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7 Quotes To Remember When You’re Surrounded By Negativity

November 6, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Negative things happen. It’s part of life, no matter how many quotes we read or how positive we strive to become. Tough times strengthen us and wake us up to the things we weren’t paying attention to. When we allow things to stack up and then add negative people to the mix, this is how we become surrounded by negativity.

Here we feel completely overwhelmed, lost, tired and defeated. Positive quotes annoy us and we stop caring about the things we once loved because we feel like we are constantly putting out fires.

It can be hard to get out of such an emotional roller coaster. Especially when we are surrounded by negative, critical, judgemental people.

We often hear quotes saying, “stop caring about what other people think.” Well, most people agree that’s a lot easier said than done. Quotes can be good, but how do we put it into action?

We are here to help. In fact, we want to inspire you with quotes, yes, but also help you switch that belief system. There’s power in knowing that your thoughts can change your situation. When your thoughts, attitudes and actions are in positive alignment, negativity dissolves.

It starts with keeping positive, support relationships around you. It’s tough to get out of negative situations if you have a daily negative critic in your life – yourself included. It’s easy to be a critic.

We are usually surrounded by negativity, or at least feel like we are, when we are living living for others. How do we break free and stop becoming surrounded by negativity? These quotes will help!

7 Quotes To Remember When You’re Surrounded By Negativity

1. Not everyone will understand you.

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.”— Albert Einstein

2. Don’t change for others.

“If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it.” John Lennon

3. Dream big…really big.

“So many people along the way, whatever it is you aspire to do, will tell you it can’t be done. But it all it takes is imagination. You dream. You plan. You reach.”- Michael Phelps

4. People will disagree with you.

“Don’t waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions; go over, under, through, and opinions will change organically when you’re the boss. Or they won’t. Who cares? Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” – Tina Fey

5. Sometimes you are alone, but you don’t have to feel lonely.

“Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.” – Cynthia Kersey

6. You are perfect just the way you are.

“There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.” -Marianne Williamson

7. And when all else fails, remember this quote…

Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully. -Kristen Butler

Final Thoughts

Let’s face it, we can’t please everyone. It’s an impossible task to live up to the expectations of someone who will end up judging us regardless of what we do.

It’s up to us to start standing up for what we believe in – our own happiness. It’s time we change our focus to the people that matter in our lives and surround ourselves with positive people. When we focus on the people we love and who love us, the other stuff seems to fade into the background. Positivity become part of our every day. We attract more positive people and situations. Negative things happen, but it doesn’t surround us anymore.

Walk, talk, associate yourself with people who are positive. In case you find yourself among people having a negative conversation, remain neutral, or you can refuse to participate in the discussion. Be around like minded individuals who are smart and driven.

Have friends who are proud of what you are doing, respect and love you, and make your day brighter than it already is.

No matter what, remember this: True success comes when we know we are being judged and then realize we don’t care. When that happens, we know we are living our best life.

Let’s switch that old adage around. If negativity is surrounding you, it’s easier done when repeatedly said with positive affirmations and quotes. 😉 Let us know in the comments which # is your favorite!

10 Signs You’re A Lost Soul

November 6, 2015 by Power of Positivity

In this crazy life, we all go through periods where we feel lost, hopeless, and simply at our wit’s end. However, truly lost souls go through more intense periods of disassociation and confusion than the rest of us, and sometimes, they feel like their true path in life has evaded them. Lost souls genuinely have so much potential to uplift the planet’s energy, but they have to cut through all the pain and false beliefs to find themselves again.

If you are a lost soul, you might look around the world and not understand your place here. You might feel like you can’t connect with others and wander around aimlessly, searching for the answers you desperately seek. Lost souls are pretty prevalent in this lifetime, as we all have to learn how to navigate the mysteries of life and figure things out on our own.

Here are ten signs you may be a lost soul:

1. You feel disconnected from others.

Lost souls feel like it’s them against the world and feel very threatened by other people. They don’t have much desire to connect with anyone else and put their walls up anytime someone tries to get too close. They live through their ego, so they cannot offer themselves unconditional love and, therefore, can’t give it to others either. You feel you walk this world alone and have little to no faith that anyone will understand you. Lost souls take longer to find their true selves than others, so if you feel this way most of the time, don’t become discouraged.

Go within more, and all the answers will come to you quickly.

2. You fall back into bad habits repeatedly.

Since lost souls feel they have no purpose here on this planet, they use their time to engage in bad habits to take their minds off reality for a while. You might find yourself running back to drugs, alcohol, sour foods, or other harmful substances to mask the pain of isolation and confusion you feel, but this will only put a bandage over the real problem. Lost souls don’t feel like they even belong on this planet, so they do everything to forget about their existence here. However, it would be best if you used all that energy on something more productive and helpful to you, such as creative outlets like drawing or writing. Using toxic substances will only block your energy further and backfire.

3. You feel you have nowhere left to turn.

Lost souls have searched themselves and this planet far and wide for answers but still feel stuck in life. They don’t have the motivation to continue looking and feel any further attempts are futile. Lost souls can easily get sucked back into negative thinking patterns and would rather stay put in this state of misery than work on creating more positive habits. Lost souls hold onto their pain dearly because they fear what would happen if they let it go. They feel they would be nothing without their past, so they cannot venture into the future.

