#self-calming
#self-calming

Mental health

What Does Mental Well-Being Look Like?

11 hours ago

People who are quietly unhappy with life don't always look unhappy - they look tired, they look busy, they look like they're managing, and the managing is the performance and the performance is the problem and the problem is invisible to everyone who mistakes a well-maintained surface for evidence of what's underneath it - Silicon Canals

Quiet unhappiness manifests as chronic exhaustion and the performance of being okay, often disguised by busyness and emotional labor.

When a Diagnosis Becomes Your Entire Identity

Diagnosis can aid understanding and community, but over-identifying with it can harm personal growth and self-identity.

Mental health

You Budget Your Money. Why Not Your Mental Health?

Mental health and financial health share foundational habits that lead to freedom and self-determination, emphasizing the importance of a diversified mental health plan.

What Does Mental Well-Being Look Like?

Mental health should be viewed positively, focusing on well-being rather than just the absence of illness.

11 hours ago

People who are quietly unhappy with life don't always look unhappy - they look tired, they look busy, they look like they're managing, and the managing is the performance and the performance is the problem and the problem is invisible to everyone who mistakes a well-maintained surface for evidence of what's underneath it - Silicon Canals

Quiet unhappiness manifests as chronic exhaustion and the performance of being okay, often disguised by busyness and emotional labor.

When a Diagnosis Becomes Your Entire Identity

Diagnosis can aid understanding and community, but over-identifying with it can harm personal growth and self-identity.

You Budget Your Money. Why Not Your Mental Health?

Mental health and financial health share foundational habits that lead to freedom and self-determination, emphasizing the importance of a diversified mental health plan.

Psychology says people who apologize constantly without realizing it are more damaged than they appear - because they internalize blame and absorb conflict, a survival response from childhood, which never switches off even when they're safe - Silicon Canals

Excessive apologizing often stems from childhood experiences of mistreatment and can lead to chronic self-blame in adulthood.

Yoga

fromYoga Journal

14 hours ago

Yes, Your Breath Can Help Quiet Your Mind and Reduce Stress. Here's How.

Ujjayi Breath involves a breathing technique that utilizes the diaphragm, enhancing respiratory function and connecting the body to universal principles.

8 hours ago

Can Listening Move You to Love?

High-quality listening evokes Kama Muta, a powerful emotion of feeling moved by love, fostering emotional closeness in both listeners and speakers.

#yoga

6 hours ago

Parenting

The Easiest Way to Deepen Your Yoga Practice? Teach It to a Child.

Yoga

fromYoga Journal

Overwhelmed by Tough Emotions? This Advice Can Help You Navigate Them.

Exclusive playlists for O+ members offer yoga insights to cope with life's challenges through mindful consumption.

Parenting

6 hours ago

The Easiest Way to Deepen Your Yoga Practice? Teach It to a Child.

Parenting transformed yoga practice into a consistent, shared experience of mindfulness and presence with a child.

Yoga

fromYoga Journal

Overwhelmed by Tough Emotions? This Advice Can Help You Navigate Them.

Exclusive playlists for O+ members offer yoga insights to cope with life's challenges through mindful consumption.

more#yoga

Women in technology

10 hours ago

What to know about the controversial practice of orgasmic meditation'

Nicole Daedone's OneTaste, promoting orgasmic meditation, faced severe backlash after coercion allegations led to her federal prison sentence.

Wellness

3 Keys to Optimal Living in the Second Half of Life

Positive views of aging and a sense of purpose enhance vitality and well-being in later life.

fromFast Company

What to do after a life-defining mistake

The only thing worse than making a mistake is keeping it bottled up inside. Learning from the mistakes of others could help you embark on the healing journey of sharing and working through a mistake of your own, with someone you trust.

Books

Exercise

Building Confidence Through Small Victories

Naming tasks and completing small actions can rebuild confidence after significant loss.

I'm 66 and I spent forty years trying to stay positive through everything - and what I actually created was a life where nobody knew me well enough to notice when I was drowning - Silicon Canals

Staying positive can lead to hidden struggles and emotional isolation, as individuals often mask their true feelings to appear strong.

