••• Zelda was very intolerant of herself. She was kind and merciful towards others, but the standards she set for herself were severe. She was so hard on herself that she frequently punished herself psychologically ~ or even denied herself…
Category: Mental Health
Thinking Yourself Happy: Jumping to Conclusions
••• Charles met Debbie at a friend’s wedding and found her to be very attractive. A few weeks later, he invited her to join him for dinner with two other couples. Debbie was so quiet throughout the evening that Charles…
Need New Years Resolution Ideas? Regina Brett’s 45 life lessons + 5
Years ago! I received these life lessons as part of an email and was really moved by them. I wanted to share Regina Brett’s ideas with the travelers who come to friendlysuggestion.com, so here is her wonderful column on life…
Thinking Yourself Happy: On Making Judgements vs. Being Judgemental
••• Howard was nicknamed “the judge.” He hadn’t spoken to his older brother for three years as a result a minor incident. One of his coworkers said, “He brings to mind a kangaroo court in which the judge eagerly slams…
With Love: A Story from the Streets Told to Help Others
The other day I was out and I struck up a conversation with this young lady. She was nice to talk with, but after I was talking with her for a while, I realized she was troubled. We are all…
Thinking Yourself Happy: Beware of High Expectations
••• Brad worked as a factory supervisor. He expected his employees to start work on time, to avoid dallying around the coffee pot, and to observe the proper lunch breaks. He cut his workers little slack. He was not a perfectionist but…
It’s Our Smiley Lady Ruth’s Blog: Luck and Opportunity
Here comes opportunity knocking at Inverted Front Door Smiley Here are some of my very favorite quotes about Luck and Opportunity: • Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. – Thomas Edison •…
Thinking Yourself Healthy: Unhappiness Is Self-Created
••• Caroline was not a happy woman. S he saw herself as a victim of circumstances. She blamed her unhappiness on a long list of external factors (other people, the economy, the weather, the government, her employer…), never dreaming that her…
Our Smiley Lady’s Blog: Practicing Self Compassion
Jalapeno Cheese Bread Smiley, just because it’s so yummy. The Dalai Lama says: If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. So how about practicing self compassion? Self compassion is not to be…
Thinking Yourself Happy: Nobody’s Perfect!
••• Harry wanted the perfect wife, the perfect job, and the perfect home. At age thirty-nine he was still unmarried, unemployed, and living in a tenement. His quest for perfection had made it virtually impossible for Harry to be satisfied with the…