risk Archives - Blocks of Life

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.

February 1, 2025January 20, 2025 by Pete Wiley

Innermost Secrets and Your Core Self

Everyone has a right to their secrets. We all have ideas, passions, and emotions constantly streaming through us. Some are dark and would hurt people in our lives if they were known. Some of them may be embarrassing and cause us to feel guilty and ashamed if they were known. Your psyche belongs to you. […]

November 25, 2023November 22, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Vulnerability—The Benefits of Taking a Chance

Vulnerability is often thought of as a negative state. It is clearly negative in many contexts, such as business strategy, physical infrastructure, or national security. From the perspective of an individual, vulnerability can also feel negative. When you’re vulnerable, there is a greater chance you’ll be hurt, embarrassed, or will fail. But it’s also true that allowing yourself to be vulnerable is a meaningful way to learn (particularly about yourself), grow, and find opportunities you may otherwise have missed.

in Emotions / Open Mind 0 comments

September 4, 2021August 26, 2021 by Pete Wiley

Fret Less — Living Between the Notes

When you’re playing a fretless instrument, such as a fretless bass guitar or a violin, it’s easy to be slightly sharp or flat as the note depends on the exact placement of your fingers. While musicians are careful to play with as much precision as they can, it can be fun to play off the note a bit, whether it be in a vibrato (the rapid pulsing or wavering of a tone), in a glissando (a slide upward and downward between notes), or through an intentional (or unintentional) departure from playing exactly on the note. With a fretted instrument, the fret bars keep your playing to those specific notes for that fret.[1] They are certainly easier to play and provide more precision, but they limit the player to only those specific notes.

I recently bought a fretless bass and am having a great time playing with these dynamics. The ability to play expressively when I’m not limited by frets has given me a newfound sense of freedom and has allowed me to play in a way I’ve never played before. It has also made me think about the continuous range of tones being symbolic of how people live their lives.

in Mindful / Open Mind 0 comments

June 12, 2021June 3, 2021 by Pete Wiley

To Rock or Not to Rock—Being Open to Potential Adventures

How do you approach big life decisions?

Some of these may seem overwhelming and carry repercussions that can have impacts for years to come. You may obsess and worry over them and struggle mightily to come up with the “correct” choice. But ultimately, there is no incorrect choice, as everything you experience becomes part of your story and gives you insights into your journey and your path. Something positive comes from every decision you make—you just have to be open to it and allow it to become part of your experience. Regrets can also be part of a decision, but they are also part of the experience and can result in positive outcomes.

in Open Mind / Proactive 0 comments