50 Ways to Find Inspiration
“If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us.” ~Daisaku Ikeda
I have always loved that scene in American Beauty when Ricky Fitts shows his video of a plastic bag …
Category “happiness & fun”
Make Peace with Your Past: Find the Good and Embrace the Lessons
“It’s not the events of our lives that shape us but our beliefs as to what those events mean.” ~Tony Robbins
Daughter of an alcoholic. Welfare recipient. Teenage mother. Non-college attendee. Poor decision maker. Unhealthy relationship participant. Financial disaster. Evictee.…
Be Happier with What Is by Letting Go of How Things Should Be
“What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” ~Ralph Marston
Have you ever been stuck and felt like you’re spiraling around the same space over and over? It’s just like Groundhog Day.
Every day, you have new intentions about …
How Using Our Gifts Brings Joy to the World
“Man is only truly great when he acts from his passions.” ~Benjamin Disraeli
Like many of us, I had a difficult childhood. My parents’ relationship was unhappy and unhealthy, and their misery left me feeling alone, afraid, and anxious most …
Release the Fear of Not Measuring Up and Share Your Light
“You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” ~Brené Brown
I believe that it is part of the human condition to want love and connection with others. For some of us this comes …
When Trying to Be Positive Brings You Down
“Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance.” ~Unknown
How many of us have caught ourselves feeling as though we’re imposters when we’re trying to talk about a difficult situation in a positive light? We’re often fed the idea that …
Letting Go, Trusting, and Allowing Yourself to Be Happy and Free
“Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
First, let’s be clear about something…
Surrender is not about giving up, handing power over, or failing. It is not waving the white flag …
20 Ways Sitting in Silence Can Completely Transform Your Life
“Silence is a source of great strength.” ~Lao Tzu
For over two years I spent one out of every four weeks in silence. At the time I was living at a Zen Monastery and every month we would have a …
Why Giving to Others Is Also Giving to Ourselves
“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.” ~Orison Swett Marde
I stood at the library counter waiting to check out a stack of books when I overheard an overworked woman explain to the librarian why …
Let It Be: Using Mindfulness to Overcome Anxiety and Depression
“Perhaps many things inside you have been transformed; perhaps somewhere, someplace deep inside your being, you have undergone important changes while you were sad.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke
When I was twelve years old, I figured out how to get out …
Life Happens Now, and Other Lessons from a 500-Mile Walk
“If you do nothing unexpected, nothing unexpected happens.” ~Fay Weldon
In September of 2012, I flew from Idaho to Spain and began a 500-mile pilgrimage walk on the Camino de Santiago. I arrived in St. Jean Pied-de-Port without any expectations …
Following Your Internal Compass and Making Your Own Decisions
“Believe nothing no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and common sense.” ~Buddha
Dad, who at the time was a fighter pilot in …
The Path of Heart: Live a Passionate Life Full of Love and Joy
“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.” ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
In my late thirties, I attended a workshop that was led by a group of coaches. One of the exercises we did was called the “future …
Happiness Doesn’t Make Us Grateful; Gratitude Makes Us Happy
“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” ~Brother David Steindl-Rast
A few years ago, my life was chaotic. I drank too much, slept too little, and …
Love What’s Right Before You Instead of Hating What’s Missing
“I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.” ~Walt Whitman
I take stuff for granted. I suspect you take stuff for granted.
It’s almost as if it can’t be helped. When things—family, friends, health, amenities, …
When Life Feels Crazy: 6 Questions for Cracking Up & Breaking Through
“Every really new idea looks crazy at first.” ~Abraham H. Maslow
Once, when I was in a painting workshop, I hit a wall of resistance, totally stumped by what to paint next.
My painting teacher came over to explore some …
Your Reality Is a Reflection of What You Believe You Deserve
“You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.” ~Yogi Bhajan
Over the last ten years I have learned time and time again that our reality is a reflection of what we believe we deserve, often on an …
Why Acceptance Isn’t Passive and How It Leads to Positive Change
“Of course there is no formula for success except, perhaps, an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings.” ~Arthur Rubinstein
I have the opportunity to meet fantastic people through my online radio show interviews. One of those people is …
Evidence That You Are Well and Always Will Be
“On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a playful, joyous energy behind what you do” ~Eckhart Tolle
I was recently speaking with a friend about what it feels like to connect with your …
When Your Friend’s Happy News Fills You with Envy Instead of Joy
“It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.” ~Aeschylus
It’s crazy, isn’t it?
Your best friend enthusiastically shares some big news. You say all the right things and display the …
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