Emotions Archives - Blocks of Life

October 24, 2026October 22, 2026 by Pete Wiley

When Regret Becomes Fear

All of us have regrets—cringeworthy moments that we look back on with mortification, shame, and perhaps a healthy dose of self-loathing. But making mistakes is part of learning, growing, and becoming better. Before you allow yourself to become consumed by regret, consider that your mistake was likely a bigger deal in your mind than it was in anyone else’s. You may also have gained something from the experience—insight, wisdom, and, hopefully, newfound empathy—that you wouldn’t have gained otherwise. The biggest mistake you can make is becoming afraid to live your life as your head and heart guide you.

August 15, 2026August 10, 2026 by Pete Wiley

Don’t Let the Bad Become Everything

Focus on the good in your life. When things are going smoothly, it is easy to focus on what is good. You may still have small headaches and minor setbacks, but overall, life feels steady and positive. It is when things go south that staying positive becomes both more difficult and more important. Focusing only on the negative aspects of your life can become a slippery slope. It may lead to self-pity, catastrophizing, and prioritizing the wrong things. Developing the habit of keeping the good things in your life—both past and future—at the forefront of your thoughts can help keep negativity at bay and allow you to stay focused on the path toward your goals.

August 1, 2026July 30, 2026 by Pete Wiley

What Makes People Lash Out?

Do you believe in the inherent goodness of human nature? If your only contact with people were face-to-face in calm, nonstressful situations, you might conclude that people are generally friendly, polite, and generous. But when certain social dynamics enter the picture, you might come to a very different conclusion. Under particular circumstances, people can seem to lose their empathy, emotional intelligence, and ability to regulate themselves. They lash out. They become harsh, insulting, or even cruel. Why does this happen? How does a person who is normally kind and polite suddenly act like a bully?

in Emotions / Open Mind 0 comments

July 18, 2026July 9, 2026 by Pete Wiley

When a Setback Isn’t a Disaster

When is a setback not a disaster? Those of us who have been fortunate enough to build good lives often begin to view certain elements of those lives as essential to our happiness. If we lose one of them, even temporarily, we may feel as though everything has fallen apart. We may believe we have to start over, when all we really need is a course correction. But if we move through life expecting setbacks and prepare for them as much as possible, our disappointment may be softened. We may even discover opportunities we would not have found otherwise. Disappointments will still come, but they may seem less overwhelming when we place them within the larger context of our lives.

in Emotions / Open Mind / Uncategorized 0 comments

June 6, 2026June 3, 2026 by Pete Wiley

Stress—How to Avoid it and How to Cope when You Can’t

Stress is, well, stressful. Everyone has it, but not everyone has it all the time. Stress, ironically, is a healthy thing, or it used to be. In the past, it kicked our fight-or-flight system into gear when we needed it. But modern humans tend toward a constant state of stress because we face persistent pressures, such as job insecurity, economic uncertainty, and political instability. This tendency keeps stress responses running constantly on high for many. So, what can we do about it? Is there a way to mitigate stress and curtail its effects on us?

in Emotions / Proactive 0 comments