Most people gravitate to meditation primarily for its relaxation and calming benefits.  However, in addition to  calming, it also provides many profound possibilities for transformation. 

As a meditation teacher and someone who has been meditating from a young age, it is easy to forget and even overlook the significant and small changes that have resulted from consistent practice.  Writing this article is a wonderful reminder.

The success of any new or developing habit depends on several factors.  A very important one is regular review of our motivation and the benefits of the habit.  For example, if you are engaging in a healthy eating plan, a quit-smoking regimen, or a new meditation practice, then recalling your reason for undertaking it, the required daily tasks, and the benefits will help you refocus, adapt, and remain inspired until you reach your goal. 

An important support to meditation is reflection.  Reflection can be done on the go; while walking or doing things you can think deeply about life experiences to gain an understanding or insight about them. Formal meditation is sitting still on the meditation cushion/chair and meditating on the contemplation insights to gain a deeper felt experience of them.  This combination of noticing, reflecting, and meditating on experiences will help you gain control over your behavior, thoughts, speech, and feelings to empower and transform you to meet your life goals.

I’ve broken down the benefits of meditation into categories simply for the ease of reading and grasping, but in reality the benefits overlap and are compounded with one change affecting and building on another.

Develop valuable life skills
Intelligence alone isn’t enough to ensure successful and meaningful relationships or even a prosperous life; it also depends on having vital life skills.  Life skills grow our emotional and mental resilience (emotional intelligence), so we are able to effectively deal with emotional demands, mental pressures, and social expectations in skillful beneficial ways.  Regular reflection and meditation practice

• Helps us become flexible so we are able to adapt to ever shifting and impermanent life situations
• Shows us that we can cope and survive current challenges just as we did previous ones
• Grows resilience, i.e. aids in quicker recovery after stressful situations
• Reframes situations so we can see different perspectives
• Reduces distractibility to deepen focus on tasks for increased productivity

Cultivate clear seeing and awareness
We believe that the way people, situations, and things appear to us are actually how they are.  In fact, our perception is almost always clouded by emotion. The two most important emotions affecting how we process and relate to our life experiences are attachment and aversion. Another way of saying this is liking and disliking.  As an example, attachment or desire is wanting a new car which causes us to exaggerate its good qualities and overlook any faults. Then when we have the car, our attachment makes us afraid the car will get damaged or stolen. Aversion is disliking or hating someone or something, and only focusing on their or its negative qualities, and overlooking the good qualities. Or it could manifest as being in a challenging situation and only focusing on the hardship of it. Liking and disliking increases our pain and anxiety, and causes us to act in ways that are damaging to ourselves and others. When these emotions are operating our ability to see clearly is severely impaired.  A regular meditation and reflection practice

• Cultivates the ability to objectively observe our emotions and thoughts, which empowers us to remain clearheaded and calm in challenging situations
• Develops equanimity which is to remain aware and compassionate without liking pleasant and disliking unpleasant situations
• Decreases reactivity by reflecting on the best course of action
• Aids in clear decision making
• Helps recognize that “good and bad” experiences are a temporary aspect of life

Getting to know ourselves
The Tibetan meaning of the word for meditation is ‘growing familiarity’.  In meditation we are becoming familiar with ourselves and whatever other object of meditation we are choosing to focus on.  Every time we make the effort to sit in meditation, we are demonstrating determination and steadfastness in connecting with and getting to know ourselves. In the meditation space, we experience ourselves as we are and let go of judgments of ourselves and others. We learn to deal with our expectations, idiosyncrasies, beliefs, attitudes, and blind spots. Meditation and reflection practice

• Stops rumination by noticing spiraling or runaway thoughts
• Regulates emotions and feelings through acceptance, and non judgment 
• Grows self-compassion for improved health and wellbeing by practicing kindness and acceptance
• Relieves feelings of depression, isolation, and loneliness by revealing our interconnectedness with other beings.

The overarching idea is that while meditating requires individual effort, the impact and benefit are widespread.  

