Negative patterns of thinking occur when you think about yourself and your situations in a harmful light. While everyone experiences negative thinking now and again, it can escalate if not managed properly. Identifying negative thinking patterns and shifting them to healthier and supportive ways of thinking will transform your mental and emotional health and, ultimately,…
Is Hindsight 20/20? How to Benefit from Looking Back on Your Past.
Most of us have past experiences where we wish we had done things differently. Several phrases describe this regretful feeling, but one that’s most widely used is, “hindsight is 20/20.” When someone says that hindsight is 20/20, they mean that in the future, we can look back and see what we could not see at…
Codependent Relationships: What They Are and Signs You’re in One
Being dependent on others is good. It makes us human. Voicing our needs from a place of compassion and self-worth brings us closer to others. However, too much dependence results in codependency. In codependent relationships, one partner carries the relationship emotionally, while the other avoids taking responsibility for their part in sustaining the connection. Learn…
Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love and How It Impacts Our Relationships
Defining something as complex as romantic love can seem futile. Despite its ambiguity, psychologists have tried understanding the “how” and the “why” of love. One of the most well-known ones is Sternberg’s triangular theory of love. It gives us a broad overview of the many faces of love and how it impacts our connections. Learn…
Types of Relationships: How to Choose Ones That Are Right For You
Relationships are the bedrock of life. Healthy and meaningful connections ground us. As we get older, it becomes harder to find and nurture them. Once we find a partner, they and our children come first, and other relationships become “nice-to-haves.” But there are plenty of opportunities to connect, and you don’t have to be limited…
5 Things That Damage Self Esteem (and how to restore your worth)
Self esteem is your opinion of yourself and your confidence in your abilities. Everyone lacks confidence sometimes, but when low self esteem is a recurring problem, we feel unhappy and unsatisfied. Our self esteem begins in childhood, and as adults, we can undo any damage and develop our self esteem with attention and daily practice….
Social Masks: Why We Hide Our True Self And How to Express Our Truth
All of us have a need to belong and be accepted by others. One way we try to do this is by masking. We adopt appropriate behaviors and personas, unconsciously or consciously, to fit in. While wearing social masks that align with our roles is important, we must watch out for being overly dependent on…
What is Shadow Work and How it Can Help You Understand Your Demons
The shadow self houses all the negative aspects of ourselves that we have difficulty accepting. Many of us are afraid of facing darkness. Our first instinct is to suppress it and conform to societal norms, but your shadow self-craves to be seen and understood. Not coming to terms with it harms your wellbeing. Shining a…
Young Love vs. Old Love: How Both Types of Love are Special
Young love is idolized in our culture. As we become more youth-obsessed, old love has taken a back seat. But both types of love are special in their own way. Favoring one over the other will lead to missing out on the full spectrum of love. Find out how both young and old love can…
Can’t Find Happiness Within Yourself (and in the now)? Here’s Why.
Happiness is a desirable state. Yet, for many of us, it feels elusive. If our necessities for survival are met, and we’re not dealing with severe physiological and mental health issues, it boils down to how we think and perceive. If you’re struggling to find happiness within yourself, it could be because of one or…