Have you ever heard a little voice in the back of your mind tell you that you can’t do something?

All of us have experienced this at some point. We all have that inner critic—the one who says we’re "too much" or "not enough." Perhaps you first heard it from a parent, a teacher, or your peers when you were young, and the criticism stuck.

As a general rule, most of us fear change. We cling to what’s safe, even when it’s no longer good for us. It might be a job we don’t love, a relationship that’s draining our energy, a toxic friendship, or an unhealthy habit.

When faced with a seemingly minor challenge, we can spend hours dreaming up worst-case scenarios. A problem that is actually relatively easy to solve can suddenly feel like an insurmountable obstacle. Even though you’re probably capable of figuring out the issue, you feel paralyzed by all of the “what ifs.”

Someone who is grieving might feel emotionally numb, have difficulty expressing themselves, wonder if life really has any meaning, or isolate themselves from their friends and family. They may also have trouble eating or sleeping and avoid leaving their house.