THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!
Thank you, everyone, for opening your hearts and sharing a piece of yourself and your journey. I am amazed and inspired by all of you, and so grateful that you shared your strength and your stories here.
I wish you all peace, joy, and so much love!
The winners are:
Please send your address to email@tinybuddha.com so I can send you a copy of the Worry Journal!
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Though life has become a lot less busy for many these days, I suspect a lot of us have incredibly busy …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
When I decided over two years ago to become a Buddhist Chaplain, I could’ve never dreamed that I would be experiencing our current pandemic crisis.
I chose to become a Buddhist Chaplain after I lost my son in 2010. The experience of losing a child forever changed how I related to the world and how I relate to grief, suffering, and compassion.
One of the most profound lessons I learned about grief is that it doesn’t have to follow the …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.” ~Tony Robbins
Like millions of others, I lost my job in the wave of the coronavirus pandemic. I was teaching on a small island in the Caribbean. I discovered a purpose through my work, loved the peaceful nature of the island, and, true to my introverted nature, loved living in my too-quiet community. It was a job and a life that I …
Have you ever found it hard to motivate yourself to do something that was good for you, only to eventually do it, feel amazing, and wonder why you waited so long?
That’s what meditating was like for me. Even though I knew I could do it for only five minutes each day to feel calmer, less stressed, and more present, I found excuses not to do it regularly for years.
I’d tell myself five minutes wasn’t enough; I really needed thirty or more, and I didn’t have that time, so why bother?
I’d lament that I was too anxious to …
“If there’s ever a tomorrow when we’re not together, there’s something you should remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart, I’ll always be with you.” ~A.A. Milne
Two years ago, I was anticipating a monumental shift. I couldn’t tell you what had changed around that time, but my mindset was moving away from the brasher side of my natural, projected extroversion and seeking solace in the comforts of solitude.
It felt like the waves drawing back before a tsunami, and over …
“Home is not a place, it’s a feeling.” ~Cecilia Ahern
This post is written by three people from different parts of the world who came together to share their story of family estrangement and their choice not to reconcile.
To the outside world, it seemed none of us were neglected. Our parents were well-educated. We grew up in decent homes, were given good educational opportunities, and had financial support. We looked like we came from perfect families, but….
On March 24, 2019, I received a chilling text from my sister that Grandma was found unconscious in her …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.” ~Sonia Ricotti
The scent of sanitizer once again pervades my home. And as much as I am grateful for it, every time I use it, that astringent, alcoholic smell takes me straight back to the out-patient chemo ward at the hospital.
It’s been nearly seven years since I was a fortnightly visitor there, but the sanitizer and masks make me feel like I’m in a weird …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.” ~Kitty O’Meara
While this pandemic is turning out to be a very confusing and difficult time for many people, it is undoubtedly giving humanity an incredibly rare opportunity to learn some …
“The quicker you are in attaching verbal or mental labels to things, people, or situations, the more shallow and lifeless your reality becomes, and the more deadened you become to reality.” ~Eckhart Tolle
Things are hard right now, aren’t they? When I first started writing this article about my goal to drop labels so I could live without judgment, I was thinking I didn’t want to judge people at the gym based on what their T-shirts said.
Now I’m trying not to judge people in my local community and around the country for taking actions that make me feel …
“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” ~Lau Tzu
With social distancing measures in place in response to the new coronavirus, many of us have a lot more time on our hands, while also being isolated.
This may also mean you’re feeling loneliness more intensely than you’ve experienced it before.
This is a good thing! Challenges can help us to understand ourselves on a much deeper level than we would have if we weren’t challenged—precisely because our feelings are more intense.
Loneliness is not new. …
“I hope that this whole COVID-19 thing goes away so we can resume our regular lives.”
“I hope this quarantine will be over soon!”
“I hope that things will go back to how they used to be.”
You may be thinking, wishing, or even hoping these things—and are just waiting for things to get better. That was definitely me the first few weeks of quarantine.
