Our self-identity is central to our well-being. “Who am I?” is not just a question that we contemplate during adolescence but one we come back to throughout our lives. As adults, our careers or jobs are a part of our identity. Having a job that we love is a goal for many; it can bring about a sense of belonging, a sense of purpose and satisfy intellectual curiosity. A strong work identity can be tied to an overall healthy well-being.

Grounding skills are a set of physical, mental, and soothing strategies that help us manage stress and anxiety, including trauma-related distress.  They consist of small tasks that are designed to distract us from our distress by heightening our awareness of our current environment and refocusing on the present moment.  They help us create a safe space so that we can center ourselves and gain control over our strong emotions and prevent us from spiraling into negative thought patterns.

Self-worth is an essential component of our well-being. The American Psychological
Association (APA) defines self-worth as “your evaluation of yourself as a capable and valuable
human being deserving of consideration and respect. It is an internal sense of being worthy of
love”. Self-worth is valuing yourself and the unique qualities that define who you are. It is an
internal feeling of worth and not to be based on external validation. When we intrinsically feel

Many of us are dealing with health issues, mental and physical, that are chronic and can impact our capacities at work. Our energy levels, pain, and ability to concentrate may be unpredictable day-to-day, making it difficult to always plan accurately for what we might be able to get done. This can lead to feelings of guilt and shame that only add to the pressure we’re already experiencing given the situation we’re in.

We all know the feeling of self-doubt. It’s that voice inside us that tells us we’re not quite good enough, not cut out for what’s ahead. None of us like to openly admit it’s there because that would blow our cover of proving our worth. So instead, we let it fester inside us and try to soothe its irritation by engaging strategies that usually look something like:

Guest Blogger: Andrea Naranjo Erazo, PhD: Co-director, NIH Academy on Health Disparities and Research Ethics Coordinator, OITE

I grew up with a strong desire to be perfect. Always getting A’s, never getting in trouble, and caring deeply of what others thought of me. This was also reflected in my early paintings, where I placed great attention to details, and captured landscapes perfectly.

Every day we experience a myriad of emotions. Our emotional day can be steady or fluctuate between moods, depending upon many internal and external variables. These variables may include the amount we slept, hunger level, stress at home or work, as well as many others. There are times we become stuck emotionally and are unable to break out of an unhealthy cycle. If we are in a “bad” mood or negative frame of mind, we tend to focus our attention inward. It is important to differentiate a bad mood from depression.

Rejection is something we will all deal with at some point in our lives. Unfortunately, this sentiment – meant to give us perspective and a sense of common humanity in our struggle – isn’t one we readily soak in when we’re the person who’s been turned down by our dream job or denied admissions to the medical or graduate school on which we’ve hung the fate of our future.

From the Archive: original post from Jan, 2012

With the new year, the season of setting resolutions has begun.  But how can you work toward achieving a goal without letting it completely take over your life? Some goals – research projects, graduate/medical school – can feel all-consuming. It can be easy to get lost in the hustle and feel burnt out along the way. In fact, many report feeling burned out after achieving a long-term goal because instead of a break, there is another new achievement to strive for. For example, after graduation comes a job search and after a job comes a striving for a promotion.