Tag Archives: Meaningful Work

It doesn’t have to be Jan 1, which is just a celebrated reminder.

Today is March 18, and I will write here every day. Yesterday was the period at the end of the sentence, and today is the capital letter — a new sentence.

Let’s celebrate the reminder that every day is a chance to reinvent, which goes for any day. I choose today.

I’m always in motion. And, if I’m awake, I decide: forward or backward?

Today is a chance to start from scratch, and there is something beautiful about starting from scratch because all labels I ever claimed are now just vanity.

I am a zero. I don’t say I’m anything, everything starts, and I do or do not do.

I’m not looking for the end of the road; I’m at the first step and can see the next step. That’s what the New Year means to me and what today means to me as a writer who clicks publish.

Any day can be the “Jan 1” you choose, and today is mine.

I am exactly where I want to be, for better or worse. I belong right here, right now.

Just for today.

I don’t know where I’ll end up. I am exploring. I have no goals. I am a wanderer. When our paths cross, I will be kind. I have no expectations.

I work hard, but nothing is for keeps. I will work harder yet. I promise not to hold on. Not today.

Today life has delivered me to each tree instead of the entire forest. Everything is less overwhelming, and there are no hassles.

Today I am off the Internet, and a connection occurs when I disconnect. My best reflections about experiences are those I have when “disconnected.”

Today phone calls, text messages, and emails are a suggestion, not obligations. Today an actual book is in my hand, and it’s beautiful. Today I will go to the library, not Google.

Today I didn’t read random articles on the Internet. There is no “information” I am missing.

Today I will do one thing and not talk about all of the other stuff.

Today “doing” is information. Today “doing” is experience.

Today, no desire, no possession, and no control. I have no longings or belongings, and fear is gone.

No miscommunication.

Today I’m not asking, ‘Why?’

Today I won’t make room for them if I don’t choose to do so, and I don’t have space for their opinion. I’m sorry if it’s been a bad day or life, and it’s not that I don’t care. Today I choose not to try to understand—even my stuff.

I am not seeking to accomplish anything today.

Yesterday that wasn’t the case, and tomorrow that won’t. But today? “Accomplishment” is something holding me down.

Today no one is judged or to be judged. Especially not me. No inner voices say I have or have not, and I can afford to give it all away today.

Today the things I know to be accurate are:

— I’m in the library writing this with pen & paper.

— I feel joy, and that’s a choice from the inside, not an emotion that’s given.

— I’m attractive and wealthy when charitable with my love, wonder, kindness, curiosity, friendship, and connection.

Today I have no goals. Yesterday I had plans. Today I’m not thinking, “Once I achieve (X), I will be (Y).”

Today nothing outside of me will make me happy.

Today I hold my hand while walking down the street, and in doing so, I will achieve all the goals I never made for myself.

Don’t take my advice today. If you read this, thank you. May our next step be lighter than our last.

Tomorrow the deck is liable to flip, and I’ll change my mind, but today this is what I know to be true.

Lucan turned 13, and I’m close to 50. This prompt got me thinking about what I’ve learned as a father. Here’s a list of the most essential items for the current season.

1. If I’m going to set high expectations, I must pair them with unwavering love and support.

2. My rules are few but firm and non-negotiable. To maintain that tension, I cannot demand more than I give. High standards are accompanied by 100% effort on my part.

3. Carving out the space that allows them to argue reasonably has numerous upsides. The practice is on the “reasonable” part. This also helps us both see if I’m the one being unreasonable.

4. I offer fewer choices. I’m more guide on the side kind of dad. This offers more communication opportunities. My motto: Keep them moving forward and talking to me with each step.

5. I’m “dad” first, “friend” second. This line wants to blur as they age, but it must stay clear.

6. There are no free rides, but I support them entirely.

7. Love and trust are living, breathing things that can change with a flip. I stay humble because tomorrow brings new challenges.

8. When I’m stuck in a moment, I focus on the bigger purpose of being a firm and loving father. That way, I keep them close when I’m sweating over the small stuff.

