Skip to content

Category: Living Well

Hard Is Where The Magic Happens

Published on May 28, 2025

It takes me less time to complete these daily 1-minute insights these days.

When I first started, it would take me close to 2 hours on average—mostly because I had no word count constraint which made them way longer than 1-minute.

When I added my 280 word count constraint, It started taking closer to 1 hour on average.

And as I’ve been writing these pieces for the past several years, I’ve noticed it is taking me less and less time to get my thoughts into their final, shareable form. Some days, it’ll only take me 5-15 minutes.

Which isn’t to say this process of coming up with unique insights on the daily is becoming more and more easy—because it’s still as challenging as ever to write concise and clear pieces that I’m proud to share.

It’s simply an observation that I’m getting better as a thinker and writer.

Just like sprinting never gets easier for the track athlete—they just get faster… so, too, is it the case for anybody who is learning and improving upon a performance or expressive based skill.

Don’t wish it was easier… stay steady focused on improving your skill and becoming better.

Easy is a trap—because nothing worthwhile comes easily…

Hard is where the magic happens—because just on the other side is better.

P.s. If you find value in these daily insights, you can support my continued work by grabbing me a cup of joe here.

Make “Ahead” Happen

Published on May 27, 2025

One of my students told me he wasn’t going to do his next level black belt test because he has prom the same day… another one of my students was well remembered and celebrated for going to prom right after he got his next level black belt.

This month, the martial arts school I teach at is allowing moms to train in our adult program for free. Some of the moms have said they love the classes, but it’s too late or isn’t in their budget to continue. Another mom I spoke to today said it’s kind of late and will be tough on her budget, but with the support of her family and some mindful spending cuts—she’s going to find a way to make it happen… because she loves the classes so much.

One of my favorite writers shared that he, too, is struggling to stay off social media apps. He said, “It’s not uncommon for me to open that goddamn app a dozen times a day and spend two to three hours mindlessly scrolling through it.” Some people acknowledge this and do nothing about it. What did he do? He said, “Every time I open up Instagram, I drop down and do 25 pushups and 50 crunches.” …And that over the course of a week lead his screentime to drop 70%.

The difference between those who get ahead and those who don’t… is that those who get ahead find ways to make “ahead” happen—even when (especially when) it isn’t convenient or comfortable. Those who don’t… don’t.

Pure Entertainment Junk Food

Published on May 27, 2025

I am by no means perfect when it comes to practicing the things I write about.

In fact, the #1 person I’m writing to when I mention inner work ideas or practices—is myself.

Just this morning, for example, I found myself 40 minutes deep into a social media binge.

And this was the third or fourth day in a row where I was starting my day this way.

In the shower, I was thinking about how I felt from it… I was trying to notice my state of mind… I was trying to see if there was any value…

And I came up short… noticed anxiety and regret… and felt behind on my day.

Am I saying that all social media binges are like that? No.

But, from my experience… they almost always are.

I sometimes get a nugget or two from conscious creators… but, 99% of the time, it feels like pure entertainment junk food that leaves me exactly as it did today.

So, I once again logged out of the apps and am going to try starting my morning a little differently tomorrow.

Maybe it’s time for you take a closer look at the value you’re getting from your social media binges / morning routine…

I Threw The Colors In The Whites Pile…

Published on May 23, 2025

I was separating whites from colors when doing laundry today.

And I had a moment where I threw the colors that were in my hand into the whites pile because I was looking ahead at the whites that I was going to grab next after tossing what was in my hand into the whites pile.

It was a subtle reminder to slow down. To not get ahead of myself. To be where my senses were and not on fast forward in my head.

…The moments spend doing laundry are moments just as worthy of presence as any other moments of the day.

Don’t Let Busy Steal Presence

Published on May 16, 2025

What’s the difference between a stereotypical modern day busy person and a monk who both have a day completely full of back-to-back tasks ahead of them?

…Presence within each of the day’s moments.

Take your time.

Slow your mind.

Soak in each moment in full.

Just because you have a busy schedule doesn’t mean you have to be busy minded.

Are You Working ON Your Life Or IN Your Life?

Published on May 13, 2025

As a manager of a martial arts school, it’s my job to work ON the business rather than IN the business.

I need to zoom out of the day-to-day operations and take time to notice patterns, brainstorm initiatives, innovate, improve systems and organization, invest in human resources, refine communication, create exciting futures, plant seeds, study industry trends, find synergistic opportunities, align with like minded people and businesses, help my staff do their jobs in the most brilliant way possible…

But if I’m fully absorbed in the day-to-day operations and I’m answering every phone call, hanging every flyer, calling every lead, booking every appointment, doing every school tour, meeting with every student, teaching every class, chatting with every parent, planning every class, photoshopping every promotion, editing every social media post, and so on…

…I’ll have no time left over to zoom out.

Which isn’t to say as a manager I can’t be doing any of the latter mentioned tasks—I still do many of them and do so joyfully—it’s just to say I can’t do all of them, all of the time.

…As it is for how you should be living your life.

Don’t become so absorbed in the day-to-day that you can’t take time to zoom out every now and again. Find time to work ON your life rather than always being stuck working IN your life. And as counterintuitive as it might sound… and as busy as you might feel… adding time to work ON your life, even when you’re in the heat of working IN it… is precisely how you become UNstuck and LESS busy.

Good luck.

How Much “Bored Noticing” Do You Do Every Day?

Published on May 11, 2025

An expression you’ll constantly hear a busy person say is something along the lines of: How is it already [insert day of the week/month/year]?!

…Or some type of otherwise reference to how fast time is flying by.

The good thing about this is that it means that person found a way to spend their time that’s making it fly by… and that maybe they’re even having fun.

On the other hand, it also means that person is on track to feeling like they missed out on their life…

Because days turn into weeks which turn into months which turn into years which turn into… eventually… the end of a life where that person feels like they don’t even know what happened.

And that can feel like an ultimate regret: not being present enough of life while it was happening because they were always too focused on what was coming up next…

The antidote to this is presence.

And present moments are simply moments absorbed that are absent of past or future.

And the best way to describe how to add these to your day is to try and add more moments of boredom… moments (or blocks of time) where you have absolutely nothing planned… moments where you get to simply sit… exist… and notice everything about where you’re at right then and there.

Because as lame or as unimportant as it might feel to you in that moment… it’s the very thing your future self would do or give almost anything to re-experience.

Block more moments of “bored noticing“ into your days.

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