There are many aspects of our lives that impact the direction we go as we progress through childhood and into adulthood including parents, peers, and of course these days, social media. As members of various concentric circles of influence (i.e., family, community, popular culture), it is normal (though not necessarily healthy) to adopt the norms, [...]
To what do you aspire? Who do you want to be and what kind of life do you want to lead? To be happy, successful, impactful, rich, famous, loved? We all want to find and experience that elusive “Holy Grail” that we believe will fulfill our aspirations. However, as is commonly expressed in both ancient [...]
Let’s begin with a basic reality of life: We are all victims of our upbringing and the culture in which we grow up. We didn’t get to choose our parents, siblings, extended families, where we lived, where we went to school, the activities we participated in, or the conditions of our early lives. Rather, our [...]
An unfortunate reality of being human is that so much of the way we think, the emotions we feel, the behaviors we engage in, and the manner in which we interact with others is governed by unconscious forces of which we have little awareness or control: Primitive instincts (e.g., fight-or-flight), Emotional baggage (e.g., low self-esteem, [...]
In my last article about the perceptions that impact our relationships, I explored the “11 Perceptions that Sabotage Your Relationships.” In this article, I will consider the eight perceptions that you can embrace that will help you initiate and nurture healthy relationships. Perception #1: I am worthy of love. This perception is the foundation of [...]
Many of us devote enormous amounts of time, energy, and money to becoming the best versions of ourselves. These efforts are reflected in a self-help industry that generates more than $13 billion a year. We strive to let go of past baggage, change the way we think, transform our emotional lives, behave differently, or alter [...]
These days, it sure is difficult being a human being. When I say that, I don’t mean that it’s harder to do the basics of being human, for example, talking, eating, sleeping, working, playing, the list goes on. I mean the deeper aspects of being human, the ways we think, experience emotions, behave, interact with [...]
There are many qualities that are necessary to grow personally and become the best versions of ourselves including motivation, hope, confidence, focus, resilience, persistence, perseverance, and much more. These traits, though necessary, may not be sufficient to make the life changes you want and be the person you want to be. Patience may be the [...]
When you read the title, you may have had a double take, “A mental coach is telling me to accept my negativity? How can that be?” I realize that my statement is counterintuitive but let me show you why accepting your negativity is actually the best thing to do whenever anything unhelpful enters your mind. [...]
Positive life change is just plain hard. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are probably trying to sell you something. But positive life change is possible and decidedly worth the effort. What could be more meaningful, rewarding, and downright joyful than letting go of past liabilities and limitations and becoming the best version of yourself, [...]
