LIFE
Day 5 of 365 Zen and The Art of Happiness
A friend, for whom I hold a great deal of respect, recommended a book called ZEN and the Art of Happiness by Chris Prentiss. It's not a book that I would have ever sought out, but because it came highly recommended, I ordered it without much thought or expectation. ...
Dominos Falling
Despite all our concerns about the future, it was a good day for my family. We laughed, we bonded, and we ate 3 meals together.
Day 4 of 365: Dating Advice For Married People
Amanda and I are coming up on 25 years of marriage. It's been an adventure, with good times, hard times, and everything in between. I'm no Love Doctor, but I can share one relationship nugget that has really helped us stay "happily" married for a long time. "GO ON...
Response to Change
Sudden change is scary, confusing, and because of this, are normal defensive actions may become passive.
Intensity
Will Smith once said in an interview, “The only thing that is distinctly different about me is I am not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. Period. You might have more talent than me. You might be smarter than me. You might be sexier than me. You...
The Price of Kindness
When I think about what it is to be kind, it doesn’t always mean going out of your way to help strangers and give compliments and donate your time. Sometimes kindness is as simple as holding your tongue.
Anger
I think most people agree that harboring anger is like a poison for your mind. It clouds our better judgment; it blinds our broader eyesight to the point where we have sustained tunnel vision. Yet our minds love to get angry. Anger is a delicious dessert for our...
Do You Have a Young Reader
There are a million wonderful foods out there, but you’ll never know if you won’t even give them a try. “It’s the same with books, Ivy,” he said. “You’ll never know if you’ll like a book because you won’t even try it.” She is almost always willing to try new foods, so I’m hoping this comparison gets through to her.
LEGACY
Day 6 of 365 | The Boys in the Boat
My family and I went to see The Boys in the Boat at the Flicks Movie Theater last week, and holy cow, that brought back a flood of memories and feelings from my freshman year at the California Maritime Academy. I arrived at the school not knowing anyone on campus, but...
Inspiring Characters
We all have the ability to inspire others. It’s a superpower we all possess if we choose to use it.
Day 2: How I Bribe My Teenagers To Talk To Me
Last year, I started offering my teenagers $20 for every chapter they read of a book of my choice, but with the requirement they had to take notes and talk to me about it before they could get the money. I know, I know... $20 per chapter? That is ridiculous, right?...
Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
Last night, we watched Shawshank Redemption. And boy did that movie deliver. I think the ending is one of the best in movie history
DAY 1 of 365
Day 1 - Yesterday was my birthday, and I shared a big (possibly crazy) goal I'm working towards. I actually have MANY big, scary goals I'm working towards like... Acquiring a big beautiful sailing yacht to charter and play on. Building a sizable retirement pension...
My Mountain
It’s frustrating to see someone experience massive results in a short period of time when the rest of us seem to take tiny steps up a decade long mountain.
A Book for My Daughters
I write and exercise every morning. I haven’t missed a day in over 6 months, even when I feel sick, tired, or injured. It’s a daily practice for my mind and body that I committed to, and I have no intention of stopping this routine anytime soon. I don’t always write a...
On Purpose
But before we judge, we need to stop and think, because in all of these instances we’re seeing expressions of humans caring for and honoring other life. I think even when we can’t relate, we need to respect that.
LIVELIHOOD
Walk Before Run
It's softball season in our household, and both my girls pitch on their teams. They don't play softball in one of those year-round clubs. This is just a seasonal little league team. Therefore, they haven't really practiced or played any softball in 9 months. I've been...
Work/Life Integration
Work/Life Balance is something we tried and often failed at because we are both so driven and hardworking that as a married couple with kids, it can easily turn into a fight for time.
Persistence
I’m re-reading the book “The Obstacle Is The Way” by Ryan Holiday. It seemed fitting, given all the craziness and uncertainty in the world right now. There is a chapter about persistence, and I wanted to share a few lines that spoke to me: “Genius often really is just...
Fear and Perseverance
This virus is attacking more than just our health, as many don’t know when their next paycheck will come in and are watching their reserves get depleted.
Working from Home
My wife and I work about 10 feet away from each other. Amanda’s office/workspace tends to be the kitchen counter. She doesn’t need much space, just a laptop, phone, and a notebook. I work at a desk with not far away, and we spend the majority of our day in these two...
The Price of Kindness
When I think about what it is to be kind, it doesn’t always mean going out of your way to help strangers and give compliments and donate your time. Sometimes kindness is as simple as holding your tongue.
Getting Started
Mark Twain said, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” What is that thing you've been putting off waiting for better timing? Are you thinking that you will get started when you have more time? We get ahead by getting started. We take the first step and...
Doubt
Doubt clouds our better judgment. Doubt is often the cause of many entrepreneurs who continue to chase after new and different shiny objects.