Were you brought up to believe that taking care of yourself is selfish? Most of us were, or at least internalized that belief somewhere along our journey of growing up. Instead, we learned to believe that in order to be a good person, you need to be "selfless," and take care of others ... sometimes at the expense of personal well-being.

Here are a few more questions: Were you led to believe that ignoring your own needs and taking care of others' needs would lead to happiness and fulfillment? Were you taught that if you give yourself up to take care of others, they will then take care of you and give you the love you need?

If you answered yes to any of these, now I have one more question: has this worked out?

In my many years of working with clients, I've seen over and over that caretaking others leads to feeling alone, empty, angry, depressed and resentful. There is a good reason for this. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Mind,Body,Green.

Facebook updates can reveal narcissism and low self-esteem.

People habitually posting to Facebook about exercise, diets and accomplishments are more likely to be narcissists, a new study finds.

And bragging about accomplishments does tend to attract more attention from friends.

The study’s first author, Dr Tara Marshall, said:

“Although our results suggest that narcissists’ bragging pays off because they receive more likes and comments to their status updates, it could be that their Facebook friends politely offer support while secretly disliking such egotistical displays.

Greater awareness of how one’s status updates might be perceived by friends could help people to avoid topics that annoy more than they entertain.” Continue reading.

Originally posted on PsyBlog.

You’ve mustered up the courage to say, “Something’s off in my life right now." You seek the assistance of a helping professional to get back on track, and feel relieved almost immediately. You're starting to make productive choices.

Maybe you've realized sadness or anxiety has hijacked your life, or you’re struggling with chronic conflict or lack of connection in your most important relationships. Maybe you've realized that despite having everything you always thought you wanted, you’re still not fulfilled. Whatever the reason, you’ve decided you are important enough to seek assistance with creating the life you want.

Some individuals seeking therapy think that their therapist will "fix" the problem that they are facing, even if they don't realize this dynamic is at play. But therapy is work, for both parties involved. It takes reflection, a healthy balance of self-analysis and self-acceptance, and a commitment to follow-through. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Mind,Body,Green.