Ever wonder why some folks pulling in a quarter million a year still don’t feel rich? Well, you’re not alone! We’re diving into the quirky world of affluence and anxiety, where being in the top 10% of earners somehow doesn’t equate to feeling financially secure. It’s like being on a rollercoaster—you’re high up, but the ride can be a bit dizzying! With soaring costs for housing, college, and insurance, even a hefty paycheck can feel like it’s slipping through your fingers faster than a bar of soap in the shower. So, grab your favorite snack and settle in as we explore this strange phenomenon of feeling rich but living squeezed!

Takeaways:

• Even if you earn a quarter million dollars a year, you might not feel rich.
• Rising costs of living can quickly eat up even the most generous paychecks.
• The more money you make, the more you tend to spend, leading to financial anxiety.
• Being affluent but feeling financially squeezed is an oddly common experience these days.
• A surprising number of high earners still report feeling anxious about their finances.
• Despite being in the top earners, many families feel house poor and pressured.

Links referenced in this episode:

• jamesabrown.net

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• The Wall Street Journal
• James A. Brown

Six months into 2025, and let’s be real—how are those New Year’s resolutions treating you? We’re diving into the rollercoaster ride of ambition vs. reality, where the packed gyms of January have turned into ghost towns by summer. The truth is, we often see giving up on our goals as a personal failure, but maybe it’s just life giving us a nudge to be a little more flexible. Instead of aiming for perfection, we’re exploring the idea that our resolutions could be more about finding what actually works for us—like shifting from “I’ll hit the gym every day” to “I’ll move my body when I can.” Join us as we reflect on our resolutions and what they’ve revealed about the gap between who we are and who we want to be.

Takeaways:

• Six months into 2025, many of us struggle to keep our New Year's resolutions, right?
• Our fitness goals often fade from packed gyms to ghost towns by summer, like magic!
• Giving up on resolutions might not mean failure; it could just be learning something new.
• The Mental Health Foundation suggests we make our resolutions flexible, so they can bend with life.
• Instead of saying 'I will exercise every day,' how about 'I'll move my body when I can'?
• The key is to be honest with ourselves about what we can realistically achieve!

Links referenced in this episode:

• jamesabrown.net

Ever find yourself wide awake at 1:00 AM, contemplating the mysteries of life while your cat prepares for its late-night fly-hunting mission? Well, that's exactly where we kick things off! Today, we're diving into the fascinating world of feline vision through the eyes of Artemis, our favorite blackish-grayish cat. Did you know that she can spot movement 300 times faster than us? That’s like seeing the world in slow-mo while we’re just trying to keep up! We’ll explore how her eyes gather six times more light than ours, making her nighttime escapades a whole lot more exciting. So, grab your favorite cozy drink, and let’s wonder together about what we humans might have traded away to experience the world as it is now. Tune in, and let’s get this wild ride started!

Takeaways:

• In the wee hours of the morning, our feline friends have their own little adventures, like the time Artemis, the cat, played a lethal game of fly tag at 1am.
• Cats have some seriously crazy vision, spotting movement 300 times faster than us humans. It’s like they’re living in a slow-motion action movie!
• Did you know that cats gather six times more light than we do? Their world is like a permanent Instagram filter – less vibrant but perfect for hunting in low light.
• Ever wondered what humans might have traded away in order to see the world as we do? It’s a fun thought experiment that makes you appreciate our own senses!
• Artemis’s nighttime antics reveal how their senses are tailored for hunting, making me think about how evolution shapes our perceptions.
• James wraps it all up by inviting listeners to ponder their own perspectives and encourages them to share their thoughts at his website.

Links referenced in this episode:

• jamesabrown.net