Self-Care for Grief: How to Navigate Mourning (Dr. Julie Smith)

A sad woman looking down slightly who needs self care for grief.

When you suffer a loss, should you dive head-first into mourning or stoically carry on? At what point is professional help advised? In this world, grief isn’t an option. But, healthy mourning is. While you can’t avoid the pain that comes with loss, you can choose to take constructive steps to process the pain in a way that honors your loss and helps you go on with life in a healthy way. Read more for Dr. Julie Smith’s practical insights into self-care for grief.

How to Deal With Difficult Emotions: Self-Care Tips From Julie Smith

A sdepressed woman looking down at the sea as she deals with difficult emotions.

Do you experience anxiety or low moods? Are you dealing with the pain of a loss? Emotions are great when they’re joy, contentment, or excitement. But, difficult emotions are a lot less fun. In Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, Dr. Julie Smith discusses how to understand and relate to your emotions and reduce the power they have over you—without reliance on medication or therapy. Keep reading to learn how to deal with difficult emotions such as low mood, anxiety, and grief.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: Book Overview & Takeaways

A young woman reading a book outside in town.

How comfortable are you with writing imperfectly—even journaling a “brain dump”? How in touch are you with your inner artist? Many people feel it’s impossible to reach their creative potential—often because they struggle to find inspiration or experience creative blocks. Luckily, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron says that overcoming these obstacles and maximizing your creative potential is possible, and anyone can do it. Continue reading for an overview of The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.

The Artist’s Way: Morning Pages Are a Therapeutic Brain Dump

A man writing in a cabin while is snows outside.

What’s the origin of morning pages? What purpose do they serve? Have you tried this practice? In Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, morning pages are presented as a method to unleash the creative force. They do this by establishing a close connection with your inner artist—the reservoir of unconventional ideas, raw emotions, dreams, and desires inside you. Read more to learn what morning pages are and how you can harness them to declutter your mind and set your artistry free.

How to Stop Emotional Suppression: Embrace Your Feelings

A man giving into emotional suppression by bottling up his emotions with a smile on his face.

What are the consequences of emotional suppression? What are some ways to accept your emotions, even if they’re negative? The act of suppressing your emotions happens when you avoid or distract yourself from uncomfortable feelings. When you don’t let yourself experience negative emotions—such as guilt, frustration, and grief—you might channel those emotions into unhealthy habits. Below we’ll explore the consequences of emotional suppression and how to allow yourself to feel uneasy emotions.

How to Accept Negative Feedback: Insights From Julie Smith

Two people sitting across from each other in a counselor session as one tries to accept negative feedback.

How skilled are you at objectively assessing the negative feedback you get? Do you know how to use it to your advantage? Or, does negative feedback just make you want to crawl into a hole? Negative feedback is hard. Perhaps you’ve experienced the shame that can accompany performance appraisals, customer reviews, captive audiences, or frank conversations with loved ones. But, there’s a way to find value in what people think of you, even when it stings. Continue reading to get advice on how to accept negative feedback from Dr. Julie Smith, Brené Brown, and Dale Carnegie.

Brené Brown on Empathy & Shame: Her Best Pieces of Advice

Brené Brown on Empathy & Shame: Her Best Pieces of Advice

What’s Brené Brown’s advice on empathy and shame? In her words, how does empathy help you overcome shame? Brené Brown is a world-renowned author who’s known for her work on shame, wholeheartedness, and leadership. In most of her books, she discusses the concept of empathy, and where it falls in human nature. Read below for more about Brené Brown on empathy.

How to Evaluate Your Relationships to Improve or End Them

A couple talking at a restaurant and evaluating their relationship.

Are your relationships getting in the way of your self-improvement? How do you evaluate your relationships? Sarah Knight argues that as an adult, you have a choice about who you spend your time with. She explains that in every relationship, you have three choices for how to move forward: Maintain the relationship, improve it, or end it. Continue reading to decide what to do with the relationships in your life.

How to Practice Self-Acceptance: Advice From Dr. Julie Smith

A woman trying to practice self-practice by looking at herself in the mirror.

How well do you really know yourself? How do you regard the parts of yourself that you don’t like? We all have parts of our personality, character, body, or background that bother us. What we do in response makes a difference. Dr. Julie Smith advises that we accept who we are, warts and all. Read more to learn how to practice self-acceptance with Smith’s suggestions.