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5 Things That Cause Unexpected Weight Gain (And How to Fix It)

June 6, 2023 by Caitlin Mundy

Do you struggle with unexplained weight gain? Do you try all the latest diets without results?

“I exercise hard and consistently and eat relatively well, but no matter what I do, I CAN’T SEEM TO LOSE THE WEIGHT.” As a health and fitness coach, certified personal trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist with over a decade of industry experience, I can explain the weight gain. However, it’s not quite as simple as simply “calories in/calories out,” I wouldn’t be as quick to Google “metabolic resistance” or self-diagnose a slow metabolism.

This article will discuss the primary differences between fat and weight loss. It will also explain the many factors affecting your weight loss process. You will better understand what is fundamentally wrong with your current weight loss process, why you can’t see results and the next best steps.

Yo-Yo Dieting and Fad Diets: Dangerous Mistakes That Lead to More Weight Gain

First, let me paint this scenario. I had a friend who wanted to lose ten pounds. So she went on a traditional diet and decided to decrease calories using the popular and seemingly revolutionary intermittent fasting method. We’ll call her Fasting Nancy.

Fasting Nancy doesn’t want to be bothered with calorie tracking, measuring, or weighing food. Furthermore, the thought of meal prep feels exceptionally overwhelming. So she opts for a program that allows her less meal planning/preparation. It doesn’t necessarily require calorie tracking, and the instructions are relatively straightforward.

Eat food in a specific eating window, and do not eat outside of it. Pretty simple. Right?

So Fasting Nancy notices over 12 weeks that she lost some weight and her clothes fit a bit looser. She is not paying much attention to progress week to week. But the intermittent fasting lifestyle works for her. After about 16 weeks, her progress seems to come to a screeching halt. She notices the scale has not moved other than general fluctuations. Some weeks her weight is up; other weeks, it’s down. It stays the same on other weeks. She decides to accelerate her progress and joins a gym. She’s never been much of a gym person, but maybe with a buddy or an accountability group, this could change.

Nancy joins the local gym and doesn’t know what to do inside the gym. But she attends a few fitness classes per week. After a few weeks, she starts to notice some muscle definition! She feels more vigorous and has new friends who meet her Tuesdays and Thursdays. The new buddy system helps her stay consistent and accountable. The only issue is that she’s noticing that the scale is creeping back up. She starts to panic and begins skipping two meals instead of one. She also feels hungry much more often now than ever.

Suddenly intermittent fasting feels very difficult to stick to, which is confusing since she never had problems with adherence before exercising regularly. Nancy realizes that most of her thoughts focus on food. Intermittent fasting was a simple solution that now feels mentally and physically exhausting for her. Nancy slowly starts snacking outside of her fasting window.

“I’ll just have some pretzels or a bite of my kids’ grilled cheese,” she thinks. “Surely a few BITES of something won’t affect my fast.” “Oh wait, the whole point of FASTING is to fast, so did I just ruin EVERYTHING?” “Is that really all it took to ruin all of my progress?”

The thoughts and confusion quickly became more trouble than the diet was worth. Nancy keeps up with her workouts but then reverts to her old eating habits. In doing so, she eats when she feels hungry. Perhaps she overcompensates on some days due to missing breakfast foods. It doesn’t help that she started exploring casino utan spelpaus as a way to distract herself, which only added to her stress and inconsistent eating patterns. This story is real. I agreed to work with Nancy to help her lose the rebound weight without giving up carbs. You see, she planned to go keto before speaking with me. Let’s break down Nancy’s experience and pinpoint what went wrong.

The False Promises of Every Traditional “Diet Plan”

Before we dive into the mistakes of dieting, understand that every traditional diet (name a popular diet) is the same concept. It is a calorie deficit. That is all. Whether the calorie deficit comes from shortening or expanding an eating window, limiting/removing carbs, limiting/removing fats, sugar, or other foods/food groups, every diet results in a calorie deficit. The ongoing debates about which diet seems to be the most superior or effective will continue until the end of time. If you speak to a friend in the thick of Whole30, your friend will rave about Whole30 since the initial phases showed promising results.

Have you ever seen someone rave about drinking shakes, fasting, or anything else, and then have a run-in with them a few years later to see that they’ve regained all the weight? I bet you have. I can bet a paycheck you’ve even had similar experiences. Traditional diets pride themselves on catchy taglines and promise to drop X amount of weight in ___ amount of time. Of course, they promise this result without exercise, calorie tracking, or meal prep, or any other rules to ensure a calorie deficit without realizing you’re in it.

As a former overweight yo-yo dieter, I, too, fell for all of these taglines and false promises. I had the highest hopes, only to return to square one. We rarely consider other factors when choosing a traditional diet. “How will this affect my environment/social life?” “Can I give up carbs or skip breakfast forever?” “What does day 31 of Whole30 look like?” We’re not thinking ahead because we are a culture that has become so secure in a quick, simple result.

Unsurprisingly, people are turning to a weight loss drug created for type 2 diabetes patients with some pretty harsh side effects to lose weight quickly. Don’t worry. We will discuss the dangers of losing weight too quickly or aggressively. Let’s look at the additional factors influencing weight loss beyond simply calories in/out.

Mistake #1: Many Buy Into a “Canned Diet Plan” Instead of Meeting Individual Needs

When we hear “calories in/calories out,” this means an energy balance. If you are burning more energy (calories) than you are consuming, more often than not, you will lose weight. If you consume more energy than you will burn more often than not, you will gain weight. Conversely, if your energy is equal to your energy out more often than not, you will maintain your weight. We all, as individuals, require a unique range of calories to maintain normal body function. That’s your basal metabolic rate or BMR. Other factors will influence your total daily energy expenditure (or TDEE), including structured exercise and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (or NEAT).

It includes moving outside of exercise, walking or being on your feet in an active job, keeping up with the children as a stay-at-home mom, etc. Finally, we burn calories via the thermic effect of food (TEF). That’s the energy it takes for your body to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food you eat. For example, eating 100 calories of protein requires 20-30 calories to break down and digest. Your total calories represent the number of calories you eat in a day. To understand weight gain, loss, maintenance, or other trends, you must know calories in/out. Many factors can complicate this.

Burning 300 calories in a 30 min cardio workout will always be relatively low compared to your total daily energy expenditure. Factor in an active job vs. a sedentary job and 3-5 strength workouts. Now we have a much higher energy requirement than someone with a sedentary job who does not exercise or prioritize movement in their day. That said, calories in/out will always range depending on what foods you eat and how you move. Someone who prioritizes protein in each meal, for example, and daily movement will naturally burn more calories over time just by breaking these foods down, not to mention the function protein plays in muscle build/repair, contributing to more lean mass on the body, which will also play a role in calories burned at rest, as well as several hundred exercise calories burned per week.

It’s how someone with an active lifestyle, which prioritizes whole foods naturally lower in calories vs. highly processed calorie expensive foods, may have an easier time with weight loss vs. someone who juggles working two jobs and being a parent of young children with limited time to exercise or cook.

An individualized approach toward weight loss makes much more sense than committing to a diet with universal standards. Additional rules may work temporarily for some, but sustainable adherence is a different story.

Mistake #2: Forgetting to Adapt Food and Exercise Needs to Her Changing Body

Let’s go back to Fasting Nancy and review what went wrong. When Nancy entered her intermittent fasting diet, she was unknowingly cutting out approx 500 calories/per day. Skipping a morning protein bar, coffee with cream and sugar, and a banana can do that. Hence the reason she initially saw some results. You’ll see the scale decrease when you cut many calories through diet, exercise, or a combination of the two.

The issue is, how much of this weight loss is fat loss?

Suppose the number of calories you consume doesn’t support lean muscle mass. In that case, your body will use stored fat, muscle, and other tissue for energy vs. the energy you put into the body, which will force your body to adapt to a lower calorie intake. When someone loses ten pounds, their energy requirements become naturally lower after losing ten pounds vs. someone who has always been that weight. This is where things get a bit slippery. Instead of understanding energy requirements and anticipating a temporary plateau in weight loss, Nancy made the classic mistake that most people make while attempting weight loss.

