"My goal as a parent has always been to raise a child who understands her own feelings as much as the feelings of other people. I suspected that I was coming up short of that goal."

"...when life comes at me hard, I still sink into scrolling YouTube shorts for hours. The difference is that each time I pick up these tools and use them, I get a little better at getting back on my feet."

Oxytocin (a "connection" hormone) helps keep the Dorsal Vagus (a nerve that helps moderate things like our heart rate) helps our system get ready for action without spinning off into fight/flight. This means that fun and play requires a sense of connection.

From Ann Weiser Cornell--Our inner critic often gets in our way because it is worried about something. Much in the way a patent tries to stop a toddler about to trip.

Can Parts Psychology Save Humanity?

"We can observe which part of us we are reacting out of day-to-day, and how some parts might be in conflict."

The Empathy of AI

"Perhaps it’s the uncanny experience of witnessing our own thoughts and feelings as an outside observer. It’s kind of like looking up at a mirror. There’s a brief surprise: That’s me; there I am!"

Emotions as Information

"'When I'm angry, I should shoo away the anger to find love'...it doesn't escape her observation that adults are less than pleased when a child tantrums in frustration."

Befriending Fear

"author and New York Times columnist Carl Richards...off-handedly mentioned that although fear can be misplaced, its ultimate purpose is to protect us.  Therefore, we should not strive to banish it altogether."

https://humanreason.beehiiv.com/p/befriending-fear-2-min-read

Does Our True Self Require Selfishness?

"Winnicott advanced the view that healthy developmental invariably requires us to experience the immense, life-sustaining luxury of a period when we do not have to bother with the feelings and opinions of those who are tasked with looking after us."