When something is a “means to an end,” it is not valued in and of itself, but is only used as a way to achieve the desired end result. Some things in our life are okay to be a means to an end. For example, filing a tax return is simply a means to an […]
If I only had…
If I only had that piece of clothing. If I only had that nice vacation. If I only had that relationship with that person. If I only had that job title. If I only had that next thing… One More Thing We are always “one” thing away from being happy. If we only had it, […]
Using Constraints to Simplify Your Life
We often think that having more will make our lives easier. We believe that abundance and freedom could be the key to our fulfillment. If we only had more time… more money… more options, we’d be able to do MORE! But is this the case? The truth is that having constraints can be a powerful […]
How to Handle a Bad Circumstance 
Life is full of challenges. Some big. Some small. And how we deal with those challenges shapes our worldview and our ability to live a peaceful and content life. When we are faced with unhappiness from bad circumstances, whether it be a bad relationship, work problems, health problems, etc., we must decide how to address […]
How Your Thoughts Shape You
Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. Frank Outlaw Our thoughts are who we become. They are the basis of our reality. If you are not intentional with your thoughts, […]
Don’t Outsource Your Happiness
Your happiness, in theory, should be something that you control internally. Your emotional well-being is a job that belongs to you. But in practice, our happiness is often outsourced to other people or situations. We let our friends, family, co-workers, customers, politicians, media personalities, random internet strangers, etc., control our happiness. By letting other people […]
When are you living?
When are you living? It may seem like a silly question. Of course, you are living right now! You can look at a calendar and tell me the exact date, and a clock, the exact time. But the reality is that most people are not living right now. They are living either in the past […]
The Problem of Chronic Stress
Built into our bodies is a powerful stress response system. It allows us to quickly and effectively respond to immediate threats in our environment. At the first sign of danger, our bodies enter the process of fight or flight. Sending extra blood flow to muscles that are used to run and fight. Stopping our evolved […]
Unlimited External Problems
There is no limit to the number of external problems that you can have. Your work can be frustrating. Your car can be old. Your kids can be moody. The weather can be crappy. You can disagree with a politician’s actions. Your home can have flaws. You might not have enough money. A friend can […]
A Phone Without Feeds
Feeds. These algorithmically designed platforms. With each flick of the finger, you get another hit of curated content. With an endless supply of viral videos, clickbait articles, and sponsored content available, there is no limit on how much you will want to scroll. In addition to the feeds, you get notifications. Sometimes it’s that somebody […]