inspiration + spirituality articles

expand your life, take your dogma for a walk

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all
- Joni Mitchell

Dogma comes in all kinds of packaging -- usually just the right size to fit our insecurities and blind spots. The Greeks defined it as, “that which one thinks is true, good or decent.” Whether you’re fighting for peace (what a searing oxymoron that is,) or you’re converting meat-eaters to veggie burgers, you do what you do because it feels really good to think you’re right. We usually leave the dogma up to "them". You know, "them". But the fact is, that every single one of us is a dogma trouper at the end of the day. Fess up. Laugh at yourself. Get on the bus with all the other righteous bozos.

The church used to have the dogma market cornered, but celebrity culture and the corporations are vying for a hostile take over. Orders, orders everywhere: be good, get rich, be nice, and for God’s sake, be reasonable. There are keys to heaven, keys to the executive washroom, habits for effectiveness, principles for success. Diets. Day timers. And eeew, performance reviews. And how-to’s. Those how-to’s will really mess you up.

Humanist, creationist, capitalist. Pro-gay marriage, -immigration laws, -cigarette taxes. Past-lives, the rapture, the power of now...Dogma. All of it. Just cop to your version of it.

When you admit to your dogma and righteousness, you give yourself some wiggle room. And wiggling is flexible. And flexibility creates spaciousness And spaciousness is daring. And daring is dangerous. And dangerous is scary. And when we're scared, we tend to get...dogmatic.

But we need to return to continual questioning of our beliefs (and our faith) if we're interested in expanding. And communing. And the thrill of certainty. Without certainty, you go mad. Without inquiry, you wither.

LAUGH AT YOURSELF
Some friends and I got to hang with the Dalai Lama for a morning and we grilled him with questions on everything from interplanetary consciousness to politics. And before almost every answer he would laugh his baritone laugh and shake his head and say, “Oh I don’t know, I just don’t know.” It created so much space! Space to wonder.

Me? I think of all I thought I knew and I gotta laugh -- fondly, with a smidge of chagrin. And maybe I'll look back on how wizened I think I am today and bust a gut. Right about now, I care much more deeply about far less. I’m intensely certain about only a few select things in life. And I predict that my certainty will become even more simplified and narrow as I expand with life.

EXPEND EXPAND THE ENERGY
Dogma tends to have a long and viral shelf life because no one likes to admit to being an idiot. So lies get to stay on the payroll, like lazy Larry at the factory, because we unionize our systems of beliefs and we pay our dues because it's easier that way.

Fessing up to the follies of your dogma can burn a lot of energy -- like rockets do before they take off. And you might take some hard knocks (just ask Yusuf Islam aka, Cat Stevens). You might swim up stream for years (like Ariana Huffington on her way to the Democrats' camp.) You might have nothing to talk about with your circle of friends for a while.

But you certainly won't be complacent. And, you won't be tired. You'll be careening through the cosmos on your own terms. Positively certain that you're going the right way -- for now.

 

fear.less stories: the beautiful epidemic of fear

I learned this great little self-psych, truth-excavating trick in a Diamond Approach workshop: repetitive asking of the same question. It's simple, annoying, and soul-exfoliating. And it ALWAYS works with me and my fear. If you can breathe through the discomfort of not knowing, or the blocks that come up with digging into the "logic" of fear, this exercise can be incredibly effective, and fast. It just requires an open heart.

Following is an excerpt from Fear.Less Stories, an interviewed from Ishita Gupta. You can download the full, gorgeous magazine by clicking here now:
I sound a bit hard core, but I'm much more sweet then this snippet might have you believe. (All the more reason to go read the full article.)

. . .

We’re a culture of fear because we’re a culture of conformity. I’m a Zen master when it comes to fear with my entrepreneurial clients. I get out the cane and whack it and tell them, “Get over it.” I ask, “Do you want to be scared or do you want to be broke? Do you want to be scared, or do you want to move forward?” It’s OK if you want to be scared. You can do that if you want to stay in your 9-to-5 job.

When you make it that black and white, it becomes clear which way they’re going to go. I often do an exercise with people where I repeat the same question to them two, three, four times until we get to what’s really bothering them, until we get to their truth. If someone’s talking about their start-up, I say, “What are you scared of?” And they might say, “I’m scared of losing money.” I say, “What are you scared of?” They say, ‘I’m scared of making my husband angry.” I say, “What are you scared of?” They say, “I’m afraid of being alone.”

