Category: Being Human

What You Know About Your Life is a Re-Presentation of the Past

Here’s something crazy to think about.Every single thing you know about your identity, and every single thing you know about your life, is rooted in the past.Who are you? You can only answer that question–using words and descriptions, anyway–by referring to the past.You’re a sister or brother or so-and-so’s child? How could you know that

Thought Doing What Thought Does

We’ve come to expect our mind to behave the way we want it to rather than pausing to understand how minds naturally operate. It would be like bringing Jelly home for the first time and after a few hours saying, “This one’s too hyper. Her bark is too squeaky. She doesn’t work the way we imagined.” It’d

Sensations and Labels

Several years ago, I was preparing to lead a live workshop, and I went to the venue to check on some logistics. I experienced panic attacks for a long time, but at this particular point, I hadn’t felt anything I would consider anxiety or panic for at least six or seven years.At the venue, I

It Just Popped Into My Head

Before last week, Miller’s last haircut was in February 2020.He loved his long hair. He loved the way it flowed behind him when he ran. He loved that people called him Malibu Miller and told him he looked like a surfer or a European footballer. He loved that many of his friends wanted to grow

Putting on a Facade

Somewhere around the thirteenth century in Bangkok, Thailand, a massive statue of the Buddha was made of pure gold.Not long after the statue was created, Burmese soldiers invaded Thailand. In a flash of insight, the Thai people covered the Golden Buddha in stucco and glass to hide its value and keep it safe from the

Letting a Mind do it’s Job

If you’ve read Just a Thought (now available in the US, by the way!), you know why I find it so important to see what minds do.When we see, we don’t take it so personally. We get to be awake to it even while it’s happening.When we see, we realize it’s love and intelligence whether

I’m Not Proud of Myself

I’m unbelievably grateful that I am no longer caught up in the binge eating habit that felt so powerful for eight years.I’m grateful that I no longer have panic attacks, near-constant worry, and so many irrational fears and insecurities.But when someone asked me recently if I was proud of myself for leaving these behind, the

Blast Off

I have a framed picture of Planet Earth, taken from outer space, hanging on my office wall. I love looking at that picture, especially when my mind is caught up in something that feels personal and up to me to figure out. From up in our spaceship, “me” and “my problems” disappear. Concepts like good and

Imposter Syndrome

In the early days of graduate school, I had a major case of Impostor Syndrome. Nearly everyone I was with had it too. I know because we talked about it openly. We all walked into this new, intimidating situation, sizing each other up. What’s special about you? How did you earn your spot here? Is it

Morning Dread

Of all the questions people send to Ask Amy, a good number of them are loosely around what I call “morning dread”.People saying they wake up with a feeling of dread that dissipates throughout the day, but is immediate and strong in the morning and they want to know why.They want a reason. They want