Happy National Corn Chip Day!
Forget the diet, today is National Corn Chip Day! Time to dip those crunchy golden triangles of joy into some salsa, guac, or queso—because your snack standards deserve a celebration. While you’re snacking, check out our new podcast— The Vibe Unplugged!
What are we afraid of? Fear is a primal emotion encoded into the circuitry of our brains over millions of years of evolution. Its purpose? To protect us from harm by triggering fight, flight, or freeze responses. And while useful in genuinely dangerous situations, fear often arises unnecessarily, causing distress and preventing us from living fully. The way fear presents itself shifts based on whether our minds are focused on the past, present, or future. By examining these patterns, we can gain wisdom about how to short-circuit unnecessary fear.
Much of the fear we experience fixates on the past, on moments we wish we could redo but cannot. When I reflect on my life, many of my biggest regrets stem from times when fear held me back from seizing opportunities, speaking openly, or acting according to my personal values. Sometimes, I find myself replaying those memories over and over in my mind, lamenting my inaction, words left unsaid, or poor choices. Friends describe similar patterns. Fear of rejection preventing them from asking someone on a date or applying for a dream job. Fear of confrontation leading to the enabling of unhealthy behaviors in relationships. Fear of judgment stopping them from being their authentic selves.
While reflecting on past fears can sometimes provide valuable lessons, rumination is often counterproductive. When we lose hours agonizing over years-old memories, fear transforms into regret and anxiety, preventing us from being fully present. The notion that we should be immune to feeling fear or regret sets an impossible standard, eroding self-compassion. And retrospective analysis rarely captures the full context of a challenging moment, clouding our judgment. The healthiest approach I’ve found is acknowledging when my inner critic is using the past as a whip for self-flagellation, then consciously re-centering myself in the present moment.
In contrast to regrets over past actions, fear also fixates on the future, specifically uncertainty and perceived dangers to come. New parents feel this viscerally. From the minute I held my infant daughter in my arms, vivid scenarios flooded my mind of all the terrible things that could happen to her. News headlines of tragedies reinforce those graphic visions. When my daughter’s school has lockdown drills, my mind spirals through horrifying hypotheticals. As she gets older, I agonize over the dangers she could face—pain, violence, loss.
Logically I understand that envisioning worst case scenarios cannot prevent them. Yet the floods of adrenaline and cortisol that course throughout my body in these moments reinforce the fear over my lack of control over external variables. Well-meaning experts often share that, “Worrying is pointless—what will come, will come.” But how can a caring parent NOT intensely fear suffering befalling their innocent child? When I voice that angst, most parents I know recall experiencing the same torment. Perhaps this is an intrinsic part of parenting. We are not alone in helplessly foreseeing future loss.
Beyond our concern for loved ones, risk also provokes great apprehension. When I left a stable job to leap into business, waves of worry kept me awake at night—fear of losing financial security, failing publicly after promoting my services, having my self-worth tangled with outcomes outside my control. At times, catastrophic visions drowned out any glimmers of excitement. Those fears never fully abate, but they do lessen over time through repeatedly leaning into courage.
What enables someone to convert uncertainty from a source of dread into a catalyst for growth? Reframing fear as excitement requires embracing vulnerability and trusting in your own ability to course-correct if a situation veers way off track. Letting go of rigid assumptions about what “should” transpire also liberates energy previously consumed by angst. Focusing on the single next right step grounds us in empowered action versus paralysis when staring into the abyss of unknowns. The times I’ve adopted this mindset have enabled me to expand my comfort zone greatly. While past regrets and future worries still arise, I gain some agency by defining fear as friend, not foe.
Though anxiety will always be part of human consciousness, recognizing fear’s evolutionary origins enables us to see its distortion. When over-activated, fear narrows our vision, inhibits creative problem solving, perpetuates bias, and damages health. But when channeled constructively, fear provides useful information and motivation. By shining light on habitual thought patterns around regret and apprehension, we claim authority over fear rather than allowing it authority over us. Given the fact that fears will likely always arise, the most empowering approach seems to be learning to dance fluidly with fear.
Artificial Imagination 🪩
Speaking of dance, our little girl can't get enough of dancing, spinning across the living room each night like she owns the stage. Her little brother bops along, moving in a way that kind of resembles dancing…if you squint 😂. Their nightly performances inspired some fun MidJourney art capturing the joy and beauty of dance, no skill required. Also, if you ever need volunteers to light up the dance floor at a wedding or party, Rachel and I will gladly bring the enthusiasm. Our amateur moves will at least be entertaining 🙃.
This is not an actual photo, but one that was totally A.I. generated using a prompt that I created with MidJourney 🤯
Vibe Hack🪟
The Morning Breather: Take 60 seconds when you wake up to crack open the window and welcome the day with some crisp morning air. Let your lungs fill up and your cares float away, even if just for a minute. It's an easy refresh for body and mind.
