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Make Gratitude a Habit by Doing These 11 Things

May 30, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

The Universe is a beautifully balanced flow of giving and receiving. Both people are blessed when someone gives from a pure heart, and the receiver is honestly grateful. Do you try to make gratitude a habit each day?

According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, gratitude comes from the Latin word for grateful or pleasing. It’s a deep-seated emotion that expresses joy for what’s before you. Gratitude is also related to the word grace, which means to find favor in someone or something.

If you’ve decided to make gratitude a habit, you will probably begin with what you have. You must be thankful for all the people and things that create a beautiful life for you. Many people call it counting your blessings.

While you’re grateful for the things you have, how about the items you don’t have? The world is overflowing with misfortune, disease, and other terrible trials. You are blessed beyond measure to escape some of the pangs others experience.

What are some of the qualities you admire in others? Honesty, integrity, loyalty, and a good sense of humor probably come to mind. How about people who express gratitude?

It’s inspiring to surround yourself with positive and grateful individuals for their blessings. However, negative people often voice their dissatisfaction with life and may shift the blame to others. These unhappy folks may have developed this pattern over years of being unthankful.

Eleven Ways to Make Gratitude a Habit

Seeing the beauty in your life and being grateful is not difficult. All it takes is an open heart that’s thankful for material goods and the things money can’t buy. Here are 11 things you can do to encourage more gratitude in your life and do it routinely.

1. Nothing’s Too Insignificant to Appreciate

Of course, you should be grateful for all the stellar things in your life, such as family, friends, and meeting your needs. However, you could be missing opportunities to appreciate the small things. When you make gratitude a habit, you realize the full spectrum of your blessings.

Some of these may not be necessary for life, but they sure make the journey more comfortable. When were you last thankful for heat in your home or the appliances that do so much? You may not think about these benefits until something stops working.

2. Add a Daily Gratitude List to Your Journal

Now is the best time to start if you’ve never kept a journal. This age-old practice may provide physical and mental benefits. Plus, journaling gives a voice to your thoughts and can help you make gratitude a habit.

You can either combine a gratitude list with your regular journal or compose a separate one. It doesn’t require much time to jot down a few blessings each day. Your daily gratitude list gives you something positive to ponder throughout the day.

3. Practice Mindful Living

Life is too short to go through it at warp speed without awareness and appreciation. Maybe you’re one of the countless people who rush blindly through their workday and pass out in bed at night. Sadly, these folks are often guilty in the twilight of their lives, as they never fully appreciate their blessings.

Deciding to make gratitude a habit is an integral part of mindful living. It’s a way to slow your pace and appreciate each moment. Remember to savor delicious food, linger in long conversations, breathe, and be aware.

4. Show Gratitude to Others

In the hustle of today’s world, it’s easy to forget the kind words and deeds. It only takes a fraction of a second to offer a genuine “thank you.” Also, “no problem” and “yep” can never replace a courteous “you’re welcome.”

To make gratitude, a habit includes expressing your appreciation for other people. You are grateful for generous favors and appreciate them as your family, friends, and coworkers. Your sincere gratitude should also extend to those who serve in public and strangers who do a good deed.

While fashion is constantly changing, impeccable manners have never gone out of style. It still shows gratitude when you send people thank-you notes for gifts and other kindnesses. Be the one to go against modern convenience and bypass emails in favor of letters and cards sent via the post office.

5. Discover the Hidden Blessing

Nobody wants to deal with problems and heavy burdens. However, it’s the nature of life, and everyone has them. Dr. Maya Angelou recommended changing things you don’t like. She says to change your attitude toward them if you can’t change them.

Acceptance can only be cultivated with a heart of gratitude. Try to find the blessing or silver lining in some of your bleakest moments. While losing your job was a hard blow, maybe it’s time for you to have a better one.

Finding the bright spot in your cloudy trials doesn’t negate the pain and disappointment. However, you can often see what they taught you and how they helped you grow. You learn to have empathy and appreciation for the preciousness of life.

6. Keep a Positive Attitude

It’s impossible to be happy always, and everyone’s entitled to an occasional bad day. You will have times when you feel overwhelmed with negativity. The good news is that making gratitude a habit can also help you feel more optimistic.

An article published by Harvard Medical School says that being thankful may also improve your health and strengthen your relationships. You can attract more positive things when you surround yourself with positive energy. You’ll also attract more people with the same optimistic outlook.

