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SMART Goals

August 1, 2023 No Comments

Do you work hard to achieve your goals but feel like you get nowhere? Or do you set a goal and feel highly motivated at the beginning but fall off a few weeks after? Do you struggle to see yourself achieving your goals in the next few years?

Let’s try setting a SMART goal! SMART is a mnemonic acronym that provides the criteria for setting clear and achievable goals. This week, we’ll break down SMART goals and explore how to turn your ambitions into clear, accessible goals. Plus, see how reframing your thoughts from results to actions helps you achieve your goals.

Hurdle race.

Expectations

July 25, 2023 No Comments

If you search about expectations, you will likely come across the saying: “Expectations are premeditated resentments.”

The basis of this quote may be from two psychological facts: 1) expectations are not guaranteed to be fulfilled, and 2) we tend to think that fulfilling our expectations will make us happy.

So, do expectations lead to resentment and disappointment? How do we manage our expectations? When we have high expectations, how do we manage them to drive us rather than pressure us?

A collection of matches standing up with one burnt out match curled over.

Burnout

July 18, 2023 No Comments

When you started your work, maybe you felt like a tall candle. You stand proud and eager to light the workplace with your passion, energy, and work. But eventually, the flame burns away at the candle. If you don’t renew the candle, you’ll end up with a low flame and a worn-out wick.

This week, we’re looking at the burned-out wick and how we can recover from it so we have a bright, long-lasting flame.

"Be creative" written in pencil on a piece of paper with a lightbulb drawn next to the words.

Fostering Creativity

July 11, 2023 No Comments

Creativity is not only art, expression, and stories; creativity is also problem-solving, new original ideas, and thinking outside the box. But, sometimes, we fall into the misbelief that because we are not good at painting, sculpting, or writing, we must not be good at creativity.

While we value creativity across history and cultures, we sometimes find it hard to value our own creativity in the present moment. It leads our creativity to shut down, and we get stuck.

Whether you’re stuck in a creative rut, feel uninspired, or don’t know how to let your creativity manifest, let’s problem-solve our difficulties and foster our creativity.

"Feedback" written in carved wooden letters

Receiving Feedback

July 4, 2023 No Comments

When you receive feedback, how are you receiving it?

Do you brace yourself and listen? Do you nod along to what the other person is saying, but don’t hear a word or completely ignore it? Do you listen to all of it (sometimes eagerly, sometimes with a wince) and try to find a way to incorporate all of the feedback? Or, do you listen with an open mind, but filter it, using some aspects of the feedback but not all?

This week, we’ll share tips on how to receive feedback.

Many closed doors to choose from

Choices and Control

June 27, 2023 No Comments

We make choices every day and all day: what to wear for the day, what to eat, and what activities we engage in. Over our lives, we’ve chosen our habits, hobbies, and jobs—although, it may feel like having a job and going to work is not a choice.

But we’ll examine that this week: big or small, what choices do we have?

Tall residential building behind glass with a reflection of branches and plants

Managing Dissociation

June 20, 2023 No Comments

Last week, we covered the dissociation spectrum: from everyday forms of dissociation to dissociative disorders. This week, we’ll dive deeper into the coping strategies we can use to manage dissociation.

Dissociation Spectrum

June 13, 2023 No Comments

Have you ever driven home from work but didn’t remember how you got there? You made all the right turns, stopped in all the appropriate places, and drove at the right speed limit, but when you pulled into your driveway, you didn’t remember any of it.

Or maybe, you zoned out during a meeting or conversation, daydreaming about your weekend plans or the movie you watched last night. Consequently, by the close of the meeting, you can’t recall what anyone said.

These scenarios demonstrate a couple of everyday forms of dissociation. This week, we’ll uncover the spectrum of dissociation.

Woman lying in bed

Insomnia and Sleep Challenges

June 6, 2023 No Comments

After a long day of work, you finally climb into bed, ready to let go of the day, relax, and embrace sleep.

You lay long enough that the position becomes uncomfortable, so you turn. But now, you re-run conversations you had that day and stack up the long list of to-dos for tomorrow. You catch yourself running loops with your thoughts and worry that you’ve wasted your sleep time…

We know the amazing benefits of sleep, but achieving deep, restful sleep is still challenging. This week, let’s uncover some common sleep challenges and practical tips so we can finally have a good night’s rest.

Worried young woman covering her face with her hand.

Trauma and Stress

May 30, 2023 No Comments

“They carried all they could bear, and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried.”
― Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried