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10 Things Relationships Need to Survive

August 3, 2016 by Power of Positivity

The wilderness is a dangerous and scary place. It is easy to get lost and find yourself in trouble. Love relationships can find themselves in unknown territory surrounded by marauding packs of singles who want to separate you two and make you easy prey.

Relationships have certain basic needs in order to survive. So how can your relationship not only survive in this dark and scary wilderness, but flourish?

Here are ten things relationships need to survive:

1 – Fresh Air and Water

Nobody wants to breath polluted air. Whether that air has been polluted from smoking, an unwashed body, or just being around each other too much. It can be suffocating. Just ask the Apollo astronauts. Relationships need to breathe fresh air occasionally. Get out of your routine. Spend some time with a friend. Visit nature and cleanse your soul. Go for a swim, in a tub, and add some bubbles.

2 – To Hunt and Gather

The fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Food is essential, so important that without it we die. Good, healthy foods and drinks keep our bodies balanced, energized and our emotions stable. Food has been used to celebrate, to mourn, and bind people together for thousands of years. Do not underestimate the effect of having lunch or dinner with your partner regularly. No phone, computer, tablet or TV. Just the two of you, some good food and good conversation.

3 – A Warm Fire

Imagine trudging though a heavy snowfall on a stormy winter night. In the distance, you see light shining through the windows of a house. When you get to the house you step inside into the glow of warmth from the fireplace and the love of your partner. A relationship needs love like a fire needs oxygen. Being with your partner should be like snuggling up next to the fire on a cold winter’s night. Daily acts of love keep that fire burning hot. Take out the trash without being nagged about it. Make sure the laundry is put away. Little things add logs to that fire but you have to tend it diligently because if you get slack and forget to feed the fire then the fire dies and you will both freeze to death. So find something everyday to toss another log on that fire and keep your love burning.

4 – A Sturdy Shelter

Nature is a beautiful but cruel and uncaring mistress. Life’s storms will try to blow us off our feet and rain on our parade. All of us need shelter sometimes from the harsh realities of life. Your partner’s kindness and compassion can shield you from the storm. We all need a place to retreat to, dry off, recover, and rest before venturing back into the wilds. Be that sanctuary for your partner. If they had a crappy day, listen to them with compassion and empathy.

5 – Safety and Security

We need to feel safe in our relationships for them to last and grow. If there is physical or emotional abuse, then the relationship is doomed. But just as important are concepts of respect, appreciation, vulnerability and trust. Untrustworthy partners and partners who do not respect or appreciate us make us feel insecure. We should be able to feel vulnerable with our partners and trust them not to hurt us when we do.

So, now that we have survival down what do we need in a relationship for it to flourish? For it to reach the actualization of its full potential? The next five things are critical for a relationship’s full self-actualization.

6 – Acceptance

First, you have to accept each other for who you are. If you want them to change into something more acceptable, then you don’t really want that person but an idealized version of that person. Our past and our quirks make us who we are and if you like someone enough to pursue a relationship with them then accept that person as they are, warts and all.

7 – Commitment

If you are with Mr. or Ms. Wrong, then there is no room for Mr./Ms. Right. If you can’t commit to someone, the relationship is fundamentally wrong. Long term, serious relationships need commitment from both parties to survive. Your partner must know you will be there for them when the chips are down. Back to back, you two against the world.

8 – Compromise

Two partners must be willing and able to find a middle ground when confronted by disagreements. If your view is “It is my way or the highway,” then good luck walking that highway by yourself. You have to be able to find a way where both people get enough of what they want to be happy. Healthy relationships engage in give-and-take and negotiating with each other to find a happy middle ground.

9 – Forgiveness

If you are with someone long enough, you will occasionally hurt each other’s feelings. If you just can’t let things go, if you feel the need to remind your partner about mistakes or slights from weeks, months or years ago, and keep a running tally of their failures, then you may need just to let that stuff go. Carrying all that baggage will sap your strength and drag you down to drown in your misery. Everybody has bad days or makes mistakes. Forgive them and move on.

10 – Honesty

You must be honest with your partners about what you want and need upfront. If you make a mistake, then man up and admit it. Then work through it and past it. Honesty builds trust slowly but can be lost with a single untruth. Besides, if you are honest, you don’t have to remember much.

Psychotherapist Donna Wood wrote in The Inspired Caregiver:

“When enforcing our boundaries, first and foremost, we are caring for ourselves, but we are also helping others to have a clear understanding of what we consider acceptable behavior. We are reflecting back to them what is not acceptable and, therefore, providing them an opportunity to consider that information and make necessary changes. If we ignore the behavior or accept the behavior, not only are we undermining ourselves, but we are denying the other person an opportunity to learn about themselves and to grow, and ultimately, we deny them the opportunity for a healthy relationship with us.”

Final Thoughts on Nurturing Healthy Relationships

Healthy relationships require us to be respectful, honest, compassionate, and loving. It’s important to have vulnerability and courage in being ourselves to our partners. Relationships are never perfect. It’s all about finding the person who can see past your flaws and utilizing those imperfections to help each other heal together.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

3 Things To Remember If You Have Toxic Parents

August 2, 2016 by Power of Positivity

We did not arrive here alone. We have come into this life through a mother and a father. Even if your parents weren’t available, or they are narcissistic and toxic, your existence here is due to them. Very few of us can attest to having perfect childhood stories. Some of us can’t even remember having that great of times with our families. We all have moments. We have all suffered through our parents’ mistakes. They truly have done the best they could under their capacity. They, too, had teachers who taught them things and had misfortunes. Of course, we cannot go around divorcing our parents for all the toxic energy they continue to instill in their presence.

According to AARP, some suggestions exist for parents on how to endure when their children want nothing to do with them. This is also helpful in dealing with our acceptance and issues when it comes to them:

Own up to your mistakes
Accept contrary view
Avoid guilt trips
Hear them out
Wait…then wait some more
Don’t give criticism or advice

Parents are our first teachers. They are our first superheroes. They become our mentors and the first link to the outer world. Unfortunately, not all parents should be parents. They don’t have the emotional ability to even care for themselves. For those of you who know this firsthand, here is some advice on dealing with your parents’ toxic attitudes.

3 Things To Remember If You Have Toxic Parents

1. You have survived the unthinkable.

Our parents mold us from the very moment of conception. Studies have shown that babies absorb language when they are in the womb during the last 10 weeks of pregnancy. Dr. Patricia K. Kuhl of Bezos Family Foundation, author and researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle says:

“The main message for new moms is that their babies are listening and learning and remembering during the last stages of pregnancy. Their brains do not wait for birth to start absorbing information. Therefore, the journey of parenting doesn’t start when the child is born. It starts in the womb. Any external psychological, emotional and physical issues are transferred to a child before opening up his or her eyes into this world.”