7. Say Grace before Meals

You needn’t be a religious person to be thankful for the healthy, delicious food before you. Cultivating gratitude as a habit includes looking beyond yourself to the source of your blessings. Whether you appeal to a divinity or the Universe, you acknowledge that greater forces are at work in your life.

It can be a simple prayer, or you can pause for a moment and think of the farmers, laborers, and all the others that provided the food that sits on your table. Especially be grateful for the hands that lovingly prepared and served you.

8. Practice Giving Back

Remember the many mentors and other benefactors who shared their time and resources to help you along the way? Besides offering your thanks verbally, you can put action to your gratitude by following their examples. Giving back to others and your community keeps the appreciation alive and well.

Even when you have a busy job, you can carve out some time to volunteer. Teach a class in your place of worship or take hot meals to homebound people. Find a new person in your profession and offer to be a mentor and friend.

9. Keep Gratitude Reminders

As a way for making gratitude a habit, try to appeal to your senses. Place quotes and other inspirational words in places you’re bound to see each day. You can write yourself notes on colorful adhesive papers as a fun reminder to be thankful.

Do you have attractive pictures or other lovely works of art that turn your heart toward gratitude? Your tactile reminder can be a sentimental trinket or a piece of jewelry. Even something as simple as a pretty rock or shell in your pocket can evoke a special memory for which you are thankful.

10. Be Grateful for Yourself

Never in history has there ever been someone just like you, nor will there ever be. You are as singular as a snowflake, and you can be grateful for your uniqueness. It’s not narcissistic to love yourself as a person and appreciate your knowledge and skills.

Before you can be thankful for others in your circle, you must appreciate yourself. Practice looking in the mirror each morning and find something attractive about yourself. Self-respect leads to confidence and a positive attitude that allows you to see the good in everyone else.

11. Teach Gratitude to Your Children

If you want your children to make gratitude a habit, they will first learn from you. Have age-appropriate discussions about the meaning of blessings and the importance of being thankful. Even young children get the message with little stories and providing simple examples.

When you see or hear your kids being grateful, praise them for remembering. It will soon be a habit that will follow them into adulthood. Since you teach more by example, be a role model and let them see your gratitude.

Final Thoughts on Making Gratitude a Habit

One of the best attitudes you can display is gratitude. Not only does your appreciation benefit others, but it can create boundless joy in your spirit. The more you count your blessings, the more blessings there will be to count.

15 Signs You’re Ready for New Romance

May 30, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

After going through a breakup, it might take some time before you’re ready for a new romance. You might consider meeting someone new once you begin to heal and move on. Knowing the signs that you’re ready can help you determine if it’s a good idea to start dating again.

It’s exciting to realize that you’re ready for a romance after a breakup, but it can also be scary. Ensuring you’re ready is one of the best ways to ensure a positive experience. If you aren’t sure if you’re ready, you can look for the signs.

Attempting another romantic relationship before you’re ready can cause many problems. Rushing into a relationship before you’ve healed can hinder your process. It won’t help you heal, and it’ll put a strain on your new relationship right from the start.

Fifteen Signs You’re Ready for New Romance

There is no timeframe for being ready to date again, and it’ll be different for everyone. Knowing what to look for will help you recognize the signs because they’re typically subtle. Before starting a new romance, ensure you’ve experienced the signs that you’re ready.

1. You Know What You Want and Don’t Want in a Relationship

If you know what you want in a partner, you might be ready for a new relationship. You should also know what you don’t want because it’s just as important. Don’t focus on what you want your future partner to look like, but focus on who they are.

Think about what you need in a relationship, and don’t even think about spending time with someone that doesn’t fit the criteria. If you need someone open about their feelings or that has specific values, stick to that. By knowing what you want and don’t want, you’ll avoid unhealthy relationships in the future.

2. You’re Open to the Idea of a New Relationship

After a breakup, you might not even want to think about a new relationship immediately. When the time to date again comes, and you start to open up to the idea, it’s a sign that you’re ready. You can start using view free cams and enjoy meeting beautiful ladies online.

If the idea of meeting someone excites you, it’s a sure sign that now is a good time. However, if the idea of meeting someone new repulses you, it’s a sign that you’re not ready.

3. You Have Individual Interests and Friend Groups

When you’re in a relationship, you might lose interest in things you once loved. You also might have the same friend groups as your previous partner. If you’re in this situation, you must find individual interests and a different friend group before you’ll be ready for a romance.

