Being human is hard. It's really f*cking hard. Life is full of aches, pains, anxieties, regrets, disappointments, sicknesses, and heartbreaks – to name just a tiny fraction of the fun. It's hardship in one form or another that most often draws us to try meditation in the first place. My conscious mind wasn't willing (perhaps unable) to admit this at first. When I initially started experimenting with Zen meditation, I would point out how excited I was by the surreal and enthra

"Most of the emotion that disturbs your mind has incorrect perception as its basis – there is a gap between perception and reality." ~ Chip Conley Take a look at the above picture – how many black dots do you count?  There are 12 dots in the image, but most people can't see all 12 dots at once. The black dot in the center of your vision should always appear, but the dots around it will likely appear and disappear. This is because we humans have pretty bad peripheral vision.

What does it mean to look for happiness within? It involves understanding how we sabotage our happiness and finding proactive ways to cultivate meaning, equanimity, and a broader perspective for a more satisfying and enduring happiness. A critical aspect of this journey is recognizing our brain's propensity to focus on the negative, known as the negativity bias. This bias is like a magnet pulling us towards negative experiences and overshadowing the positives. Mindfulness hel

Our brains are velcro for the bad and teflon for the good. ~ Dr. Rick Hanson, Psychologist If there were such a thing as an operating manual for the human mind it would contain a disclaimer, warning the owner: ⚠️ Beware Your Negativity Bias! ⚠️ Negative experiences may appear larger in your perception than they actually are. The negativity bias is the brain's tendency to focus more on negative experiences than positive ones. This bias was a critical survival mechanism for our

In the classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a young girl wanders into the forest and stumbles upon a cottage. She enters and begins the classic search for happiness. She tries the porridge – "ouch, too hot!" Another... "too cold." And then! Ahhhhhhhh – happiness – just right!  Moments later, her quest for happiness begins anew. She searches for the perfect seat. Too hard. Too soft. And eureka! Happiness ~ just right! And finally, (well, not finally – just the last

Happy New Year! I love the opportunity to begin again, whether it be in the midst of my meditation practice or at the start of a fresh year. We ended 2023 with the theme of HAPPINESS and we decided to continue the momentum and begin 2024 with HAPPINESS! Last year was a time of profound personal growth amidst struggle and loss for myself and many others. I am reminded through my practice of what is truly important to me in this life – family, friends, laughter, relaxation, pas

During the month of November, we are exploring the theme of Boundaries. This is a challenging topic for me and one that I am continuously exploring. I'd like to share a piece of my current personal life with you and how I am fumbling through creating boundaries for myself. Maybe you can relate. It's not uncommon. I am a single parent to four kids, three of whom still live at home. My kids are with me every other week and sometimes I feel as though I'm in a constant state of

Picture above is a rock that I painted for my mom's birthday last month. It's to put in her garden or on her front porch...

We've been thinking a lot about how our experiences are never really just one thing, but more like a prism...

In our fast-paced and demanding world, it is essential to develop resilience and response flexibility to navigate the challenges we face. Resilience enables us to bounce forward from setbacks, while response flexibility empowers us to adapt and make conscious choices in the face of adversity. However, one common obstacle to our adaptability is the phenomenon known as being "hooked." When we feel "hooked," our automatic and reactive responses hinder our ability to navigate cha

A little over a year ago, my marriage fell apart. There were many years of unraveling trust and connection within a 21-year container...

I know first hand just how destructive a toxic boss can be. It’s soul-crushing. Powerful enough to crush your dreams. Many years ago...

It's crazy how easily we forget this simple truth: more often than not, creative solutions come from pausing. Our instinct is to push...

In this age of overload, with an endless waterfall of to-do's and anxiety-producing information, your Survival Brain will continually...

In many of our training sessions, we explore the power of perception. Take a look at the picture below – how many black dots do you count?

We all know the feeling of Oww brain. It's not fun, and it compromises our productivity and happiness.

Try this: Clench your fist tightly for a few seconds. Notice the feeling of CONTRACTION...

I signed onto Zoom and immediately felt my anxiety swell. The majority of people looked...

Rituals create intimacy with everyday life. When we connect to ourselves and our actions with intention and attention through our senses...

Dear Community, Today is our 4th wedding anniversary. We got married on a small ranch in Helena, Montana on September 2, 2018 and each year we have a tradition of pausing to reflect on love. We're sometimes shy about sharing our personal stories (we're getting better!), but in this time when so much in the world feels precarious and tender on the heartstrings, we felt inspired to share some thoughts with you on love. First, our beautiful friend Michael (Mikey) Stjernholm offi