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Stop Chasing Happiness, and Let It Find You

September 6, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

Happiness is the thing that everyone wants to achieve. But our mistake as humans is chasing happiness instead of living life and letting happiness find us. This has been the trap people have fallen into for thousands of years. Undoubtedly, we will continue that path. But you always have the opportunity to turn things around and become one of the happy people.

But people have a hard time living in the present because it goes against everything we’ve ever been taught. Since we were small, our parents told us we needed to plan our future. Otherwise, our lives won’t have meaning. Of course, this socially imposed trade-off scares most people. Thus, it forced them to start living just for the future. We believe that we will never find happiness unless we can get that dream job or build a perfect family.

But that’s false. Happiness is and has always been subjective. Even though society tells us that having a stable, traditional life will make us happy, that doesn’t apply to everyone. Some people find pure happiness in traveling or giving back to their communities. But we can’t find that true happiness because we are always chasing happiness. We are chasing an ideal that will never happen in reality. If you want a better, more fulfilled life, allow happiness to find you.

What Is True Happiness?

If you take some time to reflect, you’ll see that the moments that made you truly happy were the unplanned ones. You were probably happier when someone gave you a thoughtful gift than when you got that promotion you were working towards. That’s because you cannot force joy. Sure, you’ll feel good when you’ll get promoted. But chasing happiness taints the experiences you go through.

True happiness comes from within. It’s when you are entirely at peace with who you are and what your life looks like. It can’t be dependent on external factors. That’s why dreams and aspirations can even stop you from achieving true happiness. Because it sets a standard, you won’t be happy if you fail to meet it. People are taught that happiness is a final destination. That once you tick certain boxes, you reach true happiness.

But the journey you are on gives this feeling. You might find that you are happier when working on a project than when you finish it. It’s also impossible to feel satisfied all the time. And it would be best if you didn’t strive towards that either. If all you ever think is happiness, it will lose its essence. Over time, joy will turn into numbness. We only feel happy because we can compare it to the sadness and pain we once felt.

If not for those negative emotions, happiness wouldn’t mean anything. If you’ve never been sick, you’ll never be grateful that you’re healthy. Most people also fall into the trap of believing that the traditional view of a good life will bring them joy. All their worries will disappear if they get a high-paying job and a lovely house. But chasing happiness of that kind is more likely to bring you disappointment.

More likely than not, you won’t be able to materialize what you visualize. And that’s not because you aren’t good enough. It’s because there aren’t enough upper management jobs and white-picket fence houses for everyone. Plus, many people would hate to live that kind of life, even if they don’t realize it at first. Even if you think that’s your dream, you could get trapped. Happiness is subjective, and no one has a say in telling you what yours should look like. If you want to learn how to stop chasing happiness, here’s how to do it.

How to Stop Chasing Happiness and Let It Find You

Try these new habits to increase your joy in life.

1. Happy People Learn to Live with Gratitude

Gratitude is a fundamental brick if you want your life to have a solid foundation. But when you chase happiness, you forget to take a step and be grateful for what you have. Not only that, but most people don’t understand the value of gratitude. They see it as something with no psychological benefits. Essentially, most people believe gratitude is a hoax.

But gratitude is not a hoax. It’s a positive psychology practice that can help you change your mindset. Unhappy people struggle because they believe only big, shiny things can make them happy. But gratitude will teach you that you can find beauty and joy in even the most minor things. Gratitude is simply the practice of appreciating and being thankful for what you have in your life.

Some people are naturally inclined to be grateful. However, others need to practice to be able to internalize the practice. You can express gratitude in many ways. But the easiest thing you can do is to start considering what you have in your life. Take a moment to reflect on everything that’s happened to you until now, good or bad. This way, you’ll remember how many good things have happened to you.

You will also see how many things you ignored, even if they were good moments. You can also learn to be grateful for the present. When you stop chasing happiness, you’ll forget that the opportunities you get shouldn’t be taken for granted. You tend to do things on autopilot, and you don’t stop to cherish what you have until you reach your end goal. But when you practice gratitude, you give yourself time to celebrate every achievement, no matter how small it seems.

This mindset also helps you have a brighter future. When you practice gratitude, you learn that good things can come in all forms. This allows you to stay optimistic instead of overthinking your every move. This is how you let happiness come to you. Instead of forcing good things to happen, you take whatever good you can get, however it might come.

Practicing gratitude comes in many forms. But one of the easiest things you can do is keep a gratitude journal. Every day, write down a few things you are thankful for or that made you happy. In time, gratitude will become something you do unconsciously. This will reduce your depression, help you face adversity, and even improve your physical strength.

2. Live Your Life the Way You Want to Instead of Chasing Happiness in an Unachievable Ideal

When you chase happiness, you unconsciously live your life by others’ standards. You do things because you think they will fulfill you, not because you want to. So, to stop chasing other people’s dreams, you need to figure out what yours are. One way to discover what you want to do in life is to explore and try new things. Maybe you’re not ready to quit your job and travel, and that’s fair.

But you can try that thing you’ve always wanted to try. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try rock climbing, but you’ve always thought it was an insane thought. But if you want to live your life to the fullest, go rock climbing if that’s what you want. It doesn’t matter if other people tell you that it won’t do you any good. Your life is not theirs, and you should live it however you want.

You also need to understand what your needs and values are. Maybe you were taught that marrying is the only way to have a happy relationship. But that doesn’t mean it’s what will make you happy. You might need to be with someone who gives you more freedom than marriage. Maybe you were taught that traveling the world wastes time and money.

But it might be precisely what you need to find true happiness. Understanding yourself will allow you to stop chasing happiness. When you live your life the way you want to, you won‘t be longing for anything else. Sure, you’ll still want to achieve things. But those things will be extras, not the core of your fulfillment.

3. Surround Yourself with the People You Love

Most people live their life believing that having many friends automatically means being happy. Because of that, they always try to make new friends and can even become people-pleasers. Chasing happiness through trying to surround yourself with loads of people is bound to take a toll on you.

To be truly satisfied, you should always take quality over quantity when it comes to people. Sure, it can be nice to have many friends. But those aren’t friends you can rely on. Your friendship is probably circumstantial, and you put too much effort into maintaining the connection. Plus, you probably still have people in your life who do nothing else but hurt you.

Even if you think that many people will make you happy, they will only drain you of energy. Some of them might even hurt and betray you. Please keep your circle small and tight. Stop chasing happiness through people. Instead, surround yourself with people who will support and love you, not just go out with you. These are the happy people who will make your life more stable. They won’t hurt you and will always help you reach your true potential.

Final Thoughts on How to Stop Chasing Happiness and Let It Find You

Happiness is something that everyone wants. But most people think that chasing happiness is how you get it. Indeed, that will only put hurdles in your way. If you view happiness as an end goal, you’ll never be satisfied until everything is how you pictured. You need to allow happiness to find you.

This way, you can be present and find happiness in even the most minor things. One of the best things you can do is to practice gratitude. This will help you learn to be thankful and live in the present. You also need to stop living your life how others want you to. Just because society tells you that your life should look a certain way, it doesn’t mean that lifestyle will fit you, happiness is subjective and you need to start living as authentically as possible.

Lastly, you keep the company with those who genuinely bring you joy. You’ll find that when you stop chasing happiness, you’ll join the ranks of those happy people.

