Where Does Confidence Come From?

If you didn’t listen to my episode a few weeks ago about how the worst people in the world sometimes have the most confidence—this week I’m revisiting the topic.  This time, I’m coming in hot with some real-world examples of how my four and five year old kids taught me about confidence.  While wa…

Your Life Is Not a Problem to Solve

You are not a problem to solve.  Your life is not a problem to solve.  Your body is not a problem to solve.  It’s easy to lose track of that.  It’s easy to get stuck in a loop of endless problem-solving, thinking that if you can just think harder, work harder, be smarter, or chase down the righ…

When the Body Says “No”

Have you ever had a situation where your mind said “yes” but your body said “no”? Or vice versa — your mind said “no” and your body said “yes”?  Maybe someone asked for your help and your mind told you that helping was the kind, generous thing to do but you also felt your stomach tighten, your br…

Two Responses to Suffering

There are only two real responses to suffering: Push it away. Or say to it: “yes and thank you” There is no “right” way to suffer, and in fact, most of us have tried both responses many different times.  But once you discover what’s possible when you soften into suffering, you can’t unsee it. …

You Don’t Have to Hold It Together

There are so many things falling apart right now and if you’re someone like me who likes to: - Hold things together  - Bring things together - Keep things together  This time is probably uncomfortable at best and maybe painful at worst.  I’m today’s episode, I’ll share with you something that …

When the Worst People in the World Are the Most Confident

Have you noticed how the worst people in the world — those with the least character, next to no ethics and the lowest possible bar for human decency — have the most confidence? They have no issues taking up space, asserting their ideas or taking the lead role. Meanwhile those of us with huge hear…

Can Breathing Together Change the World?

I’ve wondered again and again how I can make a meaningful contribution during this dark time in human history and I keep coming back to this:  The power of our breath.  The simple act of showing up and intentionally breathing changed my life irrevocably many years ago and still continues to susta…

Softening in the Face of Uncertainty

Sometimes the world feels like it's becoming more dark and depraved by the day.  If you’re taking any amount of news or current events, you have to be feeling some measure of fear, frustration, rage and helplessness (or you’re not paying attention).  What do we do with all of these feelings cours…

Where Book Ideas Really Come From

You might think that when you sit down to write a book, you use mostly your brain, your intellect, or your thoughts to concoct the perfect argument, the most interesting story. I believe there’s more to it than that.  I’ve written 14 books and helped hundreds of authors write, edit and publish th…

Why Now Is the Time to Start Writing

From the 14th floor of a hotel room in downtown Nashville while the entire city is under a layer of ice, I send you this not-so-subtle nudge to use your voice. You may have told yourself that you’d write your book “someday,” or that you aren’t a real writer anyway, or that nobody would listen to w…