Coping With the Stress of a Career in UX - Meredith Noble

Coping With the Stress of a Career in UX

Meredith Noble Director of User Experience, Cloudberry Creative @meredi | [email protected]

June 24, 2015 | UXPA

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@meredi

Hello.

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@meredi

Hello.

I’m Meredith.

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@meredi

Hello.

I’m Meredith.

I’ve been a UX consultant for 10 years.

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@meredi

Hello.

I’m Meredith.

I’ve been a UX consultant for 10 years.

My work sometimes often stresses me out.

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Me and Stress

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Me and Stress

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Me and StressI’m a

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Me and StressI’m a sensitive,

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Me and StressI’m a sensitive, conscientious,

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Me and StressI’m a sensitive, conscientious, people-pleasing,

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Me and StressI’m a sensitive, conscientious, people-pleasing, perfectionistic

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Me and StressI’m a sensitive, conscientious, people-pleasing, perfectionistic emotion-squelcher…

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…who chose a role with intense deadlines and external judgment!

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I hit a breaking point.

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I hit a breaking point.Something needed to change.

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Me and Stress

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Me and Stress

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I started exploring the mind-body connection and the effects thoughts and emotions can have on our bodies.

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Me and Stress

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Talk Outline

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Talk Outline• What is stress? Why is it a problem?

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• Why is stress a problem for UXers?

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• How stressed out are we?

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• Stress topics: choose-your-own adventure

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• Other ways to combat stress

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• Other ways to combat stress

• Resources

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What is stress?

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What is stress?

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• Autonomic nervous system:

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What is stress?

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• Parasympathetic nervous system (‘rest and digest’)

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What is stress?

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• Parasympathetic nervous system (‘rest and digest’)

• Sympathetic nervous system (‘fight, flight, or freeze’)

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What is stress?

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What is stress?

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• Fear system constantly scanning the environment

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What is stress?

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• Fear system constantly scanning the environment

• Activates hormone craziness!

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What is stress?

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What is stress?

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• Energy is mobilized to send to muscles

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What is stress?

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• Heart rate and blood pressure increase

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What is stress?

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• Non-essential activities stop or slow:

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What is stress?

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• Digestion

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What is stress?

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• Digestion

• Immunity

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What is stress?

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• Digestion

• Immunity

• Growth & tissue repair

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What is stress?

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• Digestion

• Immunity


• Blood flow to skin

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What is stress?

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• Digestion

• Immunity


• Blood flow to skin

• Etc.

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Why is stress a problem?

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• Lions aren’t a big problem in 2015

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• Most of our stress is:

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• Most of our stress is:• Psychological

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• Ongoing

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• Ongoing

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• Ongoing

• Our bodies are sustaining long-term damage!

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• Chronic stress can lead to:

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• Chronic stress can lead to:– Heart disease

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– Depression and anxiety

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– Increased illness

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– Ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome

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– Diabetes, metabolic syndrome

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– Diabetes, metabolic syndrome

– Pain disorders

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Why Stress is Bad for UXers

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• Hinders creativity

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• Hinders creativity• Creates tunnel vision

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• Hinders creativity• Creates tunnel vision• Reduces empathy in men

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• Hinders creativity• Creates tunnel vision• Reduces empathy in men• Hinders accessibility of

memories

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• Hinders creativity• Creates tunnel vision• Reduces empathy in men• Hinders accessibility of

memories• Reduces our ability to

learn and store memories

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How Stressed Are We?

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Last week, were you: • Not at all stressed • Somewhat stressed • Moderately stressed • Very stressed • Extremely stressed

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Stress: Choose Your Own Adventure!

Impostor Syndrome Unnecessary Meetings Too Much Work; Deadlines

Improper Expectations Keeping Up

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Watch for Key Approaches (4 As)

ALTER the stressor

AVOID the stressor

ADAPT to the stressor

ACCEPT the stressor

bit.ly/fourAs

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Impostor Syndrome

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Impostor SyndromeWhat is it?

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• Feeling inadequate and like a fraud despite evidence to the contrary

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• The tendency to attribute success to external factors (like luck)

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• The tendency to attribute success to external factors (like luck)

• The fear of being found out and having your true abilities discovered

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Impostor Syndrome

Lori Widelitz-Cavallucci & Amy Silvers bit.ly/uximpostersyndrome

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Impostor Syndrome

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Impostor Syndrome

Why do we have it?

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Impostor Syndrome

Why do we have it?

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Impostor Syndrome

Why do we have it?

• We don’t have certifications

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Impostor Syndrome

Why do we have it?


• We don’t have a good way to see other people’s work or process

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Impostor Syndrome

Why do we have it?



