Staying present while we are parenting can be difficult at times. Our kids are such good teachers. They are able to create situations to help us grow as parents. We can be sure that when we are having a strong reaction to a situation involving our kids, there is something within us that needs to be healed. If we are mindful, we are able to grow and heal. If we are not mindful, we have knee jerk reactions that can keep us stuck in the box of parenting from reaction instead of presence. Mindful parenting helps us heal our own emotional wounds, so that nurturing our children comes from a healthier place.

We are all busy these days, and it is easy to get caught up in the, “hurry up, let's go here”, or the “hurry up, we are going to be late” syndrome. What is the reaction to the child that is not in a hurry, one that is really enjoying what she is engaged in, one that is in the present moment? Obviously, there are times when we have to be somewhere at a certain time, parents that need to be at work, etc. However, what about the times when we think we have to be somewhere, when we have it in our minds that there is no choice? This is the time to practice mindful parenting and thinking outside the box. Some books may tell us to offer rewards for the child's cooperation, or offer them a bribe, or maybe you might resort to the reaction you would have gotten when you were a child. Some of these things appear to work. For instance, the parent got what they wanted since the child went along with the plan. Success, right? At what expense to the parent-child relationship?   Read more...

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Fifty People, One Question is a simple project with surprising results. Go to a place, ask fifty people the same question and film their responses.

The hardest part about exercising is not deciding what to do - it's actually sticking with it. Everyone is excited and motivated when they first start a new workout training schedule, but it's easy to lose passion over time.

Unless you're in the small minority of people who have more money than they know what to do with, the thought of totally wasting cash is properly motivating so "put your money where you mouth is."

The thing I liked best about Susan Skog’s Beliefnet Gallery, 10 Ways to Bring Peace to the World, is the structure of her title. So often our thoughts about peace are about how to bring the world to peace. Instead, she flips that on its head. How can we bring peace to the world?

It’s a great question because lots of us feel that peace is too big a task for one person. The logic goes: well, it doesn’t really matter whether I do what I can for peace or not because it’s such a big job that what difference can little ol’ me make? A big difference. A big, big difference. And it’s a lot of little ol’ mes taking daily time and making daily choices for peace that will add up to the Big Peace on Earth.

I like to imagine a world in which every human being is treated with respect, kindness, and unconditional love. I believe that our world is shifting in a way that this dream of mine can become reality. I think we are ready to shift our relationships with other people so that the emptiness that many of us feel will transform into deeper connections.

When my children were born 11 years ago (I have twins), I thought that I would parent them in the same way that I saw many other people parenting their children. And, in fact, the same way I was parented. I soon came to realize that this way didn't feel right in my heart. I wanted to follow my intuition and really listen to what my children needed. When I trusted, things went smoothly. When I didn't trust, and instead, listened to an "expert", or resorted to my own conditioning, things didn't work so well.   Read more...

The economic doom-mongers have ceased getting to me at last. How about you? Are economic forecasts scaring you? Have the job losses in the U.S. gotten to you? Are you buying the collective scaredy-cat vision of the future? Has someone you know lost money in the market?

Relax. You’re not alone. The news is everywhere and it’s hard not to buy into it.   Read more...

Winston Churchill said, “If you are going through hell, keep going.”

This phrase enforces that when the going gets tough, when you are in rough waters; keep your courage, your strength and fight until you achieve victory over the situation that is creating ‘hell’ in your life.   Read more...

Yutaka Miyazaki is a special person. He is a doctor in a small town in northern Japan. Even though his home life is rural, his heart is as wide as the earth, and his heart is as deep as compassion will allow.

Dr. M could have opened his own clinic and served his community’s colds, flus, hay fevers, and general ailments, as many with his training do here. But instead of following that conventional route, Dr. M decided to devote his life to promoting the welfare of people who are physically and mentally challenged.   Read more...

I learned about this from the World Peace Emerging newsletter, and it so struck me that even though I had planned another post, I pushed that one to next week in order to share this wonderful idea.

Here’s a little from their website:   Read more...

T.R.E. Frankel's from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

My friend told me this once: "Start your day, with a moment of gratitude."   Read more...

By many alternative thinkers starting your own business is associated with capitalism, ambition, materialism and "success". This certainly has a lot to do with it but there is much more to it than that. I can confirm as I've been working on my own startup for over a year now. We are making a web site where users can recommend web sites within their self defined area of expertise.

It should have been ready several months back, but we're not there yet. I can assure you that it is a challenge and that your self esteem, your ideas and values, your courage, persistence and mental and emotional stability are being tested. See some of the spiritual issues I faced:   Read more...

T.R.E Mike Kershnar from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

In times of real trouble, I found that people usually ditch their dreams, their aspirations, and their passions.   Read more...

Someone, no idea who, sent me this story via email years ago, and I seem to have kept it for just this moment.

There was a woman who wanted peace in the world and peace in her heart and all sorts of good things, but she was very frustrated. The world seemed to be falling apart. She would read the newspapers and get depressed.   Read more...

Drink more tea. When the whole Starbucks craze started, I always felt left out when my girlfriends wanted to meet for coffee because while I love the aroma of fresh brewed coffee, the taste makes me gag and cringe. But then a friend turned me onto hot tea, and things have never been the same since.

I love hot tea for many reasons. For one, it has turned out to be my herbal Xanax. It calms me when I'm feeling anxious, and comforts me when I'm having a rough day. I'm known for being freezing cold at all times, so I enjoy holding a hot mug while reading a book or people watching. These are all of my emotional reasons for drinking tea, but here are 10 health reasons to make the switch!

• Tea contains antioxidants that protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.
• Tea has less caffeine than coffee. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep -- switch to tea.
• Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear.
• Tea protects your bones. It's not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors.
  Read more...

I am filming a nationwide documentary about our current economic state. It is an unique and an exciting time; we are on the verge of making a difference and impacting our future in a huge way. I want to ask the question: What’s next?

From January 24 to April 30, I will visit the major, most impoverished cities in the United States, from Los Angeles to New York. I will interview everyday Americans: rich, poor, black, white, etc. I will interview students, families, and single adults. In addition, a large portion of the story will be the voices of both small businesses and large corporations. Businesses are shutting down and laying off. Recently, Sharper Image shutdown all major operations; DHL is closing down all domestic operations; Citigroup laid off 53,000 jobs; Chrysler shutdown their plants for a month. And I got laid off on December 5th, 2008. I subsequently applied for unemployment for the first time on December 8th, 2008. We all share a common story– I am going to capture and share that story.   Read more...

Wise men say that one must never lose hope even in times of great crisis.

True, hope is a glorious emotion to feel. It can bring excitement and some form of marvel to life. Hope can be a tremendous motivator.   Read more...