My Weekly Vibe
TV: True Detective rides north to Alaska for its newest mystery, filled with the creepy, ominous vibes from the early seasons. Night Country follows two detectives investigating missing research station workers amidst the frigid landscape. Jodie Foster is incredible in her lead role, and pairs well with co-star, Kali Reis. I’m only on episode two, but I’m already hooked and can’t wait for the next one. We can debate which season is the best, but let’s be honest—all the seasons are better than 90% of the other TV choices.
Essay: What drives humanity's relentless search for meaning? Cognitive scientist Guillaume Thierry ponders this timeless question in his essay The Human Brain's Insatiable Hunt for Meaning. He argues that we possess an innate, subconscious urge to interpret reality, an urge that shapes the human experience. Blending experimental evidence and philosophical reflection, Thierry proposes that our quest to understand the world—and ourselves—defines life's purpose. But fully grasping why we exist would nullify that purpose. It’s an elegantly paradoxical idea. This thought-provoking piece is definitely worth the read.
Fidget: I used to be a terrible nail biter. Throughout my childhood, I’d gnaw away at my fingers like a beaver tackling a log. If my nails were all chewed off, I’d turn to paperclips, pens, or anything that wasn’t nailed down (pun intended). I’m sure my teachers didn’t think this was annoying at all 🙃. As a germaphobe, Covid cured me and I've given up the nail buffet, but the fidget fiesta continues. Enter Rachel's Christmas gift—a unique rolling fidget. It's quiet, soothing, and fun, proving that even grown men can't resist the allure of sophisticated ‘toys’.
Playlist: If you’re looking for some soothing music for the work day, check out this amazing playlist re-imagining popular songs with acoustic jazz interpretations. Relax into creative new takes on favorites like "Just Like Heaven" and "Say My Name" from talented rising artists. Their rendered-down arrangements swap electric instrumentation for upright bass and piano, complemented by hushed vocals and a little saxophone. The vibe sweeps you into a mellow mood perfect for sinking into work or household chores. Give it a listen!
📸 cred: True Detective, Night Country
Weekly Muse
"Pay attention to how readily people talk themselves out of things—and be wary of adopting the same narrative. People will often try to convince you their limiting beliefs should become your own. They do not. Find your own ceiling." -James Clear
Real Estate
Purpose-built single-family rental home communities are exploding in popularity across suburban America. Fueled by millennials entering peak household formation years and shifting lifestyle preferences, build-to-rent demand is rapidly accelerating beyond existing supply. These converging trends create a potentially lucrative window of investment opportunity.
By 2030, over 70% of people are projected to live in single-family homes. However, financial barriers and shifting priorities are driving more to choose renting over buying. Developer-constructed communities that offer modern single-family rental homes deliver what this swelling demographic segment seeks.
From young families to downsizing baby boomers, turnkey rental homes in amenity-rich communities allow residents flexible, maintenance-free living without the barriers of traditional homeownership. Meanwhile, specialized firms assemble neighborhood-scale portfolios of dozens to hundreds of build-to-rent units in high-growth regions, delivering recurring income to investors with less volatility than multifamily properties.
With demand projections rising faster than inventory pipelines in most areas, the build-to-rent sector offers significant growth runways for investor returns over a long-term holding period. Acting now can secure advantage as this promising niche rapidly matures.
The surging appeal of suburban single-family rental living for consumers, combined with favorable conditions for investors, converge to make build-to-rent communities a potential standout opportunity emerging in the real estate sphere.
In the unmistakable voice of Wanda Sykes…. “Oh heyyy, check out this straight up extra McMansion for sale in Virginia! Ten million dollars? For that price it better come with a lifetime supply of mimosas and a massage therapist. This house has more rooms than sense! Custom marble, imported fixtures— hmm, feels a little cold and show-offy if you ask me. But hey, whose business is it how other folks spend their money? Even if it is enough to feed a small country. Don't get me started on these closets bigger than my first apartment! I'd get my steps in going back and forth between my shirts and my shoe collection. And Lord help me if I leave a cookie crumb trail to find my way out. Although, you could have a pretty mean game of hide and seek in this place! Can't lie though, that outdoor kitchen and pool area look sweet. Perfect spot for throwing a little barbecue and dance party! Just gotta keep Uncle Joe away from the infinity pool once he gets into the vodka tonics, if you know what I'm sayin'. Don't need no drunk uncles messing up this fancy schmancy real estate!” (courtesy of Samson Properties)
Disclaimer: this is a lovely listing and clearly just a bit of satire, so loosen up and enjoy
Interesting Find
Imagine a floor that moves. Not like those airport ‘people movers’— we're talking a floor that can slide smoothly in any direction. This isn't science fiction - it's Disney's new HoloTile technology. HoloTile replaces normal stationary floors with conveyor belt-style modular panels. Performers can dance or walk forever without falling off an edge. Theme park visitors can drift through kinetic walkways. VR users could stride miles through simulated worlds without hitting walls. HoloTile transports people in radical new ways while bridging real and virtual environments beyond limits of existing technology. It's a frictionless, movable canvas for feet and imaginations to roam free. So shuffle aboard - the future of locomotive flooring promises awe and wonder that old Walt Disney himself could only dream of.
📸 cred: Disney Parks
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