The Poem of Your Life

photo representing contemplating the poem of your life

In ancient times, aging poets in Japan would craft a death poem in acknowledgment that their time on earth was coming to an end and as a reflection on the life they had lived. There’s a story that when the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho was getting on in years, he was asked if he had…

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Playing with Metaphors to Help You with Transformation

baker's hands kneading bread dough illustrating a metaphor to work with

Is your story not working for you? Does it seem to be influencing what you’re experiencing and causing you unhappiness? You can change your story–and your life. You might want to work with metaphors so transformation is easier for you. Play around with them to better understand what you have experienced and the different ways…

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What Roles Do You Play in the Story of Your Life?

We all have a story about who we are and why we experience what we do. What is your story? What roles do you play in the story of your life? Are you the wounded healer? Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride? Maybe your story is called “I can’t trust myself so I’m…

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Rewrite the Story That Has Held You Back

What’s your story? Is it working for you? Some people would say their story is “I guess I wasn’t born under a lucky star” or perhaps “I’m a drama queen!” and might not realize that they believe this story so thoroughly that it’s holding them back from achieving their goals. Others will say, “I’m doing…

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The Suddenlies That Change Your Life

I have often led workshops for people who want to learn techniques for gaining insights and momentum that will help them transform their lives in some way. Some hope to adopt new health habits and experience better health as a result. Others seek new ways of looking at themselves and their potential to change the…

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Free Yourself from the Familiar

Our stories are often reflected in what we say to others when they ask how we are. You might tell a story like, “Everyone in my family has bad luck, so no, I haven’t tried to find a new job even though I can’t stand the one I have.” Or, you might say, “No, I…

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When Conflicts Are Giving You a Headache

The emotional stress of being in conflict with others can take its toll on you, even causing headaches or other stress-related physical problems. When conflicts are giving you a headache, literally or figuratively, you can learn more about how to stop that phenomenon. One thing that can help is expanded awareness practices in which you…

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Is It Possible to Change the Past?

In each person’s life story are unchangeable elements. Past events become part of the story of a person’s life, and there are no time machines for returning to a moment that is long gone. Most people would say it is not possible to change the past. However, everyone of us has the power to change…

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The Secret to Why Your Behavior Is Inconsistent

Is your behavior inconsistent with your goals? If so, it could be keeping you from living the life you say you wish to lead. Exploring your insconsistent behavior–the difference between how you say you want to act and how you actually behave–can help you stop sabotaging yourself and be true to your values and desires.…

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Moving on from Losses

The celebrations of All Saints Day, Day of the Dead, and Halloween (derived from the European pagan holiday of Samhain) all reflect the human experience of having to accept losses, deaths, and endings as inevitable aspects of life. We can always take some comfort in knowing that endings lead to beginnings. At this time of…

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