Consciousness, the matrix of existence, is a dimension beyond time and space, holding infinite power.  It is responsible for the unfolding of creation, creating unlimited potentials in the time-space reality we perceive as Earth.  David R. Hawkins discusses in his book, Transcending the Levels of Consciousness, in detail the different levels of consciousness.  He describes the nature of each level and then provides solutions on how to advance to the next level.  If you are interested in learning to manifest the kind of life you want, then Hawkins’s book will serve as a guide for lifting your vibration and allowing for that which you desire to flow into your life.  However, more importantly, it will teach you to rise above suffering and to allow spiritual energy to flow through you.  

Universal consciousness created our planet and everything in it.  It is the source of all matter and life.  Unlike its creation, it is nonlinear, free of the restrictions of time, space, and physical laws, and has knowledge of everything that has happened on Earth from the single passing thought to the most significant occurrences of human history.  Everything in existence is made of spiritual energy, the essence of consciousness, and this energy can be as low as ‘1’, denoting something that merely exists, to level ‘1000,’ the highest level of energy possible on Earth, and only achieved by the select few such as ascended masters such as Jesus and Buddha.  As people increase their level of spiritual energy, they are less prone to suffering, life becomes easier, and relationships go from being seen as a competition to the brotherhood of cooperation.  

As the first animal life appeared on our planet, so did the ego.  The ego thinks in the linear terms of animal survival:  through drive for pleasure it finds a mate to get its genes into the next generation, predation allows it to find food to sustain its life, and it must fight to gain and retain its territory.  For this reason, the ego is very valuable, it allows for life to survive, and to evolve on the planet.  However, with a lack of spiritual energy, it creates viewpoints that are weak, limiting, and exhausting.  It uses force because it is unaware of its own innate power.  Similar to primitive animals, a person in one of the lower vibrational states will see life as something to survive, and for that reason tends to focus only his or her self-interest, seeing other living creatures as the enemy, rather than seeing life as an opportunity to experience love and growth.

A person should not hate his or her ego, rather Hawkins encourages people to accept their defects instead of denying them as a way of increasing their inner sense of self-honesty, security, and confidence.  In doing so a person will become emotionally stronger and less defensive against perceived slights.  Most inner-personal arguments stem from a person’s refusal to take responsibility for his or her character defects.  This can lead to destroying a beautiful relationship over trivialities over time, because once the ego feels attacked it feels the need to defend itself, usually this results in the person putting the blame on his or her partner, which leads his or her partner to defend his or her own ego.  This could simply be avoided by accepting the fact that one is not perfect.  

Interestingly, at the highest levels of consciousness, a person realizes that everything is perfect just as it is, because everything has value to consciousness and creation itself.  Yet while those still in the lower vibrations hold value to the universe, they still feel a great degree of suffering and bring suffering onto others who have similar mindsets.  For this reason, it is a good idea to adopt a sense of humility, which is only a matter of letting go of one’s pride and accepting one’s fallibility as a normal human characteristic.  As a person practices humility, he or she will increase his or her spiritual energy.  People let go of the need to blame someone else for their mistakes, and begin to understand that  it is far better to succeed than to ‘win.’

As spiritual energy increases, so does one’s level of consciousness.  In the lower phrases, represented by the color red in the illustration, a person has so little spiritual energy that he or she is lethargic, unmotivated, and carries a self-defeating attitude.  As a person’s vibration rises into the yellow, he or she will have more energy, but this energy is ego-driven by survival mechanisms such as fear, desire, and comparing oneself to others.  Those in the green have plenty of energy, and they are often motivated to profoundly change the world, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse.  Those that have achieved the level of pride, feel great esteem for themselves, but their self-confidence is contingent on being better than other people.  

Once a person reaches level 200, the level of courage, his or her happiness depends less on outside forces and aligns with his or her personal truth.  One is not dominated by primitive emotions, and is willing to take responsibility for one’s own demons, and goes on a quest to conquer them.  One living outside of one’s own personal truth must compensate with defensive pride, anger, guilt, shame, and the fear of Divine punishment.  For those at the level of courage, personal integrity becomes more important than results.  Courage differs from pride because while the achievements of courage and pride are both lauded by society,  social approval becomes secondary to those in the vibration of courage.  For this reason, a person that has maintained the level of courage, will not violate his or her own integrity for a quick payoff. 

The level of Courage is the first level of consciousness in which a person feels good without depending on outside circumstances.  To reach this pivotal level, focus on gratitude, find things you like about your life and the world around you.  Discover your own personal truth by asking yourself questions about what is important to you, and what do you believe a person with integrity would do in a given situation.  You must give up the need to be right, let your actions speak for you.  Hawkins states that the biggest challenge for those wanting to achieve the level of courage is fear.  He insists that courage does not mean the absence of fear but the willingness to surmount it.  This is achieved by knowing that one is responsible for the intention and effort but not the result which is dependent on many outside factors.

Neutrality, the level after that of courage, differs in the fact that one is able to let go of positionalities; strong positional standpoints that humans tend to hold onto with stubbornness. Rather than see challenges, the neutral person sees principles and guidelines, not demands and rigid rules.  People at the level of courage must remind themselves that intention and effort are more important than results, the person at the level of neutrality has mastered the axiom.   For this reason, they don’t have an emotional investment in the outcome, and the experience of failure is no longer defeating, frightening, or frustrating.  A person at this level knows that if he or she doesn’t achieve success whether it be getting a certain job, a date with a particular person, or attainment of some other gain that there will be other jobs, attractive people, and chances for material success in the future.  Those in neutrality choose to attract rather than promote, they are benign, not inclined to proselytize or prize the glamour of importance; they do not feel the need to minimize themselves out of false humility.  At the level of neutrality, those that have struggled with depression, guilt, fear, or frantic searching for gain, approval, and earthly riches can find some much-needed peace; however, as its name implies, they are neither destructive nor active participants in life, furthermore, those at this state have not experienced the joy of the higher levels.  

To grow spiritually, the neutral person must willingly participate in life, which will help him or her reach the next level of consciousness:  willingness.  The willing person has an inner conviction, dependability, and zest for life.  Most importantly, they have learned to let go of resistance which is the key to mastering our time-space reality.  Whenever someone has resistance to something, part of their energy is fighting against what they actually want.  Instead of focusing on what they don’t want, the willing people focus on what they do want, and they go in the direction of their goals even if it means starting at the bottom.  They find a way to find joy in their day-to-day tasks, and they perform those tasks well.  They engage in life, they genuinely like other people, they are sympathetic to other people’s needs which leads them to find joy in volunteer work.  Abundance naturally flows into their lives because of their positive attitudes and their willingness to take action and the fact that they don’t waste energy and time on complaining or worrying.  They have humility that allows for them to be more self-aware than people that are still in the pride vibration.  A person whose joy is contingent on pride will respond to criticism with anger, denial, guilt, or projection whereas the willing person can take feedback with an open mind and make corrections as needed.  

Once a person reaches the level of acceptance, he or she understands that he or she is the source and creator of his or her life experience.  All the levels below 200, people see themselves at the mercy of life and see themselves as victims of circumstances.  People at the levels between Courage and Willingness, take responsibility for their lives and begin to take the necessary steps to better themselves.  At the level of acceptance, a person learns that he or she has the keys to the kingdom.  A person at the level of acceptance does not feel the need to judge other people, is not polarized by conflict or opposition, and honors the rights of other people.  Those at the level of Acceptance are free from rigidity, as acceptance includes rather than rejects.

Hawkins writes that reason, the level after acceptance, intelligence, and rationality rise to the forefront when the emotionalism of the lower levels is transcended.  He goes on to say that reason is capable of handling large, complex amounts of data, making rapid correct decisions, and understanding the intricacies of relationships, graduations, and fine distinctions.  To be honest, however, Hawkins does not do a good job of explaining how the level of reason is an improvement on the levels of willingness and acceptance.  The people that have risen to the level of willingness and acceptance take on the hardships and opportunities that come into their experience and make the most of them.  Whereas people that have reached the level of reason rely only on their physical senses and process cold hard data, relying completely on their mind and not on their connection to spiritual energy.  

There are two problems with the information in this chapter, one is why does reason have to be exclusive to one level, surely there have been scientists that had only reached the level of pride, for example, and are quite capable of processing data.  The second problem is that the level of reason differs from all the other levels in as much as it requires a person to have a high IQ to assess this level.  All of the other levels, including the higher levels of love, joy, and peace, only require a certain amount of spiritual energy to reach, whereas the level of reason can only be obtained by those with an articulate mind.  This isn’t to say that reason cannot be a part of spirituality.  Reason is important to spirituality since openness to new ideas keeps one from losing oneself in the rigidity of religious dogma.  It could be argued that scientific discoveries brought mankind out of the dark ages and into the renaissance and the age of enlightenment.  Most educated people understand the importance of reason and logic, and a person that has both a complex understanding of spirituality and logic can enjoy a richer, deeper understanding of the world at large, seeing both the temporal and the spiritual at once.  However, Hawkins explains none of this, leaving the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about the spiritual importance of this level.

