The good thing about getting sick of yourself, of hitting a wall, is that it prevents further movement in that dead-end direction. It stops you. It also hurts, just to make the point very plain.

It seems everyone I talk to is dealing with something serious and vexing. How do we create peace and some level of wellbeing even in the midst of suffering?

Life is curly. It takes unexpected twists and turns. It just does. It always does. And the thing is, you don’t know when the turn is coming, or what the turn will bring.

In the dark times of nothingness the ego begins to dissolve and the soul stirs and deepens. In the dark times we refine who we really are: what we value and what we truly want.

The degree to which we suffer is the degree to which we experience joy. Our pain is, in fact, our gain — if we remain open and receptive to it.

I recently read a thought provoking essay about success. The writer — a psychologist, author, and well-known speaker — enumerated his personal definitions of success, a list that, remarkably, had absolutely nothing to do with work, status, or wealth.

Is this a midlife crisis? Or is it just me?

Why is it that the things we want most, the things that will make us happier, healthier, better people, are so darned hard to do? Have you ever kept a resolution? Do you know anyone who has?

Christmas has come and gone and the ceaseless conveyor belt of time carries us on into a brave new year, a year that one can only pray will include an impeachment hearing.

We all have so much, so many gifts that we open and then casually toss aside in our overabundance of good fortune.

A few words about Frank. Frank is a bunny — a metal bunny whose ears, bent slightly forward, create a coat hook. Frank recently made more than $23,000 on Kickstarter.

f you are one of those lucky people who knew who you were and what you wanted to do from the time you were seven years old, this column is not for you.

The night sea passage is the dark, liminal space between one chapter and another. A booze cruise it is not.

One of my favorite quotes, torn and taped to my desk, is this one, attributed to Joseph Campbell: “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”

Some helpful thoughts for my fellow over-thinkers.

We are always doing our best with what we have, what we know and who we are. Discontent rears its ugly head only when we forget this simple truth.

Four principles to remember when facing the very real challenge of pain.

Being an introvert in a hugely extraverted culture is no easy thing. In a bombastic culture of high energy, high volume, competition and assertiveness, a sensitive swan can feel overwhelmed.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I’m just not that into Christmas this year. I don’t want a tree, I’m not interested in buying presents; I just want to curl up with a book and be quiet.” My client looked at me half expectantly, half sheepishly.

Here’s a holiday pop quiz: Do you remember what you received for Christmas last year? Do you remember what you gave? Me either.