One way that you can stay grateful all year round is by maintaining a gratitude journal. This is where you record what you are grateful for and how those things affected you. Journal Writing Basics Note that before writing get into a positive mindset. When writing, record 3 things that made you feel grateful that…

We often get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to step back and take care of ourselves. Try these self-care suggestions. Get enough sleep each night and put a limit on how much technology you use.  Practice mindfulness, keep a journal and use breathing exercises to stay centered.  Eat healthy foods…

We often use the words anxiety and stress interchangeably, but what do they really mean? Anxious or stressed? Feeling stressed is considered a response to what is happening in our daily lives, such as being stuck in traffic and being late for work.  Anxiety is a psychological condition in which you worry about things that…

New research is learning more about how float tanks can help us with managing stressful emotions and relax. The float tank experiment: People float in a shallow pool of water that has Epsom salt.  This makes it easier to float on the surface of the water.  The pool is in a dark room and is…

We often set high expectations for ourselves, but that comes with a lot of pressure that isn’t always necessary. You can do something about it! Examine your expectations Know what your values are and what’s important to you. Ask yourself if your expectations are realistic and attainable. Many expectations come from fear, does that relate…

Not looking forward to the holidays? There are ways that you can avoid getting down or feeling stuck this season. How to avoid the “Holiday Blues” Spend some time by yourself to get refocused and breathe a little between all of the holiday parties and social events. Just make sure to not spend too much…

Sometimes it’s easy to overlook subtle symptoms that are related to depression. Depression: what to look for One symptom is losing interest in things that you once enjoyed but now have low motivation to do as well as isolating yourself from others. Another is being tired and sleepy all of the time. A third symptom…

There are many things in life outside of our control. However, we do have power over how we respond to what life throws our way. One strategy is to allow yourself to feel the emotions you are experiencing instead of trying to deny them. Another is to breathe deeply when overwhelmed, which helps keep us…

You may not realize it but there are several ways you might be damaging your relationship. The first is not talking about past incidents that were hurtful to you from previous relationships. The next is having expectations that you don’t express to your partner. If you don’t talk about them then that sets your partner…

Do you ever find yourself experiencing thoughts that you just don’t find helpful and hold you back? These could be cognitive distortions. Common cognitive distortions include having a mental filter, where you only focus on the negative and not the positive. Another is “all-or-nothing” labeling in which you see things as either all  good or…