Jack, still again I find it uncanny how you seem to read my situation without even knowing me! “It’s a buffet of clarity…context..tools…and perspective…served fresh…in real time…so you can take what you need when you need it.” That description of yours today suits me to a comforting “T” as in a lovely cup of hot “Tea”, lest there any confusion with the letter I almost decided not to use for comparison. Yes, I have been falling behind in many ways, not that I want to miss anything. Thank you for each tool and perspective you kindly share. For tonight this is the perfect message, especially since much of my list has been transferred to another day.
I had thought retirement would be a wonderful time to catch up. It IS a wonderful time, but catching up seems like an illusive concept. Your helpful newsletter is always a treat, always, and once again, after great concerns of the day, I will turn out the light with a smile of contentment and a happy deep breath.
JP, what a beautiful note. And I’m glad you caught the real point: JHN isn’t a treadmill… it’s nourishment.
Here’s the truth about “catching up,” especially in retirement:
Catching up is a myth invented by anxious people and productivity "gurus."
Real life doesn’t work that way. Not when the world is moving...not when your days are full...and not when you’re finally living on your clock.
Retirement doesn’t magically create fewer inputs. It simply gives you something far more valuable:
Choice.
And your comment tells me you’re using that choice exactly right.
*You’re not “falling behind.”
*You’re prioritizing.
*You’re not missing out.
*You’re taking what you need...when you need it...and letting the rest wait patiently on the table...until you’re hungry again.
Also, I loved your “comforting T” comparison. And yes...tea is absolutely the kind of “T” we’re talking about here: calming...steadying...and taken in small sips. Not chugged like a stress drink. (I love the green tea I used to get in Tokyo...so good...and with high enough levels of L-Theanine to really deliver that calm, clear-headed feeling.)
So here’s what I want you to do:
Tonight...let that smile...and that deep breath count as a win.
You handled the day. You made smart choices. You moved things to tomorrow without letting it steal your peace.
That’s not elusive. THAT...is mastery.
And when you’re ready for the next “plate,” I’ll be right here...serving it fresh.
Except for tomorrow/today...Wednesday, Jan 14. I am taking the first day off from writing long-form stuff...in...I don't know how long. What am I going to do? Who knows. Drive around, stop in some little cafe to eat...drink coffee...and just listen to conversations? Maybe.
But...you can trust...I WILL be back...soon. (Like, the next day:)
Jack, your kind words make me feel sooooo much better! You cannot imagine how many workshops and conferences in many decades had people who put down the idea of moving a goal to the next day or another day.
Yes, I am still smiling this morning, a day of rushing for me, but smiling because of your beautifully encouraging words.
Have a fabulous day just for you! It certainly is so well deserved, and it sounds wonderful - another beautiful reason for a huge, long lasting smile, a smile you can pull up again and again in pleasant recollections! Thank you!
Now that I'm retired, I find my father's words ringing in my ears. "Since I retired I don't know how I had time to work a job." It is amazing how much "stuff" we filter out of our conscienceness to be able to get through the day. What I find so helpful and inspiring in your writings is that they are like a smorgasbord of ideas, plans, solutions and responses to the accelerating barrage of fucking crap coming from the present administration.
Each piece is usually self contained but yet often has a hook to other pieces. They then coalesce to a strategy that leads to clarity and direction. Thank you again for the work you do to help us understand the reasons behind the appalling actions and how to react with vision and wisdom.
Hope you had a great day off and that you found your own respite from the storm.
Jack, just face it. Go to the mirror, look at it, tell yourself, ‘Yes, I did it again! I blew half my subscribers heads away, now they will know I am actually spying on them to write such personalized articles.’ They’re like therapy in words…..your psychology training is paying huge dividends for me! Thank you so much, you’ve saved many a person who swore they were crazy I’m sure! #HOLDFAST
But here’s the truth...and...of course, you know this...I’m not spying on anybody. I’m just paying attention to the pattern...because the pattern is the same...for a lot of good...smart people right now.
When the world gets loud...your nervous system starts trying to “solve” everything with worry…and then you end up exhausted...behind...and half-convinced you’re the only one struggling.
You’re not.
If these pieces feel like “therapy in words,” it’s because I’m doing one simple thing most media refuses to do...I’m giving you clarity...plus a way to regulate while you take in hard reality...so you don’t walk away flooded.
That’s what I want for you and everyone reading:
Not perfection. Not “keeping up.”
Just that moment you described...where the light goes out...and you can still breathe.
So yes… I’ll take the “psychology training dividend” compliment with a grin.
And...no...you’re not crazy. (I may be, but...not you.) You’re human...in an era designed to FRY humans.
I have been practicing your calming breath all day, it recalibrates. I have flagged a few extra special articles to read when things settle here at home. When my head can't wrap around what life is throwing I know I have to just wait a bit and reread them.