New Technology Can Reduce Pain Without Addictive Opioids

September 6, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Northwestern University researchers have developed a revolutionary device that can reduce pain without addictive opioids. The small, flexible implant offers an alternative to harmful opioids and pain-relieving medicines.

The unique water-soluble device works by softly enveloping nerves to transmit targeted cooling. This effectively numbs the nerves and inhibits pain signals to the brain. An external pump allows patients to activate the device remotely and choose their desired intensity. After the user no longer needs the device, the body absorbs it, eliminating the need for surgery.

Researchers say the device could provide the most value for patients requiring regular surgeries. Also, it could benefit those who need amputations since patients require opioids. Surgeons could implant a biocompatible device during the surgery to reduce pain in patients.

The study was published in the July 1 issue of the journal Science. The paper explains the design and efficacy of the technology in an animal model.

“Although opioids are extremely effective, they also are extremely addictive,” said Northwestern’s John A. Rogers, the device’s lead developer. “As engineers, we are motivated by the idea of treating pain without drugs — in ways that can be turned on and off instantly, with user control over the intensity of relief.”

“The technology reported here exploits mechanisms that have some similarities to those that cause your fingers to feel numb when cold. Our implant allows that effect to be produced in a programmable way, directly and locally to targeted nerves, even those deep within surrounding soft tissues,” he added.

How the New Technology Can Reduce Pain Without Medications

While the device sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, it uses a simple methodology. Like sweat evaporates and lowers body temperature, the device utilizes a liquid coolant to evaporate near a sensory nerve. By targeting the nerves that signal pain, the device disrupts communication between the nerve and the brain.

“As you cool down a nerve, the signals that travel through the nerve become slower and slower — eventually stopping completely,” said study co-author Dr. Matthew MacEwan of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “We are specifically targeting peripheral nerves, which connect your brain and your spinal cord to the rest of your body. These are the nerves that communicate sensory stimuli, including pain. By delivering a cooling effect to just one or two targeted nerves, we can effectively modulate pain signals in one specific region of the body.”

To create a cooling effect, the device contains small microfluidic channels. One channel utilizes a liquid coolant, perfluoropentane, an already approved ingredient for ultrasounds and pressurized inhalers.

Another channel contains dry nitrogen, an inactive gas. When the liquid and gas combine, it causes a reaction where the liquid immediately evaporates. At the same time, a small sensor measures the nerve’s temperature to ensure it’s not getting too cold.

“Excessive cooling can damage the nerve and the fragile tissues around it,” Rogers said. “The duration and temperature of the cooling must therefore be controlled precisely. By monitoring the temperature at the nerve, the flow rates can be adjusted automatically to set a point that blocks pain in a reversible, safe manner. On-going work seeks to define the full set of time and temperature thresholds below which the process remains fully reversible.”

The Device Can Reduce Pain More Effectively Than Past Technologies

Scientists in the past have developed several other cooling methods and nerve inhibitors. However, they all had certain deficiencies that the latest device seemed to conquer. For instance, cryotherapies require injecting nitrogen or argon gas into the skin to remove unwanted tissues.

While it’s minimally invasive, it doesn’t target specific nerves as the new technology does. Instead, it cools a general tissue area, leading to tissue damage or inflammation.

Scientists wanted to avoid these unwanted side effects by creating a smaller device. Northwestern University researchers explained that their device measures just 5 mm wide.

One end curls to softly wrap around a nerve, eliminating the need for sutures. Since the device targets only the afflicted nerve, the implant avoids cooling nearby areas.

“You don’t want to inadvertently cool other nerves or the tissues that are unrelated to the nerve transmitting the painful stimuli,” MacEwan said. “We want to block the pain signals, not the nerves that control motor function and enable you to use your hand, for example.”

In the past, science also investigated nerve inhibitors that utilize electrical stimulation to reduce pain. However, these also have downsides. MacEwan said:

“You can’t shut down a nerve with electrical stimulation without activating it first. That can cause additional pain or muscle contractions and is not ideal, from a patient’s perspective.”

In addition to cooling only specific body areas, the device naturally absorbs into the body’s fluids within days or weeks. The bioresorbable device works similarly to absorbable stitches, causing no adverse side effects.

Best of all, it’s a minimally invasive technology that can reduce pain by eliminating surgical extraction. Finally, the device measures the thickness of a sheet of paper and flexes to wrap around highly reactive nerves. In summary, it’s ideal for pain relief in the simplest, most effective way possible.

“If you think about soft tissues, fragile nerves, and a body that’s in constant motion, any interfacing device must have the ability to flex, bend, twist and stretch easily and naturally,” Rogers said. “Furthermore, you would like the device to simply disappear after it is no longer needed, to avoid delicate and risky procedures for surgical removal.”

Final Thoughts on New Device That Can Reduce Pain Without Opioids

Researchers from Northwestern University recently created a small device that reduces pain without opioids. In the past, scientists have sought ways to cool nerves using methods such as cryotherapy. However, these treatments have disadvantages and harmful side effects, such as inflammation and tissue damage.

The latest device is a small, soft, elastic implant that wraps around nerves to deliver selective cooling. It doesn’t require surgical extraction and dissolves into the body’s fluids within days or weeks. Hopefully, we will see this technology take off soon and help reduce pain for many.

Kind Teen Makes Cute Pet Bowties to Help Shelter Dogs Find Homes

September 6, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

One kind teen decided to help shelter dogs find forever homes in a very unique way. Darius Brown, a 14-year-old student from Newark, New Jersey, runs his own business making handmade bowties for shelter dogs. The animal lover and founder of Beaux & Paws discovered that the bow ties helped shelter dogs get adopted three times faster.

Darius’ business combines two of his greatest passions in life: bowties and animals. The teen started creating fashionable doggy accessories back in 2015 at just eight years old. As an animal advocate, he hoped this would help dogs get adopted more often – and it did!

“I just love it when they’re wearing one of my bow ties,” Brown told NBC’s Rehema Ellis on Weekend TODAY.

Meet A Kind Teen Who Helps Promote Adoption, One Dog At A Time

Darius donates the bowties to rescue organizations all over the country. He creates a wide variety of neckwear, from striped bowties to polka-dotted ones and more. Darius loves seeing posts on social media of the bowtie-wearing dogs getting adopted, and it inspires him to keep going.

The kind teen featured one of the adopted dogs on his Instagram. “The beautiful Harley here was adopted after sporting my Spring Blossom bow tie,” the caption said. The post also urged his audience to consider adopting or fostering a pet to help them find a permanent home.

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A post shared by Sir Darius Brown (@sirdariusbrown)

Darius says that he’s lost count of how many bowties he’s made, but estimates it’s over 1,000 so far. The eighth-grader got the business idea after seeing the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the summer of 2017.

“I would always see on television and wonder, ‘How come there were all these people getting help, but not any animals or dogs being helped?'” he says.

Following the news, the kind teen heard that some displaced dogs had been transferred to the ASPCA in New York City. While visiting the adoption center, Darius learned that hundreds of dogs get euthanized at some shelters because of overcrowding. As a huge dog lover, hearing this broke his heart.

