“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”- Anais Nin

Having social anxiety, being shy or an introvert can make socializing, dating and letting yourself be seen by others challenging and exhausting.  It can even trigger panicky feelings in people if the stakes feel high and cause symptoms similar to when the body goes into fight or flight, such as dry mouth…

When we have high self-esteem, we view ourselves with respect and approach life with a positive mindset. But cultivating high self-esteem is not always straightforward, especially in a world that often measures worth by external achievements and appearances. The good news is that self-esteem is not fixed; it can be grown with intentional effort.

People pleasers work hard at being pleasant and accommodating. If you identify with being a people pleaser, you may have become one as a reaction to how you were raised. You most likely received subtle or overt messages that in order to receive your parent’s approval, you had to adjust to their expectations.

Possessing strong emotional intelligence can greatly enhance your relationships. It enables you to grasp others' perspectives, acknowledge the impact your actions have on them, and deepen your empathy.

The longest study on happiness showed that it’s the quality of our relationships that ultimately determine how happy we are in life. It’s not just relationships with significant others or family members that affect our happiness either. It’s all of our social connections…