human experience

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Embrace The Boredom of Life

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I'm just going to come out and say it. Life can be boring, mundane, and monotonous.  There. It's out in the open. Can't take it back.

It seems that so many people strive for this "perfect" life, but don't realize that striving for something that doesn't exist without embracing this basic sort of fact (that's clearly a personal bias) that life can be boring at times leads to feeling dissatisfied and unhappy. It's not that I don't want people to strive for better or more or more content or happier, but I want people to be realistic about their strivings.

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Anxiety - Part I (Existential)

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Anxiety - Part I (Existential)

This may be my favorite series of posts EVER. 

First and foremost, I love anxiety. To experience it can be hell (and that's putting it mildly), but I love to talk about it with clients because a) it normalizes what they're going through, and b) it de-stigmatizes anxiety. Both of which are wins. 

Secondly, this is a multi-part blog. Anxiety is a lot. There are many ways of looking at it and understanding it, and I'm going to try to do it some justice by writing about it from each of those angles. For those of you who are wondering, "Um.. what angles is she talking about?" These angles: existential, biological and genetic (not the same, but will be covered at the same time because they can be confusing to understand as separate), evolutionary, psychological, and behavioral. 

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Five Reasons to Put Yourself First

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Five Reasons to Put Yourself First

Tell me if this sounds familiar.

Annabelle is a working woman.  She's got a full-time job that she loves, a partner that she loves, and great friends.  She balances her time doing extra work around the office or bringing work home (trying to move up in her corporation), being with her partner through outings, dinner, or relaxing (usually with work in tow), and attending get-togethers with friends, whether planned or spontaneous.  With all intents and purposes, Annabelle should feel ecstatic.  In her own words, "I have everything I wanted to have at this point in my life..."

(wait for it...).

Don't Confuse Strength with Stoicism

Don't Confuse Strength with Stoicism

This might be one of the areas that I feel most strongly about.

This misguided, societal belief that being strong equates to being stoic. That showing emotions is a sign of weakness, rather than an immense sign of strength. That to cry is to not be strong enough to hold it together. That nobody is walking around in pain, with anxiety, or dealing with depression, grief, and sorrow.

WHY, I ask you?! WHY?!