“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” ~Sydney J. Harris
A few weeks ago, I had a panic attack. It was the first time in my life that I had experienced such unfamiliar feelings of intense fear and debilitating terror. As each prolonged minute painfully elapsed, I honestly thought that I was dying.… Read More
“Our sorrows and wounds are only healed when we touch them with compassion.” ~Buddha
I have always struggled with self-compassion. In fact, I’m not even sure I have been aware of it all that much throughout my life.
I’ve always thought the only way to truly grow was to push myself, both physically and mentally, so without even realizing it, I set myself up for that.… Read More
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” ~Thomas Merton
I’m not someone who enjoys busyness or sees it as a sign of importance. In fact, I’ve often sacrificed money and opportunities to have more time to watch movies, roam around my neighborhood, and generally live life at a slow pace.… Read More
“There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.” ~Don Miguel Ruiz
I was a chunky, shy little girl who was attached to my mom’s leg. She was my protector and served as a source of unconditional love.
As I left my mom’s side and went off to school, I encountered many new faces that introduced me to criticism and judgment.… Read More
After much time and planning with Joshua Denney of Think Web Strategy, I’m thrilled to announce that Tiny Buddha now has a new responsive design and community forums!
The new design enables for a better reading experience on mobile devices, and also gives you access to forum-related information right on the homepage.… Read More
“Hope is the feeling that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.” ~Jean Kerr
For most of my life, I was a fugitive from my feelings.
Psychologists suggest that we are driven by two connected motivations: to feel pleasure and avoid pain. Most of us devote more energy to the latter than the former.… Read More
“Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth.” ~Iyanla Vanzant
Have you ever had an experience that took you to emotional rock bottom? One that left you drained, broken, and totally numb?… Read More
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault
“Routine” can seem like a dirty word; we can get stuck repeating the same actions over and over again and feel like slaves to our habits.
Yet there are some things we simply cannot get around—sleeping, waking, eating, working, and engaging with others.… Read More
“Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” ~Buddha
My life has been one big hate-fest of my body.
I don’t know when or how it developed, but I have been comparing my body to others’ for as long as I can remember. I was never happy, never good enough.… Read More
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” ~Eckhart Tolle
My partner, Ruth, and I were not happy.
The inside of her mouth was covered in sores, she couldn’t swallow well, and she was exhausted. The chemotherapy was ravaging her body.… Read More
“To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” ~Unknown
Heroes inspire us all. They are strong, smart, and powerful. They manage to win against all odds. They will keep going no matter what.
They may feel fear but fear does not get them.… Read More
“The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.” ~Pema Chodron
The idea of an open future can be thrilling. What lies before us often feels as though it’s just waiting to be written by a mix of our personal willpower and luck.
Lately, however, the reality of uncertainty has been frightening me.… Read More
“The future is always beginning now.” ~Mark Strand
Thinking too far ahead or too far behind has never really served me. Maybe you feel the same way or have started to get an inkling that it is not working out for you either.
Until fairly recently, I was spending a good deal of my time gazing back on my life, doubting and scrutinizing the decisions I had made.… Read More
“Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” ~Denis Waitley
I remember dreaming for years about living abroad. First it was Italy so that I could discover my roots. Then it was Fiji because it seemed like the furthest place from Los Angeles (which I actually did, but only for two months during the summer of 2003).… Read More
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It’s finally happening.
After much thought and discussion, I’m excited to move forward with a Tiny Buddha iPhone app!
I have a ton of my own ideas, but I’d like to ensure the app meets your wants and needs.… Read More
“Our way to practice is one step at a time, one breath at a time.” ~Shunryu Suzuki
Two years ago, I reached a breaking point. I was miserable in my job, unhappy in my marriage, disinterested in my graduate school program, and struggling with multiple medical issues.
One night, while fighting with my husband, a deep sense of dread overcame me.… Read More
“As long as you make an identity for yourself out of pain, you cannot be free f it.” ~Eckhart Tolle
Up until fairly recently, I often felt betrayed by my body. It was always breaking down, leaving me frustrated and bitter.
No one else seemed to have as many problems.
I’ve had Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, an inflamed gall bladder riddled with stones that ended in surgery.… Read More
“Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” ~Buddha
Getting sick is rarely, if ever fun for anyone, but we all get sick. You can cheat on your taxes, but you can’t cheat on sickness.
When we get sick, we all have a choice of how to work with illness.… Read More
“When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.” ~Miguel Ruiz
When I was in fifth grade, the boy who shared the desk next to me said that I had a “roller coaster nose.”
At that age when things were starting to sprout from places I didn’t know things could sprout, and everyone’s watching each other develop under the microscope of pre-pubescent angst, that little comment sent me into a 10-year-old tailspin.… Read More
“Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind.” ~Buddha
When the mind is burdened by a perceived wrong for an extended period of time, the body automatically steps in to carry part of the load. We store many of our painful life experiences deep within the framework of our physical bodies.… Read More
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