She panicked and attempted to double down on efforts to power through the plateau and speed up the process. Unfortunately, resorting to unsustainable habits to speed up her efforts backfired into weight gain. Nancy even joined a gym for the first time in her life, ordered a water bottle, and did a ton of burpees, running, rowing, and exercises she didn’t even like to see results quicker. It wasn’t long before Nancy was working out more frequently and intensely, eating less food, and finding it extremely difficult to lose the weight as quickly as it came off in the initial stages.

Women’s most significant weight loss mistake is not knowing when and what adjustments to make.

If Nancy could have taken an intentional diet/exercise break in the short term, she could have quickly begun to continue losing fat. In every diet scenario, you will experience a level of metabolic adaptation (when the body adapts to a low-calorie requirement and systems slow down to adapt).

The issue when you start your calorie deficit with an aggressively low intake is not only will this be difficult to maintain long term due to hunger, but your body will also quickly adapt. What happens when your 1200 calorie intake becomes 1000 with exercise and no results to show? Women become frustrated and confused, and they quit. This yo-yo dieting cycle is dangerous.

Mistake #3: Many People Are Unmindful of Portions, Leading to Weight Gain

Conversely, there is a more positive, ideal scenario for every Fasting Nancy. Let’s look at another client who we will name Holistic Hilda. Holistic Hilda wants to drop ten pounds. But she wants to keep the ten pounds off. So instead of choosing a traditional diet, where she’s likely to regain ten pounds. She decides to hire me, and we look at her habits first. Holistic Hilda would describe herself as “mostly healthy,” eating whole foods and prioritizing exercise. But she’s curious if eating mostly healthy could still mean overeating more often than not.

Hilda decided to track her nutrition for two weeks. Everything she puts into her body is getting tracked on myfitnesspal without judgment. After all, she knows that not tracking accurately or not being entirely truthful with her logs would only hurt her in the long run. After two weeks of tracking, Hilda noticed that she enjoys wine one day during the week and both weekend days. She can also clearly see that she wasn’t measuring her wine intake precisely.

Once she started measuring, she could see that she was at least doubling the recommended serving size every time she drank. This habit combined with a mindless evening snack habit, and she figured out two easy habits she could mitigate without doing a complete 180. Instead of snacking out of boredom after dinner, she went on a 30 min walk. She even journaled or meditated on her walks to manage her stress. As a result, she drank way less.

She committed to one glass of wine on weekends only and measured her wine to ensure accurate tracking. We also restructured her strength program to ensure she was training hard but recovering well. Over approximately six to eight weeks, Hilda could see more muscle definition and less bloat. Although the scale only showed a seven-pound weight loss, she was sure she maintained more muscle than ever while losing body fat.

Tracking everything you consume is critical to reversing this unintended weight gain.

Through the tracking process, Hilda could also see she was eating a low amount of protein and could bump it up, giving her lean muscle the needed fuel. Hilda was confident she could continue her healthier habits and behaviors to maintain this fat loss without resorting to anything drastic. She even had a great attitude about the scale and could understand general fluctuation. In other words, she didn’t let scale fluctuations change her daily decisions. I received a text from her about a month ago, letting me know that she maintained her weight loss for six months and feels confident about summer approaching.

Mistake #4: Expecting Weight Loss to Happen as Fast as the Weight Gain Did

After comparing both scenarios, it’s much more appealing to be like Hilda and keep the weight off easily, right? Think of weight loss like choosing a red pill or a blue pill. Red is an immediate weight loss without guarantee of how long or if it will last, and blue is a gradual yet forever result. We wonder why anyone would choose the red pill, yet we seek the quick fix before considering long-term effects at the drop of a hat. We do this partly because of a lack of uncertainty and because changing habits and behaviors are way more complicated than simply following short-term rules, no matter how miserable we feel.

So, how can we put this into action? Exercise is good for us, but too much could be unsustainable or drive our appetite up, making it challenging to adhere to a calorie deficit. Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods, lean protein, healthy fat, and slow-digesting carbs will help improve our health. However, eating these foods won’t necessarily guarantee we’re eating in a deficit, maintenance, or surplus.

Traditional dieting often leads to short-term results followed by rebound weight gain.

Here’s a general rule, if you don’t see yourself doing it forever, you likely won’t stick to the diet. Some people make dietary changes for personal or ethical reasons with no intention of weight loss (choosing to live plant-based or alcohol-free, for example).

Mistake #5: Convenience Foods and Dining Out Can Lead to Weight Gain

Some people will choose a lifestyle of intuitive eating (essentially removing all food rules and rejecting diet culture to rely on innate physical hunger/fullness). Yet, in a world with an overwhelming amount of diets and an 87 billion-dollar fitness industry, we are still a country that is primarily overweight and 40% obese. Why? Because it comes down to behaviors.

Instead of shopping and cooking, we are door-dashing and eating out. Instead of managing stress, we drink wine or eat chocolate. We can live unconsciously of our habits and behaviors without regard for how much time goes by. Still, the second we want results, we expect the results to be instant without changing behaviors. Although we shouldn’t be LIVING on a diet, we should be living the majority of our life in maintenance.

We have no concept of maintenance or moderation because we’re a society of extremes. The best action step you can implement today is to reject an all-or-nothing mindset. Learn the tools and strategies that will work well for your unique lifestyle.

Final Thoughts on How to Avoid Weight Gain and Stay Healthier for Life

What if I told you my most successful clients don’t hit their nutrition goals perfectly daily? What if they do not give up the foods they love? It’s true. Progress and perfection are two completely different things. To make progress, you need to focus on PROCESS and not on a perfect set of circumstances or using a set of rules to abide by. Strict diets don’t work because we are all imperfect beings.

Whatever the goal is, I know from my personal experience and in my experience coaching hundreds of women it’s not worth sacrificing your mental health to see a certain number on the scale. Fat loss and weight loss are two completely different things. You don’t need to give up everything you love to lose body fat and tone up. The short-term cookie-cutter diets and programs are not worth the hype and will leave you feeling defeated. Make more informed, educated decisions to improve your health daily; you’ll likely love the result. Don’t live your life on a diet. Create a diet that allows you to LIVE.

4 Reasons You Need a Whole Life Balance

June 6, 2023 by Matthew Turner

You’ve been told to pursue work-life balance your entire life. The issue is it’s a myth–you need a whole life balance.

It’s one that not only offers you false hope but can negatively impact your life.

Even though it’s born out of great intentions.

A whole life balance involves a slight tweak in perspective, taking your focus from work-life balance to a holistic approach (or, as it’s sometimes called, by thought leaders like Ari Meisel, whole life integration).

Changing how you pursue goals and structure your life can free up time while removing guilt and pressure from your shoulders. Because although the pursuit of work-life balance may feel like a worthy endeavor, once you scratch the surface and critically question it, it’s easy to see how unattainable it is in today’s fast-paced world.

Let’s deconstruct why…

Whole Life Balance: Work-life balance is a lie & this is why

Once upon a time, work-life balance wasn’t a myth but something worth pursuing.

There was, after all, a period when people went to work in an office, stayed there for nine hours, and then returned home to recharge their batteries until the next day. No email that they could check before bed. No mobile phone that allowed them to grab a quick call. No remote working or learning, and no world-wide-web that kept them connected to everyone and everything.

It stayed in the office unless you brought your work home in large boxes.

That is no longer the case. If fact, it hasn’t been for some time. Today, the lines between work and not work have become so blurred that it’s hard to determine if a line still exists.

Yet this isn’t the only reason work-life balance has become an outdated myth because society has evolved almost unimaginably over the last few decades. From gender roles to balancing family life to what it means to be considered “successful,” we live in a very different world from how our parents grew—let alone our grandparents.

Yet despite this, most of us (most of the time) continue to pursue a version of work-life balance placed upon us from a young age. It’s constantly reinforced through the media and society at large, and chances are it leaves you feeling guilty and confused; constantly comparing yourself to others, envious that they seem “better” than you.

