Splitting is the tendency to see things in extremes—good or bad, right or wrong, lovable or unlovable. It often develops as a response to emotional pain, trauma, or invalidation in early life. When our nervous system is overwhelmed, it can feel safer to categorize things simply rather than hold onto the discomfort of nuance, mixed emotions, and contradictions.

Individuation is the process of integrating all parts of yourself—your strengths and struggles, your conscious choices and unconscious patterns—into a cohesive, authentic identity. Jung believed that true psychological growth isn’t about “fixing” ourselves but about understanding and embracing all aspects of who we are. This means acknowledging both the light and shadow parts of ourselves, rather than rejecting or suppressing what feels inconvenient or uncomfortable. Individuation isn’t about becoming perfect; it’s about becoming whole.

Spiritual bypassing describes the tendency to use spiritual ideas or practices as an escape hatch from difficult emotions and unresolved wounds. Instead of addressing pain, grief, anger, or fear head-on, spiritual bypassing slaps a shiny, mystical band-aid over it and calls it “growth.” On the surface, it seems like healing. But underneath? Those emotions don’t go away—they just go underground, where they can quietly shape our patterns, relationships, and self-perceptions in ways we don’t even realize.

Anger isn’t inherently bad or negative—it’s a natural and necessary emotion. It signals to us that something important is happening, that a boundary has been crossed, that we feel unheard, unseen, or unjustly treated. Anger carries wisdom, but we can only access it if we slow down and get curious rather than react impulsively.

Feeling uncertain doesn’t mean you’re lost; it means you’re growing. Over time, what once felt unbearable starts to feel manageable. The instability of change begins to settle into something new, something different. But that doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in those small, quiet moments of choosing to respond differently, again and again.

The arrival fallacy can be deceptive because, on the surface, it feels like ambition. We’re conditioned to believe that striving for goals will lead us to a better version of ourselves or a better life. And in some ways, striving is important—it gives us direction and purpose. But when our sense of self-worth or happiness is tied exclusively to reaching the next destination, we unintentionally set ourselves up for disappointment.

Whether or not you’ve named it as a goal, psychological flexibility is something that can profoundly improve your quality of life. It’s what allows you to show up fully, live authentically, and move toward a life that feels rich and meaningful, even in the face of uncertainty.

At first glance, helping and enabling can look very similar. Both involve stepping in to support someone you care about. But the outcomes they create couldn’t be more different. While helping empowers a person to grow, learn, and navigate their challenges, enabling often keeps them stuck, unintentionally reinforcing unhealthy patterns or behaviors. The distinction matters because our intentions, while well-meaning, don’t always lead to positive outcomes.

The drive to optimize often comes with the unspoken belief that who we are and how we live is never enough. Each improvement leads to the next goalpost, perpetuating a cycle of striving that leaves little room for rest, reflection, or contentment. Over time, this endless chase can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and a sense of disconnection from our deeper values.

Our phones have become an extension of ourselves. We carry them everywhere, reflexively reaching for them in moments of boredom, awkward silences, or even just out of habit. If we’re not careful, the hours we spend consuming someone else’s highlights can mean missing out on living our own. Here are 30 fun, lighthearted ways to reclaim your time and focus on living rather than consuming.

Therapy provides a dedicated and consistent space for introspection and self-reflection. It’s a place where you can hit pause on the chaos, explore your inner world, and discover the intentions that guide you. Think of it as creating a home base for your mind, a safe space to declutter your thoughts and figure out what truly matters to you.

Confidence and competence are closely related but distinct concepts. Confidence refers to the belief in one’s abilities or the self-assurance to take action, regardless of the actual level of skill or knowledge. It is an internal state that can make a person appear poised and convincing, even when their expertise may be limited. On the other hand, competence is the actual ability, skill, or knowledge to effectively perform a task or understand a subject.

In today’s world, busyness is often worn like a badge of honor. From packed calendars to endless to-do lists, it’s easy to conflate being busy with being productive. But are you truly being productive, or are you stuck in the cycle of busyness? The difference lies in whether your actions align with your values and lead to a fulfilling life or simply perpetuate a reactive and exhausting existence. Intentional productivity can help you live a value-led life and avoid the burnout caused by aimless busyness.

As the year winds down, many of us find ourselves naturally reflecting on what’s passed and wondering about the road ahead. This transition can be bittersweet, marked by both accomplishments and challenges, joy and sorrow.

While we can’t control what life throws our way, we have an incredible power: the ability to choose how we respond and how we show up for ourselves in the midst of challenges.

Failure. It’s a heavy word, isn’t it? Most of us define it as not achieving the outcome we hoped for or expected. But we don’t stop there. Oh no. We often add an extra layer of meaning: "And that means I’m a failure." Suddenly, it’s not just about the thing that didn’t work out. It’s about you.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re running behind or that you’ve missed your chance, I’m here to tell you: you haven’t. Being a late bloomer means you’re doing things in your own time and in your own way. It’s a testament to your courage, your resilience, and your authenticity. Trust your timing. Celebrate the richness of your unique path. Life isn’t about meeting someone else’s expectations; it’s about discovering who you are and becoming the person you were always meant to be—on your own terms.

As we grow up we inherit a particular set of guidelines and frameworks for life—many of which shape how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us. These frameworks come from those we grew up with, shaped by their own beliefs, experiences, and even the emotional and psychological readiness (or lack thereof) they brought to parenthood. Our sense of self is formed not only through their reflections and observations but also through the biases they inherited from their parents, influenced by historical, cultural, and personal contexts.

Avoiding discomfort robs us of the opportunity to understand and grow through our struggles. Discomfort is a natural part of life. We all experience pain, fear, boredom, sadness, disappointment, frustration… These feelings are natural, but they’re also uncomfortable. Often, instead of allowing ourselves to truly feel and process them, we turn to quick fixes—short-term solutions to alleviate, bury, or avoid the discomfort in the moment.

Therapy is a powerful tool, but it’s not magic. It’s a space to explore, understand, and practice new perspectives. The real magic happens when you take what you learn and bring it into your life. So, if you’re feeling stuck or wondering why change isn’t happening fast enough, know this: you’re doing it right. Growth takes time, and the small steps you take outside of therapy are the ones that lead to the biggest transformations.

When you think about your daily actions, how often do you find yourself labeling them as “good” or “bad”? Maybe you feel proud of going to the gym and call it “good,” or you regret eating that extra slice of pizza and call it “bad.” This black-and-white thinking is so common, yet it often leaves us feeling stuck, guilty, or even disconnected from the person we want to be. But what if we approached our behaviors differently? Instead of judging them as “good” or “bad,” we could ask ourselves: Is this behavior helpful?