This inspired his mission to help save animals’ lives by donating his handmade bowties to animal shelters. He hoped this would help the animals get adopted faster. After all, who can resist a dog wearing a bowtie?!

Making Bowties Doesn’t Just Benefit The Dogs – It Helps Darius As Well.

Darius never imagined that his desire to help shelter dogs would turn into such a big mission. His efforts have gotten the attention of rescue organizations across the country. He even received a signed letter from former President Barack Obama praising him for his work!

Making the bowties helps the kind teen as well. At two years old, Darius got diagnosed with delays in speech, comprehension, and fine motor skills. Due to the developmental delays, he had trouble using his hands for everyday tasks such as tying his shoes. His family wanted to encourage his development but struggled with ways to help him.

At age 8, however, Darius had a breakthrough while his sister Dazhai was attending cosmetology school. In her classes, she had to make hair ribbons for little girls. One day, she and her mom got the idea to have Darius help prep the ribbons, cut them, and sew fabric together. Their brilliant idea worked because Darius seemed to catch on very quickly!

While the sewing aspect was difficult for him initially, he stuck with it because he wanted to help his sister. The kind teen gives Dazhai all the credit for helping him learn how to sew, which kickstarted his own business.

“When she learned how to sew it was because of our grandmother,” he said. “And then our grandmother passed away. So I felt as though when my sister had to teach me how to sew, it was like that family passing down the line thing.”

After mastering sewing, Darius began creating his own bowties to wear. When he went out in public, people often asked where they could buy one. So, he decided to start the bowtie company Beaux & Paws to create the neckwear for people and their pets.

Darius Continues On His Mission To Help Dogs Find Happy Forever Homes

The kind teen’s desire to help shelter dogs have better lives ignited a fire within him. However, he never realized how far this passion would take him. Now, he’s partnered with large dog organizations like Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue and Soi Dog Foundation.

He recently fashioned a red polka-dotted bowtie for Nontongo, a three-legged dog rescued by Wagmor. The sweet dog had been transported to California all the way from Thailand after being hit by a car. We haven’t heard if he’s been adopted, but hopefully, the adorable bowtie did the trick!

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A post shared by Sir Darius Brown (@sirdariusbrown)

Darius has donated thousands of handmade bowties to shelters and rescue agencies across the US and the UK. In 2019, the kind teen even created the “Paw-some mission,” which aims to ship bowties and visit animal shelters in all 50 states. Upon visiting the shelters, Darius will personally deliver bowties and help with adoption events.

He also uses his social media platform to post about adoptable pets wearing his bowties. His mission is to save lives, one bowtie at a time. By the looks of it, he’s doing an amazing job, and his family couldn’t be prouder of him.

Final Thoughts About The Kind New Jersey Teen Who Makes Bowties to Help Dogs

Darius, a kind teen from Newark, New Jersey, made it his life mission to help shelter dogs find loving homes. After seeing how many dogs got displaced by hurricanes in the summer of 2017, Darius figured out a way to help. He started creating cute bowties to help shelter dogs become more adoptable. It seems to work, considering the dogs get adopted three times faster!

If you’d like to help with his mission, visit his website. You can either make a donation or buy bowties for you or your pets!

How John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success Can Help You Be Happy

September 5, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

The Pyramid of Success is the creation of John Wooden, a legendary and renowned former basketball coach for the University of California, Los Angeles. The prolific man was a ten-time National Collegiate Athletic Association national championship winner, once doing so seven years in a row – three years longer than any other team in the league.

Suffice to say that John Wooden was a highly revered coach and has made a lasting legacy in sports history. It’s likely, then, that all that success was only possible due to years of accumulated wisdom. To coach his team, he redefined the ordinary meaning of success and taught them a new ideology via his Pyramid of Success.

The Pyramid of Success is a set of philosophical building blocks meant to help you succeed in life. This pyramid features fifteen rectangular “blocks” arranged in five tiers. Each block is held together by the Mortar. Ten additional triangular “blocks” give the pyramid the support it needs to stand proudly.

Initially, Wooden didn’t create the pyramid specifically for basketball, but he applied this philosophy of the pyramid to his coaching. This significantly changed the game for the UCLA Bruins, and, as it turns out, the idea can be applied to most different parts of life, too. This man’s brilliant work has laid the groundwork for his current success. Here’s how John Wooden’s pyramid of success can help you be happy.

1. John Wooden Redefined Success

John Wooden’s first foray into the beginnings of the pyramid involved changing the so-called “Definition of Success,” and it’s something we can all learn to do. Most people define successful ventures by a simple metric: did you win or lose? Did you fail, or did you not fail?

These binary concepts are simple to comprehend, but they ultimately don’t serve much of a purpose and can cause you to fall stagnant. After all, the real world is hardly ever cut and dry! John Wooden taught his players this when he was a coach. Instead of focusing on winning or losing, he focused on preparation and how the game is played.

It’s all about fundamental, profound, personal, or team improvement on a level beyond the superficial. In other words, working on internal factors molds you into the best you can be, and that is what success can be defined as. (And, naturally, more common definitions of success are easier to achieve with those improvements.)

So redefine success in your head. Instead of making it about apparent failure or obvious wins, make it about your personal goals and the ways you improve as you work toward them. But what sorts of improvements should you make? Well, that’s all in the pyramid itself!

2. The Cornerstones Of The Pyramid

Cornerstones are important features upon which structures are built, and as such, the Pyramid of Success cannot exist without its cornerstones. The two cornerstones of the pyramid are industriousness and enthusiasm, which are crucial to your happiness.

Industriousness can best be defined, simply put, at hard work. As cliche as it is, the fact remains that you cannot achieve incredible personal or external growth without working hard. A vast majority of success stories involve people who simply worked harder than those around them, and there’s no replacement for industriousness when it comes to success.

Meanwhile, enthusiasm is the fuel for the fire of industriousness. While you can certainly work hard and find success that way, it’s easy to burn out and become exhausted when you do fire up that work with enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is a passion for your career. This can be born from:

Putting your heart into the things you set out to achieve
Seeking inspiration from those around you and those you look up to
Envisioning your goals and vowing to strive toward them
Allowing inspiration, motivation, and commitment to power you

It’s straightforward to be industrious and find success, but without enthusiasm, this may not be enough to make you 100% happy truly.

3. The Foundation Of John Wooden’s Pyramid

Aside from the two cornerstones of John Wooden’s pyramid, there are three additional blocks. These blocks form the pyramid’s foundation. Their details and how they can help your happiness are as follows:

· Friendship

People overlook the value of social relationships in everyday life, even though studies show that social interaction is significant for mental and physical wellbeing. Surrounding yourself with positive people and good friends who uplift you can help you get further in life, thanks to your healthy support circle. Wooden outlines two additional qualities crucial for friendship: camaraderie and respect. With these two qualities, you’ll become a better team player, a better leader, and a better friend.

· Loyalty

To achieve higher goals in life, you need loyalty – to those you work with, those who lead you, and those who follow you. It’s in the foundational layer and is the central piece for a good reason. Everyone wants to be a part of a team where you know everyone is loyal and has each other’s best interests at heart. Trust in a respectful, fair, dignified, and well-intentioned system is paramount to happiness and satisfaction when working with others or forming your own friend circles.