And there you go. There’s always a silent moment. Who’d have thought they’re scared to start their business because they may end up alone? Just the exercise of seeing that “a-ha” moment is fuel for getting on with things.

Everyone is struggling with the same thing: fear of being his or her true self. Everyone from artists to start-ups to high-level CEOs - everyone. They all have the same craving, the same longing to just get paid and be authentic. My God, it’s a beautiful epidemic.

. . .

Ishita Gupta interviewed me over the phone for the Fear.Less Stories project. She and her collaborator, Clay Hebert, were two of the superstars who made the cut for Seth Godin's highly sought-after Six Month MBA program.

Their project: inspire action through real life stories of how people have approached fear. The result: an elegant and motivating "micro magazine" that brings together the stories of Muhammad Ali, Howard Zinn, Karen Armstrong, Tony Hsieh, and one of my personal favourites, Parker Palmer, and other real life non-conformists. It's gorgeous. Go check it out.

. . . . . .
Visit Fear.Less Stories for some serious inspiration (and great design)
Ishita on Twitter: @ishitagupta
Clay Hebert on Twitter: @clayhebert
Seth Godin on micro magazines and a future of media

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THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS FULL LAUNCH COUNTDOWN IS ON! MAY 12!

CLICK HERE to see the epic table of contents

. . . . . .
INTERVIEWS
You gotta love a man who loves Rumi. Nathan Hangen + me on grief, focus and real business: WATCH HERE

Carmen Torbus + me on money and cheer-leading: LISTEN HERE

 

the sacred yes we wish for…and warrant

I used to think I was weak n' needy for wanting my "big break." I dreamed of being discovered. I toyed with the willingness to enter some Svengali deal where an agent dude or silver foxy dada would see my raw talent and shape me into a formidable star--a fresh new voice on the scene. I longed for Someone Really Important to give me a Yes that would change my life.

One day, that Yes came.

My first literary agent is one of the most powerful people in the business. With an agency roster like Malcolm Gladwell, Al Gore, Camille Paglia, Michael Moore, Jane Fonda, Anderson Cooper, even Danielle Steel...publishers and producers trip over themselves to take her her call. The day she signed me, my life changed. I was in bed for the teleconference. 10am EST, 7am PST. It was snowing out. She was extolling the merits of the book proposal, and in my state of stunned glee, I had to interrupt. "May I ask a question?" I said. "Does all this meaning that you're taking on the project?"

She laughed. "Yes!"

I had it. It felt like someone had lifted the red velvet curtains to my heart. I hung up the phone and cried. And I thought to myself, "God really wants me to do my work, 'cause this is it."

It's natural to crave the sacred Yes. Ideally, you give yourself the Yes first. That self-love methodology is all neat and tidy and evolved. But I think you still get evolution bonus points even if it takes a dozen power people to convince you that you are fabulous. Neil Young said that he didn't know for sure if he was talented until his albums sold. Fair enough.

It's the kernel of our humanity to want to be seen, recognized, understood--celebrated, even. And when that kernel is watered, magic tends to proliferate.

The sacred yeses you get don't have to be exceptional or prestigious or catapulting. The yeses can be votes of confidence, offerings of counsel, connections, a bitta cash when you need it most.

And you don't need to be a big league power broker to give someone a sacred affirmative.

We are all power brokers. Yes?

. . . . . . .
"If you haven't heard, or you've been on the fence about pre-ordering Danielle LaPorte's FIRE STARTER SESSIONS for entrepreneurs, run, don't walk. You will not be sorry. The first chapter is brilliant and I am sure the rest to come will be. just. as. amazing."
- Nona Jordan, business & life coach

"I quickly downloaded the first chapter and it's blowing my mind. Amazing. I can't wait to get the rest. This chapter alone is worth way more than $150."
- Tim Murphy

"After The Fire Starter Sessions, you'll stop thinking of yourself as a 'little entrepreneur.'"
- Abby Kerr

. . . . . . . .
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Master speaking coach, Gail Larsen as a spot left in her May 13-17 Transformational Speaking Intensive on Whidby Island. Her work is life-changing.

