According To Wes

Your worth isn’t a number on a screen, a title on a business card, or a highlight reel on social media. I’m digging into a deceptively simple Stoic line often attributed to Marcus Aurelius: “A person’s worth is measured by the worth of what he values.” Once you sit with it, it flips the modern definition of success on its head and forces a more honest question: what do you actually cherish, protect, and pursue when life gets loud? ...

You know that moment when the family photo matters more than the people in it? We start with jokes about hangovers, sliders, and the vanishing act of mac and cheese, then take a sharp turn into what really counts: presence over pageantry. A parent’s devastating accident becomes the test—who called, who helped, and who pretended nothing happened. We unpack the quiet ways families fail each other and map out how to turn “thoughts and...

What if the quietest move is the most powerful one? We explore deference as a deliberate act of strength—less about giving up your voice and more about choosing when to honor the right voice at the right time. Instead of equating respect with weakness, we reframe deference as a fast track to wisdom, a trust-builder on teams and in families, and a subtle engine for influence when everyone else is trying to be the loudest in the room...

What if the most expensive waste of time is the chase itself—the endless loop of clicks, bites, buys, and swipes that never quite deliver what they promise? We pull apart the difference between a quick hit and a lasting glow, showing how the hedonic treadmill and dopamine’s “more” drive keep us busy but unsatisfied. Instead of vague self-help, we map the biology, the economics, and the philosophy—then bring it down to earth with ra...

A snow day sets the stage for a bigger story about work, home, and respect. We start with the real playbook for winter survival—shovel before sleet, salt smart, and only clear what you need to drive out. That everyday strategy opens into a sharper question: when one partner handles the house and the other clocks in, what does fairness actually look like? We share the unfiltered truth about telework theater, “emergency essential” po...

First, we dismantle the illusion of “later.” Procrastination thrives on the myth of endless tomorrows, so we show how to ground yourself in the present with small, meaningful actions that actually move your life. Then we turn to mortality as a filter, not a fear trigger. When you accept that time is finite, petty arguments, chasing approval, and shallow distractions lose their grip. You start to ask better questions about how you s...

A calmer day often starts before the day starts. We take Marcus Aurelius’ blunt morning mantra—expect interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill will, and selfishness—and turn it into a practical routine that lowers anger, strengthens boundaries, and grows compassion. Instead of waiting to be blindsided by messy human behavior, we walk through how to anticipate it, name it on contact, and choose a response that protects ...

A surprise BOGO crab haul sets the table for one of our most honest money conversations yet. We go from twenty shells and a freezer full of claws to the quiet math of family finances—how a house down payment empties savings, how “you got it” becomes a habit, and why clear rules save relationships. Then we hit the spark: a mom uses life insurance to wipe out roughly $60K of her daughter’s student loans after pushing her into college...

What if the pain you’re avoiding is the very thing that could set you free? We take a hard look at a Stoic claim—“the truth never harmed anyone; what harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance”—and test it against real life. From medical diagnoses and failed business bets to the slow leak of unspoken resentment in relationships, we explore why the sting of truth is acute but corrective, while the comfort of denial quietly ...

Ever wondered why some people seem to navigate life's challenges with grace while others constantly bounce from one crisis to another? The difference might be a virtue we rarely discuss in modern times: prudence.

This episode explores how the ancient virtue of prudence—acting with care and thought for the future—creates a foundation for exceptional quality of life. While our culture celebrates instant gratification an...

What lies behind the walls we build around our hearts? Why do we sometimes push away the very connection we crave most deeply? This exploration of emotional barriers goes straight to the heart of a profound paradox in human relationships, revealing the silent tests we create for others.

The walls we build aren't always meant to keep people out—sometimes they're secret pleas to see who cares enough to break them d...

Relationships require proper acknowledgment and clear boundaries, whether in marriages, parent-child relationships, or financial arrangements.

• The importance of making your partner feel valued, especially when competing with other priorities
• How to navigate adult children living at home, including establishing financial responsibilities 
• Setting boundaries and clear expectations helps prepare young adults for...