This week, one of the actions on the Americans of Conscience Checklist is to ask someone you respect how they persevere through difficult times. If you want to share their answers—or your own—I invite you to write a comment below. Here’s […]
We’re thanking 13 people this week in the Americans of Conscience Checklist. Why? It’s more than politeness. Science tells us that the act of expressing gratitude benefits our nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. Conveying sincere thanks lowers our […]
For all appearances, it would look like we can’t win this. We’re up against practically unlimited corporate and lobby money. We’re up against a team of well-connected people with motives for profit and power. We’re up against misogyny, racism, intolerance, […]
Last week, I spent five days with some friends doing a silent meditation retreat. Held at a serene monastery, it provided my heart with ample space to open, my body room to hike into the hills, and my soul a […]
I’m so excited to share this guest post from Janet Hardy of Norwich, Vermont. I’m obsessed with creative ideas and strategies to help us stay enthusiastically engaged. Janet’s creative solution inspired me to plan my own 20/20 next month! Finding inspiration […]
The lights were bright up on the stage, making it hard to see the sixty-or-so people gathered at a local coffeehouse. Sitting on my right, a Republican. On my left, a very liberal Democrat, a staunch conservative, and an Independent. […]
Resolve for the cause I know, I know. Everyone does resolutions they promptly forget in a matter of weeks (or days?). Still, I propose this challenge for the cause of perseverance, not just habit. 2020 elections are three years away. […]
A time for thoughtful questions When I worked with college students, we always paused at the end of a volunteer service project to explore its meaning. Whether we walked adoptable dogs, painted houses, or planted trees, we’d openly share our […]
One year ago today, I showed up late for a meeting in a basement. “Please come,” a friend had said in invitation. “It’ll help you feel better.” My coffee order took forever. I wasn’t sure where the meeting was. I […]
Immediately after Trump had won the electoral college, I posted the following message on Facebook in a fit of bravery and clarity. Soon after, I descended into a deep depression before starting the Americans of Conscience checklist. Looking back, I’m amazed […]
When I worked with college students engaged in volunteerism, we always stopped at the end of a project to talk about what the experience meant to them. Whether it was walking adoptable dogs or planting trees in a sanctuary, we’d […]
You know the guy… There’s a man in my life. His name isn’t important, but when I describe him, you’ll probably think of someone you know like him. He’s white. He’s conservative. He watches FOX News. And when he talks […]
Being actively involved in democracy, engaging with our government and policy-makers on a daily basis can be a furiously frustrating process. The challenges you are taking on are so dangerous and important and serious that almost everything you do can […]
It isn’t exactly the kind of situation you go looking for, pitching your tent mere miles from a forest inferno, sleeping on the ground zipped up into a sleeping bag. But it exactly what is happening in America right now. […]
An invitation Four years ago, I heard a little whisper tell me I would walk an ancient pilgrimage across northern Spain. The trail is five hundred miles through forest, fields, and villages—to a city called Santiago de Compostela. Now. I […]