· Cooperation

Great minds are not in isolation. They are the ones that share information, ideas, and opinions. In teams, they share responsibilities, give credit where it is due, and perform tasks as they should. When you’re able to cooperate with other people, only then can you find success. Without it, you lack support, other perspectives, and valuable learning moments.

4. The Personal Trait Body Of The Pyramid

The next level of the Pyramid of Success contains four personality traits. You must grow these traits to promote a successful life filled with happiness. The traits are as follows:

· Self-Control

Research has long indicated that those with better self-control are happier, but why? As it turns out, you must face temptation and formidable, difficult hurdles to stay on track toward goals. The only way to stick to them and feel the power of your accomplishments is through willpower and self-control.

· Alertness

What John Wooden refers to as “alertness” is often used similarly to describe modern concepts of mindfulness. Essentially, alertness on the pyramid refers to staying aware and involved in the world around you. This allows you to acquire knowledge from all situations in your environment that may have otherwise gone overlooked. It also allows you to prepare for what’s coming next. It’s crucial to avoid tunnel vision. Anyway, studies show that mindfulness makes you happy!

· Initiative

Taking the initiative is central to taking further steps in your life. As Wooden says, those who fail to act perform the biggest failure of all. It logically tracks, too – you cannot progress without deciding that you will progress and taking the necessary steps.

· Intentness

John Wooden’s terms can easily define Intentness: determination, persistence, tenaciousness, and unwillingness to back down when obstacles arise.

5. The External Trait Body Of The Pyramid

You know about the internal traits you must have to climb the Pyramid of Success. Now, we reach the central row of the pyramid, which contains three external traits that form the crucial next steps on the climb to success. These traits are as follows:

· Condition

John Wooden stated that his players on his team had to be in peak physical, mental, and moral condition for the most success. While you may not be a young basketball athlete, you must build up your condition to perform your tasks to their fullest. Stay healthy, take care of yourself, and align with your values, and you’ll be in the proper condition to propel yourself forward.

· Skill

Skill is the central block of the pyramid of success. This is where substance really must come in. It’s not enough to only “try” – you have to hone your craft, learn, make mistakes, and earn mastery in your field. This is what will bring you to the top.

· Team Spirit (Something John Wooden Knew Well!)

Team spirit involves selflessness and the ability to, when necessary, make sacrifices for the greater good – whether that good is on a large scale or just for your team. Of course, this is nuance, and unnecessary or excessive sacrifice is unhealthy. However, the point is that you must aim to make things bigger than yourself great, not just yourself.

6. The Vertex Of The John Wooden Pyramid Of Success

The vertex of the pyramid is what lies at the very top, the pinnacle of the Pyramid of Success and the goal that we all wish to reach. It promises not just success but happiness and fulfillment if all other blocks on the pyramid have been fulfilled. John Wooden outlines the vertex blocks as follows:

· Poise

Wooden uniquely describes poise. He says it means being entirely yourself and staying true to your beliefs and principles, acting in alignment with them. In other words, don’t get thrown off or rattled by others’ pressure. This difficult-to-master skill is a big key to happiness.

· Confidence

Hand-in-hand with poise is confidence: well-founded self-belief that doesn’t fall into arrogance, a knowledge that you’ve prepared yourself well, and an internal faith in your abilities and those you’re working with.

· Competitive Greatness

This is the very top of the Pyramid of Success. It means enjoying the healthy competition and fostering a love for the battle. Even if you’re not a sports player going against an opposing team, it means enjoying a challenge and stepping up to the plate. This is how you keep yourself moving and growing to achieve greatness and happiness on a deeper level.

Final Thoughts On How To Be Happy With John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success

John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success is one of his many legacies, a testament to his wisdom and expertise as a coach, leader, and human being. Apply his lessons to your everyday life, and you’ll find a deeper, more meaningful kind of success that makes you genuinely happy.

Gastroenterologist Explains the Best Smoothie Recipe For Gut Health

September 5, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

If you want the best smoothie of your life that will improve gut health, we have the recipe for you! Today, many people enjoy smoothies as a convenient, delicious way to obtain nutrients. They make a perfect on-the-go snack, quick breakfast, or even a healthy dessert at night. Plus, you can choose from thousands of different recipes with the fruits and vegetables of your choosing–or a classic green smoothie. What’s not to love?!

However, according to your tastebuds, the best smoothie may not always have the most significant health benefits. For instance, many smoothies at restaurants have added sugar or other sweeteners that lower the nutritional value. Even if you make them at home, they can still spike your blood sugar by adding too many fruits.

Luckily, a gastroenterologist explains how to make the best smoothie that balances healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Read on if you’d like to make this tasty smoothie yourself!

How to Make the Best Smoothie to Improve Gut Health

Ingredients For the Best Smoothie

*Note: If ever unsure about any ingredients, always consult first with your doctor regarding any personal health matter you may deal with.

Dr. Bulsiewicz recommends using bananas as the base of your smoothie, as they have a thick, creamy texture. If you can freeze the bananas beforehand, it will make for an even more luscious smoothie! A medium-sized banana contains about 3 grams of soluble and insoluble fibers. These fibers improve gut health, speed up digestion and promote regularity. However, since one banana packs about 14g of sugar, you may want to use half and save the rest.
Dark, leafy greens. You should also include some greens to balance the sugar from the bananas. Cruciferous vegetables such as arugula, broccoli sprouts, and cauliflower have tons of fiber and make a great addition to a smoothie. Arugula and broccoli sprouts, in particular, contain high amounts of sulforaphane. This sulfur-rich compound offers great antioxidants that may lower cancer risk and even improve glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes. However, if you’re not a fan of either vegetable, any leafy greens will make this the best smoothie.
Berries such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries have been called superfoods. They have vital nutrients such as soluble fiber, Vitamin C, manganese, Vitamin K1, copper, and folate. They’re also low on the glycemic index, meaning they won’t spike your blood sugar. Finally, berries provide ample antioxidants like anthocyanin and polyphenols, which lower oxidative stress. One study found that blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries have the highest antioxidant content of any fruit!
If you want the best smoothie, Will recommends adding flax, hemp, and chia seeds. They’re packed with soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and plant-based protein, making this a well-rounded smoothie. Hemp seeds, in particular, offer relatively high amounts of protein. In fact, it adds up to around 25% of total calories. 2-3 tablespoons will provide about 11g of protein, similar to one serving of beef or lamb.
Milk of choice. Add plant-based or cow’s milk to top off the best smoothie you’ll ever have. Will prefers oat milk since it has a creamy texture and offers beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that may lower bad cholesterol. One study found that people who consumed 3.5 grams of beta-glucan daily for 5-6 weeks reduced their LDL cholesterol by 4%. You’d only have to drink about three cups of oat milk daily to achieve similar results.

Making This Nutritious Smoothie

So, now that you know about the plentiful health benefits, we’ll tell you how to make this delicious smoothie!

Put 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 cup arugula, and 1/2 cup of broccoli sprouts into a high-powered blender.
Next, add 1 cup of frozen blueberries, 1 tbsp. Of ground flaxseeds, 1 tbsp hemp seeds, and 1 tbsp chia seeds into the mixture.
Add 1-2 cups of oat milk or enough to cover the ingredients. You can always add some water if needed.
Then, blend the ingredients until thoroughly combined, pour into a glass, and enjoy! You can also add cacao nibs or shredded coconut on top for extra texture and nutrients.

