Art for Introvert. Psychology

Eat, Pray, Love: Why Is It So Hard To Find Yourself?

Even though the novel Eat, Pray, Love and its film adaptation were a success, they remain quite controversial. Some people believe the story speaks to their hearts while others cannot understand the main character: why would a successful young woman decide to divorce, quit a well-organized life and move somewhere no one needs her?

What's the movie about?
At 34 years old, Elizabeth Gilbert seems to have everything: she is a successful writer with lots of friends and a loving husband. Nevertheless, she is desperate and cries at night. She tries to explain to her friend that she doesn't feel the spirit of life—but she is all alone in her misery. To recover from a hurtful divorce, Elizabeth goes on a journey around the world. All she wants is to change her life and find a new meaning.

Where did she find the courage to undertake such drastic changes? What did she lack in the life that people all over the world dream of? Unfortunately, people who experience an identity crisis face such a misunderstanding. Others look at their life from the outside and cannot understand how hard it might be to lose yourself.

The movie based on Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir follows her story of overcoming the midlife crises and finding happiness.

📍 A midlife crisis

We experience several crises throughout life, and the midlife one comes around the age of 30. Different people may face it sooner or later—but at its core lies the dissatisfaction with your life and achievements. "Here I am, 30 years old. What have I achieved? What do I have? And do I really need it?" These are the questions a psychological crisis may bring.

With the age of 30, comes a significant reassessment of values, and the person gets to know themselves anew. Up to the age of 30, we usually have a universal path to follow: graduate from school and university, get a job, become financially independent, start a family, and then… What then?

There is no predetermined direction or path of what to do next, and everyone has to go on living on their own. However, many people don’t understand what they really want. At the age of 30, many people are surprised to find out they know nothing about themselves.

The main features of the crisis are the feelings of never-ending monotony, emptiness, and the impression that your life is pre-decided and you cannot do anything about it. People might also feel apathy and believe that they have missed all the opportunities. The fear of death intensifies—and the end of life feels like a real dead_line. These thoughts and feelings are frightening; they make people rethink and change their lives. The character of Eat, Pray, Love can illustrate this notion.

📍 Reassessment of values

Life crisis researcher Gail Sheehy claims that by the age of 30, a woman usually chooses one of four paths: family, career, attempts to combine family and career, or soul-searching. Whichever path a woman takes, she will reconsider it during the midlife crisis. That's what happens to Liz Gilbert.

Those who chose family are concerned they didn't achieve much in their careers. The career-centered ones are dissatisfied with their personal life. Women who try to do everything at once, realize: it's impossible, as there is not enough time. And those who are still searching are desperate about unraveling the secret of their happiness. Everyone tries to understand themselves and find their way.

📍 How to find oneself?

Liz Gilbert faces typical life crises worries. She is afraid she lives reflexively and cannot feel life at its fullest. Then, she endeavors to search for meaning in a journey. It is a great way to learn something new not only about the world but about yourself, too. Your inner voice speaks louder when you are alone.

In Italy, Elizabeth takes the first step towards the end of the crisis. She learns what it is to take pleasure from everyday actions and treat herself with care. That's where she finds strengths to keep moving towards changes. Her spiritual search starts in India. Living in an ashram, Liz learns that comfort is elapsing. She finds out how to spot and banish the thoughts and old ties she doesn't need anymore—no one can build something new on the ruins of the old time. In Indonesia, she finds love—and more questions. The audience doesn't see a happy ending of the two lovers' story: we only see the beginning of a relationship between people who are learning to overcome the fears and traumatic experiences from the past.

📍 What else can you do to get out of the crisis?

Avoid irrational negative attitudes: "I’ve missed all the good opportunities" or "I won't make it." These thoughts hinder your personal development and self-fulfillment. It's better to replace them with positive and life-affirming statements. Ask yourself, what do you really want? What can you do to achieve it? What resources do you have? Answer these questions and you'll find out that you have more opportunities than you can think of—so, use them! Think about your achievements and skills. This way, you'll have not only positive attitudes but some solid evidence to prove yourself worthy: you can achieve anything you want.

