Thirty Thousand Days:
A Journal for Purposeful Living
Thirty Thousand Days (formerly the Constructive Living Quarterly) is a publication of the ToDo Institute. Each issue usually focuses on a range of topics related to living a meaningful and productive life; recent issues have covered anxiety, depression, finding your purpose, self-reflection, spirituality and getting organized.
To begin receiving the quarterly, you can:
-- take out a subscription to Thirty Thousand Days by clicking here.
You can also receive a sample issue for $4.
Use the above links to order, or call 802-453-4440 to subscribe by phone, or contact us by email.
Vol. 17, No. 3
Fall 2012
Table of Contents:
- How Will You Live Your Last 3,000 Days? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Gregg Krech - The Ride of Your Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Jane Skiba - Work Ethic 2.0: Attention Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Mike Elgan - How to Discuss What Matters Most . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Douglas Stone, B. Patton, S. Heen - A Koan for Couples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Jim Roberts - Blaming and Demanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Linda Anderson Krech & Jim Roberts - Thanksgiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Gregg Krech - Thirty Thousand Days: The Time of Your Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..9
- Bite by Bite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..10
Linda Anderson Krech - Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
- Living on Purpose Self-Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
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Thirty Thousand Days: How Are You Using Them?
Vol. 17, No. 2
Spring 2012
Table of Contents:
- Zen in the Art of Sherlock Holmes . . . . . . . . . Cover
Stephen Kendrick - Saved by the Bell. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Gregg Krech - How Do You Deal with Deadlines?. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Gregg Krech - Relationships as Spiritual Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Gregg Krech - Taking Action in Relationships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Susan Page - Life Beyond Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Linda Anderson Krech - When Words Are Not Enough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Rev. Graham Long - Caine’s Arcade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
- Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
- Making Amends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
Mark Nepo
Vol. 17, No. 1 
Holiday 2011
Table of Contents:
- Constraints Create the Possibility of Joy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . Cover
Susan Schnur - Am I Really In Contact with My Life? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Gregg Krech - Thy Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Charlotte Joko Beck - Positive Side of Depression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . Page 5
Peter Breggin, M.D. - The Problem with Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6
Gregg Krech - Encourage Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7
Gregg Krech - A Scroll Was Found Between Two Hearts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
Romola Georgia - Cherishing Crumbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10
Sue Young - Juggling for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
Reinhard Spiess - Appreciating Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover
Thich Nhat Hanh
Vol. 16, No. 4
Summer 2011
Table of Contents:
- Small Steps and the Law of Momentum . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover

Gregg Krech - Big Girls Don’t Tri (or do they?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Margaret McKenzie and Jennifer Bucko Lamplough - The Seven Deadly Habits of External Control . . . . . . . . .Page 4
William Glasser, M.D. - Sitting Alone at Dawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5
Mun Tae-Jun - What is Your Family Peace Index? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Linda Anderson Krech - Likes and Dislikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
Excerpts from the Taking Action course - Every Litter Bit Helps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10
Carla Eisenberg - An Afternoon with Yo Yo Ma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 14
Margaret McKenzie - Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 15
- Notice but Don’t Believe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover
