positive change: the inspiration of tiny buddha

 

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Today's post is part of a segment on Positively Present called "Positive Change." Posts labeled "Positive Change" are featured periodically on Positively Present and will highlight the people, websites, and organizations that are striving to make the world a more positive place. Today's feature is an interview with Lori Deschene, founder of the amazingly inspiring website Tiny Buddha. 

One of my favorite websites to check out is Tiny Buddha. The site focuses on "simple wisdom for complex lives," and, if you're not familiar with the site, you should be! It features tons of great information by various authors on topics such as happiness and fun, meaning and passion, change and challenges, love and relationships, mindfulness and peace, letting go, healthy habits, and work fulfillment. Pretty much any topic you're looking to find insight on in your personal development journey can be found on Tiny Buddha. Not only is the site itself filled with great wisdom, there's also an entire section just for quotes. Love it! I was lucky enough to get an interview with the founder of Tiny Buddha, Lori Deschene, so I can fill you all in with more details about how the site came to be and what it's all about... 

1. What inspired you to start Tiny Buddha?

When I first started tweeting a daily quote as @tinybuddha, I wanted to share thoughts that helped me live mindfully, purposefully, and happily. They say we often teach what we need to learn. Well, tinybuddha.com’s tagline is “simple wisdom for complex lives.” I have often made life very complicated!

To some degree, I think we all do. One thing that makes life so complex is that most of us spend a lot of time searching for something—those things that will make us feel happy, proud, and meaningful. That’s what led me to Tiny Buddha. I found what I was looking for.

2. What is the ultimate purpose of the site? What do you hope others take away when they visit?

The main purpose of the site is to share tips and stories about applying what we’ve learned. It’s not difficult to gain new knowledge, particularly in the Internet age. But sometimes information overload can actually keep us stuck. I know that’s been my experience.

Every week, I publish five pieces of “Tiny Wisdom,” basically thoughts to ponder for mindfulness and happiness, as well as one longer post from my life experience and 2–4 posts from readers. Though some of the contributors are psychiatrists and life coaches, a lot of them are like me—people living their lives and getting excited about sharing what they’ve learned.

I hope readers leave feeling that we are really not all that different and we are all in this together.

3. How do you find inspiration to write all of the great posts on Tiny Buddha?

First of all, thank you! I feel very fortunate that a lot of the posts have come from the readers who have abundant insight and wisdom to share.

For my posts, I generally do two things. First, I use the Twitter search page to see what people are talking about regarding common themes, such as happiness, purpose, and peace. This helps me shape posts that address common problems people are actually dealing with right now.

Secondly, I ask questions on Facebook to engage the Tiny Buddha community there. Their thoughts often form the backbone of posts on Tiny Buddha.

4. In general, what or who inspires you in your life?

You inspire me! I’ve been following your site since the beginning and I really admire your honesty and commitment. You always have powerful insights to share, and you’re authentic in everything you write. Another blogger I admire is Celestine Chua of The Personal Excellence Blog. I am just amazed by both her writing and her work ethic.

Then of course there are the people in my life who I aspire to be like. My grandmother, for one, is one of the kindest, most selfless people I know. Before my grandfather passed away, he was another big role model for me. Both of them represent simplicity, goodness and everything that’s right with the world.

5. What are some of your favorite Tiny Buddha posts? Some of the most popular?  

Some of my favorite (and the most popular posts) include:

• 40 Ways to Let Go and Feel Less Pain
• 50 Ways to Open Your World to New Possibilities
• 10 Ways to Deal with Negative or Difficult People
• 10 Ways to Let Go and Overcome a Bad Mood
• 50 Things to Love About Life That Are Free

6. Why did you choose the name "Tiny Buddha"?

It was somewhat of a metaphor for bite-size wisdom, particularly since Tiny Buddha started on Twitter.

It also has a little something to do with spirituality-lite. I wouldn’t call myself a Buddhist—or any other label for that matter—but I have taken a lot away from the teachings of the Buddha. Though not all the quotes comes from Buddha or Buddhists, it all aligns with the same core messages.

7. If you could sum up Tiny Buddha in one sentence, what would it be?

I can best summarize the message underlying Tiny Buddha’s quotes and posts as: Today is a perfect day to be the person you want to be.

I don't know about you, readers, but I love that quote. Today really is the perfect day to be the person you want to be. Living in the present, positively, is the way to go. And one way to make the most of your positive present is to support positive things, like the Tiny Buddha site. Check it out for some instant inspiration! 

Comments

[Molly]

What a beautiful blog Tiny Buddha is! I admire its energy and purpose. To inspiring!

[J.D. Meier]

I really like Tiny Buddha ... good things come in small packages.

[positively present]

Molly - Me too! It's a very inspiring place and I love the energy there. It's definitely one of my favorite sites to visit.

J.D. - Very true... Lots of good things come in small packages and Tiny Buddha is one of them! :)

[Belinda Munoz]

What a great interview, Lori and Dani! Both of your blogs bring inspiration to so many of us.

[Lori Deschene]

Thank you for interviewing me, Dani, and thank you everyone for the comments! I love running Tiny Buddha, and I am always so happy to see that people enjoy it =)

[positively present]

Belinda - Thank you! I'm so glad you find our sites inspiring. I know I really am inspired by yours too! Thanks for commenting and reading.

Lori - You're welcome! It was a pleasure. Your love for Tiny Buddha really shines through on the site and, as many of the commenters have said, it truly is an inspiration. Thanks for keeping the site running and providing such valuable content!