Well, it’s officially here: The start of the holiday season! While some people eagerly wait for 365 entire days to finally break out the Mariah Carey Christmas album, the holiday season can be complicated for many. While it can inspire a spirit of charity and kinship with other human beings, it can simultaneously magnify any perceived deficiencies in our lives: Our loneliness
“Surrender to Grace. The ocean cares for each wave until it reaches the shore. You are given more help than you will ever know.” -Rumi The inopportune events that happen in our lives are there to teach us, care for us, mature us. They are not there to hold us back. They are there to re-direct us to a better
“If not now, when?” -Eckhart Tolle There are a million things in life that we put off. Some are obvious choices – boring chores, returning a call to someone you don’t really want to talk to (admit it, you’ve been there!) – but others are things we actually want to do, but we justify delaying them for some reason or another. We may
Sometimes life presents us with challenging interpersonal situations. Maybe we have a conflict at work; maybe we have a disagreement with a friend, family member, or significant other; or maybe the conflict is within and we are trying to figure out the next step in some part of our lives. During these moments, it is easy to fall into certain patterns.
We’ve all been there – it’s January 1 and we have grand ideas for taking charge of our health in the new year. Inspired by a surge of energy, we might sign up for a year-long gym membership and plan to go every day right after work. Unfortunately, unless you were already a very dedicated gym-goer before, a move like that may
When we’re feeling tense, anxious, or generally off, we may feel at the mercy of our powerful emotions. However, with some practice and patience, you may find that you can counteract those uncomfortable feelings with slow, deep, controlled breathing. First, a note about breathing: Many of us practice shallow breathing in our day-to-day lives. In other words, when we inhale, our
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” -Thich Nhat Hanh Breathing seems so simple. We breathe without even thinking about it. When we are relaxed, our breath is effortless and barely noticeable. When we are stressed, however, the story changes a bit. Many of us are familiar with the “fight-or-flight” response of
“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” -Willa Cather I have always lived my life as if I can avert disaster from happening. If I can prevent failure, I’d reason, then everything will be rosy and nothing surprising or painful will happen (or at least not that often). That way, I can spend my
“A flower does not think of competing [with] the flower next to it. It just blooms.” -Zen Shin It’s Saturday morning, and you’ve had a long week. You want to sleep in, but you decide to go to a yoga class instead. You roll out your mat in the middle of the room, feeling pretty proud of yourself for making
If you’re interested in health and wellness, you can’t go too far in your day without reading some article about how meditation can improve mental health outcomes, productivity, relationships, and perhaps even change the way our brains function. Some people eagerly try meditation, while others avoid it like the plague. Inevitably, most people find it to be more than a little challenging
