Invincible Life - It's time to live the life you deserve

What is the meaning of life?

What is the purpose of our existence? Why are we here? What are we meant to do?

Ask 100 people that first question, and you will probably receive 100 unique answers.

Speaking of which, I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. So, please leave a comment and let me know your answer.

In this episode, I’ll go into more detail in the podcast's audio to share some of my experiences, what I’ve heard, some things I’ve learned, and go much deeper. So, scroll up, hit play, and listen.

My perspective

The meaning of life isn’t hidden in a book, locked away in some shrine on a mountaintop, or revealed in a guru’s words. You can only reveal that meaning and your purpose in this world as you live your life authentically and listen to what’s inside you.

* The purpose isn’t out there somewhere.

* Meaning reveals itself when you live in alignment.

* Continuous growth through hard work, struggle, friction, and pain will put you on the right path.

* Being deeply connected to other human beings is essential.

* We are meant to put more good into this world than bad.

A meaningful life tips the balance

Some people simply exist. Others pursue selfish desires. A few seem hellbent on destruction. However, a few do want to leave the world better than they found it.

There have been moments in my life when I thought I was only existing—living and surviving. There have also been moments in my life when I pursued selfish things like power, impact, fame, and wealth. I’m not proud of that.

But, now? Now, I feel like the meaning of life is to positively tip the balance of the universe with as much good as you can contribute. We can’t all be Mother Teresa, but we can choose to do good deeds, help others, protect this world, and generally try to leave it better than we found it.

However, don’t expect someone else (or something else) to tell you how to do that. How many times do we have to watch people who have claimed to be doing good and acting righteously actually end up being pretty damn evil people?

The answer is not outside of you. In your heart of hearts, you know what is right and wrong. You feel it. I know you do. You can tell when you’re being selfish. You can tell when you are hurting others. You know when you are sacrificing the greater good of humanity and the world for short-term desires.

Be aware. Question everything, including your motives and actions. And try as often as possible to do what adds more good to the world and removes some of the pain, misery, hate, and damage.

Build your legacy with a fully lived life

When you live in alignment, become a better you, connect deeply with others, and put more good into this world than bad, your very existence is the meaning. It is the purpose.

As I mentioned earlier, I would love to hear your answer to this question. Leave a comment and let me know what you think the meaning of life is.

I’m Larry Cornett, Ph.D., an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate! 📕 Check out my Invincible Daily Journals. I have one specifically for Fall!

I know some people would like to help support my newsletter and podcast, but don’t want to commit to a monthly fee. I get it! So, I set up a ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee to let folks contribute without an ongoing financial commitment. I’m a solopreneur, and coaching and writing are how I provide for my family. Thanks for your support!

“I did everything I was supposed to do. But lately? I feel empty inside. Nothing makes me happy.”

I’ve anonymized the details, of course, but this comment was from a recent conversation with an acquaintance. They had followed all the right rules and done all the right things (e.g., college degree, good job, working hard, getting married, raising a family), but now felt like something was missing. It felt like a hole they could never quite fill with vacations, buying nice things, or moving up the ladder at work.

Now I have a question for you. How is “following all the rules” working out for you?

* Are you enjoying your career?

* Are you happy with your most important relationships?

* Are you where you want to be with your physical, emotional, and mental well-being?

If so, great!

If not, you’re not alone.

Most of us spend decades chasing career goals, promotions, traditional definitions of success, and following all the rules. But one day we wake up and ask: Is this all there is? Much like my friend, many of us aren’t thrilled with where our lives have ended up.

That question is the beginning of pursuing an Invincible Life.

It begins when you stop waiting to live the life you want. Now is your time to redefine success and happiness, and create the freedom to live life on your own terms!

Through this newsletter, we want to help empower you to live boldly, authentically, and intentionally by creating lives filled with freedom, vitality, purpose, and meaningful connection. We share weekly advice and tips to help you build the life you were always meant to live.

We rise together—stronger, wiser, and free.

People who want more out of life

We are gathering a community of kind and ambitious people who refuse to settle. People who have done the hard work, earned their life experience, and now want something more…

* Personal growth

* Empowerment

* Connection

* Meaning

* Purpose

* Health

* Joy

The path isn’t always easy. Change never is! But none of us has to walk it alone.

