Follow the Energy, Not the Dream
“For all of my life, I’ve felt like setting goals and going after them was a way to translate my energy into something productive. My default has always been to think about setting and pursuing goals as work. “Fun” would actually be the opposite of what pursuing an important goal would look like.”
Confessions of a Goal Hater
“I’ve never been a natural goal setter. Like ever. I’ve never loved sitting down, reflecting, writing things out, and declaring exactly what I want from life in five years, six months, or even two days from now.”
What This Year Taught Us About Starting, Fear, and Finishing
“For now, we hope you’re able to take a little time, whether it’s ten minutes or a few hours, to look back on what’s gone well this year. There’s always more to learn and improve, but we all deserve to acknowledge what we’ve done and what we can carry forward.
Odds are, when you look back, you’ll find a few things you’re proud of too.”
The Hardest Part Is Before You Begin
“The sacrifices feel huge before you begin, but once you start, what felt scary before just… evaporates.”
Are you living your dash?
“When we say living the dash we don't mean the race. What we mean by dash is that small line that sits between the day we're born and the day we die. Allow us to explain...”
Ordinary Effort Won’t Build an Extraordinary Life
“What "extraordinary" means is different for each of us. For some, it might mean a private jet and traveling the world. For others, it might mean being mortgage or rent-free, and for others, it's living a life that allows them to do work that helps and serves others.
Ultimately, the first question is this: What does living an "extraordinary" life mean to you?”
A Lot Can Change in a Year: Lessons from 40 to 41
“I just turned forty-one last weekend and am sitting on the other side of one of the best and WILDEST years of my life.
Here’s some things I learned between forty and forty-one.”
Reality Check: Gratitude Isn’t Always Easy
“We know we’re not alone in falling off course in practicing gratitude for the things we have and focusing instead on what is “wrong” or what we don’t have. So, as we do, to help us stay on track in the future, we developed this framework as a reminder and wanted to share it in case it helps you too.”
Years In the Making: The Patience to Build Something Great
“We're immersed in a 'hustle' culture, where “overnight” success stories seem to pop up everywhere. YouTube and social media platforms hold the allure of going viral for anyone with a camera and an internet connection... which... well... we all have.
This type of environment makes it easy to feel like if something we're building doesn’t work right away, we’ve failed.”
The Problem with “Good” Advice
“I'm sure you can think of times when you've considered making a change in your life, and thought better of it after getting advice from a family member or friend. This advice often comes from a place of caring, but the result is countless ideas and passions never pursued.”
A Hike to Remember: Adventure Is Calling
“A few years ago, a friend of mine floated the idea: “Let’s do a girls backcountry hiking trip in Algonquin Park.”
It sounded awesome. Whatever we could carry on our backs, that’s what we had. Three days of hiking, camping, and hauling ourselves through the wild. No flushable toilets. No running water. Just us, the forest, and whatever trouble we got ourselves into.”
Hope is a strategy
“The idea of working hard to reduce the chances of a bad outcome isn’t a bad one. Good things come from hard work. But the idea that the only way to win is to eliminate “hope” has its consequences.”
Life Expands With Courage
“As our courage expands, our lives do too, and as Bobby Alu says the good stuff is all just so damn scary.
Life has expanded dramatically in proportion to my courage expanding. That doesn't mean it's been easy, and it doesn't mean that I've got it all figured out and made it to the 'other side'.”
Join the Dance: Embracing Change, Blending Families, and Letting Life Flow
“I never planned for this. Not the blended family, not being married twice, not the chaos that comes with starting a business and raising four kids.
But sometimes life just sweeps you off your feet and calls you to surrender to something unexpected. To join the dance before you know the steps or where it’s going to take you.”
Don’t Fear AI. Use It With Intention.
“As the world becomes more automated and more 'artificial', authenticity and humanity will matter more and more. While jobs will be replaced and automated, and while there are challenging times ahead for many of us (and our kids!), we remain optimistic because the way to overcome the obstacles that AI will put in front of us will be to do the one thing it will never be able to do.
Be authentic. Be human.”
How Everyday Challenges Help Us Grow
“Every one of us faces challenges, big and small, every day, and whether we realize it or not, there is growth that comes from these experiences.”
Don’t settle for beige when you really want sparkles
“I’m not saying I want a glittery unicorn manicure (today anyway). But I am saying I want to stay connected to the part of me that doesn’t always choose the sensible option. The part that’s playful, curious, and a little bit ridiculous.”
Resilience is built, not born
“We’re all capable of more than we can imagine, and it’s the experiences behind us that have prepared us for whatever is to come. BUT only when we step back and reflect on what we have overcome can we truly appreciate how the experiences we’ve had, the skills we’ve built, and the tools we’ve collected along the way have prepared us for future challenges.”
Shame Thrives in the Dark. Let the Light In.
“I am not a psychologist. I am not trying to offer expert advice or a prescription. But if there is one thing I know really well, it is what it feels like to carry shame around. And from my own experience, the only thing that has helped me loosen its grip is to bring it out into the light.”
Be Your Own Wake-Up Call
“A wake-up call can shake you into action, but it’s a risky game. You don't know what the event will be, how it might impact you, or if you'll even be in a place to respond.
Instead, you can choose to take yourself off autopilot and become your OWN catalyst for change. You can make life happen for you instead of letting life happen to you.”