We are surrounded by a cult of busyness, and Americans today leave a collective 650 million unused vacation days on the table annually with an overall economic impact of approximately $236 billion.

From childhood, the pressure to compete, achieve, succeed and stay productive is now so strong. Combine that with the fear of missing out and how can people, especially young people, justify just sitting in meditation or sauntering in nature?

This picture is quite different for some of our European counterparts. In France and Germany, for instance, employees use almost all of their paid time off. France federally mandates 25 vacation days and even passed a law allowing employees to disregard work email when not at work.

This episode explores the deeper significance of equilibrium in the body and environment, equanimity in the mind and what kind of higher balance we ought to seek, in spite of cultural limitations, in order to optimize fulfillment and well-being in life.

(Episode artwork by Dove Dahlia and music “Beyond the Veil” by Ethereal Ephemera)

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