​The beneficial changes meditation creates in one individual tend to ripple out and affect our personal and professional relationships and society, as well. So ultimately our personal effort and commitment to a meditation practice can have a global effect.

May your perseverance in meditation lead you to great well-being.

In uncertain, stressful times much may seem out of our control. At such times it is particularly important to reflect on the things that are within our control .

The one thing most out of control in our lives is our minds. An untamed mind is a constant source of joy and sadness. We know from experience the rollercoaster ride we go through when our thoughts and emotions buoy us up and then drop us in troughs. These yo-yoing experiences arise because we aren’t aware of what’s happening in our mind. When we are unconscious of the content of our mind’s activity we are taken by surprise and consequently get uncontrollably sucked into situations.



Meditation is any method that helps keep the mind from wandering, and that helps us experience things as they really are. Meditation isn’t:

• trying to stop thoughts. It is making the mind workable or manageable, so that it can function optimally in an unpredictable world.
• meant to numb us to life’s ups and downs, but instead prepares us to be present for ourselves in every situation, and to remain aware without getting swept up in situations, runaway thoughts, and topsy-turvy emotions.

Formal sitting meditation trains the mind to inhabit a serene part of the experience spectrum so that it (and consequently you) aren’t tossed from one extreme to another. This is called equanimity.  In meditation we discover that each moment is fluid, unpredictable, and unique. This realization clarifies how unrealistic it is trying to control every external phenomenon and person so that we can feel safe.

The Indian sage, Shantideva, described this struggle in an analogy. He said it is as if we are trying to cover the entire earth with leather, so that we don’t injure and bruise our bare feet. Clearly that’s impossible. The only thing you can do is to wrap your own feet in leather to protect yourself.  Recall how often we have tried to control external forces by putting out one fire after another, all so we don’t suffer. This failed strategy only leads to increased stress and frustration.

The most effective way to deal with the irritating co-worker or neighbor, physical and emotional pain, and unfair work or world situation is to work with your own mind. Learning to meditate is the ultimate protection from life’s irritations, and the best tool for empowering you to live a calm, aware, and skillful life in a challenging world.

There are many different types of meditation with different purposes and benefits. Below are just a few of the more widely known meditation techniques:

• Mindfulness Meditation – breathing, open awareness - grows awareness or consciousness of our feelings, thoughts, experiences, sensations in the moment – calms, increases focus - good for rushed and “unconscious” people
• Movement Meditation – Tai Chi, Qi Gong, walking meditation, yoga – links breath and movement to increase mind-body connectedness and energy – good for active people
• Mantra or Repetition Meditation – focuses the mind through phrase repetition and increased vibration – good for people drawn to sound
• Relaxation Meditation – body scanning, progressive relaxation – soothes anxiety and physical tension through focused attention on the body – good for stressed, anxious people
• Loving Kindness & Equanimity Meditation – expands the mind and cultivates feelings of openness, love, kindness, and compassion for self and others –good for angry, clingy, and shut off or indifferent people
• Visualization Meditation – harnesses the senses and imagination to create vivid healing, positive scenes -- promotes healing, and inspires action – good for stressed, unmotivated people
• Analytical Meditation – helps gain clarity and understanding, develops insight and wisdom about complex issues and the nature of reality – good for everyone 

 
When choosing a meditation technique it is important to consider your personality and temperament and to choose a technique that resonates with you, your goals, and needs.

To effectively do this, begin by getting to know yourself a little better.  Take a few minutes a day to reflect on your life, goals, needs, and your way of dealing with the world. You can also do this by noticing your likes and dislikes, and your attitude and reactions to things and situations.

You could also choose to work with someone who can guide you to the best technique when you're beginning
 and who will progressively lead you to other suitable meditation techniques as your skill level develops. 
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I will be teaching a beginning online mindfulness meditation class, which introduces students to several different meditation techniques focused on calming, growing attentiveness, and wellbeing. Check it out here. Hope to see you in class.

May you be supported and empowered in your journey to wellness.

