Category Archives: Individual Wellness & Personal Growth

Mental Wellness & Personal Growth Articles

Learn about mental wellness and personal growth with research-backed insights to improve well-being. Explore mindfulness, stress management, self-care, and emotional resilience techniques to cultivate a more fulfilling life. Discover practical strategies to enhance mental clarity, build self-confidence, and foster long-term emotional health.

The Dangerous Pursuit of Perfection

The Dangerous Pursuit of Perfection

by Kevin Hales, LPC

Perfection is a Bad Word

Perfection has recently become a “bad word” in my vocabulary. Let me share why.

To one degree or another, we’re all guilty of pursuing perfection. For some, it is a part of their religious creed: “Be ye therefore perfect” declared Jesus to his followers. Some have actually been told by a parent: “I just want you to be perfect.” Others might simply feel the pressure to be perfect because of family expectations or the image society paints in our minds of what is and isn’t acceptable. Continue reading

Is Pornography Bad, Wrong, or Just Complicated? An Honest Look.

Sunlight filtering through a foggy forest with the text "Is Pornography Bad? An Honest Look at the Gray Areas"

Answering the question “is pornography wrong?” is worth walking through carefully. Maybe you searched this at 1 a.m., half hoping for a simple “yes” or “no” so you’d know what to do next. Maybe a partner brought it up, and you’re trying to figure out where you actually stand instead of just reacting in the moment. Perhaps you thought it was no big deal, but you’re beginning to second-guess that conclusion. Maybe you grew up hearing pornography is bad and you’re not sure anymore what you actually believe. Or maybe nothing’s happened at all — you’re just trying to figure out where you land on these issues.

Some of what gets called pornography is produced by consenting adults making their own choices about their own bodies. Some of it isn’t — and the harm in those cases is real and clear, not a matter of opinion. And some of what matters most here has nothing to do with the content itself, but with what it’s doing in your life, your relationship, or how you feel about yourself afterward. So the answer isn’t exactly a simple yes or no — but it’s not something to just blow off either. Some things are wrong. Others are genuinely complicated. And some questions only you can answer for yourself or in your relationship.

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