Together, we support each other in reclaiming our health, deepening our relationships, redefining success, finding happiness, and creating freedom to live life on our own terms.

Each step forward is a building block. Each transformation and lesson, no matter how small, strengthens us all.

This isn’t just a community. It’s a movement. A movement to rise stronger, wiser, and freer than ever before. We will escape the trap of how others have told us to work and live. We demand the life we choose to define.

I focus on holistic empowerment coaching, not just addressing one or two areas of someone’s life. As a psychologist and coach, I am committed to helping people address deeper underlying issues that prevent them from enjoying the benefits of lasting change, which can enhance their lives and careers.

* Building greater self-confidence

* Reclaiming their power

* Knowing what they really want in life (not what they’ve been told to want)

* Recognizing the best environments for them

* Achieving their most important goals

* Improving personal relationships

* Becoming happier, healthier, and more fulfilled

* Feeling capable, successful, and empowered for life

Building a more empowered life doesn’t happen overnight. It's a journey with twists and turns that is never-ending, as life is always changing and the world is constantly presenting new challenges. That’s why it is so helpful to take this journey with a coach and other people who will understand you, support you, and encourage you along the way. Throughout the year, we'll be talking about important themes in our private community, such as:

* Goals and Plans

* Career Fulfillment

* Financial Security

* Physical Health

* Accountability

* Lifestyle Freedom

* Personal Development

* Self Confidence

* Relationships (we’re focused on this right now)

* Intimacy

* Emotional Wellbeing

* Overall Life Satisfaction

By the way, I would love to hear from you as we discuss these themes during the year!

One of the first things I like people to do is assess their feelings about key dimensions of their life and overall well-being and satisfaction. Answering questions about these factors results in a visualization like the one below, which tells you the areas that need improvement.

Every week, I will share a prompt and some questions related to the current month’s theme. I’ll also share tips and thoughts related to that prompt throughout the week. The goal is to foster discussions within the community, allowing us to offer one another guidance, feedback, encouragement, and support.

Sometimes, this group setting is precisely what someone desires and needs to overcome issues, benefit from accountability, and achieve their life goals. However, at other times, someone might need more intensive one-on-one coaching or may not feel comfortable sharing personal details in the group. That’s why I also offer confidential coaching via a private channel in the Discord community or through live Zoom meetings each month.

Key pillars of my one-on-one coaching

* Assessment

* Guidance

* Advice

* Feedback

* Support

* Accountability

When I work with my one-on-one clients, I guide them through a step-by-step process to identify issues, set goals, create a plan, and work through it together. Throughout the journey, these key pillars help us stay on track to make good progress and achieve the goals that matter most.

We communicate through their private Discord channel and schedule live calls. The nice thing about this level of coaching is that the clients get both the benefits of working directly with me and the support from the larger community.

➡️ If you want to learn more, you can explore the community options, and you can always schedule a complimentary call with me, too.

I’m Larry Cornett, an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious individuals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Enjoy more of what you love and do less of what you hate! 📕 Check out The Invincible Daily Journals!

My guest for this episode is Cory Vinny. He is a scientist, writer, and sailor. He and his husband recently left their white-collar careers for a life of adventure. They bought and refitted a small sailboat to live off-grid and circumnavigate the globe on a shoestring budget.

They’re currently sailing the U.S. Northeast, gaining sailing skills, and waiting out hurricane season before heading to the Caribbean and Latin America later this year.

He writes about these adventures and more in his weekly Radical Paths newsletter on Substack.

We talk about

* Their backgrounds and why they decided to exit their career paths.

* How did they plan for a moment like this (e.g., saving, managing expenses)?

* The tipping point that led them to challenge their future.

* Taking the time to reflect on your life and what you want.

* What has been their most pleasant surprise?

* What has been an unpleasant surprise?

* Seeking desired freedoms, and some freedoms you must give up to enjoy them.

* Living with the rhythm of nature and weather.

* Breaking their journey around the world into phases.

* Embracing the fear of the unknown versus living with regret.

* Why stability, safety, and security are illusions.

* How living a larger life may reduce the fear of death.

* Courage and confidence.

* How can people have more adventure in their lives?

* What comes next for them?

Scroll up and hit play to listen to our full conversation!

Where to find more

* Radical Paths (Cory’s Substack)

➡️ If you’d like to discuss how my empowerment coaching can help you explore the life you’ve always dreamed of, book a complimentary call with me.

