Finding Happiness
I invite you to start your path by making a decision to prime your happiness pump.
Take a deep breath and think about the amazing fact that you are alive! Now take a few minutes to watch this wonderful video narrated by Brother David Steindl-Rast on Gratitude.
We don’t want to do much, just change the world by helping people understand and gain mastery in their life, relationships, and feelings.
Wisdom for today Enjoy these articles, and keep checking back
Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of a Loved One
“I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being!” — Hafiz “You are so…
The GRACE Formula: 5 Practices for Living a Happier, More Resilient Life
We often speak of grace. Sometimes it is an answer, and sometimes it is a question. Grace feels mysterious, as if it comes from a…
Cultivating Compassion: A Meditation on the Antidote to Hate
https://www.awiseandhappylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Meditation-to-Cultivate-Compassion-1.mp4 🧘♀️ Guided Compassion Meditation: Just Like Me Long before the science of happiness became a field of study, the ancient contemplatives were already paying…
Why Life Feels Counterintuitive — And How Mindfulness Makes Sense of It
Dear Friend, Isn’t it strange how often we do the opposite of what really helps? We feel overwhelmed, so we scroll our phones for relief……
Can Awe Be the Positive Version of PTSD? Unlocking Awe for Deeper Happiness
Dear Friend, The other day I was reading about a soldier who came home from his service carrying an experience that changed him — and…
The Role of Faith, Service, and Beauty in True Happiness
Dear Friend, We’ve talked about the brain, about resilience, about awe. But today I want to bring us home — to something deeper than science.…
A Gentle Practice for Troubled Times: Engaging with the News Without Being Consumed
I hear it from so many people I love and respect: “I don’t follow the news anymore—it’s just too disturbing.” And I get it. Completely.…
How to Meditate With a Busy Mind
Dear Friend, I’ve been thinking about you lately — and about how many times I’ve heard someone say, “I tried meditation once, but my mind…
The Brain Science Of Happiness: Why Your Thoughts Matter
Dear Friend, I’ve been thinking about you lately. You’ve mentioned that you’d like to start meditating — that you’ve heard it can help with stress,…
Singing Loudly, Doing Squats, and Letting Go: My Surprisingly Unpolished Path Through Stress and Worry
One of my meditation students asked me: “How do YOU deal with stress and worry?” Let me tell you something personal. When stress creeps in—and…
The Mystery to Be Lived: Meditation and the Pathless Path
Joseph Campbell once wrote, “Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived. Follow the path that is no path,…
How Meditation Helps Us Grow Our Happiness
Hey there, I’ve been thinking lately about what really helps us feel happy. And honestly, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Some people find their joy in…
Learning to Love Like an Adult: How Meditation Shows Us the Way
Have you ever noticed how the word love is used so casually, and yet loving deeply, wisely, and well is anything but casual? For many…
Maybe We Can’t All Be Heroes
But we can all be heroic A Personal Journey—Yours and Ours Connie and I have “adopted” two children in Africa since 2005 through World Help.…
A Sacred Meal: The Wisdom of Mindful Eating
Dear friend, The sign over the nondescript door on Via Aurelio in Rome, Italy, simply said Ristorante Pietro. Walking in at just past 6:00, we…
A Glimmer Is Enough: The Hope Inside Acceptance
Explore the gentle power of beginning small. Inspired by Tara Brach, the mustard seed, Saint Teresa, and Goethe, this mindfulness blog reminds us how joy…
How to Travel with Purpose and Meaning
Discover how to travel with deeper purpose by embracing kindness, empathy, and cultural curiosity. Simple tips to make your journeys meaningful and uplifting.
The Gentle Curve of a Good Life
A reflection on balance, rhythm, and harmony through a story from Master Ni, quotes from Gandhi and Thomas Merton, and a short guided meditation. Learn…
How Can I Better Cope with Life’s Ups and Downs?
Lately, I’ve been sitting with a very real and painful truth—the kind that makes the phrase “life’s ups and downs” feel a little too tidy.…
How Mindfulness Helps Us Heal: The Case for Trauma-Informed Practice
Mindfulness is often described as paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment. It sounds simple—and in many ways, it is. But…
You hear a lot these days about trauma
You hear a lot these days about trauma-sensitive or trauma-informed mindfulness. And, frankly, I think the better phrase might be “Trauma-survivor-informed mindfulness.” I say that…
Gatha Meditation: Cultivating Mindfulness in Everyday Moments
Gatha meditation is a beautiful practice that involves reciting short verses or poems to bring mindfulness and presence to everyday activities. These verses help us…
The Meditation Way of Working with Emotions: Unlocking Emotional Awareness
Meditation as a Tool for Emotional Awareness Meditation provides a structured way to explore and deconstruct emotions into their component parts. By practicing emotional awareness,…
What You Resist, Persists
“What you resist, persists.” This phrase, often attributed to Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, encapsulates a truth about the human mind: the more we fight against…
Dear Friend With Anxiety: Meditation For Stress and Anxiety Relief
Dear Friend, I’ve been thinking about you lately and wanted to share something that might resonate, especially with everything you’ve been feeling. You know how…
Honoring the Mystery of Everyday Life: Embracing Mindfulness and Presence
“Something precious is lost if we rush headlong into the details of life without pausing for a moment to pay homage to the mystery of…
Unlocking Stress Relief Techniques: The Power of Breath and Mindfulness
No one enjoys feeling stressed, yet many common stress relief techniques can be ineffective or even counterproductive. Scientific research reveals that our attempts to “just…
There’s A Meditation For Weight Loss: Sharing My Personal Journey Blog
If you think Meditation is just about calming the mind, think again. In this blog, I open up and share my personal journey—the ups, downs,…
Are Meditation Classes Online Effective?
In recent years, meditation has become a go-to practice for those looking to reduce stress and improve mental well-being. But with the shift to digital…
The Power of Gratitude: A High Achiever’s Secret to Success
Many high achievers tend to overlook at the power of gratitude, dismissing it as unproductive or “soft.” In a world focused on results and progress,…
What Meditation Is And What Is Not Common Misconceptions Vs. Reality
Common misconceptions about meditation has surged in popularity over the last decade, but despite its widespread appeal, many misconceptions exist. Whether you’re new to mindfulness…
Good morning good people
That’s how one of the most influential teachers in my life started off each class. “Good morning good people…” It wasn’t only her…
If you do what you always did, you’ll get what you always got.
Some said that insanity is doing the same over and over…and expecting different results. And yet we do. So, what’s up with that? When I was…