They’re not.

Often, it’s because they:

Are hiding it and only showing you an edited version of their life
Have committed to whole life balance rather than that work-life balance.

The two entities are similar but also different. Here’s why…

1 – Your Life is Singular

Right now, you are on a journey called life and heading toward a destination known as death.

There’s only one path to all this. You don’t get two lives or the ability to try again. You also don’t get to segment it into multiple paths, so you can experiment with different adventures. Everything you do, and everything you are, is one; a singular life with one person at the center of it: you.

You are the star of this show.

Despite this, we do our darndest to split ourselves into pieces. We try to leave work in the office (an office that often doesn’t exist) and the rest of “life” at home. Although even then, it isn’t easy when you consider your health… relationships… differing social circles…

At the heart of this is the myth of work-life balance. You learn to find a balance and that you’ll be happy if you do. Successful. Content. Fulfilled. Yet all this achieves is the sense of failure and guilt as you inevitably bring a part of work into your personal life.

If you are around your kids, for example, thinking about work means you don’t care or give focus to them. It’s absolute, binary, where a situation is or is not. Yet is that true? Is life so black and white? No. It’s a cacophony of color and an explosion of hues that fall between various spectrums. To approach it in such a simplistic way as work-life balance makes you and “it” a disservice.

Let alone sets you up for failure and a goal you’ll never attain.

2 – Warped Self-Identity

As you try to create all these different paths, you inevitably appear as a particular type of person in different situations. Maybe you’re shy and reserved around old friends from school but need to be more outgoing when out with work colleagues.

You may try to wear one type of mask around the kids and another while in the office.

Then there’s the online world and all those different platforms; you can be anyone you want, which is freeing in some ways. Yet it can also lead you to split your personality into near-infinite numbers, diluting the real you drip by drip.

It begs the question… who are you? Which one is the real you?

How often do you wear that particular mask?

Work-life balance asks you to embrace this. It says to be a certain someone at work and another at home. Rather than embracing your life as one whole, it tasks you to segment it into various buckets and show up as different people in each. It’s exhausting. I’ve spent much of my life like this, focusing more on how I appear to others than embracing who I truly am. It leaves me calculated and constantly on edge, plotting and thinking about who I should be right now, always asking, which mask should I wear?

This isn’t the point of life. I don’t know the point, but I am confident such a show isn’t it. Embracing who you are and showing up as that person is never bad.

Because all you can be is yourself; the good, the bad, and the chaos in between.

3 – Life Forever Evolves

Like a book, your life forms many chapters. Each represents a time, and no two are ever the same. You evolve, change, and grow, as do those around you. Nothing ever stands still, and nothing ever remains the same.

If we look at something like the definition of success, for instance, it may look one way while you’re in your twenties and something different a decade down the road when raising a young family. Everything from your motivations, desires, and challenges differs depending on your situation. You and your life evolve. Yet work-life balance hands you a static formula.

It says to balance your work and life, even though the specifics surrounding these differ when you move from one chapter in your life to another.

You’ll have more time to commit to work at specific points in your life. Other times, you won’t because other aspects—your health, maybe, or your family—requires more of your focus.

There is no right or wrong. Indeed, the constant is always that you live a singular life that houses many facets within. Your journey isn’t black and white, and the path before you is not set in stone. It’s malleable and forever evolving. So much of this is not under your control.

4 – Today’s World is Different

The final point here is to say once again that we live in a very different world today than your parents and grandparents came of age. Back then, it was possible to segment work and life. It isn’t to say it was easy, but the balancing act was attainable because they arrived at an office or factory at the same time each morning only to clock off in the evening to return home. Today, with the rise of digital technologies and innovations like Poli Pay Casinos, the lines between work and leisure have become increasingly blurred. This shift has transformed how we interact with both our professional and personal lives, making the concept of balance more complex and challenging. So if you’re looking for the best online casino experience, check out bk8 today! A premier online gaming platform such as betonred casino is providing a wide range of entertainment options, including slot games, live casinos, and sports betting. Playing online slot games also gives you a chance to win exciting prizes. Check out mpo for the best slot gaming experience.

It had to stay in the office unless they brought their work home. No phone. No email. No Zoom recording to listen in on. They kept work at work, allowing them to focus on everything else in the comfort of their abode.

For most of us, that is no longer the case.

An office isn’t a destination for many; even when it is, the time spent there is more flexible.

And even if you rank among the minority that does turn up to the same place at the same time every day, you can and often will bring parts of your work home with you.

Even if it’s a quick email. Even if it is only a short call…

That line between work and life that was once clear and defined is now blurred at best, indistinguishable at worst.

How To Implement Whole Life Balance

On the surface, the advice for pursuing a work-life balance is solid. Its heart is in the right place. It does its best to guide people away from the hustle and grind and toward a healthier, meaningful, and peaceful existence.

The issue is it’s outdated and no longer applicable.

Yet this isn’t an issue that has to continue to hurt you. There is an alternative, The great news–it doesn’t involve reinventing the wheel. It’s a slight change of perception that takes you from the static advice or work-life balance to the more malleable whole life balance.

At the heart of whole life balance is this concept of integration.

You still need to find balance and continue to battle against ‘the hustle‘ so it doesn’t consume you. Yet the pressure to wear all these different masks doesn’t have to weigh you down and dilute you. With whole life balance, you get to be you each step of the way.

You don’t have to try and separate the different aspects that make up your world, but instead, find ways to integrate them—as well as appreciate the forever changes as you transition from one chapter of your life to a fresh one.

Final Thoughts on Reaching a Whole Life Balance

You can take this often-frightening step today if you choose. As it often does, it begins by taking a step forward and getting clear of your current situation.

What does your current chapter look like?
Which elements are most important to you right now?
Which of these elements is of the most significant importance?

Your life is unique, as is the journey you are on. This current chapter you are in is unique, unlike any you’ve lived so far, and will differ from any to come. Your aim shouldn’t be perfection or perfect balance, as though you stand in the middle of a set of scales.

Instead, imagine you stand on a round ball, constantly adjusting to keep your balance and stay on top. Unlike a set of scales, you don’t face two competing forces while standing atop a ball. Every conceivable angle plays a role. There are things you can control and those you cannot. With a commitment to whole life balance, you can stay on top at all times.

Science Explains How Brain Health Improves When You Learn A Second Language

May 31, 2023 by Kristen Lawrence

Did you know that learning a second language can boost brain health? Fluency in more than one language offers plenty of benefits, including communicating with people from other cultures. It can also broaden your horizons when it comes to job opportunities. Most people only consider the social aspects of being bilingual, but research shows it can also improve cognition.

And more people than ever have become interested in learning multiple languages. Research reveals that around 22% of children in the U.S. speak a second language besides English at home. Other research shows that about 17% of Americans aged eighteen and older are multilingual.

Ten Ways a Second Language Enhances Brain Health

Learning a second language enhances your world in various ways, including bolstering brain health. This highly coveted skill has plenty of cognitive and emotional benefits, which we will discuss below.

1. A Second Language Improves Learning

Mounting evidence shows that learning a second language can enhance students’ academic performance. Studies found that bilingual students scored higher on reading comprehension and standardized exams than students who only knew English.

Moreover, students didn’t need to become fluent in another language to notice the advantages. Studying a new language for just a hour and a half a week enhanced their cognitive functioning and brain health.

2. Strengthens the Mind

Just like exercise helps build muscles and improves physical health, learning a new language can contribute to a healthy brain. Brain scans of bilingual people revealed they have more grey matter in specific brain regions than monolingual people. Studies also show that speaking multiple languages can rewire the brain and alter its structure.

3. A Second Language Boosts Attention Span

It’s no secret that many people today suffer from shortened attention spans due to myriad distractions. However, a Cambridge study suggests that learning a second language can enhance brain health by increasing attention. The study compared bilingual people to those fluent in only one language.

