The Modern Sage

Just today I was browsing through a different blog and one post in particular caught my eye and it reminded me of an experience I had a few years ago, back when I was still in college. I remember it was pretty cold out and I had gone for a long-ish walk like I normally did. And on my walk I was thinking about my circumstances, about school, about my social life, and wondering how to be happier?  And in a not completely unrelated thought, I realized that half of the reason why things were hard for me right then, was because I was making them harder than they actually had to be! I made an important decision on that walk. I decided that from that point on, I would not make things harder for myself than they actually had to be. Has that always been the case since then? Not always. I still tend to get up in my head sometimes, but now I have this little reminder too, reminding me to make sure that I'm not the source of my own problems. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who has as...

  August 16, 2022 As life so often does, it gave me this week’s post topic. My one sister has been working at her job since this spring, through summer, mostly to gain experience. This past weekend, she announced that she was going to quit the job for a number of different reasons. Not a surprise, but the immediate response to that announcement was “Okay, then what’s your plan?” What's Your Plan? Isn’t that a question that we’re asked all the time? I don’t know about you, but for me, ever since high school it seemed like everyone and their mother would ask me “what’s your plan?” Which was terrible because I didn’t have one. As much as I disliked the question, I’ve asked plenty of people the same thing because it’s how we express interest in other people’s lives and situations. Especially in transitional phases of life like going off to and graduating from college. But that one question supports the idea for the need to have a plan. Everyone’s asking for the plan, the next steps, my...