The very smart chickas at Freak Revolution have pulled together a great roster for the World-Changing Writing Workshop, which will run every Thursday from June 10th through July 15th. I'm going to jam about some creativity + publishing nitty gritty and I'm really excited about it. CLICK HERE to get on the "tell me more list," registration opens May 11th.

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INTERVIEWS
Hiro Boga is a cosmological gem and my favourite find of 2010. We talk about creativity and conscious business: LISTEN HERE.

Alexandra Franzen is the firecracker behind "Unicorns for Socialism" - smart and sassy. We talked about sleazy networking and word association: WATCH HERE.

 

step away from the karma. choosing not to get involved.

Why do we give?
Why do we hold back?
What does it mean to give freely?
When we give of ourselves, what are we giving?
Can you give too much? Too much...love?


GIVING: Part 1 in a potentially endless series
In this segment, I'm exploring the shadowy side of "giving." The kind of giving that has some barbs on it. It creates snags. It may look free, but it costs your psyche and everyone involved.

Both of these statements are true:

You are the center of the universe.

You're not that important.

Somewhere in that spectrum of interdependence is our tenderly human, potentially very messy need to be needed. The ego loves to be needed.

FREE IT UP
I was called for jury duty this year. It was a murder case. Her name was also Danielle, and she'd been accused of fatally shooting her man. How jury selection works here is that they get a few hundred potential jurors to file into the courthouse. Each person stands before the judge and nine out of ten of them give some reason why they should be let off the hook from doing their civic duty. "I'm a single mom. I'm having surgery. I'll be in Europe. I'm friends with the lawyer." It's a tedious, fascinating process.

This was one of those occasions where I knew I could pull some cosmic strings. It felt within my control to make this go in the direction I wanted it to, but I would have to be piercingly clear about the outcome I desired: on the jury, or not?

I looked at The Accused sitting like a still mouse in a glass box. She was tiny, forlorn, she might have worked in a convenience store. She looked straight ahead, sadly. But when my name was called, she looked my way. Our eyes met, woman to woman, Danielle to Danielle. I shot her some love. She needed it. And in that second, the voice that lives in the center of me said, Poor thing. She did it.

And then my I'm So Important Voice kicked in: I'd be so great on a jury. Like Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men. Logical but empathic. A leader. A Crusader of Fair Justice. I'd have new stories to tell. This case needed someone just like me. Yeah.

Gross.

Did I really want to play a role in sending someone to prison for life? Did I want to "free" someone who'd killed someone's son? Did I want to play God for a day? It wasn't about time spent. It wasn't about democracy, it was really about something much more powerful than that: influencing freedom.

This situation wasn't a page I wanted in my book. This wasn't for me to carry.

And then that voice that lives in the center of me said: Step away from the karma. Just step away.

Click. My inner gears shifted into high clarity. "God, take me out of this." I said. This was not my drama.

I was next in line to go before the judge. The person right in-front of me was selected as the final juror. Magic Number 12. "Ms. LaPorte," said the Bailiff, "You're free to go."

Freedom, chosen.


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Pre-Order THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS now, and you'll get a Sneak Peek Chapter: True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease

"Sweet Jesus woman, this chapter is a BEAUTY."
- Sarah Lockey

. . . . . .

AWESOME INTERVIEWS
Susannah Conway has the most gorgeous cult following ever. She asked me some fabulous questions about setting your value and inspiration. So, I answered via video. WATCH HERE

Courageous Kate is a deep listener and profound thinker. This is a really great interview about growth and creativity. LISTEN HERE.

 

part 2: lifeblazing interview

PART 2 of 3

Why we've become too politically corrected when it comes to giving our opinions; and the intersection between sovereignty and collaboration (such a great question!)

. . . . . . .

THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS ebook is open for pre-orders, don'tchya know!

 

part 3: lifeblazing interview

PART 3 of 3

The paradigms of collaboration, the pain of being edited, and "creating a culture of yes." And...the spiritual value of your name.

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THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS ebook is open for pre-orders, don'tchya know!

 

a reprise of hot stuff: part 1

I'm in a whirling creative vortex these days and when it spits me out, I'll have a new video-eBook of love and strategy in my arms for you:

THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS, "a digital experience for people with the entrepreneurial spirit" The pre-order launch is next Wednesday, April 7th! If you buy your copy next week, you'll get a sneak peak chapter: "True Strength & The Metrics of Ease." Prepare to get all worked up.

