BioTalk

Cornell medical school faculty Larry Sandberg reminds us in this weekend’s NY Times, that talk therapy alters the brain as much and far more sustainably than psychotropic medications. Invitation to a Dialogue - Benefits of Talk Therapy - NYTimes.com

This is now well evidenced in the neurosciences. Dialogue changes thinking patterns that literally restructures the biological patterns in the brain.

This research needs to be the cornerstone on mental health policies and well-being indicators in communities, starting yesterday.

World music

In a good world by the time anyone on the planet turns 21 they would have been exposed to all of the world music that transcends cultures. It’s a genre with limitless potential. Think of the music of any culture that resonates with fractal similarities to others. There are amazing parallels between certain kinds of Middle Eastern, Eastern European, American Roots, Celtic, and African music.

Music is a culturally transcended medium that connects us in ways nothing else does. After all, sound was the first manifestation of life in the universe.

The regionalism option

Conversation today about rural regionalism in the Pacific Northwest. The area is a good example of how people naturally think regionally especially in rural contexts. If only for economics, there is no reason why every town and area should try to be all things to their people when it comes to public services and other programs that could be in the commons.

The same paradigm applies at least to suburban and urban areas. While we’re at it, how about other collaborations in the arts, technologies, health care and education. The key here is complementary specializations.

The Tumblr story

There was no way blogging service Tumblr founder David Karp’s mother could have predicted her undying support of his teenage passion would result in thus week’s Billion dollar sale to Yahoo. David Karp Quit School to Get Serious About Tumblr - NYTimes.com

She encouraged his migration from high school to a life of his tech dreams. The story speaks to what is now a common improbable story of drop-out entrepreneurial success.

It raises the question of what if more parents did just this. An interesting challenge to the dogmatism of conventional education.

Urban beauty

It’s interesting that as every urban area in the world has parts anyone would consider “not beautiful,” human beings still long for beauty. It is this longing that keeps each new generation enjoying nature, the rhythms of traditional music, smiles, dance, poetry, and imaginative art forms.

The questions of how we create more beautiful urban cores are important and enduring.

Street musicians

Street musicians are an interesting breed. People who tip them regardless of skill are good people, and we will benefit from more of them. We should teach every generation the importance of street musicians. This can happen in two ways. By age 12 every child plays on a street corner once, solo, in pairs or backing up other children. And when they they are on school trips, they all tip a musician along the way with whatever small gifts they can.

It is part of civic and cultural literacy. It should be a mandatory as math.

Incentivising entrepreneurship

In every organization, there are people who are problems. They don’t want to be managed. They are often excellent material for starting up their own small businesses or startups. An idea is that states issue tax and economic incentives to companies for each new entrepreneurship they help incubate and launch. The incentives grow with the number of new jobs started in the first two years of the new business. Everyone wins.

Graduating creatives

A friend recently proposed that we should ask college students what their dream is rather than what they want their major to be. The differences between the questions is nothing less than profound in a world where the character of work in the future is largely uncertain.

The dream question speaks to their capacity for creativity. The majors question speaks to their capacity for conformity.

As the refuse of past generations becomes more intolerable, we need to graduate creatives. This has moved from interest to imperative.

The value of urban trees

According to a recent US Forestry Service study, the natural carbon storage by urban trees accounts for a net value of $1.5 billion each year. This is at current tree densities. Imagine if more cities hosted orchards in the incredible square mileage of vacant land.

Inhabitat

Single Mother Power

One of the things students should learn before graduating high school is how to form cooperative businesses. Then women who still shoulder the burden single parent child care can have part time work that collectively grows small businesses that sustain them as partners in the business.

It’s the best of both worlds that can just as easily incorporate any men who have sympathy for supporting the cause.

The wealth of health

Growing up, we often heard our grandparents  remind us that when you have your health, you have everything. These words became more apparent with each decade lived.

The good news is that health happens 20 minutes at a time. Great meals, yoga, meditation, healthful snacks, walks and bicycle rides are all possible in 20 minute windows. The future of health doesn't have to mean more drama than that.

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• Why Health is Wealth

The Future Of Degrees

My partner Melanie likes to invoke the provocation that the next generation might see the end of higher education as we know it. The emergent alternative is self-directed learning portfolios that can demonstrate more self-efficacy, without the debilitating debt, than traditional degrees.

It’s a call for a whole new genre of support. Coaches who can help people curate their own portfolios to include the growing plethora of free and affordable certified online courses, priceless internships, and amazing mentoring that together equal multi-disciplinary, relevant, and authentic preparation that would make any employer more delighted than they are today.

A brilliant proposition.

The Happiness-Meaning Correlation

In a recent Harvard Business Review piece, researcher and writer Rosabeth Moss Canter argues that the happiest people are those dedicated to wicked problems.

The happiest people I know are dedicated to dealing with the most difficult problems. Turning around inner city schools. Finding solutions to homelessness or unsafe drinking water. Supporting children with terminal illnesses. They face the seemingly worst of the world with a conviction that they can do something about it and serve others.

via The Happiest People Pursue the Most Difficult Problems - Rosabeth Moss Kanter - Harvard Business Review

There is now good evidence for the relationship between happiness and meaning. People who strive to make a difference, even if seemingly impossible, are happier.

This raises interesting questions about the success indicators we use for organizations and communities. One would be how many large purposes people feel invited into and engaged in. How can we invite and engage people in larger purposes? Who would do this? Would it be more likely from institutional programs or grassroots efforts, or both?