Fortunately, Hawkins does a better job at explaining the next level, the level of love.  Love serves whereas the ego seeks to be served.  To be loving, a person is forgiving, nurturing, and supportive.  Love emanates from the heart, is non-intellectual, and has a purity of motive.  It is all-inclusive, has no barriers, and is one with another.  It is important to separate spiritual love from ego-driven infatuation.  The ego, as aforementioned, is interested in matters of survival, one of its drives is that of procreation, which concerns itself with finding the best mate so that it can pass its genes into the next generation.  At an ego level, love is conditional and identified with possession, passion, romance, and desire; instead of taking a person as part of itself, love at this level projects desire onto the targeted person, seeing them as having a special allure.  Once the excitement of acquisition fades, so does the allure of desirability.  

True love comes from spiritual alignment and living in accordance with spiritual principles.  Once people obtain this level of consciousness their perception is replaced with a vision that allows for awareness and understanding of the intrinsic value of all that exists.  It takes a certain amount of courage to transcend to the level of love-consciousness.  One must surrender one’s need to win and to be right.  To truly love humanity, one must be willing to forgive, which requires a person to understand that everyone does the best they can at the level of consciousness that they are at.  A person at the level of love, understands that people that are at a baseline level of fear or anger may not feel like they can afford to treat other people with kindness, because doing so may interfere with their pride, and as transcending to the level of pride is the best happiness they have ever tasted, fearful or angry people understandably protect their pride at all costs.  As such, the ability to forgive corresponds with one’s ability to understand.  While the level of love requires a certain amount of bravery and lack of self-interest, it is a level of true happiness.  Loving people have an increased sense of safety, identification with mankind, and concern for the welfare and happiness of others.  They have a radiant aura that has an effect on others around them.  

As one’s love becomes increasingly unconditional, he or she transcends into the joy vibration.  Those that are in the joy vibration see all the world as an expression of love and divinity, synchronicity is effortless for them as their individual will has merged into divine will.  Hawkins states that the ability to give unconditional love comes from the commitment to surrender one’s limitations and positionalities and the payoffs that come from having such inclinations.  Once again, the reader must ascertain what Hawkins means by his vague, fancy words.  Hawkins uses the word ‘positionality’ at least twenty-three times in his book, but he never defines the word for the reader.  The way in which Hawkins uses the word ‘positionality’ seems to mean to him to take a strong position on something, he also seems to associate the word itself with the ego.  In chapter two, the chapter on guilt, Hawkins writes, “the ego just ‘loves’ suffering a ‘wrong,’ being the martyr, being misunderstood and being the endless victim of life’s vicissitudes.  It thereby gets an enormous pay-off, not only from the positionality itself but also from sympathy, self-pity, entitlements, importance, or being ‘center stage’ in which the self is the hero or heroine of the melodrama.”  

This quote gives the reader an insight to what Hawkins means when he uses the word ‘positionality.’  In this instance, the positionality is seeing oneself as a victim, a martyr, and a hero, and the pay-off is the attention, feelings of self-importance, and sympathy that one gets from being in this positionality.  By this example, the person that is practicing unconditional love must somehow give up the view of themselves as a victim.  We see scenarios like this play out in real life all the time, sometimes the catalyst for such a scenario is simply a petty argument.  Let’s say, two people argue, Larry calls John a “naive little twirp.”  John could choose to use this derogatory name as fodder for his ego and rally support for his position by telling all his mutual friends what Larry said and lamenting the things that Larry said during their argument; this would earn John attention from his friends, his friends may take up his side, and they may even choose to call Larry even worse names because they chose to take John’s side.  Or John could choose to try to neutralize his anger about what happened by trying to understand why Larry said what he said.  He could figure that Larry was angry because he was engaged in a heated debate and for that reason, he called John a name.  By choosing to let it go, John forfeits attention and self-righteous support from his friends, but John gains a sense of peace, he neutralizes energy surrounding his karma, and he may even salvage his friendship with Larry.

To surrender one’s positionalities takes practice and quite a bit of willpower.  For one thing, it needs to be authentic.  Suffering in silence is, after all, its own form of martyrdom.  What if John cannot neutralize his anger from what Larry said?  The best thing John can do is be honest about how he feels, but try to keep the drama a minimum.  John could try discussing the situation with only one friend, the friend that he believes will be the most objective.  In doing so, John is respecting his own personal truth, but also doing his best to try to understand Larry and show Larry the most love from his own limited perspective.  

It is extremely rare to transcend to the level of Peace, Hawkins states that at the time of the book’s publication, 2005, there were only six people on the planet who calibrated at the level of peace or higher.  Part of the reason there are so few people vibrating at this level is that once they reach this level “the state of bliss precludes ordinary activity” and “they leave the world.”  Does Hawkins mean that they die?  Perhaps that they have reached a level of spirituality that was so high that they achieved their life’s mission and no longer continue life on Earth?  He does not say.  He does, however, say that some persist and become spiritual teachers while others work anonymously for the betterment of mankind.  He writes that a “few return to the world and become notable geniuses in their respective fields.”  Does he mean by this that they transcend to a level of peace, die, and then reincarnate?  Is this the source of child prodigies?  Hawkins does not go into detail on this.  

As Hawkins discusses the higher levels of consciousness his writing gets vaguer, perhaps because Hawkins’s perspective is limited because has not achieved the higher levels of transcendence or perhaps it is because as one transcends into higher levels of consciousness one’s mind becomes less linear and harder to describe with words.  Hawkins describes the level of peace as being slow-moving, suspended in time and space, alive, radiant, continuously flowing, unfolding in an exquisitely coordinated evolutionary dance.  He describes it as an awesome revelation that takes place without thought or conception so that there is an infinite silence in the mind, which has stopped conceptualizing.  He writes “that which is witnessing are the same identity. The observer dissolves and becomes equally the observation.  Everything is connected to everything else and unified by the Presence whose power is infinite, yet exquisitely gentle.”  

What Hawkins is describing sounds a lot like the concept of Oneness.  Oneness is a spiritual state in which a person or a spiritual entity knows that it is connected to the whole, and knows that everything in existence is part of oneself.  Many spiritual thinkers believe that the state of Oneness is humanity’s ultimate goal.  If one considers the definition of love as taking something as part of oneself, then oneness would be the most complete version of unconditional love possible.  It makes sense that the higher states of consciousness would embody the spirit of oneness.  

Hawkins writes that at this level whether the body survives or not is “uninteresting” and without meaning.  The universe decides whether or not life continues on Earth based on whether or not karmic propensities are aligned with physical continuation, if so the body survives and if not the body is abandoned because it served its purpose.  Hawkins does not elaborate further, other than saying it’s a fifty-fifty chance whether or not someone’s life will continue after reaching this level of transcendence.  What are these karmic propensities?  Does Hawkins mean that half of the souls that have reached this level have fulfilled their life’s mission and that they can now live in peace in the spiritual realm?  

The level of peace is the level in which a person knows that everything in existence is perfect and complete just the way it is.  The illusion of moving from imperfection to perfection is a mentalization of the ego.  The example that Hawkins gives, is that rosebud is not an imperfect rose, but a perfect rosebud.  As it opens, it is a perfect unfolding flower, and when it is completely opened, it is a perfect opened flower.  As it wilts, it is still perfect, and it continues in its perfection even as it dies.  The same can be said for everything in existence, for everything is an expression of the unfolding of the evolution of creation.  A weed is equal to a flower, and all that exists is equal, without classification, and everything is realized to be of the same worth.

This explanation seems a bit incomplete, however, for if everything in existence is perfect then how does one explain ‘evil.’  In the reason chapter of his work, Hawkins challenges the concept of moral relativism, the belief that defining right and wrong is an individual and personal choice.  Hawkins calls this a “distorted principle” that has “made great inroads into our universities” and claims that by “using moral relativism as their weapon, liberal secularists can destroy any absolute law they desire.”  However, if everything is perfect just as it is, then how can anything be judged as good or bad, moral or immoral?  I intend to do further investigation on the different spiritual views on good versus evil, and how evil pertains to the spiritual concept that everything in existence is in a state of perfection just as it is.

