One of the most basic ways to grow the spiritual dimension of your life is to consciously invite Spirit into whatever you’re doing. It’s like there’s a friend who’s been… Read More
Creative Living
Is God Broccoli?
As a young adult I often stayed at the beautiful Marin Headlands hostel just north of San Francisco. I was there one weekend while a large group of missionaries was… Read More
Are You Actually Actualizing?
Although we weren’t thinking about it while writing it, our life planner, The Dreambook, is very much aligned with ideas of the Human Potential Movement (HPM). The movement focuses on… Read More
The Connection Between Eating and Mental Clarity
An old tai ji quan (tai chi) teacher of mine used to say, “Yi dao … qi dao … li dao,” which roughly means the focus of your mind (yi… Read More
Your Core Values: They Affect Everything You Do
One of my favorite sections of our Dreambook occupies only two-thirds of a page. It’s about discovering your core values. It’s easy to skip it. I know you could go… Read More
Uncomfortable Conversations: Diffuse the Discomfort by Speaking Up
After two years of studying plant and soil sciences, my favorite professor, Dr. Barker, offered me a job on the University of Massachusetts farm. Whereas my previous jobs had been… Read More
The Main Ingredients in a High Level Quality of Life
When we read about historical figures or people in the news, it’s easy to get the message that it’s big things that make a life exceptional, that the individuals who… Read More
The Antidote: Celebration
In working with the community that has developed around our Dreambook, Briana and I have encountered people looking for many different forms of life-optimization. While there’s plenty of guidance we… Read More
Level Up with the Dreambook
You are amazing. Let’s take it to the next level. I am always delighted to get unsolicited positive feedback about our books and courses. I save it all in an… Read More
The Miracle Planet
Imagine if you had the opportunity to create the perfect planet. What would you come up with? Let’s brainstorm together! To start, you’d probably want plenty of water. We all… Read More
Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends
Last week I wrote about the many reasons we don’t ask for help, including what I think of the “Lone Ranger complex,” where we believe there’s great merit in doing… Read More
Why Don’t We Get The Help We Need?
As a young adult living in Western Massachusetts, I had a handful of friends who attended Hampshire College. Hampshire is well known for being highly unconventional. There are no majors,… Read More
Relationship Repair Part Three: Choose Qualities to Commit To
In past articles I suggested that while it’s common to think that the essence of commitment is staying together no matter what, this is a pretty superficial interpretation. More meaningful… Read More
Relationship Repair Part Two: Do Your Own Work
Last week I saw a show by a troop of comedians at a tiny theater in Montana. Though they were talented, I didn’t find myself laughing much at the recurring… Read More
Relationship Repair Step One: Attitude Adjustment
When I’m counseling clients with marital challenges, my orientation is to always try to save the relationship. Especially if the individuals are interested in growing, becoming more self-aware, and healing… Read More