approval seeking
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When you’re feeling stuck
“You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.” ~Abraham Maslow If you’re feeling “stuck,” it could be that you’re a little too cozy in your comfort zone. You don’t have to look hard to find examples of being stuck. For starters, you’re stuck if you never speak out when something is wrong — because you’d rather appear “nice” and avoid conflict. Staying stuck is when you remain in a career you don’t like because you fear the uncertainty of something new. And on it goes. Psychologist Abraham Maslow, who famously explored and named the concept of self-actualization, reminds us in today’s quote that we…
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Be kind to yourself today
“Did your mom ever tell you, ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything’? She was right. And talking nicely also applies when you’re talking to yourself, even inside your head.” ~Victoria Moran, Younger by the Day Sometimes we hold ourselves to a higher standard than we expect from others. How often do you hear a litany of negative self-talk inside your own head? For instance: Do you criticize your weight or appearance? Do you downplay your own talents? Do you replay old mistakes — and punish yourself for something foolish you said or did in the past? This week, many of us start making resolutions for a new,…
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Gold stars
“Maybe one of these days I’ll be able to give myself a gold star for being ordinary, and maybe one of these days I’ll give myself a gold star for being extraordinary — for persisting. And maybe one day I won’t need to have a star at all.” ~Sue Bender, Plain and Simple In our early grade school years, teachers rewarded our best efforts with little gold stickers shaped like stars. Remember the delicious rush of achievement you felt every time your test came back with a gold star at the top? Even when we’re old enough to judge the quality of our own work, some of us still need…
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Get comfortable
‘People aren’t longing to be impressed. They’re longing to feel like they’re home. If you create a space full of love and character and creativity and soul, they’ll take off their shoes and curl up with gratitude, no matter how small, no matter how undone, no matter how old.” ~Shauna Niequist, quoted in Bella Grace Some of us spend way too much time trying to make things perfect — especially when we’re getting ready to entertain. Others have been brainwashed into thinking that a living room should look like it was styled by a magazine editor in order to be worthy of visitors — and avoid sharing their homes because…
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How big is your world?
“The world only exists in your eyes. You can make it as big or as small as you want.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald Lately I’ve been noticing that the happiest and most interesting people are those who stay fully engaged with the outside world. I’m talking about the ones who get out of the house, stay physically active, expand their social circles, and indulge their curiosity. They’re not sitting on the couch waiting for someone to call. And you’ll rarely catch them randomly scrolling for social media updates on their cell phones; they’re so busy doing things that they simply don’t have time. Today’s quote suggests that we have the power…
