There's a thread that weaves its way through my life: it's the thread of the ego, that shadowy figure lurking in the depths of my consciousness, embarrassingly relentless in its pursuit of validation and control.

In the chaotic whirlwind of my daily life, I often find myself overwhelmed by constant internal chatter. Inside my head it’s like the IRT subway stop at Times Square during rush hour. In the midst of this mental clutter, I yearn for a sense of peace and tranquility, a moment of respite from the chaos within.

The year is 1969. I am a freshman in high school. Most of my friends are experimenting with alternative realities, marijuana, LSD, and the like. My English teacher offers an after-school yoga class (kinda freaky in 1969), which 3 of us attend. While my friends are getting hooked on weed, I got hooked on yoga.

We all have some internal music playing. Maybe it doesn’t sound like violins or cellos. We all have a heroic mission. We all show up in this life with a purpose.

Henry Ford (and many others) suggested this truth in a nutshell: "If you think you can, you're right. If you think you can't, you're right.” The impact our mindset has on the paths we choose has the power to create the future we want or crush the destiny we create.

In the pursuit of my dreams, doubt sometimes lurks in the shadows, casting a paralyzing blue funk over my aspirations. As I navigate the twists and turns, ups and downs of my journey, it becomes increasingly evident that doubt, not failure, has been my true adversary.

The hedonic treadmill is our tendency to quickly return to the same level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes.

In the 6th century BCE, Lao-Tzu said, “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”

Happiness is a complex and elusive emotion. But is it an emotion? Harvard professor Arthur Brooks says, “Happiness is not a direction. It’s a destination.” It's something we all strive for, but it often outwits us.

Picture this: you’ve spent four years sweating it out on your choice education (or 6 years, or 8), and then, after grinding away at several bread and butter jobs, your dream job turns up. After you nail the interview(s) you embark on this new life with gusto, sharing your excitement with family and gloating with peers. Ten months later you can’t take another day and you’re ready to quit. What happened?

In the tension between doing and being, you can’t properly do unless you be. This delicate balance between action and presence holds the key to unlocking our true potential and living a more fulfilling life.

Every so often life presents challenges. Maybe more often than you think is fair.

If you cannot sort true from false, or right from wrong, if nothing means anything, and your world is filled with deep fakes, if it seems like the Titanic has already hit the iceberg and you can’t patch the hole… isn’t the malaise well warranted? Wrong question. Right question: what are you going to do about it?

Everyone, to some degree has a sense that they are not enough. In order to know that you truly are enough, to experience deep confidence, understand why you doubted yourself in the first place.

It’s not a mystery that our thoughts and emotions play a role in constructing our reality. Up-to-date research in neuroscience and epigenetics has shed new light on the topic, and the evidence is compelling.

What moves you? Does your life have meaning and purpose? Do you experience real joy? Have you reached your pinnacle of success? Are you plagued by limiting beliefs? Do you struggle with imposter syndrome? Are you truly living, or merely surviving?

Do you ever make a decision and then question your choice? And then change your mind, and later wonder what planet you were on in the second choice? Then, back to the first decision, but that seems so limited and short-sighted. So you’re back to choice #2, and oh, but wait… another option shows up! And the cycle continues…

Valentine’s Day is portrayed as a day of love, happiness, and romance. It is a day where couples exchange gifts, over-pay for expensive dinners, and show their affection for each other. But, what if the expectation becomes a burden? Like many things, Valentine’s Day has a dark side as well, beyond the sweetness of that dark chocolate.

Toxic positivity is the belief that it is always necessary to maintain a positive attitude and to avoid or dismiss any negative emotions or experiences. While it may seem like a good way to encourage optimism and resilience, toxic positivity can sometimes do more harm than good.

Into this life we emerge with an already established identity, and yet we question our existence. Adolescence is the excruciating moment of trying to figure out who and what we are. When we ask “Who am I?” “What do I love?” “What is my gift?” a force of resistance (or a well-meaning parent) may try to push us off this path into incompatible careers.

What type of listener are you? People spend 90% of their day in communication, and 45% listening. One day after hearing something most people only remember half of what was said. Two days later, our listening comprehension drops by another 50%.