The next level of transcendence is self-realization, a state in which a person embodies complete Oneness, a level of non-duality, which is characterized by no longer experiencing an individual personal self separate from others.  There is no longer an identification with the physical body, rather the body is seen as a tool for consciousness to navigate the world and to communicate.  Consciousness levels at 600 and higher are classically termed ‘no mind’ because sequential thinking stops and nonlinear awareness of consciousness takes its place.  People in this state radiate an energy field from their auras into the collective consciousness of mankind which has a two-fold effect:  first, it counterbalances the negativity in the world, and second, it contributes to the overall evolution of consciousness of man in general.

The state of full enlightenment is the final level of transcendence.  This is Hawkins’s most vague chapter, and it is difficult to pinpoint the characteristics of this level, probably because as the levels ascend, their characteristics become more esoteric.  First, Hawkins makes the ascertain that individuals that have transcended to this level are incredibly rare.  He stated in a previous chapter that in 2005, the year of the book’s publication, only one living individual had ascended to the level of full enlightenment.  Those at this level still have the ability to counterbalance negative energy with their auric fields and are no longer limited by the narcissistic ego or the psychological blocks of positionalities.  They are supported by the unimpeded inflow of spiritual kundalini energy to the higher etheric spiritual bodies above the crown chakra.  This flow of energy is in response to surrendering personal will directly to the Divine.  

Hawkins goes on to say in the next that the evolution of consciousness is accelerated by the combination of intention and attention.  Intention, to have the objective of moving for in one’s spiritual journey by increasing one’s spiritual energy and paying attention to how one fares in one’s day to day, by paying attention to one’s emotions and to have awareness over one’s desires, fears, and feelings towards other people will help one garner more spiritual energy and transcend the levels of consciousness much quicker.  He also states that at the higher levels, one can make something manifest simply by holding the resolution in one’s mind which makes spiritual intention “one thousand times” stronger than ordinary intellectual effort.  Hawkins encourages humility, patience, understanding, and love as the means for transcending to the higher levels of consciousness, and the rewards for this endeavor are more spiritual awareness, less suffering, and a heightened state of awareness for all of humanity.

“Sustainability is a political choice, not a technical one. It’s not a question of whether we can be sustainable, but whether we choose to be” -Gary Lawrence

Since they’ve started, sustainable products have come a long way since they’ve started, in price, looks, and options alike! Gone are the days when we couldn’t find a sustainable version of practically everything we use like we can today! And plus, they look good too – I’m yet to see an unfashionable pair of hemp shoes if I do say so myself! (Yeah, that’s my bias showing through ;))

Plastic creation and misuse is a large problem with major consequences if we continue like this. While we’d all love for plastic to be completely okay to create and use, it ends up destroying the earth and making every living thing suffer as a result of our actions!

I’ve always considered it nice to… Ya know, live on this planet! Unfortunately, our consumption habits are getting out of hand and we’re destroying the earth with our actions, something I can’t stand for! Even though your individual change may not seem like much, you’re going a long way towards providing eternal harmony for yourself and our species as a whole! Living sustainably isn’t just a trend, it’s how to live – otherwise, we slowly bring death to us and everything around us.

Did you know that:

1. While America comprises 5% of the world’s population, they’re responsible for 30% of the world’s trash (the most in the world) 
2. 50% of American consumers have access to energy-efficient resources, but a small percentage actually use them.
3. It takes more energy to make 1 kg of paper than it takes to make 1 kg of steel
4. Global waste production is projected to increase by 70% by 2050!
5. The average American creates 1,642 pounds of trash each year.

If you aren’t living sustainably, don’t worry – I’m not saying these things to make you feel guilty, but to empower you! You have the power to make a substantial change! You have the power to make the world a better place and to encourage others to do the same! 

How much municipal solid waste has America recycled? As of 2018, we are recycling 94 million pounds (or 32%) of their annual waste totaling 292 million pounds. This percentage keeps going up when more and more people like you decide to live ethically and sustainably!

This is why sustainable products are so important! They’re more than just a symbol, more than just bragging rights. They are solid action towards an awesome goal, a goal I want you to be a part of today after reading this post!

Don’t worry, I’m here to help you out! The Singularity Initiative is partnering with EarthHero to serve you in your quest for enlightenment in many areas of life, including sustainability!

Here are my 51 most favorite sustainable alternatives to everyday things you already use! Enjoy the read 🙂

1. Sustainable Living
2. Travel
3. Sustainable Technology
4. Beauty
5. Outdoors (Hiking, Camping, and Sports)
6. Pets
7. Clothing, Footwear, and Jewelry
8. Amazing Gifts!

Sustainable Living

Feeling clean? It’s best to get creative and buy some DIY reusable wet wipes! These are made from 100% BPA and lead-free glass, and the container makes it easy to use and re-use effective eco-conscious wet wipes using essential oils! It comes with several recipes you can use, and they’re the perfect choice for staying clean the green way! 

Control the waves with this awesome eco-conscious blue glass spray bottle! It’s also made from 100% BPA-free and lead-free glass that is colored to protect EOs from UV damage! Great for watering plants, disinfecting surfaces, and creating your own recipes! It has instructions on the side as well as two nozzle settings that let you spray at your convenience!

Hold up, sustainable laundry pods?! Absolutely! These guys are made with a biodegradable formula, and the “shells” are 100% chemical-free! They can clean anything from carpets, hardwood and stone floors, clothing, and more! It doesn’t contain anything artificial, or else they wouldn’t be featured on my website ;). Simply drop a pod into a glass of water, watch it transform into an oxi booster solution, then apply it anywhere that needs a little love. Simple, clean, and convenient!

Kathryn Kellogg, famed blogger and sustainability guide, dives into how she’s managed to fit all of her trash from the last two years into a 16-oz mason jar. From saying no to straws and plastic grocery bags, to using compostable dish scrubbers and reusable water bottles, this guide will help you on your journey to plastic-free living. Full of tips, tricks, DIY recipes, and more, 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste dives into responsible consumption and how you can make a difference on the daily. “It’s not about perfection,” she says. “It’s about making better choices.”

Take care of your precious one (or ones!) with this sustainable, ethical baby bottle brush! While its main intention is to clean baby bottles it works on many surfaces such as glass bottles, jars, pitchers, and those butter dishes I don’t know the name of. Lightweight, sturdy, easy to maneuver, flexible, and get this – the bristles are made from pig bristles! That’s pretty cool if you ask me.

But, you need something heavier duty, right? Well too bad I guess, gotta look somewhere else…

Just kidding, we have it right here! It’s literally made from untreated beechwood and Tapioca plant fibers! You could it as compost and your plants wouldn’t even say a thing! the durable bristles withstand heat and retain their shape. Plus, all the wood used in Redecker products is sustainably harvested! Go ahead, you can feel good about the earth while doing your cleaning 😉

Travel

Have you ever traveled and experienced the hassle of keeping your food in one place? Don’t worry about it anymore – especially with your fruit! This portable bag is easy to take with you into the grocery store and save the trashman a trip to the landfill! Made from certified cotton mesh that’s lightweight and breathable, it’s great for keeping wet produce fresh and dry produce all together in one place! I highly recommend this one for your convenience 🙂

Are you hip enough to handle the Bataan Hip Pack?! Repurposed and ready for you, this repurposed nylon hip pack was created from nylon that was headed to the landfill from other factories! It features an adjustable webbing strap hip belt, two internal mesh pockets, and lightweight colorful fabric. Plus, this 3L fanny pack donates 1% towards world-changing nonprofits worldwide! Keep in mind that, since each pack is made from repurposed nylon, each color combination will be unique! Think of it as a “surprise me” kind of bonus 😉

Coming in two different sizes, you can carry your laptop the sustainable way with Terra Thread’s earth-conscious laptop sleeves! These sleeves are made from GOTS certified cotton and padded with interior lining to keep your computer snug and protected from the elements. But get this – the best part is the little sleeve on the side that lets you carry your phone charger along with your laptop! Best selling point IMHO. Keep in mind that each purchase donates meals to kids and families in need through Feeding America. This sleeve donates ten meals when you purchase one!

What’s that? You need an all-around, general-purpose bag to carry around your belongings and save the earth at the same time? Me too, actually – I should get one of these soon! Once again made from GOTS certified cotton in a Fair Trade Certified Factory, this bag can be used for weekends, store trips, outings to the beach, or to pick up all the trash on the way there! Also, purchasing a tote bag donates 20 meals through Feeding America!

How would you like a lightweight travel pack that’s perfect for hiking and spending time outdoors? Lightweight and made from recycled materials, it has a deceivingly large amount of space and side pockets that make it easy to use over and over again! Whether you’re heading to a festival, going to a baseball game, or traveling the world, this bag has your back!

