Archives for January 2016

- - - | written by Jason on 1/31/2016 | - - -

7 Life Lessons My Dad Taught Me While Working at a Lumberyard

I recently shared seven things I learned watching my dad work for nearly four decades at a lumberyard in Illinois. I'm back with seven more, because my dad is quite a guy and he taught me quite a few things. Interestingly, most of these lessons came not from what he said, but from watching what he actually did. 1) Own what brings you joy, regardless of what anyone else thinks. For as long as I can remember, my dad has owned a little red scooter that featured almost as much horsepower as a single three-legged horse. He rode that thing to work every single day, drizzle, snow, or apocalypse. …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/25/2016 | - - -

Tara Ingalls, January 2016 Adultitis Fighter of the Month

An Adultitis Fighter is someone who rallies against rules that don't exist and engages in ruthless, senseless acts of silliness that undermine Adultitis and its unadventurous version of adulthood. Once a month, we're going to shine a light upon the most remarkable among us, holding them up as a dazzling example of what we should strive for in this epic battle against a formidable enemy. We are excited to announce Tara Ingalls as our very first recipient of what is destined to become an incredibly prestigious award! Tara has attended an Escape Adulthood Summit, and participated in an Escape …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/24/2016 | - - -

Relationship hacks: 7 awesome date night ideas that bring the fun front and center

Want a relationship that not only lasts but gets better and better as you go along? Without a doubt, one important ingredient is regularly-scheduled date nights. Contrary to popular belief, date nights aren’t just for people who are dating! What starts out as a normal and frequent part of every relationship becomes an endangered species once a few years and children and pile up. It’s worth pointing out the “scheduled" part of regularly-scheduled is key here. Don’t expect to magically “find” time. You’re more likely to have an errant asteroid hurtle through Earth’s atmosphere and magically …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/23/2016 | - - -

Tinker Series: Cupid Vs Adultitis

This Valentine's Day, Cupid is going to give Adultitis the noogie it so richly deserves. Make sure you and your sweetheart reap the benefits! Whether you’ve been together thirty days, thirty weeks, or thirty years, Adultitis has a nasty habit of trying to strip the fun out of any relationship. In order to go the distance, you need to get serious about not taking yourself so seriously. #CupidVsAdultitis is a free 7-day email series designed to make your relationship way more fun. Sign up today, and starting on Valentine’s day, you'll get an email a day for a week. Each day, we'll send …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/23/2016 | - - -

My Dad Just Retired. Here Are 7 Lessons I Learned Watching His Career

My dad just retired from a career that most recently included an almost 40-year stint at a lumberyard in Illinois. Retirement came a bit sooner than he and my Mom originally planned, but thanks to their financial prudence, they figured out a way to make it happen. And I am so proud of them for that. This leap has been carefully measured, but it’s still a leap. I am excited for the adventures that lie ahead. Of course, there were many highs and lows that accumulated over the years, and there are no doubt many lessons my Dad learned in that time. But it turns out that I actually learned a …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/21/2016 | - - -

Kelly Swanson and Jason Hewlett to Present at the 2016 Escape Adulthood Summit!

We like bringing in a special guest speaker to add a unique perspective and flavor to each Escape Adulthood Summit. This year we are excited to welcome TWO dear friends that will absolutely blow you away! I can guarantee you that your life will be better after experiencing their greatness. The only thing that surpasses their level of talent is the quality of their character. Jason Hewlett has appeared at over 2,000 events and venues in the last decade as one of the country's premiere corporate event headliners. Jason has performed in every major casino in Las Vegas, appeared on the …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/17/2016 | - - -

Dream On, Artist

I love encouraging people to think of themselves as artists, regardless of whether they can draw a convincing bowl of fruit. Because my definition of artist goes beyond people who can draw or paint or sing or sculpt or dance. I think Martin Luther King, Jr. was an artist, not just because he was a great orator, but because he took a stand for something. That’s what artists do. The problem is that examples like this are pretty intimidating. I am no Martin Luther King, Jr. And, no offense, but neither are you. The thing we forget is that neither was he. At least not the MARTIN LUTHER KING …

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- - - | written by Jason on 1/14/2016 | - - -

6 Rules That Don’t Exist That Will Surprise Most Parents

We are inundated with rules that don’t exist. Not speed limits and tax laws, but the seemingly invisible norms, assumptions, and superstitions that we follow (often subconsciously) and which drive our lives. The more I write and talk about them, the more I uncover. And there is no shortage in the realm of education. My wife Kim and I homeschool. In the grand scheme of things, we’re in the shallow end of the pool; the oldest of our three children is only seven. But these past several years may have been the most important of all, because we’ve had to un-learn pretty much everything we knew …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/3/2016 | - - -

Here Goes Something

"Here goes nothing." It's a phrase we often use when we're not sure how something will turn out. In fact, since it tends to come from a sense of desperation, we use it to admit that there's a pretty good chance of it not working. However. Trying things that might not work is not nothing. It takes tremendous courage, vulnerability, and faith. Dare I say it’s the most important thing we can ever do. Doing things that we are sure will work is safe and comfortable. Chasing guarantees is one way to go about our days, but if this is all we ever do, we will have wasted our life. This …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/1/2016 | - - -

Time for a Tinker Project

I turn 40 this year. I’ve accomplished a lot in forty years, but I’ve ended too many of the past few regretful that I didn't make more art. Part of the reason is because it feels too self-indulgent; to spend more time on something I enjoy so much can’t possibly be considered “work,” right? Meanwhile, because we never experienced much financial success in our early efforts to promote "Kim & Jason," I’ve believed the lie that my art is not valuable enough to be a viable business option. And so I’ve distracted myself with other more “worthwhile” businessy pursuits. When I’m making art, all …