Seeking peace of mind is not peaceful – in fact, if we truly want it, we must be prepared to get disturbed. Peace is only possible when we face our demons – the flaws in our character, the anxieties we live with, the self-destructive behaviors we’ve come to rely on. Ready to get disturbed? Ironically, [...]

Are you stuck in negativity? We all have our own versions of negative thinking or feeling – pick your poison: Depression Addiction Anxiety Anger Loneliness Resentment Self-hatred If you find yourself in any of these states for prolonged periods of time, and want some freedom from negativity, consider freeing yourself by delving down and digging [...]

For years, my answer was “Less anxiety, more peace of mind!” All my energies went toward finding a way to lower my anxiety levels and increase my peace and serenity. That’s how I knew how important it was. What ONE thing do you most want to change in your life? Is it switching to a [...]

Last week I asked readers what they’d like to hear about. The overwhelming choice: Understanding insanity – where it comes from and how to circumvent it. So what is insanity? We’re not talking the textbook definition here – the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness —Oxford Dictionary Although sometimes it may feel like this! [...]

This week I asked readers to list the main obstacle to their peace of mind. These were the winners, in order of “popularity.” Anxiety Not accepting everything exactly as it is – a.k.a: Believing “I” am in charge Uncontrolled reactions Insanity (however you define it) Dissatisfaction with circumstances Negative self-talk Obsessive thinking Not living in [...]

“Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people.” —Jawaharlal Nehru The journey from insanity to serenity is often long and [...]

It doesn’t seem to make sense, but when we desperately want relief from stress and anxiety, the thing to do is dive straight into our emotional pain. It’s so counterintuitive – we’re trying to get rid of pain, why would we jump right into it? Because: Avoiding pain means we get to keep it – [...]

Anyone get this message growing up: “Think of yourself first!”? What, nobody? In fact, most of us learned the very opposite – “How selfish to put yourself before others! Put others’ needs first.” Isn’t putting others before ourselves a selfless act? It seems to make sense, but here’s the problem: When we give before we [...]

When a storm of life passes through, whipping up turbulence around us, we feel no control over our destiny. Things are happening to us, and it seems the best response is to be defensive. Reacting to the storm out of fear, we may lash out to push through it or turn inward to protect ourselves. [...]

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. —John 8:32, King James Bible The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off. —Gloria Steinem The recent post on denial discussed how blinding ourselves to the truth is sometimes an essential life coping mechanism. Some truths are too [...]