I consider myself a weirdo, and not in the quirky, endearing way we romanticize oddness, but in a "maybe-this-guy-has-spent-too-much-time-thinking-about-life" kind of way. Here’s why: First, I genuinely believe that humanity is more alike than different. Yeah, I know—that’s the kind of thing people write on those decorative throw pillows. But think about it. Strip away the labels, the political team colors, the Instagram highlights, and you’ll find the same mess of emotions, fears, and desires in everyone. We’re all stumbling through the same existential minefield, pretending we’ve got a map. Second, to me, everything is spiritual. Not in the “burn some sage and align your chakras” kind of way (though, hey, if that’s your thing, more power to you). I mean everything—from the mundane act of brushing your teeth to the existential crisis at 2 a.m.—has meaning. There’s no sacred versus profane, no split between the life you live on Sundays and the one on Monday mornings. It’s all one. It’s all spiritual. Life isn’t some dualistic ping-pong match; it’s a messy stew of consciousness, decisions, and meaning. Lastly, I get that I can be either a monster or a saint on any given day, and so can everyone else. And that’s not just a self-help epiphany, that’s reality. We’re not wired to be wholly good or bad. We’re complex creatures with the capacity for both profound generosity and shocking selfishness. A lot of us like to pretend we’re exclusively one or the other, but that’s just our ego trying to give us an identity neat enough to show off. The truth is, we’re all just walking contradictions, trying to figure out which side of ourselves we’re going to bring to the table each day. And that’s what makes us all beautifully weird—and scarily human.

18 years ago was the last time I got drunk and of course, my life has changed for the better because of this. And I am confident that what has helped me can help anyone who is struggling with not just drinking but with living life in life’s terms. If what’s happening politically is bothering you, the principles of recovery likely can help you find a way to connect with your inner wisdom and live life with some serenity in an insane world. I am here for you and I have a vast network of friends who are here for you too. 🙂

Think about those times when you’ve been in a tough spot, feeling stuck or like you’re trying to find your way out of something hard. It’s tempting to want someone to swoop in and fix it for us, right? But when it comes to our own growth, our own healing, there are some things that can only come from within us. Just like a butterfly can’t skip the struggle to break free from its cocoon, we can’t skip our own journey of becoming stronger and more whole. We all have our own cocoons—the layers of protection, the old patterns, the fears we hold onto. And breaking out of that cocoon? It’s complicated and uncomfortable. However, that struggle is where we build the strength to truly be who we are. If we let someone else try to “fix” things for us or give us all the answers, we don’t get the chance to build those muscles ourselves. Real transformation happens when we take those steps, one at a time. It’s about letting ourselves emerge on our own terms. We don’t have to be perfect, and we don’t need to rush it. Sometimes, our journey feels slow or confusing. Sometimes, it’s two steps forward and one step back. But that’s okay. Because when we’re ready, when we’ve grown strong enough inside to break through, that change is ours. And it’s real. And it sticks. So maybe the most compassionate thing we can do for ourselves is to trust our own timing. Trust that every experience, every challenge, every hard-fought inch is part of the process of becoming who we truly are. It’s a journey that comes from the inside out, and no one else can do it for us.

I can’t reiterate this enough: how someone treats me isn’t personal. It’s just what they do. They did it before me, they’ll do it after me. It’s true whether it’s kindness or callousness. I know this is true because I discovered the same truth in myself.

Sometimes, we get so focused on the next goal that we forget to acknowledge the progress we’re making. Celebrating those wins, even the small ones, is how we stay inspired and keep growing. So let’s hear it! What’s that one thing you’re proud of that moved you forward?