ruminative thinking can make it hard to see reality as it is, keeping us locked into negative thinking patterns that don’t serve us. When that happens, our mental health may be compromised; we may lose sleep, have trouble concentrating, or feel lethargic and depressed. What can we do instead? There are many tips for transforming rumination into something less toxic and even useful. Here are a few tools I’ve found helpful in my own life—and that research suggests can work for those of us prone to rumination. Practice mindful awareness Creating a little separation from your spinning thoughts can help transform them into something more manageable. By becoming an ... posted on Jun 13 2024 (2,814 reads)

seen in Parade - January 1, 2012) I’ve received quite a few nice notes and letters from people who saw my piece in Parade. That piece was necessarily much shortened, because of space limitations, so I thought I’d share an earlier draft with those who have taken the time to come to this page. Here goes. “Knowing that you had to work on Thanksgiving, of all days, I thought I’d express my gratitude that you have taken the time and made the effort to learn my name and greet me each day in a way that makes me feel like a person instead of a number.  It’s a small thing, but on any given day, it can make all the difference.  Thank you!” I sent th... posted on Aug 18 2013 (99,914 reads)

that sustain life. To be clear, solutionaries are not the same as problem-solvers (which is why the word can be helpful). Engineers can solve the problem of blowing up a mountain for coal removal, but that does not make them solutionaries. Embedded in the definition of solutionary is the imperative to consider the impacts of our solutions on all life and to strive to avoid causing unintended harm. Solutionaries are also not the same as humanitarians. Humanitarians relieve suffering and work to mitigate harm, which is a deeply worthy endeavor. Solutionaries take humanitarianism a step further by addressing the causes of suffering and harm so they do not persist.  Solutiona... posted on Dec 31 1969 (8 reads)

toward a gentle homecoming to the seasonal nature of my own life – of our lives.Before moving to Chile, I lived an incredibly fast-paced life in the realms of international business. My career in sustainable business was a far cry from the childhood lived on an organic farm in rural Pennsylvania, where the rhythm of my days was guided by the needs of the horses, the soil and the rest of the always-growing plants and animals. As a child, there was never a need to seek rest, even though we worked hard every day. The animals, the plants, the forest, the creeks and the sky beckoned us with countless invitations to pause, breathe and simply be – and so we did, with ease.Adulthood tri... posted on Dec 31 1969 (7 reads)