Happiness in this World » Personal Development

How And Why To Find A Mentor

Alex Lickerman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:00:22 +0000

Photo: Wonderlane

In Nichiren Buddhism, the mentor-disciple relationship—the relationship between teacher and student—is considered essential for attaining happiness.

How does Nichiren Buddhism envision this relationship works? First, in a true mentor-disciple relationship, the mentor, contrary to what many believe, is not intrinsically superior to the disciple. Human beings have a tendency to conceive [...]

I’ve Achieved My Greatest Dream…Now What?

Alex Lickerman — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Image: RavensHeart Web Studio

As long as I can remember (so the cliche goes), I’ve wanted to be a writer. I wrote my first short story when I was five. It was called “Horse’s Birthday Party” and was, you won’t be surprised to learn, about a horse having a birthday party. I drew [...]

How To Grow Up

Alex Lickerman — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:00:25 +0000

Photo: amyelyse

How often do you become irrationally angry, and even though you fully recognize you’re overreacting, still find yourself unable to stop? Do you find yourself hurt by a careless word or gesture and find yourself acting petulantly in hopes the person who hurt you will recognize the damage they’ve done without [...]

How To Know Yourself

Alex Lickerman — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:00:04 +0000

Photo: kretyen

In the past, I’ve been humbled to discover things about myself I didn’t want to know: as I wrote in The Good Guy Contract, that I believed I needed other people to like me to be happy, and as I wrote in Keeping Romance Alive, that I was warm when in [...]

Changing Your Mind

Alex Lickerman — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 22:00:50 +0000

Photo: Andrew Mason

A few weeks ago at a staff meeting, I reaffirmed a policy to which several staff members objected. To be frank, the basis of their objection struck me as trivial at first. But later, after they asked to speak with me about it further and our conversation evolved, it became [...]