Many of life's problems and sorrows are inevitable, but feeling sorry for yourself is a choice. Whether you're struggling to pay your bills or you're dealing with unexplained health problems, indulging in self-pity won't fix your problems.
It can be very tempting to blame other people for our problems and circumstances. Thinking things like, "My mother-in-law makes me feel bad about myself," gives others power over us.
Although we feel safest when we stay within our comfort zones, avoiding new challenges serves as the biggest obstacle to living a full and rich life. Learning to recognize when you avoid change because of the discomfort involved in doing something new could be the first step in a long journey toward improving your life.
So often, we worry about all the wrong things. Rather than focus on preparing for the storm, we waste energy wishing the storm wouldn't come.
A lot of people say, "I don't care what other people think," but that's often a defense mechanism meant to shield them from the hurt and pain associated with rejection. People-pleasers come in all forms. Sometimes, you can spot one a mile away.
We make dozens — if not hundreds — of choices every day with very little consideration of the risks we're taking. Whether we choose to wear a helmet on a bike ride, or we decide to take out a loan, we often base our choices on our emotions—not the true level of
While reflecting on the past and learning from it is a helpful part of building mental strength, ruminating can be harmful. Making peace with the past so you can live for the present and plan for the future can be hard, especially if you've endured a lot of misfortune.
It'd be nice to learn enough from each mistake that we'd be guaranteed to never repeat that same mistake twice. But the reality is that we're prone to repeat the same mistakes sometimes.
Watching a co-worker receive a promotion or hearing a friend talk about her achievements can stir up feelings of envy. But resenting other people's success will only interfere with your ability to reach your goals.
It's normal to feel embarrassed, discouraged, and downright defeated when your first attempts don't work. From a young age, we're often taught that failure is bad. But it's nearly impossible to succeed if you never fail.