What is toxic positivity and how to combat its tyranny over your life

Have you experienced toxic positivity? I first heard the term in a recent YouTube interview with psychotherapist Seerut Chawla. A warm flow of recognition washed through me. I’d experienced this form of shame consistently over my life but never had a name for it. In my 20s a friend called me a downer when I …

How to reinvent yourself for a successful second act

Unless you live a very boring life, you’ll have the opportunity to reinvent yourself. You may have already been forced to do so, whether by choice or after a loss or tragedy. We sometimes refer to such reinvention as a second act, because it comes after a certain age. But that’s not always the case. …

How to stop hiding and start living your authentic life

It’s hard to stop hiding when you’ve been doing it most of your life. You might not even remember when you started or why. You label yourself all sorts of things to explain your desire to deflect attention. You even wear your smallness as a badge of honor. But deep down you know something’s missing. …

How to have courage and stop being afraid and fearful

Franklin Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” But the fact remains fear can paralyze us. Courage is the most important quality but often the hardest to find. Anything worth having in my life has come as a result of courage. When I let things happen to me instead of acting courageously, …