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.
It’s certainly tempting to stay in bed. Sleep feels so good, and our mattress is extremely comfortable. We even use a black-out curtain, so the early light of June and July doesn’t wake us up at 5am. But for a while now, I’ve been finding it impossible to sleep in. Once I’ve had enough sleep, I just can’t stay in bed any longer. Sometimes, it’s because I have a lot… Read More »Why I Get Out of Bed
The world offers no shortage of things to be angry about: The car that just cut you off. That inconsiderate thing your partner said. The mess your kids left in the kitchen. Your knee pain. The latest political scandal. But anger has never served you. It doesn’t lead to wise decisions, and it doesn’t lead to happiness. You can still take positive action without the “motivation” of being angry. And… Read More »Anger is Optional
Being injured sucks. I should know; I’ve been there enough times. At the moment, I’m dealing with a chronic foot injury. The little bones in the ball of my right foot are inflamed, and they’re taking their sweet time to heal. I could, of course, be upset about this. And sometimes I am. But that doesn’t do me any good. A better option is to use my philosophy. The first… Read More »The Stoic Approach to Injury
I often advise keeping your eyes on the process rather than keeping your eyes on the prize. In other words, focus on your effort, not the results you’re aiming for. Pour your energy into the work, and the results will usually take care of themselves. But last week, Seth Godin reminded me that it’s not that simple: “We expend effort. We create value. It’s easy to get confused about which… Read More »Are Your Efforts Effective?