Your comments, often especially what you say to us readers, answer questions some of us hadn't yet been able to articulate.
First...I love that you’ve been using the calming breath all day. That’s not a small thing.
That’s you proving you can stay in the world...stay informed...and still keep your nervous system from getting hijacked. That’s real resilience...quiet...practical...and powerful.
Second... flagging articles for later is exactly the right move.
That’s you using JHN like a smart person uses a pantry...you stock what you might need...and you come back when you’re hungry for it.
When life is throwing curveballs...and your brain can’t “wrap around it,” waiting a beat and rereading isn’t avoidance...it’s wisdom. Sometimes the mind needs a little space...before it can integrate.
Your line about the comments answering questions you hadn’t yet been able to articulate…that’s the WHOLE mission.
A lot of readers are carrying the same fog and pressure...but they don’t have language for it. If I can hand you the language...you can stop feeling “crazy” and start feeling oriented again.
Also… Angela Lansbury. That one’s going on the mental trophy shelf. (I’ll try to stay worthy of it.:)
Hold fast, Sue. Keep breathing. Keep flagging what matters. And...when things settle at home...come back and take the next sip...at your pace.
There are more good folks than bad. We need to remember that, too.
Riley had another fall early this morning, and I wasn't able to get him up for over a half hour. Hospice means no ambulances. I finally got him settled and then called a friend. Within an hour he called back with the names of nine town folk who signed on to be part of a group text any time I needed immediate help. Two people I didn't know that knew Rile knocked on the door this afternoon and introduced themselves and asked to be put on the chat group. Two neighbor boys stopped by to see what they could do to help. So they will be taking the garbage to the street and back on Mondays. Another friend brought dinner. Pretty damn overwhelming.
A buffet. That analogy is a perfect description, and I am reminded that because I skip some parts, or some articles, I'm not missing out. And as another commenter said, I know where to go if I need something I missed.
A buffet doesn’t punish you for not eating the entire table. It serves you...so you can take what fits your appetite...your day...and your life.
Skipping parts isn’t “missing out.” It’s discernment. It’s you...listening to your bandwidth ...instead of letting guilt drive the wheel.
And...you nailed the second piece too: the best part of a buffet...is it’s still there when you come back. If a week from now you need clarity...context...or a specific tool… you already know where to find it.
So keep doing it this way:
Take what feeds you...leave what doesn’t...and come back when you’re hungry.
This is exactly right — and exactly what people need to hear right now.
Information isn’t a race and engagement isn’t a moral test. Treating it like a buffet instead of an obligation is how people stay informed without burning out. The work being there when you need it is the value.
Clarity without pressure is rare. This framing gives people permission to stay human while staying aware.
Everything right now seems designed to pressure us because that IS the intention. The chaos, unpredictability, the madness of each day, is absolutely designed to keep us off balance and grasping for anything to steady ourselves against. Many people who need the stability and safety of a predictable world are flailing right now, feeling like they're the ones who are going crazy. Trump is creating all of this chaotic nonsense, trying to force people into panic.
In truth, HE'S panicking. He's off-balance. HE'S FREAKING OUT. He won't last much longer. His mind is going, his body is going, and it's more apparent every day.
When people are frightened, they're easier to control, and this instability is how he thinks we'll break. BUT WE WON'T. We'll lean on each other, we'll be here for each other and we'll remember WE WILL SURVIVE THIS. (Hopefully, the Felon won't!)
This is the most challenging time most people have ever faced, but remember you never have to be alone. Take good care of yourself(s)!
This was a great read, and absolutely nailed how I’ve been reading JHN (though it didn’t catch all the ones I’ve flagged in my inbox because I just *know* they’ll be ones I’ll need to refer back to). But when I got to the end, the first thought through my head was, “Hey, what about the Buffet Rule? He left out the discussion of Warren Buffet!” And then it finally sank in that you were talking about a buffet, and not The Buffet. And now I can start my day with a good laugh at myself! So yeah, enjoy your day off from the heavy writing, and thanks for all you have done so far.
loved this post in particular...now I don't need to feel guilty when saving your post for later digestion when I'm just too overwhelmed by the shit show that is our political reality.
damn... how did he know?
"Mystic" powers...lol
-Jack
🤣
Thanks for this, Jack! Just lately there’s so much going on I’ve been setting aside your columns to “read later.”
HA HA! true!
Jack, still again I find it uncanny how you seem to read my situation without even knowing me! “It’s a buffet of clarity…context..tools…and perspective…served fresh…in real time…so you can take what you need when you need it.” That description of yours today suits me to a comforting “T” as in a lovely cup of hot “Tea”, lest there any confusion with the letter I almost decided not to use for comparison. Yes, I have been falling behind in many ways, not that I want to miss anything. Thank you for each tool and perspective you kindly share. For tonight this is the perfect message, especially since much of my list has been transferred to another day.