This is a good time to scan the White Hot library for some best-of's that you may have missed or adored. Please dig in.

3 OF MY MOST EFFECTUAL BUSINESS ARTICLES
: 3 keys to un-branding…and why I changed my twitter name
: 11 productivity tips that creative types already know
: doozers and losers: my favourite business mistakes

WHEN I NEEDED TO TAKE MY OWN ADVICE
: how to apologize. I actually had to think about this piece last week when I botched an apology to someone. Oops. Which then led me to this: 11 tips for dealing with criticism

WHEN I WROTE THESE PIECES, I WAS CRYING
: where to find God: down, not up
: are you willing to be toast?: authentic transformation
: what is your relationship to…life?
: what's it going to take?

PART OF MY EVERYDAY LIFE
: inhale suffering, exhale compassion: tonglen meditation

INSPIRED BY MY SHRINK
: no excuse for bad manners
: love sucks, but you can't beat it
: are you positively addicted?

THE ASK A FRIEND SURVEY
I get a lot of thanks for this one. Have you ever asked a good friend what they think of you? Take a deep breath and just send it.

I'M SO WELL-ROUNDED I CAN HARDLY STAND IT
One of the few (and probably last) pieces I wrote on style: take the style self-exam

QUOTES
I passed a thousand signs
looking for my own name.
- Johnny Cash

When I first launched White Hot Truth, I regularly ran other people's inspirational quotes, poetry, and lyrics - Johnny Cash to Rumi (wouldn't THAT combo make for The Man of All Men?!) I have a collection of beautiful clips here - explore.

Sending Love from The Lab of Inspired Pragmatism,
and I'll see you next week with THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS ebook!

 

one of the most powerful questions, ever

"What's dying to be born?" Lianne said to some of us women over mint tea earlier this year. Kelly. Ronna. Gwen. Lee-Anne. We nodded, quietly, taking it into our hearts. It was a lot to take it.

This question wouldn't leave Lianne alone. (What question won't leave you alone?) Until she knew she had to give it it's own red tent in which to be explored. She sent out a fiery, impassioned request to dozens of global-hearted chickas - among them, Martha Beck, Meg Wheatley, Brene Brown, Patti Digh, Colleen Wainwright - and midwifed a veritable feast of wisdom and art. (NOTE: creating a work of art can be that easy when you don't hold back.)

Click here to download free copies of What Is Dying to Be Born. It's generous and intense. Leaders of every kind should read it. And because Lianne Raymond is such a multilingual mystic, it's full of gorgeous art work.

My contribution to the collective goes something like this (an excerpt):

What is dying to be born?
The beauty of our DNA is dying to be born: an acceptance of the order of chaos; the reverence of High Priestesses in the grocery store; the force of incredibly tender men; the critical necessity of senses that transcend technology.

The genius heart is being born.

NOW THAT DAMN QUESTION WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE
This question has since set up it's own lounger in corner of my psyche, and it's been demanding to be fed. When I worked in Washington DC with a team of futurists and freaky braniacs, this question, to varying depths, drove everything we did. Scenarios on AIDS in Africa, water wars, extraterrestrial contact, the evolution of consciousness. The Future In All Its Gore and Glory. Naturally, we were obsessed with it.

But these days I'm much less interested in the future and fancy suppositions as I am about the present. If we can penetrate the present, we can be more pro-creative with what's next. When we can clearly see the now - as the hologram that it is, we step into to our Godliness.

WHY THIS QUESTION IS SO POWERFUL (IF YOU LET IT BE)
There's a similar question that I've come across with organizational development consultants and high-minded facilitator types: What wants to happen? It's effectual, for sure. It allows for authenticity to surface. But what's so freaking brilliant about Lianne's question is the double entendre of it:

1) What is dying to be BORN - gotta hatch, must happen, on the way, what emphatically desires to be real?

2) What is DYING to be born - crumbling, fading, breaking down, in order that something therefore can be... born?

I'm interested in the dying part today. Because this question comes with a premise, I think: something must die in order to be born. Today, I believe that.

