I want you to think about how you feel when you have to listen to someone else complaining. Does it feel good? Now I want you to think about the fact that, when you complain, you’re making other people feel just as crummy as you feel when they complain. I also want you to think about the fact that, when you complain, you’re making yourself listen to yourself complaining. Does… Read More »Why Complaining Makes Things Worse
Last week I gave into temptation and splurged on myself. In one of the nerdiest splurges imaginable, I bought an expensive board game (Terraforming Mars), and I bought three expansions for it, and I bought a custom organizer for all the game pieces. Total cost: $169. I spent the next hour looking forward to it with great excitement, but I hardly ever spend that kind of money on myself, so,… Read More »My New Rule for Money and Happiness
For those of us working on self-improvement, the holidays can be a treacherous time. Your routines get interrupted by travel or visiting family, making it much harder to maintain your good habits, and you’re confronted with all manner of temptations that you would normally keep to a minimum. Between all the parties, the sugar-filled goodies, and the general hustle and bustle, healthy eating and exercise are easily neglected. To help… Read More »Becoming Better During the Holidays
Five and a half years ago, I broke my left foot. At the time, my only sources of income were waiting tables and bartending, and my primary sources of fun were hiking and skiing, so having a broken foot was a big problem. To make matters worse, it didn’t heal very quickly. In fact, it’s still not completely healed. I have persistent pain and inflammation that limit what I can… Read More »The Gift of Big Problems