However, a lost soul must understand that to thrive on this planet. They must reopen their wounds and truly let them heal this time. Masking the pain will only perpetuate feelings of emptiness and hopelessness, so you must put on a brave face and look your ego in the eye. Tell it that it no longer can hold the reigns because it doesn’t serve your best interest. The ego thrives on weakness, so if you stand up to it, it knows that you’re the boss. Lost souls give into their egos far too quickly, but you block out true love by doing so. You put up a wall that says, “Love isn’t welcome here.” And without passion, not much can be accomplished, including allowing your highest self to run free at last.

4. You’re Living in the Past or the Future.

If you’re a lost soul, you avoid the present moment because you don’t feel content within yourself. You may associate yourself with the past or future to dodge the pain of daily life. After all, you probably have fond memories of your past and enjoy reminiscing about them. It’s also fun to imagine the future and all of the possibilities it may hold for your life. Those who have trouble finding themselves may identify with the past because it comforts them in a confusing, uncertain world.

5. You Don’t Know Who You Are.

Feeling astray in life can make you question everything, including your own identity. Those who feel confused or disoriented don’t know what they stand for or where they belong and can easily fall into despair. It’s painful to feel alone in this world despite billions of people inhabiting the planet with you. However, a lost soul they’re pretty used to the feeling and may find it easier to accept a lack of identity than contemplate their place in life.

6. You Feel Stuck in Life.

If you’re a lost soul, you may have no idea what direction to turn or how to steer your life. Perhaps you’ve been working in the same job for years now and suddenly feel disenchanted with it all. However, when you think about other options, your intuition doesn’t call toward anything. You may feel trapped or stagnant as you try to think of what to do next.

Just know that this feeling creeps upon us all at some point, and you’re not alone. If you feel stuck, your soul needs a new path to learn a different lesson or gain a new perspective. Life isn’t a linear process; it’s full of twists, turns, and curveballs, but it makes it exciting! Sit back, enjoy the ride, and allow your inner voice to guide your path.

7. A Lost Soul May Disconnect From Their Intuition.

Our intuition acts like an internal GPS, guiding us through life and helping inform our decisions. Studies show that intuition plays a pivotal role in the decision-making process, increasing our confidence and accuracy. Feeling lost means you’re out of touch with this higher guidance and somehow need to reconnect with it.

Several ways to tune into your inner world include meditation, yoga, and other body-mind awareness exercises. Allowing yourself to become the observer behind your thoughts and feelings will teach you to trust this intuitive voice more often. Our intuition comes from the heart, but we have learned to rely on only logic and reason in our modern world.

However, this narrow-minded approach can only take us so far. Perhaps if we learned to live more through the heart, our world would seem softer and more compassionate.

By reconnecting to your higher self, you will remember your connection to all life, not just the little self staring at you in the mirror. We’re all connected, but we have forgotten our sacred roots. If you feel lost in life, try thinking about how you can extend a helping hand to others, as this will strengthen your intuition. It will also take your mind off your problems and give you a purpose in uplifting others.

8. You Practice Negative Self-Talk.

If you feel lost in life, you may talk down on yourself often, telling yourself you’ll never find a way out. In this state of hopelessness, it isn’t easy to credit yourself for all the positives in your life, such as your career, family, or home. This negative self-talk will only cause a downward spiral as you can’t see the silver lining in the dark clouds. There’s always something to feel grateful for or happy about, but you may take it for granted when you’re hurting emotionally.

So, make sure to practice positive affirmations or meditate regularly, as these have been shown to increase wellbeing and satisfaction. Please don’t give in to the demons in your mind because they don’t paint an accurate picture of your life. Plus, being lost isn’t all bad, because it gives you a chance to find yourself again.

9. You Engage in Unhealthy Habits.

If you’re a lost soul, you may attempt to drown your feelings in alcohol, drugs, food, or other addiction. However, this will only temporarily mask the pain in your heart; once you come down from the high, it will all start flooding back. It’s natural to search for happiness in external things, but you will always need more of it to feel satisfied. If you want everlasting contentment, you will have to search within and block out the phenomenal world for a while.

10. You Don’t Have Any Goals.

People who feel confused about their life path may not have any goals since they’re unsure what steps to take. They may have a few interests but don’t know how to turn this into a career or side business. Some may not have any desires and prefer to wander through life with no direction.

If you’re a lost soul, people have probably told you that you have no ambition or drive in life. It’s painful to hear this, especially when they can’t relate to your feelings. Remember that it’s okay to take time for yourself when you feel this way – the world can wait while you recharge.

Final Thoughts on Recognizing You Might Be a Lost Soul

While the journey into one’s soul isn’t the easiest or most comfortable thing in the world, you must take the ride to unearth your authentic self hiding behind the mask. Lost souls need to be reminded that the persona they’ve shown the world isn’t them; it’s just their hurt ego putting on a show.

Lost souls, remember that you get to decide how you will feel at any moment, and you can choose to reinvent yourself starting today. You don’t have to give in to feelings of despair because you have more power than you could ever know. Realize your inner strength, and the whole world will start to look like a brighter, more inviting place.

