It finally happened. My hard drive crashed. Thanks to being pretty good about having my stuff backed up, I didn’t lose too much data. But it was an inconvenience to take the computer for diagnosis and repair, wait a day for the new drive to be installed, reinstall some programs that aren’t on the new…
Do you wake up with enthusiasm? Or do you wake up with apathy or even dread? If you are not beginning your day on a positive note, it is probably because your expectations are low. You may be going to a job you don’t like or dealing with a project that doesn’t interest you or…
Like many of you, I am on Twitter and find it to be a really helpful source of information. There is one thing I don’t like about it, however. The people in one’s network are called your Followers. I’ve always felt that Participants would be a better name because your so-called followers who re-tweet the…
May is Mental Health Month. Each year, when I hear that a month is being devoted to mental health awareness, I’m reminded of the time when I was a young parent and was taught the appropriate response to the question that almost all children would get around to asking. When a child becomes old…
When I teach relaxation skills or biofeedback, I encourage my patients to practice twice a day at roughly the same times each day so that their bodies and brains begin to treat to their “behavior medicine” in the same way that they would adjust to a daily oral medication. People who have regular meditation practices…
Throughout the year, we have a number of chances to reassess our progress, modify our plans, and resolve to better ourselves in various ways. These can be considered as times for renewal. The start of a new year is such a time. So are birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and changes of season. Now is a particularly…
The Goal-Achieving Psychotherapy approach places a great deal of emphasis on being proactive to make good things happen. It is important, however, to recognize that sometimes it pays to do nothing. I’m not talking about meditation or some other type of formal relaxation, although there is definitely a time for that in the healthy lifestyle. …
Stock market experts tell us that one of the common mistakes that average investors make is to invest in “hot” stocks that are doing well, and then to become disillusioned and sell when the stock loses significant value. The typical amateur investor thus often winds up doing the opposite of what people hope to accomplish…
One of the concepts that I have difficulty relating to is boredom. I’m seldom bored, but I frequently hear others complain that they are. It’s not a subject that I’ve studied a whole lot, but I think that I’ve had enough experience in avoiding boredom to enable me to help others by sharing my thoughts…
I’ve been carrying one of my favorite football quotes around with me for about 50 years. Although I’m no longer certain who said it, it was a quarterback whose offense just came out on the field after the opponent’s punt pinned their team back near their own end zone. Despite the seemingly dismal situation, as…
In working with people, I sometimes find them to be reluctant to express themselves with confidence in social situations. Some are hesitant to apply for a jobs or leadership positions in organizations or to advocate for their beliefs. In holding themselves back, they often cite a lack of confidence or a feeling that what they…