Success means many things to different people.  One of the hallmarks of success is being able to listen not only to others but to oneself as well.

However, with the deluge of information we are exposed to, it is not easy to distinguish our own thoughts from those we regularly hear from the world around us. Each day we are told what to desire, what to think, how to feel, what to choose, so it is hard to tease apart our own thoughts and feelings from the externally imposed ones.
 
We know from experience when we look back on situations in which we wished we had spoken up or regretted missing an opportunity, that we let ourselves down because we were confused by other opinions, or were too afraid to listen to our inner voice, instinct, or intuition.  And the converse is also true: on the occasions we did respond to our inner calling we remember how our self-trust and self-confidence soared.

To reestablish a connection and relationship with yourself, try to do some of the following steps each day.
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• Know Your Values:  think about what matters deeply to you.  Examine your life and note what brings you joy. Clarify your values to see if they are indeed bringing your desired result. For example, if you value money or fame, then imagine living your life being governed by that value. Pay attention to your feelings: are you sad, lonely, happy? Check to see if your desire for fame relates more to wanting acceptance. Ultimately follow the values that lead you to greater peace and joy.

 

• Honor Your Decision Making: you may lack trust in yourself because you have made bad decisions in the past.  Consequently your trust in yourself to take care of yourself is teetering.  But that was the past.  Start fresh (it’s a new year) and then move forward.  Learn how to make sound, beneficial decisions and then act on them.  Establish this habit of making wise decisions and you’ll build credibility with yourself.  You will also feel stronger and surer about taking your life in the direction you want.

 

• Recognize Your Message Delivery System: you are a unique being and your inner guidance will arrive in a way that is consistent with who you are. First acknowledge that your messages don’t need to be the same as others' nor do they have to arrive at the same time as others'.  Get to know how you receive instinctive answers and guidance. The only way to do this is to pay attention and notice patterns.  E.g., I receive answers when I, for no apparent reason, open a random book on the bookshelf, or suddenly feel the urge to break the silence by turning on the radio; typically I will receive an answer to some question that has been plaguing me. Your answer could come as a feeling, an image, hearing a voice, or in a dream.  

 

• Stop Self Shaming: some people think that being unkind to themselves is a good motivator to keep forging ahead.  Actually self-shaming isn’t a useful change agent because it causes depression, defensiveness, resentment, and reactivity. Notice your internal dialogue, such as, "I'm a failure", and replace the thought with a truthful statement that will challenge the negative self-talk.  Switch it to, “I am not good at some things, but I’m good at these (name several) things.”  Remind yourself that you have thoughts, but you aren’t your thoughts. Get into the habit of overriding the voice of your inner critic.

 

• Unearth Core Beliefs:  core beliefs are opinions you have about life, yourself, and others.  They aren’t facts, but we take them to be so.  Typically these are learned in childhood and can rule our lives if we aren’t aware of them.  Until they are brought to the surface of our awareness and dealt with properly, they will influence how we live and will affect our decision making.  Empower yourself by working with a counsellor, mentor, or coach to help you uncover your unconscious core beliefs. 

 

• Take Time to Clear your Mind: each day make a little time to connect to your inner voice. To sift through all the thoughts tumbling around in your mind, free write.  Sit down with pen and paper and just begin writing with no topic in mind.  Keep writing nonstop for about 10 minutes or longer.  Jot down all your thoughts and soon you will uncover your real feelings and thoughts; you will connect to your real voice or inner guidance. Or sit silently, eyes closed and ask yourself a question.  Then watch and wait for thoughts to bubble up in your mind.  You will know when your answer arises because your body, emotions, and mind will feel its arrival.  

Listening to yourself will help you fulfill your goals and attain your idea of success.  It will help you feel happier and improve your self-esteem.

May you follow the voice of your inner guide.

2020 has been a year of enormous change.

We’ve lived through almost an entire year of upheaval with varying degrees of success in our coping methods. But this year has also been an extreme example of life-shattering imposed change.