And if this is true, then we've got to ask this of our lives: What needs to die?
Fears. Perceived failures. Contracts that bind too tight. Excuses for hatred where compassion is called for. Limited thinking. Antagonism. More fear. Callousness. Lethargy. Cynicism. Greed.

These are big sweeping concepts. We tend to place them "out there" on groups and nations and others. But each of us has some stinky, life-sucking behavior, or paradigm, or dis-ease, that is having it's way with the best of us - the part of us that always wants to be born. And whatever it is, (and it's probably ugly) it needs to die so that you can be You. Fully.

Euthanize whatever is holding you back. (Might I suggest that you do it gently, swiftly if you can, ideally with gratitude and free of aggression.) That's the only way to know what's dying to be born.

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POST THE POST

subliminal plug: I'm creating a digital program for entrepreneurs... ommm... I will be launching pre-sales in a few weeks... omm. It's called THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS... omm. You need to have it... omm. It will be spectacularly USEFUL... ommm...

Speaking of useful, the GOLD DIGGING EXCURSION to help you "dig up your website’s hidden profit-opportunities", is almost full. I give it a 4 star + a high 5 recommend. Click here to visit Sarah Bray.

 

the suck factor of life balance, + passion as a cure to stress

I no sooner want to be balanced than I want to be a “good” girl. “Balance” is not something I want to live down to.
- me

If consensus is overrated, I think balance is too. I have no interest in living
a balanced life. I want a life of adventure.
- Chris Guillebeau

In the end, the quest for balance is bogus. Love your burdens. Love them hard. And when your loves knock you down or your weak ankles trip you up, stop worrying about balancing – ‘cuz you’re not – and bounce.
- Kelly Diels

Life balance. Low fat cheese. Walking shoes. Small talk.
Life balance. The term makes me feel bloated and late for my own party.
Life balance. Stressful.

The pursuit of balance makes us juggle. It puts us behind (always behind,) makes us guilty, neglectful, imbalanced. It’s as useful a concept as original sin. You can never get it right.

If you want to do great things, striving for balance is a losing game. I don't think remarkable artists, scientists, activists, entrepreneurs, or generous souls set out on their giving journeys with the aim to be measured and harmonious. Meeting your potential is inherently full of tension (creative tension.) Trying to be balanced about it is onerous and futile.

Fuhget about it. Put balance on pause and feel into…

The out-of-whackness of your life – gigs, kids, commitments, projects. It’s a lot. Yes, indeed it is.
The passion in your cells - to eat life whole, to innovate, to score, to, as Emerson put it, “leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition.”

Feel into….
The hunger to fill the hole in your soul – doesn’t matter how it got there - if it’s there, it’s there.
The aspirations that show up as dreams or strategies.
The curves of your drive.

[HOLD FOR THE PUNCHLINE:]
If you’re alive, ambitious, or depressed; inventive, in the lead, or rapturous – you are imbalanced. The off-kiltering of your life may make you gasp – in grief or in glory. You could be on the leading edge of your consciousness - thriving. You could be a total mess. Things may need to be put in proper order. Loved ones. Goals. Your well being. Your mental clutter. Your blood pressure. Your Mastercard statement. But...

[THIS IS THE PUNCHLINE:]
Getting "balanced" is not the remedy to stress.

Passion is.

I burn a lot of omlettes. It's a regular occurrence - I'm drawing robots with my kid, I'm jotting down an idea I don't want to lose, I'm taking the call. And then the smoke alarms goes off. I "work" on holidays. Last Monday I stayed in bed and read all day. I send birthday gifts three months early or three months late - but it's just the right gift. I can eat cereal every day for a week, wearing the same clothes, never leaving the house because I want to finish a book. I like last minute trips out of town and not answering email for days. The last time I was at a monastery, I tweeted about it.

This is not a balanced life. But it works. And the more I pursue my passions, the more uncomplicated my life gets, actually. There's not much in my life that I resent. And if resentment builds, I'm swift to get it off my plate. It's not the imbalance-ness that stresses me, it's doing meaningless things that aren't taking me where I want to go.