After a breakup, start looking for new hobbies you’ve always wanted to try or revisit old ones. Don’t forget to find a separate friend group, too, as it’ll help you move forward. Once you accomplish both of those things, you’ll be ready for a new relationship.

4. Thoughts of Your Ex No Longer Make You Feel Bad

You might be ready for a new romance if you no longer get upset or feel heartache when you see or hear about your ex. It is a sign that healing has taken place, and you’re ready to take a chance with someone new. However, if you’re still checking your ex’s social media, it’s a sign that your thoughts aren’t in the right place.

If you’re still hoping you and your ex will get back together, it’s also a sign that you’re not ready. However, if your feelings toward your ex are neutral, you can start considering meeting someone new.

5. You’re Done Grieving

If the grieving period has ended, it’s a sign that you’re ready to move on with someone else. Ending the grieving period means you’re not crying every time your ex is mentioned, and you’re not constantly talking about them. It also means that your heart doesn’t still feel broken.

6. You Can Positively Think Back on Past Relationships

After a breakup, thinking back over the relationship might be a negative experience. Once you overcome that mindset, you can look back and think of more positive aspects instead. When you think more good thoughts than bad ones about your past relationship, it’s a sign that you’re ready.

Being able to think positive thoughts is a sign that healing has occurred. It indicates that you’re emotionally prepared for a new relationship after your breakup.

7. You’ve Accepted Your Breakup and Realized It Was for The Best

One of the essential steps in your healing process is to accept what happened. If you’ve accepted the breakup and can see it was for the best, you’re headed in the right direction. While it still might be a sad situation, your acceptance can help you move forward.

8. You’re in a Better Mood Overall

If you notice that your mood has improved and you’ve been consistently happy, it’s a good sign you’re ready for a romance. The sadness, anger, and other negative feelings will have dissipated, and you’ll experience happiness and joy in life instead.

Being in a good mood regardless of your relationship status shows that you know your worth. Understanding that you can feel good and be happy alone is a good sign. Once you meet someone new, you’ll be more confident and ready to experience a healthy relationship.

9. You’re Ready to Give and Receive Love

If you realize that you want to give and receive love, it’s a sign that it’s time for romance. You can’t only focus on yourself here because you must be ready to give love, too. One indication that you’re ready is your desire to hold and support another person.

10. You’ve Learned to Love Yourself Again

After a bad relationship, you might not love yourself very much. A new romance won’t help you love yourself, either. Learning to love yourself is a personal experience, and you’re not ready for a new relationship until you’ve worked on it.

Once you’ve learned to love yourself, it’s a sign that you are ready to meet someone new. With self-love, you won’t have to rely on someone else for your happiness.

11. You Feel Like You Live a Fulfilling Life

You might be ready for a new relationship when you’re content with your life and feel it’s fulfilling and meaningful. It shows that you can add value to another person’s life without taking away from yours. Make sure you’re happy with your friends, family, work-life, health, and self-care before seeking romance.

When you feel fulfilled, you can feel secure moving forward. You’ll know that you aren’t using dating to escape your pain.

12. You Have Rediscovered Who You Are as an Individual

Learning about yourself as a single person is essential before you’ll be ready for a new relationship. It’s common to lose your sense of self during a relationship, especially if you often had to compromise. Rediscover who you are, and then you’ll find you are ready to meet someone new.

13. You Don’t Experience Negativity When Thinking About Your Past

While you shouldn’t live in the past, there will be times when you think of it. Little things will remind you of those times, and you might encounter people you knew back then. When these situations occur, consider the way it makes you feel.

You might be ready to move on if you don’t experience negativity when thinking about the past. Try to think of the positives from the past because they helped make you stronger and shaped you into the person you are. When you can think this way, it’s a sign that you’re ready for romance.

14. You Want to Start Dating Again

If dating again brings you excitement, it’s a sign that you’re ready. When you meet someone and think you want to spend more time with them, it might be time to try it.

Noticing that other people are attractive shows you’re moving on from your breakup. However, if dating again repulses you, you likely aren’t ready to move on.

15. You Learned from Your Mistakes

If your mistakes are the reason for the breakup, then you must learn from them. You won’t be ready for a new romance until you’ve addressed the behavior and worked to change it. Getting into another romantic relationship without learning from your mistakes will only cause the cycle to begin again.

If you didn’t do anything wrong and your partner made mistakes, learn from that situation instead. You can learn to address or recognize certain behaviors in your partner to prevent the same experience. No matter what occurs, there is a learning opportunity in every breakup.

