Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.

Sara Konrath, PhD, a researcher from Indiana University, says there is scientific research to back up the notion that Americans are caring less for others and more about themselves. While a specific reason is difficult to point to, it is not a stretch to say our digital lives might have us to interacting with more people than ever before, while simultaneously removing genuine connection.

Is it too late? What can we do?

Konrath says, “There are many, many different ways and lots of research trying to increase empathy. I don’t think there’s one way. The first thing I would say is that, we have to want to, it has to be important to us. The motivation really matters. Then from there, there’s many ways. There’s research showing that, for example, reading fiction actually helps to increase empathy, and also...

A FinalVibe Podcast has officially been uploaded on Tuesday morning for the last 26 weeks straight. That means this movement has been going strong for half a year, since late May, and what a year it has been. I’ve always wanted to start a podcast, but I was worried about the usual things you worry about before pursuing something new: what if I suck? What if it fails? And maybe the scariest of all – what if people listen?⁣
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Andrew, my co-host, and I have interviewed some amazing individuals since embarking on this journey, and we both have learned a lot through these discussions. In six months we have interviewed restaurant owners (episodes 2, 20), parents and grandparents, a journalist (4), an entrepreneur and speaker (11), a farmer (5), college athletes (16), the coach of the Golden Girls (13), a Muay Thai fighter (15) and so many more.⁣
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Every person we have talked to has been...

Launching a lifestyle brand about legacy in the middle of a pandemic has been a fun challenge and, in a way, the world we have lived in since March has led to millions of people changing their perspective. We believe our purpose is now more important than ever.

Writing a purpose statement creates a framework for future decisions. When actions and habits originate from a declaration of purpose, our goals are more easily accomplished. As FinalVibe continues to grow, we hear more stories of people who have decided to pursue their own FinalVibe, and it’s inspiring to see what so many have already accomplished. To say the movement is just getting started is an understatement, and we’re excited to see where you all go from here. If you wondering how you can get started, consider writing a personal purpose statement like ours above. Just a sentence or two that clearly states what you want to...

A ride on the Katy Trail to the Main Street Diner in Boonville, the dogs get a package, and we meal prep one of our favorites - Korean Beef - after a visit to some grocery stores. Another day-in-the-life vlog that was demanded by so, so many people.

When I first dreamed up FinalVibe and thought about what I would love to see this brand become, I knew that it involved a group of people (FinalVibers?) documenting their journeys through success. How they wanted to document - blogs, vlogs, a private Instagram account shared with friends, a podcast, etc. - that doesn’t matter. What matters is that FinalVibers are pursuing a better version of themselves and sharing the highs and lows along the way. I think doing this is helpful for two big reasons. First, the FinalVibe community and your own friends/following will cheer you on along the way and hold you accountable. Secondly, your eventual success will likely motivate someone else to pursue their own FinalVibe, and what’s cooler than that?

My dream is that searching for ‘FinalVibe’ will one day show you an endless thread of individuals living the FinalVibe mindset one day at a time. I...

Last week was an exciting one because we were getting a new AC unit installed in the house on Friday morning. As if the old machine knew this, it completely stopped working last Monday, meaning I had a very warm work-from-home week. Friday eventually rolled around and as the group of installers were packing up their things and the cold air started blowing throughout the house (finally), our internet went down. After a call with tech support, I learned that it wasn’t coming back until this coming Thursday.

My initial reaction was to, naturally, freak out. Quite a bit of my life (okay, all of it) revolves around the internet. As the house dropped from 85 to 84 degrees, I was feeling warmer than I had all week, worrying about how I would get things done and what I would do to keep projects moving forward. As I started making contingency plans, it hit me that this was a great moment for...

I believe that the concept of FinalVibe - the act of pursuing your ideal legacy - is important for everyone, but I also know that every person will come to this realization when they are ready. A sudden loss of a job, a serious illness, a death in the family, or a pandemic can all be moments that make you step back and realize how fragile all of this is. Some people are hit with this when they are young, and others decades later in life.

This happened to me in 2017, when I became extremely anxious about my own health and, until recently, struggled with this on a daily basis. This started with random and small muscle twitches that were happening all over my body, which lead to me in a neurologist’s office on two occasions to rule out ALS (never Google your symptoms). The peace of mind that came from those appointments was short lived, however, when I started experiencing… let’s call them...

While exchanging texts with a great friend and colleague yesterday, he sent me this message and it’s been on my heart since.

If you know my wife, Jacqueline, you know that she is a unique soul and would do anything for anyone. Her support for my crazy dreams and goals really is my super-power, and I hope to never take it for granted.

A few years ago I had the (crazy) idea to get into video game streaming, and I designed a ridiculous over-the-top “office” that would be great for just that. Jacqueline was on-board from the beginning, helping to paint the walls black and mount a 4th monitor above the others. The entire endeavor turned into some pretty great opportunities.

When we started the FinalVibe Podcast, I thought an in-person studio would set us apart. Jacqueline, again, was all-in. We hung up an acoustic curtain to hide the guest bed, took a trip to IKEA for furniture, and...

During the summer of 2013, I was living in Columbia, working 25 hours a week with a marketing team at Mizzou, taking one online class, and preparing for my senior year of college. I thought about pursuing a more classic internship, as thousands of my classmates did, but it was around this time that I was contemplating living in Columbia after graduation, so I wanted to hang out for the summer to see what life was like. It hit me a few weeks into this summer break that I was potentially putting myself at a professional disadvantage by not interning at a big company in New York City or Chicago, and I decided I wasn’t going to let that lead to me falling behind my peers.

In early June I decided that I wanted to specialize in marketing for the hospitality industry, more specifically hotels. I made a list of the 32 hotels that were in town at the time and ranked them in terms of their...