Have you ever started out with a very clear plan for the day and then something unexpected happens that throws off all your plans? In that moment, we have a choice:

Do we break or do we bend? Choosing to be flexible is a major key to inner peace and happiness.

Change is so often a part of life. We're on our way in one direction and then we need to change course. We think we're going to achieve our goal by doing one thing, but it turns out we need to do another thing instead. Rather than getting stuck, we can get creative. It's important we stay committed to our goals, but flexible in how we achieve them.

We can see flexibility in action in legendary athletes, like the way Kobe Bryant played basketball. Some players are good at shooting the ball from a distance, but not up close; or vice versa. Some shoot well with one hand but not the other. Players with limitations such as these are easier to stop because they don't have many options. They lack flexibility. In contrast, Kobe was able to make a basket from nearly anywhere on the court. He had a large repertoire of moves. If you stopped him one way, he went another. He had tremendous flexibility. 

As a general principle, the more flexible we are in life, the more power we have. And wrap your head around this one: we need to be flexible enough to be inflexible at times, such as standing up for what we believe in.

Life is happening in every moment. The more we accept and adjust to the...

Think of a time you experienced something amazing and thought, "Wow, what a miracle!" Remember feeling exhilarated, even blissful, definitely grateful.

Now, consider that we often define something as miraculous just because we're not used to it. It's beyond the ordinary. Let me explain...

Imagine if the sun were to rise only once in our lifetime. We would likely drop everything and proclaim it the most miraculous event we'd ever seen! But, because we see the sun every day, we consider it ordinary, normal, natural.

Yet the sun is a miracle! It gives us light, warmth, Vitamin D, and it does so every single day with great precision. Were the sun located just a bit further away or a bit closer than its precise distance of 92,960,000 miles from Earth, then life on our planet would cease to exist.

Miracles are actually happening around us all the time...

When the car stops just in time to avoid a crash. When we catch our toddler's hand just before he falls. When our body heals from illness. When a baby is born. 

Consider that the most sophisticated robot cannot match even a tiny fraction of the magnificent grace and sophistication of your body.  

And, that means each one of us is a product of a miracle! YOU are a miracle!

In fact, the miracle of nature is not to be found only in its once-in-a-lifetime events, but even more so in its regularity. It's the fact that the sun continues to rise each and every day to support our planet that makes it...

The best moments of our lives all have this in common: we are fully present during them. Think about that delicious meal when you savored every bite... that deep conversation with a close friend... even that exhilarating ride on the roller coaster. Whatever you were doing when you felt fulfilled, you were totally in the moment and experiencing it fully. If you weren't present, you probably didn't register it as a great time.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in all the things we have to do that we miss what's happening right now. We live mostly in the past, in regret, anger, etc. Or we rush through the day thinking about the next thing, and the next and the next. We live mostly in the future, worrying or thinking "I'll be happy when..." And we only "visit" the present. But, our lives are happening right now, in every moment. So, what can we do?

Live in the present. When appropriate, visit the past to learn from an experience or enjoy a memory, and visit the future to plan for an occasion or set your goals. But, live in the present. Make everything an end onto itself and not just a means, because this is your life right now. All we have is this moment.

Remember...

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift.

That's why it's called the present!

Practice being present by tuning in to one or more of your five senses. Notice what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch right now. Do this when you are about to start a...

On Thanksgiving and all around the year, we can be thankful for what we didn't even ask for. Let me explain.

There are numerous blessings showered upon us all day long that we didn't consciously request. Desires we didn't express, prayers we didn't say, wishes we didn't make that were answered anyway. For example...

When we turn the shower on and hot water pours out... let's acknowledge that!

When we go to the store and there is food to purchase... remember during the pandemic when some shelves were empty!

When we put our key in the ignition and our car starts... wow, that's nice!

When we easily breathe, talk, walk, smile, eat day after day... if you've ever had health issues, you know that these are big blessings!

There are so many simple but profoundly important blessings that we may not ask for and yet they happen anyway.

But, we often just expect things to happen. And, since we expected them, we take them for granted. We don't necessarily notice and appreciate how valuable they are to us. We may even be so focused on the relatively few things that are NOT going so well for us at this moment that we totally miss all that IS happening in our favor.

Instead, it's good practice to consciously be aware of and appreciate our blessings. This practice can fill us with tremendous happiness, security and peace, knowing that life is constantly supporting us. Life is not happening to us, but for us! And that feels really good!...