Author Archives: Judy

Bonnie Ware, author of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, posted those regrets on her Inspiration and Chai website long before she wrote the book. Ware formerly worked in palliative care, and says that she shared some “incredibly special … Continue reading →

There’s a monkey in my mind swinging on a trapeze, reaching back to the past or leaning into the future, never standing still. Sometimes I want to kill that monkey, shoot it square between the eyes so I won’t have … Continue reading →

It’s been a provoking summer for me in terms of a couple of close relationships. Why can’t he come up with an idea for dinner? Why can’t she stop unloading the dishwasher while talking to me on the phone? I … Continue reading →

A friend served this to me the other day and I haven’t been able to stop making and eating it! The original version of this recipe appeared in Gourmet Magazine. Kale and Ricotta Salad 1 bunch kale 1 big shallot, … Continue reading →

SEEING OURSELVES CLEARLY “When we begin to see clearly what we do, how we get hooked and swept away by old habits, our usual tendency is to use that as a reason to get discouraged, a reason to feel really … Continue reading →

Several of you know about Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA. April 29-May 8 was their annual 9-day monastic retreat, and a wonderful one it was. The lead teaching monk, Ajahn Succitto, was an amazing teacher–funny, kind, sensitive, very wise … Continue reading →

Jon Kabat-Zinn tells the story of going into a conference room of business executives to do some teaching about mindfulness. He informed them that there would be no agenda, and several of them began to weep. The prospect of simply … Continue reading →

Those words were one of the themes of a recent retreat. The teacher, while driving to the retreat site, was struck by the feelings of sadness at having to leave her elderly mother at home. Her elderly mother who was … Continue reading →

A friend just mailed me this powerful video which is less than two minutes long. It shows how reframing a situation can dramatically improve the outcome, or results. It makes me wonder about the limitations I unconsciously place on myself … Continue reading →

From The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky, a list of behaviors that cultivate happiness: 1. Count your blessings. Express gratitude for what you have both privately and to others. 2. Cultivate optimism. Practice seeing the bright side of everything. … Continue reading →