Turning 50 has been the most powerful birthday of my life. One of the huge shifts has been a freedom from my own toxic masculinity.

Turning 50 has been the most powerful birthday of my life. One of the <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2021/sexybeast.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">huge shifts </a>has been a freedom from my own toxic masculinity.

Graduating from SEXY BEAST to FATHERLY ELDER

How has my perspective of time, history, and how to use our life energy changed as I approach FIFTY YEARS on the planet???

How has my perspective of time, history, and how to use our life energy changed as I approach <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2021/time_50th.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FIFTY YEARS</a> on the planet???

50 Years of Perspective

As masks come OFF, it is important that our smiles come ON.  You have the ability to give MASSIVE gifts to the world with every interaction. Here’s how!

As masks come OFF, it is important that <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2021/mask_flowers.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our smiles come ON</a>. You have the ability to give MASSIVE gifts to the world with every interaction. Here’s how!

Your Smile is a Flower

It has been a while! I’m not sure if anyone listens to these. Or reads this text.  So I will just upload this recent broadcast and see what happens!  Any feedback wold be very welcome! My apologies if the vaccine thoughts ruffle any feathers.   Links: 9:00 am LOVE MORNING Daily at 9:00 am PT (www.facebook.com/johnstyn)  12:00 Gratitude at noon at zoom.hugnation.com (daily)  6:00 pm Gratitude in zoom   3:00am Gratitude (hosted by European Hug Nation crew)  all times PST

It has been a while! I’m not sure if anyone listens to these. Or reads this text. So I will just upload this recent broadcast and see what happens! Any feedback wold be very welcome! My apologies if the <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2021/discourage_squirrel_ALL.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vaccine thoughts</a> ruffle any feathers. Links:  9:00 am LOVE MORNING Daily at 9:00 am PT (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/johnstyn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/johnstyn</a>)  12:00 Gratitude at noon at <a href="http://zoom.hugnation.com/?fbclid=IwAR0lFvIWtQKgs7QghNYtlmJDUovzqbXZcuzeE2RuwO7bqPj19XOdiMQDJDE" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">zoom.hugnation.com</a> (daily)  6:00 pm Gratitude in zoom  3:00am Gratitude (hosted by European <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheHugNation/?__tn__=-UK-R" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hug Nation</a> crew) all times PST

Personal Growth Discouragement, The Crowd You Keep, and Vaccines

We need whatever help we can get to make 2021 as good as possible. Resolutions ain’t gonna cut it.  So here are 4 tools I’m using to make sure the new year is AMAZING. Do a “Year End Review.”Craft your personal “I AM” Statements. Commit to a Morning Routine. Write a Letter to yourself from the future.

We need whatever help we can get to make 2021 as good as possible. Resolutions ain’t gonna cut it.  So here are <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2020/newyear2020hacks.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">4 tools I’m using</a> to make sure the new year is AMAZING. <ol><li>Do a “Year End Review.”</li><li>Craft your personal “I AM” Statements. </li><li>Commit to a Morning Routine. </li><li>Write a Letter to yourself from the future.</li></ol>

4 Tools for the New Year

I had a powerful experience being the butt of a joke about me crying.  Plus “SAVE BRC!” http://donate.burningman.org  ALSO ANSWERING: “Do you think it is more constructive to bring The Burning Man ethos into the “default world” by applying it to a conventional career, or do you think it is more impactful to try to live like you are at Burning Man by leaving a conventional career path and trying to make a living through the ethos in the “default world?” –submitted by David Posner

I had a powerful experience <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2020/aslan_full.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">being the butt of a joke about me crying</a>. Plus “SAVE BRC!” <a href="http://donate.burningman.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://donate.burningman.org</a> ALSO ANSWERING: “Do you think it is more constructive to bring The Burning Man ethos into the “default world” by applying it to a conventional career, or do you think it is more impactful to try to live like you are at Burning Man by leaving a conventional career path and trying to make a living through the ethos in the “default world?” – submitted by David Posner

“Transmuting Tears”

What if we can’t change the trajectory of America? What if we can?

<a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2020/titanic_audio.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What if we can’t change the trajectory of America</a>? What if we can?

Rearranging Titanic Chairs

2 weeks of travel. 8 states. 1 Vortex. 5 national Parks, &amp; LOTS to think about These were the books mentioned: ”Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” – by Yuval Noah Harari “The Overstory” by Richard Powers Get my short films free when you sign up for my list:  http://list.hugnation.com

<a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2020/trees_people_audio.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2 weeks of travel</a>. 8 states. 1 Vortex. 5 national Parks, &amp; LOTS to think about These were the books mentioned: ”Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” – by Yuval Noah Harari “The Overstory” by Richard Powers Get my short films free when you sign up for my list: <a href="http://list.hugnation.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://list.hugnation.com</a>

