This past week we stealthily crossed the 100 member milestone and I'm so so excited for it! A couple of you reached out about it (thank you!!) and @Chris Wendt 's post here100-members means so so much to me... This milestone belongs to all of you! It truly does! Thank you for showing up, contributing your voices, sharing your experiences, and helping create this space into what it is today. I never anticipated how this little corner of skool was going to take shape and I am so so truly thankful for it and for you all. A gift that I never knew was needed and didn't see coming. My heart is overflowing with joy. The connections formed and nurtured, the conversations sparked, and the growth truly wouldn’t exist without your willingness to engage and support one another and me. This community is possible because of you-your presence, insight, and energy matter more than you know. Thank you for making it the special space that it is. Here’s to what we’ve built together so far, and to everything still ahead!!!!💛 Excited!!!!!

I'd love to get a list going of people's favorite books or current reads! (or if you've written a book yourself, feel free to share that as well!). If you'd be so inclined, please feel free to share in this space. Also, if there's a book you would NOT recommend, share that too. I'm curious! My current reads: The Power of Now The Bible-trying to make this a daily habit Catch-22 Why the kids aren't growing up Soundtracks People of the Lie Pissed Off With a Purpose: Waging War on Fear My most recent reads: Podvig Thinking Fast and Slow An Arsenal of Gratitude-Waging War on Mediocrity and Regret (shoutout to @Dan 'Remmy' Stourac --it's written by him and it's amazing!!). The Bible Dune Crazy busy The Great Alone In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addictions Fight Club Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder Disappointment with God Kasher in the Rye (NOT to be confused with Catcher in the Rye) Favorite Books: Man's Search for meaning-viktor frankl Elements-Transfiguration of Elijah -anonymous priest in the oriental orthodox church Daring Greatly (and a bunch of Brene Brown's other work--Gifts of Imperfection; I thought it was just me but it wasn't; Braving the Wilderness) Screwtape Letters and the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis Atomic Habits Brother's Karamazov and Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky Welcome to the Orthodox Church by Fredericka Matthews Greene (I'll continue adding, these are just top of mind right now! ) Thank you for the inspiration @Dan 'Remmy' Stourac Please add to the list: @Aleksandra Nedelkoski @Anastasia Cocioaba @Andres Mateo @George Arhip @Loren Angelo @Britni Burton @Tim Blacke @Christa Lovas @Anastasia Cocioaba @LaTanya Carter @Dan 'Remmy' Stourac @David Pepper @David Pepper @Dayna Kanouna @Dr. Melissa Partaka @John D @Rachel Featherstone @Julia Groth @William Guy @Kimberly Poirier @Lisa Papiez @Lisa Vanderveen @Mary Seguin @Michael Mcknight @Michelle Mann @Moni Matysiak @Rina Maniou @Ronnie McCabe @Peter Oconnell @Ruth aka Grace Rose @Ryanne Ryan @Tracy Stewart @Adriana Filip @Jennifer Chatle @Anna Lh @Brittany Hone @Chris Wendt @Jose Colon @Yvonne Green @Linda Short @Nicole Johnson @Julie Nelson @Stephanie Riley @Tharuk M @Vasi Smith @Wesley Penner @Chris Wendt

You guys! Go check out this amazing post/poem by @Karen Hamilton Here:we-all-have-purpose I know we have some creative writers in this group! Please feel free to also share your art with us and definitely check out Karen's work!! :) -------- Purpose is typically built through engagement by doing things that create a sense of meaning, contribution, or growth over time. Waiting to feel inspired before acting usually keeps us stuck. Most people often don’t lack purpose; they lack clarity, direction or movement. Action clarifies values and values clarify action. Discomfort reveals what matters and responsibility can create meaning. :) :) -----------

I'm not a man, so I'm not going to pretend that I understand or know what it's like to be a man. I also don't want to give ANY impression that masculinity or masculine traits are bad or less than. The world NEEDS masculine traits...I think we're in desperate need actually. It's been interesting to see the shift from unhealthy masculinity to the complete oppression of masculinity... Ultimately though, I think that we need humans that can embody a level of wholeness. (the post below mainly focuses on one aspect of this...but there's always more) I work with men and I love them. I love humanity--with all it's beauty, with all it's ick, with all it's wrestling in the mud...But i think that there's a special place in my heart for men. I can only speak from my experience with interacting with men...so while I'm not a man and can't get the full scope, I'm thankful for being allowed in spaces where they've shared their experiences... In working with men, I get to see the pain that's there, the striving, the need for connection, the fear of failure and fear of not living up to their potential, the things left unsaid or unaddressed because there are certain expectations or there are certain societal waves at play that don't leave a place for men to really speak up without repercussions. Other men experience the opposite--where there's less striving, less leading, less masculine traits presented and they also suffer-from a lack of direction, effectiveness. Some have direction/clarity but the current societal environment doesn't necessarily allow for it. The current environment around how some men are treated is also fascinating and appears to be damaging..A lot of shame can arise in any of these cases. Sometimes some of the men deny that these things even exist in their lives but more often than not, over time there's a realization. Something that doesn’t get talked about enough is how many high-achieving men end up sabotaging themselves because of the version of masculinity that helped them succeed. The grind, the emotional shutdown, the “handle it alone” mentality--it kinda works, you know? Until it doesn't. Using pain as a fuel source can be really motivating and can feel like "fire under the a$$" but when it seeps in other areas of life, it ends up being messy, painful, harmful. On the other side of the spectrum there are individuals that are lacking clarity in vision/direction and there's little striving/less leading and this contributes to feelings of ineffectiveness, lack of purpose, depression. There are also groups of men that are feeling limited in their ability to move forward due to the current stance of society..

Originally from San Francisco, California, I now live in Chiang Mai, Thailand with my wife and our two daughters. I've been connecting more with @Georgiana D in other communities, and from her recent shares and our growing connection, now I'm here in her community! I'm very curious about human nature and how we can all be more empowered versions of ourselves through self-understanding, self-awareness, intention, and choice. So, spaces where I can have more convos and connections for that, I'm all for it! I'm also looking to connect and chat with other purpose-driven individuals. I believe we can do a lot more good together, than we can alone. If you’d like to connect more, feel free to comment or send me a message. Or I’ll get to know you more in this community!