Your parents teach you the fundamental parts of existence: survival, existence, and your place in the world. Unfortunately, not all parents should be teachers either. They, themselves, did not have the grounding and rooting of good parents. Many of you have had no love, felt the disconnection through physical and emotional abuse, and the turmoil of feeling worthless. And yet, here you are! Here you are moving through this world in your unlimited capacity. Your parents have taught you a grand lesson: you get to decide what you are and who you are regardless of your upbringing. You are not limited or incapable of change.

You’ve morphed and have evolved to become you. You don’t have to speak to your parents or acknowledge them for everything, but you do have to forgive them and yourself in the process. You forgive yourself for believing the smallest and largest parts of childhood. Some things parents do to their offspring are unthinkable, inconceivable and horrific. You get to decide how you move in this world because of your past. You can change the stories by not reliving the stories.

2. You give the same amount of respect that you receive.

Criticism is not a death sentence. We would be dead if judgments, dishonoring, and belittling were swords or guns. They are not. For every harsh remark, critique, opinion and negative scorch our parents have made, we get to use that as a choice to do better or be smarter. Sometimes parents want the best for us and believe that they are encouraging a change by coming down on us. At times, parents do not know boundaries. They feel entitled to voice every opinion to their children. They intersect, input and inform over and over, regardless of how you try to stop them.

Your parents are the first people you trust in your life. As adults, you don’t have to anymore. You do not owe them a life sentence. You get to show the same respect that you have been instilled with during this journey. We don’t have to walk on our tiptoes, swallowing all the toxic energy. We have had excellent teachers in our parents to know how much to tolerate. Respect, trust and love are earned. It doesn’t matter if it’s a parent, a sibling, a boss, a mate, or a stranger.

3. We are mirrors of one another.

What have you learned from your parents? Try to remember the good things as well. They might be small in comparison, but your parents have taught you great things about yourself. Are you strong, smart, or successful? Did you get a talent from one of them? Did you learn what not to be with your own children? Have you experienced a great awareness because of a parent’s abuse, unthinkable behaviors, and exploitation? Sometimes, we become the things we hate and try deeply to avoid, while other times, they show us what not to become.

If your parent was a monster, you can see it and work on never becoming like them. You get to transform and transcend through your pain. Parents teach us important things in life: attachments, love, knowledge, anger, patience, intolerance, and fear. They show us the good and the bad. Many times, their actions are based on their fears and regrets. They don’t know how to show it or evolve from them. But, you get to decide what you can and will tolerate now.

Not all of us have to be drastic in our relationships with our folks. It isn’t until you have your children that things start to click at times. Stress, anxiety, fears and their own upbringing interfere in parenting. But, you owe it to yourself to forgive, heal, and love yourself in a way they could not provide. You get to learn from their lessons, without using every memory as a crutch to stay in negativity.

Final Thoughts on Toxic Parents

You do not exist here on earth. Instead, you strive to evolve and learn through love, vulnerability, and compassion. It’s easy to help others when they never hurt us. Parents require that we learn to be empathetic and kind, especially with ourselves first. You hold the power to be better than you were told and shown to be in childhood. Indeed, you are the only one who can learn from it.

“Power is confusing for us, perhaps even terrifying, because our relationship with it had an unfortunate beginning. Someone in a position of power over us used and abused us…It seems as if power were something to be wielded, always at someone’s expense, usually our own.” ~ Maureen Brady, Beyond Survival: A Writing Journey for Healing Childhood Sexual Abuse

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

6 Ways to Turn On Your Weight Loss Hormones

August 2, 2016 by Chris Butler

Weight loss can seem like a confusing puzzle to solve, but with the help of these six ways to turn on your weight loss hormones, you’ll be able to solve that riddle in no time.

What are hormones?

Hormones, called your body’s chemical messengers, get sent via your bloodstream to organs in your body. They’re different hormones in your body that affect various body functions and processes, such as

Growth and development
Food metabolism
Sexual functions and reproductive health and growth
Brain function and moods
Body temperature and thirst

6 Ways to Turn On Your Weight Loss Hormones

Let’s look further at these six ways to turn on your weight loss hormones as soon as you are ready.

1. Rebalance your weight loss hormones by eating satisfying foods

Some foods are just more filling and satisfying than others.

You will notice this not just by the round fullness of your stomach after eating them but by how long you feel satisfied or satiated before you have the desire to eat again.

The weight loss hormone responsible for your full feeling is called leptin.

Sources of protein are excellent ways to nourish your body and activate leptin to help you feel full longer. Leptin tells the brain that you are no longer hungry and stop eating.

Researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says ‘a moderate increase in dietary protein in association with physical activity and an energy-controlled diet may improve the regulation of body weight.’

The study showed that eating protein increased satiety or fullness and helped people lose fat in the body rather than lose muscle mass.

2. Build muscle mass to support your weight loss hormones

The same hormone responsible for bulking up bodybuilders can also be a weight-loss tool for you. The sex hormone testosterone is present in both men and women, and we can get more of it by weightlifting. In turn, the greater testosterone levels you have, the more weight loss you will see because muscle burns fat.

Lifting enough weight with enough repetitions that you begin to feel muscle soreness or ‘the burn’ is the right amount to see results. Turning on this weight loss hormone may be as easy as lifting a toddler and a car seat throughout the day or carrying the four bags of groceries and a gallon of milk from the car to the kitchen.

3. Always eat breakfast to turn on weight loss hormones

In the morning, you are turning on your weight loss hormones by breaking your overnight fast, or break-fast, as we call the morning meal. Your body is in a state of fasting while you sleep, and it burns very few calories as you process the day’s information as dreams and memories. The body’s heart rate and breathing are slow, which means a sluggish metabolism while at rest.

To break your body out of the resting phase, jump-start your metabolism with some plant-based protein or vegetarian sources of fat and carbohydrates in the morning. Keep the total calorie count below 800 if possible and keep the carbohydrate portion of the meal small compared to the protein and fat content.

4. Increase your fat-burning power while sitting

The weight loss hormones of the thyroid are produced from the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in your throat. According to German obesity research on thyroid function, when the thyroid hormones Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were measured in obese children before and after a weight reduction program, they found that a slight weight reduction led to a long-term decrease in the levels of T3 and T4.

