How Much Can You Trust Your Gut Instincts?

Trusting gut instincts depends on mindfulness here and now. Thought and feeling can be easy to define when you’re mindful. Conscious awareness, here and now, lets you know what you’re thinking and what and how you’re feeling. But what about gut instinct? And how is that defined? For me, gut instinct goes deeper than thought or feeling – and is a combination of both. It’s a certain, instinctual awareness that exists somewhere deep within. I can’t explain in words how

What’s So Great About Accepting So Little Control?

It’s empowering when you accept what control you DO have. The only thing over which you and I have control is ourselves. Even then, there are limits to what you can and do control. All of them are internal. Sure, there are externals that you can direct – but control is not the case. You can change your body shape, eye color, hair length and color, what you wear, and maybe a couple of other elements of yourself. That’s pretty

Are the Best Intentions Sometimes Not Enough to Avoid Conflict?

Your best Intentions are great – until they meet reality. Everybody makes mistakes. Some are big, some small. Most can be forgiven to one degree or another. When it comes to our intentions, it’s very easy to screw up. When you have no intent on causing hurt or harm – and then do – that’s a pain point. To quote playwright Oscar Wilde, “It is always with the best intentions that the worst work is done.” More than once, I

Will the Truth Truly Set You Free?

I believe that the truth sets you free. But what IS the truth? Long ago, I came to this notion: There are three brands of truth. Mine, yours, and the absolute. The truth, as I perceive it, is colored by my life experiences, education, environment, associations, and the imperfection of memory. Just because I remember something having been a certain way doesn’t make it so. But the truth, as I believe it to be – no matter the topic –

Do Your Chosen Paths Require Anyone Else’s Approval?

No, only your approval is necessary. The approval of others is unnecessary. I intended to blog regularly when I started Pathwalking in the first week of 2012. That it would grow to be my life philosophy, and an idea I think might benefit others, was not how I thought it would go. To be the best me that I can be, I have read, listened to, and gone over lots of different programs, books, blogs, podcasts, and the like. Topics

How Much True Positivity is Too Much Positivity?

Unless it’s toxic positivity, there’s never too much to be had. Positivity has gotten a bad name of late. This is largely due to the many and loud proponents of toxic positivity. If you aren’t familiar with the term – toxic positivity is positive to the point of ignoring, disregarding, and pretending that all negatives don’t exist. Deny the bad, don’t even look at it. Keep a positive mindset and a positive attitude and all will be well. If you

If You’re Feeling Alone, You’re Never As Alone As You Might Fear

Feeling alone is unpleasant – but what if you’re never truly alone? You are never alone. Why? Because you always have yourself. Ok, before you quit reading, let me further explain. Whether you engage it consciously or not, you have an inner dialogue. Consciously or subconsciously, it’s running in the background of your life, no matter what you’re doing. Inside your subconscious mind are numerous beliefs, values, and habits. Some have been there more or less all your life. Others

Are Your Feelings – Positive or Negative – Always Valid?

Yes, your feelings are always valid. But understanding them is another matter. You’ve probably been in a situation where you had an emotional response someone deemed inappropriate or disproportional. You were overreacting, taking it too hard, overthinking it, or what-have-you. It did not help your situation, did it? Chances are it increased it, or made you more stubborn and deepened the feeling. What’s more, they might have been correct. You were overreacting, taking it too hard, overthinking it, or whatever.

Why Should You Admit To Being Selfish When You Are?

Everyone will be selfish from time to time – and admitting to it is empowering. You most likely strive to be a decent human being. It doesn’t matter if you have lofty goals and huge ambitions – or just want to live a life you’re more often content than miserable with. Odds are, you’re a decent person. Sure, you’re flawed. We all are. Nobody is perfect, save that everyone is perfectly imperfect. That means you will mess up, fail, get

What Are You Grateful For and Why Does Gratitude Matter?

Gratitude is the key to everything good and great. I’ll bet that you can easily point to things that you’re lacking. You might have insufficient money, debt, relationship problems, aren’t thin enough, can’t satisfy familial expectations, and so on. Your home isn’t big enough, your car isn’t new enough, tech is outdated, and so forth. There is nobody to blame for this, per se. But it should come as no surprise given that we live in a fear-based society. Often,

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