Lately, I have met a lot of people inside and outside my counseling practice who have shown a strong interest in incorporating meditation into their lives. They hear the news, they listen to meditation tapes, they read books, and see it all over the internet: meditation improves your focus, your memory and your well-being.

I was having an interesting conversation with my husband over breakfast about life purpose. So many of us report not having found it and feeling directionless, that from time to time I wonder why it can be so elusive and difficult to find. Research shows that finding meaning or purpose is one of the greatest ingredients for a calm and happy life.

When I moved to Providence about 2 1/2 years ago, one of my first cultural challenges was adapting to a new city with different driving habits.

When distressing thoughts become habitual and automatic, we end up identifying with our negative mind, and become depressed or anxious.

We can let those negative thoughts follow their course and take over our lives without ever questioning them, or we may come to see that we have a choice in the matter, and that we can create some boundaries around our negative thinking.