Category: Inside-out

Life Appearing As Everything

There is only life appearing as everything.There is life appearing as an eating disorder.Life appearing as a memory, frustration, resistance, fear, excitement.Life appearing as a woman getting a promotion, a man getting a divorce, a woman being elected to office. Life appears as a person or a blue bird or a slug; a job, a

Change is About Seeing. Not Doing.

Fifteen years ago, I rang in 2006 with a group of friends in Chicago. We had tickets to an event that included a four course meal followed by a night of drinking and club-hopping. Early in the second course of our dinner, I started to feel sick. I managed to finish most of my meal

Brownie Troop 43487

It was maybe my most meaningful gig ever. Sharing ‘how we work’ with a troop of 9-year old Girl Scouts.I asked so many questions.What do they know about their thoughts, feelings, and why they do the things they do?Where do feelings come from?How do they know things? Not the things they learn in school, but

Misread Signs (It’s The Opposite of What You Think)

I knew someone with a very sensitive stomach. The tiniest bit of worry and she’d instantly feel sick.She cursed her stomach. Saw it as a weakness, a flaw.She wanted her stomach fixed. Her mind was full of potential ways I might help her toughen up her wimpy tummy. Could we train it to not react

There is Nothing Scary in the World (and There is No Such Thing as Limitation)

Do you want a foolproof test of how deeply you see how the human experience really works? Notice your initial reaction to the title of this post. That’s your test.Did you think: “Way to point out the obvious, Amy. Duh.”?Is it crystal clear that there is nothing scary in the world and there is no such

How to Staying Stuck in a Habit, Addiction, or Compulsion

You’d like to be painfully stuck in a habit, addiction, or compulsion?Do you want change that feels like a tenuous, uphill battle?You’re in the right place! I’ve felt stuck in several of my own habits and I’ve talked with thousands of people who say they are stuck in a habit or addiction themselves. I’ve seen

We Can’t Possibly be Feeling the Effects of Life… Can we?

I spent a couple days last week with a nice man who is looking for a better way to feel better. Alcohol, a plethora of pharmaceuticals, and some behavioral habits that jeopardize his health and relationships aren’t working anymore. He is ready for a better way.He was brand new to the understanding of health and resilience

How a Basic Understanding of Your Brain Can Free You From Pretty Much Anything

The publisher of The Little Book of Big Change asked me to write something for their blog about the lower brain.I was a little hesitant.Not because an understanding of the brain isn’t super interesting. It is.And seeing how the brain works in a deeper, more insightful way–beyond the mechanics–can be incredibly freeing. It was for

Good Ideas Are Shallow and Short-Lived Without a Framework

The world is full of good ideas and nice people who are happy to share them.Bumper sticker phrases. Instagram memes. Pop song refrains.There is only now.Let it go.You are perfect.Spend time in silence.It’s all in your head.Forgive and forget.Serve others.These good ideas might point out something you hadn’t thought of, or remind you of something

At Ease or Dis-ease? Here’s the one Thing that’s Always Happening When Life Feels Tough.

Life moves through you. It powers you. Imagine a kaleidoscope sitting in a dark corner of a shelf. With no light moving through, it’s just a pile of plastic. Then someone picks it up, puts it to their eyes, and turns toward the window. Stuff! Shapes and colors are brought to life by the light