Empaths who are highly sensitive to other people’s emotions are often exhausted by the so-called “psychic sponge” effect. When you’re a very sympathetic person that’s acutely aware of other people’s emotions and “vibes”, moreover, they call that being a “psychic sponge.” For people who identify with this level of heightened emotional awareness, navigating life can […]
Life Coaching
How to Get Better at Avoiding Rumination (aka Obsessive Thoughts)
Rumination is the phenomenon of continuously, obsessively thinking about negative or unpleasant thoughts in a way that makes it hard to let go. By definition, it is a repetitive thought process that has a negative tone because it is focused on negative experiences, which often get replayed over and over. Many people struggle with excessive […]
6 Science-Backed Tips for Improving Mental Age
Innovative new studies show that how old we feel mentally has a huge impact on how well we fare, physically and mentally, as we age. You can, quite literally, think yourself into better health– and feeling younger. According to the latest research, the younger you feel, the longer you’ll live– or so the theory goes. […]
12 Things That Are Better Predictors of Happiness Than Money, “Success”, or Accolades
If happiness is all that matters at the end of the day, then why obsess over money and success when everything you need to be happy is already within your control? This is the premise of what I call the “Dirty Dozen” of Happiness: 12 key attributes, circumstances, and personal qualities that are better predictors […]
A Simple Breakdown of The 5 Love Languages
About 25 years ago a marriage counselor named Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a now-iconic book called The 5 Love Languages (which, yes, you can buy on Amazon). Over two decades later, new generations of people continue to discover his concept of “the five love languages” and apply them to their lives and relationships. What is […]
A 5-Step Method for Identifying Misplaced Emotions
I believe that ~60% of the emotions we feel on daily basis aren’t really what we think they are– and emerging research is beginning to support this claim. Often, these feelings are better classified as misplaced emotions. Misplaced emotions occur when a feeling or thought doesn’t match the situation at hand. For example, “You’re not […]
4 Mental Health Bath Recipes For Improving Wellbeing (& Why We All Need Hydrotherapy)
Baths are an ancient healing practice in almost every culture around the world, from the hothouses of Scandanavia and banyas of Russia to mud baths in Ecuador, hot springs in New Zealand, and ancient Indigenous parajes of the American Southwest. The therapeutic use of water to soothe mental and physical ailments (also known as hydrotherapy), […]
Why Your Partner Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist
After one of our posts went viral on Instagram, we figured it was best to expound on the thread that Sandra from Twitter, below, so thoughtfully started. Why is it, exactly, that your partner shouldn’t be your therapist? The idea here is tempting. You can save money on therapy, allow yourself to be vulnerable and […]
“Self-Care” vs. “Self Comfort” (And Why You Need Both)
Here’s a novel idea: consider that self-care alone might not be enough to truly resolve your inner feelings of stress and wellbeing. This is because many wellness experts talk about “self-care” when what most people really need is the ability to “self comfort.” Self-care is all the usual stuff— diet, exercise, meditation, time with friends, […]
This Cool Scientific Survey Accurately Identifies Your Character Strengths
I was first directed to the VIA Character Strengths Survey in the course of taking Dr. Laurie Santos’ class, The Science of Well-Being, which is the most popular course ever offered in Yale‘s 300-year history. As part of an initial happiness assessment, Professor Santos directed us to this character strengths test as part of a […]