Chearful soundbites we think you’ll enjoy

Athiya Kabir shares her professional insights on how you can deal with peer pressure and make sure your choices are yours.

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كم مرة تلقيت سؤال: 'هل ما زلت عازبًا؟' أو 'هل قابلت شخصًا جديدًا؟' وجعلوك تشعر وكأن قيمتك تعتمد على حالتك العاطفية؟ إليك بعض النصائح لمساعدتك على عدم الانجراف تحت هذا الضغط الاجتماعي والاستمتاع بوقتك كشخص عازب.

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Athiya Kabir talks about how to manage social media in a healthy way so it doesn't impact your mental health and wellbeing. Being mindful of our use is important, as is setting time limits on daily use. Evaluate the type of accounts that you commonly view or follow, and weed out the ones that you think may be harmful to your wellbeing. Watch the Chearful soundbite to hear more

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Do you ever feel like you’re a fake, but you know it isn’t true? This is called Imposter Syndrome. And it refers to a psychological phenomenon where a person doubts their accomplishments and is afraid of being exposed as a fraud, despite their competence and achievements. People with imposter syndrome often believe that they are not as capable as others perceive them to be, and they think their successes come from luck or external factors. Imposter syndrome can show up in different ways, such as, feeling inadequate, constantly comparing oneself to others, fearing failure, and having difficulty accepting positive feedback. The causes of imposter syndrome are complex and can include factors such as, perfectionism, high expectations, early experiences of criticism or failure, and societal pressures. And, sometimes certain work cultures that emphasize competition and comparison can contribute. Here are some ways you can manage these thoughts and feelings: Remind yourself of your successes and the hard work, skills and learning that went into them. Pay attention to your inner dialogue and challenge negative thoughts about yourself, and instead focus on your strengths, and use positive affirmations. Talk to trusted friends, family members, or mentors who can provide encouragement and perspective. Understand that perfection is not always attainable, and it's okay to make mistakes or encounter setbacks. Set realistic goals for yourself and celebrate progress along the way. Recognize that learning and growth are ongoing processes. Remember, imposter syndrome is a common experience, and many successful individuals have struggled with it at some point. With self-awareness and self-compassion you can gradually overcome imposter syndrome and become more confident. Thank you for watching, and see you next time.

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Hello, Sandra here from Go you that is get out of your own ways. And this series is looking at practical ways to improve your work life balance. Now, I know the phrase work life balance can seem almost elusive, unobtainable, impossible to reach in today's hectic, busy norm and most people's reality involves a long list of personal and professional “To Dos”. And although there is a lot of these “To Dos” are very real, the need for balance is also real and really important. So being out of your work life balance for a short period of time, yes, that's manageable. However, remaining on that pathway for a longer time frame can have dire, terrible consequences for your physical and mental well-being. It's important to take some time to reflect on your own work life balance and decide if you need to take some action. So, starting today, here are some practical ideas that you can incorporate into your life to gain a healthier and more sustainable long-lasting work-life balance. Me time and reflection, giving 30 minutes to yourself a day can help you reset and feel grounded. It will recharge you for going back out into the world. It's your me time. So, stick to what makes you the happiest. It's also an opportunity for you to connect with your inner self. Reflect on what is going well and what you might need to address and change. Don't ignore looming problems, tackle them early. Number two, be social. We are social beings, and we all need friends and family. So, make time for family and friends just as you would do for work, maintaining a healthy balance between personal and professional life is key. Do things with family that brings you closer to each other, have meaningful conversations and have lots of fun. It could be something as simple as having dinner together or going out for a walk. And number three, learn to prioritize when it comes to work life balance. There are no set rules. The goal is to set your priorities according to your needs and your situation and allocating enough time to each of the important activities. However, accept that there is no perfect balance. Knowing your priorities will keep you away from any unnecessary and unimportant tasks. That's it for today. See you in the next series. You can view my profile and my areas of specialization here

