Blocks of Life

October 25, 2025September 8, 2025 by Pete Wiley

Existential Fatigue—Finding Meaning Amidst the Carnage

I have trouble reading the news these days. I know I have to, and I do, but the overwhelming sense of rage, disappointment, disbelief, and despair takes its toll, and I am mentally and emotionally exhausted. The meaning and fulfillment I get from activities that nourish my soul have diminished during these extraordinary times, which increases my sadness and anger. I soldier on, knowing that these activities do help, and I lean on my belief that the direction of the country will swing again toward compassion and wisdom. But in the meantime, my existential fatigue is something I have to address. Like a medical condition, it’s something I have to take seriously and take steps to mitigate its effects.

October 11, 2025September 2, 2025 by Pete Wiley

Grieving for Walter—Saying Goodbye to a Beloved Pet

One of my favorite places at my house is a sitting area under twin holly trees in our backyard. It’s peaceful, private, and comfortable. I record most of my social media videos there, and it’s a favorite place for my wife and me to sit and chat. This week, it became a much more important place to me. We lost a member of our family on Friday, and he is buried under one of the hollies. At first, I thought Walter’s grave might be upsetting or distracting when I work there. The memories of him are overwhelming, and, as he was in life, he’s impossible to ignore. But yesterday, I filmed there for the first time since his passing, and it was the opposite of distracting. I said hello to him and told him that I missed him. When I was filming, it truly felt like he was there with me—curious about my work. I’m so glad he’s there in that special place.

September 27, 2025July 31, 2025 by Pete Wiley

Be Careful What You Wish For

The old story of a genie in a bottle granting three wishes might seem like a dream come true, but it isn’t obvious to most what those wishes might be or if they would make their life or the world better. Wishing for something different than what you have is a risky venture. For many, there are heartaches and challenges that a wish, if granted, might resolve, but then they would be faced with a question of the greater good. They would have to decide whether the wish should have been used for the world at large rather than fixing their own lives. Fundamentally, the idea that a change will make your life better is also questionable. Each of us makes what we can with the life we are given, and of course, more money, the absence of disease, and the removal of heartache would make anyone’s life marginally better. However, dealing with those challenges is part of life and makes us who we are.

in Emotions / Open Mind / Uncategorized 0 comments

September 13, 2025July 23, 2025 by Pete Wiley

Courage—When You Need It and What Drives It

There’s a lot of talk of courage these days. In challenging times, it takes courage to face new risks, to be a force for change, and to stand up to oppression. If your life has been relatively free from risk and danger, suddenly having to find courage can be harrowing. But if you can: a) identify what you fear and why it’s scary to you, and b) explore what courage means to you, you may find courage you didn’t know you had. Some must find courage because they have no other choice, while others can see a context where courage is needed and must decide whether they have the courage and the conviction they need to test it. We all have some measure of courage, and we’ll invariably face situations in which we have to draw on it.

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August 30, 2025June 17, 2025 by Pete Wiley

Motivation and Energy—How to Keep the Ball Rolling

Why is it that sometimes you can keep buzzing along—checking your boxes and making progress—and sometimes you just… can’t. We all have periods when the motivation isn’t there—when we can’t get off the dime and get going. This is fine as long as you are mindful of the dynamic. When you’re not feeling it, it’s essential to maintain self-awareness and know why you’re lacking in motivation. We all need downtime, but if your listlessness is due to something that’s within your control, it can be helpful to identify those factors and find a way to correct or adjust them. Motivation is one of the most important elements in a meaningful life. If yours is waning, it’s necessary to know why.

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