Artful living is a skill

Artful living is a skill

Wisdom tends to come with age because, artful living, like all skills, needs practice. And, practice benefits from time spent navigating different life circumstances. The good news is that you can very intentionally increase the intensity and extent of your practice....
On instinct and intellect

On instinct and intellect

Why do we love animals so much? They are unapologetically and unselfconsciously so utterly themselves — something we humans rarely, if ever, manage. This is true even of dogs, who desperately try to please their masters, having lost their independence through...
Stuck in sameness

Stuck in sameness

Being stuck in sameness can happen in all manner of different areas in life, usually without us ever noticing. It happens when you are constantly and only exposed to the same kind of thing, whether that is food or ideas. So, being stuck in sameness has two properties,...
Great or small is missing the point

Great or small is missing the point

Asking whether what you do is great or small is missing the point, for it is your experience that counts. Whether you are building a sand castle or La Sagrada Familia, you may derive the same satisfaction. The same immersion —being in flow, one with the activity....
Surround yourself with the right people

Surround yourself with the right people

Yesterday, I was at an outdoor arts and crafts market near where I live. I was noticing how the makers there, many of whom I know, were sharing ideas and encouraging each other in what they were doing. It made me realise what is possible when you surround yourself...