I realize that this is where I’m supposed to share my life story in a nutshell—or at least offer the highlights, my biggest epiphanies, and my qualifications for writing about wisdom. Instead, I’ll put it simply: I hurt.

I hurt a lot, for a long time, and I caused it.

When I was younger, I carried around numerous victim stories to justify my negativity and misery. After years of suffering, I realized I truly was the cause—no one and nothing else made my life hard.

I was the one thinking undermining thoughts. I was the one drowning in overpowering emotions. I was the one dwelling on the past. I was the one who moved around all the time, hoping to escape myself. Eventually I realized that I was the only one who could change how I experienced the world.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy—that I’d have to let go of certain things and make certain choices over and over again. And so I do, in as many as moments as I can, knowing I will never be perfect—but finally accepting that’s okay.

I started tinybuddha.com as a community blog in the fall of 2009, after tweeting quotes through @tinybuddhafor more than a year. It’s a place where people of all ages share how they apply wisdom to everyday life—a space where people write authentically and sometimes vulnerably about the challenges we all face.

Though people often ask me about the numbers—the Twitter followers, the page views, and the unique visits—that’s not why I run Tiny Buddha. I do it because engaging in this way connects us on a meaningful level and allows us to make a positive difference in each other’s lives.

I run Tiny Buddha because I’m done hurting alone. The world’s a far brighter place when we choose instead to heal and thrive together.

If you are not familiar with author and blogger Lori Deschene, you should be.  Her new book entitled “Tiny Buddha, Simple Wisdom for Life’s Hard Questions” is a must read for anyone wanting to explore some of the deepest questions you might ever be asked.   Lori not only intertwined her own personal story, but she used Twitter to get answer from her followers about what she calls Life’s Hard Questions.

Nearly one thousand people responded when Lori began asking life’s hard questions on Twitter, planning to create a collaborative book.   As Lori states the insights from the people who responded formed the backbone of “Tiny Buddha“.   This book is not a guide of absolute answers.  It’s crowdsourced wisdom, often supported by scientific, psychological and sociological research, that may help you experience meaning, happiness and peace right now, regardless of your circumstances.

In my interview with Lori we explore not only her very interesting personal story, but the insights and wisdom of the thousands of followers at her website and blog. If you are asking yourself, what are these “hard questions” here are just a few to peak your interest: 1) Why Is There Suffering In the World? 2) What’s the Meaning of Life? 3) Can People Change and How? 4) Does Everything Happen for a Reason? 5) What Does It Take to Be Happy?

“Tiny Buddha” is a book designed to get you to think as well as take action on your thoughts.  Lori has created a section at the end of each chapter where she provides options for the reader to put what they learn into practice.  It is one thing to read and reflect on  these “hard questions’ it is another thing to start to move in a direction to change old patterns and beliefs that do not serve us anymore.  I personally think that the layout of the book evokes deep thought, contemplation and the freedom to explore what will work best for you.

Lori approaches this truly from the “Buddhist” perspective which is very refreshing.  No judgement–she is just a guide helping you find your own way while you ponder some of “life’s hardest questions”  If you want to learn more about Lori’s blog, or sign up for her amazing daily inspirational messages please click here to read more.  You can also watch a great YouTube video about Lori’s thought on how to build real community on the Internet.

I hope you enjoy a wonderful interview with a fascinating author on a mission to unite and help people with every day pain and suffering.   You can also follow Lori on Twitter by clicking here

Currently Mr. Gladstone personally represents individual authors such as spiritual teachers Eckhart Tolle and Neale Donald Walsch, radio talk show host Thom Hartmann, international peace advocate Dr. Ervin Laszlo, philanthropist Shari Arison, novelist Victor Villasenor, environmental activist Hunter Lovins, Chicken Soup for the Soul book series creator Mark Victor Hansen and many other outstanding authors and professionals dedicated to creating books which inspire and improve the world. Mr. Gladstone is also the author of THE TWELVE, a novel of ancient wisdom as well producer of the film Tapping the Source and co-author of the book Tapping The Source.