But no, you need something bigger, sturdier, right? How about a backpack made entirely out of recycled bike tubes?! Earth-conscious and waterproof, this bad boy is your best friend in the wild, on the trail, in the raft, or even on your way to work! Plus, you can show off your sustainable pack in the dark with the reflective daisy chain on the front!

Sustainable Technology

Sustainable technology?! That’s right! Made from bio-plastic housings and regrind silicone rubber, these earphones take sustainability and usability and combine them into a loving synergy! They’re even noise-isolating to boot. These buds feature an in-line microphone with a 1-button remote for easy song selection, a 9mm dynamic driver for ideal bass, and an integrated microphone for on-the-go calls. Plus, 2 sizes of ear gels let you find the perfect fit! Keep the music going and your feet tapping all day long!

Looking to share the party the sustainable way?! Awesome! Check this out. Made from sustainable post-consumer recycled materials like cork, aluminum, and silicone, this travel-friendly speaker is dust-proof, waterproof, and can even float! Portable, quick-charging, loud, with wireless and aux options, it’s the best option to feel good about saving the earth and dancing to the cosmic vibrations at the same time! Plus, House of Marley plants a tree for every item purchased, and has planted over 25,000 trees to date! Feel good yet? 😉

Doesn’t it look beautiful?! What a treat – a sustainable phone-charging dock that keeps your desk organized and your space beautiful! Handcrafted from FSC Certified solid oak or walnut wood, this iPhone, AirPod, or Android charging dock keeps your tech securely in place and easy to locate – all while charging it so you’re ready to grab it and go. Hand polished and made with a classic geometric look, it also comes with a charging cable and is compatible with almost all phone cases. Plus, for every order, Oakywood will plant 1 tree! So go ahead – save the planet and treat yourself to an awesome charging dock 🙂

You’re pretty hardcore, aren’t you? You want to recycle everything you see, including batteries, right? Well, check this out – we offer you an Alkaline Batteries Zero Waste Box that makes it super easy to collect your alkaline batteries and ship them to TerraCycle (for free!) to be safely and sustainably recycled into something awesome! Please place (sustainable) tape over the ends of batteries to prevent current transfer.

Jams are to be enjoyed, and the best way to enjoy them is to enjoy them sustainably! House of Marley has the ultimate solution: the Rebel Bluetooth On-Ear Headphones. This classic style features a convenient 1-button remote on the right ear-cup for song changes, an integrated microphone for communication over Bluetooth, and an ultra-comfy fit you can wear all day! Same as the headphones, it’s made with 70% bio-plastic and Regrind Silicone Rubber protects the interior 40mm dynamic driver, bringing powerful bass and precise sound. It features Bluetooth 4 with A2DP stereo audio, capable of streaming high-quality sound from your device to the headphone. Plus, get 8 hours of battery life… Sounds like a great deal to me!

Beauty

So, what happens when you want to treat your skin and the earth at the same time? You find yourself looking at Badger’s Damascus Rose Beauty Balm! Nourishing with certified organic beeswax and antioxidant-rich oils, it’s super-emollient and easily absorbs into your skin to keep it smooth and soft (and not greasy!). Infused with the precious oil of Damascus rose, this balm also works to soften fine lines and wrinkles! Could you ask for a better balm? You’d be hard-pressed to find one! 🙂

When it’s time for a little extra glow, be sure to snap up this collection of radiance-boosting, skin-aluminizing goodies by Earth Harbor Naturals! Featuring the Marina Biome Brightening Ampoule, Glow Juice Refining Enzyme Mask, Luna Lei Phyto-Resurfacing Night Serum, and the Mermaid Milk Nutrient Glow Moisturizer, this collection will leave you looking lit from within. Careful, the sun might get jealous! Plus, as fellow planet-advocates, Earth Harbor is dedicated to donating a portion of their profits to protecting marine life and oceans worldwide!

Tame your beautiful hair and show your inner beauty by using these 100% fair trade, plastic-free scrunchies, perfect for blending style with sustainability! Coming in two stylish colors that work for all hairstyles and give you all-day comfort, you’ll be happy to rock these awesome scrunchies and show them off to your friends! KOOSHOO is changing up the typical lifecycle of a scrunchie, which starts with petroleum-based materials and leads to landfill waste, by making the first completely biodegradable, plastic-free hair scrunchie! Made from GOTS certified organic cotton and natural rubber, when composted properly this hair tie will completely go back to the soil in just seven years. Now that’s something to smile about 😉

As far as the shower is concerned, the only thing better than a bamboo soap dish is the soap itself! Made from bamboo and corn starch, this biodegradable soap dish is made with two separate pieces that can be pulled apart for easy cleaning. The dish keeps your soap elevated and out of the water, helping it last longer! You know what else lasts longer – the planet when you spend money on cool stuff like this 😉

Let’s accompany the soap dish with a sustainable soap bar, shall we? This Neem + Chaparral Natural Soap Bar from Plum Brilliance is handcrafted with some of the finest botanicals from neem oil and chaparral – and comes without any extra plastic packaging or nonsense for your most minimal experience. Great for both the face and the body, this natural soap bar is perfect for a variety of skin conditions from irritations and infections to eczema and dry skin. Plus, it contains no sulfates, parabens, chemicals, or additives! It’s the perfect choice to clean your body the sustainable way!

Who says you have to have eye shadow that’s destructive to the environment? Made from non-toxic and organic ingredients like sunflower oil, beeswax, and kaolin clay, this eye coal can be used as an eye shadow or eyeliner, whichever you’re feeling today! You can show off your shadow side while also flexing your ethicality and mindfulness – what a combo 😉

Toothpaste is something all of us use every single day, so why not make it a part of your daily routine to prevent bad packaging (and toothpaste) from coming into your household? I’ll buy a tube here in a little bit myself! Made with fluoride-free peppermint and charcoal, it comes in a recyclable metal tube, and is available with an optional reusable metal tube key to ensure you can get all the toothpaste out with ease! The price makes it a wonderful deal – $10 to save the world seems pretty doable to me! 🙂

But, what about floss? As it turns out, we have some super sustainable silk floss available for you right here! Minimize the waste in your oral care routine with help from Zero Waste Refillable Silk Floss by Dental Lace! Made from biodegradable 100% mulberry silk floss and naturally flavored with organic peppermint essential oil, this floss comes with a glass container and 2 floss spools. The glass container is refillable, and recyclable, reducing plastic waste in your home. It is free of parabens, SLS, and PFAS – and comes packaged plastic-free! Absolutely 🙂

Outdoors (Hiking, Camping, and Sports)

Let’s head to the outdoors, shall we? Or not, because it’s mosquito season and they’re everywhere up here! Introducing Block Natural Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent, the ultimate mosquito repellent that is DEET-free provides a long-lasting barrier on your skin that safely repels bugs, while also protecting and nourishing your skin! t works with a powerful combination of citronella, lemon eucalyptus, eucalyptus lemongrass, basil, and cedarwood that keeps bugs away and leaves a gentle scent behind! You’ll want to give it a go for sure 🙂

Eating is a wonderful, sacred thing that shouldn’t be tainted with the corruption of traditional, unsustainable silverware. Let’s celebrate re-use with a Recycled and Reusable Silverware Set from Albatross! This reusable utensil set is made from recycled stainless steel, partially from shaving razor blades collected via the Albatross Blade Take Back Program! It includes a fork, spoon and knife clipped together for compact transport and comes with a reusable hemp travel bag! A two-for-one deal sounds awesome, and you’ll be loving the planet at the same time!

Not only is yoga a divine practice that helps you meditate, transcend your mind, and stay healthy, now you can practice with a sustainably harvested cork yoga mat and help the earth stay healthy too! The beautiful artistic design is made from non-toxic dyes, and the ultra-sweat grip keeps your mat from slipping, even during the hottest of hot yoga sessions! And plus, for every mat sold, Scoria donates 10 meals to those in need through Feeding Children Everywhere! You’re helping yourself and others when you purchase this yoga mat, and I commend you for being brave and doing so 🙂

Are you on the go and don’t want to throw your trash in the car? Don’t throw away any trash at all with this Biobased All-in-One Lunch Kit from Light My Fire! Made from bioplastics, this camping lunchtime kit contains a lid that functions as a plate, a deep bottom bowl that functions as a plate too, a SnapBox Original food storage container, a SnapBox Oval food storage container, and an original spork! With a reusable bag made from recycled PET plastics and a harness to keep everything securely together, this lunch kit is perfect for camping, picnics, or traveling. BPA-free, microwave and dishwasher safe, and lightweight, this kit is your new go-to for lunchtime on the go!

