Author name: Peter Schulte

I’ve committed to taking a walk in nature (almost) every day, rain or shine. As much as possible, I just let myself be – with myself, with nature, to use that time as a kind of walking meditation.

If passion is the fuel and talent is the vehicle, we might think of our personal values as the compass that orients us in the right direction for our own unique journey. With our core values clearly articulated within ourselves, we can much more easily find our way back to our true north.

I turned 40 this weekend. Of course, in some ways, it doesn’t really mean anything—or at least it doesn’t have to. But I’ve chosen to make this milestone meaningful to me, as an inflection point in my life, the start of a new chapter.

Your “issues” are only ever just a tiny fraction of who you are. They are potholes in the road. They are a puff of cloud temporarily blocking out the vast Sun of your being.

You are unique. You are beautiful. You are whole. Just like everyone else.

In this new vision, belonging is not something people earn or can be taken away. Everyone is fundamentally allowed to be who they are, what they are, and where they are without being called “deplorable,” demeaned, or condescended to.

Every failure is just more proof of their courage, vulnerability, and resilience. Every failure is an opportunity to learn something new. Every failure is an important stepping stone on the path to success.

Once we stop believing we are owed the world we want or are somehow shameful or broken for not collectively realizing the world we believe should be, we offer ourselves a greater sense of peace and acceptance that can be an important balm in these troubled times.