The Best Thing I Learned This Year
The Most Important Pieces of My Cancer Coping Plan
“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.” ~Lao Tzu
When dealing with a serious health issue or life challenge, we can choose to navigate through it to the light or bury ourselves in its darkness. While it’s not always easy to find the light, it’s a much easier place to survive in and, in the long run, is much healthier. This way of being has helped me on my recent health journeys.
Twice in the past twenty-three years, I have received the news of a breast cancer diagnosis. Both incidences were …
Lessons from Death and Awakening to an Authentic Life
“Life doesn’t owe us anything. We only owe ourselves, to make the most of the life we are living, of the time we have left, and to live in gratitude.” ~Bronnie Ware
Today, I’d like to tell a story about death.
It’s a word that tends to shift the energy in a room, isn’t it? People tense up, lean back, or grow silent. Death is often seen as morbid, something to avoid or fear. But I’ve come to see it differently. The more we speak about death with openness and reverence, the less heavy and frightening it feels.
My earliest …
Dry January: How It Creates Space for a Better Life
“I think this is the start of something really big. Sometimes that first step is the hardest one, and we’ve just taken it.” ~Steve Jobs
I’ve had a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol for almost as long as I’ve been drinking. I was mostly a binge drinker through college and into my twenties and thirties. I could drink “normally” sometimes, but I never really knew if I would stop at two or ten. Two felt okay, but ten would land me blacked out and barefoot on the bar, which was never a good look for me.
It scares me now to …
10 Holiday Quotes for Comfort, Peace, and Perspective
The holidays can be a magical time, filled with beautiful memories and traditions that remind us of what truly matters in life. It can also be emotionally fraught for anyone who’s struggling with financial insecurity, grief, or depression.
This year has been especially challenging for me personally, for reasons I’ll possibly share some time in the future. For now, I am focusing on my family and the gift of today and soaking up joy wherever I can find it.
And I’m putting these messages out into the world, hoping they reach those who need them and provide a little comfort, …
I Might Fail, but Time Won’t Just Pass Me By
“It’s not about time, it’s about choices. How are you spending your choices?” ~Beverly Adamo
You hit a point in life after which choices seem to become less and less reversible. As if they were engraved in stone.
No matter how many motivational posts about following your own timeline and going at your own pace cross your Instagram wall.
No matter how much you try to convince yourself that it’s never too late to start a new career, move into a new house, or find the right person. It’s not that you don’t believe it—it just does not work for …
How to Ease Anxiety and PTSD: 3 Somatic Exercises to Try
“The body knows how to heal. It just needs the proper conditions.” ~Peter Levine
After ten major reconstructive hip surgeries and almost six cumulative years in a full body cast, I emerged from childhood into my teenage years. My start in life was quite different from those around me. My body would never be like everyone else’s, and I was living in the aftermath of trauma.
I not only had a slew of trauma symptoms but was also deeply wrestling with my identity and had massive amounts of shame, depression, and social anxiety. As you can imagine, I had a …
Find Beauty in the Unexpected
A quote from the 2024 calendar. Get Tiny Buddha’s 2025 Day-to-Day calendar here!
How to Reinvigorate Your Relationship with New Experiences
“After a while, every couple will get bored. That’s why trying new things together is key.” ~Unknown
When life gets busy with work, kids, and the steady hum of daily responsibilities, it’s easy for relationships to fall into a familiar rhythm. Routines are comforting, but they can also lead to a kind of autopilot in love—a state where everything feels predictable and, eventually, a bit uninspired.
My partner and I have a strong bond, but we’d both noticed that something felt… different. It wasn’t bad, but we missed that spark of excitement that had defined our early days together. So …
My Life with ADHD and Anxiety: A Surprising Success Story
“Examine the labels you apply to yourself. Every label is a boundary or limit you will not let yourself cross.” ~Wayne Dyer
Living with both ADHD and anxiety feels like trying to navigate life with your mind constantly racing in a thousand directions at once. It’s frustrating and exhausting, and, at times, it feels like success is out of reach.
But here’s the truth: success is possible. Even when it feels like your brain is working against you, with the right strategies and support, you can thrive.
As a nurse practitioner who has lived with undiagnosed ADHD and anxiety for …
Breaking Free from Resentment: My Journey to Finding Peace
“Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.” ~Saint Augustine
For years, I was unknowingly poisoning myself in nearly every relationship—whether romantic, work-related, or friendships. It always followed the same pattern: I’d form a deep attachment, throw myself into the relationship, and give endlessly, hoping that if I gave enough, they’d appreciate and value me.
But instead, it felt like they just took and took, leaving me secretly seething with anger and frustration while I smiled on the outside.
I was doing all the running—couldn’t they see that? Couldn’t they see how hard I was trying? …
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