I’m Larry Cornett, an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious individuals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Enjoy more of what you love and do less of what you hate!

📕 Check out my new The Invincible Daily Journals!

This episode is a reading from my book

Our boss looked around the conference room, sighed, and said, “I need your final list of employees for the layoff next week. Have you decided who you’re keeping and who can be let go?”

There’s nothing like a corporate layoff meeting to reveal the truth about who is valued in an organization. Some employees are so precious that they are untouchable. You might even say they’re “invincible.” Others are so vulnerable that their managers are happy to put them on a layoff list. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.

I still recall the conversation with the leaders of the various organizations within the company. We were discussing numbers and debating names. Someone mentioned another team’s employee as a potential candidate for the layoff list.

His manager snorted. “Yeah, right. Matt is the only one who understands the code for our legacy system. He wrote the whole damn thing. It’s not documented well, and no one else could keep it running. If we get rid of him, we’re screwed.”

The senior leader frowned. “Ok, ok. We can’t afford to lose Matt. What about Tim? What’s he working on?”

Tim’s manager looked uncomfortable. “Umm, he’s on a new project testing some experimental concepts. He’s a good guy. I want to keep him.”

The leader grunted, “Uh-huh. I see. Well, we don’t have the luxury of experimentation right now, and someone has to go.”

Guess who lost their job that day?

Before I proceed, I would like to clarify what I mean by vulnerability in your career and life. After all, doesn’t Brené Brown tell us that there is power in being vulnerable?

Yes, she does. However, to be clear, she’s referring to vulnerability in the sense of being your authentic self, without fear of being human, making mistakes, and connecting with others more deeply. Even she doesn’t recommend that you’re vulnerable with the wrong people or in the wrong situations.

You can be confident, authentic, and willing to be vulnerable. But you still wouldn’t turn your back on a tiger.

Similarly, at work, it’s good to be your authentic self, honest and open, and human. But never forget that your job is a transactional relationship, and the workplace is a competitive environment. Your coworkers are not your family, and your boss is not your friend.

* You’ll be treated well as long as you’re delivering more value to the organization than the bottom 10% of employees.

* You’ll keep your position as long as your paycheck is a positive ROI for the company.

* You’ll have job security as long as your employer remains profitable, the leadership keeps making good decisions, and the company doesn’t stumble in the competitive market.

You may be thinking, “This doesn’t apply to me. My job is rock solid, and it always will be.“

But… will it?

Eventually, we all become vulnerable in our careers. Welcome to the joys of growing older and the challenges of age discrimination! If you haven’t experienced it yet, you probably will one day.

The reality is that most of us are always vulnerable, even if we don’t realize it or want to admit it. Eventually, something will happen that wakes you up to this fact. I certainly experienced that and learned the hard way that I had let myself become vulnerable over the years. For example:

* If your primary source of income is from one job and you have a single boss who controls your fate, you are vulnerable.

* If you heavily depend on a single source of income to make ends meet, sometimes paycheck to paycheck, you are vulnerable.

* If your regional cost of living is so high that your rent or mortgage consumes most of your income, you are vulnerable.

* If you want to quit your job and find a new one, but you discover there are no opportunities for you elsewhere, you are vulnerable.

* If your profession vanished — or your industry collapsed—and you don’t have a sufficient financial cushion to pivot and rebuild your career, you are vulnerable.

* If you’re growing older and age discrimination makes it harder to find employment in your chosen profession, you become increasingly vulnerable with every passing year.

Scroll up and hit play to listen to my reading of the entire chapter. ⬇️ You can also download a free preview chapter here and subscribe to be notified when the book is published.

If you’d like to discuss how my coaching can help you, book a complimentary call with me.

I’m Larry Cornett, an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious individuals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Enjoy more of what you love and do less of what you hate!

📕 Check out my new The Invincible Daily Journals!

Invincible Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

“I’m not the person I used to be.”

My client was feeling dejected after being fired. This last job had seemed so promising, but it went sideways after the first year.

“I don’t believe in myself anymore. Maybe they’re right… Maybe I am a failure. Maybe I’m not meant for this kind of job.”

Confidence is a complex beast composed of many layers of reality, self-perception, and the perception of others. If we’re raised in a loving home, we begin our young lives with the confidence of someone who has never encountered harsh criticism, punishment for failure, or the torment of bullies.