The bilingual group had higher scores on cognitive tasks that required prolonged concentration. They paid attention for longer durations and found it easier to complete complex tasks. Scientists believe a more sensitive nervous system contributed to increased attention span.

4. Protects Against Neurodegenerative Diseases

Older adults are more vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases because of declining grey and white matter in the brain. They’re also more susceptible to strokes, increasing brain damage risk and other conditions. All of these factors can hinder the quality of life as a person ages.

However, research shows that being bilingual improves brain health later in life. Bilingual people had reduced dementia and cognitive dysfunction rates compared to monolingual people. They also recovered more quickly from serious health problems like strokes or brain injuries.

5. Increases Ability to Multitask

Bilingual people who speak multiple languages frequently unknowingly engage in something called code-switching. The speaker can alternate effortlessly between two languages depending on the social context. Even while they speak one language, they can easily access the other when needed since their brain retains all the information.

Code-switching allows bilingual people to multitask efficiently, making them more efficient in demanding work settings.

6. A Second Language Enhances Emotional Intelligence

Having emotional intelligence means being aware of and managing one’s emotions. It also involves showing empathy to others and having the capacity to understand their feelings. High emotional intelligence can make interpersonal relationships more harmonious and increase teamwork in the workplace.

One study indicated that bilingual people perform better on tasks involving emotional intelligence. Conversing with people from different cultures can expand one’s worldview and understanding of others.

7. Promotes Creativity

Learning a second language also enhances brain health by promoting creative thinking. Being bilingual can improve understanding of abstract concepts and communication skills. Research shows that learning another language encourages people to think outside the box more, likely due to neuroplasticity.

As brain capacity expands, people are more open to new ideas and modes of expression. This skill can enhance problem-solving abilities and help people approach problems from different angles.

8. Expands Memory

While learning another language requires weeks or months of intense study, it can strengthen memory in the long term. The brain expands to absorb and retain information as we learn new ideas. And the more we practice speaking another language, the easier it is to recall the phrases and vocabulary from that language.

9. Boosts Empathy

Many people today enjoy exploring the world and learning about different cultures. It’s exciting to see a place utterly foreign to you and witness how people live in other parts of the world. However, the experience is much more fulfilling if you can speak with the locals fluently. As you communicate with them, you can learn about their culture more intimately than if you only visited the tourist hotspots. Studies show that bilingual students have enhanced empathy and cultural awareness. Since we live in a globally interconnected world, it’s more important than ever to consider and respect people from all cultures.

10. A Second Language Increases Self-Esteem

Learning another language can take months, but the reward is well worth the effort. When you converse successfully with someone in a different language, a feeling of accomplishment and joy washes over you. You realize that all your hard work paid off, and you can now talk with a new group of people. It’s no wonder research shows that bilingual people have greater self-esteem because of their newfound skills.

Final Thoughts on How Being Bilingual Improves Brain Health

Numerous studies show the benefits of speaking another language, citing increased brain health and heightened empathy. Learning new languages helps expand brain capacity and creates new synapses in the brain. We’re always learning throughout our lives, and our brains respond to any further information we absorb. Therefore, it makes sense that being bilingual can improve cognitive functioning and even protect against neurodegenerative diseases.

What language you learn doesn’t matter as long as you study diligently and practice communicating with others. What language would you like to learn? Let us know in the Facebook comments!

Science Explains How Salt Therapy Can Detox Your Lungs

May 31, 2023 by Kristen Lawrence

Did you know that breathing in salty air could help detox your lungs?

Our lungs–and ability to breathe freely–take quite a beating due to the myriad pollutants in the air.

Therefore, we must do whatever we can to keep ourselves healthy. Detoxing our bodies, minds, and spirits will allow us to thrive and put our best selves forward.

You might not think twice about it, but you breathe in thousands of different chemicals daily. These range from ozone to fine particulate to industrial pollution such as nitrogen dioxide.

After inhaling these pollutants for years, they can affect our health. However, scientists have found that one way to combat environmental toxins involves halotherapy.

Halotherapy is a fancy word for breathing in salty air to improve lung function. Salt therapy has been around since medieval times, but it’s grown in popularity today.

For instance, salt caves and rooms claiming to cure various ailments have begun popping up worldwide. Not all of the purported benefits have been proven by science, but some studies have shown promise in treating certain lung conditions.

Some claim that halotherapy can detox your lungs and treat respiratory conditions like asthma and bronchitis. Others believe that it can help with the following:

ease symptoms from smoking, such as cough and breathing problems
reduce depression and anxiety
treat flareups from skin conditions like acne and psoriasis

The benefits of salt come from its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also anti-allergenic and can boost the immune system by helping to keep your electrolytes balanced.

In addition, salt keeps you hydrated and increases vascular system function. We all need salt to survive, but breathing it in can offer certain benefits you can’t get through diet alone.

How Salt Therapy Could Detox Your Lungs

Depending on your preference, you can use either wet or dry methods to enjoy halotherapy.

Dry Methods

The dry method of halotherapy usually involves a salt cave or room that doesn’t have humidity. Owners of the salt caves keep the temperature at 68°F (20°C) or lower to provide the perfect relaxing environment. Salt rooms can help detox your lungs, improve breathing, fight infections, and promote healthier skin.

Most sessions last about 30-45 minutes, but some people opt for longer treatments because of the calming atmosphere.

The salt cave’s successful mechanism involves a device known as a halogenerator. The machine grinds salt into tiny particles and releases them into the room.

As visitors inhale the particles, the salt absorbs toxins from the respiratory system. Proponents of salt rooms claim that it also clears mucus from the airways and lowers inflammation.

Since relaxation actively reduces inflammatory proteins, it’s easy to see why stressed people find relief in salt caves. The salt in the air can also improve skin health by removing bacteria that cause many skin conditions.

Wet Methods

Some people practice halotherapy by using a combination of salt and water. For instance, they may drink, gargle, or bathe in salt water to boost immunity and calm the nervous system.

Other people use salt water to clear mucus from the nasal passageways. Finally, flotation or sensory deprivation tanks filled with salt water have become increasingly popular.

While more people explore alternative therapies such as halotherapy, science on the subject is limited. A few studies have found the benefits of salt therapy, while others have inconclusive findings. The available research on salt therapy includes the following:

In a 2007 study, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) had reduced symptoms and improved well-being after salt therapy. However, the Lung Institute doesn’t recommend it since no medical guidelines exist.
Unfortunately, a 2013 study found that halotherapy didn’t improve lung function or quality of life in people with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. This condition causes mucus to build up in the lungs.
Salt therapy causes anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic responses in people with chronic bronchitis or bronchial asthma, according to a 2014 study.
Nearly all research on salt therapy for psychiatric or skin conditions involves anecdotal evidence. Until peer-reviewed studies are available on the subject, it’s unclear whether salt therapy can improve these conditions. However, relaxation can improve your mood and lower stress levels. Whether you choose salt therapy, meditation, yoga, or another technique, it’s important to practice self-care.

Other Ways to Detox Your Lungs and Breathe Better

Maybe you don’t have access to a salt cave to help detox your lungs. You can still receive the same benefits using other methods, such as the ones below.

#1. Quit smoking. Carcinogens from cigarette smoke introduce thousands of toxins into the lungs. Smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for 80-85% of all lung cancer deaths.

#2. Eat a well-balanced diet. Another way to detox your lungs include eating an antioxidant-rich diet. In general, stick to fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and low-fat dairy for the best results.

#3. Exercise regularly. Exercise remains one of the best ways to detox our entire bodies, including our minds. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.

#4. Ensure you have a well-ventilated environment. Also, if you work around dangerous chemicals, ensure your employer offers proper protective gear.

#5. Breathe better. Most of us breathe in a shallow, hurried manner due to our fast-paced lives. However, this constantly keeps us in fight-or-flight mode, wreaking havoc on the nervous system. Try to breathe more slowly and deeply, and notice how you feel better.

Final Thoughts on How Salt Therapy Can Detox Your Lungs

While the science isn’t conclusive on whether salt therapy can improve breathing, a small study found it can reduce COPD symptoms. Another study found that people with asthma and bronchitis can benefit from halotherapy.

