The Alchemist is a bestselling novel written by Paulo Coelho and published in 1988. Since then, it’s been translated into languages all over the world and adapted to film, theatre, and music. One of the most popular and most highly recommended novels of all time, it seems almost silly introducing it. However, while it is a novel, The Alchemist can often read more like a…
What do a Roman emperor, a former slave, and a Greek Philosopher all have in common? All three were practitioners of the Stoic philosophy, a unique school of thought for its time whose teachings of tolerance, virtue, and self-control, have inspired thinkers and leaders for centuries. Stoicism was developed by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC. After losing everything to a shipwreck,…
“You’re so sensitive.” “You need to grow a thicker skin.” “Buck up.” If anyone has ever said anything like this to you before, you know how unhelpful it is to hear. While everyone has a different capacity for handling difficult people or situations, according to Dr. Judith Orloff, some of us may be especially sensitive to other people’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions: Empaths. Anyone is…
There is a common misconception that confidence is something you either have or you don’t. But confidence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you build through wisdom and experience. Confidence is what happens when your negative self-perception is overcome by evidence of your achievements. For some, this comes easily. Others, however, struggle with understanding how to gain self-confidence. When we have high self-confidence, however,…
The most common cause of our unhappiness is ourselves. We create limits and assumptions in our heads that create anxiety, rob us of joy, and cause our own needless suffering. Don Miguel Ruiz wrote The Four Agreements to teach us how to eliminate those self-imposed beliefs from our thoughts and live our happiest lives by reminding ourselves of four simple mottos. These four mottos, which…
Whether we were trying to fit in with our peers as children or hoping our coworkers will like us as adults, we’ve all felt the desire to belong. It can also feel impossible to find acceptance while being yourself. Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown explores the need to belong and teaches us that to truly belong, we must be comfortable being our most authentic selves. Using…
Expressing feelings have gotten a bad rep. Social media prides us on relentless positivity, we’re encouraged to persevere through tough situations with an unwavering smile on our face and then we’re praised for being so strong. Many of us even feel ashamed when we feel a “bad” emotion like sadness or anger, and instead, we opt to keep those feelings to ourselves while we put…
According to Tracee Ellis Ross, better known as Rainbow Johnson on ABC’s Black-ish, the patriarchy is not very pleased with her. At 45 years old, Ross has never married and has no children. This seemingly controversial life she’s built for herself garners all sorts of reactions from friends and strangers alike, who assure her that she “just hasn’t found the right guy yet” or that…
Meera Lee Patel is a self-taught artist and author of the bestseller, Start Where You Are. Her creativity is inspired by the magical mysteries of nature, the quiet stories that lace through everyday life, and the bold colors of her native India. — I grew up writing – creating my own stories, poems, and chapter books. I had a dream of being a fiction writer…
Have you ever been told to stop overthinking? Though It’s wise to think through your decisions, there comes a point where you try to figure out how long is too long? Why Do We Overthink? Overthinking is fueled by uncertainty – or even fear – of the future. You’re unsure about how something will happen or take place, so you anxiously conjure up circumstances and…