Other Delicious Smoothie Recipes To Try

1. Banana, Ginger, Orange, and Strawberry Smoothie

When you think of smoothies, ginger might not come to mind as a typical ingredient to use. However, ginger can help lower inflammation and contribute to healthy gut bacteria. One study even found that it helps reduce belly fat, a bonus. The bananas, strawberries, and oranges mask the strong taste of the ginger, balancing it with sweetness. It’s a perfect combination to try and also requires only a few ingredients.

To make the smoothie, blend:

One frozen banana
Two cups of frozen strawberries
1 inch of peeled fresh ginger root
1/4 cup of orange juice

2. Matcha Fruit and Green Tea Smoothie

Chinese Zen Buddhist monks have been drinking matcha green tea for hundreds of years to improve their meditation. In addition to the mental calmness the tea induces, it can also help burn fat and boost energy without causing anxiety.

To make this green tea smoothie, blend:

Two teaspoons of matcha green tea powder
Two frozen bananas
Two large handfuls of spinach
One large frozen mango
One cup of plant-based milk (for additional creaminess, use oat or coconut milk)

Final Thoughts on The Best Smoothie Recipe For Your Gut

Everyone will have a different opinion on the best smoothie they have ever had. Some people enjoy peanut butter and chocolate, while others prefer green smoothies. However, the recipe above should appeal to even the pickiest smoothie consumers because it includes a little of everything.

You get the creaminess from the oat milk and frozen banana, the sweetness of berries, and the protein from chia and hemp seeds. Also, don’t forget about the antioxidants from all those leafy greens! All of those ingredients will ensure a healthy gut and happy taste buds as well.

If that doesn’t sound like the best smoothie to you, feel free to give the other recipes a shot! They would make a perfect green smoothie to provide you with energy for the day ahead.

17 Benefits of Following a More Structured Routine

September 5, 2022 by Deborah Tayloe

Everything in this world flows better with routine and structure. As your life ebbs and flows, a structured routine becomes very important. When you leave your day to time and chance and “wing” it, you’re causing more stress by not having a plan. If you commonly feel stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed, it’s all signs that you need to adjust your routine to maximize control of your life.

Seventeen Excellent Benefits of Following a Structured Routine

If you think routines are dull, rigid, and stifling, you only look at the negative aspects. It would help if you looked at the positive benefits of having a structured routine, like productivity, happiness, and fulfillment. Here are seventeen reasons why you need structure in your day.

1. A Structured Routine Helps To Eradicate Bad Habits

You know that routine helps you with good habits, but did you know it can also help you eliminate bad ones? Repetition is the key that eliminates your unpleasant behaviors, and it will, over time, replace them with good ones.

2. Takes the Guesswork Out of Your Day

Following a routine takes away the task of planning. It eliminates the guesswork and allows you to stick to a schedule. For instance, if you know that you balance the checkbook on Wednesdays, you don’t have to guess what you will do. It will become a routine chore that’s like clockwork.

3. Free up Time With a Predetermined Schedule

Everyone wishes they had more time, as it’s their most precious asset. However, few people have tapped into the power to use routines to give them the needed time. You won’t need to waste energy on planning, preparation, and decision-making. Your schedule will be predetermined and dictate your day.

4. Provides a Logical and Predictable Sequence

When you have a routine, you’re providing both predictability and sequence. Interestingly, your life revolves around these things as you do your daily activities. Once you have a routine, you will experience a flow to your day and week like never before.

5. A Structured Routine Helps You Become More Proficient

Practice makes perfect, so the more you do a task, the better you will be. You’ve been brushing your teeth for decades and mastered the task. The longer you do something, the more proficient you become. So, once you get into a good routine, it will help you perfect the issues.

6. Forces You to Prioritize

A structured routine forces you to prioritize your day. For instance, if you want to lose weight, you must make meal prepping, weighing yourself, and counting calories a part of your day.

While it may be troublesome to do at first, eventually, it will become second nature to you. If you want to achieve anything in life, you must prioritize it. Once it becomes a priority, you learn to do it without much thought.

7. You Become More Efficient When You Follow a Structured Routine

There’s comfort in knowing precisely what you must do each day, so there are no big surprises. Of course, occasionally, life has a way of sneaking things in, but your efficiency will skyrocket when you have everything preplanned. There’s no reason to deliberate your workload or decide what to do and what to let go.

Planning equals being more efficient, and who doesn’t need a boost in their efficiency?

8. Facilitates Developing Good Habits

To build good habits in your life, you must master repetition. Finding a workout routine that gets you in your groove helps you develop good habits. Your brain responds to routine, and you can develop habits by doing the same task repeatedly.

For instance, you get up in the morning and brush your teeth without second thought. The reason is that this mundane task has become routine, and you automatically do it. You can do this with almost anything in your life.

9. Combats Procrastination

Everybody procrastinates at some point in their life. However, if you get into the groove of putting things off, it can cause some issues. Soon, the pile of things to do is more significant than what you’ve accomplished.

When you procrastinate, you waste time; a set routine will help you combat this folly. Who doesn’t need a few extra minutes or hours in their day?

10. Helps You Not to Spend Time and Effort on Frivolous Things

A routine is built to do the most challenging and important things; the rest of your day is a breeze. When you have the essential things completed upfront, you won’t forget or neglect these items. How much time do you waste on frivolous things because you don’t have your priorities in line?

Jim Taylor, Ph.D., considers himself a ‘timeist.’ It’s a term he made up as he loathes wasting time. He has learned as he’s aged that every second, minute, hour, and day counts as you age.

Younger folks don’t truly understand the value of time, but as you age, you also grow wiser. You learn that you waste so much of your time doing things of little value, but when you mature your mindset changes.

11. Encourages Self Confidence

When you think about a routine, the word confidence doesn’t come to mind. However, when you get the things done in a day that needs to be done, it gives you a little boost in your step.

A tremendous amount of satisfaction comes from getting your tasks accomplished. If your self-confidence has been a little down, you can boost it by simply getting into a better routine.

12. Lessens the Need for Determination and Willpower

You get out of bed and change your clothes each day. It doesn’t take a lot of willpower as it’s become something natural. When you have a routine, you will lessen the need for determination and resolve. You probably grab an outfit without too much thought. If you make other things part of your structured routine, then soon, you won’t give them a second thought either.

13. Eliminates a Lot of Stress

Life will never go as planned, no matter how hard you try. However, you must learn to accept the things you can control, and a routine helps you put those things in order. When you have structure and order, it eliminates stress. Instead of fretting about the tasks at hand, you can relax knowing you got it under control.

14. Gives You More Free Time

A schedule that arranges repetitive tasks essentially eliminates a lot of stress. It would be silly to scheduled or incorporate your entire life into a daily routine, but some organization helps. When you follow a schedule, it frees up time for other things. The more proficient you become at your tasks, the less time it takes you to accomplish them.

15. A Structured Routine Helps Build Momentum

When you hear the word momentum, you probably think about runners. They learn early on that the more momentum they build, the easier it is to complete a race. Going to the gym seems like a monumental task, but it soon becomes second nature when you make it part of your day.

