Trust Yourself
6 Simple Acts to Make the World a Better Place
“The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” ~William James
I’ll never forget the call.
It was 1989 and, like most college students, I spent winter break in Florida looking for some sun. Stepping off the airplane and being greeted by a burst of warm air was the best. As I entered the terminal, I had the added benefit of being greeted by my maternal grandparents, who lived in North Miami Beach.
Lounging at the pool, going on walks with them, or eating out, the experience was a wonderful way to decompress after …
Healing from Abuse and Reclaiming My Dreams
TRIGGER WARNING: This post mentions sexual abuse and may be triggering to some people.
“Along the way I stopped into a coffee shop. All around me normal, everyday city types were going about their normal, everyday affairs…In spite of which—or, rather, all the more because— here I was, sitting in this coffee shop, drinking my coffee, feeling a desperate loneliness. I alone was the outsider. I had no place here… Here I had no ties to anyone. Fact is, I’d come to reclaim myself.” ~Haruki Murakami
“You don’t have any goals.”
“I wondered why someone your age and …
Instead of Fearing Change, Get Excited About Progress
“Progress is impossible without change.” ~Walt Disney
I want you to look in the mirror and tell me what you see.
Do you look older? Does your skin have more wrinkles? Do you notice dark circles around your eyes or white hair on your head?
You are looking at massive changes from a decade ago. A lot of it you probably don’t like—changes due to your body growing older. Changes that you cannot resist.
Now look in the mirror again. Do you notice a more confident person? Someone who is self-assured, optimistic, and happy in life?
It happened to me …
How to Love Yourself and Break Your Relationship Patterns
“And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth, ‘You owe me.’ Look what happens with a love like that. It lights up the sky.” ~Rumi
I grew up believing love was conditional. My grandmother, as much as I adored her, was extremely controlling, and unless I met her high standards of behavior and gave her a certain level of attention, she treated me with coldness.
Whenever she disapproved of my behavior, she would tell me, “I love you, but I don’t like you.” As if she had a switch she could turn on and …
Why Chasing Happiness Won’t Make You Happy
“Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder.” ~Henry David Thoreau
Most of us are always on the lookout for a big breakthrough—a point in our life where the beam balance tips to maximal happiness so we can enjoy everlasting bliss. What can we do to get there?
Our pursuit of happiness is like a coyote chasing a roadrunner. But what happens? Just like the roadrunner, happiness slips out of our hands every …
How Illness Can Be Lonely and What to Do About It
“I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.” ~ Hafiz of Shiraz
When we think of illness, we don’t usually equate it with loneliness; however, there seems to be a huge connection between the two conditions.
The fact is, when dealing with health challenges, we are most connected to our bodies: we are one with ourselves. Even when we have thoughtful and caring loved ones in our inner circles, these individuals can never truly understand what we’re experiencing on a physical, psychological, and spiritual level.
Illness is …
What Helped Me the Most When I Thought My Life Was Over
“What I’m looking for is not out there, it is in me.” ~Helen Keller
I used to think that life should be easy, and if it wasn’t easy, then I was doing it wrong.
I’m older and wiser now, and I’ve learned that if it is hard, that means I am probably doing something right.
I had a good childhood. I had a loving family, plenty of opportunity, and I excelled at whatever I put my mind to. But I was a high-anxiety kid, and a relentless perfectionist. As I grew older, that need to have everything flawless impeded my …
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 