Holiday Stress? Don’t Be Ashamed

Holiday Stress? Don’t Be Ashamed

Some people are immune to holiday stress. They’re frequently comfortable in their own skin, or maybe just more detached from the onslaught of holiday expectations. Perhaps they were raised in a fluid environment without guilt, so the holidays are a time of reunion and...
How to Release Self-Beliefs That Create Great Shame

How to Release Self-Beliefs That Create Great Shame

There may be secrets you keep—not literal or intentional secrets, but negative feelings and beliefs about yourself that have grown bigger and uglier over time. Along with these secrets comes great shame. What shameful beliefs do you hold about yourself? Where did they...
After Breakup, This Is Your Process

After Breakup, This Is Your Process

There are things you know you should do: eat well, exercise, be civil with telemarketers. But then there are other things—things that are more challenging, like finally ending a failing relationship or letting go of your ex. Most of us have been to both these places....
Investing in Feeling Bad Keeps You From Feeling Good

Investing in Feeling Bad Keeps You From Feeling Good

Are you interested in someone? Is he or she interested in you? Maybe—but it’s a lot easier to assume not, because if you lower your expectations, there’s much less far to fall. This tendency to manage expectations and keep them low is meant to be protective. The...
Rebuilding Self-Esteem After a Cycle of Rejection

Rebuilding Self-Esteem After a Cycle of Rejection

When we were young, we created many of the patterns that control our adult lives. This can be especially true of relationships – what did you learn to expect in your earliest relationships? Do you expect emotional reciprocity and respect? Or do you expect to be...