New to Hello, Adversity? Start Here.
New to Hello, Adversity? Start Here.
All my best articles, organized by topic
Welcome!
I created this landing page so you can find any article by topic, depending on the challenge you’re facing today.
All articles are organized into one of fourteen topic areas, listed below. To jump to a specific section, click on the corresponding link.
If there’s a topic I haven’t covered yet, please send suggestions to helloadversity@substack.com.
I hope that you’ll refer to this page on an ongoing basis. It will be updated regularly!
👋 My Story
1. 👋 My Story
Welcome to Hello, Adversity! - This is my introductory post where I share why I started Hello, Adversity and my goals for the site.
From Accident to Advocate - This article recounts my rare disease journey and how I learned to become an advocate.
How (Not) to Be Resilient, Part 1 - A lighthearted countdown of the top 100 mistakes I’ve made on my rare disease journey.
How (Not) to Be Resilient, Part 2 - The second part of the countdown.
2. 💬 Discussion Threads & AMAs
From time to time, I ask Hello, Adversity readers to share their favorite adversity-related tips, strategies, and resources.
All of these discussion forums remain active:
Hello, Adversity Guestbook - Stop in and say hi!
What Books Helped You Through Tough Times? - Hello, Adversity readers share their favorite books to read when life gets tough.
Share Your Wins! - One of the key lessons I’ve learned over the years is the importance of celebrating our “wins”. Stop by and share yours!
How Did You Handle Burnout? - A few weeks ago, I was feeling burned out. I asked Hello, Adversity readers how they’ve handled burnout, and they shared many useful tips!
I have also hosted two Ask Me Anything (AMA) threads:
Ask Me Anything About Adversity - January 2024
Ask Me Anything About Adversity - August 2024
3. 🆘 Getting Help
Asking for help is vital when we’re going through adversity. Unfortunately, it’s something we all struggle to do.
Why It’s So Hard to Ask for Help - Before we can ask for help, we must address and surmount four common mental barriers.
Making the Ask - Once you’re ready to ask for help, follow these tips to maximize the effectiveness of your ask.
Out of the Abyss - My story about how I learned to ask for help.
The Simple Complexity of Asking For Help - My appearance with Dr. Jillian Bybee on her podcast, Humans Leading. We discussed how to properly ask for help and why it’s so hard to do.
4. 💪 Building Confidence
We all struggle with confidence, but it can be cultivated once you learn the right strategies and frameworks.
What others think of us
How to Tame Impostor Syndrome - Impostor syndrome is a formidable foe, but it can be tamed. This article explores ten ways to silence your inner critic.
Breaking Free of the Comparison Trap - So often we fall into the comparison trap, which can crush our confidence and harm our mental health. Comparison, however, is based on several faulty assumptions.
Out of the Spotlight - We think that everyone notices every little detail of our lives — including our flaws and failures — when in reality, they aren’t paying close attention. When left unchecked, the Spotlight Effect can wreak havoc on our self-esteem and self-confidence. It can also make us risk-averse. Here are a few ways to keep it in check.
What we think of ourselves
Remembering Our Best Selves - We love to dwell on our failures and flaws. In doing so, we forget the good moments — the ones when we succeeded or made a difference in someone’s life. Here are two techniques to capture these positive moments.
From Enemy to Friend - Our inner critic may be loud, but it doesn’t need to have the final say. This is an essay about how to show ourselves kindness.
Public Speaking & Storytelling
Public Speaking is Not Scarier Than Death - Although intimidating, public speaking is a skill that can be mastered. This article reviews twelve strategies to make you a more confident speaker.
We All Have a Story to Tell - How sharing your story can change your life and the lives of others.
5. 🎓 Life Lessons & Living Well
There are many steps we can take to live a happy, productive life, even against the backdrop of adversity.
A Wise Investment - Experiences give us cherished memories we can savor for the rest of our lives. This article introduces the concept of the memory dividend.
Embracing Serendipity - When we’re able to engineer serendipity in our lives, our circumstances can change for the better. This article explores five ways to stack the deck in your favor.
What Really Matters in the End - When we use our time well and clarify our priorities, we can minimize regret.
37 Lessons for 37 - On my 37th birthday last September, I shared 37 lessons I’ve learned on my adversity journey.
Advice for the Tough Times - Last May, I wrote the commencement speech I wish I had heard at my college graduation.
23 Things I Learned, Discovered and Appreciated in 2023 - At the end of last year, I recapped my favorite things I learned, discovered, and appreciated in 2023.
Peace and Tranquility - How the outdoors has helped me on my journey.
The Unplugging Playbook: Part 1 & Part 2 - We all need to disconnect from the modern world from time to time. Here are 12 steps to unplug the right way and recharge your batteries.
The Building Blocks of an Effective Life - The importance of good habits in staying on track and preventing burnout.
7 Quotes to Help You Thrive in Tough Times - 7 quotes that have changed the way I think about persevering through hard times.
6. 🤝 Building Positive Relationships
Loneliness is an epidemic nowadays. So many people are suffering alone without a support system in place. Fortunately, with a little effort, positive relationships are easy to cultivate.
Go Positive, Go First, and Be Constant in Doing It - This article covers how to “go positive and go first", leveraging the power of mirrored reciprocity to build satisfying, life-long relationships.
Role Models Light the Way - Sometimes, we need to find someone who has experienced what we’ve been through. This article covers how I found role models that helped me through my darkest moments (and how you can do the same).
