A reflection on love, simplicity, and remembering what truly matters

In a recent episode of The Secrets of Being, I had the absolute joy of sitting down with writer and soul-centered thinker Kylie Riordan, and what unfolded felt less like an interview and more like a remembering.

A remembering of who we are beneath the noise.
A remembering of what actually gives life meaning.
Remembering that kindness is not something we learn. It’s something we return to.

Kylie has spent decades studying psychology, spirituality, near-death experiences, and the great wisdom traditions of the world. And after all that searching, her conclusion was beautifully simple:

Life is good when we live with kindness, compassion, joy, and gratitude.

Not someday.
Not after we have more.
Now.

The moment that changed everything
Kylie shared a story that has stayed with me ever since.

She once volunteered at an event with the Dalai Lama. Like many people, she hoped for a moment; maybe a hug, maybe an exchange, that would feel spiritually significant.

But instead, something else happened.

An elderly woman needed help finding her seat.

Kylie linked arms with her, walked her gently to where she needed to go, and shared a quiet moment of connection. When Kylie turned back, the Dalai Lama had already passed by.

And in that moment, she realized something profound:

“I actually did the thing I came here to learn.
I came to learn kindness, and that is what I did.”

No photo.
No recognition.
Just love, embodied.

Spirituality is not separate from life
One of the most powerful themes of our conversation was this truth:

Spirituality is not found only in retreats, rituals, or sacred texts.
It is found in kitchens.
In grocery store aisles.
In holding someone’s grief.
In seeing another human being and saying, “You matter.”

Kylie spoke openly about motherhood, choosing presence over productivity, and the quiet courage it takes to live gently in a world that often rewards hardness.

She reminded us that:

Being a mother is not “less than”

Service does not need a title

Value is not measured by income

And love is never wasted

Grief, pain, and the courage to feel
We also spoke about grief—how it moves through us, how it cracks us open, and how allowing ourselves to feel it fully is not weakness, but wisdom.

Grief, as Kylie shared, is often proof of how deeply we have loved.

And kindness, especially self-kindness; is what carries us through.

A gentle invitation
If life feels heavy right now…
If you are tired, confused, grieving, or questioning your worth…
This is your reminder:

You do not need to become anything more to be enough.
You do not need to prove your goodness.
You do not need to fix yourself.

You are already loved.

Kylie offered a simple practice that I want to leave you with today:

Place one hand on your heart.
Quiet your mind for just a moment.
And feel for the love that is already there.

That love can become your grounding place when life feels overwhelming.

Why conversations like this matter
This episode reminded me why The Secrets of Being exists.

Not to teach.
Not to preach.
But to sit together.
To remember together.
To remind one another that we are not alone.

Because the world doesn’t need more noise.
It needs more kindness in action.

And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is one small, loving thing, right where we are.