The Layla blog

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) explains why motivation can rise and fall, even when goals still matter. According to SDT, motivation is shaped by three core psychological needs: autonomy (feeling in control of your choices), competence (feeling capable of growth), and relatedness (feeling connected to others). When these needs are supported, people are more likely to stay engaged, resilient, and motivated over time. This article explores why motivation fades during difficult periods and offers practical ways to rebuild it by strengthening these core needs in everyday life.

This guide explores why uncertainty affects decision-making and how to approach difficult choices with greater steadiness. It explains how emotions, past experiences, stress levels, and personal values influence decisions beneath the surface. It also highlights common cognitive patterns such as confirmation bias and sunk cost thinking that can shape how we interpret our options.

This article explores how different forms of perfectionism influence stress levels and explains why coping style plays a key role in emotional wellbeing. It highlights how problem-focused coping, like identify specific stressors, taking small practical steps, and seeking support, can help reduce perfectionistic stress and make challenges feel more manageable.

This article explores emotion regulation as a flexible and learnable set of skills that can help you respond to difficult emotions with more awareness and choice. Building on emotional awareness, it explains how emotions develop over time and highlights different points where regulation can happen. Whether that's choosing or shaping situations, shifting attention, reframing meaning, or deciding how to respond once emotions are strong.

This blog explores emotional awareness as a key step in understanding what you feel and responding with more intention and care. It offers practical reflections and gentle tools to help you notice emotions as they arise, making them feel less overwhelming and easier to navigate in daily life and relationships.

Personal uncertainty is a common experience, especially during life transitions, relationship changes, or periods of emotional stress. This blog introduces the SCAT method, a reflective approach that helps people navigate uncertainty.