As a parent it’s difficult to watch your children, especially grown children, make choices that you think aren’t the best for them. But if they are over 15 or so, the choices and consequences are theirs to own, and you are able to have minimal influence. My advice is to put the focus on yourself, and make your life the best and happiest it can be. Pay attention to what lights you up and do more of it. Share your journey with him if you feel it fits into the conversation, but don’t force it. Maybe he will get inspired to do the same, but learn to be okay with it if he doesn’t. Live your life and let him live his. Simple, but not easy.

I’m currently trying to deal with one of those “difficult things in life”.. I’m a 37 year old who doesn’t have his shit together because of a dysfunction childhood and only now trying to create a more stable life and future. I’m still very much in the process and don’t know if I’ll be successful, but reading your articles certainly helps to calm the anxiety, and keep things in context and petspective. You see, I’m basically starting from the bottom since I didn’t even graduate from high school, and that thought scares the shit out of me and what that means for my future.

I am a lot better at practicing gratitude though, I’ve eliminated my bad habits, started exercising and eating more healthy and balanced, made it through anxiety, depression and sleep apnea without help from friends, family, doctors or medications and now trying to build on that. I’m thinking about going back to school to become a paramedic..

Which brings is back to doing the “hard things” in life.. It is finding what is meaningful and what had purpose to you that will in part make you happy and fulfilled.. Along with practicing gratitude, not comparing yourself to others, doing what you can to live healthy, physically, emotionally and psychologically. Nurturing and building whatever relationships you already have because they can easily fall apart. Not dwelling on the past and not worrying about the future as much, but concentrating to live in the present.

There’s a whole lot more, but I just wanted to express my gratitude for stumbling upon your FB page and being able to resonate with all the work you have done.. I don’t think you have can really grasp the amount of impact you have in others lives..!! Keep going, doing what you do.. Creating positive, tangible differences in the lives of others while growing that as your business..

Thanks once again.

Is it possible to get away for a few weeks or even the whole summer? Even a working vacation at a National Park where you can hike and swim in your off time. (often times housing is provided, or you can live in an RV). Or a job on a cruise ship teaching yoga or just working a cash register? And inform only NEED to know people of contact/forwarding address and your disposable cell phone number, (a cell phone you leave turned off, except to check messages). A total change of scenery can do wonders, even just a week vacation, or a weekend hiking in the Sierras, etc..
Also, maybe consider joining a hiking club, or a kayaking club, or a book club. Something YOU enjoy that can be like a mini-vacation in your weekly life. Or taking a ritual daily walk OUTDOORS, can be very helpful to peace of mind, well-being when everything else seems like haywire…the routine, the walk, something for you everyday.
Not knowing your obligations in life, not sure what would be do-able, but a get-away of some sort might really be helpful to you.

Indeed, happiness isn’t always easy. Love the floating analogy. I’ve been holding on to too much lately–struggling to no end, for no good reason.

I feel the same way it’s like my adrenaline kicks in & keeps acelerating & I can’t stop it 0-100 & boom panic attacks/ Aniexty- I’m a mess.