Alex
Hi, I'm Alex. I’ve been working since the age of 12, have had over 30 jobs in my life, and have been a professor for over 20 years teaching environmental studies. During that time I’ve consulted for governments around the world as well as UN agencies and the European Union, have published poetry and short stories. I’ve been married, divorced and married again, and have four incredible children, and I am a long time student of Tibetan Buddhism. I’m deeply interested in how to navigate change in a constantly changing world and how to optimize our lives for happiness, well-being and growth.
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I’m Sick of Being Myself. Now What?
“I’m sick of being myself.” It can hit you at any time, but usually comes after a period of repeated failures to change. If you’ve been stuck in a rut for a while and have tried again and again to make changes and gotten nowhere, this phrase or one very similar to it is going to come for you. It’s going to sneak up on you. The first thought in the morning. When you look in the mirror. When you wake up hungover or collapse into your bed one night after a frustrating day of accomplishing nothing or realizing that you are living a lie rather than a life that…
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3 Trusted Earning Sites that Will Make You the Most Money (2022 Recession Prep)
Especially now, with a recession looming, it is a better time than ever to launch a side business, and to make that side business one that has the potential to grow exponentially over time. Yet with so many platforms to choose from, it can be difficult to decide where to expend your energy and time when you want to launch an online business. In this post I review Medium, Upwork and Etsy, which fall into three broad categories. Medium is for those who want to write, UpWork for those selling their skills to clients (which can include writing too), and Etsy for those wanting to set up a store. These…
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Prepare for the Coming Recession – 9 Things to Do
If you don’t prepare for the coming recession there’s a good chance it’s going to crash over you like a giant wave. Especially if you are young, you should prepare for the coming recession because as one of the last ones into the workforce you’re most likely to be one of the first ones out when layoffs come. Don’t wait until that dreaded call into the boss’s office. Despite a record number of job openings in the economy, layoffs have already begun, with crypto-related companies leading the way, but others like Tesla, Warner Brothers and Netflix are also starting to let employees go. That said, here are top 9 things…
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Day Trading Stock and Life Lessons
Day trading stocks teaches you a lot of lessons, about life, about yourself. And of course about trading stocks—how to win, and how to lose. Two months in to my stock trading journey, here are my early takeaways. Most People Lose There’s a reason 90% of traders lose money, and it’s the same reason 90% of people lead mediocre lives: trading, and life, are very, very hard. They will test you, wear you down, and only the toughest, most resilient and determined will shine. The market is merciless. It will beat you down. How you react is the key to what happens next. If you are more afraid of losing…
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7 Ways Minimalism Can Make You Wealthier
Minimalism is more than just downsizing and creating clean, beautiful and functional spaces. It is about bringing order, discipline and intentionality to all parts of your life. Among other things, you will save money with minimalism because your financial life will become ordered and simplified along with the rest of your life. Focus in and you will save money with minimalism as well as accelerate the process of harmonizing your entire life. If minimalism is something you aspire to but you haven’t gotten started yet, there’s no time like the present to jump in. Here are 5 key ways minimalism will support your finances: 1. Apply Intentionality to Purchases At…
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5 Ways to Increase Running Mileage Fast and Safely
You can increase running mileage much faster than you’ve been led to believe without increasing your risk of injury. Yes, yes, I know—the 10% rule. Whether you’re new to running or a veteran, you’ve probably heard that you can’t increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% without risking injury. This is bunk. Before we go over the ways to increase running mileage much faster than that let’s get this discredited old rule out of the way first. The 10% rule looms over the running world like natural law. Break it and you will pay the price—in bodily injury and time away from running to recover. Seriously—break it. First, the…
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Need Cash? Make up to $100 an Hour as a Self-Employed Painter
By the time I was a senior in college the only thing I knew what that I wasn’t even remotely prepared to face making a decision about what career to pursue. So for two years I worked as a self-employed painter and made more money for less work than I ever thought was possible. Watching my friends go to corporate interviews and take jobs in big companies literally made me shudder. Eventually I would go on to graduate school and develop a career as an environmental professional but it took a few years for me to find my direction and be happy with it. In the meantime, I had to…
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The Minimalism Jump Start
The minimalism jump start is a way to quickly gain some momentum in developing a minimalist lifestyle that works for you. When it comes to gaining energy, changing your mindset and launching you in a new, more authentic and fulfilling direction in life, there is nothing more powerful than adopting minimalism. While there is no universal standard of what constitutes a minimalist household or life, you can use this widely accepted definition of minimalism by The Minimalists to guide in developing your own approach: “Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important so you can find happiness, fulfillment and freedom.” Minimalism…
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Reset Your Finances with a Spending Fast
Money is a lot like food. We tend to crave it, overindulge and regret it later. Our bellies get bloated, as do our credit card bills, while our self-respect and bank accounts get drained. You can reset your finances with a spending fast just like you can reset your eating habits with a juice or water fast. Otherwise known as a money detox or a money cleanse, the basic idea of the spending fast is that you are first going to remove all but the most essential spending, maintain a period of strict adherence to spending minimalism, and then replace your old spending habits with new ones. The fast is…
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Do That 1 Thing (That Will Transform Your Life)
That one thing, the thing you haven’t done to transform your life because it serves no practical purpose, won’t get you any immediate rewards and might even draw disapproval from those closest to you. You have to do it. What am I talking about? Not going after your dream career, or getting into amazing shape or getting married to the perfect person. Not any form of conventional success. I’m talking about the thing your soul longs for you to do, to experience, in order for it to grow. In our hyper competitive, results oriented and materialistic world very few of us take care of our souls, and it’s one of…
