On a cool crisp fall evening, I walked to the library near my overpriced apartment in Washington, D.C. It was 2007 and Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now was seemingly everywhere. I stared at the blindingly bright orange cover and wondered what it was about this book that seemed to beckon my subconscious in the form of habitual reminders?

Well, this is the now, I thought. No better time to deepen my understanding of the experience of life with all of its promises and pitfalls. I became transfixed with Tolle’s analysis of consciousness, devoid of religious affiliation.

Then I read…

For several years, one of my favorite daily rituals has been taking a walk through our property’s cathedral-like aspen grove intricately interspersed with majestic Douglas-fir trees. These arboreal walks sustain and enliven each day, from the buttery, yellow-leafed spring to the frosty, snow-covered winter.

As I recently weaved my way through the fairy-tale land of flora and fauna, I started to think about how the interconnectedness of trees acts as a metaphor for life and the collective interconnectedness of every living (and even non-living) species.

I remembered how, shortly after we moved into our cabin surrounded by towering conifers, my…

Two weeks ago, as I prepared for a four-day Nature Immersion (camping and spending every precious, sun-drenched moment outside), I had one of the worst, most excruciating headaches that I’d had in years. In fact, the past month has seen me with a prolonged migraine every week and without adequate medicine.

As I went through this torture and missed self-imposed writing deadlines, I kept close in my heart that I needed to send out a gratitude-drenched letter of appreciation to my readers on Medium.

It kind of sounds strange, once I type it out: “my readers.” The main thing is…

In the aftermath of being wronged, forgiveness can seem like an elusive, almost fantastical notion. Whether facing infidelity in a relationship, betrayal by a friend, or any other type of pain from the past, it can feel unfair that we have to do the work to find forgiveness and move past it.

And even though it is supremely difficult, it is entirely possible.

Here’s how to start.

First, you feel the aching sting, the shame, and the ever-present pain of holding on to the past. …

One of the frustrating aspects of chronic tension is its ability to significantly impact how we feel on a day-to-day basis.

It’s quite literally exasperating and exhausting.

Maybe this sounds familiar? You feel burnt out, tired, or just lackluster all of the time. I’ve been there, and it stinks.

But here’s the thing: that vibrant, joyful part of you is still there. It’s just buried under layers and layers of tension.

This isn’t our fault.

Our modern world has a relentless pace, unending stressors, and while we no longer run from tigers, the constant demands of the world can keep…

“Boredom is just the reverse side of fascination: both depend on being outside rather than inside a situation, and one leads to the other.”— Arthur Schopenhauer

When was the last time you felt bored and didn’t immediately try to find something to do, whether a task left undone or a social media scroll? Our drive to keep ourselves occupied is a source of never-ending stress and burnout, but it also hampers our creativity.

Yes, even boredom can serve a creative purpose when we allow ourselves to experience it without trying to escape.

If you want to be more creative, try…

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide helpful and informative material. I am not a doctor, and as such cannot diagnose or treat any medical issues. Readers are advised to do their own research and make decisions in partnership with their health care provider.

The house is oddly silent; my husband and son are out, and there are no sounds of our dogs running out the porch door to bark at squirrels, birds, or the passing erratic wind.

I feel like I am in a dreamworld transported to a place where even the slightest movement causes a sharp ice-pick-type pain…

While getting ready for the day with sunscreen, eye drops, and lotion, I usually listen to a guided meditation, channeled message, or personal development podcast.

But last Tuesday, as I turned up the thermostat in the bathroom to make it feel like a sauna, a new meditation revealed itself via YouTube, a Guided Shamanic Journey to the Akashic Field: Connect With Your Spirit Guides.

This is going to be good, I thought, and even though I had to leave to pick up my son in 15 short minutes, I couldn’t resist listening to the rhythmic drums while briefly visiting the…