Don't be afraid of trying something new. After the age of 30, many people are afraid their time to change careers, meet new friends, and start a new relationship has passed. These fears only slow us down. Keep in mind that you can always find a new hobby, expand your knowledge in a new subject field, or move to the city of your dreams whenever you want.

Get to know yourself. Recognize your desires by looking into your deepest and most sincere aspirations. Give yourself time to reflect and think about what you like and what you don't in your life. Step by step, you'll understand what you’d like to see in yourself.

The movie Eat, Pray, Love shows how to effectively overcome one of the most crucial identity crises. Despite the fear of the unknown and self-doubt, the main character proves that it's never too late to try something new and get to know yourself.

📍 Have you ever experienced an identity crisis? What helped you to get over it?

It's important to know about the essence of personality and self-image formation at any age. Learn more about it in our video course Get to Know Yourself: Psychology of personality development.

✔️ 16 hours of lectures
✔️ Online anytime
✔️ Unlimited access

The link to the course is in the bio

Why You Shouldn’t Help Everyone On the Example of Cameron From House MD

House MD is a TV series beloved by the audience not only for its medical puzzles but also for the charismatic personality of Gregory House and his team. The characters came and went but one of the most memorable characters, Allison Cameron, stayed throughout the seasons. The viewers know her well for her kindness and desire to save everyone she sees.

Well, what’s wrong with helping people? Nothing until a person crosses the line between altruism and the rescuer syndrome. In this article, we discuss Cameron—a textbook example of a pathological rescuer.

💊 Who is Dr. Cameron?

Allison is a sweet and kind woman who is willing to save anyone in distress. She was one of the best students in med school but Gregory House hired her only for her pretty face. «I hired you because you’re hot, ” dr. House says. Yet, Dr. Cameron soon proved to be a top doctor.

Allison Cameron pays a lot of attention to her patient’s emotional state. She is great at negotiations and can persuade patients to agree to the treatment they need. Moreover, she is smart, reasonable, and takes her work seriously, which makes her an outstanding doctor.

However, her personal drama affects her work. She married a man suffering from thyroid cancer; despite careful treatment, her husband died 6 months after the wedding. That’s why later in the series, Cameron takes the death of her patients personally.

💊 Cameron the Rescuer

It’s safe to say that the desire to help a patient and fight for their lives is the default for any doctor, but why does Cameron express it so much more strongly than others? The answer is simple: she is a victim of the rescuer syndrome. That’s the reason behind her marrying a terminally ill man and fighting for every patient’s life till their last breath.
Such devotion for others is a noble notion—but the rescuer syndrome often harms the rescuer themselves. There is an episode when Allison watches a homeless patient dying without painkillers. The man didn’t want to leave this world without a trace—so he chose to die painfully, to leave a mark at least in his doctor’s memory. Watching him go was distressing for Cameron, but she went through it anyway, neglecting her values and mental stability.

A rescuer puts the comfort of others before their comfort and values. What are the features of rescuer syndrome?

💊 The rescuer syndrome

Rescuers are people who strive to help others despite everything. However, their behavior is not always all harmless and virtuous. Their goal lies not in just doing good deeds but in being nobler and better than others. By saving people, they earn respect and approval. For example, Allison got a great deal of sympathy from her colleagues and patients for her help and enduring bereavement. House is the only one who sees her recklessness.

Some rescuers don’t hesitate to use abusive and manipulative techniques, passing them off as a manifestation of their care and affection. Unsolicited advice and help are the most common types of abuse they resort to. They impose their opinion, make others play victims, and treat them respectively. Rescuers' motivation is obvious: they want to be praised and admired. That’s their way of self-assertion.

