We Prepare to Begin Why is it such a challenge for us to begin something new? Many of us resist beginning each morning. Some of us procrastinate to put off beginning new projects. I know people who practice distracting themselves with obstacle after obstacle so they do not have to begin. Some people rely on preparation to avoid beginning. They may not feel they are ready to start. There is so much more for them to learn and take into… Read more

What Sparks the Fire of Spiritual Life? There are days when sparking the fire of spiritual life can feel like too much of a challenge. I care about spiritual life and spend a lot of time reflecting on it, and it can be difficult even for me. Some days it seems like more than we can do to get excited about spiritual life. There are days when we are tired. We may feel frustrated, repeating spiritual practices which do not… Read more

Turning Things Upside Down Some of us believe spiritual life is a warm, soft blanket we wrap around ourselves to be comfortable. We like to think spiritual life is full of traditions and stories to make us feel safe. Spiritual life can seem like getting a flu shot. Every so often we experience a jab of inconvenience but it is good for us and saves us from suffering. There is an assumption spiritual life is fine for people who enjoy… Read more

Taking Steps Toward Spiritual Life Many of us are looking for a set of clear, measurable steps we can take toward spiritual life. We are not looking for easy answers or for someone to tell us what to do. If only we had somewhere we could start, a plan for taking our first step and our next. We understand spiritual life is neither a checklist nor a math problem. What can we do? Our steps do not bring us closer… Read more

Are Our Holidays Happy? Happy Holidays! How often have we already heard someone wish us happy holidays, and how often will we during the next month? Will it make our holidays happy? I talk with quite a few people whose holidays are not especially happy. People tell me this time of year makes them feel stressed, sad, and depressed. They feel pressure to do the shopping they do not enjoy. There seems to be a general expectation we will make… Read more

Are We Practicing Gratitude? Some of us spend November focused on practicing gratitude. I know people who keep a gratitude journal during November. They intentionally choose one thing each day of the whole month and try to pay attention to being grateful for it. Other people try to spend November practicing 30 Days of Gratitude. They post on various social media each day describing their gratitude for the good things which fill their lives. I appreciate the example of their… Read more