How to tell when someone is in need

How to tell when someone is in need

It may seem simple enough that we should know when someone needs help or attention, but is it really all that obvious?

Friends and family have a tendency to want to help one another, but people often are not very good at asking for help. They may not even know they need help, sometimes resorting to hiding their emotions for fear of appearing weak or needy. Sometimes they fear judgement from other people if they express themselves. Read more

How do we let go of our negative thoughts and feelings?

How do we let go of our negative thoughts and feelings?
They say letting go is hard. There is some degree of truth to it. We cling onto people who affect us negatively; often hoping they will change or we can help them change for the better. We stay in situations that damage our emotional and psychological well-being, in fear that there might not be anything else left for us outside of this thing we hold onto.

Read more

How good is your conflict resolution skill?

How good is your conflict resolution skill?
Every person will have to learn how to deal with interpersonal conflicts. These conflicts can happen between friends, colleagues, family members, loved ones, or even strangers. Interpersonal conflicts are just a part of life and can be so common that they are unavoidable. Ignoring conflict also is not a very good strategy. It might keep the problem out of mind for a while but tends to boil and has the potential to become toxic and unhealthy.

Read more

3 Benefits of counselling

3 Benefits of counselling

The modern world is a hectic place with many complexities that can be seen and unseen. If you live in a big city like New York, Hong Kong, or Singapore, the pace of life can be incredibly fast and uncompromising. An environment where expectations are high, and where you are expected to perform, do well for your job, and your family/yourself can cause a great deal of stress. Read more

Is listening as important as speaking?

Is listening as important as speaking?

The ability to speak well and verbalise meaning, intent, and feelings is incredibly important. It is how we transmit ideas, thoughts, and feelings to people around us. The better we are able to express ourselves verbally, the better we are at making ourselves understood.

The ability to listen well is just as important as speaking, and sometimes overlooked. Listening is how we are able to accept someone’s speech and intent, and listening well is how we are able to properly understand what the other person is saying. Both verbal communication, and listening are skills to be mastered. Read more

Is there a way to use stress to our own advantage?

Is there a way to use stress to our own advantage?

Many of us feel stress because we are in a hurry. We are faced with this mental schedule which must be achieved by a certain time; obtain your degree, work in a big successful company, get married and have kids. We get upset at ourselves and blame it on stress for failing to meet our goals. But does stress really deter us from realizing our goals? Read more

Can anxiety overwhelm people?

Can anxiety overwhelm people?

Anxiety is an emotion that leads to excessive fear, worry, and apprehension. It’s perfectly normal to experience fear, worry, or apprehension, and doesn’t require too much attention to resolving. These are temporary feelings. However, prolonged anxiety can become a huge problem for a lot of people, either due to mental illness or prolonged exposure to a negative situation and environment. A lot of times, people don’t even know exactly why they feel this way. Read more

Is shame avoidable?

Is shame avoidable?

Shame can be an uncomfortable feeling. It is a painful form of vulnerability that can take a toll on us physically, psychologically and emotionally. Shame can make us believe that we are flawed, thereby creating a barrier between ourselves and people or situations because we feel unwanted and unworthy of their love and attention.

There are different types of shame; self-inflicted or caused by external factors. The common incidences that lead to shame, such as accidentally spilling a drink on yourself in public or being reprimanded by your superior in front of your colleagues, are minor. However, should the shame become too intense and toxic where it affects your mental state, it is advisable for you to address the issue or seek professional help. Read more