I can be courageous. I can also make excuses. Remembering how I've grown after facing a fear (e.g. having a tough conversation) motivates me to do hard things. Bravery decreases anxiety, improves relationships, and takes the focus off yourself.

7 Unexpected Benefits of Being Brave

1. Anxiety Decre...

Change is hard and unavoidable. Both positive changes like getting married, a promotion, or a new child, and negative ones like job loss, divorce, or the death of someone you love, can derail us if not handled properly.

3 Keys to Successful Life Transitions

1: Don't Go It Alone

We were not made t...

The healthiest workplace teams and families create cultures where members give and accept frequent feedback. Members feel safe enough to have conversations in order to address concerns. When they see an opportunity to encourage someone, they do so with little delay.

They also often ask clarifying q...

I love great poetry. It has a way of bringing clarity and revealing the next steps I need to take. Like many people, I often place myself in the poem--as if I'm a character in the story--and reflect on how its message aligns with where I'm headed.

The most powerful poems do more than stir emotion--...

If you want to excel in life, being able to stay calm when feeling overwhelmed is an essential skill. The consequences of not doing so can be significant (e.g., addiction, damaging relationship, job loss, etc.).

You have three choices when feeling overwhelmed

Choice #1: Supressing your feelings by...

As your self-confidence improves, other parts of your life improve as well. Often relationships strengthen, you see opportunities you missed before, and your focus & creativity improve. You CAN improve your self-confidence by taking action.

While you might believe that self-confidence is something ...

There's a lack of happiness in the world today and no shortage of stress and anxiety. The research is clear that happy people live life differently than the unhappy. They engage in actions that are distinct from those who struggle.

You can make happiness more likely through consistent healthy actio...

I had a tough experience in 5th grade. My school principal scolded and intentionally embarrassed me in front of a packed lunchroom. I was accused of causing lunchroom chaos, including dancing on a table.

She then pulled me to her office where she and the vice-principle berated me for what seemed li...

Keeping a journal is an often underutilized tool that provides incredible insight when done properly and consistently. It's essential to clarify my thoughts and feelings and to identify the lies I'm believing.

I find that one of the biggest challenges to getting started with journaling (aside from ...

We all have seasons in our lives when it's very hard to be positive. I can easily view myself as the victim. Gratitude is one of the only things that can end my pity party.

Focusing on gratitude has helped me on my darkest days. It helps me get focused on what's right rather than what's wrong.

"...

I'm a work in progress. Recently, I realized how inflexible I can be (a topic I cover in other posts). Along with greater self-awareness, reading inspiring books has sparked major shifts in my attitude--second only to the influence of people and life experiences.

There are 2 major perspective shift...

I didn't sleep for 5 nights straight. I was consumed by worry and desperate for some rest. The guy who helps others with anxiety, the experienced mental health professional, was in a bad place. Thank God for my friends and the doctors who helped me. I was neglecting too much on the checklist below. ...