Q: Dear Todd, in my case, all my stress and chronic anxiety come from insecurities and a lack of self-worth. I'm selfish and unkind to people sometimes, but it's not because I want to be; it's because of how I feel about myself. Every moment of my life, I feel I'm not enough and am always afraid of failing. So I stress and stress, can't sleep, and end up failing.…
Q: Dear Todd, I experience non-dual consciousness pretty regularly. What I struggle with is sometimes there is a loneliness attached to it because most people in my daily life are asleep, and I end up forgetting about the non-dual nature of reality just to “fit in” and live my life without seeming crazy. Any advice? TODD ANSWERS: Spiritual practice is to constantly accept what is then move forward with wise…
Everyday for a few moments, put away all distractions and find peace in the present moment, in the stillness. There is awe and wonder and beauty in everything. If you don't see it, you have to look deeper because it's there. As long as you make a life worth living, as long as your job is just a job, and the more you can be happy for other people's successes…
Q: Dear Todd, I had someone pretend to like me for a year and then she told me that she was using me and that the whole time she hated me. It messed me up so much. I still think that everyone hates me because idk if I can trust people. What if they are like her? What if I’m annoying? Is there something wrong with me? I also hate…
Q: Dear Todd, how do we deal with the cruelty going on right now, here in our country and elsewhere in the world? How does one control anger about towards those who are uncaring and greedy and mean?! TODD ANSWERS: Anger is an emotion that always carries us away. When we develop the ability to stay present in the midst of these emotional storms, we can recognize that anger doesn't…
We hear that desire is the root of all suffering. But sometimes desire can lead us toward finding our future spouse. It can lead to success, fun times, and good health. Desire is even often what sets us down the spiritual path. So is desire always bad? Why do we have this insatiable desire within us? Is there more than one kind of desire? And how can we use desire…
Q: Dear Todd, I had a full laryngectomy & had my thyroid removed. It all happened really fast. I believe I can restore everything. I want to talk again! Is it wrong to want this?Todd Answers: It is not wrong to want that. It is not even wrong to want it so badly that your happiness depends on it. However, that can create suffering. But, desire without attachment can help…
Q: Dear Todd, some kid in my high school class is talking bad about me, and I don't even know them. I don't get it. I even showed my own mother, and she said, "What do you want me to do?" I feel like everyone is just against me. I feel like such an outsider everywhere I go. I'm always in the wrong, and I wish I could say I…
The only failures are people who believe the story of failure they tell about themselves. Failure is only a person who is down at the moment. But we can all get back up. Unless we give up and stay on the floor, there's no such thing as failure. Many of us are too afraid to think we can achieve big dreams, so we don’t even start. Fear of failure is…
Q: I really, really want to see one spiritually awakened person who has a family, a 9-5 job, is financially constrained with aging parents, and still remains spiritual while doing all the mundane tasks. If I'm away in the Himalayas alone, being spiritual is automatic, not in the life described above.TODD ANSWERS: My friend, if only you knew my life. The tools may come from the mountains but they are…
“I thought my biggest fear was growing old and dying in prison. In truth, my biggest fear was growing old and not knowing myself.”
- Rick Smith, Albama inmate
Path to Peace - A newsletter not just for your mental health but also for your spiritual health.
