Decades of a committed Buddhist practice has taught me that humans aren't born with sin. We're not bad. In fact, we're all born with basic goodness. We have the ability to be open to the present moment. We each have our own natural intelligence. We are capable of loving kindness. There’s deep hope in the fact that we all have the chance to wake up. 

Thanks to my geeky love of neuroscience, I know that humans are born with mighty brains that are capable of growing and changing. When we learn the practical strategies based on that science, and put them into action in our lives, we can change our minds, slowly, over time. 

And without a doubt, I know that human beings are made of stories. When we understand the archetypal narrative structure of the hero’s journey to look at our own lives, we realize we are human. It was never our fault. Every human can choose to become braver and more open. That’s how we change our lives. 

Learning to create a vision of change based on this knowledge, plus the synthesis of my experiences and gifts in the world, is how I became kinder to myself.