how i combat 'everyone' syndrome

Many people feel overwhelmed when "everyone" reacts negatively to their social media posts or when "everyone" at work seems difficult. In reality, it's often just a few negative comments out of many or a couple of challenging colleagues.

Negativity bias amplifies these few negative experiences, making them seem more prevalent than they are. When I catch myself, I modify thoughts like "everyone thinks..." to a more accurate assessment: "a few people said...".

I try to reserve exaggeration for humor, not for playing the victim.

happiness: a choice beyond cliche

It's natural to believe our happiness is dictated by circumstances. "If only X happened, then I'd be happy." While it's trite, cliche wisdom to say that happiness is a choice, the cash value of anything wise is beyond intellectual acknowledgment. It demands understanding it in your bones and deploying it in a way that makes sense.

Choosing happiness often means accepting responsibility—a commitment many avoid. Similarly, self-pity can be a convenient means of stalling action to wait for change from external forces.

You are more than the sum of your experiences. You are the choices you make and the meanings you assign to them.

the most powerful force in our personality

...is our need to be consistent with who we believe we are.

At some point, we freeze into an identity and think: "This is who I am...this is how people like me behave."

When exactly did you decide who you were? Is this identity still serving you and those you love?