They are likely to risk everything for others, neglecting their safety. For example, Allison gives up on her personal life for the sake of saving patients. In reality, however, rescuers are the ones who need help, even if they refuse to accept it.

The rescuer syndrome is typical for doctors, psychologists, and community workers. These altruistic professions let the rescuers channel their energy to helping people without harming them. However, they often cannot maintain the balance; the rescuer syndrome affects all spheres of their lives, and enter codependent relationships.

💊 Codependent relationships

The American psychiatrist Stephen Karpman was the first to analyze codependent relationships and coin the term «drama triangle.» There are three roles a person can play: a Victim, a Rescuer, and a Persecutor. According to this theory, in a relationship, each person has a dominant role that determines their behavior and actions.

The Victim cannot take responsibility, the Aggressor controls the situation, and the Rescuer… rescues.

A person of one role is likely to attract a person of a different role. A Rescuer and a Persecutor find a Victim to help them or control all their steps. By the way, the romantic storyline of Cameron and House falls into the same pattern.

Her boss is an abusive addict and a Persecutor; she is a Rescuer who forces others into the role of Victim. Thus, Cameron entered a relationship with House in an attempt to save him. And that is why she doesn’t want to date House when he feels better and becomes as close to «normal» as possible. Even though House is ready to sacrifice a lot for the sake of the relationship, he remains an Aggressor, so he prevents all of Cameron’s attempts to get closer.

Such a codependent relationship is highly dangerous: it hinders one’s personal development and growth. If one wants to become a mature and independent person, they have to care about themselves first and not merge in the lives of others.

💊 How to escape the trap?

To break free from codependent relationships, one has to remember that there are no winners or losers in this situation. The key is to accept that your role as a rescuer is an integral part of your psyche and behavior.

👉 Learn to say 'no' to stop violating your personal boundaries by helping others.

👉 Learn to help others only when you’re asked for help. Keep in mind that unsolicited advice is a manifestation of abuse.

👉 Learn to establish and protect personal boundaries. As a rule, rescuers let others take advantage of their desire to help. Be objective about your mental, physical, and emotional resources.

👉 If you feel that you cannot escape the destructive pattern of helping others, or you know that your rescuer syndrome is caused by past trauma, address a psychologist or a psychotherapist.

💊 Sublimation

The rescuer syndrome is likely to stay with you for good. However, you can ease its dangerous effect by channeling your energy to a useful activity of helping people in need.

✔️ Choose the profession that is aimed at helping others: being a doctor, psychologist, or community worker. Allice, for example, chose the medical sphere and became a great expert in her field.

✔️ Engage in charity or donate money. Pick the sphere that appeals to you the most, be that helping children, seniors, animals, cities, or the planet’s eco-state.

✔️ Become a volunteer in the fields of education, culture, or event management.

💬 Have you ever encountered people with rescuer syndrome? Or have you noticed the signs of the rescuer syndrome in your behavior?

Our everyday actions and thoughts are guided by one of the three ego-states—a Child, a Parent, and an Adult—and that’s a whole new topic to cover. The course Transactional Analysis is dedicated to the patterns that we follow and the way they fuel (or hinder) our development and relationships with others.

Delve into the fascinating topic of Transactional Analysis now to get a better understanding of yourself and other people. Get unlimited access to the course and watch the lectures anytime!😛

Hurry to get the course at a special Christmas price. Make yourself a gift that will pay off!

Why You Shouldn’t Help Everyone On the Example of Cameron From House MD

House MD is a TV series beloved by the audience not only for its medical puzzles but also for the charismatic personality of Gregory House and his team. The characters came and went but one of the most memorable characters, Allison Cameron, stayed throughout the seasons. The viewers know her well for her kindness and desire to save everyone she sees.

Well, what’s wrong with helping people? Nothing until a person crosses the line between altruism and the rescuer syndrome. In this article, we discuss Cameron—a textbook example of a pathological rescuer.

💊 Who is Dr. Cameron?

