Author: Kevin Murillo

Inner Circle: How I Build and Grow a Supportive Network
Prompt: Having a robust and thriving inner circle is necessary for long‑term success. Describe how you’re going about creating your inner circle.

Reflection

When I think about my inner circle, my teammates come to mind first. They are the people I rely on not just for work, but for ideas, advice, and support. The qualities I value most are simple but powerful. They listen, they debate with an open mind, and they tackle challenges together. They show up when it matters. That makes a huge difference in how I grow and stay confident.

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
Phil Jackson

Why It Happens

Over the last year, I have realized that keeping a close circle takes effort. Without regular check-ins, knowledge sharing, and connecting, even a strong team can feel disconnected. When deadlines pile up and pressure rises, having a reliable inner circle keeps stress from taking over. Knowing I can depend on others builds trust, reduces anxiety, and makes challenges easier to handle.
How I Keep It Strong

Here is what we do to make it work:
- Weekly check-ins for on-call rotations. The hand-off person shares trends from the last week. They also note things to watch out for.
- Weekly review meetings to share progress, exchange knowledge, and occasionally fit in a little trivia for fun.
- One-on-one sessions and casual “do you want to learn about this?” conversations to help each other grow.
- A shared knowledge hub where tips, resources, and lessons are accessible to everyone.
When the pressure hits, whether it is a big workload or unexpected challenges, we come together. It is not just about work. We support each other in personal life events, too. That makes our inner circle meaningful and trustworthy.
Why It Makes a Difference

Having this kind of inner circle pushes me to think differently and stay creative. Working with people from different backgrounds and experiences helps me see things in new ways. Knowing I can rely on someone allows me to help others more effectively.

My circle extends beyond my immediate team to include trusted colleagues and contacts outside our group. This wider network adds even more knowledge and support.

Final Thoughts

Being part of this inner circle is fulfilling. Personally, it is comforting to know I have people I can count on. Professionally, it has taught me that teamwork is not just about splitting tasks. It requires patience, understanding, and compromise. It means putting egos aside and meeting everyone halfway.

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”
Edward Everett Hale

The real value is not just in the work we finish. It is in the trust, support, and learning that happen along the way. That is what makes a strong inner circle truly priceless.
12/11/2025
Overthinking: How to Think Less and Do More

Prompt: What could you do less?

Reflection

Lately, I’ve realized just how much time I spend overthinking. From small decisions and blog posts, or even everyday choices, I often spend hours over-analyzing. By the end of the day, it’s no wonder I feel mentally drained. Sometimes thinking things through helps, but most of the time it feels like running a marathon in my head.

“You don’t have to control your thoughts; you just have to stop letting them control you.”
– Dan Millman

I recently found myself replaying which blog post to publish. I would spin ideas over and over in my head, wondering which one was better. In hindsight, I realize I could have just started one idea and let it flow naturally.

Why It Happens

Overthinking can make even tiny tasks feel enormous. Something small, like a pebble, suddenly feels like a mountain.

This can cause you to lose track of time. That time could be spent doing something productive or simply enjoying the present. I was preparing to transfer to my four-year college. I obsessed over creating the perfect plan for meetings and applications. Scheduling two meetings would have been enough and saved me a lot of unnecessary stress.

A Better Approach

I’ve noticed I feel more productive and calmer when I stop overthinking. Making a decision and moving ahead without giving it a third or fourth thought comes more naturally. Mistakes happen, but they are rarely as bad as the stress I create imagining everything that could go wrong.

“Don’t get too deep in your head, it’s a dangerous place to wander.”
– Unknown

My Goal

It’s simple: think less, do more. Worry less about the perfect choice. Stop replaying the same thought over and over. Focus on the goal, take action, and learn as I go. Trust that I can adapt to whatever comes up. Stressing about what hasn’t happened yet only hurts my well-being.

Closing Thought

Overthinking will probably never disappear completely. Still, I can notice it sooner and gently shift that energy toward actually doing something. That’s where the real progress happens.

12/09/2025
Free Interactive Eisenhower Matrix PDF
A Free Tool I Want to Share

From time to time, I want to share free digital tools that I actually use and find helpful. I am calling this a Free Digital Content Friday. However, it happens more occasionally rather than on a weekly basis. When I make something useful, I want to pass it on.

Today’s freebie is an interactive Eisenhower Matrix PDF. It is a simple layout. It helps you sort your tasks by what is urgent. It also lets you find what is important and what can wait.
What the Eisenhower Matrix Is

The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple productivity system that organizes tasks by urgency and importance. It divides everything into four quadrants:
- Urgent and Important
- Important but Not Urgent
- Urgent but Not Important
- Not Urgent and Not Important
The goal is to help you focus on what truly matters and stop reacting to everything at once.
Why I Use It

Life gets busy. Work, school, personal responsibilities, and everything in between can create a long list that feels impossible to manage. The Eisenhower Matrix has helped me. It takes the pressure off by showing me what needs attention now. It also shows what can be scheduled or removed.