Final Thoughts on Signs You’re Ready for New Romance After a Breakup

A breakup is life-changing, so you must be ready before starting a new romance. If you are ready, maintain a positive mindset as you begin experiencing the new relationship. Even if you don’t start a serious relationship, you’ll want to stay positive as you start dating again.

If you wait until you’re ready before starting a new relationship, you’ll have a much better experience. The relationships you choose will be healthy, and you won’t settle for anything less than you deserve. Remember these signs as you decide whether to move forward romantically.

15 Reasons Journaling May Help You Increase Thankfulness

May 29, 2022 by Kristen Butler

There are some pretty impressive benefits to journaling, but did you think that it could increase thankfulness? Sure, getting out all your frustrations on a piece of paper can be therapeutic, but most people expect paybacks like better sleep, gratitude, and less sickness. It turns out; research has found that when you journal, it increases your thankfulness for your life and the things around it.

Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., is an expert in the field of gratitude, and his wisdom was used to write an article on Greater Good Magazine. He authored many books, including The Little Book of Gratitude. He states that you get the greatest psychological rewards when you journal.

Emmons believes that you release gratitude as you get personal with your feelings when you unlock this door. You’re forced to “relish” and “savor” everything in your life, and you become more aware of your emotions. Writing your life story helps to create meaning to your very existence.

Fifteen Ways Journaling Can Increase Thankfulness

The social, psychological, and physical health benefits of journaling are hard to deny, but if you want to increase your thankfulness, then here are 15 ways this task can help.

1. Dedicate Time in Introspection to Increase Thankfulness

If you’re like most folks, you struggle for time by yourself. While it’s not always easy to carve out time to journal, it’s worth the effort. Committing this task forces you to dedicate time for introspection.

It’s pretty scary to tap into your thoughts at first, but soon you will uncover both the strengths and weaknesses you possess. You must learn to love yourself and all you have to offer to your family, friends, and job. Part of this deep introspection is being thankful for the gifts you’ve been given.

2. You See What an Abundant Life You Have

Try each day to write down a few things you’re thankful for in your life. Now, choose one of those things for the next day to deliberate your gratitude towards. For instance, you can be thankful for the family you’ve been blessed with, and dedicating your gratitude towards them will ensure you don’t take them for granted.

It’s always best to start journaling with your gratitude list, and it will keep you centered and remind you of your abundant life.

3. Remember Important Things You Might Forget

Part of your journaling each day should be to keep a calendar of sorts. This will help you to be a better planner, and you won’t forget the dates that are so important. When’s the last time you forgot a birthday, anniversary, or another special occasion because you were so busy?

These dates are an essential part of giving thanks to the Universe for your blessings. An anniversary commemorates another year with your spouse, and a birthday celebrates another year your child is alive and thriving. So, calendar keeping is another way to be thankful that you can reach milestones and honor them.

4. Concentrate on Yourself and Bring Things Into Focus

Journaling puts you in the driver’s seat, and you get to be in control of your life. Since being on earth can sometimes feel like you live in the fast lane, it’s nice to take a breather and be in control for a change. Did you know that one of the main reasons people struggle with mental health disorders like anxiety is their lack of control?

According to Personality Growth, when you start to accept the things you cannot control, you can manage your anxiety. Having just a tiny amount of time to reflect on all the good things, and stop dwelling on the bad ones, can help your thankfulness increase. Who doesn’t need help with anxiety from time to time?

5. Enhanced Accountability in Life

You should keep a list of the essential tasks in your life in your journal, as well as running through the events of yesterday. This helps you to be more accountable. Your time is a precious gift you should be thankful for, so there’s no need to waste one minute.

6. Focus On the Present

How often is your body present in one location, but your mind is a million miles away? Being present in the moment is a big challenge for many, but journaling can help. How many beautiful things do you miss in life because you’re not truly present?

You’re missing out on the simple things about your life that are so beautiful and good for you. Thankfully, taking your thoughts from your brain to paper forces you to be in the moment and not let the little things pass you by.

7. The Creative Juices Flow So You Can Increase Thankfulness

Most folks go through life in a hurry, focused on getting all the things done they need to accomplish. Sadly, you’re not allowing room for your creative juices to flow. Your mind is cluttered, and it’s keeping you from creating space that will enable you to generate room for new and fresh ideas.

You’re brilliant, and you can realize this and be thankful for it once you declutter your headspace with journaling.