Pets

It’s time to give your kitty some love too! This sustainable kitty-lover makes it easy to comb your cat’s fur and keep them clean, with pig bristles and a beechwood handle no less! No plastic was used in the creation of this brush, so you can smile, knowing you’re saving the earth while your cat purrs at the gentle touch the brush provides! 🙂

Keep your kitties sustainable and organized with this cat litter bag holder! Made 100% plastic-free from organic cotton canvas, this storage bag keeps cat litter bags out of the way, but ready to use. Just tuck in your favorite cat litter bags, hang it up by its hook, and you’re ready to go. Plus, due to its natural composition, this bag is entirely compost-safe at the end of its life!

Do you ever worry about your cat’s catnip? Not anymore with Friendsheep’s organic catnip! This natural herb is 100% USDA certified organic and helps attract cats to their toys, scratchers, and beds, and also helps keep their animal instincts sharp and stimulated. It’s harvested at the peak of the season and completely free of pesticides, toxic fertilizers, and sprays. The tin is completely reusable and recyclable! And, if you purchase some organic catnip from Friendsheep, they’ll even plant a tree for you! How cool is that?!

And of course, we can’t forget the toys! Friendsheep’s Purple Eco Wool Pet Toy Balls are a set of completely natural, plastic-free 1.5″ balls that cats go crazy for! Each set comes with six balls so you don’t have to worry about losing one or two (because we all know they’ll end up under the couch eventually). The balls are made from 100% organic and cruelty-free certified New Zealand Wool are completely biodegradable at end of life. Friendsheep also uses azo-free dyes to make their products even safer for pets and the planet. Their Eco Wool Pet Toys are handmade by women in Nepal living with disabilities, in an ethical facility with fair-wage pay. Buy some today and Friendsheep will plant a tree with the purchase!

But after you’ve given your kitty some love, why not think about your puppy next? Dogs are part of our family too, after all! Made from 100% natural, non-toxic, and pet-safe ingredients, this earth-conscious dog shampoo soothes irritated, itchy, or uncomfortable skin and hot spots that many dogs suffer from. Organic ingredients like aloe Vera and cocoa butter address irritation at the source, leaving behind moisturized and soft skin. It will also help your pup look better, feel better, and even dry more quickly (with less ‘wet dog’ smell!). Plus, it’s easy to use on top of being completely sustainable and healthy for your pup and the planet! 

After your puppy is nice and clean, you’ll want to make sure their fur is nice and free from mats and knots! Keep your pooch’s coat looking great with the Double-Sided Bamboo Dog Brush from Zefiro! With a sisal bristle side that gently pulls out loose hair and evens out their coat and a wire bristle side for thick fur and lightly-matted patches, this brush is the perfect combo for your pup. When it’s time to retire the brush, simply pull out and recycle the pins and compost the rest of the brush! Not a problem 😉

After your puppy is all nice and clean, let them play the right way with a sustainable rubber dog bone! Made from 100% biodegradable and BPA-free natural rubber with a vanilla scent, this dog bone has a hollow center to hide treats in to entertain your dog. This sustainable dog toy comes with a lifetime guarantee and is slightly weighted to go farther when thrown — perfect for fetch! So, not only is it the best sustainable dog toy, but it has other features you’d miss out on if you shopped somewhere else – grab yours today! 🙂 

Or, maybe your dog likes to play rough! Maybe your dog needs a rope to chew on and play with. If that’s the case, grab this awesome hemp ring dog rope that your puppy is sure to enjoy for many tug-of-war sessions to come! Made from recycled cotton and sustainably harvested hemp that grows without pesticides and returns 60-70% of its nutrients back to the soil, this durable dog toy has tough fibers that clean your dog’s teeth as they chew. The tightly coiled rope is fantastic for super chewers and the ring shape makes for easy tossing and catching!

So, your puppy just got done playing catch with the hemp ring rope (yes, I’m greatly enjoying this mini-storyline I’m creating) and some brown stink bombs magically appeared in the grass used to be. What’s next? Well, let the Compostable Dog Bags from Beco Pets help you out! you can reduce the amount of single-use plastic you produce, thanks to compostable doggie bags made from natural plant-based resins. Suitable for both home composting and commercial composting (scroll down for more info in our “End of Life” tips!), this set of 60 doggie bags are extra large and extra thick for easy cleanup. Plus, they fit all standard-size bag dispensers making them easy to take on the go! 

Clothing, Footwear, and Jewelry

Do you like sustainability and women? Me too! That’s why I’m promoting these awesome earrings that make you look stylish, are made from mine-free 100% recycled Sterling Silver, and help support homeless women in Nashville, TN! In fact, these same women help create these earrings and transition out of homelessness as we speak right now!  Pair a little sparkle with a lot of empowerment and unlock opportunities for yourself and others with Unlocked jewelry!

Available in 4 different colors and 2 different sizes, this completely non-sustainable (kidding) wool festival hat is perfect for looking your best while vibing out to your favorite artists! Take the festival vibe with you wherever you go with this Recycled Wool Festival Hat from TenTree! With an unstructured round brim, cork brand detail, and branded cork patch, you can rock out with peace of mind knowing that your purchase was ethically crafted and plants ten trees!

With a cord made from recycled plastics, beads made from recycled glass, and a stainless steel 4Ocean tag, this handcrafted donation bracelet doesn’t just use recycled materials, but actively removes waste from our oceans as well! For every bracelet sold, 4Ocean will remove 1 pound of waste from our seas. Thanks to your support, 4Ocean bracelets have pulled 2,247,704 pounds of trash from our oceans and coastlines to date–and growing every day! Get yours and support a more sustainable planet today. Plus, this bracelet is in collaboration with the Earth Day Network–an amazing non-profit supporting our natural environment!

Get something he’ll enjoy with these plant-based polarized sunglasses! The durable and stylish frame is made from innovative Z-Resin, a unique derivative of the castor plant, which contributes to a feather-light frame that’s perfect for everyday usage or awesome adventures. Ellume Polarized lenses, also made from plant-based Z-Resin, deliver crisper, clearer vision and offer 100% UV protection and 95% blue light filtration. ProFlex rubber is injected strategically into the nose and temple tips to provide a soft and comfortable hold while withstanding extreme hot and cold temperatures so your sunglasses stay in place no matter what the day brings. Plus, Zeal Optics is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of sales towards world-changing environmental non-profits! These are the best sunglasses you’ll ever buy for many, many reasons!

Get them started young with a sustainable long john onesie that’s sustainable and comfortable at the same time! The snug fit is perfect for keeping your little one feeling secure as they drift off into dream time. You can sleep soundly too, knowing that they’re wrapped in 100% organic cotton! Save the earth and make your child look fabulous at the same time with these long johns from Under the Nile!

Let’s get your child stepping out into the world with a pair of Conscious Step conscious socks! Every pair of Conscious Step socks gives back to a nonprofit dedicated to changing our world for the better! This pair of Kids Socks that Protect Elephants Gift Box 3pk donates $3 total to Conservation International and supports their work to save and protect elephants. Plus, these sweet socks are both Fair Trade and Vegan Certified and made from a high-quality organic cotton fabric blend and have added terry padding for comfort. So, not only are you providing for your child and the planet, you’re saving the elephants as well! How does it get any better, again? 😉

Well, you need to protect your little one from the elements somehow, it may as well be with the sustainable butterfly baby hoddie by Under the Nile! It’s stylish, easy to snap on and off, and lined with an adorable butterfly print. Made with 100% organic cotton terry cloth, you can layer up your little one with peace of mind and a feeling of gratitude in your heart! 

Baby pants, anyone? How about sustainable baby pants? A stylish essential for every newborn, these pull-up pants by Under the Nile are perfect for everyday babywear. With an elastic waistband for easy on and off, and comfort beyond belief, these pants are the perfect choice for your young one! 🙂

Ranging from $5 to $500, these gift cards are the best way to show your love any way you’d like! EarthHero gift cards are sent out via email, using the email provided in the “Recipient Email” field. If you prefer to gift the card to the recipient yourselves, please enter your own email in that field. Gift Cards will be sent electronically upon purchase. Not eligible for returns or exchanges. Coupon codes cannot be used on gift cards.

Amazing Gifts!

