“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
The most important decision of your life, the one that will affect every other decision you make, …
“…I kept trying to run away. And I almost did. But it seems that reality compels you to live properly when you live in the real world.” ~Kenzaburō Ōe, A Personal Matter
Recently I listened to an interview with author …
“The greatest gift you can give yourself is a little bit of your own attention.” ~Anthony J. D’Angelo
The other day, when I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday, someone asked about the best gift I’d ever received.
What came …
“A man who limits his interests, limits his life.” ~Vincent Price
I can’t stay still.
As a kid, I ran around, misbehaving, climbing everywhere—I was a nightmare for my parents, teachers, and anyone who had to take care of me. …
“Happiness is an inside job. Don’t assign anyone else that much power over your life.” ~Mandy Hale
Everyone wants to be happy, but not many people contemplate whether or not they really are.
Some of us feel too privileged to …
“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.” ~Harold Coffin
What happens when your neighbor upgrades to a mansion leaving your house in its shadow?
What do you do when your friend’s business is …
“All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within.” ~Horace Friess
This year I felt a calling to explore the beauty of nature in a different way. I enrolled in a program where I would be hiking in …
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” ~Plutarch
I remember when I first learned about positive thinking. I was to observe my thoughts, then sort them into “useful” and “not useful.”
This …
“Suffering is part of our training program for becoming wise.” ~Ram Dass
Suffering by definition: the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. As humans we typically strive for what we perceive the opposite of suffering, happiness: the state of …
Update: The winners for this giveaway have been chosen. They are:
When I first found what looked like a self-help book called The End of Self-Help, I thought it was …
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
There was a time when I “had it all.”
I was in my tenth year of teaching in …
“Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.” ~Sarah Bernhardt
Ten years ago, when I first moved to China, I came as an English teacher at a university. I hadn’t the faintest clue …
“Hug harder. Laugh louder. Smile bigger. Love longer.” ~Unknown
Did you ever have it all mixed up?
Happiness, I mean. I once thought that a university degree and good grades would make me happy. I thought that traveling the world …
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” ~William Feather
I live for exploring the world, trying new things, and meeting passionate people. As a filmmaker I’m very fortunate to be …
“A bad day for your ego is a great day for your soul.” ~Jillian Michaels
A few weeks ago, when I was feeling a bit down on life, I was surfing through Facebook and found myself getting more and more …
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” ~Unknown
I know you.
You’re smart. You’re driven. You’re a “good girl/boy.” You found out a long time ago that life goes more smoothly for people …
“While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.” ~Leonardo Da Vinci
It’s terrifying, isn’t it?
There you are—days, hours, maybe minutes remain in your life. You lie there helpless, searching for …
“Some people thrive on dramatic change. Some people prefer the slow and steady route. Do what’s right for you.” ~Julie Morgenstern
Admit it.
You feel like something’s missing from your life.
You see people who have transformed their lives, given …
“Children see magic because they look for it.” ~Christopher Moore
Adulthood? No thanks!
All too often, being grown up is the pits.
It can leave you drowning in responsibility, suffocating from anxiety, and sinking with doubts about your ability …
“Sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to see the light.” ~Dan Brown
It was a cold January morning in California when a woman living on the streets uttered three words that forever altered my life.
It started …
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