The 3 things you should do this New Year to foster a positive mindset: Olivia Remes, a mental health researcher at the University of Cambridge, says these are the three things everyone should do this New Year to cultivate a more positive mindset
Do more, stress less: three secrets for everyday productivity at work: From writing lists to taking a walk, it can be possible to gain clarity and perspective, even when faced with the most daunting tasks
The perfect way to switch off from work: the secret to a daily de-stress routine: The boundaries between work and leisure are being blurred, but it’s vital for your health to learn how to turn off. Whether you do your job from home or not, here’s how to reset and reclaim your private time
Happy Soul Food as We Turn the Corner from 2025 to 2026!
This week:
Seasonal Illuminations from Jack Kornfield:
Dear ones,
This season arrives with lights in windows, familiar songs in the air, and the pull of gathering with family and old friends. For some, it is warm and full. For others, it is complicated, quiet, or heavy with memory and loss.
If your heart is tender this year, you are not broken. You are human.
The holidays have a way of stirring everything—the love we long for, the grief we still carry, the disappointments, the sweet moments we wish we could relive. Sometimes we sit at a table that includes both joy and sorrow.
Sometimes we aren’t at a table at all.
And yet, even here, something luminous can be born.
You do not need to fix your family. You do not need to forgive perfectly. You do not need to feel any special way at all. It is enough to be honest with your own heart.
If you pause tonight, place a hand on your chest and quietly offer:
May I be kind to what I feel.
May I be held in love, just as I am.
May the light find me, even here.
Then gently widen your heart to include those you love, those who are gone, and even those who are hard to be with:
May we all be carried through this season with compassion.
May love be stronger than our fear.
The light does not erase what is difficult.
It simply keeps us company within it.
From my heart to yours, may you feel that you belong—to your own life, to this world, to this imperfect and beautiful human family.
With deep Metta,
Jack
This might make you happier than gifts: It could ‘trigger a release of dopamine’ Acts of kindness have consistently proven to release the feel-good chemicals in people’s brains. Try volunteering this holiday season.
Seven Good News Stories You Missed This Year It wasn’t all doom and gloom in 2025. There were positive developments globally science and climate, in particular.
Try not to smile at these 5 feel-good science stories from 2025 When 2025 got a bit much, science stepped in with the good news we needed to hear. The news can sometimes make it feel like the world is about to end tomorrow. Fortunately, science has been on hand to deliver some much-needed good news. Throughout 2025, researchers have been hard at work protecting us from existential threats, researching ways to improve the health of both us and our planet, and revealing the beauty of the cosmos around us.
2025’s best photos of the natural world, from volcanoes to icebergs A village buried by a landslide, the world’s largest tidal bore and the aftermath of ferocious storms and wildfires appear in our pick of images from environment stories this year.
The 25 best sports photos of 2025 – and the stories behind them From the bottom of the swimming pool to the top of the pole vault bar, photographers reveal the stories behind these amazing shots. And a bonus point if you can spot the photographer in their own image.
21 unique things you didn’t know (or did you?) about Christmas in San Diego: Before boat parades and light festivals, Christmas in San Diego was shaped by war, faith, and a growing city still finding its identity.
Traveling Can Be Stressful. This Will Take the Edge Off!
Watch adorable golden retrievers give cuddles to travelers at airport: Video footage from the airport shows the golden retrievers receiving and giving cuddles and kisses from passengers during the holiday rush.
Here are the best wildlife photos of 2025: From an elusive jaguar to an industrious beaver, photographers captured iconic animal moments around the world.
Care for the Community with the importance of giving back and elevating from me to WE in the social sector and through conscious capitalism
Care for our beloved Planet with a new model for measuring wellbeing applying doughnut economics principles to the San Diego region
Gratitude which Cicero reminds us is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others
And a host of other content to keep you Soul-filled, so you can find your joy and live your purpose
“If you can dream—and not make dreams your master.
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same.
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss.
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!”
R. Kipling
Here are some highlights and a few from the “best of list” as we round out the 2025 calendar year.
Hidden brain and The Paradox of Pleasure:
If you want to really understand how chasing pleasure in the digital age where the dopamine hits come fast and furious, but then what was pleasurable becomes addictive and deleterious to our mental health leading to stress, anxiety, depression and a host of new diseases of despair- magnified by the cell phone and other devices, you must listen to The Paradox of Pleasure on the Hidden Brain.
It will change how you think about and behave into today’s world!
Small Things Often:Micro Habits that Foster Macro Competencies
An authentic embodied great reset- in self-compassion and self-care- for conscious leaders and culture transformers
This wellbeing webinar I hosted is a compilation of over 40 years of authentic embodied experience bridging the wisdom traditions from 2,500 years ago and modern science from 2,500 milliseconds ago.
Link and Passcode below…
Even the heart pumps blood to itself first. As leaders and practitioners, we often invest substantial energy in serving others, and as a result don’t always attend to our own needs. Here is an opportunity to provide you, and by extension those in your community, with simple and proven energetic techniques- supported by both western science and eastern wisdom traditions- that reduce chronic stress and upskill resilience and fortitude, particularly in times of challenge and uncertainty.
