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Matt Hogan's Blog Posts

Become The FOMO

Published on April 6, 2026

The secret to not having FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is to bring all of your presence into the moment you’re already in.

Lean into courage. Find the curiosity. Fill yourself up with everything already around you. Create and emit the energy you find yourself looking elsewhere for. Get others to jump on board. Become the FOMO others think about—not to make them feel bad, but because that thought will guide you forward towards the time you most want to have. You’re only missing out if your mind is elsewhere of your body. Keep the two together and suddenly, your spirit will start to shine unconditionally bright.

“Things”—A Game To Create Organic Connection

Published on April 5, 2026

The game is simple.

Make up and share an unfinished story with a few folks.

You might say… “It was late at night and I heard a loud, scary noise come from the basement… I decided to investigate and when I walked down the stairs I found…”

Then everybody writes a short conclusion to the story on a sticky note or small piece of paper and hands it anonymously to the person who began it.

After each is read out loud, the reader picks which conclusion they like the best and whoever authored it, wins a point.

The game continues until a certain score is reached or it reaches its natural conclusion.

The best part about the game is that it creates an ending to a story from a day that feels unfinished…

P.s. Credit for this game goes to my student, Fatou.

Can’t Make Dinner

Published on April 5, 2026

A friend invited me over for Easter dinner—featuring vegan main dishes and all.

After responding with a bunch of gratitude, I realized it wouldn’t work out because I would be out of town.

Rather than say, “Sorry, I’m gonna be out of town and can’t make it. Thanks though!”

I took a little extra time and wrote:

“Dear V,

Matt here. Writing to you this afternoon to inform you, with regret, that I will be unable to attend your, what’s sure to be off-the-effin-chain, Easter dinner gathering. I apologize for any additional forethought and work that may have gone into your thinking/preparation for this event with my vegan butt in mind. See what happened is, my vegan butt will be planted in a chair at my aunties in Philly at, more than likely, the same time you and your amazing guests will be planted in theirs in Buffalo. Flights back are out of the question because I am my mom and grandma’s chauffeur home on Monday. I hate to back out of a good time offer, but twas necessary in this case. Please accept my apology and keep me in mind for future threats of potential good times.

Thank yew.”

To be clear, I’m not recommending you reply like this to everything you need to reply to.

However, every now and again, or whenever you think to do it, it’s never a bad thing to do.

People notice the effort. They appreciate the energy. And it becomes a memory that gets talked about over and over and over again.

…All from a 5-minute investment.

And don’t think even for a second that you “don’t have that kind of time.”

On Arriving Quick

Published on April 4, 2026

I went on a 6-hour roadtrip with my mom and grandmother today—neither of whom I get to spend too much time with on a regular basis.

This was not the time to be in a hurry to arrive… or to bring an anxious energy into the space… or to cycle through thoughts in my own head…

This was the time to slow roll… to bring a relaxed energy into the space… to ask interesting questions…

The point of a trip isn’t to quickly get where you’re going and then back (otherwise, why go at all?). The point of the trip is to uniquely experience as much as you can while you’re gone.

And nothing blocks experience like rushing and trying to arrive elsewhere quick.

On Practicing Death

Published on April 2, 2026

We practice death every day.

Every time something comes to an end we’re given a chance.

A song. A dance. A day.

We can practice kicking and screaming or ignoring and suppressing or distracting and distancing…

Or we can accept that what made it so beautiful was that it ended after all. And we can cherish… savor… appreciate…

…And try to more fully receive all that’s packed inside the moments that come next.

…In those moments where we so fortunately get to practice again. And again. And again.

…All the way until The End.

Worrying Can Be Productive… Until It’s Not.

Published on April 1, 2026

Worry can be productive so long as it’s turned into strategy.

If you’re packing for a trip, for example, and you’re worried about forgetting something… that energy can be converted into building a list that you can check and double check before you leave.

But understand this: once the strategy is done, worry is no longer productive.

…It becomes an energy leak.

One that drains you of one of your most precious life resources—especially before and during a trip. And it’s here that you should shift strategies away from building lists and focus that energy on plugging leaks.

What I tell myself, for example, is that I’m resourceful, I’m flexible, and I trust I’ll find a way to figure things out—even if I forget something. Heck, I’ll try to even turn forgetting into an adventure and lean into serendipity.

This past weekend, for example, I left my $600 music show wristband at home. Which was probably one of the most important items to NOT FORGET. And, yup, I didn’t even realize it until I was already 1,000+ miles away, driving to meet up with my friends for the event.

But… guess what? …After a quick freak out and some calls… I figured it out.

Things won’t always have a neat and tidy and exciting ending. But, excessive and unnecessary worry won’t help that either.

…When you can learn how to plug energy leaks, though? And how to let go of worry? And how to trust in yourself? …I suspect things actually WILL turn out in the aforementioned ways WAY more often than you might think.

Hot N Cold

Published on March 31, 2026

I saw some of the best DJs in the entire world play music this past weekend.

And yet… one of my favorite moments was the last night when a friend was driving a group of us back to an Airbnb and right before we went inside… Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold” came on the car’s stereo…

And I told everybody to wait… to stop… that we couldn’t go in until we sang it as LOUD AS WE COULD.

…And we cranked it all the way up and sang our little hearts out.

This is the energy I was trying to lead with all weekend: we can’t wait for the event to give us the energy… we have to give the energy to the event.

…And that happens long after the event ends too.