I grew up in a tough neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, and I developed an emotional callus to protect myself from pain. Being surrounded by people with negative coping skills, always walking around on red alert, I felt numbed by violence that most other people would be shocked by.

Even then I was a happy person, but it wasn’t appropriate to show it. If you’re really happy in certain areas where I’m from, you become a target. You have to be careful about what you express and when you express it. I was in so much pain because of that.

I made a choice that I was going to be happy no matter what the people around me thought about it. To be honest, it was coming from an aggressive, warrior-type attitude, and if anyone challenged it, they were going to be met with strong opposition.

The first time I did the TM technique, I felt like I had come home. Tears ran from my eyes because I felt so deep and so connected. I immediately felt more rested and had more energy during activity. All of my activity during the day, the classes I was taking, became such a joy that they didn’t feel like work—they felt more like nutrition to me.

After starting TM, a lot of the emotional numbness dissolved, and I have a level of sensitivity that I didn’t have before. I learned that my happiness didn’t have to be backed by aggression and pain. Now it’s easy, spontaneous, and effortless for me to feel happy.

Now I’m beginning to understand how life can be so easy, so effortless. We just contact the pure intelligence within, and we can have our heart’s desire show up at our doorstep.