It’s ay if…you’re drowning in self-doubt. It’s ay if…you don’t know where to start. It’s ay if…you started, but want to stop. It’s ay if…you sometimes mix up your priorities. It’s ay if…you didn’t say the right thing. It’s ay if…you really fucked up the first time around. It’s ay if…you fucked up the second time around, too. It’s ay if…you’re overwhelmed. It’s ay if…you get down on yourself. It’s ay if…you’re worried everyone knows than you. It’s ay if…you
When You Feel Like You Could Collapse + A Personal Favor
It’s the weekend. And being the weekend, I have an unconventional post for you. We’re entrepreneurs, right? And we’re all fighting hard to make our dreams come true, right? (Shut up, even though it sounds corny, it’s true and you damn well know it.) And sometimes it gets really fucking hard, right? Nevermind. I’ll get straight to the point. I have a friend in Chile. Someone I respect tons. Someone that I want to see succeed. He’s a Latin R&B
A Meditation on Being a Jackass
You know what really sucks? When you pack your toothpaste in your luggage, later to find that it has squirted all over your $300 sequined cocktail dress. Bad day comin’ at ya, right there. You know what else really sucks? When you crack an egg into a pan, trying to be all chef-like, and the yolk breaks. Like, really yolk? Really? You’re going to do this to me at 7am? Or how about those idiots checking out at the supermarket,
Blow Dryers, Mobile Homes + When to Shut Your Fucking Macbook, Already
I was pissed. It was 1998. I was 14. I had just put the finishing touches on my 90’s style bangs, sculpting and spraying them into the perfect 360 degree fan – you remember the kind where the top half curls backward, and the bottom half forward, right? (If you say no, that means you’re younger than me. First of all, fuck you, and second of all, stop driving behind me while loing at your crotch while texting the guy
This One Time, I Fell In Love With an Illegal Immigrant. Yes, That Actually Happened.
By the end of the night, it was as if I had just had the best sex of my life, without so much as having shared a kiss. I knew nothing about him, except that I needed . And I got. Candlelit dinners, walks through parks, sensual kisses on street corners, and giggly phone calls lasting well into the night came, and came some . I was falling for him, and hard. And I kept falling for him, even
Trust, Humanity & A Dutch Pilot. Otherwise Known As The Important Things In Life.
Sometimes, you want to do it all yourself. Sometimes, you don’t want anyone’s help. And sometimes, you (bullheadedly) insist on being the hero in your own fairy tale. Sometimes, that person is me. Other times, that person is you. But if there’s anything I’ve learned when it comes to , life, happiness & business, it’s that there comes a time when it’s ay for us both to drop the act. In fact, it’s not just ay, but it’s a must.
Top 20 Reasons Why Travelers Have More Fun During the Holidays
1. Because watching people whose first language isn’t English, try to sing along with “Deck The Halls,” is hilarious. 2. Brazilian butts or Santa’s gut–you pick. 3. No unhealthy fantasies about ripping that damn bell out of the hands of the skinny guy with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and sticking it in places a bell doesn’t (usually) belong. 4. Your friends in other countries will be just as grateful if you gift them a pack of
The Woman Whose Ass We All Should Be Kissing
If I had a foghorn, do you know what I’d shout? (Besides how I’ll never understand why so many people think that God is actually a compelling justification for their particular policy preferences. /rant) What I’d really shout—what I truly believe our people desperately need to hear—is this and this alone: The well-being of our world urgently depends on our ability to respect the time we’ve been given on it. Time is only on your side until you betray her,
You Don’t Need a Job – You Need Guts
Truth: Most people will walk this earth for decades, feeling guilty for not pursuing the great adventures inside of them, but will never do anything about it. Truth: Most people are overwhelmed by fear, and will make some of the worst choices of their lives because of it. Greatness evolves from trust–in yourself, in your ideas, and in your ability to know, deep down, what’s best for YOU. We must not betray that trust, because the moment we do, we
A Beautiful Mess: A Personal Manifesto of The Human Experience
I need my life to feel meaningful. I must work toward something I believe in. I want to create value. I want to be bold. I want to live up to my own expectations. And never settle unless I choose to. I want to be exhilarated by every single day. And be in awe of life. And the world. And my part in it. I want to trip. I want to fall. And I want to get back up. Lo
A Conversation With An Immigrant on U.S. Life
I had an insightful conversation with a Mexican immigrant the other day. We also might have had a round of margaritas, which could have enhanced the perceived value of the conversation, but nevertheless, I wanted to share it with you. It went something like this: ME: So, I imagine you came here with some expectations about the U.S. What have been your greatest disappointments thus far? (Seriously, I should have been an anthropologist.) HIM: Besides the fact that no one
Beating, Stomping and Otherwise Assassinating The Voice In Your Head That Says “You Can’t.” Violently.
