Sometimes the Kindest Thing You Can Do…
It’s Okay to Have Feelings, So Stop Saying “I’m Fine” When You’re Not
“I’d rather be honest and authentic and disappoint some people than exhaust myself trying to keep up the façade of perfection.” ~Crystal Paine
So many people walk around each day masking their true feelings because they are considered the “strong one” or “the upbeat, bubbly one,” or, since they give so much of themselves supporting others, they’re not seen as having any emotions other than happy. If you’ve ever felt like you had to hold it together all the time to keep up a façade for others, there’s freedom in letting people know that you have feelings too.
Keeping …
The Lost Art of Silence: Get Quiet and You’ll Know What You Need to Do
“Silence isn’t empty. It’s full of answers.” ~Unknown
Last week I was visiting the Scandinave, a Scandinavian-style bath spa, with my mom when it struck me how rare true silence has become. By true silence, I mean silence in the form of not speaking, but also silence in the form of reflection, pause, a capacity to become still, a capacity to just be and not do.
The art of silence was lost. Even at these baths, where the goal was to disconnect and enjoy the stillness of nature, there was constant chatter among groups with voices audible across the pool. …
Loving Yourself Through Addiction and Relapse: Be Patient with the Process
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ~Nelson Mandela
It’s a cold winter day. As I plunge my hand down into the wax paper bag, I fully expect to find another bite or two. But, alas, there are only crumbs.
A distinct wave of sadness shoots through my heart. The chocolate scone is gone. And I don’t even remember eating it.
It is in this moment that I wake up. I quickly shake my head from side to side, as if rousing myself from a long night of troubled dreams.…
Easing a Broken Heart: 5 Ways to Reframe Rejection
“When the wrong people leave your life, the right things start to happen.” ~Zig Ziglar
The end of a relationship triggers many grief emotions, but when a couple breaks up because one person decides that it’s over, there is a very distinct pain: the sting of rejection. It doesn’t matter whether things had been difficult for some time or if the split came out of the blue; either way, rejection feels cruel.
At the end of my marriage eight years ago, I had no idea that the breakup was coming. On top of the shock that the relationship was …
Why I Stopped Being Busy and Took a Pressure-Free Pause
“When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another—and ourselves.” ~Jack Kornfield
It was a Monday a few weeks ago, 6:00am, and I was taking a morning walk. The only light in sight was the neon yellow glare of the street lamps.
My heart was heavy. It was as if someone had cut my chest open while I was asleep and slipped a cannonball inside.
My alarm had awoken me at 5:00am, as it had every morning since the start of the year.
My shoes crunch-crunched in the snow as I …
How I Learned to Stop Absorbing Other People’s Emotions
“Sometimes I think I need a spare heart to feel all the things I feel.” ~Sanober Khan
I felt her agony and loneliness as if it were my own. Even as I write that sentence, my eyes well up and heaviness fills my heart. Then, I’m reminded to apply the advice I give others.
My mom was a special person, a sensitive soul just like me. Actually, I’m so much like she was, yet so different. One of the differences between us is that I had an opportunity to observe her life’s challenges. I saw her challenges reflected within myself …
Pre-Order Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal and Receive 3 Free Bonus Gifts
There was a time when worrying was like breathing to me. It’s estimated that we think between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day and we breathe 23,040 breaths. It would likely be accurate for me to say I once panicked as often as I inhaled.
I worried about what people thought of me. I worried that people weren’t thinking of me at all. I worried about what could go wrong. I worried I might have done something wrong. And I worried about being wrong—just by being me.
All this worry was crippling. It’s hard to enjoy anything when you’re there …
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