Podcaster, author, and former ABC reporter and anchor, Dan Harris, has a tattoo, FTBOAB which stands for the Buddhist expression, “For the benefit of all beings”. As a regular listener of his 10% Happier podcast, I love that wide angle view of purpose. It connects me to a greater sense of what we can do when we up our game to be in it as … Continue reading The Cumulative Effect of Dan Harris
About 25 years ago, I met a man that seemed to be able to see into the depths of me. He had this delightful romanticism, soulfulness, and energy about him that was so intriguing. And there was a palpable connection between us that we both attested to. Over the years, we tried dating a few times but the timing was never right. We even happened … Continue reading Grateful for What I Don’t Have
Almost 3 years ago to the day, I was scrolling through my WordPress feed, desperate to connect with a publication, attract readers, and advance my fledgling career as a writer. Continue reading Dear Readers: Thank You & Until Next Time…
Why are many humans on an endless quest for greener grass? Rather than enjoying the here and now, we convince ourselves that retirement, a different job, a bigger house, or a new relationship, will be the key to our happiness. But is the grass really greener? And even if it is, will the sight of that lush green grass satisfy us, or will we continue … Continue reading The Endless Quest for Greener Grass
I don’t like cars. That may be an unpopular opinion in car-centric America, but I don’t care. I don’t find them interesting at all. Continue reading Bye-Bye Blueboy
Dive deep into the inspiring journey of Anuschka Alborzian, a holistic coach who defied the odds after surviving a stage four brain tumor. Her transformative story is a testament to the power of miracles. In this interview, Anuschka opens up about her most challenging moments, the profound experiences during her health struggles, and the incredible rebirth that led her to a fully present life. From … Continue reading Life Is A Healing Journey
Before Christmas, I visited a man with whom I had kept a weekly appointment for many years. Something inside me insisted that I should visit him. It could be one of the last times I would see him. I followed my inner voice and tried to call him, but the three numbers I had for him didn’t work. So I decided to show up at … Continue reading Accept Me Without Strife
Entering 2024 and looking at our common ground made me want to turn the whole New Year Resolution idea upside down.
Instead of wanting to change or hope for something else(whatever that is), I wanted to build a tower of Gratitude.
Continue reading The Tower Of Gratitude
The Ramana Maharshi self-inquiry meditation inspired my “Who am I?” poem. I send massive gratitude to Ramana Maharshi for inspiring me to shape this poem. – Who am I? I was born in the city of Isfahan That’s the place my parents met They fell in love, danced the flame of love and drama kind of – Who am I? I am a daughter A Sister A … Continue reading Who am I?
It’s that time of year again when people think about the new year and how they’d like to make changes in their lives going forward. We often refer to these proposed life modifications as “new year’s resolutions.” The other day, while stepping out of the shower, the idea hit me—insights come as flashes of insight and often at the strangest times—that the way we verbalize … Continue reading Repost: The Importance of Language When Making New Year’s Resolutions
A journey of awareness Mastering the art of vitality has been a journey of awareness for me, and this is how it started. A few years ago, I removed the “digital validation machine” that I kept under my dressing table. Every morning, when I got up, I visited that “digital validation machine” and watched the numbers change. They grew higher and higher, and my eyes … Continue reading The art of vitality
In “What I’ve Learned about Life while Watching My Father Age,” a blog I wrote several weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d been reading On Death and Dying, a wonderfully insightful book written by Elisabeth Kϋbler-Ross. Throughout that tome, the author argues that doctors need to take a more “human” approach while treating dying patients. She also points out that the field of medicine stresses the … Continue reading Repost: The Real Secret to Being Happier and More Successful in the Workplace
Friday is Black Friday—a day I would love to erase from the calendar. Why? Because it’s symbolic of the out-of-control consumption that is taking over our world. In addition to harming our bank balances, overconsumption impacts our mental health and it’s destroying the planet. But there is an alternative! Friday is also Buy Nothing Day. Continue reading Turn Black Friday Into Buy Nothing Day
My greatest regret during my Peace Corps experience is that I wasn’t into taking photos at that time. I was into living life, though, as hard as it could be lived, tiptoeing right up to the line of being wildly self-destructive. It’s just that I don’t have much of a photographic record of all that living beyond the boundaries. I do have memories, tons of … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment Three
If you read my first installment, you know that I was a Peace Corps Volunteer and was sent to PĨock, Poland, a beautiful and fascinating city located on the Vistula River, to complete my Pre-Service Training (PST), a demanding educational regime that was designed to see if I’d be up to the various challenges I’d certainly encounter once I was sent off to the town or city … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment Two
My mind works in mysterious ways. For example, three or four days ago, for no particular reason, the following question popped into my head: I wonder who said, “Clothes make the man”? I then almost immediately forgot that I’d asked this question—my brain having its own unique way of functioning—and went about my daily business. This morning I got online and found out that Mark … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment One
My adventure is coming to an end. I couldn’t think of a better way to mark the occasion than by finishing the poem that I started at the beach in Malaga at the beginning of my trip. Finishing and publishing this poem feels like coming full circle. An incredibly beautiful journey of over 850 km of steps and endless talks. Continue reading I wonder as I wander
I’m getting older. We all are. Of course, as we age, we lose things. For example, because I’m older and injured my knee playing competitive sports when I was a young guy, I can no longer jog without having significant pain afterwards. That sucks, but I’m fine with that limitation and loss. It’s not all bad news though. I’m gaining things too. For example, I … Continue reading Repost: On Dealing with Emotional Extremes
I’ve been thinking a lot about defiance lately. Actually, because I’m very much a contrarian at heart, I’m always thinking about ways to defy. That’s what contrarians do; they defy conventional wisdom (among other things). (By the way, it seems pretty clear that we need a lot more contrarians in the world.) I guess you could also say that I’m part of the resistance against … Continue reading Repost: Napping as an Act of Defiance
What is love? What do people think of when they hear the word love? And how do they express love? Continue reading When i say the word love what do people think of
