Flow 5/1/2011 Issue 8

Flow is based on Sustainable Seattle's Happiness Initiative and is inspired by Vinyasa, which means one leading to another. Flow gives small, but important steps that can improve one's contentment amongst all nine domains of happiness. Flow is a weekly jolt of inspiration, pragmatism and a collection of local events that will raise our happiness. This month of May we are taking a look at some simple actions we can take to get our mental health on a better path. First before we get started, this month is not meant to replace professional psychological advice nor should it be used as a substitute for seeking assistance for serious problems such as depression. Psychological Well Being Issue 8 I’m a huge believer in taking actions to affect our attitude. We sometimes get so caught up in our minds that we do not make significant changes, but wallow in our emotional problems. We are going to be looking at actions that can help change our emotional states from the outside in. Use the mornings as a time for yourself. Set the alarm fifteen minutes early and enjoy the silence of the home while eating a healthy breakfast, exercising or meditating. Make lunch for the next day in the evening and when eating said lunch get out of the workplace whenever possible. Find a place of beauty and calm, or a place filled with people whichever makes you happier. Never cram food in your mouth while you sit at your desk. Make connecting with friends a priority. Nothing beats face to face interactions no matter how “busy” we claim to be. We need to make that choice to spend time with people we care about. Choose to read, write, draw, or dance as a way to not only be creative, but also to be active. Active minds are more resilient. This week slow things down and take time to appreciate all the things in your life that are going quite well. Health, employment, love of family or friends, safety, all these things we take for granted. Choose this week to pay attention. Lastly, and I can’t recommend this enough, is to keep a very safe, secure journal. Journaling allows us to get things out of our heads, explore ideas, and reconnect with ourselves. There are only three rules to journaling: never let anyone else see it, write consistently about whatever pops into your head, and NEVER let anyone else see it. Journaling is raw thoughts that do not need to go through our usual filters of society. It is extremely important that others do not see these thoughts as we are nowhere close to that amount of honesty in our relationships. This journal is for us to reflect and think and organize, not to show and tell. I would also recommend not to do this online or in the form of a blog. Once something is out in the ether of the internet, it cannot be withdrawn. Nathan Jackson Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: The #happiness Daily This week’s book recommendation is: Pocket Sudoku by Will Shortz Sign up for the weekly newsletter. Support Flow		Flow Suggests: 5/1-5/7 2011 Climate Change and Grass Roots Organizing Environmental, Psychological Well Being, Community www.sustainableballard.org Monday, May 2, 2011 4:45-7pm Visualization Tools for Sustainability Environmental, Community Tuesday, May 3, 2011 9am-5pm www.sustainableseattle.org Susan Freinkel: Plastic, Plastic Everywhere Environmental, Cultural, Material www.townhallseattle.org Wednesday, May 4, 2011 | 7:30 – 9pm

Flow 4/17/2011 Issue 6

Flow is based on Sustainable Seattle's Happiness Initiative and is inspired by Vinyasa, which means one leading to another. Flow gives small, but important steps that can improve one's contentment amongst all nine domains of happiness. Flow is a weekly jolt of inspiration, pragmatism and a collection of local events that will raise our happiness. Health 4/17/2011-4/23/2011 Issue 6 This week we are focusing on Health and more specifically physical health habits. We are going to learn some basic steps someone can take to give their body a better chance at getting the nutrients and exercise it needs to ease our minds and raise our happiness. The most important step when taking on a change in habit is to start small. Habit change takes time and it takes small victories to achieve lasting change. So, the first step I recommend is a small one, but vastly important, eat breakfast. A balanced breakfast will have some sort of whole grain, fruit, and calcium source. Examples of simple, yet effective breakfasts are: 1. Whole wheat bagel with jam, glass of milk and a banana. 2. Whole grain cereal with milk, yogurt and a few apple slices. 3. Fruit smoothie and whole grain toast. 4. Morning Sandwich with whole grain bread, tomato, lettuce or spinach, lean protein and a glass of milk. Breakfast can be premade at night in case any of you are thinking: who has time for breakfast? I plan out my breakfasts before I go to bed and have the ingredients ready to go for the morning. Once again it is not about huge changes, but smaller important changes. Studies have shown that a healthy breakfast has many benefits such as: better concentration and mood, more strength and endurance, and weight control. People who eat breakfasts have fewer cravings before lunchtime, healthier metabolism and energy to get their day started without a eleven o’clock crash that coffee and high caloric foods for breakfast can induce. An additional tip for this week is to get rid of your snooze button alarm clock or disable your snooze function on your phone or computer. Getting up just ten minutes earlier will give you the time to eat breakfast and gather your thoughts before the start of the day. If you have planned out your breakfast the night before, you can use the extra time to have a pleasant beginning to your day instead of a harried, hurried rush. Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: Nutrition.gov This week’s book recommendation is: Good Food, Great Medicine by Miles Hassell M.D, Mea Hassell Sign up for the weekly newsletter. Support The Flow Campaign

