Strangely enough, there is a time to breathe, and a time not to — Stress. Anxiety. Depression. You find yourself stuck in them, and you can’t find any way to fight back. Is there any way to fight back? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Box breathing is a life hack that you can use anytime, anywhere, even when you’re in the middle of doing…

You don’t like being told what to do. Nobody does. Let’s do an experiment. Your partner asks you, “Could you help Bethina with their homework?” (Assume that they aren’t busy.) How likely are you to help? What emotions do you feel? Let’s try this: A friend/coworker/stranger tells you, “You need…

The word that I dread seeing the most? Gratitude. I can’t get away from it. It’s in lifestyle webpages, YouTube advice videos, and books about how to rise above stress. Or anxiety. Or depression. And it’s in conversations I have with people whose lives it has helped. “Every day, I…

3 ways to overcome things that are driving you crazy — My mission was simple: pick up the Indian takeout and get home quick. Little did I know that I would be fighting a brain mosquito that had already ruined my mood and wouldn’t go away. One thing after another notched my anxiety up and my mood down. The restaurant wasn’t…

And most people don’t even know about this — Note: If you are not a Medium member, you can read the entire story here Has this ever happened to you? You’re driving fast and suddenly you see flashing lights. Bummer. A cop pulls you over and gives you a ticket. Paying it will cost you hundreds of dollars. And…

NOTE: Click a story’s “here” link to read the article, even if you aren’t a paying Medium member. If you can’t read this page, click here. Did you miss me? Probably. Medium shows each article once on the ever-changing front page. Here are two recent articles that other readers have benefited from. I invite you to look at them. 5 Things You Should Remember When Life Is Unfair Is “this is unfair” an accurate statement? What do you do about the things you can’t control? Read this article here.

It’s all in your head — Not a Medium member? You can still read the full article here. Believe it or not, you can rid yourself of the discontent that comes from wanting more of things you don’t have. The secret is to choose a few good things to pay attention to, then spend a few…

Frank Sinatra was on the edge of giving up his career. “I’m quitting the business,” he said. “I’m sick of it. I’m getting the hell out.” A friend of his, Paul Anka, decided he couldn’t let that happen. So he wrote a song so good that Sinatra couldn’t refuse it. …

There are times when you want to get to the bottom of a situation, but the person you’re talking with isn’t cooperating. You ask questions; their answers get shorter and shorter. Quite quickly, the conversation ends in deadlock. Here’s an example: “Jamal, you got a C- in math, which is…