Level UP

My wife and I enjoy watching the show “Alone” together. Yeah, I see the irony there.  Anyway, if you’re not familiar with the TV series , 10 contestants are individually dropped somewhere in the wilderness to see who can survive the longest. Separated by miles with only 10 survival items, they must film their own survival journey. Did I say they were by themselves? However, if being alone gets to be too much, or the weather too unbearable, they can "tap out" anytime and call for help. And no, they can’t use the satphone to call Uber Eats . We’re drawn to the show for many reasons, one being that we enjoy hiking, camping, and s’mores–those outdoor woodsy things. We’re also fascinated by how the contestants use a variety of survival skills to remain in the game. Some of the shelters that have been built are impressive. In fact, Mike from season 2 created an elaborate shelter with features like a makeshift sink, table, and even a bowling alley. While Moen, Delta, and Kohler ...

  Hey, I see you. 👀 I know that sounds strange coming from someone you never met, but I do. Because I’ve been there too. Maybe you’ve felt it—the weight of being alone, even when you’re surrounded by people. Or the exhaustion that comes from not having enough energy to reach out, even when you desperately want to.  I know. I have felt it.  I’ve been in a wonderful community surrounded by beautiful people and yet still felt lonely and awkward. I would walk in, be greeted in a warm way, find an open seat amongst the crowd, and still feel all alone. The tricky thing about loneliness is that it doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it sneaks in when life gets busy, when friendships drift, when things don’t go the way we hoped.  And before we realize it, we’re isolated—not just physically, but emotionally too. I know how easy it is to let that loneliness turn into isolation.  Loneliness leads to isolation, either because we actively withdraw or because we strugg...

 As parents, we all want our children to grow up happy and healthy. And we’ll do everything we can to make that happen. But sometimes, there are things outside of our control. Things we just can’t do anything about. Emotions is one of them. Sure, we can give a great birthday party, give them time with their friends, and take them to fun places. All of these things help make them happy in the moment.  But, like a lot of things, the excitement wears off and they’re back to “normal”. The daily feelings and emotions once again take center stage and the challenges are back. One of the most significant challenges today’s kids and teens face is loneliness. Guys, this is more than just feeling a little sad or left out. Loneliness is a painful feeling of being disconnected from others, even when surrounded by people. It’s the gap between the social connections someone has and the ones they long for.  For our kids and teenagers, loneliness can feel like not fitting in, feeling mis...

 The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill. It forced families into social isolation as a non-medical measure to slow the spread of the virus.  Distancing and social isolation were adopted worldwide. They required separation, isolation, and quarantine. And while these precautions aimed to protect public health, they also created unforeseen challenges—especially for our children and teens.  Studies show that this isolation influenced people's daily behavior, causing anxiety, fear, depression, and panic. The social distancing disrupted routines, limited face-to-face interactions, and left many young people struggling with feelings of loneliness and uncertainty. They felt isolated. Alone. Of course, this makes sense. We’ve learned that social distancing can aggravate or generate functional and behavioral difficulties in our youth. Yup. Social distancing can really mess with our kids' heads and how they act. You remember. Schools shifted online and you were your...