5 Reasons To Stop Chasing Perfection

November 6, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Perfectionism on the surface seems like it would be a good thing. What if we want to do and present our best work to the world? That’s a good thing, right?

Well, what if that same sense of perfectionism causes you to turn in your “perfect” work late, or you missed your child’s play while creating this work? That’s a bad thing, right?

The question then becomes, “Is perfectionism good, or bad?” The answer is, it can be both. The difference between “good” and “bad” perfectionism is how well we can manage our daily life. If the need for perfect work comes with the sacrifice of other work, or more importantly, the people in our lives, then learning how to handle perfectionism should be a priority.

On the other hand, if the fear of failure drives a perfectionist to be more methodical in their work to alleviate stress, make clear goals, and recognize when enough’s enough, then it can be considered a good thing.

It is not unusual for perfectionism to rob us of a significant amount of time doing things we love with the people we love. Even when a perfectionist is present in body, they are rarely present in mind. They exist in a state of tunnel vision and are not allowing themselves to recognize all that they have to be grateful for and offer outside of their work.

Chasing perfectionism isn’t allowing us to live our best lives. The goal of achieving the perfect vision limits our ability to see the possibility in everything around us.

“Perfectionism is a self-destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame.” ~ Brené Brown

5 Reasons to Stop Chasing Perfection

1. Perfection Promotes Procrastination

Perfectionists will often procrastinate while trying to find the “perfect” solution to the task at hand. Before they know it, the deadline is fast approaching. Overthinking the problem usually ends up with an over-complicated plan of attack that can derail the best of intentions.

2. Perfection Creates a False Sense of Awareness

Perfectionists are so focused on the thing that’s in their sight that they don’t see what’s happening around them. When someone puts their entire focus on one thing, it can provide a false sense of awareness that will prevent them from achieving their idea of perfection.

3. Perfection Prohibits Personal Growth

Perfectionists live their life establishing habits that support a daily routine. And while a routine is good, routines that are so rigid that flexibility is discouraged will end up preventing new experiences and opportunities.

A perfectionist thinks they know what they need and aren’t open to new ways of doing things. Being open to new ideas, new habits, and new options is what allows us to grow and evolve into the people we are capable of being.

4. Perfection Lowers Productivity

The excessive attention spent on the tiniest of details can lower productivity levels and result in doing less work. On the surface, this doesn’t sound all that bad, but most businesses base their operating costs on productivity numbers. The lower the productivity, the worse it is for business. Besides being bad for business, perfectionism can also lead to becoming a workaholic and can even prevent forward motion and personal growth.

5. Perfection Can Impact Your Health

Studies show that perfectionism can be bad for your health. It can lead to earlier mortality even after controlling other health risk factors. It’s not surprising that there is a link between perfectionism and serious illness.

The mere definition of perfection can increase stress levels while leading to poor nutrition, lack of exercise and loss of sleep all in the quest of “perfect.” Consistently operating under these conditions will compromise the body’s immune system, making it much more susceptible to illness.

Being a perfectionist might seem like a good choice, but knowledge is power, and the knowledge points to perfectionism doing more harm than good.

It’s one thing for a perfectionist to push themselves to be the best they can be. It’s entirely another matter for them to push themselves at the expense of their health, relationships, and personal growth.

Remember, “perfect” doesn’t truly exist, and instead, we should strive for appreciating our lives and celebrating all the good in them. To move away from the perfectionist tendency is to adopt the mindset of doing the best we can with the information we have.

It’s important to stop chasing the “bad” kind of perfection and harness the good kind in a way that helps us to create a more mindful existence that celebrates both the perfect and the imperfect.

5 Signs You’re Dealing With An Energy Vampire

November 5, 2015 by Power of Positivity

An energy vampire, or psychic vampire, literally feeds off the energies of those around them, attaching to a host and attempting to suck the person dry. Energy vampires literally cannot survive without feeding off the energy of others, so they do exactly that.

They may not mean to act this way, but they have relied on other’s energies for so long that they know no other way of living. An energy vampire represents someone who feels vulnerable and lost and doesn’t think they can survive on their own.

They also may not feel motivated enough to increase their own vibration, so they take to lowering the energies of those around them in order to boost their frequency. Sometimes, an energy vampire can conceal their ulterior motives quite well, but in general, they stand out like a sore thumb.

Here are 5 ways to spot an energy vampire:

Do you see these signs in someone you know?

According to Psychology Today, you have three ways to combat an energy vampire:

Know the signs. Identify this negative person quickly and decisively.
Avoid people you identify who deplete you of positivity.
Refuse to be drawn into their negativity and drama.

This article focuses on step one, and you will learn how to spot people who cause mental and spiritual exhaustion.

1. They always want someone to show them pity.

Energy vampires thrive off of attention, but they go about getting it in the wrong ways. They want other people to feel sorry for them, so they constantly give off a “poor me” vibe to get people to notice them. They likely haven’t had good relationships in the past, and so go to other people in order to get the attention they seek. Whether they just had a bad break-up, lost their job, or got in an argument with a family member, it always seems like they have some new sob story to share with you.

You can’t always trust them, though, because they simply don’t know how to discern between reality and the stories in their head anymore. They need to invent new methods of getting people to feel sorry for them constantly, because this energy transfers to them, which raises their own vibration. Watch out for people who always complain, because this is a clear sign of an energy vampire.

