Posts by Manny

THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF HOSTILITY #1:  See the Hostile Connection In the interest of focus for this particular episode, we’re addressing hostility in the context of interpersonal relationships… not literal warfare. We’ll engage a spiritual philosophy perspective on war in a later episode. But for now, let’s talk about interpersonal hostility in its 4 basic…

THE GIFT OF PAIN #1: What Pain Has to Offer Pain is not an experience commonly associated with the word, “gift.” But many people would agree that life itself is a gift. And because some pain is an unavoidable part of life, they come as a package deal. Beyond its basic survival function which makes…

  THE OPPORTUNITY OF FEAR #1:  Fear Sponsors Anxiety Since the dawn of humanity itself, we have all wrangled with a mysterious, invisible force called fear. But contrary to what most people believe, fear is one of humanity’s greatest opportunities. The majority of us desire a life of peace, prosperity, and happiness. But when we…

  LOVE THYSELF   #1: Self-Respect: There is No Substitute. On a 100-point scale, how much do you love and respect yourself? If your answer is 70%, then you have a 30% gap you will have to fill with love and respect from others. The problem is that other people’s love and respect can never…

  THE DISTORTION OF SADNESS   #1:  Sadness Isn’t a “Thing” The first thing to know about sadness is that it isn’t tangible… it’s not a “thing.” Sadness is a state of mind based on your interpretation of life. When you feel sad, who you really are isn’t sad. It’s your limited perspective that’s sad.…

  NAVIGATING BY INTUITION #1:  Be Present       We’ve all had the frustrating experience of having to decide between right and right… two alternatives, both of which we can make solid, logical cases for choosing. Faced with having to decide, our mind typically becomes a two-faced, devil’s advocate that talks us into – and out…

HUMILITY IS KING   #1:  Have Modesty with Confidence Humility is a trademark characteristic of spiritual maturity. It comes across as a modest yet confident disposition that has nothing to prove. It’s also an antidote to humiliation. When you feel humiliated, what hurts is your ego, but your ego is not who you really are.…

  THE PRISON OF GUILT #1:  Regret is Good      Regret is a useful tool that encourages us to forensically examine our mistakes. When we embrace regret, our mistakes can’t define us. Instead, our willingness to learn and grow from our mistakes is what defines us. Guilt, on the other hand, is a useless emotion…

  THE POWER OF BOUNDARIES       #1:  Decline Ultimatums      One of the most challenging things to do in life is to set and enforce boundaries for friends and family. The complicated thing about boundaries is that everyone’s boundaries are different. So, it follows that some people – even those who are close to us…

  THE FREEDOM OF FORGIVENESS #1:  Forgiving Leads to Inner Peace      Forgiveness is not about excusing bad behavior; it’s about becoming bigger than the bad behavior. “I forgive you despite what you’ve done” is not an absolution from consequences; it’s an act of compassion that seeks to move on. When we refuse to forgive,…