Rewired

I thought the hard part was starting the job. Turns out it was waiting to start it. I’m now almost done with my second week of the new gig. But I was supposed to start on March 30. My first day was April 27. I did everything right. Had it all lined up. Was ready to start the next chapter. I left my job of nearly eight years. Went out on a limb. Took a leap of faith. Then, I waited. And waited. Her...

I stumbled upon Justin Bieber’s performance at Coachella recently. His rendition of Beauty and a Beat was a callback to a simpler time. Just up there on one of the biggest stages, singing along to his younger self on a YouTube video. I was stoked to see him back doing his thing. I looked into his backstory as I couldn’t quite recall what happened. Since the 2012 release of that song and this 2026...

On March 1st every year, the weather changes. The wet, cold, and grey make way for sunny skies and warmer days. Springtime in Sacramento is nothing short of superb. Turning the page on the calendar and just like that, it’s sunny and 70. March is the month of change. And for me, there’s plenty of change coming. Get full access to Rewired at rpshanahan.substack.com/subscribe

It was another wet and rainy day in Seattle. I was 27 years old, sitting on the couch, watching TV and drinking alone on a Friday night. These were the nights I looked forward to after working a job that kept me out of trouble during the week. I had teammates I’d play rugby with. Surface level colleagues at work. Roommates who were nice. But weekends were usually like these. Drunk and high. By mys...

I brought a hand gripper to the office—one of those things you squeeze to build grip strength. I kept it at my desk at work. Whenever the panic started rising, I’d grab it and squeeze. Something physical to ground me. Something I could control when everything else felt chaotic. I used it so much I broke it. Sitting at my desk. Staring at the broken hand grip. Trying to focus on the work in front o...

Eight years ago today, I stopped drinking. January 26, 2018 was the day I entered a 40-day stint in rehab. There was a lot of wreckage behind me. And a lot of uncertainty ahead. Looking back now, I feel grateful for where I’ve ended up. Mid-October 2017, I got in my car after way too much to drink. I don’t remember going nearly 50 in a 25. I don’t remember the impact. I don’t remember what the fou...

At this time last year, I was having a panic attack nearly every day. I counted down the minutes until sleep would provide a temporary solace from the nightmare that was my reality. I woke up the next morning, got ready for work, and in the car I could feel it. The tightening in my chest. That looming sense of doom. There was no stopping it. This was my life. Day after day. My mind was telling me...

It’s been a hell of a year—personally, professionally, emotionally. 2025 was never easy, but it challenged me in the best way and rewarded me in the biggest way. I was pressured, pushed, and nearly cracked. I’m still standing. Still building. Ready to push myself farther and be better for those who rely on me. The year forced me to reevaluate my priorities and reshuffle how I lived. A forced reset...

Three years since the release of ChatGPT, we can finally stop talking about AI’s impact like it’s hypothetical. It’s here. It’s everywhere really. Embedded into day-to-day workflows and changing hiring patterns. What’s emerging isn’t a story of mass unemployment, at least not yet. So far, it is another iteration of the transformation of how work is done. AI is lifting output without the equivalent...

I am sitting in my comfy leather recliner writing this sentence at 4:59 A.M. A hot cup of coffee next to me. Still dark outside. No noise besides the clicking of the keys of my computer. I don’t mean to brag or flex. This is just the necessity of my life right now. And I love it. I’ve always been a morning person, but now, more than ever, I crave the calm quiet predawn hours. They keep me grounded...

This Thanksgiving hit different. It’s been a hell of a year for me personally and professionally. Through panic attacks, writing a book, raising a son, rethinking my career track, and rebuilding my life, gratitude helps keep it all in perspective. The stress, the feeling of not being enough, the inability to stay positive despite the progress I’ve made — all of that can be pushed aside with a heal...

There I was. Sitting with my son as he played. I was happy. I was a father. But I was pulling my phone out. He reached out to me. I opened Instagram. I scrolled. My mind drifted away. Pulled into the social media time suck. How could I not be present for my son, who wants nothing more than to be with me in the here and now? Fatherhood demands presence, and we are a distracted disconnected society....

I could feel it coming on again. Home alone. Sitting on the couch. Trying to watch TV and relax. My heart started racing. Chest tight. Mind spiraling. I got up and walked around. Took some deep breaths. Put my hands behind my head and tried to stop the panic from taking over. My heart seemed to jump out of its chest and skip a beat. My eyes widened. I thought I was dying. Thanks for reading! Subsc...

A counselor at rehab said, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” This line has stuck with me all those years since. Comfort, or more aptly, the avoidance of discomfort, is what kept me caged throughout most of my twenties. It still affects me today. The difference now is I don’t run from discomfort—I use it. Very little growth occurs inside my comfort zone. Growth happens in pain, uncertainty, an...

I’ve always wanted to write a book. I’ve known there’s been a book inside of me for years, but could never figure out what to write about. I studied English, wrote screenplays in high school and college, and have always loved a good story. My professional career has taken me into the business writing realm, writing quarterly reports, flexing the muscle but not the creative, authentic part of it. E...