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~ by Dianne Fanti, MS, CPC This year, I'm skipping resolutions and creating traditions instead. It might sound like semantics, but there's a real difference. Resolutions feel like obligations. Traditions are better. They feel more like unique occasions we genuinely look forward to—and the brain loves novelty! The Power of Reframing Recently, when I joined a friend's board game night, I didn't call it a "resolution to get out and socialize more." I just showed up, laughed, and

Unresolved challenges drain more energy than stress itself. Learn how to close mental 'open loops' and stop overthinking with this simple 3-step framework.

It activates the Reticular Activating System in your brain that starts finding what you've marked as important. You know when you get a new car, you suddenly see the same kind everywhere? You've made it noteworthy.

It's been said that we have something significant to give to this world, and this world has something significant for us. We come to discover what that is through the hero's journey. “You are the hero of your own story,” Joseph Campbell, the professor and mythologist, once said. And he shared some insights — “If you follow someone else’s way, you are not going to realize your potential,” and “If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.” Found universal

Have you ever instinctively turned on music after a hard day? Or found yourself reaching for your favorite playlist when you feel overwhelmed? You're not alone — and there's science behind that impulse. A study published in Brain Sciences  found that listening to music you love for just 10 minutes  can help lower levels of cortisol, the hormone linked to stress and overwhelm. That’s right — music doesn’t just make you feel better. It actually helps your brain and body regulat

What if our emotions, especially the challenging ones, were like waves—looking for a shore to land upon? And what if, by giving them an outlet and a simple ritual for release, they could become passing waves instead of unexpected and lingering storms? Across many healing traditions, from trauma-informed therapies to body-based approaches like acupuncture, there’s a deeper, shared understanding – that unexpressed emotional energy needs a channel and an exit. Let’s explore a si

"Adulting"  used to be referred to as a joke—an internet meme shorthand for "doing hard, boring, grown-up things." But that’s changing. Fast. Today, more and more young people are not just facing the realities of adulthood—they’re actively asking for help  navigating it. And the response? Colleges across the country are beginning to listen. Colleges Are Catching On Universities like UC Berkeley, Cornell, and the University of North Carolina are now offering “Adulting 101” lif

When I came across this quote, it grabbed my attention. “Laughter contagiously forms social bonds...Spreading endorphin release through groups promotes a sense of togetherness and safety. Each brain in a social unit is a transmitter of those feelings, which triggers the feel-good chemicals in other brains via laughter. It’s like a game of endorphin dominoes,” states David DiSalvo in his article, “Six Science-Based Reasons Why Laughter Is The Best Medicine, in Forbes Magazine.