Welcome back to a very special collection of posts from our @ecotrain passengers. The @ecotrain is here to support and promote excellent posts that are based on the theme of

"Things that make the world a better place".

We have a very diverse group of amazing people writing about all sorts of things. If you find it hard to discover good new posts then this is your lucky day! This weeks topics include, Living Off-Grid, Parenting, Crystal Therapy, Vegan Cooking, Homesteading, Earth Rangers, Morning RItuals, Anxiety, Abuse, Travel, and more!

THIS WEEKS PHOTO PILE

@senorcoconut

Our First Month Living Off-Grid

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Here's our long-over-due progress post for this new life we chose to live...
Today I want to tell you about what we have accomplished so far, and the trying times we've been going through. I know we're only at the beginning of our off-grid homesteading journey and there will be many more trying days, but you have to take into consideration the adjustment period! We were living completely dependent of the grid in one of the biggest and more congested city of this earth... New York City. Now (for those of you who haven't been following our story), we are at the foot hills of the Catskills mountain range, on a raw piece of land that was never farmed.

@eco-alex

The Medicinal Cooking Collective Week 3 Guidelines: Cooking For The Stomach & Spleen / Earth Element

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Welcome to this third week of the medicinal cooking collective challenge! This week we are cooking for the Stomach and Spleen with the Earth element. In Chinese 5 element theory, the earth element is associated with colour Yellow, and a sweet taste. It is also associated with thought and clear thinking. According to this theory, yellow food is good for your digestive system and spleen and yellow is a common colour in food. You can eat things like sweet or baby corn, yellow sweet potato, oats, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow pepper, soybeans, bean curd, ginger, orange, star fruit, lemon, pineapple, papaya, peanut, walnut, honey, and more.

Great Advice and Tips On How to Survive a Self Build!

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It takes a certain wisdom, patience, and perseverance to be able to self-build successfully. Most people who have done so will testify to the challecnges and difficulty of the process. We learn SO much every time we build, and especially the first time. The reasons for the difficulties in self-building are plentiful, but it is almost always linked to way things have been set up in terms of planning and execution, or because of communication and personal issues. I have learned a lot during my eco-building experiences and workshops, and have tried a few different approaches to the whole self-build idea. I would like to share with you some of the most important things that I can offer you from my personal experience to anyone thinking or planning to self-build.

@nainaztengra

My 1 Year Anniversary on Steemit 😍😍💖💖

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I feel so Happy as I start writing this post. The journey which began 1 year back and I never expected I would reach this far but here I am at the end of 1 year simply in AWE… of how wonderful this whole experience of steemit has been for me. When I started, for the first 2 months, I simply could not figure out as to where I was heading towards. There were times of utter disappointments, and I had all the possible withdrawal symptoms.

Crystal Therapy Feng Shui for Love and Happiness

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Crystals carry a very soothing energy; if used in the right manner and combination it can bring in a lot of benefits for the user. Crystal is all about energy hence if you can compliment with the energy of the crystals it can clear up a lot of negative energy around you. The energetic structure of the crystal creates a vibrational frequency at a certain level which helps to restore stability & balance in our surrounding areas and also to the physical body.

@trucklife-family

My Children Unleashing Their Power Into The World

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I have often thought about writing down some of the things my children have said or still say, sometimes it blows me away what they come out with, sometimes it has me in stitches. But I haven't done it so far, I wish I had, but hey now I can write it on the blockchain and here it will stay, nice that.

Yesterday I was in my parents house, me and my three girls were all in the bathroom while my two eldest were washing themselves. We were just chatting about what we had been doing and also talking about visiting my sister, their aunt for the final time before we go back to Spain.

I Want No Place In This Man-Made Stream Of Manipulation

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I Chose to live away from Mainstream society. My life flows very well, away from all the bombardment of advertising and opinions of how we should live our lives. I want no place in this man made stream of manipulation, I like to choose how I spend my time and live my life. But sometimes curiosity gets the better of me. Especially now I am back In Ireland, I have picked up the odd paper and magazine, wondering what is being discussed, what way this world thinks.

@hopehuggs

A bit of freedom dies every minute you don't watch this video (or read the post if you prefer)

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So I was inspired by @valorforfreedom and @bobaphet’s live stream yesterday. (You can see it here) Let you define you and your values, not anyone else, community, or government. That community idea sounds awesome @bobaphet. I wrote something on that myself, let’s see if I can dig it out: what is your ideal societal structure? So I was encouraged to do my bit to encourage people to unplug from the matrix, find their passion and live their freedom.

