Be So Proud of Yourself
Why You Have to Share What You Really Feel and Want in Relationships
“Any relationship that could be ‘ruined’ by having a conversation about feelings, standards, or expectations wasn’t really firm enough anyway, so there isn’t much to ruin.” ~Unknown
So many of us believe that not expressing ourselves is a noble thing to do. We get to feel stoic and in control. Others get emotional and overwhelmed while we can keep it together. The idea that we are strong because we don’t express our feelings is also socially reinforced, so we keep doing it because it’s the right thing to do, right?
Not quite.
In my previous blog post “The Negative …
4 Sensitive Superpowers That Can Change Your Life (and the World)
“You were born to be among the advisors and thinkers, the spiritual and moral leaders for your society. There is every reason for pride.” ~Elaine N. Aron
Stop being so sensitive. Lighten up. You’re oversensitive. Stop overthinking. You’re weird.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had those words slung at you like rocks from a slingshot for as long as you can remember. The underlying message is clear: You’re too much. There’s something wrong with you.
Your heart strings have always been like finely tuned antennae, picking up on even the most subtle signals of other people’s heartache and …
Take the 31-Day Healthier You Challenge (Giveaway!)
It’s almost that time again—the beginning of a New Year, when many of us consider how we can become happier, healthier, more fulfilled people.
While I personally think we can create positive change at any time of year, I’ve always appreciated the sense of possibility that January brings. And I often try to start the year with healthy mini-habits that boost my physical and mental health—because everything’s easier from there.
Whatever you want to accomplish—whether you want to make changes in your career, expand your social circle, or open yourself up to love—you’re better positioned to do it if you’re …
When Your Heart Is Broken, Just Keep Moving
“Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have is not permanent.” ~Jean Kerr
Here’s the thing no one tells you about dating—it sucks. The uncertainty, the inconsistency, the stress. Dating has always been easy for me. Or so I thought.
The more I think back, the more I see I accepted things I really shouldn’t have in all of my relationships. I allowed my needs to be put last, I took on blame, and I stayed when I wasn’t made a priority. For what reason I am still not entirely sure. But I can tell you …
20 Powerful Quotes to Help Minimize Conflict and Drama
The holidays can be a lot of fun, but let’s face it, they can sometimes be stressful, particularly if you spend them with family. Surrounded by multiple generations of people, many with different perspectives and beliefs, it’s easy to feel triggered or annoyed.
Then there are the challenges associated with going home, whether that means visiting a physical location or returning to the (possibly unhealthy) mental space you occupied as a kid.
And if you do fall into old landmines, it’s all the more frustrating because holidays come but once a year, and they’re supposed to be joyful, right?…
The Wounded Child Who’s Scared and Running Your Life
“The cry we hear from deep in our hearts comes from the wounded child within. Healing this inner child’s pain is the key to transforming anger, sadness, and fear.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
We all have a wounded inner child. Recently, my wounded child was hurt that my sister hadn’t called or texted me for several weeks. It seems like I’m always the one who has to reach out to her, and my wounded child feels like she doesn’t really care about me.
My wounded child was also scared the other day, because I didn’t have a lot of work in …
The Simple Tools That Have Saved My Mental Health
“Think of the world…you carry within yourself and set it above everything that you notice about you. Your inmost happening is worth your whole love, that is what you must somehow work at, and not lose too much time and too much courage in explaining your attitude to people.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke
My twenties taught me many things about navigating the outside world as an adult. Ironically, the biggest lesson was learning to pay close attention to my inner world.
I turned thirty years young this year. Being on the cusp of a new decade feels momentous.
Over these last …
Tomorrow You Will Wake Up with 232 Billion Cells in Your Body
Suzanne is another contributor who’s part of our special New Year’s offer. Look for more info on the 2nd!
Compassion Is the Key to Overcoming Hardship (and Insomnia)
“You can never know how many lives you’ve touched, so just know it’s far more than you think. Even the tiniest acts of love, kindness, and compassion can have a massive ripple effect. You have made the world a better place, even if it doesn’t seem like it.” ~Lori Deschene
I never had trouble sleeping until I got divorced. I never had a nervous breakdown either. Bankruptcy, fighting for custody of my children, and losing my business and my home definitely pushed things over the edge.
What made matters worse is that unabated, stress-related sleep deprivation can lead to …
When You’re Tired of Trying: Lessons in Mindfulness from a Woodpecker
“The antidote to exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s wholeheartedness.” ~David Whyte
Crouched down in a cold clump of leaves in the woods, I watch a woodpecker. Persistent, unbothered, moving up and down a tree next to me. It is methodically tapping its beak bit-by-bit looking for something to eat. I watch and wonder… Aren’t you tired of this relentless pursuit? Tired of smashing your face again and again with the odds stacked against you? How fleeting disappointment must be for you.
Not me. I take one bump and the disappointment reels through me. I desperately seek ease, my eyes always halfway …
How to Avoid Emotional Burnout This Holiday Season
Whether you celebrate or not, the holiday season can be stressful for many reasons. From experiencing difficult emotions like grief, anger, or resentment that seem to resurface out or nowhere, to the pressures of making everything perfect for everyone, there’s a lot of opportunity for emotional burnout.
I’m no stranger to painful emotions re-emerging around this time of the year. Christmas used to trigger in me the feelings of loneliness and guilt for years, following my move across the country and away from my family and friends.
Moving was a conscious choice my husband and I made soon after …
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