“Names have power.” — Rick Riordan Knowing the name of a thing gives you power over it. From the ancient Egyptian and Greek Gods to Jewish and Chinese Daoist traditions, one’s “true name” is kept hidden, lest another God or mortal gain advantage. Even modern cryptography uses this term to…

“A best friend is the only one that walks into your life when the world has walked out.” ― Shannon l. Alder We often get caught up in our own struggles. It feels like the world is dead set against us. We alone bear a crushing burden bordering on cruel…

“Life is a balance between rest and movement.” — Rajneesh How is balance best achieved in life? Most of us live hectic lives full of decisions. Slowing down is a rare treat, but even in moments of peace, there is often a feeling of unease. What are we missing? …

“Giving does not only precede receiving; it is the reason for it. It is in giving that we receive.” ― Israelmore Ayivor When is the last time you expressed gratitude or showed appreciation? “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’”…

“He who buys what he does not need steals from himself.” — Swedish Proverb Are you living a life of moderation or extremes? According to an old Swedish proverb, “Lagom är bäst” or “enough is as good as a feast.” Moderation is a virtue. …

“Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom.” — Benjamin Franklin Why does Denmark consistently rank among the happiest countries in the world? At first glance, this fact is a bit mysterious given the terrible…

“Ikigai is the action we take in pursuit of happiness.” — Yukari Mitsuhashi What is your reason for being? What gets you up in the morning? That is your ikigai in a nutshell. The rough translation from Japanese is “life’s worth” or “reason for being.” …

“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.” — Jana Kingsford Purpose is rooted in two competing forces: the desire to be happy and the practical need for survival. Happiness and survival are often in conflict, the scale tipped in favor of one or the other. The quest…

“Temporary discomfort pales in the face of long-term awakening.” — Alan Cohen Discomfort is my new obsession. I feel it now in multiple areas of my life: living lean on freelancing, starting a new head coaching position, building a new community and being outgoing (as an introvert). I feel like…