Road Trippin’ in the Time of Covid: Nature, Crowds, & Masks

I’ve been offline for 3 days and oh my…. Awareness of my addiction. I can observe the number of times I have the instinct to scroll. AND how often I have an experience and automatically start to frame it in my mind as a post to share. Ability to spend time with larger projects. Usually if I sit down to do a project that is complicated or daunting, it doesn’t take long before I am checking my Facebook notifications and then caught scrolling.  The low level serotonin buzz from a constant flow of stimulus is freaking attractive – and requires no effort.   But when I take away that option, I am forced to be less passive – more active, and SIT with a project.   I have been meaning to build out a Hug Nation community and finally did.  I was meaning to update my neglected YouTube Channel, and finally did. Yearning for longer things to read/watch. Articles, Magazines, Books. Or YouTube videos I click “watch later” but never do. Normally I fill my brain with snacks and rarely ingest full meals.  Real World Awareness. Like #2, with my default destination for my attention off the table, I am forced to seek other ways to entertain my mind.   I feel like I am aware of my surroundings more.  I’ve paid more attention to my houseplants, garden, and an art project. Naps.  I suppose this is a benefit and a challenge.  Naps are awesome.  But sometimes it is just my way to stay passive and avoid being active.  It is better for my health than scrolling, but still an escape. I don’t feel as guilty as I thought I would. I posted my email in my last FB post if people need to contact me  AND checked my messages once every other day.  (I know this is not a true fast.  But it is still a reduction of my time on facebook by 1000+%  From many hours to 90 seconds.)  I have been using facebook as a primary communication tool, so I am worried about missing time sensitive communication. But I find the ‘panic in my chest’ feeling passes quickly. Challenges: I am imbedded. I host many groups.  I gave myself permission to log in a few times to check messages and send some updates to event pages.   I actually messed a zoom URL in a group event  because I was off Facebook and forgot to keep up with everything.  I also have outsourced lots of information to Facebook.  I found myself forgetting names, or realizing I had no way to contact people outside fo Facebook.   As I worked on another project, I allowed myself to log in breifly to access info I couldn’t remember.   (And, yes, I was pulled into the desire to do more.) I miss people I logged in briefly Mothers Day to check on a message and – before I could turn away – saw a wonderful love-filled post a friend wrote about their mother.    I so love the bits of human experience that are interspersed with the disinformation and clickbait. If I stay off more, I’ll have to develop a system of reaching out to people in ways I never have before. 

I’ve been offline for 3 days and <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2020/face_fast.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">oh my</a>…. Awareness of my addiction. I can observe the number of times I have the instinct to scroll. AND how often I have an experience and automatically start to frame it in my mind as a post to share. Ability to spend time with larger projects. Usually if I sit down to do a project that is complicated or daunting, it doesn’t take long before I am checking my Facebook notifications and then caught scrolling. The low level serotonin buzz from a constant flow of stimulus is freaking attractive – and requires no effort. But when I take away that option, I am forced to be less passive – more active, and SIT with a project. I have been meaning to build out a Hug Nation community and finally did. I was meaning to update my neglected YouTube Channel, and finally did. Yearning for longer things to read/watch. Articles, Magazines, Books. Or YouTube videos I click “watch later” but never do. Normally I fill my brain with snacks and rarely ingest full meals. Real World Awareness. Like #2, with my default destination for my attention off the table, I am forced to seek other ways to entertain my mind. I feel like I am aware of my surroundings more. I’ve paid more attention to my houseplants, garden, and an art project. Naps. I suppose this is a benefit and a challenge. Naps are awesome. But sometimes it is just my way to stay passive and avoid being active. It is better for my health than scrolling, but still an escape. I don’t feel as guilty as I thought I would. I posted my email in my last FB post if people need to contact me AND checked my messages once every other day. (I know this is not a true fast. But it is still a reduction of my time on facebook by 1000+% From many hours to 90 seconds.) I have been using facebook as a primary communication tool, so I am worried about missing time sensitive communication. But I find the ‘panic in my chest’ feeling passes quickly. Challenges: I am imbedded. I host many groups. I gave myself permission to log in a few times to check messages and send some updates to event pages. I actually messed a zoom URL in a group event because I was off Facebook and forgot to keep up with everything. I also have outsourced lots of information to Facebook. I found myself forgetting names, or realizing I had no way to contact people outside fo Facebook. As I worked on another project, I allowed myself to log in breifly to access info I couldn’t remember. (And, yes, I was pulled into the desire to do more.) I miss people I logged in briefly Mothers Day to check on a message and – before I could turn away – saw a wonderful love-filled post a friend wrote about their mother. I so love the bits of human experience that are interspersed with the disinformation and clickbait. If I stay off more, I’ll have to develop a system of reaching out to people in ways I never have before.

Benefits of (a brief) Social Media Break

I tried to help a Houseless friend.  My lack of boundaries ruined everything. 

I tried to help a Houseless friend. <a href="http://hugnation.com/audio/2020/botched.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My lack of boundaries ruined everything</a>.

Lessons From a Botched Good Deed

The world would rather hug you than hurt you!  Lessons from the Belief Buffet

I am a loyal subscriber. And not just because I’m john’s mom.

So wise! So funny! Great genes!

I am biased because I am the host, but I really think you should give this a listen. :)

Biased

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