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Forgiving betrayal can be difficult and painful, but it is possible with time and effort. Here are some steps you can take, to begin the process: Acknowledge your feelings: Betrayal can be a deeply hurtful experience, and it's important to allow yourself to feel the range of emotions that come with it, such as: anger, sadness, and disappointment. Don't try to suppress or deny your feelings, but rather identify, and allow yourself to understand them. Practice empathy: Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes and understand why they may have acted in the way they did. This doesn't mean that you excuse their behavior, but it can help you to see things from their perspective. Communicate your needs: If you feel ready to confront the person who betrayed you, it can be helpful to talk about your needs and boundaries clearly. Let them know how their actions affected you and what you need from them to move forward. Let go of grudges: Holding onto anger and resentment can become toxic and hurtful. Instead, try to focus on your own healing and growth. Practice self-care: It's important to prioritize your own well-being during this time. Practice self-care activities that help you to feel grounded and centered, such as exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones. Remember that forgiveness is a personal process, and there is no right or wrong way to go about it. Give yourself time and space to heal, and don't be afraid to seek support from friends, family, or a therapist . The Chearful team thanks you for watching, we are here to help and support you.

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Cell Phone addiction can have negative consequences on a person’s physical and mental health, as well as their social relationships and overall well-being.  Managing your family's phone addiction may be challenging, but here are some strategies that can help: Establish clear rules and guidelines around phone use for everyone in the family. For example, you may decide to have a "no phones during meals" rule or limit phone use after a certain time at night. Be sure to communicate these rules clearly and consistently enforce them. Encourage family members to engage in other activities that they enjoy, such as playing games, reading, or spending time outdoors. This can help reduce the need for constant phone use and provide other sources of pleasure and fulfillment. Be a good role model for your family by modeling healthy phone use habits yourself. Limit your own phone use and prioritize spending quality time with your family. Make a conscious effort to spend quality time together as a family doing activities that everyone enjoys. This can help strengthen your family bonds and reduce the need for constant phone use. There are many apps available that can help limit phone use, such as apps that block certain websites or apps during specific times of day or limit overall screen time. Encourage open and honest communication with your family about their phone use. Let them know how their phone use is affecting the family dynamic, and encourage them to be open to making changes. Remember, managing phone addiction in the family takes time and effort, but with patience, communication, and support, it is possible to make positive changes. It is a team effort. 

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Managing anger can be a challenging task, but with practice and the right tools, it can become easier over time. Here are some strategies that can help Identify triggers: Keeping a journal or taking note of what situations or people make you angry can help you identify patterns and come up with strategies to manage those triggers. Practice relaxation techniques: Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help you calm down when you feel angry. Make a habit of practicing these techniques regularly, so they become a natural response to anger. Communicate effectively: Learning how to express your anger in a constructive way is important. Try to use "I" statements instead of "you" statements, avoid blaming or attacking language, and stick to the topic at hand. Take a break: Sometimes, it's best to step away from a situation that's making you angry. Take a few minutes to calm down and collect your thoughts before returning to the situation. And of course, Get support: If you're struggling to manage your anger, consider seeking help from a therapist or support group. They can help you develop coping skills and offer guidance. Most importantly, don't forget to be patient with yourself as you navigate through your emotions. Thank you for watching, and the Chearful team wishes you well!

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Managing your teen's emotions can be challenging, and here are some simple tips to help them navigate their way way through to healthy wellbeing.

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Hi, I'm Priya Cima and I'd like to talk to you about empathy. What is empathy? Empathy is literally showing understanding and compassion to other people. It's about knowing and understanding what they feel and how they feel. And empathy can be learned, and it needs to be practiced. So how do we practice empathy? Three very simple ways that we can practice empathy. One, be curious, ask questions, ask people how they feel. There is no awkward moment when all you're doing is showing that you care. Two, join a larger cause, something that's bigger than yourself, and something that has meaning for you so you can learn about different things, and different people, different cultures, different ways of living and feeling. And three finally, listen. Listen carefully to the underlying emotions, feelings, thoughts that come behind words that people use, give them time to speak, respond and don't react.  

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Hi, I'm Dr. Chris Willard. I'm a clinical psychologist, faculty at Harvard Medical School and an author of a number of different books. The one I'm most excited about, and the concept I'm most excited about comes out of positive psychology. And it's this idea of post traumatic growth. What we actually know? Well, we certainly know that many of us have been through incredibly trying challenging experiences in these past few years during the pandemic. And even before and after the pandemic, so many other traumas of life, big and small, whatever even that means have been experienced by us and the people that we love and other people around the world. What's amazing now is that actually, more people go on to experience post traumatic growth, in addition to post traumatic stress in their lives after going through difficult times. I'm really excited. I'm doing a series of workshops on this topic, have a new book coming out on this topic, how we grow through what we go through which I think we've all been through some hard times, and thinking about what are the practices that we know from spirituality? What are the practices that we know from anthropology, even from history, as well as from neuroscience and contemporary psychology, and positive psychology that can teach us how we can thrive not just survive in this space of life's challenges? So I hope that you'll research this topic, learn a little bit more about it. I know through Chearful there'll be a lot of resources on this topic of post traumatic growth, as well as topics like self compassion, as well as topics like positive psychology as well as topics like mindfulness and others that are near and dear to my heart. And I hope that you'll check them out and I look forward to getting to know you better.

