The Perils of Reality Avoidance: How to Overcome Denial and Groupthink
Why do so many smart people miss obvious warning signals that are right in front of their nose? Denial is a powerful motivator. Think of the parent who refuses to acknowledge that their child...
Doubting Resilience Undermines Resilience
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford
Imagine a stressful everyday situation—being late to a meeting, giving an important presentation, or taking an exam. Your perception of your ability...
Is This Why You Overindulge?
We all have so much going on in our lives, so let me distill the research on wellbeing for you. Think of these quick bits as a personal apothecary that you can read, refer...
Athlete or Not, Science Says to Do This if You Want to Keep Your...
A free throw in basketball is an intensely stressful situation. All eyes are on the player. Will they or won’t they sink the shot? Merely watching is anxiety-provoking for me. It’s hard to imagine...
Reflect, Don’t React
According to the old adage, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. (As an aside, growing up, my parents had a needlepoint pillow that occupied prime real estate...
The Benefit of Keeping Your Feelings to Yourself
Whenever Abraham Lincoln felt the need to give someone a piece of his mind, he would fire off a harsh letter. Putting pen to paper was his way of unloading his fury. A classic example is...