I have always been curious about why we don’t hear each other, why we get into conflicts, and how the very mechanism of communication works. It is fairly obvious that conflicts often arise not from ill intent, but from basic mismatches in communication styles. These differences are subtle, often unconscious, and can lead to growing…

I often tell myself: it’s not that people don’t appreciate you. They simply don’t know you exist. It is said that an average person meets about 10,000 people in their lifetime. Dunbar’s Number theory claims that the human brain has a limit to the number of stable social relationships it can maintain — around 150…

One of the few sources of truth in my childhood was Pippi Longstocking, even though she told quite a few lies. But her lies were nothing like the lies or half-truths adults told, or the poor and unpractical education I received. Besides that, I had access to a whole library of children’s books, which filled…

Why is moving stressful? Regardless of the reasons, relocation is one of the most intense life stressors because it disrupts the familiar structure of life. A person loses their footing, social connections, and a sense of competence and control over their environment. Constant uncertainty, language barriers, culture shock, and loneliness are emotionally and physically draining….

I don’t like structure in my own life, but I love to organize and structure things. This probably stood out a lot in my recent articles. Now, dangerously close to a burnout episode, I felt like writing something freer, in a flow, about what is currently holding my fragile mind together. I am well aware…

I came across an incredibly insightful book by Alain de Botton, Emotional Education, which would be a great addition to the already long list of books I’d gladly translate into Ukrainian. We tend to underestimate the importance of our emotional world, seeing it as something secondary and private. This book addresses many essential topics related…

I am tired and alive. Today, without much structure or answers, just about the desire to fit everything in and figure out how to feel grounded in a world of endless possibilities. Insect or Superhuman? Lately, I feel torn apart by the sheer amount of everything I do, ideas, and choices. Preparing a presentation for…

Many of us are taught — subtly or directly — to wait for the big break, the grand opportunity, the once-in-a-lifetime chance that will change everything. We imagine success as something cinematic: one interview, one investor, one perfect partner, one brilliant idea — and life will finally start. But the truth is that the big…

As I was working on my article about emotions, I started reflecting on what effectiveness truly means to me. We often hear about effectiveness in the context of work, time management, and productivity. Being organized, achieving results, optimizing, performing. But there’s something about all of this that sounds dry, mechanical, lifeless. In English, there are…

What is “bad behavior” and what does it mean to be a “good mother”? What types of defense mechanisms are there, and are we perhaps sometimes running away from life? What can we do with overstimulation, how can we self-regulate and create a peaceful space at home with children? Four questions for choosing a partner…