Within this larger shift, we also experience smaller alterations and modifications in our lives.  Using these less fear-inducing changes as a training ground, we can grow our resilience and coping skills to prepare us to handle big changes.

By all accounts, 2021 is likely to require us to continue adapting to new ways of thinking, acting, and being.

If we have the mindset that change is problematic and should not happen then we’ll experience greater discomfort and suffering.  The Buddha called this the second arrow.  The first arrow is the incident that created the pain, e.g. touching a hot pot without a glove and getting burned.  The second arrow is the mental anguish or irritation we feel towards ourselves for making the mistake.


The only way to successfully work with and truly grasp life’s impermanent nature is to remain present, and to learn to move with its fluctuating rhythm.

Reflect on the following insights to help grow your resilience and flexibility.
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• Everything Changes – we would like things to stay the same because that makes us feel secure, but permanence is an illusion.  Nothing is permanent. Change is constant.  Our suffering increases when we struggle to make everything concrete and solid, and exactly the way we want it to be.  In actuality everything is constantly moving.  We can have a happier, peaceful state of mind when we grow our acceptance of change.

 

• Perception Matters – the state of our mind influences how we perceive our experiences.  If we are feeling upbeat things “appear” better, if we are down they "appear" unbearable.  In reality not too much changes from day to day, and yet depending on our mood, things can feel either manageable or unmanageable.  Check in with yourself regularly.  Remind yourself to account for your current outlook in your handling of situations.  Accustom your mind to expect and prepare for challenges and the unplanned.

 

• Be Grateful – when we feel we aren’t coping or changes are overwhelming, we can sink into a funk.  The tendency then is to spiral into negative thinking.  At such a time it is important to consciously recall all the positive things that are actually going right in your life: you have your health, family, friends, home.  Think about the people who don’t have what you have and be grateful.

 

• Acknowledge Feelings – embrace, accept, and connect to yourself in a meaningful way. Change is challenging, especially if it is unwanted.  So set time aside to allow bodily sensations, emotional feelings, and mental cogitations to arise as they will without trying to control them. With a welcoming attitude, simply observe them as they arise without getting swept up in them. Remind yourself that all situations are temporary and then try to go with the flow.  Like you would with a friend, wish yourself to be free of the pain, and extend that wish to all beings. Pay attention to feelings of release and softening when you do this practice.

Make mental and journal notes of your coping methods for the challenges you’ve overcome. Honor your struggle and celebrate your successes in skillfully coping and adapting.  Know that you have come out stronger for having undergone those changes.

May you meet change with calm acceptance and courage.

In our hyper-competitive, greed-driven world, it is easy to lose focus of our humanity. We fail to recognize that our lives are enmeshed with the lives of people both in our immediate vicinity and with those around the world, and that so often it is the effort of these people who contribute to the ease and comfort in our lives. 

It is easy to lose track of the value of human connection because so much praise and attention is directed towards those who are aggressive and who win at all cost.

Counterintuitively though, real success comes from being cooperative, respectful, and tactful in our interactions and relationships, and in being civil to the strangers in our world.  The combination of these and other similar qualities like consideration and discretion are called common decency, or graciousness.

We call its opposite - disgraceful behavior - when a person behaves in a selfish, uncaring manner by not honoring a commitment, taking advantage of others, shaming others, or being cruel.

To reconnect and repair relationships with those from whom we feel alienated and disconnected, we have to make the effort to consciously and deliberately recall and reawaken common courtesy or decency in our interactions and engagements.

Here are some suggestions:

Being Tactful – Speaking directly and honestly is important.  However, we have to temper what and when we speak by checking if it is necessary, truthful, and helpful, and if it can be said kindly. Tact is being sensitive when communicating about difficult issues, and often it can manifest as not expressing our thoughts or feelings at all.  For example avoid mentioning an invitation in front of others who may not have been invited to an event, or don’t brag and boast about your achievements, and don’t mock others for their mistakes.

