In an earlier post, we wrote about how essential transparency is to relationships. In that piece, we talked about being honest with ourselves as the first step to having more open and honest relationships. This post focuses on another aspect of transparency. Specifically, how privacy and secrecy are connected and how they both are key […]
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 […]
Are you in a relationship with someone who hesitates to take responsibility or make commitments? Do you know a grown person who behaves more like a child or teen? “Arrested development” is a term that describes this condition. It arises when a person is “stuck” at an early phase of emotional development. Causes of arrested […]
Achieving intimacy in relationships takes trust and courage. Knowing we need to let others see all of us is just the beginning. After we realize and accept how critical it is to allow ourselves to be truly vulnerable, it’s still very hard to do. This is where the courage part comes in. It’s a huge […]
Spring is here. A lovely time of year with flowers blooming, milder temperatures, and longer days. It also means we are on the cusp of (gasp!) bathing suit season. Of course, it’s healthy to accept the body we live in every day. And love every inch of ourselves despite our physical or cosmetic flaws. But […]
A while ago, I wrote a post about verbal abuse called How to Deal with Verbal Abuse. Ever since, I’ve been meaning to come back to the topic of the power of words. More specifically, how they can also be an awesome positive force in our lives. The words we use to communicate with others […]
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, […]
We often spend our precious time and energy wondering what other people think. This post discusses why it truly doesn't matter, and how to effectively curb this habit.
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 […]
People who suffer from Imposter Syndrome doubt their own accomplishments. They live in fear of being discovered as a fake or a fraud. It doesn't matter how much proof exists of their skill or talents. People who suffer from Imposter Syndrome believe their achievements are a result of good fortune or a mistake. Many successful executives, as well as celebrities and performers experience these feelings.
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, […]
