Enjoy the Little Things
7 Simple (and Surprising) Tips to Help You Realize Your Dreams
“Don’t be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams.” ~Unknown
It’s tricky sometimes, isn’t it?
Trying to find our place on this planet.
Tapping into our inner desires.
Sometimes we know what we want but not how to get there. Sometimes we know “this isn’t me,” but we have no clue who “me” is. And sometimes we think we’re already there, then something out of the ordinary happens and we realize, this isn’t me at all.
At each stage there are pitfalls than can keep us looking in the wrong direction, stuck in fear, or stressed about …
Doing Your Best Without the Stress of Perfectionism
“Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.” ~Robert H. Schuller
Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by perfectionism? Would you rather not do something if you can’t be sure it will be perfect? Although this kind of thinking doesn’t make much sense, I understand it, because I’ve been there.
I’d like to share with you some insights that helped me overcome my own deeply ingrained perfectionism and the unhappiness and stagnation it caused me.
Avoiding perfectionism doesn’t mean avoiding quality work and high achievement.
I am someone who loves making sure that even the …
Doing What’s Best for Us Even If Other People Don’t Like It
“What other people think of me is none of my business.” ~Wayne Dyer
I got the call late one Sunday afternoon while sitting at work. “Babe, your toilet tub and shower are backed up.” What?
“It’s bad babe, and getting worse.” Okay, I thought, I’ll call my landlord.
“Hello, this is so and so and you’ve got my voicemail. Please leave me a message and I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
Damn. Answering machine. Message left.
Text message time. Left that one too.
I wrapped up work and raced home. Yuck. It was bad. And like …
Stop Worrying About What Other People Think and Be Yourself
“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” ~Oscar Wilde
Confession: I’m a master wallflower.
In high school, a friend and I decided to skip our dreary computer class and roam the halls instead. The following day, our crabby teacher immediately reprimanded my friend for skipping class. I sat directly next to her, giggling and rubbing it in her face.
The teacher didn’t even know my name, let alone that I had skipped his class the previous day. I rejoiced in my anonymity thinking, “It pays to be unknown.”
To an extent, it was true. My friend was so disruptive and …
Why We Don’t Need to Feel Bad About Feeling Bad
“Feelings are just visitors. Let them come and go.” ~Mooji
I once thought that the goal of meditation was to reach a state of constant positivity, a natural euphoria in which a person simply does not get angry or depressed.
I think that a lot of people begin practicing meditation thinking that their teacher has reached this euphoric state of being. I have learned, though, that these negative feelings are never permanently banished from anyone’s mind.
As someone that has been struggling with anxiety and depression disorders since early childhood, I turned to meditation as a teenager as a …
Fast Lane: The Slide
This little video put a huge smile on my face! It’s amazing what a little fun can do. It not only makes life more joyful; it helps us see each other for the light-filled beings we really are, underneath the guise of busyness and separation.
The Power of Silence: How to Free Yourself from Painful Thoughts
“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.” ~Hermann Hesse
As a child, I hated when someone told me to sit still and be quiet, and rightly so. I was young and full of energy; every minute of being still and silent was a minute of missing out on this magnificent life.
Then, as I grew older and entered into teenage and young adult years, it grew into a fear with a capital “F” of being still and silent; for as soon as I was quiet and still, the …
Why We Talk More Than We Listen and What We Gain When We Stop
“What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful.” – Brene Brown
I like to talk. A lot.
It’s how I get ideas and work through concepts I’m not quite clear on. It’s how I get myself motivated or calm myself down.
If you let me, I would probably talk your ear off all day. As a creative grasshopper, my mind runs a mile a minute, and has no shortage of ideas to explore.
But a conversation in which people are talking, but not listening, is not really a conversation. It’s selfish, unsatisfying, and does absolutely nothing to build real connections.…
Some Things Take Time: Slow Down and Stop Pushing
“Smile, breathe, and go slowly.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
As life speeds up, as we check our phones and Twitter feeds for instant gratification, as we seek out another spiritual practice in the promise of evolving even faster, we have lost sight of something quite fundamental.
Some things just take time. This can apply to relationships, business, and, in my experience, it especially applies to spiritual awakening.
Yes, our practices such as meditation, dance, service, and energy work can support us on our soul journey. But rushing our development can even result in us taking one step forward and two steps …
When You’re Frustrated by a Delay: 8 Reasons to Appreciate It
“All great achievements require time.” ~Maya Angelou
We all have a picture of what we want in our heads.
We get attached to a timeline for achieving it. We fantasize about the results and how it will bring us happiness.
We begin to work hard to attain it.
But when we don’t get it right away, we get frustrated. We want things to move as quickly as possible.
If we want a relationship, we want to find our perfect partner as soon as we can. If we’re building a career or a business, we want success in months. If we …
When You Want More Love and Support in Relationships
“You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” ~Brené Brown
For years, I felt unfulfilled in my relationships. I often felt drained, and as if I was the only one giving and doing things for others.
I couldn’t quite understand what I was doing wrong and why relationships were so challenging for me. All I wanted to do was to feel loved and supported. Why couldn’t I get that?
Then, nearly three years ago, after a bad breakup and a ton of other relationship challenges, I reached a breaking point. I knew I …
When You Don’t Fit In: The Value of Being Different
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
When I was ten, my blonde, blue-eyed best friend gave me a label.
“I never thought I’d make friends with anyone brown,” she said. She was clearly embarrassed by her revelation and had summoned the courage to own up.
I was dumbstruck for a moment. I never really thought of myself as brown, or indeed, as anything. I was just me.
Then, wanting to get us both out of this awkward situation, and thinking of how my Sri Lankan mother would compliment my beautiful golden brown skin, I …
Why I Don’t Need Success and Validation to Be Happy
“The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.”~ Sonya Friedman
Five years ago I was driven, determined, and thriving. I was in the middle of a career in financial services that had started in sales, led to management, and, at that point, had me pushing myself and competing as a director in the retail banking business.
I was proud of what I had achieved and what I intended to achieve. I had the trappings of success as I saw them—the house, the car, the salary, and job title that reflected my level of achievement—and I had a huge …
Simple Ways to Avoid Burnout When You’re Working Hard
“Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” ~Buddha
On any given day you can find me perched on the edge of my chair, staring at a computer screen. My setup is most definitely ergonomically incorrect, and my posture would make any yoga teacher cringe.
I type and click my mouse and do my work. I occasionally look up and out my windows to a lucky view of ferns, palms, and a few unidentified trees rising up over a blue-green pool. A southern California sky caps the scene.
My brain buzzes with ideas, answers, …
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