by Stephanie Brail

Here in America, we live in a consumerist society that depends on people spending money to keep the economy going. And with a recession looming, it's often portrayed as downright anti-American not to spend.

Yet, with concerns over global warming building, many Americans are calling for a new kind of patriotism: voluntary simplicity.

The movement for voluntary simplicity (or simple living) is still somewhat under the radar, but it is growing in strength. The basic philosophy is to “downshift” from a high-pressure, high-cost lifestyle to one that is more spiritual, humble, and less materialistic.

by Stephanie Brail

With uncertain economic times, and increasing pressure upon the middle class, it can be difficult not to worry about finances. Many helping professionals will offer outside solutions ranging from reducing your debt to increasing your wealth. Of course, it is important to learn how to manage your money effectively. But what is the number one sure-fire way to reduce your financial stress?

This may sound surprising, but it is you and your own attitude.

The reality is, life is going to be filled with stress. A great deal of this stress will invariably involve finances no matter what your level of income. A poor person worries about how to put food on the table. The rich person frets over a major investment that has tanked. The common denominator here is that stress exists across all income levels.

by Stephanie Brail

Does The Secret work better for affluent white people?

Here's an interesting quote I caught randomly on a blog. The article is mostly about PETA, but I was struck by this sentence at the end about the organization:

To me, they’re just another group based on the same hype that sustains New Age religion: they make privileged people feel good about their privileges, and relieve them of the difficult responsibility of making the world better for other human beings AND for animals.

I immediately thought of The Secret and the Law of Attraction, and how those memes do precisely what this author accuses: "They make privileged people feel good about their privileges, and relieve them of the difficult responsibility of making the world better for other human beings..."

by Stephanie Brail

A disturbing trend has emerged in the human potential movement in recent years. It is the trend towards making financial wealth the be-all and end-all of personal growth.

The trend isn't entirely new; Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich was published way back in 1937. And yet, such books from the past seemed to be specific to the goal of becoming successful. They did not necessarily posit this goal as the ultimate meaning of life. Many of the earliest leaders in the success field were deeply religious, spiritual men who held their relationship with God above all else.

Consider, also, that in the early 1900s we were still a young nation that was in the process of building wealth. Thus, encouraging young men to go out and make themselves successful was not even so much about having the biggest and best toys, but what mark you could make upon the world of industry.

If you are tired of dealing with laptops, synching, lost data, and reboots, you might want to try a Hipster PDA. Created by a guy over at 43 Folders a few years back, the Hipster PDA is a simple organizing solution that involves a pack of index cards and some sort of clip or holder to keep them together.

For some years, I did the Franklin Planner thing. This worked for a while but the planner was bulky and I couldn't carry it around in a purse. The refills were expensive and the page-a-day format didn't help me get my to-do lists organized.

by Stephanie Brail

The mainstream media has dropped the ball on this one, but the big story is this: Gas prices are going higher because we are running out of oil. That's it. There's no conspiracy among the oil companies to gouge you - oil is more expensive because the demand is high but the supply is dwindling. Basic Econ 101.

Please read this Peak Oil Primer to understand what is going on.

There is no easy solution to this issue. We can try to drill for new sources of oil, but those types of drilling are expensive, not just cost-wise, but environmentally. America has already hit its oil peak; this is why we are so concerned with securing the Middle East because we are indeed dependent on them to secure our lifestyles. No alternative exists (yet) that can be mass-produced and cheap enough to replace oil.

by Stephanie Brail

I have mixed feelings about the current popularity of The Secret. On the one hand, that the mainstream media are now covering what would used to be fringe is good for all of us who are working to change consciousness on the planet.

On the other, I find the basic message to be somewhat materialistic and simplistic in nature. Yet, there seems to be this rising trend of people interested in what is called the "Law of Attraction," people who are working to increase their personal wealth.