As a child, I can remember feeling anxious about the “little things” in life. If I flunked a test, I feared disappointing my teacher. If I wore an old, out-of-style pair of shoes, I feared judgment from my friends. If I made a mistake on the soccer field, I feared… Read More

To say that I’m a job-hopper would be an understatement. To say that I’m a classic dreamer and idealist couldn’t be more true. But this is who I am. This is how I’m wired—as one who is often caught gazing at the grass on the other side and pondering, “what… Read More

Do you ever lie awake at night wondering if your life could have been different? It’s common to feel like you’ve lost track of the years and life seems to have slipped right through your hands. Worse still, you can always count on your brain to bring up… Read More

On a recent trip to Acadia National Park, my wife and I spent hours hiking and exploring the Maine seacoast. One day, we followed the coastline from the northern tip of the park to the southern tip, crossing jagged boulders and climbing around ancient trees. Eventually, we arrived at a… Read More

I don’t like myself in photos. It always comes as a shock when I see myself as others see me. I find myself thinking, do I really look like that? Does everyone see that double chin? What made me think that outfit looked good on me? Why is my eye… Read More

I remember sitting at my desk, staring into the palms of my hands and wondering if I had made a major mistake. Just weeks into a new job, I felt flawed, inadequate and unimportant. I felt discouraged and exhausted. And I felt worthless. As my organization’s “wordsmith,” I often… 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

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

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

INSECURE: adjective (of a person) not confident or assured; uncertain and anxious. Does this sound like you? We all deal with insecurities of varying shapes and sizes. Even when we overcome them, we still have to remain vigilant, fighting off sour thoughts and other things that stir up… Read More