<![CDATA[Stories by Blake Shields on Medium]]> https://medium.com/@blakematthewshields?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/fit/c/150/150/1*_3q7h5wf2mpiegLN09061Q.jpeg Stories by Blake Shields on Medium https://medium.com/@blakematthewshields?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 Medium Sat, 14 Nov 2026 01:03:43 GMT <![CDATA[I’m 40, and I Don’t Want the Next 40 Years to Feel Like This]]>

Thousands of strangers recognized a feeling I couldn’t explain. Now I’m trying to figure out how to feel excited about life again.

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]]> https://medium.com/illumination/im-40-and-i-don-t-want-the-next-40-years-to-feel-like-this-c7b2e3304418?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/c7b2e3304418 Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:38:52 GMT 2026-11-13T01:22:11.307Z <![CDATA[The Quarter in the Parking Lot]]>

Another reminder there’s more to this life than what we can see.

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]]> https://medium.com/@blakematthewshields/the-quarter-in-the-parking-lot-8e4813b80229?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/8e4813b80229 Thu, 12 Nov 2026 01:10:52 GMT 2026-11-12T01:10:52.305Z <![CDATA[Some of Us Were Never Going to Pick Just One Lane in Life]]>

When you can imagine a hundred different lives but struggle to settle into one

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]]> https://medium.com/illumination/some-of-us-were-never-going-to-pick-just-one-lane-in-life-e62552e07b91?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/e62552e07b91 Wed, 11 Nov 2026 04:38:05 GMT 2026-11-11T04:38:05.376Z <![CDATA[Life Is Moving Too Fast, So I’m Doing These 4 Things]]>

I swear it was summer five minutes ago

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]]> https://medium.com/illumination/life-is-moving-too-fast-so-im-doing-these-4-things-24c31751163b?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/24c31751163b Mon, 09 Nov 2026 22:26:52 GMT 2026-11-09T22:26:52.792Z <![CDATA[I Think There’s Still Summer Left]]>

On getting older, questioning the rules, and giving Substack one last chance

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]]> https://medium.com/@blakematthewshields/i-think-theres-still-summer-left-904ad70f22e3?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/904ad70f22e3 Mon, 09 Nov 2026 11:57:50 GMT 2026-11-09T12:23:06.347Z <![CDATA[I’m Trying to Make a Living Simply by Being a Writer]]>

Apparently, writing isn’t enough anymore

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]]> https://medium.com/write-a-catalyst/im-trying-to-make-a-living-simply-by-being-a-writer-f7f3b02c1b26?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/f7f3b02c1b26 Sun, 08 Nov 2026 08:02:41 GMT 2026-11-08T08:02:41.275Z <![CDATA[3 Forgotten Movements That Bulletproof Your Body]]>

The strength to age on your own terms

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]]> https://medium.com/illumination/the-3-most-ignored-everyday-movements-that-bulletproof-your-body-for-the-future-278bd860646a?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/278bd860646a Sat, 07 Nov 2026 09:54:34 GMT 2026-11-07T12:20:58.059Z <![CDATA[The Intoxicating Freedom of Ruining Your Own Reputation]]>

There Is No “New You.” There’s Just the Monster You Learn to Manage.

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]]> https://medium.com/@blakematthewshields/the-intoxicating-freedom-of-ruining-your-own-reputation-56986ba7d1ce?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/56986ba7d1ce Sat, 07 Nov 2026 01:40:49 GMT 2026-11-07T02:21:54.293Z <![CDATA[I Had A Brutal Week. The World Kept Turning Anyway]]>

There’s Still a Lot of Life Happening Outside Your Problems

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]]> https://medium.com/illumination/i-had-a-brutal-week-the-world-kept-turning-anyway-2afd0750092c?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/2afd0750092c Fri, 06 Nov 2026 02:58:40 GMT 2026-11-06T03:57:49.621Z <![CDATA[We’re Scrolling Through Tragedy at 80 Miles an Hour]]>

Our hearts weren’t built for this

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]]> https://medium.com/illumination/were-scrolling-through-tragedy-at-80-miles-an-hour-259886f163ab?source=rss-83fd5e4b7528------2 https://medium.com/p/259886f163ab Fri, 30 Oct 2026 03:28:55 GMT 2026-10-30T03:28:55.851Z