Stress can manifest itself in the form of pressure, tension, worry, anxiety, trouble, trauma suffering, pain, grief or any number of other negative feelings. Long-term stress can lead to deep depression and to helpless, hopeless feelings of despair. The antidote to stress, or rather, the way to counteract its effects, is the relaxation response. This…
In general, principles are a kind of code or belief system that help us live an ethical and well- reasoned life. They set the standards by which we make good decisions. A principled person is one whose reasoning and conduct are based on truth and decency. Honesty, fairness, respect, empathy, and integrity are examples of…
There are many types of power, from the mechanical power of machines to lift or move vast amounts of physical materials to the power of AI to analyze and manipulate vast amounts of data. Power is usually thought of, in a physical context, as the amount of force required to move something a certain distance…
According to Wikipedia, “Pleasure is experience that feels good, that involves the enjoyment of something. It contrasts with pain or suffering, which are forms of feeling bad.” It is human nature to seek something that makes us feel good and is enjoyable or satisfying. Anything from eating our favorite dessert to winning at our favorite…
We have all heard the phrases: “Listen to your mother, listen to your heart or gut, listen to God, or listen to your conscience”. This might seem strange to someone whose mother is not present and who’s heart, God and conscience are all silent. Yet we know what our mothers told us when we were…
Influence is the power to have an impact on someone or something. Every person, whether they realize it or not, has the ability to influence others through actions, words, or lifestyle choices. A person’s actions and words can impact others, either positively or negatively. When a person influences someone else, they are changing that person…
Experience combines both the act of directly observing or participating in something, and the resulting knowledge or skill gained. It encompasses both the process of encountering something and the lasting effects it has on a person. In other words, experience involves actively engaging with the world through seeing, doing, or feeling things. It’s about being present…
In general terms, tolerance is a willingness to accept feelings, habits or beliefs that are different from our own. This does not mean that we agree with the other, it simply means that we are willing to live and let live, to in some cases, agree to disagree. To live in peace, we must be…
The term “spirituality” has been cooped to apply to many kinds of beliefs and practices that have nothing to do with the gift of the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus, to guide us on our spiritual journey in our practice of Christianity. Almost any kind of ritual, has been dubbed “Spiritual” as though some external…
Righteousness is a word from the Bible that we hear in church, but not so much in everyday conversation. It is used to describe something or someone who is especially virtuous, morally pure and just. It implies a very high level of goodness, decency and even holiness. When we say that something is righteous, we…