Being Courteous – it is normal and healthy to have emotional, ideological, and political differences which make for an invigorating, diverse society.  It is equally important to be mindful when expressing a difference of opinion that we do not attack the person (ad hominem attack).  Knowing your motivation for speaking will help you become clear on whether you are simply wishing to express an opposing viewpoint, or if you are trying to crush or shame the other person into submission.  At the end of the interaction both parties should leave with their dignity and humanity intact even if the parties still cleave to their opinions. 

When we feel wronged or that our rights have been infringed upon it is especially important in such fraught situations to be on the alert to not lose our temper or be rude and accusatory. If it is a situation where someone rudely cuts in front of us we can quietly let such a breach simply slide.  We don’t have to always argue to prove we are right even when logic is on our side.

Being Calm and Aware – Become aware of and actively train yourself to notice the situations that trigger frustration, jealousy, greed, and apathy in you. Also identify the people who know how to work you up.  In such tinder-box situations your habit of screaming and shouting or acting greedily etc. can arise with lightning speed, and your goal of being kind and considerate in your interactions will quickly evaporate.  So empower yourself in advance by thinking of strategies or skills you can employ to distract and deflect yourself.  Take a walk, look at the sky, remind yourself to be quiet and listen for example.

Being the Bigger Person – A sure fire way of maintaining your focus on being tactful and respectful in your dealings with others is to get into the habit of treating everyone – from a waiter, mailman, janitor to an executive - by acknowledging their human dignity and treating them with courtesy.   The advantages are that you will earn their respect, and your own mind will remain more even-keeled and calmer.

If you do lose your temper or are rude, then apologize or express regret for your unskillful behavior as soon as possible. It shows them you are willing to be vulnerable and human with them and it helps them feel better.

Ultimately the best strategy is to remember that everyone wants to be treated in the same way you would like to be treated.  If your motivation is to ensure meaningful and heartfelt conversations and relationships with the people in your life then the skillful strategies listed above will help you achieve that goal.

May your life and those you interact with be filled grace and consideration.

Conflict is rising throughout the world.

Our beliefs about people with whom we disagree cause us to easily distrust and dismiss them. In the heat of passion, these beliefs can appear completely rational, solid, and unchanging. 

We may overlook the fact that as little children, we didn’t see others as different from ourselves; we didn’t see us and them.  And even as adults, in spite of our ideological leanings, most of us will wince when we see a fellow being in pain.  This instinctive response points to our shared humanity and deep-rooted connection.

We are changeable beings.

The current state of world affairs demands that we now reconnect to our fundamental human nature of being open, and having a balanced mind in our relationships with each other.

The benefits of being equanimous are: you will be happier and more peaceful;  your relationships will be more harmonious; you will be healthier and more resilient in stressful situations. 

When each person lives from this empowered peaceful part of his or herself, we will live in a world with greater goodwill in our relationships.

The following contemplation is especially effective in uncovering unconscious belief patterns that influence our interactions.  
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CONTEMPLATION:

• Breathe away tension and begin to relax.
• Bring to mind 3 people: a liked person, a neutral person, and an irritating/hated person.
• Observe your feelings when you think about these people.  Simply notice and recognize what’s arising. 
• Ask yourself: why do I feel differently towards these 3 people?
• Consider the liked person.  Is it true that this friend has always been good to me? Will this person always be of help to me? Think, there was a time this friend was a stranger, and, as it happens, one day you may lose touch.
• Consider the disliked person.  What about this person makes me think of them as my enemy? Has this person always only ever harmed me? Think there was a time this enemy was my friend and before that a stranger.
• Consider the neutral person.  What about this person makes me overlook them?  Why don’t I consider him/her a friend or enemy? Think one day this person could easily be my enemy or friend.
• Pay special attention to the shifting, changing nature of these relationships.
• All these views pivot off our liking, indifference, and disliking the people.  Our reaction is based on the “liked” person helps and encourages, the “neutral” person neither helps nor harms, and the “disliked” person harms us or our family.