Let’s celebrate those special days with an eco-living gift box! This earth-conscious gift box bundle includes everything you need to tackle plastic in your home, including a bamboo utensil set, resalable sandwich bag, Swedish dishcloths, reusable straw and cleaning brush, natural food storage wraps, stainless steel lunchbox, and handmade green tea and eucalyptus soap. All of the products are made from ethical, mindful, and sustainable materials and BPA and plastic-free ingredients. Plus, each purchase donates 1% to world-changing environmental non-profits through 1% for the Planet! Treat your special ones with this awesome gift they’re sure to appreciate 🙂

Is your friend a little uptight right now? Maybe they need something to help them relax. Help them with this relax and unwind gift box! Whether it be a restorative mineral bath soak, reflective journaling on recycled stone paper, or aromatherapy for night-time unwinding, this box has you covered with a plethora of ways to show yourself some much needed love. It includes: Night Night Badger Balm 2oz, Fat and the Moon Self Care Mineral Bath Soak, Plaine Products Refillable Travel Size Natural Body Lotion, Captain Blankenship Sea Sponge, P.F. Candle Co. Golden Coast Soy Candle, Klean Kanteen Classic Insulated Tumbler with Straw and Lid 16oz, and A Good Company Dotted Stone Paper Bullet Journal. Whether it’s for a loved one or just for you, this box of nourishing treats is sure to offer much needed rejuvenation!

Your child will love this artsy gift on a rainy day! Perfect for kids who love to create, this gift keeps boredom at bay with the Arts and Crafts Busy Box from Eco-Kids! Filled with exciting supplies, kiddos have the option to create fun shapes with eco-dough, scribble and draw with crayons, learn origami, or make beeswax candles. Great for long car rides, playdates, or as the perfect gift!

Are you about to travel? Perhaps your friends or family are about to see the sights? Get them an aromatherapy travel gift kit! This 3 piece set contains the Calm Mood, Immune Defense, & the Tranquil Sleep Aromatherapy Rollers – the perfect assortment to keep you energized, healthy, and ready to explore. The Calm Mood blend includes bergamot to reduce inflammation, rosewood to nourish the immune and central nervous system, sandalwood to improve mood, and neroli as a natural anti-depressant. The Immune Defense is great for traveling or being around crowds, and contains naturally anti-viral and anti-microbial ginger grass, along with niaouli, oregano, black pepper, and other botanicals. The Tranquil Sleep blend contains essential oils of vetiver, cedarwood, and roman chamomile to soothe occasional sleeplessness, quiet the mind, and help you fall asleep while traveling. Plus, Mindful Mixtures donates 1% of sales from this product towards environmental non-profits through 1% for the Planet! To use: shake well. Roll on, and lightly massage onto affected areas. Use as often as needed!

You didn’t think I’d leave out the toothbrush, did you? Of course not! Vote against plastic pollution with Brush with Bamboo’s Adult Toothbrush, made from 100% Certified Organic Giant Moso bamboo harvested in the wild mountain ranges in South China. The easy-to-grip bamboo handle is paired with plant-based bristles made from 100% Castor Bean Oil and is USDA Certified 100% Biobased. Plus, when you’re ready to get a new brush, simply remove the bristles and you can commercially compost the handle!

Sources

This post was written with some help by:

https://www.tamborasi.com/sustainability-facts/

https://www.hwhenvironmental.com/facts-and-statistics-about-waste/

https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials

https://circularecology.com/environmental-sustainability-facts.html

The city was alive with movement as people trickled in and out of the buildings with a relaxed expression in their manner. The streets were like a well-oiled machine as the cars stopped, then continued in the middle of a brisk windstorm. The sun, orange and vibrant, was setting beyond the horizon to give its light to another part of our beloved earth.

I stood in front of the mirror and looked at myself for the last time before heading out. A 3-piece suit, some expensive cologne, hair combed properly, and a proper shave later, I was ready to meet her – the woman every man wanted to take home on Friday night. 

We had known about each other for a year, we even worked in the same building, albeit for different companies. We occasionally saw each other at the bar but I rarely went. I kept telling myself that I needed to be an upstanding influence for my employees when in reality, I just didn’t want to go. There was nothing there I really wanted. 

But tonight, she was who I wanted. Confident, beautiful, her walk could attract attention from 1,000 miles. Granted, I didn’t have much experience in the dating field, but that wasn’t going to stop me from approaching her and giving it everything I had, young personality and all.

I looked at my watch. It was 5:00, half an hour before she usually arrived. I figured I’d go there early and make my usual… Brazen entrance for the boys, before she got there.

—

I was talking to this strapping young man at the bar. He was younger than me by a year or two, but he had the kind of charisma I couldn’t resist, even though I never show it. He was obviously trying to get me drunk by putting his money on the table, but I was only in the mood for a meloti… He understood. The conversation carried on like normal, the wine swirling in my glass and our eyes fixed on each other’s.

I was early because, unbeknownst to everyone else, I took a special interest in my date tonight. I heard the stories of him being full of surprises, and doing different things for different kinds of people. I wondered what he was going to do for me… So, I wanted to make sure I was punctual, even if he was early tonight.

Suddenly, the door to the bar flung open and a man walked in with ferocious tenacity. I sensed a bold energy coming from this new person, and so did everyone else. We turned our heads to face him. He liked that. His face began beaming, the corners of his lips moved towards his eyes, and he threw back his shoulders. 

“HOW ARE MY PEOPLE DOING… Tonight?” His eyes fixed on me, and I sensed his confidence level drop a notch or two. Was this one of the surprises? A special entrance for the regulars? He couldn’t be serious. The bartender coughed and lowered his head, effectively telling him that his welcome was welcomed, but that there was a lady present. There was also a hint of, “play along with what I’m about to say” in his voice as he addressed him.

“Can I help you, sir?” He asked in a gruff voice.

“You can’t… But she can!” He spoke with an odd tone, almost as if he was trying to be confident when he realized he had made a humorous mistake. I’m a confident woman, so it didn’t phase me at all. I simply responded with,

“I won’t be able to help you with anything! You’ve already done enough to embarrass yourself without trying to approach me.”

Suddenly, I didn’t want to go on a date with him, even though we set up the date a few weeks ago. This side of him was… A bit too much for me. It definitely wasn’t my style.

“Well, that’s fine! My other date is waiting in the car, care to join us anyway?” He said with a smirk on his lips.

His legs were shaking. He couldn’t have been older than 24, 25, and he was really trying to bounce back from his… Obviously rash behavior. His comeback game needed some work as well. But there was something about him that was… Endearing. Charming, almost, although I wouldn’t go that far. None of my previous men ever dared to act like this in front of me, even on accident. They were never 100% completely genuine, and I always found that to be a bit of a turnoff. But, he definitely had some work to do – and I wasn’t about to waste my time teaching him the ropes. So, I told him the truth.

“I wanna see what you look like with your big boy pants on. Come back to me after you change.” I gave him a wink and a smile. I turned back around to face my man, and he went in for the kiss. I enjoyed every, single, second of it!”

—

I walked out of the bar and made a beeline to my apartment. Once I was there I burst into a kind of laughter I hadn’t felt in years, the kind of laugh that makes your belly ache and your sides completely sore. 

I couldn’t believe she was half an hour early! I was going to go in, say howdy-do to the boys, make some conversation… She’d come in, I’d treat her like a lady, and that would be that. But nooo! She had to already be there, talking to another man, no less! I couldn’t believe it. It was the funniest thing I had ever experienced.

“And why would she say that? She doesn’t actually like me, does she? There’s no way…”

I put my head in my hands, embarrassment flowing through me and reminding me of what I just did. However, I slowly came to a realization, and my feeling of embarrassment changed to a feeling of invigoration.

“But… Of course. She noticed I was nervous,  but she obviously liked something about me since she invited me to come back. So what’ll I do… Maybe I’ll improve. I’ll read books. I’ll search the internet for advice. I’ll go on mock dates. I’ll… I’ll start right now, in fact!”

I got out my phone and typed in, “what is it that women want?” My eyes hungrily devoured the information I saw before me as I readjusted my perception and adapted to the changes I felt I needed to make.

2 hours later, I was ready.

“Okay… Confidence, assertiveness, security, and protectiveness. These are the things I’ll focus on tonight. I’ll just text Amanda and ask her to go on a mock date with me… We’ve been good friends for a while, so I’m sure she won’t mind…”

*4 hours later*

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nope. Get out of my house! You’re asking too many questions!”

“A good man would let his woman stay the night. You aren’t from around here, are you? I guess not, or else you’d know the proper way to treat a lady.”

“Doesn’t matter where I’m from. Outta my house!”

I was about to sit at his table for dinner, but instead I held my head high in the air as I walked out of his front door. A surge of pride flew through me as I showed him the entirety of his IQ and heard him yelling something back at me. Thankfully, it wasn’t a long walk back to my car. I figured I’d just go home and enjoy the weekend with myself… I had no problem with that.

But, I felt something rise within me as I drove down the empty streets. Maybe it was the alcohol, and maybe it was because he didn’t properly please me. I wanted to be with someone who was going to care for me and treat me with respect. Everyone else was asleep by now since they didn’t go to bars and get drunk on the weekends… But, I knew one man who was awake!

