“I should be further along by now.”“I should be more productive.”“I shouldn’t feel this way.” If you slow down and listen to your thoughts for a day, you might notice how often the word should shows up. It sounds responsible. Motivated. Disciplined. But beneath the...
If you asked most people whether they would speak harshly to a struggling friend, they would almost certainly say no without hesitation. We pride ourselves on being supportive, encouraging, and compassionate toward the people we care about. And yet, when we turn...
“I just need to trust them again.” It’s a phrase I hear often in therapy, especially when working with couples. And it’s usually followed by a pause. When I gently ask, “What would that look like?” the answer is rarely clear. Trust is foundational in relationships....
Failure happens to all of us. We miss opportunities, say the wrong thing, make a decision we regret, or fall short of what we hoped we would do. Sometimes it’s big. Sometimes it’s small. Either way, it often sticks with us longer than we expect. What usually hurts...
At some point, many of us ask a quiet but heavy question: What is the purpose of my life? Sometimes this question shows up during a major transition. After a breakup, career change, loss, faith shift, or identity exploration. Other times, it appears in the middle of...
The beginning of the year often comes with the pressure that it is time to get into the “ideal” shape society has decided is important. That message is everywhere. We see it on social media, in advertisements, and even in everyday conversations with people we interact...