Last week, we were watching a video when the greatest YouTube ad I had ever seen appeared. We couldn’t stop watching it. The skip ad button turned on and I ignored it. The ad went on for seconds then minutes. Until it ended nineteen minutes later. (I know, it might feel weird reading about a…More
Tag Archives: thinking
Savoring life
Life is short; enjoy today. This week an old friend’s wife died. It was sudden—tragic. She was young, around my age, too young to die. They likely had dreams of growing gray together, wrinkled, swinging on a creaky porch swing, talking about their grown kids and grandkids. Now that’s gone. See, life can sucker punch…More
One of the best ways to deal with uncertainty
Uncertainty is everywhere. And the best thing we can do isn’t fight it, try to force things to happen—control. No. Sometimes the best thing we can do is just do this—surrender. That’s not the same as giving up. You’re not quitting. Absolutely not! Surrendering is different. It’s not giving up; it’s giving in. And that’s…More
When things get bad, go long
These days it’s easy to think that everything’s crap. But that’s wrong. You need to go long. See, the short-term is crappy. Yes, the pandemic is still here. It’s swelling. There’s a second wave. It’s looking ugly, uglier every day. But, that’s shortsighted. You’ve got to look yonder. Over the horizon. Set your sights on…More
Why we started a cookie business
Sometimes when things are terrible it’s necessary to start something delightful. So last month my wife and I started a cookie business. It’s an online store that sells gourmet gluten-free and vegan freshly baked cookies. They are made from incredible ingredients: organic this and organic that. And they are delicious. I’m the taste tester, so…More
You’re rich
Do you feel like you have something to prove? I do sometimes. I feel that urge to let people know that I’m doing ok; I’m successful; I’ve done something; I’m special. But why? Comparing ourselves to others is a killer. It kills our joys, our happiness, our richness. But I hope you free yourself from…More
Things got weirder
These past few days things just got weirder. An image of a married couple brandishing firearms and pointing them at people who were peacefully protesting shocked me. They live in my city. They’re not far from me, which only added to the weirdness. These people, who are basically my neighbors, looked like some strange mash…More
You can survive this time
Sometimes authority is wrong. In America, it’s woefully wrong about the pandemic. Everything is not ok. It’s not safe. I’m not trying to be a fear-monger. I’m just telling you the truth. I don’t want you to get sick. I don’t want you to spread this disease to your loved ones. Look, our leaders are…More
Heal your wounds
The key to healing a wound is to move toward the pain. You know the relational or financial or emotional problems that happen in life. They hurt us. We’re wounded. But if you don’t face the uncomfortable, even agonizing conversations you don’t want to have with your partner, friend, mother, it only makes the relationship…More
You are not an imposter
You’re not an imposter; you’re just in-process. You might be a father learning to parent, an employee who is progressing in your career, an entrepreneur hustling to survive, or a couple trying to forge a healthy marriage. That’s good; that’s great. Life is a process. Anytime you try something, do something, go somewhere, you’re not…More
John Pa 