Category: Articles
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It is okay to fail. And it’s okay to be upset about it.
There’s only one thing that upsets me more than making a dumb mistake–making the same dumb mistake more than once. The first time I do something stupid it’s an opportunity to learn something new and avoid the same mistake in the future. If I do the same thing again, it’s just stupid. If it happens…
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You’re not lazy. You just need a buddy
There’s plenty of advice that seems to work on everyone else but me. Todo lists are a great example. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed with having too much on my plate, someone inevitably suggest I create a todo list and start crossing things off. It works pretty well for a day or two, but then I…
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Tiny grey birds and the magic of attention
A few weeks ago I discovered an entirely new bird species in my neighborhood. Right after that, I started seeing them everywhere. The birds were likely there the whole time, but I was completely oblivious to them. Now that I know what to look for, I can’t fathom how I missed them for the previous…
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Sacred space is wherever you make it
Is there anything or anyone you hold as sacred? Unless you subscribe to one of the major religions, there answer is often no. Some people might hold a special reverence for their family, nation, or local football team, but to many it’s not even that. Sacredness has little space in the postmodern world that pulled…
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What you don’t say is often as important as what you do
I thought writing for kids would get easier with time. Every time I sit down to a new article, it’s still extremely hard. If you’re not sure how well you understand an idea, try explaining it in 10-12 simple sentences, only using words an average 7yo will understand, and without too much passive voice. 1000…
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When is empathy hard for you?
I got this question during my job interview at Automattic. This was years ago, but I still ask myself the same thing over and over again. Applying for a customer support position I knew empathy will make up a large part of my job, and it’s crucial to be able to exercise it in all…
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How to build a castle in clouds – nihilism, existential crisis, and the cycle of meaning
The concept of a midlife crisis was always weird to me. Why wait until you’re middle age to question the choices you’ve made? I’ve had all the symptoms of a midlife crisis at least once a year since I was 25. The cycle seems to have accelerated recently, and now only takes about 3-4 months…
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Science can’t tell you what is worth doing. And that’s probably okay.
I used to be the kind of a person who is obsessed with science, evidence, and facts. I thought that if we follow evidence wherever it leads, we’ll have all our questions answered. I thought that nearly all problems are due to insufficient education. If only we can teach everyone about how science works and…
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I wish this was over
This thought occasionally crosses my mind when I’m stretched out in an uncomfortable and challenging yoga pose. It lasts for about a second, until the absurdity dawns on me. This weird, uncomfortable, and challenging stretch is the whole purpose of doing yoga. There’s no end goal in it, doing the thing itself is the end…
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