Page 169 – Tiny Buddha

6 Things to Remember When You Think You Don’t Matter

By Lori Deschene in Blog, change & challenges

In a world with billions of people, in a culture that promotes being special and making a big mark, it’s easy to feel like you don’t matter.

Maybe you’ve felt it all your life—like you have no purpose, no value, and nothing to contribute to anyone around you.

Maybe you feel it off and on, when you’re struggling to find love or direction and think you need to somehow prove your worth.

Or maybe you know that your life has value, but every now and then, when your head hits your pillow, you wonder if in the end, it …

The Beautiful Thing About Life

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

New Things Are Coming

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

How to Reduce Holiday Stress by Setting Strong Boundaries

By Hailey Magee in Blog, love & relationships

I love the holidays. I eagerly anticipate the first snowfall, adore the scent of pine, and watch It’s A Wonderful Life every year without fail.

That said, even the merriest among us know that the holidays can be emotionally, physically, and psychologically taxing. In addition to buying gifts, negotiating travel plans, and shuttling from gathering to gathering, many of us spend extended time with our families—and every family, no matter how loving, has its fair share of challenges.

When these difficult family dynamics combine with holiday-season stress, we may find ourselves at a crossroads. Do we burn out, freak …

Are You Moving Forward or Just Moving in Circles?

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

A Stronger, Wiser You Is Staring Back

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

How to Break Unstable Relationship Patterns

By Jess Chua in Blog, love & relationships

“Being willing to accept responsibility for the situation you’re in is the first step to a more fulfilling love life.” ~Renée Suzanne

Remember the haunting ballad “Foolish Games” by Jewel?

Jewel wrote the song when she was sixteen. She kept a serious journal, and said in an interview that a verse in the song was “about a relationship that I was dramatically involved in on paper.”

That pretty much sums up my first relationship, which was a dramatic pseudo-relationship in many ways. I was sixteen going on seventeen, hopelessly romantic yet shrewdly skeptical of love at the same time. …

You Either Like Me or You Don’t

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

My Pain Was a Gift and a Catalyst for Growth

By Patricia Cagganello in Blog, change & challenges

“Sometimes pain is the teacher we require, a hidden gift of healing and hope.” ~Janet Jackson

I was becoming more and more confused as to what my feelings were toward my husband. Longing for that personal adult male connection, I started to feel trapped in my marriage. However, I still had a very strong sense of our family unit and my commitment to it.

I wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize the family, even if it meant sacrificing my personal happiness. I made a conscious decision that my life was enough. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.…

Family Does Not Mean…

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

Inside a Panic Attack: What It’s Like When Anxiety Strikes

By Haley West in Blog, change & challenges

“Those who suffer from mental illness are stronger than you think. We must fight to go to work, care for our families, be there for our friends, and act ‘normal’ while battling unimaginable pain.” ~Unknown

It’s strange having a panic attack while surrounded by people. I’m experiencing something so private and so personal, but unless I externalize it, they are completely unaware. It’s almost an art to be able to hide it—to train myself well enough to function in front of others to the point that, if I do reveal to them the nature of my anxiety, they reply, …

How We Dance to It

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

The 6-Minute Diary: More Mindfulness, Success, and Happiness (Book Giveaway!)

By Lori Deschene in Blog, happiness & fun, mindfulness & peace

The winners of this giveaway are:

Stephen McIntosh
Leeane Jeske
Wendy Flora (winner of the Happiness Bundle)

Please send your mailing address and cover choice (grey, dusty rose, or sky blue) to me at email@tinybuddha.com.

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We all know that we should be grateful. It’s right up there on the list of things we’re supposed to do regularly like get enough sleep and exercise regularly. But we don’t always prioritize the things that are good for us, which means we don’t often get to enjoy the benefits.

For many, gratitude doesn’t become a habit until life gives a reason to …

Honor Your Progress and the Path That Led You Here

By Leslie Ralph in Blog

“In time and with water, everything changes.” ~Leonardo da Vinci

This is a story about our past and progress. It’s about holding on and letting go, moving forward by moving inward, and time. And like any good story, it’s a love story in the end. I’m talking about the kind of love that eases suffering and restores peace. The love we show ourselves through patience and unconditional acceptance.

It begins with a box in the back of my hall closet, tucked neatly beneath the snorkeling equipment and board games we always forget about. I’ve moved that box from Texas …

Being Able to Be Openly Weird

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

Acceptance Is Not Passive; It’s the Path to Peace

By Shunya Anding in Blog, change & challenges, letting go

“The price of our vitality is the sum of all of our fears.” ~David Whyte

Acceptance by its very nature is imperfect; it’s messy and often unpleasant, while ultimately leading to a place of growth, a sense of freedom, and a life familiar with ease. I know this because I have had a lot of painful acceptance in my life, and it has been crucial to helping me move beyond the stuckness of fear and suffering.

Years ago, being the natural striving, fun-seeking, achievement-oriented person I was, I ignored the fact that my body felt like a truck had run …

A Hot Shower, Clean Sheets, and a Long Nap

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

Your Emotions Will Not Drown You; They Will Save You

By Brianna Johnson in Blog, change & challenges, mindfulness & peace

“You weren’t built to be calm, cool, and collected all the time. If you were, it wouldn’t feel so exhausting.”~Ryan O’Connell

There’s a lot of talk nowadays about “highly sensitive people” and “empaths.” It can be difficult for people who don’t relate to these labels to understand, or even believe what more sensitive folks experience. As a culture, we’re just beginning to grasp what sensitivity is and how to manage our energy.