I researched human happiness for three years while working on my first book. One thing I learned was that happiness was really about attention. The happiest people didn't have perfect lives. But the imperfections were never their focus. They found joy in ordinary days. Gratitude in small moments. Meaning in simple things. Happiness is about attention, not perfection.
I’m convinced that no matter how you choose to live, people will tell you that you’re doing it wrong. Wrong priorities. Wrong work. Wrong relationships. Wrong whatever. Your entire life will change the moment you learn to smile, nod, and ignore every single one of them.
Voltaire passed away today in 1778.
There are two quotes of his I always come back to:
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
and
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
If you’re ever driving RT 47 in Illinois, please stop by my cousin’s new coffee shop and bakehouse in Strawn, IL. It’s a beautiful thing they did for their rural community, and they’re kind people. Kairos Bakehouse is the name and an architectural gem with handbaked goods.
I tell young people there's no such thing as too much reading. The biology textbook is easier when you're a capable reader. Legal documents are easier. Cryptocurrency literature is easier. Reading is a superpower.
Let It Flow! This Saturday, Chicago's Buckingham Fountain will be turned on for the 2026 season. A sure sign that consistent warmer weather is on its way.