About
What is Be Softer?
“Be Softer” is a concept I hope will improve the quality of your life, and — to be ambitious — life on the planet.
The basic idea is to Be Softer on three levels:
- Be Gentler with yourself
- Be Kinder to others
- Live Lighter on the Earth
This website provides ideas and resources to implement these strategies into your life, so that you — and every other living being on the planet — can enjoy living here more. This is not a “productivity” blog – it’s not about working harder or smarter or more efficiently, or getting more done. It’s about just being for whole moments or hours at a time. Experiencing and enjoying the world in a softer way.
Why “softer” instead of just “soft”? A big part of being gentle with yourself is resisting the demand to be perfect 100% of the time. There will be times when you can’t meet your own standards, much less other people’s. So the “er” is a reminder that this is an ideal, not a command.
Many of us are tired of mass consumerism, and concerned with its impact on the environment, and are looking for alternatives. I’ll be offering thoughts on simplifying your life, rather than trying to “win” with the most toys. But being soft with yourself involves some pampering. Soft socks, flannel sheets and lavender lotion for example, are some of the great pleasures in my life! So you’ll find resources here to goods that will make your life softer, and where I can verify it, are made with concern for the environment and for the people who make them.
This is a brand-new experiment, so please join in with your own ideas, comments, experiences. I believe, as Margaret Mead said:
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
Who is Be Softer?
I am Polly Washburn, a writer and filmmaker currently based in Winnipeg, Canada. Over the years, I have held several jobs with high levels of stress, and have experimented with many ways of managing or eliminating that stress! I am a huge fan of meditation, yoga, journaling, visualization, biking and bananas.
Lisa says:
Polly, this site is amazing and exactly what I need. I need those coping with stress mechanisms with my job. I look forward to future posts!
September 3, 2009, 5:31 pmDan says:
Polly,
I am totally in love with this site. I’ve been thinking a lot about these issues recently and hoping to find solutions (I have more questions than answers at this point). I’ve been thinking about how I can go “off grid” without becoming Thoreau. Not easy! Lisa recently gave me a book I haven’t read yet – Voluntary Simplicity – have you read it?
And here’s an idea for you. We keep a basin in the kitchen sink to capture water from things like washing hands, rinsing fruits & veges, etc. We use that water when we run the disposal, need to soak pots, or rinse dirty dishes before putting them into the dishwasher (unfortunately, yes, we have to rinse). Why use perfectly clean water for those things?
Have you seen those systems where you grab gray water from your bathroom sink and use it to flush the toilet? how cool! If I thought we were going to live here 5 or more years, I’d install one.
Dan
September 10, 2009, 6:58 pmDan says:
Other ways we save water:
September 10, 2009, 7:00 pm-we have a rain barrel that captures rain water from the gutters. We use this to water plants.
-we have a dehumidifier in the basement. Water captured in that is also used to water plants.
-If it’s yellow let it mellow!
-take 30 minute showers. (ha ha! Just kidding).
Polly says:
I did indeed read Voluntary Simplicity a few years ago – very influential book! Will definitely do a post about saving water and will include these. Glad to hear there are people out there doing what they can day by day!
September 10, 2009, 11:06 pm