The gauntlet had been thrown down. What choice did I have? We were on a road trip...somewhere. The details don't matter, but I'm pretty sure we were rolling up to Dairy Queen for some Blizzards. Someone in my family, probably my wife, challenged me to request extra "nipkins" at the drive-thru window. Not napkins, NIPkins. And with that, my honor was on the line. I could not allow myself to be shamed in front of my own children by failing to accept this summons. On that day, I am proud to say, I rose to the challenge, growing three feet taller in the eyes of my wife and children …
The Miracle in Your Mailbox
A stamp is a miracle. For just fifty-eight cents, someone will come to your house to collect a letter you've written and hand-deliver it to the house of someone else anywhere in the country.Heck, back in the old days, you had to be royalty with great wealth and servants at your beck and call if you wanted a personal message delivered to someone in your kingdom.Even now, if you lived in Miami, how much time, money, and effort would it take you to hand-deliver a birthday card to a friend in Seattle? Depending on whether you took a plane or car, and if you had any overnight stays involved, it …
#BecauseCOVID Project
Life got turned upside down for everyone in 2020. Virtual meetings. Mask mandates. Toilet paper shortages. All of it...because COVID. The COVID-19 pandemic was a storm that affected all of us, in many different ways. It wrought a lot of pain, tragedy, and devastation. But if you look closely, you might have noticed that good things can come from an unwelcome pandemic. Closer relationships. Unexpected blessings. Surprising opportunities for growth. All of it...because COVID. We are launching a new initiative, and we invite you to join us in contributing to the healing process by bringing …
Time for Barbarian Spaghetti
Did you know that spaghetti has Adultitis-fighting superpowers? As long as you keep it off of plates, that is. 🍝 This is one of the more polarizing ideas I've ever shared in any of my speaking programs. The thought of eating a spaghetti dinner sans plates either causes people to roll their eyes in disgust or exuberantly start planning when to do it.Those who are hesitant are mostly concerned about the spectacular mess they imagine will be created. Granted, this is not a Martha Stewart-approved event, but it’s not as bad as you might think. Some have their fears alleviated when we suggest …
Shine On Coloring Sheet
I just made a brand new coloring sheet to help bring light into this dark time! Feel free to share your finished creations, on your Facebook wall, on your fridge, in your window for passersby to see...I can't wait to see your version! :) 👉 Download it here. Get even more free coloring sheets here. …
14 Fantastic Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas
One of the best parts of Christmas is opening up an unexpectedly awesome gift from a thoughtful giver. Even better is watching someone else open up the perfect gift you found for them. Unfortunately, the gift-giving part of the holidays often contributes a big part of the stress most people feel during the season. It’s not easy trying to find something nice for everyone on the list while fighting the bustling, crazy crowds and keeping the budget from ballooning like Santa on a post-Christmas cookie eating binge. A lot of families and work colleague save money by doing gift exchanges …
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An A-Z Guide for Summer Memory Making
Well, it happened. The longest day of the year has come and gone. It’s always a bit depressing for me, because I know that now the days will only get shorter and shorter. (And it feels like summer only just arrived!) I can’t help but wonder if I’m taking full advantage of the warmer weather. After all, a good summer is one that’s jammed with good memories. If you can relate, here are a couple thoughts… First, it doesn’t have to be overly organized. We asked a bunch of people on Facebook for their favorite thing to do outside as a kid, and not one person mentioned anything about an …
A Better Alternative to New Year’s Resolutions?
New Year's resolutions are okay, but I like tinkering better. A resolution feels like a stern, rigid taskmaster who shames you when you fall down. But tinkering is a curious friend, nudging you into new adventures in which you uncover things you didn’t know about yourself. With a resolution we say, “I’m going to immediately change forever.” When we tinker, we say, “I wonder what would happen if I tried this for a little bit…” Instead of committing to a resolution, I recommend starting a Tinker Project. A Tinker Project as a playful endeavor of any size or scope that gives you …
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Living a More Adventurous Life is as Easy as ABC
My friend Dave (a recent Adultitis Fighter of the Month) has Mondays off. They started becoming a little stale, so he decided to shake things up. Although he's an avid traveler, Dave realized that he actually explored very little of his home state of Wisconsin. One day, he pulled out a map, landed on a city named Amherst and set out to make a day of exploring this unfamiliar town. Next week, he went to a city that started with the letter "B" (Babcock), followed by Columbus, and has continued his quest through the alphabet. (He's currently on "H".) Most of the towns are quite small, but they …
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5 Rules You Should Totally Break This Week
It's been almost two years since Penguins Can't Fly was published. It features forty of the most common rules that don't exist, but with each passing day, I am even more convinced that there are more like forty million, keeping us enslaved to Adultitis without us even noticing. A few weeks ago, I asked Escape Adulthood Insiders to share some of the so-called rules they most love breaking. I got so many good ones! This week, I wanted to play mild-mannered reporter and pass along a few of my favorites, because I they are great reminders for everyone. Thou shalt only observe morning once a …
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