Resilience
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Monumental (but not in the way you think)
This week is monumental for me. Not because of some achievement or award (don’t worry, no humblebrags here 😉), but because—for the first time in 16.5 years—I have five consecutive days to myself. No caregiving. No rushing from one in-person meeting to the next. Just… me. It’s the first time since before my children were…
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The Role of Community in Suicide Prevention
It’s often said that you might not fully understand a feeling until it hits close to home. That was true for me when my brother confided in me that he had attempted suicide a couple of times in the past week. I was both shocked and scared, unsure how to process the gravity of what…
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The Hidden Crisis of Ghost Networks in Mental Health Care
Imagine desperately seeking mental health support, only to find that most listed providers are unreachable. This is the reality of “ghost networks” in U.S. healthcare. With studies showing up to 82% of listed mental health providers unavailable, patients face a frustrating maze of dead ends. How can we transform these ghost networks into genuine lifelines…
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Over Twenty Years of Struggling with Unnecessary Guilt
In July, the midnight sun of Northern Europe stretches the beauty of the city into 20 hours everyday. Enamored with such a summer, I often wander aimlessly around the city even at 11 p.m. One day during one of these leisurely walks, I received a rejection letter for a job I had previously applied for.…
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Get Me Some True Love
In fairytales, a true love’s kiss conquers all evils and vanquishes all illnesses, but true love isn’t always pleasant in real life. Love means allowing your kids to fail; setting boundaries so there would be long-term safety. It involves making difficult decisions and sticking by your loved ones even when they’re no longer so lovely.…
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7 Ways to Boost Emotional Well-being
This article was written by Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. and originally posted at Psychology Today. Boosting emotional well-being is not about stopping or avoiding emotions. Emotions are a normal and necessary part of life. Emotional well-being comes from enhancing emotional awareness, emotion regulation, and emotional recovery. That means increasing emotional well-being is entirely possible. Here are some ways to…
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Fail First To Win
In school, when teachers ask questions, many kids might know the answer, but are too shy or nervous or unsure of themselves to raise their hands, get the correct answer and begin the positive feedback loop for confidence by receiving affirmation from themselves and their community. On curaJOY’s website, we discuss how children develop confidence.…
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Junk Food for Your Soul
My daughter painted this the summer she finished fourth grade. While she is a very gifted artist, she didn’t paint this on her own–she had way too much help with this piece at a department store art studio in Taiwan where art teachers help children replicate masterpieces. Our social media post this week talked about…
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Why you should be writing
Writing heals. Writing calms. It connects and brings self-awareness. To write, we have to slow down our busy minds and focus on our purpose. It requires us to reflect on our thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and see them clearly–which is why journaling has been found to benefit one’s long-term mental health even more than assistance from…
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Don’t go for quick fixes
True progress is hard and it takes time. In our society, it’ much easier and profitable to sell a false promise and easy way out. Lose 30 pounds in 30 days anyone? It certainly sounds more appealing than eat healthy, move your body, build muscles, etc. I’m going to put my daughter on the spot…
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The Constant of Change
“The grass is not greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it.” I really like this quote. It’s human nature to complain, and not appreciate things until we lose them. When we complain, we are not living in the moment. Whatever situation you’re in, know what you have and make the most…
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What Is Resilience?
Resilience, the ability to adapt, tolerate stress, and bounce from failure and adversity, is an invaluable inner strength and a crucial determinant of ultimate success. The strength of resilience can transform inevitable life struggles into opportunities for growth. Even though this strength can be honed throughout adulthood, intentionally cultivating resilience from a young age elevates…
