The long answer: when you notice you are stuck in your mind, pause, step back, and thank your mind for its service. Thank your mind for all of its thoughts, suggestions, concerns. Remind it how smart and clever and valuable it is. And I mean this: literally say these things to your mind and feel them fully. Feel the appreciation and affection you... See more

If you're struggling with negative thoughts, achieving flow is probably the best medicine. Contrary to popular wisdom, forced positive thinking often makes things worse.

In my practice of therapy, I always try to add some humor and intellectual spark to the often swampy and humorless experience of a life problem. Even in the dark you have to be awake and alert. People often sense one emotion at a time, instead of appreciating the emotional complexity of the situations in which they find themselves. But it is

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