When someone in your life has an addiction, the focus is usually on that person. Addictions take many forms, from substance abuse to workaholism and overeating, and the effects on that person are often very obvious. Chaos, conflict, lost jobs, unpaid bills, arrests, jail, hospitalization, institutionalization, even death. Less obvious are the effects on the [...]

For those of us who regularly beat ourselves up for our flaws, I have news: Hidden in every flaw is a precious gem – a piece of self-knowledge that can lead to transforming that apparent defect into a personal advantage Flaws are just aspects of our characters that have been exaggerated to help us cope [...]

Anxiety is the worst partner you’ll ever have, a relationship nightmare you can’t walk away from. No matter how many times you determine to let it go, it always returns, sneaking up on you like an assassin in the night. That’s because it has a secret hold on you, one you’d never expect and will [...]

I find pithy one-liners to be excellent thought-stoppers, and when my mind revs up with negativity, I’m looking for that brake to pull. The lists I’ve published before are very popular with my readers, and I think it’s time for some more condensed wisdom. Enjoy! It’s never too late to be what you might have [...]

In the same way a child may repeat a grade for lack of passing the courses, each of us is given the chance to learn our life lessons over and over again, until we have mastered the proffered knowledge. Until we learn our lessons, we are not maximizing our enjoyment of life. So listen up [...]

What? Someone doesn’t like me? ME? I’m so nice, I’m so sweet, I wouldn’t hurt a soul, everyone on earth should like meeeee! How can I survive in this world knowing someone does not like me?! Sounds a bit silly, but this is how many of us really think. I used to have a huge [...]

We are so good at lying to ourselves we don’t even know we’re doing it. The lies are as subtle as they are profound: I don’t deserve to be happy, suffering is my lot I’m not meant to be hugely successful Fading into the background is easier than developing my talents It’s better to be [...]

Ever heard anyone from a small town giving directions say, “As you go through the center of town, don’t blink, you might miss it”? Sometimes I find the same thing happens on my way along life’s path. The universe is saying, “Pay attention, or you’ll miss this guidance for your direction.” Recently I experienced this [...]

Loneliness is entirely a matter of perception. It is not defined by the other people around us. I’ve felt deeply alone when in a conversation with a very close friend or family member who is focused on me. And I’ve felt connected and completely satisfied with the universe when hiking by myself in the middle [...]

The deal on earth is this: We know who we are and what we want to become when we choose parents and take physical form as infants. As we grow into our family and culture, a good many of us lose touch with that pre-knowledge, and become confused about our identity and purpose on earth. [...]