Ideas on Mental Health & Meaning
Slow Down to Grow: The Bonsai Approach to Life
After my last post, a lot of people reached out with the same question: “What does it actually mean to slow down?”or“How do I even do that when life isn’t slowing down?” Fair question—because “slow down” sounds nice… but can feel completely unrealistic. Let’s be...
Careful Cultivation: What the Bonsai Tree Taught Me About Overwhelm
Lately, it feels like I’ve been burning the candle at all five ends. Somewhere between busy, overwhelmed, and maybe a little frustrated. One of my business partners said, “I can feel the overwhelm in your texts.” My first reaction? Yeah, whatever… But the truth is—I...
Blue Zone Hangover: When Inspiration Meets Real Life
I just got back from a Blue Zone… and for about 24 hours I was convinced I needed to change everything about my life. For those who aren’t familiar, Blue Zones are regions of the world where people tend to live longer, healthier lives—places like Okinawa, Sardinia,...
From Taboo to Treatment: Psilocybin and the Policy Shift Reshaping Mental Health
The ground shook this past Saturday morning - figuratively speaking. And then I started shaking - really. The adrenaline was just too much for my sleep deprived body to handle. I had just gotten back from a week-long trip to Costa Rica reviewing and assessing...
What If Happiness Isn’t the Goal?
Dr. Viktor Frankl taught me that, "success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrend to a person other than...
Loneliness Isn’t Just About Being Alone
I am seeing this an awful lot in my office lately. People feeling "lonely", despite having a lot of friends, or perhaps even being married. When we think about loneliness, we often picture someone who is physically alone. Someone without relationships. Someone...
When the News Feels Heavy: Protecting Your Mental Health
Have you ever noticed how quickly a few minutes of checking the news can turn into feeling overwhelmed? You might start with the intention of “just catching up.” But a few headlines later, your mood has shifted. Your body feels tense. Your mind is racing. And...
The Mental Health Power of Small Wins
Years ago, when I was an aspiring undergrad psychology student, my cousin bought me a VHS copy of Bill Murray's "What About Bob" - yes, a VHS copy - for those of you who don't know what that means, email me. I've watched it dozens of times by now. In fact, I would...
Why Waiting for Motivation Keeps Us Stuck
I often forget, "Motivation" was actually an entire chapter in a few Psychology textbooks I had, years ago. It is it's own entire field of study. It's own science, in a way. It is NOT a magical fairy that will appear and shoot an "arrow of motivation" into your...
The Hidden Fatigue of Decision Overload
I am slightly embarrased to admit this... but, some mornings, I wake up and can't decide what clothes to put on... Even after a few, or maybe several, cups of coffee and some meditation. And it's not like i own that much clothing. And, to be fully transparent,...
Why the MBTI Can Be a Powerful Tool in Counseling
As I have been working on (finally) bringing The Meaning Project Community to life, I've been taking a lot of deep dives into the history of my work - Viktor Frankl, Logotherapy, Ketamine & Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy, and, of course, the Myers Briggs Typer...
When Motivation Isn’t the Problem — Meaning Is
It’s Monday morning. You tell yourself you need to “get focused.”“Be disciplined.”“Try harder.” But what if motivation isn’t the real issue? What if the deeper problem is meaning? So often we assume that when our energy dips or our drive fades, something is wrong with...