However, life and work have a way of chipping away at our confidence until we give up our power and stop living the life we deserve. We are hungry for a fix, but don’t know where to begin.

What if the real breakthrough you’ve been seeking is already inside you?

After coaching clients for the past nine years, I’ve learned that lasting change only occurs when we address inner issues. However, many people want quick results:

* They want to find a new job ASAP

* They want to prepare for a job interview coming up in a week

* They need help to deal with an issue at work (e.g., a toxic boss or environment)

* They are struggling to land a promotion

* They need to work through leadership challenges

The urgency means we don’t have time to uncover the deeper issues and work on the root causes and more lasting solutions. So, while we may solve the immediate surface-level problem (e.g., they find a job, interview well, and get hired), history tends to repeat itself later. In other words, they find themselves back in the same situation again—struggling, frustrated, and unhappy—in a year or so.

As a psychologist and coach, I really want to help people address the underlying issues so they can enjoy the benefits of a lasting change that will improve their lives and careers.

* Building greater self-confidence

* Reclaiming their power

* Knowing what they really want in life (not what they’ve been told to want)

* Recognizing the best environments for them

* Achieving their most important goals

* Improving personal relationships

* Becoming happier, healthier, and more fulfilled

* Feeling capable, successful, and empowered for life

Therefore, I am transforming my relatively new life coaching business into a personal empowerment coaching practice. Everything improves in your life when you truly become more empowered and take control of your work and life.

By the way, if this type of coaching resonates with you, you can book a completely free call with me to talk more about it. No strings attached!

Let me share a way to think about the differences between Empowerment Coaching and other types of coaching and consulting.

* Consulting: I do the fishing so I can give the client a fish

* Coaching: I teach the client how to fish for themselves

* Empowerment Coaching: I help the client become empowered so they feel confident feeding themselves in any situation (e.g., they might fish, hunt, plant a garden, eat at a cafe, or go shopping to cook a meal later)

Okay, that’s a silly example, huh? Let me share a very real example from my career coaching practice.

* Consulting: I write an amazing resume for the client

* Coaching: I teach the client how to write their own amazing resume

* Empowerment Coaching: I help the client become empowered so they can confidently find and land great jobs for the rest of their career in a way that won’t even require a silly resume (e.g., my Invincible Career job search strategy)

What we are all experiencing in the world makes this more critical than ever. Many people have been working too hard, not setting boundaries, not taking care of themselves, and are burning out.

Economic worries, political uncertainties, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) are affecting the job market. We’ve seen a significant number of layoffs and job losses over the past year. Companies are nervous, so they are cutting back on spending and hiring. It is taking longer than ever before to find a new job.

Finally, I’ve also seen more personal awakenings triggered by the pandemic. It was quite traumatic for many people. Some of us lost loved ones, and all of us became acutely aware of our mortality. Many people want more out of life. They are frustrated and tired of settling for less.

What I discuss in this episode:

* What empowerment coaching is

* How it has changed my clients’ lives

* How it differs from life coaching and career coaching

* What the coaching process is like

* What it can unlock in your life

Empowerment coaching isn’t about quick fixes; it's about lasting change from within. Below is an illustration of the framework and system I’ve created to guide clients through the coaching process. I talk more about it in the podcast audio, so scroll up and hit play to listen.

If you’d like to talk with me about how empowerment coaching could help you, book a free call with me.

I’m Larry Cornett, an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious individuals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Enjoy more of what you love and do less of what you hate!

📕 Check out my new The Invincible Daily Journals!

Invincible Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The dating scene is a nightmare.

* 63% of men under 30 describe themselves as single. (source)

* 65% of single women reported not actively seeking a romantic relationship or casual dates.

* Among women aged 40 and above, 71% expressed no interest in dating or romantic relationships.

As a coach, I talk with people with various relationship situations and issues: married, divorced, happily single, and sadly single. Lots of people are burned out with using dating apps. I’m sure you’ve seen some of the nightmare chats that so many women experience. And, apparently, a significant percentage of people—especially women—are giving up on dating altogether.

The advice in this episode applies to anyone, really. But, I guess I was thinking more about men, as I have heard the stories of horrible dates from women I know. Check out Ask Aubry on Bluesky if you want to see some of the stories. It’s no wonder so many men are having trouble dating and finding long-term partners, and it seems that they usually have themselves to blame.

