You Already Know

Laurie Gardner Intuition & inner knowing Leave a Comment

My mind was full of questions and my body empty of food as I sat overlooking the canyon.  During recent months, I had lost faith in myself and my life dreams.  Was I really good enough to write a book that would inspire others?  Would I ever meet “the One” and fall in love?  I took myself to the place where …

Choosing Joy

Laurie Gardner Happiness Leave a Comment

“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 …

Lighten Up!

Laurie Gardner Attitude adjustment, Happiness Leave a Comment

Why are we so intense in our culture?  Why do we tend to work so hard and take ourselves and life so seriously?  What happened to our carefree days of childhood, when we would spend all day playing, laughing, and eating?  Perhaps school squashed the lightness out of us, perhaps our families did, or perhaps both.  How do we regain it …

Unleashing Your Passion

Laurie Gardner Love & relationships, Purpose & passion Leave a Comment

When’s the last time you had really amazing sex?  When’s the last time you’ve moaned in ecstasy during an orgasm or while eating or drinking something that made your toes curl?  When’s the last time you’ve gasped with delight at the beauty of a painting or sculpture, hooted spontaneously, or were moved to joyful tears by the colors of a really …

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Laurie Gardner Difficult situations, Intuition & inner knowing Leave a Comment

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 …