Flow Suggests: Peter Kahn: Technology as a Poor Surrogate for Nature Community, Cultural, Environmental www.townhallseattle.org Wednesday, April 20, 2011 | 7:30 – 9pm Beyond Empire: Peace and Sustainability Community, Governance, Psychological Health www.compassionateactionnetwork.com Thursday, April 21, 2011 7PM - 9PM Earth Day Dance Community, Culture, Health, Environmental www.sustainableseattle.org Friday, April 22, 2011 7:30 PM

The Flow Campaign 4/10/2011 Issue 5

4/10/2011-4/16/2011 Issue 5

Community Vitality This week we are focusing on Community Vitality which is the idea that true happiness comes from the connections and relationships we build with the people around us in our homes, our neighborhoods and our work places. Most working adults spend the vast majority of their waking time at the workplace. People who work forty hours a week spend more time with their coworkers than they do with their family and much more time than with their friends. Therefore, it is essential for us to make our work environment community a more pleasant, meaningful place. So what are some actions we can take to make our work places more pleasant and more enjoyable? Here are a few ideas that can transform the experience we have at our workplaces. Firstly, eating is fundamental to the human experience and many people working at full time jobs do not either eat properly or eat with others. Eating with your coworkers is one of the first steps to take to establish and grow a more pleasant work environment. When eating with coworkers I would first start by eating on the work campus when appropriate as this will tie the experience with the workplace. Secondly, get rid of your headphones or other personal devices that separate you from your surroundings. Audio clues are so important to relationships, but body language is even more so. The act of putting on isolating devices sends a strong signal to others that you do not care to interact and that you don’t value the ambient discussions and hubbub of office life. Thirdly, come In to work early. When you are relaxed and rested the day at work is a more pleasant experience as you do not need to be running around and catching up with duties or actions that need to be done. When you have plenty of time every other action becomes easier and with less effort. Also, when you come in early you can spend that time chatting with coworkers, getting the best coffee and of course impressing the boss. Lastly, listen more. Coworkers are starving for attention and if you are a person whom they can talk to about small, and the most important, things they will pay you back in favors, friendship and respect. Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: Sustainable Industries This week’s book recommendation is: Not On Our Watch by Don Cheadle, John Prendergast Sign up for the weekly newsletter.

Brian Kahn: Getting Back to Our Founding Values Community, Governance, Cultural www.townhallseattle.org Monday, April 11, 2011 | 7:30 – 9pm Seattle for Japan Benefit Community, Material www.seattlegreendrinks.org April 12, 2011 5:30PM - 9PM Jane Fonda, Inspirational Luncheon Community, Culture, Health www.ywcaworks.org April 14, 2011 Noon-1:30PM

The Flow Campaign 4/3/2011 Issue 4

4/3/2011-4/9/2011 Issue 4

Environmental Quality Please follow the link to a repost of the newsletter as there are technical difficulties with Blogger this week for some reason. The Flow Campaign Issue 4 Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: Seattle Public Library Events This week’s book recommendation is: The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget by Josh Dorfman Sign up for the weekly newsletter.

Steve Koonin: America’s Energy Challenge Environmental, Governance www.townhallseattle.org Monday, April 4, 2011 | 7:30 – 9pm Disaster Preparedness Training Community, Material www.sustainablewestseattle.org April 7, 2011 6PM - 7 PM Plate of Nations Community, Culture www.plateofnations.com Through April 9,2011

The Flow Campaign 3/27 Issue 3

3/27-4/2/2011 Issue 3

Cultural Vitality The definition of culture is: “the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another.” Cultural Vitality is the idea that culture that is uplifting, positive or informative needs to be experienced and sought out. First we are looking at an event that explores the never ending quest for equality and fair treatment. Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller started a Youtube page called “It’s Gets Better.” This page called on people to record their struggles with homophobia, discouragement and discrimination. This week Savage and Miller give a talk at Town Hall discussing the impacts of this work. Sculpture/painter Humaira Abid presents a solo exhibition exploring the multi-faceted meanings of the color red. Red is the color of celebration, sexuality and passion in many areas especially south east Asia. Abid explores traditional Pakistani painting and weaves in her own unique style that reflects her own style and observations about motherhood and fertility. The Global Citizen Journey is a project that sends people around the globe in order to aid and assist others in the peace process. This week the practitioners and workers from the Liberia campaign share their stories, art and photographs of their work. The gathering will also look at historical decisions by policy makers, political leaders and how that intensifies and complicates lasting peace. Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: www.4culture.org This week’s book recommendation is: A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn		Dan Savage Culture, Community www.townhallseattle.org Tuesday, March 29, 2011 | 7:30 – 9pm Red: Sculpture and Painting Culture www.artxchange.org March 27, 2011-April 30,2011 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Global Citizen Journey Community, Culture compassionateactionnetwork.com Wednesday March 30, 2011 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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