Rebuilding Your Village

A recent study finds Americans are spending notably more time at home, and it's not wholly the pandemic's fault. Thank technology: For the last 20 years Americans have slowly traded their social institutions — like churches and clubs — for isolation. Have we forgotten how to be social creatures? On today's show: A conversation with journalist Rosie Spinks about concrete ways to rebuild your proverbial village.  Here's a preview: [4:00] Counting the ways in which the pandemic hastened a cultural shift toward isolation already in progress [9:00] You don't need friends; you need 50 people [16:00] Be the person who asks twice! [24:00] The quiet genius of enacting place-based rituals [31:00] Reminder! Canceling is not a form of self-care [35:00] Are your social efforts rarely reciprocated? Enact this 3-second mindset shift   Resources mentioned: What Do We Do Now That We're Here (via Substack) Kurt Vonnegut's commencement speech Episode #498: Removing The Mask   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Om Podcasten

Creating eco-minimalist, non-toxic homes (without the extra work). Although minimalism has experienced a rebirth in recent years, the "less is more" movement has been around for centuries. Yet today's minimalist influencers have resurrected minimalism with a decidedly consumerist spin, as modern minimalism is nearly synonymous with decluttering. While there's a lot of chatter about tidying, it's radio silence and crickets when it comes to sustainability. The result? Aspiring minimalists find themselves on an endless hamster wheel of buying, decluttering, buying more, and purging again. Overemphasizing decluttering and underemphasizing the reasons why we overbuy in the first place is thoroughly inconsistent with slow living as a movement; consumption without intention is terrible for the planet, too. Your host, Stephanie Seferian, is a stay-at-home/podcast-from-home mom and author who believes that minimalism, eco-friendliness, and non-toxic living are intrinsically intertwined. She's here to explore the topics of conscious consumerism, sustainability, and environmentally-friendly parenting practices with like-minded women; she's here, too, to show you how to curate eco-friendly, decluttered homes (without the extra work).