We absorb an endless stream of incoming messages telling us that we need to do more, be better, and excel at everything. The more we feel we have to fake who we are to get the validation we crave, the more insecure we become in who we are. Before we can start doing more, it’s important to feel OK with ourselves right here, right now. Self-compassion helps us to see the value of who we are which builds up our self-worth to unleash our inner confidence.

Feeling like we don’t have control over what happens to us takes a considerable physical and emotional toll, often causing us to act out or avoid. Although reactive behaviors give us the illusion of power and control, they often end up making the situation worse. Self-reflection is a way to understand our own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in unison and learn to align them with our priorities so we can thrive.

Although everything we do involves making choices, we make most of them automatically with little effort or thinking. This makes us feel a loss of control over our own lives. Informed Decisiveness helps us to make reflexive decisions that strengthen our sense of self and well-being rather than crushing our spirit.

It would be ideal if we could prevent ourselves from making assumptions, but our brain relies on them to process information quickly. It’s just not going to happen. Social plasticity enables us to scrutinize our own biases and assumptions about people with curiosity rather than criticism which creates a safe, inclusive environment.

One of the most fundamental human needs is a sense of belonging. We are wired to connect with one another. Whether disconnection is real or perceived, it can provoke feelings of anxiety, hurt, anger, even hostility. Empathetic listening moves beyond the mechanics of active listening attuning to others' perspectives, emotions, and behaviors with genuine empathy to energize and elevate those around us.

Challenging behaviors show up for many reasons. How we respond impacts the overall relationship and outcome of a potential conflict, especially when we’re already in a stress response. This can mean the difference between a situation escalating or getting resolved effectively. Informed Responsiveness is a way to prevent conflict and make space for positive engagement to support mental well-being.

Trust and respect are foundational to every healthy, gratifying relationship. They are also two of the most difficult qualities to build and sustain. Relationship Reciprocity flips the responsibility back to ourselves which safeguards us from being overwhelmed by the demands of others.

Miscommunication is the root of most problems. That’s no secret. A lot can go wrong when we communicate which creates barriers to connection. Compassionate Communication focuses on how we send and receive messages interchangeably so we can produce a welcoming atmosphere where people can freely engage.

As a society, we’ve become more polarized than ever. Our intolerance for listening to other perspectives or interacting with people who hold dissimilar views is growing dramatically in both size and intensity. Collaborative Resolution gives us a simple tool to resolve complex issues so we can find an equitable solution to meet everyone's needs.