Today is a beautiful day! I’m happy to announce that my third book has been released - QuoteCast: A Collection of My Interpretations and Philosophies. I’ve been sitting on this project idea for a while; the beginning of December marked when I began assembling each chapter. It has been a lot of work but extremely rewarding! I’m very satisfied with the end product and couldn’t be happier with the decision to follow through with the original idea. Not to mention, it felt great to dive back into the publishing process regardless of how fuckin’ frustrating it can be at times. I’d like to thank Kristin for all the love and support during this endeavor; I know the hours spent behind the computer could have been hours spent together. For that, I’m sorry. With that said, I have the purchase link below for anyone interested in buying a copy. If you do pick up a copy, I hope you enjoy it :)

It's a big day for the Mind of the Messiah platform! Today marks a brand new show segment - Virtual Coffee Shop. In this segment, I host a virtual interview with Abraham Lange via our online recording platform, PodCastle. Having the capability to conduct interviews online has opened a new set of doors for us. We no longer have to schedule meetups or try to squeeze in time to see each other. Now, we simply log in to PodCastle, join the same recording room via an email link, and hash out a dialogue of our choosing. This is my first time collaborating on a new show segment with another podcaster; I couldn't be more excited to see where we take this! I have the link to Abraham's podcast, Global Impact, below. Check it out sometime. There are a lot of episodes of Virtual Coffee Shop in our future. Thank you for tuning in!

Today’s episode was recorded on my way home from Eau Claire, WI. The topic stemmed from a previous conversation with my uncle - using compassion as a mechanism for dealing with less-than-happy people. In a society that cannot stop arguing and fighting, we’ve dug ourselves into a deep hole of forgetting how to communicate with one another. Due to this, we have forgotten how to treat each other. It is easy to judge another person’s communicative actions—especially negative encounters—rather than to place yourselves in the shoes of those we are judging. If we do so, we can see that people who are negative and unhappy come from a place of suffering. I see them as “trees caught in the shade, ones who cannot grow properly.” Casting more shade on an unhealthy tree or projecting additional negativity accomplishes nothing; it furthers the dark roots that make the tree sick. On top of furthering the problem, you give it a reason to continuously infect the other trees around it. However, with compassion, we can try to shed a few rays of light on the trees caught in the dark. We can give them a small opportunity to experience some light and encourage their development in a more positive manner. Who knows, maybe that tree will begin to grow properly and be kinder to other trees. It won’t if we treat it with the same frustration and resentment it gives us. Compassion is the only way to make the entire forest healthier. It is the way to make the world a better place and improve the lives of all around us. Through compassion, we can re-learn how to treat each other better. We open the door to a brighter future for humanity. But it all starts with how we deal with the trees who need compassion the most. In a lot of ways, they fail to grow properly because we have let that happen. So, be kind to the next asshole you see, because maybe that tree grew in the shade for too long and doesn’t know any better. If it did, it would most likely do better on its own. It’s our job to help every tree get there.

We are at the best part of November! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year; a perfect holiday to take inventory of the things we hold near and dear to our hearts. On a day like today, it is important not only to examine the things we are thankful for, but to appreciate them on a deeper level. Taking the time to slow down and reflect on this beautiful life is the key to living a good one. What better day to do so? While surrounded by friends and family it is easy to look around and count the blessings we have. Not to mention, it’s nice to reminisce over what we are thankful for with a tummy full of turkey and potatoes. As you look around the table today, imagine how empty life would be if you were to take your loved ones and beautiful moments for granted. I hope everyone has a happy holiday. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍽🍁