Published in Personal Growth·2 days agoMy One Word Philosophy to Make Dreams Come TrueWhere your attention goes, your time goes — The couch, television, and iPad are persistent collaborators. Each provides comfort, relaxation, and distraction from the challenges and responsibilities of life. But they also prevent us from achieving our dreams. They know that once lured in, we’re likely to stay. There are days when I take a writing break to…Life4 min read
Jun 28Thank you for writing this, Scott.Thank you for writing this, Scott. The world needs selfless caretakers to remind us of our humanity.1 min readThank you for writing this, Scott. The world needs selfless caretakers to remind us of our humanity.----
Published in Personal Growth·Jun 27How the Past and the Future Obscure What MattersThe simple choice that can improve your life — Years ago, before the Internet and ubiquitous use of smartphones, people used to lug around camcorders to videotape birthday parties, weddings, and other memorable events. I remember seeing them everywhere. Little league games and AYSO soccer matches were lined with proud parents juggling camcorders, trying to videotape all the action…Life5 min read
Published in Publishous·Jun 21Have You Strayed from This Important Human Quality?What would society look like if we did more of this? — In the mid-1970s a homeless Italian immigrant named Ted Strollo stepped off a curb in downtown Los Gatos, California. It nearly cost him his life. Across the street, my father watched as a distracted driver ran the red light and collided with Strollo, launching him nearly twenty feet down the…Life5 min read
Jun 18The Exciting Whisper Moving Through the Aisles of Your SpiritHow to find the significance of living — It’s funny the things that stay with you in life. The hallway outside my parent’s bedroom contained a framed essay titled, “Keep Alive the Dream in the Heart,” by the late author and theologian Howard Thurman. I don’t know where my father acquired the essay, but it clearly meant something…Life5 min read
Published in Personal Growth·Jun 17How to Lose Your Mind and Find Your SoulIt’s in the stillness that you will find restoration — “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul” -John Muir There’s a small park not far from my home where I escape to walk my dogs, think, and enjoy nature. I named this little oasis “Grackle Hill” after the feisty birds that populate the…Life Lessons5 min read
Published in Personal Growth·Jun 12Nobody Is Born to Blend InDon’t let conformism stifle your individuality — In 2015 the German automaker Volkswagen was found to be rigging diesel-powered vehicles to cheat on government emissions tests. Volkswagen engineers secretly installed defeat devices because their diesel models couldn’t pass US emissions tests. Specifically, the engineers programmed the diesel engines to activate their emissions controls only during laboratory emissions…Life5 min read
Published in Personal Growth·Jun 5The Art of Emotional WinteringThere are gaps in the mesh of the everyday world — We were watching TV in the living room when it happened. Dad lurched forward in his reading chair. He was perspired and a little out of breath. My mother looked at him from the couch and said, “John, are you alright?” “I think it’s my heart,” he said. It was…Life6 min read
Published in Personal Growth·May 29How the Power of Simplicity Can Improve Your LifeTrim the inessentials, and your best life will take shape — Nobody in the police department, including me, looked forward to the annual inspection. It was a two-day event. The first day involved an early morning review of the troops. The police chief, along with a guest inspector, scrutinized every member of the police department. A Lieutenant, holding a clipboard to…Life7 min read
Published in Personal Growth·May 21Never Miss a Good Chance to Shut UpHow silence can rescue your turbulent heart — It was the silent, stoic, elderly couple in the corner booth who caught my eye. The entire restaurant was an ocean of noise, clanking plates, chattering people, and piped-in music. But the old man and woman were serene and quiet, like devoted monastics. Many restaurant patrons, hypnotized by their glowing…Life7 min read
