There are these particular pine cones called serotinous cones. The seeds sitting inside these cones have already matured, but the cones have developed this strong resin that glues the seeds inside shut. The only way for these cones to open up and to release the seeds is to be disturbed. The most common way is when it is heated up with fire, melting the resin. So quite literally, a naturally occurring forest fire is whats necessary for these trees to survive and thrive. For them to reach their full potential. 

The exterior adversity is necessary for them to grow.

Maybe this is a stretch of the definition of endearment... but words and meanings of words can shift with the times. So it sounded fitting for me. If it's fitting for you also, then I hope you get something for yourself out of this.

This Little Light of Mine, I'm Gonna Let It Shine

I didn't love this song until 2 years ago. When my light was much more difficult to see. So instead of trying to see it, my situation forced me to try to know it. Remember it. Feel it

I think one of the points of life is to think we've lost our light. No one goes through this game of life without losing here and there. In addition, feeling as if you've lost everything... also here and there

However, you don't ever lose your fucking light. You can think that you have, but thinking is not knowing. It may be a cloudy night but those fucking dim stars are fucking there. Moreover... you fucking know it.

This song talks about a little light, for the reason that only in the darkest of the dark is it visible again. To remind us that we’ve had it all along. That we don’t need anything more or anything else. That in the darkest of the dark, that little light shines its brightest; without trying anything more or anything else.

Tears of Toughness.

For those who didn't already know, I used to be a Firefighter.

I let you know this piece of information because I want to tell you that you're never too tough to cry.

Allowing yourself to, is actually, a level of toughness that you should be proud of.

Lately, I've been crying tears of joy and happiness more often and let me tell ya, it's the shit haha! It feels fucking awesome.

I want this for you too.

I'd like to invite you to sit with yourself more and be curious about the emotions and feelings that want more attention from you.

My newest podcast episode is about my current experience with it and I'm hoping it would be a nice invitation for you.

Have a listen please and lmk what you think.

Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.

It's not easy, but it's not hard either.

It's focusing on the work and not the results.

The perception and not what it should or shouldn't be.

It's reminding yourself that the one thing you have control of, are your choices.

What you choose to think day in and day out.

What you choose to do today and right now.

You don't have control over any result ultimately.

And the result isn't what matters the most. It's what you do to get there.

It's how you do it.

What concessions you make; if any.

One step at a time. One day at time.

It's important to end your day by asking if you did the best you could possibly do for today.
Because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

I want you to have a better life and it centers around your choices.

Love,

Don

"The height of our joy is tied to the depth of our sorrow"

2023 kicked off with big health commitments. Yoga every morning. Intermittent fasting. Training with a physiotherapist for my missing ACL. But a month ago, I injured my back while simultaneously getting a lung infection. To this very day, I haven’t exercised properly.

So it fucking sucked. Luckily my now close friend Nick checked up on my mental status. He noticed that I sounded sad on the phone. I was feeling a lot better about myself until I had too much time on my hand. The inner critic had more space and time without all the busyness.

So it fucking sucked. But with constant, and I mean constant, reading and diving into stoicism… I reminded myself that there is always an opportunity to be better. To love my fate. To find the opportunity in the obstacle….

So I sat with it. I gave the inner critic the space it always needed to have. To let it rip me a new one. And then another new one. And when I thought it was done, it ripped me another new one.

Until I saw the hurt and scared child beneath all that anger, rage, violence and frustration. Then I started trying to love that hurt child.

Now the hurt child has more space to play in the present with the adult Don. 

It’s an intense title but it’s the start of true self fulfilling self love… My new podcast episode is titled “Hello friend, it’s ok I hate myself too”. Please check it out.

Practicing gratitude turns lacking into abundance in an instant.

It's not our fault that our minds quickly and too often focus on what we don't have. Focus on what has been going wrong, what is going wrong and what is going to go wrong.

But it is our responsibility to admit it, acknowledge it, forgive ourselves for it and then do something about it.

Practicing gratitude takes practice. It requires discipline and repetition to eventually influence and change the way we perceive ourselves and our lives. We already have more than enough conditions for happiness right now but we choose to not see it. 

Lately I've been forcing myself to practice gratitude everyday and I have moments in my life now where I truly believe that I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

I hope you can feel the same about your life!