Without a purpose we are drifters, floating in the wind of change amidst the ebb and flow of chaos. A sense of chronic emptiness roils up inside as we try to fill it with Netflix, video games, alcohol, sex and drugs; and other forms of escapism. Thomas Carlyle once said that “a person without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder.” Without a sense of purpose we not only lose sight of our core values, we often don’t even know what those values are.

Having a purpose doesn’t mean we’re required to accomplish great feats, just feats that…

You would think that during such apocalyptic times that the best thing a writer can do is, well… write about it, but that is not always the case. We all felt the 2020 blues, we are still feeling it. The pandemic and the daily Covid-19 death tolls in the news has also taken a toll on our mental health — no one can honestly say it hasn’t affected them either directly or psychologically.

Last year I became so depressed I stopped writing, mostly. As the walls closed in around me while I scrambled to complete academia deadlines and teach students…

It’s 2021. We made it. It has been hard to watch the world burn. With so much devastation at our doors in 2020: deadly bushfires in Australia, a deadly pandemic, enforced lockdowns, race riots, financial crashes, Trump was still in power, America’s cities on fire, and fear tactics congesting the media — it was extremely difficult to see any hope.

But it is especially in such times that we need hope, not despair — we need assurance, not despondency. How has the human spirit survived such epic gloom in the past? You might think the answer can be found in…

My most widely read Medium article is titled ‘Here’s How to Deal with People Who Are Ghosting You.’ According to Medium, it attracts approximately one thousand readers a week, which is pretty staggering to me. It’s an article that delves into why some people ghost others, without reason or rhyme. But it’s not so much the subject matter that concerns me, rather, that so many people are seeking advice on this matter. Has ghosting really become such a phenomenon? It seems the answer is yes.

When I wrote the article I had just come out of a brief but intense…

A writer’s life is paved with thorns. The sooner you realize this simple truth, the better. Imagine an arena full of tigers and battle-hardened warriors. Some are seasoned fighters, trained in the art of persuasion, narrative structure, character development, and prose. Others are cunning tricksters, able to seduce readers with click-bait and catchy headings.

Now imagine you are a gladiator but you’re armed with nothing but a pen (in this case the pen is definitely mightier than the sword) and your only hope of survival is your ability to keep writing. Now all you have to do is imagine the…

I recently developed a condition called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). It’s a condition triggered by tiny calcium “crystals” inside your inner ear that help keep you balanced. But on the off chance they move into an area called the semicircular canal, they can trigger a feeling of dizziness. As the name suggests, it is “benign” — but this condition turned my life upside down, and perhaps in a good way.

We’ve all heard stories of people making ‘major life-changing decisions’ after or during periods of chronic illness. For some, it’s akin to a midlife crisis where they may have…

Warning. This article contains spoilers for Joker.

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding director Todd Philips’ new Joker film currently in theatres. Some of the arguments are tired old bones, such as the violent subversive nature of the film. But these reactions are nothing new. Films like Natural Born Killers, A Clockwork Orange, Lolita and Straw Dogs, all caused their own share of controversy at the time — public trepidation that violent art begets violent acts. …

What do Paul McCartney, George Lucas, Jennifer Lopez and Bill Gates all have in common? They all practice mindfulness daily. It’s no news, mindfulness is a growing phenomenon around the world, but for good reason. The data is in: meditation can actually help the brain stay younger. More than that, practicing mindfulness and becoming more present has a whole string of positive side effects.

Mindfulness is a way to stay calm and aware, acknowledge and accept our true feelings, notice our thoughts, and the sensations in our body. When I am being mindful I am able to listen to my…