Stephanie Marie Seferian's Blog, page 15

Gatekeeping Your Peace

When it comes to reducing cell phone use, we’ve all heard the advice. Turn off notifications. Unfollow and unfriend. But this advice? It’s stale. Shallow, even, because it does little to *actually* reduce time spent on screens.

We often discuss gatekeeping our homes and the responsibility that comes with deciding what gets granted admittance. On today’s show we identify what it means to be the gatekeeper of our peace by once and for all getting intentional with our tech.

 

Here’s a preview:

[10:...

Elimination Communication 101

Spoiler alert: Disposable diapers are terrible for the planet. They account for about 2% of all landfill waste in the US; worse – because they’re made of plastics – they decompose very, very slowly. Before their arrival on the commercial scene in the 1960s babies were fully potty trained by 18 months. But thanks to this “convenient” option, these days the average potty training age is 3 years. Enter elimination communication.

On today’s show Andrea Olson explains the ways in which diaper compani...

Our Carbon Problem

The world has a big fat carbon problem. There’s already too much of it in the atmosphere and –  thanks to both our lifestyles and corporations’ polluting, business-as-usual practices – we’re emitting even more carbon into the atmosphere each and every second.

Enter carbon capturing.

Today in honor of Climate Optimism Week we are outlining the latest and greatest in the carbon capture game.

Here’s a preview:

[2:00] A carbon capture primer: What it is, why we need it, and why trees are simply no l...

Climate Optimism?

When the climate narrative is all doom and gloom, many of us find it difficult to rally. It’s the Snooze Button Effect in real-time: the barrage of “climate apocalypse” headlines lose their urgency, their potency.

If you’re desensitized to environmental news, know that you’re not alone.

Today I speak with angry-activist-turned-climate optimist Anne Therese Gennari about becoming more resilient and motivated when confronting the climate crisis –  and why optimism is key when it comes to rethinkin...

From Green To Clean

There comes a time when we’re simultaneously sick of all the greenwashing and angry at the snail’s pace in which change tends to occur. Because while doing our best within our homes is indeed impactful, it does little to create large-scale change.

If you’re dedicated to leaving the world a better place than you found it, you’re ready to become an advocate.

Today’s show is the second in a two-part series about creating a marketplace that puts consumers — not mega corporations! — first, and I’m sp...

Buyer Beware

We all need to feel like we can make smart purchasing decisions, but it’s hard to know where to put our trust. Researchers have found dangerous levels of mercury in anti-aging creams; they’ve linked chemicals in hair dye to cancer; they’ve traced fragrances in soaps and shampoos to fertility issues.

And while it has become more confusing than ever to know whether our buying choices are putting our health at risk, America’s laws often help manufacturers avoid accountability.

Today’s show is the...

From That To This

Our brains are really darn busy. They’re continually processing lots of information; they’re also working overtime to keep us out of harm’s way. And because they’re overworked and underpaid, our brains seek out shortcuts. Sometimes these shortcuts are helpful but often they cause more harm than good.

Enter cognitive distortions, which make us anxious, create excessive suffering, and blow our self-esteem to smithereens.

On today’s show we flip and reverse these 6 unhelpful thought patterns for gr...

When Everything’s A Favorite

Our kids have big feelings about their stuff. In many homes, the mere suggestion of a toy and treasure decluttering sesh initiates a gargantuan cleanup battle.

Are your kiddos are running out of space to store their special things? If so, it may be time to teach them the important skill of discerning their favorites from the minutia.

Drama-free decluttering with kids is possible! Today I speak with shopaholic-turned-minimalist Mary Simpson about the ways in which she empowers her children to mak...

Mess And Stress

When the clutter in your immediate physical environment becomes just another major stressor that bombards your autonomic nervous system, you may be stuck in the mess-stress cycle.

My children are almost on summer break and this means extra messes and excess stresses. On today’s show: 5 steps to bare-bones home maintenance that will get your home back to functioning in 20 minutes or less.

Here’s a preview:

[2:30] Are you stressed, or are you in a stress cycle? Here’s how to know

[5:30] The warnin...

Upgrade Culture

It’s 2023 and upgrade culture is fierce. For many of us, wanting something is as good a reason as any to go out and buy it. And wanting a newer model of an item you already have? Just another excuse to splurge.

Today’s show is less of an interview and more of a conversation with the anti-upgrade king (a.k.a. my husband) about how we attempt to keep upgrade culture at bay in our own home.

 

Here’s a preview:

[5:30] Don’t forget utility!

[7:30] Thoughts on the connection between upgrade culture an...