Simply Self is for learning to deal with life in the "real world," to help you to express your true creative potential and authentic self. We can show you how to find purpose in living, and understand far more about life than you ever learned in school.

Has your education prepared you for life? Have you learned to:

deal with the world around you, from a place within you, a place of strength, wisdom, peace, and love
be centered in the midst of everyday stresses
manage, cope, handle problems, and go on with your life?

Here you will find courses that you can pursue at your own pace, to learn how to do what is most right, good, and true for you. You can also find life coaching and download our unique software. Learn to deal with the whole of your life: mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually.

The Time Has Come

"'The time has come,' the Walrus said, 'To talk of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.'"

— Through the Looking Glass

Being alive at this time can be overwhelming. People are suffering greatly from natural disasters, wars, terrorism, diseases, economic hardships, relationship problems, addictions, and the stresses of life.

A turn of luck, a change in life circumstances, a wind blowing in one direction or the other, and the most unexpected problems engulf you. Whether you are wealthy or impoverished, an executive or a homeless person, you have to know that there is a fine line which separates one from the other. Whether you are a fiancée or a divorcee, a student or a dropout, a business magnate or a felon, a member of organized religion or an unsatisfied spiritual seeker, there often isn't all that much that separates the two. As much as we continually hope to be raised up, we may be unexpectedly knocked down.

Life changes quickly. What we knew yesterday no longer applies today; everything is changing — information, jobs, relationships, technology. This change is all, by definition, stressful; and the greater the stress, the more it can take root within us, resulting in loss of self-confidence, self-reliance, or our way in life. Where do we find our true self, in a world that can seem so confusing, overwhelming, or even hopeless at times? Rather than looking outside ourselves, sooner or later we need to turn within. With courage, practice, a willing spirit, and an open mind we can find our own answers, and a place to stand, within. read more »

Course Preview: Financial Freedom

"How is your financial vision; can you see what looms over the horizon? Today, people live in debt, without real financial freedom — so, it isn't realistic to go along with the way the majority think or act, and expect to do well in the future ..." more »

How to Prosper and Grow, Even in Difficult Times

There is a lot more to life than just surviving, regardless of how hard times may be. Today, many people are focused upon the most basic survival needs, finances, and materialism. They may think that the more energy they devote to materialistic "needs," the better their whole life will be. But, that isn't necessarily so. If we ignore any aspect of our lives — whether our health, our relationships, or our spiritual resources — the whole of our life will suffer. We need to seek a greater good, or spiritual meaning for our lives, to manage the whole of life, especially in challenging times.

How do you find true success rather than merely surviving?

Spiritually (in relation to the Divine) — take time each day to sit quietly, allow your mind to settle, and let go of the mad rush of the world around you. Meditate. Pray. Attune within your self. Let yourself Be. No matter how hard life may be, do not abandon your spiritual practice; it is the deepest foundation upon which the whole of life is built. Find a place to stand within you, on a deeper level of Being, where you can handle everything outside you.
Mentally (in relation to your self) — prepare yourself for each day with clarity of mind, true creative power, and intuitive guidance. Center yourself. See what is right, good, and true for you. And do it. It isn't enough to be aware, or to simply realize what is best for you, you have to take time to think for your self, prepare a course of action, commit to it, and stick to it.
Emotionally (in relation to others) — learn to act in a way that honors who you are and who others are, too. It doesn't help you or anyone else if you are merely emotionally reactive to them, if you get upset or thrown by the way others may or may not act towards you. Rather, practice listening to your own inner self, and act from there with calmness, clarity, and a commitment to being nonreactive. Do not let your emotions rule you, your choices, or your behavior.
Physically (in relation to survival and health) — make choices that respect your body, and do not compromise your integrity. Learn to see your physical reality, health, and security as a product of the choices you make in life. Take responsibility for your self. Choices you make now, here and now, will determine your situation in the world in the future. Take care of yourself on all levels, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, because they are all tied together.
Financially (in relation to the world at large) — accept responsibility for learning how to manage your own money, to secure your financial future. Get rid of the negative and grow the positive: this applies to all aspects of life, especially financially. See the negatives, financially — especially consumer debt — and learn to eliminate them from your life.
Socially (in relation to society as a whole) — understand what it means to make a difference with your life. Contribute. Leave a legacy. Find a purpose beyond your self, and help others, too. If you are not living for some higher purpose or higher good, then what purpose does your life serve? Answer this question honestly, and you will realize you have the power to make a difference.

Consider your life as a whole. What new choices can you make to get beyond the negative and live more in the positive aspect? What brings you down, what takes you higher? What serves you, rather than you serving it (such as addictions of any kind)? Know what your true needs are, as distinct from "wants," and begin to make choices that satisfy your true needs. Finally, realize that these are not "steps." They are different aspects of life that are meant to be managed as a whole. Sure, you can take steps to get where you want to go, but don't compartmentalize these different areas or imagine that they are separate from one another. If you wish to prosper and grow, attend to all of these areas in a balanced way — especially in difficult times. free course previews »

Blogs:

Roger Ebert's Journal — "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold" — It's all coming to pieces, isn't it -- the world we live in, the continuity we thought we could count on, the climate, the economy, the fragile peace. The 20th century was called 'the American Century,' with some reason. I do not believe the 21st century will belong to anybody, and it may not last for 100 years of human witness.

Jariscope — "Freedom or Power, What's Your Will" — Encouraging our children and each other to spend more time puttering and tinkering with things out of curiosity, creativity, and imaginative play, fostering our spiritual connection to life through observation, meditation, and the many means that help us to do this, and providing ourselves with the conditions for the experience of intuition, inspiration, epiphany and insight will all feed the hope of a new humanity that has the courage for real freedom.

Lifehack — "15 Steps to Cultivate Lifelong Learning" — Assuming the public school system hasn’t crushed your soul, learning is a great activity. It expands your viewpoint. It gives you new knowledge you can use to improve your life. Even if you discount the worldly benefits, the act of learning can be a source of enjoyment.

Zen Habits — "Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less" — While the last 70-80 years have advanced our lives in amazing ways, and there’s no doubt that the comfort and convenience of our lives have improved tremendously … we rarely stop to consider whether technology and consumerism have always changed our lives for the better.

Psychology Today — "The Surprising Truth About Addiction" — More people quit addictions than maintain them, and they do so on their own ... self-propelled change ... People succeed when they recognize that the addiction interferes with something they value—and when they develop the confidence that they can change.... Self-help manuals were highly successful. So was the community-reinforcement approach, which addresses the person's capacity to deal with life, notably marital relationships, work issues (such as simply getting a job), leisure planning and social-group formation.... The focus is on developing life skills, such as resisting pressures to drink, coping with stress (at work and in relationships) and building communication skills.