Beyond the Screen: A Lesson in Eye Contact

For a few years now, I’ve had a role where I get to interview youth on a biannual basis to see how they’re doing. One thing we often do is set goals. Recent...

Dialing, Butterflies, and the Art of Real Conversation

I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, and I remember being scared to death to call a girl. I remember that extreme butterfly feeling in my stomach as ...

The Steep Hill and the Drive for Mastery

A few days ago, I had a hard time getting my 6-year-old son to leave the park so that we could go back home. The reason why: he was trying to overcome challen...

The Anatomy of an Everyday Distraction

I often think back and laugh about a time in college when my wife and I were newlyweds around 2005. While she was diligently studying for a test, I must have fo...

Where Did the Weekend Go?

How often do you find yourself being asked at work what you did over the weekend, only to realize it takes all your brain power just to recall a single highlight? In a world...

Are You Navigating Life Without a Map? Why Setting Your Sights Changes Everything

Every single day, countless "digital seizures"—pings, notifications, and algorithm-driven distractions—compete for ou...

The Illusion of Good Systems

I have a goal to reduce having medical seizures as much as possible. So, for the last 15 years I’ve used a system to help me do just that. It involves using a plastic pil...

One night, I had a sad dream about one of the young ladies from the church I attend. She was part of the teenage group of girls that my wife had been assigned to work with as their youth leader. She w...

The Hunt for Digital "Training Wheels" 

Back in 2018, I was doing research to find a good phone option to purchase for our oldest daughter when we felt she was old enough. Even though she was much mo...

Our kitchen counter used to have a frame displayed vertically on a small easel stand. It’s one of those boards designed to hold any custom message you’d like based on the plastic letters that came wit...

“Daddy, I want a golden goose!”

“Alright, Sweetheart, alright. Daddy will get you one as soon as we get home.”

“NO! I want one of those!”

“Wonka, how much do you want for the golden goose?”

“They’...

The Unexpected Mirror: What My Epilepsy Taught Me About Our Phone Habits

Imagine you and I are standing in a hallway chatting after a class or meeting. Suddenly, in the middle of our conversation, my...