In our weakest moments, we reveal truths about ourselves we’d prefer to hide. Maybe what we ought to be doing is to not hide them but uncover them, own them, change them. — In case you were in a beautiful, silent place last week, perhaps in nature with no wi-fi, let’s catch up. In front of national news media, Congressman Ted Yoho called Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a “fucking bitch”. Rep. AOC chose not to respond formally and instead choose to brush it off…

When we own our true nature through strength and vulnerability, we are defining what masculinity is. — The Bromance Phenomenon When I met my brother in law for the first time, we shook hands firmly as we exchanged affirmative expressions, eye-to-eye study, and a murmured “good to meet you.” He’s a military man from the United States and I’m a writer from Canada. …

Let’s take into consideration the societal and environmental influences in which participants are growing. — Never to be outdone, my father once quipped “it’s well known that girls mature faster than boys, but we catch up and pass them pretty quickly.” He thinks he’s hilarious. He’s accepted, albeit reluctantly, the common trope that “girls mature faster than boys,” which has over the years been backed…

My editor called me out for how I wrote about the women in my book. Here’s how I handled it. — I never realized the toxic way I thought and wrote about women — until my book editor called me out for it. She told me, “If I have to read the way you describe women one more time, I’m not going to edit this fucking book.” I was speechless. I’m…

Alarming Aroma at Thirty-Thousand-Feet — There exists endless tropes about negotiating airplane restrooms as they serve as much comedic novelty as they do their designed purpose. …

Practicing meditation can bring joy, focus, healing, and many other incredibly powerful benefits if you go in prepared. — I adopted meditation out of need. As I healed from childhood trauma and subsequent addictions, my wife recommended we try a simple meditation in the morning. I felt the benefits over the next few days and weeks and I haven’t looked back. I extol meditation and how it helped me…

How can a white person be part of the solution? Here are a few easy starters. — It’s been suggested that to not speak up demonstrates an unwillingness to stand up. The problem is that I don’t know what to say. I’m frustrated, heartbroken, angry, confused but I dare not even try to unsee the deliberate hate that we all have witnessed, that we continue to witness. …

Sleep deprivation in adolescents and teens is strongly associated with suicide, the second leading cause of death of teenagers. — My “lazy” teenage self was right. Now, armed with a lot more knowledge, I aim my best I-told-you-so stare at my father. Of course, at the time he didn’t know any of the facts below as they are pretty new. Still, in my incredibly petty way, I feel vindicated because…

Meditation was one of the first efforts of self-love that actually made a difference in my life. — In her book Real Love, Sharon Salzberg wrote: People tell you to just love yourself, but they don’t tell you how. I think I connected with that line originally because it’s true. There’s a lot of popcorn philosophy out there that isn’t backed up by methodology. When I was working…