8. Distractions and Worries Are Minimized as Gratitude Takes Over

Do you bury your feelings in the business of the day? Some things distract you from your goals, and you should write them down and acknowledge them. The good news is by identifying your worries and any red flags. You can deal with issues before they get out of control.

There are so many things that steal your joy in life. Thankfully, you can call them out and deal with them before they become an issue.

9. Sleep Without Worry

You must get adequate rest. During the night hours, your body regenerates itself. How can you be positive and have an attitude of gratitude if you’re sleep-deprived?

When you journal, you’re forcing yourself to spend time planning, in deep introspection, organizing thoughts, and being accountable. This allows you to go to sleep without worrying as you’ve already dealt with all your troubles.

10. Promoting Gratitude and Positivity Promotes and Increases Productivity

An increase in productivity is something to be thankful for to the busy person. Journaling can be motivating, primarily if you use it to keep a to-do list that transfers from day today. Getting things done, having more time with family and friends, and impressing the boss will increase your gratitude as well as your attitude.

11. Master Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is about self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. It’s challenging to master these skills as a busy person, but journaling can help. Your emotional intelligence can help you understand your thoughts and feelings, so you can handle them better when stressful times come.

When you manage your stress, you’re calmer, easier to be around, and don’t have those feelings of angst tearing you apart. It’s hard to be thankful for all your gifts and blessings when you’re a ball of nerves, but journaling can help.

12. New Found Patience and Calmness

Everyone has frustrations and disappointments, but you can highlight specific nuances by using your journal. This will allow you to tackle patterns in yourself and others so that you can alter things. You’ll learn to handle things much better when you have more patience and are calmer.

13. Builds Positive Habits

Positive habits can increase thankfulness, like take time for self-care, going on dates with your spouse, and taking daily vitamins. Positive habits enhance your life, and you can start looking at life as the glass is half full rather than half empty.

14. Journaling Creates a Routine That Can Increase Thankfulness

Routines and structure are good things. What would an infant be without a set schedule? Routines are also very grounding, so they can help you when you feel like you’re being pulled in numerous directions.

Grounding yourself allows you to get all your thoughts out, and it can help you increase your attitude of gratitude. Most people don’t realize they have food on their table, while 12 million kids live in homes with food shortages. According to research from Hunger in America, it really is the little things that matter so much.

15. Progress and Personal Growth

One of the best parts about journaling is going back through them at some point. If you want to increase your thankfulness, then look at where you are now and where you’ve been. Growth is substantial to monitor, and having a record of your life can encourage you to keep going.

The things that bother you today won’t even be a factor six months from now, and you will forget them in time. Your story is something you can share with your children, and they will share with their children in years to come.

Final Thoughts on Ways To Increase Thankfulness by Journal Writing

There are many benefits to journal, but few know how much it can increase your thankfulness. When you consider that you have a loving family, a roof over your head, food in the cabinets, a strong support system, and the ability to get up and walk across the floor, you will realize how massive your blessings are.

Journaling allows you to get out of a negative mindset, be more present in the moment, and helps you to develop an attitude of gratitude. If you want to increase your thankfulness, dedicate more time to journaling and less time to worry.

15 Behaviors That Reveal a Harmful Relationship

May 29, 2022 by Chris Butler

All relationships have problems once in a while. But if you’re in a relationship that makes you feel uncomfortable, this should be a red flag to you. Harmful relationships have some common characteristics. Here are fifteen behaviors that show you could be in an unhealthy relationship.

1 – Unhealthy communication reveals a harmful relationship

In a toxic relationship, partners have unhealthy communication. Instead of open, honest communication for both partners, one person dominates the conversations. They may insist on being the one who has the last word or always corrects you when you share your thoughts. Other harmful ways of communicating in these relationships include

Sarcasm
Criticism
Hostility
Anger
Bitterness
Contempt
Guilting the other person

You must be free to share your opinions without fear of being judged or attacked. If you do, this is an alarming sign that your relationship isn’t healthy.

2 – A harmful relationship displays jealousy

Jealousy in a relationship is a big red flag. Many people mistakenly believe that jealousy is a sign of genuine love or care, but jealousy isn’t healthy. Your partner is controlling and possessive. Jealousy is called a “green-eyed monster.”

That’s how bad jealousy is! It’s a suffocating type of love that doesn’t give you a happy relationship. If you see this happening in your relationship, it may be wise to end it. There are dire consequences ahead if you don’t.