• “Should” articles

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Impostor Syndrome

Why do we have it?



• “Should” articles• Always feeling behind in

knowledge

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Impostor Syndrome

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Impostor Syndrome

How do we prevent it?

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Impostor Syndrome


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Impostor Syndrome


• Avoid the words “just”, “only”

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Impostor Syndrome



• Find someone who can mentor & support you

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Impostor Syndrome




• Write down your wins

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Impostor Syndrome




• Write down your wins• Remember you’re not

alone!

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Impostor Syndrome

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Impostor Syndrome

• Any other tips?

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Unnecessary Meetings

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• Key question:“Should I attend?”

bit.ly/unnecessarymeetings

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• Key question:“Should I attend?”• Ask yourself


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• Key question:“Should I attend?”• Ask yourself• Ask your boss


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• Key question:“Should I attend?”• Ask yourself• Ask your boss• Ask your colleagues


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• Decline meetings you don’t feel are necessary

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• Block out non-negotiable time in your calendar

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• Block out non-negotiable time in your calendar

• Try email or phone instead, or dropping by someone’s desk

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• Improve the meeting:

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• Improve the meeting:• Ensure everyone’s

there who needs to be

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there who needs to be• Suggest no tech

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there who needs to be• Suggest no tech• Suggest standing up

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there who needs to be• Suggest no tech• Suggest standing up• Insist on an agenda in

advance

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there who needs to be• Suggest no tech• Suggest standing up• Insist on an agenda in

advance• Conclude with action

items

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• Any other tips?

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Too Much Work; Deadlines

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• Break a project into small steps, allocate time & prioritize

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• Get fresh eyes on the problem

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• Try the Pomodoro Technique

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• Try the Pomodoro Technique• TAKE A BREAK

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• Try the Pomodoro Technique• TAKE A BREAK• Renegotiate with new

information

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• Any other tips?

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Improper Expectations

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• In-house:

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• In-house:• Ever been asked to do a

research study in a week?

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research study in a week?• Or were brought in to do

research at the tail end of design?

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• Agency-side:

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• Agency-side:• Ever had a client completely

get the wrong idea?

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• Proactive education:

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• Proactive education:• Strategic one-on-one

meetings

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meetings• Lunch & learns

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meetings• Lunch & learns• Repeat, repeat, repeat

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• Get creative with execution

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• Get creative with execution• Bi-weekly research sessions

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• Get creative with execution• Bi-weekly research sessions• Guerrilla testing

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• Get creative with execution• Bi-weekly research sessions• Guerrilla testing• Etc.

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• Get creative with execution• Bi-weekly research sessions• Guerrilla testing• Etc.

• Find powerful / persuasive allies

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• Killer kick-off meetings (over-communicate)

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• Be realistic & leave buffer room

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• Be realistic & leave buffer room

• Use your research skills: listen & intuit

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• Any other tips?

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Keeping Up

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Keeping Up• YOU ARE NOT BEHIND

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• Follow your passion

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• Follow your passion• Dedicate time each

morning to read one thing

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• Follow your passion• Dedicate time each

morning to read one thing

• Try using a tool like Nuzzel to monitor the zeitgeist

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Keeping Up

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Keeping Up• Any other tips?

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General Ways to Combat Stress

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1. Make friends with your thoughts (defusion in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)

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• “I’m having the thought that…”

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• “I’m having the thought that…” • Sing the thought to “Happy Birthday”

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• “I’m having the thought that…” • Sing the thought to “Happy Birthday”• Name your stories

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Ways to Combat Stress

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2. Practice self-compassion

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3. Use a relaxation technique to return to ‘rest and digest’

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• 3 deep breaths, 9 times

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• Exercise

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• Exercise

• Open Focus

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4. Tune into your emotions

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• How am I feeling right now?

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• How am I feeling right now?

• Let yourself feel it

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Resources

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Resources

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The Open Focus BrainLes Fehmi and Jim Robbins

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Resources

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The Open Focus BrainLes Fehmi and Jim Robbins

Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers Robert M. Sapolsky

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Resources

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Resources

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The Happiness TrapRuss Harris

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Resources

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The Happiness TrapRuss Harris

The Inner Game of Stress W. Timothy Gallwey

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Resources

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Resources

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Self-CompassionKristin Neff

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Resources

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Self-CompassionKristin Neff

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion Christopher K. Germer

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Resources

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Resources

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Mind Body Toolbox Audio Course & Other Resources Abigail Steidley

abigailsteidley.com

Thanks!

Meredith Noble Director of User Experience, Cloudberry Creative @meredi | [email protected]

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Questions?