How to Deal With Hardship in a Way That Inspires Others

A young man with a slight smile, trying to deal with hardship.

How do you deal with hardship? Do you respond in a way that inspires others? Every year, Yale professors Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz teach a course on living well. Their book Life Worth Living captures the course’s concepts. One of the matters they discuss is how to deal with hardship in the context of a life well lived. Keep reading for their advice based on insights from philosophers, religious traditions, and literary greats.

Self-Help for Low Mood: How to Lift Your Mood Without Therapy

A smiling woman in front of a large building who's happy from doing self-help for low mood.

What exactly are moods? Are you frequently stuck in a low mood, even when the situation doesn’t call for it? Is there a way to shift out of a low mood without going to therapy? Dr. Julie Smith writes that you can understand your moods and assert control over them to a large degree. Depression and sadness don’t necessarily warrant formal therapy. She offers several insights and tips for elevating your outlook in her book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Read more to get some self-help for low mood conditions.

The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert Sutton (Book Overview)

A woman reading a book in an office.

Do you feel helpless or angry when confronted with mean people? Do you wish you had better strategies for dealing with them? The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert Sutton offers wisdom for dealing with jerks—rude and tyrannical people of all kinds. Focusing primarily on bad behavior in the workplace, he argues that, with the right tools, you can take away a jerk’s power, lessen their effect on you, and keep them from harming others.  Continue reading for an overview of this practical book.

How to Confront a Coworker Professionally & Wisely

A woman confronting a coworker professionally with a plant in the background.

Do you have a colleague who’s difficult to work with? Is there a professional and wise way to deal with them? In The Asshole Survival Guide, Robert I. Sutton offers wisdom for dealing with jerks—rude and tyrannical people of all kinds—especially in the workplace. He discusses considerations you should address before deciding if and how to go on the offensive and shares direct and subtle methods of confrontation. Keep reading for Sutton’s advice on how to confront a coworker professionally that can help you keep your sanity and your job.

How to Change Your Mood: Break Free From the Vicious Cycle

A split image of a man where on one side he's happy and the other side he's sad.

Are you always “in a mood,” causing those around you to walk on eggshells? Do you depend on circumstances, medication, or therapy to bring you out of it? Dr. Julie Smith says that it’s likely that you can change your mood yourself by monitoring and adjusting four things. If you attend to your physical state, your thought patterns, your actions, and your connections with others, you can elevate your frame of mind. Read more to learn how to change your mood with Smith’s recommendations.

How to Make Your Own Philosophy in Life: Food for Thought

Ideas coming out of a thinking man's head as he tries to make his own philosophy in life.

Would you like to have your own life philosophy? Where should you start? What should you consider? In Life Worth Living, authors Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz discuss the value of having a philosophy of life. They offer bite-sized chunks of various life philosophies to use as a springboard for building your own. Continue reading to learn how to make your own philosophy in life with inspiration from Nietzsche, Aristotle, Oscar Wilde, and others.

Dr. Julie Smith: Anxiety Self-Care Practices to Calm Yourself

A relaxed woman closing her eyes as part of a self-care routine for anxiety.

How often do you feel anxious? Are you able to calm yourself effectively, or are you afraid you must resort to medication or therapy? Psychologist Julie Smith writes that people often mistakenly believe that they need to commit to long-term, in-depth therapy. If they have some basic education about how their minds and bodies work, they’ll be able to take control of their mental health themselves, without intensive help from a professional. Keep reading for Dr. Julie Smith’s anxiety self-care insights and techniques.

Cognitive Reframing Techniques: Reduce People’s Power Over You

A split image of a city with emotional cloud bubbles over them as cognitive reframing techniques.

Is someone in your life a jerk? Do you wish you could neutralize the impact they have on you? When interaction with a jerk is inevitable, you can lessen the jerk’s power over your mental state by changing your mindset. Using cognitive reframing techniques, you can protect yourself from the negative effects of their behavior, even if you’re frequently exposed. Keep reading to learn these techniques and reduce people’s power over you.

Low Mood and Anxiety Self-Care Tips From Dr. Julie Smith

A man with low mood and anxiety, burying his face in his hands.

Are you often inexplicably down or anxious? Are you eager for a solution that doesn’t involve therapy or medication? According to Dr. Julie Smith, one of the main reasons people go to therapy is to rid themselves of conditions such as low mood and anxiety. She argues that many people can resolve these matters on their own by understanding them and making certain adjustments. Continue reading to see whether self-care might be the right solution for you.

How to Protect Yourself From Toxic People You Can’t Avoid

A woman protecting herself from a toxic person by ignoring her when she's yelling.

Do you have a jerk at home or work? Is there a way to protect yourself from them, short of avoiding them altogether? According to Robert I. Sutton, sometimes distancing yourself from jerks isn’t possible; you might be forced to be around them for extended periods. When a lot of interaction with a jerk is unavoidable, you can lessen their power over your mental state by changing your mindset. Continue reading to learn how to protect yourself from toxic people.