2. They look lethargic most of the time.

Despite sucking the energy out of people constantly, they never seem to have any. This makes sense, because the energy comes from an outside source, not from within. So, they continue to keep up their charade, even if it doesn’t seem to work any longer.

An energy vampire will likely have withdrawn, pale features, and simply exude a very off-putting, tired vibe. They lack motivation also. So whenever they need to get something done, you can rest assured they will run to you in order to get some inspiration, or even ask you to do the task for them.

3. An energy vampire doesn’t smile very often.

Energy vampires don’t feel happy most of the time, so they rarely smile. They can’t ever seem to create happiness within themselves and only smile when they have stolen energy from other people. They walk around this world aimlessly, feeling lost and threatened by everyone and everything.

That reaction happens when they don’t have any hope left to fix themselves, so they’ve taken to joining the dark side. An energy vampire hides behind their mask, hoping no one will notice. However, if someone seems unhappy a majority of the time, you can bet that you have an energy vampire on your hands.

4. They usually don’t have a lot of friends.

Energy vampires lead a very lonely life because no one would want to hang out with a person who chooses to live in such misery. An energy vampire wants to connect with people, but don’t remember how to genuinely do so without depleting people of their own life force. If you see someone who spends a lot of time alone, and also seems tired and unhappy most of the time, this is a clear sign of an energy vampire.

5. Energy vampires put others down quite frequently.

They don’t know how to operate without cutting someone else down, and never seem to have anything nice to say to someone else. If they do, they just want to pull people into their trap and make them feel safe and protected, when they really just want to give them a false sense of security in order to steal their energy.

An energy vampire might give someone a really nasty remark, only to say later that they were “just kidding.” This type of person wants to engage with people but doesn’t really know how. They only know how to trick other people into becoming their friends, just so they can serve their own interests.

What Color Is Your Aura?

November 5, 2015 by Power of Positivity

An aura is an emanation of energy surrounding one’s body, and it varies throughout time depending on experiences and circumstances of each individual.

In short, it’s basically one’s essence, and can supposedly be captured using something called Kirlian photography, or electrophotography. While many people regard the study of auras as pseudo-scientific and unsubstantiated, it’s still a very popular activity nonetheless, and can help you figure out your strengths and weaknesses in your own energy field.

So, what color is your aura, and what does it mean?

Yellow

The main traits of those with a predominantly yellow aura are intelligence, logic, and a quick wit. They think with their heads, not their hearts, and can quickly put their emotions aside to deal with problems that arise. They can sometimes work themselves too hard, however, as they are high achievers who thrive on reaching their goals. People with a yellow aura love to spend time alone, though they don’t feel lonely. They don’t have many friends because they choose them wisely, but they love and adore their close circle of companions dearly. People with a yellow aura crave highly intelligent conversations; they don’t do well with small talk. The main weakness of these people, however, is that they can sometimes be too judgmental of themselves and others.

Red

As you might have guessed, people with a red aura have a fiery, feisty nature, and cannot be tamed easily. They love freedom, adventure, and excitement, and get bored quickly. People with a red aura have a high level of confidence in all areas of life, and don’t normally suffer from mental or physical illnesses. They love sports and doing anything active, and have a highly competitive nature. Additionally, they are natural born leaders, and don’t like people telling them what to do. They are open, honest people, and won’t hide anything from you. They get straight to the point. The only downside to people with a red aura is that their need to rise to the top may burn some bridges on their path.

Pink

People with a pink aura have generous, sweet, approachable energy. They give love freely, and tend to be hopeless romantics. They also are empathetic, with an uncanny psychic ability and creative talents. People with this color aura are idealists, which makes it hard for them to see the world as it is. They want to change it somehow, and feel like it’s their mission in life to do so. Just like people with red auras, people with pink auras are very honest, and give everyone a fair chance. However, they need to learn to stand up for themselves, because people tend to walk all over them due to their gentle nature.

Green

If you have a green aura, then you have an unwavering love for the outdoors, and consider yourself a true nature lover. You also probably have a high level of health consciousness, and put only the most nutritious foods into your body. Likely, you keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, and don’t sync with pie-in-the-sky ideals. You have a practical, realistic approach to life, and take care to keep yourself and your home polished and cleanly. You also enjoy safety and stability, and don’t like too many changes occurring in your life. If you find yourself being too rigid in your approach to life, you may want to try going with the flow more.

Orange

People with an orange aura love the spotlight, and don’t enjoy being alone too often. They are charismatic, funny, loud people, and always seem to be the center of attention. On the opposite end of that, however, they have an innate ability to sense other’s emotions, and care deeply for how people feel. Due to their passionate nature, they can sometimes lose their temper, but will quickly apologize if they’ve been out of line. People with an orange aura are confident, approachable, and amiable, but can sometimes make rash decisions and let their impatience get the best of them.

Purple

This color signifies great psychic abilities and high sensitivity to emotions and energies. People with a purple aura have a mysterious, quiet nature, and contemplate all the big questions in life. They never stop exploring, and love to learn about new subjects. They live a lot inside their own minds, but they have a beautiful soul. People with this color aura tend to spend a lot of time in nature and with other animals, as they feel misunderstood by most humans. They don’t have many friends, but they adore and cherish the ones they do have. Sometimes, people take advantage of their open, loving nature, so people with this aura need to practice a lot of self-care to protect their energy.

