What happens when effort becomes a trap—when we mistake striving for strength, control for care? As one old hymn puts it: ‘Lay your deadly doing down—down at Jesus’ feet.’

From the exhaustion of gig work to the pressure of parenting, from trying to meditate “perfectly” to just trying to pay rent—this is a real-time reflection on burnout, surrender, and the strange freedom that comes when you loosen your grip. I talk about raising my son Trent, quitting habits, and missing him after he left home. About sales jobs that drained the soul. About delivery apps, long hours, and that haunting moment when I wondered if it would be easier not to exist.

But in that low, I found a spark—what the Buddhists call virya, spiritual energy born from the ashes of striving. I speak about wu-wei, the Taoist art of not forcing, and how I try to bring that into everything: from meditation to Overwatch to pretending I’m a hostage while my son plays Batman.

Along the way, I weave stories from the Buddha, the Bhagavad Gita, Psalm 46, the Tao Te Ching, and that one quote from Gandalf that always gets me. I share a terrifying childhood dream, the moment I first “woke up” to mindfulness at Taco Bell, and the bittersweet beauty of learning to parent better with each child.

This isn’t a guide to doing nothing. It’s about doing what you must with clarity, not compulsion. Showing up fully—and letting the rest fall where it may.

So if you're tired of pushing, if you're caught between too tight and too loose, this episode is for you. May it remind you to breathe. To notice. To return.
“When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.” 🕊️

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