A Cautionary Tale About Being Too Cautious

A Cautionary Tale About Being Too Cautious
So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.
-- Jon Krakauer

I opened the door to the guest house in Osaka and looked up the steep, dark stairwell. There was a shadowed shape of a woman looking down at me. And then I heard a London-accented female voice call from another room: “Is he normal?”

“I don’t know,” said the shadow. “He looks alright.”

I climbed up those steps to my new life. That was my first day living in Japan, 23 years ago on Valentine’s Day, 1995.

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9862 Miracles: My 27 Years of Sobriety

9862 Miracles: My 27 Years of Sobriety

August 25th will be my 26th re-birthday. I will have been sober 9,496 days on that date, each one one-day-at-a-time.

Every single one of these days is a miracle. I could be dead right now. Or living in a lower level of hell than I used to.

One of my brothers died from alcoholism. I held him as he drew his last breath at the youthful age of 45. I know where that path leads. It could have been me.

And it still could. Often I hear about famous (and not famous) people falling off the wagon after being clean for more than two decades. I respect the power the demon of addiction has.

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Ask Paul #2: How Do I Stay Sane During Life Upheaval? [Vlog]

Ask Paul #2: How Do I Stay Sane During Life Upheaval? [Vlog]

Here is the second video in my new “Ask Paul” series. Brian of Hendersonville, NC wrote:

“How to keep my sanity while watching my mom lose her battle with Parkinson's, raising a 16 year old, taking care of three dogs and one very nervous cat, and essentially starting over professionally and personally after a failed marriage. Other than all that life is good.” (with a freaked out lookng smilie face).  Later he said that through all of this that he was still smiling”

Have a listen to my answer. It is 9.5 minutes long. 

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Be Right or Be Kind? Surviving Holiday Family Gatherings

Be Right or Be Kind? Surviving Holiday Family Gatherings

“If you think you are enlightened, go spend a week with your family.” -- Ram Dass

"You  have a choice either to be right or to be kind.” -- Wayne Dyer

With the holiday season approaching, many of us will be participating in family gatherings. While many families have wonderful times together, others don’t. Family members can drive you crazier than any other people on the planet. 

If you want to have a better holiday experience, and a better life experience in general, you might want to consider a new approach to dealing with challenging people. 

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