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Clear writing about life.

I write about the sort of stuff we wish someone had told us about life. Happiness. Success. Emotions. How, in this crazy world, to live the life that's right for you.

My best-loved pieces are below.

The Letters

The core of my work is a hand-crafted letter I send out every Sunday morning. The last few letters are below, and if you'd like them in your inbox every Sunday, you can subscribe for free.

The Work.
November 4, 2024
Insecure.
October 27, 2024
Silhouettes
October 20, 2024
September in Tōkyo
October 13, 2024
Welcome to Kyōjima, Tōkyo
October 6, 2024
The Archives
Letters from Weeks and Months Past

Having a Healthy Mind in a Crazy World

I've wrestled with depression for most of my life, struggled with self-worth, gotten stuck in bad situations, and burnt out repeatedly. In other words, I'm human.

But I've also researched, experimented, and taken notes. Here's what I've learned.

Trump/Biden, and making the shouting stop.
November 8, 2020
Skydiving and Looking Down.
January 10, 2017
Did you vote for Trump? We need your help.
November 14, 2016
President Trump, and Putting Down the Rope
November 10, 2016
Don't Concentrate, Cultivate
October 25, 2016
 How To Help Someone With Depression — If you know someone who struggles with depression, here's your guide on how to help. I get countless emails from folks who deal with depression thanking me for this one. Trust me, it works. What To Do When You're Depressed — The best things you can do for yourself when you're in the middle of a depressive episode. How To Survive Burnout — Sometimes burnout is unavoidable. Here's everything you need to know to survive it, and get back on your feet. 7 Steps To Get Out Of A Bad Situation — Ever felt stuck in some situation you didn't want, but weren't sure how to get out? Me too. Here's a tried and tested way to get free. How To Love Yourself — Self love is a lot trickier than it seems. Here's a strategy to get there that uses your brain's natural tendencies to your benefit.

How Our Brains & Emotions Work
(it's not how we think)

I'm fascinated by how our brains actually work, and how we can use all the powerful biological shortcuts we have to our benefit. It's what's driven me to make The No-Bullshit Guide To Depression. and The Change Monsters, and write the pieces below.

How To Be Mexican — Every time I land somewhere new, I have to learn how to fit in. There's a trick - our brain's built in mimicry abilities - and we can use it for amazing things. Never Say Sorry — "I'm Sorry." It's helpful, inocuous, and kind, right? Actually, nope. It's doing more harm than good, and there's a better way. Never Say Best — How two chefs in Thailand cracked open what I was really saying when I said, "This is the best." It made me never want to say it again. Explosive Diarrhea Is Awesome — The rather comforting truth about explosive diarrhea, and the other big scary monsters our brains tell us would be the worst thing ever. Why Blacklivesmatter And The Power Of A Refrigerator Note — This whole thing around #blacklivesmatter is down to our brains trying to trick us. Here's what's going on - and what we can do about it.

Living an Authentic Life

I'm obsessed with living an authentic life. Mine is this writing and traveling and brain-and-heart-understanding. Yours is likely pretty different.

But it turns out there are some cornerstones we all share in finding and getting the lives that are authentic for us.

How To Spend Your Life on What Matters — Nobody has enough time. But some people are able to spend their lives doing exactly what they want, without the bullshit. How's that possible? They've figured out this trick. How To Be Successful At Anything — Ever wondered how those really successful people got there? Turns out, it's not that complicated. I can tell you, in five minutes. What Surfing Taught Me About Success — I learned to surf in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Along the way, it taught me a surprising emotional truth. Why I Turned Down Facebook — I was flown out to Facebook, interviewed, and then turned down the job. Here's why. How To Get To The Life You Want Without Being A Superhero — That big, scary, far-off dream? Here's how to get it — even if you're chickenshit like me.

Culture and Travel

I sold all my stuff, and now live all over the world, slow-traveling my way across the planet. I immerse myself in culture after culture to learn what they have to teach about being alive. Here's what I've learned.

The Mexican Secret Of Happiness — By the numbers, Mexicans are a whole lot happier than they should be. The reason is a set of wonderful cultural characteristics - the Mexican secret to happiness. Home Is Just A Story — There are stories we tell about life, love, and home. But they're stories - and they're not right for everyone. This Mask Will Not Protect Me — All those surgical masks you see in Southeast Asia? They're not what you think. Why I Never Haggle — Most cultures on earth haggle. I never bite. Here's why. In Defense Of The Second Menu — Know that second menu, in English, with the jacked-up prices? It's a beautiful thing. Here's why.

The Letters

Every week, from wherever I am in the world, I send out a hand-crafted letter to an amazing group of people. Here are the latest:

The Work. — November 4, 2024 Insecure. — October 27, 2024 Silhouettes — October 20, 2024 September in Tōkyo — October 13, 2024 Welcome to Kyōjima, Tōkyo — October 6, 2024 The Archives — Letters from Weeks and Months Past
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