Comparing is Dangerous
I was watching a documentary about poverty and homelessness in the U.S., and I got curious about the comments. A lot of people were saying things like, “I thought I had it bad, but now I know to be grateful.” One person even shared an old saying: “I felt bad for myself because I had […]
Getting Unstuck
If you’re struggling today, I get it. I don’t always want to do the things I know I need to do either. And, I don’t usually want a pep talk about it. When I’m stuck, I want to lean into the struggle and use it as an excuse to avoid the tasks at hand. But […]
Getting More Flexible
I’ve been working on my flexibility—both physical and mental. For my mind, I’ve found that the more I accept there are an infinite number of outcomes for any given effort, the less I stress over the results. When I put in work on a project or in life, I naturally want the outcome to be […]
Learning From Trashy TV?
I’ve recently added some reality shows to my daily screen time. For the past few years, I’ve mostly been watching, reading, and listening to helpful, self-improving content, so it was a bit surprising to suddenly find myself hooked on something different. Lately, it’s been **Financial Audit** with Caleb Hammer. He invites guests on to review […]
Craving Chaos
What happens when you feel the itch for a dopamine hit? Sometimes I’ll be working for a while, getting things done, and suddenly it feels like the satisfaction meter is running low. I catch myself wanting more than the quiet contentment of a job well done—I need something *different*. That’s when I start feeling drawn […]
How I Stop the Worry Cycle
It’d be nice not to get pissed when someone casually says, “Don’t worry about it.” What does that even mean? Isn’t worry supposed to help us think long and hard about solving problems? I’m starting to think it’s not. I’d love to eliminate worry from my mind. Wouldn’t you? When I worry, my brain starts […]
Learning to Manage Triggers
What happens when someone triggers you? I get really annoyed. It’s hard to believe that someone else can affect me so deeply. It bothers me because it feels like someone, other than myself, has control over how my day goes. Who is this person that isn’t me, yet they can make me react? It’s embarrassingly […]
Struggling to Start
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain Getting started can feel like one of the hardest tasks in life. Whether it’s starting the day, meal prep, a project—anything. When we’re just beginning, we’re the furthest away from the end. The task feels heavy and endless, and it seems pointless to try […]
A Walk into the Unknown
Today, I’m joining a Philly social group that invites people to take walks together. I’ll be going by myself, not knowing a single person in this new group or this new city. It might be a terrible idea—and I’m really glad I’m doing it anyway. Even if it turns out to be boring, lonely, or […]
Facing Life’s Tough Moments
Today’s going to be tough. How do I know? Every day has its own struggles. The weight of responsibility is real. Years ago, if you’d asked me if I struggled, I would have smiled and said, “Not at all.” That’s because I was ignoring everything I didn’t want to deal with. Bad relationships, taxes, even […]
