Good Things

Shopping Recommendations

There’s an odd kind of wisdom that comes with age—not just the kind that helps you navigate strategy or people, but the kind that tells you, “You know what, this was worth it.” Most of us waste a small fortune on things we think we’re supposed to want, only to discover that true value often hides in the humble, the practical, the quietly transformative. This edition of Plant Your Flag is about three things I bought that have paid me back tenfold: Grounding sheets, Apple AirPods, and Yoga lessons. These aren’t gadgets or luxuries. They’re tools. Tools for sleeping better, working smarter, and staying flexible—literally and metaphorically.

Grounding Sheets: Sleep, for the First Time in My Life

I have barely slept a full night in 51 years. That is not poetic exaggeration—it is plain, weary fact. I’ve known fatigue as a daily companion for so long that I questioned people who claimed to get restful sleep as tricksters or very lucky. It was simply not in the cards for me, or so I thought. Then, one of my Board members started raving about grounding sheets and the science behind them. I bought a set, half-curious and fully skeptical. They plug into the grounding port of an electrical outlet and mimic the natural electrical field of the earth buy supposedly balancing the electron flow in your body and removing free radicals and thus, inflammation from the body. I fully assumed they were snake oil with a decent return policy, but I’m so in the habit of chasing good sleep that I bought them without thinking much. But from the first night, something shifted. I slept through it. I woke up alert, restored, human. And then I did it again the next night. And the next.

I didn’t tell Sheya what they were, but she commented weeks later that she had been getting “that good sleep!” and we’ve since bought them for the kids, too. Both have noted that they fall asleep easier, stay asleep longer, and wake up easier. I’m not sure you could get a higher recommendation than that.

These sheets run between $90 and $250, depending on the setup. I use a fitted version that stays on my mattress and I’m even thinking of getting one to go with me when I travel—yes, I’m that person now. There’s no sound, no hum, no flashy tech. Just a strange sense of stillness that starts when your head hits the pillow and lasts until the alarm. I don’t care what the studies say or don’t say—I care that for the first time in half a century, I am rested. That alone makes them one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.

AirPods Pro 2: The Businessman’s Lifeline

I live on the phone. My workdays are a parade of conversations—prospects, clients, team members, portfolio companies, friends, sometimes all at once. If my ears are empty, I assume I’m late for something. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 aren’t just earbuds; they’re like co-workers. Lightweight, comfortable, nearly invisible, they sit in my ears for hours at a time and never complain. The sound is flawless, the noise cancellation is borderline miraculous, and the battery life is more than sufficient to keep pace with me.

At $249 retail, these are not the cheapest option, but they’re easily the most cost-effective. I take calls on walks, dictate notes between meetings, and switch from phone to laptop without thinking. When I get on a plane, I put them in before the engines start and don’t take them out until we land. They reduce friction, remove distraction, and keep me focused—precisely what you want from a tool that’s in your ears eight hours a day.

I run an entirely Apple tech environment and the AirPods plug seamlessly into it. I can watch my AppleTV and listen on the pods if I want to. Laptop, desktop, phone and car, they switch as smoothly as anything can.

Yoga Lessons: Bend now or Break Later

Like many men crossing into the back half of life, I came to yoga for purely mechanical reasons. I didn’t want to grunt every time I stood up. I wanted to regain range of motion and maybe keep my joints from rusting shut. What I didn’t expect was how deeply spiritual it would be. Yoga, it turns out, is not just about stretching—it’s about meeting your body where it is, without judgment. It’s about breath, awareness, humility. It’s about listening to parts of yourself you’ve ignored for decades.

Private lessons can cost anywhere from $65 to $200 an hour, though group classes and online options abound at lower price points. I’ve committed to a twice-weekly private session, which keeps me accountable and allows for targeted instruction. The flexibility is improving, sure—but more than that, I feel less rigid in mind and mood. I found some grief that I was carrying in one of the sessions, and my instructor was beautifully kind in helping me work through it. I’m softer in the places I should be and stronger in the ones that matter. It’s not just a workout. It’s a conversation with yourself that you didn’t know you needed.

Conclusion: Money Well Spent

Not one of these purchases would make a gift guide. They don’t glitter, they don’t impress at cocktail parties, and they won’t win you style points. But they make life better, which is more than most things you buy will ever do. The grounding sheets gave me sleep. The AirPods gave me peace amid chaos. The yoga lessons gave me back parts of myself I hadn’t realized I’d forfeited.

These weren’t treats. They were investments. Each one quietly but fundamentally improved the way I live and work. And that’s the kind of ROI that never gets old. So if you’re looking for something to spend on, try choosing something that gives you back a better version of yourself. Plant your flag there.