Once in awhile I have the insight and strength to stop myself. I’ll hear the repetitive tape playing in my mind of illogical fears and never coming into fruition worries and in being conscious of them, they disappear.

But it’s always the moments when I stray too far from the middle when the temptations to fit in, to be “normal,” to do what everyone else does that I get lost in a crowd of thoughts and forget.

It’s the same thing that happens when we believe in a black or white, all or nothing philosophy. For example, believing all video games are bad. That the most important thing in life is being successful. That you will never be able to get rid of your panic attacks. That eating disorders and body image issues only concern young women. That children shouldn’t be taught how to learn things from an iPad.

These limiting beliefs rob us of possibility and hope. It’s kind of what Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw said in Sex and the City. We end up “shoulding all over ourselves.” Not only do they make us feel bad, but they end up sabotaging our lives.

I’m certain that this week’s top posts will bring you hope. They demonstrate you don’t have to live your life a certain way to be happy. You just have to find what works for you and have the courage to stick with it.

A Secret to Happiness: Einstein

(Mindfulness & Psychotherapy) – You have everything you need and want in life, but still feel unhappy. This sense of emptiness could be derived from a having a lack of meaning and value in your life. This will show you how to get them back.

Designing Video Games for Mental Health

(The Creative Mind) – If you’ve equated video games with violence in the past, this will surprise you. There are a few games that are helping individuals better cope with stress, increase cognitive function and even reduce depression.

Facing Panic Attacks Head On

(Anxiety & OCD Exposed) – Find out what panic attacks look like, what you can do to treat it and learn a few techniques to help you cope.

Autism and the iPad

(Adventures of a Bipolar Mom) – Read as one mother struggles with her contradictory feelings of pride and sadness over her two-year old’s obsession with the iPad.

Body Image, Bullying & Eating Disorders In The Gay Community

(Weightless) – Rarely do we talk about it. But body image concerns, bullying and eating disorders affect gay and bisexual men as much or even more so than young women. Get the facts here.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 16 Dec 2011
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.