Depersonalization, my first job, and the time our house caught on fire when I was 5.  

*the* song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRZZC-DH7M 

Join the conversation over at: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVGgG4YoTS7 

https://theinnerdolphin.com/tattoo-idea

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The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/@theinnerdolphin

Yes, of course you should read the title in Ariana Grande's voice!  

I believe breaking up should be more encouraged for people in long-term relationships than for new couples. Listen to the episode to learn why and how I recommend deciding whether to stay in a relationship or leave. 

Join the conversation over at: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMRnaEBBP9y

https://theinnerdolphin.com/break-up-with-your-boyfriend 

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The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/@theinnerdolphin

I think that a lot of what people consider Albanian-specific problems are actually global. If I hear someone complaining about something “that only happens in Albania,” I try to respectfully provide examples of times the same thing has happened to people in other countries. My friend wasn’t having it, though. Our conversation brought this to my consciousness: Everything's fucked. What's next?

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The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReHn52WPusTdKviZ69AVmw 

If we analyzed 5,709 episodes of 431 series (comedy, reality, and drama genres), what would we find?

Paradoxically, show views double when we feel *THIS* emotion. Happy Friday!

stuff I mentioned:

Is bad art worse than no art? https://theinnerdolphin.com/vulnerability

Secret Theory as to Why Some Albanians Hate Other Albanians So Much (Beyond Economy and Politics) https://theinnerdolphin.com/albanian-hate

https://aeon.co/essays/what-can-we-learn-from-the-secret-habits-of-genius 

https://twitter.com/msdanifernandez/status/1357029243553599489

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/hate-watching-smash

https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/data-study-hate-watch-tv-canvs-1201805727/

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The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReHn52WPusTdKviZ69AVmw 

On December 31, I went to a photo studio to get my parents' gift. I also got to witness a fight. 

For most fights, either we’re in them, or we’ve picked sides before the debate takes place. If my colleague and I got in a fight, as much as I’d try to, I wouldn’t be able to tell my best friend what went down without painting it in a certain light, with my experience and outlook on it.

In the sequin pillow fight, I was just standing there, experiencing a non-scripted debate between two people. It was an interesting experience and I'm sharing 2 main takeaways with you, one of which is a life-changing lesson from one of my favorite books, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High.

P.S. The audio at 02:22 is from Stacey Silva's fiancé Florian Sukaj (from 90 Day Fiancé). He's Albanian and is, umm, explaining Christmas and New Years in Albania. I've included the video on YouTube, his facial expressions make it even better.

The 90 Day Fiancé clip used in the video belongs to respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over it. 

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The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReHn52WPusTdKviZ69AVmw 

By the end of the year, we all start to reflect on the past and plan for the future.

People like to think that resolutions are about willpower, but I disagree. Here's what they're really about. 

Text version & sources at https://theinnerdolphin.com/busyness-as-a-status-symbol 

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The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReHn52WPusTdKviZ69AVmw 

Earlier this year, I got infected with COVID-19. It made me realize that the way I think about strength is flawed. 

Here's what I struggled with the most when I had COVID (hint: shame), how I actually beat COVID-19 anxiety, and the baseline optimism-boosting activities that apparently hold my life together.  

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CBT resources:  

https://www.psychologytools.com/self-help/what-is-cbt/

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⚠️ DISCLAIMER: According to a report published late last year in The Lancet, using data from 9 million people, 62354 of whom had a COVID-19 diagnosis, researchers found that 18% of Coronavirus patients developed mental health issues (anxiety, depression, etc.) within three months of diagnosis.   

I take my research seriously and I try to be as informative as possible. However, this information may not be suitable for your specific situation, it is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and shouldn’t be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition. 

If you have or suspect that you have a mental health issue, please reach out to a licensed therapist.

***

The Inner Dolphin aka me:

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReHn52WPusTdKviZ69AVmw

A while back, worthfeed, an account with 228,000 followers, and this text on their bio “🌱 Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be Kind Always. 🌱” published this photo with a pretty loaded caption.   Let’s debunk their statement just a little bit before I lose my mind.  

Here, I will make a case that everyone needs to take Introduction to Psychology and Introduction to Marketing classes. 

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The text version of this was published on March 7, 2021 at https://theinnerdolphin.com/kendall-jenner-alyssa-carson. It's the most-read article of the year.  

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The Inner Dolphin aka me: 

website: https://theinnerdolphin.com 

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinnerdolphin

youtube (aka this basically): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCReHn52WPusTdKviZ69AVmw