Love Is in the Middle Things
How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by Other People’s Strong Emotions
“It is not your responsibility to figure out what someone else is feeling and why. Let go of the illusion that ‘fixing’ their bad mood will make you feel better.” ~Sarah Crosby
Some years ago, I was talking to my husband on the phone. He sounded annoyed about something to do with his work, but I noticed an intense emotional reaction in myself. Immediately, my heart contracted and my stomach lurched. I could feel a runaway train of emotions activate within me.
My whole body was awash with nausea, and I felt so very uncomfortable.
This was a familiar and …
The Hidden Cost of Trusting the Universe More Than Yourself
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” —Rumi
The last days of the year felt like the right time to let go. I stood in my backyard with twenty-five years of journals—thick notebooks filled with prayers, confessions, and late-night spirals—ready to release them to the flames.
I wasn’t being dramatic. I was being deliberate. I stopped daily journaling several years ago.
For years, I’d used these journals as a kind of inner courtroom, constantly building a case against myself or others. Every page held evidence of failures, proof of my profoundly …
Letting Go of the “Good Person” Identity and Spiritual Expectations
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” ~Lao Tzu
For many years, I was deeply involved in spiritual communities—satsangs, meditation centers, ashrams, and groups focused on positivity, service, and personal growth. These places gave me comfort, community, and a sense of purpose. But they also shaped something inside me that I didn’t fully recognize until much later:
I had built my self-worth around being a “good person.”
On the surface, it sounds harmless. Who doesn’t want to be good, kind, and helpful? But looking back, I see how the pressure I put …
Staying Present in a Life That Isn’t What You Expected
“To live without arriving is to learn how to stay.” ~attributed to the Buddha
For most of my life, I assumed that arriving was the point. Like many people, I believed adulthood would eventually deliver a clear role, a measure of security, and a sense of belonging I could point to and say, This is it. This is who I am. I trusted that if I worked honestly, followed what mattered, and stayed true to my values, that moment would come.
Now, much later, I’m facing the possibility that it never will.
I know I’m not alone in this, even …
When Love Feels Like Pain: Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
“Sometimes the person you love the most is the one who teaches you the hardest lesson about yourself.” ~Unknown
I once thought that being in a relationship meant sacrificing parts of myself for the sake of “love.”
I stayed when I should have left.
I forgave when I hadn’t healed.
I silenced myself when I needed to speak. I gave up my voice, my boundaries, and my sense of emotional safety. I stopped expressing my needs to avoid conflict. I minimized my feelings so I wouldn’t be “too much.” I slowly disconnected from the parts of me that felt confident, …
The Simple Words That Reshaped How I See Myself
“Only say good words to your child. Even if it looks like they’re not listening, if you repeat those kind words a hundred or a thousand times, they will eventually become the child’s own thoughts.” ~My grandmother
When I think about my childhood, the first word that comes to mind is “night.”
The nights were always the hardest.
My father struggled with alcohol and sometimes turned that pain into violence at home.
As a kid, I felt like danger could appear at any time after the sun went down.
I was afraid to sleep deeply. I kept the light on …
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