Hello! Welcome to this week’s WiredforHappy resource. In the mp3 audio recording below, I discuss my productivity and relaxation go-tos. Having a guide ensures that no matter what, I start (and end) the week with a solid plan to accomplish my goals, and most importantly, to remain calm, confident and in control of how […]
All The Psychology
Why is Happiness So Hard? —10 Reasons, 10 Solutions
Most of us get happy all wrong. This is because we were raised to think that life is supposed to make us feel good. We were taught to avoid pain like the plague, because negative events cause negative emotions, and negative feelings are not meant to be felt. The result is we grow up pain-averse […]
Xanax Nation
Did you know there’s 46 million+ prescriptions written yearly for Xanax in the United States? If you think I’m exaggerating, google “How can I get Xanax?” and see what comes up. Self-Medication Nation or not, the point of this article is not to mock our penchant for sedation. Nor is it about separating “us” from […]
If You’re Serious About Your Mental Health, Don’t Do This
I totally sucked at therapy after graduating with my Master of Social Work degree in 1999. Not for lack of trying, mind you, but due to something more insidiousness and complex. It starts with a ’t.’ And for the record, we’ve all loved it and we’ve all loathed it. Enough of the teasing and titillation. […]
Positive Psychology Practices Will Only Take You So Far, But Still…
On Saturday I received this email from a lovely, tortured soul: Linda, Thank you for your recent email about “National Psychotherapy Day.” I appreciate all the resources provided, but my question is this: Why do I still struggle with happiness on some days? I have been to therapy (years ago), I have read personal development […]
The Essential Guide to Ending Toxic Relationships
I shoulda been a cop. As much as I cherish being a therapist and sharing in the process of getting my brave clients past their darkest relationship days, the truth is my talents lie in sniffing out the bad guys. Believe me, it wasn’t always that way. I’ll tell you why at the end. And […]
100 Smart Ways to Calm Your Anxious Mind
You can read all the anxiety advice in the world, but none of it matters unless you take action. To set your mind up to master calm, confident and in control, you have to ruthlessly focus your efforts on things that work, and stop spending precious time on things that don’t. Today I’m going to […]
4 Morning Success Rituals to Start Your Day Off Right
“As a cook, your station, and its condition, its state of readiness, is an extension of your nervous system. The universe is in order when your station is set. Mise-en-place (a French phrase meaning “putting in place”) is the religion of all good line cooks.” –Chef and best-selling author Anthony Bourdain As a therapist […]
The True Meaning of the Phrase, “I don’t trust anyone.”
How would you like to go through life without any meaningful relationships? If you’re constantly stressed because no one “gets” you, you may be on the fast-track. It’s hard when you want to foster deep connections, but trust holds you back. The good news is life doesn’t have to be this way. The bad […]
The Positively Dangerous Trap of Positive Thinking
“She’s just so damned happy and sweet, watch out or you may get a cavity. Is that smile surgically sewn on her face?” My mom describing the mother of a friend, as we drove to their house for an outing when I was a teen. Because she was classy like that. I don’t remember much […]