Even if you don’t use salt therapy to detox your lungs and breathe better, it offers other health advantages.

For one, being in a salt cave or bathing in salt can lower stress levels. Since we live in a hectic world, halotherapy offers an inexpensive, accessible way to calm our nerves.

Whether you believe halotherapy can improve your lungs and help you breathe easier or not, it might be at least worth a try.

Psychology Explains Why Some Singles Take a Break from Dating

May 30, 2023 by Sarah Barkley

Dating can be exciting and fun, but it can also be exhausting. Sometimes the best thing you can do is take a break, and some singles prefer it this way.

Finding the person you want to fall in love with is hard and a big commitment. It’s even harder if you’ve experienced heartbreak in the past, making you want to guard your feelings. Finding your person sometimes requires taking a break from dating so that you can heal from your past. You can find the best looking guy in Miami FL, for a fun dating experience that can help you forget the pain from the past.

Going on endless dates looking for the right person can sometimes be demoralizing. You might lose yourself in rejection, waiting for texts, awkward conversations, and other things that can knock your self-esteem. Some singles want to take a break to recover from these situations and focus on themselves.

Why Some Singles Take a Break from Dating

There are many reasons some people want to take a break. These reasons can include the following:

1 – A Break From Dating Improves Their Chances of Finding a Healthy Relationship

Experiencing too much negativity or stress with dating can lead to not showing the best version of yourself. You might miss out on a great person because you had a negative mindset during the date.

When you keep having bad dates, it can cause disappointment, rejection, and awkwardness. Taking a break can help you release those emotions and regain hope. Then, when you’re ready to find love, you’ll be more open and make a better effort. In the meantime, explore a sex toys online store to discover ways to boost your confidence and enhance your personal life.

2 – It Renews Their Spirit

Dating can make you depressed if it seems none works out for you. If you start to feel this way, it might be best to take a break. Taking a break allows you to renew your spirit and helps you experience emotional and mental fulfillment.

3 – A Break From Dating Helps Them Heal and Learn What They Want

Taking a break can help you heal from trauma and see what you want. After getting out of a long-term relationship, experts suggest taking a break before putting yourself back out there. It allows you to heal and understand what you want in a relationship.

A break can provide clarity, giving space to focus on the essential things. Spending time alone allows you to learn about yourself. Plus, it gives you time to figure out who your ideal partner is.

4 – They Learn How to Be Comfortable on Their Own

When you spend time alone, you learn to be comfortable with yourself. You’ll know when you should figure things out and how to handle them without an external influence. It also allows you to feel and process your emotions, promoting overall well-being.

Being alone helps you learn to love yourself, making it easier to love someone else. You can work on self-love, healing, growth, and becoming the best version of yourself.

5 – A Break From Dating Makes Getting into a Relationship Easier

Spend time alone to focus on other essential aspects of your life, including your career, family, friends, or home. When the right person comes along later, you’ll already have the rest of your life in place.

Focusing on the other parts of your life helps you understand when you’ll be ready and when it’s the right time. The relationship process is easier when everything else seems settled the way you want. It can also help you understand when someone isn’t good for you, helping you choose a better option when the time comes.

If you keep dating when you should take a break, it can prevent you from finding a good person for you. You might not recognize them when you meet them, making choices out of habit rather than doing what’s best. Taking a break allows you to recognize when someone is different from others and when they might be a good fit for your life.

6 – They Can Do Whatever They Want to Do

When you’re single, you can do whatever you want to do. This experience means you can focus on planning trips you’ve always dreamed of, learning a new skill, or doing anything else that inspires you. Being single allows you to do these things without discussing with someone else or upsetting them when you want time alone.

Being in a relationship can prevent you from doing some of these things, as you’ll have to consider another person. The cost of taking someone with you increases, and they might not want to do what you dream of. Being single gives you the opportunity for anything that comes to mind.

Not only do you have to factor in another person when you’re in a relationship, but you also must spend time with them. Plus, you’ll sometimes worry about things not going well and interfering with other areas of your life. It leads to adapting parts of your life that you enjoy accommodating another person.

7 – A Break From Dating Helps Them Save Money

Dating takes money, with studies showing that it can cost over $1,000 yearly for a single person to date regularly. If you don’t find the right person to settle down with, you’ll continue paying for dates and doing things to impress others. Taking a break saves money and improves other areas of your life.

8 – Spending Less Time on Their Phone

Taking a break from dating also allows you to spend less time on your phone. Dating often involves messages and online apps, taking precious moments where you could have focused on something else. You can take some time to enjoy your life without worrying about missing communication from a potential partner.

9 – To Focus on Personal Growth

Dating can interfere with personal growth because it requires focusing on relationships and meeting new people. Sometimes it leads to trying to force unhealthy relationships, interfering with more of your time and energy.

Trying to make relationships work doesn’t allow you to become a better version of yourself. However, taking a break leaves time to focus on yourself, build your skills, and heal from trauma.

Nineteen Signs You Need a Break from Dating

Some signs can help you recognize when you need a break from dating, helping you put your well-being first. These signs might include the following:

disappointment after every date
feeling that no one will live up to your expectations
insecurity
questioning your decision-making skills
feeling like you’ve already dated everyone
dreading going on another date
feeling overwhelmed by the idea of meeting another person
wanting to give up on love
feeling like dating consumes your life
feeling scared of being single
not healing from past hurt
assuming the worst about everyone you meet
dreading looking at your phone
feeling like you need time alone for a while
losing sleep over thinking about it
feeling like you’re doing a chore when looking for a partner
lacking focus on other parts of your life
taking things personally
questioning your self-worth

Six Things You Can Do When Taking a Break from Dating

Taking a break from dating can leave you with more free time. Finding things to do during that time can help you resist the urge to return to looking for a potential partner. Some of the things you can fill your time with include the following:

Learn something new: Commit some time each day to learning something new. Learning can help you feel satisfied with yourself and promote personal growth. You’ll feel more confident in yourself by the end of your hiatus when you’ve spent the time bettering yourself.
Date yourself: Taking a break from other meeting new people doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy time out. You can take yourself on a date, get dressed up, and go somewhere you enjoy. It helps build confidence and resist the fear of judgment.
Say “yes” to other experiences: When you’re not committed to dating in your free time, you can agree to other experiences. You won’t have to turn down invites from friends or co-workers because you can focus on doing what you want.
Practice meditation: Practicing meditation is a beneficial option to fill your free time, especially when trying to avoid dating. Mindfulness meditation can help you become aware of yourself and your inner thoughts.
Go for a walk: Going for a walk allows you to get fresh air while exercising. It’ll improve your overall well-being and help you fill your time with something other than dates.
Take a road trip or vacation: You can do anything you want when not focusing on meeting new partners. Visit all the places you’ve always dreamed of and get to know yourself better while you do it.

Final Thoughts on Psychology Explains Why Some Singles Take a Break from Dating

Dating can be fun, but it can also be emotionally, mentally, and physically draining. You don’t have to stop forever, but taking a break can help you recover and think about what you want.

After a break, you can return to dating with a renewed spirit and positive mindset. Plus, you might find the person you want to spend time with without trying. Focusing on yourself offers many benefits, and you never know what will come from it.

Yogi Explains How Kundalini Yoga Can Awaken Your Soul

May 30, 2023 by Kristen Lawrence

Kundalini yoga involves various spiritual practices like chanting, breathing, and physical movements. This yoga activates your kundalini energy at the base of your spine. Known as the “coiled snake” in Sanskrit, this divine energy lies dormant in most people. We all have this life force within, but we must work to awaken it to its full potential by performing the poses.

As kundalini rises in the spine, it enhances your awareness and loosens the ego’s grip on the soul. As yogi Sadhguru explained in a video, “If you activate this energy dimension, other dimensions of life will open up. One thing is, are you ready for those dimensions?”