Over the last several months I have grown to know author and literacy agent Bill Gladstone.   Bill a fascinating man, and  has a true passion for helping and serving people through great books, and connecting people for the greater good.  I recently interviewed Bill about one of his many co-authored book entitled ” Tapping the Source”

This book was written and co-authored with John Selby, Richard Greninger and Bill Gladstone and brings to light the works of Charles Haanel’s Master Key System combining short-form meditation techniques with new psychological insights assisting one in tapping their personal potential.

Charles Haanel never claimed to have invented the process of manifestation that he taught. In fact he often refers to classic sources in the Judeo-Christian heritage and Greek and Eastern traditions to highlight the ancient wisdom he’s drawing from and expanding upon.  But beyond classic parallels, his personal vision appears to be uniquely inspired with new psychological insights and remarkably clear elucidations of the core principles that drive our everyday lives:  ” What you and I desire, what everyone is seeking, is happiness and harmony.  If we can be truly happy, we shall have everything the workd can give. If we are happy ourselves, we can make others happy.”

The primary difference in the qualities of Haanel’s vision is that he’s not fixed on material possessions or giant bank accounts or a fleet of fancy cars in the garage.  Yes, he does fully support abundance, but he bases his teaching on the fact that what we really want deep down is to feel genuinely happy and in ongoing harmony with ourselves and the world.  He says “Harmony and happiness are states of consciousness, and do not depend upon possession of things.”

Haannel stated that ” creative power does not originate in the individual, but in the Universal, which is the source and foundation of all energy and substance; the individual is simply the channel for the distribution of this energy.” Haanel was not only a wise man, but very spiritually connected soul bringing awareness and light to the world.

If you want to learn more about Charles Haanel and Tapping the Source, please visit the Tapping the Source website by clicking here.  There is also a full featured DVD that is excellent and will provide you with insights from some of the greatest minds in the personal growth, spirituality and mastery  today.

Enjoy my interview with Bill Gladstone a wonderful author and compassionate man on a mission.  To learn more about Bill Gladstone please click here to be directed to his website.

More on Why Jonathan Brings Credibility and Fresh Perspectives to Personal Growth and Balanced Living.

Dr. Jonathan Ellerby is one of the most credible and accessible personalities today who can help people of all backgrounds to bring real change and vitality to everyday life by making timeless spiritual tools, alternative healing, and modern psychology simple to understand and easy to apply.

People are calling Jonathan “a guide to inspired living today”. Having travelled the globe, and earned his PhD in comparative religion with a focus on healing, Jonathan has researched, experienced and applied spiritual philosophies and practices in diverse settings, cultures and faiths. With deep compassion, humor, and down to earth common sense, Jonathan’s world of experience allows him to embrace the world as an author and teacher. Dr. Ellerby helps audiences to sort through all the mixed messages of self-help to find what matters most, and what works.

Jonathan is the CEO of the Tao Wellness Center and Inspired Living Community in the Riviera Maya of Mexico. As the leader of this world-class event center and residential development with a focus on wellness (opening January 2012), Jonathan’s impact on the world of well-being and practical inspiration has expanded into the community and corporate arenas.  The former Spiritual Program Director for the acclaimed Canyon Ranch Health Resorts and a Hay House author, Jonathan has appeared in diverse TV, radio and print settings including Larry King; the Yoga Journal; Ladies Home Journal, New York Times, Woman’s Day, WholeLiving Magazine; CNN, Montel Williams Radio; Martha Stewart radio and several documentary films. Author of the international best-selling “Inspiration Deficit Disorder,”  “Your Spiritual Personality” (CD set) and international best-selling  “Return to the Sacred: Pathways to Awakening,” he has two new books to be released in 2011!! 
With a background as a spiritual counselor, senior healthcare executive, hospital chaplain, business consultant, Interfaith Minister, and a counselor to celebrities and CEOs, Jonathan brings a rare perspective with both depth and breadth. Jonathan views himself first as a husband and father, and he too faces the challenges of living a life of balance and meaning in a world of stress, change, and reaction. He understands changing diapers and managing a mortgage as well as he understands ancient cultures and the psychology of the spirit; Jonathan is as at home in the remote villages of Africa as he is in uptown Manhattan. Recently, Jonathan and his family have relocated full time to the Mexican Caribbean.