Following a routine will boost your momentum and make it easier for you to persist and conquer.

16. Helps You Achieve Your Goals

No one achieves their goals all at once. However, you learn to accomplish things by doing things time and again. Look at some of the most famous sports athletes throughout history, and you will see that none started on top.

According to Motivational Stories For You, Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players ever. One of his first issues was being told he was too short to play on a team, as he was only 5’9”. He knew if he couldn’t get on a team because of his height, he could wow them with his talent.

So, he practiced every single day to become great. Genetics took over, and Jordan grew to a whopping 6’3,” which was more than enough to land a team spot. He had to work hard even with height, as he wasn’t so good back in his rookie days.

However, once he landed a spot on the Chicago Bulls, he changed the basketball game, making it more popular than ever. Would he have ever accomplished all his goals without his perseverance? No, you will never achieve your dreams unless you push yourself.

17. A Structured Routine Saves You Money

Routines can save money too. This may sound a bit odd, but it can be cost-cutting. Take, for example, that you bake all the family’s bread for the week on Monday.

Rather than going to the store and buying a small five-pound bag of flour, you can save money by buying it in bulk. Since you know you’ll need it, you can stockpile it to make it more cost-effective. Routines can be very cost-efficient, especially when it prompts you to look ahead.

Final Thoughts on a Structured Routine

These seventeen benefits show you why a structured routine is so important. Remember, you don’t have to be too regimented as there should be times to do absolutely nothing. You can achieve all you want when you learn the power of structure, discipline, and routine.

15 Inspiring Quotes from Successful Entrepreneurs

September 5, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

Entrepreneurship isn’t always easy, and sometimes you feel like giving up. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re stuck and not making progress. In those instances, inspiring quotes from successful entrepreneurs can help you keep going.

Entrepreneurship takes lots of work, and you won’t always see results daily. However, putting in the time and effort is still essential if you want to see long-term success in life.

As an entrepreneur, you don’t have a boss. You’re the business owner and your boss, and you must stay motivated to get anything done. It’ll be tempting to give in to being lazy sometimes, but these quotes can help you keep going.

Anytime you need inspiration, these inspiring quotes from successful business leaders can make all the difference. These quotes can motivate you to get through a hard time and work as a pick-me-up during uninspiring times.

Fifteen Inspiring Quotes from Successful Entrepreneurs

Every entrepreneur hits a rough patch where things don’t go as planned. There will be bad days and days when you feel like giving up or taking a nap instead of working. These quotes from successful entrepreneurs can offer the motivation needed to get back on track.

1. “If you really go all in, you go all in. Keep trying. If your original idea isn’t working, use what you’ve built to pivot into something else. Keep trying to find a solution to people’s problems.” – Jan Koum

When you decide to become an entrepreneur and set your goals, you’re all in. Don’t withhold your abilities because you must keep trying each day.

Your first idea might not work out, but that doesn’t mean your next one won’t. Don’t stop coming up with new ideas and plans. If you can find solutions to people’s problems, your entrepreneurship is successful.

2. “You really have to love every single bit of what you do. The moment that you do something that makes you feel queasy to your stomach, the company dies.” – Matt Mullenweg

Mullenweg explains that as an entrepreneur, you must love what you do. Otherwise, you won’t have any motivation or drive if you dread your plans each day. If you start to feel like you don’t want to do it anymore, it’ll stop working out.

3. “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett

This quote serves as a reminder that what you do today affects your future long-term. You must nurture your goals each day if you want them to thrive and grow for the future. If you remember this quote, you’ll remember to do the things you won’t see the results of immediately.

4. “When a business becomes successful seemingly overnight, no one knows about all the months and years you’ve invested, all the projects you’ve tried before that didn’t work.” – Niklas Zennstrom

Overnight success isn’t an accurate depiction of the experience. Successful businesses take years of time, energy, and investments. It also includes restarting when your plans don’t work out and using failures as building opportunities for a future project.

5. “Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being significant, and the success will naturally follow.” – Oprah Winfrey

There are many stepping stones along the way to success. Rather than focusing on success itself, work toward becoming significant instead. Positive results follow when people know who you are and trust your name.

6. “The person passionate about what he or she is doing will outwork and outlast the guy motivated solely by making money.” – Reid Hoffman

While making money is essential for paying bills and meeting needs, it’s not all your job should be about. As Hoffman explains, a passionate person will do better than the one chasing money. When you need motivation, use this quote as a reminder to focus on your passions, and the rest will fall into place.

7. “If you don’t have big dreams and goals, you’ll end up working for someone that does.” – Unknown

Don’t think that your dreams won’t work out because they’ll happen for someone. Rather than missing out on your opportunity, focus on your biggest goals. You can make it happen, or you’ll work for someone with the motivation and drive.

Those who focus and work hard toward their goals are the ones that will find success. You can be in charge of your life and income, or you’ll be an employee following orders.

8. “As soon as something stops being fun, I think it’s time to move on. Life is too short to be unhappy. Waking up stressed and miserable is not a good way to live.” – Richard Branson

As an entrepreneur, you must know when something isn’t working. Your career and aspirations should be fun and bring joy, and if they don’t, it’s time to move on. If you have control over your business, you can successfully make the shift to find happiness in your career. Similarly, evaluating Manchester’s best commercial areas can help you identify thriving environments that align with your business objectives. Choosing the right location not only enhances your visibility and accessibility but also positions you strategically for growth and success.

9. “The power of positive thinking is the ability to generate a feeling of certainty in yourself when nothing in the environment supports you.” – Tony Robbins

When things get hard, you must remain confident. Push away negative thoughts and replace them with positivity and feelings of certainty. When you believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter if anyone or anything else does.

10. “Failure is awesome. Failure means you tried something. You tested it, and you learned some things. Failure gives you the tools to move forward.” – Leah Busque

You might get discouraged when something doesn’t work out, but remember this quote. Failure means you learned something. As a result, it allows you to move forward with more knowledge. So please don’t give up now because you are a little closer to success.

11. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

Past setbacks can leave you feeling like you can’t make your dreams happen. It’ll seem like each time you make progress, it’s followed by hardship and roadblocks. However, this quote reminds you that each setback is a learning opportunity.

You’ll develop a growth mindset by viewing these experiences as learning opportunities. As an entrepreneur, having a growth mindset is essential to continuing success. It expands your knowledge and helps you become more resilient.

12. “We think mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of the time we put in at work, instead of the quality of the time we put in.” – Arianna Huffington

You can do more work in less time if you enjoy what you do. Focusing on what you’re working on without becoming distracted or frustrated allows it to happen much quicker. Don’t be afraid to walk away and take a break sometimes because it’ll help you come back stronger than before.

13. “I didn’t have a business degree. I didn’t have experience to work in somebody else’s office, I never built or ran a department. So I was on this journey, and when the time came to make a decision, I was just going with my gut.” – Hamdi Ulukaya

Building a successful business requires learning along the way and trusting your decisions. Use what you have right now to work toward becoming a successful entrepreneur. For those looking to start their business, finding the best llc service in minnesota can be an important step in the right direction. Choosing a reliable LLC service ensures that your business is set up correctly and compliant with local regulations, giving you a strong foundation to build upon.

