20250525
WHAT REALLY MATTERS
TO GET SUPER PERSONAL FOR A MOMENT…
I’m super proud of all of our kids. And my wife.
They’re each doing hard things. And they’re amazing at the things they take on. I’m so UNBELIEVABLY grateful and proud of them.
But in this long a** text to my son, I’m very clear on my POV on what REALLY matters in life…
And I’ll throw this encouragement out to everyone…
$20, given to a stranger, who’s asking for help. We’ve all needed help.
Maybe today you can be someone who helped someone else.
And if you give $20 to someone, but can’t really afford it right now… let me know. We got you.
Much love. Always and all-ways.
THANK & DON’T SELL
Hey brands. Say “thank you.”
Really and simply, just say thank you.
To your customers. Your teams. Your communities.
Make them feel it – everywhere.
Maybe it’s a “thank you” day, all about them.
But f***ing mean it.
Then – do the hard part:
DON’T SELL. DON’T ASK. DON’T REQUEST.
Just give.
If you’re real about it, you’ll get what you’re after anyway:
A true community. The ones who stay.
GRATEFUL
My dad’s offices (both work and home) were filled with books.
Shelves. Piles. Stacks everywhere. I need to dig up a photo — it was borderline chaos (in the best way).
And, yep… I definitely inherited all of that.
Thanks, Dad. Haha
But seriously… more than the books, he demonstrated even bigger things:
About being yourself. Staying curious. Seeking wisdom. And, using your God-given talents and hard-earned skills to help.
I’m endlessly grateful to have grown up in the orbit of someone so fully, genuinely engaged — with life, learning, people, and genuine community.
REMINDER
YOUR LIFE IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
**How one decision changed everything—fast**
It’s September 2015. Almost ten years ago.
After a two-hour visit at a local animal rescue, I had a new sidekick.
A scruffy, sweet-faced Bedlington Terrier.
Nine months old. I named him Solomon.
He was the kindest creature I’d ever met.
And I had no idea this one random decision would launch an entirely new chapter of my life.
But first—let’s rewind.
A few months earlier, I’d started working with a career coach.
Trying to figure out what I wanted next.
I didn’t know it then, but I was six months away from a major company layoff.
And my divorce had been finalized earlier in the year.
The adjustment was hard.
The silence was louder.
But credit to Angela, my coach—she cracked something open.
The exercise that did it:
“Describe your life 10 years from now.”
No rules. No limits.
Career, family, relationships, experiences—anything that mattered.
I grabbed a pen and started dreaming.
Near the top:
“I’ll have a dog at my side.”
And two months later?
Boom. Solomon.
From day one, we brought each other joy.
My son adored him too.
And somewhere in that whirlwind of fur and feelings, I had an epiphany:
If one thing on my ten-year vision happened in two months…
What else could happen?
So I went back to the list.
And I started moving.
That one small decision wasn’t small.
It was momentum. It was proof.
It was the spark that got me unstuck then—and still fuels me now.
So I’ll leave you with this:
Do you know what you want?
Good.
Now go get it. Full steam ahead.
STOP SCROLLING. START NOTICING.
Try this for 24 hours:
- Look up. Pay attention.
Find something that stirs you. Surprises you. Hits you sideways. - Post it.
Share what it was. Say why it mattered. That’s it.
No corporate polish.
No performative insight.
Just you, giving a damn about something.
It doesn’t need to be “on brand.”
It just needs to be honest.
Then, do it again tomorrow.
See what happens when people meet you—not your job title.
SOAKED IN OCEAN WISDOM
**Standing waist-deep in ocean foam reminded me of a few things about life.**
No two waves are identical.
(Neither are people or moments.)
Always scan your surroundings.
(And take it more seriously than yourself.)
“Knock-you-down” waves come in groups.
(Hold your breathe, brace yourself – they pass.)
Don’t drift into distraction.
(The hardest wave is the one you don’t see coming.)
Stay alert for predators.
(But not every shadow is a shark.)
Balance is everything.
(Time for yourself, time for others.)
Higher forces surround us.
(Respect their beauty, honor their strength.)
Each moment is a gift.
(Swim in it.)
BURNOUT. SELF-DOUBT. STARTING OVER. (And what came next.)
“Stuck” is how I’d describe the past year.
Wanting change but barely moving.
Inspired by possibility yet overwhelmed about where to begin.
I wouldn’t trade being “multi-passionate” for anything.
But when your head’s not on straight, burnout wins and progress stalls.
I don’t have it all figured out. But I finally feel pointed in the right direction —
taking better steps, and working with momentum instead of against it.
“How did I get here?”
I’ve asked myself that more than once.
I was stuck — not challenged at work in ways I needed.
So I jumped into a new role and new company.
The mission was great. I liked the hustle.
But the culture? It didn’t fit. I knew it wouldn’t last.
Layer on some shaky confidence — and, if I’m honest, moments of low self-esteem.
The last decade has brought its hits:
• A divorce.
• Putting down my creative tools.
• Leaping into a new industry.
• Reevaluating my faith.
• Feeling like I didn’t know enough — about anything.
So yeah… it’s been hard.
I’m grateful for my wife, family, and friends.
They stood beside me, whether they knew it or not.
I’m thankful for my doctors.
And the new things I’m trying.
For the books and teachers lighting a better path forward.
And slower moments to ask: “What’s one thing I could do right now?”
For walking at least 10 minutes a day.
And remembering that “an object in motion stays in motion.”
Along with joining a new team with new opportunities — and a healthier culture.
The pieces are finally starting to click.
A few weeks ago, walking into a store, I found myself reflecting.
And the biggest confidence boost didn’t come from anyone else.
It came from me.
From my own internal voice, quietly saying:
“I loved who you were today.
And I love who you’re becoming.
You were helpful. And kind.
You moved things forward.
You worked with your team.
You stayed present.
You have experience. You have confidence.
And you care.”
And it landed:
I liked me.
Hell, I loved me.
I’ve been reminded that I’m good for people. And myself.
Here’s to a new day — to live, breathe, and enjoy.
P.S. I’m sharing this mostly for me. But maybe it’s for you too.
Keep going. The small steps add up.
