Letting Go of the “Good Person” Identity and Spiritual Expectations
Does everything feel like too much these days? Get When Life Sucks: 21 Days of Laughs and Light for free when you join the Tiny Buddha list. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” ~Lao Tzu For many years, I was deeply involved in spiritual communities—satsangs, meditation centers, […]
How Burlesque Heals Its Dancers
Kellita Maloof had been dancing since she was young. But she didn’t fully appreciate what dance had given her until she was recovering from a flare up of ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disorder that affects the gastrointestinal system. Not ballet, which she’d been trained in as a teen, but burlesque, which she discovered in her […]
10 Keys to Emotional Sanity and Integrity
Our self-esteem and lovability increase as we become psychologically healthy. These specific practices build our integrity and effectiveness. 1. Maintain a Radical Loyalty to Reality As healthy adults, we see and accept the givens of life. We accept the limitations in ourselves and others. We appreciate our own and others’ gifts. Our adult aspiration is […]
An Obvious Secret to Longevity That Most People Overlook
“Longevity” is the flexible term that can either mean just “lifespan” or both lifespan and healthspan—years spent in good health. The internet is flooded with articles that claim to tell you how to increase your longevity. And why not? Most of us want to live longer, especially if we can still possess the vitality of […]
When Love Feels Like Pain: Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
Does everything feel like too much these days? Get When Life Sucks: 21 Days of Laughs and Light for free when you join the Tiny Buddha list. “Sometimes the person you love the most is the one who teaches you the hardest lesson about yourself.” ~Unknown I once thought that being in a relationship meant […]
How to Create Micro-Moments of Joy to Help You Keep Going
Does everything feel like too much these days? Get When Life Sucks: 21 Days of Laughs and Light for free when you join the Tiny Buddha list. “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh I want to shine a light on something […]
How ICE Raids Are Affecting Children—And What…
At the end of winter break at the Garlough Environmental Magnet School in West St. Paul, Minnesota, more than 50 students did not return to class. Principal Libby Huettl of the Garlough Environmental Magnet School. © ISD 197 At the time, federal immigration agents were conducting military-style operations throughout the area, detaining both students and […]
Why Anger and Recovery From Chronic Pain Are So Incompatible
As a life-long survivor of severe bipolar disorder, I’ve learned to navigate the shoals of mental illness with some degree of dexterity. I protect my Mental health the way I’d guard a fragile child or animal: vociferously, and with constant attention. I try never to look the other way, lest depression or mania sneak up […]
Breaking the Cycle of “There’s Something Wrong with Me”
Does everything feel like too much these days? Get When Life Sucks: 21 Days of Laughs and Light for free when you join the Tiny Buddha list. “The wound is where the light enters you.” ~Rumi “I can’t do anything right. There’s something wrong with me.” My daughter said these words quietly, almost as if […]
How Self-Compassion Can Help School Leaders Stay Grounded
It’s late in the afternoon when the knock comes on the office door. A parent has arrived, visibly upset about a decision made earlier in the day. As you speak with them, their voice tightens. Your own chest does, too. You notice your shoulders creeping upward, your breath becoming shallow. You want to listen well, […]