Watch on DTube

How to Live The Life of Your Dreams Part 3

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Part 3: Considering the Reality of What You Want

As you start to uncover the true nature of what drives you, it can still be tricky to make a firm choice and decide on just one path of action.

One way to help in this situation is to consider what your ideas would look like if you put them into reality. We have been looking at potential suitable careers (although, personally I would stay away from anything that involves a boss that is not you), but it is a good way of explaining what I mean here...

@vegan.niinja

Peanut Butter Cups with Chocolate - Weekend FOODPORN

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Hi dear friends!! What about a real delicious weekend treat? Only for peanut butter lovers and chocoholics please!!;) This treat is super simple (as always!), with only 3 ingredients and quite healthy if you use organic products, and raw sugar-free chocolate! Sorry for being very inactive lately, but as you know I am in Sweden and not having access to the internet the whole time. Forgive me for this, but I will be back to normal in a few days when I back in Austria! (Because yes, I am going back)

Back to life

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Back to live! Yes, a shift happened. A shift doesn’t come from the outside, it happens to you inside your heart. You are making a conscious choice, and the universe will answer.

Answers I have found peace again, with myself, with the world, and with my partner. The only relationship you have in this life is the one with yourself. (Words of a very wise woman, Byron Katie) The relationship you have with other people is just a reflection of the one you have with your own thoughts, emotions, and mindset. This is very hard to grasp for someone who thinks the only struggle they have is other people. But we are fighting, denying, lying, being hard to only our own mind and believes.

@rainbowrachel

My Personal Morning Ritual, and Why You Should Create One Too

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Hello beautiful human! Hope this post finds you well and happy, and that you’re day/evening is off to a great start. ✨ 💗

A few days ago I made a post about some things that I highly recommend, and one of those things was to create a morning ritual for yourself. I believe that creating a morning routine is one of the best ways to activate the highest version of yourself, and enable yourself to start each day on the best foot. Check out the full post here.

Mandala Art... And the benefits of a creative practice

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Hello beautiful Steem friend 🌟 Yes, that's you! Hope you're having a beautiful day today, and that you can feel the virtual love I'm sending your way.

Today I just wanted to share a little bit of my artwork with you all, and talk about the benefits I find in having creative practices in place.

I haven't been able to find much time to draw, or paint, or craft lately, because I've been focusing more on some other aspects of my life. But arts and crafts will always be one of my favorite ways to destress and unwind, and get out of my own head.

@riverflows

I'm Okay: A New Perspective 🙄

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I have to thank all of those who commented on my plea for help yesterday. I find it remarkable that Steemfolk jumped into 'help' mode even if some of you didn't know me that well. It's a great reminder to all of us that no matter how bad things get there is always, always someone there to care and to help you out, no matter what. Sometimes we can feel really alone, but that's because people just don't know how we are coping - they can't read minds, after all!

Stripping Paint: Anxiety as A Constant Companion

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Dear Steemfriends, I guess this is a little raw plea to any of you that might have a solution or advice to what to do about my sensitivity. Is it just who I am? Is there a cure? Is it just something I embrace as part of my complex, vibrating, alive is-ness? Is anxiety always going to rattle my bones?

As a kid, I’m told, overexcitement would see me running in circles and being a little bit overwrought. Nothing unusual – all kids do this. You know the story – no red cordial or loud music before bed time, or you won’t sleep (not that Mum would ever give me red cordial!).

@solarsupermama

Moving Sucks!!

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Did you miss me? I've been in the trenches of moving hell. I hate to see what my discord messages look like. Even my Steemit replies must be a scene. We don't yet have internet in the new house, so I'm just writing this up from my bed in my new house. I'm currently surrounded in boxes! Moving is sort of like having a baby in that you don't really remember how intense birth or tiny babies are, so you lose your mind and decide to do it again. This was a quick move, so it's been extra intense. Eleven days from the first time I saw it to the day we moved. It's also a divorce move, so, yeah.

@artemislives

Wheatgrass Magic - Some Amazing Evidence-Based Reasons to Get Your Shot

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We don't do regular shots (except B12 or maybe tetanus & rabies in a crisis) but I do THESE shots. Often. Everytime I go into town (maybe 5 times/week), in fact. Wheatgrass. Gotu-Kola. Turmeric-Ginger-Lime. One shot of each, washed down with my favourite #9 green juice - celery, cucumber, pineapple & sunflower sprouts with added spirulina. A great investment in myself.