It gives me a visual way to sort everything out. When I can see it clearly, it becomes much easier to take the next step.
About the Free Interactive PDF

I created a version of the matrix that works both digitally and as a printable. You can type into the boxes from your device or print it and write by hand.

Each page includes:
- The four task quadrants
- Space to write tasks for each section
- A notes area for extra reminders or thoughts
- A clean design that works for daily or weekly planning
For the best experience, I recommend opening the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. Some browser based PDF viewers or other apps may not support all of the interactive features. This lack of support can cause you to lose what you type into the boxes. Adobe Reader keeps the form fields and saving behavior working the way they are meant to.

Use it for school, work, projects, home tasks, or anything else that needs organizing.
How to Use It

Start with a brain dump. Write down everything on your mind. Then move each task into the quadrant where it belongs.

Questions that help:
- Is this task urgent
- Is it important
- Can it wait
- Does it need to be done by me
The purpose is not perfection. It is clarity.
Download the Free Template

Best used with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Download

If the button above does not work or you prefer to download it directly from GitHub, you can use this link:

GitHub Download

Final Thought

Productivity is not about doing everything. It is about knowing what deserves your time. This simple tool has helped me stay focused. It keeps me grounded. I hope it gives you the same sense of clarity.

If it helps even one person feel less overwhelmed, then sharing it was worth it.
12/05/2025
What This Year Taught Me

Reflection

Over the past year, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my life. I looked back on some of the positive events. A few of those events were major life changes. Others were about finding new ways to express my creativity. The launch of my website did not happen overnight. I had been playing with the idea for a long time and never really saw myself completing through.

The shift in my thinking started after I completed a few college courses. They say everyone interprets things differently, and that is very true. Classes like Interpersonal Communication, Intro to Psychology, and Cultural Studies might seem boring for some people. For me, they did more than just teach the material. They taught me a lot about myself. When I added in my English courses, I was finally capable of rounding out the vision for my blog.

One of the most positive changes this past year was deciding to share more of my personal experiences. I also shared my reflections and general outlook on life and career. I used to doubt whether anyone would care about what I had to say. If someone is not interested in this kind of content, I am completely fine with that. I know it is not for everyone. What matters to me is the person who reads something I wrote and feels like it resonates. If even one person can relate, then they know they are not alone. Realizing that gave me the confidence to continue building my website and blog. It has become a place where I can express myself and see my own growth more clearly.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
Maya Angelou

Mental health is such an understated, underestimated, and under talked about topic. Many positive events in my life this year stem from taking time to understand my strengths. I also took time to recognize my faults. Because of that, I have been capable of slowly working through the internal struggle. I can now get up every morning knowing what I need to do.

For example, I started my college journey in 2023. I am working toward an Associate degree. This is so I can transfer into a four year college. I am two semesters away from reaching that goal. Naturally, being this close means it is time to apply to the colleges or universities I want to go to. Because of my personality, I tend to over prepare. I don’t want to know I am not wasting anyone’s time, including my own. In this case, that meant making sure I was not taking classes that would fail to transfer.

I did everything that was required. I reached out to advisors at my current college, and then to advisors at the college I wanted to attend. I did this many times. I really wanted to get this right. Once I finally had everything set, I sent my unofficial transcript. This allowed us to map out my last two semesters. I wanted to make sure I was in good shape.

The college I wanted to go to reviewed my transcript. They evaluated all the courses I had taken. They confirmed that everything transferred the way it needed to. To my surprise, they also approved my application and I was accepted. The struggle, sacrifice, and hard work had paid off.

“It always seems impossible until it is done.”
Nelson Mandela

Looking back, the positive events from this past year are not only the big wins on paper. Launching my website, getting closer to finishing my degree, and being accepted into the college I wanted are all important. But underneath all of that is something deeper. I started to understand myself better. I learned how my mind works, what motivates me, and where I still need to grow.

I am not where I want to be yet. I am grateful I am no longer where I used to be.

12/04/2025
Why Chicago Became My Favorite Place
Before Chicago

Chicago was not my first choice. Before I met my wife, it was not even on my list. Nothing against it, I just did not see it as the kind of place people fall in love with. That changed fast.

I grew up in New Jersey, so my idea of a big city was New York. In my head, nothing could touch the Big Apple. My wife and in-laws are from the Midwest. My father in law is from Chicago. They were always talking it up. I just nodded along.

The trip that changed it

After COVID, we were desperate for a trip. After a little convincing, I agreed to visit the Windy City in the summer of 2021.

I was sold.

The atmosphere was something I honestly could not put into words. The culture, the sights, the food, and especially the people made it a place I did not want to leave.
We went to the usual tourist spots:

Navy Pier

Michigan Avenue

Portillo’s

Gino’s East

The Field Museum, which was the highlight for me
What sealed it for me

What really sealed it for me was the Architecture River Tour by Shoreline Sightseeing. I loved hearing the stories behind the buildings. I enjoyed learning how the city was planned. Each structure serves a purpose instead of being dropped on any open lot. If you are into history or architecture, or both, I highly recommend that tour.

“The journey, not the arrival, matters.”
— John Steinbeck

Chicago became a place I did not expect to love, but I am glad I was wrong.
12/03/2025