It’s that fear. It’s that dirty little lurking thought in the back of your head that moseys on up to the forefront every single time you’re finally prepared to step up to the plate and take a chance in life. You’re not smart enough. You don’t know what you’re doing. People will see right through you. This is never going to work. Who do you think you are? You’re a foolish ox. Yes, that’s right, I said it: OX. OX!!!!
Slugs, Angel Hair Pasta & Vespas, Or, The One Thing That DOES Define You In This Life
So, I’m sitting in the bar at this restaurant. I’m lovingly twirling my fork into a steamy, lemony, buttery, most ightfully angelic heap of angel hair–the creamy, makes-you-throw-your-head-back-with-glee kind of pasta that, I was thinking, should probably be forbidden for nuns, because, I swear, this pasta is far decadent than the best sex you could think up. It! is! simply! that! good! *sips chardonnay* *wonders if it’s normal to be in lust with your pasta* *thinks about researching it*
On NOT “Following Your Dreams”
Gag. Gag. Gag. You know, this whole “follow your dreams” thing is getting a little old, right? Coming from me, that’s probably surprising. But the problem is that so much of it is fluff. So much out there encourages you to start “living the life of your dreams,” while frolicking on a big white puffy cloud and nibbling on a tray of bonbons. Let’s all join hands now in our camel-colored moccasins and braid one another’s hair while singing to
Why Stereotypes Piss Me Off (And How They’re Ruining Your Life)
A Little Story From My Childhood We were only in the 6th grade. I had been friends with Becky since I moved to the area in the 1st grade. She was my first friend, as a matter of fact, which is why when I walked into the locker room to change for gym class and I heard my new friends–the “cool” crowd–picking on Becky, taunting her and insisting she still played with unicorns, I had to defend her. Despite the
The Real Value of Travel (Come Sneak Away to the Beaches of Costa Rica, If You Dare)
A Sexy Story With a Lesson We sit in near silence, the only interruptions being an occasional mojito-induced outburst of nervous laughter, the sound of my silver chanier earrings gently clinkering together, and the relentless tropical rains that steadily pelt the top of the canvas roof of the 4×4 automobile we are in. It’s shamelessly cliche, where we are and what we’re doing there, parked at the edge of a cliff overloing the warm Pacific waters at 2 o’clock in
Is It Your Own Fault?
