Posts tagged with “wisdom”
Feeling Lost or Miserable? Your Heart Knows the Way Through
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” ~Rumi
My tear-stained face stared back at me in the mirror. Every Sunday evening was the same. I was overcome with the dread of having to get up the next morning and go to a job that, while good on paper, was slowly sucking my soul. I was twenty-seven years old, and I was completely lost, spending my days doing work that didn’t light me up in any way or form.
Until I was twenty-five, I had mostly followed my …
Breaking Free from the Shadow of a Narcissistic Parent
“One of the greatest awakenings comes when you realize that not everybody changes. Some people never change. And that’s their journey. It’s not yours to try to fix for them.” ~Unknown
In the journey of life, we often encounter pivotal moments that force us to confront harsh truths about ourselves and the world around us. For me, one of these moments came with the profound realization that not everybody changes, especially not those who wield the toxic traits of narcissism.
Raised by a father whose larger-than-life persona concealed a darker reality, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery marked by …
Choosing Yourself: How to Prioritize Your Personal Well-Being
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” ~Oscar Wilde
“Choose me!” I heard the voice clearly as I sat across from my therapist one day in her office.
It was my fourth visit, and we were working through this feeling I had, like I was crying on the inside but nothing was coming out on the outside. I was explaining how this feeling had been recurring quite frequently lately and how my response was to ignore it and push through it.
In response to this, my therapist asked me, “What would happen if you attended to this …
The Amazing Power of Listening to Your Inner Critic
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” ~Aristotle
Over the past few years, I began to feel a shift in my career. Despite spending years earning certifications and degrees and building skills, my work no longer felt meaningful.
As I contemplated a change, a persistent thought echoed in my mind: “Why can’t you just be grateful for what you have?” I had many things to be grateful for, yet I wasn’t happy and constantly judged myself for it. After months of unsuccessfully trying to push this thought away, I decided to sit with the feeling of guilt and approach …
How to Navigate Loss and Fear and Emerge Resilient
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” ~Lao Tzu
Sailing on a beautiful day in calm seas can feel like a spiritual experience and can convince your senses that life should always be like this.
My family life was smooth sailing for many years. My husband and I were committed to our family and our responsibilities of building and running our businesses, leaving little time for anything else. Gradually, the weather changed, and we found ourselves in the uncharted, turbulent waters of divorce.
I was unprepared for the toll it would take. My anxiety caused me to lose weight, …
How to Find the Gold When Everything Falls Away
“To stay with that shakiness—to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness—that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—that is the spiritual path.” ~Pema Chödrön
Sixteen years ago, when everything familiar fell away, I felt desperate for spiritual answers. I bartered with a woman who called herself a quantum healer. When I explained I didn’t have enough money to cover rent, bills, and food, she scoffed, “Well, you have to have money to be spiritual.”…
4 Powerful Ways to Master the Art of Living with Uncertainty
“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” ~John Allen Paulos
Uncertainty has always been a fact of life, but I think we can all agree that its looming presence seems to be more potent than ever.
As if the uncertainties of personal matters—finding love, holding down a job, raising healthy kids—weren’t challenging enough, now we’re facing political, environmental, and technological uncertainties on a scale not previously known.
Polarizing figures are running for office and winning.
Heat domes and super blizzards are disrupting our quality of life.
Artificial …
The Most Useful Mindfulness Technique I Know
“This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.” ~Rumi
When people start out with mindfulness, they want to feel better. They want all the worried, angry, or regretful thoughts to pipe down a little and stop making them feel so bad.
That’s great, as far as it goes, and mindfulness can deliver it if you practice consistently. But there’s something even better on offer, and it both is and isn’t about feeling better.
I learned this on an intensive meditation retreat.
There I was, excited to be there and ready to attain states of bliss, …
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 