I coach some men who are struggling with the loneliness epidemic. They are sad, bitter, or angry, wondering why no one seems interested in them. Well, it’s usually because they haven’t invested in becoming more interesting people!

I hear about this problem from women, too. Modern dating is a nightmare for them (as I mentioned above).

* Men who expect something in return for buying dinner or gifts

* Selfish men who just want to hook up

* Men who treat women like objects

* Men who don’t want to do anything other than game or watch sports

* Men who can’t be honest about dating multiple partners at once

* Men who refuse to commit (e.g., Peter Pan syndrome)

* Men who need therapy, but refuse to get it

* Men who struggle with work-life balance

Hey, I’m not saying I’m perfect, amazing, or the most interesting man in the world. Only this guy can claim that.

But, I did date quite a bit before I met my wife (we’ve been married for over 34 years now), who is way out of my league, by the way. I heard from previous girlfriends and from her why they went out with me and wanted to date me. It came down to a few things:

* I genuinely enjoy the company of women and have many friends who are women.

* They noticed that I was caring with animals and children.

* I’m a good listener and try to help people solve their problems.

* I’ve always been interested in improving myself and trying to become a better person.

* I’m ambitious and always have new personal and professional goals.

* I love to read and learn new things, which gives me a lot to discuss.

It’s not some magical formula, but you do need to be intentional if this doesn't come naturally to you. Work on yourself, improve yourself, be a decent human being, and someone will definitely find you interesting!

Invest in yourself

Here are some ways to invest in yourself and evolve. I go into more detail in the audio of this podcast episode, so scroll up, hit play, and listen.

* Read some books, then read some more

* Keep up with current news from unbiased and reliable sources (not FOX news or your buddies at the bar)

* Travel the world and broaden your mind

* Open your mind to other people’s lives, worries, and needs (i.e., don’t be self-centered)

* Realize that good people are good people, even if—especially if—they differ from you

* Explore the arts and visit your local museums, galleries, and theaters

* Create more than you consume. Try writing, creating art, making music, and giving back in ways that reveal your soul

* Spend more time in nature, while respecting nature (don’t get me started on this topic)

* Invest in your health and wellness (physical, mental, and emotional)

* Stop hating people because they look different, love differently, worship differently, and live differently

Or, refuse to invest in yourself and keep behaving in terrible ways, and wonder why no decent person wants to spend time with you, fall in love with you, or spend their life with you.

Take a hard look in the mirror, accept personal responsibility, grow up, and evolve into a better version of you. If you’d like to talk more about this, book a free call with me.

I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become invincible, and create new opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate!

📕 Check out my new The Invincible Daily Journals!

Who is your most trusted confidante?

Do you have a person you can call when you need someone to:

* Commiserate with about the state of things

* Be a compassionate ear for your problems

* Give you feedback on an idea

* Complain to about anything

* Just listen to you!

First, let me say that there is a time and place for professional help. Psychiatrists, therapists, and counselors are invaluable. There are issues they are best trained to handle. There are topics that others shouldn’t even try to address.

I encounter this as a coach. I focus on career, business, and leadership topics. I occasionally talk with people about things a life coach handles, too.

However, when a client wants to dive into a topic outside my expertise, I recommend they speak with a trained and licensed professional instead. I am not the person to help folks with depression, suicide ideation, severe anxiety, marital problems, etc.

But our lives are complex, and our daily issues aren’t always so severe. Sometimes, you just need a kind and compassionate listener to let you vent and get things out. Sometimes, you just want to brainstorm thoughts about some life issue.

Here’s where things get tricky.

Many of us have friends and family members we turn to for some of these conversations. Some people are lucky enough to have great friends and family members who really care and help when times are tough.

But not everyone has that.

And sometimes, there are things you don’t feel comfortable discussing, even with your trusted friends and family members.

* It might be too personal or embarrassing

* You worry they won’t keep things confidential

* No one wants others to gossip about their “dirty laundry” behind their back

* You worry about overloading people with these conversations too frequently

We get it.

That's one reason Nicole created a service to provide confidential and compassionate conversations. She talks with people who need someone who cares and listens without judgment—someone who is not in their inner circle of friends and family.

