self-esteem

What’s Wrong with Needing to Be the Best

To strive for greatness is not an unworthy goal, but the desire to be great can be a slippery slope. While all of us have a right to live our lives in pursuit of our dreams, the pressure we now put on ourselves to be special or great can lead to insecurity, narcissism and an actual… Read more »

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The Healing Power of Gratitude

“You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.” ~Elizabeth Gilbert There is perhaps no better tool to live in the present and find joy than gratitude. Knowing what we appreciate in life means knowing who we are, what… Read more »

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What is Body Image?

“Body image.” These are two words that have recently become commonplace in the media, whether they are used positively…or negatively. When you put the words together, what do they really mean? Do they conjure feelings of security, love, and value, or do they inflict feelings of shame and a desire to alter oneself? When I… Read more »

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Why We Won’t Let Ourselves Be Happy

When it comes to our own happiness, many of us are familiar with the pattern of taking two steps forward, one step back. For example, if we want to lose weight, we may find that after having some success, which makes us happy, we drift up to a higher weight than we started at. If… Read more »

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29 Ways to Increase Your Feeling of Self Worth

Having self worth comes from within and can easily be harnessed. Here are 29 ways to increase your feeling of self worth. Self worth comes from within, you won’t find it by having more money, having more friends, having a fancy car or a big house.  It is something intrinsic and something we can’t gain… Read more »

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Be Happy Now!

3 Tips to be Happy with What You’ve Got Does this sound familiar? I’ll be happy when: I lose 10 pounds; get a promotion; find my dream partner. You’re not alone. It’s called conditional happiness. The problem with conditional happiness is that it keeps us on hold while we wait for the perfect life/ career/… Read more »

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Stop Hating Yourself Once and For All

Recently, we’ve called attention to the question of whether narcissism is an epidemic in our nation. Yet, I would argue that it is narcissism’s evil step-sister that is causing the most trouble in people’s lives. Self-hatred is something we may not often say out loud. We prefer softer-sounding terms, like “low self-esteem” or “poor self-image.” The… Read more »

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7 Tips for Parent’s to Help Their Teen Create a Strong Sense of Self

As we welcome in the New Year we also look at goals and new opportunities to explore in the coming year. A fresh start. As parents, it might be a great time to reflect on how you are supporting your kids in building a stronger sense of self. Sometimes as parents we can get a… Read more »

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How to Tell if You’re in the Wrong Relationship

I’m a big believer in relationships. I don’t often encounter couples for whom I think the outlook is hopeless. Granted, some relationships are bad for both parties. What attracts people to one another can be the very defenses that hold them back in life, for instance, the shy, indecisive person who chooses a loud, dominant… Read more »

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Video: Dr. John Norcross on lasting self-change

Dr. John Norcross talks about external support being an integral part of lasting self-change     JN:      It seems like most of us can get through change for a couple weeks, even in the most negative, invalidating environments.  But over time, the corrosive effects of not having support, empathy, coaching, encouragement begins to wear on… Read more »

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