What you may not know about me:
The wellness of business. The business of wellness.
Neville who was born in India and has invested his lifetime in bridging the east/west divide and synergizing the best of both cultures, brings over 40 years of practicing and teaching the wisdom traditions, including traditional martial arts, yoga, and meditation to this session.
He has been applying these principles in the world of work with conscious leaders as well as deep purpose driven cultures that value all stakeholders in the ecosystem, and are committed to wellness, wholeness, and purpose not just profit. This includes leading and coaching businesses, nonprofit organizations, as well as K-12 and institutions of higher education, while serving in his executive role at Mission Fed. Additionally, he serves on a variety of boards and volunteers his time to uplift those furthest from opportunity in our San Diego community.
Why ‘cyclic sighing’ could be the key to keeping your stress and anxiety levels in check Activate your vagus nerve with the help of this simple technique.
Self-Care Is a Trendy Buzzword, but What Exactly Is It? Self-care is the practice of taking care of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness.
Why meditation might be the most valuable skill in the age of AI As AI accelerates and economic uncertainty grows, many workers are feeling overwhelmed. Meditation, says mindful self-compassion teacher Scheherzade Rana, offers a powerful way to reset.
A Proclamation from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for Exemplifying the Highest Ideals of Public Service
Happiness expert: These are 3 ‘really powerful ways to be happier’
Dogs trigger biological changes that boost teen mental health
A New Study Revealed Doing This Highly Enjoyable Activity Every Day Could Lower Your Dementia Risk by Nearly 40%:
A Proclamation from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for Exemplifying the Highest Ideals of Public Service:
As you know, like many of you I am committed to putting a little bit of good back out into our community and striving to leave our people and planet better than we found it.
We are judged by the company we keep!
I am currently honored to serve as board President of NCPC (North County Philanthropy Council).
This week, NCPC, which is a convenor of convenors and a nonprofit for nonprofits, known for its annual Volunteer Awards Celebration, San Diego Gives, our frequent community convenings and newly formed Impact Leadership Accelerator to support emerging leaders was proudly recognized with a proclamation from the San Diego Board of Supervisors to celebrate the spirit of giving in San Diego County as part of National Giving Month.
You can see short vid of Supervisor Jim Desmond awarding us the proclamation for Outstanding Service, Leadership and Commitment to the Citizens of San Diego County and my brief remarks here if you are interested:
Thanks to all the NCPC members, board, staff and all the community partners we serve for helping make San Diego America’s Kindest and most Purposeful Region and to all of you for your generosity of spirit and care for our community!
We ARE Better Together.
Happiness expert: These are 3 ‘really powerful ways to be happier’: Feeling happy is all about feeling connected, says professor and happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky.
Dogs trigger biological changes that boost teen mental health: Dogs already comfort us with their warmth and steady companionship. Now scientists say that comfort may also come from our own microbes, which appear to work with dogs to support mental health in young people.
A New Study Revealed Doing This Highly Enjoyable Activity Every Day Could Lower Your Dementia Risk by Nearly 40%: “It engages multiple brain areas at once, acting like a full-brain workout,” experts say.
If your dog doesn’t like someone, there is a very good reason: Dogs can sense more from humans than other humans can. In a Belfast lab study, trained dogs distinguished stressed people from calm people with 93.75 percent accuracy.
The 5 weirdest animal friendships on the planet: Animal pairings that shouldn’t get along but are the best of friends: These unexpected friendships prove that nature’s strangest duos can make the closest companions November 29, 2025 When it comes to survival, nature is often painted as a battlefield – predators versus prey, competition over territory and a constant struggle to stay one step ahead. Yet hidden among the usual dramas of the wild are rare and remarkable partnerships that seem to defy the rules entirely. Have some animals discovered that teamwork can be a powerful tool?
Dog a “CPR Hero” for helping save owner’s life during cardiac arrest: A couple say Polly the golden retriever was so “in tune” with her owner, she helped save his life when his heart stopped in the middle of the night.
The Power of Thank You and If You are Local- a Live Aid type event this Friday
THE POWER OF THANK YOU
Thank You, two words that have the power to transform our health, happiness, athletic performance, and success. Research shows that grateful people are happier and more likely to maintain good friendships. A state of gratitude, according to research by the Institute of HeartMath, also improves the heart’s rhythmic functioning, which helps us to reduce stress, think more clearly under pressure and heal physically. It’s physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time. When you are grateful you flood your body and brain with emotions and endorphins that uplift and energize you rather than the stress hormones that drain you.
Gratitude and appreciation are also essential for a healthy work environment. In fact, the number one reason why people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated. A simple thank you and a show of appreciation can make all the difference. Gratitude is like muscle. The more we do with it the stronger it gets.