19 hours ago

I'm 37 and I've already learned that your body keeps score, your gut rarely lies, and your childhood follows you into every relationship - while pretending I had it all figured out at 25 - Silicon Canals

Emotional struggles and stress manifest physically, impacting health and well-being.

Retirement

I'm 66 and I spent forty years trying to stay positive through everything - and what I actually created was a life where nobody knew me well enough to notice when I was drowning - Silicon Canals

Staying positive can lead to hidden struggles and emotional isolation, as individuals often mask their true feelings to appear strong.

19 hours ago

I'm 37 and I've already learned that your body keeps score, your gut rarely lies, and your childhood follows you into every relationship - while pretending I had it all figured out at 25 - Silicon Canals

Emotional struggles and stress manifest physically, impacting health and well-being.

more#emotional-health

Medicine

When Nothing Is Wrong, but Something Still Isn't Right

Consistency in daily habits can lead to significant improvements in health symptoms.

7 Lessons for When Your Attempts to Control Outcomes Fail

Many situations contain irreducible uncertainty. No matter how many variables we try to control, we can't reduce uncertainty to zero. It's inherent in the messiness of life.

Productivity

Philosophy

fromThe Atlantic

How to Know Yourself

Marc Andreessen advocates for minimal introspection, viewing it as a modern folly that hinders progress and action.

Why Breathing Matters for Emotional Regulation

Slow, smooth breathing can calm the nervous system, regulate emotions, and improve health with just five minutes of practice daily.

7 hours ago

Start Strong But Never Finish? 4 Causes and 4 Solutions

Starting strong and quitting is common due to tedium, poor planning, and discouragement; recognizing patterns and seeking support can help overcome this.

14 hours ago

The Pitfalls of Being a People-Pleaser

Voicing opinions is essential; people-pleasing can lead to neglecting personal needs and preferences.

London music

Anxiety, Identity, and the Art of Staying Real

Worry Club's name reflects a community-driven approach to anxiety, emphasizing vulnerability and identity through music.

When Your Partner Doesn't Share Your Spiritual Path

Partners need common values and autonomy, while exploring codependency mindfully.

#emotional-intelligence

Psychology suggests people who stay calm during conflict aren't less emotional - they learned early that the person who controls the temperature of the room controls the outcome, and they stopped reacting and started choosing - Silicon Canals

Controlling emotional responses during conflict can significantly influence the outcome of the situation.

Behavioral scientists found that the most emotionally intelligent people in a room are often the quietest, not because they have nothing to say but because they learned early that observation protects you in ways that speaking never did - Silicon Canals

Quiet individuals in professional settings often possess high emotional intelligence, using silence as a strategic tool for observation and understanding.

The Hidden Power of Naming What You Feel

Avoiding emotions strengthens them; naming feelings fosters thoughtful responses and self-awareness.

People who go quiet when they're hurt instead of raising their voice learned somewhere very early that their anger wasn't received as information. It was received as an inconvenience. So they stopped sending the signal and started absorbing the damage, and they've been doing it so long they sometimes mistake silence for calm - Silicon Canals

Silence during conflict often indicates deeper emotional pain rather than composure or passive aggression.

Psychology suggests people who stay calm during conflict aren't less emotional - they learned early that the person who controls the temperature of the room controls the outcome, and they stopped reacting and started choosing - Silicon Canals

Controlling emotional responses during conflict can significantly influence the outcome of the situation.

Behavioral scientists found that the most emotionally intelligent people in a room are often the quietest, not because they have nothing to say but because they learned early that observation protects you in ways that speaking never did - Silicon Canals

Quiet individuals in professional settings often possess high emotional intelligence, using silence as a strategic tool for observation and understanding.

The Hidden Power of Naming What You Feel

Avoiding emotions strengthens them; naming feelings fosters thoughtful responses and self-awareness.

more#emotional-intelligence

People who go quiet when they're hurt instead of raising their voice learned somewhere very early that their anger wasn't received as information. It was received as an inconvenience. So they stopped sending the signal and started absorbing the damage, and they've been doing it so long they sometimes mistake silence for calm - Silicon Canals

Silence during conflict often indicates deeper emotional pain rather than composure or passive aggression.

