In the previous two posts, we discussed how dealing with emotional pain and discomfort is inevitable, and how responding to these uncomfortable feelings and thoughts with avoidance is often what keeps us stuck in old, unhelpful patterns of behavior. Now let’s talk about how we might learn to confront these problems so that we can …
How to Deal with Life’s Difficulties and Become More Resilient (3 of 3) Read More »
As discussed in Part I of this blog, emotional pain and suffering is unavoidable, despite our best efforts. One of the primary tools in the human arsenal to protect against these uncomfortable feelings is avoidance. We all do it to some extent. For instance: What do we do when we are uncomfortable with confrontation? We …
How to Deal with Life’s Difficulties and Become More Resilient (2 of 3) Read More »
Let’s be honest – at times, life is at best uncomfortable and at worst filled with unbearable pain. Our relationships become contentious or unsatisfying, our jobs can be unfulfilling or taken away from us, we can fall victim to manipulative, mean-spirited people who would do us physical or emotional harm, and people and pets we …
How to Deal with Life’s Difficulties and Become More Resilient (1 of 3) Read More »
A lot has been written recently about “mindfulness”. It’s a hot topic, for sure. But even though it contains the word “mind”, there is a direct connection to our hearts as well, which is rarely talked about. “Mindfulness”, for the purposes of this article, means increasing our awareness. In this sense, we can mindfully listen …
How Mindfulness Can Increase Your Emotional Intelligence Read More »
A few months ago I was on my way to an early-morning hike on a cloudy Saturday morning. The night before some fierce storms had passed through the area; I remember hearing the loud claps of thunder and feeling my house shake as I tried to sleep. As I drove slowly down this windy, mountain …
Talking about the past is often hard, especially when one’s past is littered with pain and unpleasant memories. People often ask: “what good is it to sit around and dwell on the past when there’s nothing I can do to change it? Shouldn’t I just move on with my life?” It’s a legitimate question, and …
American popular culture is abuzz with talk about happiness: what it is, where it comes from, and most of all, how to achieve it. Anyone even remotely connected to social media will find the topic difficult to avoid. You’ve seen the articles on Huffington Post and Facebook and even Psychology Today: “10 Keys to Happier Living”; …
It’s that time of year again – the time many of us dread – when we set our clocks back an hour, when the nights seem longer, and the days seem shorter. Not only do we “lose” an hour of daylight, but we are subjected to colder temperatures, making us less likely to get outside …
In this series of blog posts, I’ve discussed why relationships can be so complicated, examined some common relationship patterns in which we often engage, and identified some ways to help raise our awareness of these issues so we can begin to establish healthier, more fulfilling relationships in the future. So aside from continuing to hone …
By Pam Katchuk I am a mother grieving a lost child. What’s the hardest day of the year for a grieving mother? Their birthday? No. Their angel day? No. It’s Mother’s Day. Every day is sorrowful, but this special day when moms all around the world are celebrating their special day is especially difficult for …
