Returning to Simplicity

Last night, while we were lounging on the couch, my wife, Eliza, looked over at me after seeing on social media that I’d started a new blog and said, “Another project? A new website? Steve!”

She’s not wrong. I already have Schlaf.co, which is my personal site. There’s also Downshift.me, which represents my work, and Where the Road Bends, where I publish my longer-form essays. So why did I feel compelled to start yet another space?

I touched on this yesterday, but I want to dive a little deeper into the “why.” Over the past three and a half years, Where the Road Bends became the home for my long-form essays, focused on conscious change and transition. Once I gave it a name, once I committed to it, it started to take on a life of its own. I worked with an incredible editor, elevated my writing style, penned dozens of essays, and grew an audience of nearly 8,000 subscribers. I’m incredibly proud of that work, and by no means am I walking away from it.

But, like my wife, some of you might be wondering, “Why another blog when you already have Where the Road Bends and a large audience there?”

Here’s the thing—I absolutely love writing, learning, and sharing. But with Where the Road Bends, I began to feel a certain pressure to maintain a specific level of quality and depth with each post. That pressure, while motivating at times, also became overwhelming. As a parent of two young girls and an entrepreneur, the idea of spending weeks refining a single post just started to feel unsustainable. I also felt like I wasn’t able to share as much as I felt called.

I want to get my ideas out there more frequently and more freely. The long-form format, as much as I love it, required a different kind of time and energy—something I can’t always commit to right now.

That’s why this blog feels like the right format. It’s a space where I can share more often, without the weight of perfectionism or the need to meet a certain bar. I want to keep things simple, share what’s on my mind, and connect with you in a way that feels more spontaneous.

I also want to use this blog as a kind of diary—a time capsule for this phase of my life. It’s a place where I can capture my thoughts, experiences, and learnings as they happen. Hopefully, one day, my daughters will come here and see what I’ve put into the world, and maybe get a glimpse of the reflections and ideas that shaped who I am today. In a way, it’s about leaving behind something personal and real for them to connect with.

This blog is about something simpler. It’s not about turning it into a product that can be monetized. It’s about going back to basics—sharing whatever’s on my mind, whatever I’m learning, or whatever I’m excited to create, simply because I feel called to. Whether it’s a reflection on coaching, parenting, entrepreneurship, mindfulness, or even something as simple as a photo I took or a passage that’s inspiring me, it’s all fair game. I don’t want this blog to be a “thing” with expectations or pressure. I just want the freedom to share without it taking on a life of its own.

There’s a certain freedom in that. With Where the Road Bends, I pushed myself to grow as a writer, and I’m proud of what I accomplished. That journey has been deeply transformational, teaching me so much about transition, writing, and, of course, myself. But with this blog, I’m embracing a fresh start—a space to share whatever’s on my mind, free from expectations or the need to achieve something specific.

I’m so glad you’re here, and I’m excited to see how this space evolves. Let’s see where this journey takes us, together.