The reduction in the T3 and T4 thyroid hormones led to a more efficient metabolism while resting, which sped up further weight loss. If you can lose as little as 5 pounds, you can turn on your thyroid weight loss hormones to keep the weight loss going.

5. Get better sleep for better regulation of weight loss hormones

Levels of the weight loss hormone leptin that makes you feel full are also dependent on you getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. When you do not get restful sleep, your leptin levels decrease, so you tend to want to overeat to consume more levels of energy to make up for the lack of rest.

Your body reasons that if you are tired, you need more energy in the form of food, and the weight loss hormone leptin is not high enough to tell your brain that you aren’t that hungry.

6. Breathe like a yogi

The yogi practice of focused breathing can help speed up your metabolism by changing the levels of adrenal weight loss hormones in your body. In a study where researchers asked participants to breathe through a single nostril at a time by closing off the other for 27 respiratory cycles, repeated four times a day for one month, they found that the participants had an increase in resting metabolic oxygen consumption of up to 37%.

10 Foods to Support Healthy Weight Loss Hormones

Having a good hormonal balance is essential for losing weight. Certain foods support healthy hormones. Here’s a list of the ten best foods to eat to help your hormones and lose weight.

1. Tuna and salmon

Fatty fish such as tuna and wild-caught salmon are high in omega-3s that help produce hormones. They boost your mood and improve the balance of your hormones. Eating fatty fish helps you feel full so that you won’t snack between meals. Fatty fish is high in vitamin D, which keeps your hormones under control and helps address weight gain and fatigue.

2. Eggs assist in the regulation of weight loss hormones

Eggs help produce hormones. They’re high in protein, which lowers insulin, the hormone that affects your hunger. Eating a boiled egg for breakfast will keep you full until lunchtime.

3. Eat healthy fats

Some fats are bad for you, but healthy fats are necessary to keep your body healthy. Fats give you energy and help with cell development. Three great healthy fats to add to your diet include

Avocadoes-This superfood helps your body maintain and balance estrogen and progesterone.
Flaxseed-Flaxseed helps keep your hormones in balance. Don’t overdo adding these healthy seeds to smoothies. Too much flaxseed can throw off the balance of estrogen in your body.
Brazil nuts-This nut boasts the highest level of selenium, a hormone that supports your thyroid function.

4. Add healthy whole grains to rebalance weight loss hormones

Whole grains are packed with B vitamins. They support the hormones that affect your moods and energy levels. Substitute these whole grains for potatoes or white rice.

Quinoa-This superfood won’t raise your blood sugar the way processed grains do. It’s a great source of vitamin B and helps your body sustain healthy insulin levels.
Brown rice-When possible, skip the white rice and choose brown rice instead. Brown rice contains phytoestrogen that help keep your estrogen levels in balance. It’s also rich in B vitamins.
Oatmeal-Oatmeal isn’t just for kids. Oats are high in soluble fiber, which aids your digestive system. It’s also high in vitamin B, manganese, and zinc.

5. Don’t forget your leafy greens

Leafy greens are packed with antioxidants that help fight inflammation. They help lower stress and lower your cortisol levels. High in fiber, they help prevent hormone-related health problems.

6. Crunchy cruciferous veggies assist your weight loss hormones

Crunchy veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale remove excess estrogen from your body. Broccoli helps relieve PMS, reduce cramps and mood swings associated with your menstrual period.

7. Fresh organic fruits

If possible, buy organic fruits to guarantee there were no chemicals used in their growing. Chemicals such as pesticides disrupt your hormones. There are some fruits that you need to peel to eat, so they aren’t as bad for you if they’re not organic. These fruits include the following types:

Bananas
Pineapples
Watermelon
Cantalope
Oranges, tangerines, or mandarines

Best organic fruits for hormone balance to lose weight include:

Blueberries-Blueberries are rich in antioxidants. They’re full of B vitamins that help with the production and balance of hormones such as progesterone.
Apples-High in fiber and vitamin C. Helps raise your progesterone levels, which helps you feel less anxious and moody.
Strawberries-High in phytoestrogen that balances your hormones.

9. Herbs

Herbs add flavor and healthiness to your diet. These common herbs help balance your hormone levels.

Garlic-It helps balance your estrogen levels.
Turmeric-Turmeric contains curcumin, which helps your hormones and improves your blood flow. It’s also a powerful antioxidant.

10. Kimchi or sauerkraut support weight loss hormones

Did you turn up your nose when your grandma ate sauerkraut? Grandma got it right because kimchi and sauerkraut are full of good bacteria and probiotics that keep your gut healthy. Your digestive system plays a role in producing serotonin, your happy hormone that helps your mood.

This Simple 3 Ingredient Recipe Helps You Fall Asleep In MINUTES

August 2, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Insomnia can cause so many health problems for people who can’t fall asleep. That makes this simple three-ingredient recipe is a miracle for those who truly need it. Being able to get a restful night’s sleep will help you to have more energy and better mental focus. Besides that, you will allow your body to awake refreshed and invigorated.

This Simple 3 Ingredient Recipe Helps You Fall Asleep In MINUTES

Sometimes being able to fall asleep in minutes eludes us, even though we know we need to get a good rest, for example, after a night out of drinking. The excitement and stress of the day are hard to let go of before bed and we lie awake worrying about what the next day will bring.

Instead of not being able to fall asleep, try this simple 3 ingredient recipe in this article. You’ll find it will help you to relax your muscles and get the sleep that you need to face the next day. Let’s look at how you can create a relaxing sleep spray to apply to the soles of your feet with only a few ingredients.

Negative health effects of not being able to fall asleep

Researchers reviewed several previous studies on insomnia and concluded that the following health problems are related to not getting enough sleep:

Depression
Anxiety disorders
Other psychological disorders
Alcohol abuse or dependence
Drug abuse or dependence
Suicide
Decreased immune functioning

In addition to these mental and physical health problems, the study found that those that used sleep medication had a higher risk of mortality than those who did not use medications to help themselves fall asleep. There may be possible links to poor cardiovascular health as well. But the research was not as conclusive for heart health problems.

Indeed, all of these negative health effects of not getting enough sleep. Therfore, using this simple 3 ingredient recipe to help you fall asleep fast. Additionally, it is an easy way to improve your physical and mental health.

