Struggling to Move on After a Sexual Assault

  • Post last modified:June 10, 2024
  • Reading time:1 min read

Q: Dear Todd, I have been sexually assaulted and betrayed by many. I have been struggling emotionally to move on when there is so much injustice around. What advice do you have for me?Todd Answers: You’re a very strong survivor. I hope you are able to give yourself the time and love to feel and then heal from those traumatic events. Be patient with yourself, don’t focus on outcomes or…

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When the Negative Nelly is a Colleague You Can’t Ignore

  • Post last modified:August 22, 2024
  • Reading time:1 min read

Q: Dear Todd, what about when you work with a negative nelly? I ignore her, I don't validate her, but yet she cannot enjoy peace and quiet - she HAS to fill the silence with her ailments and as much as I try it's so hard - she sucks the life out of the office. TODD ANSWERS: ​​​​There is really very little we can do to change others. But, often…

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When a Sensory Pleasure Hedonistic & When a Beautiful Experience

  • Post last modified:February 4, 2024
  • Reading time:2 mins read

The distinction between a sensory pleasure being hedonistic and a beautiful experience lies in the depth and nature of the encounter. While both involve a heightened sense of enjoyment, they diverge in their underlying qualities and the impact they have on one's well-being.A sensory pleasure is often hedonistic when it prioritizes immediate gratification and indulgence in sensory stimuli. This could include the enjoyment derived from taste, touch, sight, sound, or…

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How to Stay Calm & Peaceful During Dark Times

  • Post last modified:June 10, 2024
  • Reading time:1 min read

Q: Dear Todd, how to experience moments of bliss in what would otherwise be described as dark circumstances?TODD ANSWERS: By replacing negative thinking such as anger, greed, hatred and fear with the positive characteristics of love, compassion, generosity, gratitude and #kindness, we become happier and more peaceful. As we train the mind to focus rather than react unconsciously, we can create whatever reality we wish. Path to Peace with Todd…

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How to Take Life Seriously

  • Post last modified:February 4, 2024
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Q: Dear Todd, how to take life seriously?TODD ANSWERS: When we wonder whether we are taking life too seriously or not enough, we are stuck in the middle of two polarities. The key to breaking free is to not take life at all. That's right. Just leave it be. None of us are so powerful as to be able to control the many forces of the universe that were set…

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Path to Peace The Cure for Loneliness

  • Post last modified:August 25, 2024
  • Reading time:1 min read

Human beings need social connection in order to live full, happy, safe and protected lives. It's hardwired into our DNA. No human was brought into this world without the love and nurturing of someone else. But too often in our modern society, we find there is no tribe, no village, and no community to offer that safety and comfort. In this podcast I talk about the two types of actions…

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What Does It Say About Me When I See Cruelty in the World

  • Post last modified:June 11, 2025
  • Reading time:2 mins read

The idea that everything outside of oneself is a projection can be a complex concept to grapple with, especially when faced with the harsh realities of crime, suffering, and cruelty in the world. It's essential to approach this perspective with nuance and recognize the interplay of various factors.Q: Dear Todd, if everything outside of me is a projection of myself, then what does it mean when I see the crime…

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Want to Let Go of Past? Use Buddhist Mandala Lesson

  • Post last modified:August 25, 2024
  • Reading time:3 mins read

There was a Buddhist mandala that was hanging on the wall at the first Buddhist monastery I lived at. I was captivated by the details and craftsmanship. Really, the whole monastery had this level of detail and beauty. It was quite exquisite. Mandalas are symbolic representations of the universe, designed to transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones. They can be an object of meditation for Buddhists to focus on, either…

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How to Stop Seeing Yourself as Failure

  • Post last modified:August 9, 2025
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Overcoming the Failure Life Trap Q: I am currently struggling with a terrible sense of fear around the point at which I find myself in life right now… I have always been my harshest judge but that was what drove me on… now it is tearing me down. I am struggling to find the motivation or meaning in anything… I have read the books, done the classes, had the therapy,…

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How to Use Mindfulness to Manage Emotions

  • Post last modified:August 22, 2024
  • Reading time:1 min read

Q: Dear Todd, I am chaos, and I create it in everything I do and I want to stop it. I feel like a phony when I let my emotions take over.TODD ANSWERS: Don't be afraid of being a phony when your genuine emotions take over. Clearly you are trying to communicate something that is important to you. The more we practice not losing ourselves to these emotions (mindfulness), the…

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