I had thought retirement would be a wonderful time to catch up. It IS a wonderful time, but catching up seems like an illusive concept. Your helpful newsletter is always a treat, always, and once again, after great concerns of the day, I will turn out the light with a smile of contentment and a happy deep breath.
JP, what a beautiful note. And I’m glad you caught the real point: JHN isn’t a treadmill… it’s nourishment.
Here’s the truth about “catching up,” especially in retirement:
Catching up is a myth invented by anxious people and productivity "gurus."
Real life doesn’t work that way. Not when the world is moving...not when your days are full...and not when you’re finally living on your clock.
Retirement doesn’t magically create fewer inputs. It simply gives you something far more valuable:
Choice.
And your comment tells me you’re using that choice exactly right.
*You’re not “falling behind.”
*You’re prioritizing.
*You’re not missing out.
*You’re taking what you need...when you need it...and letting the rest wait patiently on the table...until you’re hungry again.
Also, I loved your “comforting T” comparison. And yes...tea is absolutely the kind of “T” we’re talking about here: calming...steadying...and taken in small sips. Not chugged like a stress drink. (I love the green tea I used to get in Tokyo...so good...and with high enough levels of L-Theanine to really deliver that calm, clear-headed feeling.)
So here’s what I want you to do:
Tonight...let that smile...and that deep breath count as a win.
You handled the day. You made smart choices. You moved things to tomorrow without letting it steal your peace.
That’s not elusive. THAT...is mastery.
And when you’re ready for the next “plate,” I’ll be right here...serving it fresh.
Except for tomorrow/today...Wednesday, Jan 14. I am taking the first day off from writing long-form stuff...in...I don't know how long. What am I going to do? Who knows. Drive around, stop in some little cafe to eat...drink coffee...and just listen to conversations? Maybe.
But...you can trust...I WILL be back...soon. (Like, the next day:)
-Jack
Jack, your kind words make me feel sooooo much better! You cannot imagine how many workshops and conferences in many decades had people who put down the idea of moving a goal to the next day or another day.
Yes, I am still smiling this morning, a day of rushing for me, but smiling because of your beautifully encouraging words.
Have a fabulous day just for you! It certainly is so well deserved, and it sounds wonderful - another beautiful reason for a huge, long lasting smile, a smile you can pull up again and again in pleasant recollections! Thank you!
Now that I'm retired, I find my father's words ringing in my ears. "Since I retired I don't know how I had time to work a job." It is amazing how much "stuff" we filter out of our conscienceness to be able to get through the day. What I find so helpful and inspiring in your writings is that they are like a smorgasbord of ideas, plans, solutions and responses to the accelerating barrage of fucking crap coming from the present administration.
Each piece is usually self contained but yet often has a hook to other pieces. They then coalesce to a strategy that leads to clarity and direction. Thank you again for the work you do to help us understand the reasons behind the appalling actions and how to react with vision and wisdom.
Hope you had a great day off and that you found your own respite from the storm.
#HoldFast
Rob
Jack, just face it. Go to the mirror, look at it, tell yourself, ‘Yes, I did it again! I blew half my subscribers heads away, now they will know I am actually spying on them to write such personalized articles.’ They’re like therapy in words…..your psychology training is paying huge dividends for me! Thank you so much, you’ve saved many a person who swore they were crazy I’m sure! #HOLDFAST
Ha! Okay, Elizabeth... I laughed.
But here’s the truth...and...of course, you know this...I’m not spying on anybody. I’m just paying attention to the pattern...because the pattern is the same...for a lot of good...smart people right now.
When the world gets loud...your nervous system starts trying to “solve” everything with worry…and then you end up exhausted...behind...and half-convinced you’re the only one struggling.
You’re not.
If these pieces feel like “therapy in words,” it’s because I’m doing one simple thing most media refuses to do...I’m giving you clarity...plus a way to regulate while you take in hard reality...so you don’t walk away flooded.
That’s what I want for you and everyone reading:
Not perfection. Not “keeping up.”
Just that moment you described...where the light goes out...and you can still breathe.
So yes… I’ll take the “psychology training dividend” compliment with a grin.
And...no...you’re not crazy. (I may be, but...not you.) You’re human...in an era designed to FRY humans.
#HoldFast.
-Jack
I have been practicing your calming breath all day, it recalibrates. I have flagged a few extra special articles to read when things settle here at home. When my head can't wrap around what life is throwing I know I have to just wait a bit and reread them.
Your comments, often especially what you say to us readers, answer questions some of us hadn't yet been able to articulate.
Angela Lansbury would be proud of you.
#HoldFast
Sue
Sue...this made my day.
First...I love that you’ve been using the calming breath all day. That’s not a small thing.
