I’m a big fan of social media, but I must say, some of what’s out there seems like a bunch of meaningless malarkey. Do I really want to hear about people’s delayed flights or whether or not they enjoyed their burrito? Not really. Not unless I’m the one picking them up at the airport or making their food. And in that …
Banishing Boredom
Last night, I went out to dinner at an Indian restaurant with my friend Tracey. She started telling me about her colleagues at work, then her voice suddenly trailed off. “You were saying something about your clients…?” I encouraged her. “I got bored with my story,” she replied, going back to her masala. I laughed. Her honesty was so …
Marble and Mantras: Lessons from Mexico
Last month, I lived in Mexico. The last time I visited Central America, I went as a backpacker, staying in barebones hostels and interacting with low-income, indigenous families. This time, I lived with an upper class, Spanish-descent family, studied at a private language school, and taught at a well-funded university. Wanting to stay in shape while abroad, I enrolled …
My Spacesuit Hurts
One of my favorite quotes is, “We are not humans having a spiritual experience; we are spirits having a human experience.” From this view, we are just visitors on Planet Earth, here to learn life lessons so that we may progress as spirits. In order to survive in this earthly environment, we’ve each borrowed a “spacesuit” that we call a body. …
Don’t Forget to Party
This may seem like a silly reminder, but you’d be surprised how often we forget to celebrate. So caught up in achieving our tasks and goals, we check one off the list, then rush ahead to complete the next. All too often, we forget to pause, pat ourselves on the back, and rejoice. I myself am celebrating today. Exactly one …
Happiness on Hold
“Please hold. A happiness representative will be with you shortly.” Why do so many of us put our happiness on hold? How many times have I heard friends and relatives who hate their jobs say, “It’s only for another 2 more years, 5 more years, 10 more years…?” So many people I’ve talked to who are in relationships that aren’t …
Get Real
Why is it so hard for us to tell people our real feelings? Whether we’re in a work setting, personal relationship, or family scenario, why are we so hesitant to be honest in the moment to someone’s face? Are we afraid to hurt their feelings, afraid of confrontation, not sure what to say, or afraid to say something we might …
Choosing Joy
“Che brutto giorno!” (“What an ugly day!”) the woman scowled, dragging on her cigarette as she looked out at the pouring rain, flooding the streets into rivers. Rosario and I felt otherwise. Laughing as we splashed through the puddles, we jumped from doorstep to doorstep, stopping to make out and embrace under each dry alcove. We arrived back to …
How to Be Happy When Your Life is Crappy
How to be happy is no easy question, nor is there a short answer. Great philosophers and spiritual teachers have spent centuries tackling the quest for human happiness. Letting go of struggle and negativity and freeing yourself to joyously love and be loved is a lifelong journey. Meanwhile, there are a few basic check-points on the road map to happiness that …
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
In difficult situations, it’s often hard to know whether to stay in the situation or walk away, emotionally or literally. Playwright Tennessee Williams advises, “There is a time for departure even when there’s no certain place to go.” On the other hand, Buddhist nun Pema Chodron recommends that we “sit in the fire” until our powerful urges to run away …
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