Newsletter Archives
Oct 9, 2025 — Are You Brave Enough to Slowly Listen?
Take Two
For people who know there’s more to life and don’t want to miss it.
WORDS TO WONDER
“Communication moves in two directions, even when one person speaks and another listens silently. When the listener is totally present, the speaker often communicates differently... Formulating an opinion is not listening. Neither is preparing a response, or defending our position or attacking another's. To listen impatiently is to hear nothing at all. Listening is suspending disbelief.”
— Rick Rubin, legendary music producer and creative sage
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
We have a bias for speed in our communication.
Not just in texting or instant messaging—but in conversation itself. We admire the person who always has a quick, articulate reply. Their readiness feels like intelligence; their ease, like confidence.
But I wonder if our bias for speed sometimes undermines our ability to truly connect. Because if we were to fully listen—without preparing our reply or rehearsing our thoughts—we might have to sit in silence when the other person stops talking. And silence can feel uncomfortable. It can make us look like we don’t know what to say.
Yet something powerful happens when we resist the urge to rush and instead listen with our full attention—without agenda or interruption. In that quiet space, we give others room to think more clearly, to speak more freely, and we vastly increase our chances of actually understanding what they mean.
Rick Rubin’s insight is profound: “When the listener is totally present, the speaker often communicates differently.” Your attentive presence can be the catalyst that helps someone else find their voice.
Listening—real listening—isn’t passive. It’s thoughtfulness and respect in action. It’s being strong enough to give someone else the stage so you both walk away with a deeper, fuller understanding than when you began.
Are you brave enough to slowly listen?
LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
Listening is the patient art of making another person feel heard and understood—proof that your presence and attention speak louder than any quick reply ever could.
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
I’m excited to share that my new book, Words to Wonder, releases November 10.
Words to Wonder: 100 Quotes with Reflections and Stories to Inspire the Life You’ve Imagined.
A companion to my first book, A Life Worth Living, it’s filled with timeless quotations, engaging stories, and thought-provoking reflections—a daily dose of perspective and inspiration to help you live the life you imagine.
Stay tuned for more soon.
MORE TO THE STORY
During his eighteen-year career as a Major League Baseball pitcher, Lee Smith was known for his long, slow walks from the bullpen to the pitcher's mound. Most believed it was part of Lee's strategy to intimidate the batters he would face. But there was more to the story.
Smith was friends with the stadium groundskeepers. He found out that they got paid extra wages if the afternoon games stretched beyond 4:30 pm. Wanting to do his part to help his friends earn some extra money, Smith started the practice of taking his time and walking slowly to the mound in order to delay the end of the game.
Lee’s gesture didn’t cost him anything, but his actions were thoughtful and helped his friends. Sometimes it’s the smallest gestures—an encouraging word, a few extra minutes, a simple act of consideration—that leave the deepest mark. What small kindness could you offer someone today to make their load a little lighter?
There’s more to Lee’s story — and it’s worth the read. [Read it here.]
BEFORE YOU GO
Life expands—or contracts—in proportion to our awareness and attention.
May you live this week with enough stillness to notice the beauty and wonder that hurry too often hides.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living,
Kevin
P.S. Know someone who could use a spark of inspiration for a life less ordinary? Share this newsletter and brighten their week.
Oct 2, 2025 — Discomfort—The Price of Wonder
Take Two
For people who know there’s more to life and don’t want to miss it.
WORDS TO WONDER
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
— John A. Shedd
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
I’m in Scotland this week—my first visit here. I was excited to come, but I knew there would be challenges too. Driving on the opposite side of the road was one. On our first day, we faced a 3.5-hour drive that turned into an unplanned detour. We relied on Google Maps, only to find ourselves hopelessly lost on narrow, winding backroads. Already tired from a long travel day from London, it felt overwhelming. At one point, I honestly wished I could turn the car around and skip Scotland altogether.
But we eventually found our way, and since then, Scotland has been breathtaking—wildly beautiful, rich in history. The ratio of good to bad is overwhelmingly stacked in favor of the good. And yet, those moments of frustration are part of the story too.
Ruins near Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh
Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scottish Highlands
It’s a healthy reminder: you don’t get the wonder without some discomfort. You don’t discover new places without the risk of getting lost. No one’s life is all good, all the time—and in our desire to avoid the difficult, we often miss the magical.
