The Thoughts We Keep to Ourselves

It’s Okay to Be Broken (Sometimes That’s When Love Looks Most Real)

Graphic representation of a broken heart, expressing themes of pain and loss.

We all break sometimes. Relationships end, dreams dissolve, and futures change in ways we never planned. If you’re feeling shattered by someone’s leaving, by someone’s choice to build their life elsewhere, you’re not alone. Sometimes being broken is proof that what you had was real.

The Quiet Practice of Being Grateful

Praying hands illustration with soft watercolor background.

Some mornings, walking to 7-Eleven before dawn, I find myself in conversation with something larger than myself. Not formal prayer—just acknowledgment. What does gratitude actually feel like in your daily life, not what it should feel like?”

The Pressure to Be “Desirable” (And Why I Worry About It)

watercolor portrait of a stylish 1950s woman

After twenty years teaching English in Japan, I’ve watched brilliant women—nurses, office workers, mothers—lose focus during lessons, checking reflections in phone screens, fidgeting with clothing. When did the pressure to be constantly ‘desirable’ become so overwhelming?

The Guilt of Saying No (And Why It Gets Easier After 50)

Older guy at farm checking watch

Do you feel that knot in your stomach when you need to say no to your boss? Even after putting in a full day’s work? At 4:30 PM yesterday, covered in mosquito bites from farming, I faced that familiar guilt again. You’re not alone in this struggle…

Chasing Dreams vs. Chasing Money (And Why I’m Still Figuring It Out)

Man planting to make money

Last night, thanks to a mosquito and my overactive mind, I managed about an hour of sleep. But instead of feeling exhausted, my brain exploded with blog ideas. At nearly 60, lying there energized by possibility, I realized something startling: I’m addicted to hope. Sound familiar?

Finding Balance in Alone Time

Rear view of a man sitting on a lookout point overlooking a forest landscape.

Sometimes the universe delivers exactly what we need: uninterrupted time with ourselves. Today my boss unexpectedly canceled work, leaving me alone with farming tasks and blessed silence. By day’s end, I’d completely forgotten which side of the bed I’d woken up on. How…

Can We Be Too Loyal?

Mac Studio and Studio Display in Apple store window. Bangkok, Thailand

Can loyalty hold you back? After years as a devoted Windows user and smartphone enthusiast, I’m questioning whether my tech loyalty limited my growth. A Microsoft forum ban made me wonder: when does devotion become limitation? Have you ever been too loyal for your own good?

The Quiet Art of Checking In With Yourself

mature man concentrated on styling hair with hairdryer

Today’s toilet paper run shouldn’t have been noteworthy. Yet between my apartment and the shop, I caught myself doing it again—that internal check-in that’s become familiar since 419 days ago. Am I dressed appropriately? Did I acknowledge neighbors properly? Do you…

How Dreams Change as You Get Older

A watercolor depiction of a business vision showcasing a man gazing at a colorful urban skyline.

How do dreams change as you get older? From helicopter pilot ambitions to wanting time with aging parents – exploring how what we want shifts with age and experience.