You’ve probably experienced a season of life that was the opposite of flourishing: You weren’t struggling with your mental health in a clinical sense, but you weren’t thriving either. Maybe you were stuck in an unsettling limbo—an awkward “in-between” of one life transition and the next. You felt unmotivated, lethargic,…
I had always dreamt of volunteering during my late teens and early twenties, but the chaotic whirlwind of life made me hesitate to lend a helping hand. It felt like I was on a quest to reach that idyllic stage of white picket-fenced adulthood when I could commit to feeding…
Gratitude is a powerful and transformative emotion that can greatly enrich our lives. This simple, yet profound practice holds a vital place in our personal and social well-being. Gratitude, at its core, is more than just a polite gesture or a perfunctory “thank you.” It is a deeply felt appreciation…
Jealousy is an emotional state in which an individual desires something that someone else has and they do not. It’s rooted in comparison — it most commonly occurs when someone is comparing themselves and their life situation to another. People can experience jealousy in a variety of areas of their…
Self-care refers to a routine of behaviors a person performs, on their own with the intention to maintain and improve their own health. Because self-care is inherently unique to a person, it is difficult to say what will work for each. For that reason, I have delineated some of the…
Journaling is a powerful tool. It serves as an outlet, allowing us to express our emotions and process our thoughts without fear of judgment — there is no need or temptation to censor ourselves when we’re writing to and for nobody but ourselves. What a gift. And yet, for some,…
More and more people are jumping on the self-love train, but what exactly does that entail? Loving yourself is more than doing a facemask once a week and eating healthy, though both can be a great way to show yourself love. Self-love is a process that strives toward radical, or…
A California woman decided to donate one of her kidneys without specifying who would receive the transplant. A male stranger subsequently benefited from her healthy organ. The woman, who was a writer, was definitely not seeking anonymity. She chronicled her “nondirected donation” through a special Facebook group. Then she confronted…
When I first met my now-husband’s friends, we all went out to dinner. When we were eating dessert, one of the wives said, “I have known several girlfriends through the years, and he never shares his dessert with anyone. He must really like you!” I laughed, thinking she was kidding….
Click here to schedule online counseling at Thriveworks. Hi, my name is Stacey Jaundoo and I am a clinician at Thriveworks Counseling in the Bethesda, Maryland area. And I wanted to just talk with you a little bit about how the Coronavirus is really impacting a lot of our lives…
A materialist is someone whose life is centered around acquiring more goods. Materialists correlate their happiness with their possessions. They claim that these products are the key source of their life fulfillment and a representation of their success in life. The question, “Would owning more things make me happier?” is…
During the holiday season, there’s a distinct emphasis on giving thanks for all that we’re fortunate enough to have. But in trying to make the season festive, we often put unnecessary stress on ourselves and each other. As a result, we might not feel as merry as we could. That’s…