Cheri Huber
Vol. 16, No. 3
Spring 2011
Table of Contents:
- The Traveling Haiku Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover
Gregg Krech - The Antidote to Self-Righteousness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Linda Anderson Krech - Attention and the Focused Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Winnifred Gallagher - Reaching the End of Life:
Hospice Philosophy and Japanese Psychology . . . . . . . . Page 5
Jeff P. Crim MDIV CT - Thanks to My Body: Reflections on Turning 70 . . . . . . . Page 6
Margaret McKenzie - Uplifted Hearts in Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
Yuka Saionji - The Prison of Self-focued Attention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
Gregg Krech - Fearless: A Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
- Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15
- Amish Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover
Gretchen Rubin
Vol. 16, No. 2
Holiday 2010 
Table of Contents:
- Row, Row, Row Your boat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .cover
Roz Savage - Gratitude: Seeing Beyond Disappointment . . . . . . . page 3
Linda Anderson Krech - What You think Isn’t What It Is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4
Gregg Krech - It’s All About Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 5
Rev. Graham Long - A Win/Win Holiday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6
Ken Potts - Listen to the Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 7
Joyce Prosise - Heaven in Things as They Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7
Gregg Krech - Taking a Bigger Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8
Pema Chodron - My Cat Sleeps in the Driver’s Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 12
Kevin Decantillon - The Unlived Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 14
Alex Lickerman, M.D. - Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 15
- Looking Down Third Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .back cover
Gretchen Rubin
Vol. 16, No. 1

Summer 2010
Table of Contents:
- Tending Our Own Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 4
Gregg Krech - Careful – Slippery Slope Ahead! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5
Linda Anderson Krech - Ten Tips for Taking Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6
Bridget Lambert - Musings on the Kindness of Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 8
Anne-Carine Oskarsen - The Lives of Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 10
Gregg Krech - Haiti – To Be Loved Like a Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 11
Kathy Dean - Film: The Karate Kid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 15
- Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 15
- It’s nothing Personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover
Jane Smiley
Vol. 15, No. 2
Summer into Fall 2009
Table of Contents:
- Ten Ways to Bring Spirituality into Your Daily Life. . . . Cover
Gregg Krech - Keys to Taking Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Jen Harry and Margaret McKenzie - The Second Half of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Eknath Easwaran - Not Complaining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5
Brother David Steindl-Rast - A Response to Mental Illness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Judy Davin - Japanese Psychology and Western Therapies: . . . . . . . Page 7
A Dialogue, Part I
John Kain & Gregg Krech - In Memory of John Stephure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 14
- Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
- Poem: In Moments Before Sleep . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . Back Cover
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
Vol. 15, No. 1
Spring 2009 
Table of Contents:
- What’s Going to Happen
Gregg Krech - The See-Saw of Self-Esteem
Linda Anderson Krech - Thanks So Much
Margaret McKenzie - Attention and the Joy of Being
Alone
Marty LaForce - The Psychology of Eating Less
Gregg Krech - Oryoki
John Kain - Eating Wisely
- Beyond Money: Spiritual and Psychological
Elements of the Economic Crisis - Gratitude: The Antidote to Gloom in Rough Times
Kurt Barstow - Everything is Waiting for You
David Whyte
Vol. 14, No. 1
Winter into Spring 2008 
Table of Contents:
- Making Your life Count by Eknath Easwaran
- Teaching the Art of Giving (TAG) to Children by Linda Anderson Krech
- Emerging from the Sand by Gregg Krech
- The Croissant by David Robinson
- Oversoming by Going Around by Gregg Krech
