ESCAPE

 Escape from and escape to.   Leave physically or mentally and go toward something better.  Escape from dangerous, war-torn or gang-controlled communities and escape to safety.  Escape from a bad relationship and go toward being alone or making a better relationship.  These escapes can save your life.  Escape from loneliness and make meaningful contact with others.  Escape from boredom, read, write, find a purpose, learn something new, create through any form of art.  Escape from stress, simplify or change your routine.  Escape from brainwashing and manipulation and gain confidence in your own thinking.

Some escapes may be permanent, a real change.  Other escapes may be temporary: vacations, entertainments, get-away-from-it-all persuits.  Some escapes can be healthy; some not so much: alcohol, drugs, empty calories.  Unhealthy escapes can become addictive.  

Perhaps instead of searching for an escape, our regular situation needs to be analyzed.  Instead of escaping, we may need to make changes in our lifestyle.

Prisoners often want to escape but are confined to make our society safer.  Sometimes, we have self-imposed limitations and need to create our own escape.  When your life doesn't seem satisfying or fulfilling, escape from what isn't working for you and escape to something that will help you accomplish your goals.

 

RULER

RULER is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence developed at Yale with the goal to integrate social and emotional learning, to  create a healthier and more compassionate society.  People of all ages learn how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn, and families support students.

Pay attention and recognize your emotions and how facial expressions, vocal changes, and body language reflect emotions.  Also recognize the emotions of others.  Understand the causes of unwanted or negative feelings and  promote positive ones.  Also understand the consequences of emotions.  Label emotions by finding the best words to describe feelings.  Express emotions appropriately and evaluate the best time, place, and way to be effective.  Regulate and manage your feelings to be successful and build your emotional and social intelligence.

 By using this RULER, you can benefit your own life and the lives of those around you.

Minimalism

 Many of us have more than we need, instead of just the essentials.  The less we have the more space we free up and the more time to devote to other pursuits.  The less we buy the more money we can save.  The less stress we have the better our health can become.

We allow marketing of products and services to manipulate us to consume more than we need.  Some ads make us think we are not enough, not cool enough, not pretty enough.  Promises of beauty and youthful appearance tempt us to buy products and services.  Promises of luxury transportation, tempt us to purchase the latest vehicle.  Trying to keep up with friends and neighbors adds pressure to have more stuff.  Stuff can become clutter and disorganization.

Money spent on needless products often only give fleeting happiness, if any at all.  The solution to all this craziness is donate stuff you don't need and don't buy more of the same.  As long as you have basic necessities and funds for emergencies and retirement, your life will be simplified.  Save money instead of overspending.  Get rid of debt and enjoy your freedom.

Consuming less is better for the environment.  Less trash produces a better cleaner world.  

As you spend less money on nonessentials, spend less time on what doesn't matter.  This will give you more time for the important things, the simple things of life,  plus time to relax, learn, and create.

Practice minimalism.  Less is more.