The 3 key ingredients that make up this sleep recipe

Researchers at the Department of Nursing at Keukdong College in Chungcheongbuk-Do, Korea studied the effects of lavender aromatherapy on insomnia and found that ‘length of time taken to fall asleep, the severity of insomnia, and self-satisfaction with sleep were improved’ when a 60% solution of lavender essential oil was used in an infuser. The researchers also found that symptoms of depression were improved when they used a 100% solution of lavender essential oil.

When purchasing your ingredients for this simple 3 ingredient recipe to help you fall asleep in minutes, look for high-quality ingredients. You need lavender essential oil and a good quality roman chamomile essential oil.

A spray of magnesium oil is a good way to get this essential nutrient into our bodies if we are not getting enough from our nutrition. Magnesium is essential for healthy rest and it can be absorbed through the skin. While not truly an oil, you can also use a liquid containing dissolved magnesium crystals on the skin at night to help you fall asleep in minutes.

A study conducted by George Eby Research in Austin, TX says ‘Clearly, magnesium is extremely effective in promptly inducing sleep when taken at bedtime, and sleep is vital to recovery from depression.’ Using magnesium in this recipe is helpful for us to achieve a healthy amount of sleep.

What the experts say

The researchers at George Eby Research also found a connection between depression and magnesium levels. They say this:

“Magnesium was found usually effective for the treatment of depression in general use. Related and accompanying mental illnesses in these case histories include traumatic brain injury, headache, suicidal ideation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, postpartum depression, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco abuse, hypersensitivity to calcium, short-term memory loss, and IQ loss were also benefited. Dietary deficiencies of magnesium, coupled with excess calcium and stress may cause many cases of other related symptoms including agitation, anxiety, irritability, confusion, asthenia, sleeplessness, headache, delirium, hallucinations, and hyperexcitability.”

The 3-ingredient recipe for falling asleep in minutes

To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

4 oz magnesium oil
10 drops lavender oil
10 drops Roman chamomile oil

Combine these 3 ingredients in the listed quantities in a dark-colored glass spray bottle. The dark color keeps the essential oils from losing their potency because exposure to sunlight will cause them to deteriorate. Shake the spray bottle well to combine these ingredients.

Spray this mixture on the bottoms of your feet before bed to help you fall asleep in minutes. The skin of the feet can absorb the essence of these 3 simple ingredients. Therefore, they will help the body to relax and prepare us for an excellent night’s rest.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

9 Behaviors Self-Respecting People Never Tolerate

August 2, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Many of us have realized that we must alter our lives drastically during these times of grand transformation. Self-respecting people cannot accept complacency. These times call for bravery, honesty, and transparency to transform into our highest selves. We must drop anything that no longer feels good in our souls and honor our true selves. If you genuinely respect and love yourself, you will not tolerate any of the following toxic behaviors.

9 Behaviors No Self-Respecting Person Should Ever Tolerate

Do you engage in any of these behaviors?

1. People Pleasing

You must do what makes you happy and go with your gut feeling. Forget trying to convince others; they will only try to tear you down most of the time, and give you 1,000 reasons why you shouldn’t follow your heart. You have to rise above the opinions of others, and instead do what feels right to you. Any self-respecting person values their own opinion over others.

2. A Negative View of Themselves

“Be mindful of your self-talk; it’s a conversation with the universe.” – David James Lees

If you want your reality to look more positive and vibrant, your thoughts must align with what you want your world to look like. The world will look gray and depressing if you have a negative view of yourself. However, if you have a positive relationship with yourself, you will see endless opportunities and bliss wherever you look. Self-respecting people love and nourish themselves with positive thoughts, relationships, careers, and goals.

3. Remaining Stagnant

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” – Unknown

If you look around, the world seems pretty scary, and so many people decide to remain in their safety net as long as possible to avoid anything uncomfortable. However, you can’t grow if you don’t try new things. Self-respecting people love to push the boundaries and see how much they can stretch their limits to keep evolving as a person.

4. Trying to Fit In

Again, you can’t grow and learn if you only care about following the herd. To thrive in this world, you must carve your path and learn to trust your instincts, not the tired, worn-out opinions of others. Learn to feel comfortable in your skin and trust your intuition; you will see a new world open up for you.

5. Working at A Soul-Sucking Job

Unfortunately, most people work at jobs that hate to pay the bills. However, you don’t have to become a statistic; you can leave that job that drains you and look for something else that will truly fulfill your soul. Self-respecting people dig deep to uncover what their soul wants, then follow that calling unabashedly. Of course, sometimes you have to tough it out until you find something better, but our point remains that anyone who loves and respects themselves will ultimately leave a job that doesn’t support their mental and emotional well-being.

6. Neglecting Your Health

Feeling good starts and ends with you; no one else can take charge of your health. If you don’t feel mentally, physically, or emotionally, examine your life to see where you can change.

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen gradually with actionable steps. Any self-respecting person puts their health first because they know that without this, they can’t enjoy life to the fullest and bring their best selves to the table.

7. Overly Controlling Relationships

If you have friends or a partner who tries to dictate every aspect of your life, then this should definitely signal the alarm bells in your head. You should never tolerate someone who wants to manipulate and control your relationship. According to an article on toxic relationships, “Toxic relationships can exist in any kind of relationship, and they are bad for your health..”

You deserve friendships and relationships that will enhance your well-being and challenge you to grow and learn. Simply put, if anyone in your life brings you down more than they raise you up, then you need to let them go. Self-respecting people don’t allow anyone but themselves to control their lives, period. Even experts agree–being a doormat can be harmful to a person’s mental health.

8. Being Lazy

In the age of technology, many of us have allowed our smartphones, tablets and computers to entertain us the majority of the time. We’ve lost our motivation because it seems easier to sit in front of a screen than actually go out in the real world to accomplish things. However, any self-respecting person will not allow themselves to become complacent; they continue to work hard toward their goals, and know how to use self-control and discipline to their advantage.

9. Not Choosing Happiness

Too many people settle for less than what they deserve in the world today, simply because they don’t value themselves highly enough, or they feel too comfortable in their current situation to make changes. However, any self-respecting person always chooses what makes them the happiest, regardless of what they have to do to get there. They don’t place any limits on their lives, because they know that magic indeed does exist in this world, despite what we’ve been led to believe.

If you don’t do what makes you happy, you won’t have much of a soul left at the end of your life. To rise above and set your soul on fire, you must leave behind anything that doesn’t enrich your life, and choose things that enhance it. This goes for people, jobs, relationships, where you live, diet, workout routines, and everything in between. We came here to thrive, not just survive, so remember this the next time you feel unhappy.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

Get Ready For A Major Shift, New Moon in Leo August 2nd

August 2, 2016 by Power of Positivity

The new phase of the moon brings many exciting things for us as it rises in the sign of Leo on August 2nd, 2016 and this article will tell you what you need to know about this time in your life. Leo is one of the most energetic signs in the zodiac, so this is the type of energy that you can expect to come your way as we finish out the last scorching month of summer.

