It’s Not A Big Deal… Why Do We “Minimize” Things That Really Matter?

Perspective rendering of a playing card with an illustration of a man with a beard and a black suit looking down at a woman with a purple shirt and a man wearing a blue shirt that are half the size of the man in the black suit.

“I’m fine,” you tell your colleague, “honestly, it could be worse!” The truth is you’re exhausted, with an overflowing inbox and an agenda that couldn’t be any fuller. Your To-Do list is a mile long, yet you’re turning down his offer of help.  Your boss calls—the team wants someone to work overtime tonight. “I thought […]

Are You A Nervous Laugher? Here’s Why

Perspective rendering of a playing card with an illustration of a woman with a magenta shirt and a man with a purple shirt who are giggling with each other.

Have you ever burst out laughing at the most inappropriate moment? Like when someone stumbles on the sidewalk, or a colleague’s joke falls flat?  Some situations just aren’t funny, but we find ourselves giggling all the same. With scientists citing as much as 80% of our laughter to be non-joke-related, why might that be the […]

Denial: A Defensive Response to Stress

Rendering of a card with an illustration of a man in a black suit with his hands over his eyes

Do you often shrug off big events, only to regret it later?  Like an angry customer, conflicts at work, or the repercussions of your own mistakes?   Or perhaps you put tasks on the backburner, telling yourself they’ll be fine when they’re really, really very urgent to deal with now?  Being in denial is a classic […]

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