Inner Greatness 101

This morning, I woke up with aching bones, stiff joints, and a right hand that’s seen better days. My legs are sore, my hands feel worn, and my body carries the weight of every movement I’ve pushed it through. But I know this pain. It’s familiar, expected, even welcomed. It’s not a sign of weakness—it’s proof of effort. A cup of coffee in hand, I take a breath and ease into the morning. The stiffness will fade as I move, the discomfort will lessen, and soon enough, I’ll be ready to do it all over again—the same activities that caused these aches in the first place. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. The alternative? A life of ease. Of sitting still. Of letting my body soften, weaken, and deteriorate under the illusion of comfort. But I refuse to trade my strength for stagnation. We were made to endure, to push, to grow through struggle. Suffering isn’t optional—it’s inevitable. But we get to choose what kind of suffering we embrace. The suffering of discipline or the suffering of re...

Regaining Composure: Powered by Coffee, ADHD Tendencies, and Parenting at Full Speed Picture this: it’s 6:15 a.m. The high schooler can’t find their earbuds, the middle schooler just remembered a science project that’s due today, and the elementary kid is peppering everyone with questions like, “Why do grown-ups drink coffee instead of chocolate milk?” Meanwhile, the coffee mug sits abandoned—cold and forgotten—for the third time. Parenting isn’t easy. Parenting across three schools while juggling career uncertainty? That’s a whole new level of chaos. Yet, every day is an opportunity to rise to the challenge, even when it feels like the pieces might fall apart. As Nelson Mandela once said, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” And if there’s one thing parents know how to do, it’s rise again (sometimes with coffee in hand). Coffee: The Unsung Hero of the Comeback For parents, coffee isn’t just a beverage—it’s a lifeline. It’s the fu...