The Best of Tiny Buddha

Self-awareness is arguably the holy grail of inner peace, especially when you’re under pressure. But what is it? How do you achieve it?

«As Jon Kabat-Zinn said, “Wherever you go, there you are!”»

If you feel like food is calling you from the kitchen all day long, this might help you stop your emotional snacking.

I often had sex with men when I wasn’t actually ready. I now understand why I did this, and I’ve decided to make a change.

Sometimes less is more. Decluttering can dramatically improve your life. Here are 7 ways you'll benefit from a minimalist lifestyle.

I want to reduce my stress and anxiety and feel more peace and presence, but I don’t love meditation. Here's what I do instead.

We all make these meditation "mistakes." Don't let them discourage you from meditating. Keep coming back and it will get easier.

Learn to recognize and challenge this 10 thinking patterns before they send you spiraling into depression.

I discovered that my moods were primarily linked to two things. Here's what I do now when a low mood starts bringing me down.

«The first one was needs, or more accurately, unmet needs. The second one was feelings, unexpressed feelings.»

My anxiety consumed my mind with what-if scenarios. Here are the 10 steps that have helped my anxious thoughts and calm my nervous system.

«Give that anxious worrying voice in your head a name. This creates separation between you and the voice. You are not your thoughts.»

Instead of setting resolutions, I pondered a few questions to help me create my own happiness this year based on what matters most to me.

«6. What are three actions you’ll take to achieve each of these goals?»

High-functioning anxiety describes when an individual is still highly functioning, with the anxiety "just below the surface."

«But I am high-achieving and successful, and anxiety is a big part of what got me to where I was at that point in my life.»

By no means do we have the perfect marriage, but I've recognized a few critical areas needed to build a solid and lasting union as a couple.

«Avoid running to your parents or best friend to complain about trivial matters.»

Sometimes when we act "crazy" in relationships it's because we're in pain. Wounded people keep creating drama to keep avoiding themselves.

«Craziness is simply pain turned outward.»

I’d like to share with you my new approach to self-care that aims to satisfy our deepest needs rather than providing short-lived comfort.

«Taking the time to make a life inventory, identify our unfulfilled needs, and then take action to satisfy them—that’s proper self-care.»

Self-care doesn't mean you neglect others. It simply means that you include yourself too and pay attention to your needs.

Self-love is a necessity in today’s society. So, start implementing some of these practices and have compassion with yourself when you fall short.

Unraveling the toxic tie with my mother has been an act of self-love, and I hope it's taught my children how to love themselves.

Sometimes it's hard to see the subtle signs of emotional abuse when you're dealing with them. Here's what it looked like for me.

«cognitive dissonance is when your heart needs time to catch up to what the mind already knows.»

Many believe their mental illness is solely the result of a chemical imbalance, but often trauma is the root cause.

We often want to get somewhere fast, so we pull into the left lane and zoom past everything. Slow down and stay in the right lane.

«Don’t focus on making each moment perfect, focus on the perfection each moment provides, be it a good one, or not so good one.»

Even though I have many reasons to be grateful, I am allowed to be dissatisfied. I'm not going to deny my pain or try to hide it.

«Even though I have so many reasons to be grateful, I am still allowed to be dissatisfied. I am not going to judge myself for that.»

Her are 10 things we need to stop saying to ourselves and each other, and how we can offer validation and nurture healthy optimism instead.

«We don’t have to rush our healing. We don’t have to put a timeline on grieving. We don’t have to force a smile or pretend we’re okay and write that we’re #blessed when we feel we’re not.»

I think of this as my "emotional hygeine routine," a series of simple habits that have helped me wake up smiling in the morning again.

Acceptance doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means the opposite: You are strong enough to face the reality of the situation you’re currently in.

«Acceptance doesn’t mean you’re weak; it means the opposite: You are strong enough to face the reality of the situation you’re currently in.»