This meditation clarifies the circumstantial and constantly changing nature of our relationships, showing the fluid transition of friends to enemies, strangers to friends, and enemies to friends.  Most importantly, it reminds us that our emotions influence our perspective, and that it is only in our minds that they are permanently friend, stranger, or enemy, for e.g. your enemy is someone else's best friend, your friend is a stranger to someone else and so on.

We are multifaceted and fluid beings who can respond to changing circumstances.  The story of Christian Piccolino who transformed from a Neo Nazi to befriending Blacks exemplifies this kind of radical change.  His story gives us hope for a healthier happier world.

 As we come out of the election campaign and enter the holiday season, when you are next interacting with any of these people, keep in mind the takeaways from your reflection.

May our balanced thinking honor the dignity of each being and connect us to our own humanity.

In a pandemic ravaged, rapidly changing world where propaganda is proliferating, and traditionally reliable information is being doubted, it feels increasingly difficult to make well-informed satisfying decisions.
 
The enormity of decisions these days have life and death consequences and life-altering possibilities:  should we send our children back to brick and mortar classrooms, go to polling stations, withdraw our children from international studies, volunteer, relocate to another state for our children’s athletic careers, or accept early retirement that has come way too early? 
 
When our emotions are highly charged our ability to make clear decisions are impaired.  Emotions derail our thinking process, and make us unhappy with ourselves and the choices we make.
 
Some people make decisions based on always going for the best option (Maximizers), whereas other people (Satisficers) are content with meeting their minimum criteria. Which are you?  Are you a Maximizer constantly exploring and revisiting options, and comparing your own and others’ choices?  Or are you a Satisficer happy with decisions taken and rarely look back? 
 
The following suggestions on mindfully making decisions may relieve anxiety, and lead you to greater satisfaction with those choices:
 
Be Present:
The present moment is filled with all we need to know.  From it, we gain information and a complete picture of our situation.  It is important to remember that no situation, person, or thing is inherently bad or good or exactly the way we perceive them to be; everything has complex contributing factors feeding into it.  So ultimately everything is nuanced.  When our decisions are motivated by fear, anger, desire, or attachment, our perspective narrows down, we exaggerate and place qualities onto the situation or person, and we lose sight of the bigger picture.  This is an exhausting and demoralizing way to make choices.  To avoid this, remain grounded in the present, gain wider perspective, and examine past experiences to learn from them. 
 
Small Steps:
If you are overwhelmed by making weighty decisions, practice making small or non-consequential decisions first.  Instead of always having a sandwich for lunch, choose a salad.  Notice your mental and emotional reactions; is there regret or pleasure? Ask yourself what the cons were with regard to your choice.  Chances are there won’t be any.  Apply this strategy to any situation requiring a choice.
 
Priorities:
Know what matters most to you.  Being clear about your values will ensure that you make decisions in alignment with them.  Stress-based decisions can focus heavily on future rewards (like a big salary) and overlook long term priorities (like spending time with family).  If you are unclear about your values, take some time now to jot them down, and begin living from them.  You will be happier in the long run with decisions made this way.
 
Rest:
The ability to make a wise decision is greatly enhanced when we are well rested. Research shows we process and absorb information during sleep.  So don’t overlook this necessary step when a big decision is due.  Take time to also walk, exercise, dance, and meditate.  Create space around yourself physically and mentally, as this makes it easier to process information and decide on options.
 
Think Clearly:
Emotions distort our ability to see clearly.  The best decision making process is to rely on your thinking.  Make lists of pros and cons of each option available to you.  Consider different outcomes and scenarios based on the decision.  Then reflect on what you know and whether your decision makes sense with that knowledge.
 
Self-Reliance:
Ultimately in the decision making process, the final decision is our own.  Trusting our ability to make the right choices, feeling confident about yourself, and reassuring yourself of your coping ability and resilience are qualities you will need to recollect now.  After reflecting on and evaluating the decision you have to make, trust your instinct.  Remind yourself the only thing within your control are the choices you make.
 
