Writing in 1922, the American philosopher Walter Lippmann, described the modern human condition as one of living in “pseudo-environments”—mental worlds that define our values, beliefs, and opinions. As a result, he observed that citizens “live in the same world, but they think and feel in different ones.” Nearly 100 years later, we are experiencing this kind of polarization like never before. 24-hour cable news, Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and the fracturing of media have made it so that we can each filter our news, entertainment, and social interactions to reinforce our existing beliefs and shield ourselves from oppositional views—not to mention the fake news out there deliberately trying to separate us....

So that’s really what this last practice is about—a little bit of the basic breath-awareness practice, followed by a generosity practice. A 12-Minute Breathing Meditation to Cultivate Attention By doing such a generosity practice, we’re not saying there will be immediate relief of the pain and need in the world, but it rouses our own intention and goodwill to keep working toward that. It’s a very good way to end something in which we’ve developed some well-being together....

One of the most important (free!) tools for strengthening our communities is gratitude. Research confirms that experiencing gratitude enhances trust and empathy, nurturing cooperation and effective problem-solving in communities. Practicing gratitude for each other also leads to upstream reciprocity, which means that feeling gratitude increases our propensity not only to help someone who helped us but also to “pay it forward” to strangers. Try this gratitude practice to help you notice, appreciate, and shift your mindset toward ways of being in community with others that benefit us all while respecting our differences....

A 12-Minute Meditation to Set the Tone for Your Leadership READ MORE Ruth King August 10, 2021 Amber Tucker, Ava Whitney-Coulter, Heather Hurlock, Kylee Ross, Oyinda Lagunju, and Stephanie Domet June 22, 2021 Janice Marturano April 23, 2019

It can be scary to struggle alone, and alarming to watch someone you love struggle. The burden of this disorder can weigh you down, but shouldn’t make you feel helpless. Luckily, there is so much help, information, and research that can help lead you or your loved one to eating disorder recovery. Finding the right kind of eating disorder treatment and help is crucial to making a full ed (eating disorder) recovery....

With walking, we have the opportunity to be in our bodies in a somewhat different way than when sitting or lying down. We can bring our attention to our feet and feel the contact of the foot with the floor or ground with every step. Walking is a controlled falling forward, a process it took us a long time to master, and one that we often take completely for granted, forgetting just how wondrous and wonderful it is....

According to Dr. Tish Jennings of the Garrison Institute, which developed CARE (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education), “Both groups have clearly benefited from the mindfulness and emotion training, but for Harrisburg teachers it’s already become a lifeline, an essential skill, that may be keeping them in their jobs.” While nearly half of all teachers quit during their first five years, Jennings notes that attrition rates in poorer urban areas are another 50 percent higher....

Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean that you have to stop thinking or cease all thought. In fact, research suggests that our minds naturally wander approximately 50 percent of the time. Being able to exercise focused attention simply means being able to direct your attention, becoming aware if your mind has wandered, and then being able to redirect your focus. In this simple exercise, I’ll ask you to direct your full, undivided attention to a single object of focus, which is the experience of breathing....

Quiff Hairstyle for Every Occasion 1. Quiff hairstyle for work. You work hard and need to look put together and groomed from Monday to Friday. Your quiff definitely reflects your work ethic as you show off a style that’s clean, contemporary and a bit edgy. For your weekly look, you’ll probably want something a little on the tamer side with a quiff that’s slicked back in the front, as your shaven sides can speak for themselves....

The week is devoted to rigorous investigation, reflection, writing, and discussion, guided by distinguished scholars and experienced contemplative educators. Faculty will include Daniel Barbezat, Loriliai Biernacki, Veta Goler, Paul Wapner and Arthur Zajonc. Educators from all disciplinary and inter-disciplinary perspectives in arts, humanities, sciences, humanities-related sciences, and social sciences, and higher education professionals in mental health, counseling and administrative offices are invited to apply. For more information or to submit an application, click here....

There is research suggesting that using cell phones for only a half hour a day for ten years doubles one’s risk of brain cancer.The soreness in our fingers and wrists from texting too much is so prevalent that the term “text claw” has entered our lexicon.“Problematic Internet Use” (PIU) is now considered a behavioral addiction, with almost half (48 %) of participants in one study considered “Internet addicts.”In her remarkable book, Reclaiming Conversation (2015), MIT professor Sherry Turkle discusses research pointing to how a quarter of teens in the US are connected to a device within five minutes of waking up each morning, and that most teens send at least one hundred text messages per day....

Why Use Aloe Vera in a Hair Mask? For those who don’t know the benefits of aloe vera, we’ll break it down for you. Aloe vera contains highly moisturizing and soothing properties that nourish both your skin and your strands. One of the reasons aloe vera is so great for hair is that it has a chemical makeup similar to keratin, the major protein the inside and outside of hair is made of....

We kinda love April Fools’ Day around here. This year, we wanted to do something that would be quick and easy, but still make our spouses laugh. With the help of Leslie from Nina Bean Designs, we found the perfect solution: 5 Tricky Love Cards for April Fools’ Day! These cards seem mean at first, but as soon as your sweetie opens one up, they’ll be laughing right along with you....

Our birthday celebration ideas for you are all about TIME—Party Time, Cake Time, Good Times, and more! Because birthdays only come once a year, these printables are the perfect way to party all day long. So, let’s not waste any more time … we’ve got a party to plan! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here. FREE Birthday Celebration Downloads They say time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s exactly what these printables are: FUN!...

This is totally my theme for an unforgettable 4th of July date. Celebrating family, freedoms, and blowing things up, right? This is a 4-star holiday for my hubby – cuz we all know boys will be boys – and they are like magnets to anything that explodes. So… Carpe Diem! Everybody has their favorite fireworks – yeah, I’m talkin’ about the ones you stock up on every year – but if you thought Monster Snaps {a....

Best Hairstyles of the Year: 2020’s Greatest Hits 1. The ’90s Throwback The ’90s have been coming back full force in the past few years and 2020 was no exception. This year we saw a lot of ’90s accessories come back into the mainstream, including hair clips. If you really want to nail the ’90s homage style, go for a center part and place two clips on either side, the higher up the section, the more it’ll scream ’90s fashion....

Natural Hair Straightening Products From keratin treatments to Brazilian treatments, read on to learn more about four different types of natural hair straightening products that could work for you. 1. Brazilian Blowout For a salon service that will last you several months (or longer!) look no further than the Brazilian blowout. The process of the Brazilian blowout is complicated so you’ll have to have it done at a salon. Depending on what treatment you get, you can get super straight hair or just tone down your natural curls and even nix the frizz....

Ponytail Holders for Every Hair Type 1. Short Hair Your best bet for having short hair stay in a ponytail is to choose a clear elastic ponytail holder. You know the kind from the ’90s when it was a faux pas to have a visible hair tie? Those. For short hair you may not be able to get all of your hair in one ponytail, so try out two like in our hidden ponytail tutorial....

5 Spring-Friendly Hair Styling Products to Buy On a Dime 1. Dove Style + Care Volume Amplifier Mousse To many, mousse sounds like an ‘old school’ product, just like hairspray. Believe it or not, both are key for achieving flawless-looking hairstyles. This mousse, with its lightweight root-lifting formula, boosts hair with volume and body. Want more? It prevent flyaways and frizz! Take that, Mother Nature. 2. Dove Style + Care Curls Defining Mousse For gorgeous curls, frizz-free curls without the crunchy feeling opt for this mousse....