# Emotional Health

Posts

New Mantra: It’ll Be All Right

Nov 7, 2025

While listening to music and thinking through a problem, a quiet phrase came to me: “It’ll be all right. You’re gonna be all right.” A new mantra, born from stillness.

Grace Under Fire: What My Son Taught Me About Composure

Nov 5, 2025

When my 12-year-old son faced heckling parents while umpiring a Little League game, he showed me that real composure isn’t about control—it’s about grace, even when others lose theirs.

What Makes a Friend — The Quiet Strength of Real Connection

Oct 31, 2025

As we get older, friendship looks different. The best ones don’t need constant contact — they bring quiet peace, honesty, and steadiness through life’s chaos. This reflection explores what real connection means and why the friends who truly see you are worth holding onto.

Pressing the Reset Button — Finding Stillness in the Woods

Oct 16, 2025

Woke up uninspired. Found peace in the woods instead.

The Pull of the Dark: A Chautauqua on Keeping the Fire Alive

Oct 5, 2025

There’s a quiet pull in life that draws us inward—a kind of darkness that waits for everyone. This is about learning to tend your own fire, to keep showing up, and to find warmth even in the coldest places.

Walking Into Someone’s Shadow — When Other People’s Darkness Lingers

Oct 4, 2025

A strange encounter at a football game becomes a reflection on empathy, boundaries, and how to release the dark energy we sometimes absorb from others.

The Quiet Hours: Finding Solitude in Gym, Woods, and Music

Sep 19, 2025

The quiet hours come in many forms — an empty gym on a rainy day, a path through the woods, or the glow of vinyl spinning late at night. Each reminds me that solitude is its own kind of luxury.

Rising Sun: A True Name for My Son

Sep 10, 2025

Parenting a pre-teen sometimes feels like watching an eclipse—the light dims, conversation shrinks, and frustration flares. I’ve found myself losing my temper, but also found a way back: giving my son a true name—Rising Sun—to remind me who he is and who he’s becoming. This post is about discipline, anger, and learning not to dim his light.

Trouble Sleeping? Why Midday Meditation Can Save Your Day

Aug 24, 2025

Some nights, even with all the right sleep rituals, I still find myself staring at the ceiling until 3 a.m. The next day feels foggy, heavy, and frustrating. But I’ve discovered one small practice that helps me reset: a short midday meditation. It won’t cure insomnia, but it can save the day.

Seek Out the People (and Places) That Inspire You

Jul 30, 2025

Inspiration isn’t passive. You have to put yourself in the places where it lives—whether that’s a gym, a baseball field, the woods, or a gallery. And when you do, it changes you.

Life Feels Better with Music On

Jul 28, 2025

A quiet afternoon, a favorite song, and a few old photos reminded me how much better life feels with music playing in the background.

The Day a Grown Man Called Me a “Pussy” on Reddit

Jul 24, 2025

It didn’t ruin my day. But it showed me how I want my kids to show up—online and off.