14. “I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” – C.J. Walker

No one else will hand success to you. You must get out there and chase your dreams, or you’ll miss out on opportunities.

Get out there and do what it takes to make the life you’ve always dreamed of. Sitting at home making excuses won’t help; it’ll only set you further behind. Because you are in charge of your life, it’s up to you to ensure success.

15. “Too many people measure how successful they are by how much money they make or the people that they associate with. In my opinion, true success should be measured by how happy you are.” – Richard Branson

Many people believe that more money means more success in life, but that’s not the authentic experience. So perhaps you should follow Branson’s advice and measure success based on happiness.

The most important thing in life is living a happy and fulfilling life. If you prioritize money, you force yourself to miss out on a meaningful experience. You can focus on joy and improving your well-being as long as you have everything you need.

Final Thoughts on Inspiring Quotes from Successful Entrepreneurs

As an entrepreneur, you’ll sometimes experience a lack of motivation, frustration, and other negative feelings. There will be times when you want to give up or put off important tasks. However, these quotes from successful entrepreneurs can give you the encouragement you need to continue.

Successful business leaders aren’t lucky; it doesn’t happen by accident. Of course, it takes dedication, hard work, and persistence. You must also believe in yourself and remember that you can do anything you want.

15 Habits of a Positive Relationship That Lasts

September 4, 2022 by Deborah Tayloe

It seems challenging for marriages or relationships to last “’til death do us part.” However, how do some couples stay together for decades, still hold hands, and act as giddy in love as a day one? A positive relationship doesn’t just happen, as it takes a great deal of work.

Beverly B. Palmer, Ph.D., is a psychologist who studies marriage. She advises other couples to put one another first, and since she’s been in a marriage for fifty years, she knows what she’s talking about. She states there is great importance in elevating your spouse above yourself.

Your partner must know you’re thinking of them. In her years of private practice, she’s met many couples in turmoil. Nonetheless, she stated that it’s always easy to see the ones who will work through it through their love and dedication to one another. So, what do these folks have that other people don’t?

Habits That Will Create a Positive Relationship

If you were to panel folks that have been together for many years, each would give you a different recipe for how they made it work. Consequently, here are some tried and true methods that will help you foster a positive relationship for life.

1. Honesty

Don’t lie to your partner, ever! Even when the truth is too hard to speak, don’t risk your relationship with a lie. If your partner finds out about your untruth, and they will, it will cause them to distrust you.

No matter how bad the scenario, if your partner truly loves you, you will find a way to resolve the issue. Lying is just compounding the problem, as no one wants to be married to someone dishonest.

2. Trust

Do you trust your partner with your life? You must believe in them above all else and have confidence in this person. You must have faith in them to tell you the truth and have your back whatever comes your way.

Trust is one of those foundational blocks of a relationship that can be devastating if missing.

3. Respect

Respect means different things to different people. However, it’s a general admiration for one another. You wouldn’t take the last piece of cake because your partner may want it. It’s about putting them above you and valuing them as human beings.

4. Unplugging From Social Media

When did you turn off all electronics and social media and just spend alone time with your partner? It doesn’t have to be romantic, just talking to them without the interruptions of email and television is a refreshing break. Make a habit of turning off all distractions and having alone time.

5. Take Care of One Another’s Needs

A relationship has emotional and physical needs, and you must care for both for your partner. If your partner is upset, you must hold and comfort them. Also, physical needs are just as much a part of living as breathing, so you must take care of these too.

If you ensure you meet your partner’s needs, they won’t have any reason to look elsewhere to be fulfilled.

6. Show Admiration and Appreciation

Do you thank your partner for making your coffee before work, or tell them how delicious dinner was tonight? Admire your partner when they do something good, and never let a day go by when you don’t tell them how much you appreciate them.

How will they know if you never tell them how much they mean to you? The last thing you want is someone else giving them the admiration they long to have for you.

7. Be Eager to Forgive

There will be many disagreements, arguments, and misunderstandings as you grow old together. However, be just as easy to forgive as you are to get angry. When you’re stubborn, moody, and only consider yourself, then you’re not doing anything to foster a positive relationship for the future.

8. Spend Time Together

Make time for one another. No matter how many hours you must work or how demanding your schedule is, you must fit each other into the day. There’s no reason why you should stop dating just because you’ve been together for ten years.

In fact, one of the ways to keep things new and fresh is to have dates and new adventures with one another. Sorry, going to the grocery store or laundromat together doesn’t count as a “date,” even if you get out of the house without the kids.

9. Spend Time Apart

Just as it’s essential to spend time together, it’s also necessary that you spend time apart. As the old saying goes, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” If you never get a break from one another, you’re just setting up reasons to be grumpy and nit-pick.

According to Rob Pascale and Lou Primavera, Ph.D., a healthy balance between time together and time apart is essential. Spending too much time together can suffocate, but too much time apart can cause doubts to slip in. So, it’s all about finding the right balance to keep things flowing.

10. Show Affection

There’s nothing sweeter than an elderly couple holding hands on a park bench. It’s a sign to those around them that they’ve stood the test of time and still love one another. The gentle peck on the cheek he gives to her, or the smile when he looks into her eyes shows that they’ve weathered life’s storms and did it together.

Ensure you show affection to your partner, even when you don’t like it. Affection can be a warm embrace, a kiss, or romance. However, this is an integral part of a relationship that shouldn’t be left out.

11. Dream and Set Goals Together

Remember the nights you would sit dreaming together about a life with one another? It’s something that a newly dating couple in love does. However, there’s nothing that says that you should ever stop dreaming.

Without a vision for the future, you will become stagnate. Sit down and have sessions where you dream and set goals, which will help solidify your future relationship.

12. Don’t Go To Bed Angry

You’ve probably heard often that you should never go to bed angry. Well, there’s sound reasoning behind that adage. First, you’re not promised tomorrow and don’t want to leave this world with unfinished business. Second, the longer you let a situation drag on, the more powerful it becomes.

Did you know that most arguments start over the silliest of things? Some couples haven’t spoken in days because one forgot to take out the trash or didn’t do the dishes. Is your relationship worth the pettiness? Get over the issue and move on.

13. Laugh Together

While marriage is about paying bills, working, caring for the children, and running the household, what would it be without laughter? Ask any parent who’s raised a child from birth to adulthood, and they will all tell you the same thing; they wish they worried less about the house and more about having fun with their family.

Kids grow so fast, and people age in the blink of an eye. Don’t let these precious moments to laugh and enjoy one another pass you.

14. Use Spontaneity

Sure, routines are good as they keep you on track. Consequently, your life can’t be all regimented. Make time for spontaneity and fun.

Being a free spirit occasionally is very liberating, and it helps you cope with your stressors. A last-minute getaway may be just what you need to spend time together, ease your stress, and build a positive relationship.

15. Don’t Throw in the Towel

Do you know why so many couples stay together for so long? They never quit, no matter how hard things get. Even if they have every reason to walk away, they stay and try to work things out.

So many people are eager to end a relationship when it hits a rough patch. Thankfully, many folks choose to stay and work on things. When you see a couple that’s been together for a long time, it doesn’t mean their relationship is perfect, but they refused to give up.

Final Thoughts on Creating a Positive Relationship That Lasts a Lifetime

Your relationship is what you make it. If you argue and fight with one another constantly, how can it be anything but harmful? Those people who work on their differences and don’t give up no matter what happens to change the dynamics of their union.