- Living On Purpose by Assorted Authors
- Learning from Life at Sea by Jane & Mike Skiba
- Film: Ikiru (To Live) by Nobuo Haneda
- All Weather Friendhip by Trudy Boyle
Vol. 13, No. 4
Fall 2007
Table of Contents:
- Rustout by Richard Leider and Steven Buchholz
- How My Father Taught Me Non-Violence by Arun Gandhi
- How We Change Part II by Gregg Krech
- Play It Again, Harlan by Victoria Register-Freeman
- Happiness
- Each Day by John McQuiston II
- How To Wake Up by Gregg Krech
- Learning How to Crash by Trudy Boyle
- Who Cast the First Stone by Linda Anderson Krech
Vol. 13,
No. 3
Summer 2007
Table of Contents:
- To Merely Want To Do Something is Not Enough by Shinichi Suzuki
- The Joy of Generosity by Beth Roth
- How We Change by Gregg Krech
- A Wider Perspective by Robin Carnes
- A Dream Becomes Reality by Trudy Boyle
- Brandon at the Airport by Alison Clement
- Working with the Conditions We Encounter
Vol. 13, No. 2
April 2007
Table of Contents:
- The Pain of Self-Importance by Dzigar Kongtrul
- Play Without Preference by Linda Anderson Krech
- Naikan Amongst the Collards by Victoria Register-Freeman
- Making a Difference by Trudy Boyle
- A Stone by Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose
- A Way Out of Conflict by Gregg Krech
- Patience
- Living Fully with Illness: Beating the Odds
- Zen Verses on Spring Cleaning by Litzi Hartley
- Buckminster Fuller
- Obsessed with the Unfinished by Gregg Krech
- A Burning Candle
Vol. 13, No. 1
New Years 2007
Table of Contents:
- New Year's Welcome
- Sufficiency by Trudy Boyle
- Bombu Buys a Car by Gordon Bermant
- Choice Fatigue by Barry Schwartz
- Acceptance at the Heart of Action by Gregg Krech
- We Begin Again - A New Year
- Savoring vs Consuming by Robert G. Hardies
- The 84th Question
- Your Brain on Multitasking by Kathy Sierra
- Panhandlers and Bridges by Gregg Krech
- Prayer for Friends by Michael Leunig
Vol. 12, No. 4
Fall 2006
Table of Contents:
- Where is the Joy in Alzheimer's Caregiving? by Beverly Bigtree Murphy
- The Joy of Bread and Water by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
- Morita Therapy: The Japanese Psychology of Action by Gregg Krech
- The Doorstep of Religious Experience by Linda Anderson Krech
- Stress and the Pace of Your Life by Rich Blonna
- Falling in Love with the World by Linda Anderson Krech
- Roots - Susan Bourgerie speaks with Taitetsu Unno
- I Get To... by Kate Manahan
- A Listening Heart by Jack Kornfield
Vol. 12, No. 3
Spring into Summer 2006
Table of Contents:
- The Importance of Action by Aung San Suu Kyi
- Lighten Up! by Gregg Krech
- What to Give Up by Trudy Boyle
- Procrastination Disguised as Busyness by Gregg Krech
- The Parents of Our Parents by Kathy Abromeit and Andy Bienkowski
- Fresh Eyes by Ellen Britt and Gregg Krech
- Actions are Controllable, Feelings are Not by William James
- Making a Difference by Trudy Boyle
- Perspectives on Victimhood by Richard Bolles and Gregg Krech
- Treat Things Kindly by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
Vol. 12, No. 2
Winter 2005-2006
Table of Contents:
- Presence of Mind
by Eknath Easwaren - The Virtue Vase (parenting)
by Linda Anderson Krech - The Moment
- A poem by Billy Collins - Taking Risks
by Gregg Krech - I Am the Problem
by Donald Miller - Right Gratitude
by Adrian Savage - Keeping Purpose in Sight
by Trudy Boyle - Living on Purpose
by Dylan Klempner - In Giving, I Connect with Others
by Isabel Allende - Also in this issue...
new research on medication and antidepressant medication, inspirational quotes, and upcoming programs at the ToDo Institute.
Summer 2005
Table of Contents:
- Crooked Trees
by Gregg Krech - Reconnecting
by Linda Anderson Krech - A Guide to Navigating through Crisis - Part III by Gregg Krech
- I Didn't Do It Alone by John Holiday
- Push On by Victoria Register Freeman
- Applying Morita and Naikan: Methods to Losing Weight by Kenny Graves
- Commentary by Weight-Loss Expert Joanna Reid Rodrigues
- Fearless Living by Christopher Reeve (1952-2004)
Vol. 11, No. 3
Table of Contents:
- On Generosity
by Kim Chernin - Good Choice, Bad Choice
by Linda Anderson Krech - A Guide to Navigating through Crisis
by Gregg Krech - The Slightest Move
by Gregg Krech(Access restricted to ToDo Institute members only.)
-
Movie Review: Hotel Rwanda
by Gregg Krech - People Helping People
by Trudy Boyle - Putting Naikan Into Practice: Naikan and Conflict Resolution
by Linda Anderson Krech
Vol. 11, No. 2
Table of Contents:
- A Guide to Navigating through Crisis
by Gregg Krech -
Rethinking Goals and Resolutions for the New Year
by Trudy Boyle(Access restricted to ToDo Institute members only.)