Astrology and the science of astronomy used to be linked as one philosophy, but modern scientific discoveries separated the two. The movements of the planets are observable, measurable scientific phenomena, but the influences we feel on our lives are less measurable. However, science has found that the moon can affect us in significant ways.

Researchers at the University of Michigan studying the effects of the new moon on the stock market found that consistently across 48 countries, stock returns are lower on days of the full moon and higher on days around the new moon on the level of 3 to 5% per annum. This effect is true even when controlling for stock market volatility and trading volumes.

A Polish research study found that the moon affects human behavior in many other ways. They say ‘Admittance to hospitals and emergency units because of various causes (cardiovascular and acute coronary events, variceal hemorrhage, diarrhea, urinary retention) correlated with moon phases. In addition, other events associated with human behavior, such as traffic accidents, crimes, and suicides, appeared to be influenced by the lunar cycle.’ The researchers also mention that more women tend to ovulate during the dark phase of the moon than at other times.

What You Need To Know About The New Moon In Leo on August 2nd 2016

You don’t have to be a Leo to appreciate the changes that are coming. Leo will experience a special surge, more so than the other astrological signs. Every zodiac sign will need to know about monthly energy shifts and what the moon rising in the sign of Leo means for them.

What you need to know about the energy of the new moon

As a new moon rises in any zodiac sign, the astrological energies that you encounter will a type of rebirth where new things are beginning for you. The moon is starting new and is practically undetectable in the sky as it is coming out of it’s dark phase where the Earth’s shadow passes across its face.

The light of the sun cannot reach the surface of the moon in it’s current position, but as it begins to shift in the next day or two, you will begin to see the crescent moon with its points to the left as the sun sets in the west. The crescent will grow until the moon reaches first quarter on August 10th when it will look about half full.

Forward movement and progress is going to be made this month as a time of renewed energy comes to you. Think of the new moon as a time of fresh starts for everyone. We all get a clean slate to start over with each month, and the new moon in Leo is your chance to clear away any worries about the past or the future and focus on the moment that you are in and what you can act on now.

What you need to know about the moon in Leo

Creativity is at an all time high now. Even if you have not summoned your artistic talents in the past, you may feel the urge to doodle, to write creatively or to play music on an instrument. Maybe dancing is a creative outlet for you.

Any action that you take to make something that wasn’t there before is an act of creativity. Use the energy of the new moon in Leo to push yourself forward and see the accomplishment of something that you didn’t know was possible before.

With the new moon in Leo on August 2nd, 2016, your health should also be improving at this time. This might be an improvement in your physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual health that is affected. Emotionally, you are moving into a more positive time.

Leo is fun to be around and this beginning phase of the new moon is the start of something fun for you. You need to know that having a Leo for a friend right now will make this an even more entertaining time for you.

What Leo needs to know about the new moon in Leo on August 2nd

Leo, this could be the moment you have been waiting for. When the moon is in your sign, you feel the influences of all of the above exciting changes times ten. You are usually powerful and a force to be reckoned with, but there’s almost literally no stopping you now. Leo has always has a motto of ‘Lead, follow, or get out of the way’ but this month it may be a warning to others to get out of your way.

Obstacles are no match for Leo at this time of the year, and you obliterate anything that might hold you back. In fact, you’re likely to break down so many barriers that you clear a path for people who can follow in your mighty paw prints as you lead the pack.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

What Do Your Fingernails Reveal About Your Personality?

August 2, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Some of our most minor personal habits, like how we keep our fingernails trimmed, our finger length, or even the natural shape of our fingernails, can reveal more than you might guess. Indeed, these trait reveal much about our unique, individual personality traits. In this article, we will look at some of the reasons our fingernails can reveal our inner personality and what our fingernails say about us.

What Do Your Fingernails Reveal About Your Personality?

In grade school, it used to be a joke that you would ask someone to look at their fingernails. If they turned their hand with their fingernails pointing toward themselves with their hand curled, it meant they were feminine. But if they looked at their hand with their nails pointing toward the other person, it meant they were masculine. Boys tried to catch girls doing this the ‘wrong’ way for their gender and vice versa and then used that as another reason to tease. Unacceptable bullying and nonsense aside, it turns out that fingers may have more in common with our masculinity or femininity than you might think.

Let’s research finger length, fingernail shape, and what it means for our personalities.

Finger length and masculine or feminine personality traits

Research by the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta, Canada, studied finger length in men and its correlation to mood. The researchers say that there is an apparent reason for finger length being studied because ‘Finger length ratio (index to ring finger) is a sexually dimorphic trait found in various species ranging from humans and mice to zebra finches.’

The research shows that, on average, males have a relatively shorter index finger compared to their ring than females do. The theory is that the finger length ratios of the index finger and ring fingers are related to the amount of estrogen or testosterone that a baby receives in the womb during development.

The Canadian study also revealed a connection between depression in men and the length of their fingers. They found that a more ‘feminine’ ratio of finger length was related to depression in men. Other studies have found a connection between a shorter index finger in men and ADHD symptoms, alcohol dependency, autism, aggressiveness, leadership, a tendency to be a psychopath, and other traits.

For women, a shorter index finger indicates an increased risk of anorexia and assertiveness. A more extended ring finger than an index finger for women indicates elevated bulimia risk, neurotic behavior, psychopathic behavior, visual memory, and verbal skills.

What your fingernail shape reveals about your personality

A study from the Dermatology Division of the Department of Medicine at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, says the following about fingernail shapes and personality traits:

Fan-shaped or Triangle shaped with the point down (wider at the tip). Fan-shaped nails with a narrow base that widens towards the top of the finger (like a fan) may reveal an anxious or high-strung personality.
Almond or Triangle point up (wider at base). Fingernails that are wide at the base and narrower at the tip might indicate a gentle, creative, more refined, and emotionally sensitive personality.
Broad rectangle. A fingernail that is wider than it is long is associated with a short temper. These broad and square fingernails reveal an ‘easy going, calm, honest, patient, upright, balanced and broad-minded person.’
Tall rectangle. Long fingernails could mean the character will be prone to selfishness and narrow-mindedness.
Square. Square fingernails are relatively equal in length and width. People with square fingernails reveal a person who can be ‘tight-fisted, mean, and stingy.’ This shape of fingernails also reveals a tendency towards impatience and quick thinking, and the shorter the fingernails, the more critical the personality.
Oval or round. This shape tends to be the most positive, open-minded, and happy. A rounded fingernail shape is creative, independent, and a quick learner.
C-shaped curving down. This fingernail shape indicates a personality that is hard working and has had to overcome an obstacle in the past. This fingernail shape reveals a person who is perseverant and courageous.

