🧠 Joy, hidden in plain sight

Let’s make this a week where we reclaim who we truly are. I posted the following quotes on Instagram last night and a lot of them resonated with you. Which of these are you claiming?

I don’t mind being called “intense.” It means I pour my heart into what I do and refuse to merely exist.

I don’t mind being called “a dreamer.” It means I'm not afraid to reach for what others think is unreachable.

I don’t mind being called an “overthinker.” It just means my brain goes on more adventures than I do.

I don’t mind being called a “hopeless romantic.” It means I still believe in the kindness of strangers and the warmth in people's hearts.

I don’t mind being called “dramatic.” It means I'm not afraid to show my excitement and passion in a world playing it cool.

I don’t mind being called “different.” It means I'm writing my own story, not just reading someone else's.

I don’t mind being called “stubborn.” It means I have thoughts of my own, and I’m not just echoing what everyone else says.

» That’s Bold of You is 10% off on Amazon.

- Case Kenny (@case.kenny)

1. Joy, hidden in plain sight.

Listen to today’s podcast to learn about a practical way to ground yourself in the present. I talk about how you can be an ambitious, driven, and eager person AND find joy in the present.

• Eagerness vs. presence

• What don’t you want to regret?

• “I have everything I need to be happy”

Listen here.

2. You’re doing better than you think

You’re doing better than you think. You’re standing up for yourself. You’re no longer desperate to quickly get over breakups, frustrations, betrayal, dishonesty, etc. That was the old you - always looking to get over those things, to find closure, and to heal quickly. Now you’ve recognized it’s more important for you to move on from those things than it is for you to get over them.

You don’t put so much pressure on yourself to get over those things TODAY. You’ve realized how important it is to move on instead of staying in one place revisiting the pain, the hurt, or the frustration from the past. You’ve also stopped running away from certain things in your life. You used to look to escape certain things. You’d run away from people who didn’t treat you right, jobs that bored you, friends who never prioritized you, etc. But now you run towards the positive things you want and in doing so, you leave behind the rest. You’re motivated to run towards instead of away. You’ve also realized that you don’t FIND closure, you don’t FIND love, you don’t FIND purpose, you don’t FIND confidence… you create it. You’ve put yourself in the driver’s seat and:

- You’re creating closure, not waiting to receive it.

 - You’re creating the relationship you want with the person you want... instead of hoping it just comes to you.

- You’re working to find or create your dream job… not hoping your current job magically turns into it.

You’ve assembled the ingredients to the things you want in life, and instead of hoping they magically come together… you’re DOING more and stepping out because you’ve realized that YOU create what you want in life. That is why you’re doing better than you think.

3. Your best days are ahead of you

Nostalgia is proof that you are living a life worth living, it is a privilege to yearn for your own memories (dadegoking)

Don’t let your memories make you think your best days are behind you. Our memories are proof that we’ve laughed, loved, and experienced life in ways that were undeniably real and raw. They remind us that if life was once filled with moments worth yearning for, then surely there are more more such moments ahead, waiting to be experienced and cherished.

Embrace future adventures with the same vigor and passion that made your past so memorable.

My name is Case. I believe in the power of perspective.

Say hi on Instagram @case.kenny

Listen to my twice-weekly podcast

Hey, I couldn’t help but notice you choose to lift others up instead of tearing them down. You turned your pain into purpose, not just for yourself, but for others. You choose to spread love in a world often filled with hate. Keep shining. Thank you and keep shining.

» That’s Bold of You is 10% off on Amazon.

- Case Kenny (@case.kenny)

1. Date from standards, not expectations

Listen to today’s podcast where I talk about the theory that “women start men at 100” and “men start women at 0.” I talk about the differences between expectations and standards and why we need to find balance between the two.

• Date with an open heart AND open eyes

• Standards guide you, expectations do not

• Start at 50… not 0, and not 100

Listen here.

2. Don’t believe everything you feel

“Honor your feelings but don’t trust them.” Have you heard that saying before? It’s the best advice you can live by as you navigate the ups and downs of your emotional inner life.

Why don’t we honor our feelings but question them BEFORE we decide to trust them? When we do, we’ll realize that in the same way some people don’t belong permanently in our lives... many of our feelings also do not. But we only realize that if we take time to pause and question them.

“Is this a feeling I should trust right away? Should I trust this feeling at face value? Or is this a temporary feeling that does not define me and doesn’t belong in my house?” Give yourself the gift of pausing for a moment. What evidence do you have that this is a real and permanent feeling?

Hopefully when you address a feeling this way, you’ll realize the feeling is a feeling because you’ve been feeling it. That’s it. YOU get to decide what the facts are in your life. You get to decide if the feelings you face are allowed into your house. You get to decide if they are worthy of a seat at your table. The next time you get an incoming feeling, pause:

 - you’ll realize that you can feel anxious, but it doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.

 - you can feel unworthy, but that’s just because someone didn’t see what you bring to the table. And that’s their loss.

 - you can feel like you’re lost, but it doesn’t mean you can’t find your stride.

Feel what you feel, but don’t trust it right away. That is a gift you deserve to give yourself.

3. A reason to journal…

Here’s a powerful journal prompt from Chris Williamson that I recommend you give a try as we enter the new year:

“What would I do if I wanted to make 85 year old me as miserable and regretful as possible?”

Work backwards. What are the decisions you made that you regret? What didn’t you do that you regret? Go deep. Be honest. Now, in the present, what actions can you take that would prevent that regret?

My name is Case. I believe in the power of perspective.

Say hi on Instagram @case.kenny

Listen to my twice-weekly podcast