Blog
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How to Overcome Fear of Success
Our society puts a great deal of emphasis on success – in business, in relationships, in finances. What exactly is success, and why do some people fear achieving it? Fear of success is a complex issue. In one individual it may have to do with guilt about asserting oneself or realizing potential, while in another
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How to Create Health Habits
Most people want to build a happy and healthy life for themselves but find the occasional “bad” habit gets in the way. You intend to make changes but at some point you procrastinate. It is common to feel overwhelmed, unmotivated, or simply find a task unpleasant. You may begin with the best of intentions and
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How to Be Present for Someone in Need
When encountering someone in emotional pain, many people rush to offer well-meant input in an attempt to fix or stop another’s pain, but in most cases, you insert your own beliefs, judgments and emotions into the situation. You might offer unrequested advice, unsolicited comments, and unwanted feedback, even if with the best of intentions. And
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Why Do We Lie?
Have you noticed that some people do not tell the truth, even when the truth would be easier? Why is that? Untruths come in the form of “white lies,” exaggeration, gossip, misdirection, not telling the whole story, bluffing, and outright lying. There are many reasons for so-called compulsive lying. In some rare cases, this may
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When Collecting Becomes Hoarding
Many people enjoy collecting items that add pleasure and richness to their lives: figurines, art, keepsakes from memorable travels, matchbooks or coasters. Items are obtained through thoughtful gifts or conscious decisions and displayed with enjoyment. The border can be crossed into hoarding, however, when the desire to have becomes more important than the desire to
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Negative Emotions in the Workplace
Many of us are blessed to work in healthy environments, with respectful and pleasant coworkers and supervisors. Unfortunately, many are working in less-than-healthy situations, surrounded by negative emotion. How can we stay removed from the negativity? One strategy to dealing with pervasive negativity is to focus on the positive. This does not mean to take
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What is Spiritual Fitness?
In my last post, I discussed the benefits of physical and mental fitness. Now l will address how to stay spiritually fit. Because we are whole beings (body, mind, soul), the different aspects of self are not separate. The wellness of one aspect directly affects the wellness of all. Too often, we in the Western
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Fitness Is Not Just Physical
We all know that a healthy diet and regular movement increase our physical fitness. But the physical is only part of our make-up as humans. We are whole beings – body, mind and spirit. (We will discuss feeding the spirit in another blog post.) It is important to keep the non-physical aspects of ourselves fit
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Why We Drink Alcohol
Nobody knows when humans first discovered the effects of fermented products – the “buzz” that comes from consuming alcohol – but we do know that we have drunk alcohol for thousands of years, just as we have used other mind-altering substances to change our experiences. In our modern society, why do some individuals choose to
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Which is Better: Self-Confidence or Self-Compassion?
Are you self-confident? Do you feel strong and capable in most situations? Our society praises strong self-esteem and confident people. We are taught to “fake it until you make it” in situations where our confidence might be slipping. But the flip side of that thought pattern is that you are denying your truth in any
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How Do We Experience Wisdom?
We often hear the phrase “a wise old owl,” or the “wisdom of old age.” But what is wisdom? We may recognize it when we encounter it, but it is not easily defined and cannot be given, only acquired. Generally, knowledge and intelligence are components, as well as good judgment, courage and experience. Certainly practical,
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When is Being Nice Not a Good Thing?
There is a distinct difference in the underlying meaning of being “kind” vs. being “nice.” Being “nice” implies conformity to society’s definitions of what is pleasing, usually based on a fear of how you are being perceived. Kindness is based on genuine love and compassion for others. It is nice to compassionately listen to a