We need mental toughness today now more than ever, not just to survive but to flourish.  Self-monitoring is a kind of self-awareness that develops mental toughness and resilience.  What is mental toughness? According to Mental Toughness Inc., “Mental toughness is the ability to resist, manage and overcome doubts, worries, concerns and circumstances that prevent you from…

We all have wants and needs, dreams and desires, and hopes. Sometimes we can achieve them on our own, but we often need the help of others, which requires the fine art of friendly persuasion.   People tend to like helping nice, friendly people – people who are caring, selfless, and trustworthy. Those traits can win…

Imagine being fully in charge of your life and reaching a level of personal freedom where you only have yourself to answer to. Imagine dreaming, setting, and achieving goals.  Being independent and practicing personal autonomy is a dream that few people seem to achieve.  But, personal autonomy is more than just focusing on you and…

If you’re coming down with the flu or caring for someone suffering from it, then you’ll know how uncomfortable the whole ordeal is. This post from the CDC explains that the flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses and can lead to fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, and a runny nose. Since patients…

Time-stealers are everywhere. You can start the day with good intentions but get derailed quickly by disruptions and distractions that drain time and energy. Life is hectic; whether rushing to get the kids to school or yourself to work, you can fall behind fast and play catch up the rest of the day. The day…

Conflict happens. Period. There’s no escaping it, no matter how hard you try. Even silly, trivial things can flare up into full-blown arguments. It’s crazy.  Since we can’t eliminate conflict, we should at least know effective ways to deal with it, starting with creating healthy boundaries and balancing our emotions to reduce unnecessary stress and…

People often bring out the worst in each other – just look at our world and how we treat each other. When the truth is everyone has something that makes them special and unique. It’s easy to assume we’re not as good as others or inadequate or unable to be loved. It’s hard to bring…

It’s been said, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Procrastinators have learned the habit of delaying something they must do until the last minute or until it’s past due. Sometimes it’s not a big deal and might even be helpful. But it can create anxiety and stress, harming…

Willpower is “the ability to control one’s own actions, emotions, or urges.” And self-control is “restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires.” Imagine the kind of life you could unlock if you were that person.  Well, you don’t have to imagine because here are ways to strengthen your powers of willpower and self-control.  Willpower Strength…

Avoiding problems is a band-aid approach to handling life’s challenges that makes things worse. According to Christina Smith, LMHC, “Avoidance is a maladaptive coping skill that offers the mind an escape from uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and/or experiences. It may seem like avoiding discomfort could be helpful, however, it results in never addressing the actual issue….

Some people know what they want and are determined to make it happen no matter what.  They’re ambitious; driven. And will work nights and weekends – even holidays – to achieve their goals, while others are okay with dreaming and drifting, accepting whatever life hands them, and hoping for the best along the way.  Why…

The only way to make progress in life is to make decisions. But that’s harder than it sounds unless you’re making little decisions.  When making big decisions, sometimes you think you have everything figured out and know what to do. Easy.  But there are times when knowing what to do can be a real struggle…