Today, remember this:

Sometimes the things we care about the most get worse when we try too hard to improve them.

A vacation becomes an itinerary. Rest becomes a performance metric. Relaxation becomes another item on the to-do list.

A short reflection on optimization, sleep tracking, family vacations, and the surprisingly high cost of squeezing every last drop of efficiency out of life.

Today, remember this:

A surprising amount of what happens inside your mind seems to happen entirely without your permission.

Thoughts appear. Urges arise. Old memories resurface. Songs get stuck in your head.

But perhaps the most important part of the process of living your life isn't what pops up, what gets submitted for your consideration. It's what gets published.

A short reflection on habits, agency, pink elephants, and why having a thought isn't the same thing as acting on it.

Today, remember this:

Many of the things we love to do eventually start feeling like things we're *supposed* to do.

A hobby becomes a responsibility. A creative outlet becomes a commitment. Something that once felt exciting slowly starts feeling like...work.

A short reflection on novelty, obligation, sourdough starters, and the curious tendency for our get-tos to become have-tos.

Today, remember this:

Many of us spend our lives chasing the feeling of finally being "on top of things"—as though there's a future version of life where the inbox is empty, the laundry is done, and everything is under control.

But most of what matters isn't something to finish. It's something to maintain.

A short reflection on recurring tasks, parental leave, laundry, and why the reward for completing life's work is usually getting the chance to do it again tomorrow.

Today, remember this:

Not every uncomfortable feeling is a sign that something has gone wrong.

Sometimes discomfort is warning us about genuine danger. Other times, it's pointing towards uncertainty, vulnerability,, or simply something we'd rather avoid.

A short reflection on anxiety, discomfort, and learning to listen to our feelings without automatically letting them make our decisions.

Today, remember this:

Most of us think we're simply observing the cold hard facts of what's happening around us.

But between an event and our experience of it, there's often something else: the unspoken story we tell ourselves about what it means.

A short reflection on interpretation, assumptions, and how changing the meaning we attach to a situation can change the experience of it entirely.

Today, remember this:

When we think about kindness, we tend to picture actions: favors, gifts, grand gestures, and good deeds.

But some of the kindnesses that stay with us the longest are much quieter than that. A patient response. Genuine attention. Someone choosing to make us feel welcome when we need it most.

A short reflection on kindness, human connection, and the ripple effects we rarely get to see.

Today, remember this:

Not every question you ask yourself needs an answer right now.

Sometimes, we mistake rumination for problem-solving, convincing ourselves that one more pass through a worry, uncertainty, or conversation will finally bring clarity. More often than not, it just brings another lap around the same track.

A short reflection on uncertainty, overthinking, and the freedom of leaving some mental sentences unfinished.

Today, remember this:

Thoughts have a sneaky way of disguising themselves as facts.

A story we tell ourselves can feel every bit as convincing as reality, especially when it arrives quickly, confidently, and without warning.

A short reflection on overthinking, interpretation, and the difference between having a thought and believing it.

Today, remember this:

We often think of change as something dramatic—a turning point, a big decision, a moment of transformation.

But most of the ways we become who we are happen much more quietly than that. Through small actions, repeated over and over again.

A short reflection on habits, identity, and the subtle ways we practice becoming ourselves.