Lessons from Daoism
Lessons from Daoism
If you do nothing else this week…
We should be more like water.
That, at least, is what this excellent podcast from The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos is telling us. This is a fascinating talk with author Solala Towler. Towler has studied the principles of Daoism – a Chinese philosophy that, broadly speaking, links human activity with the flow of nature – for over 30 years. He explains how retaining our childlike sense of wonder and appreciating moderation in everything can help us lead more thoughtful, fulfilling, and ultimately longer lives.
What are we reading this week?
It’s all about kindness
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee writes in his blog about the benefits of kindness and how it can benefit how we feel ourselves just as much as our kind acts can benefit others. Showing empathy and care to others can reduce our pain, anxiety, and depression, and also give us more energy. Dr. Chatterjee recommends making time for a five-minute act of kindness each day, whether it’s checking in on an elderly neighbor or writing a short note of praise in support of a local business. His reasoning is that making someone else feel good doesn’t cost us anything – in fact, we benefit just as much.
Something a little bit different