3 – Those in a hostile union may not be supportive of each other

In a healthy relationship, both partners support one another in their careers, ambitions, or dreams. They want the other person to succeed, even if they need to sacrifice to make it happen. In an unhealthy relationship, there is little encouragement. Instead, your partner laughs at you when you share your dreams. They don’t respect how hard you work but feel angry if you succeed. This competition makes the relationship feel unsafe. You’re tempted not to mention the good you do or anything you’d like to do because you are afraid of being humiliated by the other person.

4 – Controlling behaviors reveal negativity

Some signs your partner is controlling are they ask you where you are all the time, they get upset if you don’t answer their calls right away, or they get angry when you want to go out with friends. A controlling person is manipulative. They act loving, but this gets you to do what they want more than genuine care for you. They may cry or complain that you don’t love them because you want to be with your friends more than them. This behavior is to make you feel bad. You may believe them at first, but after a while, recognize this is toxic behavior. A harmful synonym is subversive. This is an excellent description of what’s going on in this relationship. Subversive means to overthrow, which a controlling person is trying to do.

5 – Dishonesty in your relationship

Does your partner lie to you? Have you found out they lied about where they were? Do you sense they’re lying about their feelings or wants? If you pick up these vibes, there is a good chance they are dishonest. Other signs of dishonesty are the following:

Accusing other people of lying
Avoiding looking you in the eye
Leaning away from you when they talk to you
Accusing you of lying to them
Turning off message notifications on their phone
Turning off their location on their phone
Hiding transaction receipts

Honesty is everything, so this is an enormous red flag.

6. Disrespect is common in a harmful relationship

Disrespect is harmful to a romantic relationship. It essentially says you’re not that important to the other person. If they cared for you, they’d attempt to show respect. Other signs your partner disrespects you includes these behaviors:

Interrupting you
Never listening to you
Excluding you in their decision-making process
Telling lies to you
Ignoring your boundaries
Gossiping about you
Being late for appointments together
Talking at you instead of talking to you
Minimizing your concerns

7 – A harmful relationship might include dangerous financial behavior

If your partner makes bad financial decisions without consulting you, this is a sign of a toxic relationship. Their poor financial choices can come back to bite you if you sign off on loan paperwork or share a bank account. Please don’t ignore this behavior or think they’ll eventually change. Recognize this as a red flag that you’re in a negative relationship.

8 – A negative partner hinders your other relationships

Have you stopped going to your family’s house on the weekend because of this relationship? Do you feel guilty hanging out with friends? If you’re avoiding conflict with your partner by avoiding your family or friends, this is a sign you’re in a toxic relationship. Your partner doesn’t care about you. They want you to be with them all the time. This clinginess is a sign of jealousy and control.

9 – Constant tension stems from a harmful partnership

Tension is stressful when you’re around your partner or worrying they’ll be mad at you. Living constantly on edge is a bad sign that this relationship could cause you injury. It affects your mental and physical health. You may give in to drinking too much alcohol or overeating. If you’re living in a constant state of fear and tension, your relationship is not healthy.

10 – A toxic partner will ignore your needs

Does your partner ignore your needs? Do they plan things without you? Do they make financial decisions without consulting you? These are signs they are more aware of themselves than they are you. When your partner doesn’t care if they include you in their life, this relationship won’t succeed.

11 – A harmful partner is critical of your friends

If your partner belittles your friends and family, it’s a sign they don’t accept the essential people to you. Their tendency to criticize your family and friends could be rooted in their insecurities. If you see this in your relationship, it’s a sure sign of a toxic relationship.

12 – Outbursts of anger arise from a harmful partnership

Does your partner have outbursts of anger at you? Do they yell or maybe even throw things when they’re mad? These are signs of an unsafe person who has lost control. They aren’t safe to be around, and you shouldn’t feel you need to stay in this relationship. At some point, your partner may feel remorseful for their behavior and beg you to forgive them, but sadly, they don’t attempt to change once you forgive them. The cycle of anger and abuse will be without actual resolution.

13 – Threats may come from the most dangerous type of relationship

If your partner threatens or intimidates you, this is a sign of an abusive person. They may threaten verbally or physically. A mean person also manipulates. After their threats, they may apologize so sincerely that you think they are sorry for what they’ve done. They may make you feel guilty for thinking of breaking up with them by saying you’re a hypocrite because you get angry. As much as you want to believe your partner, it’s best to get out of this relationship immediately for your safety.