Allison is a sweet and kind woman who is willing to save anyone in distress. She was one of the best students in med school but Gregory House hired her only for her pretty face. «I hired you because you’re hot, ” dr. House says. Yet, Dr. Cameron soon proved to be a top doctor.

Allison Cameron pays a lot of attention to her patient’s emotional state. She is great at negotiations and can persuade patients to agree to the treatment they need. Moreover, she is smart, reasonable, and takes her work seriously, which makes her an outstanding doctor.

However, her personal drama affects her work. She married a man suffering from thyroid cancer; despite careful treatment, her husband died 6 months after the wedding. That’s why later in the series, Cameron takes the death of her patients personally.

💊 Cameron the Rescuer

It’s safe to say that the desire to help a patient and fight for their lives is the default for any doctor, but why does Cameron express it so much more strongly than others? The answer is simple: she is a victim of the rescuer syndrome. That’s the reason behind her marrying a terminally ill man and fighting for every patient’s life till their last breath.
Such devotion for others is a noble notion—but the rescuer syndrome often harms the rescuer themselves. There is an episode when Allison watches a homeless patient dying without painkillers. The man didn’t want to leave this world without a trace—so he chose to die painfully, to leave a mark at least in his doctor’s memory. Watching him go was distressing for Cameron, but she went through it anyway, neglecting her values and mental stability.

A rescuer puts the comfort of others before their comfort and values. What are the features of rescuer syndrome?

💊 The rescuer syndrome

Rescuers are people who strive to help others despite everything. However, their behavior is not always all harmless and virtuous. Their goal lies not in just doing good deeds but in being nobler and better than others. By saving people, they earn respect and approval. For example, Allison got a great deal of sympathy from her colleagues and patients for her help and enduring bereavement. House is the only one who sees her recklessness.

Some rescuers don’t hesitate to use abusive and manipulative techniques, passing them off as a manifestation of their care and affection. Unsolicited advice and help are the most common types of abuse they resort to. They impose their opinion, make others play victims, and treat them respectively. Rescuers' motivation is obvious: they want to be praised and admired. That’s their way of self-assertion.

They are likely to risk everything for others, neglecting their safety. For example, Allison gives up on her personal life for the sake of saving patients. In reality, however, rescuers are the ones who need help, even if they refuse to accept it.

The rescuer syndrome is typical for doctors, psychologists, and community workers. These altruistic professions let the rescuers channel their energy to helping people without harming them. However, they often cannot maintain the balance; the rescuer syndrome affects all spheres of their lives, and enter codependent relationships.

💊 Codependent relationships

The American psychiatrist Stephen Karpman was the first to analyze codependent relationships and coin the term «drama triangle.» There are three roles a person can play: a Victim, a Rescuer, and a Persecutor. According to this theory, in a relationship, each person has a dominant role that determines their behavior and actions.

The Victim cannot take responsibility, the Aggressor controls the situation, and the Rescuer… rescues.

A person of one role is likely to attract a person of a different role. A Rescuer and a Persecutor find a Victim to help them or control all their steps. By the way, the romantic storyline of Cameron and House falls into the same pattern.

Her boss is an abusive addict and a Persecutor; she is a Rescuer who forces others into the role of Victim. Thus, Cameron entered a relationship with House in an attempt to save him. And that is why she doesn’t want to date House when he feels better and becomes as close to «normal» as possible. Even though House is ready to sacrifice a lot for the sake of the relationship, he remains an Aggressor, so he prevents all of Cameron’s attempts to get closer.

Such a codependent relationship is highly dangerous: it hinders one’s personal development and growth. If one wants to become a mature and independent person, they have to care about themselves first and not merge in the lives of others.

💊 How to escape the trap?

To break free from codependent relationships, one has to remember that there are no winners or losers in this situation. The key is to accept that your role as a rescuer is an integral part of your psyche and behavior.