Stay tuned for his new two releases in 2011, and his upcoming events in which he will be speaking alongside personal growth legends Jack Canfield, Don Miguel Ruiz, and others.

Please contact us for more details about Jonathan and his work:

connect@jonathanellerby.com

I not only had the pleasure of recently interviewing Dr. Jonathan Ellerby about this exceptional enhanced book for Apple iPad, but Wiseologie Media Group that I am a partner in had the honor of helping create and publish “God Works, Why God Is Nothing You’d Expect and Everything You Need.”

In my interview with Jonathan we speak about this unique book and what Jonathan refers to as the God Stigma.  Just what is the God Stigma–simply stated it is our willingness to admit that we believe in a higher power, and we trust in that higher power but when it comes to expressing our feelings with others about our beliefs in “God” there is a real stigma in society.

This new book not only addresses this conundrum that we are all faced with, but it explores our inner beliefs, values and how we might shift these patterns and beliefs in a way to support our spirituality.

Jonathan expresses that one of the underlying factors associated with the “God Stigma” is our fear of expression and that it is important that we disgard that fear to take on a God-consciousness or God-understanding.  God is not an idea to be debated, but a feeling, and experience to be cultivated.  To debate about the nature of God for too long implies a lack of true awareness, because God, like love, is something so real to those who have felt it, and yet impossible to explain or analyze to those who have not yet fully been struck.

So, if we are responsible about it, then the key to a helpful conversation in which God is referenced, is to first know that God is best felt, not explained, and then, out of respect, to ask, “What is God to you?’

If you are truly interested in exploring “God” from a spiritual context and don’t want to get ensconced in the idea of  separation, that frequently takes place when we open up to others about our beliefs in “God” then I recommend that you download a copy of  ”God Works” for your Apple iPad.

In this new enhanced book author Jonathan Ellerby explores the true nature of “God”.  The real heart of all energy, matter and awareness, and to talk to God as a divine friend who is in charge of all things and also happens to be infinitely wise and powerful.

For more information about “God Works” please click here to be directed to the Apple Store to purchase your copy.  Our you can watch a couple of video’s with Jonathan Ellerby that are also part of the book by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview, and that you will experience a very immersive and engaging enhanced book especially created for  the  Apple IPad.   Jonathan speaks from his heart about how “God Works” and you can watch a video introduction by clicking here.

He first book Mother Nurture: A Mother’s Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships shows how to support the long-term health, well-being, and intimate partnership of mothers. Many related articles and other resources can be found at www.NurtureMom.com. He co-founded the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, www.WiseBrain.org.

Dr. Hanson’s latest book is Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom with Rick Mendius, M.D. (New Harbinger, Nov 2009).

Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and other great teachers were born with brains built essentially like anyone else’s. Then they used their minds to change their brains in ways that changed history.

Well-referenced and grounded in science, the book is full of practical tools and skills readers can use in daily life to tap the unused potential of the brain—and rewire it over time for greater peace and well-being.

With a Foreword by Daniel Siegel, M.D. and a Preface by Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., Buddha’s Brain joins the forces of modern science with ancient teachings to show readers how to have greater emotional balance in turbulent times, as well as healthier relationships, more effective actions, and a deeper religious or spiritual practice. The book shows readers many effective ways to light up the brain circuits that relieve worry and stress, and promote positive relationships and inner peace.

If you can change your brain, you can change your life.

Rick is a weekly contributor to psychology-today.com. He leads meditation groups and teaches at Spirit Rock, Sati Center, and other organizations. He and his wife have two children and live in Marin County, CA.

Author Rick Hanson is one of my favorite authors, and he has created a great new little book entitled “Just One Thing, Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time”.  Rick is right on when he speaks about practicing. In my estimation it is the operative word,  one must start the practice, because practice is the only thing that will continue our ability to improve and reach heightened states of consciousness.

In my interview with Rick we discuss the daily practices that Rick has articulated in his book.  These practices are mainly inside your mind and are designed to support and increase your sense of security and worth, resilience, effectiveness, well-being, insight, and inner peace.  Some of the practices include taking in the good, protecting your brain, feeling safer, relaxing anxiety about imperfection, not knowing, enjoying your hands, taking refuge, and filling the hole in your heart.

