Conversely, characters who face limitations and personal challenges such as physical disabilities or mental illness are almost always portrayed as villains or comical side characters deserving of pity but not respect. John Wick has become an iconic action film character because he defeats throngs of enemies almost entirely on his …

He had struggled intermittently with ideation of suicide for at least ten years and chose the least violent, least dramatic means that he could conceive. As a result, many of us live in a constant state of stress about our financial and professional futures--which means feeling a ton of anxiety …

Once we set down this path of boundary work, the inner resistance can present itself in these multiple persuasive and self-doubting thoughts: Am I being selfish? These thoughts put into question why we're bothering to change and undermine our confidence and self-worth all at the same time. The important factor …

Yes, that was a dark time, Greg said, adjusting his jacket. It was the Cold War. When we compare the highlights reel of the people in our feeds (because that's pretty much what social media is) to our reality, it's skewed well out of our favor. The comparison between carefully …

I'd pretend not to notice the circles of kids playing handball, or running through the sprinklers. I would pedal past them quickly, wearing a determined look across my face, hoping somehow to make others think that in fact I had somewhere to go. She was working in animation, just not …

Guidelines on How to Challenge Journaling and meditation are both gentle yet deep and potent methods for challenging your thinking, especially if you practice them both regularly. The room might be an actual physical space or it might be something virtual, say a video call or a social media platform …

It's more than that, though, Jon said. Last night over dinner, she said there was no future. When we're tired, everything feels like too much trouble, even the easy stuff. If we're endeavoring to create and consistently assert the boundaries that matter to us, we need all the rest we …

In, out, in, and out until you are ready to open up your eyes and carry on with your day. Ordinary Acts of Gratitude In some respects, this exercise might feel like simple Mentoring 101. But it adds in the critical futurecasting layers by forcing you to think in very …

It's like when you're out fishing and the big one first hits the line. Sure, there's still a ton of work to do reeling it in, but you know you've got 'im hooked. I've said something you don't like? I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it in quite the way …

Anyway, besides luminaries like Gore and Blair, at the Boston-based Founders Live event I also found myself sitting next to average-looking people who were doing extraordinary things. I met a college student who was working on her second start-up, aimed at transforming the way food is packaged. To counteract this …

Ideally, we'd all be conscious of who we are and what makes us tick, and we'd feel able to communicate that clearly and effectively. But the opposite is quite often the case. In most cases, however, procrastination is a symptom of stress; However, we are all familiar with the staggering …

Honestly, that doesn't sound bad, but it might freak out my husband, Patrick. I paused here to explain that defining the future requires incredible attention to detail. Distribute your weight evenly between your two feet. Now shift your weight alternately on your left and then on your right foot, so …

You need to treat yourself with love, and when you treat yourself with love, you will not beat yourself up for the mistakes you make in life. Mostly, People who are harsh on themselves lack love for themselves. Law of Attraction This law states that whatever you think and focus …

They're a fool's game. One of my favorite quotes about predicting the future comes from Isaac Asimov, the sci-fi master known for his robot stories, which I absolutely love. But in his lifetime, Asimov was also known as the great explainer. He wrote far more articles about science fact than …

It doesn't matter if I trust him, I trust myself. If I have a feeling, an intuition, or something doesn't feel right, today I make sure I say it. Before, it was about not trusting me, not just him. I would be too quiet. It's not okay now not to …

In the recovery process this partner learns to take more ownership of her sexual desires and needs, and the addict has the opportunity to share rather than to control the experience, creating intimacy. In the past, addiction overshadowed any healthy sexual experiences, and you were likely responding to the socialization …

I don't feel ashamed or weird about it, because that's what I want to do. This is what's important to my life. Determining Your Goals - Your F6 Goals In order to be less apathetic about our lives and other people, we first need to know what we actually care about …

Phytonutrients are also antioxidants. You may recall that oxidation occurs with prolonged distress and triggers free radicals that are cancer promoting and increase inflammation. The antioxidant effect of phytonutrients, then, is to decrease inflammation. Phytonutrients can be broken down into important components, such as carotenoids, flavonoids, resveratrol, and phytoestrogens. The …

You explain your pathway to a positive life and share the many lessons you've learned. You instruct them on the specific steps they need to take. But, then, they ask the many what if questions. The person you arranged coffee with confronts you on the many issues overwhelming her. After …

