You Will Know Freedom When…
How I Forgave What I Couldn’t Forget
“Forgiving someone doesn’t mean that their behavior was ‘OK.’ What it does mean is that we’re ready to move on. To release the heavy weight. To shape our own life, on our terms, without any unnecessary burdens. Forgiveness is pure freedom—and forgiveness is a choice.” ~Dr. Suzanne Gelb
I remember the feeling of blood rushing through my veins, my head pounding, and my heart beating faster. Every time I remembered what happened, I either cried or felt a wave of depression. This guy was someone who’d hurt me in a way that I never thought would happen. His deeds …
7 Mind-Shifts to End Depressed Overeating
“Maybe the reason nothing seems to be ‘fixing you’ is because you’re not broken… You have a unique beauty and purpose; live accordingly.” ~Steve Maraboli
Have you ever seen a woman down a family-sized tin of chickpeas?
Or eat six pita pockets stuffed full of avocado, cheese, tomato, and onion?
Or a dozen greasy samosas?
I used to overeat when I was depressed. I’d eat till I was so stuffed, the only thing I could do was sleep.
(Like Valium, but with added fiber.)
I’d been doing it since I was a kid.
My family was vegetarian, so I …
How to Cope with the Fear of Aging
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” ~Mark Twain
Time is the most precious asset we’ve got. It means life, and it’s never coming back.
In a world where everyone seems to be in a rush, it feels like time is flying. Not sure about you, but when I was a child, I felt like I had all the time in the world. Much later, as a grown-up woman, always busy to do more and achieve more, I had to sign up for time management courses so that I could cope with …
How to Move On When Your Ex Already Has
“Like a sandcastle, all is temporary. Build it, tend it, enjoy it. And when the time comes, let it go.” ~Jack Kornfield
I picked up the butter cookies and a small postcard-sized painting I had brought for her.
I took the third-floor hotel elevator down.
Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths.
The elevator ride was less than five seconds, but our time spent apart was five years.
Five years after the divorce I had flown up to see her again.
I’m not sure what led to this meeting. We had emailed each other a couple times out of …
The Best Things in Life Are Free (and Healing)
“The six best doctors: sunshine, water, rest, air, exercise, and diet.” ~Wayne Fields
I’ve always believed the best things in life are free. Sunshine on your skin next to a body of water ranks up there as one of my favorite experiences. I love nothing more than to be in a pool in the summertime.
Though doctors have helped me with my depression, nature has provided me with my best doctors. When I’m in nature, I feel restored.
When I was a child, I used to like to go on adventures. I would venture off into my parents’ backyard …
The Power of Perspective: A Simple Way to Ease Anxiety
“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking.” ~Eckhart Tolle
One of the first ideas I learned in law school was “the reasonable third person,” a legal fiction created to help figure out if someone has acted unreasonably. There’s no clear-cut definition, so I spent a lot of energy arguing what a reasonable person would do. This hypothetical person haunted my law school exams, and later, my career.
But I realized the reasonable third person could teach me something beyond the courtroom. I could apply that …
How to Relax in Meditation When You Have a Busy Mind
“The Tao is always at ease. It overcomes without competing, answers without speaking a word, arrives without being summoned, accomplishes without a plan.” ~Lao-Tsu
As a longtime meditator and participant in the awakening process I am constantly on the lookout for hints that illuminate the path. I am open to these hints regardless of their source, so many of my teachers have been young children.
We may have many differing reasons to practice mindfulness and meditation. Regardless of the specific motivation, all meditators experience distraction and mental rebellion from time to time, and it can be quite frustrating. Many new …
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