- Book Review on Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived
reviewed by Kathy Burris -
Naikan in the Classroom
by Amy Szarkowski(Access restricted to ToDo Institute members only.)
- Paying Attention
by Julia Cameron - Meaning Purpose and Leisure
by Brother David Steindl-Rast -
Extending Santa
by GK Chesterson(Access restricted to ToDo Institute members only.)
-
It Takes a Dream to Make a Village
by Linda Anderson Krech
Vol. 11, No. 1
Table of Contents:
- Debt, Grace and the Discovery of Purpose
by Gregg Krech - Thinking Outside the Box
by Linda Anderson Krech - The Wisdom of Kindness
by Amy Wink Krebs - A Hurricane with My Mother's Name
by Victoria Register-Freeman(Access restricted to ToDo Institute members only.)
- The Noonday Devil
by Father Ron Rolheiser - Cultivating Gratitude
by an interview with Robert Emmons - The Beautiful Trap
by John Kain - Where Poetry Comes From
by Ranier Maria Rilke
Vol. 10, No. 4
Table of Contents:
- Noble Purpose Requires Humility
by William Damon - The Education of the Heart
by Trudy Boyle - Vulnerabilities in the Cycle of Action and Reflection
by Gregg Krech - What I've Learned from Polio
by Ben Thomas - Starting
by Jarno Virtanen
Winter/Spring Issue 2004
Table of Contents:
- Learning for Life
by Trudy Boyle - The Real Reality Program
by Linda Anderson Krech - How Wide is Your Attention
by Gregg Krech - Teaching Children the Skill of Paying Attention
by Mary Michelfelder - Arugamama: The Challenge of Acceptance
by Gregg Krech - Faith in Action
by Sharon Salzburg
(Access to the listed articles of this issue is restricted to ToDo Institute members only.)
Summer Issue 2003
Table of Contents:
- Morita Therapy and the Curative Powers of Nature
by Gregg Krech - Family Meetings
by Linda Anderson Krech - Kokoro: Decisions That Involve the Heart and Mind
by Trudy Boyle - Really Keeping Track of Projects
From The Listening Book - Discovering Your Own Music - Living Fully with Illness
Questions and Answers - Finding Flow: Book Review
by Les MacFarlane - Over the Edge: The Search for Perspective on Tragedy
by Melissa Ericksen
"Thirty Thousand Days arrived and after spending some time reading the articles, I must say that you both have outdone yourselves! The journal looks great, the articles are terrific and the paper feels good to handle. Congratulations!"
Dan Lucas, Arlington, VA
Summer Issue 2002
Table of Contents:
- Take the Next Step and See What Happens
by Victoria Register Freeman - Truth About Consequences: Letting Children Learn from Reality
by Linda Anderson Krech - Not So Fast
by Donella Meadows - Exploring the Link Between Gratitude and Attention
by Gregg Krech - Affluenza: The American Bug
by Thomas Naylor - The Perpetual Garage Sale Giveaway
by Mary Michelfelder - Poet's Corner: Simply Seeing
by Sarah Quigley
"What an OUTSTANDING issue! Many, many thanks for your fine issue -- I devoured it cover to cover and found each and every article inspiring, humbling and informative . . . it is a real pleasure to receive this fabulous publication."
Jane Skiba, New York
Winter Issue 2003
Table of Contents
- Finding Meaning in an Age of Distraction
by Bill Mckibben - The Needs of the Situation
by Linda Anderson Krech - This is Your Wake-Up Call
by Gregg Krech - Chime for Change
by Jim Lew with Daniel Cohen - Book Fasting
by Margaret McKenzie - Wabi-sabi: Lessons in Simplicity and Beauty
by Leonard Koren - Editorial: Responsibility for What We Do Not Do
by Gregg Krech
Some sample articles from past issues can be read at the ToDo Internet Library of Japanese Psychology. Take a few moments to browse through our public library.
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