Anatomy of our nails

What we call our fingernail is anatomically the nail plate. The nail plate is made of the protein keratin produced by the nail matrix near the cuticle of the fingernail.

The part of the fingernail attached to the nail bed is pink because we can see the blood vessels of the nail bed. The free edge of the fingernail is white in color as the fingernail grows beyond the nail plate.

According to Bianca Maria Piraccini, author of Nail Disorders: A Practical Guide to Diagnosis and Management, on average, fingernails grow about three millimeters per month. Nail growth slows as we age and is fastest in early adulthood.

Fingernails and personality disorders

Excessive filing, biting, or picking at your fingernails can cause hand health problems. Often, these behaviors may be an outlet for extreme stress for a person. Nail-biting is a habit that children often outgrow by their early adulthood. So continuing to chew your nails may be a sign that anxiety or stress is becoming overwhelming to you. In extreme cases, nail-biting can become an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. In fact, thoughts of nail-biting and needing to chew them interfere with daily activities or result in a negative mood.

How Do You Show Anger According To Your Zodiac Sign?

July 31, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Everyone gets angry from time to time; we as humans can’t help but lose our temper or patience every once in a while. Maybe certain things get under your skin, like when someone mentions a touchy subject or teases you about something that you feel embarrassed or hurt about. Anger can get the best of you if you don’t know how to reign it in, however, and each zodiac sign will show anger a bit differently.

Below, we’ll go into more detail about how every sign in the zodiac deals with anger, and hopefully this can help you to manage any anger issues you might have and learn to deal with the situation in a more calm manner. We will also talk about which aspects of anger each sign needs to work on in order to become their best selves.

How Each Zodiac Sign Expresses Anger

Aries

As one of the three fire signs, Aries can burn you if you don’t know how to deal with them. They have a short fuse and anger quite quickly depending on the situation. They are passionate about life and get frustrated when someone or something stands in their way. While Aries possesses many great qualities, their dark side can come into play when things don’t go their way.

While they don’t usually provoke people, others can easily get under their skin or rub them the wrong way. They are stubborn, and when they get the short end of the stick in life, they tend not to take things very well. Others may feel like they have to walk on eggshells around them to keep them from erupting into a fiery volcano, as an Aries will definitely let you have it if you hurt or anger them.

However, even if they get angry quickly, they will soon forget what made them mad in the first place. They are the type to forgive and forget, so don’t worry too much if you get on their wrong side. They’ll come back around soon enough.

Taurus Zodiac Sign

While Taurus doesn’t anger easily, you’d better watch out if you do happen to make them mad – they can become a bit passive-aggressive and shut you out if you hurt them badly enough. They don’t like to admit it when someone hurts them, so you might find it difficult even to tell if you’ve hurt them in the first place. However, if they give you the silent treatment, you will know that you upset them. They especially get angry when someone lies, cheats, or betrays them in some way. Most of the time, Taureans keep an even keel and don’t let much bother them.

When they get angry, let them have their alone time, as they need space to sort out the issues in their head. This zodiac sign is fiercely stubborn and independent, so they like to go off alone when life serves them a bad hand.

They will talk things out with you when they feel ready, but let them thoroughly get out what they need to, as they usually don’t talk much. So, when angered, they will have much to say and need your full attention.

Don’t expect everything to be peachy keen, however, as a Taurus usually holds grudges and finds it hard to get close to someone on the same level after they’ve betrayed them in the past.

Gemini

Gemini, or The Twins, can make your head spin if you don’t know how to deal with them or what to expect. They will say one thing and then do another, or change their mind in a heartbeat about specific issues. To say the least, Geminis can be almost impossible to understand or keep up with sometimes.

As far as their anger, though, most Gemini zodiac signs do not have a hot temper. If something makes them mad, they’ll express themselves. But they won’t dwell on it for too long. Geminis have a zest for life, and don’t want to spend too much time letting things get under their skin.

Geminis can talk your ear off. So if something makes them REALLY mad, rest assured you will hear about it for a while.

Geminis don’t like people telling them what to do or trying to control them, so you’ll probably stay on their good side if you don’t do these things.

Cancer Zodiac Sign

Cancers have a charming, compassionate, gentle nature. However, some people like to take advantage of this, which makes them feel unappreciated and taken for granted. If you get on their wrong side, don’t expect a response; you’ll have to go to them if you want to remain in contact.

They are highly passive-aggressive, so if you make them mad, don’t expect them to tell you. If you don’t have a high level of intuition and can’t read body language well, then dealing with Cancer will not be a cakewalk for you.

Cancers might get hurt easily, but they don’t usually go into recluse mode over every little thing. If you make them mad, they might try to hide their feelings until they eventually blow up. So, if you know a Cancer, check up on them occasionally and ask if they need anything to get off their chest. This will help to avoid any future arguments or misunderstandings.

If you care about them, go after them. They don’t want to make all the effort when you’ve made them upset in the first place, so if you want to continue your relationship, make sure you show them how much you really care.

Cancers have high standards for others since they show so much love and loyalty to their loved ones and expect the same things from those they love. If you hurt them, they’ll forgive you eventually, but it won’t happen overnight.

Leo

Leos have a hot temper, and as a fire sign, what else would you expect? However, they won’t play any mind games with you – if you anger them, they will certainly let you know.

They have the temper of a child. So don’t expect them to hash things out in a mature manner. They might throw things, yell, roll around on the floor, or do anything else that will cause a scene to get your attention. They might even call you names or say things they don’t mean. But don’t take it to heart; they must express their feelings.

Like a true fire sign, they will burn themselves out quite quickly, and will get over the issue just as fast as it happened. So, don’t worry too much if you anger them – they will not hold a grudge for very long.

Virgo Zodiac Sign

Virgos definitely win the award for “Most Patient Sign.” They probably have the least anger out of all the signs, and take a very long time to show their feelings. Virgos don’t do well with emotions, even their own, so don’t expect them to tell you if you made them angry. They’ll probably keep it to themselves and get over it eventually. However, if you hurt them badly enough, you may have lost a good friend, as they don’t forgive easily.

