For the Ancient Greeks, virtue wasn’t a goal in and of itself, but rather a route to a life well lived. By being honest and generous, embodying diligence and fortitude, showing restraint and kindness, a person would flourish – coming to live a life filled with meaning and finding an enduring, as opposed to ephemeral, happiness.
In this incredibly competitive society of ours, how many of us truly feel good about ourselves? I remember once, as a freshman in college, after spending hours getting ready for a big party, I complained to my boyfriend that my hair, makeup, and outfit were woefully inadequate.
Would you describe yourself as a compassionate person? Even if you don’t necessarily see yourself that way, I bet you’re compassionate at least some of the time (e.g., when you’re well-rested and not in a hurry), or with certain people in your life (e.g., with your closest friends).
We hear it all the time…from our friends, family, the media, and even at work! Life is about balance. Work-life balance. But do you ever feel as though you are eternally chasing this lofty state of nirvana?
Work hard, become successful, then you’ll be happy. At least, that’s what many of us were taught by our parents, teachers and peers. The idea that we must pursue success in order to experience happiness is enshrined in the United States’ most treasured institutions (the Declaration of Independence), beliefs (the American dream), and stories (Rocky and Cinderella).
Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case.
It took me a while to realise that I didn’t really need my mobile which I was carrying with me all the time as if it was an extension of me. So it’s been about five years now that I haven’t had a mobile phone and there has not been once that I wished I owned one.
Do you struggle trying to fall asleep? Do you feel you don’t get enough sleep and you feel sleepy during the day? You are not alone. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has found that one in three American adults have symptoms of insomnia.
“Hey sweetheart, why don’t you sit on my lap?” the grizzled veteran taunted, his war hat pinned with jangling medals. Most women would have laughed it off, or joked back, or ignored him.
Self-help often encourages people to improve their lives by making statements like, “I have all the money I need,” or, “I have unlimited energy to take on all challenges.” But despite endless internet lists of positive affirmations, if you don’t already have a positive mindset, positive affirmations may actually hurt your self-esteem.
We credit Socrates with the insight that ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’ and that to ‘know thyself’ is the path to true wisdom. But is there a right and a wrong way to go about such self-reflection?
The philosophy behind the law of attraction turns conventional thinking about the sources of our problems upside down. For example, instead of repeating this refrain, “I am this way because of what happened to me as a child,”
For many adults, sex forms part of a healthy, balanced life. Not only is courtship part of a relationship, but it can also spend considerable time in the mind as well.
Here’s how it goes…We see motivational stuff posted on different social media platforms regularly. They are posted for our benefit: to give us strength, to pick ourselves back up when we are down, or to remind us to pursue our dreams.
It’s not uncommon to experience some type of sleep disturbance following a traumatic experience, during a life crisis, or with chronic anxiety or mood symptoms. But sleep is all about habits, and now may be a good time to take a closer look at your own routines and rituals surrounding sleep.
Humans are hard-wired for fear. There is a very complex relay system in the brain involving several small structures and each plays a role in our response to danger. Fight, Flight, Freeze. The problem is that we also respond to situations or “things” that are not necessarily dangerous, and sometimes the line between real danger and perceived danger becomes blurred.
Do you feel you always get the short-end of the stick? Have you been passed-up for a promotion? It could simply be a coincidence that your shortcomings are all happening at once. However, if you’re repeatedly overlooked for opportunities, it’s time for you to get a reality check.
We often wonder what it takes to succeed. Simply put, it starts with a thought. Watching the Olympics, one can’t help but to admire the world class skills, dedication, and focus of the athletes who made it to the end game.
Survivors discover surprising benefits in the process of healing from a traumatic event. When Army surgeon Rhonda Cornum regained consciousness after her helicopter crashed, she looked up to see five Iraqi soldiers pointing rifles at her.
To those who take the bus or refuse plastic toothbrushes: Don’t listen to the cynics.Research shows the little things matter. Here are five reasons to keep doing those small things you do that make the world a better place.
