Those who know me (and probably even those who have only read my stories on this site) can attest to the fact that I’m a bit of a workaholic. This is due in no small part to the fact that I’m completely obsessed with my company–and “a bit” may, in fact, be an understatement. I’m crazy about cityhomeCOLLECTIVE, and as a result, I give her my all on the daily. I work hours that are equal parts crazy and long, and when I’m not at the office, I’m almost always thinking about it. Family, friends, and lovers can attest: work is a HUGE part of my life. cityhomeCOLLECTIVE is my baby. I’m the stressed-out father of an eleven-year-old. So…in order to stay sane, it’s important I take some time to myself from time to time. 

To unplug. To unwind. To reflect on the things I’m grateful for.

 On one such occasion a few weeks ago, I was spending the night in my new space in Park City. It’s a tiny little home on Main Street, and we’ve spent a lot of time making it feel really beautiful, cozy, and elegant, even though it’s super small. It had snowed during the day, and I had used the rad old tub for the first time earlier, so the whole place was fogged up, providing the perfect amount of privacy for my still-curtainless-windows. I was listening to “Better Man” by Leon Bridges, and dancing around with gratitude like a crazy person. (Full disclosure, I had had a few glasses of wine.) In that moment, I felt like I had some genuine, totally essential advice to give the world, and I absolutely did not want to forget a word of it. So, I grabbed my notebook and jotted down these 16 things that I knew to be true, that I felt like you should know, too. I re-read my findings the next morning, much to my own amusement, and now I’m showing it to you for yours. Note: Given that I’m almost exclusively an “early to bed, early to rise”-type, and everything I say after midnight should be taken with a grain of salt, I reserve the right to add or subtract from this list in the future (though the latter is not likely). I am also presenting you this list without having edited from my full-of-love buzzed state. And I think it still holds up… 

Life Tips | 12:36am, December 21st, 2015

Always say “hi” to humans on the street or trail.

If there’s trash in your path, pick it up.

Be honest.

Ask people more often how they’re doing. Listen when they respond.

Ask yourself often if you’re living the life you really want.

Ask for help when you need it.

Be consistently curious about how to help your friends be more happy.

Thank the trees for all their hard work.

Say “hello” to every animal that crosses your path.

Hug better. Tap out last.

Before you deflect a compliment, wonder what’s true about it.

Investigate what’s right about every difficult situation.

Pick up the phone when your mother calls. No matter how important the meeting is.

Remember that saying something negative about anyone is saying that thing about yourself.

Say “please” and “thank you” and “sorry” every time it’s warranted.

Trust that everything is working out.