Virgos, like Cancers, become passive-aggressive when angry. They sulk, go into hiding, and ignore you as best as possible. They don’t like confrontation and avoid it like the plague. They’d rather walk away to deal with their anger than let it all out on you, as they know what a burden that can feel like.

Because of their calm disposition, people come to them to vent and get angry all the time, so they would rather not let anyone else deal with their heavy emotions.

A Virgo might forgive you if you hurt them, but they won’t forget. If you break their trust, don’t expect to gain it back easily.

Libra

Libras, as peacekeepers, try to avoid anger at all costs. They enjoy keeping balance in their lives and relationships, and anger doesn’t fit well into their overall goals in life. They’d rather keep everything inside to avoid conflict, even if something really upsets them. They also believe in justice and fairness, so they will likely give you a second chance if you really screw up.

They don’t like people to know it, but they’re sensitive. Because of this, many things can get under their skin, they choose to keep it to themselves most of the time.

Libras would instead run away from confrontation than face it, so if you’ve made them mad, don’t expect them to make the first move. It can be tough to know if you’ve angered a Libra, but if you don’t hear from them for a few days, that might be the only hint you really need.

They do hold grudges, though, and will use past mistakes against you in future arguments.

Scorpio Zodiac Sign

If you anger a Scorpio, watch for their body language before anything else. Of course, they won’t tell you they’re upset because what self-respecting Scorpio would ever admit something that would make them so vulnerable? However, their eyes, facial expressions, and other subtle signs will pretty easily give it away.

However, you do not want to get on their bad side, as Scorpios love to get revenge. They will plot against you if you do something to hurt them, and will not ever let you live it down. If they seem quiet, this should worry you, because they likely have a grand scheme in their heads of how they will get back at you.

However, if they do get angry, give them their space, because they don’t want you suffocating them as they try to cool down. They might try to come to talk to you if they feel like it. It is a toss-up with them, as sometimes they can be passive-aggressive and expect you to make the first move.

They will come to you in their own time if this is the path they choose. Don’t try to push them, as this will only anger this zodiac sign more.

Sagittarius

As you might have expected, this fire sign will let you have it if you make them angry. They don’t tolerate disloyalty or betrayal very well, and you won’t hear the end of it if you happen to make them mad. You will probably want to walk away quickly to give them some space, as their behavior will resemble a bomb detonating.

Sagittarius’ loves to get sarcastic if you’ve made them mad, so look for this as one of the surefire signs of anger. However, most Sagittarians feel embarrassed of their hot temper, and try to hold it in as much as possible so no one will see them lose their cool.

Also, it can take quite a while for them to calm down, so they’d rather skip the whole fiasco altogether. On the other hand, them sometimes don’t even know if they’ve created drama out of nothing, as they love to analyze situations and solve problems. Sometimes, you might find them creating problems out of boredom, so watch out for this behavior.

Capricorn

Capricorns, as another Earth sign on the zodiac, usually don’t get angry too much. They would rather keep the peace and stay calm than waste their energy on getting angry. However, when they do get mad, you’d better run for the hills.

You will know when they feel angry because since they don’t get this way often, they’ve probably stored up months of tension and stress that they haven’t let out yet. So, when they finally do break, run for cover. You don’t want to be the one that makes them mad, as they don’t forgive easily. They will yell and make a big scene when they express their emotions, but they won’t want the spotlight for long.

Capricorns have high standards for others, so they are disappointed and angry when you don’t meet them. You’ll stay on their good side as long as you meet their rigid moral code.

Aquarius Zodiac Sign

Aquarians love a good debate and thought-provoking conversation but can’t stand arguments. If you’ve angered them, don’t expect them to stick around. Instead, They’d go into nature or go for a long drive rather than sit there and stew in their emotions.

However, if they must deal with the situation right then, they’ll do so with finesse and class. They don’t like showing people their emotions, so you’ll likely get a smooth-talking, even-keeled, composed Aquarius in any situation. You might hear about it later once they’ve had the space to deal with their genuine emotions, but they most certainly will keep to themselves during a stressful situation.

Sometimes, they might write you off without ever giving you notice, however. They will try to repair a long-term relationship, but they probably won’t waste their time if it doesn’t mean much to them.

Pisces

As a water sign, Pisces’ emotions run deep. As such, they tend to get angry over nothing sometimes, but they likely won’t let you know. They don’t like arguing and will avoid it at all costs. So, like some of the other signs, this zodiac sign will bottle up their emotions until the end of time, for both yours and their sake.

Pisces will likely go off on their own to calm down, then stick around and hash things out. They might throw things, cry, and scream to feel better, or blast some angry metal music to help release their emotions.

Pisces can hold a grudge, but it all depends on the situation. If you mean a lot to them, they will likely come around and sit down with you to talk things through.

15 Habits That Create A Grateful Person

July 30, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Most of us have known grateful people and people who are less than grateful for the things in their lives.

Meeting those polar personalities can make you wonder what daily habits make you grateful in the first place? It also might make you think, “How can I avoid a lack of gratitude?” No one wants to be bitter, angry, resentful, or lonely, but a pattern of harmful habits is what creates that type of personality.

The good news is that we can unlearn bad habits and replace them with good ones to be more grateful for the things we have each day. Let’s look at some of the positive behaviors you can incorporate to avoid an “attitude of ingratitude.”

These Habits, Practiced Often Can Make You A More Grateful Person

A habit is something that you repeatedly spend time doing, and breaking them can be tricky. It is easier to add another new practice than to eliminate a bad one, so start building habits of gratitude right away. Eventually, old negative habits will disappear as they are replaced by the good feelings that grateful practices give you.

1 – Grateful People Accept Responsibility for Their Happiness

You are only a victim if you let yourself be victimized. If you are in a situation that makes you unhappy, recognize that you have the power to move, act, and stand up for yourself. Say to yourself, ‘If I am unhappy, I can choose to go away from this person or situation.’

If you choose to stay with someone who makes you unhappy or in a place that makes you sad, you have decided that this is what is best for you right now. Deciding that not acting is what is best for you is like saying that you are grateful for the experience of knowing what you dislike so that you know better what you do like and can choose to find more of that in the future.

2 – Grateful People Turn Vulnerability Into Strength

We all have strengths and weaknesses about our personalities. Of course, we want to build on our strengths and learn from our shortcomings but realize what a gift your vulnerabilities are.

