My Article In Productive Magazine

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve contributed an article to the latest Productive Magazine, “What Yoga Can Teach Us About Productivity.”  As you can probably tell from the title, this is a different take on getting work done than what we usually see in the popular literature, and I’m grateful to the magazine staff for their [...]

The World Relaxes With You

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

It’s funny how scary it can be to relax.
When I was a kid, I came to believe that, when I relaxed the muscles in my jaw and behind my eyes, my face took on a doe-eyed, “begging” look.  This, I thought, made me appear weak, and an easy target for bullying.
So, I took up the [...]

Guest Posts at Lifehack.org, and Upcoming Workshop

Friday, June 24th, 2011

Recent Guest Posts
I was excited to recently contribute two guest posts to Lifehack.org:  “What Meditation Can Teach Us About Productivity” and “What Yoga Can Teach Us About Productivity.”
I didn’t announce these posts here earlier, because they are meant as introductions to my work, and I know this blog is only read by my advanced, graduate-level [...]

Dropping The “Make Or Break” Mentality

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Here’s something that doesn’t make much logical sense.
I imagine that, at some point in your life, you worked on a task that felt really “make or break” to you.  Maybe it was a project for an important client at work, or perhaps you were a student and preparing to take a test worth a big [...]

20 Powerful Self-Awareness Questions

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

I usually don’t feel drawn to doing “list posts.”  Some of this is because of my unease about doing something “everyone else” seems to be doing.
So, as a personal growth exercise, I’m going to jump right in and do a list post!  I also think this is a pretty cool and valuable list of questions [...]

Growing Into Our Humanity, Part 3: The Myth of the “Ego-Free Project”

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

I haven’t been on the internet much lately, because I’ve been deeply engaged in a new project.  I’ve been creating a computer game with a friend.  It’s built around an adventure story, as many games are, but the main focus is my ideas about what the spirituality of prehistoric people was like.
Being a reflective sort [...]

Embracing Writer’s Block, Part 5: Emptiness Is Fleeting

Monday, April 4th, 2011

I do something kind of unusual when I’m writing.  (I know, shockingly enough.)  I keep a journal of what I’m feeling and thinking when I’m faced with writer’s block.
To an outside reader, this journal would probably seem painfully repetitive, because it talks about the same worries again and again.  Some common themes are:
* “I think [...]

Growing Into Our Humanity, Part 2: The Myth of the “Bulletproof Life”

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

Once upon a time, my goal was to lead a life that was completely criticism-proof.  Once I had the “right” job, credentials, relationship, and so on, no one would ever accuse me of falling short in any area.  I’d get nothing but respect from everyone I worked with and knew.
Of course, this plan didn’t quite [...]

Guest Post at The Change Blog: Why Craving “Results” Gets Us No Results

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

I’ve published a post over at The Change Blog, “Why Craving ‘Results’ Gets Us No Results,” about how the fear of “not getting results” in our work can limit how much we accomplish, and how we can let go of that fear.  I hope you enjoy it, and I’m looking forward to your feedback!

What You Focus On Relaxes

Friday, March 4th, 2011

A common idea in personal development circles is that “what you focus on expands.”  For instance, if you’re feeling sad, focusing your attention on your sadness will only make you sadder.  Instead, you need to distract yourself from your sadness by visualizing rainbows, playing with your cat, or doing something else to take your mind [...]