The brain naturally prefers what feels familiar. That is why trying something new can feel uncomfortable, even when it is good for wellbeing. The good news is that this isn't where the story ends. In the previous blog, Why Does Your Brain Resist Change?, we looked at why the brain often resists change. This follow-up explores what can help. Training your...
Uncertainty is something we all have to deal with. We do not always know what will happen with our health, our relationships or our finances, and the future itself rarely come with clear answers. For a lot of people not knowing what is going to happen creates a lot of anxiety. The good thing is that you can learn to...
Imagine pressing pause on your day for just five minutes to sit quietly and breathe. It seems nearly too effortless to have significance, but research shows these short moments can trigger meaningful changes in both your mind and body. While meditation is frequently seen as long, quiet sessions for those with great discipline. In reality, even a short daily practice can...
As a psychologist, I hear the same thing from my client in the therapy room, in the lunch rooms with other health professionals, and even from my own family and friends about the winter. So many of us are saying the same thing: the dark, cold, and dreary days leave us feeling unusually flat, drained, and unlike ourselves. For some...
Feeling anxious from time to time is pretty normal. We all get worried or nervous from time to time… However, if your worrying feels constant, excessive, and difficult to handle, you might be dealing with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). With this kind of anxiety, your mind can feel like your mind is constantly scanning for threats, making it hard to...
This blog is the fourth installment in our neurochemistry blog series, building on our earlier discussions of dopamine, serotonin, and cortisol. Each of these chemicals does play a different role in how we think, feel, and react to things. Dopamine drives motivation, serotonin supports mood, and cortisol helps the body respond to stress. Adrenaline on the other...
Fights with friends, pressure over schoolwork, family situations, body changes can swirl around in young minds long after adults think the day’s problems have passed. At night, when distractions fade and the mind winds down, those worries often arise. This can lead to difficulty falling asleep, frequent wake-ups, and emotional meltdowns that appear to come “out of nowhere”. Most parents want...
Receiving feedback can trigger anxiety for a lot of people. That sinking feeling that you feel, the moment someone starts talking about you. Whether it’s family discussion, during performance review, during a team meeting, or in an everyday conversation, the prospect of being evaluated can trigger feelings of dread, self-doubt, and vulnerability. Knowing that someone else is about to offer...
Do you wake up feeling you are ready to take on the day? Or do you find yourself hitting the snooze button, feeling unmotivated? Motivation may come and go, and it can be influenced by factors such as stress, mood, and life events. However one approach often overlooked is gratitude. For years, gratitude was often misunderstood. Many saw it as a...
Have you ever stared at your to-do list, feeling completely stuck, unable to begin even though you know exactly what needs doing? Do you find yourself sitting at your desk, thinking about starting a task, yet somehow hours pass by with nothing accomplished? Perhaps you've experienced the frustration of watching deadlines approach while feeling powerless to overcome the invisible barrier...
