William Morrow Paperbacks

Typically the lower-status individual in any interaction breaks eye contact first by looking down; this is as true in humans as in other primates. This is the classic “look of shame.” It communicates “You win; you’re better than me; you have more power than me.”

Adulthood is exhausting and challenging, and you’re still trying to find your place in this big wacky world, while everyone you used to know from school is getting married and posting about it online like the smug, successful people they are. So fun.

Asking for help is one of the hardest things you can do as a person.

It requires you to be vulnerable and appear less strong than you would like other people to think you are. It means letting someone into your world and allowing them to see the extent of the mess you are. But mostly it’s a pain in the ass and not very fun.

That’s the thing about positivity—no two people will ever have the same definition of it, and only you can create a definition that works for you. It’s a unique and personal concept that is tailored to each of us. You can’t force your definition on someone else, and they can’t force their definition on you.