There’s a type of person who delights in bad news or negativity. What causes this? In most cases, it affirms for the person a sense that life is futile and hopeless. Such people don’t get inspired by the heroic or … Continue reading
People who are frightened of risk — all risk, risk as such — are missing the point of life. The only thing that gives accomplishment meaning is the fact that you might not have accomplished it, yet you did. Without … Continue reading
The worst people are the ones who are confident in their errors. Error is not propped up, psychologically, by the confidence and strength of reality. Usually, people in error are propped up by a combination of their own evasion and … Continue reading
In psychological theory, there is something called the ‘ideal self.’ A person is thought to hold, consciously or subconsciously, a view of the person he’s supposed to be. If the ideal is rational, there’s no serious problem with this, but … Continue reading
Don’t worry about what others say or think. You know what your track record is — good or bad. You were there.
Will the truth set you free? Absolutely. If something really is true, it’s part of reality. You’re much better off in contact with reality than not. If you’re ignorant, knowing what’s true sets you free to be knowledgable. If you’re … Continue reading
Several people wrote and asked me if there are ways to battle “seasonal affective disorder” (SAD) either mentally or cognitively, as opposed to biochemically. My answer is yes, it is definitely worth a try. If you find that you get … Continue reading
Many people have a false idea that the end of a relationship, or a divorce, is a “failure.” It isn’t, necessarily. All that it really means is that the two members of the relationship no longer satisfy each other. Failure … Continue reading
Intelligence is the ability to think in terms of abstract concepts, as opposed to merely perceiving persons, places and things. Brilliance is when those abstract concepts prove to be true.
To be “thankful” means to have something to cheer, or to celebrate. In order to have something to celebrate, you first have to embrace life. Embracing life is not just a wish, but an ongoing rational task requiring effort and … Continue reading
Anxiety (when it’s not rational) is usually the result of insufficient self-esteem. Self-esteem consists of two parts: Self-efficacy and self-worth. Self-efficacy refers to the view that one is competent, and self-worth refers to the view that one deserves the results of one’s … Continue reading
“Why is he acting this way?” “Why does she do that?” Most people, I find, ask these questions all the time. Therapists get asked this question a lot. My answer is always the same: “He has his reasons.” People do … Continue reading