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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New Adventure Club Challenges for September!
Welcome to September! Adultitis is certainly excited about the calendar shift, as the lazy days of summer ramp up into busier times - especially for anyone affected by the back-to-school season. Well, we refuse to surrender, and we’ve got four new Small Rebellions specially designed to upend the Big A. They’re part of the Escape Adulthood Adventure Club, where we send free stickers (kind of like merit badges) by mail to the first 100 folks who complete the challenges and share their escapades online. Rally your friends, your family, your co-workers — or even just your little old self — …
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The Escape Adulthood Adventure Club is Here!
I am so excited to announce our newest initiative to take down Adultitis! We call it the Escape Adulthood Adventure Club. How does it work? Every month, we'll give you some fun ideas for fighting Adultitis (we call them Small Rebellions). If you do any of them -- by yourself, or with friends, family, or co-workers -- you can officially consider yourself in the Club! And if you are one of the first 100 people to share your exploits online, we'll send you a rad sticker (sort of like a modern-day merit badge) for free! The only question is, "Can you collect them all?" Join a community …
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Time for a Knock Knock Party
Last week, my daughter Lucy ran a pancake stand to raise money for Kindermusik. (Full recap here.) Although it caught one couple expecting to score some lemonade a bit off guard, everyone hailed it as a great idea and wonderful success. And it was, for many reasons, not the least of which were all the lessons Lucy learned in the process. But another unexpected benefit was the opportunity to get to know many of our neighbors better, as well as meeting some for the first time. Although I am always wary of waxing on about how much better the olden days were (I’m not that old yet!), it sure …
