by Rick Ruppenthal

Redefining Life: From Noun to Verb

A peaceful Bob Ross–style landscape with an artist painting at an easel, surrounded by soft mountains, trees, and a calm lake, symbolizing life as an unfolding work of art.

What if life isn’t something to fix… but something that’s already in motion?
This piece explores life as an art form, love as the canvas beneath it all, and why holding the brush too tightly might be the only thing getting in the way. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

Getting Over Yourself (Does That Mean I Don’t Get to Do What I Want?)

A humorous yet thoughtful illustration of a person stepping over a giant version of their own shadow labeled “self-doubt” or “ego,” walking toward a bright open landscape. The scene has a light, playful tone, slightly whimsical, with soft morning light and a sense of freedom and possibility. Editorial illustration style, warm colours, clean composition, modern blog aesthetic.

Does getting over yourself mean giving up your dreams? Not at all. It simply means we stop believing every dramatic story our thinking tells us and become freer to do what we genuinely want to do. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

The Way Things Were Doesn’t Exist Anymore

Man standing outside a restaurant comparing an old menu with the restaurant’s new “Today’s Special,” symbolizing how we often rely on past thinking in a constantly changing present.

We often move through life assuming the present will behave like the past. But every moment arrives fresh and new. Real change doesn’t come from wrestling with yesterday. It comes from seeing something new today. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

What If Nothing Is Missing?

A quiet New Year morning scene with soft light, an open field in the distance, and a calm reflective mood.

Every New Year asks who you want to become.
This post asks something quieter and far more disruptive.

What if nothing is missing?

A gentle exploration of why real change does not begin with fixing yourself, but with seeing what has always been intact. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

Understanding the Ladder of Inference in Law

A wooden ladder resting horizontally on a modern conference table with a city skyline blurred behind it, symbolizing intentional thinking and grounded decision-making

Lawyers in Suits climb the Ladder of Inference on purpose — it’s literally their job. But in real life, we climb it accidentally, and that’s where the trouble begins. This short follow-up explores why legal reasoning works in courtrooms but creates chaos in personal relationships, and how seeing the ladder helps us make clearer, wiser choices. Read More