Circling around the crystalline sky, barely flapping my wings

We can come boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy in our time of need. Preachers use this verse in sermons as an invitation to approach god with confidence, but we don’t necessarily have to involve the big man upstairs to gain value from scripture. I see this verse as a reminder of the importance of being accountable to our own needs. Rather than codependently hiding behind other people’s circumstances as a convenient excuse to avoid confronting own...

Let’s talk about the things we hide behind. There are so many ways to avoid being seen, noticed or interacted with in this world. And each tactic is more fascinating and seductive than the next. That’s human nature for you. We’re all expert at using things to protect ourselves from criticism, punishment and vulnerability. We have been conditioned to quell many of our top fears, like the fear of annihilation, the fear of losing autonomy, the fear of separation and...

Consider the corporate executive early bird. Someone whose performance and alertness are in their best conditions before the sun comes up. When none of his employees or customers need his attention yet. At five in the morning, that guy should not be checking email, reading the news, or doom scrolling on social media. The executive should only focus on high concentration activities like crunching numbers, critical thinking, strategic planning, or learning a foreign language. In so doing, one hour of...

In theory, humans exhibit greater productive early in the morning because their brains are rested, which means they’re naturally more alert and energized. Their motivation is high during this quiet and calm time, as people are less distracted and happier. They’re more likely to anticipate problems and minimize them efficiently, as they’re not waiting around to be told what to do or how to handle things. Finally, there is also the alignment with social norms. Society generally operates on a...

I was reading a neuroscience study about how certain people are genetically predisposed to respond more strongly to unfairness than others. It’s called equity sensitivity. The degree to which people have a strong, automatic reaction when they encounter a situation that’s unfair. And it’s funny, because if you read some of the questions on the assessment tool, they’re fundamentally flawed. The language perpetuates a mindset of constant comparison and competition, which can lead to negative emotions and attitudes. Here, I’ll...