In this spirit here are 5 ways to practice Thanksgiving every day of the year. 1) Take a Daily Thank You Walk – Take a simple 10-30 minute walk each day and say out loud what you are thankful for. This will set you up for a positive day. 2) Mealtime Thank You’s – On Thanksgiving, or just at dinner go around the table and have each person, including the kids, say what they are thankful for. 3) Gratitude Visit – Martin Seligman, Ph.D., the father of positive psychology, suggests that we write a letter expressing our gratitude to someone. Then we visit this person and read them the letter. His research shows that people who do this are measurably happier and less depressed a month later. 4) Say Thank You at Work – When Doug Conant was the CEO of Campbell Soup, he wrote approximately 30,000 thank you notes to his employees and energized the company in the process. Energize and engage your co-workers and team by letting them know you are grateful for them and their work. Organizations spend billions of dollars collectively on recognition programs but the best and cheapest recognition program of all consists of a sincere THANK YOU. And of course, don’t forget to say thank you to your clients and customers too.
5) Say Thank you and Goodnight – At bedtime reflect on your day, identify, and share all that you are thankful for.
If You are Local- Gig Alert for this Friday Nov 28: Strange Crew is Opening this Live Aid Band Aid Style Event at The Observatory in North Park San Diego at 6:30pm SHARP!
Hi Live Music Mavens!
Are you going to need to work off your Thanksgiving meal and spread a little joy? This Friday, Strange Crew will represent the Clapton Era at this all-age tribute band and holiday food drive experience at The Observatory!
We are opening for Rolling Stones, U2 and Queen tribute bands with a Live Aid themed event to foster generosity this holiday season. Doors open at 6pm and we go on at 6:30 sharp, with a 45-minute set, so don’t be late!
There is a food drive too so bring a can or two, for those less fortunate than us. Tickets are $25, but if you let me know you are coming, how many tickets you need, and ideally the names of the attendees (helpful but not mission critical) I can get you in for FREE! Please let me know ASAP and no later than Friday morning, so I can put you and yours on the guest list. Invite your friends too as the more the merrier and more food for our struggling neighbors. Love, Neville
Jane Goodall’s Plea for Future Generations: “Economic growth, as we have traditionally defined it, can no longer be our guiding star,” wrote Jane Goodall.
Plants can communicate and respond to touch. Does that mean they’re intelligent? Climate journalist Zoë Schlanger says research suggests that plants are indeed “intelligent” in complex ways that challenge our understanding of agency and consciousness.
Listening to music most days could guard against dementia, study suggests: A new study finds that regularly listening to music or playing a musical instrument may help older adults protect against cognitive decline.
“What if economics didn’t start with money but with human wellbeing”?
Join us as we Developing the SD County Doughnut on Dec 4th:
Fellow travelers committed to making a difference in San Diego and caring about creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable community where everyone can thrive.
Inspired by the game-changing book by Kate Raworth ‘Doughnut Economics: ‘7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist’ and with the partnership of CALDEC (California Doughnut Economics Coalition) and this global movement, we are growing San Diego County into a Doughnut Economics Community.
We are hosting our next SD County Doughnut Economics Alliance event on Thurs, Dec. 4, 2025, and we’d love for you to join us.
We will also be collecting non-perishable food items to donate to local food banks in the region. Dress in your festive holiday attire if you are ready to get into the holiday spirit:)
5 reasons going outside is good for your mental health (even when it’s dark):
Nature is the medicine- Hospitals are catching on… We know being outside is good for us. For generations, parents have urged kids to go outside and play. But how exactly does time in nature help us?
8 ‘joyful’ phrases people with high emotional intelligence use when making small talk: Chris Schembra has hosted over 700 community-building dinners. He’s found that these key emotionally intelligent phrases help build deeper connections.
The Best Dog Photos Of 2025: 20 Winners of Dog Photography Awards: From stunning action shots to goofy and heartwarming portraits, this competition celebrates the artistry of dog photographers and the diversity of man’s best friend.
Simple acts of kindness can make a big difference especially in times of uncertainty.
Don’t forget to be kind to yourself too!
5 Benefits of Kindness
Elevation of dopamine levels in the brain, which makes us feel good.
The feeling of emotional warmth, which leads to a healthier heart.
Reduction in inflammation, which can slow the aging process.
Reduction of emotional distance, which helps couples feel more bonded.
Contagiousness that often sets off a pay-it-forward ripple effect.
WORLD KINDNESS WEEK
Spread kindness all week-long during World Kindness Week. Each year during the week of November 13, stay positive, spread joy, and make the extra effort to be kind to everyone.
“I’ll Never Forget That Kindness”: 34 Of The Nicest Things Strangers Have Done That They Still Remember Today “That simple moment stuck with me. I genuinely believe she saved my life.”
Gig Alert for Friday November 7th 6-9pm Drivin the Bus @ Aquarius Bar and Grille, Quivira Way, San Diego
If you want to connect with community, convive with kindred spirits, consume some live music, and fall into fall then see you Friday evening at Aquarius.
Happy Soul Food Friday! 