10 hours ago

You know a woman has lost her joy in life when she describes her days accurately and without feeling - when the words are all correct and the tone is completely flat and the account of her own life sounds like something being reported rather than lived, and she doesn't notice the flatness because she has been inside it long enough that it just sounds like how things are - Silicon Canals

Emotional flatness can creep in, making life feel like a series of tasks rather than meaningful experiences.

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.

Psychology

Psychology says people who ask 'how can I learn to be more empathetic' already possess the one trait that matters most - self-awareness - while people who claim they're already empathetic rarely are - Silicon Canals

12 hours ago

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.

Psychology says people who ask 'how can I learn to be more empathetic' already possess the one trait that matters most - self-awareness - while people who claim they're already empathetic rarely are - Silicon Canals

Self-awareness is essential for developing genuine empathy and emotional intelligence.

I'm 66 and I finally learned the hardest lesson isn't that people will disappoint you - it's that you'll disappoint yourself by pretending you don't need what you need until you forget what that even was - Silicon Canals

Neglecting emotional needs leads to a profound sense of loss and disconnection from oneself and others.

fromApaonline

How to Walk Away

Breakups can make you depressed and even damage your heart and immune system. Being the one who says 'it's over' can be torturous, especially if you're hurting someone you still care deeply about.

Philosophy

How to Get Chummy With Your Discomfort

Regulating emotions and reactions is essential for managing life's challenges effectively.

A Symbolic Action Technique for Managing Anger

Unmanaged anger can lead to destructive outcomes, but a new study suggests that symbolic actions may effectively manage it.

fromInsideHook

How Daily Frustration Is Slowly Sabotaging Your Health

Chronic anger negatively impacts mental and physical health, leading to various health issues and slower healing processes.

A Symbolic Action Technique for Managing Anger

Unmanaged anger can lead to destructive outcomes, but a new study suggests that symbolic actions may effectively manage it.

fromInsideHook

How Daily Frustration Is Slowly Sabotaging Your Health

Chronic anger negatively impacts mental and physical health, leading to various health issues and slower healing processes.

more#anger-management

When Parts Begin to Merge: Inside Integration

Integration is a complex, lived experience involving reorganization of the self, requiring safety and support systems for healing from complex trauma.

Slow Down for Love

Slowing down enhances relationships and personal well-being by improving the quality of experiences over the quantity of tasks.

A Meditation to Allow Genuine Happiness, Even In Hard Times

Accessing genuine happiness during difficult times is essential for recovery and well-being.

Psychology says the loneliest people in life aren't the ones nobody likes - they're the kind, helpful people everyone appreciates but nobody thinks to check on because they seem so self-sufficient - Silicon Canals

Highly capable, helpful individuals often feel lonely because their strength creates an illusion that they do not need support.

Psychology says the people who actually escape loneliness don't do it by finding more people - they do it by finally dropping the version of themselves that made real connection impossible in the first place - Silicon Canals

Loneliness stems from a lack of genuine connection, not merely from being alone or having many acquaintances.

5 hours ago

Psychology says the loneliest people in life aren't the ones nobody likes - they're the kind, helpful people everyone appreciates but nobody thinks to check on because they seem so self-sufficient - Silicon Canals

Highly capable, helpful individuals often feel lonely because their strength creates an illusion that they do not need support.

Psychology says the people who actually escape loneliness don't do it by finding more people - they do it by finally dropping the version of themselves that made real connection impossible in the first place - Silicon Canals

Loneliness stems from a lack of genuine connection, not merely from being alone or having many acquaintances.

All Out Anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect 11% of children in the USA, impacting daily functioning and often leading to overestimation of danger.

The Emotional Cost of Masking Anxiety in Our Daily Life

Hiding anxiety through competence leads to exhaustion, loneliness, and limits genuine connection.

Mindfulness

If your goal is peace, say goodbye to these 9 "normal" habits that keep your nervous system on high alert - Silicon Canals

All Out Anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect 11% of children in the USA, impacting daily functioning and often leading to overestimation of danger.

