The Overlap Between Therapy, Sobriety, Stoicism, And Mindfulness

Do we really "find what we look for”?

At 19, I was ready to cash in my chips. I didn’t want to be here anymore and didn’t have the coping skills to navigate it. At 30, I’ve found gratitude to be the common thread in my journey from that place.

“We find what we look for” is a belief that intersects many modes of therapy, sobriety, stoicism, and mindfulness. The good news is that a better life starts by looking for one. Once we believe it’s a place we can reach, ownership is the vehicle and gratitude is the accelerator.

I first heard the phrase “sick and tired of being sick and tired” when I got sober.

That definitely summed it up. We don’t change until the pain cant be ignored — when inaction finally outweighs the scariness of doing something about it. In those moments, the realization is never new. But making a decision and taking action? That’s new.

Thanks for being here.

See you next time.

onward.

-dmac

Here are my favorite resources for becoming unobstructed that you can use this week.

Van Neistat is a filmmaker. Oh, um… excuse me. He’s an artist.

Van and Casey Neistat gained career traction together, working on the HBO series The Neistat Brothers. With a legendary artist like Tom Sachs as his mentor, Van’s methods highlight a deep appreciation for purposeful functionality. Known for using a unique storytelling style, he commonly combines vlogging with self-reflective narration.

A lot of Van’s work includes recurring themes like creativity, self-reliance, and the artistic process. I’m, personally, a fan of the dry delivery + shit-eating grin that frequent his videos.

His wisdom is almost hidden within the art he makes.

Almost.

watch.

• Your Insecurity is a Superpower with Andrew.

• The science behind dramatically better conversations with Charles Duhigg.

• Running Australia’s hardest 100km while needing a hip replacement with Beau Miles.

listen.

• Matt Lerner on how to scale your startup with Ali Abdaal.

• Parvarti Shallow on status vs power and success with Adam Grant.

• Teddy Swims on his “overnight success” story with Armchair Expert.

read.

• Key Person of Influence by Daniel Priestley.

• Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute.

• Unmask Imposter Syndrome: Stop Feeling Like A Fraud And Own Your True Strengths by Sabrina Ahmed.

---

Welcome back or welcome to Becoming Unobstructed.

I’m Derek, a former outdoor guide climbing my way through the tech world. Every week I write essays on personal growth, leadership, and building mental wealth.

If those are your thing, consider subscribing.

And if someone came to mind while reading this, share it with them!