I’ve been meeting a lot of truly smart, savvy, remarkable people lately. So many are saying to hell with the safety net, and are leaping toward their passions, and haven’t loed back since. On the same ten, however, so many of those smart, savvy, remarkable people are not. Frankly, this makes me want to burst into tears and heave a cartful of lemon tarts at someone. I’m dangerous like that. Being a naturally curious person, I’m prone to asking why
When Being in Control is a Disservice
I’ve got little patience for excuses. I proactively call myself out whenever I catch myself making excuses in order to either procrastinate or invent reasons why I shouldn’t put myself out there. Why? Because sometimes, putting yourself out there is nail-bitingly, blood-curdingly, will-drive-you-to-drink, flat-out terrifying at times. It’s far easier to continue doing what we’ve always done, or to take the easier route, than it is to risk our pride, financial stability and comfort in knowing what to expect on
Why Rule Breakers Run the World
I’ll admit it–I’m a tad embarrassed. I can’t decide if I’m embarrassed in light of the nonchalant display of nudity that is currently lounging alongside of me–quite proudly, and with reason, if I do say so myself–on this clothing optional beach, or if I’m embarrassed for another reason–perhaps at my own relative prudishness, something that seems to stand in stark contrast with my normally quite liberal, open-minded ideals. Either way, it’s causing me a bit of uninvited self-doubt. My inability
Life Isn’t As Serious As We Make It Out To Be
This Isn’t Actually a Love Story But in a strange sort of way, has been one of my greatest teachers of life. It has taught me patience. It has taught me compromise. It has taught me dedication. It has taught me intimacy. Not to mention the importance of a snappy comeback. But perhaps most of all, has taught me something that no other teacher could quite as eloquently: Love has taught me impermanence. We go through life entering
How to Start a Revolution (Or 3 Ways to Change the World)
See that baby face up there? That’s my friend Karol–pronounced like Carl–who is a writer, traveler, & all around adventure-seeking bad ass over at Ridiculously Extraordinary. Right now he’s living in Poland, but before that he was downing noodles in Thailand, dodging kangaroos in Australia, and doing the zen thing in India, to name a few. Today is a big day for him–it’s the launch of his latest bo, How to Live Anywhere, where he details exactly the various methods
The Surefire Way to Save Yourself from Mediocrity (That You Already Know, But Don’t Do)
Q: Who’s Your Daddy? A: Novelty In the last year, two of the countries I’ve lived in are Chile & Costa Rica. In both places, I did a number of things, kissed met a number of people, and learned a number of lessons. Many people advocate the value of travel–that’s nothing new–but what they’re really advocating is the value of experiences. Experiences yield so much than an adrena rush; they exercise our souls, rejuvenate our minds, refine our perspectives,
Why We’re All A Little Crazy: Uncertainty, Flower Petals, Shimmery Gold Dresses & A Personal Story
I was 20 years old when I started watching her slip away. Normally during the summertime, she would spend all morning and a large portion of the afternoon out in our garden, diligently tending to every last petal, stem and root. Her forehead would glisten with beads of sweat, but it never seemed to bother her; she seemed almost proud of it. “Lo, Ash!” she would yell from her knees, “Did ya see the size of this one?!” after which
The Lost Art of Quitting
“Quitters never win & winners never quit.” Excuse me, divine gods of all Protestant work-ethic-inspired proverbs, *takes drag of imaginary cigarette* but I beg to differ. *Apathetically exhales and flings cigarette to ground before grinding it with the ball of not-so-imaginary fire engine red high heel.* We’ve heard these types of statements all our lives: Stick with it, keep your eye on the ball, never give up and if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Essentially, there’s one
Get Your Own Picket Fence (Or Don’t) : A Note on Relationships
My friend & fellow Carlos Miceli of Owl Sparks once told me that he was relieved that I never waxed on about relationships here on the site, which I had sort of made an unspen rule. But what can I say? I’m a rule breaker, baby. Even when they’re my own. And with that, I’m busting out the L-word. Love. There, I said it. Being the idealist that I am, you might imagine that I’d be the type to
2 Minute Guide to Reclaiming Your Life
If you clicked on this post, you either: a) Need to get a grip. b) Want to reclaim your life. c) Have no time to do either. d) Googled “mating habits of porcupines” and this just came up. e) You read everything I write because you’re secretly plotting my demise. With the exception of letter E, I completely understand. However, if you are plotting my demise, can you just promise it won’t include cinder blocks and large bodies of water?
Shattering the Current Model of Reality
Most of you reading this website are here because you want . Tried and true may be comfortable, but boring. The traditional life path may be safe, but uninspiring. The status quo is average, but nothing extraordinary. You know there’s something missing, but you can’t pinpoint what, exactly, it is. We’ve essentially been told for years that hard work pays off. You’ve gone and done everything the way you’ve been told you were supposed to do it. We’ve been under