Genesis 4141 & Elegant Yard Sale

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years after 9/11, we remember the lives lost, the first responders who ran toward danger, and those who served in the long wars that followed.

But remembrance also calls us to reflection—on the courage we witnessed, the mistakes we made in fear and anger, and the lessons we must not forget.

May remembering lead us not toward greater suspicion, but toward justice, peace, mutual understanding, courage, and compassion.

https://medium.com//twenty-five-years-after-9-11-cee505c712f4?sk=12350624f6dcc6236dc37ccaad08647c

09/08/2026

09/02/2026

As the crow flies, the eastern side of the Sierra is right over the mountain from where I live.

But life is not usually lived as the crow flies.

There are mountains to cross, long roads to travel, weight to carry, and terrain that cannot be ignored. We may move more like a snail than a crow—but slow, deliberate progress is still progress.

There is wisdom in perspective, but often greater wisdom in persistence.

Well, I have to go. I have some crawling to do.

Read More: https://medium.com//as-the-snail-crawls-26a94d5a8a3a?sk=1d53093ea54ad7ecc4a7ff94591c547e

08/31/2026

Most leaders do not lose trust or influence because of one dramatic mistake. More often, it is the gradual accumulation of poor communication, weak listening habits, defensiveness, and strained relationships.

The “boiling frog” story may not be scientifically accurate, but its warning is worth considering: we can adapt to unhealthy patterns until the consequences become painfully clear.

In this short reflection, I share practical steps for growing your people skills, receiving feedback, listening more effectively, and becoming a stronger leader.

Read the full coaching companion—with reflection questions and practical exercises—on Substack:

https://tomsims.substack.com/p/before-the-water-gets-too-hot

Connect with Tom Sims:
https://linktr.ee/tomsims

08/22/2026

Is filtering yourself the same as censoring yourself?

Not necessarily.

Responsible candor does not ask us to abandon conviction or avoid difficult truths. It asks us to remove the reaction, exaggeration, needless injury, and avoidable error that may prevent our real message from being heard.

In this video, I explore what should happen between our first thought and the moment we press **Publish**. I also introduce a seven-part Responsible Candor Check:

1. Internal
2. Intention
3. Outcome
4. Credibility
5. Reception
6. Stewardship
7. Decision

The Substack companion includes the Responsible Candor Grid, a copy-and-complete creator’s worksheet, and a filter-buddy system for reviewing consequential, emotionally charged, or professionally risky material.

Read the complete Substack companion:
https://tomsims.substack.com/p/filtering-ourselves-is-not-censoring

Read the companion Medium essay, **Get the Better of Yourself**:
https://medium.com//get-the-better-of-yourself-587bac42a4f6?sk=5d3d4eb74158764c2119cd22e424d6f2

Find more of my writing, videos, and projects:
https://linktr.ee/tomsims

The question is not merely whether you have something to say. The question is whether you have filtered it enough to make it worth hearing.

08/16/2026

Summer may be winding down, but here in California’s Central Valley, we still have a “second summer”—one more chance to get out, explore, and enjoy what is close to home.

In my latest article for Kings River Life Magazine, I reflect on all those summer plans we meant to make and offer a few ideas for turning the remaining warm days into memorable ones. We may not be able to do everything, but there is still time to do something.

What Central Valley adventure would you like to fit in before summer finally slips away?

Read “Second Summer: One More Chance to Get Out in the Central Valley”:

https://kingsriverlife.com/08/15/second-summer-one-more-chance-to-get-out-in-the-central-valley/

08/15/2026

We can continue to be useful and cheerful as we age.

08/09/2026

Technology can help us become clearer, more accurate, and more polished.

But can we become too polished?

In this reflection, I talk about speaking, writing, Toastmasters, artificial intelligence, and something a recording-studio owner told me years ago. He said they were looking for “voices that have scars on them”—voices recognizable as human.

That idea seems even more important today.

AI can help us edit. Technology can remove the pauses, stumbles, filler words, awkward phrasing, and imperfections. Much of that is useful. I use these tools myself.

But I don't want to polish away the person.

Human communication includes vulnerability. Sometimes we stumble over a word. Sometimes we pause. Sometimes we laugh at ourselves, correct ourselves, and keep going.

So use the tools. Learn the craft. Count the ums and ahs. Check the facts. Get clearer. Get better.

But leave a few scars on the voice.

Read the full essay on Medium:
https://medium.com//voices-with-scars-on-them-062b70efeb46?sk=d94eebe9537fd3451624a23e134fce94

More from Tom Sims:
https://linktr.ee/tomsims

07/24/2026

Are you optimistic?

True optimism does not deny obstacles, ignore suffering, or chase fantasies. It believes that something better is possible—and then brings faith, initiative, time, energy, and hard work to the task.

Optimism is active hope. It looks honestly at the present while moving purposefully toward the best possible future.

https://pastortom.blog/2026/07/24/optimism-3/