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Chris Loper

Chris Loper has been writing about self-improvement and helping busy adults with habit formation since 2017. He also writes an education blog for parents and students for Northwest Educational Services. Along with Greg Smith, Chris is the cocreator of Parenting for Academic Success, a series of transformative classes that create empowered parents, confident students, and harmonious families. His most recent endeavor combines his academic and habit-formation expertise to help students thrive in college. Visit SmartCollegeHabits.com to learn more. In 2021, Chris published a humorous memoir titled Wood Floats and Other Brilliant Observations, a book that blends crazy stories with practical life lessons. He lives in Issaquah, WA where he is the owner of South Cove Tutoring.

If You Think That Time Will Change Your Ways…

“If you think that time will change your ways, don’t wait too long.” –Madeleine Peyroux  Time will not change your ways. You have to change your ways. Behavioral change is hard, but with strategy and effort, it’s absolutely possible. Unlike the statue above, you’re not set in stone. And although it’s never too late to change, you should start now. Don’t wait for it to be convenient. Don’t wait for… Read More »If You Think That Time Will Change Your Ways…

Reminder Blindness

Think about the last time you got a new piece of art or furniture. For a while after you got it, it sort of popped out to you when your eyes scanned the room it was in. It seemed more vibrant, special, or interesting than the rest of the art/furniture. But then, perhaps a month or two after getting it, the new art/furniture blended into the rest of the room.… Read More »Reminder Blindness

Predicting Your Future Emotions

So it’s last week, Monday evening, and I’m upset. The last four hours of work have been rough, and I’m feeling frustrated and anxious and burned out. I think to myself, I need to go for a walk in the park. But then I think to myself, What’s the point? I’m in such a bad mood that it won’t help. I hesitate. I waffle. And then, reluctantly, I put on… Read More »Predicting Your Future Emotions

Fire and Grace

Over at Optimize.me, Brian Johnson likes to draw a distinction between two states: “energized tranquility” and “enervated anxiety.” Energized tranquility is calm determination. It’s motivation mixed with confidence and hope. Enervated anxiety is the opposite: a state of weakness, exhaustion, and worry. It’s burnout mixed with helplessness. And sadly, it’s what a lot of us feel on a regular basis. Luckily, we can change that by knowing what state we… Read More »Fire and Grace

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For over a decade, I’ve been focused on one question: How do we actually become better, in ways that last?

This blog shares the lessons, tools, and ideas I’ve found most useful—grounded in research and experience.

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