[Caution: Emotional full monte to follow. If you'd rather not go there, but would rather see funny cat pictures instead, I don't blame you. That's where I was in the not-too-distant past. However, if you're open to playing with fire and letting it all hang out, then welcome.] The funny thing about putting the things…
Sometimes focusing on the details is a good thing in a relationship, and a great skill to have, and sometimes it’s more of a distraction or a liability for us. When we get unbalanced, and can’t see the forest because there are too many trees in the way, it’s time to zoom out. There can…
Every single one of us has gotten to a point in our lives where we feel stuck – we’ve lost our mojo, life is somewhat colorless and bland, and things just don’t make a whole lot of sense to us anymore. “What is this mojo he speaks of?” It might mean different things to different…
We’ve all heard about the magic of present-moment awareness. It’s not a new concept (Buddhists have been touting it for centuries) but it’s enjoyed a revival in recent years with those of us looking for a more serene, joy-filled approach to living. My 14-year-old son is my best teacher of staying in the now. I…
Sounds nice, right? So what’s keeping you from it and why don’t you just claim it? The only thing standing between you and that kind of freedom and confidence is your inability to live authentically from your innermost core. Notice that I’m not telling you to be authentic because it will make you a better…
After 14 years of marriage, plus a couple of other long-term relationships before that, I’ve been privy to many conversations with women as to where we men fail as husbands. Some of those were relayed from a third party about their own husband, and some of those conversations were ones where my wife and I were…
We live in a society that tends to worship and celebrate individuality and creativity in the few, the stars or the celebrities or the experts, yet we embrace conformity in expressing it in our own lives. Why is that? Maybe it’s because too often, we give other people the power of permission over our lives,…
Sometimes, the very things which define us as being adults, such as reliability and consistency and stability, work against us. We come to a place where we think we know all we need to know, and we end up failing to notice many of the details in the world around us anymore. And that can…
Lately I’ve been wrestling with the issue of finding my ‘great work’ in life, and last night I came across this video, which is packed full of great insights into the process of tuning in to that. Plus, I’m kind of envious of this kind of video production… Pretty sweet, and well worth the ten minutes…
Does being more vulnerable give you a sense of worthiness? I don’t know many men who would willingly discuss this, much less agree with it, and I’m no exception. But today I may have changed my mind about that. I’ve been going through some personal challenges lately – above and beyond the usual life lessons….
[This is a continuation of the theme I began in the first piece, Advice to Myself as a Young Man, in which I try to write to myself at the age of 15 and give myself the advice I couldn't hear 25 years ago.] Dear Derek, One thing that has been a constant presence in…
