solutionary

6 Tips for Developing Resilience

Resilience carries us through difficult, emotionally stressful times. Whether we’re facing grief over the loss of a loved one, anger and frustration with a situation we can’t change, or generalized anxiety and worry about the unknown, our minds and bodies suffer the consequences. When faced with these challenges, sometimes we forget we have a choice in…

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solutionary

Why the “Starfish Story” Needs an Update

Zoe Weil is a blogger for Psychology Today (PT), and twice a month we share her blog posts here. Enjoy! There’s an oft-told parable about a child rescuing beached starfish by throwing them back into the sea. A pragmatic adult walks by and tells the child that given the hundreds of starfish on the shore,…

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solutionary

Bringing a Solutionary Practice to Personal Challenges

Zoe Weil is a blogger for Psychology Today (PT), and twice a month we share her blog posts here. Enjoy! As a 98 lb. white woman with small bones, I am a poster child for osteoporosis. Plus, I have a family history of the condition. My mother had a spontaneous sacral fracture at age 83…

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Mindfulness and Solutionary Efforts Create a Meaningful Life and Healthy Future

Zoe Weil is a blogger for Psychology Today (PT), and twice a month we share her blog posts here. Enjoy! We live in a globalized world. We eat foods produced across the planet; buy clothes that circle the Earth through the many aspects of their production; and use electronics whose components are mined and assembled…

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Why Embracing Responsibility is Liberating, Joyful, and World-changing

Zoe Weil is a blogger for Psychology Today (PT), and twice a month we share her blog posts here. Enjoy! Take responsibility. When you read this command, how does it make you feel? If you’re like many people, your shoulders may slump. You may feel triggered by childhood memories of parents and teachers admonishing you with those…

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To Create Positive Change, Be a Campfire not a Forest Fire

Zoe Weil is a blogger for Psychology Today (PT), and twice a month we share her blog posts here. Enjoy! There’s a metaphor I like to use when talking to fellow activists and solutionaries. I ask them to imagine two fires. The first is a campfire. The fire is warm and bright, and people are drawn…

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blog post

How Greta Thunberg’s Unique Qualities Are Galvanizing the Climate Movement

Zoe Weil is a blogger for Psychology Today (PT), and twice a month we share her blog posts here. Enjoy! I have been teaching young people about climate change for 32 years. In 1987, I taught week-long summer courses to middle school students at the University of Pennsylvania. One of those courses was on environmental…

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12 Children’s Picture Books About Families With Gay Parents

by Marsha Rakestraw In November 2017 California announced that it is adopting “LGBT-inclusive” history textbooks for grades K-8. It is the first state in the US to do so. Some schools may try to ban or discourage talk about homosexuality or about families with gay parents, but the fact is that there are a growing…

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eco-friendly

21 Children’s Picture Books for Exploring Eco-Friendly Actions

by Marsha Rakestraw Earth Day may be every day, but our relationship to the natural world often gets a little extra attention in April. Children are hungry to connect with their world and learn what they can do to make a positive difference. Check out these 21 children’s books that help inspire a desire to…

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11 Children’s Books About Nonviolent Protest and Resistance

by Marsha Rakestraw Protests and nonviolent resistance are an integral part of human culture. On any given day, there are protests happening around the world. Protests have helped bring about civil and workers’ rights, environmental protection measures, and better treatment of nonhuman animals. And with so many protests in the news (and in the streets…

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