Blog — emotional intelligence

Own Your Thoughts and Feelings & Let Others Own Theirs

Owning your thoughts and feelings and letting other people own theirs is a foundational part of healthy communication skills. 

It creates an attitude that makes it easier to present your ideas in a tactful way. And it helps you listen to other people without getting triggered or defensive. 

What does it mean to own thoughts and feelings?

What is Assertive Communication and Behavior?

Assertive behavior and communication often get confused with aggression, but there is a difference between being assertive and being aggressive.

Journal Away Your Stress

Studies show that when people write about stressful situations—and they include the emotional component—their physical health improves.

The studies’ control group that wrote about troubling situations, but did not include the emotional component, did not show health improvements.

Beware of Taking on Other People’s Negative Emotions

Sometimes, we take on other people’s emotional overflow like a sponge absorbing a toxic spill. If you take on other people’s stuff, you may have no room left for yours. This can contribute to you getting overwhelmed and anxious relatively easy.

Click Read More to discover how and why you may have absorbed other people's toxic emotions, and how to protect yourself.

How to Silence Your Inner Critic and Stop Negative Self-Talk

Your inner critic can hold you back and wear you down. This post walks you through how to spot negative self-talk, where it comes from, and how to change it. With practical steps, real-life examples, and tools for lasting mindset shifts, you’ll learn how to rewrite the messages you say to yourself and replace criticism with encouragement.

The Right-Wrong Trap: How Black-and-White Thinking Skews Decisions

Black-and-white thinking—also called polarized, all-or-nothing, or dichotomous thinking—is a cognitive distortion that oversimplifies your options and messes with your decision-making.

This post explains how the right-wrong trap can lead to stress, fear, and indecision, and offers tips and worksheets to help you shift toward more realistic, flexible thinking.