#1: Constant busyness — In my work as a psychologist, I’ve found that one simple mistake is at the heart of nearly every emotional struggle from anxiety and panic to depression and procrastination… Just because an emotion feels bad doesn’t mean it is bad. When you believe painful emotions are bad or dangerous, you…

#1: They listen to their emotions—but rarely trust them — Most of us grow up with a pretty confused attitude toward our emotions, especially the difficult ones. We tend to simply avoid anything that feels bad and desperately hold onto anything that feels good. But if you’ve ever tried dieting, saving money, having a difficult conversation, studying for a test…

#1: Getting lost in your own thoughts — As a psychologist, I hear every day about the emotional problems and challenges people struggle with — from depression and anxiety to relationship issues and low self-esteem. But contrary to what you might imagine, people who come to therapy aren’t just full of problems. They’re actually overflowing with examples of…

#1: Staying busy is your Antidepressant — It seems like we’re all stressed out these days. From the timeless frustrations of work and family life to the utter craziness that is modern politics and online dating, it can feel like we’re drowning in stress. And while there are certainly many unavoidable reasons to be stressed, the bigger…

#1: Self-compassion — In his classic book on peak performance, Timothy Gallwey wrote: Neither mastery nor satisfaction can be found in the playing of any game without giving some attention to the relatively neglected skills of the inner game. This is the game that takes place in the mind of the player, and…

#3. Update your expectations — We all wish we had a little more inner peace in our lives. After all, it’s hard enough to cope with the stress of workplace politics or family drama when your mind is clear and still. But when you’re trying to do it with a mind that’s buzzing with worries…

#1: Acceptance — For most of us, the idea of resilience conjures up stories of profound heroism in the face of grave injustice — Viktor Frankl surviving the concentration camps or Rosa Parks sitting wherever she damn well pleased. But resilience isn’t always epic. Sometimes it’s quite ordinary: Taking criticism well from our…

#1: Fear of fear itself — Why is it so hard to stick with our best intentions and follow through on our goals? Whether it’s dropping 15 pounds, starting a new business, or finally fulfilling your dream to write a novel, our most important aspirations seem to quickly get derailed and go unrealized. But why? It’s…

#1: You define yourself by your past — Many people struggle with low self-esteem — a persistent belief that they’re not good enough, worthy enough, or not lovable. And while most of us assume low self-esteem is a fixed personality trait — something you’re stuck with for life — nothing could be further from the truth: When you…