GarthBox

Here’s the paradox we’re all bumbling through like a bunch of circus clowns trying to solve a crossword puzzle in a hurricane: Life is absurd, but we’ve got to take it seriously. Not solemnly. Seriously.

See, the characters in your life—your barista, your boss, your partner, the dude who always jogs in jeans—none of them think they’re extras in your sitcom. They believe they’re the main character in their tragedy, comedy, or cinematic slow-burn drama. And you? You’re busy doing the same. Which means we’re all improvising through a shared hallucination, trying to strike a balance between being the joke and being in on it.

Here’s where it gets interesting: The events that make up your life, no matter how ridiculous or surreal, are still your events. That botched first date, the spontaneous karaoke in the rain, the third existential crisis this month—these are not detours. These are the path.

So what do you do with that? You become the author of your own story, but one with just enough ironic distance. Just enough to chuckle at the chaos, but not so much that you float off into a cloud of cynicism. If you zoom out too far, you stop feeling. But if you zoom in too close, you stop laughing.

The trick—and it is a trick—is to hold both truths at once:

• That what you’re going through is utterly ridiculous.
• And that it matters deeply.

Stay Positive & And Hey, If It Helps, Imagine The Soundtrack – It’s Probably A Kazoo

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to pause. Not in defeat. Not in retreat. But in preparation.

In the world of strength training, there’s a strange magic that happens when you stop. You’ve been lifting, grinding, straining. Muscles tired, gains plateauing. Then you take a break—a few days, maybe a week. And when you return? You’re stronger. Sharper. More explosive. Like a slingshot, tension released.

This isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.

The same holds true in conversation, in creativity, in life. That tiny breath before you speak can shift the tone of a moment. That short pause in progress—a weekend off, a quiet walk, a few days without forcing it—can recalibrate your trajectory.

The blip isn’t the end. It’s the bounce.

Stay Positive & The Greater Intention, The Higher You’ll Bounce

The day’s done. The emails are quiet. The dishes are stacked like tiny monuments to productivity. But before your head collides with the pillow like a dropped watermelon, try this: a tiny ritual, a nightly compass, a fulfillment checklist. Not for guilt. Not for hustle. For meaning.

Here’s the checklist—short, sweet, soulful:

• Did you do something new?
  Not skydiving-new. Maybe buttered your toast differently. Took a new route home. Told a joke you hadn’t before. The brain blooms with novelty. Keep it blooming.
• Did you go above and beyond for someone?
  Maybe you held the door. Maybe you held space. Maybe you held your tongue. The specifics matter less than the intent: did you offer more than what was expected?
• Did you get some time to yourself?
  A moment, a breath, a thought that wasn’t tethered to anyone else’s to-do list. You’re not a machine. Even your soul needs oiling.

This isn’t a productivity checklist—it’s a presence checklist. A sanity check. A way to hold your day in your hand and say, “Yep. That was worth it.”

And if the answer to one or more of these questions is no—don’t sweat it. That just makes tomorrow more exciting.

Stay Positive & No Toothbrush Required

Sometimes you need a signal: a blinking light, a subtle nod, a digital nudge. A way to gently guide behavior without getting in the way of it. Signals are great for efficiency. They scale. They keep the gears turning without asking anyone to stop and look up.

But sometimes—damn it—you need a conversation.

There’s a difference between flicking the lights at closing time and walking over to someone, sitting down, and saying, “Hey, I know you’re having a moment here, but we’re wrapping up for the night.”

The signal tells them what.

The conversation tells them why—and invites them to be part of it.

In business, in life, in love, we often reach for signals because they’re easier. More scalable. Less vulnerable.

But a signal will never carry the weight of presence. It won’t build trust. It won’t turn a customer into a loyalist or a teammate into a believer.

So sure, build your signals. Design them well.

Just remember there are times when a well-placed signal is polite—and times when it’s lazy.

Stay Positive & When In Doubt, Turn Off The Lights After The Conversation

There’s a certain magic in choosing. Not the magic of always being right—but the magic of momentum.

We’ve all worked with someone—let’s call him Strategy Sam—who treats plans like Tinder profiles: swipe, swipe, swipe. This quarter’s vision? A vapor trail. Last week’s roadmap? A relic. The problem isn’t indecision. It’s unowned decision.

But here’s the rub: strategy doesn’t need to be flawless—it needs to be followed. That’s where progress lives. In the doing. In the rhythm of action. In sticking with the dance long enough to learn the steps.

The best product leaders don’t flinch every time the wind shifts. They pick a path with the best available information, walk it like they mean it, and when the terrain turns rocky, then they adjust. They don’t bail at the first bump. Because you can’t steer a parked car, and you sure as hell can’t improve a strategy that never gets off the whiteboard.

So, choose. Own it. Ship it. Learn. Then—if needed—choose again. That’s not failure. That’s iteration.

Stay Positive & Take The Wheel, Would Ya?

p.s. Confidence isn’t knowing it’ll work. Confidence is knowing you’ll make it work.

Change the messenger. Not the mission.

If you’ve ever yelled into the void of a Slack message, email, text, or even a lovingly curated PowerPoint and gotten… crickets, it’s tempting to throw your hands up and mutter something unkind about your audience. “They’re just not listening.” “They don’t get it.” “They’re too busy.”

But here’s the truth, served with a side of humility: if they’re not receiving the message, maybe the message isn’t being delivered the way it needs to be.

Communication isn’t a one-size-fits-all megaphone. It’s jazz. It’s gardening. It’s improvisational empathy—and sometimes you’ve got to switch from trumpet to tambourine, or from hose to watering can.

That brilliant idea? It might need a sketch instead of a spreadsheet. A story instead of a stat. A walk-and-talk instead of another damn meeting.

The goal isn’t to be heard. The goal is to be understood.

So when your first approach flops, don’t blame the ears. Blame the delivery. Adjust your frequency. Try again. Try softer. Try stranger. Try more human.

Stay Positive & They Need To Feel What You Mean, Not Just Hear It

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken,” said Oscar Wilde—and while he was busy being dashing and devastatingly witty, he also dropped this gem: You can never be overdressed or overeducated.

Let’s talk about the latter. Because in the wild west of modern life—where your resume sits in a sea of sameness, your ideas need wings, and your relationships crave depth—there’s no official certification that brands you as an “expert.” No Hogwarts letter arrives. No parade. No glitter-stamped diploma that says, “This person has arrived at Expert Level.”

And yet… people gravitate toward those who carry themselves like experts.

Not the arrogant kind. The generous kind. The “I’ve been obsessively curious about this thing and now I can help you with it” kind. Expertise isn’t a finish line; it’s a vibe. A signal that says: I care enough to know more than the average bear and I want to share it with you.

This magnetic force—let’s call it “earned confidence”—does wonders. It sells products without a pitch deck. It unlocks promotions. It smooths the static out of relationships. People trust people who sound like they’ve done their homework and still have the humility to keep learning.

Stay Positive & Experts Have Wrinkled Sleeves From Being Rolled Up – Are Yours?