Awake AND Intentional

Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be You

This is how it all started…

Many times, I feel like I’m just coasting through life, somewhere in the middle. Life is generally good for me—there are great days, not-so-great days, but overall, things are okay. I often think I shouldn’t complain, yet many days I find myself frustrated by the mediocrity that seems to permeate my daily existence.

Do you sometimes feel stuck or stalled, yet not knowing exactly why? It’s as if there’s an invisible barrier keeping you from moving forward, and it can be incredibly frustrating. On top of that, do you occasionally feel a deep sense of isolation in these thoughts, despite being surrounded by people?

I know I often wonder if anyone else feels the same way.

If any of the above sounds or feel familiar, I am writing for us. My writing comes from two places: either my experiences/questions/frustrations or the experiences of someone I know. My intent is to create a space where we can find solace in knowing we’re not alone in these feelings. Here, I explore the common struggles and small triumphs of being an average person, navigating the ups and downs of life. Together, we’ll find ways to break through that sense of being stuck and embrace the journey with all its imperfections.

L. Mason Van Dyke

Ordinary, Yet Searching

  • How Do You Look at Things?

    How we perceive events and people is a direct reflection of how we “see” the world. Ever notice if you have a bad morning, the rest of your day seems bad. It could be just one tiny event but how we handle it can, and often times does, shape our entire day. More significantly, it…

  • What I learned from shovelling snow…

    A Wintry Perspective on Problem Solving… Being from Ohio, we are accustomed to snow. We see it every winter, whether we want to or not. It comes every year, sometimes with a warning, sometimes not. Sometimes we know how much we are getting in advance, sometimes the weather reporters miss their predictions. This is a…

  • Matter of Perspective…

    “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Dr Wayne Dyer The parable of three bricklayers. Once there were three bricklayers. A traveler came upon the three men working. He asked each one of them what they were doing. The first man angrily answered, ‘I’m laying bricks. The…

  • Comfort… Not Always a Good Thing

    I was talking to a friend the other day about goals and he reminded me of something his brother likes to say… “You only get flak when you’re over the target” Just so you know, he is a former Naval officer, and this saying comes from the aviation arena. But it is not just a…

  • You Control Your Own Wake…

    For those non-sailors out there, a wake is the waves of water created by the passing of your boat. If your boat cuts through the water really fast or aggressive, the waves can be quite turbulent, rocking other boats violently. However if you drive smooth, steady and calm, your wake is smoother and gentler. While…

  • I want to be a Night Light…..

    “I am simply a night light in your 120 Watt world.” I first said this to a friend as a joke. This came up because people around me acted as if they were so much smarter and brighter. But as I thought about this I realized I DO want to be a night light.  When…