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This was a monumental year for The Emotion Machine, which officially turned over 10 years old this year! That’s a whole decade of writing and sharing information about psychology and self-improvement.

It’s now time to recap the best article published in 2019. As always, it’s a nice combination of articles covering a wide-range of topics including positive psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, mindfulness meditation, and emotional intelligence.

Please take a look through and see if there are any interesting articles you may have missed this year! And get ready for more new articles in 2020!





My Best Self-Improvement Articles of 2019

Here are the best articles about psychology and self-improvement published at The Emotion Machine in 2019. Check them out!







In a world where we are constantly asked to move forward, we have forgotten the powerful art of taking a “step back.” Here’s why taking a “step back” is so important for our happiness, success, and well-being. Taking a step back isn’t quitting, it’s giving yourself an opportunity to step forward even stronger.







Whether you’re feeling trapped in your life or you’re just looking to make a major change, sometimes your best option is to do a “hard reset” to your current life and start again from scratch.







Here’s a breakdown of my daily “Multi-Stage Meditation” practice, which combines elements of breathing, mindfulness, visualization, and metta (or “loving-kindness”). The best part of this meditation is that it covers multiple areas of mental health including focus, relaxation, confidence, relationships, and gratitude all within the span of just 15 minutes. It could become a life-changing habit, try it out for yourself!







Are you comfortable with being alone? While there can often be a cultural stigma that solitude is bad or unhealthy, a new study suggests that solitude can also be an important avenue for self-discovery and self-growth.







Human touch plays an important role in developing our sense of self, how we connect with others, and our overall happiness and well-being. Are you fulfilling your daily need for touch?







A fun trick to better manage your negative thinking is to create a unique name for your negative inner voice to help distance yourself from those thoughts and better respond to them.







We rarely experience one singular emotion, but often a cocktail of different emotions at the same time. Accepting and embracing the “emotional complexity” of life is key to becoming more emotionally intelligent.







How can imagining an “opposite version” of yourself help you overcome limiting beliefs and a limited self-image? Try this provocative exercise to learn more about yourself.







If you want to be healthier and exercise more, it’s important to first understand your individual personality so that you can choose activities that resonate with you and keep you motivated.







When someone says a stupid or rude comment in front of you, it’s tempting to want to immediately respond to it. However, often silence is the best response. Psychology research shows that silence can actually “preserve your energy” in the face of a negative or rude comment.







Our beliefs play a major role in our lives – they can either motivate us or keep us stuck in the same old patterns. Here are 7 common beliefs of “mediocre minds” that often halt change and growth. Do you recognize any of them in yourself?







Sleep is tremendously important to our overall physical and mental health. And the “sleep it off” strategy can be an underrated yet super effective way to deal with most of life’s daily stresses and frustrations.







You don’t measure up with anyone, because you can’t accurately compare yourself to others. Here’s why you should avoid excessive social comparison and the “Keeping Up With the Joneses” mentality.







Savoring is the act of recognizing, appreciating, and prolonging a positive experience. We typically think of savoring while eating, but it’s an ability that can be applied to every area of your life.

“Savoring the positive” is a very under-appreciated skill. More and more I’m trying to recognize and appreciate the tiny pleasures and joys during my everyday routine. And this shift in my perspective has made me much more energized and motivated throughout the day.







According to a new study, setting goals that are “realistic” and “attainable” is the key to well-being and success. This is consistent with the popular SMART method for goal-setting. When you set realistic and attainable goals, you begin to build more confidence in yourself. You begin to see progress – and that keeps you motivated and inspired to keep going!







We all have responsibilities, obligations, and chores that we don’t necessarily like doing, but know we have to do anyway. Here are the top mental strategies for completing these tasks, according to psychologists.







According to a new research, self-compassion and thinking kind thoughts about yourself is not only good for your mental health, but can actually affect you at a physical and biological level. How kind are you toward yourself?







The “silent treatment” is when a person purposefully cuts off communication with someone to try and change them or manipulate their behavior. According to psychologists, it’s a sign of a very toxic relationship.







Gamification is the process of using “gaming elements” in non-gaming situations. The idea is that by making an activity seem more like a “game,” individuals will be more motivated and focused to continue that activity and stay committed to it.







Dark humor about death, illness, depression, and tragedy can seem wrong and disturbing, but there is some evidence that it can be an important part of the healing process for some people.





Self-Improvement Coaching

Aside from all of my writing, I’m also a self-improvement coach.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with people from all different backgrounds and walks-of-life including entrepreneurs, musicians, artists, students, doctors, and athletes.

In many ways, self-improvement coaching is one of the most rewarding things I do. I get to connect with people 1 on 1, provide direct feedback and support, and see their progress and improvement in real-time.

If you’re looking to take your self-improvement to the next level, I highly recommend you reach out to me.

Just fill out the form at the bottom of my coaching page and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

You can also read my biography and check out testimonials from people who have already worked with me!

Thanks to everyone for a great year! Let’s make 2020 even better!



Stay updated on new articles and resources in psychology and self improvement:



