Season 2 Episode 5 Show Notes: 15 Ways to Live More Sustainably

Did you know if the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost THREE planets will be required to sustain current lifestyles? Wow! But there ARE small things we can do as consumers to help, including reducing our waste, being thoughtful about what we buy, and choosing a sustainable option whenever possible. Listen to the full episode for specific ideas that are easy and cost-effective to implement!

A Few Facts & Figures

The UN has outlined statistics, some of which are listed below, that help us understand why living more sustainably is so important. And living more sustainably is not only good for the environment, but also for our wallets! Oftentimes, making sustainable choices saves us money in the long-run.

• Less than 3% of the world’s water is drinkable, of which 2.5% is frozen in Antarctica, Arctic and glaciers. So humanity must rely on 0.5% for all of man’s ecosystems and fresh water needs.

  • Unfortunately, humankind is polluting water in rivers and lakes faster than nature can recycle and purify.

  • Additionally, more than 1 billion people still do not have access to fresh water, and excessive use of water contributes to the global water stress.

• Households consume 29% of global energy and consequently contribute to 21% of resultant carbon dioxide emissions.

• Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have increased by almost 50% since 1990

• Each year, an estimated 1/3 of all food produced – equivalent to 1.3 billion tons, worth around $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the trash cans of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices.

• 9 out of 10 urban residents breathe polluted air

• Climate-related and geophysical disasters claimed an estimated 1.3 million lives between 1998 and 2017

• To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius, global carbon emissions need to fall to 55% of 2010 levels by 2030, and continue a steep decline to zero net emissions by 2050

How to Get Started Living More Sustainably Now

From nixing one-use plates and paper towels to joining your local food co-op to composting, listen to the full episode for 15 ways you can start living more sustainably NOW. And check out the below list of products and resources that can help you get started on this journey.

1. Marley’s Monsters: UNpaper Towels

2. How to Make Your Own Compost

3. Instant Pot

4. 240 Instant Pot Recipes

5. Reusable Water Bottle — I got this one for Christmas and I LOVE it!

6. Garment rack for line-drying clothes

7. Kindle e-reader

Have any other ideas or thoughts to add? I would love to hear them! Drop ‘em in the comments below.

Join me on this Capsule Life journey!

• Subscribe to the Capsule Life podcast on iTunes

  • Like what you hear? I’d love it if you left a review! It helps me out more than you know!

• This Capsule Life Community

• This Capsule Life on Instagram

• This Capsule Life on Pinterest

Until next time Capsule Lifers — keep finding joy through intentional living.

Season 2 Episode 4 Show Notes: The Danish Guide to Life

Did you know Denmark is ranked as the second happiest country in the world? I know I —and certainly my fellow Americans — can learn a lot from the Danes in this regard. So, in the newest episode on the Capsule Life podcast, we chat everything from lykke to hygge — the coolest things I’ve learned about the Danish culture.

But First, Who is Meik Wiking?

Meik Wiking is the guy who brought us The Little Book of Hygge and The Little Book of Lykke. He is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and is widely considered one of the leading experts in global happiness. Meik took the leap to establish the institute when his close friend and mentor died from cancer at the age of 49. He thought to himself, ‘what if I only have 15 years left to live?’ So he quit his job and started studying happiness. He now rates his happiness at a 9 out of 10. Pretty amazing. 

Defining Lykke & Hygge

Lykke: loo-ka.
The Danish word for happiness.

Lykke is made up of six essential factors: togetherness, money, health, freedom, trust, and kindness. In the podcast, we dive into each of these six essential factors, and explore inspiring examples of lykke from across the globe.

Hygge: hoo-ga.
Well this one is a bit more complicated.
Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world. One that allows us to let our guards down.

We’re Already Hygge-ing, We Just Don’t Know It

You guys, hygge IS ME! I am hygge. And that’s one point Wiking made in an interview with the Telegraph — he said: “Hygge is just the way we live. Danes see Hygge the way Americans see freedom. It’s something inherently Danish, but Hygge happens everywhere.” He goes on to say that Danes have simply given the rest of the world a word to appreciate what they were already doing. 

