What does better mean? It might mean better than previous years, or it might mean making the most of existing goodness, and transforming existing challenge. Relativity leaves it up to you, but here are some suggestions that are likely to help, possibly (but not likely) in some order:
listen to this year's dojo4 songbook mixtape while you read this post and while you do anything this year
discover more new music every week with on Bandcamp and Conduit
get a full dose of nutritious funk from Tank and the Bangas and Sylvan Esso and clean your plate with help from all the Tiny Desk Concerts
be cheerful - despite the dismal state of things there are there are actually a LOT of encouraging things going on around the world and lots of reasons to be cheerful - follow David Byrnes Reasons To Be Cheerful project and/or start your own complementary project
meditate - it's the master skill that supports mastery of all other skills
You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day unless youre too busy. Then you should sit for an hour. -Zen proverb
drink more water
join the future. the future is now and its female. read what our best minds are writing about it.
keep it in your pants and do something useful instead, like your fucking job
get to know your body- cast your vulva with Vagina China
dig Shantideva's advice and wish happiness for others.
"If you want to be miserable think about yourself. If you want to be happy, think about others." - Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
read about fashion - make sure it's a radical anti-capitalist, intersectional feminist, and body-positive political fashion blog written by a sarcastic (& angry) Muslim-Iranian creative and community organizer living in Chicago
boycott consumerist obsession
resist - Resistbot will help you write to your Congresspersons every day
take action now - sign up to receive 3 actions you can take every week to help build a more civil society
don't 'other' the need for liberation - be an accomplice, not an ally
If you have come here to help me, you are wastingyourtime. But if you have come becauseyour liberationis bound up with mine, then let us work together. -Lilla Watson
learn to build a fire and if you already know how, go build a fire
watch The Detectorists, the best show on television (spoiler alert: it's about detectorists)
think outside of the box (Pandoras that is) - hear Christen Lien
see the world through rose-colored glasses, or yellow or blue or green or purple or orange ones
explore what it means to write well
if you Twitter, follow @danmayer, a shining example of a person making the world a better place inside and outside the workplace through the practice of technology
know more about lots of things but especially brain-machine interface and colonizing Mars
get timely and regular insight into tech & society
walk - move your body for at least a little while most days of the week- it works better than medication for treating the blues
fill your instagram feed with artists and their art, e.g.:
- https://www.instagram.com/okudart/
- https://www.instagram.com/zioziegler/
- https://www.instagram.com/raviamarzupa/
- https://www.instagram.com/zoots/
- https://www.instagram.com/kaws/
- https://www.instagram.com/lucas_beaufort/
- https://www.instagram.com/sophie_roach/
- https://www.instagram.com/stuartsemple/
- https://www.instagram.com/mtnburo/
- https://www.instagram.com/ogmikegiant/
- https://www.instagram.com/earlatron/
- https://www.instagram.com/strangedirt/
- https://www.instagram.com/lelashields/
- https://www.instagram.com/julilunkart/
find your temple in your closest relationships and be prepared for "holy dismemberment and reassembling"
follow the Rules and remember: it never gets easier, you just go faster (also: support your local bike shop)
also follow Laels adventure - she is one of the strongest endurance athletes in the world and is shattering the mold on how to make this life worth living
master the art of getting your shit done, aka GYSHIDO:
- relentless focus
- single task
- boring consistency
- no bullshit
- no meetings
- follow up
- dont be an asshole
generosity is the virtue that produces peace and we always need lots more of that
run with the dazzle of Zebras
spice it up with chiles pop rocks & chocolate
listen to Jane Kenyon, who said:
"Be a good steward of your gifts. Protect your time. Feed your inner life. Avoid too much noise. Read good books, have good sentences in your ears. Be by yourself as often as you can. Walk. Take the phone off the hook. Work regular hours." - Jane Kenyon
be quiet and listen
listen some more
listen even more
stop reading this blog post
stop looking at your phone
go outside
stay outside for a while
This was compiled as a collaborative effort by the team at dojo4.
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