The determined couple will go to counseling, reconnect, and do whatever it takes to foster a positive relationship. Even when the whole world is against them, and they should give up, some folks think their relationship is worth fighting for. Do you have the relationship you want, or is there much work to do?

15 Affirmations to Read When You Don’t Feel Good Enough

September 4, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

When you feel like you aren’t good enough, you’ll often experience shame and inadequacy. Even when you try your hardest, you feel like you aren’t living up to your ability. It leads to constant negative self-talk, lowering your feeling of self-worth.

Sometimes you won’t feel good enough if you are deficient in some area of life and can’t improve. You might feel like you can’t improve because you don’t have the necessary tools to build competency. It can make you feel like you’re doomed to failure and like you should give up.

Feeling like you’re not enough can hinder your self-esteem, holding you back from reaching your dreams. These negative thoughts don’t serve you, and they won’t help you overcome the situation.

People often feel negativity regarding job changes, the news, financial troubles, and other things. These experiences can significantly impact your mental health, and you’ll find it overwhelming to think about taking action. The first step to feeling better about yourself is identifying and challenging negative thinking.

Affirmations to Increase Self-Worth When You Don’t Feel Good Enough

When you don’t feel like you’re good enough, you must shift your mindset. These affirmations can make all the difference and improve your overall well-being. You’ll remember your worthiness, turning to positive thinking more often.

1. I am brave and strong as I overcome obstacles.

When you remind yourself of your bravery and strength, you’ll feel ready to tackle anything. When you feel deficient, you must remind yourself that you’re capable of anything. Repeat this affirmation each morning, and you’ll remember to value yourself.

2. I speak up because my voice and opinion are enough.

If you don’t feel worthy, you might not have the confidence to speak up. This affirmation can help give you the courage to speak your mind and offer your ideas. Your voice and opinion are valuable, so remind yourself each morning.

3. I choose to live my life the way I want to.

No one can tell you how to live because this is your life. If you did what everyone else wanted you to do, you’ll never feel fulfilled. You’ll wind up feeling unworthy when everyone else makes decisions for you.

This affirmation can help you overcome the feeling that you have no say in your life. At any moment, you can make a change in the right direction. Repeat this phrase each morning so that it’ll stick with you throughout the day.

4. I know that people leave my life, and that’s okay.

You might wonder what you did wrong when someone leaves your life. However, it has nothing to do with you and is about who they are. There will always be people who come in and out of your life, and accepting it is key to feeling good enough.

People don’t leave because you lack anything. Many factors contribute to losing touch with someone. It’s a part of life that you must embrace and accept.

Don’t beat yourself up wondering what you could have done differently. If you find yourself in that situation, this self-worth affirmation is for you.

5. I am making progress toward my goals each day.

Each day you work, you make progress toward your goals. You might not see the progress each day, but trust that it’s there. Using this affirmation will help you remember that you’re good at what you do, and you’ll reach your goals.

Let go of self-doubt because you have what it takes to do anything you set your mind on. Use this affirmation as you get ready each morning to start on the right path. Then, use it before bed as a reminder of all that you accomplished.

6. I am doing my best, and it is enough.

You can’t beat yourself up if you’re trying your best. If you commit to your tasks and do everything you can, it’s more than enough.

No one is perfect, and you can’t expect perfection of yourself. Learn to accept your shortcomings because you gave it your all.

7. I am shifting my perspective to focus on gratitude.

If your negative thinking feels overwhelming, try using this affirmation. Repeat it until you feel better, and come back to the phrase anytime your mindset reverts to negativity.

When you focus on gratitude, you’ll think of all the great things in your life. Thinking of all you have to be thankful for will help you recognize your worth.

8. I trust myself to make the right decisions for my life.

If you doubt your decisions, you’ll also question how valuable you are. It makes you feel like you can’t make good choices, which is highly untrue.

Use this phrase to reaffirm that you can and will make the right decisions. When you feel confident about what you do, you’ll realize that you are worthy and valuable.

9. I am embracing my journey because it was made for me.

Your life journey won’t be perfect, and you don’t want it to be. The journey is special to your life, even when things don’t go the way you’d hoped. Embrace each stage and avoid comparing it to others because this path was made for you.

10. I am open to trying new things, even when they scare me.

Trying new things that scare you a little can be beneficial to discovering your worth. When you take on new experiences, it shows you what you can do. Plus, it builds courage and bravery, allowing you to see how capable you are.

11. I am loved and cared for by the important people in my life.

You have plenty as long as you have another person who loves and cares about you. When you feel like you aren’t enough, use this affirmation and visualize the people who mean the most to you. Think about those who want to see you happy doing what’s best for you because those are your people.

You’re worthy of the people who love you, meaning you are valuable and cherished. Never forget your self-worth because you mean so much to others.

12. I see more than enough beauty in the world around me.

There’s always good around you, even if you need a reminder to look for it. Use this affirmation each morning, and you’ll spend the day looking for beautiful things.

The flowers on the side of the road during your morning drive can cheer you up, as can the sun, blue sky, or anything else. Daily occurrences can be beautiful if you take the time to notice them.

13. I am always worthy of happiness and love.

You deserve happiness and love, so don’t settle for anything less. Remember how great you are because you can follow a fulfilling life path. Use this affirmation to shift from negative thinking and embrace what you’re worthy of.

14. I am making the time for what matters most in my life.

Taking the time for things that make you happy can make all the difference. It’ll make you happy, helping you recognize your worth. You’ll feel good about who you are and what your life is like.

If you don’t feel good enough, it’s time to reprioritize. Change your schedule around and spend more time doing what you love.

15. I listen to my personal needs and wants.

Listening to yourself can help you acknowledge your worth. You must take care of yourself, including listening to your needs and wants. Don’t put yourself last, or you’ll never feel like you’re valuable or worthy.

Using this affirmation each day will help you remember to pay attention to your body. You’ll start to notice things about yourself that you didn’t before, allowing for increased self-care.

Other Ways to Stop Think You’re Not Enough and Increase Your Self-Worth

These affirmations to read when you don’t feel good enough can make a positive difference in your life. You’ll recognize your self-worth and understand that you’re valuable. The phrases will also help you prioritize yourself, taking care of your needs and wants.

Positive affirmations aren’t the only way to stop feeling like you’re not enough. Some of the other ways you can improve your sense of self-worth include:

Stop comparing yourself to others
Set your pace, and don’t try to keep up with anyone else
Give to others when you can
Focus on positive self-talk
Don’t be afraid to speak up
Practice self-acceptance
Be honest with yourself
Learn from your mistakes
Avoid rumination
Reward yourself for success and achievement
Let go of negative influences
Take smalls steps toward your goals
Try a new routine
Forgive yourself for past mistakes
Keep moving forward

Final Thoughts on Affirmations to Read When You Don’t Feel Good Enough

Everyone sometimes feels like they aren’t good enough, and you must let go of that feeling. Use these positive affirmations as a reminder that you are worthy. Repeat the phrases until you feel better, and use them throughout the day.

You’ll no longer feel like you aren’t enough when you remember your self-worth. You are valuable, and it’s important to remember that always.

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

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!