Blue

Having this color aura is quite rare, but it symbolizes strength in positive communication and a bold yet humble personality. As you might have guessed, this aura signifies a calm, gentle nature, and so these people make wonderful peacemakers and solvers of problems. They can smooth things over quickly in an argument, and have an honest, eloquent way of talking with people. These people seem to have the perfect balance of thinking and feeling, and always say the right thing at the right time. However, they can sometimes take on too much work and not make enough time for their relationships.

Gold

People with a gold aura have a love for all things beautiful and elegant in life. They thrive on being the center of attention, and have a very active social life. For example, they love to host parties, entertain people, and simply enjoy life in the moment. They have a strong independent streak, and don’t like asking for anyone’s help or advice. These people can sometimes come across as shallow due to their extravagant tastes, but they simply enjoy giving people nice things, and decorating their living space with them as well.

White/Silver

Highly talented, and flexible in all areas of life, people with this aura can adapt perfectly to any situation. It’s almost like they can mold themselves into whatever they need to be, and they excel in many different areas of life. They attract success left and right, and usually make very good leaders and teachers. People are drawn to them because of both their inner and outer beauty, but people with this aura need to take care not to let this get to their head.

Brown

People with a light or dark brown aura tend to be lost souls, trying to find their place in life. They might fall back into bad habits, and have a negative self-image. They tend to focus so much on other people’s flaws, that they forget to address and fix their own.

Black

Rather than being an overall aura, black points to blockages in the energetic field. It can also signify deep, unresolved issues, depression, anger, rage, stagnation, discontentment, or any other negative emotion.

Take this test to find out the color of your Aura

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

5 Thoughtful Images That Show the Truth of Today’s World

November 4, 2015 by Power of Positivity

If you’ve lived on this Earth for any substantial time at all, you have probably noticed that something just seems terribly wrong about the current operation on this planet. Even if you have a positive outlook on life and see the best in everything, it gets hard to simply ignore the seemingly upside-down world we live in.

Steve Cutts, an illustrator and animator from London, uses the atrocities and insanity of today’s world for inspiration for his art, creating videos and images that portray the absurdities of modern times. While the following images might paint a dismal picture of today’s world, they help to spread awareness at least, and get people talking about solutions to the problems we face in modern society.

Here are 5 images that show the truth of today’s world:

Man’s Best Friend..iPhone?

No matter where we go, our cell phones have a tight hold over us. We wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without our trusted phone, because it has become a part of us now. We practically have them attached to our hands, unlocking them far too often to check for updates and notifications. We need the instant gratification, a sign that someone out there cares about us enough to leave a nice comment on our picture or send us a friend request. We go about our daily activities, but are we really present? Are we really living in the moment, or are we living through the screen of our virtual best friend?

Zombie Apocalypse

We don’t have to fear a zombie takeover, because it’s already here. Luckily, these zombies don’t seem to want to tear our limbs apart, they just walk around in a dazed stupor, staring at their phones all day. They don’t look up unless someone calls their name or they have to cross a busy street…even then, they anxiously await the moment when they can look into their screen again and go back to being in a trance. I read somewhere that if you pass people on a street, more of them will be looking down at their phone than will look at you and say hello. Is this the world we really want to create for ourselves?

The Rat Race to Nowhere

We work day in and day out, 40-80 or more hours a week, but what do we do it for? What does it do for our lives? Sure, our work puts food on our tables, pays for the house that we live in, the clothes we wear and the gas we buy for the cars we use to drive to work, but does it really fulfill us? We all scramble to make it to work on time, in fear of our boss getting mad and firing us for being late. We fear not having enough money to pay the bills, so we stay locked inside the system, not knowing how to escape this giant prison. Most of us don’t even question it anymore; we just do what we have to do to get by. We’ve been enslaved by an outdated system that no longer serves us, but we continue to take part in it because we have no other way. We have been taught to obey and follow orders, so we go along blindly, wishing for the day when we can all run free…

We Are Not Machines

Those of us who have awakened to the truth have a hard time going to a normal job everyday, feeling trapped inside a machine that just won’t stop. It never stops, and needs us to keep it going. Without us, the machine would cease to exist. Most of us just keep doing our duties, and don’t want to cause a scene. However, when we do speak up, someone out there will feel threatened by our rebellion, and will certainly keep a watchful eye over us and try to get us to fall in line again.

The Price of Gluttony

We go to McDonalds or Burger King to get a quick meal, but do we even think twice about where that “food” comes from? Do we even think about what we eat anymore, or do we just devour anything that satisfies our taste buds? As we continue to eat our favorite foods, millions of animals must die for our greed…but that doesn’t matter, as long as we can eat what makes us happy, right?

When we look back at these times in history, will we feel proud of our accomplishments and progression as a human race? Or will we wish we would’ve spoken up and promoted a world where everyone can prosper and feel happy? The choice lies with us, and we must stand together as one and start to care about issues outside ourselves if we want to thrive as a species once again.

*All images created by Steve Cutts.

