When it comes to food, the concept of healthy eating has a host of definitions. Some camps suggest avoiding particular foods entirely, such as sugar or desserts, and indeed there is research to indicate that high-sugar or high-fat foods can fuel addictive behaviors if indulged in regularly (see Is Food Addiction Real?). Another school of […]

Feeding yourself supportive and realistic statements about how to handle your interactions with other people can go a long way toward reducing your stress level. Consider the following statements, taken from Dr. Marsha Linehan’s Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder (1993): It is OK to want or need something from someone else. I […]

With over two-thirds of adults in the United States being either overweight or obese, it’s clear that something has gone awry in our relationship with food. A lot of societal factors are at play, including our spending more time at the computer, being more sedentary in general, and increased concerns over economic insecurity contributing to […]

“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” (Buddha) Mindfulness can be defined as non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. So, being aware of your feelings, as opposed to stifling your emotions, is part of mindfulness. However, sometimes people can get caught up in the “mind” […]

Sometimes it can be a challenge to fit a practice of mindfulness into your life. You intend to put aside ten minutes in the morning or evening, for instance, to close your eyes, sit in silence, and focus on your breathing. However, what often happens is that the alarm goes off at some unreasonably early […]

“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” (Andre Gide) It’s so tempting to fall into a “know-it-all” trap. In fact, it’s very enticing, since there’s something very comforting about feeling as if we have a situation or decision “down pat”, because then, or […]

“I’m too old not to be on my own side.” (Maya Angelou) Actually, you’re never too young to be on your own side. Developing self-compassion offers a multitude of benefits, some which may seem counterintuitive. For instance, you might think that taking the drill sergeant approach with yourself about reducing your chocolate or smoking habit […]

While the holidays can be a joyous time of year, they can also increase stress for many people. How do we determine what’s really important to us during this season and make these items a priority, rather than trying to meet other people’s or society’s expectations? How do we cope with missing people and holiday […]

There is a Native American story about a grandfather, talking to his young grandson. He tells the boy that he has two wolves inside him that are struggling with each other. The one is the wolf of peace, love and kindness. The other is the wolf of fear, greed and hatred. “Which wolf will win, […]

Often when the idea of self-compassion is introduced to people, they become uncomfortable. When questioned, they express concern that if they offer themselves self-compassion, they’ll give themselves permission to continue with the same behaviors and attitudes. This misconception needs to be dispelled. Self-compassion does not mean condoning. In fact, self-compassion entails accepting responsibility for our […]