That’s you proving you can stay in the world...stay informed...and still keep your nervous system from getting hijacked. That’s real resilience...quiet...practical...and powerful.
Second... flagging articles for later is exactly the right move.
That’s you using JHN like a smart person uses a pantry...you stock what you might need...and you come back when you’re hungry for it.
When life is throwing curveballs...and your brain can’t “wrap around it,” waiting a beat and rereading isn’t avoidance...it’s wisdom. Sometimes the mind needs a little space...before it can integrate.
Your line about the comments answering questions you hadn’t yet been able to articulate…that’s the WHOLE mission.
A lot of readers are carrying the same fog and pressure...but they don’t have language for it. If I can hand you the language...you can stop feeling “crazy” and start feeling oriented again.
Also… Angela Lansbury. That one’s going on the mental trophy shelf. (I’ll try to stay worthy of it.:)
Hold fast, Sue. Keep breathing. Keep flagging what matters. And...when things settle at home...come back and take the next sip...at your pace.
-Jack
Thanks, Jack, and I will.
There are more good folks than bad. We need to remember that, too.
Riley had another fall early this morning, and I wasn't able to get him up for over a half hour. Hospice means no ambulances. I finally got him settled and then called a friend. Within an hour he called back with the names of nine town folk who signed on to be part of a group text any time I needed immediate help. Two people I didn't know that knew Rile knocked on the door this afternoon and introduced themselves and asked to be put on the chat group. Two neighbor boys stopped by to see what they could do to help. So they will be taking the garbage to the street and back on Mondays. Another friend brought dinner. Pretty damn overwhelming.
#HoldFast
Sue
Heck, I read them all (in order posted) and mark them to go back to knowing full well all I need to do is go to your home page. Derp!
I knew there would be some who identified as that kind of reader...and...I have to say...I strongly suspected, Rae...that one of them...would be YOU.
Keep rockin!
-Jack
Thanks for the reminder.
My pleasure, Scott. Truly.
-Jack
A buffet. That analogy is a perfect description, and I am reminded that because I skip some parts, or some articles, I'm not missing out. And as another commenter said, I know where to go if I need something I missed.
Exactly, J.B. You’ve got it.
A buffet doesn’t punish you for not eating the entire table. It serves you...so you can take what fits your appetite...your day...and your life.
Skipping parts isn’t “missing out.” It’s discernment. It’s you...listening to your bandwidth ...instead of letting guilt drive the wheel.
And...you nailed the second piece too: the best part of a buffet...is it’s still there when you come back. If a week from now you need clarity...context...or a specific tool… you already know where to find it.
So keep doing it this way:
Take what feeds you...leave what doesn’t...and come back when you’re hungry.
Be well, J.B.
-Jack
😘
Right back atcha, Jo!
-Jack
This is exactly right — and exactly what people need to hear right now.
Information isn’t a race and engagement isn’t a moral test. Treating it like a buffet instead of an obligation is how people stay informed without burning out. The work being there when you need it is the value.
Clarity without pressure is rare. This framing gives people permission to stay human while staying aware.
I love this soooo much!
Everything right now seems designed to pressure us because that IS the intention. The chaos, unpredictability, the madness of each day, is absolutely designed to keep us off balance and grasping for anything to steady ourselves against. Many people who need the stability and safety of a predictable world are flailing right now, feeling like they're the ones who are going crazy. Trump is creating all of this chaotic nonsense, trying to force people into panic.
In truth, HE'S panicking. He's off-balance. HE'S FREAKING OUT. He won't last much longer. His mind is going, his body is going, and it's more apparent every day.
When people are frightened, they're easier to control, and this instability is how he thinks we'll break. BUT WE WON'T. We'll lean on each other, we'll be here for each other and we'll remember WE WILL SURVIVE THIS. (Hopefully, the Felon won't!)
This is the most challenging time most people have ever faced, but remember you never have to be alone. Take good care of yourself(s)!
This was a great read, and absolutely nailed how I’ve been reading JHN (though it didn’t catch all the ones I’ve flagged in my inbox because I just *know* they’ll be ones I’ll need to refer back to). But when I got to the end, the first thought through my head was, “Hey, what about the Buffet Rule? He left out the discussion of Warren Buffet!” And then it finally sank in that you were talking about a buffet, and not The Buffet. And now I can start my day with a good laugh at myself! So yeah, enjoy your day off from the heavy writing, and thanks for all you have done so far.
Get out of my head. Haha
dang you really do get it!
thank you for assuaging my guilt that I cannot, and sometimes do not want to, keep up!
Buffet style works great for me. Thanks for the analogy Jack!!
loved this post in particular...now I don't need to feel guilty when saving your post for later digestion when I'm just too overwhelmed by the shit show that is our political reality.
Absolutely right!
Thank you so much for this! I have felt bad because some days I just can’t keep up and it’s your writing that I hate saving for later the most. ❤️