The 10 articles you read most last year — and why I wrote them

Last year I wrote 52 articles. Statistics say you likely missed at least half of those. If you did, here’s the top 10 of my most popular blogs. And some personal notes on why I wrote them.

I’d say pick the one that speaks to you most and start there. 🙂

1. Mindful media consumption to reduce stress

 The start of the article says it all:

“I sit in front of my MacBook and I feel like hiding from the world. I don’t want to know about another war, natural disaster or crazy action by whatever moron is in charge of things. I want to be able to focus on what’s important for my life and business—and not be derailed by the overwhelming chaos that’s out there.”

If you have trouble staying centered and grounded, feel anxious or find it hard to concentrate, you’re not the only one.

It’s not easy to keep a positive outlook when you’re surrounded by negativity. But by consciously choosing your focus you can make a huge difference in how you feel and how to best manage the bad or upsetting things that do happen in an ever-increasing pace.

2. Three things I wish I knew before I burned out in my career

 A friend asked me what were some things I wished I had known sooner. And it made me think of my burnout—and what I would have liked to know beforehand. I wrote this article in the hope it will help someone else prevent burnout or overwhelm.

3. The Assumption Assassin: stopping negative thoughts

 I sent a good friend a picture that came up in my phone as a memory of the day—a photo from a trip we took. A few days later I realized she hadn’t responded, so I checked. She’d seen it—but no response.

Can you guess the first thing that went through my mind?

“Maybe she didn’t like the picture?” I confess I actually looked it up to see if it was unflattering. It was a nice photo, so that couldn’t be it.

I immediately started wondering about the reason for her lack of response. Fortunately, I was able to stop myself there.

If you ever experienced something similar, this article helps.

4. Losing people to life: why we grieve friends who are still alive

I was reminded of a prayer I heard in church as a kid. We would pray for “those who lost someone to life or to death.” I didn’t understand how you could lose someone if they were still alive. Wouldn’t you just go and find them?

It puzzled me for years. Until I grew up.

Here are my personal insights (and some practical tips) for when friendships fall or grow apart. A lot of people reached out after this article, thanking me for addressing something we all experience but not often talk about.

5. Five hidden dangers of our urge to be productive

I never realized I measured a day (and myself) by how much I got done—until my partner told me I did. During dinner I went on about everything I’d accomplished that day until he said, “So it must’ve been a good day if you got that much done.”

This conversation was years ago when I apparently still felt the need to prove I’d done useful things while he was away—or worse, that I was valuable. He explained that each day I listed my activities as if reporting on them. Ouch.

That comment stopped me in my tracks and helped me see the unhealthy connection between my output and my self-worth.

Most of us push through and this article explains the five underlying reasons why we do that—and how to shift it.

6. Do this before you quit your job or end your relationship

I’ve had clients who were so stressed, exhausted or unhappy that they thought changing jobs, taking a sabbatical or getting a divorce was the only way to solve the problem. To be honest, I know the feeling.

The good news is that that’s rarely true. Chances are you can’t see the forest for the trees and you need some support getting centered and focused again. I’ve learned that often there’s another problem underneath your overwhelm or exhaustion that’s muddying the waters.

If you ever feel like pulling the plug is the only solution, I recommend you start here.

7. Practical Self-Care: what your body & mind really need

For a long time, I treated self-care as an afterthought. Getting things done always seemed more important. Until I realized that my self-care is what enables everything else. But it took a burnout and a few other life events to get to that point.

I hope these insights and practical tips can save you some of my hassle.

8. Beat the bots while maximizing joy, effectiveness & fulfillment

With everyone talking about AI, I saw the need for an article that focused on what you can do to stay ahead of the bots—especially when I saw this:

“If you’re “competent,” you’re vulnerable. Being merely competent is a liability. AI already owns competent — In many cases AI is spectacular.” — Mark Schaefer

That’s where your zone of genius comes in. I think you (and I) should be thinking about unlocking your zone of genius and living there more and more regardless of AI. But with AI it’s no longer this ideal that you strive for—it’s become a must!

9. Stop revisiting your past—create your future instead

I don’t believe in endlessly revisiting your childhood trauma, accidental failures and other disappointments. What you focus on you give power to and you’ll create more of.

If you’ve seen the video on my about page, you already know that even at age fifteen I had a different take on what was needed to help someone overcome the experiences of their past.

I believe there’s a better, easier, but more importantly more useful or successful way to make changes in your life and to let go of the hold the past has over you via your thoughts, actions, and behaviors.

10. Don’t wait for the wake-up call to wake up!

What I’ve observed over the past twenty years of supporting people in their personal and professional development is that the majority of people won’t embrace change until the pain becomes unbearable or they receive the proverbial kick in the butt.

I believe life will give you gentle nudges to encourage you to change. But when you refuse to listen it will dial up the volume and give you a shove that is impossible to ignore. I’ve had a few wake-up calls in my life, so I know how that feels all too well.

Here’s how to wake up before that happens to you.

Navigating life

This top 10 is an interesting combination of the challenges we encounter when living life. From taking care of ourselves to losing friends. From change and personal growth to productivity and pushing through. And everything in between.

I hope this list reminded you of an article you enjoyed — or introduced you to one you missed and want to explore now.

If reading these articles stirred something — a recognition, a quiet yes, or even a sense of discomfort — that’s not accidental.

On January 16^th I’m starting a small, intimate six-week program called Come Home to Yourself. It’s for people who recognize themselves in these themes and feel it’s time to stop pushing through and start listening again.

This isn’t about fixing yourself or adding another thing to your to-do list. It’s about creating the right conditions to reconnect with your body, your energy, your truth, and what actually matters to you — so life feels lighter, clearer, and more aligned again.

If you feel drawn to explore this work more deeply, you can read about the program here.

Iris van Ooyen guides people home to themselves. As a life transformation mentor with 20+ years of experience, she offers hope with a compass—helping you find your way back to who you truly are when life’s demands have made you lose touch with yourself. She’s the author of Radiant: How to Have All the Energy You Need to Live a Life You Love. Contact Iris to come home to yourself—and love your life again. 

Follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram.