Nobody is born calm. And life gets messy from that first breath on. If you’re fortunate enough to be raised by stable, loving parents, you may grow up with heightened expectations about how life should be, which could cause you to fall short in the thick skin category. And if your parents were Fly-Off-the-Handle Harry […]
Author: Linda Esposito
3 Easy Breathing Exercises to Calm an Anxious Mind
A secret to feeling relaxed also happens to be one of the simplest techniques for improving mental health. In fact, you’re doing it right now. But are you doing it right? Whether you have occasional worries or full-blown anxiety attacks, deep-breathing is a must-have for optimal physical health and emotional well-being. Why is deep-breathing so […]
3 Tips For The Best Sleep Ever — Plus, Free Relaxation Mp3
Many of us are stressed about the current social and political climates. Last year is in the books, and it’s a new era. It’s also the time of year when resolve diminishes. After a flurry of activity, our stress levels rise and our energy diminishes. As a result, sleep deprivation contributes to increased anxiety. Racing […]
Setting Goals: Less Stress, More Joy
Nothing like the New Year and a clean slate to refresh, rejuvenate and recharge. Talk about unleashing a new you. But there’s a catch—becoming a different person, or a better version of you doesn’t come by wishing. Like the euphoria that comes with having a baby or getting a puppy for Christmas, it’s easy to […]
Wired for Happy’s Most Popular Posts
A special note of gratitude to all of you who continue to make Wired for Happy an inspirational and insightful place to share mental health tips. We still have a long way to go toward ending the stigma of mental illness, but I assure you each time you practice healthy mental health habits, you’re doing […]
52 Important Mental Health Questions To Ask Yourself As 2020 Draws To A Close
1. What were the best experiences you had this year? 2. When were you the most happy? 3. What people, situations or events caused you to feel sad or depressed? 4. What were the most important things you made happen this year? 5. Did any activities lead to new relationships, partnerships or opportunities? 6. What […]
The Worst Kind of Anxiety (and what to do about it)
Imagine you’re going about your day, a bit frazzled—because let’s face it, you’ve always been anxiety sensitive—when you suddenly fear that you’ll contaminate your family with an incurable disease if you touch them. Or you’re driving to work and out of the blue you have a panic attack on the freeway. You hastily pull to […]
The Emotion Nobody Wants to Talk About
There’s no definitive childhood lesson on how to handle anger. Sure, there’s parents to teach us the basics of social and emotional development, teachers who warn us not to be mean, and hot heads around us who modeled how not be be. But when it comes to the mechanics of anger, the majority of […]
Common Reasons We Go to Therapy
Learning to trust ourselves to solve our own problems is one of our greatest gifts to ourselves. And it’s the essence of therapy, really. Having a supportive, non-judgmental guide is great, and all, but during our darkest days we have to figure out life for ourselves. Because when it comes to mental health, we all […]
Happiness and Habits: Make Small Changes, Get Big Results
Would you celebrate a job promotion with Trader Joe’s Two-buck Chuck, when you could afford a mid-range Cabernet? Probably not. However, forgetting you’re no longer a broke college student would make it easy to mindlessly support this headache-inducing habit. The same principle applies to your mental health. Constantly digesting toxic words, feelings and reactions takes […]
