Depression can be a vicious cycle. When circumstances or continual stress cause you to fall into a depressed mood, chances are that the thoughts going through your mind, be they about yourself, other people, or life in general, are anything but uplifting. They’re often more along the lines of “Why bother”, “I can’t handle this”, […]

“Everything you are against weakens you. Everything you are for empowers you.”  Wayne Dyer Coming to terms with one’s current personal difficulties is vital for personal growth and to live a fulfilling and happy life. Maybe you struggle with a tendency toward anger or depression. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a destructive pattern of drinking […]

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”  Eleanor Roosevelt Is there something in your life right now that’s causing you anxiety? Maybe you’re meeting up with a friend you haven’t seen for years and you’re feeling shy. Perhaps you have to give a presentation in front of business associates who intimidate you. It’s possible […]

I mentioned recently how helpful self-compassion can be when we experience uncomfortable feelings. It occurred to me that this is somewhat akin to having a tired, cranky child in the back seat when we’re taking a long road trip. Let’s say that you’re feeling fearful about an important project at work. You find yourself mulling […]

Sometimes there’s just no way around it — we’re uncomfortable. Having the capacity to feel deeply means that we’ll have moments of excitement, joy, love, laughter, peace… and also boredom, sadness, anger, tears, and anxiety. However, it’s often through our judgment of our distressing emotions that we end up having more of them. For instance, […]

Near my home there are two daunting staircases that at all hours of the day or night are populated with zealous fitness folk, zipping or dragging their way up and down. The stairs are hundreds of steps, and, at least for me, one set up and down is no small feat. However, being overly ambitious, […]

A Chinese proverb states: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” How true this is on any challenging journey. When pursuing a goal, it’s inevitable that at times you won’t perform exactly as you wish you had, and it’s in your response to the situation that your potential power lies. For instance, in the case […]

Do you ever feel as if you’re tending to more than one thing at a time, such as eating a meal while you work on your computer, or (gasp) texting while you’re driving? Do you find yourself feeling scattered or tense as a result? Do you notice that you’ve developed habits, such as relying on […]

Often the difference between success and falling short of our aims lies in pacing. It’s natural to be invigorated by the surge of adrenalin that accompanies a new project or idea, and to start off with a bang. Perhaps you wake up in the morning feeling all fired up by your fresh project, work late […]