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Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · 7d

The best way to avenge yourself is to not be like that. - Marcus Aurelius

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · 7d

Sometimes enough is wisdom.
Sometimes enough is fear.

This week on Running Ahrens, we sit down with our son Jackson, thoughtful, loyal, and honest about finding your own pace in a world that keeps pushing for more.

🎧 Ep 16:
👉 www.runningahrens.today/podcast/the-...

Reposted by Justin Ahrens

Rule29 @rule29.bsky.social · 23d

Don’t miss one of our favorite humans and maker of incredible music @sleepingatlast 👉 www.rule29.com/stories/the-...

Rule29 | The Design Of a Brand With Heart: Meet Ryan O'Neal of Sleeping At Last

Ryan O’Neal, the musician behind Sleeping At Last, shares how he builds emotionally rich soundscapes through projects like Atlas, exploring themes of space, atoms, and the human experience—offering po...

www.rule29.com

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Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Sep 17

Woke up today to this glory and a reminder that each dawn is a chance to begin again. 🙏😎😍

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Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Sep 16

Can’t believe this was 8 years ago already! Thank you again to all who supported the Wheels4Water project and @chasingwonder you still mad about Daren Wendell, Anthony Narducci, and Dave Weller eating your donut?

Watch “2017 RIDE: DAY 6 RECAP” on #Vimeo vimeo.com/234090861?re...

2017 RIDE: DAY 6 RECAP

As we rolled into Gilmer, Texas to complete day 6 it marked an incredible day. Beautiful sunshine combined with some challenging headwinds was the weather for the…

vimeo.com

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Sep 13

"Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Sep 5

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was “thank you,” that would suffice.
– Meister Eckhart

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 28

Here’s the thing, we spend so much of our lives trying to lock things down, chasing stability like it’s the ultimate prize. But eventually we realize life doesn’t work that way. Life isn’t meant to be still. It’s meant to move. To shift, to surprise us, to push us into becoming who we’re meant to be

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 23

To be nobody but
yourself in a world
which is doing its best day and night to make you like
everybody else means to fight the hardest battle
which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.
E.E. Cummings

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 20

“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” – Aesop

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 17

“Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.”
– John Henry Jowett

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 12

“Straight roads do not make skillful drivers.” - Paulo Coelho

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 3

If you had a robot and it could do one thing for you what would it be?

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Aug 3

We don’t build confidence by waiting. We build it by deciding.

Dan Sullivan nails it: commit first. Then courage, capability, and confidence follow.

Leadership isn’t knowing, it’s going first.

🔗 www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-ma...

#leadership #brandstrategy #designthinking #Rule29

How To Make Smart Decisions In Uncertain Times

When I started as a copywriter at a large ad agency in Toronto, I had a creative director who changed how I approach every challenge I’ve faced since. He was a tough street kid who didn’t go to colleg...

www.linkedin.com

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 31

Your world reflects your thinking.
If you want to change what you see, start with what you believe.

Thoughts aren’t just reactions—they’re choices.
Choose clarity. Choose purpose. Choose kindness.

#mindset #leadership #BeHumanKind

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 20

“If you’re depressed, you’re living in the past.
If you’re anxious, you’re living in the future.
If you’re at peace, you’re living in the present.”
— Lao Tzu

Deadlines. Decisions. Distractions.
I needed this reminder today.

Peace and progress start right here.
#Mindset #Leadership #BeingPresent

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Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 20

Must have been a miscalculation 💩 💨 www.instagram.com/p/DMQIuxIvN_...

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 19

Most brands say they want to stand out—until it requires actual courage.

Real strategy begins where comfort ends.

If your idea feels risky, weird, or too human to ignore…
You're probably on the right track.

#BrandStrategy #CreativeLeadership #MakeItMatter

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 18

Chris Voss’s Never Split the Difference is full of practical negotiation tools:
– Mirror your counterpart to build trust
– Label emotions to create connection
– Don’t fear “no”—it can lead to real answers
– Aim for a “That’s right”
Great outcomes start with empathy and creative listening.

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 16

Check out my Design Thinking in the Age of AI @LinkedIn course! www.linkedin.com/learning/des...

#AI #DesignThinking #Growth

Supercharge your design thinking - Design Thinking in the Age of AI Video Tutorial | LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com

This video provides an introduction for this course which merges the intuitive, human-centered aspects of design thinking with the analytical, predictive power of AI, equipping you with innovative app...

www.linkedin.com

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Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 14

Early in my career, I’d get frustrated thinking my team could read my mind.
Then I learned: “Clarity is the antidote to anxiety in an organization.”
Clear expectations and honest conversations are game changers, for teams, leaders, and the work itself.
Still working on it, every day.
#Leadership

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 14

Yesterday I saw stories in the clouds and small details in a movie most would miss.

Rick Rubin said, “Look for what you notice but no one else sees.”

It’s not just about creativity, it’s about presence.

There’s beauty hiding in the everyday. You just have to look.

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 3

Excited to preview my @chippdotai Con talk Creativity x AI on July 15!
💡 How to ideate, design & deliver faster—without losing the magic.
Want a front row seat? Sign up here: lnkd.in/g5q_VsXp
@ONeilPrinting @rule29 #AI #Branding #Creativity

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Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 2

This week on #RunningAhrens, we flip the script our youngest, Ava, joins us for her first interview! Real talk, family laughs, & a brand new podcast launch. Give it a listen, share your thoughts, & let us know what family topics you want us to tackle next! 🎙️👇 www.runningahrens.today/podcast/baby...

Justin Ahrens @justinahrens.bsky.social · Jul 2

Your reputation isn’t built on the big stage, it’s shaped in the quiet, everyday moments. How you show up when no one’s watching matters most. Be consistent. Be kind. That’s what people remember. #Consistency #EverydayLeadership #KindnessMatters #BrandBuilding