The Quiraing on the Isle of Skye, in the Scottish Highlands
The truth is, life’s most extraordinary moments often come wrapped in a little discomfort. Getting lost means you’re exploring. Struggling means you’re stretching. Frustration means you’re learning something new. If we insist on avoiding the bumps in the road, we also miss the breathtaking views along the way. The challenge and the wonder are inseparable. To live fully, we must embrace both.
LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
Every extraordinary moment carries a hidden cost: the willingness to be uncomfortable along the way.
NOT-SO-ORDINARY FINDS
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
Modern life is too easy—and it’s making us restless, anxious, and unfulfilled. Easter argues that embracing challenge, discomfort, and even misadventure is the key to meaning and vitality. A field guide to getting uncomfortable in all the best ways.
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Based on Stoic wisdom, this book flips frustration on its head: the problem in front of you isn’t blocking the path—it is the path. A sharp reminder that every challenge carries the seed of opportunity.
THE PROBLEM WITH PERFECTION
Still pursuing perfection?
Perhaps you’re looking at it all wrong. I wrote about a man named Wayne whose idea of “perfect” might change how you see it too. Read the story here.
BEFORE YOU GO
The week ahead may hold its share of bumps and frustrations, but it can also offer the beauty beyond them—the discoveries that only come when you’re willing to be uncomfortable. Here’s to leaning into both, and finding wonder along the way.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living,
Kevin
P.S. Know someone who could use a spark of inspiration for a life less ordinary? Share this newsletter and brighten their week.
Sep 25, 2025 — The Cost of Chasing Shadows
Take Two
For people who know there’s more to life and don’t want to miss it.
WORDS TO WONDER
“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,
Kevin
P.S. Know someone who could use a spark of inspiration for a life less ordinary? Share this newsletter and brighten their week.
Sep 18, 2025 — The Pieces That Shape Us
Take Two
For people who know there’s more to life and don’t want to miss it.
WORDS TO WONDER
“I am pieces of all the places I have been, and the people I have loved. I’ve been stitched together by song lyrics, book quotes, adventure, late-night conversations, moonlight, and the smell of coffee.”
— Brooke Hampton, author
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
I was reading a book this morning where the author reminisced about his time in law school, living in a tiny apartment. It was rundown—only one burner on the stove worked, which hardly mattered since he had just one pot to cook his meals (usually pasta). Though broke and living in less-than-ideal conditions, he looked back on those days with fondness.
It reminded me of when I lived with four other guys in a dilapidated old house with just two bedrooms and one bathroom. The neighborhood wasn't much better. We had rats in the house and no heat. On cold winter nights, we’d turn on the oven, open the door, and huddle around it for warmth. It was by far the worst place I’ve lived, yet I stayed for years and made many wonderful memories.
Looking back, those moments didn’t feel remarkable at the time. They were messy, uncomfortable, and far from easy. But stitched together, they’ve become some of the richest parts of my story. That’s what Brooke Hampton’s words remind us: we aren’t shaped only by the highlights, but by the whole collection—the people, the places, and yes, even the pain.
What forgotten fragments—messy, ordinary, or joyful—have shaped who you are today? Nothing in your past was wasted. Every piece has added depth and color. This week, don’t just chase new moments—remember the old ones that made you who you are.
LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
Regret whispers, "If only," while Courage shouts, "What if."
NOT-SO-ORDINARY FINDS
Try Something New for 30 Days – Matt Cutts
(TED Talk, 3 minutes)
A quick, witty reminder that small experiments can spark big change.
👉 Watch the TED Talk here
ONE DAY, TWO WONDERS
While in Kauai a couple of weeks ago, I set out to watch both the sunrise and the sunset in the same day. Experiencing its bookends—its beginning and end—changed how I held the hours in between. It reminded me that each day is complete in itself, and worth noticing.
👉 Try it sometime: choose one day this month to catch both, and see how it changes the way you appreciate the hours in between.
BEFORE YOU GO
While reading this week, I came across the word numinous. I had to look it up—it means a feeling of awe and wonder in the presence of something greater, filled with a sense of the divine.