14 – You sense something is off

Suppose you sense something wrong with how the person relates to you—good chance you’re right. Trust your gut even if you can’t explain your feelings about the other person. If you feel uncomfortable, get out of the relationship.

15 – A hostile relationship causes a lack of affection

Romantic relationships should include appreciation. A loving caress, a kiss, or a smile across the room are all regular displays of love in a healthy relationship. A lack of affection is harmful and could mean your partner isn’t interested in you. If you notice this, don’t ignore this behavior. It’s revealing.

How do you know if you are in an abusive relationship?

You must acknowledge signs of an abusive relationship. If you notice your partner is controlling, this could indicate abuse. Other warning signs of abuse include

Humiliating you in front of others
Blaming you for everything
Verbal threats
Name-calling
Mocking

Heavy alcohol use and violence go hand in hand. Studies show that partner abuse is often connected to heavy drinking. Drinking causes loss of control and fight response. Other factors that are linked to partner abuse are

Personality disorders
Drug use
Having been abused by another partner

Final Thoughts on Getting Out of a Harmful Relationship

If you suspect you’re in an unhealthy relationship, here are steps you should consider.

Keep track of what’s going on: Write about what is happening. It can help you get a clear picture of the toxic nature of the relationship. Seeing the patterns of negativity will help you take the next step.
Safety is critical: Safety is vital if you’re in a toxic relationship. If your partner has threatened you, do not be alone with them. Always have a trusted friend with you as you leave. Call the local authorities if you don’t have anyone to help you. Go to a safe location. Don’t tell your partner where you’re going and ask your friends not to say to them.
Break all communication: Stop all contact with them. Please don’t talk to them on the phone or social media. Don’t let other people convey messages to you. You may need to change your phone number. This is a hassle, but it’s important they can’t reach you or leave threatening messages.
Don’t go back: Even if you still feel you love the person, don’t get back into their relationship. You don’t need to put yourself in this harmful relationship again. Toxic people rarely change unless they put enormous effort into it. If you are still in danger, get a restraining order for your safety. It would be best if you acknowledged things are badly broken, and you can’t fix them.

12 Tips to Find Common Ground With People Who Disagree With You

May 29, 2022 by Chris Butler

Disagreements are commonplace in any relationship. Whether you have personal or professional turmoil, finding common ground and resolving the matter is essential. There will be conflicts whenever you have a group of people, and it’s a fantasy if you think that things will always be easy sailing.

The most common reason for disagreements is a communication breakdown. Have you ever played the old game called Telephone? A group of people sits in a circle. One person whispers something into the first person’s ear, continuing to pass the saying around the group.

By the time the sentence gets to the last person, it’s completely different than what the first person stated. This exercise is a technique that’s often used in team-building to show how effortless it is to get things misconstrued. A breakdown in communication or gossip can be the most significant cause of arguments.

Since you know there will be disagreements, you must develop strategies to handle them. Have you ever heard of a mediator? These professionals spend their days as a go-between for people who can’t agree. These folks are often used instead of going to court, as they have a knack for problem-solving.

While having a mediator is a nice perk, you can learn some of the same tactics to resolve disagreements in your life. The next time you have an issue with someone, you need to find common ground to build on.

Twelve Ways To Find Common Ground in Disagreements

If you want to handle your disagreements productively, you need to utilize the tools of those specializing in resolutions. Here are the twelve most common ways that you can find common ground and end disputes.

1. Be Open To Hearing the Other Side

One of the biggest reasons people disagree is that they don’t understand one another. If one person wants to be heard but won’t even consider the opinion of others, then it’s undoubtedly going to cause disagreements. While you don’t have to agree with the other party, you should be open to listening to their side of things.

2. Get Past Your Triggers

Everyone has triggers, and some people know how to push every button. Try to overlook anything that might set you on defense mode, as it’s usually personal things that trigger you. It would help to get beyond these tender spots to deal with the matter effectively.

3. Focus on Similarities

Stop looking so much for the differences and start focusing on the similarities. One way to look for common ground and begin resolving a disagreement is to focus on your agreement.

If you only look at the things you differ on, you’re only widening the gap between you. Even if you must stretch yourself a bit, you must find a point of agreement to build on.

4. Listen More Than You Speak

Why is it that when people are arguing, they want to talk more than they listen? It can become quite intense when two people try to interject their feelings.

Make it a rule that you listen more than you speak while trying to resolve a matter. Resist the urge to let your opinions fly and see what the other person says.

