Influx of content, advice, and best practices can lead to feelings of worthlessness and result in “decision paralysis”. With so many options, how do we choose? Who is telling the truth? And, which path is right for me?

When was the last time you did something for yourself simply because you wanted to and knew it would bring you joy?

Whether you live to work or work to live, one thing is for certain: striking a healthy work-life balance can do wonders for your overall well being.

Whether you’re a student, employee, freelancer, or something in between, the ability to focus is an essential skill of life. Although some individuals are able to sit down and crank out a bout of work at any given moment, the majority of people, myself included, face difficulties when trying to focus. In order to improve our attention and concentration skills, we first must understand what this vital skill actually is. 

About a year and a half ago a cousin of mine told me about this new podcast he’d listened to called The Huberman Lab. My cousin professed that this podcast had brought on a multitude of successes, he said it had helped him learn skills faster, improve memory, and sleep for optimal energy, just after listening. As the polite cousin I  am, I simply smiled and nodded while he rambled on,  attributing his improved lifestyle as merely r placebo. Yet for some reason I decided to take my cousin’s advice and listen to an episode. Safe to say I’m obsessed. 

How do you want to be treated? How do you treat other people? What behaviors won’t you tolerate? How do you show up for others in your daily life? 

These are a few critical questions to ask yourself when you begin the journey of establishing healthy boundaries.

The first time I heard this quote it puzzled me; how could something be so contradictory, yet people believe it to be true? Over time, and after experiencing many changes throughout my life, I’ve come to understand the truth behind this statement. Life is unpredictable; when I think about what I was doing about a year ago, I never would have guessed how my life looks now. This overwhelming promise of change, and inevitable uncertainty does not sit well with most people. Humans are creatures of habit, and most often stray on the side of reminiscing in comfort rather than actively seeking out change. We want predictable routines, familiar faces, and favorite spots in town, not to be in a sea of strangers, not knowing your way around, or having a sense of how something works. 

For as long as I can remember, I have used rest and sleep synonymously. Whether it be exhaustion after a workout, lack of energy during my school day or the inability to wake up in the morning, I have always attributed it to a lack of sleep. In the past couple of months my sleep has become way more consistent (thank you 9-5 job life), but sometimes even after 8+ hours of sleep I still feel drained and burnout. Recently, I listened to a podcast with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a board-certified internal medicine physician, and learned about her theory of rest. Simply, she believes that in a world of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically tired and chronically burned-out individuals, we all need seven different types of rest to feel fully alive and fully ourselves. 

We talk about ourselves to ourselves all the time. Our internal dialogue is a stream of constant thoughts that shape our reality, crucial to our emotions and mood. How often do you tell yourself you are not good enough? Are you excessively self-critical, leaving yourself feeling empty and unworthy? Unfortunately, we are so used to engaging in this type of behavior that it becomes automatic and almost subconscious. 

From painting to musical engagement, creative outlets can come in many different forms. Not only do these fun activities provide a refreshing break from our busy schedules, but they can help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and the burden of chronic disease.

Your time on Earth is limited, so it is important to engage in activities that enrich your life. Becoming stressed over creating the perfect list of extracurricular activities for a resume does not measure your self-worth. Instead, spend time discovering what fulfills you, and chase after it!

The brain is the sole leader of one’s body. This vital organ controls daily functions, physical health, emotions, thoughts, and so much more. In addition to these tasks, the brain is a critical communicative link between our mind and body. You may not know it, but that stomach ache you had during your last math exam was equally as connected to your brain as palpable as the feeling in your stomach; this is because different organs in the body collaborate with one another when activated.

While midlife mortality has improved among the college-educated in the United States , the opposite seems to be true for middle-aged white Americans,who, at most, may or may not have received a high-school diploma (Case and Deaton, 2017). Given that the US seems to be falling far behind other developed countries, many scientists and scholars in the field have sought to understand how this could be possible, especially since the US’s annual healthcare spending exceeds those very countries (America’s Health Ranking, 2016). One potential reason for this has been attributed to the increasing amount of “deaths of despair” (abbreviated DoD) (Case and Deaton, 2017), which refers to mortality or morbidity from suicides, substance use disorders, and alcohol-related diseases (George, Snyder, Van Scoy et al., 2021).

Everyone has experienced a moment in their life where they feel uneasy, nervous, or distressed in a social situation. However, these anxieties can become all-consuming, leaving us feeling drained and eager to avoid everyday interactions. Social anxiety disorder is taxing, both mentally and physically. This anxiety usually stems from one’s perception of the self and the pressure one feels to conceal certain aspects that make us feel vulnerable out of fear of judgment. Psychologist Ellen Hendriksen describes social anxiety as “self-consciousness on steroids.” 

With spring break right around the corner, it’s common for people, particularly women, to comment on how they “have to lose weight before hitting the beach” or how they “let themselves go during the winter holidays;” most of these comments indicate unhappy feelings with regards to one’s appearance. While these short and perhaps sporadic comments may seem harmless, they actually contribute to a much larger issue known as “negative self-talk,” a behavior with many detrimental consequences.

Scientifically proven ways to thrive in the last winter months, all of which have helped me stay productive and motivated despite the feelings and emotions that correlate with  gray skies and cold mornings. 

So you’re SAD…Be it the post-holiday come down, the already forfeited New Year's resolutions, the weather, or dark mornings and evenings, January and February are gloomy for most people. Cases of seasonal depression sky rocket at this time of the year. According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately 5% of people may suffer from SAD and a further 10-20% may have a mild form of the ‘winter blues.’ Even if you don’t suffer from diagnosed seasonal depression, it’s not uncommon to feel down this time of the year. 

As I sit in the corner of Greenberry’s, a local coffee shop, I watch the Friday morning bustle of everyday people filing inside, away from the cold, eager for the first sip of their daily caffeine kick. Some people, like me, sit alone, calmly typing away on their laptops amidst the chaos. Others chat enthusiastically with each other, mostly colleagues talking business or friends catching up. Sweet smells of baked goods waft over me, and the cappuccino I’m drinking warms my throat with every sip. 

Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed, finding it difficult to pinpoint why you are feeling that way? In these situations, it’s often easier to brush off unexplained emotions rather than actually explore what is making you feel so stressed or anxious.

I am not your typical 21-year-old college student. I don’t like to drink. Shocking, I know, but hear me out. First of all, drinks are expensive, I mean  $16-dollars-for-a-drink-expensive and, honestly, I simply would rather pay for a coffee (or three) the next morning or a good meal instead.