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Blog #757: I Am My Sneakers

by Ana | August 13, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

I felt it.I really, really felt it. All of it. The serious heat.My empty legs.My slowing pace. ______ I had been walking over an hour. I started the walk when it seemed a manageable 79 degrees. Looking at my phone at that moment... It had climbed fast to a scorching...

Blog #756: Is Your Try Running Out?

by Ana | August 6, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

He is tired of trying. ______ “Hey Shawn, Thanks for always showing up. When I’m at my lowest, you write what I need to read. I need something big now. I keep trying, but it feels like I’m getting nowhere. I’m wondering if it’s time to throw in the towel.” ______ I...

Blog #755: Don’t Walk Past Yourself

by Ana | July 30, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

Most people walk past them.I couldn't. For 35+ years... I’ve eaten rice, beans, and saladsbecause I love animals. But there's a little life my heart can't ignore. ______ Snails. I’ve written before about saving worms struggling across hot sidewalks. I’ve also carried...

Blog #754: The Teachers I Almost Missed

by Ana | July 23, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

I see it clearly now. Two of my greatest teachershave never spoken a word. Two little dogs teaching big lessons. ______ For 15½ years… My Chihuahuas have taught me more about life than I’ve taught them. They taught me to celebrate. When I walk through the door, they...

Blog #753: The Uncomfortable Mirror

by Ana | July 16, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

I was getting ready to go for a hike. My shoes were waiting by the door.My backpack was loaded down and ready. Then a thought quietly walked into the room. ______ "I don't feel like it." Nothing unusual. Except this time... I heard it differently. A second thought...

Blog #752: I Couldn’t Look Away

by Ana | July 9, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

I was flipping through TV channels...until one of them stopped me cold. I didn't know the singer.I didn't know the song. But I couldn't look away. ______ It wasn't his voice that caught me. It was how completely he gave himself to the moment. He wasn't just singing.He...

Blog #751: I Pressed Send Anyway

by Ana | July 2, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

#750 is behind me.#751 is right now. Still going.Still showing up.Still giving it my best. Every.Single.Thursday. ______ #751. That’s a lot of Thursdays. More than I ever imagined when this began. And although I'm acknowledging #751... I'm celebrating #1 more. That’s...

Blog #750: What Are You Leaving in Them?

by Ana | June 25, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

At first... This blog was about a frog named Camino.Then it became a question. Ready to see where this leads? ______ First story... There’s a little frog that’s lived outside my front door in Sacramento for as long as I can remember. I call him “Camino.”Named after...

Blog #749: The Email Said She’s a Ghost

by Ana | June 18, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

I read her email.I stopped breathing for a moment. "People don't say things like that." ______ The email read: "I’m a ghost. People don't see me. I don't even see myself anymore. I read your blog and maybe I'm not changing, but at least I see I don't want to be a...

Blog #748: It’s Time to Go

by Ana | June 11, 2026 | Blog Post | 0 Comments

Moving forward. Not because it's easy.Because staying changes who you become. ______ The past has a powerful pull. A favorite memory.A former relationship.A great success.A missed opportunity.A different version of ourselves. It's easy to revisit what was. Especially...

Blog #662: Haunts That Keep Haunting

Blog Post

Into my email I reach.The topic is regrets. Anonymous has them.I'm asked if I do. ______ Shawn - I read your Thursday emails. You won't recognize this email address, however, because I'm ashamed to share my real identity. I recently had a milestone birthday, and I'm...

AUDIO #661: My Hand Watering Happy Hour

Audio

Share with friends, co-workers and everybody else in the world:Looking for a little inspiration? Sign-up for Thursday's blog. Extra Mile Thursday! It's totally FREE.[fts_twitter twitter_name=ToShawnAnderson tweets_count=2 cover_photo=yes stats_bar=no...

Blog #661: My Hand Watering Happy Hour

Blog Post

Most every evening at 6:00... I wind down my day by hand-watering my front yard.But this blog isn't really about hand-watering. If you read on... You'll find a happy story.And maybe even a secret to finding happiness. ______ Let's take this story from the beginning....

Blog #659: Three Thoughts to Get You Through

Blog Post

Who among us doesn't know struggle? I certainly do. ______ Struggle is a part of being human. When we create, when we choose to change, when we're faced with challenges, when we want to move past comfort zones...struggle will always be waiting. Even in writing this...

Blog #658: What Did the Fortune Cookie Say?

Blog Post

"Bend the rod while it is still hot." (That was my fortune cookie message.) ______ Chances are excellent... I won't read my horoscope even once this year. For me... It's not in my mental makeup to pay much heed to how the sun, planets, and moon are aligned. I did have...

Blog #657: Say Hello to the Old Man

Blog Post

FEAR. It lives in all of us. It's defeating and debilitating.It steals possibilities and experiences. It limits lives. ______ Here are four excerpts from past emails: 1. "...I've stayed in a job I've hated for years. But the thing is, I'm 48 and don't have the courage...