You can realize your true nature if you perform kundalini yoga regularly with concentration and dedication. That means moving beyond the ego and no longer identifying with the mind or body. It’s an intense practice designed to connect you to your divine self, which involves immense sacrifice.

However, even if you’re not ready for enlightenment, you can still benefit from kundalini yoga. We’ll teach you how to do this yoga and discuss how it can improve your life.

What is Kundalini Yoga?

It’s believed that kundalini yoga originated in ancient Vedic religions from 1,000 BC. While this yoga was born in the Eastern world, people in Western cultures also practice it. Yogi Bhajan, a yoga teacher from Pakistan, brought these teachings to Western countries in the 1960s.

Through breath, poses, and chants, this practice helps enhance the nervous system to process higher energies. The mind and body become charged with cosmic energy, instantly electrifying any impurities. However, reaching this consciousness requires countless hours of practice and intense focus.

Once you activate this energy, it moves up and down the seven chakras in the spine. These seven energy centers include:

root chakra
sacral chakra
naval, or solar plexus, chakra
heart chakra
throat chakra
third eye chakra
crown chakra

As the kundalini energy rises, it will realign these chakras and produce feelings of immeasurable peace.

Six Main Components of Kundalini Yoga

Opening chant. The kundalini yoga practice always begins with a chant to calm the mind and heart. It also helps you channel energies from the higher realms. Many yogis like to chant “Om” — the basic sound and vibration of the universe — at the beginning of their practice.
Pranayama breathing exercises. The next step involves breathing practices to balance the mind and prepare you for meditation. The purpose of pranayama is to learn breath control to free up stagnant energies in the body.
Kriya in Sanskrit means action or effort. It consists of postures, pranayama, chanting, mudras, and meditation. Performing a kriya involves consciously bringing the energy up and down the spine. Some yogis like Yogananda say this is the fastest way to achieve spiritual awakening.
In this step, you will observe your body and mind to integrate the teachings.
After you’ve prepared your body and mind, it’s time to meditate. You can focus on your breath, the present moment, or concepts like compassion or loving-kindness. Or, you may choose to concentrate on a spiritual figure or deity who brings you peace.
Closing chant. Finally, you can end the session with a chant or mantra. Some people like to lay in Savasana (Corpse Pose) to absorb their practice’s positive energy.

Tips for Kundalini Yoga Practice

Breathing techniques. Many people who practice kundalini yoga use a technique called long deep breathing. It involves taking slow, deep breaths through each nostril while expanding the stomach outward on the inhale. Then, you contract the belly on each exhale to increase the energy flow in the body.
Mantra means a sacred sound or syllable designed to enhance your connection to the divine. When used correctly, they have an incredible healing power, putting you in a more positive mindset. Chanting a mantra increases your vibration by channeling that frequency from divine realms. Try chanting Om or Ananda Hum, meaning “I am bliss,” at the beginning and end of your practice.
Mudras are sacred and symbolic gestures performed by the hands in yoga. These hand poses help channel the flow of prana life force into different parts of our brains. Most people practicing kundalini yoga use the Gyan mudra, which translates to ‘Mudra of Wisdom.’ To perform this mudra, press the thumb and index finger firmly together. This gesture helps the meditator focus and allows knowledge to flow more easily. You may also try the prana mudra to increase energy levels and balance the mind. Perform this mudra by connecting the tips of the pinky and ring fingers with the end of the thumb.

How to Do a Kundalini Yoga Meditation

If you do the meditation correctly, you can experience profound mental and physical healing. Mindfully directing the energy up and down the spine clears up “blocks” in your energy field. You’ll notice different results depending on how long you practice this type of yoga.

For instance, a 3-minute meditation session impacts the circulatory system and electromagnetic field. An 11-minute meditation starts to produce changes in the nervous and glandular systems. Finally, a 30-minute meditation affects every cell and process in the body. It’s also the most impactful for clearing out intrusive or repetitive thoughts.

We have a sample meditation for you if you want to feel rejuvenated and restored.

First, sit in a comfortable position with your spine straight. Place your palms together in a prayer pose and offer a prayer to the universe.
Now, keep your eyes closed and focus your attention on the point between your eyebrows. Focusing on the third eye increases willpower and helps you overcome body consciousness.
Next, practice calm, deep breathing to balance the energy in your body. Pull your abdomen toward your spine to draw deeper breaths as you inhale and exhale. Focus on how your breath feels, and release any tension you notice.
After you’ve calmed the body and mind, sit quietly for fifteen to thirty minutes. If thoughts come, observe them without any judgment or reaction. Practicing mindfulness will allow you to approach each moment of life with a neutral mind.
Open your eyes slowly and offer a closing prayer at the end of your meditation. Sit for another few minutes to absorb the positive vibrations from your session.

Final Thoughts on How Kundalini Yoga Can Awaken the Soul

Any yoga can increase your energy and awaken your spirit. However, kundalini yoga differs from other yoga forms because it focuses on drawing prana up and down the spine. This practice helps clear the body and mind of impurities and prepare the soul for liberation. It involves breathing techniques, poses, chants, and meditation to complete the practice. If you try kundalini yoga, please share your experience with us on Facebook!

555: Are You Seeing It Too?

May 30, 2023 by Kristen Lawrence

In numerology, 555 is a number that signals change and transformation. Many people believe that seeing this angel number repeatedly is a sign that notable changes are on the horizon. It is also a lucky and spiritually significant number, signifying inner growth and higher wisdom from the divine realms.

Seeing repeating numbers has a significant meaning in numerology, or the belief in a cosmic relationship between specific numbers and coinciding events. The art of numerology seeks to assign a divine meaning to numbers and determine how they influence our lives. Understanding the meaning and significance of the 555 angel number can unlock its potential for power and influence in your life.

The Concept of Angel Numbers

Numerology refers to studying the meaning and significance of numbers, such as the 555 angel number. Numerology seeks to understand the symbolism behind specific numbers. It also explains how they may impact our daily lives. Many believe specific numbers have mystical meanings and use them in divination, tarot card readings, and other spiritual practices.

Others find comfort and peace in seeing spiritual numbers, believing they are a sign from angels or the universe. For instance, if you’ve encountered difficult times, your guides may send you love and support by communicating numerically. Each repeating number holds a different meaning and can offer solace in the often turbulent earthly realm.

Understanding the Symbolisms and Meanings of 555

While the symbolism and interpretations of 555 vary from person to person, the number’s overall theme involves positive energy, personal growth, and change. This change could be related to your career, relationships, living situation, or any other area of your life. The critical thing to remember is that this change is likely to be positive and transformative. While change can be scary, the 555 angel number is a reminder that sometimes we need to embrace change to grow and evolve.

Since this number also has spiritual meanings, paying attention to any intuitive nudging or gut feelings you may be experiencing is essential. Your angels may be trying to guide you toward a new path or opportunity that will help you reach your highest potential. In addition to its association with change, the 555 angel number symbolizes adventure and freedom. This number suggests that you must break free from old patterns or beliefs holding you back and embrace a more adventurous and daring approach to life.

Spiritual and Angelic Messages

Many people believe that angel numbers are spiritual messages from the divine realm. These numbers signify angelic guidance or divine intervention for those seeking answers from the spirit world. If you see repeating 5’s regularly, your angels want you to remain open to new opportunities and anticipate radical changes in your life soon.

The Role of 555 in Numerology

Life path numbers also influence your journey on Earth, as each number has a different meaning and reflects your unique purpose.

If your life path number is 5, then you are someone who craves freedom, adventure, and change. Five is associated with versatility and adaptability, meaning you can thrive in various situations. You are also fearless in taking risks and trying new things, which can lead to exciting opportunities and experiences.

However, it’s important to remember that the number 5 can also represent restlessness and impulsiveness. It helps you balance your desire for adventure with stability and structure. If you see number patterns with five often, it’s essential to trust your intuition and listen to your inner voice. Following your destiny and unique path in life will align you with the universal will, ensuring your success and happiness.

