I Hope Beautiful Things Happen to You
How to Stop Judging Yourself and the Past Year Harshly
“The way you look at things is the most powerful force shaping your life.” ~John O’Donohue
As often happens at this time of year, I recently found myself lamenting how quickly time had passed. In this agitated headspace, the myriad of goals I did not accomplish and the numerous targets I did not reach sprang to the forefront of my mind.
Though unwelcome and unhelpful, these thoughts pushed their way into my internal dialogue, reinforcing themselves by collecting evidence of where I’d fallen short.
Viewing my past year through a critical lens cultivates a feeling of dislike for myself. It …
It’s Never Too Late to Reinvent Yourself
From the 2025 Day-to-Day calendar. Get the 2026 calendar here!
A Tiny Bit of Tiny Buddha, with You Every Day
I might be just a little biased, but I find this site very soothing. It’s my literal home on the web—built humbly in 2009 with more enthusiasm than expertise and the shoddy wiring (read: early missteps) to prove it.
But it’s not just the grounding tree on top, the calming Buddha logo, or the bright illustrations that fill me with peace. It’s this community. The honest stories. The aha moments. The shared humanity that brings with it a sense that it’s okay—and maybe even beautiful—to be imperfect.
If you too find comfort in this little oasis and appreciate the daily
Why the Breath Is More Powerful Than Willpower in Addiction Recovery
“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” ~Amit Ray
I don’t remember the moment I decided I wanted to live again. I just remember the breath that made it possible.
Three weeks earlier, I had been lying in a hospital bed, my liver failing at the age of thirty-six after years of drinking. I knew I wouldn’t survive another relapse; yet the day I was released, I went straight to the liquor store. Unsurprisingly, I ended up back in rehab—completely exhausted, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I wasn’t looking for …
What If 2026 Could Actually Be Different?
I’ve never believed that change should be reserved for special days, but the New Year tends to carry a sense of promise. It often brings a surge of clarity, motivation, and hope that maybe things really could be different.
And then, as January moves along, that initial energy fades.
Responsibilities pile up. Our bandwidth shrinks. And before we know it, we’re pulled back into the familiar current of obligations, far from the shore we were hoping to reach.
It’s not that we lack willpower or discipline. Most of us are already trying hard. What we often need instead is the …
The Truth About Healing I Didn’t Learn in Med School
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi
I’ve spent most of my adult life helping people heal.
I’m a podiatrist, a foot and ankle surgeon, and I’ve seen pain in many forms. Torn ligaments. Crushed bones. Wounds that just won’t close. But if I’m being honest, the deepest wounds I’ve encountered weren’t the ones I treated in my clinic. They were the invisible ones, the ones that patients carried silently, and the ones I had unknowingly been carrying myself.
I used to think healing was straightforward. Diagnose. Treat. Follow up. Recover.
That made sense to me. …
Which Discomfort Do You Want to Live With?
From this day in the 2026 daily calendar, available here!
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.