Darya Sinusoid

Darya’s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain/mind/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.

How to Find the Courage to Talk About Your Feelings

Do you find it difficult to talk about your feelings? Do you try to keep your emotions bottled up and process them internally? We tend to avoid our feelings, especially in difficult conversations, because we feel they get in the way of progress, or are embarrassing, or don’t matter. It’s also scary to talk about your feelings as it leaves you feeling vulnerable. Here’s why it’s important to talk about your feelings and how to do it constructively.

Want to Be Successful? Track Your Progress

Why is it important to track your progress? How does the simple act of tracking your performance over time help you move closer towards your goals? If you don’t track your progress, you can’t know whether you’re doing what is necessary to achieve your goals. Plus, tracking your progress gives you a sense of accomplishment, which boosts motivation and willpower. Here is how to track your progress using two different measures: lag and lead indicators.

Donald Trump and the USFL: Was the Risk Worth It?

Why did Donald Trump buy a USFL team? And why did he file an anti-trust case against the NFL? What was the outcome? In a departure from real estate, Trump bought USFL (the United States Football League), despite the fact that USFL was struggling. He felt he could resolve the USFL’s major challenge. The USFL had its season in the spring, but Trump didn’t think TV networks would get on board for spring football. Read about Donald Trump’s USFL deal and what happened in the aftermath.

The 3 Power Moves to Manage Difficult Conversations

How do you hold and manage difficult conversations? What can you do to keep the conversation on track and not let it escalate into an argument? In business and in personal matters, difficult conversations come up all the time. But if we can learn how to manage difficult conversations more productively, our relationships and our lives will improve tremendously. Here are three “power moves” that can help you manage difficult conversations in spite of the other person’s lack of cooperation.

The Tale of Donald Trump’s Cincinnati Success

What was Donald Trump’s Cincinnati project? What made it a success? The tale of Donald Trump and Cincinnati begins at a foreclosure action in 1964, where he and his father bought the Swifton Village property for $6 million. In 1972, they sold the Swifton for $12 million, walking away with a nearly $6 million profit because they had little debt and were bringing in $700,000 a year in rents. Read about Donald Trump’s Cincinnati project.

Erik Erikson: Psychosocial Theory of Development

Who is Erik Erikson? How is Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of development different from Freud’s Psychosexual theory? Erik Erikson (1902-1994) was a German-American psychologist and psychoanalyst who is best known for his theory of psychosocial identity development. Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory marked a shift from Freud’s Psychosexual Theory in that it conceptualized psychosocial development across the entire lifespan instead of just childhood. Here is an overview of Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory.

Never Eat Alone: The 4 Key Networking Principles

Do you want to improve your networking skills? What are some networking principles that can help you master the craft? Networking gives you the opportunity to meet like-minded people with whom you can build mutually beneficial relationships. In Never Eat Alone, entrepreneur Keith Ferrazzi shares his key networking principles to help you maximize the chances of your networking efforts being successful. Keep reading for Keith Ferrazzi’s networking principles.

Edward Said: What Is Orientalism?

What is Orientalism? How does Edward Said define the concept? It is difficult to be precise about the answer to the question “what is Orientalism?” Edward Said uses the term in three interdependent senses: 1) Orientalism as a scholarly discipline, 2) Orientalism as a mode of thought based on the essential East-West divide, and 3) Orientalism as a political ideology. Keep reading for Edward Said’s answer to the question: what is Orientalism?

Anne Frank and Her Sister: From Jealousy to Friendship

Who was Anne Frank’s sister in The Diary of a Young Girl? Why did Anne feel jealous of her sister’s relationship with their parents? Reading The Diary of a Young Girl, you get to know Anne Frank’s sister, Margot Frank, rather superficially. Anne’s diary entries concerning her sister were mainly about the jealousy she felt towards Margot because she felt like their parents treated her better than they treated Anne. Read about Anne Frank’s sister Margot and their relationship in the Secret Annex.

The Delicate Art of Having Difficult Conversations

Do you avoid having difficult conversations? What topics do you find difficult to talk about? Most people avoid having difficult conversations because they fear the consequences that might arise when they bring up the issue. These issues tend to revolve around discussions of major categories (e.g. race, religion, gender, or politics) or matters that reveal our personal insecurities. All in all, having difficult conversations may never be easy, but there are ways to make them as painless and as stress-free as possible.