While hygge first appeared in Danish writing in the early 1800s, its surge in popularity over the last several years is - in my experience at least - very coincidental to the surge in everyday pressures of modern life, modern technology, and the trend of always doing more (though, not ever feeling like we’re doing enough), and de-prioritizing self-care.

In his book, Wiking describes hygge as humble and slow — he says “it is choosing rustic over new, simple over posh, and ambience over excitement. In many ways, hygge might be the Danish cousin to slow and simple living.” Wiking also says “hygge is about giving your responsible, stressed-out achiever adult a break. Relax. Just for a little while. It is about experiencing happiness in simple pleasures and knowing that everything is going to be okay.”

Tune in to the episode to find out what’s in the Hygge Manifesto, how to make your own home more hygge, and how to build a hygge emergency kit among other tips!

Join me on this Capsule Life journey!

• Subscribe to the Capsule Life podcast on iTunes

  • Like what you hear? I’d love it if you left a review! It helps me out more than you know!

• This Capsule Life Community

• This Capsule Life on Instagram

• This Capsule Life on Pinterest

Until next time Capsule Lifers — keep finding joy through intentional living.

Season 2 Episode 03 Show Notes: Little Daily Rituals

In this episode, we chat daily rituals — why are they so important? How do you determine what your daily rituals should include? This week’s challenge is to identify your daily rituals. If you need a kick-start, check out the free worksheet I built you below!

Defining Daily Routines vs. Daily Rituals

A daily routine is a series of tasks you complete every day in the same order, and is most likely not viewed as enjoyable or motivating. 

A daily ritual is similar to a daily routine because it’s also a series of tasks completed in the same order, BUT a daily ritual differs in its intention. A daily ritual is a meaningful practice that’s internally motivated. According to lifehack.org, a daily ritual can provide energy and enjoyment along with efficiency and structure.

Said another way, you can do routines on autopilot, but rituals are intentional.

Daily rituals help us live in a rhythm, manifest what’s important to us, and make us feel good about ourselves. 

Daily Rituals for Creatives

Did you know rituals are particularly important for creatives? There’s an article on Psychology Today that references Mason Currey’s book called Daily Rituals — How Artists Work. The article says the book challenges the notion that artists just wait around for inspiration to strike — in fact, the 161 artists highlighted in the book lead what seem to be very routine lives: there are particular emphases on getting lots of sleep, engaging in lots of regular daily walking, and drinking lots of coffee (and for some, drinking lots of tea).

The article also mentions what is very apparent in the book is that creative work requires enormous amounts of discipline and that to do something creative, you get to work, and then inspiration follows. I absolutely find that to be true when it comes to podcast and blog development. I may have what I believe to be a great topic idea, but am not totally inspired to write — until I sit down and actually just start writing.

How to Set Your Own Daily Rituals

The best way to determine what should be included in your little daily rituals list is to really just prioritize what you want to get out of each day.

The following questions might help:

1. What does my ideal day look like?

2. What are the most fulfilling things I do? What are my most favorite activities?

3. What causes me the most stress? And what are the things I do that help me manage stress?

4. Is there anything I repeatedly do and regret because it wastes my time?

5. What are small things that would make each day even a tiny bit brighter and better for me?

6. What helps reduce uncertainty in my day?

7. Is there a goal I’m working toward that can help prioritize what my daily rituals should include?

Little Daily Rituals Worksheet

This simple worksheet will guide you through questions and exercises to help you identify which daily rituals you’re drawn to so you can start implementing them in your life and get to living more intentionally.

Join me on this Capsule Life journey!

• Subscribe to the Capsule Life podcast on iTunes

  • Like what you hear? I’d love it if you left a review! It helps me out more than you know!

• This Capsule Life Community

• This Capsule Life on Instagram

• This Capsule Life on Pinterest

Until next time Capsule Lifers — keep finding joy through intentional living.