Self Development

Exploring Anger: What It Is, What It Does, and When It’s Appropriate

It’s happened to everyone: that internal switch that gets flicked on without a moment’s notice and just like that… all you can see is red. For different people, anger manifests itself in many different forms, at different times and because of different triggers. There is no set equation for anger, no exact variables, and no… Read more »

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Evicting the "Obnoxious Roommate" In Your Head

I scanned the sea of black-robed 20-somethings for my sister’s familiar face. As I glanced over each aisle, I noted the beaming expressions of the satisfied graduate students about to receive their Masters degrees in Journalism. When I finally caught a glimpse of my sister, I was glad to see that in spite of the… Read more »

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Mindsight: The Unexpected Value of Getting to Know Yourself

With everything in the world from our language to our LinkedIn networks growing bigger, more complex and moving faster, it’s easy to feel like we are no longer in control. Our career path, our relationships and our futures are all victims of circumstance. Whether we are bowing to the will of a boss, a paycheck,… Read more »

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Sabotage You

Your boss is evil. Your spouse is lazy. Your teenager doesn’t listen. Your best friend won’t return your calls. Your relationships are complicated. Any attempt to create lasting harmony when facing the inevitable flaws and countless complexities of another human being can make you feel powerless. But before you condemn yourself to a lifetime of… Read more »

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Self-Control May Be a Key Factor to Success

The age-old expression “Good things come to those who wait,” seems to hold true even in scientific research. However, “good things” may not merely be a present to those who are virtuously patient, as the expression posits, but may in fact be a result of an individual’s personality and behavioral traits correlated with patience. According… Read more »

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Improving Your Capacity for Happiness

Contentment with one’s life and life circumstances can seem to be obviously predicated on practicalities: Do I like my job?  Do I feel close to my spouse?  Are my children doing well?  Can I make ends meet?  Do I have enough time to do the things I enjoy?  All of these things, even just some of these things, if answered… Read more »

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Less Than an Hour of Training = A Lifetime of Pain Relief

Searching for ways to manage pain without the side-effects of pain medications?  Hoping to quell the anxiety associated with chronic pain? Fadel Zeidan, a neuroscientist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that ”just a little over an hour of training in meditation can dramatically reduce both the experience of pain and pain-related brain… Read more »

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The Inner Voices Behind Violent Behavior

Too often, the subject of violence is addressed in our society from a platform of sensationalism, disgust, and trepidation. The reporting of violent events incites two reactions from viewers: horrified fascination or a repelled reflex to turn away. Neither reaction inclines us to seek a better understanding of why violence occurs, nor to ask the… Read more »

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The Importance of Psychological First Aid in Japan

In the past few days, PsychAlive.org, started getting unusual visits from outside the United States. Typically only attracting an audience of nations that hold English as their first language, we were surprised to find that the place these visits were coming from was Japan. The disaster in Japan has sent a ripple of grief, shock and… Read more »

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Generosity – What’s in it for you?

What we are thankful for is important, but what we give others to be thankful for is even more important. Generosity is no longer the selfless act we’ve long thought it to be. Studies now show that one of the biggest benefactors of generosity is the person who is dishing it out. Like a healthy… Read more »

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