This week’s story is about a BMX bike, a moment of betrayal, and a powerful lesson in self-reliance. I share the story of how losing a prized bicycle—one I built piece by piece as a kid—taught me what independence really means. Timed for the Fourth of July, this episode reflects on the roots of my drive to build, create, and chase freedom on my own terms. It's about more than a stolen bike. It’s about everything that came after.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/stealing-my-bike-stole-my-independence-2d4750dab39a?sk=144ae0ffc562d18cfffcbf053a4e1f74

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

When Abby Paradis became a mother, it didn’t feel like a triumph. It felt like a reckoning. In this episode, she shares her essay I’m Not Here to Shape Her — a powerful reflection on what it means to raise children without trying to mold them.

We talk about parenting as witness, not authority, about standing behind the curtain like an ill-prepared stagehand, fumbling with the lights while our children find their mark. Abby brings story after story — from a backwards chimpanzee T-shirt to wrong-footed shoes — that reveal the quiet wisdom in letting children do things their way.

This is an essay about agency, but more than that, it’s about trust. It’s about loving without shaping, guiding without control, and reflecting back a simple truth:
“You’re already someone. Let’s find out who.”

Along the way, I share how her story echoes Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching — the invitation to lead without imposing our will, and to love without needing to steer. Together, we explore what it means to show up fully for the people we love, while letting them belong to themselves.

This conversation isn’t just for parents. It’s for anyone learning how to care without control, to love without possession, and to witness without judgment. It’s for anyone learning to lead — from behind the curtain.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-parenting-portal/im-not-here-to-shape-her-7455d57f069b?sk=v2%2F4a907514-faaa-48f2-829b-ab42c1ed008f

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

What if forgetting wasn’t a flaw—but a path to creativity, presence, and love? In this episode of Authbition, I reflect on how learning to let go helped me become a better listener, a better partner, and a more whole-minded human. I share a vulnerable story about yoga, memory, fear, and the surprising strength in distraction. If you've ever found yourself stuck in your own head, this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/dear-forgetting-i-love-you-8768acab264b?sk=537e0b7745035513a20940c53aca94e8

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week on Authbition, I’m reading an essay about one of the most uncomfortable—and transformative—teaching moments of my life. I share what happened when a room full of brilliant students demanded clear answers, and all I could offer was uncertainty.

From skateboards to Einstein, drills to brain surgery, and design theory to spirituality, this story weaves through a personal philosophy I now call Mission-Driven Innovation. It's a framework built not on answers—but on perspective.

If you've ever felt pressure to be right, to prove yourself, or to make sense of it all... this one’s for you. Let's explore how we can live with wonder, sit with questions, and maybe even redefine what it means to live with ease.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/namaste-now/please-excuse-me-while-i-add-some-wonder-to-your-education-d9b0030c1767?sk=61c578edacddf2ccac2259823e1db327

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week on Authbition, I’m reflecting on a decade of love—and how I found it when I stopped chasing it.

In this episode, I read a personal essay that traces the twists and stumbles of my love life, from heartbreaks and wrong turns to the serendipitous September night that changed everything. It’s a story about how letting go of the search opened space for the real thing to arrive. I share how becoming the best version of myself—without looking for anyone else—paved the way for the most meaningful relationship of my life.

It’s also a reminder that ambition isn’t just about doing or achieving—it’s about caring deeply, living fully, and being present with the people who matter most.

If you’ve ever felt like love would never find you, or wondered if you’d missed your shot, this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/i-found-true-love-when-i-stopped-looking-for-it-c73c5aad82ab?sk=b6e5a752fdcc1036ff577e7eafbc5831

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

This week, I make the turn from authenticity toward ambition—with care.

I’m reading an essay about what made my Biomedical Engineering design course unexpectedly fertile ground for entrepreneurship. But the real heart of the story isn’t about process—it’s about people. I share how a lesson in increasing value became a personal philosophy of doing good and working smart. Along the way, I reflect on teaching, legacy, and the meaning of innovation itself.

If you’ve ever wondered how ambition can be kind—or how doing less can sometimes do more—this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/@andrewdimeo/innovation-is-caring-thoughtful-5172fbdcc4b8?sk=45275d65e0cb94b098b81e08aeccfe03

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

What if the most visible part of you held your most vulnerable story?

In this episode, I read an essay about the tattoo on the back of my hand—what it means, why it matters, and how it ties together love, loss, estrangement, and healing. It’s the story of a firebird, a ring, a block print my daughter made in middle school, and a man named Nick who turned a conversation into art.

This one goes deep. It's not just about ink. It's about memory, identity, and the way we carry the people we love—sometimes openly, sometimes with shame.

If you've ever wondered what it means to live with your truth visible, this is for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/my-most-vulnerable-story-is-on-the-back-of-my-hand-21fb35d2895c?sk=22a1063f36356948562cc332735fc080

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/

In this episode, I read an essay about returning home—physically and emotionally—to help move my parents out of our childhood house after 47 years. It’s a story about clutter and memory, aging and grief, and the surprising spaciousness that can come from letting go.

It’s not just about a house—it’s about what remains after the walls are gone.

If you’ve ever faced the ache of clearing out a loved one’s home, or wrestled with what it means to outgrow your origin story, this one’s for you.

Read the original essay on Medium here:

https://medium.com/namaste-now/i-am-not-the-house-i-grew-up-in-1798f97192e9?sk=ffe66ecfdfbad44de6ffc395e7733c32

For more essays, episodes, and ways to connect, check out the Authbition website here:

https://www.authbition.com/