Right – continuing on with more tips on boosting our mental and physical wellbeing by eating a whole, plant-based, chemical-free (a.k.a., organic) diet. Week 1 of INTENT 365 shared 7 tips to help your personal shift to a plant-based diet, and week 7 offered 7 more. This week, we focus more on the organic part
Not All Vegans are Weird: 7 (More) Healthy Eating Tips
If you liked last week’s round up of plant-based diet tips, then you know not all vegans are weird :). In week 2 of INTENT 365, we’re continuing to get In-shape with a whole, plant-based, chemical-free diet. With all the preconceived ideas about vegans, this may be a tough transition for many of us. So
7 Tips for a Successful Plant-based Diet
Raise your hand if you made a New Year’s resolution to get in shape (again). I always start out the year enthusiastically and then fizzle out. If you’ve had the same experience, I suggest we take a different approach this year. Instead of struggling to shed pounds or firm flab, why don’t we try to
How to Live Well on a Small Planet: 365 Days of INTENT
They say you have to walk a mile in a person’s shoes to truly understand what her life is like. For me, it was six miles, barefoot, across irrigation ditches and rice fields in northeast Thailand. The people I hoped to understand were members of the Santi Asoke Buddhist Reform Movement—a fringe Buddhist group who
Wellbeing Starts with “We”
Santa Monica’s Inaugural Wellbeing Summit On November 16, 2019, the small coastal city of Santa Monica, California held its inaugural Wellbeing Summit – a free and interactive community event that brought together nearly 900 residents, city leaders, local organizations, and members of the global wellbeing movement. The Summit was designed to engage a broad cross-section
Nature-loving, Part 1: Hug a Tree (literally)
Though the INTENT framework comprises six interdependent dimensions of wellbeing (physical/mental, social, material, community, environmental, and existential), being nature-loving is quite likely the keystone of them all. We can fully understand this by looking at its absence – the pervasive disconnect from nature that characterizes modern society. Western culture has long celebrated mastery over nature –
Engaged, Part 2: Participate in Community Change
Strengthening communities through giving — the subject of the last installment of the Intentional Wellbeing Project — might be viewed by some as an elective activity. Individuals in this free society can chose when, how, and how much to give…or not at all. There is, however, another kind of community engagement that is both a
Engaged, Part 1: Strengthen Communities by Giving
No man is an island / Entire of itself Every man is a piece of the continent / A part of the main In these oft-quoted lines from a centuries-old poem, John Donne reminds us that individuals are not isolated—we are integral parts of the communities we live in. What a comforting thought. Yet with
Thrifty, Part 2: Rethink Waste for Sustainable Systems
There’s a direct connection between consumption and waste: the more we consume, the more waste we create—and vice versa. At Srisa Asoke, the ethic of “consuming little” also means actively reducing waste, specifically through the “3 Rs”: reuse, repair, and recycle. This installment of the Intentional Living Project’s exploration of material wellbeing (a.k.a., “being thrifty”) looks
Thrifty, Part 1: Find Your Sufficiency Sweet Spot
Being thrifty, or not wasting money and resources, is a long-held American virtue that fosters material wellbeing. Material wellbeing starts with the ability to meet basic needs for food, water, shelter, and clothing, plus essential services like health and education. If you’re reading this now, there’s a good chance that you have that covered. But
Networked, Part 2: Strive for Mutuality in Communal Relationships
Besides social interactions that provide positive emotions and influence (see Networked, Part 1), we need mutual support to thrive. The intentional community of Srisa Asoke thrives because everyone shares work and resources—the residents support the community, and the community supports them. A tour through the village shows how well this system works: At the center
Networked, Part 1: Feel Belonging with Good Groups
It’s a sad irony that modern technology has provided us with greater capabilities than ever before to connect with each other, yet we have never been so socially disconnected. This decline social life has been well documented by Robert Putnam, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard, in Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community. Putnam drew
In-shape, Part 2: Get Fit with Active Lifestyles
Physical exercise is not a national craze in Thailand as it is in the US. For one thing, it’s just too darn hot. To beat the heat, Thais like to stretch out on bamboo platforms under their houses or trees during the hottest part of the day. Actually, Thais excel at napping. You can find