Just breathe. Such simple advice, and yet it can be so tough to remember when we feel caught up in our emotions. Imagine what the world would be like if we all learned the power of mindfulness as kids. Imagine what it would be like if we all made an effort to practice this as adults.
Update: The winners for this giveaway are:
I have a confession to make—I sometimes cringe when someone tells me to “just be positive.” I’ve often assumed this really means, “Your sadness is making me uncomfortable, so please stop talking about it.”
To be fair, I wouldn’t classify myself as a negative person—not now, anyways—though I have my moments. I do, however, feel for anyone who might be classified that way, as I know from experience that deep negativity often comes from deep pain.
We all face our own battles in life, some more overwhelming than others. And …
“You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” ~Louise L. Hay
I used to give myself quite a hard time. I felt like I wasn’t measuring up or doing enough or achieving as much as my peers.
I decided to make a note of the way I was speaking to myself and treating myself. What I found surprised me.
I noticed that I’d berate myself for days if something didn’t go exactly to plan, convinced that there was something wrong with me and that was why I had messed …
“Don’t try to change anything at all, just breathe and let go. Breathe and let be… in your mind and in your heart, give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
I watched him breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Sometimes I’d move closer to his tiny body in his hospital bed just to see if I could get him to move a bit, wanting to boost the comfort of in and out with a roll to the side or an eye flicker.
This all …
“Do not become a stranger to yourself by blending in with everyone else.” ~Dodinsky
I spent many decades of my life trying to be person I was expected to be.
It was partly the kind of expectations our parents impose on us, but also those from society, combined with the worst ones of all: the expectations I had put on myself.
For example, the story of who “I should be” had told me that:
“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” ~John Holmes
I moved to Vermont to work at a ski lodge the day after I turned twenty-two.
I had finished college six months earlier; September 11th had made finding a “real” job in my field pretty much impossible, and I was ready for adventure.
Somehow I had been hired to be the head waitress in the lodge’s basement eatery, where we served family-style meals every single morning and six nights a week.
I had no waitressing experience whatsoever; I’m pretty sure I was …
“We often say ‘love’ when we really mean, and are acting out, an addiction—a sterile, ingrown dependency relationship, with another person serving as the object of our need for security.” ~Stanton Peele
When I was sixteen, I fell in love. At least I thought I did. I had all the symptoms—quickened pulse, butterflies, and a head so full of him that all my pain and all my problems magically disappeared when we were together.
I called this love.
And why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t any young girl? Isn’t that what love is—when you can’t live without each other, when you …
“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” ~Henry Ford
A few days ago, a close friend called me and asked for advice on whether he should end a toxic relationship with his ex-girlfriend. He still loved her as a human being, but he felt that she was using him for her own personal needs, such as a ride from the airport, and did not truly care about his well-being.
I thought back to my most recent relationship challenge.
A while back, I moved in with a group of close friends, after breaking up with …
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” ~Buddha
Admit it…
Emptiness has taken over.
You think back to those exciting days when you had so much energy. You remember that burning feeling of raw energy deep down in your stomach. That shiver of excitement running through your body. When life was just alive with positive emotions running wild. It was incredible.
And you can’t help but think…
Where has it gone? How did I lose it? Will it ever come back?
You think if you keep moving, everything …
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire Universe deserve your love and affection.” ~Buddha
Relationships give us the opportunity to learn about ourselves though identifying with another. I’ll be the first one to admit that some of my relationships didn’t end on ideal terms. I’ve managed to stay in touch with a few partners over the years, but for the most part, they’ve fallen to the wayside.
Here’s how most of them played out: The initial phase was intoxicating, I was completely enamored with the other person, and likewise, they made me feel like the object of their …
Many young kids idolize singers, reality stars, and others in the limelight, but not this wise ten-year-old girl from Texas. Savannah reserves her admiration for the dedicated police officers that work to keep their communities safe, and she decided to show her appreciation by delivering hand-written thank you cards, bursting with love and encouragement.
“Believe nothing no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and common sense.” ~Buddha
Sometimes it seems to me that we are collectively obsessed with expert advice.
In some cases, it makes sense to consult an authority.
When you’re planning for retirement, it’s smart to seek out a financial planner. When you’re starting a business, by all means, sit down with someone who’s done what you aspire to do. And when your dog gets sick, it’s probably smart to call your veterinarian instead of …
“He who sits in the house of grief will eventually sit in the garden.” ~Hafiz
My life has fallen apart around me.
I ended a five-year relationship with a man I thought I wanted to marry, quit a full-time office job with no further prospects, and moved back to my tiny hometown to live with my parents.
All of these transitions occurred within the same week.
I was twenty when I met my boyfriend, and he was twenty-eight. We spent every waking moment together, dating for four-and-a-half years and living together for two. This time was punctuated with moments of …
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” ~Buddha
I have always been ambitious, hardworking, dedicated, and driven, but I have also made some serious mistakes in my life.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do early on in my career, so I pursued several options in college. By the time I was finished with graduate school I had five Master’s degrees, but still wasn’t sure which career path to take.
I decided to get a job in accounting since that career paid well. I didn’t …
“Has it ever occurred to you that you can only love when you are alone?” ~Anthony De Mello
I was sitting in my therapist’s waiting room when I looked over at an assortment of books sitting on the coffee table. One caught my attention right away: The Way to Love, by Anthony de Mello.
“This looks like something I should read right about now.” I giggled a little with that thought.
I was, after all, sitting in a psychotherapist’s waiting room because he was the only thing keeping me from a nervous breakdown. My marriage was falling apart and …
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” ~William James
I’ve been meditating for many years, but there are still days when I feel like it’s something I need to tick off my to-do list.
On some days, particularly when I’m in the middle of a big project, it can feel hard to put even ten minutes aside for meditating. The driven voice in my head tries to convince me that this practice of pausing and connecting with presence is a waste of time.
It’s a compelling voice, particularly on days when it feels …
“There are two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.” ~Jodi Picoult
I grew up with a lot of expectations—from other people in my life and from myself. I had to finish school, do my best, finish college, get married, have children, and be a success in everything I did.
My family was supportive; however, they never really pushed me to get active. I had to push myself, and I pushed hard.
I finished high school, then college with an associate’s degree, then my counseling license, and then my bachelor’s. I got married and had a …
“When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life.” ~Osho
Once, during an AmeriCorps leadership retreat, I was asked to create a motto for my life, a mission statement for my future. I was handed a blank piece of paper and I was terrified.
At the time, my life was filled with uncertainty. My year of national community service was coming to an end. I didn’t know what my next job would be, let alone what my life’s mission statement should be.
As I sat, panic stricken, staring into my uncertain future and an empty …
“All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
We are all interconnected, and we all need each other. Our ability to see and be seen by each other creates a beautiful depth of connection that we are privileged to experience.
This has been a great …
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