I received an email from a young man looking for advice. He recently graduated from the “comfort blanket of college and chucked towards the open jaws of real life.” He was hoping to receive some advice for young people in his situation to make the world outside not seem so threatening and overwhelming.The first step is to understand that although the world can be very overwhelming and threatening, it is also amazing and magical and overflowing with opportunity.The problem is that when confronted with uncertainty and overwhelm, most people hide under the false security of the status quo. We …
Mike Baugher, June 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. We had the good fortune of working with Mike Baugher during the planning of a recent speaking event and quickly realized that he was a guy of great intention. As he shares in his tips below, “Smile on purpose.” This …
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This Post Makes No Sense
We like to pretend that we are rational creatures. That’s cute.In his book, Predictably Irrational, behavioral economist Dan Ariely digs deep into the reasons why smart people make irrational decisions every day. It’s a fascinating read, and proof that we are not as logical as we think we are.Logic is the default mode of Adulthood. We pride ourselves on being rational and realistic.Children, however, do not shy away from the illogical, irrational, and (seemingly) unrealistic.The reason I think we grown-ups should be more like kids goes beyond making our lives more fun (although that’s a great …
Just The Way You Are
I recently had a speaking engagement in Pittsburgh. While there, I was able to visit the Heinz History Center, where they have a collection of props and set pieces from the television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, including King Friday’s Castle and X the Owl’s tree. Like many, I have been greatly impacted by the work and life of Fred Rogers. As we perused the gift shop, I was looking for a magnet to add to my big yellow tool chest in my studio. There were a number of options to choose from, each featuring different sentiments. The one I was most drawn to, and ultimately bought, …
Coffee with Kim & Jason: 5 Ways to NOT Ruin Your Next Vacation
You're invited! On Saturday, June 22nd at 10:00 am CDT, come join us at our kitchen table for a virtual cup of coffee and a casual conversation. We'll be speaking from experience as we share 5 ways to keep from ruining your next vacation, but we also want to hear from you! What have you learned while traveling, and how do keep Adultitis from coming along for the ride? You'll be able to chat with fellow members and have the chance to ask us questions live. Hope to see you there! 👉 Register Here P.S. If you can't attend the event live, but still have a question, feel free to …
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What to Do About The Weeds in Your Life
If you’ve ever been to one of my speaking programs, there's a good chance you’ve seen me share this artwork.Recently, a person came up to me after a talk, and under her breath, sheepishly admitted, “I’m sorry, but they’re still weeds to me.”I thought that was interesting, especially because I never actually said they weren’t. Dandelions are, at least horticulturally speaking, weeds. But they are also, according to most four-year-olds, wishes. (And flowers for Mom.)The thing is, challenges are like weeds. Once a challenge has sprung up in your life, pretending that it doesn’t exist doesn’t make …
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Why you’ll definitely want to buy at least 13 copies of A Chance of Awesome
Woot! A Chance of Awesome: How Changing the Way You See Changes Everything is now available to pre-order! (It'll be released on August 8, 2109.) All pre-orders will be signed by me and you’ll be automatically entered to win this sharp 20″ x 20″ framed canvas reproduction of the art on the cover! But that's not all! We also have limited edition Baker's Dozen and Fab Four Dozen packages available for people interested in buying a bunch of books to share with friends, employees, donors, clients, and sworn enemies. They come with some pretty sweet bonuses, like mini canvases …
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How to Make Your Dreams Come True Faster
We recently surprised the kids by taking them to see Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin. (All five of us give it two thumbs up.) Us grown-ups can see a movie like that, a fantastical tale of magic lamps and genies and three wishes, and acknowledge it as a work of fiction. And yet, when our own dreams don’t come true as fast as it takes a blue-skinned genie to snap his fingers, we think something is wrong. Ok, maybe we don’t expect our dreams to come true the instant we wish for them, but I know there have been times in my life when the realization of a dream seemed to be in slow …
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Set In Stone: Lessons from an Old Savannah Cemetery
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with making a difference in the world. The bigger impact, the better.But the question I’ve come to wrestle with is, how does one measure the impact one’s made?Kim and I recently celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary in Savannah. It’s one of the most charming and unique cities in the United States. A highlight was walking through the Colonial Park Cemetery in the heart of the Historical District. Established in 1750, it's the oldest intact municipal cemetery in Savannah. I just love old crypts and gravestones. A number of them …
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Caryl Dellis, May 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. The first time we had the opportunity to meet Caryl Dellis in person, we were doubly blessed because we were able to meet her and her mom together. These two women are true “partners-in-crime!” Both donning bright …
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