Nobody knows you like you know you. You are the expert of yourself and your life. 

If you're not, you're in for a lifetime of anxiety and discontent.

Of course it can be helpful to seek counsel outside of yourself, but only if used as a tool to reveal the truth inside yourself. I always encourage everyone to seek advice but never take it. People do things because they believe they are the best options for them; however, this often gets translated to those...

Today I was asked what advice I would give my teenage self if I could go back with all the info I have now.

Certainly there are many warnings I could give her knowing the difficulties she has coming her way...

I could share with her the outcomes of some of the destructive choices she's considering during those years...

There are a few guys going to cause a good deal of pain before too long. I could caution her about them...

She is going to cause a good deal of pain to others and lose them...

What does it mean to you to love truly?

I want to keep my post short today because it really is simple. 

I don't often make blanket statements or recommendations. I believe we are all on our own path with our own purpose and live lives that honor that. However, I have found one thing to be true across the board no matter what. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I have yet to come across an exception.

Your first thought at the end of this post might be that you are the exception. And who am I...

You have the opportunity to be loved today deeper and stronger and more thoroughly than you've ever been loved before.

There have been times in your life when you've been treated unfairly.

Someone hurt you when they should have protected you.

Your cries for compassion have fallen on deaf ears.

Somebody told you "I love you" but their actions didn't agree.

When you needed to be embraced lovingly, you've been treated cruelly. 

Some or all of this has been true for you...

Fun is not universal.

That may be common knowledge, but it is something I learned not long ago. After I got sober, fun was one of the many parts of my life I had to reexamine. It was one of the most surprising parts of my life I had to reexamine. 

It never occurred to me that fun is a conscious choice just like every other area we talk about in here. There are no objective fun activities.

I think reading about spiritual growth and self-development is super fun,...

For about eight weeks this summer I was without a home. As you can imagine, it was a pretty challenging time. But I gotta tell ya, I gained an awful lot by living with less.

I learned some invaluable lessons during this difficult time that resulted in gifts I can carry with me for the rest of my days (which will hopefully all be spent somewhere safe and comfortable).

Lesson #1: The Universe always provides. 

That may sound a little strange. Your first thought...