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July 18, 2024

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Four Days, Three Nights

Lulled by a mysterious dream, Michael Marchetti was pulled to understand in mind, body, and spirit the experience of being homeless. For four days and three nights of May 2024, the former pilot surfaced on the streets of Austria’s second largest city, penniless and without a cell phone, to literally walk in the shoes of those who have no address, by societal standards. Going into the experiment, he wondered, “If everything that we often take for granted in our lives falls away, what is actually left of ourselves?” From the puzzle of finding a safe place outside to sleep, to the experience of “being a nuisance to others, who at best ignore you,” to the unsuspecting moments of humanity — a gas station attendant who made him a cup of coffee while knowing he couldn’t pay for it, the social worker who instantly began making phone calls to find him an evening shelter upon learning he had no place to stay, the kind eyes of a stranger. “The lasting moments,” Marchetti reflects, “are the ones where people didn’t look at me with their eyes, but saw me with their hearts.” { read more }

Be The Change

Practice deep empathy today. Walk in someone else’s shoes, opt to listen rather than speak, or suspend passing judgment over someone’s behavior and push yourself to ask if there is more to the story.

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July 16, 2024

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How Being Distracted May Lead You to Overindulge

Researchers find that multitasking during one activity can lead to overindulgence later. For instance, eating a sandwich while using your phone can result in less satisfaction, and more snacking afterwards. They call it hedonic consumption: “that when people experience less pleasure during consumptive activities, it primes them to want to make up for that loss with compensatory consumption (like additional snacking).” Past research suggests that paying attention through savoring and mindfulness can help curb addictive behaviors. These studies may advance understanding of binge eating, excessive social media use, and similar problematic behaviors. While there is much to learn, researchers caution that “given that we live in an ‘attention economy,’ where we’re constantly bombarded with ads and potentially addictive technology, it may be wise to take note.” { read more }

Be The Change

Stop. Do one thing today, without distraction and with full attention, whether eating, reading, or simply being still. Savor the moments. Enjoy the luxury.

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Inspiring Links of the Week

July 14, 2024

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NJ Librarian Rents Out Wedding Dresses for Free

Librarian Adele Puccio grew up near a famous bridal shop, and became fascinated with wedding dresses. It was “not because she was dreaming of her wedding day, she says, but because she loved the dress designs inside.” That fascination led to a collection of dresses from thrift stores and vintage shops. Adele now gives “once-loved gowns a second chance at life” by lending them out at the library for free to brides-to-be. After an article in the local paper, she began receiving donations from across the country, and now has over a hundred gowns from which to choose. “Puccio’s ever-growing collection is a welcome lifeline for brides struggling to find a dress within their budget,” and they respond with delight and gratitude. She placed her own gown in the collection. “It should live again,” she says. “It’s better than sitting in a closet for all those years.” { read more }

Be The Change

Do you have something tucked away in a box or collecting dust that would benefit others? Take it out of the box or dust it off, and loan or gift it, so that it might “live again.”

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July 12, 2024

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A Look at the Rise of Nature Prescriptions

“It was a naturopathic doctor (ND) who handed me my first PaRx—a park prescription, sometimes called a ParkRx or NatureRx. I had exhausted all the treatment options with my family doctor and had turned to alternative medicine for answers. In addition to several nutritional supplements and dietary changes, my ND suggested I leave my claustrophobic cubicle each day at lunchtime, head over to a small butterfly garden adjacent to our office building, and take off my shoes. I was to stand in the grass for 10 minutes, feeling the cool blades tickling my toes. This was written down on an actual prescription pad, and I carried the slip home with me in my bag. The prescription felt silly at first, but I dutifully followed it every day throughout that summer … And I was surprised to find that it helped—my lunchtime communion with this small greenspace seemed to set the tone for a better mood in the afternoon and post-work evening.” Nature prescriptions or “nature pills” are rising among medical practitioners. A movement in Canada launched the Park Prescriptions (PaRX) initiative with the BC Parks Foundation, which provides health care professionals nature prescription files, codes, and instructions for logging prescriptions for patients to allocate regular time in nature. In Canada, over 5,000 physicians are registered in the program. { read more }

Be The Change

Soak in time in nature this week. Go for a walk or jog. Bike or walk instead of drive somewhere. Eat a meal outside. Or simply set aside ten minutes to be outdoors in some way.

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Harmony of Difference: A Jazz Meditation

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July 11, 2024

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‘If there’s nowhere else to go, this is where they come’

Nowadays, it doesn’t take much time in a local library to realize libraries are no longer hushed spaces with people reading books. They help with forms, tutoring, testing, and lessons from knitting to coding. Besides books, they lend footballs, walking sticks, winter coats, and a litany of other items and services. It is “somewhere where everybody can come,” even those who have nowhere else to go. And it doesn’t take long to notice and admire the overstretched librarians who work there — who know and understand their community, and cater to it with care and ingenuity. They often give of their own money and free time to always be able to say yes to requests, and create special treats for children. One said, “People complain we’re turning the library into a creche, but I love the sound of children’s laughter, the sound of people having fun. It has the potential to feel “like nothing so much as a big and rackety family.” { read more }

Be The Change

Explore your local library. Join in the chatter, or even volunteer!

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July 9, 2024

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Families in One Town Adopt 77 Children. This Couple Led the Way.

Donna Martin was one of eighteen children whose mother managed to instill respect, compassion, and unconditional love in each of them. Donna went through devastating pain and loss following her mother’s passing. After grieving for months, she felt a call to “Give back. What about those children that didn’t have what you had?” Though she and her husband were not well-off and already had two of their own, they adopted several children. It wasn’t easy, bringing with it many heartbreaks and challenges, but they encouraged others to follow their lead. So far, twenty-three families in their small town have adopted seventy-seven of “the most difficult-to-place children in the regional foster system.” The Martins have inspired many other adoptions across the country, as well as a movie. They call it a movement, and hope it is “a catalyst to open doors to hundreds and thousands of children to have a lovely home.” { read more }

Be The Change

Believe in a child today. There are many ways to help children. Choose one way to give a little help and a little hope.

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