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Home » personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement » Page 3

Why Embracing Darkness Helps Families Grow

Person wrapped in a cloack sitting in the dark with their face lit

There’s something magical about the New Year. Even if nothing changes overnight, the calendar flips and suddenly we feel a tiny spark — a chance to start again.

But if the last few years have taught me anything, it’s this: Life doesn’t get lighter because we avoid the darkness. It gets lighter when we learn to walk through it with open eyes.

The last several years were a bit dark for me. This New Year, I want to explore the idea of embracing darkness, not as something scary or unwanted, but as something deeply useful — even beautiful — in our emotional, physical, and family life.

Read Why Embracing Darkness Helps Families Grow »

Published: December 25, 2025 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 23, 2025In: Personal Development Tags: focus, school, love, skills, emotional intelligence, beliefs, happiness, family matters, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, practical parenting / parents, communication

Weeds to Flowers: How a Shift in Perspective Can Transform Your Health and parenting

Dandelion the weed that cures

Most of us move through life reacting automatically to what shows up in front of us. Something happens — the scale goes up, a cold sets in, we overeat after a stressful day — and immediately we label it: bad, wrong, a setback, a failure.

And once we label something, our mind jumps into its usual story.

– “I messed up again.”
– “I shouldn’t feel this way.”
– “This shouldn’t be happening.”
– “What’s wrong with me?”

We don’t even notice that we’re doing it.

Read Weeds to Flowers: How a Shift in Perspective Can Transform Your Health and parenting »

Published: December 18, 2025 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 18, 2025In: Personal Development, Parenting Tags: school, gratitude, love, men, emotional intelligence, family matters, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, practical parenting / parents, communication

Kindness to Yourself: The Secret to Raising Happy, Resilient Kids

Woman holding a red heart decoration for kindness day

Last week was World Kindness Day, and every year, when the date comes around, I can’t help but smile. But I also can’t help thinking, Why only one day? If there’s anything families need right now, it’s more kindness — not just for others, but especially kindness to yourself.

In my coaching work at Be Happy in Life and in the countless conversations I’ve had with parents over the years, this theme keeps coming up again and again. Parents want their kids to be confident, happy, and emotionally strong — but they forget that the journey starts with the emotional environment inside themselves.

Read Kindness to Yourself: The Secret to Raising Happy, Resilient Kids »

Published: November 20, 2025 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: November 19, 2025In: Parenting Tags: school, love, skills, men, emotional intelligence, health / wellbeing, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, kindness, focus

The Art of Being: Teach & Inspire by Living Authentically

Living authentically - grandmother and granddaughter on a nature walk

Three years ago, someone asked me, “If you could teach anything, what would it be?”

Honestly, the question caught me off guard. I didn’t have an answer. It’s such a big question that it’s been stuck in my head ever since.

You see, I’ve been a teacher for 38 years. My whole career has been teaching special education and focusing on emotional intelligence. I’ve always loved helping people find their strengths and use them to navigate life with happiness, health and success.

But in all those years, I never stopped to ask myself, “What would I teach if I could choose anything?” I didn’t think I needed to. I was just Ronit, the teacher, doing what I do best.

That question changed things for me and took me through a process of discovery. It made me think about life, about what I’ve learned, and what I really want to give to the world. Maybe by sharing the process of my discovery about the art of being, I can help you think about your own answers too.

Read The Art of Being: Teach & Inspire by Living Authentically »

Published: January 29, 2025 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: January 29, 2025In: Education / Learning Tags: focus, early childhood, special education, touch, love, responsibility, emotional intelligence, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, practical parenting / parents

Mastering Self-Care: Your A-to-Z Guide

Self-care slogans

Self-care has a very simple definition. It is the things we do, or avoid doing, in order to look after ourselves, physically and/or mentally. If you have a car, you need to maintain smooth operation with regular servicing and gasoline/electricity. If you want to travel safely in this life, you also need to care for your mind and body.

Self-care maintains our health and wellbeing so we can function and enjoy our life.

Many people confuse self-care with selfishness and roget that we never say our car is selfish when it needs service. We accept it and are even willing to pay for it.