There are benefits to talking to a “stranger” who does not feel like a stranger.

It’s a surprising truth. Sometimes, confessing things and opening up to a kind stranger is easier! That’s why people share more than they probably should with a bartender, a seatmate on a long flight, or a remote acquaintance in an online chat.

In this episode, Nicole and I explore this topic more deeply. We discuss why so many people turn to her for these compassionate conversations and the things that tend to come up. So, scroll up, hit play, and listen.

Obviously, names and details are omitted to maintain privacy and confidentiality. But we wanted to give you a sense of what these conversations are like and how valuable they can be for someone craving compassion, empathy, and kindness.

You can book a free initial call with Nicole to see how it works for you!

I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become invincible, and create new opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate!

📕 Check out my Invincible Daily Journals. I have one specifically for Spring!

I’m not doing well.

Every day, I read about some new horrific event in the news. It stresses me out, and sometimes it ruins my day. I’m having difficulty focusing on work, relaxing, and sleeping.

My wife is managing this better than I am. She doesn’t steep in it like I do. She's worried about my emotional health and gave me some suggestions for dealing with it all.

So, I’m adjusting things and trying to find a better balance. Below are some ways I’m trying to have a healthier relationship with staying informed and taking action. I go into a lot more detail in the podcast audio, so scroll up, hit play, and listen.

10 Ways to Pace Yourself

* Begin with more peaceful mornings (e.g., no news, no phone—just coffee and journaling)

* Engage in healthy self-care like reading comfort books, walks, and meditation (not junk food, binge-watching, drugs, or alcohol)

* Exercise more often (we should be anyway)

* Take walks in nature (I’ve talked about the benefits of “green exercise” before)

* Listen to music you love

* Take intentional news breaks

* Spend more time with friends and family

* Create beauty in your life (e.g., gardening, knitting, writing poetry, creating art, making music)

* Research and learn from more credible and objective sources

* Ground News is a platform that makes it easy to compare news sources, read between the lines of media bias, and break free from algorithms. Read more about their bias ratings system

* 1440 News is a daily newsletter that aims to provide unbiased news summaries in a concise format

* You’ll find the Associated Press in almost every list of unbiased news outlets

* Reuters is another news source that’s unbiased in its news reporting

* News coverage on BBC is pretty balanced, making it one of the best options for unbiased stories

* Tangle is an award-winning media organization that covers the biggest political stories in the U.S. by summarizing arguments from the right, left, and center (then "their take")

* Pay attention to objective data from your life (e.g., real evidence of local prices, what’s happening to your investments, policy changes you experience, friends and family losing their jobs).

* Create plans to calm your panicked mind

We are in constant fight-or-flight mode when stressed by the barrage of negative news and events. Our poor body and brain can’t distinguish between this reaction vs. being chased by a bear. It just dumps adrenaline and cortisol into our system all day.

Making plans helps calm your mind. Taking steps to take care of yourself is essential, too. You’ll feel better knowing what you will do vs. living with generalized stress and fear.

I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become invincible, and create new opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate!

📕 Check out my new The Invincible Daily Journals!

Took a long hike in our local national forest yesterday. It was a cold, rainy day, so we had the trail to ourselves. Love that!

We try to do this once or twice a week to recharge our batteries and escape the darkness of the news and social media feeds.

I fear what will happen to our national parks and forests now. So many have fought so hard to preserve them.

But now, we have an administration that would be happy to log and strip mine them into oblivion.

This seems strangely familiar

I studied a bit of history in college, and it affected me forever. In particular, one semester, we studied Hitler’s rise to power. I actually did the required reading (believe it or not 🤣), so I see the disturbing parallels between what happened then and what is happening now in the U.S.

My goal with this article and episode isn’t to scare you or create a sense of panic. But I’m also not going to stick my head in the sand or expect you to do the same. Of course, we can’t spend our days doomscrolling. We can’t skip work or school. We have to live our lives!

However, we shouldn’t ignore what history has taught us, either. The actions being taken in our country are alarming. I’m not a distant spectator. The continuing layoffs and firings within various agencies are impacting people I love dearly. Mind you, these are not well-informed decisions. You may have already read about the firing mistakes they are trying to desperately reverse. This administration’s actions are brutal, politically targeted, personally motivated, and careless.

