Tag Archives: personal growth

First Personal Goal: Stop Asking Yes-No Questions

Posted on October 25, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

WordPress wants to know whether I set personal goals. As an English teacher, I have a problem with the question itself. But I’ll answer it anyway. Continue reading →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tell Fear to Go to Hell

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Fear can protect us from danger, but it can also rob us of life’s greatest opportunities. Looking back at missed chances, painful rejections, and one life-changing leap of faith, I’ve learned that sometimes the best thing we can do is tell fear to go to hell. Continue reading →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Person in the Mirror

Posted on September 29, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The people closest to us often become our clearest mirrors. Marriage has taught me uncomfortable truths, important lessons, and a lot about the person I still want to become.
Continue reading →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sunday Pour: The Return to the Barstool—What Familiar Places Teach Us About Growth

Posted on August 30, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

We return to familiar places expecting comfort, but sometimes they show us something more important: how much we’ve changed. The old barstool may still be there, but we may belong for a different reason—or realize we no longer belong at all. Continue reading →

Posted in Bourbon, The Sunday Pour | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s Important Now? One Question That Can Change Your Life

Posted on August 2, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

When everything feels important, nothing feels manageable. My stepdad often repeated Lou Holtz’s simple formula for success: W.I.N.—What’s Important Now? Continue reading →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Daily Prompt, Random | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment