Four Ways to Deal with Life’s Challenges Without Suffering Them

Life is hard—and then our mind makes it harder. We stew in old regrets, brace for future disasters, cling to how things should be, or take everything way too personally. Sound familiar?

In this talk, I dig into the Buddha’s teaching on dukkha—the unavoidable pain of life—and how we add unnecessary suffering on top through craving. 

But here’s the good news: you can practice your way out of that extra suffering. I’ll walk you through four telltale signs of craving—and four powerful shifts you can make to feel stronger, calmer, and more at peace:

ONE: Contraction → Openness
Notice when you're tight, tense, and gripped—and gently open up to spaciousness and possibility.

TWO: Invasive Negative Emotions → Mindful Presence
Don’t get hijacked by old fears or frustrations. Name them, make room for them, and let them pass through.

THREE: Mental Time Travel → Present-Moment Awareness
Come back from ruminating about the past or catastrophizing the future. This moment, right now, is your refuge.

FOUR: Selfing → Perspective and Self-Compassion
Loosen the grip of “me, mine, and I.” Take good care of yourself as a person—without being imprisoned by the stories of the self.

This isn’t about bypassing pain—it’s about developing the inner resources to meet life as it is, with more equanimity, compassion, and ease.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up here. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it here.