4 Ways to Fill the Emptiness In Your Life

November 4, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Almost everyone feels empty at some point in their lives, but not many can pinpoint exactly why they feel this way. Most blame a lost lover, a lack of purpose, boredom, not enough friends, or other reasons, but this only skirts around the true reason for emptiness.

However, none of these reasons get to the root cause of why people feel empty; they just mask the underlying problem. Right now, we have so much chaos and destruction on this planet because people feel this emptiness, and they seek outside themselves in order to fix it. Or, out of frustration and loneliness, they hurt others to release these feelings. None of this will solve the problem, however. At the core of emptiness, lies a lack of love for oneself.

An article posted on HuffingtonPost.com, written by Margaret Paul, Ph.D., says it best: “There is only one thing that truly fills the emptiness. Love. There is only one cause of inner emptiness: a lack of love. But it is not a lack of someone else’s love that causes your emptiness. Inner emptiness is caused by self-abandonment — by not loving yourself.”

So, now we know that a lack of love for oneself causes feelings of emptiness, but what can we do about it?

Here are 4 ways to fill the emptiness in your life:

1. Dig deep down within yourself to understand your feelings of emptiness.

We can’t solve the problem if we don’t first understand it. What stops you from not fully committing to loving yourself? After all, the only reason to feel empty lies within us. If we always felt content and safe in our own skin, why would we need to seek fulfillment elsewhere? Of course, losing someone you love or going through a traumatic experience warrants feelings of emptiness, and understandably so. However, constant feelings of emptiness can indicate something deeper going on within you.

It takes courage to rip out your wounds and learn to love your scars, but this is a necessary step on the path to self-love. It won’t happen overnight, but you have to come face-to-face with your ego at some point, and show it love. Then, it will have nothing left to yearn for, and nothing left to take from you.

2. Allow yourself some sort of outlet for your emotions.

You can’t just move through life and keep all your feelings bottled up inside. This isn’t only unhealthy, but it isn’t natural. We are complex beings with a variety of emotions, and we shouldn’t be expected to stifle them just because society seems to look down on people expressing themselves. Whatever makes you feel more whole within yourself, do that. Whether you like to draw, write, paint, sing, dance, act, hike, or bike, just do something that comes naturally to you.

This will help you fill that emptiness, and give yourself a healthy way to express yourself.

3. Commit to loving yourself, no matter what.

Coming from someone who still struggles with this, I know that truly loving yourself is one of the most difficult things a person can do in this lifetime. We have every reason in the world to love ourselves, but when it comes down to it, a lot of us still don’t feel good enough. With the drop of a hat, we can log onto social media and endlessly compare ourselves to others. We can tune into advertisements on TV trying to sell us something that will make us “perfect,” and we can listen to others degrade and belittle us. However, we can also choose to walk away from all of this, and commit to loving ourselves unconditionally.

How do you do this? Make a decision. Make a choice to continue loving yourself no matter what people think of you, what mistakes you make, or what path you take in life. You cannot truly experience life if you can’t even enjoy and love the person you spend the most time with – yourself.

4. Get involved in activities that make you happy.

Feeling emptiness in your life will seem difficult if you do things that make your heart happy. You won’t even remember feeling a void in your life if you fill it with activities that bring you joy. Even if you’ve been down for a while, you can always get back up. You can always choose to stand up and fight rather than submit to feelings of worthlessness and defeat. Sign up for martial arts or yoga classes, join a hiking group, get together with friends and cook healthy meals for one another, or just whatever makes you truly fulfilled. Then, the emptiness will slowly fade, as you start to replace those feelings with love.

Remember, life requires us to constantly move in order to thrive. Living out in nature, we wouldn’t just stay in one place for long periods of time, and that shouldn’t change just because we live a different lifestyle. Momentum and action are the worst enemies of emptiness. You won’t even notice that void if you choose to take steps each day toward feeling alive again, so just make that choice. You CAN do it, no matter how hard it seems at first.

5 Signs You Take Yourself Too Seriously

November 4, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Many of us take ourselves far too seriously, and that shows in the amount of stress we have in our daily lives. What if we stepped back for a few minutes to remember that there’s so much more to life than our job titles, money, accomplishments, degrees, and whatever else we identify with? Most of us spend so much time trying to become something and beat obstacles and get ahead that we forget to simply breathe, laugh, and take in the beauty that surrounds us every day. We let the voices in our heads tell us we aren’t good enough way too often, and we start to believe them after a while.

Life doesn’t have to feel like a constant battle; you can choose to have a more light-hearted approach, and just ride the waves of life rather than fighting to stay afloat.

“Don’t take life too seriously; nobody ever makes it out alive anyway.” – Van Wilder

Here are 5 signs you take yourself too seriously:

1. You don’t remember the last time you laughed at yourself – or anything at all, for that matter.

Many studies have come out in the past decade regarding the incredible health benefits of laughter, and how it really is the best medicine. Laughter has been proven to reduce stress, combat anxiety, and depression, improve memory, lower blood pressure and heart rate, release endorphins into the body, and even boost circulation and oxygen levels to organs. It offers a plethora of health benefits, and most of all, it helps you not take life so seriously. If you don’t remember the last time you laughed, I would recommend taking the highest dosage of laughter you can, because keeping our hearts light and happily allow us to live a healthier, richer life.

