The great lesson is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one’s daily life, in one’s neighbors, friends, and family, in one’s backyard. ― Abraham Maslow For decades, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has shaped our understanding of human motivation, placing physical needs such as food and shelter at the...Read More

Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again. Jack Kornfield Cows chew their cud as part of their unique digestive process. They regurgitate semi-digested food from the first stomach chamber, re-chew and re-swallow it for further digestion. This process is crucial for extracting nutrients. We humans, on...Read More

The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves. Pema Chodron Resilience has become a buzzword for suffering in silence. The root of “resilience” is the Latin “resilire” “to jump back,” “to recoil,”  In the physical sciences, it’s “elasticity, returning to original shape after compression” The word has been hollowed...Read More

“We cannot pinpoint the exact moment friendship is born—it grows gradually through countless small kindnesses until unexpectedly, the bond is formed without our awareness.” Strong friendships are a cornerstone of meaningful life.  The word “friend” traces back to Germanic roots (frijaz), meaning “free” or “not in bondage.” In the presence of a true friend, we...Read More

Pretending that it can be when it can’t is how people break their hearts. – Elvin Semrad Relentless hope can be a defense mechanism, a shield against confronting painful truths. We see this in relationships with narcissists, where victims cling to the possibility of change despite evidence to the contrary. This phenomenon extends beyond relationships....Read More

Forever is composed of nows.           – Emily Dickinson Great lives are built on strong daily habits.  Self-regulation and consistent bedrock behaviors prevent larger problems and help us reach our potential, steering us away from destructive patterns like doom-scrolling, poor nutrition, and bad relationships.   We don’t want to be in civil war...Read More

We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.                              Joseph Campbell During our recent Wellness Week in Costa Rica, a profound moment of self-discovery unfolded. A colleague...Read More

Organize yourself before you try to organize anything else.  – C. Jay Clutter isn’t just stuff—it’s a slow-motion suffocation of your sanity. Fun fact: Americans spend 2.5 days every year hunting for lost items in homes bursting with  an average of 300,000 items.  Even more disturbing? We’re dropping $2.7 billion annually on storage units just to...Read More

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.                        Mandela I just read Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela’s  autobiography before a recent visit to Cape Town...Read More

If I could name one emotional well-being superpower, it would be mastery of  ‘letting it go’.  When others’ behavior or unchangeable circumstances  gnaw at us, we imprison ourselves.   By quickly accepting and releasing what we cannot control, we alleviate so much suffering and unlock human potential.  Learn to LET. IT. GO. PS: this is not...Read More