Anxiety is like the aftermath of vivid dreams or nightmares. Most of the time, you recognize the physical symptoms of anxiety right away. Other times, worry builds gradually and then morphs into anxiety and/or panic attacks. Anxiety can last for a short time, or it can extend into obsessive thoughts that last for a long time. Thankfully, I've found that affirmations can help to reduce (and even release) the power of anxiety before it gets worse. To learn about these affirmations and why they can help, continue reading this post.

If you experience intense mood swings and start behaving out of character, it might be easy to blame it on a mood disorder. For instance, if you have skipped classes several times, you might say that it was because of your anxiety. While that was probably a huge reason for it, there could be more specific reasons as to why your anxiety increased. The things that stimulate a negative change in your thoughts, behaviors, and actions can be loosely thought of as your triggers. Identifying your triggers so that you can deal with them is important for you to manage your mood disorder symptoms and increase your quality of life. To learn how to recognize and deal with your triggers, continue reading this post.

While common responsibilities include working, raising families, going to school, and doing household chores, practicing self-care is just as important. Yet, we often do not make it part of our priorities. One reason is that we are busy thinking about other things and helping other people. However, we need self-care to function well in life. To learn more about self-care and two analogies that represent its importance, continue reading this post.

Anxiety is a common struggle for people who undergo major stress. However, anxiety becomes paralyzing when it intensifies so much that a person loses the ability to function. In this post, I share my description of paralyzing anxiety and information about my experience with it. I also discuss coping methods that helped me get through paralyzing anxiety.

Have you ever wished you could take back something you said to someone? Maybe after a stressful day, you took out your frustrations on a family member, friend, or partner. Maybe you said something inappropriate to a colleague or teacher. In any case, saying things you regret can have negative consequences and cause lasting feelings of guilt. Here are five ways to avoid regret from your words.

Friends come and go in life. Some friendships end after fights or abuse. Other friendships simply fade due to busy lives. The good news is that you might get a chance to rekindle a friendship. Social media makes it easy to reconnect. You could also encounter a former friend by being at the same place at the same time. The question becomes whether rebuilding a friendship with someone is healthy. If you struggle with anxiety, the decision to rekindle a friendship can seem overwhelming. Read this post to learn about questions you should ask yourself before you decide to rekindle a friendship.

While difficult seasons in life are painful, the journey through them can teach us many important lessons. Navigating hard times can help us develop strength, courage, resilience, and empathy. In addition, we receive opportunities to look for hope. To learn about my personal experiences with hard times and what I learned from them, continue reading this post.

Before I started writing this post, I decided to take a big step in improving my confidence by enrolling in a business writing course. One reason for this decision was that school gave me a sense of purpose and hope for the future. I am not where I want to be career-wise. But knowing that I can use education for my future endeavors makes me feel better about myself. To discover what I learned from school and how it affected my confidence, continue reading this post.

During childhood, crying is an expected reaction to pain. Children do not know many other ways to express negative emotions. But as adults, most of us understand emotions and know how to handle them in public situations. Many adults are embarrassed to cry because they do not want to appear weak. However, crying does not deserve the bad reputation it has received. Crying can actually benefit us in many ways. To learn about three benefits of crying, continue reading this post.

Everyone has different ways of showing and receiving love. According to author Gary D. Chapman of "The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts," there are five main love languages: acts of service, positive affirmations, physical touch, gift-giving, and quality time. By understanding each love language, I was able to identify the methods that affect me the most. In this article, I will talk about all of the love languages and how they have helped me get through life's trials.