Susan David, Ph.D.

Psychologist, Harvard Medical School. TED Speaker. Author of the #1 WSJ bestseller Emotional Agility. Take my free quiz:

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

I love hearing from newsletter readers. 📬

Are you signed up for the Emotional Agility Newsletter? Each issue contains specific, insightful advice to help you thrive in work and life. Sign up at https://t.co/6vfDpnli9Z to receive my next edition.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

When we embrace the emotional truths of our children, we are creating change—not only for them but for many generations to come.

The next time your child is upset, follow these three steps to give them the gift of emotional agility.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Rigid: Emotions fall into two categories: good/bad, acceptable/unacceptable.

Agile: All emotions are valid, acceptable aspects of our being. There is no such thing as a "bad" emotion—everything we experience serves a purpose.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Fear of success, or fear of even being “okay,” can lead to self-sabotage, including underperformance in your career or ruining an otherwise healthy relationship because you haven’t “earned” it.

Let go of narratives that no longer serve you.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

To grow, we need to take on discomfort. This is not discomfort for its own sake. Rather it’s discomfort that is values aligned, and that brings us to the edge of our ability so we are “whelmed” 😂 but not overwhelmed. 😫

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

We all get stuck. It's easy to get into a downward spiral when work or life aren't going well.

Maybe you had a frustrating conversation or your team failed to produce a deliverable on time.

Whatever it is that sets you off, you can take these steps to get you back on course.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Grief changes us. It rewrites us.

And we in turn rewrite our lives with it.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Gentle acceptance is an essential part of showing up.

It's about giving the world permission to be as it is, because it’s only when we stop trying to control the universe that we can make peace with it.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

We're all only human. How do you choose to respond to your imperfections?

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

When we lack routine, it can feel like we're navigating uncharted ground all the time. This is exhausting.

Even as circumstances change, try to find pockets of rhythm to ground yourself in your life.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

As our world becomes more and more technology-based, it's easy to feel a simultaneous increase in both connection and isolation.

Tag someone who is important to you below. Then make plans to actually connect with them this week.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Change is inevitable. Approach your life with a sense of possibility and renewal.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

We are most in our wisdom when we understand bothness.

We can be afraid and still engage with a challenge. We can grieve and still laugh at a joke.

Life is full of contradictions—embrace it in all its complexity.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

There's a misconception that you need to be tough on yourself as you move toward your goals. On the contrary, research shows that self-compassionate people aim just as high as self-critical people do.

Offer yourself words of support while you work your way toward your goal.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Emotions pass.

Emotions are not scary.

Emotions are teachers.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

As uncomfortable as tough emotions can be, it’s vital that companies find ways for their employees to meaningfully express them.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

When we take values-aligned action, we intentionally choose to behave in ways that allow us to create the connection we want.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

What is the most powerful way to move values from rhetoric to demonstrable reality?

People must be able to see and express their own individual values within the context of your larger organizational values.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Becoming emotionally agile takes time, persistence, and hard work. And while it may not be as easy as repainting your office or upgrading that old desk chair, it WILL give you that same "fresh start" feeling.

[Susan David, Ph.D. @SusanDavid_PhD]

Don’t make the mistake of chasing a life that isn’t right for you just because it’s been promoted by society, people on social media, or those in your community. Take the time to look inward—rather than outward—when it comes to identifying the path that’s right for you.