
Tiny Buddha Blog
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Covers articles on happiness, motivation, inspiration, love, relationships, meaning & passion, possibilities, mindfulness, yoga, spirituality, simplicity, minimalism, work fulfillment and letting go.
Tiny Buddha is about reflecting on simple wisdom and learning new ways to apply it to our complex lives complete with responsibilities, struggles, dreams, and relationships.
Tiny Buddha Blog
16h ago
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi
Have you ever held yourself back from going after what you truly want, or from enjoying what you have, because of a lingering fear that it might be taken away from you, or because you felt guilty for having more than others?
For years, I found myself unintentionally sabotaging moments of pure joy and personal success without being able to embrace them fully.
For example, when my son was born, a rush of panic would flood me every time I even imagined the possibility of losing him, and I ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
3d ago
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ~Marcus Aurelius
It’s 3:00 a.m. I lie awake knowing I have a busy day ahead of me, but my mind is racing. I had a few drinks last night, and I know that this is why I am awake at this ungodly hour. “Why did I drink when I knew I had to work today? You are a fool. You are weak. You are useless.”
This is how I used to talk to myself most mornings, perhaps with riper language, and the process would repeat itself when ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
4d ago
“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” ~ Amit Ray
On December 12th, 2019, I found myself in a hospital undergoing an exploratory heart catheterization, a wake-up call I could no longer ignore. My health had reached a critical low. I was battling high blood pressure, high cholesterol, prediabetes, and obesity.
At just fifty-five years old, my long career in automotive manufacturing, with its relentless deadlines, high-pressure demands, and long hours, had caught up with me. The stressful grind had become unsustainable, and I had to make a choice ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
5d ago
“When we are kind to ourselves, we create inner conditions that make it possible to see clearly and respond wisely.” ~Dr. Kristin Neff
Searching for a job can feel like an unrelenting test of resilience—a labyrinth of rejection, silence, and self-doubt.
When I embarked on my journey to apply for 100 jobs in a single month, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional toll it would take. Each application felt like a precarious act of hope, sent into the void of an indifferent system. Every click of the “submit” button came with a flicker of anticipation, a brief moment of optimism ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
1w ago
The drive on I-95 from the New England coast back home to Washington, D.C., was harrowing— construction zones, accidents, and rush-hour traffic. I was glad my husband was at the wheel.
After spending the weekend visiting our daughter at college in Connecticut, I was ready to check out, so I scrolled through social media on my phone to mindlessly pass the time. But when I paused on a post from my favorite self-help influencer, Cory Muscara, I got something very different from the relaxation I’d been craving.
I started following Cory several months before, after a friend had sent me ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
1w ago
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” ~Joseph Campbell
“Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic self-hood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks—we will also find our path of authentic service in the world.” ~Parker Palmer
When I was young, I was creative, independent, and assertive. My days were spent climbing trees, building forts, and catching water striders in creek beds.
My best friend Rita and I were raised ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
1w ago
When my ex-wife and I separated in 1999 and divorced two years later, I never imagined that we would one day spend a week together as friends.
Over the past quarter century, our lives had rarely crossed, except on the day our divorce was finalized and at our daughter’s wedding in 2012. Yet here we were, sitting across from each other, talking not just about the past but about the paths that had brought us here.
It wasn’t just nostalgia. It was an excavation. Over the course of our week together, I realized that my memories of our twenty-year relationship ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
1w ago
“The most powerful thing you can do right now is be patient while things are unfolding for you.” ~Idil Ahmed
When one door closes, another one opens, or so the saying goes. From experience, I know that the new door doesn’t always open right away. Often you spend some time in the hallway, the state in between what has been and what will be.
About two years ago I decided to quit my job. While I was in the process of making big decisions, I decided to give up my apartment and go abroad for a period. I didn’t have ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
1w ago
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~Maya Angelou
What if the person you’re trying hardest to please is you?
For years, I wore a mask—a professional, composed, always-on version of myself that I thought everyone expected.
My need to please and perform was deeply rooted in my earliest experiences. I was born three months premature, and doctors called my survival a miracle. Separated from my mother and placed in an incubator for weeks, I was surrounded by love but deprived of touch and connection.
Though ..read more
Tiny Buddha Blog
2w ago
Do I need to forgive my abusive mother to let go of the past?
This is the question I found myself grappling with when I started to recover from the pain of childhood neglect. For most of my childhood, I did not have access to a consistent adult who valued me. As a result, I believed that I had no value, and I lived my life according to this belief.
I treated myself as an invaluable being by denying my needs, catering to everyone else’s, and engaging in relationships with people who sought to benefit from my low self-worth ..read more