We tell stories of our lives because stories protect us. It is a reminder of our life's suffering and our survival. We adopt stories from the people in our lives, our family, relationships and community. If unchecked, these stories can become barriers to our future. A personal story
Often, people will try to persuade us to do something. It is hard to say no. We are conditioned not to let others down. If you say no, you may disappoint, displease or hurt another. Or saying no means you might miss out on the cool things, or be left
We make decisions all the time. Some are small decisions. Coffee or tea? Red skirt or blue trousers? Drive or bus? Others are big and consequential decisions. Invest or not? Continue or give up? Stay or leave? In our digital world, we receive more information and opinions than ever before.
Intelligent and talented people do certain things that prevent them from fulfilling their potential. Most dangerous of all is the fear of being disliked and the craving for being liked. When you are afraid of being disliked, you try your best to please everyone. You bend backwards, sideways and around
Negative emotions come from thoughts. Feelings of anger, resentment, obsession, hatred, ill-will and self-righteousness grow when we allow our minds to indulge in them. When you hold onto these thoughts, emotional pain and suffering arise immediately. Prolonged obsession with these thoughts become the seed of harmful behaviours. Thoughts of an
You are your breath. Your breath is your life companion. Like your best friend, your breath can tell a lot about your current state. Deep breath. Shallow breath. Fast breath. Calm breath. By breathing and looking deeply, self-understanding arises. The chaos of your mind. The storms in your gut. The
The global pandemic and quarantine forced humanity to take a break. Many have suffered from the tragedies of disease, unemployment, homelessness, social inequalities and climate catastrophe. For some, the global pause is a welcomed break and an unexpected gift. While patiently waiting for this historic moment to pass, I pondered