Coffee Time Reflections with Silvia Escobar

The other day I heard a definition of discipline that blew my mind. “Discipline is prioritizing the needs of your future self over your present self.” ~Chase Hughes What a great definition! The reason I require any discipline at all is because there’s nothing in it for my present self. Whether it be exercise, food… Continue reading The One Habit Your Future Self Will Thank You For

I remember preparing for a party years ago, rushing around the house trying to finish a dozen things at once. My kids were still home then, and one of my teenage sons asked how he could help. I handed him a small task because it was what came to mind in the moment. But before… Continue reading We do best what only we can do

One of the most valuable skills we can develop as adults isn’t just giving advice—it’s learning when to take it and when to leave it behind. We live in a world full of opinions. From social media to family gatherings, it seems everyone has something to say about how you should live, parent, spend, or… Continue reading When to Take (and Not Take) Advice

It all started with the swing set in our yard. It seemed like an insurmountable task, but I’d been wanting to hire someone to fix the swing set for a very long time. Some of the wood was broken, it needed painting, some pieces needed to be replaced, I didn’t even know if it made… Continue reading The magic of starting

Some mornings on my walk, I catch myself thinking, “This is boring.” For years, I’ve walked the same route at 6:30 a.m., five times a week. Most of the time, I enjoy it. But every so often, the monotony creeps in. And yet, this one simple habit has transformed my life. An hour of walking… Continue reading When Routine Gets Boring, Keep Going Anyway

I recently got a flat tire. Luckily it was on our driveway. Even better, Arturo was home. Here’s the thing. Neither one of us is good at changing tires. And I could have done it myself. But It meant a lot to me that he stuck around to help me figure it out. Such acts… Continue reading The Law of Value: A Life Principle That Changes Everything

I often see parents at the store, “bribing” their kids to follow them. “Come on. Let’s go. If you come right now, I’ll take you out for ice cream!” Or at the zoo, “Come here so we can take a picture. Come on! If you come and take a picture, we will go to the… Continue reading Want to Raise Responsible Kids? Stop Bribing Them

Arturo and I have had our share of crises in our 40 years as a family. When you experience an emergency, you don’t always know what to do or what direction to go. One of the biggest lessons we have learned is to do two things when something unexpected arises. 1) Survive. I don’t know… Continue reading What to do in a time of crisis

I was listening to an interview this week with Jon Acuff and Michael Hyat, two of my favorite writers, when Jon made an amazing statement. He said one of his goals as a dad was to have a schedule in which he was interruptible for his family. That is to say, he could put aside… Continue reading Are you interruptible?

People hugely underestimate the amount of real work required to achieve their goals. If I realize how much work it takes to fulfill my goals, then it won’t be a shock when I need to put in the effort to accomplish them. In a world where accomplishing more while working less is glorified, it is… Continue reading The Myth of Effortless Success