Very few of us are strangers to depression or anxiety in some form, whether it be a mild but unpleasant funk for a few days or a more serious mood disorder lasting months or even years. After all, just being alive usually means that we’ve ridden the emotional rollercoaster, be it due to a personal […]

Although the Thanksgiving holiday serves as a good reminder for us to pause and count our blessings, the truth is that gratitude represents an attitude and actions that we can seek to cultivate every day of the year. In addition to improving our relationships with others, expressing our thanks offers many other benefits. Some quotes […]

Most of us associate having the flu with not only coughing, sneezing, and sore throat, but also intense fatigue, apathy, brain fog, irritability, and loss of appetite. Being sick can wreak havoc with our emotions and throw us psychologically off-balance. It’s common to feel as if our “get up and go” has got up and […]

What if you could increase your happiness by doing a simple daily five-minute exercise? And if all you needed was a piece of paper and pen or your laptop computer? And what if you could feel the benefits of this exercise within a week or two? Research by Dr. Martin Seligman, the renowned psychologist known […]

Is it possible to be “too” optimistic? Certainly. Between the two poles of optimism and pessimism there exist a continuum. On one end are the optimists who border on delusion and refuse to face reality. The quote “Denial is not a river in Egypt” comes to mind. On the other end of the spectrum lie […]

If you suffer from social anxiety, is chatting with people on-line or posting a status update on Facebook preferable to face-to-face interaction? Two recent research studies indicate that it’s a mixed bag. Social anxiety is characterized by fears of being judged by others in an unfavorable light. Such concerns can become debilitating and lead someone […]

Insomnia and depression have a “what came first, the chicken or the egg” sort of relationship. Most people who habitually struggle with sleep will acknowledge that this takes a toll on their mood. Indeed, insomnia can frequently predate an episode of depression. On the other hand, one of the common symptoms of clinical depression is […]

When we’re immersed in depression or anxiety, finding some semblance of happiness or purpose in life can feel almost impossible. Depression makes even the smallest task feel like a monumental effort, and anxiety tends to make us run from or avoid people and experiences. Our self-confidence decreases, as we tend to forget that at one […]

Healthy self-esteem is comprised of self-worth, self-confidence, and self-acceptance. It does not mean that we are proud, arrogant, or think that we’re inherently better than other people, but that we feel worthy of respect and as if we are of value. In this state, we’re able to let go of self-centeredness, because we aren’t preoccupied […]

Do you tell yourself, “I’m just a negative person”? If so, and if you believe this, your words can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, you aren’t a victim (unless you choose to be) – there is an alternative. The truth is that with practice your negative thought habits can be changed for the better. It […]