Here’s what you can do to protect your sanity. — It’s easy to tell when you’re in the presence of toxic positivity. Shame for feeling sad or negative starts trickling into your consciousness. You’re told to “just snap out of it” or “be grateful for everything you have” because “things could be worse” and well, “that’s just how it is”. …

Being productive doesn’t have to mean being a slave to your work. — The day I found myself crumpled in a heap on the floor, paralyzed with overwhelm and anxiety, I knew I was in trouble. I was juggling a full-time job and two part-time gigs that were becoming increasingly demanding as time went by, but I thought I could do it all. …

Here’s what it really means and how to do it right. — I used to laugh whenever someone mentioned self care. After all, I was eating, sleeping, and exercising. Outside of work, I barely had enough time for anything else. When the topic of self care came up with friends or colleagues, I’d imagine spending a ridiculous amount of money at the…

Why it’s so important and how to get more of it. — Some days, trying to think straight feels like an uphill battle. You’re trying to think clearly, stop worrying and give your haphazard thoughts some kind of structure so you can focus on getting things done, but your mind just won’t have it. You end up being so caught up in…

Don’t let them take you down with them. — Bad things happen every day, and it would be naive of anyone to take on the role of a Pollyanna no matter what happens to them in life. One day you’re up and the next, you’re down — that’s just how life works. You do your best to take things…

Here’s how to shut your monkey mind up and get some peace — finally. — You’re exhausted and could really use some rest. The only problem is, your chances of getting a night’s worth of deep, uninterrupted sleep is just about as likely as it is for the sky to start raining fairies. Sitting quietly to unwind barely helps either — you’re practically bathing in…

Life is hard enough. Here’s how to spare yourself the pain of not knowing. — It’s no secret that life is hard. Some of the hard things are obvious: The awkwardness of growing into adulthood; the pain of dysfunctional family life; the cruelty that often pervades one’s existence at school and in society in general; and the struggle of making one’s way in life. There…

And it takes me no more than 10 minutes to do it. — Motivation is bullshit. Well, it mostly is, and I’ll be the first to admit it. It’s a fickle, fair-weather friend who never sticks around when you need it to do the hard stuff that really matters, with: Getting fit, improving your health, building your dream brick by brick, becoming a…

There’s a radically different way to think about the unknown. — In her book Bird By Bird: Some Instructions On Writing And Life, Anne Lamott likens the act of writing the first draft of a story to watching a polaroid develop. “You can’t — and, in fact, you’re not supposed to — know exactly what the picture is going to look…