Remember that the number 5 is also associated with growth and evolution in numerology. Embrace change and new experiences with an open mind, and believe the universe guides you towards your highest good. By embracing your adventurous spirit and trusting your intuition, you can create a life filled with joy, abundance, and fulfillment. Trust the journey and enjoy the ride.

Encountering 555 in Everyday Life

The concept of synchronicity suggests that events can be meaningfully related, even if they have no causal connection. In other words, if you repeatedly see the number 555, it could be a sign from the universe that something significant is happening in your life. Whatever the meaning behind repeated sightings of 555, paying attention to your thoughts and feelings when you see this number is essential.

Trust your intuition and believe the universe guides you toward your highest good. Remember that everything happens for a specific reason. So meaningful coincidences often occur when you’re on the right path. Embrace change, trust your intuition, and believe the universe conspires in your favor.

Harnessing the Power of 555

When encountering this number, one practical step is paying attention to your thoughts and feelings. What positive changes do you feel are necessary in your life? What dreams have you been putting off pursuing? Reflecting on these questions can help you identify areas where you must break free from old patterns and beliefs.

Once you’ve identified these areas, trusting your intuition is essential. Be sure to follow your inner guidance and focus on spiritual development. 555 reminds you that you can pursue your dreams, and the universe guides you toward your highest good. Trusting your instincts can help you navigate these changes with confidence and clarity.

Another practical step is to embrace these changes with an open mind and display an eagerness to learn. Change can be scary. However, it’s also an opportunity for personal growth and transformation. Embracing these changes can help you make the most of this potent energy. With these steps, you can navigate these changes with confidence and clarity and embrace new opportunities.

Final Thoughts on the Spiritual Significance of 555 Angel Numbers

So if you keep seeing the number 555, take it as a spiritual message that change is on the horizon, and be open to new opportunities and adventures that come your way. Trust that your guardians are guiding you toward your highest good, and know that you have the power to create a life that is full of joy, abundance, and fulfillment. By understanding the meaning 555, you can unleash your most significant potential and begin unlocking its power.

5 Reasons Empathetic Listening Is the Most Important Part of Your Relationship

May 30, 2023 by Lakeisha Ethans

A big part of interhuman communication is the ability to listen, and not only that, but you need to learn what empathetic listening means. It’s not enough to hear what something has to say. It matters how attentive and proactive you are when you hear someone out. Most people understand that communication is vital in all human relationships, no matter if they are platonic or romantic. But that’s about as far as their knowledge of empathy goes.

But, like most concepts out there, communication is layered. Depending on your context, you’ll have to use different communication styles to get your point across. But, in a relationship, being heard isn’t all that matters. So there is much to learn about the art of listening that most people wouldn’t even think about. And one of the most surprising things, though it should be intuitive, is that listening should be empathetic.

The Importance of Empathetic Listening

Many people believe that, when it comes to relationships, listening is only essential when there’s a problem. You hear the issue, solve it, and that’s it. Because of that, they forget to put some emotion into the process. Or, if there is any emotion involved, it’s most probably, something selfish. You might mistake only listening to your friends and partners when you can get something out of it. That doesn’t make you a bad person.

It just makes you someone who has been raised in an individualistic context and hasn’t been taught how to communicate. And worse, not knowing how to communicate effectively will almost always negatively affect your relationship. You can even risk making your partner feel like you don’t care about them enough to listen with empathy, which will inevitably create a divide between you. To avoid this, you must understand what empathetic listening is and how to incorporate it into your communication style.

What is Empathetic Listening?

While the term might be new, it’s easy to deduce what it means. As the name suggests, empathetic listening concerns the ability to relate to what the other person is telling you. This concept is also known as active listening, a term you might be familiar with. The main difference between this and passive listening, which is what most people use, is the desired outcome of the conversation.

Someone who passively listens will only want to be able to respond to what they hear. But an empathetic listener will want to understand what the other person is telling them. But, of course, that’s not all there is to empathy. The process is much more complex, although everyone can quickly pick up the basics. But if you want to incorporate this skill into your life, you must understand it.

It’s not enough to understand what you are being told if you want to engage in empathetic listening. You also must ensure that you are fully present in the conversation. There’s no room for zoning out and listening with one ear. You are either one hundred percent in, or it’s not going to work. This can also mean that you might have to lead the conversation. Sometimes, people aren’t ready to share what they are thinking or going through.

That’s when you might need to step in and ask leading questions. Remember that you should always ask open-ended questions as they allow the other person to feel like they can freely share anything.

Empathetic Listening and Advice

What stunts most people when it comes to empathetic listening is that it requires that the listener gives no advice. This seems counterintuitive, as most people are taught that the only reason you even listen to someone is so that you can give them your perspective on things. But being judgemental or offering advice is the last thing a partner needs.

An empathetic listener knows this and understands their role is to offer emotional support and nothing more. At least they know to withhold their advice until they have taken the time to reflect on what they heard. When you talk to someone, it’s always important to take some time to mull over the conversation. That way, you can come up with the best advice if the other person decides to ask you for it.

Otherwise, you can just listen and allow the other person to vent about whatever they are bothered about. Lastly, empathetic listening also entails some physical cues. For example, you should make sure to maintain good eye contact throughout the whole conversation. Also, use verbal and non-verbal cues to let the other person know you are affected by what they are telling you.

Noticing these cues will also make a huge difference. By paying attention to the other person’s body language, you can tell if they are uncomfortable or not. Many other cues can make you understand many different aspects of the conversation that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

5 Reasons Empathetic Listening Is the Most Important Part of Your Relationship

Mastering this critical skill builds empathy and thus improves your relationship.

1. Empathetic Listening Allows You to Understand Your Partner

Everyone needs to be understood, especially by their partner. But being able to listen to someone doesn’t automatically entail that you know what they’re trying to tell you. And that’s mostly because people don’t take the time to think about what the other is going through or how they think.

Any given experience can affect different people in vastly different ways. But people often mistake analyzing everything from their point of view, never the others’. This leads to miscommunication and a lack of understanding. To fix that issue, you should incorporate empathetic listening in your communication style.

That means you’ll have to try to put yourself in your partner’s skin. Think about what they’ve been through and how they are affected by their past experiences. For this, asking for details is essential if you don’t understand something.

2. Empathy Allows You to Release Your Emotions

Most people have fights because they don’t feel they can share their emotions with their partner. In other words, they lack empathy Or, maybe they don’t see the point in doing so because whenever they try, they are ignored. Perhaps they just want you to listen without giving them any advice.

If you think you and your partner are going through that, give empathetic listening a shot. Try to reserve some time in the day to listen to each other, without giving your opinion on the subject, unless it’s asked for. Sometimes, all someone needs is to be able to vent and release all their pent-up emotions.

3. Empathy Builds Trust

Many couples struggle with trust because they don’t always feel emotionally secure in the relationship. Most of the time, this happens because sharing emotions can make people feel like a burden. Maybe they feel like they can’t explain what they’re going through. Or they may feel like their partner will misinterpret everything they say.

A relationship cannot last if there’s a lack of trust. But you can always work on keeping that trust strong. And a good way to do that is through empathetic listening. This method allows you both to be open and to connect on a deeper level. You’ll never have to worry about being a burden because the other person will always comfort you when you need it, and vice versa.

4. Empathetic Listening Allows You to Create Deeper Connections

In any relationship, there will be moments when you feel like your connection is not as deep as you would like. And a big reason for that is that you genuinely don’t know your partner as well as you should. Even if you have been together for a while, that doesn’t mean you have actively tried to get to know each other as well as you should.

If that’s the case, empathetic listening can answer your problem. When you create a safe space for sharing information, the other person will feel safe to open up. You’ll find that your conversations will no longer be limited to what you did during the day. They will also be about deeper subjects, such as your past, your desires, and so on. This will allow you to create a deeper, stronger bond.

5. Empathy Helps You Solve Problems

Problem-solving can be a complicated task for any couple. But it becomes almost impossible if you can’t properly communicate. Sometimes, you risk creating bigger issues because of miscommunications. Even the most minor issue can become a massive fight if that happens. Or you risk brushing things under the rug and never getting around to addressing them. That’s also a bad option, as those issues will eventually resurface.

