Ricardo J. F. Marques

✍🏼 Storyteller 🇺🇳 Humanist 💍 Husband 🐷 I Like (all) Animals

Let Light Soften Us

It had been one of those days where everything seemed to pile up. I arrived at work with a long to-do list and left with an even longer one. Colleagues kept walking into my office, each one bringing an additional set of tasks, my phone rang off the hook, last-minute

The Architecture of Energy

Earlier this week, I facilitated an internal workshop on the Working Genius framework by Patrick Lencioni. I stood before my colleagues, explaining how the six “geniuses” reveal the types of work that energise or drain us, and guiding them to understand themselves and how they function as a team. It

The Case for Gentleness

When I first joined the United Nations as an international civil servant, I was quickly consumed by the sheer volume of work. Dozens, sometimes hundreds, of emails poured in each day. My to-do list grew longer the more I crossed things off. The stakes were high, the pressure constant. I

The Starlight Threshold

I’ve known a few people whose energy is so frenetic, so unsettled, that things often seem to go wrong around them. They are regularly frustrated with something or in conflict with someone. And then there are those who are calm and collected despite the chaos around them. They flow

Between Code and Consciousness

Imagine a future where we have solved the climate crisis, cured disease, and eliminated poverty. One where the abundance that already exists in our world is distributed more equitably. Where we are in harmony with nature, with time and resources to connect with others, pursue our creative passions, and live

In Praise of the Scenic Route

I’ve always been curious about many things. Currently, I work in international development, but I’ve had prior careers in consulting, entrepreneurship and corporate. I’ve studied science, law and business, and am now pursuing a certificate in Futures Thinking. I’ve dabbled in drawing, painting, coding, musical instruments

Don’t Mistake the Milestone for the Meaning

When my first business failed, it felt like the end. I poured my savings, years of effort, and even my identity into it, forging myself as a social entrepreneur who would change the world. My vision was grand: help millions of people transition to a plant-based diet, save millions of

The Grounding Experiment

A few months ago, a colleague handed me a copy of Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. Within the first few pages, I was introduced to the Tarahumara, a native Mexican tribe who are known for running extraordinary distances—barefoot. The image lodged itself in my mind. I’ve been

We Are Stardust in Motion

One evening during my recent silent retreat, our small group hiked into the mountains. We donned our headlamps, wrapped ourselves in warm clothing, and followed our guide. With the sandy ground crunching under our boots, our guide pointed out interesting flora and rock formations. We crawled through narrow tunnels and

Softening in the Stillness

I've been off-grid in the Cederberg Mountains, spending six silent days at Bliss and Stars. I had certain expectations about the retreat, and it turned out to be nothing like what I imagined—and exactly what I needed. Run by Daria Rasmussen and Heine Wieben, high-paced corporate executives

Disconnect to Reconnect

Soon, my wife and I are stepping away from our busy lives to experience one of my bucket list items: a silent retreat. As the day approaches, I find myself both excited at the opportunity for extended stillness, and apprehensive at what this may bring up. In our digital world,

There’s Always Another Way

The Wheel of Time is arguably one of the most influential epic fantasy series. It inspired authors like Brandon Sanderson (who finished the series when Robert Jordan died) and George R. R. Martin, spawned a TV adaptation, and helped young people all over the world believe that they, too, could

How I Found My Way Back to Myself

A few years ago, I found myself drifting through life without a clear sense of direction. My calendar was filled, yet I felt unfulfilled, often agreeing to things that left me drained and wondering why my choices didn’t feel right. I drifted along, hoping solutions would magically appear. Unsurprisingly,

The Power of Purposeless Play

When I was younger, there was one thing that was my primary refuge from real life: playing video games. I’d come home from school, rush through my homework, turn on my computer and immerse myself in digital worlds for hours on end. I had few friends to hang out

Interlude

It’s been a busy week, and though I haven’t had as much time as I’d like for writing, I’ve found myself contemplating leisure, particularly how it intersects with productivity. At first glance, leisure and productivity seem paradoxical. Aren’t they opposites? I used to believe exactly

The Ancient Art of Finding Calm in an Age of Overwhelm

Anyone who has read any news in the last few years would agree that the world feels like it's spinning out of control. We are surrounded by crises, whether it is wars breaking out all over the world, a faltering economy, or loved ones falling ill. This unpredictable

Time Is Finite. Choose What Matters.

Recently, I began reading Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks and, even though I’m only a few chapters in, it has already changed my life. The central premise is simple: our time is finite, and we have no idea when our time will be up. Once it’s gone,

The Enduring Power of Consistency

When I first started working out, I was impatient. Progress felt achingly slow. In fact, I almost gave up on becoming someone fit because I didn't see chiselled abs or bulging biceps within those first few weeks. But something remarkable happened when I just showed up every day

When We Stop Hiding, We Start Living

I recently took myself on a breakfast date. Inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, I drove to a nearby café, ordered an oat milk cappuccino and vibrant blue matcha flapjacks, and took a seat at an open table. I laid out my notebooks, sipping my drink and

Update Required: Refreshing Our Identity

Recently, my wife and I had a conversation about identity. She shared how clinging to an outdated image of herself was holding her back from moving forward, personally and professionally, and how working with a coach has helped her identify this pattern. I thought back on my own life and

Prioritise and Execute: Choosing Calm in the Midst of Chaos

Every day, without fail, a moment arrives when I feel utterly overwhelmed. My emails and tasks multiply like a hydra; each one I address seems to spawn several more. Before I know it, I’m surrounded, pinned down, and unable to move. Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking, reminding me that

Beyond Duty: How We Shape Ourselves — and the World — Through Work.

I’ve been thinking a lot about work lately—not just as a means to an end, but as something far more profound. The word “work” comes from the Old English word weorc, which means deed, action, or creation. That’s exactly what we’re doing when we work—we’

To Change the World, Start at Home

A few years ago, when I left formal employment at a Fortune 500 to pursue a career in social entrepreneurship, I had grand ambitions. I was going to build a billion-dollar business that would change the world. I was going to influence millions of people to reduce their consumption of

Three Pages Before the Noise

There's something magical about the quiet moments before dawn. While the world still sleeps, wrapped in blankets of silence, I find myself drawn toward a ritual that has quietly reshaped my mornings and, in subtle yet profound ways, my life itself: the practice of morning pages. I stumbled

Not All That Connects Is Connection

We live in a world where screens dominate our lives. We wake up and reach for our glowing phones, craving that first dopamine hit before we get out of bed. At work, we stare at computer screens for hours on end, barely noticing as time—and our lives—tick by.