Why wouldn't you do what works? You may be thinking. It's certainly a question I've asked myself during flare-up when all I want to do is watch reruns of 30 Rock and not practice yoga or meditation or eat greens. Sometimes it's really hard to do the thing that works. Because we get busy, or tired,…
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3 Lifestyle Pillars to Help You Cope With Any Chronic Condition
Image - CC0 License When experiencing chronic illnesses, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Anybody experiencing this for the first time can find their whole world has turned upside down. All of a sudden, they're not able to sleep properly and may need to undergo ongoing treatments, which can make anyone feel like they are essentially…
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A Tea Chat with Yuyun Tea
Over a cuppa, the founders and Yuyun tea chat about the origins of tea, the benefits (and dangers) of tea, tea time and tea ceremonies, and mindful tea drinking. I hope you enjoy this video! Learn more about Yuyun tea on their website! Video Transcript Zora: Hi everyone. My name is Zora, I'm the…
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The Nomadic Art of Budget Travel
A conversation with Xandra Robinson-Burns about immersive and minimalist travel. Want to read the Nomadic Art of Budget Travel? Get it here! As promised, my first long backpacking trip when I had not yet embraced the minimalist approach: Transcript of Interview Kayla Kurin: Hi, everybody. Welcome to my first YouTube interview in a…
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Yoga poses to do before bed for a better night’s sleep
When it's time to wind down after a long day, many of us struggle to quiet our minds and get into the relaxed state that is needed in order to fall asleep. The average day can be hectic and you deserve a night full of rest and recovery. There are many reasons why you should…
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How living with a chronic illness prepared me for writing a novel
“Do you know how you’ll feel tomorrow?” my therapist asked. “No,” I said. Living with chronic fatigue syndrome was unpredictable. Sometimes I could stay up all night partying with my friends. Other days I could barely get out of bed to take a shower. I was thirteen when I was diagnosed and spent my high…
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The Gut, Stress, and Chronic Pain
We’ve all had butterflies or knots in our stomachs before an exam or a public speaking engagement. In both instances, stress or anxiety is causing that sensation in the stomach. Since chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are linked to stress, it’s no wonder people living with those conditions have a high likelihood of…
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Paddling my own canoe (literally!)
At the end of August, I went on my first solo canoe trip. I used to love going on trips as a kid. Sailing through the backcountry always felt like a grand adventure. But, having been living abroad and travelling for the last eight years, my canoe trip experiences as an adult have been few…
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Why I’m Leaving Social Media
Why I’m deleting (almost) all of my social media accounts: Because I want to create media I love like books, podcasts, scripts, essays, stories, etc. I want to have more time for deep work. I don’t want to document every moment of my life, to pause and lose my presence to take a photo for…
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A Small Good Thing – Reflections on Lockdown
I hope I’ll look back on this time and remember the silence. Headphones over my ears listening to Yoko Ono’s screams broken by the drip drip drip of fresh coffee. I pour a cup, fluffy robe around me, soft slippers padding back to the couch. Headphones off. Silence is back. I smell the coffee before…
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