Sometimes the thing we try but fail at is only one adjustment away from working. If we quit before we discover what the necessary adjustment is, we may never know how close we were to succeeding. As it turns out, resistance is a normal and necessary part of the growth process. When we meet resistance,…
Author: Robert Van Valkenburgh
Co-Founder of Kogen Dojo of Severna Park and Taikyoku Mind & Body
Immovable Center
When things are going poorly for us, when life is difficult and we are struggling, we are grateful for even the tiniest bit of relief, hoping with all of our being that our circumstances and our feelings will change for the better soon. When things are going well, however, when life feels easy and things…
Guided By Compassion
As soon as we lose our compassion for one another, we lose our humanity. Compassion is what separates us from the animals. Of course, we do not need compassion to have intellects or free will, but these are wasted without it. Without compassion, we are not much more than overly intelligent beasts determined to destroy…
Fear Is A Choice
People who want us to be afraid will go to great lengths to ensure that they get what they want. What they want, however, should not be factored into our sense of happiness, contentment, or peace of mind. If we allow them to manipulate, distract, or agitate us, they have already won. Worse still, if…
Expecting Happiness
People will disappoint us. This is part of life. Sometimes it will be the people we know and trust. Other times it will be people we have never met, but in whom we had some degree of hope, faith, or confidence. The common factor is expectation. The greater our expectations, the more we have the…