👉 Learn to say 'no' to stop violating your personal boundaries by helping others.

👉 Learn to help others only when you’re asked for help. Keep in mind that unsolicited advice is a manifestation of abuse.

👉 Learn to establish and protect personal boundaries. As a rule, rescuers let others take advantage of their desire to help. Be objective about your mental, physical, and emotional resources.

👉 If you feel that you cannot escape the destructive pattern of helping others, or you know that your rescuer syndrome is caused by past trauma, address a psychologist or a psychotherapist.

💊 Sublimation

The rescuer syndrome is likely to stay with you for good. However, you can ease its dangerous effect by channeling your energy to a useful activity of helping people in need.

✔️ Choose the profession that is aimed at helping others: being a doctor, psychologist, or community worker. Allice, for example, chose the medical sphere and became a great expert in her field.

✔️ Engage in charity or donate money. Pick the sphere that appeals to you the most, be that helping children, seniors, animals, cities, or the planet’s eco-state.

✔️ Become a volunteer in the fields of education, culture, or event management.

💬 Have you ever encountered people with rescuer syndrome? Or have you noticed the signs of the rescuer syndrome in your behavior?

Our everyday actions and thoughts are guided by one of the three ego-states—a Child, a Parent, and an Adult—and that’s a whole new topic to cover. The course Transactional Analysis is dedicated to the patterns that we follow and the way they fuel (or hinder) our development and relationships with others.

Delve into the fascinating topic of Transactional Analysis now to get a better understanding of yourself and other people. Get unlimited access to the course and watch the lectures anytime!😛

Hurry to get the course at a special Christmas price. Make yourself a gift that will pay off!

Workaholism: Is Work Obsession a Disorder?

Work occupies a large part of our lives—the larger, sometimes. Most people find themselves working over 40 hours a week and squeezing urgent work tasks into their spare time.

That’s no news for the 21st century but some people develop a dull-on unhealthy addiction to work. They engage in work so much they can neglect their close ones and their own basic (sufficient sleep and food), let alone free time.

Society encourages such behavior, influencers motivate us to personal development 24/7—so now is the time we talked about the reverse side of the workaholism coin.

What is workaholism? Is it a disorder? Is it dangerous and how can one prevent it? Let's find out.

🔹Work addiction
Workaholism is a socially approved addiction that can lead to severe consequences just like any other non-chemical addiction (e.g. gambling.)

As a rule, a workaholic cannot set boundaries and manage their activities. They work at night and on weekends. They put too much pressure on themselves and let work take over other spheres of their life.

Work can and should be enjoyable and engaging. But even professional development and self-fulfillment aren’t worth wasting your health. Lack of sleep, chronic stress, and constant exhaustion might cause psychosomatic and mental disorders.

🔹Who is a workaholic?
It's a person whose desire to work goes beyond natural diligence and grows into an addiction. The person stops perceiving their job as a source of income and turns it into a shield from anxiety, self-doubt, and insecurity.

Devoting all time to work, a workaholic does everything to avoid flat renovation or resolving conflicts with a partner. "Don’t you see I’m busy" is their excuse. Workaholics find a certain comfort in completing never-ending tasks—but this doesn’t spare them from more problems in all other spheres of life.

🔹How to recognize a workaholic?
✔️ They only get satisfaction from the working process
Other life spheres are much less important for a workaholic, communication with friends and family included. They believe that work is the only means of self-assertion and respect.

✔️ They cannot switch to any other activity
All the thoughts of a workaholic are concentrated on work and upcoming projects. Their interests and topic for discussion are closely related to the object of addiction. They don't have free time for themselves and their hobbies, work late, and put off other things till the last moment.

✔️ They see personal relationships and relaxation as a waste of time
Workaholics don't let themselves rest. For them, time spent on a romantic relationship or simply watching Netflix is wasted time. They believe that taking a break from work means being weak-willed and lazy and are afraid of the lack of tasks. They also dedicate most of their free time to mastering professional skills.

