Tag Archives: life lessons

What I Wish I Had Started Doing Earlier in Life

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I’ve been doing this in one form or another for most of my life. What I wish I’d understood sooner was the value of doing it for myself. Continue reading →

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Since You Asked Twice…

Posted on September 15, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Three months after asking the exact same question, WordPress wants another answer. This time, the advice is simple: don’t get so focused on what’s next that you miss the life happening now. Continue reading →

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Why I’d Rather Not Relive a Year of My Life

Posted on September 5, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

WordPress wants to send me back in time again. But before I pick a year, I need to know the rules — and whether messing with the past is really worth it. Continue reading →

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Don’t Let the Ball Hit the Ground

Posted on August 7, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

One of the best principles I’ve tried to follow is simple: Don’t let the ball hit the ground. But after years of catching whatever came my way, I’ve learned that good advice needs an important second line: Make sure it is actually your ball. Continue reading →

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I Don’t Need Every Student to Like Me

Posted on August 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I still care whether my students like me. But after ten years in the classroom, I no longer believe that being a good teacher means making every student happy. Continue reading →

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The Funniest Misunderstanding I’ve Ever Been Part Of

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I thought I was being warm and engaging when I introduced myself to Lisa’s daughter. There was just one problem: She wasn’t Lisa’s daughter. She was Lisa’s best friend—and they were the same age. Continue reading →

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When Chaos Knocks Us Off Autopilot

Posted on July 6, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A little chaos can wake us up, stretch us and remind us that the plan was never the point. But too much chaos does not make us stronger. It only leaves us reacting. Continue reading →

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Best Advice: You Play Like You Practice

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The habits we build when we’re young do not usually disappear when life gets more serious. School is preparation for life, and the way we practice now often becomes the way we perform later. Continue reading →

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I’m Inspired By the People Who Take Away My Excuses

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some people inspire us not because their lives are easy, but because they keep showing up when life gives them every reason not to. Their example reminds me how much I have — and how few excuses I really have. Continue reading →

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Unfinished Is Not Failed: One Way I’ve Grown This Year

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I think one way I’ve grown this year is that I’ve become more comfortable with unfinished things. I am learning that delay is not always denial, silence is not always rejection, and unfinished is not the same thing as failed. Continue reading →

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