I got an email the other day from a reader who wished she could stay motivated. "I'm extremely motivated at work," she wrote, "and then I completely lose it when I get home." I get it. Some nights I want to work on art after the kids go to bed. And frankly, there are times when Kim and I just end up sinking into the couch to watch the latest episode of Gotham. First of all, a disclaimer: It’s important to be kind to yourself. Some days are harder than others, and we end them feeling pretty beat up. On those days, it’s totally ok to cut yourself some slack. The problem is that it’s …
Archives for October 2016
Amy Payne, October 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 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. Amy Payne is a lover of life and childhood. She has made it a priority in her life to surround herself with Sherpas (aka children) and she looks to them to guide her on her journey of joy and adventure. Whether it’s her …
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100% Chance of Awesome
A few years ago, our basement sprung a leak. A small one, but enough to soak part of the carpet anytime a hard rain came. We bought a dehumidifier and tried to keep the gutters clear, but the battle raged on for several years. Meanwhile, little Adultitis-ridden fear gremlins took up residence in my head. What if mold was growing behind the paneling? What if it caused my kids to get sick? What if the repair to fix it was $25,000? What if it kept us from ever selling this house? Every time it rained, the pit in my stomach reappeared. And then this year, something remarkable happened. With …
Must Be Nice: A Fresh and Funny Take on Gratitude
I'll be at the Dream Bank in Madison on Thursday, November 10th. You should come. Here's what I'll be talking about: "Comparison may be the thief of joy, but it sure is hard to ignore people who have bigger paychecks, better health, more talent, less debt, longer vacations, larger homes, thinner waists, or nicer mother-in-laws than us. It’s not easy to be thankful when the lucky breaks always seem to land in someone else’s lap. Get into the spirit of the season with artist and author Jason Kotecki as he shares his fresh and funny take on gratitude. He’ll make you laugh, he’ll make you …
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The Adultitis Election
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “I don’t usually post anything political, but I just had to..." I don’t know about you, but this year’s campaign is really bumming me out. Recent issues of the Escape Adulthood Insider have featured comic strips exploring a presidential election from the viewpoint of kids. I originally created this one during the 2004 election season. And here I thought those days were divisive! Ironically, my frustration doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the candidates. I'm more disappointed in the rest of us, who complain about the negative tone …
Make Your Own Rules: a Lesson from the Best Vacation Responder Ever
"We'd like Jason to give the same 90-minute presentation three times in a row with a 29-second break between each. Oh, and can he do it wearing a chicken costume?" A veteran speaker friend taught Kim and I a great line to use whenever a client begins demanding things we are not able to or interested in accommodating. In these situations, he'd politely redirect the conversation by saying, "This is how I work..." and then outline the personal policies he'd established. It was his business, after all, and he had the right to run it as he saw fit. Of course, the client had the right to look …
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