Recently I’ve been pondering the possibility that COVID-19 may actually never go away and we may have to learn to adapt and live with it. It may be like influenza—seasonal, with a recommended shot, and …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“What is to give light must endure the burning.” ~Viktor Frankl
The world is facing challenging times of crisis. Closed borders and travel bans, quarantine, shortage of food supply, scary news, and much fear. Viruses don’t care about our status, money, or fame, spreading from state officials to famous actors.
Being a human right now is not easy. My thoughts are with those who lost a family member or a friend. I can’t imagine the pain of those battling mental or …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“When you’re going through hell, keep going.” ~Winston Churchill
A couple weeks ago the Greek government announced that our quarantine would continue “well beyond April 6th,” the original date for which it had been set. We knew this was coming, but it was still hard to hear. And it was this same moment that my memories as a long-distance runner came flooding back.
I started running track and cross country when I was eleven years old. I joined the Los Gatos …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“The problem is not the existence of stressors, which cannot be avoided; stress is simply the brain’s way of signaling that something is important. The problem—or perhaps the opportunity—is how we respond to this stress.” ~The Book of Joy
For the past few weeks, I took pride in being able to keep fear at a distance.
My motto was “Don’t let the fear in. The fear makes you a vulnerable host to coronavirus.”
Since I have Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune condition, …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“The earth is what we all have in common.” ~Wendell Berry
I love the warmth and brightness of sunny days, but I’ve always enjoyed the stillness that comes around as the rain starts to fall, as well.
Creatures retreat to the warmth and dryness of shelters and home spaces. Outdoor work and routines are rethought, sometimes placed on pause. The world, at least as far as the rain clouds stretch, quiets.
In some ways, these current moments in our world feel …
“The mind is the place the soul goes to hide from the heart.” ~Michael Singer
“You think you’re so much better than me!!”
As this phrase—laced with contempt—exited my mouth, I recognized the familiar words. I had grown up hearing this phrase often. The “rich people,” the girl who won the competition, the inconsiderate neighbors, the rude supervisor… “They think they’re so much better than us.”
So, I diligently spent my childhood trying to prove them all wrong.
I wore myself out trying to be the smartest, the best, the prettiest… you name it. I wasn’t going to let all …
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can find a number of helpful coronavirus resources and all related Tiny Buddha articles here.
“Health is not just about what you’re eating. It’s also about what you’re thinking and saying.”
A virus is spreading across the globe. Schools are shut down. People are out of work. Grocery stores are empty.
Weddings, graduations, vacations, a day in court—canceled.
This is the ultimate test in emotional resilience.
Uncertainty is one of the main reasons we stress, along with a lack of control, and right now we’ve got it in truckloads. I’ve spent the last decade building my …
Hi friends! As you may know, I’m always excited to share free events that can help us heal, find peace, and learn to meet each other with more patience, kindness, and compassion.
And I’m particularly passionate about mindfulness. The more present-moment awareness foster, the better we’re able to cope with our own sometimes-overwhelming emotions and the chaos in the world around us.
For this reason, I’m thrilled to invite you to upcoming online summit In the Footsteps of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Thich Nhat Hanh has touched the hearts of millions with his message of peace, non-violence, and kindness. From …
“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in my life is to risk nothing.” ~Leo Buscaglia
It was the day after my boyfriend proposed and I felt sick with anxiety. I couldn’t understand this feeling. I loved my boyfriend; we were living together, and I didn’t want to break up with him, so why was I so anxious?
I googled furiously in search of answers. I worried this was a sign that the relationship …
“Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath.” ~Eckhart Tolle
As a special-needs parent, it feels that I am in constant anger and fight mode.
I am fighting with my children on the home front.
I am fighting for their right to get access to services.
I am fighting for their acceptance.
I am fighting for my children to help them make progress.
To be in constant fight mode can be overwhelming and exhausting.
In my weakness, I let my emotions get the best of me.
I lose my temper with my loved ones.
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