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Bad Things Can Put Us on a Path to Wonderful Things

Bad Things

Source: Lessons Learned in Life

Holiday Love Challenge #28: Give Someone a Gift You’ve Considered Returning

Holiday Love Challenge #28

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.

Letting Go of Attachment: From A to Zen

“Most of our troubles are due to our passionate desire for and attachment to things that we misapprehend as enduring entities.” ~Dalai Lama

If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we want to feel happy; and on the other side of that coin, we want to avoid hurting. Yet we consistently put ourselves in situations that set us up for pain.

We pin our happiness to people, circumstances, and things and hold onto them for dear life. We stress about the possibility of losing them when something seems amiss. Then we often get stuck in …

5 Everyday Places Where You Can Find Presence

Woman Meditating

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.” ~Eckhart Tolle

Presence. It’s something that used to be an absolute mystery to me.

During my five years working in the fast-paced world of public relations, I was frequently running from one meeting to the next, nose in my cell phone, barely coming up for air and completely oblivious to the world around me.

Little did I know, I was missing out on so many moments during my day where I could feel grounded, grateful, and present instead of stressed out and anxious.

Today, life is much different. I …

Kindness: The Most Valuable Gift

Kindness the Most Valuable Gift

Holiday Love Challenge #27: Smile at a Stranger You’re Tempted to Judge

Holiday Love Challenge #27

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.

Let It Go

Let It Go

Source: Simple Reminders

Holiday Love Challenge #26: Leave a Positive Comment

Holiday Love Challenge #26

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.

Being a Good Person

Being a Good Person

Source: Lessons Taught by Life

Holiday Love Challenge #25: Tell Someone Their Presence Is the Best Gift

Holiday Love Challenge #25

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.

25 Powerful Acts of Love and Kindness

The holiday season has the potential to bring out the best in us. Though the days get shorter and colder, somehow our hearts get bigger and warmer.

Maybe it’s the thoughtfulness handwritten on Christmas cards, maybe it’s the focus on giving over receiving, or maybe it’s the anticipation of celebration with people we love.

For many, it’s the reminder of what’s important in life—not what we do, what we earn, or what we buy, but how we treat each other, how we help each other, and how we use our gifts to make the world a better place.

Yes, the …

I Don’t Want Much for Christmas

Don't Want Much for Christmas

Holiday Love Challenge #24: Thank Someone for an Intangible Gift

Holiday Love Challenge #24

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.

5 Unexpected Benefits of Being Friendly

Smiling Gingerbread

“A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” ~Charles H. Spurgeon

What are the benefits of being friendly? Some might argue that there aren’t many advantages to it. These people might even tell you that you should mind your own business instead of trying to please everyone.

But is friendliness really just an attempt to please others? Is it really a sign of insecurity or even weakness?

I believe friendliness is a sign of inner strength and …

7 Things Everyone Should Learn Before They Die

Woman reading book

“I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” ~Vincent Van Gogh

I attended an interesting event a few nights ago. It featured ten speakers who spoke for ten minutes each on ten things you should know before you die.

The speakers included TV and film stars, CEOs, cover-shooting photojournalists, traveling journalists covering natural disasters, and HIV survivors. As you can imagine, there was a wide spectrum of perspectives shared.

Here are a few of the lessons that stuck out for me. A lot of these can profoundly change your mindset, how you view the world, and how you choose …

Holiday Love Challenge #23: My Way Isn’t Right

Holiday Love Challenge #23

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.

People Who Judge You by Your Past

People Who Judge You by Your Past

Source: Project Happiness

What Are You Practicing—Self-Judgment or Self-Compassion?

Woman with heart hands

“You are what you practice most.” ~Richard Carlson

“What are you practicing?” she asked in a gentle, lilting voice.

The entire class was in triangle pose, and at that moment I was comparing my triangle to the young woman’s right next to mine, scolding myself for wobbling out of the pose and simultaneously harassing myself for not being “further along” in my career. (Because if you’re going to hate on yourself, my motto is GO BIG.)

“Are you practicing judgment or comparison?” she tenderly probed.

“WTF!” I thought. “Does this woman have a direct line to my brain?”

“Are you

What to Do When Your Partner Disappoints or Frustrates You

Upset Couple

“Good relationships don’t just happen. They take time, patience, and two people who truly want to be together.” ~Unknown

We are wired to seek “the right one,” the ever-supportive partner, and the loving relationship.

If we get all three, it’s like winning the lottery of life. When we meet someone, we dream of him/her being our soul mate. When we are in a relationship, we hope they’ll love and support us unconditionally, and the relationship will be loving and everlasting.

That would be the ideal world, and, unfortunately, the ideal world isn’t the one we live in.

It took …

Holiday Love Challenge #22: Cut Yourself Some Slack

Holiday Love Challenge #22

Want more ideas to strengthen your relationships? Get Tiny Buddha’s 365 Tiny Love Challenges.