The Road to Extraordinary

Tag: mental-health

  • Connection

    I was thinking a little this morning about connecting–in particular, human connection. I’m a Gen Xer who grew up in the computer era in schools, and I’ve long been fascinated with machines, technology and tools. After all, one of the things that separates man from other animals is our ability to create tools. Having said…

  • NAMI Sauk Area 5K

    I’m going to be participating in the National Association for Mental Illness [NAMI] 5K this Saturday, July 12. Here’s a link to the event: https://raceroster.com/events/2025/92349/nami-sauk-area-5k Please consider donating to this organization; all funds from this event go directly to services NAMI Sauk Area provides, including providing NAMI Signature Programs for FREE, training for instructors in…

  • Rules for Living

    I wanted to share a simple set of rules for living that I’ve personally found incredibly useful. These rules build upon each other in order, and it’s a continual struggle to climb this metaphorical ladder. I constantly slip—I imagine anyone will—but the point is to fall, dust myself off and keep climbing. Let me know…

  • Butterflies

    I’ve seen a popular quote floating around recently about gardens and butterflies that really resonated with me: ‘Don’t waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and the butterflies will come.‘ This quote, often attributed to Mario Quintana, suggests that focusing on creating a nurturing environment (the garden) will naturally attract what you desire (the butterflies). I…

  • Pressure

    ‘Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing.’ As much as I’ve wished I knew how I was supposed to feel inside, managing my emotions has been a struggle for me at times. I’ve recently become increasingly focused on better understanding my own feelings, and I’ve learned a lot. I recently…

  • I don’t have it figured out yet–you don’t need to either

    My name is Russ Jones. I’m a Gen Xer from East Tennessee who fits most of the generational stereotypes [independent, adaptable, skeptical]. I turned 53 this March, and I’m currently in the process of reinventing myself again. As exhausting as that has felt for me at times, I can’t imagine any other alternatives that would…

  • First, a confession

    I really don’t know what I’m doing–welcome to the club, right? I hope you find this confession a relief to you; maybe you feel similarly or can somehow relate. Either way, I wanted to let you know that we’re in this together, and I’m hear to help. I do intend to make regular postings, and…