Page 181 – Tiny Buddha

Why My Grandfather Was Happy Even When He Was Dying

By Heather Moulder in Blog, happiness & fun, love & relationships

“It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.” ~Tony Robbins

Is there anyone in your past that inspired you to become the person you are today? For me, that was my grandfather, Charlie.

Charlie grew up a poor farm boy in a small South Carolina town and ended up an executive in a Fortune 250 company. He was a poster child for the American dream, and I respected him for it.

But what I admired most was his character. Charlie was always content with life, regardless of his circumstances. …

Singing Daily for 10 Minutes

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

5 Things to Remember When You Feel Ashamed of Your Flaws

By Lori Deschene in Blog, change & challenges

If you asked me when I was younger what I wanted to be when I grew up, I may have answered perfect, or famous, which is incredibly ironic. I simultaneously craved a spotlight while fearing what it might reveal—my inadequacies, my weaknesses, my flaws.

I thought being perfect meant being beyond reproach—undeniably lovable and worthy of respect, something I didn’t always receive growing up.

And I assumed that if I were perfect in all ways, I could finally relax and enjoy my life because I could trust that no one would judge or hurt me. I could navigate the world …

How I Stopped Being Busy and Why I’m Now More Fulfilled

By Kim McCormick in Blog, happiness & fun, letting go, mindfulness & peace

“Sometimes doing less is more than enough.” ~Kris Carr

Two years ago I made a radical lifestyle shift.

Prior to this change, I was constantly striving to do more, to achieve more, to be more. I was squeezing as much as I could into any given day. I was in conflict between building a business, working, studying, and having time for pleasure and fun. I was taking on way too much and losing myself in the process.

Building a business is a lot of work, far more than I had imagined, and it takes time to generate consistent revenue that …

How Little You Actually Need to Be Truly Happy

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

How I’m Mothering the Wounded Kid Inside Who Just Wanted Love

By Itoro Bassey in Blog, change & challenges, love & relationships

“Bless the daughters who sat carrying the trauma of mothers. Who sat asking for more love and not getting any, carried themselves to light. Bless the daughters who raised themselves.” ~Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo

“I failed you…”

My mother said this to me after I confronted her about my childhood.

That day, I had a clear image of the young girl I was, the girl I had tried to ignore in the hopes of moving forward. But pain shouts when it demands attention, and the suffering was palpable.

A memory flashed within my mind. I had tried telling …

Walk Away from Things That Poison Your Soul

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

When You Start Believing in What You Deserve

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

When You’ve Lost Your Passion for That Thing You Once Loved

By Jamie Haas Powell in Blog, meaning & passion

“Do it with passion or not at all.” ~Rosa Couchette Carey

If you’ve ever had a passion for something, you are probably well aware of the peaks and valleys that are natural side effects of pursuing the thing you love most.

Whether it’s music, writing, sports, fitness, or anything else, sometimes you lose sleep because the thing you love keeps you up all night, and some days you just feel tired and uninspired. There are ebbs and flows in following your passion, which is completely natural and healthy.

But what happens when the “valleys” stay valleys? Maybe you have a …

It’s Okay If You Fall Apart Sometimes

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

People Who’ve Been Through Hell

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

How to Recognize Painful Emotional Triggers and Stop Reacting in Anger

By Erin Grace in Blog, change & challenges, letting go, love & relationships

“Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

There I was again, regretting the spiteful words that had cascaded out of my mouth during a heated argument with my partner.

I felt that old familiar feeling, the burning in my solar plexus that bubbled up and erupted like a volcano, spilling out expressions of anger, blame, and criticism.

It had been a rocky few months; my partner was struggling to find consistent work, and our credit card debt was on the rise. Suddenly anger kicked in and I lashed out, accusing him of slacking off …

What an Amazing Adventure It Can Be

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

Happiness Said “It’s Time”

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

How to Replace Body-Hate with Self-Compassion

By Lesa Ashlea Rankin in Blog, change & challenges, healthy habits, love & relationships

“Loving yourself is the greatest revolution.” ~Unknown

I’ve spent most of my life struggling with my weight and trying desperately to fit the idealistic image of beauty that our culture celebrates.

As a young teen, I was obsessed with magazines and all their secrets to be prettier and have a better butt and get your crush to notice you. I see now how desperate I was at such a young age to feel beautiful. Nothing seemed to work, though, as years passed and my need to fit the ideal beauty image only increased.

In high school I learned to skip …

How You Will Change the World

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

Sometimes You Just Have to Let Yourself Off the Hook

By Lori Deschene in Fun & Inspiring

Create a Little Bit of Bliss Every Day

By Holly Hildreth in Blog, happiness & fun

“Follow your bliss and let the magic of life happen.” ~Janelle Jalbert

Is there something you always wanted to do as a child, and for whatever reason didn’t do? Is there something that you have wanted to do for years? Perhaps it is something that didn’t seem practical. Maybe you felt you wouldn’t be very good at it or you didn’t have the time or the money.

You can ignore the urging, submerge it, and choose not to follow through on it. But it will show up again and again, and sometimes in the oddest places. For me it was …

A Surprising but Effective Way to Get Out Of A Shame Spiral

By Hailey Magee in Blog, change & challenges, letting go

“I have found that, among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” ~Maya Angelou

As an aspiring daily meditator, I’ve been instructed by many a spiritual sage to think of my emotions as clouds drifting across my internal landscape. The idea here is that clouds come and go, so clinging to any one cloud is an exercise in futility.

I like this metaphor. It overlaps quite nicely with the cloud-classification skills I learned in third grade and haven’t since put to use.

The more time I spend on the cushion, the more I realize that some …