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Matt Hogan's Blog Posts

It Never Would’ve Happened On My Own…

Published on May 16, 2026

Before heading to the music show last weekend, after just having finished dinner, one of my friends spotted a group of people hanging out who looked like they were going to the same show as us.

“Let’s go say what’s up to those guys before we head over…” He suggested.

Which isn’t something I usually think to do.

But we did.

And it went way better than I initially felt it would go.

See initially, I felt it would be awkward… like it was a bit of a disruption to their hangout… like it would be better to talk to people who were already at the venue…

But I was wrong.

It was an easy flowing conversation… a welcomed connection before the show… and we had people to look out for once we got to the venue.

This is why it’s so good to hang out with people who inspire you to do things outside of your comfort zone.

It never would’ve happened on my own.

You’re Not Creating Your Own Weather…?

Published on May 14, 2026

I can’t express to you enough the importance of creating your own weather.

This becomes particularly important when you live in a chronically overcast, gray, cold, rainy place like Buffalo, NY.

If I let the weather dictate my mood, I’d be chronically miserable.

Instead, like the Good Mother herself, I gather various ingredients from what’s available in my immediate surroundings and cast a forecast over my day that’s aligned, predictable, and intentional with the mood I’m looking to nurture.

Music is a fundamental key in this practice. The vocals, instruments, and added sounds play at the exact vibration I’m looking to resonate at. And so rather than look outside at the literal weather, become miserable, and try to think myself into a joyful state… I’ll listen to music that matches what I would define as a joyful frequency and let it pull me upwards and outwards of my mind and into my body.

Mindful consumption is a strong second in the practice. Like food to the body, what gets consumed via the eyes, ears, and other senses has a direct impact on our inner weather. Watch news, gossip, and hate-based media—and so, too, will your mind become. Watch art, contribution, and love-based media—and so, too, will your inner weather become.

And digestion is an under-discussed third. Like food to the body, if you never stop eating—regardless of how healthy the food is—your body is going to feel like it needs to explode. We have a daily calorie limit for a reason—and the same should be true with the amount of minutes we spend consuming. The rest of the time? Digesting. Meditating. Relaxing. Playing. Being.

Only “Just Enough” Planning

Published on May 13, 2026

While at a music show this past weekend, I was chatting with a guy about how incredible our spot was… we were literally leaning onto the stage a few feet away from the artists performing.

And he yelled back into my ear (it was really loud)—“It’s one of my mantras, man! Everything always works out more perfectly than I ever could’ve planned!”

And he proceeded to tell me how he embraces this mantra as much as he can in his daily life.

…Only just enough planning and leaning into the magic of the universe for the rest.

And I really liked that.

Because it’s almost a guarantee that things won’t go exactly according to plan—it might as well be a law of nature. And if you expected everything to—then your day will be ruined when it doesn’t.

…But if you planned just enough to cover the major bases, and leaned into serendipity and spontaneous opportunity for the rest, then if/when things go “wrong,” THAT will be what you were expecting anyway, and you’ll be too busy navigating your “perfect” night in real time to even care or notice.

Open Up [Poem]

Published on May 12, 2026

My deck is bare
Tables and chairs hibernating
So I lay on the wood
The rough presses into my head
My legs relax; crossed
Loafers; no socks
Pants rolled to knee pits
Face bakes in the sun
Hoping the heat will help
Raise the dough of my imagination
Create something more crisp
Cause some kind of oven spring
Of good ideas
Of better actions
Than the fluff I’ve been thinking to take

…Because I’m thinking about last night
And meeting you
And how much it took for me
To not break eye contact
To not slouch or turn away
To keep everything calm
In control and progressing smoothly
As you leaned into my little world
Eyes wide; smile unbelievable
Bigger than any I’ve ever seen
And oh, how I mean that genuinely
When all of a sudden
My ear starts to ring…
As if an oven timer was telling me
Times up; get up; open up

…Or that maybe
Or maybe not…
She was thinking of me too
The heat on my skin sharpens
The words appear more clearly
But is it really time?
Or is it still premature?
Will what’s been cooking be enough?
Or will it be somehow off?
I lay back down
Let the rough press back into my head
Cross my legs and lay my arms
Surrender to a hopeful sun
The oven gets closed
…All I know is well done

P.s. You can read my other poems here.

On The Importance Of Defining “Your Best Life”

Published on May 11, 2026

In order for yesterday’s strategy to work, however, there needs to be some honest conversation and inner work done around “living my best life.”

Because if “living my best life” is used as an excuse to live your most comfortable, distracted, instant-gratification-style life… then not only do I think you won’t find the best relationship of your life… but I don’t think you’ll find your best life.

Living your best life should actually look much like the opposite of the above.

It should look a little scary—like skydiving, or signing up for a dance class, or going up and talking to the person you find attractive. It should look present—like dinner with friends minus the phones, or walks surrounded by nature, or time spent alone meditating or creating or reading. It should look like an ongoing investment into the future—like healthy eating, or mindful movement, or skill-building from a place of beginner’s mind.

When you lean into that zone of discomfort and can keep your nervous system calm and ego quiet enough to proceed forward from that space consistently…

…Then, yes.

…The rest, I imagine, will take care of itself.

Love That

Published on May 10, 2026

Are you dating anyone?

“…No.”

Are you actively looking for a relationship?

“I’m actively looking to live my best life. The rest I imagine will take care of itself.”

Love that.

Get Your Tribe Right

Published on May 9, 2026

Yesterday, a martial arts student of mine gave a research presentation at his local high school.

He had been researching and preparing this presentation for around eight months and was focused on how martial arts affects self-esteem and personal growth.

And one of his key findings was the role that community and the “martial arts family environment” played. His original hypothesis was focused on testing the effects of martial arts training on the individual, but the sweeping majority of people he interviewed mentioned the power, importance, and impact of the other martial artists.

It’s just another reminder that it’s not necessarily what you do… but who you’re able to do it with.

As another example, when I was in school, whoever my favorite teacher was and whichever class had my friends (and cutest girls) in it—was my favorite class. It wasn’t the subject matter that made the big difference per se… it was the people.

And the same is true for many things in life. Get your tribe right… and the rest usually takes care of itself.