1 photo or 3,000 selfies?
There’s power in the mystery.
Hi, hope you’re doing amazing. It’s so hot here, the grass is literally crunching under my feet! You’re reading The Bright Side. And we’re excited to be coming to you every week with a dose of calm and clarity in a noisy world.
One photo. So many stories.
A couple months ago, I opened an old photo album. And the memories roared back.
No, there weren’t hundreds of them. Just a couple that carried real weight and told a story.
One was of my Dad, standing beside a horse, his confidence already forming. Then there was another, years earlier with the same cowboy hat, same posture and same steady gaze. That’s a Larson, no doubt.
They weren’t taken on the same day. But they didn’t have to be. Because the resemblance, the spirit, was unmistakable. And that’s what hit me: old photos don’t just show us how our family looked. They reveal who we are.
Because families pass down more than names. They pass down traits and character.
For the Larson family? It’s always been grit. A steady, unwavering kind of resilience that shows up when things get hard. So when I’m running on fumes and feeling like a failure as an entrepreneur, I step back and realize: maybe this isn’t just me.
Maybe the way I’m showing up is a part of a deeper history. And the same goes for you.
We’re not blank slates…
None of us start from scratch. You and I, we carry things from our past.
Some we’ve chosen ourselves. But many others have been passed down.
Now surely, some of these traits may not always be “good.” I honor that feeling.
But when we pause to look back, not just with our eyes, but with our heart, we get to decide what we keep.
In doing so, we remember who we are, and what we’re made of. Most of all: who we want to become next.
This weekend, go back in time. Even for a few minutes. And what comes up might surprise you.
Like the picture above, my Dad with my son Ty, showing how the things we love are passed down.
3 ways to re-connect with your roots
Get someone else involved (if you can). See how photos spark connection.
🔷 Look closely and pay attention
Sit with a picture long enough to find the details, even what’s just out of frame.
📝 Write down 3 traits you inherited
Maybe it’s work ethic, kindness or humor that cuts tension in half. No judgment, just insight.
I’m glad I don’t have 3,000 pictures to choose from.
There’s something special about the mystery that leads to questions:
What came before? What came after? What stage of life were they in?
This issue is dedicated to our friend and teammate Gage, in honor of his father’s memory.♥️
Until next time,