Rick states that it’s a two-way street: as your brain changes, your mind changes; and as your mind changes, your brain changes.  This means–remarkably–that what you pay attention to, what you think and feel and want and how you work with your reactions to things all sculpt your brain in multiple ways.  The details are complex, bu the key point is simple: how you use your mind changes your brain–for better or worse.  There’s a traditional saying that the mind takes the shape it rests upon; the modern update is that the brain takes the shape the mind rests upon.

For instance, you regularly rest your mind upon worries, self-criticism, and anger, then your brain will gradually tak the shape–will develop neural structures and dynamics–of anxiety, low sense of worth, and prickly reactivity to others.  On the other hand, if you regularly rest your mind upon, for example, noticing your’re all right right now, seeing the good in yourself, and letting go–three of the practices in this book–then your brain will gradually take the shape of calm strength, self-confidence and inner peace.

It is the beginning of a New Year, and we can all use great ideas to help us establish better patterns and habits that help and serve us.  I hope that you will read Rick’s new book “Just One Thing” because he provides the reader with 52 new practices to help you become more mindful, centered and develop peace and bliss in your life.  What a wonderful thing!!!

If you would like more information on Rick Hanson, please click here to be directed to his website or click here to go to his Facebook page.  He also has some great videos at Youtube.

Michael’s new introductory book called the One Minute To-Do List helps anyone who wants to quickly learn how to create a to-do that really works.

Michael’s time management and goal-setting book is Master Your Workday Now! a book that teaches anyone how to obtain Workday Mastery: the experience of chaos-free work, inspiring and attainable goals, and a career that is connected to who you really are. Techniques in this book can be used on paper or with varous software.

Michael has been called “The Efficiency Guru” by the Detroit News, and has been written up in the business magazines Fast Company and Investor’s Business Daily for his unique common-sense approach to e-mail control. He leads workshops and consults on task and e-mail management, and on workplace productivity. He has been a management consultant and technology professional for more than 20 years, and was a Vice President at Accenture, the large management consultancy. As a management and technology consultant with Accenture, he advised and managed programs and projects for clients such as eBay, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Applied Materials, UPS, Adecco, and others. Before Accenture, Michael led the technology department at U.S. Peace Corps. Michael also consults on program and project management best practices. Michael also led the creation of the Project Management Center of Excellence for AAA. Tens of thousands of people around the world turn to Michael’s books and trainings to help get control of their chaotic worklife. You can too.

When Michael states that he can help you quickly get your chaos completely under control he is absolutely correct.  In my interview with Michael we discuss how he recommends his clients approach their to-do lists into urgency zones.  The first zone is referred to as the “Critical Now“.  These are items that you know are absolutely due today.  What is making you nervous and needs to get completed.

The next zone is what Michael refers to as the “Opportunity Now“.  You  list in this section of the worksheet those tasks that though not urgently due now, you would work on now if you had the opportunity.  Included things that may be due tomorrow, or later this week, even as far out as ten (10) days.

Now for the last segment of the list entitled ” Over-the-Horizon List“. On this list you will write down anything that is on your mind that can wait ten (10) days or more for you to get to it.   These are items that are obviously your slow-burn items.  These things are not troubling you right now as being at all urgent.

Michael states that we tend to overload our lists.  The first rule deals with how many tasks, and the maximum you should have in each section. The number one cause of a failed to-do list, particularly those that are automated, is that the list gets to big and overwhelming.  Michael suggest that we keep the “Critical Now” list to five (5) or fewer items, the “Opportunity Now” list should be fewer than 20 items.

If you are into automated systems Michael recommends a great program that is cloud based called “ToodleDo“.  I have provided the link to their website.  I started using is right after our interview and I have found it to be quite useful.  It is also simple, so give it a try you have nothing to lose.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Michael Linenberger about his new book ” The One Minute To-Do List”.  Michael website is loaded with resources and forms you can download, so click here to be directed to his website.  If you would like to see Michael in action, then click here to watch a great YouTube video.