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?”
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?
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…
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?
Five hundred and forty-seven days. That’s how many mornings I’ve started with Duolingo, stumbling through Japanese vocabulary while my coffee cools. I didn’t expect this tiny routine to become my anchor after everything. What small, daily practice keeps you steady?
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 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?
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 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.
I got back from my morning 7-Eleven walk and caught myself already calculating how much ‘productive’ time I had left. When did we all start treating rest like something to feel guilty about?