Excessive? Depends on what level of "normal" you want to live at and what you want to achieve. Me? I want to be hyper alert, intensely creative, self-healing, leading the pack & highly effective with exceptional mental clarity.

@zen-art

A message to victims of physical and psychological abuse

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I have been thinking about writing this for a couple of days now and am still not sure if I will be able to say everything I want to and make a powerful enough text that will make a difference to somebody. My hope that it will is strong and sometimes helping even one person is good enough because that one person maybe needed exactly this to help herself. This is one of those topics that I am very sensitive about and if anything can get me to show my teeth it is the subject of abuse, any abuse.

What, when, how and other questions/answers about MUSCLE SORENESS (DOMS)

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If you ever tried exercising and either pushed yourself to your limits or exercised after a long period of avoiding exercise, you are familiar with the fact that your muscles went rogue on you after. Maybe you had troubles lifting a glass or brushing your teeth and maybe every step you took was incredibly painful. This happened because of DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness.It can happen to anyone Yes it can. It really can happen to anyone, from professional athletes to us regular people and even children.

@celestialcow

Iron-chef : sweet potato and egg plant mouse

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This week's iron chef challenge was to create a desert with a common vegetable. It seemed like quite a hard challenge at first but after some thought its not that unusual, carrot cake is very common, beetroot is often used to make red velvet cake, in Japan they use adzuki beans in deserts and Chinese use mushrooms and egg as a desert.

Indonesian taditional natural remedy for mosquitos bites

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Right now I'm staying in a northern lombok village in Indonesia. I was invited by my friend Adi who is presenting this video about a traditional and natural remedy to sooth itchy mosquito bites. I've been using the paste today and has been soothing the bites a lot. He calls the herb he uses in local language 'imba' in Indonesian 'Daun Mimba' biological name azadirachta indica known as Neem in English. This is ground with tumeric and a little salt.

@thegreens

Earth Rangers Commemorate Nelson Mandela Centenary 2018 with Hope For the Needy Association (HOFNA)

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Nelson Mandela Centenary #BeTheLegacy It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build. - Nelson Mandela. What is Nelson Mandela Day? “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will

Video of Earth Rangers at St. Dominic Monastery where they learned about the role of christianity in environmental protection and planted trees.

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Earth Rangers Earth Rangers are young people who want to make the world a better place by learning and taking action through community service to cleanup, fix-up and conserve the environment. Earth Rangers Summer Holiday Program 2018 The Earth Rangers Summer Holiday Program strives to educate young people and their families about environmental protection, inspire them to adopt sustainable behaviors and empower them to become directly involved in protecting the environment.

▶️ WATCH ON DTube

@ecoinstant

I climbed a tree, and I liked it. Ulog #4 - Working my way back around to Treeplanting Treeplanters

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We have been out and about in Wisconsin, meeting up with friends and family as much as we can. We are doing our best to continue to develop the discipline of writing, turning our ever expanding collection of photographs into deposits onto this blockchain. So here is the story of one such visit, and the mulberry tree I fell in love with. Back yards are the magical realm of creativity! Not all people feel this way, but luckily some still do. We were out in one such back yard with some loved ones, and a couple of cameras. We were finding flowers, insects, butterflies, animals and lots and lots of fun.

@sharoonyasir

How to Support People without Making it Obvious

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After going through so much in life and still sailing in a rocky boat, I have now realized that each one of us has their own story to tell and what appears before the eye may not be the truth. Someone may seem all happy and calm to you, but there may be a storm of volatile emotions and frustration erupting behind that serene smile. Someone may be showing you support and advising you to take care of yourself, but may be wanting the same from others because he/ she is going through hell on his/ her end. There is a lot that people go through every single day, every single moment in their lives that not all of us can know and when you think about all the pain people go through, it does make you want to do something for them right.

When Things Become Difficult to Cope with..

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I kept thinking of the appropriate title for this post, but just didn't know what to title it and then I thought about how I have been feeling for the past 2 to 3 months and felt overwhelmed. I was almost going to reconsider the idea of doing this post, but then I decided to go ahead with the post and just title it with whatever came in my head. I was missing my Steemit family oh so much that today I just couldn't hold back myself any longer and I knew I had to do this today.

@mountainjewel

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmdLKjK8rzBYUhYRFtKp3QmeLMRjKmMUz2Ub4fbPxm5ZBb

What are friends for? High Tunnel Raising (& Music Playing)

Today something was put together! As you know we've been working on our High Tunnel, which we got a grant for through the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service).

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