Learning to let go is much harder than holding on. In the words of Ann Landers: “Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” Why do we cling onto …
“Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility.” This quote by Dr Susan David perfectly encapsulates the importance of emotional agility. We love and we lose, we are healthy and ill, we complain about someone, then we miss them when they’re gone. The complex interplay between beauty and fragility is at the core of life. Dr …
Read moreEmotional agility: how to build resilience in times of crisis
While it’s important to stay informed, too much information can become confusing, anxiety-inducing, and plain counter-productive. The same way you try to eat healthy to improve your physical health, going on an information diet is a way to control what you consume to take care of your mental health. It’s not the same as a …
There may be many reasons why you may be stuck at home. Bad weather, a sick kid, no transportation, temporarily unemployed, or… a global pandemic. Staying at home for an extended period of time can get anxiety-inducing and we soon start running out of ideas to keep ourselves busy and sane. I asked readers how …
The holiday season is around the corner. For most of us, it means we need to get gifts for our loved ones—our family, our friends, maybe even for people we don’t know all that well, such as clients and coworkers. The holiday season is notoriously stressful. Surveys show that nearly 7 people out of 10 …
When you buy a new product, it usually comes with a user manual. It’s a document designed to help you make the best use of that particular product, with detailed instructions. It’s a guide to using a specific system. But when we meet a new person, we need to figure things out through trial and …
Read moreFostering psychological safety with a personal user manual
I spend a lot of time worrying. About work, money, my friends, my family, the future. It’s not the kind of paralysing worry that prevents me from getting anything done. It’s more akin to background noise which I got pretty good at ignoring. But it’s still there. It makes it harder than I’d like to …
Hope and optimism are often used interchangeably. “I’m hopeful about my prospects” or “I’m optimistic about the future.” But hope and optimism are two different concepts. While they’re both beneficial in their own way, it’s important to learn the difference and knowing when one may be better suited than the other. It may seem like …
If you’re reading this blog, it probably means that you’re interested in personal development. Trying to be your best self, being mindful of the way you work and the way you live. Maybe you’ve read some book or listen to some podcasts. You’re not the only one. The personal development industry is valued at $10 …
At this point, most people know about the benefits of journaling. Read any self-development blog and you will stumble on at least one article telling you why keeping a journal will change your life. The problem? Most people can’t build the habit. We know we should keep a journal. But we don’t know how to …