Note: This is the first of a two-part series. Click here for part two We tend to focus on the relationships with the people closest to us: our spouse or intimate partner, our friends, children, parents, extended family, friends and co-workers. We ask ourselves how these relationships are going and what we need to do […]
Quiz: Are You Depressed?
Are you depressed? Depression does not necessarily mean you’re just sad. You might be more numb—not feeling much of anything—than sad. But some people are in deed sad, withdrawn from others as well as from themselves, and withdrawn from most of the activities that used to bring them pleasure and enjoyment. Take this quiz, adapted […]
How Could I Be Happier?
Our happiness is affected by a variety of temporary feelings and circumstances. If you run out of gas and are late to work, if your boss gives you a big raise, if your spouse goes to bed angry with you, if the flowers you planted bloom beautifully, if you twist your ankle—all of this temporarily […]
Fearful? Anxious? Panic Attack? Try This
It’s okay to be afraid. Fear is human and understandable, and is known to all of us. Fear signals us to fight—or to flee—in order to protect ourselves. But what happens when we don’t know what we’re afraid of, or when fear overtakes us? That may cause us to become anxious, paralyzed or panicked. Anxious, […]
Forgiving Someone Who Has Hurt You
Dear Neil: Our English class would be deeply indebted to you if would tell us exactly how to forgive those who have hurt us. Rarely do we receive pointers as to how to forgive. Seeking in London, Ontario Dear Seeking: The decision to forgive arises out of the desire for us to be at peace […]
Quiz: How Self-Conscious Are You?
How self-conscious are you? Take this quiz to find out. After each question, mark: Disagree, Somewhat agree, or Strongly agree.
1. When talking with strangers, I tend to avoid looking at them in the eyes.
The Art of Being Your Own Parent
Let’s face it. Not every parent knows how to parent well, and some people seemingly know nothing at all about good parenting. Some parents are ill-equipped to be moms or dads—because they’re not ready to be parents, because they’ve had poor parental role models from their own upbringing, or because they’re self-centered. You cannot be […]
Resilience: The Art of Bouncing Back
Whether you have recently divorced, lost a loved one, lost your job or your self-esteem—how do you recover from loss, failure, rejection or adversity? Some people are facing a medical crisis; others have lost a dream; still others have lost their house, or their savings. Regardless of the disappointments and misfortunes that have befallen you, […]
A New Year’s Prescription: Choose to Be Grateful
Want something inspiring and possibly life-transformative to do for the new year? Try putting more effort into being grateful. There are many experiences, emotions and events that have happened to you that no doubt you are not grateful for. If you don’t have enough money to make ends meet, if you lose a loved one […]
Readers Talk About What They have Learned From Life
A couple of months ago, I invited readers of this column to write about lessons life has taught them. So today I’m going to let readers describe for themselves what they have learned from life and from their relationships. A woman from Denver says: My greatest regrets are things I have said to people in […]