Science has proven that the species most adaptable to change is the one most likely to survive. Being adaptable is also a precious skill for us as people. Because how likely we are to thrive is often directly related to how well we handle the changes that life brings our way. Not what those changes […]
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Are you old enough to remember hearing this chant as a child? Oh, how wrong we were. The power of words is intense. And verbal abuse is so common, we may even not realize when it is happening to us, or someone […]
Let’s face it, sometimes faking it is the best thing to do. What we need to do. And the more we do it, the better we get at it. We can fake it multiple times a day if we need to. I mean, hopefully, every once in a while, it’s genuine. But maybe not as […]
We all experience negative emotions from time to time. For example, when working toward a goal, it’s easy to become frustrated if our progress is not as steady or fast as we would like it to be. After all, in today’s world, instant gratification has become an expectation. So much happens with just 1 tap on […]
Loneliness has little to do with how much time we spend alone. And it can’t be eradicated by just spending time with others. In fact, we can be among a crowd of family and friends and feel lonelier than when we are alone. Loneliness may present as almost a craving, a need for companionship, intimacy, […]
Do you remember the book and movie “Love Story”? It was popular back in the 1970s, and the tagline was “Love means never having to say you’re sorry…” Although many people loved that movie, I hope few embraced that sentiment, because nothing could be further from the truth. It’s important for us to give each […]
Some days, our thoughts seem to have a mind of their own, so to speak. We can know in our hearts and brains that positive thinking is better for us. In fact, we can train our thoughts to improve our happiness. Yet often, our minds wander to the worst possible outcome, explanation, or assumption. We […]
No matter how jam-packed our lives are, we all experience bouts of boredom from time to time. The last few years, with intermittent periods of social distancing and shutdown have meant it has become more prevalent and common for many of us. Adults, children, teenagers, the elderly: everyone has been a little more vulnerable to […]
Trauma related disorders include an extensive array of psychological challenges. Difficulty with intimacy and relationships. Anxiety and depression. Substance and Alcohol abuse. Eating disorders. It is not surprising that trauma can have such a wide range of impacts on us. What is surprising? The frequency of trauma both in the US and the world. And […]
We had a lovely day with mild temps and sunshine this week. The first time in months! It’s incredible how much it lifts our spirits to have a break from grey skies, cold, and rain. According to the calendar, I’m overdue to start spring cleaning. Now that the weather has shifted, I’m ready to do […]
Depression. It is almost becoming an epidemic. More and more people are depressed. It’s difficult to know exactly how many. Because many who are depressed don’t seek treatment and some who seek treatment are not depressed. Regardless, there’s little doubt: the frequency of depression is on the rise. The good news? Recent research has confirmed […]
Sometimes, making a mistake can have dire consequences. A doctor must choose the best procedure for a patient and execute it flawlessly. Engineers must develop cars without defects. Architects must design buildings that will not fall down. These things we know. But there are other situations when doing something wrong is actually a sign that […]
When you find your passion in life it allows you to become fully present and fulfilled. Ideally, we identify our passion in life early. But sometimes, we don’t figure things out until much later. No matter what your age, if you haven’t found your passion yet, it’s time to give it a try. Doing so […]
I’ve come across many articles lately about solitude and loneliness, and the differences between the two. It’s interesting that we can be so lonely even when we’re with others. Or how we can be lonely, yet still crave the peace only found in solitude. One piece I read described people today as having the common […]
Some researchers believe that our overall happiness level reflects the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. If they are right, there are some clear steps we can easily take to improve our state of mind. We must begin to pay more attention to who we engage with most often. True, […]
We crave honesty in our personal relationships, for obvious reasons. What’s not so obvious? The first step to transparency in our relationships with others is being honest with ourselves. The first step towards being honest with ourselves? Figuring out who our true authentic self really is. We have all read about the value of being […]
Most of my days are shaped by the many chores, errands and tasks that appear on my to-do list. It’s overwhelming, in fact, how many things there are to remember, keep track of, and find the energy to do. But it’s a great feeling when we get to check things off the list, isn’t it? […]
We make decisions every day, from what we’re going to wear to how to approach a complex task at work. Decisions are a normal part of everyday life. However, our brain’s decision-making battery has finite power, and it can deplete rapidly. What does that mean, exactly? Essentially, the more decisions we make, the more likely we […]
We make so many decisions, all day, every day. Our brains call upon us to make choice after choice, often in a snap. To rise or hit the snooze? Shower or exercise? What should we wear? Eat breakfast or skip it? And these are the easy ones. Just think how much better our lives would […]
A people-pleaser wants everyone to be happy. Everyone. All at the same time. Sounds unrealistic, right? To those of us who have this affliction, it’s our natural (almost uncontrollable) tendency (compulsion?) to pursue this unattainable goal. This means we constantly try to figure out everything we can do to maximize the happiness of those around […]
We all want to be happy. Sometimes as we seek it, we forget how powerful we are. We can choose to be brave. That's important. Because courage and happiness are closely connected.
You read that correctly. There’s no denying, having work-life balance can be important to happiness and well-being. But I’ve never liked the term “work-life balance” or the things that phrase implies. It makes it sound like we only live when we are not working. And that work is not an integral part of our existence, […]
Moods are subjective things, hard to describe. But we all know what we’re talking about. And we certainly understand the term “mood swings”, too. Up one minute, down the next. Even though moods are hard to describe, we can usually relate when others name the state of mind they are in. We understand what someone […]
Some say the best way to avoid disappointment is to never expect anything good to happen. But a huge part of what makes life joyful is imagining that the future may hold. What may be more helpful advice is to focus on learning how to deal with disappointment in a way that minimizes discouragement. If, […]
Picture this: you have a life coach on call 24/7. She is there before you send a text or make a call. She anticipates your every need and is as invested in your personal success as you are. Sounds amazing, right? It’s within reach for all of us. Because when we learn how to care […]
Many strategies to boost happiness encourage us to “let go”. The message is often that we should let go of negative emotions like anger, resentment, pain and hurt. But letting go of any feeling is challenging for most of us. We often have a particularly hard time when we try to let go of the […]
Back in high school science, we were presented with a kind of riddle. We were given a range of materials to use and were asked to attempt to fill a jar to its absolute fullest potential. The gist of the assignment was, given the materials we had, which included rocks, pebbles, sand and water, how […]
Each day, we make choices. Many seem insignificant: what to eat, what to wear, where to shop. But consistently making choices that help us feel fulfilled can ultimately change the quality of our lives. Just choosing to do things that bring us joy. And choosing not to do things that don’t. Or deciding to do […]
Happy memories can be a huge contributor to our overall life satisfaction. In fact, it’s important that we actively work to dwell on them as much as we can. It’s not just because reflecting on good times is a pleasurable past-time. For one, we all have a responsibility to do our best to be happy. Second, […]
