How to Push Yourself to New Heights

-by JoAnna Haugen

We wake up, go about our daily tasks at work, squeeze in a few minutes with family and then crash back into bed before waking up and starting the routine all over again. Days become weeks, weeks become months and months become years, and, before we know it, many of us have fallen into a routine that leaves us feeling tired and jaded. One of the best ways to pull out of that slump-or avoid falling into it in the first place-is to challenge ourselves. There's no need to live life on the edge, but if you consciously realize that life is leaving you less than a little fulfilled, trade in that exhaustion for excitement when you push yourself a bit further than you have before. Here's how More...

How to Live a Barefoot Lifestyle

-by JoAnna Haugen

Some call it a craze. Others say it's a return to childhood. Yet others are interested in embarking in this new lifestyle for health reasons that can't be cured with modern medicine. Taking off your shoes and going barefoot certainly feels weird at first; after all, we've trained our feet to be completely covered any time we take a step outside our homes. But more and more people are embracing a barefoot lifestyle-and loving it-because it has been shown to have health benefits, it saves cash (no more shoes = more money) and it feels good to finally put sole to earth. More...

How to Go Green In Baby Steps

-by JoAnna Haugen

According to the Clean Air Council, in 2008, the average American created 4.5 pounds of waste each day. Of that waste, 66.8 percent was sent straight to a landfill or incinerated. Though more people are stepping up and responsibly disposing of their waste in an environmentally conscious manner, most people don't give any thought to the bags of garbage they place on the street curb every week. We all have a small part to play in protecting the planet to ensure it remains a healthy and safe place to live for generations into the future. More...

Donate Your Cash and Keep It Too

-by Karen Banes

Everything's getting smaller, from our phones to our laptops. "Micro" is in, whether it's microwave technology in our tech gadgets, or micro-blogging on Twitter. So it's no surprise that savvy philanthropists everywhere are getting into micro finance, as a way to support worthy causes, without actually saying goodbye to their money. More...

Get Back To Nature (it's cheaper than Prozac)

-by Karen Banes

Some psychologists and counsellors are prescribing a long walk in the woods, a fishing trip, or a day's canoeing to combat stress, improve mood and boost self-esteem. Some have been doing it for years. And they're not alternative, hippy 'crack-pot' practitioners either. Scientific evidence is on their side. Recent studies draw the same conclusions that anyone who has hit the hiking trails when feeling stressed might have drawn. Nature is good for you (psychologically speaking). More...

Random Acts of Kindness

-by Karen Banes

At a time when many of us are struggling to find spare resources to donate to those who need them, kindness still costs nothing, and everybody needs it. Whether it's a smile, a compliment, practical help, emotional support or shared advice, random acts of kindness can make a difference in the day of a neighbor, acquaintance or total stranger. More...

Featured Link: Living Sculptures