Boodaism

I really wanted to go to Iran this year. I love traveling — and being of Armenian heritage, I have a special place in my heart for middle eastern culture. That’s why next year I had been making plans to visit Iran (along with Armenia and Georgia) with my friend Amir, who is Persian and […] The post The Confronting Reason You Haven’t Been Able to Do That Thing You’ve Been Wanting to Do for a While appeared first on Boodaism.

Sometimes it’s time to move on from a romantic relationship, even when what you have is “good”. Maybe you’re in a relationship that’s happy. In fact, it may be happier than most of the other relationships you see. You’ve surpassed the standards set by your family, culture and your community on what a good relationship […] The post It’s Okay to End a Good Relationship appeared first on Boodaism.

In 2011 I took a trip that definitively changed my life — I rode a bicycle with 3 other friends from London to Greece (through Turkey). Before that I had considered myself a traveler but I really didn’t know what traveling was. I brought a tent, and I heard we were going to be “free camping”, […] The post I’m Cycling from Vancouver to San Diego appeared first on Boodaism.

Some problems aren’t worth fixing. Sometimes the energy you give to something doesn’t equal the energy you receive, and it’s time to quit. Sometimes walking away is the solution, and sometimes the person initiating that has to be you. Some projects aren’t worth finishing. It takes courage to stop something that you’ve invested months, maybe […] The post You Can Always Walk Away appeared first on Boodaism.

I just got off the phone with an old friend of mine who I haven’t talked to in years. He called me to catch up, and share some appreciation for the way I show up online, which meant a lot to me, because he’s someone I really respect and love. Then he made a comment […] The post Relationships Are Really Really Really Really Really Really Fucking Important appeared first on Boodaism.

I’ve always felt uncomfortable with gender expectations. The idea that I should be a certain way because I have a Y chromosome never sat well with me. Do I enjoy doing typical “male” things like fixing problems and opening stuck jars? Sure I do, but there’s a world of difference between being asked to do […] The post Dating Beyond Gender appeared first on Boodaism.

Let’s start off with some radical honesty. I used to be a life coach — and many times I was “that” life coach. Some of you who have been following my blog for a while may even know that, and to you I sincerely apologize. I even had the phrase “you can have it all” […] The post I Wish We Would Stop Saying “You Can Have It All” appeared first on Boodaism.

Today as I was spending time with an article I wrote called 4 Relationship Lessons From 4 Years of Marriage and I had a scary and exciting thought. I would totally do that again. That’s not to say I would fall in love with Paula (my ex-wife) again, but if the circumstances were right, I’d happily […] The post I Would Fall In Love With My Ex-Wife Again In A Heartbeat appeared first on Boodaism.

Gerald is a retired CPS worker in his late 50s — and yesterday he was also my Lyft driver. Gerald spent 28 years investigating thousands of child abuse claims and now drives for Lyft to make some extra cash. I asked him what he learned working that job for so many years — hoping to […] The post What I Believe Makes America Great appeared first on Boodaism.

I never knew how luxurious my childhood home was until I met Paula. Paula was raised in a one-room apartment in Poland during communism, I was raised in a four-bedroom house in the suburbs of Massachusetts. Here’s a picture of it. I still remember the look on Paula’s face when we she saw it for […] The post The Self-Righteousness of Minimalism and Vagabonding appeared first on Boodaism.

I’m sitting in the Amtrak lobby of Union Station in Los Angeles, about to board a 12-hour train to Oakland, California. There’s a man playing Billy Joel songs on the piano across the room, and I happily remove my headphones to enjoy his contribution. As I look to my left I see a young couple […] The post The Magic of Slowing Down appeared first on Boodaism.

Let’s imagine for a moment that you’ve fallen in love. You’re out at your favorite health food store and out of the corner of your eye you spot Pat. You and Pat lock eyes — and it’s on. That night you’re sharing your favorite Kombucha and telling Pat how you feel like your whole life […] The post The Subtle Shift That Causes Stress in Long-Term Relationships appeared first on Boodaism.

I’ve been wanderin’ From coast to coast. I’ve been sleeping under the stars And tryin’ to make the most. Just a few possessions I carry on my back. I’m in love with the simple life There’s nothing that I lack. Still I do too much thinkin, From my point of view, I got too many […] The post A Minimalist Love Song [Song] appeared first on Boodaism.

I used to think being in the military caused couples to break up. Between 2005 and 2010 I was a Navy Officer stationed on two different ships in San Diego and one of the things that initially shocked me about the Navy was how common divorce was. It seemed as though meeting a sailor who hadn’t been divorced […] The post You’re Busy Because You’re Afraid to Change Your Life appeared first on Boodaism.

I am a religious man. My body is my temple, My soul is my altar. My thoughts are my prayers, My mind is my humble priest. My intuition is my bible, My conviction is my faith. My devotion is my salvation, My life is my offering. I am a religion of one. The post A Religion of One [Poem] appeared first on Boodaism.

Hey bro — check this out. I’m gonna tell you how totally awesome feminism is. Okay so maybe you’re like me and your initial reaction to feminism was an eye roll and a “who gives a fuck” — I get it. Some of the ways feminism is presented can be annoying. Some feminists hate men and some […] The post Why Men Shouldn’t Be Threatened by Feminism appeared first on Boodaism.

A few months ago there was a consent scandal in my community. When I say scandal—I mean there was a long discussion on Facebook—started by one man who was angry that he had heard about some women having rapey experiences with men, and to him that wasn’t okay. And it’s not okay. My community and our […] The post Why Nuanced Conversation About Consent Is So Hard appeared first on Boodaism.

My Dad is in his mid-60s, and the rate at which his friends are getting prostate cancer is staggering. It seems as though every time I talk to him he tells me about someone else who got diagnosed. It’s become so commonplace that I started to do research, and discovered that 1 in 7 men living […] The post 5 Awesome Fucking Reasons Straight Men Should Take It Up The Ass appeared first on Boodaism.

Most of the entrepreneurs I know are workaholics. Workaholism is an addiction to being busy. It’s a constant need for more — more growth, more revenue, more scaling, and like any addiction, there is never enough. Over time it becomes an obsession, and we are driven mindlessly by the idea that somewhere in the not-so-distant future […] The post Why I Love and Hate Being Friends with Entrepreneurs appeared first on Boodaism.

Here’s to all the companies I never led, Here’s to all the women I never wed. Here’s to all the kids I didn’t sire, Here’s to all the coaches I didn’t hire. Here’s to all the books I didn’t write, Here’s to all the battles I didn’t fight. Here’s to all the degrees I never got, […] The post An Ode to Space [Poem] appeared first on Boodaism.