The best thing you can do is talk through those issues. But don’t make the mistake of becoming defensive and only thinking about your side of the story. When you incorporate empathetic listening in your problem-solving methods, you’ll use your empathy to talk through things more efficiently. Plus, you’ll learn how to work together to solve the issue instead of just fighting for your side.

Final Thoughts on Why Empathetic Listening Is Important for Your Relationship

Communication will always be vital for creating a strong bond with someone. If you can’t talk openly, you can’t get to know the other person well. Therefore, you can’t create a strong bond. Or you won’t be able to solve the issues you face as a team. You’ll always struggle with misunderstandings and other minor issues. Potentially the biggest issues appear when one of you feels neglected or misunderstood. Because, above all else, people want to feel safe in a relationship. And they won’t feel secure and respected when they can’t open up.

Empathetic listening is the key to solving all these issues. Also known as active listening, this process entails trying to hear the other person out and genuinely display empathy. Plus, it’s a process in which you withhold any advice or judgment if you’re not asked for it. If you start practicing this, you’ll strengthen your relationship and create a much deeper connection than you’d have thought possible.

How to Increase Emotional Balance in 4 Steps

May 29, 2023 by Lakeisha Ethans

To have a healthy life, you need to make sure you work towards balance. People try to have some balance in their life. But it’s mostly in their professional life. And, even then, not all people manage that part of their life the best it can be managed. Some people work too much and don’t give themselves time to relax. But what does this have to do with emotional balance?

If some people even struggle with balancing the pragmatic aspects of their lives, you can only imagine how hard it is to manage feelings. Emotions aren’t something you can touch or hold. So it can be hard to make sense of them. But emotions are also what makes being human so special. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to fall in love or feel things as intensely as we do. But, at the same time, they also have the power to bring you to the deepest depths of suffering. So, you need to learn to manage them for your health.

But it’s not just raw emotions that you need to understand and deal with. It’s also how they affect other aspects of your life. For example, say you lose your job. If that job was just used rationally as a stepping stone, it could be easier to bounce back. You can take a few days to collect your thoughts and then get back on the job market. Sooner or later, you’ll find a new job that suits your needs. But, if you gave your heart to that job, losing it might destroy you. And it could even prevent you from finding the motivation to look for something new. And this kind of emotional management will help you handle everything in your life healthier.

What Is Emotional Balance?

By now, you’ve probably picked up on some details about emotional balance. And it’s a pretty intuitive topic to define. Still, many people have never talked about or been taught about emotional balance. So, it’s understandable if you aren’t familiar with this concept yet. Emotional balance is an integral part of emotional intelligence. It refers to the ability to manage the way you feel and to calm yourself down when things get heated.

Why Emotional Balance Important

This balance is essential to ensure you can feel good in your skin while creating healthy relationships with the people around you. Emotional balance is based on how self-aware someone is. So, if you already have high emotional intelligence, you’ll probably also be able to control and balance your emotions better. But this also goes the other way around. If you are naturally balanced, adding this aspect of self-awareness can help you increase your emotional intelligence.

But it’s not obligatory to be highly emotionally intelligent to learn how to manage your emotions. Even if you aren’t naturally empathetic, that won’t be a hurdle in your pursuit of balance. So, you can start working towards balance at any point in your life. It’s important to mention that most people have a complicated relationship with their emotions. Most kids aren’t encouraged to express their emotions freely, so they suppress them.

This means they can never explore and understand the full spectrum of their emotions. When they grow up, they often become adults living on the extreme ends of this spectrum. They either trust too much or too little. They are either too open or too sheltered. And this means that all areas of their life will be affected by how strong their emotions are.

This is not the only reason why people struggle with emotions. Trauma caused by mistreatment or abuse will also interfere with how healthily a person can live. If you are struggling or your emotions are too intense, you must change some things. Adding new habits to your life will give you the comfort and strength you need to live a happy, healthy life.

How to Increase Emotional Balance in Four Steps

Try these techniques to ease your mind and feel better soon.

1. Identify What You Feel

Identifying your emotions and how they affect you is the first step toward a balance. But most people struggle with this because they don’t want to accept that they might be feeling negative emotions or maybe they are downplaying what they feel.

So, you need to force yourself to be honest. It’s scary to think that you are feeling depressed or anxious. But you need to accept those feelings to manage them better. A person is meant to feel the whole spectrum of human emotions, so there’s no need to feel bad about experiencing them.

To identify emotions, there are a few tricks you can try. One of the easiest things you can do is meditate for a few minutes. Just sit comfortably, preferably in a quiet room, close your eyes and allow yourself to feel. Don’t actively think about anything. Just focus on the sensations your mind and body are sending you. Once you can identify your emotions and gauge their overwhelming, you can start managing them.

2. Try Calming Techniques

One of the biggest struggles of emotionally imbalanced people is being able to act rationally rather than emotionally. As mentioned before, people often feel extreme emotions but don’t know how to handle them. To solve these issues, you should learn how to calm yourself down. And it helps to understand some calming techniques you can use whenever you feel things are getting better.

You can always use breathing techniques if you need a quick fix on the spot, you can always use breathing techniques. And they are as easy as they seem. Take deep breaths and focus on the breathing rhythm for as long as you need to calm down. Other techniques tell for how many seconds you need to breathe in and out, and you can look for the best technique.

But just breathing deeply is enough to get you through stressful situations. Remember to do this to calm down and before making irrational decisions. For a long-term approach to learning to be calm, you can spend more time in nature, listen to music, be creative or meditate. Any of these hobbies will help you have a calmer demeanor.

3. Be Kind to Yourself

Many people tend to be too rough on themselves. Even if they have all the material possessions they could want or they have the best family, some people will feel like they still have to achieve things. Sure, they have a good job, but they could have a better one. They get along with their family but could do more for the ones they love. So many people have these kinds of thoughts running through their heads nonstop.

But there’s no reason to beat yourself up over things like these. Even if you don’t have the perfect job and wish for a better one, you still shouldn’t be mean to yourself. It’s in our human nature to make mistakes. Life is supposed to leave you room to grow. And the best thing you can do for yourself and your emotional balance is to be kind to yourself.

When a negative thought about yourself pops into your head, please write it down in a journal and reframe it. That is, rewrite that idea so that it has a positive connotation. If you don’t want to keep a journal, reframe those thoughts in your head. But it’s better to have a physical representation of the progress you are making.

Remember to allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. You can grow and become a better person despite a misstep. And that’s what you should aim towards. This will help you manage and balance your emotions, lifting most of the pressure from your shoulders.

4. Add Movement and Relaxation to Your Life

When you are stuck in an office all day, without being able to move and be outside or even relax, you’ll struggle to balance your emotions. Your hormones and psychological health is affected by the things you do and the environment you are in. One of the best things you can do is be active but also make sure you have time to relax and do the things you like.

Having a balanced life means being able to do a little bit of all the things you want and need to do. And this will reflect how well you can manage your emotions. It’s always helpful to be physically active when you feel overwhelmed, angry, stressed, or struggling with being balanced. Even running or going to the gym will make you feel much better, as physical activity helps release endorphins.

Your mood will be lifted, and you will be much calmer after finishing the workout. If you don’t have the energy to do that, or maybe you are sad, anxious, or vulnerable, that’s a sign you should relax. Draw yourself a bath, get some good food, put on a show, and allow yourself to calm down. If you add these changes into your lives, you will be able to control your feelings much better.

Final Thoughts on How to Increase Emotional Balance in Four Steps

Emotions will always be hard to manage and make sense of. But you can always learn how to balance them and create a better life. Usually, you only need to add a few healthy habits to your life. The first thing you need to do is make some time for introspection and make sense of your emotions.

This can be done through meditation. Then, you can move on to calming techniques to help you settle down when things get heated. One thing you need to remember is always to be kind to yourself. And try to make the time to work out, but also remember to relax sometimes. Doing all these things will help you reach the balance you need for a good life.

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