Don't Like It? Get Better

This is an essay I never thought I’d be writing. The one at the end of the beginning. The 30-day challenge that became a 500-day challenge has now come to pass. I got tears in my eyes typing that. Weird. Writing was always something important to me, but I was too selfish to share it… Continue reading One Moment of Courage Can Change All Your Tomorrows: The Day 500 Essay

I never had sacred hours. I have two young kids, a wife that travels for work, and a job that demands its own sacrifices. I wrote when I could. Sometimes that meant when I got up early with the baby. Sometimes that meant during lunch. Oftentimes that meant at night after everyone went to bed… Continue reading Confessions from 495 Straight Days of Online Writing

As it turns out, all meaningful journeys only end up raising more questions than providing answers. So it goes. With only a handful of days before hitting 500 straight days of writing and publishing online, I find myself attempting to take stock of what my world has become. That being said, it’s easy to identify… Continue reading When Seeking the Hardest Answers, Why Do We Only Find More Questions?

As we close in on 500 straight days of online writing, I’ve become quite reflective. Today was one day when it was useful to remember that the me of 494 days ago longed for the problems I now face. One thing I can say for absolute certain is this project elevated my problem set considerably.… Continue reading The End of It All, or the End of the Beginning?

In the beginning, there were only selfish reasons why I started writing online daily, now 493 sunsets ago. I joined to write. That was pretty much it. I guess that’s rather damn obvious. I didn’t start writing to make friends. But I did. It’s been the best part and it’s been utterly transformative. I didn’t… Continue reading Turning Vain Pursuits Into Keystone Habits to Make Us Healthier, Wealthier, and Wiser

Tonight, a conversation with a friend of mine reminded me of a line from Hamlet. No, not that one. The one by Ophelia, “We know what we are but not what we may be.” I’ve been thinking about it nonstop since hanging up the phone. Because that describes me. And maybe you. And perhaps lots… Continue reading You Know Who You Are. Do You Know Who You Could Be?

Waterparks offer a fertile ground for terrifying/teachable moments with young kids. Take today for example. My young family and I went to such a place, replete with giant slides, lazy rivers, splash ponds, and everything else in between. A paradise for children in the throes of endless summer. The crowds have gone back to school… Continue reading I Knew Something Was Wrong When the Lifeguard Went Running Up the Slide

I wish I could tell you a fateful taxi ride changed everything. But it didn’t. I was too far along an arrogant path of betting on myself. It was a bet I lost. You win some, you lose some; so it goes. The unfortunate part is I let that failure define me for the better… Continue reading After Stumbling Upon Essential Life Wisdom in the Back of a Taxi, Hubris Deals a Bitter Lesson in Humility

Today was that sad return trip home after a great vacation. It was the kind of trip you don’t want to end, but then can’t wait to return from. You can’t wait to return because you got what you needed. You feel reinvigorated. Ready to get after it with a fresh attitude and a renewed… Continue reading That Sad Return Trip Home and Turning Our Attention Back to the “Real” World

It didn’t hit me until I was standing in the ocean watching the sunset. After months on the grind, I didn’t even realize I needed some time away as much as I did until that moment. After a rough travel day yesterday, we had a full day of fun and family today. The dazzling colors… Continue reading Man Stands in Ocean, Realizes Some Shit, Resolves to Be Better