Back to School … Not Just for Kids

Here in North America, it’s Labour Day (or Labor Day for my American friends). The unofficial end of summer also means it’s back to school time for students across Canada and in some US states. But heading back to school isn’t just for kids. There are many good reasons for people of all ages to set some learning goals. A few years ago, I attended … Continue reading Back to School … Not Just for Kids

Establishing a Morning Routine

Since retiring from my full-time job at the end of June, I’ve been working on establishing a morning routine that works for my new life. My weekday morning routine has looked the same for about the last 20 years. Now I have an opportunity to reinvent myself and establish new habits and routines. Benefits of a Morning Routine Adding structure to your day has many … Continue reading Establishing a Morning Routine

brown wooden gavel on brown wooden table

Judge Me, Judge Me Not

When I was 17 years old, I worked in a grocery store. One day a co-worker and I were pushing a giant skid full of milk cartons through the store. The skid was piled high with milk crates and was much taller than we were.Β  We were using a skid mover, which was being steered by yet another coworker; driver in the front, two β€œenginesβ€œ in the back.Β  Continue reading Judge Me, Judge Me Not

brown wooden framed hour glass

Do You Know the Pareto’s Principle?

Towards the end of the 19th century, a group of economists from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland studied the social inequalities in Europe. By analysing the tax data of several European countries, they found out that in each of them about 20% of the population owned 80% of the wealth. Today is even worse, but this is another story. This discovery was a real … Continue reading Do You Know the Pareto’s Principle?

photo of candles stones and book

Ikigai: the Search for Meaning

The search for meaning is inherent in the human being. In Japan there is even a specific word to define the importance of having a purpose in life: Ikigai. The Ikigai refers to the individual motivation, the one that makes us get out of bed every morning and that gives us the joy of living. There isΒ no direct English translation. Ikigai does not need to … Continue reading Ikigai: the Search for Meaning

woman in black hijab headscarf walking on field

WhyΒ BeingΒ WrongΒ IsΒ Right

If you think back to the Middle Ages and compare what we know now to what we thought we knew then, you’ll probably come to the conclusion that we weren’t terribly smart. That most of what we thought we knew about the world was patently wrong. It seems obvious to us now that the earth revolves around the sun (and not the other way around), … Continue reading WhyΒ BeingΒ WrongΒ IsΒ Right

What I Have Learned from Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was the most creative genius in history. Of course, saying that I learned things from Leonardo is perhaps a bit risky, because in fact Leonardo is the very embodiment of genius. As we know, Leonardo lived in a particular era for humanity, the Renaissance, when literature, philosophy, science and the fine arts experienced an unprecedented splendour. Italy was in full economic momentum … Continue reading What I Have Learned from Leonardo da Vinci

SnapDragon Speaks: On Being Lost & Found.

Hello, Dear Reader. It’s nice to see you again. I’m still here. I’m still SnapDragon, but now I’m a mom! (gasp!) Our little boy came ten weeks early, and while it’s been an insanely stressful adventure, I’m happy to report he’s doing well. He’s our little champ, getting stronger every day. And so, in this new year and new journey into motherhood, I’m assessing all … Continue reading SnapDragon Speaks: On Being Lost & Found.

How To Give Advice Without Being an Asshole

Let’s be honest. We are living in the age of the internet where everyone and their dog consider themselves an expert at something. Whether that is advising your nephew on how to deal with the school bullies or critiquing some dudes starcraft theory on a nerd forum. And because we all consider ourselves to be sooo goddamn right all the time, I put together some … Continue reading How To Give Advice Without Being an Asshole

A Short Story Of Inspiration For Your Day 2.0

β€œBANG!” The gun fires and the race is on. The runners take off across the field. It rained the day before and the ground is still damp. The temperature is cool. It is a perfect day for running. The line of runners quickly forms a pack. Like a school of fish they come together as one. They move as one. The pack sets a pace … Continue reading A Short Story Of Inspiration For Your Day 2.0

Finding Your Calling

In one of my recent articles I published on this blog, people repeatedly commented they had no clue how to ‘find their calling’ or their ‘passion’. I therefore though I’d provide people with some more advice to this. Now let’s get one thing straight right here… ‘find your passion’ is the single most terrible piece of advice there is and odds of it ever helping … Continue reading Finding Your Calling