My Thoughts

The Fundamental Flaw of How-To Self Development Advice

Have you ever noticed how much people seem to love self-help how-to articles? We are suckers for an interesting story about a clearly defined problem- one that personally resonates with us, and then we want to be told how to solve that problem with actionable steps. We want a quick and dirty list, a step-by-step map to becoming a better/happier/more productive human. The problem here is that suggesting action, without talking about what is getting in the way, is a half-baked solution. It can feel inspiring, but it is a backward and ineffective way to achieve inner growth. As a culture we are focused on “doing” (more, differently, better), but

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My Thoughts

Being Authentic For Real: Part 2

Being Authentic For Real: Part 1, we dug into the definition of authenticity. Now that we know what the term really means, I want to share how living authentically increases life satisfaction, well-being, and inner peace, and how it can have lasting impacts not only personally, but also in our relationships. Authenticity and well-being Psychologists who research authenticity have found that being authentic, as defined above, can provide a host of benefits, including a strong sense of self-worth and self-confidence, a greater ability to follow through on goals, and more effective coping skills. Authenticity is positively correlated with many factors that contribute to happy,

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Book Review

The Good Life

We all want to live a good life.  We want to be happy, we want those we love to be happy, we even want our pets to be happy.  But what does this really mean?  Does it mean that our main objective is to live a life filled with only positive emotions- pleasure, comfort, excitement? Most of us are aware enough to realize that perpetual happiness is an impossible dream.  Many of us are also aware that we desire more than just happiness; we want meaning, purpose and engagement in our lives. We may have a desire to serve something greater than ourselves even

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