Stephanie Marie Seferian's Blog, page 21

Expansion

Success is often accomplished with grit, resilience, and action. Still, many of us women are bogged down by countless pressures each and every day. Who has time to work toward goals when the obstacles in the way somehow feel both mundane yet unconquerable?

You can face steep odds and still find happiness, and that’s because every woman has wells of resilience within to help get us through.

Today I speak with career and leadership coach Jennifer Pestikas about making the choice to take up space; ...

How To Buy An Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree

Ah, the holidays. The 5-ish weeks between Black Friday and New Year’s Day tend to be an extended party of sorts in which many of us overspend, overeat/drink, overdecorate, and excessively waste. The excesses associated with the holidays come with a hefty environmental cost: on average, US households produce 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day; worse, wonton wastefulness can (and does) add more than half a metric ton onto our annual carbon footprints.

I believe it’s entirely po...

From FOMO To JOMO

Joy Of Missing Out (JOMO) is about actively turning from the external stimuli that neither serves nor ignites. And whereas Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is rooted in external validation, obtaining JOMO is a giant leap toward serving your internal self.

During the holidays and always, it pays to get intentional about All. The. Things: Our priorities, our precious free moments and, of course, our long-term goals. On today’s show we first discuss our collective affinity as human beings for simplistic ...

Life Lessons

Parenting the eco-minimalist way is, well, difficult. It’s also an 18-ish year commitment that goes directly against societal norms.

I’m no expert, but I do believe that impactful parenting starts by capitalizing on teachable moments. On today’s show I speak with Elizabeth Ireland about *exactly how* she passes 3 central eco-minimalist lessons onto her children.

 

Here’s a preview of the 3 life lessons we discuss today:

[9:30] Teaching children how to give

[20:00] Preparing our progeny for life:...

The Attitude-Behavior Gap

The attitude-behavior gap is a fancy schmancy research term that describes the discrepancy between what we say and what we do. When it comes to eco-minimalist living, many of us quietly experience an oversized gap between our values (save the planet! live minimally!) and our actions (buy single use plastic! purchase on impulse!).

On today’s show we are diving into the recesses of this, well, gap. Why does it exist for the vast majority of us, and how can we close it?

Here’s a preview:

[2:00] A b...

Minimalism’s Benefits

Many minimalists boast that living simply has improved their well-being in a myriad of ways. The problem, however, is that such statements are anecdotal. Does research back up these personal stories? What – if anything – does science say about minimalism’s benefits?

On today’s show Shannon and Gerry Arner and I marry research findings re: simple living with day-to-day experiences.

 

Here’s a preview:

[5:45] The link between materialism and loneliness

[10:00] How living simply on purpose impacts ...

Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent: How To Buy

There’s lots to consider when searching for an eco-friendly and non-toxic laundry detergent. Are those strips and pods actually environmentally conscious if they’re wrapped in PVA? Why don’t detergents offer a full list of ingredients on their packaging?

As it turns out, detergents have lots of misleading claims (ahem … marketing gimmicks) designed to confuse consumers. On today’s episode we’re breaking down everything you need to know about non-toxic laundry detergent so you can make informed p...

Impulse Buys

Let’s face it: Impulse buys are fun in the moment. But what feels good in the short-term doesn’t always jive with your long-term goals and quick decisions may not align with your core values.

If you regularly buy on impulse, you’re not alone. According to Shopify, over 87% of US shoppers make impulse buys and more than 50% of all grocery items are sold because of impulsiveness. Enter Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni, co-hosts of the Frugal Friends podcast. Jen and Jill argue that frugality at its roo...

Moderation In All Things

There’s such a thing as too much of a good thing. The key to a balanced life lies in moderation, and any of us who’s ever overdone it knows that excess quickly becomes miserable.

On today’s show we first discuss the Swedish concept of lagom, a.k.a. ‘good enough’ living. Next, we apply age-old, temperate wisdom to spending habits, interpersonal communication, tidying, and emotions.

 

Here’s a preview:

[3:30] The middle is where we want to be. (Don’t believe me? I’ll prove it)

[6:30] 5 ways extrem...

The Rescue Effect

The World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report is a checkup on the health of Earth, and this year’s report is the most comprehensive yet. Spoiler alert: its findings aren’t good.

But all’s not doom and gloom: Enter the Rescue Effect, a perspective that believes there’s a lot to be optimistic about.

On this episode I’m excited to bring you two contrasting viewpoints to the biodiversity problem. First I speak with Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist for the World Wildlife Fund; in the second p...