Do You Have to Spend the Holidays with Your Family?
Dear Meli, The holidays are upon us. Yikes! I know everyone loves Christmas – or a lot of people do – but I’m not one of them. My mom died a few years ago, and ever since then my older brother has taken over being the host for Christmas. My brother...
How Do You Raise Your Self-Esteem?
Dear Meli, This may be a weird question, but aren’t spiritual seekers supposed to like themselves? I’ve been involved in a spiritual practice for a long time, and it has definitely improved my life. But sometimes it feels like my self-esteem has...
What’s the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Spiritual Practice?
Dear Meli, In spiritual circles, they’re always saying that our happiness is up to us. But what if you’ve had really bad stuff happen to you? As a child, I was sexually abused. It’s not something I talk about a lot, but it has definitely had a big...
How Do You Handle a Complaining Friend?
Dear Meli, I have a friend. She’s one of my oldest and dearest friends. We went to grade school together. She’s always had my back, and in many ways she’s one of my biggest supporters. But – and this is a big but – she’s a big complainer. Like,...
Do I Have to Be Spiritual Because My Partner Is?
Dear Meli, I’m not spiritual. Really, I’m not kidding. My partner of ten years, on the other hand, is super spiritual. When we got together, we were both atheists, but since then she’s totally gone on a spiritual kick. First it was yoga. Then...