Read excerpts from Psychology Today below, and click to see full articles!
33 Stories People Tell Themselves About Their Feelings
Sitting with feelings is incredibly difficult. But sometimes, more painful than the feeling itself is the pain we cause ourselves by attaching difficult stories to those feelings. What kinds of stories do people tell themselves? Well, things like:
Why are People Passive Aggressive?
Few things are more frustrating for an open communicator than passive aggression. But where does it come from?
18 Signs That You’re Dealing with a Passive Aggressive Person
At our core, we are meaning-makers. We live through and then interpret the events of our lives, bringing order to our experiences. When we endure pain and unhappiness, we find ways to frame and understand it and sometimes even find value in it. That process is integral to moving through and living with the experiences.
2 Types of Invisible Grief
When our biggest emotions come knocking — anger, sadness, grief, fear — it can be difficult to let them in. It may feel easier to ignore them, reject them, avoid them, or numb them than to face them, welcome them, and address them. But why is that? Why is it so difficult to accept difficult feelings? What happens to us when we come face to face with so much discomfort?
5 Reasons People Stay in Unhappy Friendships
Just like romantic relationships and family bonds, friendships grow and contract, evolve and stagnate. But for some, it’s extremely difficult to step away from a friendship, even if it becomes unhealthy, toxic, or just unsatisfying. But why? Why do we stay in friendships when they clearly stop working for us?
5 Emotions You Didn’t Know Were Part of Grief
Many people’s frame of reference for grief comes from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ five stages of grief. In her analysis, a grieving person will move through denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance. And while all of these may be part of the grief experience, the simplified description of these phrases fails to chart the wide emotional range of experiences a grieving person may experience. Here are some other emotional experiences a grieving person may encounter.
6 Ways People Shut Down Difficult Conversations
Accepting feedback is one of the most difficult communication skills to master. It requires hearing how you hurt somebody else and learning the ways you will need to grow. But sometimes, the person receiving feedback finds ways to cut off or short-circuit the conversation in unhealthy ways. Let’s look at a few of the most common forms of conversation enders.
Learning to Embrace Both / And
At our core, we are meaning-makers. We live through and then interpret the events of our lives, bringing order to our experiences. When we endure pain and unhappiness, we find ways to frame and understand it and sometimes even find value in it. That process is integral to moving through and living with the experiences.
How to Become Higher Maintenance (Yes, you read that right!)
At our core, we are meaning-makers. We live through and then interpret the events of our lives, bringing order to our experiences. When we endure pain and unhappiness, we find ways to frame and understand it and sometimes even find value in it. That process is integral to moving through and living with the experiences.
Never Say These 2 Words to Someone in Pain
At our core, we are meaning-makers. We live through and then interpret the events of our lives, bringing order to our experiences. When we endure pain and unhappiness, we find ways to frame and understand it and sometimes even find value in it. That process is integral to moving through and living with the experiences.
Are You Too Low-Maintenance?
We wear the term "low-maintenance" as a badge of honor, something to aspire to in our relationships. But there are deep misconceptions about what it means to be low-maintenance and whether we should aspire to it.
4 Clear Signs That You've Outgrown a Friendship
As children, we learn that friendships last forever. And some do. Some friendships grow and mature. Others atrophy, leaving one or both participants in the friendship feeling unfulfilled and frustrated. Drifting away from a friend can feel confusing and painful. But there are signs that you may have outgrown the relationship.
How to Defeat Your Inner Critic
This voice occurs with a harshness that we reserve only for ourselves. The voice becomes automatic, white noise that shapes our inner experience and robs us of the consideration, kindness, and encouragement we so easily give to others.
4 Reasons Why We Refuse to Feel a Feeling
When our biggest emotions come knocking — anger, sadness, grief, fear — it can be difficult to let them in. It may feel easier to ignore them, reject them, avoid them, or numb them than to face them, welcome them, and address them. But why is that? Why is it so difficult to accept difficult feelings? What happens to us when we come face to face with so much discomfort?
Wish the Joneses Well
The Joneses are everywhere, living seamlessly successful, glamorous, meaningful lives. Their skin is clear, their physiques impeccable, their jobs both lucrative and deeply fulfilling.
How "I Should" and "By Now" Trap Us in Pain
No matter how many Pinterest quotes encourage us to follow our own path in our own time, the illusion of the perfect timeline remains. By 25, careers should be solidified and pointed in a focused direction with consistent, incremental growth.
Why Your New Year's Resolution Is Failing
Contrary to what weight loss and productivity software commercials would have you believe, deep-rooted, sustainable change will not take place simply because you buy a product or make a resolution. No, full-fledged change involves a panoply of small shifts that eventually lead to a different version of yourself. Here are five ingredients of sustainable change.