EcoTrail is Coming to America and Will Change How You Think About Trail Racing →
No announcement yet on the US city and date, but the EcoTrail series currently has 13 events around the globe, all in major cities.
The concept is noble: Optimize the natural trails around a city, offer runners all kind of distances, up to ultra, and have them realize how precious and rich their natural environment actually is, as well as teach them good manners. EcoTrail indeed encourages more sustainable public transport by giving you free tickets to regular city trains and buses to reach the different starting lines, seeks to reduce any sort of waste at every aid station by having runners carry their own cups as well as their own trash pouch, and only offers local products to eat and drink.
Aire Libre is launching an all-inclusive running getaway in the Cascade Mountains of WA this spring.
Date(s): May 22 - 25, 2020
Unplug, train and reset as you explore the majestic landscapes of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in this all-inclusive running and hiking experience.
How slowing down can help you speed up →
Running at an easier pace can actually help you increase your overall speed.
LIVE ESSENTIALLY
The conscious consumerism movement is stalling—and I know why →
Consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of doing good and the importance of spending their money on more sustainable products, but the amount of information they are presented with is overwhelming and impeding their ability to make better choices. It seems socially responsible spending is on the decline.
And consumers are even more lost. They are increasingly less optimistic about the world they live in, less confident in their ability to drive change, and less knowledgeable about how to make the “good” choice when they purchase products and services.
How to Understand Your Values →
A good write-up and worksheet on understanding and defining your personal values.
No matter how fast you travel, you’ll never reach your destination if you’re headed in the wrong direction. Thus, it’s important to know your values—they illuminate the direction in which you must travel to experience a fulfilling life.
STAY CURIOUS
Depression and suicide linked to air pollution in new global study →
Air quality has been linked to depression, though results aren't definitive the data suggests (I'd argue as does common sense) there is a relationship between air quality and mental wellness.
We know that the finest particulates from dirty air can reach the brain via both the bloodstream and the nose, and that air pollution has been implicated in increased [brain] inflammation, damage to nerve cells and to changes in stress hormone production, which have been linked to poor mental health
Unfortunately, 90% of the global population lives with air pollution above the WHO recommended levels.
People Are Living Longer, But Not Better—A New Social Contract Is Needed →
A follow up to our last issue's Washington Post mention on rethinking longevity.
The timespan people can expect to enjoy life in good health has shortened and what’s worse is that it is happening in younger people: children born today can expect to live in pain or discomfort through ill health for a longer proportion of their lives once they get older.
Standford's Center on Longevity (yes such a thing exists) created a New Map of Life program. It focuses on research and programs to help us "be mentally sharp, physically fit and financially secure throughout century-long lives filled with a sense of belonging, purpose and worth."
Other organization across the globe are tackling the problem as well. Social activity has been identified as a key component to improving quality of life as we age.
How busyness leads to bad decisions →
When we’re under pressure our mental bandwidth narrows – and that means we focus on the wrong tasks.
“There is a direct parallel between scarcity of money and scarcity of time,” Mani says. “With money, we do what’s urgent – we pay this bill, we try to make the budget work, even when we know it’s more important to take time to be a good parent or talk to your mom. At work, it’s the same. We get captured by whatever’s in front of our face, and we don’t give ourselves the space or introspection to think about what might be more meaningful to do.”
How Willpower Works: How to Avoid Bad Decisions →
To strengthen our "willpower" we may simply need to make fewer decisions.
As it turns out, your willpower is like a muscle. And similar to the muscles in your body, willpower can get fatigued when you use it over and over again. Every time you make a decision, it’s like doing another rep in the gym. And similar to how your muscles get tired at the end of a workout, the strength of your willpower fades as you make more decisions.
How to Flake Gracefully →
An introvert’s guide to canceling without losing your friends.