I now believe that bêtes noires usually attack because we're thwarting our own destinies. Calming the beast turns us toward our best lives.

Learning to let go of expectations is a ticket to peace. It allows us to ride over every crisis—small or large, brother-in-law or end-of-quarter office lockdown—like a beach ball on water. The next time a problem arises in your life, take a deep breath, let out a sigh, and replace the thought Oh no! with the thought Okay.

The way we do anything is the way we do everything.

People don’t cry when they lose their hope. They cry when they get it back.

When making a decision, focus on what feels "shackles off" versus "shackles on".

If you find yourself getting nervous stop and relax for three full breaths. Then take one small step, then another. That is how people get to the top of Everest.

The holy days are the best times to focus on real enthusiasm, the inner source that lightens and sanctifies our lives all year.