The Art of Self-Sufficiency
Many years ago I was at a job interview and the interviewer asked the question, “What are your goals?” By that point in my life I was getting weary of the 8-hour-per day grind, listening to employees whining and complaining about everything, and just feeling like I...
Slow Down
Life is not all about how far we go, how many things we do, or how much we achieve; life is simply a measure of how deeply we live. This is why there are as many ways of living as there are people on this planet. There is no one right way of living and there certainly...
Be careful what you ask for
Have you ever come to that point in your life where you ask the question, “Seriously, what am I doing with my life?” I asked myself that question during my 30’s, again in my 40’s, and then again in my 50’s. The answer in my 30’s was to quit a good-paying government...
The Secret of Inspiration
Why is it difficult to stay inspired and motivated all the time? What is it in the nature of life that makes it so hard to keep our motivation going? Let’s try to understand the science of motivation. More importantly, let’s try to understand why we lose the ability...
Plant, Animal or Human?
Our lives aren’t so much different from that of animals, or plants for that matter. Think about it: When you pick a plant or pull a leaf off a tree, within a short time it withers, dies, and decomposes. That spark of life has been severed and survival is no longer...
The Mind Game
I had a boss years ago who used to say, “If you don’t want to know the answer to the question, then don’t ask the question.” At first I thought that was a stupid saying but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Let’s say for example that you ask your...
Your Mama was Right!
If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all! Ever look back at all the things our mothers told us when we were growing up? I know I do. Some of it didn’t make any sense at the time, but by revisiting what she said, I can see the relevance to making life...
What is the Connection Between Stress and Creativity?
What is the connection between stress and creativity? Let’s first understand what exactly stress is. Stress is a fight or flight response of the mind triggered because of fear. This fear can either be real or perceived. When the mind is gripped by fear, it can race...
Quick Pleasure or Lasting Bliss?
“The purpose is to transcend pain and suffering.” What is meditation? What is the message of Jesus? What is the message of Buddha? Their message is that there is a zone within us; a zone where there is peace and tremendous joy. When you touch this joy, you know that...
Don’t Worry About what you Can’t Control
…why not just live in the present moment and enjoy life as it comes? I’m pretty sure that everyone reading this remembers where they were and what they were doing when 911 happened. I had just walked into a conference room at work to attend an all-day “Stress...
Standing for Truth
When you are confused, always take the side of truth. Nothing a human being has ever done matters more than this. Truth is, was and always will be the yardstick on which we are measured. While truth is the best path to take, it is also one of the most difficult of...
Meditation is like a Diet for your Mind
When I meet people here and there and the conversation always turns to meditation (usually prompted by “what have you been doing lately?”), I’m often asked questions like “What is meditation? What do you do while you’re sitting? What do you think about while you’re...
