Psychology

We all must have been in a situation when we had to pay for something more than we hoped. At first, we don’t like it but then we get used to it. And sometime later, this seems normal to us: Yes, airport food is more expensive, and stores only have standard-sized clothes, so what?

There are 7 basic personality traits of difficult people. They include grandiosity, aggressiveness, callousness, suspiciousness, manipulation, risk-taking, and domineering. And while there’s nothing we can do to make these people more easygoing, we can help ourselves by being prepared for the next time we face an argument with this kind of person.

The demand for the services of psychotherapists keeps growing every year. Alas, not each person is lucky enough to be born with parents who resemble the characters of a book about a happy family. Sometimes mothers and fathers criticize and mock their children, ignore them, or compare them with other siblings.

With the intention of having some kind of benefit or control over others in their surroundings, some people are capable of emotionally manipulating their peers. Most often they will use dishonest or exploitative strategies that you should try to avoid at all costs so you don’t get tangled up in their issues. Of course, keep in mind that in some way, we can all be somewhat manipulative. However, if it is something that we notice starts happening all the time, we should be attentive and handle things carefully to avoid being hurt and to stop encouraging this type of situation in our environment.

Your life may turn into a prison if your parents constantly say you’re not good enough. This affects one’s adult life greatly, leaving you without self-confidence, opinions, and a critical voice inside you. Healing doesn’t come in a strike of willpower, but with the right advice, it may turn into a journey you need and can endure.

Scientists say that smart people don’t pay much attention to other people’s advice. Moreover, people, in general, tend to rely on their own opinion more. However, we keep hearing some phrases so often that it seems they have been recorded in our brains, from “be smart,” to “don’t react,” to “follow your dreams.”

We bet every parent has come across unsolicited advice on how to raise their kids at least once in their life. Neighbors, relatives, and friends are eager to share their “priceless” experiences and opinions on how the baby and their parents should behave and build their lives. At the same time, most of them simply don’t take into account the fact that a method that worked with one kid can be absolutely non-applicable to another one.

Double standards mean applying the same rule or situation differently to one group of people than to another. Perhaps the most wide-spread double standards can be seen in gender-related matters but are also there in every other sphere of our lives. The most surprising thing is that oftentimes we ourselves apply those standards to the people surrounding us and don’t even notice it.

Childhood, a time when we’re taken care of as fragile and vulnerable people is quite different than adulthood. As adults, we begin to follow a new set of rules and understand over time that we’re interesting to ourselves only. There’s no one to push us toward success, give us their shoulder to cry on, or praise us when we’ve done something good. And ultimately, there are always going to be people who are smarter, better, and more attractive than us.

We all have to apologize and accept apologies in awkward situations from time to time. However, sometimes apologies aren’t as sincere as we tend to think they are. Saying sorry and not really meaning it is the same as lying. And when someone makes the statement, “I’m sorry,” but doesn’t take responsibility for their misdeed, it’s called a “non-apology apology.”

New moms often have to face the challenge of breastfeeding their kid in public while hoping no one will make any comments about it. Unfortunately, many people find it outrageous, and as a mom, you might feel the need to apologize for it. But this isn’t something you should apologize for, because it’s something natural and harmless, and it’s only done for the good of your baby.

20-30 years ago, our parents had no access to books about raising kids or online seminars for psychologists and teachers. Children were raised intuitively, very often based on their parents’ experience. This is why there’s nothing surprising about the fact that many values our parents thought were immutable are actually not. And these rules really puzzle us today.

The difference between men and women does exist but it’s not as big as it’s believed to be. And, of course, these differences are no reason to say that one of the sexes is better than the other. In most cases, gender prejudice is related to women, but men also suffer from discrimination. Saying that “boys don’t cry” is just one example of toxic masculinity — a set of rules for men that continually prevents them from living life to the fullest.

Going to therapy can be really expensive, and not everybody can actually afford it. That is why Caroline Moss created a thread in Twitter where she asked users to quote the best things they’ve learned from their therapists, so that everyone else can use them “for free.”

We may all feel insecure or uncertain when we begin new relationships, wondering if someone really likes us. None of us are mind readers, but our bodies and psychology can be telling. Luckily, there are some signs that clearly answer this question and can subtly let us know how someone really feels about us. At Bright Side, we want you to be at ease and confident in your relationships. So we’re sharing these little-known signs to look out for in new relationships.

Some people, consciously or subconsciously, often have attitudes that can be hurtful to others. These can range from derogatory gestures and constant criticism to ironic comments, name-calling, and disapproval. These are all forms of behavior that don’t really have a positive impact on our well-being. However, while we can’t prevent others from acting this way, the way we react when these things happen can make a difference.

The longer a relationship is, the more valuable it is. It’s difficult to stop communicating with old friends but sometimes, it’s absolutely necessary. A good friendship can become weaker over the years and may even prove useless for both parties involved.

Parents are supposed to be a child’s biggest cheerleaders. I wish this were the case with me. Instead of making me feel confident in my skin, my mother often takes jabs at me and pokes at my insecurities, saying that she only “means well”. However, this time, I don’t know if my parents are actually being helpful or not. Do I take their advice?

In accordance with this study, only 50% of those people who we consider our friends think the same thing in return. These people may spend time with us because they want to get something from us or they think that having a lot of friends is good for their image. But even if your friendship began with mutual interest this might change to something completely different in time. Of course, misunderstandings and fights can happen even between the dearest of friends, but if these relationships make you feel uncomfortable on a regular basis and often upset you, maybe it’s time to think about whether or not you need to continue them.

Let’s face it, no one knows every little detail when getting hired for a new job. There isn’t a global rule book that tells you what to do and what to avoid doing. These are things that come with experience and after making quite a few mistakes first. Yes, you know the basics like being civil and polite, but you still need to learn what to say when your boss asks you something tricky.

Little kids are very attached to their parents and want to spend as much time as possible with them. Research has shown that kids experience a high level of stress in school and kindergarten because of the long separation from their parents and it affects the development of their brain negatively. But this situation can be improved if you know what to do. And that’s what our article is about.

An empath is a person who feels for those around them and often receives their emotions like their own. This is why people often turn to them for advice and compassion. However, not everyone who pays attention to others’ problems is an empath. There are some clear signs that can reveal if you are an empath or not, and some of them might truly surprise you.

There are some difficult life problems that we wish we had special magical buttons to help solve. Unfortunately, there is no such thing. But some psychological tricks can help you deal with difficulties, fix your relationships with other people, and find peace of mind.

We tend to think that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But, as a study suggests, this isn’t necessarily true. In fact, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Standards of attractiveness are, indeed, broadly shared, however, our personal preferences play quite a big role too.