* Trump officials fired nuclear staff not realizing they oversee the country’s weapons stockpile

* Trump Administration Accidentally Fired Bird Flu Response Workers, Report Says—Here’s Where Layoffs Are Being Walked Back

* 'DOGE in practice': Outrage follows 'boilerplate' MAGA firing of disabled veteran

* USAID Worker Sues Trump After 'Pregnant Wife is Denied Medevac'

* Musk's DOGE cuts based more on political ideology than real cost savings so far

* How Elon Musk boosted false USAID conspiracy theories to shut down global aid

* USAID staffers describe colleagues abandoned in violence in Congo as DOGE ends help programs

* One Agency Tried to Regulate SpaceX. Now Its Fate Could Be in Elon Musk’s Hands

* Elon Musk’s DOGE Sparks Outrage by Leaking Secret Data

Good people are pushing back and fighting the good fight. Federal judges are blocking the federal freezes, the birthright citizenship order, and DOGE accessing the Treasury data. Citizens are marching to protest Trump. And many Americans are pledging to stop making any purchases for a full 24 hours on February 28th and go on a nationwide shutdown on March 15th.

This is all great, but we know things will get worse. And when things go south, they go south quickly. Remember: Hitler dismantled Germany’s democracy in 53 days.

“In one of the most astonishing political transformations in the history of democracy, Hitler set about destroying a constitutional republic through constitutional means. What follows is a step-by-step account of how Hitler systematically disabled and then dismantled his country’s democratic structures and processes in less than two months’ time—specifically, one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours, and 40 minutes. The minutes, as we will see, mattered.” (source)

So, if things go from bad to worse, you won’t have much time to prepare if you wait too long to create a backup plan to take care of yourself and your loved ones. I recently read an excellent post on LinkedIn about how to protect yourself and be prepared. It inspired me to create this preparation list for you.

Some actions to consider

* Freeze your credit report with the three major reporting agencies. Contrary to Musk’s initial lies, it was revealed that Treasury data was left vulnerable when they mistakenly and briefly gave a member of the DOGE team the power to alter a sensitive federal payments database. DOGE is now seeking access to IRS systems.

* Place a security freeze with Equifax

* Freeze your Experian credit file

* Place a credit freeze with TransUnion

* Secure your communications. Ask the people in Ukraine how daily life changes when you lose the internet. One of the first moves Russia made was to cut access to the internet and mobile networks, which left Ukrainians living in a world only fed by Russian propaganda. Luckily, Elon Musk saved the day with Starlink, right? Well, Russian operatives claimed to have access to Starlink despite Musk's assurances that only Ukraine was using the service. Also, in September last year, Ukrainian forces downed a Russian drone that had a Starlink terminal integrated with its systems. So, I recommend establishing secure ways to communicate with your family and loved ones now. For example, Signal uses end-to-end encryption to keep your conversations safe. However, if we lose all means of communication, I hope you have prepared a backup plan to reconnect with your family. I wrote an article about that a few weeks ago.

* Protect your finances. Given DOGE’s unhealthy interest in accessing the data of the Treasury and IRS systems, we should be careful about protecting our assets. For example, if all your money is tied up in a single U.S. bank and assets are frozen, what will you do? There are a few steps you can take to protect yourself and ensure you have access to some funds to get by until things get sorted.

* Diversify by placing money in different banks and even a safe international account. Always do your homework to ensure you are using reputable, trustworthy financial services.

* Have some spending cash on hand if electronic systems are locked or shut down. You may need enough to cover gas, groceries, travel expenses, etc.

* Have payment systems funded that you could use if necessary (e.g., Apple Pay, Venmo). NerdWallet has a good article on peer-to-peer payment apps. It is probably best to avoid payment apps or services under the control of Musk or Zuckerberg. They’ve proven that they aren’t on our side.

* Diversify your income streams. I discuss this topic often with my solopreneur audience. Your income is fragile if you rely on one primary source. For example, as the U.S. economy and job market struggle, I’m glad I have coaching clients worldwide. Thanks to the internet, working remotely for clients and employers in other countries has never been easier. But, if you’re busy with an existing job, I know it’s challenging to find the time to spin up additional income streams, especially internationally. However, do your research and be prepared to move quickly later if necessary (e.g., your employer conducts a mass layoff).

