Psychology Archives

The 1-2-3 Magic Method for Disciplining Your Children

How should you help kids redirect their behavior? How should children’s chores change as they get older? What are the benefits of sympathetic listening? The 1-2-3 Magic Method distills discipline into two tasks—stopping unwanted behavior and initiating productive behavior. This gives you more time and energy to cultivate a warm and loving relationship with your child. Read on to learn how Thomas W. Phelan’s 1-2-3 Magic Method might work for your family.

How to Respond to Feedback—Despite Your Cognitive Biases

Whom should you ask for feedback? What should you refuse to receive feedback about? Should you take negative feedback to heart? Grace Lordan says that cognitive biases—the mental shortcuts that all humans take—can hinder you from achieving your goals. One way they do that is by preventing you from soliciting and responding well to feedback. But, if you want to reach your goals, you need wise insights from others around you. Keep reading to learn how to respond to feedback without interference from your cognitive biases.

Why Don’t People Listen? 4 Common Barriers to Listening

Why don’t people listen? If listening is so important and beneficial, then why aren’t people doing it? Everyone would agree that listening is a critical skill. But, many people aren’t stellar listeners. When you understand why people don’t listen, you’ll be in a better position to work around and perhaps even overcome the roadblocks. Continue reading to learn about common barriers to listening.

Do Time-Outs Work? Why Breaks Are Better for Kids

Do time-outs work for children? How effective are they at achieving your real goal? Is there a better way to reach that goal? Clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan considers time-outs an archaic discipline tactic. He recommends breaks instead. A break is similar to the classic idea of a time-out. But, the execution, and thus the results, are different. Keep reading to learn why time-outs don’t work and why breaks do.

How to Overcome Cognitive Biases & Be Who You Want to Be

How do cognitive biases affect your decision-making? What false stories in your head keep you from your goals? If you want to change your life, you must understand how to overcome the cognitive biases—the mental shortcuts that all humans take—that hinder you from achieving your goals. Grace Lordan shares four ways you can tackle cognitive biases head-on and get on with pursuing your dreams. Keep reading to learn how to overcome cognitive biases and become the person you want to be.

What Makes a Story Interesting? The 4 Things a Narrative Needs

What makes a story interesting? How can you, as the storyteller, humanize yourself to your audience? How can you communicate a message that transcends the plot? You can think of a character, a goal, and an obstacle as the basic requirements for a story. But, even with those elements in place, not every story holds a listener’s attention. Rob Biesenbach says a story needs four additional characteristics to make it engaging. Read more to discover the power of these four elements that keep your audience tuned in to your story.

How to Discipline Your Child Without a Fight (1-2-3 Magic)

Do you tend to get too emotional when trying to direct your child’s behavior? Do counting methods of discipline really work? In 1-2-3 Magic, clinical psychologist Thomas W. Phelan explains how to discipline your child in a way that lets you spend less time managing your child’s behavior and more time enjoying your relationship. He describes the problems with common discipline methods and shares his simple counting approach. Read more to discover the 1-2-3 Magic way of discipline and see how it might work for your children.

David Hawkins: Levels of Consciousness Determine Your Happiness

Apotheosis—The Hero's Journey Leads to Nirvana

Do you contribute to society more than you take from it? What’s the difference between power and force in a psychological sense? According to David Hawkins, levels of consciousness set the tone for your life, for good or for bad. The higher your level, the better off you are. Consequently, you’re more able to positively impact the world. Read more to learn why Hawkins believes that your level of consciousness makes a big difference.

Why Are Stories Powerful? The Reasons We Use & Abuse Them

Why are stories powerful? How do they affect your brain? Why do manipulators use stories? When Rob Biesenbach talks about the power of storytelling, he’s not just talking about a story’s capacity to engage or entertain. He’s also talking about how a story can change people’s minds, affect their emotions, and persuade them to act. Learn how stories powerfully affect us emotionally, physiologically, and intellectually.

4 Benefits of Discipline: Ryan Holiday’s Formula for the Good Life

Are your emotions out of control and creating self-destructive patterns? How can discipline help these patterns? Discipline isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. In Discipline Is Destiny, Ryan Holiday outlines several of its advantages. Discipline can keep you from going to extremes, helps you live a good life, regulates your emotions, and increases your self-awareness. Let’s take a closer look at these four benefits of discipline that you can experience.