I saw him in our building from time to time, charming and charismatic as he gave his employees their instructions for the day. I wondered what he was like, I wondered why it took us so long to officially meet each other… Then he burst into the bar! He was too brazen, certainly, but I was in the mood for a wild night. I was sure he wouldn’t mind if I stopped by…

—

Holy cow, I feel great! The mock date was awesome. I learned a lot from people who know what they’re doing. I think I can go to sleep content. Maybe I’ll do it again tomorrow after work. You know what? I’m going to make it my goal. I want her by the end of the month! I’m going to keep improving myself, keep gaining experience, and I want her to be mine by the end of the month. Besides, she’s at least somewhat interested, so I have a decent shot here…

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. I scrunched my forehead in confusion.

“Hello? Is it Randel?” He would often come over and we would play video games together, especially on the weekends, but he usually knocked way earlier than this.

“No…” came a sweet, seductive voice.

‘Wait, I know who this is!’ I thought to myself. ‘Why is she here? Why now? Why am I suddenly feeling anxious all over again? Dang it! Okay… Compose yourself. Act natural. Confidence above everything else. Here I go.’

I stood up, straightened my shoulders, and opened the door. We stood there for what seemed like forever, looking at each other. She smiled, bit her lip, and looked me up and down. 

“Hmm, you look handsome in your PJs,” she said in a soft, pleasurable tone. She let herself in, turned on the light, and sat down at the kitchen table. She crossed her legs and flipped her hair back in a feisty manner – she was obviously into me. Somehow I felt confident and anxious at the same time, however, I didn’t really know what to say. I was shocked! And she could see it.

“I’m hungry! Why don’t you make me something to eat?”

‘Wait, I just got done reading about this. Apparently, women tell their men what to do as a test to see if they’re confident or not. I better respond properly – not in a rude way, but in a confident way.’

“Mi casa Su casa!” I said with a confident tone of voice as I motioned my hand towards the contraption.

—

After he said that, I began feeling even more girly than before, and I laughed like I hadn’t laughed in a long time. Usually, my men were already well-established players in the field, but he was still learning and doing fairly well. I felt a certain kind of respect for that. I don’t know why, but I got up from my chair, sighed a little, and walked towards him. I put my hands on his shoulders and slowly rocked back and forth, a gigantic smile on my face.

“So, what happened with the other guy?” Ew. I didn’t want to think about that. Why did he mention him? Maybe he was still a little nervous and, most likely, insecure.

I pushed away from him in a half playful, half disgusted manner. I turned around, looking behind me while saying, “Don’t worry about him. Turns out he wasn’t the man he put himself out to be.” I plopped myself down on his couch, and I was surprised at how comfortable it was. He walked up behind me and started giving me a shoulder massage. I didn’t even have to say anything! Wow. He was learning… And he was learning fast.

“But you, on the other hand… There’s something I like about you. The way you burst into the bar was a bit much… But, you have the courage to face your fears. And you just started giving me a massage without me saying a word. I’m kind of into you…”

He chuckled a little bit, and I felt myself tingle from head to toe. Okay… Maybe I did feel like teaching him a thing or two after all.

I quickly brushed his hands off me in a playful manner and got up and giggled all the way to the fridge. I really was hungry – we were supposed to eat at his place but we never got around to it. I found some steak and veggies in the freezer! He was going to love it.

As I pulled the food out I could see he was struggling, emotions were swirling as he was trying to figure out what he wanted to say to me. He was going through the possible scenarios in his head and discarding the ones he thought I wouldn’t appreciate. To be honest, I didn’t really care at that point. I just wanted him to say something. Anything. I wanted to respond to him. I found a pan and got the meat out of its package, placing it inside and turning the heat on.

“So… This is our first… Date, right? Honestly, I didn’t know you went on dates.”

Cute! A little brash, but cute. “What do you think I do when I walk out of the bar with a guy every Friday night? Sit on his couch and play video games with him? I go on dates all the time, silly!” 

“I thought you only did… Other things with the guys you go on dates with.”

I momentarily stopped what I was doing, rolled my eyes, and sighed. “Does everything have to be about that with you guys? I seriously think you have an obsession with it sometimes.”

“Hmm… Don’t even give me that” he said in a low, seductive tone. “You walk out of that bar with a different man almost every night…” I was impressed with how playful he was, considering his nervous behavior not 5 minutes before…

— 

‘Oh crap. Did I go too far? Maybe I shouldn’t have said it like that. Maybe I shouldn’t have progressed that quickly. Crap. How is she going to respond?’

—

I shot him a playful glance as the steak began frying in the pan. He raised his eyebrows… He didn’t know if he went too far or not. Again, how cute! He thought he could go too far with someone like me…

“Oh yeah? Maybe I won’t give you any steak…” Of course I was going to give him some steak. I just felt like saying it.

“Well… That’s okay, I already ate” he said with a soft and humorous tone. 

—

‘Okay, okay, I’ve got this. I can do this. If I didn’t go too far with that little comment, then I can work with this. In fact, I’m already proud of how far I’ve come. I won’t beat myself up if I mess up.’

“Good! Then you won’t mind if I have this steak allllll to myself…” 

She spoke, and then I didn’t know what to do. It was almost as if she was saying, “make me share with you.” Obviously, I wasn’t going to make her share with me, but I had an idea.

I walked to the utensil drawer and grabbed a fork and knife. The steak was still very rare, so I knew what I had to do. I slowly walked up behind her and put my hands on her stomach. She sighed, and she seemed to like it! But since one hand was on the handle and one hand was on the spatula, I quickly cut the steak into two pieces before she caught on! When she noticed what I did she squealed in delight and shouted “hey!” louder than she should’ve at 11 at night!

—

No way! He did exactly the right thing to do! Oh, my, god. It was so funny that I couldn’t help but giggle like a little girl! And that’s when he started tickling me! Laughter filled the room and probably woke up some of his neighbors. He started laughing too, and I could feel him loosening up a little bit. It was the perfect moment.

We kissed right then and there… And wow, was he a good kisser. He was a natural. I moaned a little as I moved into his lips. I could feel his anxiety coming back, so I pulled away so we wouldn’t go too quickly and make him too nervous.

He could’ve asked me to swim in the river with him and I would have done it. How did he do it? How did he become so good so quickly? I was beginning to think this was his plan all along, and that he was secretly a mastermind, even though I knew that was silly. But he was just so good…

He must have seen the look in my eyes because he smiled a devilish smile. I turned back to the pan, praying he would turn off the flame and hold me again. I wondered what he would do.

—

‘Wow, that felt great. I did the right thing. But she turned around again? Why? Didn’t she want to laugh and play not 10 seconds ago? Hmm… Maybe I should do something again. But what? Wait, what if I just pulled her away from the stove or something? But, isn’t she hungry? Hmm… I think I’ll just go for it. We can always continue cooking later if she wants to.’

—

I felt 2 strong arms pull me away from the stove in a gentle but firm manner. “Hey,” I said, and he started nibbling on my neck. Oh my gosh, he did something even better than before! I was really glad I went to his apartment that night, and I showed my appreciation by laughing once again, turning around, and kissing him as passionately as I could. He really liked that, and when we parted, we knew that tonight wasn’t the only night we’d be spending together!

The man-made structure melted before I could make up my mind. “War is peace, freedom is slavery, and thinking is stupid,” said my thoughts as they tormented me once more. 

“What hoots,” I whispered to myself, “wise in their minds and dumb with their hands. No. They’re “differently-abled.” Sometimes I believe the projects they make will melt the eyes of myself and others when we glance upon them as if they were created by Medusa’s child. They do not know of their incompetence when in reality, they have everything they ever needed all along.”

Our bed was pressed down with the weight of both of our bodies, and the room was dark, spacious, and thoughtful. “Almost midnight,” I thought to myself as the nightly landscape caught my attention once again. We love the view, the stained-glass windows, the red and gold curtains gently moving side to side in the wind… The house is perfect in our eyes.

I turned my head, and my eyes rested upon her. My mind, sometimes calm and peaceful, flooded me with a storm of emotions as her lips drew upwards. “Her face, my God, her face. She smiles when she sleeps. My one and only makes the night feel bright as day. Why fate brought her to me is beyond me. She is my dear, my everything, my love. They say there are more fish in the sea, but they didn’t tell me that she’s the only fish I want to see!” I laughed at my own, spontaneous joke, wondering if I should take the comedian class she signed us up for.

