“You can do what’s reasonable or you can decide what’s possible.” ~Unknown
When I was in grade school I remember my teacher had us write down what we wanted to be when we grew up. Honestly, at the time I had no idea. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be, but I knew I wanted to be doing something important so I jotted down careers that, in my young mind, equaled success: doctor, lawyer, dolphin trainer, firefighter, astronaut etc.… Read More
“If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I will tell you, I came to live out LOUD.” ~Émile Zola
1. Live your life on purpose. Not on “default.” Be Proactive. Make conscious and deliberate choices. When you don’t choose, circumstances choose for you and you are never leading: you are following or catching up—or worse, living in “default” mode.… Read More
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” -Buddha
You experience and create all kinds of different energies that affect how you feel and what you accomplish throughout your day. Some energies are powerful and easily recognizable, while others are more subtle and often only intuitively felt.… Read More
“More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin.” ~Unknown
I’ve spoken with a number of people recently who are doing something that is “just okay” with their lives but who really want to be doing something else. They feel an urgency to break free and go for it, even though they haven’t defined “it.”
I think a lot of people, if not currently there, understand this.… Read More
Last week I had the honor of lunching with my friend new friend Meng, whose Google business card reads, “Jolly Good Fellow.” We met at a Project Happiness event, and I was taken by his warmth and kindness.
A practicing Buddhist, Meng was one of the first engineers at Google.… Read More
“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for a minute?” ~Henry David Thoreau
You’re riding on the subway, immersed in a book. You’re running in the park, lost in your iPod. You’re waiting in line at Starbucks, fixated on the menu.
Sometimes we act like we’re completely alone, even when surrounded by lots of people.… Read More
“The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed- it is a process of elimination.” ~Elbert Hubbard
A couple weeks back you probably wrote out a list of resolutions. That’s what people do when a new year approaches, and that’s a wonderful idea.… Read More
“Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict from life, but the ability to cope with it.” ~Unknown
I fell apart a couple of years ago, unable to cope with the strain I was under—a change in my lifestyle, loss of job security, a less-than-perfect relationship with a parent, bereavement, a painful physical injury, and slowly, through all of that, the blossoming of serious mental illness.… Read More
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.” -Charles Swindoll
One day everything seems great in your world; maybe not perfect, but overall things are going to plan. And then something happens.
You lose your job. Or someone you love. Or your home. Or maybe even your health.… Read More
“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” ~John Allen Paulos
I used to love uncertainty. I wandered my way all around this country with little more than a suitcase and a journal. Committing to anything felt limiting, suffocating even.
One day I realized it wasn’t enlightenment that pushed me to embrace the unknown; it was a paralyzing fear of creating something certain. … Read More
“The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.” ~Robert M. Persig
We live in a fast-paced, achievement-oriented society. At the end of a busy, to-do-list-focused day, we often find ourselves mentally and physically exhausted and uncertain whether we’re actually moving in the right direction in “the pursuit of happiness.”
Perhaps this explains our fascination with all things Zen.… Read More
“It is easy when we are in prosperity to give advice to the afflicted.” ~Aeschylus
Earlier this year I got some feedback from the ‘tween magazine I wrote for: “It sounds like good advice, but kids probably won’t do any of that.”
In my head it all sounded logical, but I didn’t consider whether I’d have taken that advice as a kid.… Read More
“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.”
Recently I was on a phone call with Brad Yates; and although I know this to be true, when he said it, it made me reflect again. He said (and I’m paraphrasing):
“To the extent that we are not living our lives exactly as we want–with the love and friendships we want, the abundance we want, and the happiness we are seeking–it’s to that extent we are resisting it.”
It’s that word again: resistance.
Yesterday morning, two of the correspondents on the news in Boston (where I’m home for the holidays) had an interesting conversation about the classic It’s a Wonderful Life.
One of them said he’s not a big fan of the movie, which instilled a sense of complete outrage in me.
How dare he take George Bailey’s name in vain?… Read More
“Never ignore a gut feeling. But never believe it’s enough.” ~Robert Heller
A couple months ago when I was almost done producing a teleseminar and spending way too much time hunched over at the computer, I decided to do something different. Something that would bring me joy, that would get take me out of my normal environment and actually excite me.… Read More
There’s this saying I used to love that doesn’t resonate with me anymore:
“Go big or go home.”
I understand the allure of doing big things.
Life seems more meaningful when you’re pursuing a passion that could feasibly improve life for masses of people; and at the end of the day, most of us want to create a legacy—something that lives on beyond our own ripple-in-the-ocean life spans.… Read More
“Friendship isn’t a big thing. It’s a million little things.” ~Unknown
This hasn’t been an extravagant holiday season for me. Like everyone and their mother, I lost a lot of income in 2009, and I just don’t have the means to give expensive presents.
Yet I feel I’ve received a lot of gifts this year.… Read More
“It is never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today.” -Lama Yeshe
There’s a common misconception that there comes a point when it’s too late to do things you want to do. Maybe one of these statements sounds familiar to you:
“I can’t become a designer.… Read More
“When you live on a round planet, there’s no choosing sides.” -Wayne Dyer
Research shows that rooting for a team, identifying with a group and enjoying the camaraderie you feel with other fans, can increase your sense of personal happiness.
While it’s satisfying to feel a sense of belonging, it can be dangerous to carry this us-against-them philosophy into other areas of your life.… Read More
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