Action Without Action When translated into Chinese, Wu Wei Si. I recently came back to civilization from staying two weeks at the Wu Wei Si Shaolin Monastery in the mountains of Dali, China. I needed a change in my life. The only thing I knew were that I wanted to get away from my hectic […]
Amor Fati Friedrich Nietzsche: “My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati, that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely to bear what is necessary, but to love it.” We can’t control everything that happens to us. This is one of the hardest concepts to accept, at […]
Memento Mori Is it crazy to say that I believe regularly reminding yourself “I must die” can be the happiest, most motivating and freeing exercise for positively influencing your life? Lucky for me, I am not alone in this thought! “Remembering you must die,” or in Latin, Memento Mori, is a key aspect of Stoic […]
Have you ever reached a big goal and not felt as satisfied as you thought you would? Well, you’re not alone. This is extremely common because humans love short-term goals, and it’s easy to get caught up in them. A lot of times, the goals we strive for are only a means to reaching the goals we […]
“What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?” John Green I learned a fascinating concept while traveling through Okinawa, Japan: the locals call it Ikigai, or translated, the reason to live. And if anyone has mastered how to live, it’s the Okinawans. The island is know […]
Remember the last time you found yourself in a seemingly impossible situation? You are not alone. But the key word here is “seemingly.” No situation is impossible. You may have thought it was impossible at that time, but think about it now. You’re here, you survived, and you LEARNED from the situation. You are stronger […]
Something that stands out to me in Southern Thailand (as well as when I was in Sicily) is the slower pace of life. No one is in a rush to get anywhere; family, friends, and community take the highest priority. Closing your shop/restaurant unexpectedly for a while is a completely normal activity. While this can […]
Due to the number of positive responses from sharing the parable on the Mexican Fishing Village, I have another favorite to share! It’s about a farmer who is presented with a series of fortunate and difficult circumstances. As we go through life, we all experience our ups and downs. The key is to remember that […]
Westerners, especially in America, tend to think that everyone else in the world wants to be like them. And, this is not just for the poorer parts of Africa, South America, and SE Asia. I’ve heard plenty of people say it about modernized Europe and Asia as well. Just because something is different, doesn’t mean […]
It’s an interesting question that comes up between long-term travelers. Are you running towards something or away from something? Are you escaping the past, or are you seeking a new future? Of course in most cases, it’s a little of both. I think when people start traveling, they think they will become an entirely new […]
How do you plan for the future if you are supposed to be “living in the moment”? Does living in the moment mean you have to give up stability? How about success? The last two questions I feel comfortable saying no to up front. But how about the first? Everyone needs something to capture their passion […]