Finding Joy Amidst the Pain
For the past few years, like many of you, I've been mentally and emotionally affected by the ongoing assault on Gaza. It's hard to look away. It's in every scroll, every silence between friends, every heavy moment when the news plays in the background.
My Buddhist practice hasn't protected me from this pain, but it's taught me to hold it with wisdom. The first noble truth reminds us that suffering exists. Not just out there (Gaza, Ukraine, Congo etc,) but also within us. And still, we're called to stay open. Tell truths and to keep loving.
There's a teaching I've been leaning into: joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of awareness. Even amidst heartbreak, there are moments of beauty, connection and depth. These aren't distractions, they're necessary. They remind us what we're fighting for.
If you've felt overwhelmed or lost in the grief of it all, know that you're not alone. And that joy is not betrayal. Sometimes, joy itself becomes an act of resistance.
Will write more on this in coming weeks.
Overcoming Our Fear of Cringe
Ocean Vuong said something recently that's been living rent-free in my head: "Cringe is the ground floor of transformation."
We live in a time where earnestness feels suspicious and vulnerability gets dismissed as oversharing. So many people hold back from creating because they're afraid of how it will come across.
But what's actually more painful? Creating something a little messy or living a life where your creativity never gets expressed.
The older I get, the more I see how much time I wasted worrying about others' opinions. How much it cost me: ideas unpursued, stories untold, truths never told.
Let yourself be cringey. Let yourself be seen trying. Trying is beautiful.
We're not here to be impressive. We're here to be real. Plus, I’ve found most people are so self-absorbed that we rarely think of others as much as we’re thinking about ourselves.
Creating a Positive Self-Image
This week, I was featured in Men's Health Australia in an article about self-image. Written with men in mind, but the truth applies to everyone.
The piece grew from a strange point in my life and oddly, I have TikTok to thank.
I explored how visualization, self-affirmation, and relaxation can reshape our internal image.
I read a book called Psycho-Cybernetics which describes self-image as the foundation for all behavior change. We don't become new by changing what we do once. We become new by changing who we believe we are.
That's a practice. One you can start today.
Hong Kong
Since moving to New York, I haven't been teaching as much and honestly, I'‘ve been going a little stir-crazy.
All the business and creative work aside, teaching is my first love. I'd do it if it was the last thing left in me.
So I'm thrilled to share that next week, I'll be in Hong Kong visiting my Dad as well as taking up a 3-week wellness residency at The Upper House. I'll be leading meditation and breathwork classes and, for the first time in 8 years, offering private sessions.
If you're in town—or know someone who is—please come through or share the word. It would be so nice to meet some of you.
Until next week,
MD