You walk into a crowded party. There are people laughing, dancing, and carrying on—swept away by the spirit of their interactions. A quiet man sits alone at a table, silently judging a very loud and boisterous party participant. All of a sudden…

Beware of self-help formulas—such as the many well-intentioned memes on social media—that reinforce conditional thinking, including any semblance of a formula conveyed by this brief article! For example…