The Emotional Cost of Masking Anxiety in Our Daily Life

Hiding anxiety through competence leads to exhaustion, loneliness, and limits genuine connection.

Mindfulness

If your goal is peace, say goodbye to these 9 "normal" habits that keep your nervous system on high alert - Silicon Canals

Falling in Love With a Mirror

AI can create an illusion of intimacy but often reinforces existing beliefs without genuine emotional connection.

14 hours ago

How to Embrace Being "More" Spiritual

Awareness of the transcendent reveals depth and meaning in life, fostering spiritual growth and a sense of oneness with the world.

16 hours ago

Stop the brain rot! 12 ways to stay sharp in a mind-frazzling world

Brain rot, characterized by cognitive decline from easy information, is rising due to social media and shortform videos, leading to exhaustion.

19 hours ago

Some people don't fear failure. They fear succeeding and then being expected to sustain it, because the version of them that achieved it was running on adrenaline and desperation, and the person who shows up on Monday is someone quieter who doesn't know how to replicate what the emergency produced. - Silicon Canals

The fear of success stems from the pressure to replicate high performance, not from a desire to avoid good outcomes.

The most liberating thing you can learn after 40 is that 'because I don't want to' is a complete and legitimate reason - not an opening argument - Silicon Canals

Saying 'no' without justification can lead to a more fulfilling life.

fromEntrepreneur

How to Retrain Your Brain to See Challenges as Opportunities

Avoiding problems creates new challenges that must be faced later.

The most liberating thing you can learn after 40 is that 'because I don't want to' is a complete and legitimate reason - not an opening argument - Silicon Canals

Saying 'no' without justification can lead to a more fulfilling life.

fromEntrepreneur

How to Retrain Your Brain to See Challenges as Opportunities

Avoiding problems creates new challenges that must be faced later.

Take a Secret 2-Minute Mental Vacation from Stress

Change and transition lead to anxiety, but guided imagery can effectively reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Psychology says if you want your 70s to be the best years of your life you have to stop doing something most people don't quit until it's too late - and the quitting isn't dramatic, it's just the daily decision to stop measuring yourself by a standard that was always someone else's and never actually yours - Silicon Canals

Measuring worth by external standards leads to dissatisfaction; true value comes from personal fulfillment, not societal expectations.

The Habit You Don't Know You Have

Nexting is the habit of mentally leaving the present to control or fix something, often mistaken for productivity.

fromTiny Buddha

The Pressure to Dream Big and the Beauty of Wanting Less - Tiny Buddha

Pursuing financial success often overshadows the desire for a simple, fulfilling life, leading to societal pressure to dream big.

I recently understood that the tiredness I had been blaming on everything else - the job, the age, the schedule, the season - was not tiredness at all, it was the specific and sustained effort of living a life that wasn't quite mine, and the moment I understood that the exhaustion had a name it became possible, for the first time, to do something about it - Silicon Canals

Exhaustion often stems from emotional labor and the effort to maintain a false persona rather than physical demands of work.

Discovering What's Alive for You Right Now

Purpose is dynamic and should reflect what is most alive in your life right now.

#overthinking

Psychology

Overthinking is rarely an advantage | Letter

Overthinkers often don't realize it but psychology says the way they experience happiness is fundamentally different from most people - they can't feel joy without immediately calculating how and when they'll lose it - Silicon Canals

Chronic overthinkers experience positive emotions differently, often dampening their intensity and duration instead of savoring them.

Psychology

Overthinking is rarely an advantage | Letter

Overthinkers often don't realize it but psychology says the way they experience happiness is fundamentally different from most people - they can't feel joy without immediately calculating how and when they'll lose it - Silicon Canals

Chronic overthinkers experience positive emotions differently, often dampening their intensity and duration instead of savoring them.

Just One Thing: Be Kind to Yourself by Being Kind to Others

Recognizing the importance of kindness to others leads to personal peace and fulfillment.

