Personal change and growth are healthy and in fact optimal approaches to life. We may fall into the alternatives of stagnation and regression from time to time, but to engage in these patterns on a regular basis isn’t likely to do ourselves or other people any favors. So, how do we get ourselves off auto-pilot […]

When we think about the term “acceptance”, many people believe that this means either condoning a situation or behavior. Not so. Acceptance is not an excuse to be passive, to give up our rights in a matter, or resign ourselves to continued abuse. Quite the opposite. Acceptance is actually a proactive stance. Radical Acceptance, one […]

With the widespread COVID-19 regulations requiring us to shelter at home and to practice social distancing from all but those who share our household, how do people in recovery from alcoholism or other addictive processes maintain their sobriety? A crucial component of recovery involves regular contact with others on a similar path. Isolation, and the […]

How do you think your life would change if you had absolute faith that some all-loving and all-wise being could and was managing all of your problems? You’d probably feel a lot less stressed, for starters. You might sleep better at night, be more energized during the day, and be less distracted and thus better […]

In order to figure what would constitute a truly fulfilling and happy life, we need to have a clear sense of who we really are. Not who our parents, friends, spouses, colleagues, or the world at large thinks or demands that we be. Discovering and being our true selves can be a challenging task – […]

“How dare she do such a thing?” “I’ll never get over this!”  “I want him to pay for his actions!” “I’ll never be able to trust him/her/anyone again.” When we’ve been hurt by someone, any or all of these thoughts can plague us. We’re filled with (and tormented by) anger, resentment, tension, anguish, anxiety, and […]

We all only have 24 hours a day. So, we cannot accomplish everything nor be everything to everyone. The big question is, how do you make time for what’s most important to you both personally and professionally? How do you manage your energy so that at the end of the day you feel as if […]

Granted – it can feel reassuring to come determine a reason why we or other people behave in certain ways. However, just having insight and knowing (or thinking that we know) the reason underlying people’s motivations does not always lead to taking effective action regarding the situation. While, to quote Socrates, “The unexamined life is […]

Whether or not you set resolutions for the New Year, you probably would like to maintain or increase your happiness quotient. If so, the following tips may prove to be helpful: Write down three positive things that happened to you each day and think about how and why they occurred. Maybe they seemed to happen […]

How do you usually respond when life just isn’t going the way you want it to? Maybe your spouse forgot your birthday, you got a flat tire on that day when you simply have to get to an important meeting, or you received a scary health diagnosis. What to do? Yes, you could yell at […]