Key Ways Towards More Assertiveness

Assertiveness often gets a bad rap. People tend to equate it with pushiness or arrogance. Truth be told, there can be a fine line between being assertive and being aggressive. But make no mistake, assertiveness is not an intrinsically negative quality. When you are assertive, you are respectfully expressing your personal power. You’re not being selfish but you’re also not being passive. This is possible because it is possible to be forthcoming about your needs. At [...]

By |2020-08-31T20:19:18+00:00September 15th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Key Ways Towards More Assertiveness

How to Set Firm Boundaries with Toxic Parents

It’s usually the case that no one can push your buttons like a family member. That may go double for parents. Even the most well-intentioned mother or father can overstep boundaries on a regular basis. However, when your parents are toxic, the dynamic shifts even more dramatically. In turn, the impact they can have on your mood — and your life — feel greater. This makes it all the more necessary to cultivate ways to set [...]

By |2020-09-15T03:41:44+00:00September 1st, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on How to Set Firm Boundaries with Toxic Parents

Trauma, People Pleasing, and the Fawn Response

Trauma and People PleasingEvery one of us undergoes stressful experiences. It’s normal and inevitable. When that stressful event brings you to a place of helplessness, utter horror, injury, or the threat of injury, it moves into the category of “trauma.” Human beings, in general, respond to traumatic events in four basic ways: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn/people-pleasing. The first three are easily understood simply by their name. But fawn? This survival skill is highlighted by avoidance [...]

By |2020-08-22T03:48:37+00:00August 18th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Trauma, People Pleasing, and the Fawn Response

Over-Apologizing: Why You Do It & How To Stop

From women, the words “I’m sorry” are expected. In a male-dominated culture, women are raised to reflexively feel and take on guilt. Research has also found that women report themselves as committing more offenses than men. The result is often an avalanche of apologies — many, many of which are unwarranted. This trend can disempower girls and women. It can also damage a woman’s social standing. Perhaps most importantly, over-apologizing has the potential to infuse [...]

By |2020-08-31T20:13:20+00:00August 11th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Over-Apologizing: Why You Do It & How To Stop

Women & Anger: Why Healthy Expression Matters

Everyone gets angry. It’s a normal and inevitable emotion. It can be uncomfortable but it can drive us toward important growth. Not everyone is made to feel comfortable when they express anger, however. Women are conditioned to stay calm — even under extreme duress. Anger is not ladylike. It’s not feminine. Thus, it’s not appropriate. There is a terrible bias at play in this societal norm. In addition, a potentially dangerous health scenario is being [...]

By |2020-08-31T20:08:39+00:00August 4th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Women & Anger: Why Healthy Expression Matters

Meditation & Imagination as Tools

We live in a time when, in our pocket, we carry a mini-computer that defies imagination. Everything we think we could possibly need or want is available with just a few clicks — or so we’re led to believe. But what happens when that magical distraction machine obscures our instinctual ingenuity and vision? Too often, we lose focus, sacrifice inspiration, and delegate creativity. Sure, our devices have many useful applications but they should never, ever [...]

By |2020-08-31T20:03:01+00:00July 28th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Meditation & Imagination as Tools

Embracing Self-Love and Acceptance

Plenty of things break. You could break one of your belongings. Or one of your bones. But your self-love should not break. Emotionally speaking, you may also feel broken at times. Someone may hurt your feelings or worse, they might neglect or abuse you. You may grieve a lost love or career or your health and feel shattered. Sometimes a sense of brokenness is the result of sudden, life-altering events far beyond your control…global pandemic, anyone? [...]

By |2020-08-31T19:56:22+00:00July 21st, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Embracing Self-Love and Acceptance

Six Ways to Cope Well with Bipolar Disorder

Living with bipolar disorder can be a serious challenge. The swings from depression to mania and back again can become exhausting. Part of you struggles to maintain a positive attitude but another part implores you to withdraw and wallow. Bipolar disorder requires help from a trained professional. Hand in hand with that help goes your personal self-care and self-love regimen. The coping mechanisms you develop can be a major component of your recovery plan. Bipolar [...]

By |2020-08-31T19:37:49+00:00July 21st, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Six Ways to Cope Well with Bipolar Disorder

Shame as a Source of Safety

To the best of our knowledge, infants do not experience shame. However, studies and observation demonstrate the presence of this emotion by the time those infants grow into toddlers. In an ideal sense, this is a good thing. Caretakers can use a protective version of shame to teach young children about safe and appropriate behavior. In a healthy setting, this dynamic can empower the child to regulate their own behavior. If the child is at-risk, [...]

By |2020-08-31T19:34:01+00:00July 21st, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Shame as a Source of Safety

Stay True to Yourself and Live Your Values

There is no shortage of self-empowerment memes. Each day, we are subject to dozens — if not hundreds — of digital messages encouraging us to live life according to our values. This is a classic case of “easier said than done.” While it is certainly a noble and important goal …what does it mean? To live by our values, we must first be able to identify them. Even when that task is completed, we must [...]

By |2020-08-31T19:31:31+00:00June 2nd, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Stay True to Yourself and Live Your Values
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