After a week in Kauai—hiking rugged mountains and canyons, swimming in an ocean alive with fish, and watching sunsets set the sky on fire—I was reminded just how numinous the world can be, despite the struggles and disappointments. My hope is that you, too, find numinous moments in the days ahead.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living. Until next time,
Kevin
Sep 11, 2025 — Truth and Love Will Win
Take Two
For people who know there’s more to life and don’t want to miss it.
WORDS TO WONDER
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
I try to live with intention—to see the good in people and the beauty in the world. But sometimes, the events happening in the world make that nearly impossible.
Iryna Zarutska was a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee. She was stabbed to death by a stranger on a light rail train in Charlotte. There was no provocation, no encounter. Her murderer, seated behind her, simply stood up and attacked. Onlookers did nothing, and Iryna died alone on the floor of that train.
Yesterday, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking on a college campus. He was a conservative political figure, and some who disagreed with him celebrated his death. Regardless of whether you agreed with his views, the fact that anyone would rejoice in his murder simply because of differing opinions is shocking and disturbing.
And today marks the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Thousands of lives were stolen in a single morning of horror.
These reminders are stark. They reveal what we’d rather ignore: there is evil in the world—so pervasive and brazen that it feels suffocating.
In moments like this, it’s easy to despair and lose hope. The idea that goodness will triumph can seem naïve. And yet Gandhi’s words remind us: truth and love always win. History bears witness. Martin Luther King Jr. echoed this same conviction: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Both men spoke these words at great cost—both were assassinated by the very hatred they sought to overcome. Still, their conviction in love and justice remains a light to follow.
I cannot pretend I feel hopeful in this moment. But I know this: my desire to live fully—to pursue a life of purpose and meaning—remains. And that kind of life is only possible when it is rooted in love, purpose, kindness, tolerance, and grace—especially when the world feels overcome by hatred.
So here is the challenge: don’t surrender to despair, nor become indifferent to violence. Instead, let’s stubbornly live as if love still wins—because it does. Choose to respond to cruelty with compassion. Speak truth with grace. Stand firm in decency. Refuse to let hatred have the final word.
The world needs more people who live like that. Let’s be among them.
LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
An extraordinary life is impossible if you allow despair to write your story—but it flourishes when you choose to live with compassion, hope, and love.
NOT-SO-ORDINARY FINDS
A Short Guide to a Happy Life – Anna Quindlen
In this brief but powerful 64-page book, Anna Quindlen reminds us that happiness isn’t found in achievements or possessions, but in noticing life as it is.
TED Talk: “The Art of Stillness” — Pico Iyer (15 minutes)
Travel writer Pico Iyer explores why the greatest adventure isn’t always moving faster or farther, but learning to be still.
BEFORE YOU GO
Even in dark times, glimpses of beauty and kindness remind us that goodness still breaks through. May you notice those moments in the days ahead—and let them renew your resolve to live with compassion, hope, and love.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living. Until next time,
Kevin
Sep 3, 2025 — You Cannot Change the Seasons
Take Two
For people who know there’s more to life and don’t want to miss it.
WORDS TO WONDER
“You cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself. Therein lies the opportunity to live an extraordinary life, the opportunity to change yourself.”
— Jim Rohn, motivational speaker and author (1930–2009)
PERSPECTIVES TO PONDER
Like it or not, seasons change, circumstances shift, and challenges arise. The secret to living an extraordinary life isn’t resisting these inevitable cycles, but recognizing your power to adapt, grow, and thrive through them.
Too often, we focus on what we can’t change. We blame the economy, our upbringing, the past, or the people in power. But the real question is: What are you doing with what you can control?
Your thoughts, your habits, your reactions—your ability to learn and adapt—these are yours to shape. That’s where extraordinary living begins.
Stop waiting for things to improve. Be the reason they do.
LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
Distraction is the thief that steals life in small, unnoticed moments.
NOT-SO-ORDINARY FINDS
Sometimes it’s the simple things that add spice to our lives—adding wonder to an otherwise ordinary day. Here are a couple of things that have sparked joy for me lately:
Music:
🎶 Let Me In by Dermot Kennedy - soulful and stirring.
Celebration:
🎉 Walter’s Birthday Party. Celebrating with his neighborhood pals.
BEFORE YOU GO
There are 120 days left in 2025—each one filled with possibility, depending on how we choose to live it.
Whatever season you find yourself in—whether challenging or easy—I hope you uncover reasons to celebrate along the way.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living. Until next time,
Kevin