Ink & Feet

When hitting rock bottom led to a breakthrough: why partnerships need their own values, separate from individual ones.

On identity, growth, and what happens when the life you built doesn't fit anymore.

A reflection on summer in Paris, where the sun still reigns supreme despite our modern inventions.

A reflection on the beauty of rest from a Paris studio.

What happens when you look back two years and realize you're not better than you were?

Reflections on worn Paris staircases and the marks we all leave behind.

What happens when you open a box you packed two years ago and forgot about?

A reflection on finding home after years of travel and moving.

A personal story about life after divorce, and the journey to rediscover purpose and meaningful work.

What to do when you realize you should have acted sooner.

Sometimes the best response to big life changes isn't pushing harder—it's taking care of your emotional health.

Life comes in seasons, and growth happens when we embrace discomfort.

The gap between how we look to others and how we feel inside.

What parts of yourself do you hold back?

After two years traveling the world, falling in love, and finding bedrock in the desert, one traveler shares what comes next.

On knowing when to move on, making space for what matters, and what happens when life's narrative thread changes.

A reflection on how time swirls and eddies through our lives, mixing past, present, and future in unexpected ways.

Struggling with perfectionism?

Beautiful scenery doesn't cure self-doubt.

Discovering how New Zealand's landscape mirrors Tolkien's Middle Earth.

My first State of the Union letter asking readers what's working, what's not, and what they'd like to see next.

On a solo road trip through New Zealand, I realized I'd been talking more than listening.

What happens when unexpected love upends all your plans?

Discover why successful New Zealanders downplay their achievements.

What happens when you fall in love while living a nomadic life?

I jumped out of a plane at 16,500 feet—and completely missed the experience.

What it's like to move to New Zealand as an American.

A New Year's reflection on vulnerability, fear, and what happens when we duck instead of truly experiencing life's most powerful moments.

A collection of the best travel letters from Paris and Japan in 2016.

Personal reflections on travel, culture, and connection from Thailand's Songkran festival to Argentine tango.

Looking back at the best travel writing from 2016.

A heartfelt letter about living with depression for 25 years and why I wrote a book to help others navigate those dark periods.

A personal reflection on gratitude, travel, and connection from Kyoto during kogarashi season.

Exploring mononoaware—the Japanese concept of finding beauty in impermanence.

A call for Trump voters to speak up about their values and commitment to equality.

How a daily mindfulness practice helps navigate challenging emotions during turbulent times.

Trump's election isn't new—it's part of a global tension between cities and rural areas.

What a 1,300-year-old Japanese poetry tradition reveals about our shared humanity.

Reflections on completing a year-long book project and the deep satisfaction that comes from well-earned exhaustion and hard work.

What a 700-year-old Japanese temple garden teaches about cultivating your mind instead of controlling it.

Why skipping tourist spots and going deep reveals more about a culture than surface-level travel.

A quick update on technical changes to the weekly newsletter, including a move to a new email system and exciting plans ahead.

Lessons on cultivating your mind from an ancient Kyoto temple garden.

How I finished my depression book while battling depression itself.

Discovering Marie Kondo's philosophy and Japanese animism in Kyoto.

A personal reflection on what makes Paris magical—not the art or food, but the profound sense of time and human connection across centuries.

A personal take on Spoon Theory and managing limited energy with depression.

A simple lesson from shaving with a straight razor: let the right tools do the work.

Reflections on seasons, travel, and human nature from Paris as summer winds down.

The Olympics remind us of a universal truth: we all love to play.