I'm 37 and I realized I wasn't actually a good person the day my wife said "you're kind to strangers and cruel to the people closest to you" - and the worst part wasn't the accusation, it was that I couldn't argue because I'd been using up all my patience on people who didn't matter and coming home empty - Silicon Canals

Kindness should be abundant at home, not rationed for public interactions, to foster authentic connections with loved ones.

Just One Thing: Be Kind to Yourself by Being Kind to Others

Recognizing the importance of kindness to others leads to personal peace and fulfillment.

I'm 37 and I realized I wasn't actually a good person the day my wife said "you're kind to strangers and cruel to the people closest to you" - and the worst part wasn't the accusation, it was that I couldn't argue because I'd been using up all my patience on people who didn't matter and coming home empty - Silicon Canals

Kindness should be abundant at home, not rationed for public interactions, to foster authentic connections with loved ones.

How to Stop Taking Things Personally When You Have ADHD

ADHD can intensify the tendency to take things personally due to emotional processing and past experiences.

How Systemic Therapists Can Improve Sleep

Sleep issues are often relational problems, not just individual disorders, highlighting the need for systemic therapy in sleep medicine.

Mental Time Travel Is Our Ticket for a Healthier Society

Short-term thinking can lead to regrets; mental time travel enhances decision-making and benefits organizations through Future Design.

fromFast Company

Why your successful life doesn't leave you fulfilled

Success is subjective; many feel unfulfilled despite achievements due to societal comparisons and not pursuing personal desires.

Caring for the Part of You That Wants to Die

Suicide ideation affects 15.6% of U.S. adults, with significant risk factors including mental disorders, trauma, and social circumstances.

Finding Calm Amid the Chaos of Modern Life

Heightened anxiety among Americans can be managed by grounding in values and setting clear boundaries.

Outsmarting Depression: A 6-Step Roadmap to Personal Renewal

Depressive symptoms, often dismissed as everyday blues, can escalate quickly and disrupt life, highlighting the importance of recognizing and addressing mental health issues.

Feeling Like a Fraud in Your Own Mindfulness Practice

Surrounding oneself with experienced meditation practitioners can raise personal expectations and feelings of inadequacy during difficult times.

Meditation 'Works' Faster Than Previously Thought

Meditation can have immediate effects on the brain, challenging the belief that extensive practice is necessary for benefits.

Feeling Like a Fraud in Your Own Mindfulness Practice

Surrounding oneself with experienced meditation practitioners can raise personal expectations and feelings of inadequacy during difficult times.

Meditation 'Works' Faster Than Previously Thought

Meditation can have immediate effects on the brain, challenging the belief that extensive practice is necessary for benefits.

I used to be unhappy and I blamed everything around me - until I realized I'd built an entire life around avoiding the one conversation I needed to have with myself - Silicon Canals

Unhappiness often stems from avoiding self-reflection and attributing life issues to external factors rather than personal choices.

fromTiny Buddha

When Self-Awareness Turns into Overthinking and How to Stop - Tiny Buddha

Self-awareness can shift from growth to self-surveillance, leading to overthinking and frustration instead of healing and clarity.

Misreading Success: Life's Most Underrated Virtue

Humility is an underrated virtue that can significantly influence success, contrasting with overconfidence seen in figures like Jesse Livermore.

fromAlternative Medicine Magazine

6 days ago

Research suggests the calmest people in any room aren't naturally calm - they once had the most chaotic inner world and built stillness the way someone builds a house around a wound, one deliberate wall at a time - Silicon Canals

Calm is constructed through experience and understanding, not an inherent trait or genetic gift.

#mindfulness

Alternative medicine

5 Essential Mindfulness Tips to Overcome Fear

Seven Strengths for an Uncertain World

Inner strengths can be cultivated to help individuals thrive in a fast-paced, uncertain world.

fromYogaRenew

3 weeks ago

Mindfulness for Self-compassion

Mindfulness and self-compassion transform self-judgment into kindness, building emotional resilience and wellbeing through present-moment awareness and acceptance.

fromAlternative Medicine Magazine

Mindfulness

8 habits that help you stay present without overthinking - Silicon Canals

Develop simple, practical habits to stay present and reduce mental overthinking.

