self-awareness

An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 16 – Final Exam Week – Part 4: Have you pinched yourself today?

by

This isn’t a dream. It’s the thing itself. Your thoughts matter because they shape your next move. Your actions matter because they ripple outward in ways you’ll never fully see. You’re not watching life; you’re in it. Your presence matters because this moment literally does not exist without you in it. Every choice you make—whether it’s kindness, cruelty, or the courage to show up—matters. This isn’t a dress rehearsal where mistakes don’t count. Mistakes teach. Effort costs something. Love risks loss.

Read the letter →

An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 16 – Final Exam Week – Part 2: Have you looked at yourself today?

by

Not the quick glance. The kind of looking that doesn’t rush. The kind that notices before it judges. Self-examination isn’t about criticism—it’s about self-recognition. The goal isn’t to change; it’s to notice. To become aware of who you already are, and see the patterns, the contradictions, the softness, and the blind spots. How are you showing up these days? And when was the last time you really saw yourself… without flinching?

Read the letter →

An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 16 – Final Exam Week – Part 1: Introduction – Have you been practicing?

by

No trick questions. No Scantron. Just: Have you been practicing? Philosophy was never meant to sit in your head like forgotten furniture. It’s meant to be lived, in how you speak, listen, recover, and think. It’s not about getting it right—it’s about showing up again tomorrow, every time you fall or miss, and trying again. Have you been practicing? The mat is still here.

Read the letter →

An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 10 – God 2 (Atheism) – Part 1: Introduction – Are You God?

by

What if the God we believe in is a mirror of ourselves? The projection critique suggests that the image of God we carry often aligns with our values, fears, and needs. From ancient gods to modern-day life coaches, we project our desires, intuitions, and hopes onto a figure we imagine to be greater than ourselves. Philosophy invites us to examine our belief and ask: which parts of our God come from tradition, fear, love, and which come from us? Even if God exists, our ideas about God are still human artifacts—and if not, belief is still one of our most powerful ways of understanding ourselves.

Read the letter →

Overthinkers Are Not Broken Thinkers

by

Dear Overthinkers, You, who can’t stop replaying the day – the words you said, the ones you didn’t, the look someone gave you that might have meant something or nothing at all.You, who lie awake at 2 a.m. untangling a knot no one else even noticed. You’re not broken.You’re just awake. In a world that … Read more

Read the letter →

Digital Reality Check

by

Dear Online Explorers, This week, a glitch reminded us of something we often forget: that the world we live in is more than what we see through our screens. When the internet goes dark, even for a little while, we’re given a rare gift: a chance to remember that life exists beyond the digital buzz. … Read more

Read the letter →