May 28, 2016 2 Comments Meditation is a simple mental focus exercise that can have powerful effects in your daily life. Personally, it’s increased my awareness of the thoughts and emotions I experience and improved my ability to choose how I respond to situations in life, rather than react unconsciously. When I’ve had a consistent practice of meditation, it’s also reduced stress and anxiety, increased my compassion for others, and...
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Bali / Indonesia / Personal / Spirituality / Travel Mar 24, 2015 9 Comments I don’t know about you, but there are a lot of thoughts swimming around in my head, and sometimes I get really tired of the inner noise. It’s easy for me to get caught up in preparing for the future, reliving the past, or the constant chatter of labeling and critiquing everything in my present experience. Sometimes, I wish the voice in my head would just shut up...
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Personal / Spirituality Feb 10, 2013 14 Comments One of the most powerful tools I’ve discovered for becoming more present and aware of my inner world is “breathing”. Everyone breathes, but most people remain consistently unaware of their breath, and of the impact that conscious breathing can have upon emotions, health, and well-being. I think it feels great to yawn, sigh, laugh, and take deep breaths. But I’m finding I can gain more...
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Personal / Spirituality Jan 18, 2013 26 Comments As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been quieter lately in the online world. The reason, I found, is that I was afraid to be genuine. I’ve been doing a lot of inner exploration lately, and am discovering things about myself that are painful to admit, even to myself. It’s time to come clean, in the name of deeper, richer connections, a fuller self-expression,...
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Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai / Thailand Dec 02, 2012 4 Comments We had heard that Chiang Mai had a similar vibe to Ubud, and it some ways, we found that it does. We loved the food in Chiang Mai, and looked forward to every meal. There were several health-conscious restaurants in the Old Town within walking distance of our hotel. Great markets, musical and dance performances, and fun activities left plenty to do there. But like...
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Entrepreneurship / Personal / Productivity Sep 24, 2012 20 Comments I love my life! It’s a lifestyle I’ve created by choice and through persistent hard work, creativity, a bit of luck, and a lot of help from others. Not everyone would enjoy living like I do. Some people don’t like to travel. Others prefer the comfort of a steady paycheck, or are satisfied enough with their life as it is. And that’s awesome! But there are...
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Bali / Travel Mar 25, 2012 8 Comments Bali is an island full of culture, especially in Ubud where we’re settling for at least the next year. Sometimes called “The land of a thousand temples,” Bali literally has tens of thousands of temples and shrines on the island, and most families even have their own temple within their housing complex, usually dedicated to their ancestors. With sacred offerings to the gods placed at...
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Japan / Kyoto Jul 19, 2009 5 Comments Tadaima! I’m home from Japan, and had a great time. Here is a summary of the entire trip, with pictures. On Friday, I left for Japan with my dad, one other chaperon, and six students from ages 14-18. It was a lot of fun being back in Japan, smelling the familiar smells, and hearing the familiar sounds. In fact, it’s so familiar to me now,...
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