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Hi everyone. I'm Priya Cima. Welcome to cheerful.com. I'm here to talk to you a little bit about mental health and the terminology or the phrase good mental health. In today's world, international health organizations across the globe have decided and have acknowledged the fact that people's mental health and well-being is so important, especially as we have stress and anxiety on the rise. It's important for us to understand what good mental health actually means. The term good mental health refers to the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual, and how they actually manage the stresses in their life. So good mental health is really about the behavior that translates from the emotions and thoughts that they feel. So, what does that mean? Good mental health is about acknowledging and accepting the fact that a person person can feel fear, loss, pain, any of the negative emotions, so called negative emotions, as well as the positive emotions like happiness, joy, and peace. So, it's about really allowing a person to go through the spectrum of emotions, acknowledging them, accepting them, and then learning how to manage the behaviors that come out of them in an effective and healthy manner. And that is good mental health. Thank you.

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This is a quick mindfulness meditation, which will help to relax your body and your mind. reduce anxiety, release tension, and refocus your attention. Close your eyes and smile.  We're going to set the intention. This is a moment for me.  As you breathe in, visualize a bright golden light entering through the crown of your head and filling your entire body.  As you breathe out, this golden light leaves your body through your fingertips and takes with it all of the tension, making you feel more and more relaxed. As the golden light enters through the crown of your head, visualize and relax the crown of your head and your scalp.  Visualize and relax your face and your head. Visualize and relax your neck and your throat.  Visualize and relax your shoulders, your upper arms and your lower arm. Visualize and relax your hands, your fingers and your fingertips where that golden light is leaving your body and taking with it the stress, the anxiety, the tension to leave you feeling a deep state of relaxation.  Stay here for a few more deep and cleansing breath and finally, slowly and mindfully open your eyes.  Namaste and have a beautiful day!

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Hi everyone, and welcome to cheerful.com. Today I'd like to talk to you about the language of mental health or mental well-being. It's so important that we use the right words and terminology, it's so important that we as a community understand what mental health actually means. mental distress is really about the different stresses that occur, the daily stresses, things like presentations that you have to give or exams, or any, any sort of performance stress that a person might have. So, these are the kinds of stresses that a person goes through on a daily basis, and then they overcome it because of their own inner strength and being able to manage it effectively.  Now, a mental problem or mental health problem is one step above that. And that's when a person actually goes through some sort of a dramatic life change or change in circumstances in their lives. It's when maybe someone goes through a sense of loss of a loved one or a friend. And this is a little bit more prolonged, where an individual will have a prolonged period of stress and anxiety, and this could affect, and does in fact, affect their physical well-being as well as their emotional and social, psychological well-being. And then we have the third level, which is a bit more serious and requires a diagnosis. And this is the mental health illnesses.  These are the mental health disorders, things like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or depression or chronic anxiety. And this requires a lot more support from practitioners, mental health practitioners, as well as from family and friends. So, there are distinct layers to mental health and mental well-being. And it's important that we recognize that, so we don't misunderstand, and we don't misuse the terminology.  So, somebody who is active and energetic does not have ADHD, necessarily. Someone who is, you know, focused on cleanliness and hygiene does not have obsessive compulsive disorder, necessarily. So, it's really important that we as individuals recognize this.  Thank you and have a nice day.

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Hello, my name is Dr. Sumner and I'm here to talk to you about three things you can do to manage anxiety. The first thing to do is simply notice, notice those moments when you are feeling anxious. Conscious awareness is helpful to identify in particular, triggers. So we understand what it is that's making us feel anxious. And journaling is a great way to do that. The second thing is to use simple relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, I'm mindful activities.  Thirdly, it's really important that if you're feeling overwhelmed by anxious thoughts and feelings, if you feel like your anxiety is increasing in frequency, then please reach out to a mental health professional who can provide you further details, support and advice.

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