Shadow comforts are the things we do (often in the name of comfort) that don’t replenish us, and time monsters are the choices that take us away from our dreams of what we really want to create or experience.

Before I can properly begin this recap and retrospective, a few basic points are in order: The term peaceful warrior applies to all of us.

We’re all striving to live with a more peaceful heart. Yet there are times we need to draw upon a warrior’s spirit as we battle heroically with inner  demons  such as self-doubt, inertia, and insecurity. This warrior’s spirit calls us to stand tall and move forward through the thicket of changing thoughts and feelings — to act with integrity, courage, and compassion, with respect both for self and others.

Often in the new year, our thoughts turn to finances. Many of my old friends are still struggling financially, and recently I had long talks with two of them — and realized in a new, simple way what was keeping them trapped in their endless struggles with their finances. I came up with two simple pieces of advice. . .