My friends and I recently stumbled into a newfound obsession: taking personality tests online. Relentlessly, we’ve scoured the Internet for psychological quizzes, raced through the analytical questions and compared our results. Which of us is the most introverted? Which of us has the most aggressive personality? Which of us is… Read More

As humans, we tend to focus on material things—things we can control that produce tangible results. In my fight with insecurity, that’s exactly what I focused on. How can I make myself better? I thought. What can I do to change myself so that people will like me more—so that… Read More

Can you think of a more infuriating experience than sitting in traffic? Cars jammed into a one-mile stretch of highway. Drivers relentlessly honking their horns. Motorcyclists flying down the shoulder. There you sit, trapped in the middle of an old station wagon and a sluggish 18-wheeler. Wondering what to do… Read More

Through the course of a typical week, my confidence ebbs and flows like jagged points on a graph. My boss compliments me on a project and I feel accomplished. My wife sends me an encouraging text and I feel loved. A friend meets me for lunch and I feel valued. Read More

Sometimes I wish life came with a “get out of jail free” card. Think about it: every time you fall into a hopeless circumstance, you’d have an immediate escape at your fingertips. Simply flash your card and return to normal life. Of course, life doesn’t work like Monopoly. When you’re… Read More

Sometimes I feel like a boxer in the final round of a fight. After dancing around the ring for more than an hour, I’ve picked up my fair share of knocks: a blow to my cheek, a shot to my gut, a jab above my lip. I try to keep… Read More

Have you ever felt trapped in a storm cloud or a fog that won’t seem to pass? While desperately searching for sunny skies, you wonder if you’ll ever escape this period of your life—the rain, the clouds, the darkness. You feel hopeless. Maybe you’re tired of living paycheck to… Read More

Sometimes I feel like a gerbil, darting left and right, trying to find an escape from my cage. I don’t really have a direction. I don’t really have a purpose. And I don’t really know what to do next. I feel lost. Can you relate? Maybe, after working the same… Read More

If someone called me “my own worst critic,” I suppose I’d take it as a compliment. After all, the label would imply that I analyze my life and work more ruthlessly and deliberately than anybody else. And who doesn’t want to strive for personal excellence? But while self-criticism… Read More

I’m so busy. I tell myself I’m going to rest, but I rarely do. I tell myself I’m going to exercise, but I make excuses. I tell myself I’m going to start saying “no,” but “yes” just feels more natural. Over time, I start to feel hopeless as I dart… Read More