Noz Kazemi Career Caricuture

Why We Fall in Love With AI Versions of Ourselves and Reject the Real Us

We Fell in Love With the Mirror That Isn’t Real There is something unsettling happening quietly, almost politely, right in front of us. We upload a real photo. A real face. A real body. A real moment pulled from an actual life. ChatGPT or any AI image tool takes that data and produces a version … Continue reading Why We Fall in Love With AI Versions of Ourselves and Reject the Real Us

An Iris Showing An Image of A GIrl Hugging Herself

Grieving From Afar: Losing Family in Iran, Faith in God, and Coping With Overwhelming Loss

When Grief Doesn’t Knock, It Breaks the Door Down There are seasons in life where pain arrives politely. It gives you a warning. It softens the blow. You sense it coming and you brace yourself. And then there are seasons like this one. No warning. No mercy. No pause to breathe. In the span of … Continue reading Grieving From Afar: Losing Family in Iran, Faith in God, and Coping With Overwhelming Loss

Brain

The Trifecta That Hijacked My Brain: Addiction, ADHD, and Binge Eating

I need to say this upfront.This is not a clinical article written from a distance.This is written from inside the mess. I live with ADHD.I have struggled with addiction.I binge eat. Not “used to.” Not “a little.” Not “in recovery and everything is neat now.”I live in the overlap where all three shake hands and … Continue reading The Trifecta That Hijacked My Brain: Addiction, ADHD, and Binge Eating

Men in Chemical Suites Spraying White Foam into the Air (and river potentially)

Water’s Impact Throughout History

The Water That Made Us and May Be Unmaking Us: A Human History Written in Every Sip Water has always been more than something we drink. It is memory. It is medicine. It is power. It is survival. From the first cups drawn from rivers to the glass poured from a modern tap, drinking water … Continue reading Water’s Impact Throughout History

A bunch of balloons floating in the air

Begin Again

I am starting over again. And saying that out loud at 42 years old hits differently than it did at 22, or even 32. Back then, starting over felt like reinvention. Now it feels like a reckoning. There is a quiet shame that comes with it. Not the kind that screams, but the kind that … Continue reading Begin Again

Noz Kazemi - The Pursuit of Happiness Podcast cover

Living With Late-Diagnosed ADHD: The Truth I Was Never Given

For most of my life, I knew something was off. Not wrong in a way I could point to, not broken in a way anyone else seemed concerned about, but off enough that it followed me everywhere. I lived with a constant sense of friction, like I was moving through the world at a different … Continue reading Living With Late-Diagnosed ADHD: The Truth I Was Never Given

Quote About Grief

The Weight of Grief: Learning to Live Through Loss

Healing Through Grief: How to Transform Loss Into Strength and Emotional Wellness Grief has a way of shaking you to your core. It’s not something you ever get used to, even if you’ve experienced it before. Recently, I lost someone who was like a brother to me. I’ve had friends pass away before, but this … Continue reading The Weight of Grief: Learning to Live Through Loss

Food Safety Mexico Vs America

Food Safety in Mexico vs USA: What “Made in America” Really Means

When “Made in America” Becomes a Red Flag: Food Safety in the U.S. and Mexico The Chemical Cost of Perfection Why do vegetables in the United States often look flawless but lack flavor, while produce from Mexico bursts with natural taste even when it looks imperfect? The answer has less to do with climate and … Continue reading Food Safety in Mexico vs USA: What “Made in America” Really Means

Goldfield, Nevada

I Made It: The Journey That Changed Everything

After two years of planning, saving, visualizing, and mapping every detail, I finally did it - I made it to Mexico. What I imagined would unfold one way, unfolded in a completely different direction. Not in a bad way. Not even in a good way. Just… different. The kind of different that reminds you that … Continue reading I Made It: The Journey That Changed Everything

A group of people standing on top of a sandy beach

When You Introduce Two People and They Ice You Out: The Cold Truth About Friendship Dynamics

I Played Cupid and Got Cut Off It started off with good intentions. I introduced two people I cared about - one guy, one girl! I thought, “They’ll get along. It’ll be fun to have all of us hanging out.” I envisioned group brunches, double-shot lattes with triple the laughs, and maybe even being the … Continue reading When You Introduce Two People and They Ice You Out: The Cold Truth About Friendship Dynamics