Live Bold and Bloom

Why Is Your Ex Pretending To Be Over You When It’s Crystal Clear He’s Not? You Might Be Surprised By These 11 Reasons

So your ex dumped you not too long ago, or maybe you left him.

It was painful for both of you because there really was chemistry and connection between you.

Maybe even love.

You’ve pondered the idea of getting back together, but your ex is acting weird.

You’ve seen him at parties or run into him at Starbucks, and he’s trying to act distant and cool.

But you know him, and there’s something behind the facade that says he still loves you (or at least isn’t entirely over you).

Is all of the bravado for real?

Or is there a wedge in his heart that wants to be pried open?

Let’s find out, shall we?

13 Subtle Ways To Make The Narcissist In Your Life Miserable

by Barrie Davenport

What are the most effective ways to make a narcissist miserable without putting your own well-being at risk?

After all, when a narcissist feels defeated, their first line of defense is to punish you.

Your misery is their gain if they can get you to back down and give them what they want.

On the other hand, what you want isn’t so much their misery as your freedom from it.

We support that.

12 Essential Ways To Take Care Of Yourself

by Barrie Davenport

woman drinking green smoothie, take care of yourself

Are you taking care of yourself?

Everyone gets caught up in their daily routines. In fact, getting caught up is the whole point of having routines.

Routines help you get through the day while accomplishing your goals. You wake up every day knowing exactly what you're going to take care of without giving it much thought.

But because your routines are habitual, it's all too easy to forget to take care of YOU.

Self-care is critical to your overall well-being, physical health, and even your productivity.

If you don't set aside time to take care of yourself each day, you'll become overworked, overstressed, overwhelmed — or even sick.

25 Things To Remember When Low Self-Esteem Kicks Your Butt

by Barrie Davenport

There was a time in my life when I didn't believe in myself. Having grown up in your average dysfunctional family, I found myself in the role of peacekeeper and people pleaser from a young age.

I believed if I was compliant and accommodating, I could keep everyone happy and prevent the wackadoodle behavior going on around me.

On a deeper level, I was afraid of being emotionally abandoned. When my efforts didn't work, I tried harder.

Needless to say, over time I trained myself to stuff down my own feelings for fear I'd rock the boat further.

In certain areas of my life, this pattern continued into young adulthood. During confrontational situations, I either backed down quickly or avoided engaging altogether.

Although I was “rewarded” for being a pleaser, eventually my self-esteem began to waiver.

I had false beliefs that I wasn't good enough if I didn't comply to the wants and needs of others.

This mindset was unsustainable and soul crushing.

What Is Nervous Laughter And How To Control It

by Barrie Davenport

Have you ever found yourself laughing nervously when a conversation suddenly dropped?

Nervous smiling or giggling is often a way people fill the awkward silence they feel in a social situation.

Or maybe you've struggled to hear what someone was saying to you but felt too timid to admit you didn’t hear what they said, so you just offered a nervous smile and light chuckle.

Psychology researchers have listed humor as one of the most mature defense mechanisms that people use when they are experiencing levels of anxiety that are unhealthy.