Go out with friends, watch a funny YouTube video, or do anything that brings a smile to your face. Just because you have responsibilities in life, does not mean you can’t enjoy yourself along the way!

2. You feel you must defend yourself constantly.

If you take yourself too seriously, you will likely feel as though everyone wants to attack you and get under your skin. You might see the world as a hostile, unfriendly place, in which you must defend your territory and belief systems. However, having this attitude will only keep people from getting close to you, and will not help you to stop taking yourself so seriously. Most people in the world actually love reaching out to others and having intelligent conversations without wanting to hurt or attack other people for their beliefs or personality.

If you feel threatened by others, work on your confidence levels so that other people start to look like friends rather than enemies in your eyes.

3. You get offended when other people question your beliefs.

As an elaboration of the last point, you shouldn’t feel threatened or on edge when other people ask questions about your beliefs or viewpoints. You should be able to have a civilized, open conversation with someone without taking it to the extreme and feeling like you must get defensive about it. If you don’t want to elaborate on how you feel, you don’t have to, but most of the time, others just want to get to know you and don’t mean any harm.

Don’t attach yourself so much to your beliefs; rather, keep an open mind so you can learn from other people, and they might just learn a lesson from you, as well.

4. You always need a goal to chase in order to feel happy.

Humans are goal-oriented creatures by nature. We want to have something to set our sights on, something to work towards, and something to accomplish. Having a dream and going after it is great, but not when it takes you out of the present moment and prevents you from enjoying life in the now. Just because you have something you want to achieve in the future, doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the present. If you can’t feel happy without having something to work towards constantly, you might be taking yourself too seriously. Try to enjoy the little things about life, and remember what truly matters: your family, friends, health, and how you treat others.

5. You compare yourself to other people constantly.

With social media and other forms of entertainment and news outlets, we don’t have to look very far to find someone to compare ourselves to. However, this only serves to make us bitter and judgmental in the end, and does nothing to help us feel good about ourselves. Next time you catch yourself doing this, remember that no one can imitate or replicate you. So go out there and show the world your unique gifts and talents, and stop trying to become someone else. You will only lose yourself by trying to be someone you’re not, so make the choice to love yourself today. If you stop taking yourself so seriously and learn to relax into your individuality, you will start to have a more open, loving perspective about life, and just enjoy the ride while you can.

6. You don’t have a sense of humor

If you get upset when someone teases you, it could mean you’re too serious. It’s normal to get into friendly banter at work, home, or school. If you get offended when people do this, you’re being too serious. Of course, there is a time to be serious, but not all the time. Having a sense of humor is healthy and makes those around you feel happier.

Instead of taking yourself so seriously, relax and allow yourself to join in the fun of friendly teasing. Friendly teasing is usually a sign that people feel comfortable around you.

7. You appear tough

If you take yourself too seriously, you may feel it’s important to come across as tough and strong. Perhaps you feel this so much that you find it hard to be vulnerable with people. Being strong is a mask you hide behind to keep others at arm’s length.

If this is you, don’t be afraid to appear less than strong, especially around trusted friends and family. Remember, it’s okay to be yourself, not a tough veneer to hide behind.

8. You’re hard on yourself

One sign that you’re too serious is that you are too hard on yourself. You feel like you need to work harder than everyone else. You may challenge yourself and load up your schedule. Likewise, you feel you need to do more than others to feel good about yourself.

If you feel like this, it may be good to step back and evaluate why you’re doing this. Maybe you feel inadequate, so you’re trying to prove yourself. Give yourself some space and relax.

9. Get upset when you make mistakes

Self-deprecating thoughts over simple mistakes are common if you view your life too seriously. Everyone makes mistakes. Even if your mistakes seem huge at first, they probably aren’t as significant as you think. Most people don’t even notice other people’s mistakes. It’s easy to be your worst critic.

When you make a mistake, try not to take it so seriously. Find a lesson you can learn from your mistake, and commit to try again.

10. You try to control everything

There are many things in life that you just can’t control. Being overly cautious and controlling is a sure sign you’re too serious about life. Of course, there are many things in life you can and should control, but you need to let go and trust God to help you with those things that are out of your control.

Being a control freak is exhausting, and it never works. Something in life will be out of your control. Try to let go of your fears and desire to control. Look to God for help to trust him with those out-of-control things you face. The well-known serenity prayer expresses this idea like this:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

11. It’s all about you

When you take life too seriously, you can’t let go of your ego. Everything is about you and how it makes you feel or look. You may express this by

Avoiding social situations where you don’t feel comfortable
Overly worrying about what others think about you
Getting angry if someone doesn’t give you the attention you think you deserve
Assuming people should know what you need, so you don’t ask
Drawing conversations back to yourself instead of focusing on the other person

Try to step back and harness that ego of yours. Assume that you aren’t the most important person in the room and focus on others.

12. You’re not humble

Being too serious often means you don’t like to be told you’re wrong. Maybe you don’t like being evaluated or getting feedback at work. Humility is having a low estimation of your importance. Characteristic qualities of humility include:

Being grateful
Not boasting about yourself or your accomplishments
Not giving into pride or arrogance
Being kind, not rude
Not belittling others

Begin practicing these qualities in your life. Choose humility when you’re tempted to be prideful. Keep working at it. You can grow in humility as you practice it every day.