May your choices lead you to happiness and peace.  
 
 

The BBC ran an article, The Batman Effect about stars who overcome anxiety and fear before big performances by creating a separate entity or alter ego that embodies assertiveness and confidence.

According to the article, new research supports this idea as a beneficial strategy for allowing us to access the empowered parts of ourselves when we are facing difficult or stressful situations.

A related idea in mindfulness practice is the concept of creating distance between ourselves and fraught situations, so that we are able to think dispassionately.  This mindfulness gap separates us from anxiety, fear, anger, and unhelpful feelings that impact our ability to think clearly, act wisely, and behave compassionately towards ourselves and others in the heat of the moment.

The added benefits of distance and objective observation are that we are able to process solutions, devise plans of action, clarify goals, and connect with our coping skills.  And most importantly this gap prevents us from reacting.
Normally when life gives us what we don’t want, or doesn’t give us what we do want, we tend to lash out angrily, complain, blame, insult, or become sullen and depressed.

Instead of tightly identifying with ourselves by thinking, “I feel…” or “I think…” this psychological gap allows us to adopt another perspective.  We are then better able to manage our feelings, and focus on what’s doable and achievable, and not let our feelings derail us.

By creating distance between ourselves and the current upheaval, we subvert reacting by actively taking control of how we feel, think about, and deal with the issue.  We choose the mind state that will be most beneficial for everyone involved.

This shift in perspective is hugely empowering. 

In addition to helping us skillfully negotiate challenging encounters, we also gain the opportunity to practice self-compassion (another key component of mindfulness practice).  In that mindful space, we can speak to ourselves with the same kindness and encouragement we would use when speaking to a best friend.  So the next time, you need to be patient, generous, determined, and focused, speak to yourself using, “You can do this”, “You are capable” instead of “I can do it”   

To connect with your more empowered self:

• spend quiet time getting to know yourself,
• review past experiences which you feel you carried off gracefully and with kindness for yourself and others,
• pay particular attention to the coping skills and capabilities you put into action,
• study and practice the qualities of people you admire, respect, and aspire to become like,
• visualize yourself in the role of your future self; as you go through the day pretend you already have the fearlessness, confidence, strength, energy, wisdom, kindness, and all the qualities you would like to grow.

Separating from unhelpful feelings and situations will give you the sense of being in control of yourself and the outcomes you desire. 

​May you connect to your deeper, empowered self.

Our ability to be flexible, curious, and open in a world that is rapidly changing is probably the most empowering thing we can do for ourselves right now.

All of us have experienced the anxiety, pain, and wretchedly impotent feeling of being stuck in a rigid mindset and churning emotions with no way of extricating ourselves.
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Inflexibility manifests in all aspects of our being:

• Emotional - being unwilling to feel discomfort or unpleasant feelings, suppressing painful emotions.
• Mental - clinging to beliefs and ideas that are proven wrong, sticking to unsuccessful ways of doing things and problem solving.
• Physical - having tense strained musculature, shallow breathing, stiff movement.

Flexibility is the ability to recognize and regulate one’s emotions and thoughts (and body) in different environments. Essentially this means being adaptable and knowing the best way to manage different aspects of our being in different settings. 

We don’t live in cocoons, so being aware of how we portray ourselves to others in body, mind, and emotions is vital to our overall success.  A strong predictor of a sense of well-being and mental health is knowing how and when to adapt our thoughts, feelings, and behavior to changing conditions.

We begin by priming the mind for this change. Being convinced of the value in being flexible will help you commit and persevere; this in itself will begin to decrease anxiety and depression.  Prepare the mind by increasing awareness of your thoughts and emotions.

Mindfulness for Growing Flexibility
A powerful way to increase awareness of our inner and outer worlds is with mindfulness practices.

They grow our presence to notice what’s happening.  We train ourselves to be accepting as situations unfold and to avoid reacting.  For example we notice when we are becoming judgmental of ourselves and others, and rather than reactively suppressing the judgmental thoughts and emotions, we observe ourselves and the environment.  If the situation is very anxiety provoking, then we can shift our awareness away from the thoughts and emotions and to our breathing.  These practices can easily fit into our daily routines and can be done on the spot. 

