Do nothing for a day, so that you can be alert and productive the rest of the week
It seems to me we’re all burned out now-a-days. The world we live in has picked up speed at an alarming pace. A pace that is definitely not sustainable. The days seem to all blend together as our lives whirl by in the blender of the world.
Don’t get me wrong, the 21st century is super exciting. Self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, international travel, the ability to meet people all over the world. It’s great.
But on the flip-side of that coin, there are unending distractions at our fingertips, the constant fight against unending appeal to limitless desires through advertising…
Here are 4 tips to get out of your mental rut. Give yourself patience and grace.
Dear overthinking human,
You’re not going to solve the world’s problems in your head. And you’re not going to protect yourself from the world in your head. No matter how hard you refine and purify ideas in your hyperactive noggin, at some point it pays to take action, if only to give your grey matter a release.
So here’s a reminder to stop overthinking. Don’t beat yourself up because you caught yourself playing mental gymnastics again. Just become aware… let it go again… and carry on with your day by doing the next right thing. Rinse and repeat. …
Welcome to the Philosopher’s Spotlight. Every so often, I take a look at a philosopher that shaped his or her life with profound words and deeds, and impacted the lives of those around them in a meaningful way. I love drinking in proverbs, wisdom literature, and insights or different ways of living that can help us all live better, find peace and love more.
Context
Thomas Merton is rapidly becoming one of my favorite people and most endearing friends. You know, those authors or professors or scientists or musicians that have long since passed away, but who connect with you instantaneously…
How To Let Go and Move On From Someone You Love
Love is a tricky and fickle thing. It will clamp onto you when you least expect it, and if you’re unlucky, you can easily be swept off of your feet. You’ll start experiencing an emotional high — even if you’re the cautious type and you have enough self-awareness into fooling yourself that you are still “in control”.
When you have a crush on someone, it can sometimes be confusing as you try to navigate and validate the internal landscape of swirling emotions. One day it may be passive interest, then the next day perhaps it is lust or desire, and…
What do you do when your soul is crushed? Lean on the Rock of Ages. A short story of 6 years of my life.
This piece was originally written in December of 2018. After 6 years spent studying in France, I was planning on staying there for good. In an unforeseen turn of events, I failed to secure employment in time before my visa expired, and I was forced to come back to the States.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. -Proverbs 13:12
The past six years spent in France were, for me, the crowning achievement of my life up to this point. Going from strength to strength and gaining momentum most of the way…
Like Thoreau, work towards removing the excess in your life and start focusing on what truly matters.
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.” — Henry David Thoreau
Let me begin abruptly. I’d like to convince you that simplifying your life is the difference between living a life half-asleep and living a happy, deliberate life. Thoreau was consumed with boiling life down to its very essence. …
On love, patience, and not neglecting the small things in life.
Welcome to the Philosopher’s Spotlight. Every so often, I take a look at a philosopher that shaped his or her life with profound words and deeds, and impacted the lives of those around them in a meaningful way. I love drinking in proverbs, wisdom literature, and insights or different ways of living that can help us all live better, find peace and love more.
Context
Leo Tolstoy, otherwise known as Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, was a Russian writer who lived during the 19th century, and is regarded by many as one of the greatest authors of all time (straight from the…
Using balance, acceptance, gratitude, and self-awareness to find lasting joy.
Wherever you are in the world right now, take a minute to pause whatever you are doing and just be.
Deep breath.
Appreciate whatever beauty is in front of your eyes. A brick building, a worn wooden table, a maple tree in your backyard, your coworker’s smile, the steam from your morning coffee.
Now focus your attention on these words. Simplicity is a gift and virtue, if only we remain conscious enough to not let it slip away. Allow me to unpack the art of living a simple life.
Are you frustrated or tired?
It happens. The wonder of life is the full range of…
In true hipster fashion, impress your date with a poem you found on Medium.
Music sets the mood
Singing softly in the living room
I sit comfortably next to you
Myriad candles emitting their glow
Dancing around your graceful figure
I gently kiss your cheeks, warm and aglow
As we move as one
Travelers in this strange world
I want to honor you
For who you are
A precious gemstone
Shining bright in the dark
You know me inside and out
And still your love is unending
Oh baby, let me pursue you joyfully
Lay down your shield
Allow me to tend to your garden
Joyfully
Sweet honey, smooth and soft to the touch
…
4 tactics that say ‘no’ to anxiety
Read this before getting angry
Before I trigger everyone and their mother, let me acknowledge that anxiety is a real disorder that can really be debilitating in certain situations. We should all definitely take this seriously and be kind and compassionate to anyone struggling through life with this disorder.
With that being said, I still do boldly posit: a lot of your anxiety can be self-imposed. This should be taken as an encouragement, a wake-up call, and/or a bold reminder.
We all have anxious thoughts. Don’t worry, you are not alone. It is a part of the spectrum of human emotions that color the human…
Zane Fleming
Deep thinker, French lover, Christ follower.
