8 Ways to Make Meaningful Small Talk
Does the thought of making small talk fill you with dread? You’re not alone. Most people dislike idle chitchat because it feels fake and like a waste of time. We can all agree that talking about the...
View Article3 Phrases to Use More of in 2024 and 1 to Use Less
Words hold power. The more we talk about what inspires us, the more inspired we become. The more we talk about what diminishes us, the smaller we feel. What we say shapes our expectations, our reality,...
View ArticleThe Perils of Certitude and the Joy of Being Wrong
While it might be human to make mistakes, we are often reluctant to admit to them. When it comes to taking responsibility, we waffle, come up with excuses, or point the finger at someone else....
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A Case for Sweeping Negative Emotions Under the Rug
Suppressing negative thoughts might improve mental health. This isn’t a typo. Nor is it a lingering belief from my WASPY upbringing. It’s the findings of a new study published in Science entitled...
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An Antidote for Wound Collecting
“Being impacted by being what happened to you isn’t victimhood, it’s human. Making an identity out of it is victimhood.” — Seerut Chawla The stories we tell about ourselves shape the people we become....
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Conflict Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
The Good Fight Call me cynical but I worry whenever I hear a couple say, “we never argue.” Tiptoeing around disagreements might feel good in the short term, but in the long run undermines the quality...
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When It Comes to Venting, Sharing Is Not Caring
It is no wonder that my patient felt drained after spending a weekend with an old friend who was known to be a relentless complainer. Grumbling about what’s bothering you may feel like a good idea but...
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Forget Work-Life Balance
Have you ever met someone who has actually achieved work-life balance? I haven’t. As Oliver Burkeman wrote in the best-selling book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals: “Nobody in the...
View ArticleThe Problem With Labeling People as ‘Toxic’
Toxic is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. As a psychiatrist, I hear it frequently during therapy sessions—to describe parents, siblings, neighbors, exes and co-workers. Once primarily...
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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 the scathing...
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