She feels that she has to be as close to perfect as possible because she doesn't want to get sick again. Can others who don't have a chronic illness still have some flexibility? Consider that heart disease is insidious. One-third of people with heart disease who die suddenly had no …

The host mice were delivered by cesarean section, were fed sterile milk, and were raised in a sterile environment to ensure they had no microbiota. Without a microbiota, the mice experienced significantly more anxiety-related behavior, repetitive movements, and decreased memory. Biochemical and molecular changes were also noted, such as in …

It is not unusual to want some degree of separation to sort out your thoughts and feelings. Best facilitated by a therapist or counselor, together you and your partner agree to a separation for a specific amount of time. Then you will come back together to renegotiate the terms of …

Too much stress can be toxic and inflammatory. Stress can be Learn to identify your eustress from your distress. Think about saying no to more requests during the week to allow time to relax and recover on weekends. Schedule fewer activities for yourself and your family to allow for more …

One of the benefits of cortisol in acute stress is that it suppresses our pain response. When we are being chased, we cannot worry about the pain in our muscles or minor injuries. This is a protective benefit. It allows us to run despite injury. Cortisol is also known to …

At the time of initial awareness, in the heat of rage or the pain of shame, you may demand to know everything. Whether you are at home, in a car, in a motel room, or in a public place, it doesn't matter to you--you want to know and you want …

Uncomfortable with and most often afraid of their feelings, they tend to be emotionally reactive. Simply put, addicts use sex, food, gambling, alcohol, drugs, spending, and other stimulating or numbing combinations in an attempt to feel better and gain control over their feelings. Addicts, frightened of the depth and intensity …

The combination of coaching and technology can help you in (1) identifying the error and physiological changes, (2) knowing what to do about it, and (3) recognizing if your adjustment actually fixes the dysfunction. It could be as easy as just slowing down! You can also use a heart rate …

A natural consequence of being raised in a shame-based family, very often an abusive or addictive family, is that the child grows up to be an ideal partner for an addict, one whose trauma and childhood survivor traits enable him to act out his addiction with little disruption. I look …

Terrible doctors treat symptoms, good doctors treat diseases, and great doctors treat people holistically. You can look at that from a data perspective as well. People who become slaves to their metrics without really thinking about the consequences of or intentions behind the data can end up chasing a number …

As Carl Sagan said, science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge. Data can be considered knowledge, but until this point in our history, most of what we thought we knew has been exposed as wrong (see: sugar is harmless; So what makes …

He doesn't train for it but just jumps right in, literally. Doug makes sure he keeps a sustainable pace and keeps his form perfect, and it takes him about four hours. The experience isn't fun, per se, but he gets a great sense of satisfaction once he's done. If you …

Because the monkeys refuse to let go of the fruit, the tribesman can easily capture the monkeys. The monkeys have, in essence, trapped themselves by holding on too tight. You won't let go of control, and so you become imprisoned mistaking control for security. Image Management Projecting to the world …

As I listened it was like he was brainwashing me. Then he told me he had had sex with a coworker and how it was okay because she really wanted to do it for him; He continued to drone on like a hypnotist, continuing to try to convince me that …

Rather than making me become semiconscious, as listening to music does, it actually heightens my awareness and engagement with the task at hand. Anytime you can use technology to improve your connection to yourself and your surroundings, do it. The Equipment Compromise The equipment we rely on every time we …

If you actually care about solving the problem, invest the time and the money and the energy to take care of it. Say no to other things going on in your life. Make this issue a major priority by dedicating your scheduled time to it. Fifth Step: Repeat. Every single …

You have been deceived, time and time again, and that is traumatic to your very being. And while you are addressing the lies and secrecy that come with deception, the impact of the trauma needs to be validated and articulated. The words trauma and betrayal afford that, therefore, in this …

Take a deep, slow breath in from your diaphragm, which means your belly should expand more than your chest. Then take even more time on the exhale, letting yourself deflate like a balloon, as my friend, colleague, and breathing guru Wim Hof says. Take at least fifteen breaths like this …

Back in our little kayak together, talking about our lives, he asks about who Anne and Isaac and I are to one another. He hasn't understood that we're a family. I can feel him trying to figure us out--especially me. He asks questions and I don't mind. We're engaging with …

It helped me stay with emotions that would previously have led to food binges or alcohol or drug abuse. There are many forms of meditation, but the type I find most helpful as a regular practice is just sitting quietly and being mindful of my breath. Contrary to some popular …