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    BestLifeTherapy

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    Check out the helpful articles, tips and quizzes on the blog.  
    If you would like a free phone consultation click here. 
    Tracey Ashcraft, MA, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Coach.  She offers sessions via video conferencing and phone. 303-668-5995

    Best Life Blog

    Yes you can be too nice 

    Yes, You Can Be Too Nice

     

    By Tracey Ashcraft, MA LPC
     

    In kindergarten we were taught to be nice to others. As we grew older we were taught to think of others and not be self-centered. As humans we tend to enjoy the company of others, especially if they are being nice to us. So when does “being nice” cross into a more harmful way of being “too nice”? If you are feeling like a doormat, being taken advantage of, or feeling manipulated then you may have fallen into a coping pattern of being too nice.

    How do I…

    Read more

    05/12/2026

    Screw New Year's Resolutions! 

    Did I read that right? Screw New Year’s Resolutions? But what do I do with all these good intentions? Don’t worry; I am not suggesting you throw the baby out with the bathwater. I want you to imagine what would your life be like if you really did the best you could in each moment instead of setting yourself up for failure. 

    Think about it. Instead of vowing: to exercise 2 hours a day, quit smoking, eat nothing but fish and veggies, God forbid give up bacon, organize the house, keep the car washed once a…

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    12/31/2018

    An Old Fashioned Kick in The Pants 

    2018 is almost over.  What have you been dreaming of accomplishing but still haven't managed to make it happen?  What is the story in your head that is getting in your way?  Does it sound something like this: 
     "I am not smart enough, pretty enough, educated enough, rich enough, focused enough, skinny enough?"  
    When you notice these stories don't worry; you are not alone.  It is human nature to have self-doubt. When you notice these stories it's time for an old fashioned kick in the pants!  How do you kick…

    Read more

    12/28/2018

    The Best Gift You Can Give Your Sweetheart 

     

    As Valentine’s Day approaches many of us experience anxiety around finding the perfect gift for our beloved. Scouring store shelves to find just the right card or gift, we encounter items that seem lackluster and cliched. What if there was a way to really know our partners and help them to feel really loved on a deep level each day? Listening is the answer. 

    “Listening?” You might think. “I already listen to my honey.” Authentic listening is a learned skill. It is not listening for a break in the…

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    02/02/2017

    Don't take it personally! 


    People want to believe that they don’t care about what other people think of them. The reality is that we all care somewhat how others perceive us. We want people to like us. On a primal level we need other people for our survival; so if people don’t like us we feel threatened. We may feel the need to defend our position. Sadly, doing this has a paradoxical effect. The very way we try to restore our survival actually threatens it more. Taking things personally and defending our position causes more damage…

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    04/26/2016

    Tips for Simplifying Your Life 

     

      


    Recently a friend posted a picture on Facebook of a large piece of Swiss cheese with a little mouse poking out of one of the holes. She said “I think I’d like to crawl in a hole and hide.” This got me thinking. Does life really have to be so stressful? Is this why they call it a rat race? Can’t we just watch the race? 

    We are conditioned in our culture to want more. More clothes, more food, more furniture, more gadgets, more money to buy more things… What if less is more? 
    As someone who left the…

    Read more

    01/11/2016

    10 TIPS FOR PREVENTING HOLIDAY STRESS  

     UGH! The holidays are upon us.  Sometimes it can feel like the luster of the season has worn to a dull primer gray.  It's dark by 5pm; pressure's on to buy the perfect gifts, get them wrapped, find the correctly sized shipping carton, refill the packing tape gun, stand in line at the Post Office, order the holiday cards, pick up the holiday cards, address the envelopes, put the stamps on and get them in the mail before the New Year.  That doesn't include standing on ladders to hang lights outside, trim…

    11/02/2015

    How do I know if I am TOO NICE? 


    In kindergarten we were taught to be nice to others. As we grew older we were taught to not be self-centered and to think of others. As humans we tend to enjoy the company of others, especially if they are being nice to us. So when does “being nice” cross into the more harmful “too nice”? If you are feeling like a doormat, being taken advantage of, or feeling manipulated then you may have fallen into a coping pattern of being too nice.  

     

    How do I know if I am being too nice?

     

    Take the quiz here:

     
    1. …
    Read more

    09/21/2015

    Should I Stay or Should I Go? 

     
     
    Life is hard enough without having to put up with another’s misery.  If you are in a bad relationship and are struggling with whether to leave it or not, ask yourself these questions:
     
    Am I happy?
     
    Do I laugh with him/her?
     
    Do we share similar life goals?
     
    Do I find myself wishing if they would just change then things would be great?
     
    Do I feel jealous of single friends or friends in happy relationships?
     
    Am I the person I want to be in this relationship?
     
    Am I a good partner?
     
    What would my life be like if I…

    01/29/2015

    10 Tips for Improving Your Relationship Now 

     

          Ever wonder, “How can this person, who is supposed to be my best friend, be hurting me daily”? When you feel disconnected from and hurt by your partner, the relationship can feel more like a sentence than a sacred union. When you are experiencing disappointment and frustration in your relationship, you may find your thoughts drawn to escape. Before you throw in the towel, give these tips a try. 

    1. Quit trying to get love. As crazy as this may sound, trying to get love from someone doesn’t work. It…

    01/13/2015

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