#115 – What is real courage?Zen Buddhist Roshi Joan Halifax describes it as follows:“All too often our so-called strength comes from fear, not love; instead of having a strong back, many of us have a defended front shielding a weak spine. In other wo...

#113 – If 'enduring' brings you down, what's the alternative?I used to think (or feel, or believe) that 'enduring' was a great concept. In my mind, it spoke of resiliency, stoicism, anti-fragility.Maybe because I was into endurance running, and the l...

#113 – And when you don't occupy your Personal Power?Personal Power is intrinsic to all human beings. But some of us relinquish it at times because powerlessness feels easier. Or safer. Or at least more familiar.You don't get into trouble when you pu...

#112 – How does complete Personal Power express itself?When you own yourself entirely, your "ghosts" have no influence over you.When your ghosts don't influence your thoughts or feelings, they don't alter your behavior in any circumstance, no matter...

#111 – How will the Ghost of Need to Prove trip you up?When we're kids, we often feel we're not heard – or not as much as we think we deserve. Grown-ups around us laugh off our opinions because they think we're cute, or too naive, or don't know what...

#110 – Do you notice your minute attack thoughts?Attack thoughts are harmful to the thinker. In fact, the target of our disdain or judgment feels nothing; they aren't changed just because we send them an attack thought.But we are. We become bitter, v...

#109 – What about taking responsibility?The antidote to the victimhood mentality and the tendency to assign blame is, apparently, to take responsibility.But what happens when our Ego, our cruelest inner dictator, takes over, acting like an internaliz...

#108 – What do I need to learn?Yesterday, I bumped into the source of our current family tragedy. The circumstances left no doubt: this person is seeking retaliation—despite having caused the situation they now want revenge for.Everything seems to be...

#107 – How will letting go of resentment make you stronger?A couple days ago, when a photo of a business coach to whom I'd paid a hefty sum for promised (yet unfulfilled) results appeared on my screen, I felt something. An internal, very slight "yike...

#106 – How are physical and mental fears different (or alike)?Fear is fear.Whether it’s a saber-tooth tiger, a calculus test, or descending an icy black diamond ski slope, your body has only one goal: to keep you alive. To prepare for fight or flight...