Avoid “Hedonic Adaptation” by Breaking Routines to Stay Happy

Novelty, variety and surprise can prevent or slow down adaptation. So, with relationships, let’s say you get married and you get a happiness boost. Studies show that it takes about two years for people’s happiness levels to go back to what they were before the wedding. That doesn’t mean that you’re not happy with your marriage, but we get used to it to some extent. So we want to introduce some variety and novelty and Read more…

Why I Won’t Judge Your Spending – Frugalwoods

The one thing I want to convey is that frugality is an awesome alternative to our dominant, debt-laden consumer culture. But, if it’s not your thing, that’s OK! I just don’t want anyone to go through life not knowing about the joys a frugal existence can provide. I’m a mission to spread the frugal word. However, I’m not out to convert you. Striking that balance between sharing how fabulous frugality is for me and not Read more…

Live More Than One Lifetime

I think we all have the potential to live more than one lifetime. Or even three or four lifetimes. There’s no reason you can’t spend five years being a philosopher before taking a decade to then master carpentry… or music. Then maybe you move on to protecting wildlife. Or perhaps you spend the first ten years out of college dedicated to your career before downshifting to being a stay-at-home parent. The possibilities are almost endless. Read more…

How to Kill Your To-Do List – Early To Rise

Having said that, there are a couple of suggestions that could help: Tiny chunk. Tell yourself you only have to do 5 minutes of work on it. That small amount of work is less intimidating. Just start. Once you get going, it’s much easier to keep going. So tell yourself that all you have to do is start. I like to compare this to my philosophy of running: instead of worrying about having to do Read more…

10 Books That Will Change Your Company and Career – daveramsey.com

What do Benjamin Franklin, Sheryl Sandberg, Steve Jobs and Nike founder Phil Knight all have in common? Each of these incredible leaders credits a big part of their success to reading. And they’re not alone. Recent studies have shown the majority of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies read an average of four to five books per month. Luckily, great books and the lessons they contain are not limited to super executives at mega-big corporations. They’re Read more…

Breaking the Influence of Consumerism

Enforce a 30-day wait period on major purchases. The extra month will provide ample opportunity to answer the question, “Do I really need this?” It will also help you answer these questions: “Are there any subconscious motives to this purchase?,” “Which brand is the highest quality?,” “Can I find it cheaper elsewhere?,” “How likely is it this purchase will soon become unused?” and “Am I controlling my decision or am I being manipulated by someone else?” Join Read more…

A stupid lie I believed when I quit my last job. (And why you shouldn’t believe it.) – Jon Acuff

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” That’s one of those syrupy, motivational statements you see floating about the Internet. It’s often plastered on a photo of someone standing on a vista overlooking a mountain range, the ocean, a unicorn or all three if you happen to live in the Pacific Northwest where those items are all found. Is it true though? If you find something you love doing, Read more…

The Power of the Long Walk – 99U

…” But there’s another powerful benefit to walking. When your brain is completely overloaded and you need to take a life time-out and hit the reset button, nothing will accomplish that better than logging some cleansing miles on foot, solo. No phone, no headphones, no wallet (lest you see something that you’re distractedly tempted to buy). The long walk is a therapeutic tool to not only power up your mind but also to recharge its Read more…

My Body Is The Most Expensive Thing I Own • Money After Graduation

But I bought this luxury. My body is the most expensive thing I own. I spend $70 per month for my gym membership, which works out to $840 per year. I understand that you can choose to run outside and do bodyweight exercises at home, but I can’t have the body I want without a full weight room. Most women don’t realize there’s a major short-cut to the body they want: lifting heavy weights. The answer Read more…