If you aren’t already bored with me and my problems, you know I have been working this week with maintaining my sanity, staying present, and keeping my heart open in the face of uncertainty, contemplating the notion of impermanence. As I practice, I find that it’s important to keep things simple. I’m experiencing intense emotions and discursive, obsessive thoughts, and the more I can maintain a clear focus, the more workable my situation.

Susan Piver posted a new blog entry and video this past week 5 steps to establish genuine confidence. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard her talk about it, but it was quite timely and so helpful. Basically, “The underlying theme is to simplify, slow down, pay attention to details, and have faith–not as an act of wishful thinking, but because as you take these steps you see that your life is actually unfolding with a sense of order.” I’m sharing this today because I think you, kindest and gentlest of reader, might also find something useful in this teaching.