7. 😬 Taking Risks/Making a Big Life Decision
Sometimes in life, we have to take a risk. Rather than fear the unknown, we can learn to embrace it.
A Leap of Faith - In this article, I talk about my decision to leave my job last year to take time off to write. It was a major risk, but one I’m glad I took.
Resilience in Action: Philadelphia - I used to love long road trips, but as my condition has progressed, traveling has become more difficult. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend a work fundraiser in Philadelphia. I almost said no, but ultimately decided to take the risk and go. It was well worth the effort.
The Question I Always Forget to Ask - Humans have a tendency to dwell on the negatives and never look at the positives, especially when it comes to decision-making and weighing risk/rewards. How much better could our lives be if we asked, “What’s the best-case scenario?”
Follow Your Heart - A piece about how to follow your dreams.
8. 😢 Grief & Loss
Grief is one of the most difficult forms of adversity there is.
A Life Well Lived - In January, my Uncle Ronnie passed away from a long illness. He left an indelible impact on my life.
Forever Young - It has been eleven years since my friend and coworker Carly Hughes passed away from cancer. This is the tribute I wrote to her on the ten-year anniversary of her passing.
9. ❌ Dealing with Failure
Failure is an essential part of life. It’s how we grow, and ultimately, our ticket to success.
Failed, Not a Failure - This article helps to frame failure and put it in its proper context. Everyone experiences failure at some point.
The Failure File - This article provides several strategies for turning failure on its head and using it to our advantage.
How to Lose When You Win - A cautionary tale from the football world on the perils of success and the inability to handle failure.
10. 🧠 Mental Health
Stress and anxiety are never fun, but they can be managed. These articles provide strategies and techniques for improving our mental health.
Decluttering the Mind
Bringing Order to the Chaos - Every week, I take an hour to clear out my mental cobwebs and think about the big picture. On occasion, I experience a life-changing breakthrough, all because I took the time to think deeply. This article outlines how to establish this practice in your own life.
Slow is Smooth. Smooth is Fast. - When we get stressed, we zoom through life, which makes us even more anxious and frazzled. Slowing down restores a sense of calm and gives us the space necessary to handle life’s challenges.
Ocean Liners and Timeless Wisdom - It is easy to dwell on past mistakes or ruminate on future worries. This is how I learned to live in “day-tight compartments” and focus on the present moment.
The Joys of a Decluttered Mind - A lot of anxiety stems from an overtaxed mind. Here are three ways to stay in the present moment and reduce anxious thoughts.
Depression & Panic Attacks
These are two topics I know all too well.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding technique - This is a helpful strategy to implement any time you are on the verge of a panic attack, or when you need to escape daily stress.
Alone on the Corner of Hope and Despair - We all reach our breaking point. Here is the story of how I reached mine, and ultimately, how I used it as a catalyst to get the help I needed.
The Unwelcome Visitor - When we name the emotion or fear that we’re struggling with, we can gain power over it. Here’s how I confronted my unwelcome visitor, “The Vise”.
Learning to Laugh Again - Humor is essential in tough times. But it’s not always easy to laugh when life gets hard. This article explores how I learned to find humor amidst the darkness, and how you can do the same.
We’re Not Supposed to Handle Life Perfectly - A reflection on Mental Health Awareness Month and taking our mental health seriously.
Keep Going - Persevering through adversity requires a lot of….perseverance. Here’s a post about how I’ve learned to keep going through tough times.
Gratitude & Appreciation
The Accidental Book Download That Changed My Life - Sometimes, a shift in perspective can help us better appreciate the life we’ve been given. This is the story of how I finally let go of what might have been.
Children’s Mental Health
7 Ways Kids Can Cultivate Resilience in the New School Year - Many children and young adults struggle with their mental health. Here are seven strategies to help kids cultivate resilience.
11. ✅ Goal-Setting & Productivity
Finding A Sustainable New Year’s Practice: The Annual Check-in - I used to set New Year’s resolutions, but they always crashed and burned after a few weeks. This article outlines my annual check-in process that I follow every January to start my year off right. It’s a much more practical (and enjoyable) goal-setting process than setting a resolution.
Doing Everything = Doing Nothing - When we’re dealing with a problem or challenge, we’re willing to do whatever’s necessary to make it go away. But trying to do everything at once is a one-way ticket to burnout. This article offers a five-step process for reducing our workload so we can better handle our challenges and get back on track.
12. 🎨 Creativity
How I Write - A behind-the-scenes look at my writing process and how I write my weekly Hello, Adversity newsletter.
13. 🎤 Interviews
Resilience Spotlight: Robert Garrett of The Positive Perspective -
of talks about his ALS diagnosis and what he’s learned about cultivating resilience and staying positive.
Resilience Spotlight: Anna Raskind -
of shares her experience navigating job loss and how she learned to rely on others for support.Resilience Spotlight: Tyler O’Shea - Tyler O’Shea of Joker Mag and The Underdog newsletter shares best practices for how we can find positive role models.
14. 📚 Roundup Archives
Hello, Adversity Weekly Roundup archive - For the first 29 weeks of this newsletter, I sent out a Saturday links roundup. I discontinued it only because I couldn’t handle the pace of writing twice a week. But there’s a lot of useful content in these roundups! I’m still thinking through the best way to distribute this content. Stay tuned.
The Resilience Response archive - The Resilience Response was a mighty — albeit short-lived — Saturday newsletter where I shared one strategy, one first-person perspective, one resource that’s helped me on my journey, and one discussion question. This newsletter is chock full of interesting tidbits.