Read Mastering Self-Care: Your A-to-Z Guide »

Published: December 17, 2024 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 16, 2024In: Personal Development Tags: gratitude, love, responsibility, men, how to, choice, work life balance, self confidence / self esteem / self worth, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, focus

Increase Your Confidence Through Kindness

Woman looking at clouds spelling Believe in Yourself

We all want to be confident and raise confident children. In my workshops, when I ask parents to grant their kids four wishes, confidence is high on their list. Confidence is the faith we have that things will happen in a certain way or that we’ll manage whatever happens. It is a sense of satisfaction or happiness about things that happened or about to happen.

Most parents are very surprised when I tell them that kindness is a fantastic way to boost our confidence, so, let me show you what the connection is.

Read Increase Your Confidence Through Kindness »

Published: December 10, 2024 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 17, 2024In: Personal Development Tags: men, art, how to, happiness, relationships / marriage, positive attitude tips, self confidence / self esteem / self worth, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, school, kindness, love, skills

How to Have Better Communication with Children

Mother and 2 daughters

Communication works like a bee. It can produce honey or sting. It’s true. Our communication is the tool we have to connect or destroy relationship. To be better parents, we need to develop better communication with our children.

When our kids are born, they have full trust in us. They trust us with their life. They have to, because without us, they would die. Literally.

Over the years, that trust is gradually lost. Not because the kids grow out of it, but because the parents change the way they communicate with their children.

Read How to Have Better Communication with Children »

Published: March 24, 2021 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: March 24, 2021In: Parenting Tags: sarcasm, kids / children, behavior / discipline, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, guilt, emotional development, communication, practical parenting / parents, how to, trust, communication styles, relationships / marriage

How to Be Happy: 36 Habits of Happy People

Girl in a field of flowers

This week, on the 20th of March, is the international day of happiness. I thought a good way to celebrating it would be to learn how to be happy by looking at the habits of happy people.

We all want to be happy and the search for happiness is gaining serious momentum in the last decade. I’m sure people searched for happiness way before that, but advanced digital technology has made it easier to learn more about happiness.

Happiness is now a science. I focus on happiness in my and help my clients become happier coaching. That’s why I call my business Be Happy in LIFE.

Simply put, happy people have habits that promote happiness. So, develop the habits of happy people, and you will be happy too.

Read How to Be Happy: 36 Habits of Happy People »

Published: March 17, 2021 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: March 17, 2021In: Personal Development Tags: optimism, attitude, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, mindfulness, gratitude, meditation, choice, happiness

How to Clean Away Resentment and Be Happy

Couple showing resentment towards each other

Resentment is a destructive feeling. We get it from being forced to do things we don’t want to do. It comes from feeling powerless. But we can clear away resentment.

We’re all born with the disease to please. We learn thorough our parents’ behavior, and a set of “rewards” and “punishments”. This pressure to do what’s expected of us to avoid negative consequences develops a dependency on the approval of others. Later, when we go to school, we take this need to please others to the next level and eventually dedicate our lives to it.

The problem with pleasing others is that every second we spend trying to please someone else, we step further away from ourselves. We can’t find out who we are and express ourselves authentically. Many people find it very difficult to hear that it damages our self-image.

Read How to Clean Away Resentment and Be Happy »

Published: March 9, 2021 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: March 10, 2021In: Relationships / Marriage Tags: motivation, relationships / marriage, anger, behavior / discipline, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, how to, choice, control, happiness

Better Family Relationships: How to Build Trust

Group of hands together

Family relationships can be hard, let’s be honest. We have a relationship with everyone we come in contact with. Some relationships are short. Some are long. Some are intimate, and others not so much. In every relationship, our actions affect the dynamic. We can’t just do or say whatever we want, whenever we want.

Why? Because we don’t exist in a bubble. Our words have meaning.

It’s amazing how many people are never exposed to the concept of effective and thoughtful communication. I find people of all ages coming to my leadership camps and saying, “How has no one ever taught me this?”

Read Better Family Relationships: How to Build Trust »

Published: March 3, 2021 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: January 24, 2023In: Parenting, Relationships / Marriage Tags: family matters, listening, acceptance / judgment / tolerance, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, practical parenting / parents, sibling rivalry, communication, gratitude, siblings, how to, trust

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