A few days ago I was a guest on Talkbox, a talk show on Beijing radio’s bilingual station AM774. Chloe (the host), Holly (the cohost), and I covered a lot of ground…from the struggles facing Chinese and American 20somethings, to finding your calling, to Forest Gump!
Click here to listen: May 19th Talkbox Radio Show
**When you visit the web page, look to the box on the right side. Scroll through the shows and click on the May 19th, 2011 episode titled “Confusion to Clarity.” Just let me know if you have any trouble tuning in.
On Monday, I gave a presentation called Overcoming the Quarterlife Crisis. The quarterlife crisis is the period of time in our 20s, and often 30s, during which we feel lost, confused, and overwhelmed by the question: “What do you want to do with your life?” We may look around at our peers and feel that we just don’t measure up. Perhaps you are in the midst of your own struggles, or know someone who is.
I take seriously the emotional stress of the quarterlife crisis, especially after having lived through it myself. I also know its powerfully transformative effects. The transformation occurs when we are willing to be patient with the process, dig deeply within ourselves for answers, and make step-by-step choices based on our true desires.
The workshop was, for me, uplifting. I learned a great deal from the participants and felt deeply inspired by their open minds and hearts. For a sample of the evening, see below for 10 tips I discussed for getting through this challenging life phase. Read more…
Last night, my husband and I were reading before bed. I noticed him set down Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now and sink deep into concentration. The passages had visibly affected him.
“Penny for your thoughts?” I asked.
“I’m thinking about quieting my mind,” he said.
A pause. Then his oxymoron clicked, and we started to laugh. Thinking about quieting the mind. How relatable! The busy nature of mind is such that we often spend more time trying to tame it than actually doing so.
I know this from personal experience. I’ve been meditating daily for a decade yet still find myself swept down the wild rapids of thought. But practice does help. Meditation is like exercise. The more you do it, the more natural it gets. Read more…
