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Category: Living Well

Would You Do It For Free, Though?

Published on March 17, 2025

It’s common for people in today’s world to have a side hustle—something they’re building, creating, or doing after their 9-5 regular job because they love it or to earn some extra income.

And with the internet and social media… there’s essential zero barrier for entry. All you need is an idea and a willingness to follow and act on your curiosities.

One thing to keep in mind, especially if you’re side-hustling for extra income, is to make sure the person you’re serving—above all others—is yourself.

People who side hustle via trends, get rich quick schemes, or domains they’re not really interested in… are the ones who not only flop… but waste a bunch of their time in the process… time they could’ve spend doing things that actually served them.

What I’m talking about is the artist/painter who paints because they love it… because it relaxes their mind and soul… because it’s an expression of who they are and adds to the legacy of their life… who THEN decides to share their creations with others and turn it into a side hustle. As opposed to the person who never like art who saw somebody else killing it online and decided to copy them.

Or the writer, like me, who writes daily because it’s one of the best things I ever started doing for my mental health… who THEN decides to create guides, posters, and coaching. As opposed to the person who never really liked to write… who saw that you can make a bunch of money ghost writing and took a class or two about it online.

If you’d do it for free… it’s a good sign you’re in alignment.

…And it’s also a good sign you can start side-hustling with it.

Don’t Confuse Patient With Passive

Published on March 16, 2025

Being patient is a strategy that prioritizes future benefits over immediate gains. Being passive is choosing to have no strategy… and just allowing things to happen without any action on your part.

Being patient is being persistent in the face of injustice and taking action time and time again to make a change that faces a lot of resistance. Being passive is being a bystander and allowing injustice to happen.

Being patient is working day in and day out to realize a dream that requires consistent—oftentimes monotonous—work to be done. Being passive is hoping things work out without a plan.

Being patient is giving the person you like reasons to like you back—without crowding them or being annoying. Being passive is not saying anything to the person you like.

Inner Work Prompt: When it comes to the different domains in your life… are you being patient? …Or are you really just being passive?

P.s. ICYMI you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

Don’t Sleep On This

Published on March 16, 2025

Tonight, the martial arts association I’m a part of hosted our annual awards banquet.

After all the food was eaten and presentations were awarded, we opened the floor up for dancing.

And throughout the night, I had a bunch of people tell me how fun I was…

…When all I tried to do was get others to have fun.

There is such a power in this realization that I think a lot of people let slip under their radar.

If you want to have fun… get others to have fun.

If you want to be respected… give others respect.

If you want to be remembered… be the one who remembers others.

This formula has an incredibly diverse range of applications…

All you have to answer for yourself is… what is it that you want?

…And then simply go give that generously to others.

Understanding Envy To Understand Yourself

Published on March 14, 2025

Want to get to know yourself?

Pay attention to what you envy.

And once you start to understand what that is…

Understand that it probably isn’t that.

What you’re probably after are the feelings that having that thing evokes.

And once you understand that…

You can begin the real inner work of evoking those feelings without needing the thing(s) at all.

An Inner Work Lesson From The Movie Up (2009)

Published on March 10, 2025

In the opening scene of the movie Up, we’re immersed in a five minute recap of the life and love shared between the two main characters of the story: Carl and Ellie Fredricksen.

If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s must watch animation. Here’s a link.

For whatever reason, this scene popped into my mind today as I was thinking about life and love and relationships (once you’ve seen it, you’ll understand) and it got me thinking about Carl and Ellie’s dynamic.

The above link doesn’t show it, but essentially Ellie comes crashing into Carl’s life when they’re kids and just lights up his world. She’s talkative, energetic, and filled with a contagious sense of adventure. Carl doesn’t talk much, is portrayed to be a little awkward, and seemingly defaults to routine and what’s comfortable.

…Inside each of us is both a “Carl” and an “Ellie,” eh?

What I got to thinking about as I replayed this dynamic is how important it is to try and nurture the “Ellie” that’s inside. Not that there’s anything wrong with the “Carl,” but waiting for an “Ellie” to come crashing into and light up your life simply isn’t a good strategy.

The one that tends to show up is simply the one we choose to feed with the nourishment of our attention and energy. There was a point in my life, for example, when I could distinctly identify as being mostly “Carl.” But, since I’ve started nourishing my inner “Ellie”… I’ve made so many new connections and experienced countless incredible adventures.

Which is all to say… being the “Ellie” who does the crashing and lighting up… my friend… is an excellent strategy.

Beautiful Alignment

Published on March 7, 2025

A friend of mine was telling me today how his wife just recently went mega viral on IG.

After decades of doing it in her kindergarden classrooms, she decided to start documenting and sharing how she takes her kids on imaginary travel adventures each Friday during the school year.

…And these aren’t just any run-of-the-mill, close your eyes and let’s imagine some travel adventures.

This women goes the extra mile… literally.

She’ll travel the globe during her summer vacation months and document videos addressed to her classroom that she’ll play for them at that specific “trip” the following year…

She’ll transform the entire classroom into an airport and airplane so the kids can learn how to navigate an airport, what passports are for, what to do with luggage… and she even invites flight attendants to make guest appearances…

And while she’s playing the videos back from her worldly travels, she’ll have first-hand things the kids can interact with… she’ll teach them about cultural differences and appropriate ways to behave… she’ll even have them do imaginary camel rides, cliff jumps, and mud masks.

And all I could think while my buddy was telling me this was… yes.

…Just yes.

How many teachers out there are miserable because they’re too busy daydreaming about travel…? And then while they’re finally traveling, they’re miserable because they’re thinking about going back to work…? How many of us non-teachers do the same thing?!

What this women has done is found a way to bring both into beautiful alignment.

And with a little reflection… initiative… and creative problem-solving… maybe you can too?

P.s. This is her IG.

The Power of Alignment + A Full & Present Heart

Published on March 1, 2025

My sister went to Toronto last weekend for her birthday.

While there she spent most of her time exploring quaint and classy bars and restaurants.

And during her explorations, she stumbled upon a small restaurant that was semi hidden in an unbusy mall.

And something struck me as being incredibly inspirational about this restaurant as she was describing it to me.

She said the women who was running the restaurant was one of the most kind, sweet, and present women she had ever met. She wasn’t there to do a job or get tip money. She was in alignment. It was as though she had a dream and was evidently living that dream in real time.

And it brought to mind for me the person who chooses a path… and then walks that path with a full and present heart.

All too common in today’s world are people who choose a path… and then spend all of their time walking that path looking at other paths… and comparing… questioning… envying…

You’ll never feel fulfilled walking a path this way.

Which is why it’s so incredible to come across someone who is in such alignment.

You don’t need to be a CEO, multi-millionaire, silicon valley startup founder to feel fulfilled. All you need is alignment and a full, present heart. And sometimes, that looks like a small restaurant that’s semi-hidden in an unbusy mall.

…Don’t complicate it.