Read more about the article Can perfectionism help or hurt you?
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Can perfectionism help or hurt you?

Can perfectionism help or hurt you? Let’s explore this question by looking at the definitions, advantages and disadvantages of this very complex trait.

Words associated with perfectionism include: flawless, faultless, extreme, obsessive, supreme, excellence, ideal standard, extremely high standards, and doing something well. At first glance, perfectionism should be a virtue, but there’s a lot of pain and frustration associated with it. Depending on how you use it, it can help you excel, or it can immobilize you. (more…)

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Read more about the article Do you have good habits of mind?
Habits of Mind: 16 Essential Characteristics for Success

Do you have good habits of mind?

In their groundbreaking book, Habits of Mind, Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick, identify a set of 16 problem solving, life related skills, necessary to effectively operate in society. These skills promote strategic reasoning, insightfulness, perseverance, creativity, and craftsmanship.

One goal behind these life skills is to provide a road map as to how to behave intelligently when you DON’T know the answer. It means having a disposition toward intelligent behavior when confronted with problems or new learning.

The application of these 16 Habits of Mind will help you work through real life situations. They are as follows:

  1. Persisting: Sticking to a task at hand. Following through to completion. Can and do remain focused. (more…)

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Read more about the article How well do you take care of yourself?
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How well do you take care of yourself?

How well do you take care of yourself? I know that this question might seem a little strange to HSPs, since our first inclination is to take care of others. We often place the needs of others above what we need.

Do you take the time to think about what you need? This is not being selfish. After all, you can’t give to others when your energy is depleted, either physically, emotionally, or both. (more…)

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How important is learning during adolescence?

Using your brain, particularly during adolescence, may help brain cells survive and could impact how the brain functions in adulthood. According to a published study in Frontiers in Neuroscience, Rutgers behavioral and systems neuroscientist, Tracey Shors, found that the brain cells in young rats that were successful at learning survived, while those that weren’t able to master tasks died quickly. You can think of this as a “survival of the fittest” for brain cells. (more…)

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