Emily Kitazawa

Emily found her love of reading and writing at a young age, learning to enjoy these activities thanks to being taught them by her mom—Goodnight Moon will forever be a favorite. As a young adult, Emily graduated with her English degree, specializing in Creative Writing and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), from the University of Central Florida. She later earned her master’s degree in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University. Emily loves reading fiction, especially modern Japanese, historical, crime, and philosophical fiction. Her personal writing is inspired by observations of people and nature.

What Is a Self-Protective Attitude? The Behaviors & Risks

What is a self-protective attitude? How do we act when we’re too self-protective? What are the risks? In his book Transcend, Scott Barry Kaufman explains what happens when we go too far to protect our egos and self-esteem. According to him, we can develop a self-protective attitude because self-esteem is so important to our psyches, demonstrating unhealthy behaviors to protect our opinions of ourselves. Keep reading to learn about self-protective attitudes and how they can lead to unhealthy behaviors.

The Importance of Curiosity: Why Have a Curious Mindset?

What’s the importance of curiosity? How can having a curious mindset benefit you in life? According to Scott Barry Kaufman’s book Transcend, one way to fulfill the human need for growth in life is to be curious. For personal development, he says, we must understand the importance of curiosity and how being curious can lead us to face and accept the inherent uncertainty of life. Read on to learn about the importance of curiosity and how to foster a curious mindset, according to Kaufman.

Is Europe’s Gas Shortage Really Over? Analyzing the Debate

Is Europe’s gas shortage over or is another energy crisis on the way? Why do experts’ viewpoints differ on this issue? Last November, Europe appeared on the brink of an energy crisis, facing a shortage of natural gas as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted global supply and distribution. Now, some say that Europe not only weathered the storm but put itself in a stronger energy position than ever—but others don’t readily agree. Read on to learn if Europe’s gas shortage is truly over or if another energy crisis is on the horizon.

Psychology: Why Is It Important to Find Your Purpose in Life?

Why is it important to find your purpose in life, according to psychology? Why is having a purpose a basic human need? According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, it’s important to find your purpose in life because it brings you closer to self-actualization—the highest point of human potential. However, Kaufman claims that you must meet your needs for security and growth before striving towards a higher purpose in life. Read on to learn more about Kaufman’s views on why it’s important to find your purpose in life.

What Is Nostr? How It Could Transform Social Media

What is Nostr? How is Nostr different than traditional social media? What does distributed social media mean? New, decentralized social media platforms have the potential to reduce online censorship and spam, redefine online advertising, and normalize bitcoin use—potentially stabilizing bitcoin’s value. Nostr is a protocol that can act as a platform for decentralized social media. Read on to learn what Nostr is, how it works, and if it has the potential to revolutionize social media.

What Is Self-Transcendence? Maslow & Kaufman Explain

What is self-transcendence? What are the key characteristics? What are transcendent experiences? According to Abraham Maslow, some people can transcend self-actualization. In Scott Barry Kaufman’s book Transcend, he explains how people can reach this state of self-transcendence by losing themselves to a bigger cause and being motivated by values that go beyond the self. Read on to learn about what self-transcendence is and how to reach it, according to Maslow and Kaufman.

Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop: Book Overview

What is Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop about? What are power statements and how do you use them? In the self-help book Unfu*k Yourself, Gary John Bishop argues that the way you think dictates your reality. He introduces seven power statements that you can tell yourself to help reshape your negative thoughts into positive ones. Keep reading for an overview of Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop.

What Is a Loving Attitude & Why Is It Important in Life?

What is a loving attitude? Why is the ability to love others so important? If you have a loving attitude, it means you have the ability to selflessly give love to others. According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, the ability to love is a vital human need and is necessary for personal development and growth in life. Read on to learn about the importance of a loving attitude and how to have one, according to Kaufman.

How to Change Your Self-Talk From Negative to Positive

Want to learn how to change your self-talk? How can you effectively reframe your negative thoughts? Gary John Bishop claims that learning how to change your self-talk begins with increasing your understanding of how your mind works. In his book Unfu*k Yourself, he says that it’s important to realize that the way you think dictates your reality. Keep reading to learn Bishop’s advice on how to change your self-talk from negative to positive.

What Happens if Your Need for Self-Esteem Goes Unmet?

Why do humans have a need for self-esteem? What happens if it goes unmet? Scott Barry Kaufman created a new hierarchy of human needs in his book Transcend. Our need for self-esteem is a major security need in Kaufman’s hierarchy, and we need to feel valuable and confident in our lives for this need to be met. Read on to learn why humans need self-esteem and how our lives can be affected without it, according to Kaufman.