Paying $3.38 for a simple black coffee already feels steep. Then, I’m nudged to donate spare change to charity, followed by a prompt for a 15%, 20%, or 25% tip. Here’s the thing…

I’m not against tipping. What’s tiring is the constant barrage of requests for tips or charitable donations for the most basic transactions. Now, if I order my favorite mocha with an extra shot, extra hot, breve, no foam, no whip, and it’s made with evident care and skill, that’s a different story. That’s when I tip. The craft and love earn my gratitude, not the routine. My tipping rule is simple: to earn a tip, delight me. Anything less, especially for a standard cup of coffee, doesn’t make the cut.

If not resolutions, what then? I prefer making PLANS. And I’ll tell you one thing I plan to do MORE of in 2024… It’s WALKING. Yep. It might sound trivial, but I’m not kidding.

“He who sits still in a house all the time may be the greatest vagrant of all, but the saunterer, in the good sense, is no more vagrant than the meandering river, which is all the while sedulously seeking the shortest course to the sea.”
-Henry David Thoreau

More “sauntering” and less sitting.

No one has made a more compelling case for the physical and mental value of walking than Thoreau. In his 1861 treatise “Walking,” Thoreau reminds us of how that primal act of mobility “connects us with our essential wildness,” which today can serve as a refreshing antidote to our staring at small rectangular screens all day.

You can download “Walking” by Thoreau for free on Kindle

It doesn’t matter what it is: Parenting, business, career, fitness, etc. You name it.

You’re not understanding the sheer volume of mistakes and failures that are required in order to grow. You put so much pressure on yourself to make the “right” decisions that you end up doing nothing, which you think is safer than making the wrong decision. Wrong. Overthinking without taking action adds up to nothing. It’s far better to view mistakes and failures as an opportunity to learn and grow instead of something to avoid at all costs. And… you’ll reach your goals sooner.

I’m considering Parents who invest in their children’s futures. The Parents that make (have made) sacrifices without expecting anything in return. Parents that have relocated across the globe to secure a better life. Parents that work tirelessly to ensure their children’s well-being. These efforts often go unnoticed by the younger generation. Yet, this lack of recognition is not a concern for Parents. Because their primary goal is not to be appreciated, it’s to provide unconditional love and support.

The legacy of Parental sacrifice is a long-standing tradition. Previous generations endured hardships I cannot fathom, like enduring hunger or working relentless factory jobs, so their children could thrive. But what I do understand is that this cycle of giving isn’t about repayment, it’s about perpetuating love and care. The expectation isn’t for children to reciprocate to their Parents but to extend the same selfless love to their offspring – someday. In this way, the cycle of nurturing and sacrifice continues, each generation paying it forward, ensuring an enduring legacy of familial love and support. That’s something I believe in and aspire to.

The more important a project or any endeavor is to your growth, the more resistance you will feel to it. When I say resistance, I mean the tendency to procrastinate, self-doubt, distraction, confusion, fear… all things that sabotage your work. So it’s a good sign if you’re about to embark on something or are already in it and overwhelmed with resistance. It means that your project is important to your growth. Sit down, shut up, and do it.

I’m 47, and thinking about midlife. I have this precautionary statement on repeat: Don’t inherit liabilities. Work toward reversing any “issues” that trend toward liability. Because where do I want to be in a decade? What will have made all the difference at 57, which happens to be when my youngest turns 18. What then? I’m preoccupied with that question (and acting accordingly). That sums up the reason “why” I’m choosing to post here, and will be documenting and unpacking around this topic.

Just as “safe” is no longer that safe, comfort isn’t that comfortable.

I can’t be “comfortable” with the day job, carting the kids around, and Friday night pizza, so why do anything more?

For me, it’s these reasons:

● to prove I’m as capable as I think I am.
● to not back down from a self-inflicted challenge.
● to make a commitment and see it through.
● to step out of my comfort zone to pursue growth.

If I don’t do the above, I won’t be comfortable with myself.

I can accomplish the above points along with the day job, carting the kids around, and enjoying a slice of pizza on Fridays.