Brene Brown writes in her book:

Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”

Admit your faults to others and ask for help to improve on them. Let them see that you are not perfect but that you know how to use your imperfections to become a better person. You would never blame someone else for your flaws because you wouldn’t be the complete person you are today without them.

3 – Make Meaningful Connections With Other People

Gratitude is an attitude of being thankful for the life experiences that you have received and the lessons learned from them. Sharing these experiences with others helps us solidify the lessons we have received and hear the life lessons that others have received.

Researchers studying gratitude found that it was associated with positive mood, good social connections, well-being, and spiritual connectedness. Brene Brown says ‘I define connection as the energy between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.’

4 – Grateful People Serve the Community

A hospital, a homeless shelter, a community food bank; there are opportunities for you to experience what it is like to live with far less than you now have and everything that should make you grateful. Seeing the disparity between what you have and what others live without is one way to avoid the habits that make people ungrateful.

5 – Keep a Log of Whey They Are Grateful

Researchers looked at the effect of a grateful outlook on psychological and physical well-being. They found that a conscious focus on blessings by writing them down may have emotional and interpersonal benefits. Participants were told, ‘There are many things in our lives, both large and small, that we might be grateful about. Think back over the past week and write down on the lines below up to five things in your life that you are grateful or thankful for.

Participants in the study gave the following examples of gratitude-inducing experiences:

waking up this morning
the generosity of friends
to God for giving me determination
for wonderful parents
to the Lord for just another day
to the Rolling Stones

As another example of how you might do this at home, the author’s successful sister keeps a gratitude jar on her counter and makes a habit of writing several things she is grateful for each day on slips of paper. The jar is opened the next New Year’s Day and she spends time celebrating the previous year’s blessings.

6 – Realize Good Things Don’t Always Happen to Good People

In a perfect world, those who do good would have good things happen to them. However, life isn’t always fair. It would help if you learned to stop thinking that you’re owed anything, as it can help to change your attitude.

Consider the people suffering from cancer or other major illness and those who have been through hurricanes, tornadoes, and other acts of God. These unsuspecting people were victims of circumstance. The Bible states in Matthew 5:45 that it rains on the just and the unjust, which means time and chance happen to everyone.

Learn to be grateful for your blessings, that you were spared from some heartache, and don’t think the Universe owes you a thing. When you develop this mindset, your gratitude will increase.

7 – Don’t Set Preconditions to Your Happiness

It’s a trap to think that you will be happy and content if you get this new job or an excellent new partner. Why do so many people put conditions on their happiness? You must understand that true bliss comes from within, not from external successes.

A gracious person doesn’t try to control every aspect of their lives, as they realize that it’s just not possible.

8 – Grateful People Realize There’s No Rainbow Without the Rain

Have you ever looked outside when it’s raining to see if you see a rainbow? For this natural phenomenon to occur, there must be some sun shining through the dark clouds. Without the rain, there couldn’t be a rainbow, and without the storms in your life, there would be no growth.

Realize that the storms are as much a part of life as the sunshine. Learn to admire and savor everything that happens in life, as there’s always some good with the bad.

9 – No Matter What Happens, Know That Hope Is Not Lost

Grateful people keep their hope no matter what comes their way. They know that everyone’s future is uncertain, and some things are just beyond their sphere of influence.

Realize and have faith that there’s more to life than your circumstances. Even in a stormy season, you can learn to dance and be joyful.

10 – Grateful People pardon Others for Not Being What You Hoped

Why is forgiveness so hard? You know you need to forgive so that you can be forgiven when things happen to you. Consequently, have you ever considered forgiving folks for not being what you expect from them?

This is a hard concept to grasp, but it’s not uncommon to set high expectations of one another. When someone doesn’t act how you think they should, it’s easy for bitterness to creep into your heart. Carrying resentment is like grabbing a lump of hot coal from the fire to toss it at someone, but the problem is you’re the individual who gets burned. Gratitude teaches you that you’re not perfect, so you can’t expect it of others.

11 – Positive Self-Esteem Sets the Foundation for Gratefulness

When your mindset is grateful, your self-esteem is good, and you don’t have time to beat yourself up over the past. And when you’re stuck in the happenings of yesterday, then you can’t live for today. When you’re positive, your good esteem helps ground you in gratitude. Many folks need a mental health tune-up where they stop putting themselves down and start being a cheerleader.

12 – Developing Healthy Thinking Habits

Did you know that if you think good thoughts, you will feel good too? Your brain is a powerful organ that you must utilize. Someone full of gratitude doesn’t complain about the lack of money in their bank account, but they’re grateful the bills are paid, and there’s food on the table.

When you stop dwelling on the negativity, your thought processes become more positive. So many people focus on the bad stuff rather than what they want to happen. You can manifest things in your life by simply developing a mantra that says something like:

“I can do it.”
“I’ll succeed no matter what.”
“I can accomplish anything I set my mind to do.”

Watch your attitude change and become more grateful when you use positive affirmations.

13 – Focus More on the Lessons Rather Than the Disappointments

Sure, life is full of disappointments, and there’s no way to get around them. How many times does a baby stumble before learning to get up and walk? However, each time they fall, there’s a lesson to be discovered.

The infant must hold their feet a certain way, balance themselves, and avoid previous mistakes to stay upright. The same analogy can be used for your life. Each time you fail, there’s a lesson to learn. It would help if you saw what you could do to prohibit a tumble a second time and grow and become better from this knowledge.

Someone full of gratitude knows that life will teach them lessons, and they embrace them rather than blaming everyone around them for their stumbling.

14 – Be Flexible in Your Thinking

Have you ever met someone who knows it all? It doesn’t matter how hard you try; you can’t change their mind. Rigid thinking is not favorable, as it shows someone stubborn and set in their ways.

Being closed off and narrow-minded will shut many doors to you, but you will suddenly see many doors open when you open your perspectives. Someone with gratitude embraces others and is flexible enough to realize that their point of view isn’t the only one to consider.

15 – Know That a Grateful Attitude Takes Work

Finally, you must understand that gratefulness isn’t always going to come naturally. The more challenging the season of your life, the less gratitude you feel. However, keep striving and trying to gain a good perspective, and it can change your life for the better.

Final Thoughts on Adopting the Habits of Grateful People

If you want to change your mindset, there’s a simple exercise you can try. Get a pen and paper and write down ten things that you’re most grateful for in your life. Now, what things in your life need work? Why not change the way you look at those troubling things and see the silver lining in those dark clouds?

Weekly tips, affirmations, and small actions to feel your best.

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!