slept: Being Human in a Time of Climate Change, she examines climate change by combining personal stories with scientific exploration.... posted on Aug 02 2015, 10,886 reads

Rebuilding a Neighborhood with Dignity and Hope
In this inspirational and motivating TED Talk, Bill Strickland shares his remarkable journey from a kid flunking out of school in a high crime-rate ghetto of Pittsburgh, to a man who has inspired thousands of people in his own neighborhood. Building on the belief that you can transform anyone by offering them hope, respect and dignity, Strickland has been lauded as a visionary genius by some of th... posted on Aug 01 2015, 11,293 reads

Grace Paley: On the Value of Not Understanding Everything
Like any artist, a writer is often a channel for expressing the ineffable. Thus how, in the midst of searching, can a writer consciously reach forth and grasp a wisp of truth? Grace Paley, poet, author, and activist, argues that it is in the counterintuitive embrace of "ununderstanding" that realness in writing reveals itself.... posted on Jul 31 2015, 12,784 reads

Just Eat It: Eating Trash For A Cause
"After learning that nearly 50 percent of the food grown in North America each year is thrown out, filmmakers Grant Baldwin and Jenny Rustemeyer decided to stop buying groceries and only eat food that would otherwise be thrown away." Read further to see a trailer of "Just Eat It," a film documenting their exploration into the wastefulness of the industrial food system -- and their experience with ... posted on Jul 30 2015, 10,066 reads

Getting Hands On With Nature
The joy of children encountering the natural world on their own terms is becoming a lost idyll, no longer an integral part of growing up. There are many reasons for this loss -- urbanization, the changing social structure of families, the fear of stranger danger. But also much of environmental education has become restrictive and rule bound, taking on a museum mentality, where nature is a composed... posted on Jul 29 2015, 8,142 reads

The Life You Could Save
Armed with degrees from both Harvard and Yale, Kentaro Toyama has spent the better part of his adult life trying to come up with technological solutions to help quell social problems that continue to befall some of the world's poorest societies. But in his quest, Toyama ultimately discovered that it's people and not technology, that is the real driver of social change.... posted on Jul 28 2015, 11,782 reads

4 Practices For Deepening Gratefulness
"Over the past two decades, much of the research on happiness can be boiled down to one main prescription: give thanks. Across hundreds of studies, practicing gratitude has been found to increase positive emotions, reduce the risk of depression, heighten relationship satisfaction, and increase resilience in the face of stressful life events, among other benefits. The problem is, gratitude doesn't... posted on Jul 27 2015, 49,814 reads

Just One Thing: Forgive Yourself
Why is it so difficult to forgive ourselves? One small, innocuous 'mistake' and our minds are instantly spinning. At times, it seems an endless battle between our inner critic and our inner protector -- with cynicism and regret often winning. But, what if we could turn it all around? In this article, author Rick Hanson explores practical techniques for 'hushing' our inner critic.... posted on Jul 26 2015, 22,932 reads