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I like people who join people. They’re the ones you don’t even have to ask. The ones who just want to be part of everything. Whatever you’re doing, whatever you’re thinking, whatever you’re feeling, they’re happy to be there. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. On board at a moment’s notice. It’s the opposite of pulling teeth. Relentless affirmation. Instant encouragement. Endless participation. Radical acceptance. You’re never met with a tilted head….

Everyone has religion. Whether god is involved or not. In fact, the world religion literally means, “to link back.” So it’s less about an omnipotent power and more about an organizing principle. Our religion is the one thing in our life that all the other things in our life link back to. Kelly Slater says surfing is his religion. Olivia Newton John says nature is her religion. Quentin Tarentino…

When I was a kid, I knew I was going to be a writer. Because I already was one. Writing wasn’t my dream, it was my dominant reality. I can’t remember not doing it. It was the only territory I could always go to. The only instrument I could always just play. The one activity that, when I did it, put me back together again. If writing wasn’t the…

When I was in college, I had lower back problems. Which is kind of embarrassing when you’re only nineteen and everybody expects you to be strong and flexible and resilient. But your body never bullshits you. I remember my low point. Literally and figuratively. It was the summer before junior year. Just another night at our house. One minute I was eating dinner with my family, the next I…

Every year, our family has a gift exchange. But it’s not the typical snow globes and picture frames and ugly sweaters. Our tradition is, you have to make your gift. By hand. From scratch. What’s beautiful is, every gift is amazing in its own right. Over the years people have made leather belts, musical instruments, hot sauce dispensers, custom designed clothing, carry on luggage, even fine art pieces. Proving…

Nobody cares about nametags. But I do. Probably more than anyone on the planet. In fact, caring is an understatement. Nametags are an obsession. A religion. An addiction. A pathological psychosis. At least that’s what my therapist says. But here’s the interesting part. A few years into my nametag crusade, once I started caring and believing and committing to this thing that was meaningful to me––even if it was…

Yelp is great for reviews, but it’s gold for research. Where else can you find such timely, honest and accurate insight into the user experience? Where else can you gain such an intimate perspective about what really happens in a store, at a home or on a job site? Recommendation websites are veritable smorgasbords for cutting straight to the heart of the many problems customers are waking up with…

Home is the place where my soul rests Where I am rooted and not diluted Where I feel respect Home where I’m met with accepting eyes Where I am welcomed with wanting arms Where I let the blood dry Home is the place that remembers me Where all the mirrors undress the fears Where I feel pretty Home where I’m  Where I meet new sins And the old ones…

When I started my company, I didn’t have a logo. My only priority was getting my book into people’s hands, getting my message into people’s hearts and getting my name into people’s heads. Everything else was secondary. Including design. But about a year into my career, I noticed something pretty interesting. My brand identity started taking on a life of its own. Any time my book title, website address,…

I used to work at a youth leadership camp. Teenagers from all around the world would gather in Geneva, bunk up with complete strangers and spend two weeks hiking, canyoning, running team exercises, learning problem solving skills and taking workshops on personal development. Pretty cool stuff. Made the summer camp I went to look like a chemistry class. I remember my first year there. The camp director explained that…