* Be prepared to barter. If the dollar collapses, we can always revert to the good ol’ barter system. Consider what physical goods and services you could offer in your local community in exchange for things you might need (e.g., food). For example, I know someone who cuts and splits firewood for an older neighbor in exchange for some of the wood to use in his own woodstove.

* Be prepared for an emergency. We all experienced this during the COVID lockdowns. Many have also experienced serious emergencies after earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, blizzards, and hurricanes. Living in regions where this is possible teaches you to be prepared. As Americans, we can’t imagine martial law being declared. Still, it has happened before in the U.S. (e.g., after the Pearl Harbor attack and the San Francisco earthquake of 1906) and has definitely happened in other countries. It makes sense to have enough food, water, medical supplies, etc., to care for yourself and your family if we experience another lockdown with limited access to local shopping. Where I live, we’ve dealt with forest fires and earthquakes, so we have food and water stores, plus a backup generator for power and heating our home.

* Maintain your health and fitness. We’re in for a long, unpleasant, stressful experience. It’s hard enough to deal with the stress of this every day. It's even harder if you’re ill and breaking down mentally and emotionally. Work out, take walks, do yoga and meditate, talk with friends, get enough sleep, and keep yourself as fit and healthy as possible to fight the good fight.

* Strengthen local relationships. When we faced local emergencies, our neighborhood was great at helping each other out (e.g., gas for generators, shoveling snow, cutting trees). Humanity has built small, local communities since the dawn of civilization. We turn to each other when in need, support each other, protect each other, etc. Building stronger local relationships and getting to know your neighbors is never a bad idea.

* Secure your vital documents. Some weird stuff has already happened with some people’s birth certificates and passports (e.g., transgender and nonbinary folks). Make sure your online documents are stored safely and encrypted. Keep your paper documents stored in a fire-resistant document safe and ready to go if you need to leave your home (e.g., passports, birth certificates, social security cards, financial statements, family photos).

* Be ready to travel. Speaking of passports, check how many years you have left on yours. I would be nervous if my passport would soon expire. Lots of people are updating their passports and travel documents, so the wait could be considerable if you need yours later. Some folks are renewing their passports even if they have a few years left on them. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but no one believes they will ever have to leave their home. However, I have a friend who had to flee Iran with their family during the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Lives changed forever there. Just like being prepared for an emergency, you should have a plan if things go from bad to worse (e.g., before travel restrictions are enforced). Know where you will go. For example, one of my friends has an apartment in Mexico and is ready to travel there in a heartbeat.

* What is your line in the sand? I’ve been discussing this with my family and friends. When do things cross the point of no return? What event would trigger your warning bells and signal you no longer feel safe here? I know some people feel pretty privileged and secure. They can’t image anything bad ever happening to them. Well, that must be nice! However, some of my friends are already nervous and very worried about their safety. It wouldn’t take much more to scare them into leaving the country for their personal safety until—or if—America is once again safe for everyone to live without discrimination and fear of attack. So, spend some time to identify what your line is. What event would worry you the most?

Most importantly, what is your plan once you identify that point of no return and that event happens?

* What will you do?

* Where will you go?

* How will you ensure the safety of your loved ones?

* What is your short-term emergency plan?

* What is your long-term plan?

One more thing

Seriously, I’m not trying to scare you. I don’t want you to panic, either. We have to keep living our normal lives for now. We have to work, go to school, keep moving ahead, and push for what we believe. But being prepared is just smart.

There is great beauty in this world and its people despite the profound evil, greed, and corruption that taints the souls of a few. We have to remember that!

This is our damn world, too! Some of us strive to be decent and kind people, but that doesn’t mean we won’t resist and fight if pushed to the wall.

I want you to live your life and hope for the best. But I also want you to plan and be prepared for the worst.

Hey, if none of the worst-case scenarios come true, you will still be ready for other events that can and do happen (e.g., natural disasters). And you are doing things you should be doing anyway (e.g., securing your data and documents, safely communicating with your friends and loved ones, building relationships with neighbors, being prepared for an emergency).

Take care of yourself! That includes a little self-care when the news and social media feeds feel overwhelming. Take a break and go for a walk in nature to remember how wonderful this world really is! It always helps me.

I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you become a more "Invincible You" so you can live your life on your terms instead of being controlled by someone else's rules. My wife and I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe.

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