Alternative medicine

5 Essential Mindfulness Tips to Overcome Fear

Seven Strengths for an Uncertain World

Inner strengths can be cultivated to help individuals thrive in a fast-paced, uncertain world.

fromYogaRenew

3 weeks ago

Mindfulness for Self-compassion

Mindfulness and self-compassion transform self-judgment into kindness, building emotional resilience and wellbeing through present-moment awareness and acceptance.

Mindfulness

8 habits that help you stay present without overthinking - Silicon Canals

What to Do When You Hit Life's Low Point

External crises trigger deep self-reflection, especially during midlife, leading to questions about fulfillment and the meaning of life.

fromTiny Buddha

How to Tend to Yourself When Being Vulnerable Feels Raw - Tiny Buddha

Vulnerability and storytelling foster connection and healing, despite the fear of oversharing.

How Many Days a Week?

We tend to think of the five-day workweek as a law of nature, as certain as the rising of the sun. But it's nothing of the sort. The five-day workweek is a human invention that was introduced just over a century ago to solve the specific problems of the industrial age. By now it's so ingrained in our lives that we've forgotten we created it in the first place-but we did create it and we can also un-create it.

History

Your Most Horrifying Thoughts May Not Mean What You Think

Intrusive sexual thoughts are a common form of OCD, often misidentified and not indicative of actual desire.

How Are You? There's a Good Chance You Might Not Even Know

Emotional awareness and proactive self-management are essential for breaking outdated behavioral patterns.

Why You Struggle with Follow-Through (Even When You Care)

Difficulty with follow-through is linked to personality patterns rather than a lack of motivation.

6 days ago

Grief, Loss, Abundance, Joy: Finding Refuge in Harsh Times

Acceptance of loss is essential for emotional balance and finding solace in nature can help mitigate distress.

fromwww.scientificamerican.com

6 days ago

How to build self-control, according to psychologists

Self-control is increasingly viewed as a set of strategies and habits rather than just willpower.

I became calm the day I realized that 90% of what I worried about was just rehearsing conversations that would never happen with people who weren't even thinking about me - Silicon Canals

Imagined interactions are a common psychological phenomenon where individuals simulate conversations with others, often leading to unnecessary emotional distress.

3 weeks ago

Loosening the Grip: Finding Peace by Letting Go of What Hurts Us

You control your emotional response to hurt by shifting focus from toxic relationships when the pain of staying exceeds the pain of letting go.

2 weeks ago

Why Calm Is the New Superpower

Calm leadership is contagious and can de-escalate stress in teams, just as stress itself spreads through environments, requiring conscious awareness and intentional pausing to break reactive cycles.

Don't Dread Ahead

Coping ahead is beneficial for managing stress, while dreading ahead amplifies anxiety and is unproductive.

2 weeks ago

I used to think I was bad at relaxing until I realized I was actually excellent at scanning for what might go wrong next, and those two things cannot occupy the same body at the same time. - Silicon Canals

Relaxation failure stems from continuous threat assessment in the nervous system, not lack of discipline; the body cannot simultaneously scan for danger and rest due to competing neurological states.

2 weeks ago

Beyond Positive Thinking: Glimmers for Restoration

Glimmers are small, intentional daily moments that help the nervous system shift toward calm and safety, serving as micro-pivots during stress.

Want to Stress-Proof Your Day?

Prioritize progress over perfection, define self-worth independently, and release attempts to control unmanageable circumstances to reduce daily stress and reclaim personal well-being.

When Small Problems Loom Too Large

Small practical problems can trigger outsized emotions that persist unless investigated and connected to deeper meanings through memory and free association.

10 Keys to Emotional Sanity and Integrity

Accept unchangeable realities, set goals aligned with abilities, and cultivate self-awareness, self-compassion, and authentic expression to develop psychological health and effectiveness.

#emotions

Mindfulness

Are You Sabotaging Your Joy?

2 months ago

Mindfulness

Being Right Here, Right Now

Mindfulness

Are You Sabotaging Your Joy?