JUSTIN ROGERS

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Generous

Sparkle Noticer

April 10, 2026

What is a sparkle noticer?

It’s what I call the people out in the world that notice real presence. I’ve been to 5 different states in the US across the past few months and everywhere I go I’m trying to make connections with strangers.

Buying a coffee, passing a stranger, getting in a lift; these are all opportunities to connect with another human.

And the rule is you can’t just say hi and look away.

You have to actually be present. You have to SPARKLE.

Sadly, most people are quite closed off to strangers. I turn on my sparkliest most present eyes and give them a sweet little hello… and there’s often not a response.

And that’s okay! I get it, it’s a bit weird.

But now and then… you get a sparkle noticer.

Someone who catches the sparkle and notices the real life presence you’re bringing to a moment.

They see you seeing them and thus you see each other!

The goal for me isn’t to be the person always saying hi with a warm smile.

The goal is to become the person who notices the sparkles when they fly my way.

We all get caught up and walled off day to day. But if we let ourselves, we can be a sparkle noticer and the world is a deliciously good place when you let that in.

Wrapping paper

April 9, 2026

I’m a big believer in wrapping paper.

I’m mostly fine with people speaking their mind. If I’m in the way, tell me. If I’m being too loud, please let me know.

My problem comes when people put it in the wrong wrapping paper.

For example, someone is speaking a little too loud. You can tell them to ‘shut up’. Or you can gently let them know know.

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.

You can say the difficult thing, but you can do it with kindness, levity and generosity.

I’m a BIG believer in wrapping paper.

Treat yourself; treat ’em right.

March 25, 2026

What are the kinds of people you want in your life?

One strategy is to switch all the people out in some sort of mass ‘recast’.

Another option is to treat them the way you want them to be.

Do you want a best friend who is reliable, loving and attentive? Cast them in that role and let them live into that identity.

Want to be married to a queen? Treat her like one.

Want kids who are curious, kind and energetic?

You get it.

No prizes for stubborness

March 18, 2026

Do you follow rules that no longer matter?

Last year I set a goal for myself to act every day- and the way I did that was by daily making a little video and posting it.

And I did it. Yay!

But the interesting thing was, somewhere along the way I disconnected from the actual outcome.

I set myself the ‘rule’ that I had to post something every day. And so I stuck to that rule religiously.

But in so doing, I lost sight of what I really wanted to be doing: creating something of value that I loved and that other people could love to.

So instead of noticing that and shifting my approach, I stuck to the rule.

So I’m very mindful now of getting rid of that which no longer serves me.

Am I following this rule because I’m too stubborn to change?

Or is it still taking me where I want to go?

Don’t continue to do something just because you said you would…

Each day you learn more and get closer to knowing what it actually is that you want.

And your previous decisions and commitments may not serve the updated picture.

Don’t be stubborn. Be flexible.

Is it alive?

February 5, 2026

A director I worked with gave me a key question that I use to guide all of my work.

It was after a show and he’d given us all a few pages of notes for things to focus on and improve in the show. A collection of ultra specific tweaks.

He turned to us, knowing that hitting all these in one show was a long shot. He acknowledged this and said simply “All I’m looking for is the life. All these notes are there just to support that. So all your job is is to search for the life.”

“{Is it alive?”

That’s it. We have tonnes of technical moments to hit, emotional beats to play, connection to each other, the material, the audience- one million things that culminate in a single outcome; life.

When I act I come back to the question.

When I rehearse. When I create. When I teach. When I converse. When I collaborate. When I build. When I help. It’s all in service of the same question:

Is it alive?

The best people

January 23, 2026

The best people are quite simply present with you.

They aren’t trying to make a quick joke, under cut anyone or make themselves look cool.

They’re simply there.

They have a gentle sparkle in their eye. They answer your questions with no agenda. They ask you questions because they’re interested in your heart.

The best people are just, well, the best.

And best of all we get to choose what type of people we want to be.

Contagious

January 18, 2026

Powerful things tend to be contagious. A bad mood is. And so is a good mood.

If we know that what we put out tends to spread and we also get to choose what we put out, we should probably pick contagions of good.

Abundance, gratitude and cheerfulness.

It’s not hard but it is powerful.

Capacity

January 15, 2026

We have more capacity than we think. I’ve found it’s possible to be upset about something but still have a great time.
We can feel overwhelmed and still find peace. We can be sad and happy at the same time.
Two things can exist at the same time- maybe even three.
The trick, I think, is to allow for this fact. To not trap ourselves in the lie of scarcity.

Just today

January 14, 2026

Do people in your family groan at your dietary preferences?

Are you the pesky vegetarian or- god forbid- you’re zero sugar?

I’ve noticed people can be quite reactive to things like “I’m not eating meat” or “I’m actually zero sugar”

I’m not exactly sure why, but it wasn’t until someone said the trusty old “oh it’s always something with you” that I decided to adjust my communication.

Always vs. right now.

Things like “I’m only eating x” or “I don’t eat y” seem to invite those unsolicited comments from uncle Joe. I suppose because it’s a line in the sand. So instead, I’ve been framing my wider lifestyle choices as something I’m choosing in the moment. For some reason people don’t mind as much if you’re not eating sugar just ‘this time’.

I also like this frame because it allows me to choose each time. Who knows maybe I do want a piece of steak today! Thanks for asking.

We don’t need to make identity statements at the dinner table.

But we can choose who we are through how we respond.

You always have a choice.

January 12, 2026

In a bad mood? You have a choice.

Feeling overwhelmed? You have a choice.

Feeling bored? You have a choice.

I like to remind myself that I always have a choice. Things may indeed be really difficult. When I have a few too many things to do I can buy into the hype of overwhelm and “stress as a status symbol”… but that’s all it is; hype.

And hype is rarely worth buying into.

You can have a lot of things to do AND still be fun to be around.

You always have a choice

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