Miscellaneous
Why the new year will be even happier
We keep getting healthier The healthy food trends of 2013 will continue in 2014. People take responsibility for their own health. We prepare our own meals, with local products such as vegetables from our own garden. We check the origins of our food and are critical about meat. Fish consumption will Read More...
Colofon
About The Intelligent Optimist The Intelligent Optimist (formerly Ode) is an independent international media platform focused on solutions, possibility and inspiration. We present optimism as the most effective, efficient and by scientific research confirmed strategy to drive the innovation and Read More...
Rio+20 conference and the green economy
Right now at the Rio+20 conference in Brazil, the United Nations is holding its biggest conference in history. World leaders are gathered to address issues and brainstorm ideas about sustainable development. The sentiments online are mixed—it’s not always easy to determine whether or not these Read More...
The well of peace
When the quote below appeared on my Twitter page, I had to smile. Aine Belton @AineBelton Access the well of peace within from which all good things rise … your love, joy, & wisdom inside. ~#Aine Aine, an Irish name pronounced Onya, is the founder of the Global Love Project in Read More...
Keeping your pantry green
Time to make room for healthier options. (via EcoSalon.com) You’ve committed to a healthier lifestyle, buying more fresh produce and switching to organic foods. In the rush to give your diet an eco-makeover, don’t neglect the portion of your kitchen often kept behind closed doors: the Read More...
How the nation can get on “top” of sustainability challenges
It’s no secret: many places in our country are hot. While that may appeal to beach bums and bikini-lovers, it also brings with it huge environmental consequences and economic pressures, most notably in massive energy bills for cooling and a large cloud of emissions–carbon and Read More...
No one else can sing your song
Voices are so personal. They mirror our story – our gifts, doubts, history, mood, identity, and secret dreams. Every time we speak, we are revealing something about ourselves – the things we’re proud of and perhaps the things we most want to hide. When people hear that I am a voice coach, Read More...
The beauty of nature’s balance
Our first winter back in Ottawa after 27 years in warm Sri Lanka has been quite eye-opening. Watching all of the plant and animal life adapt to the freezing cold; seeing the plants and seeds fight to stay underground; witnessing the roots sprout as the ice thaws—all of these things were magical Read More...
Learning peace
Think about this: we don’t know how to do peace on our planet very well. That’s why I like the words of the Dalai Lama, “When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy.” It’s important to understand that we need to learn how to do peace, Read More...
Free time
What do you like to do with your “free time”? Or, perhaps more apt, do you get any time that is free? Time during which nothing has been planned, time that is okay to spend lost in thought, time that is completely…yours? For adults, such time is often seen as a luxury, a bonus. Having it Read More...