Don’t Tell Me You Don’t Have Time

time

You have time for the things that matter to you.

“I don’t have time” is better phrased as, “that’s not important enough.”

  • What if there’s an emergency? You have time for that.
  • What if you’re in a business meeting and someone offers you 72 million dollars to leave without saying a word? Goodbye meeting!

Time Is NEVER Valid As A General Excuse

Do you ever tell yourself you don’t have time for something? No time to exercise? Not enough time to sleep a 8 hours per night? Not enough time to cook meals?

Don’t. Read More

The 30 Day Cold Shower Experiment (Complete!)

coldshower

You don’t even need to use that knob on the left. The blue one works just fine. (photo by eelke dekker)

I’ve decided to experiment by only taking cold showers for the next 30 days (and potentially longer). I literally just finished my first cold shower today, and I’ll be documenting the whole experience here.

“You freak! Why take cold showers?” 

  • Cold showers have a number of documented health benefits
  • Cold showers are challenging—I like to challenge myself
  • Cold showers are refreshing. Ridiculously refreshing. Too refreshing?
  • I love to experiment!

Ok, on to day one!Read More

Emotional Gambling: The Problem With Expectations

gambler

Having high expectations at the casino rarely ends well, but I think she did alright. (photo by Bev Wagar)

I have two questions for you:

1. Should you expect to love this article? 

  • A. You could expect this article to be a revelation that transforms your life.
  • B. You could come into this article with no expectations, saying, “I’m not sure what I’ll get out of this, but I’ll read it to find out.”

2. Should I expect this article to be well-received?

  • A. I could base my identity as a writer and person on how well this goes. *gulp*
  • B. I could write this without expectations, saying, “The reception of this piece does not validate or invalidate my reason and passion to write it.”

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we’re all better off with option B.Read More

When Fear Means Opportunity

bravecat If you’re afraid, take notice. You could be facing the opportunity of a lifetime.

There’s a big difference between “pure” fear—like when you believe your life is in danger—and the more common, harmless fear.

I’m moving to Portland, Oregon after only 4 months in Jacksonville Beach, FL. I’m afraid because it’s going to be expensive (high fees for breaking my current lease, plus other moving costs), I’m moving from a 950 sq. ft. luxury apartment into a TINY 150 sq. ft. apartment, and the city is much colder and wetter than Jacksonville. Essentially, it’s possible I’m paying a high cost to move to a place I might not like.Read More

Is It Better To Base Your Goals On Time Or Quantity?

time

It’s an important topic that’s rarely, if ever discussed. 

When setting a goal, is it better to aim for a certain number of quantifiable milestones or to aim for an amount of time?

Example: should you aim to run for three miles or 20 minutes?Read More