Feckless? Reckless? Fearless
Fear is often a significant inhibitor, preventing us from engaging in enterprising activities that may be necessary to fulfill our potentials and do justice to [...]
Is this relationship healthy or unhealthy?
When we are trying to develop a closer relationship with someone, we may naturally ask ourselves: Is this relationship healthy or unhealthy? To answer, we [...]
The second test of friendship
When we form a friendship with someone, we will sooner or later face the first test of friendship: our readiness to sacrifice for that friendship. [...]
Humility in the inner war
When we strive to discipline ourselves by breaking free from our self-sabotaging cravings, we are essentially launching a war against them. Underscoring the reality and [...]
What boundaries can’t do — and what they can do
Boundaries, such as locks or fences or walls, are widely used as protective measures. However, some people argue that such measures are ineffective, because there [...]
Three kinds of misdeeds
When we commit a wrong, especially after resolving not to, we can become disturbed and discouraged. To atone for our errors and prevent their recurrence, [...]
The difference between consciousness and conscience
Consciousness is the fundamental energy of the soul. The Sanskrit word for it is chetana. If we compare the soul to a flashlight, consciousness is [...]
Two kinds of contentment — and how they are opposite
The sentiment of contentment is sometimes seen negatively. Some people think of it as the symptom of laziness and the cause of stagnation — they [...]
How to make judgments without being judgmental
Making judgments is a functional necessity in life. We need to make judgments about the kind of people we want to befriend, the habits or [...]
Why self-discipline is essential nowadays …
Our society offers us many avenues for self-destruction. Multiple technological developments have made the exercise of individual freedom much easier. Unfortunately, they have also made [...]
Feeling mad — when it’s ok and when it isn’t
Feeling mad in terms of feeling angry is a natural human emotion that arises when we see things around us going wrong or being done [...]
Might mindfulness be more than just awareness?
Mindfulness is often thought of as living in the present: being aware of the various stimuli around us and experiencing life fully. And being present [...]
Forcing ourselves to be grateful?
Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is primarily an internal endeavor, wherein we try to change the default direction of our thoughts. Still, such cultivation can [...]
A mindful autopilot mode?
We often go into an autopilot mode when the things we do during our daily routines don’t require much of our conscious attention — things [...]
Three steps to mindfulness
We may want to become mindful, but may not know clearly how to do so. Here are three tangible steps that we all can adopt [...]
How to deal with our emotions
We all are prone to be swept away by our emotions, thereby acting self-destructively. How can we protect ourselves from this danger? Some people try [...]
When winning an argument backfires …
Suppose we come to know that an acquaintance has a harmful misconception. To protect them, we try to counter that misconception, and an argument ensues. [...]
How to use the fault-finding mentality constructively
Some of us may have an innate tendency to notice the things that are wrong in anything we see. Significantly, this tendency can be seen [...]
Failing to learn from our failures?
Suppose we try to do something important and make a mistake that leads to our failure. But that failure, no matter how severe, won’t ruin [...]
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Suppose we are living with a moody person who has extreme negative mood swings — during those dark moods, they tend to be both deceptive [...]
The difference between humiliation and humility
Humility is sometimes seen negatively because it is equated with humiliation. But they are hugely different – as different as are starving and fasting. Starving [...]