The future… “Ahh yes, the future, such is what I contemplate in a room lit with only the lustrous light of the moon.” My mind yelled at me with a silent voice, telling me to get a job for my family, even though we are… Financially independent. That’s putting it lightly, considering both of us are millionaires. Many hard days together, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears are behind us now as we relish in the rewards of our efforts. I chose to be an influencer, and she chose to be a banker. You could say we complete each other, she loves my personality and I love the extra interest. Haha. What are the odds I would start as a comedian, struggle to barely get by, and find myself making seven digits a year as an influencer? Slim to none. And besides, this job is a large reason why we’re so satisfied together – we take vacations whenever we want, we go to the doctor whenever we want, and we love each other whenever we want – it’s a hard place to get to, but we’re glad that we got to it. 

My mind. My worst enemy. My best friend. It is the reason I stay awake, entertaining the hurricane of thoughts and images that leaves no structure in its wake. “Why must I be so paradoxical, when a peaceful mind is all I need?” I asked myself. “I must calm myself, for her, so we may wake tomorrow and love each other. I must tame the beast and put him to sleep, even if only for a day. An hour. A minute. I must be everything I can be, instead of being everything I shouldn’t be.”

My plea was not heard as the negative thoughts quickly took hold of my being yet once more. They showed me my worst fears as images that endlessly swirled around in my mind, tormenting me, preventing my so-desired escape into the world of my dreams. Abandonment. Loneliness. Shame. The things I never had to fear were the things I feared the most. “I’m so glad I have self-control,” I sarcastically muttered to myself. “Oh no, I don’t know what I’m afraid of! Please, show me again! Show me until I understand!” I thought in a mocking tone. I caught myself and calmed down.

“Why do I do this to myself,” I asked directly, looking for a simple answer. “Because, deep down, you desire it,” came the answer. Simple, yes, but not what I wanted to hear! At least I knew the issue – I could fix it if I had the willpower. “The willpower which doesn’t exist in you,” the voice whispered in the dark.

“Positivity,” I said to myself, “positivity. Why do I love her? Because her heart glows like a candle in the darkness of my mind. Because her words are as soft as silk and her touch as gentle as an autumn breeze. Because she is a goddess from heaven who chose to stay on earth and bless me for all eternity. And besides, do I need a reason to love her? Must I tell myself why? I simply wish to love her, to see her in my bed for as long as I live… Perhaps for no reason other than that, I do.”

I looked at her, and my dream of being a comedian transformed into the protector archetype, almost immediately. “I will do anything to make sure she is safe, to make sure I hear the ruffling of her bathrobe in the morning, her light footsteps in the hallway. I want to share the small moments for the rest of my life. I’ll treasure them as precious memories never to be forgotten, to always be cherished and remembered, to be hers and mine alike. What she does that is effortless for her means more to me than she will ever know. Her little acts of love-“

I suddenly remembered that I had to fix our refrigerator unless I wanted our food to slowly spoil overnight. I told myself I would do it hours ago, but I let myself be distracted by holding her in my arms until she fell asleep. Determination could be seen in my forehead, and the bed made a slight creek as I arose to quench the thirst of curiosity. It was time to do some research!

“How… To… Fix… Refrigerator… Power cord.” My office is spacious with many books lining the walls. I love reading in my spare time, and I’ll often read in there when I’m not working or researching. The search engine gave me a plethora of results, so many that I just clicked the first one I saw.

“Has your refrigerator stopped working? Let’s find the solution!

Most problems with your fridge require a professional’s attention. These things are complicated, and you don’t want to accidentally mess anything up by putting the wrong thing in the wrong place. 

But, maybe you can’t wait until tomorrow. Maybe it’s the weekend, and your food is going to spoil before they can arrive! We get it. Luckily for you, if the cord is your only problem, you can fix it yourself in a couple of minutes with the right tools and a bit of elbow grease.

Here’s how!”

I scrunched my forehead in concentration as I continued reading. According to the experts, I had to take out the old cord and replace it with a new one. The only problem was, our old cord blew sooner than we expected, and the new one wouldn’t arrive ’til Friday. It had to be fixed tonight unless I wanted to put everything in the coolers, run down to the 24/7 mini-mart, and buy enough ice to last us a few days. I was confident in my ability to fix the cord, but only if this post was going to be helpful… And, it was not – it was all fluff and no substance. “You missed your opportunity to attract new viewers,” my entrepreneur mind observed as disappointment began to rise within me.

I clicked away from the article and found a different one. 

“To fix your power cord, unplug it from the outlet and check to see where the cord has been damaged. 

-Check the copper wires to see if they’re frayed.

-Check the casing to see if any noticeable gaps could invite wear and tear to the “guts” of the cord.

-Check the outlet and the cord prongs to make sure they’re stable and intact.

-Take off the back casing and check where the wire is connected to the unit. If the part of the cord that’s damaged is inside your refrigerator, you may need to call a professional.

Once you’ve identified the problem, unscrew the holding screws on a new plug and remove the old one from your refrigerator by…”

My facial expression changed as masculine anger began to rise within me. The article was titled, “how to fix your refrigerator power cord,” not “how to replace your refrigerator power cord!” I knew what was happening – they wanted to draw people in with their title and take the easy way out by saying, “Hey, you should just get a new cord!” Monetarily speaking, this was the smallest deal in the world to me, but it was the principle of the thing that made me consumed with righteous anger. 

I’ve always believed that authenticity is very important for those of us who work online, so I will not accept nor tolerate those who are simply trying to make some quick money from people who have real problems. Once again, I clicked away from the article, and this time I added the website to my blacklist.

“Third time’s the charm,” I whispered to myself. This one looked promising – thousands of happy reviews, a layout that was very smooth and expensive, and it even had a little sidebar with interesting facts on the right side of the screen! 

“Did you know that…

The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper?

What is called a “French kiss” in the English-speaking world is known as an “English kiss” in France?

Ginger stimulates the feelings of excitement associated with sex?”

My belly lifted with laughter and my eyebrows lifted towards the sky when I read the third one. “I’ll have to tell her about that,” I said to myself, smiling as I did so. I felt relieved and relaxed, happy that I took the time to divert my attention away from my duties and learn the most random-but-interesting facts I’ve ever heard of.

I kept reading, and they weren’t going to tell me their solution until the very end. But wait, there was the answer, right at the very bottom! Yes! This article told me exactly what I needed to know! 

I knew exactly what to do!

My momentary excitement was soon consumed with humorous sarcasm. “I suppose the previous articles were a blessing – if they told me what I wanted to know, I wouldn’t have found this website and had a good laugh. Ironic. I gain time when I waste time. Now, let’s assume I’m in The Quiet House – one loud noise, and she’ll be a tad unhappy!”

I got up and made my way to the shop with a sense of duty, a mission to accomplish. “Hopefully I’ll remember where I put my tools. When I do, I’m rich, and when I don’t, I’m embarrassed. My mind takes every opportunity to swallow my positivity, chew it up, and spit out the remains. If I can’t find where I put them… Well, I’ll find where I put them. That’s for sure. I’ll find them if it’s the last thing I do.”

In my hustle and haste, I didn’t hear my goddess’s soft footsteps as she came walking up behind me on that cool summer night. Her hug was a warm blanket as she grabbed ahold of me from behind and gently rested her head on my left shoulder. I ceased my restlessness, and I slowly caressed her cheek with my right hand, allowing her to relax her head into my palm. We stayed like this for what felt like forever, and I believe both of us wanted it to last a lifetime.

“Why?” She asked in a soothing and curious voice. 

“I’m trying to find my pliers,” I said in a low, soft tone. She tightened her grip.

“Come to bed with me,” she said in a quivering voice. Her body began to shake. “I want us to be together in the morning.”

I grasped both of her hands and held them within mine. So delicate, so soft. She began to cry, and I quickly turned around to embrace her, tears flowing from her face and sobs coming from her throat. I put my left hand behind her head and pressed her into my chest while bringing her body closer to me with my right. I felt her relax as she continued to release her emotions, a kind of sadness that showed me yearned for connection, a kind of sadness I often felt before we met 3 years ago.

“I love you.”

She didn’t respond, but she didn’t have to. Her crying soon ceased and she looked me in the eyes with a look I knew very well. I responded with a look of my own; ‘yes, my dear, I will always be here for you. Always.’ I took her hand and led her towards the house. I could always fix it tomorrow. 

We found ourselves in bed, passionately kissing each other goodnight. That’s when I remembered the thing I saw before. I had to ask…

“Love?”

“Yes?” 

“Do we, by any chance, have any ginger?” 

Her eyebrows furrowed together as she thought about it for a minute. “Yep! It’s ground-up… And, it’s in the top-left cabinet. Why do you ask?”

I winked at her and smiled. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m thinking I’ll making us some smoothies tomorrow night…”