I got my first pair of glasses in eighth grade. “Oh great,” I remember thinking, “Now I’m going to be one of those people.” I figured the least I could do was select a style that would be cool. For some reason, I thought big, brown frames with lenses the size of dinnerplates fit the bill. Since then, I’ve gone through quite a few frames, including the horrible clear plastic cheapos that were the best I could find in an emergency late-night mall trip. I busted lots of frames early on. At the time, I blamed my aggressive, living- on-the-edge lifestyle, but it probably had more to …
Escape Adulthood Summit 2019 Re-Cap
The 2019 Escape Adulthood Summit – our seventh! – was another sold-out affair. More than seventy people, from 14 different states and Canadian provinces gathered in the Middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin, for a chance to take a break from the daily grind, connect with other Adultitis Fighters, and take their lives to a new level. This year's theme was inspired by the Henry David Thoreau quote, "All good things are wild and free." That being said, we wanted to set the tone in a wild and memorable way. As guests arrived with their Golden Tickets, they were greeted by snakes, alligators, …
Revealing the Winner of the “A Chance of Awesome” Framed Canvas!
Everyone who pre-ordered my book, “A Chance of Awesome: How Changing the Way You See Changes Everything” was entered to win this stunning framed canvas reproduction of the cover painting. So, who won? Tune in and find out! Learn more about the book at https://aChanceOfAwesome.com …
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Keep Casting
You can spend all day fishing and catch nothing: 2,375 casts; 2,375 failures. But. The next cast could be the one that changes everything. Since I started my company in 1999, I’ve encountered many dead ends. We’ve had a lot of projects we were excited about, initiatives we were certain would deliver the breakthrough beyond our wildest dreams, that failed—hard. We’ve lost money, time, and pride. Sometimes, it’s taken a long time to recover. After you’ve been hit by a car so many times, you start to wonder if maybe you should stop standing in the …
How to Reawaken Your Wild Heart
In this light-hearted and vulnerable talk delivered at the 2019 Escape Adulthood Summit, Kim shares her experience with the "joyful haul" of motherhood. She recounts her hunt for wonder, what she found, and how you too can rediscover your wild heart in order to bring more peace, fullness and joy into your life. After you watch the talk, I'd love to hear your biggest takeaway. Feel free to share it in the comments! …
Messes Make the Best Memories
Eating a peach, in season, perfectly ripe, is pure magic. But also messy. Oh, sure, you can eat peaches before they’re ripe and they might drip less, but they’re not nearly as good. The best peaches are always messy. Now I’ll admit it: I prefer tidy. I like the structure of a good plan. I feel good when the dishes are done and the counter is cleared. I’m easily disturbed when piles stay piles for too long. Is that an Adultitis-fueled trait? Perhaps. But I do find that I am more present, relaxed, and creative when clutter and chaos are minimized. In general, I don’t think it’s a …
Bronwyn Roberts, July 2019 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. Jason had the opportunity to meet Bronwyn Roberts a few years ago at a conference for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. Bron had traveled VERY far from home to be a part of the event (Victoria, …
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The Simplest Way to Turn Trash Into Treasure
Eating lobster used to be a punishment reserved for prisoners.I was reminded of this during a recent trip to New England. I had a speaking engagement in Connecticut, and took my oldest daughter with me. I had three different lobster dishes on the trip (in between samplings of clam chowd-ah).The fact that the inclusion of lobster makes any dish more expensive is quite a turn of events from its humble beginnings. A few hundred years ago, lobster was plentiful, washing up on shore by the hundreds. The so-called “cockroach of the sea" was eaten only by the poor and prisoners, who considered it …
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You Can Turn Anything into a Drug
I used to be so smug about not being a meth head.Kim and I have been watching the series Breaking Bad, about a mild-mannered high school science teacher with a cancer diagnosis who gradually descends into a life of crime as a ruthless player in the local methamphetamine drug trade. Good times.The psychology behind the choices that the characters make and consequences that come from them are fascinating, not to mention the look into the dark underbelly of the drug economy. During scenes that show people in the deepest throes of addiction, I’ve noticed myself judging the junkies.How stupid could …
Never Graduate
What does it mean to graduate?It’s an accomplishment, a milestone that marks the completion of one part of a journey. Our common understanding of it usually involves an academic degree or diploma.But too often, it’s also just the end. Full stop.About a quarter of American adults (24%) say they haven’t read a book in whole or in part in the past year, whether in print, electronic or audio form. Other research shows that 47% of Americans didn't take all of their vacation time last year and 21% "left more than five vacation days on the table." That's time that could have been enjoying a new …