13. You’re a loner

People who stay socially connected to friends and family are happier and healthier than people who chose to be alone. They typically live longer than people who are less connected to their community. It’s okay to be alone sometimes, but if you pull away from people all the time, it’s not healthy. Find ways to get involved in your community. Strive to stop taking yourself so seriously and allow others into your world.

14. You can’t give compliments

If you’re overly serious, you may think that it’s disingenuous to give compliments. Or perhaps you see nothing good in others to compliment. Either of these thoughts means your ego is showing. Giving compliments isn’t wrong if your motive is to encourage someone, not just flatter them. Be on the lookout for good things that other people do and genuinely compliment them about it.

15. You aren’t grateful

Studies show that gratefulness and well-being go hand in hand. People who express gratitude are happier. They see every day as a gift from God. They don’t take things or people for granted. Gratefulness is a remedy for being too serious. Fostering positivity helps you enjoy life. You aren’t as caught up in being successful, but enjoy the adventure of being alive.

If you take life too seriously, it may be time to look around at all the good things you have in life. Even if your life isn’t perfect, there is always something or someone you can be grateful for.

Final Thoughts on Taking Yourself Too Seriously

Life is hard. It’s easy to get busy with work, friends, and family. Too much stress in your life will cause you to become too serious. If you take your life too seriously, it may be time to step forward and re-evaluate your life. Try to include gratitude, laughter, and complimenting others in your day. Enjoy your life, even all the imperfections. There is beauty all around you if you can take the time to see it. Today is a good day to stop taking yourself too seriously and enjoy being who you were meant to be.

What Does Your Bed Reveal About Your Personality?

November 4, 2015 by Power of Positivity

If we are getting the right amount of sleep, then we are spending about a third of our day in bed. It’s the space in our lives that is most personal and intimate. It is one of the few places we can let our hair down and be our true selves without fear of judgment or criticism. To enhance this experience, you can explore beds designed for TV watching, which offer comfort and convenience for both rest and relaxation, allowing you to unwind while enjoying your favorite shows.

It’s fair to question what we can learn about someone from their bed. Well, the answer is a lot.

What Our Bed Reveals About Our Personality

Here is what your bed says about you.

1 – Are You Happy or Unhappy?

People that don’t make their bed are in the majority.

As reported in an article over at Psychology Today:

“In a survey of 68,000 people by Hunch.com, 59 percent of people don’t make their beds. 27 percent do, while 12 percent pay a housekeeper to make it for them. Here’s what disturbed me: 71 percent of bed makers consider themselves happy; while 62 percent of non-bed-makers admit to being unhappy. Bed makers are also more likely to like their jobs, own a home, exercise regularly, and feel well rested, whereas non-bed-makers hate their jobs, rent apartments, avoid the gym, and wake up tired. All in all, bed makers are happier and more successful than their rumple-sheeted peers.”

Bottom line, those of us who make our beds are happier, more productive, and more successful than those of us that don’t.

2 – Are You an Introvert or Extrovert?

The color of your space can help determine whether you are an introvert or extrovert. An introvert recharges their batteries and gets energized from spending time alone and in quiet. On the other hand, an extrovert gets their energies from others in a more social atmosphere.

Well, the colors that indicate the difference between an introvert and an extrovert seem to follow suit. A bedroom space surrounded by warm, colorful hues like oranges, yellows and cheerful and welcoming pinks suggests an extroverted personality. On the other hand, mild and neutral hues like blues, greens, and browns that give off a calming and tranquil vibe suggest more of an introverted personality.

3 – Are You Spontaneous or a Planner?

How a bed and bedroom space are arranged says a lot about how you go through your day and life in general. A more put-together space with everything in its place indicates an organized, in control, planner type of person. Conversely, a more chaotic, disheveled space where things appear to be thrown around supports someone who is more spontaneous and “goes with the flow.”

4 – Are You Modern or Traditional?

It’s pretty easy to determine whether you embrace modern, minimalist, technology-enhanced style choices or true to the traditional antique design. Just look around, and it will be hard to deny your preference.

What does a design aesthetic say about someone’s personality? Someone attracted to traditional design and color palettes wants to put down roots, values family and works hard to maintain a family-work balance.

Someone who selects a more contemporary and modern look for their bedroom space is often more adventurous, willing to change, and gets excited by the newness of things.

5 – Do You Seek Attention of Feel That Less Is More?

Feminine and bold colors indicate an outgoing personality who thrives at being the center of attention. On the other hand, a minimalist approach to the bedroom says the person is open-minded and direct.

It should come as no surprise that our choices in decor, color palettes, and even how we leave our bed in the morning can say a lot about who we are. We make those choices based on what we’re feeling and the experiences we’ve had.

As we grow and evolve, so does our personality, and to keep a dated look in the bedroom may be the cause of poor sleep, feelings of restlessness, and a lack of passion and intimacy. If our bedroom doesn’t fuel us, it may be time to rearrange and redecorate our space to fit our evolved style and personality.

Final Thoughts on What Your Bed Says About You

It might be as simple as starting to make our beds. Admiral William McRaven, US Navy, said this in his commencement speech at the University of Texas, Austin:

“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”

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

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!