The Effects of Shame: What Happens When You Give It Control

A road sign that says "SHAME" along a highway in the desert illustrates the effects of shame

What happens in your brain when shame becomes part of who you are? How does toxic shame alter your behavior and relationships? When shame takes root in your identity, it creates a complex web of defense mechanisms, false personas, and destructive behaviors. Toxic shame can transform your thoughts, emotions, and actions in ways that may go unnoticed but significantly impact your daily life. Keep reading to discover three effects of shame, as explained by John Bradshaw in his book Healing the Shame That Binds You.

Being an Entrepreneur Is Hard: Slogging Through the Middle Years

An exhausted man sitting at a desk in an office with his head in his hands illustrates that being an entrepreneur is hard

What does it really take to build a successful business from the ground up? Why do so many entrepreneurs gloss over the challenging middle years between startup and success? Being an entrepreneur is hard, and the journey from concept to success involves far more than just the exciting moments of launching and achieving your goals. The path includes uncertainty, setbacks, and countless challenges that many business leaders prefer not to discuss. Keep reading to explore the real struggles of entrepreneurship and discover how successful leaders navigate the tough times that shape their ultimate success.

Tarana Burke’s Traumatic Sources of Childhood Shame

A young girl with shame feeling childhood shame

What caused Tarana Burke to feel shame in her childhood? How can people’s comments on a child’s appearance affect their self-esteem? Burke explains that in addition to the sexual abuse she suffered as a child, two other major forces influenced her strong sense of shame. Strangers’ comments on her appearance and her mother’s humiliating punishments severely impacted how Burke thought of herself when she was young. Continue reading to learn more about these causes of childhood shame in Burke’s life.

The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker: Book Overview

A woman reading a book and sitting on a couch at home

Is your gut trying to tell you something? How can you better protect yourself from potential dangers? Understanding violence and trusting your intuition are key to personal safety. The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker explores these topics, offering potentially life-saving insights on predicting and preventing various forms of violence. Read more to learn de Becker’s methods for recognizing warning signs, assessing threats, and responding to different types of violent situations.

How Beauty Standards for Women Harm Them (Dr. Shefali Tsabary)

A sad woman looking at herself in a full-length mirror illustrates harmful beauty standards for women

Why do women feel pressured to change their appearance? What can they do to resist harmful beauty standards? Beauty standards for women evolve over time, yet they consistently create unrealistic expectations that can damage self-worth. From Victorian-era preferences for plumpness to modern obsessions with thinness, these ideals force many women to pursue dangerous alterations to their bodies. Read on to discover how to break free from these restrictive standards and embrace your natural self.

Sensory Information Processing: What’s Behind Your Thoughts

A depiction of the brain illustrates sensory information processing

What happens in your mind when you think about past experiences or future events? How do your senses shape the way you interpret and respond to different situations? Understanding sensory information processing reveals the hidden mechanisms behind your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Your brain constantly collects and organizes data from your environment, creating a complex web of sensory impressions and memory associations that guide your responses to every experience. Read on to explore how your brain transforms raw sensory data into meaningful thoughts and emotions, and discover ways to take control of this process.

How to Heal Childhood Wounds: 3 Steps to Freedom

A sad woman looking in a mirror at a reflection of herself as a child illustrates how to heal childhood wounds

What causes toxic shame to develop during childhood? How can you heal from these deep-rooted emotional wounds? In Healing the Shame That Binds You, John Bradshaw explores how childhood experiences shape our relationship with shame and offers practical steps for healing. He provides insights into identifying trauma, reconnecting with your inner child, and developing self-love. Read on to learn how to heal childhood wounds that still sting today.

Feel Like You’re Always Busy? Here’s How to Escape the Chaos

A stressed man who is always busy sits in traffic in his car and looks frustrated

Why does it feel like we’re always busy? How can you slow down in a fast-paced world? In Zen Buddhist teacher Haemin Sunim’s book, The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, he explains why people today feel overwhelmed by busyness. If you want to feel less busy, you need to change your perspective and stop blaming society. Here’s Sunim’s advice for slowing down in a fast-paced society.

A Radical Awakening: Book Overview (Shefali Tsabary)

A woman with long brown hair and glasses reading a red book with a large bookshelf in the background

What drives women to constantly strive for perfection in every aspect of their lives? Why do so many feel unfulfilled despite their endless efforts to meet society’s expectations? In A Radical Awakening, Dr. Shefali Tsabary explores how patriarchal standards shape women’s identities from childhood. She reveals how these unrealistic expectations lead to burnout and disconnection from our authentic selves. Her approach combines Western psychology with Eastern philosophy. Keep reading for our A Radical Awakening book overview.

3 NLP Techniques for Success: Clarify & Move Toward Your Goals

A woman holding a map with the label "SUCCESS" illustrates NLP techniques for success

What does success mean to you? How can you turn your definition of success into achievable goals? NLP: The Essential Guide to Neuro-Linguistic Programming offers powerful tools to help you clarify your vision and create a path toward your goals. These methods combine mental imagery, sensory awareness, and past experiences to boost your confidence and motivation. Let’s explore three proven NLP techniques for success that will transform how you approach and achieve your dreams.