How to Take Life Seriously

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…

Is Life Worth Living With Chronic Pain?

Q: Dear Todd, what if you are in so much physical discomfort and have been for years and the only thing that seems like it will end this discomfort is death. How do you reconcile that? Take comfort in knowing that your discomfort will end when you die?TODD ANSWERS: That is unfortunately just life sometimes. You can try to find comfort in some possible tomorrow, but you can also find…

How to Stop Feeling Jaded And Bitter Over Time

Love is the glue that holds this universe together. It is the gravity that unites two star crossed lovers. And it is the only reason we exist — it brought our parents together, love nourished and protected us through infancy, and it is the only reason we haven’ blown ourselves up yet.Love is a feeling as innate as hunger. Instead of leading us to food, love guides us towards being more…

What to Do When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned

There are two things taking place when we feel like our life is not going the way we hoped or wanted it to. The first thing is expectations — those pesky things created by society, our loved ones, and our own biased assumptions about how life should be. The second thing is a feeling of stuckness — that dull feeling, which lacks newness and excitement, that stems from repetitive and monotonous…

What Makes a Good Life & How to Live One

The question, "What makes a good life?" has plagued philosophers and intellectuals for millennia. It is one of, if not the most important question for our species.Everything we do is driven by our desire for a good life. And yet, despite doing our best to have a good life, we're often left feeling unhappy and dissatisfied.  If we give in to every urge and impulse, we may find ourselves sick…