Hello Reader, If you’re anywhere near Victoria, BC—or you’re up for a short trip—I’d love to invite you to a special evening I’ve been quietly planning for a while. On Tuesday May 13th, I’m hosting a launch party for The Productivity Diet at one of my favourite local spots: Koffi on Haultain. This won’t be a stuffy book event. It’ll be a cozy gathering with coffee, conversation, and a few fun (and irreverent) surprises. I’ll do a short talk, maybe a little reading, and we’ll hang out, sign...
3 days ago • 1 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 8 | April 19, 2025 Hello Reader, There’s something beautifully honest about wrestling. Yes, it’s choreographed. Yes, the outcomes are scripted. But the effort? The timing? The trust between performers? That’s real. Wrestling isn’t just about conflict—it’s about tension. Between who you are and who you’re becoming. Between doing the work and working the crowd. Between staying down and standing up. I’ve found myself wrestling with a lot lately. With my...
7 days ago • 1 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 7 | April 12, 2025 Hello Reader, We talk a lot about “spring cleaning,” but not nearly enough about what needs clearing inside. Not the stuff in the garage or the inbox—but the clutter we carry in our heads. I’ve been guilty of saying yes to too much. Of keeping too many tabs open—literally and mentally. Of holding onto ideas or projects just because they once seemed important. But I’ve learned something the hard way: clutter is expensive. Not in...
14 days ago • 2 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 6 | April 5, 2025 Hello Reader, Walking home from a Victoria Royals' WHL playoff win last week, my son looked up at me and asked, “Were you ever scared to do what you do now?” I didn’t hesitate. “Yeah,” I said. “I still am.” Fear’s played a role in everything I’ve done—even the things I’m proud of. And for a long time, I let it keep me stuck. From the outside, things looked fine. I was showing up, getting things done, moving forward. But fear has a way...
21 days ago • 2 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 5 | March 29, 2025 Hello Reader, We don’t like stopping. We convince ourselves that rest equals laziness, that pausing means falling behind. But what if stopping was actually a strategy? When was the last time you gave yourself permission to pause? We push through exhaustion. We ignore burnout. We tell ourselves, “Just one more thing,” before allowing a break. But here’s what I’ve learned: Pausing isn’t quitting—it’s recalibrating. The best athletes...
28 days ago • 2 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 4 | March 22, 2025 Hello Reader, March is weird. Not quite winter, not quite spring. Some days, the world feels new and full of possibility. Other days, it’s cold and uninviting. Change is happening, but it’s not immediate—it’s gradual, unpredictable, and sometimes messy. I remember one year when I was waiting for a big shift in my life. I had put in the work. I knew the transition was coming. But I was stuck in the middle—the limbo where nothing is...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 3 | March 15, 2025 Hello Reader, Starting something new always feels exciting. A new project. A fresh habit. A commitment to change. You’re energized, focused, and convinced this time will be different. And then? The enthusiasm... fades. This is where most people quit—not because their goal was impossible, but because they expected motivation to carry them the whole way. And when it doesn’t? It feels like failure. But here’s the truth: This moment—right...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 2 | March 8, 2025 Hello Reader, This weekend, you “lose” an hour. Or at least, that’s how it feels. Daylight Savings forces an adjustment overnight. One day, your routine makes sense. The next, your body is confused, your sleep is off, and the rhythms you counted on feel disrupted. Sound familiar? It’s not just about the clocks—it’s about how we experience time. How often do we force ourselves into someone else’s rhythm? A work schedule that doesn’t...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
The Lantern by Mike Vardy Vol. 1, Issue 1 | March 1, 2025 Hello Reader, You’ve probably been here before... The calendar year starts, and you make plans. You set goals. You even build routines that feel solid. But somehow, it still doesn’t feel like the year has fully started. That’s because January is a test. February is a warm-up. March? That’s the real beginning. Think about it—January forces you into action before you’ve even processed the past year. February is short, still a bit...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read