And take care of yourself because your journey of growth may have many twists and turns — Recently, I considered shifting from weekly therapy sessions to bi-weekly ones. I go through quiet periods like this when I feel content. Not a single thing had triggered me in any significant way for weeks and weeks. “Maybe I’m healed?” I thought. And I am — much more than ever…

An older pet can remind you to take better care of yourself — It’s not easy to watch your cat age. I assumed she would freeze in time as a healthy adult. But then the signs of aging began, and I freaked out. Naturally, I rushed to give her empathy, assistance, and love as aging gradually limited her life. …

These aren’t real relationships, but I can’t stop watching — Virgin River is a wildly popular American romantic drama currently streaming its fifth season on Netflix. Focused on a large number of evolving couple configurations in a small Northern California town, it represents the kind of fare I passionately decline most of the time. But I gobbled up the first…

#2 The stories they tell about their own generosity — I felt more than a little surprised when I first learned Eckhart Tolle’s estimated net worth sits at $80 million dollars. But that’s peanuts compared to Tony Robbin’s astounding $600 million. These amounts are estimates based on public records. They may not be precisely accurate. But they still point to…

Look for these three qualities in a spiritual teacher and learn from my mistakes — False spiritual teachers abound in this world. But they can be hard to suss out. A wayward spiritual teacher can be irresistibly charismatic, promote an exciting vision, and already have a crowd of enthusiastic followers. And you don’t see what you don’t see. Their transgressions often occur behind closed doors…

Let’s eradicate the critical form of this word from every language — I admit I take things personally. That’s one reason I feel triggered when people use the word “should.” But let’s be honest. “Should” isn’t the nicest or kindest word in the English language. According to data from the Oxford Languages, the verb “should” is: “…used to indicate obligation, duty, or…

And if you lose your voice, don’t despair. You can find it again. — Are you a woman who speaks her mind, stands her ground, and says “stop” to inequality, objectification, and injustice? In this mixed-up world, you might be called “bitchy.” The noun “bitch” simply means a female dog. But “bitch” and the adjective “bitchy” became terms of disparagement applied to women from…

You can experience mind-opening benefits from even a single day of retreat — The bitter cold of winter took hold of Voorheesville, a tiny town in upstate New York where I sat alone in solitary retreat. I had been maneuvered into this retreat by a domineering spiritual teacher. …

What can you do when you look back and only see troubles? — Whatever your age, it feels unpleasant to look back and only recall challenges, struggles, and troubles. Imagine how the unpleasantness compounds after six decades of lived experience. This likely explains why I rarely looked back at my life. I didn’t want to open the Pandora’s box of disturbing emotions. When…