Curious and Creative

Embrace Intention

Paula R. Baines

  • 5/31/2025 The American Psychological Association defines self-confidence as “a belief that one is capable of successfully meeting the demands of a task.” Confidence is not just a feeling, it is a state of mind, according to MentorLoop.com blogger/writer Emily Ryan. Psychotherapist Amy Morin stated that self-confidence can give you a general sense of trust in… Read more

  • What is Self-worth?

    5/24/2025 Self-worth often is confused with self-esteem. Though related, self-worth and self-esteem are distinct and different concepts. Self-worth is deeper and more stable. It is a sense of your inherent value as a person. As defined by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington’s health wellness website: Self-worth is the internal sense of being good enough and… Read more

  • May 17, 2025 How often do you base your self-esteem on your accomplishments, your social circle, or  your looks? How often is your self-esteem go up and down based on circumstances or moods? As I began researching the topic of self-esteem, I realized that, like many people, I conflated the definitions of self-esteem and self-worth.… Read more

  • May 10,2025 What is self-perception? Self-perception refers to the way an individual views themselves, encompassing their internal feelings and understanding of their characteristics. It involves a personal and subjective understanding of oneself, rather than external perceptions from others. The person has a picture of who they are. This perception influences attitudes, behavior and overall sense of… Read more

  • 5/6/2025 Do you see yourself as kind and compassionate? Do you extend that to yourself? I must admit over the years, I thought of myself as not good enough. I internalized what I saw as a shortcoming. I developed a strong bias against myself. It was not just what I physically saw, I disliked or… Read more

  • May 3, 2025 Blind spots are personal traits or aspects we demonstrate, but are not aware of. If the traits appear as weaknesses, they can then limit the way we react, behave, or believe that could limit our effectiveness. These blind spots can negatively impact career advancement and overall professional success. Cynthia Orduna of Career… Read more

  • April 29, 2025 Over the last several weeks, I shared how several factors, such as unconscious biases, defense mechanisms, emotional repression, lack of self-awareness, and cognitive dissonance, can cause personal blind spots. Over the next few weeks, I will focus on the distinct types of blind spots. This week…relationships. Do you have a topic of… Read more

  • 4/23/2025 Contrary to popular opinion, kindness is not synonymous with niceness. Those words often are interchanged, or their meanings are meshed. While both involve positive interactions with others, kindness is understood to be a deeper, more genuine expression of care and concern, while niceness is more about being polite and agreeable.  Kindness is defined by… Read more

  • 4/18/2025 What is Cognitive Dissonance? It is the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. As individuals, we tend to seek out consistency in our attitudes, perceptions, and values, yet we do something that conflicts with the values we hold, we may feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Here are some examples:… Read more

  • April 11, 2025 Sounds like a deep question. In the here and now, we may not be fully aware of what is happening around us or who you really  are.  We are less aware than we think. Dr. Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, executive coach, and researcher. She conducted a multi-year study on self-awareness.… Read more