Many of the decisions we make in our daily lives are based upon our need to feel comfortable. Most of the time, we stay firmly within our comfort zone. We shy away from activities that are different than the things we usually do, especially if they include the element of risk. If you have ever avoided taking action on something that you really wanted to do, then you are probably very familiar with that anxious,

Most of us don’t go around deliberately saying hurtful things to other people, but sometimes we can do it without even realizing it. We might intend to crack a joke, but someone takes offense because they feel like we’re insulting or attacking them. Or we might try to offer some helpful advice or a dose of tough love, but we end up coming across as cruel and judgmental. If you have ever been on the

One summer, I took my 4-year-old niece to the swimming pool. She hadn’t quite learned how to swim and was terrified of the water. But, as we inched our way in, and she witnessed all of the other children playing, she got a little braver and started to go deeper into the shallow end of the pool. We reached the part where it was about two feet deep, and she let go of my hand.

All throughout high school, I didn’t care for school. I never wanted to be there, and I hated most of my classes. As a matter of fact, any chance I had to skip or sneak out of school I would do it. I was passionate about writing, but I felt like such a fraud for some reason. I don’t even really know why I did. I had one class that I loved, and it was

By focusing on deriving our happiness from our outer world alone, we are actually setting ourselves up for unhappiness. Why? Simply put, we have very little or no control over those things, yet our inner peace and happiness are dependent on the outcome. When we focus too much on our outer world, we give up control over our own mental state. Think about it like this. When you are in a relationship and you’ve made

It is okay to fall into the water. You can even stay in it for a little while, treading water. But if you choose to stay in it for a long time, you will drown. Grief and loss can be overwhelming and make us feel like we are already drowning. Moving on from it, is truly a process and sometimes it isn’t linear. I know for me, I have moved through the five stages of

In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, has been wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and is serving time in prison. One day he is chatting outside with another inmate, Red, who is played by Morgan Freeman. Red is in prison for life for murder and by his own admissions, has become institutionalized. Andy talks about what he wants to do when he gets out of prison and Red discourages him from

In Batman Begins, a young Bruce Wayne falls down a well and he fears the bats inside it. His father is lowered down into the well and brings his son up to safety. As they are walking into Wayne Manor, Alfred says that he took quite a fall. His dad is carrying Bruce and says, “Why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” His dad sees this as an opportunity