take two—9/25/25
Ideas and inspiration for a life less ordinary.
September 25, 2025
WORDS TO WONDER—The Cost of Chasing Shadows
“The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.”
— Confucius, philosopher
Perspectives to Ponder
Years ago, I offered to pick up a friend from the airport. Running late, I found the first empty spot and raced inside. I met her just as she exited the gate, grabbed her bag, and we chatted as we walked back to the garage. I exited the elevator and went to the spot where I had parked my car… and it was gone.
I resisted the urge to panic, retraced my steps, and thought maybe I wasn’t on the third floor after all, but the fourth. I climbed the stairs to the fourth floor—no car. Then I checked the second. Still no. I checked the fourth again, then the fifth, then the first.
After ninety minutes of circling the garage, I was certain my car had vanished. My friend finally suggested trying higher floors. Even though I was positive I couldn’t have parked any higher than the fifth, I reluctantly agreed. I checked the sixth, and then the seventh. And there it was, right where I’d left it—just four levels higher than I remembered.
Searching for something that isn’t there is futile. It’s frustrating, even maddening. But we do it all the time. We worry about problems that don’t exist, fueled only by fear. We misinterpret someone’s reaction and waste hours obsessing over what we might have done wrong. We ask advice from people who’ve never walked the road we’re on. We repeat the same actions that failed us yesterday, expecting different results. In short, we waste a lot of time searching dark rooms for black cats that simply aren’t there.
Where are you wasting energy on problems that don’t exist? Where are you stumbling in the dark after non-existent black cats? And what might change if you spent that energy intentionally creating the life you want to live?
LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
Every hour wasted on problems that don’t exist steals from you twice—first in the peace of mind lost to fear, and then in the life you never lived.
IDEAS WORTH STEALING
Digital Sunset
In Digital Minimalism, Cal Newport suggests choosing a nightly “digital sunset”—a set time to power down screens and let your mind rest. It’s a small shift that pays off in deeper sleep and calmer mornings.
The Phone-Free First Hour
Leadership coach Robin Sharma suggests guarding the first hour of your day as “sacred time”—no phone, no email, just space for reading, reflecting, or creating. Begin with focus instead of frenzy.
BEFORE YOU GO
So much clamors for our attention—glowing screens, crowded schedules, endless to-dos, and the constant work demands.
May the week ahead bring you fewer worries and distractions, and more moments of joy.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living. Until next time,
Kevin
P.S. Know someone who could use a spark of inspiration for a life less ordinary? Share this newsletter and brighten their week.