"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Viktor Frankl Who knew mindful curiosity could have a profound impact on bad habits? It has the ability to shift our focus from automatic reactions to conscious awareness. … Continue reading Curiosity and the bad habit
health & wellness
Antidotes to anger
"Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." - Unknown Anger held over time creates an illusion of action. It feels like doing something, like maintaining a stance, keeping score, or preserving justice. But the internal cost accrues entirely to the person holding it while the target of that … Continue reading Antidotes to anger
Mightier still
"Knowing others is intelligence. Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."- Lao Tzu, Chapter 33 of the Tao Te Ching Living a life that requires an enormous amount of sustained inner resources can create the temptations to focus entirely outward, on managing circumstances and other people's needs, while … Continue reading Mightier still
Finding peace
"You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them with courage and compassion." Running from difficulty does not bring peace, facing it does. People instinctively want to escape pain and avoid suffering. We scroll, we stay busy, we overwork, we numb. Gently we need to look at what it … Continue reading Finding peace
Obstacles as the path
"The obstacle to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 5, Chapter 20. I find this idea remarkably durable. It has been revisited again and again across two thousand years because the human experience of obstruction has not changed. We still face illness, loss, failed plans, … Continue reading Obstacles as the path
Adversity introductions
"Adversity introduces a person to themselves." – Unknown I am navigating a genuinely demanding life. Maybe you are too. This life is both beautiful and a sustained, compounding adversity in the most human sense. What I have discovered in the really rough patches of my life is a version of myself that I could not … Continue reading Adversity introductions
Emotions like wild horses
"Emotions are like wild horses. It’s not about getting rid of them but learning to ride them."– Paulo Coelho The wild horses will always be with us. The question is simply whether we are learning to ride. Emotions are natural forces, not flaws - Wild horses are not broken or wrong simply because they are … Continue reading Emotions like wild horses
Love of a lifetime lived
One moment at a time. Loving ourselves is often confused with admiring what we see in the mirror. We are taught, subtly and constantly, that self-worth lives in appearance: smooth skin, the right shape, the right style, the right kind of beauty. But real self-love has very little to do with outer appearance. It begins … Continue reading Love of a lifetime lived
Shopping smart – the well curated wardrobe
We've all been there. Standing stunned in front of a packed closet claiming we have "nothing to wear," or discovering tags still attached to impulse purchases from months ago. Shopping for clothing can feel overwhelming, expensive, and frustrating when we don't have a clear strategy. This guide is for anyone who wants to make smarter … Continue reading Shopping smart – the well curated wardrobe
Positive Trajectory
The things that are easy to do are also easy not to do. The Two Curves The Upward CurveThe Downward CurveSmall disciplines dailySmall errors in judgment dailyEasy to doEasy to doEasy to dismissEasy to dismissLeads to successLeads to failure Why Read The Slight Edge Jeff Olson's The Slight Edge is one of those rare books that … Continue reading Positive Trajectory