You’ve probably noticed that movies and stories have four main types of characters: the victim, the villain, the hero, and the guide. These are the same roles we tend to play in life. In fact, it’s possible you play all four kinds of characters every single day. What’s important to realize is that the role […]
Move the Goalpost
We take it for granted that our wants and needs change as we age. Yet many people assume it’s best to pick one financial strategy and stick with it for life. That’s a mistake. The best planners rethink what financial wholeness means to them at different stages of life. A good evolving financial plan is […]
High-Performance Investing, Starting Now
A given business falls into one of three areas: it’s at the center of your circle of competence, near its edge, or outside it. You should always ask where a company falls with regard to your circle before you invest in it. Companies that are outside your circle of competence can be tempting, though. Too […]
Food = Medicine
Most of the time, we don’t give much thought to how food and mental health are intertwined. But many of us have experienced how easy it is to eat junk food (or lose our appetites) when we’re busy or stressed. The connection is there, even if we rarely reflect on it. Just as mental health issues can influence […]
Just Say “No Way”
Annoying coworkers. Needy children. Nosy neighbors. Overbearing parents. We all have someone in our lives who would benefit from a firm boundary. Boundaries aren’t rules. Rather, they’re limits, preferences, or expectations. Boundaries allow us to feel safe and calm in relationships, whether they’re personal or professional. And they help us avoid bad feelings like anger and […]
Can the U.S. Recover?
The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, led to a wave of Black Lives Matter protests. But actively fighting for human rights, and Black lives specifically, shouldn’t require a shocking incident or video, says CNN journalist Don Lemon. As one of the newscasters who broke the news of Floyd’s death, Lemon recognized that […]
Are You Projecting?
It’s human nature to project our thoughts, feelings, and frustrations onto other people. Here’s a rule of thumb: You tend to admire other people for whatever you most admire in yourself. And you’re most likely to despise them for the things you don’t like about yourself. The next time you feel impressed by or annoyed with […]
Boost Your Mental Health
Sometimes it feels like we’re going through life on autopilot. When you make an effort to pay more attention to your thoughts, you might be surprised by how often they take a negative turn. Studies have shown that most people are fixated on pessimistic thoughts 70 percent of the time. The first step toward clearing […]
How to Calm Down
Worrying can be helpful when it alerts you to a real problem. But when you can’t find a solution to that problem, worry turns into something much darker and more damaging: anxiety. Anxiety can take many different forms. It can slowly cook up throughout the day until it keeps you awake at night. Or it […]
Thriver or Striver?
We want the best for our kids. But wanting them to be good at everything can actually impede their intellectual growth—and introduce stress and anxiety into their lives. Children can become self-confident when they’re given the chance to solve their own problems. By overcoming obstacles without your help, they’ll have the power to tackle bigger […]
