(Hugo Huyer) We all have those days when we’d much rather go back to sleep. We may feel tired, exhausted, worn out, fatigued, and no amount of coffee seems to help. But work needs to get done, so how do you increase your productivity when you’re running on an empty tank?
psych central
The Secret Weapon That Will Improve All of Your Relationships — Health Effects of Socialization
(Les Parrott, PhD) Prior to 1960, the residents of the little town of Roseto, Pennsylvania, had superpowers. Roseto was highly resistant to the biggest killer in the United States. Even today, it accounts for well over 600,000 deaths a year. Yet, Roseto had a fraction of the deaths compared to nearby towns.
Why It’s Important to Your Mental Health to Deal Constructively with Self-Doubt | Psychology
(Suzanne Kane) Everyone, no matter who they are, inevitably experiences self-doubt. Reading through the biographies and autobiographies of some of the most accomplished, celebrated, famous, talented and intelligent people reveals that each one of them has had their moments of personal doubt. Not only did they wonder if they had what it takes, they worried whether they could persevere despite opposition and setbacks, without support and encouragement, even if they were physically capable of continuing.
Exercising Self-Compassion: A Mindful-Meditation
(John Tsilimparis, MFT) We always hear about how exercising compassion for others and being of service to others can be healing and transformative. It promotes happiness, helps with stress relief, reduces symptoms of depression and so much more. Hence, when you exercise compassion for others, you can’t go wrong. It’s a win-win situation.
How to Master Your Emotions in Five Simple Steps
(Darren J. Gold) To lead an extraordinary life, you need to be the master of your emotions, not a slave to them. You can either react to events — and let your emotions drive the outcome — or control your circumstances and decide how you’ll respond. However, to make this change happen, there are five fundamental steps you need to regularly practice.
If Fear Can Be Learned, Can It Be Unlearned?
(Edie Weinstein) Today, while sitting in a service at an interfaith community which I have been attending since 2001, I heard a message that seemed custom made for me. Randi Suskin, who is a life coach was the speaker, spoke about Living A Guided Life. I have long believed that the path on which we tread is strewn with markers and roadway signs that tell us, “go this way, avoid that way,” sometimes providing unexpected twists and turns that flabbergast us and have us scratching our heads, asking, “Who thought this one up?” What I have come to learn was that I do and so do you.
How Your Partner Can Control Your Brain
(Darlene Lancer) A new study sheds light on how a person could influence and control the mind of someone else. Research on mice reveals that our brains are affected by those around us. The key factor is dominance. The brain of the subordinate mouse synchronized to the dominant mouse. This likely applies to our relationships. Typically, people with stronger personalities make the decisions and get their needs met more often than their partners do.
‘I Could Never Do That’ — and Other Myths We Tell Ourselves
(Beth Kurland, Ph.D.) There are five words that will stop you right in your tracks every time you say them. These words are familiar to many of us — they are words that have played over and over in my own head, and words I have heard from so many others over the years: “I could never do that.” When we say those words — especially when it is in the context of something that we would like to do — it can act as a dead end, causing us to reverse direction or stay stuck right where we are. It is hard to move forward when we take those words as fact.
Going for the Dopamine High: The Dynamics of Psychopathy
(Edie Weinstein) Art imitated life in an episode of one of my favorite medical shows called New Amsterdam. In it, a team of health care professionals tackle challenging issues in the lives of the patients who pass through the doors of an inner-city hospital and by the end of the show, sometimes the solutions are found, but not all are tied up in nice neat little packages with a pretty bow on top.
That Destructive Not So Little Inner Voice
(Kurt Smith) No, you’re not hearing things — that voice telling you you’re not good enough, you should do more, or that no one likes you is usually coming from inside your own head. Too often our biggest critics are ourselves and that nagging inner voice can create a great deal of worry, self-doubt and trouble in a person’s life.
The Science, Law, and Philosophy of Rebuilding Trust After a Huge Relationship Betrayal
(Leilla Blackwell) How can you rebuild trust after a history of betrayal and disappointment? You can seek out therapy or relationship advice, but trust issues come in many forms and are multi-faceted.
Declaring Your Purpose, According to a Psychologist
(Pratibha Anand) According to the Dictionary of Word Origins, the word “purpose” comes from the Latin word proponere, which means “to declare” or “to put forward.” The word “declaration” invokes such a sense of strength for me.
How to Transform Failure into Success
(Suzanne Kane) If you’ve lived a few years, you’ve experienced failure. More than once, most likely, and probably many times. For every success, the backstory usually involves a string of different approaches of varying degrees of promise before arriving at one that worked. While some are cowed by failure and cannot see beyond it, others find ingenious solutions arising from failure. How do you transform failure into success? Here are some thoughts.
Lessons on Compassion: Why It’s Good for Us and How We Can Do More of It
(Beth Kurland, Ph.D.) A Story of Compassion
How Adverse Childhood Experiences Affect Relationships
(Renee Catt) Childhood trauma is surprisingly common and understandably painful, but healing is possible.