Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes” Walt Whitman Dealing effectively with difficult people is a life skill because without it, we can be robbed of our well-being, productivity, sleep, our kindness and generosity. By far, the most challenging kind of person to deal with is the A**hole, which has been...Read More

In a scientific dialogue amongst social scientists and the Dalai Lama, published under the title Destructive Emotions the notion of American compassion was raised. It was explained that in the U.S., many people have great compassion for others, yet suffer greatly with low self-worth and self-contempt. Our American understanding of compassion applies only to others...Read More

Wisdom is indemonstrable, art uncertain, strength powerless, wealth useless and speech impotent if health be absent. Greek Anatomist Herophilus, the Father of Anatomy A stunning moment in human history occurred in the 3rd century BC. Two men, who were curious about what caused the pulse, were given permission to dissect the first human cadaver on...Read More

At some point in an adult life, a sense of mission drift can take root. Somewhere the life and the work we love takes a wrong turn, and we end up in a bad neighborhood. This sense of feeling lost can present itself as a frenzied desire to escape, or a sense of dread in...Read More

There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors.”  Jim Morrison Some people spend much of their life confined by their own fears. Fear is a mind-made “never enough” story we tell ourselves that restricts us to the narrow past.  When we are fearful we embody our smallest, least generous selves...Read More

At the mid-point of the path through life, I found myself lost in a wood so dark, the way ahead was blotted out.  Dante, The Divine Comedy, 1307 At one point, in the middle of my life, I realized I wasn’t where I wanted to be.  It felt as if I had wondered into a...Read More

Nothing Ever Becomes Real Until it is Experienced.  John Keats There are several forms of emotional vampires (narcissists, victims, controllers, etc.) who go far beyond aggravating you and have a way of drawing you in and then draining you.  Vampires are different and more dangerous than other annoying people, but they have important commonalities.  Generally, their...Read More

I have been following the science on weight loss, been listening closely to the vegetarian and Paleo communities, and have coached/listened to scores of men and women through significant weight loss. Based on that, here is what I know to be true: First, Address what’s Eating Us: If processed food is being used to fill...Read More

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.    Rita Mae Brown I know when I learn really valuable lessons, I have a tendency to forget what I’ve learned and what is most important to me. Recently, I’ve put trust in a person I had learned earlier is not trustworthy. This experience...Read More

I’m not a mean person, but I have a capacity for it.     Tina Fey A Cherokee grandfather tells his grandson about violence and cruelty in the world.  He describes it as two wolves fighting inside a person’s heart, one is vengeful and angry, the other is understanding and kind. When the boy asked which wolf will win, the grandfather responds, “the one I chose to feed”. I hear stories everyday about large and small...Read More