MOTHERS + CEOs
When we talk about the whole life balance issue, working mothers are central to the conversation. How does the screw-life-balance-and-go-for-passion theory apply when you're juggling P 'n L's and macaroni 'n cheese? It's about an overall proportion in your life, not perfection. It's a work hard / play hard equation. It's about draining your reserves and filling them up again with precious moments or a stolen day. You give give give give give and give some more, and then you get. It's a wonky equation - creating works of art always is - but if you don't stress about how you "should do it", you can create the best way to do it.

When passion is a priority - passion for family, vocation, for meaning - your energy intensifies. And when your energy is more focused, more, "aimed", you begin to care less about the things that don't really matter. You avoid crappy jobs, you stop over-controlling your kids, you nag and complain much less - with everyone. You get the help you need to pull off the important things - whether you're a CEO or an aspiring freelancer, and that support takes the form of a house cleaner, a VA, or a friend or mentor to jam with.

REFUSE TO BE BALANCED
When you refuse the banality of balance and go for full on life (which includes full on productivity and full on stillness,) you'll see the inevitable mess of it all as something more beautiful and purposeful - full of peaks and valleys - an adventure. The climb can be rigorous, grueling sometimes, but the air is cleaner, and the view will blow your mind. The fruit you'll find on your own tilted path is so much sweeter - and there's so much more of it to share.

 

the perils of justifying yourself

Me, you, or someone you know:
“I don’t want to do it anymore. I’m going to …”
Fill in the blank: Quit, sell it, leave, cancel, give it away, walk, resign.

That practical voice inside your head, well-intentioned friends, your granny: “Now, why would you do that?! It’s … (fill in the blank) good money, a great opportunity, you’ve worked so hard, what will you do without it? Can’t you work it out?"

And you bite the hook. In fact, your psyche’s been hanging on it for quite sometime, gnawing on 101 good, practical, and perfectly reasonable reasons why you have the right to make the decision that you’re making. You know, rationalizing. Well how about this rationale:

It doesn’t feel right.

Stay there for a few seconds. It’s a very powerful place to be. It’s elegant. It’s clear. Declared feelings have sonic reach.

And... it can be very uncomfortable. Like the truth can often be before it sets you free.

I recently left a gig because it just didn’t feel right. I struggled with all of the yes, no, make adjustments, suck it up, expand your perspective, get more creative kind of options. A few people thought I was nuts to walk away. Great exposure, cachet, extra money… All true. The “facts” usually are.

I made the tastiest Excuse Sandwich about why it didn’t work for me. I need to find a baby sitter, it interrupts my week, it’s not what I signed up for, I need a haircut, I don’t like so and so or such and such, I need to focus on … All absolutely true. And in the grand scheme, in the greater gestalt of what I'm capable of, totally lame and absolutely surmountable.

If something felt right, I’d drive all night in a push-up bra to get there. When it really feels right, you go out of your way. When something feels right, you put inconveniences in their place.

THE CORROSIVE EFFECTS OF OVER-JUSTIFYING YOUR FEELINGS

JUSTIFYING YOUR FEELINGS:

• automatically puts you on the defense. When you’re on the defense, you burn more energy. Rationalization can be incredibly inefficient.
• over-complicates things.
• perpetuates cleverness. Clever is not a good word in my personal dictionary. It rhymes with slick, manipulative, covert. When you’re trying to rationalize something that is very often amorphous and insular you’ll reach for smooth answers that you think people - or your subconscious - want to hear. And that makes you a salesman.
• depresses your essential self. The more you load rationale onto your feelings, the more padding you create between you and your most powerful, unlimited resource. If you make a habit of keeping your instincts at bay, that tend to stay at bay.
• makes you look and feel like a victim. In an effort to prove and protect, you make up reasons that appear to be more important than your refutable instinct. You whine. You nit pick the situation. You start sounding like the whimp you don’t want to be - instead of the hero that you essentially are. When the passion is there, so is the solution. No problem looks insurmountable when you’re turned on.

Of course, sometimes your greatness demands that you explain your reasons in no uncertain terms. Taking the time to explain yourself can be a fantastically creative act. If that’s what’s called for, then explain how you feel. Hold the excuses. Stand by your heart. Make it matter.

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POST the POST

• I just kicked off an affiliate program for my stationery line.
• "Confidence can be a real high-wire act, and we’re not always sure how well we’re walking it." I dug this article from @joshhanagarne, the guy behind The World's Strongest Librarian.