Lately, I’ve been participating in Green Candle Day. The idea is to burn a green candle on days that end in 8, and focus on prosperity for yourself and for the world.
When I told my friend Amy about it, she asked how that could be. What would it look like for everyone to have prosperity?
There are definitely some things it can’t look like. It can’t look like all the world’s six billion people driving gas-burning cars. It won’t work for anyone who defines prosperity as having ten times as much as three-quarters of the world’s people. Anyone who can only feel prosperous when they are ahead of others can’t achieve prosperity for everyone. It can’t look like each person having a private homestead that is larger than one six-billionth of the world’s available land. Some resources are limited. So, if prosperity requires those resources, then prosperity for everyone would mean no one could have more than their share.
Fortunately, the prosperity I want doesn’t depend on limited resources. I believe wealth is the quality of your experiences. Everyone could be happy at once. Everyone could have enjoyable ways to spend their time. Everyone could contribute their creativity to the world, and there would be even more to go around.
We could even see that everyone was warm and clothed and fed and had safe water. Everyone could learn to read and write. Everyone could have a voice in governing their life. Everyone could have friends and family and time to share with them. Everyone could have time to reflect, time to play, and places that were attractive for either solitude or gatherings. Everyone could have something beautiful in their life. Everyone could have a growing edge - some challenge that leads them to becoming more than they are now. Everyone could have a way to share what they have learned.
That’s my idea of green prosperity. We could live lightly and creatively, with everyone turning their hands to making the world better - for everyone.
The next economy won’t be about having stuff. It will be about spending your time well.
How could you contribute to that?
With all my best wishes,
Anna
Seth Godin has gathered more than seventy creative thinkers to each write a one page credo on What Matters Now. These are the ideas that can build green prosperity - and it is available as a free e-book, beautifully formatted, at:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/12/what-matters-now-get-the-free-ebook.html
I recommend it.
Check out What Matters Now, and notice how the various writers fit important thoughts on a single page. How do they focus? What might they have left out? The ability to write briefly is highly prized. See what you can learn from those examples.
“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong, as he placed the first footprint on the Moon.
This issue’s Small Step for Space: Keep an eye on this project for Solar Power from satellites:http://www.gizmag.com/space-solar-project-solaren/13540/
It’s just possible that solar power could become the green killer app for space industry. Read up on this, then brainstorm a bit about how space could benefit Earth. Hint: it already has.
Changewar
by Fritz Leiber
These are stories set in the universe of The Big Time, which I reviewed earlier this year. They are magnificent. Lieber demonstrates why he received the Grand Master title from both the Hugos and the Nebulas. These stories contain elegant plotting and a beautiful control of tone. As the Snakes and Spiders compete to reform history to their liking, the pawns and knights of the war grab what small victories they can. Changewar contains seven stories and not one word out of place.
Changes of the Heart is here. I edited this book featuring Martha Beck life coaches sharing their best resources. Each one wrote about a challenge she knows well. I wrote a chapter about writing a book, and other coaches contributed chapters about becoming your own CEO, raising challenging children, improving relations at work, finding the gifts in loss, discovering your soul through motorcycling and more.
If you like the insights I share here, you’ll find a rich source of more in Changes of the Heart. To my mind, the chapter on Living in Gratitude alone is worth the price of the book.
Plus, for today and tomorrow only, we have hired a virtual assistant to give out bonuses to everyone who buys the book. We’ve had a great outpouring of generosity from coaches — there are over 15 bonuses available. My own bonus is an e-course that helps you develop your own writing voice.
All the details are at www.ChangesOfTheHeart.com. Check it out, and please share the launch with others who could benefit from our book.
Develop a distinctive voice. When your writing stands out, you will attract a larger and more loyal audience.
My bonus for our book launch is an e-course called Finding Your Voice for Writers. It’s a systematic tour of style: what it is, how to gain more control of it, and how to make yours stand out. It’s free with purchase of our book at www.ChangesOfTheHeart.com today and tomorrow only.
“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong, as he placed the first footprint on the Moon.
This issue’s Small Step for Space: Check out the Two Cultures Conference: http://www.nyas.org/two-cultures
Sometimes it appears that science is at odds with other endeavors to improve human life. This is a conference on communicating across that gap. Bringing people together makes all progress easier to achieve.
Dauntless (The Lost Fleet, Book 1) by Jack Campbell
This is the first of a six book series. The last book will be out next year. I read the first five over Thanksgiving weekend. Dauntless sets up a dramatic situation. The Alliance Fleet is caught behind enemy lines. Recently revived from a century’s cold sleep, Captain John Geary finds himself, by seniority, in charge of the entire fleet. Can he bring them home? A fast and fun read.