If you had the choice, would you rather be happy or content? I’ve written about happiness several times on these pages, but it recently dawned on me that there’s a subtle difference between the two words. While the dictionary definitions of happy and content are fairly similar, for me happiness is best represented by this image: If you’re familiar with the happy face emoji, you may know that the same face is shown conveying a number of different emotions. It can... Read more
In Beginnings, The First Seven Days of the Rest Your Life, author Steve Wiens offers up a unique addition to the motivational book genre. Steve, a pastor in Minnesota, has tied his main message to the seven days of creation found in the Book of Genesis and the promise of new “beginnings”. Now to be honest, I found the biblical connection a bit tenuous—but it really didn’t matter. Steve is a gifted writer and storyteller, sharing many personal anecdotes and... Read more
January is the time to make big resolutions, and for many of us this includes becoming healthier and more physically fit. But this year, why not strive to improve your spiritual health as well? I recently wrote about how important it can be to start each day with a morning ritual and how it can have a positive effect on your mental and spiritual well-being. For instance, my morning practice includes a morning run, spiritual reading and a moment of... Read more
It’s that time of year again—the time when many Christians begin whining that the true meaning of Christmas is being lost. “Let’s put Christ back into Christmas!” shouts the sign at the Knights of Columbus hall down the street from me. But I’d like to propose that what we really need this Christmas is a little more Santa. The idea was planted in my head by the author Thomas Moore in his recent book A Religion of One’s Own. Moore... Read more
I’ve been reading a book titled Jesus Behaving Badly, and it reminds us that the Jesus of the New Testament exhibited more than a few human traits. Author Mark L. Strauss calls them “the puzzling paradoxes” and they include Jesus losing his temper (Matthew 23:33), Jesus railing against families (Mark 10:29-30) and Jesus being vengeful (the parable of the fig tree). Which got me thinking—if Jesus occasionally showed flashes of anger or spite, didn’t he also experience the whole spectrum... Read more
What makes Thanksgiving so special to us? When you think about it, it’s a very simple idea: family and friends gathering together over a big meal. But beneath that simplicity lies a powerful notion: the concept of giving thanks. In The Worldwide Laws of Life, John Templeton talks about the power of gratitude and how it can act like a magnet. In his words “the more we are grateful for what we have, the more will be given to us.”... Read more
Larry: “I can’t see! I can’t see!” Moe: “What’s the matter?” Larry: “I got my eyes closed!” ~The Three Stooges Funny how inspiration can come to you from the strangest places. When I watched a few minutes of the Three Stooges and heard the dialog above, it got me thinking: How often do we go about our own daily lives with blinders on, oblivious to the small but important things that are happening all around us? Unlike Larry, our eyes... Read more
In Supernatural, Meeting with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind, Graham Hancock writes about the powerful plant hallucinogen ayahuasca and its use by Indian shamans in South America as part of a sacred ritual. It’s a practice that continues through today and recently has attracted many westerners seeking everything from cures to depression to spiritual enlightenment. A funny thing happens when most people take ayahuasca: they share a common vision that hasn’t changed for centuries. They enter a world where powerful... Read more
A response from Michael A. Singer, the author of The Surrender Experiment. I recently wrote about the new book The Surrender Experiment. In a nutshell, it’s about Michael A. Singer’s philosophy that the key to a happy and successful life is to “surrender” to what life brings you, instead of trying to call the shots on your own. Singer believes that life has a plan for us that is better than anything our own minds can conjure up, and that by... Read more
I was recently listening to a podcast by the author Tim Ferriss (The Four Hour Work Week) and was reminded of just how important it can be to establish a morning routine. With regular practice, it can help you get each day off to a fresh, clear-minded start, better prepared for the challenges and opportunities that may come your way. On his podcast, Ferriss regularly talks about “life hacks,” ways to better manage time and squeeze more joy and value... Read more
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