✔️ High self-esteem on the outside, low self-esteem on the inside
A workaholic is likely to brag about their work-related achievements and highlight how important they are at work—that's why they work so much. However, it’s just the surface. In reality, a workaholic’s self-esteem is likely to be low, they are afraid of failures and devaluation.

🔹Hooray to emotional burnout!
Emotional burnout is a syndrome that comes as a result of chronic working stress that has not been successfully managed, according to the World Health Organization's International Disease Classification (ICD-11.) And it's safe to say that most workaholics have to deal with it at one point or another.

It takes time for the stress to build up and result in burnout. Let's take a look at the stages of emotional burnout proposed by psychologist Jerrold S. Greenberg.

1️⃣ Stage one: increased involvement in work, enthusiasm, thirst for recognition, the envy of more successful people.

2️⃣Stage two: tiredness and apathy, lack of interest in work and professional duties.

3️⃣Stage three: irritability, intolerance, anger, depressive feelings.

5️⃣Stage four: exacerbation of chronic diseases (headaches and spinal pains), dissatisfaction with the quality of life.

5️⃣Stage five: depression, suicidal thoughts.

Even though this state doesn't appear overnight, it might take a few months of work in the service industry. That's why one has to distinguish between work and private life and stick to basic rules of burnout prevention.

🔹Finding balance: simple but important tips
For leading a healthy life, maintaining a work-life balance is crucial. Learn to separate working time from resting time: try to cut working late and on weekends and go on a vacation every six months.

Don't forget about physical activity. Sport helps to fight stress and stimulates generating of happy hormones. The key is to find something that attracts you: yoga, dancing, boxing—anything works!

Make short breaks during the working time and don’t forget about lunch that should last for an hour. Taking a minute to stand up and rest your eyes every hour and a half might also be helpful. Combine them with any kind of physical activity: a walk around the office or doing a round of table tennis.

Stick to your sleeping pattern. Every person needs an individual number of hours of sleep; try to calculate your norm and stick to it. A stable daily routine also helps to save energy.

Save some time for your hobbies. Let your resting time be varied and interesting!

Learn to say “no” and delegate. You don't have to do everything on your own. Learn to assess your workload and capabilities.

One more time: workaholism is a type of non-chemical addiction. You won't find it among the list of mental disorders but its consequence, burnout, is included in ICD. However, some people see workaholism as something positive: what’s the problem if a person enjoys their work and devotes a lot of time to it?

But that's not quite a healthy approach. By working hard without taking breaks you accumulate exhaustion that even a 2-week vacation won’t help you recharge. What is more, workaholics are incapable of relaxation; this makes them more exposed to chronic stress, depression, and other problems.

If you have experienced any of the symptoms mentioned above, it's time to alter your approach to work. And if you understand that you cannot do it on your own, it’s worth turning to a specialist.

💬Have you ever faced workaholism? How passionate are you about your work?
_______________________________________________

Lack of rest, private life, and a never-ending pursuit of success exhaust us. In the course📍 Get To Know Yourself, we’ll teach you a scientific approach to understand yourself better, accept your individual features, and embrace or fix your personal flaws. It will help you to spot the upcoming burnout and help yourself on time.

Start watching at any time! Get unlimited access to the course and receive a certificate by the end of the course.

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Why Is It Okay To Be Unproductive?

Did it happen to you that you blame yourself for having a lazy day? Or ask yourself why you are tired even though you did nothing?

Today, productivity and success turned into a must. People are rejected in their right to rest without any purpose, and a lack of hobby is considered a pathology. The Internet and popular influencers offer us a million tips on how to boost your effectiveness. And one might ask: is it okay to be unproductive? Well, let's figure it out.

🔹Where does the idea of productivity come from?
Modern times are the era of fast development—and we have to keep up with its speed. Social networks are filled with the stories of people who had already made 10 000 steps by lunchtime, read a book, and completed all working tasks. We tend to compare their results with ours and feel like outsiders. This way, one might feel themselves a loser even though they don't sit still.

