Kia Ora!
Wigg’s Wednesdays is here again to share inspirational content on life hacks, self-development, sustainability, personal finance, minimalism, and travel tips.
I’ve just started doing weekly Te Reo Māori lessons, to engage better with the significant Māori content at Auckland Arts Festival. I’m slowly learning to pronounce my vowels correctly! It’s a weird feeling to be back to basics for a new language; using hand actions to learn each sound and all. Wish me luck!
Until next week. x Michelle Wigg
This Week’s Favourites
READ: Why Scientists Say Experiencing Awe Can Help You Live Your Best Life – NBC News BETTER
I’ve been getting my awe intake with near-daily rainbows in Auckland; an upside to the hāuaua (rainy) weather. Here’s why you should seek out awe too.
“These effects of feeling small, feeling humbled, and the desire to connect with others, according to evolutionary scientists, is thought to be part of the reason over the course of human history mankind has formed groups, societies, and lived collectively.”
“You can experience awe at varying intensities, and in your own ways: listening to a moving piece of music, seeing a giant skyscraper, or reading a newspaper story about a local hero.”
READ: A Life Not Defined by Work – Womankind
I enjoyed this article exploring Australia’s apparent obsession with work, in spite of our “most beloved national stereotypes about being relaxed and easygoing”. A reminder to check your work-life balance!
“When was the last time you met someone who didn’t rush straight into talking about their job, or who was introduced in a way that managed to avoid their work status? How many friends do you have who aren’t constantly ‘busy, busy’, who don’t work overtime, or who take off every weekend? How often does a conversation with a stranger resemble anything more than a recitation of resumes?”
“We are more interesting than our labour and our identities are richer than our work status. How anaemic, brittle and thin humanity starts to look when being productive becomes our primary purpose.”
READ: Consumer Education: On Learning How to Spend – The Book of Life
A good read on being more deliberate about getting the highest “return on investment” on spending – in terms of happiness. First is knowing what you actually like: “We should become the authors of our own recipe books of pleasure.”
“Very little attention is given to how to spend money well – by which we mean, in ways that stand a chance of properly increasing our sense of well-being and therefore justifying the sacrifices that went into earning the cash.”
“In the conditions of modern capitalism, we become highly vulnerable to all authoritative and beguiling suggestions about what people in general are up to. We end up experiencing adverts as wise messages about what the tribe is doing – and we follow.”
READ: How Even a Slight Reduction in Meat Eating Takes a Big Burden off the Planet – Brian Kateman, AlterNet
As a mostly-vegetarian for environmental reasons, I appreciated the introduction of the term “reducetarian” in this link, plus the description of the positive impact this lifestyle can have.
“Reducetarianism is inclusive in that vegans and vegetarians are also reducetarians because they too have reduced their meat consumption. It unites the growing community of individuals who are committed to eating less meat and ends what can sometimes feel like a battle among vegans, vegetarians, and all those reducing their consumption of meat. This new perspective provides everyone with a platform—not just vegans and vegetarians—to make small choices to eat less meat in their own lives and collectively to make huge differences in the world.”
EVENT: How Powerful We Are – 2019 UniSA Nelson Mandela Lecture, delivered by Sally Rugg
I’d love to go to this if I was in Adelaide. If you attend, let me know what you thought!
“One of Australia’s leading activists takes you behind the scenes to show that ‘ordinary’ people can be empowered to make extraordinary change.”
“Sally Rugg is an LGBTIQ rights activist, writer and public speaker. She is Executive Director at political activist group change.org, and was previously Campaign Director at GetUp.”
Wednesday 4 September, 6pm-7.15pm | Allan Scott Auditorium, UniSA City West | RSVP
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