Clarifying the concept of acceptance: when we become aware of uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and emotions, we welcome them and do not ignore them.  We explore them with interest, so we can better understand them. Acceptance is not judging our feelings, thoughts, and emotions as pleasant or horrible.

To live with greater ease, we develop a strong awareness of life’s constant change. Knowing that things are impermanent creates space for us to open up to difficult feelings and situations because we know they won’t last forever. This understanding also helps us see that we don’t always have to act for things to change.

The more we practice awareness, acceptance, and allowing, the more flexible our mind and body become.  The more fluid and relaxed our mind and body are, the more pleasant our personal, work, and social life.

Test your overall suppleness:

• Are you open to other’s opinions and ideas?
• Do you stick to the same routine every day?
• Do you try new experiences?
• Do you do things without a plan?
• Do you dance with abandon?
• Are you willing to try and fail?

Growing your Pliancy.  Try out these suggestions:

• Emotional – allow and be with your feelings, journal your feelings, express your emotions aloud or in writing, cry if the urge arises, share with a trusted friend or therapist.
• Mental – try learning a new subject, be spontaneous, alter your daily route to work or the grocery store, try changing your perspective, start a meditation regimen that requires discipline.
• Physical -  try different cuisines, alter and increase the intensity of your workout routine, practice yoga and stretching, breathe deeply.

Choose the techniques that work best for you, or research other ways to empower yourself by increasing psychological flexibility.

May your newfound mind-body pliancy bring you peace.

When I was teaching argumentative essay writing, my regular refrain to students was for them to ask themselves “Why do I believe what I believe?” Embedded in this one question are other relevant ones: “What caused me to believe this?” and “When did I begin to feel this way?”

These are important questions for us to reflect on routinely, but now they are especially imperative.  Our world is changing – the environment and planet are under threat, the human race is facing a tenacious viral pandemic, and the inequitable, disenfranchising socio-economic-political status quo is no longer being tolerated. 

Given the multifaceted challenges facing all beings on this planet, how we can evolve and adapt to a rapidly changing world?  

Research shows that the human brain loves learning and is always ready for change; this is called brain plasticity. Being curious about and growing familiar with the attitudes, expectations, and ideas we have of ourselves and the world around us is the best preparation for change, increased resilience, and improved coping skills. 

What are beliefs? 
Beliefs are thoughts, attitudes, or opinions that we hold to be true.  According to Suze Casey (developer of Belief Re-Patterning) beliefs are thoughts coupled with emotions that are habitually repeated and begin to feel like reality. These definitions show how problematic unquestioned beliefs or opinions can be.  Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living."

So in the quest to examine our lives, we question our beliefs to:

• not necessarily change them but to understand their function in our lives;
• expose them and to make the unconscious conscious, so we are no longer at the mercy of the unknown;
• see if they are serving us well in living in alignment with our ethics and life goals. 

Our beliefs affects us emotionally, mentally, and physically.  When we are in a funk and depressed, what we believe about ourselves and the world makes us sad and hopeless.  When we are angry, every situation and person becomes aggravating and infuriating.  When we are worried and anxious, everything becomes stressful and scary.

To improve our relationship with ourselves and others, and to live happier, fulfilled lives, we can ask ourselves

• What do I believe about_______________________?
• Where did this belief come from?
• What would someone with a different opinion say about this issue?
• How can I educate myself about this issue and get different perspectives on it?
• What would happen if I changed my mind?

For us to create a future we envision for ourselves and other beings, we need to acknowledge that such self-exploration can be uncomfortable, but is absolutely necessary for discovering inner obstacles to our life goals.

At the same time, being kind and gentle with yourself is equally important. Remind yourself that this is an exploration and all revelations are learning and growth opportunities.
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May your journey to greater self-knowledge be fulfilling and illuminating.