The ego can be your best friend or worst enemy; it’s all in how loud you let that voice get in your head. — Ego The ego can be both your best friend and your worst enemy. Why it Matters The ego is a paradox; both too little and too much will hurt you. Without some measure of ego, attempting anything ambitious in your life is impossible. But too much ego can cripple you and destroy what you…

To be free, you must learn to stand apart from society. To be free, you must learn to stand apart from society. What does it mean to Stand Apart? To stand apart from society means to drop all of society’s expectations. It does not mean leaving your community and living alone in a cabin in the woods. Instead, it means finding a way to live in society while…

What I learned from being confronted with my wife’s frightening medical issue. — I woke up in the early hours to a warm, comfortable bed and a cold and disquieting thought. Earlier that day, my wife had undergone a routine medical test that identified a frightening problem. …

Happiness is like color, you need a blend of the three primaries to make a rainbow. — Happiness is not one thing. Why it matters You need all three primary colors to make a full spectrum. To live a happy life, you need all three aspects of happiness. What are the Three Aspects of Happiness? 1. Pleasure — These are the good feelings, predominantly physical, that we experience. …

How your false belief about what will make you happy keeps you from being happy. — Happiness can be yours. You could have it right now, but you don’t want it. Instead, what you want is more stuff. Why it Matters By choosing to pursue stuff, you rob yourself of happiness. Try this Test Don’t believe me? Then let’s try a little test. What if I told you that you could be…

Wallabies may not be native to New Zealand, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t cute and fun. — When planning a holiday for six people ranging in age from teens to septuagenarians, you have your work cut out for you. You need to find something thrilling and vigorous enough to engage teens while not being too much excitement and activity for someone two generations older. It’s not an…

Being forced to contemplate the ultimate loss can have a clarifying power on the mind. — Nearly losing my spouse to a silent but potentially deadly medical condition has had a powerful ability to concentrate my thoughts, especially about what it means to have someone like that who makes up such a large part of your life. Facing the frighteningly real prospect of losing that person…

The uncertain and frightening days of the early pandemic from one surgeon's experience. — pandemicThe first thing he packed was a fold-up, green aluminum cot in its canvas carrying case. He had purchased the new cot from REI for the younger twin sons to take to Boy Scout summer camp. It was his son’s first time away from home and family. The man remembered…

Sometimes you must wear your black hat and be the “Bad Guy” to benefit yourself and others — “Can you help me out just this one time?” I arrived at work and hadn’t even taken my coat off, and there was already someone waiting there who wanted me to solve their problem for them. Although this specific issue was no fault of my own, the bigger picture was…