Read this if you can’t seem to get your sh*t together — I met a girl the other day who was in the process of getting her personal training certification. “That’s awesome!” I said, “I actually used to be a personal trainer. Who are you getting certified through?” She responded nervously, quietly, bubbling out a longer answer than the question opened up room for, and I recognized her self-conscious “fluffing” instantly.

When someone shares what life is like for them, believe them. — I vividly remember listening to an audiobook about white privilege during the “height” of the racial injustices & debates back in 2020ish. (“Height” in quotations because I realize this is a relative & subjective term. What felt like the “height” to me might be different for others.) I couldn’t quite make sense of so many of the new-to-me narratives and societal under-weavings.

Some words of peace & practical advice for continuing onward — In the spring of 2016, my boss at the time — an elementary school principal — slipped an “Intent to Return” letter in my teacher’s lounge mailbox. Below a paragraph of information and legalities, were 2 lines of text, each preceded by 2 checkboxes. It was literally “Check Yes or No.” The only consideration I had towards checking “Yes, I intend to return for the 2016–2017 school year” was about the money. I was 22 years old…

Career Discoveries, Personal Growth, Interesting Fashion Game-Changers & More — The 4–5 years after college (basically all the years you think you’re old when you’re actually just 23 and you can still get away with jokingly saying you’re “adulting”) were rough for me. I struggled professionally first, which snowballed into struggling personally (or perhaps — more likely — the personal…

A couple weeks ago, I was riding my bike along the river when I noticed a word spelled out in rocks on the riverbank. The rock-spelled word was laid out such that a person standing on the opposite bank could read it. It reminded me of the giant messages beachgoers…

Or, How A-Decade-Old YouTube Video Can Teach Us All A Tough But Valuable Lesson — Fellow Millennials (*maybe* some Gen Z-ers now that he’s making a comeback) will remember the circa 2010 “Marcel the Shell” YouTube video — that was popular before YouTube was YouTube — that features a tiny conch-like seashell with a glued-on googley eye and tiny plastic shoes shuffling around the floors…

But that we also need for survival — What if “what’s in it for you” is simply the beautiful reciprocity that there is also something in it for me? In discussing a collaboration opportunity with a potential business partner one time, the question, “What’s in it for me?” was thrown onto the table. Thrown. Yes.

how to spot it & what to do — At work, I sit down to reply to an email. They are asking for my creative input. “What do you think?” they say. “Could you write something for this?” they say. I squeeze out a few words. Backspace. Try again. Delete. Re-type. Still doesn’t sound right. I go back to…

When you’re in the throws of an unhealthy relationship with food, your body & exercise, all movement is just about calorie burn. And all food is just about calories. And all bodies are just about size. Anything that does not (in your mind) directly contribute to your goal of getting smaller, leaner, thinner — is hardly useful. For years, I missed out on morning walks, evening walks, walks with friends, walks with…