It is also believed that the more diverse the activity is, the better. Well, that's partly true: a change is as good as a rest. But keep in mind that this change has to be deliberated. How often do you start a new task because you "had to" or "there's so much to do?"

Such a rapid pace doesn't fit for everyone, and the residents of big cities are more likely to turn to psychologists or psychotherapists. Their nervous system cannot cope with such a workload. People strive for money and success—but forget about having rest, face burnout and anxiety.

🔹Hiding away from troubles
Did you know that excessive activity is a sign of mental distress and imbalance? Society approves when a person is active: it feels like a healthy person has to behave actively and restlessly as they are energetic and can switch between different tasks. However, this type of activity serves as a defensive mechanism: we try to distract from the problems that eat us and avoid being alone.

You've definitely met people who are always in a hurry, study, and work restlessly—and for them, it's torture to spend another hour in bed. They work late and don't understand how one can be "ineffective." However, these people fulfill their tasks poorly and cannot run away from their problems.

🔹Don't trust social networks
As a rule, people tend to show their achievement, leaving problems and failures in the background. That's why it seems that everyone's doing great—except for us.

And that's when FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) creeps down your chest: it's largely triggered by social networks. It happens when we compare the eventful life of our friends and acquaintances to ours. It feels like we are wasting me while others read books, go on vacation, or purchase flats—and you force yourself out of bed.

It's safe to say that social networks never reflect the reliable image of someone's life and reality. Look at your Instagram account through the eyes of a different person and you are likely to feel like the profile owner has no troubles. But you are the only one who knows what's happening in your life.

🔹Ignoring your desires
Today, almost everyone wants to be incredibly effective. For example, a while ago people tried biohacking that aimed at using all the physical abilities of a person's mind and body. It seems like if one follows the rules, they will be able to sleep less and work more.

But as a matter of fact, no one takes into account their abilities and needs. If you ask someone to name at least 20 desires, they are unlikely to be able to do it. So, why don't we listen to ourselves?

In our childhood, parents taught us to eat even though we didn't want to. It turns into a habit, and we project into all spheres of life as we get older. We agree to fulfill tasks that we are not interested in and kick off careers in the field that bores us, ignoring what we really want. That's why we struggle with anxiety and feel empty.

However, not everyone has to boost their productivity. Some people want to chill on the couch without making any plans of conquering the world of career success.

🔹Being unproductive is okay
But here is the thing: one doesn't have to follow the trends of society, the Internet, or fashion. If you are okay with waking up at 5 am to enjoy the early morning and go to the gym every day—that's your choice. But if you lack such a need—it doesn't make you somehow worse. Sometimes, the ability to do nothing is the best way to relax and recharge to become active again.

If we take up an impossible number of tasks, we won't get any more productive or faster. On the contrary, we will feel out of place and experience anxiety that would reduce our enthusiasm. You can break free from this vicious circle if you listen to yourself and your needs.

At its worst, excessive productivity leads to severe consequences including psychosomatic disorders. Your main guideline should be your comfort and your feelings. In other words, those who don't rest enough work badly: the mind strives for a change, and if you have rest, you'll find it easier to manage your life and your tasks.

Yet, if you can't put up with a massive workload, but have to keep on working, try meditation or other relaxation techniques. If you are unable to fix the situation on your own, don't hesitate to ask for professional help.

💬Do you let yourself unwind in good time? Share in the comments your ways to have rest.
_____________________________________________

📍And don't forget about our course Get To Know Yourself: there you can learn a lot about your psyche and how to understand your needs. It's time to listen to your desires before it's too late: a norm can turn into a pathology overnight. Learn to accept both yourself and others:

✔ 16 hours of lectures
✔ Everything from eating habits to motivation
✔ Unlimited access
✔ Online anytime

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