7 steps to infuse self-compassion into your parenting. — KEY POINTS There are no prescribed ways to mother based on the complexity of our role and the different needs our children have. Inevitably, a plethora of complicated thoughts and feelings get evoked in regard to our perceived role as mother. There are many benefits derived in ourselves and in our mothering…

Take these necessary steps toward self-compassion right now. — Key points Self-compassion has been empirically validated to increase general well-being and life satisfaction. We’re not directly taught how to acknowledge, appreciate, and accept ourselves and inevitably seek external sources for self-validation. Through intentionally practicing self-compassion, we can learn to increase our self-awareness and cultivate greater gratitude toward ourselves.

Help yourself to accept what is. — Key points Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation, that the circumstance goes away, or that we feel better about it. Radical acceptance is letting go of the need to control, judge, and wish things were different than they are. Fighting against negative emotions leads to our suffering. The idea of accepting what is becomes…

6 tips for accepting tradeoffs and achieving your goals. — Key points When we make an important decision, we often have to accept the tradeoffs that come along with it. Tradeoffs typically comes with physical and/or emotional discomfort. Accepting and working through tradeoffs contributes to our self-belief and builds our resilience. We have critical decisions we must make daily. We explore whether…

Empower yourself now and into the future. — Key points 2021 made us question our beliefs, values, and how we view ourselves, others, and the world we live in. When we’re preoccupied, we have to intentionally and consciously concert effort into aligning our behavior with our core values. Our confidence isn’t linear but rather an ongoing process that we must…

What we need to do now. — Key points School shootings have become an epidemic. School shootings are typically planned out and premeditated. An integrated approach to eradicating shootings includes stricter gun laws, SEL in schools, profiling at-risk kids, and accessible treatment. Another school shooting, this one at Oxford High School in Michigan, where a 15-year-old killed three fellow…

It may be negatively impacting your behaviors toward yourself and others. — Key points A self-fulfilling prophecy is a set of beliefs and expectations that can negatively or positively influence our actions. Research on self-fulfilling prophecies such as the Pygmalion and placebo effects finds that beliefs and expectations can be influential. To avoid being negatively influenced by our beliefs and expectations, we need to…

Parenting with insight and awareness and honoring your feelings. — Key points Our children’s issues can intensely unearth our own, causing an escalation of intense negative feelings. Having insight and self-awareness as parents minimizes re-traumatization, shame, and repeating maladaptive patterns of behavior. Identifying and working through when thoughts and feelings are driving our reactions can facilitate a closer and more connected relationship.

Help to foster valuable lessons amid devastating tragedy. — Key points On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, children are likely to be exposed to information about the tragic event, which may evoke emotional reactions. Parents can help their child process information and emotions but they should gauge where their child is at and whether they are willing to talk. Parents can…