Betrayal as the Deepest Divide
Few experiences cut as deeply as betrayal. It shatters trust, isolates us, and tempts us toward bitterness. In today’s polarized world, betrayal is magnified—leaders betray their people, communities betray their values, and friends betray each other. The wound o...
Adopting my son overseas has taught me more about maturity than any textbook or training ever could. After graduate school, I worked in an international adoption agency, and that’s where I first met him—in an orphanage in St. Petersburg, Russia. He had been overlooked by Caucasian couples because...
One Comment Made Me Question Everything...
Last night in class, the instructor said something that stopped me in my tracks: “So many people get their black belt and never come back.”
That comment stirred something in me. Why is that? Is it because people become so focused on the belt—the destin...
Disney may have shaped our childhoods with castles and crowns, but its lessons still echo in adult love. Beneath the sparkle, those stories remind us that betrayal, heartbreak, and healing are part of every journey.
This Thanksgiving, my daughter flew home. She’s only staying until the da...
Preface
I come from a lineage where storytelling and reflection were central — my great‑grandfather was a preacher, and though I’m more spiritual than religious these days, I’ve inherited that love for stories that carry wisdom. What draws me in are the timeless human experiences they reveal.
A...
Introduction: Redefining Power
When we think of power, we often imagine force, dominance, or control. But true power doesn’t always roar — sometimes it whispers. Gentle power is strength expressed through humility, compassion, and quiet confidence. It is influence without intimidation, leade...
Repetition, Devotion, and the Spiritual Practice of Showing Up
“The only way to get good at something is to work on it every day.” — an unnamed martial arts instructor (shared with respect, as I don’t have permission to use his name)
On Wednesday night, that same martial arts instruc...
My mornings used to start the second my eyes opened — with my laptop. Emails, deadlines, projects, all before I even had coffee. I thought this made me productive, but in reality, it left me stressed, burned out, and constantly chasing the next task. I was “workaholicish,” convincing myself that ...
“Don’t get too comfortable. You are only walking home.” — Rumi
“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” — Michael Jordan
Over the last couple of years, I’ve taken some of the biggest risks of my life: starting my own business, letting go of...
A World on Fire
Not long ago, the headlines were filled with images of people in the streets—voices raised, fists clenched, demanding change. Commentators called it chaos, anger, unrest. But beneath the noise was something deeper: a collective eruption of rage, a fire rising from broken bound...
I tell my clients this quote all the time:
“Pain pushes until vision pulls.” (Michael Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center.)
So many of us walk around feeling empty, isolated, and stuck. We replay old wounds, identify with our suffering, and convince ourselves t...
How martial arts, Bruce Lee, and resilience teach us to rise again
Last night in Jiu Jitsu class, the instructor paused as my partner and I practiced a strike. He looked at both of us and said, “You can hit harder—because you’re learning to protect yourself. You can take the hit and not be hu...
