The Cyan Project

Sometimes we self-sabotage just when things seem to be going smoothly. Perhaps this is a way to express our fear about whether it is okay for us to have a better life. We are bound to feel anxious as we leave behind old notions of our unworthiness. The challenge is not to be fearless, but to develop strategies of acknowledging our fears and finding out how we can allay them.” - Maureen Brady  What is self-sabotaging behaviour? Self-sabotage in when we consciously or passively prevent ourselves from reaching the desired goal. It interferes with our daily lives and affect long standing goals. A few common self-sabotaging behaviours includes procrastination, self-medication, negative self-image, perfectionism and drugs and alcohol. You could define self-sabotage as working against yourself. Causes of self-sabotaging behaviour  Patterns learned in childhood: The patterns laid down in our early relationships repeat throughout the life. Your childhood experiences play a major role ...

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette Robert Emmons, world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude explains gratitude includes two components: First, it is an ‘affirmation of goodness’. We acknowledge that there are good things in the world, gifts/tangibles and benefits we’ve received Second, we spot that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves. We acknowledge that other people or even higher powers (if you’re of a spiritual mindset) gave us many gifts which help us achieve the ‘goodness in our lives’. Sociologist Georg Simmel called it ‘the moral memory of mankind’.   What is a gratitude journal? In simple words, a gratitude journal is a tool to keep track of good things in life. It is a record of things/events that you appreciate or are thankful for. Benefits of gratitude journaling It can help you lower your stress level Helps you feel calmer It helps yo...

As the world is going through major transitions our relationship dynamics are undergoing changes as well. We are experiencing some major changes in our everyday lives. For parents there is a shift in their lives as they shift their work to their homes and for children as they undergo schooling from home. Well if you thought staying at home every day might create a stable environment for children to grow up, you are probably mistaken. Lockdown is a time of upheaval for all of us especially children. The lockdown has defined the parent child relationship in new ways. First few days might have been spent in bonding better and spending the much-needed family time with each other and developing a new routine but when the work from home pressure piled up relationship dynamics underwent new changes. From attending the webinars and meetings, helping the children to study to managing daily chores parents and children are trying to find the right balance.  Children need to be kept engaged...

Every day we come across situations that are beyond our control and often lead to stress, anxiety, and what not! Even the current lockdown is beyond our control and we can’t do much about it. How do you deal with such situations? How do you deal with a crisis? How do you deal with the anxiety, uncertainty, and stress that results from these situations? The answer to these questions is COPING MECHANISMS. Life events, whether positive or negative, result in distress and anxiety. Coping Mechanisms are strategies and techniques which people use to resolve to difficult a situation, deal with difficult emotions and stressors. People use a variety of coping mechanisms to face loneliness, grief, loss, sudden life changes, anxiety, etc. There are two types of coping mechanisms. Emotion-focused coping mechanism There is more emphasis on dealing with the emotions and feelings which result from the situation and not the situation itself. Emotion-focused coping mechanisms often come into play when ...

Lockdown can be a negative experience for some of us. There is ambivalent thinking about the release of lockdown, some of us may have a list of things we would want to do after lockdown ends but some of us might still be worried about what how can we protect ourselves from the virus after lockdown ends. With the lockdown restrictions easing up, we are constantly thinking about our safety in the world outside our houses. It is important not work yourselves up and adopt coping strategies to deal with anxiety due to lockdown. In this article, we will talk about different techniques that we can use for relaxation and dealing with overwhelming emotions. These techniques will focus on use the five senses which will help you immediately connect with the here and now. You may need to do some trial and error before you figure out what techniques work best for you. 5-4-3-2-1 technique Look for five things you can see Look for four things you can touch Look for thr...

“Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” - Jackie Viramontez Self-care is one of the most essential aspect of our lives but we often end up neglecting it. Without self care it will be difficult for us to function at out best. Self care needs to be practiced everyday. To prevent from physical and mental exhaustion it is important for us to take break from time to time. The goal of self-care is to maintain a good physical and mental health.  Here are a few ideas to practice self-care at your home: 1. Reading Reading has been shown to have same effect as meditation, it brings inner calm and relaxation. It also   improve self-expression and problem-solving skills. Pick up your favourite book and get reading😀. You can read more on how reading can be therapeutic here:   https://www.thecyanproject.org/2020/04/bibliotherapy-books-to-rescue.html 2. Dancing Dancing is not only fun but also therapeutic. I...