How to Keep Unkind Words from Hurting You

You may not know it, but I am by nature a very private person. Even on my spiritual journey that took me around the world, I never posted about my travels. I understand the stress that social media can cause when people see others posting their travel photos, and I didn’t want to contribute to that.But then I met the remarkable woman who would become my wife. She was shocked…

Peace Begins With You

The world we live in is designed by each of us. We are each totally responsible for the world. You are humanity, you are society, you are the universe.  Consciousness is the home you live in. You are its creator and caretaker. So, what does all this mumbo jumbo mean? Well, it means that if you see people as enemies, you have created the illusion of enemies. It means that…

Break Free from the Game of Telephone (Part 2)

In my last newsletter I talked about 3 ways to win at life’s game of telephone, and how to stop letting other people plant thoughts in our head. Today I want to talk about how to trust ourself and follow our heart.Whether it’s our own thoughts or the words from other people, it’s just noise. That which goes beyond words is what’s true. People have been developing opinions for thousands…

Life Is a Game of Telephone. Here’s How to Win

Have you ever wondered how much you know, how much you think you know, and how much you think you know because someone else thinks so?The information we have bouncing around in our brains is divided into three categories: what we experience first hand, what we hear from others, and what we believe about the things we hear.99% of our information (totally made up statistic) comes from other people — the…

How to Find What Makes You Happy

The moment you can sit in stillness and silence, and actually allow your body and mind to become fully at rest, and be able to completely relax the same as if it’s been 1 minute or 1 hour; that is the moment that everything in life will come alive to you because you are at peace with nothing.If we search for happiness in something outside of ourselves, whether by drugs…

How to Undo Societal Conditioning

Human beings are the most remarkably adaptable species on Earth. We are blessed with the ability to adapt to any environment, location, and situation. A baby growing up in Spain will adapt to her culture and learn Spanish. A baby growing up in the Arctic will learn to icefish and speak Inuit. This adaptability gives us the variety of rich cultures and ways of life for our species. Whatever situation we…

The Pleasure Pain Paradox

A lot of people think spirituality means that monks who renounce everything are the most spiritual, and the rest of us are doomed to suffering. I myself have found great peace in letting go of possessions and bad habits. I have discovered the freedom that comes from practicing minimalism and asceticism.But don’t get me wrong, I love all the pleasures and comforts of life. I used to love them too…

Do I exist Now because of what happened in yesteryears?

We all exist because of events that take place in this eternal stream of presence. The future is tied to the past, it is not separate. But it all happens in the present moment. The future will happen because of what we do now, and what we do now is because of what came before. So you could say we are also only here because of what will happen in…

Living Authentically as ADHD, Autistic, or Highly Sensitive

Q: Dear Todd, Perhaps you have some advice for people who are different—whether it's ADHD, autism, or high sensitivity—on how to find their place in society. We often live on the fringes, but not at the center of society.TODD ANSWERS: As a person who considers myself in this category with my history of ADHD and high sensitivity, I struggled with this for a long time. Ultimately the place we can…

Should I Leave My Corrupt Country After Losing Everything?

Q: Dear Todd, I live in a developing country that is corrupt, where money and connections really matter. The people here seem irrational. I chose the wrong path back then, but I was sensible enough to recognize that it was a defining moment in my life. I made up my mind with courage, but now I’ve lost everything, including my relationships with important people. What should I do? Should I…