emotion

Is Crying a Way to Regulate Emotions: I Finally Stopped Fighting the Tears

I used to think crying was proof I was losing control. A few years ago, in the middle of a work cris...

Is Being a People Pleaser a Sin

I used to think I was just being a good Christian. Saying yes to every request. Smiling through exha...

Stop Building All Habits at Once: Start With One Small Daily Action

The problem with wanting everything is that you end up doing nothing. I used to be the same way. ...

How to Stop Living in the Past and Start Feeling Like Yourself Again

I was 27 when I realized I'd been holding my breath for three years. Not literally. But every mornin...

Hot and Cold Behavior: How to Read the Signs and Stop the Emotional Rollercoaster

You make eye contact across the room. She holds it for a second too long, then snaps her gaze away l...

How Is People Pleasing a Form of Manipulation? The Honest Truth

I was halfway through offering to organize the entire class party before I even realized my mouth ha...

How Not to Be a People Pleaser: I Deleted Social Media and Found Myself

I was the person who laughed at jokes I didn't find funny, agreed to plans I dreaded, and apologized...

The Day I Stopped Trying to Hate Myself Into Being Better

I was curled on my bathroom floor at 2 a.m., tile cold against my cheek. The phone screen glowed ...

How Does People Pleasing Develop? The Roots of a Silent Habit

I remember standing in my kitchen, phone pressed to my ear, saying "Of course, no problem!" while my...

How Does One Find Inner Peace

I remember a Tuesday morning last fall. My coffee was going cold, the kitchen counter covered in cru...