5. Take Responsibility

There are three things to consider in any conflict: their view, their opinion, and the truth. When the disagreements become heated, you want to avoid pointing the finger. When you start making accusations at the other person, you will have little chance of resolving the matter.

Try taking responsibility for your part or feelings on the issue. Don’t lay everything at their doorstep. Realize that you can be just as much a part of the issue as the other person, so work on finding common ground rather than hurling blame at one another.

6. Focus On the Topic and Don’t Bring In Other Things

Why do people want to bring up the past when there’s a disagreement? Don’t focus on things that happened yesterday that aren’t relevant to the issues. Instead, work hard to keep your focus on the problem at hand.

These situations often occur when one person has their foot out the door, so you don’t want to give them the push they need to keep going.

7. Bring Positivity to the Table

Have you ever heard the old saying that you will attract more flies with honey than vinegar? Rather than bringing a negative attitude into conflict resolution, try being positive. If you think you will resolve the issue, you will probably accomplish this task.

However, if you come into the conversation determined to get your point across and have an “in your face” attitude, you’ll likely make things worse.

8. Agree to Disagree

In many instances, there will be no way to agree on everything. You have your opinion, and they have their views. So, the best way to resolve this issue is to agree to disagree.

While it’s not the perfect resolution, it’s certainly better than fighting. In many cases, there isn’t a way to resolve the matter or find common ground.

9. Talk Face to Face

There are breakdowns of communication that occur when you talk on the phone or in text messages. It’s always best to handle any issue face-to-face.

Whether you’re dealing with professional or personal things doesn’t matter. Look someone right in the eyes to handle conflict. Additionally, it also helps to avoid misunderstandings. You are more likely to get a better resolution when present and engaging in the conversation.

This is especially true in business. Your mind can wander and make you think the person on the other end is a monster, but when you’re in front of them, you realize they’re not that bad.

10. Take a Break

It might be time for a break if you cannot find anything in common and the discussions seem to be going nowhere. It doesn’t mean that the debate isn’t necessary or doesn’t need to be deliberated, but you need some time to cool off and come to your senses.

11. Use a Lower Voice

People automatically assume you will raise your voice when discussing things get heated. When you do the opposite, you will throw them off and make them more apt to listen. Talking in soft tones doesn’t put the other party in defense mode; second, it makes them listen to you more intently.

Michael J. Formica, MS, MA, EdM, states that you should raise your words, not your voice. Uncooperative dialogue can fracture a relationship. You show your social and emotional limitations when you raise your voice and use tactics like name-calling.

12. Put It Behind You

Once you’ve resolved things, you must put them behind you. While what’s been forgiven isn’t always forgotten, you don’t want to keep throwing it in the other person’s face. Do you like it when people bring up things from your past?

No one likes to remember times when things didn’t go so well. So, when you make a pact to resolve the matter, remind yourself of the importance of letting it go. Whether in a business or a professional relationship, starting with a clean slate rather than harboring malice is vital.

Final Thoughts on Finding Common Ground

Relationships take work. There’s no way you will always agree with everyone; sometimes, arguments can make or break your partnership. Ironically, many people get upset about something, and the feud grows until they don’t even remember why they were angry in the first place.

Have you ever seen family members that haven’t spoken in years? They let something small come between them, which drives a permanent wedge. Very few things are worth cutting someone entirely off in life, and you need to stop and look at the situation.

Take, for instance, Edna. Everything was going great in her life. Her son decided to get married, and things were going well at first. When they had their first child, Edna was a bit overbearing.

During a heated argument about how to properly mother the baby, the daughter-in-law became furious. She and her husband decided never to speak to Edna again because of her constant overbearing approach. Years passed, and Edna never got to see her grandson grow. At her time of death, it had been over forty years since she had seen or heard from her son. They didn’t even show up at the funeral.

Something as small as a disagreement on mothering a newborn became a family feud lasting four decades. Edna tried to apologize over the years, but the stubborn nature of her son and daughter-in-law made them ignore her words.

Think long and hard before burning bridges and cutting ties with people. Try to find common ground, no matter how challenging, and work from there. There’re very few things worth severing relationships, so be careful and work towards a resolution.

In the instance of the overbearing grandmother, setting firm boundaries might have been the conflict resolution they needed. There’s always a way to resolve issues, but you must take your emotions out of the situation.

12 Habits to Help Let Go of Traumatic Feelings

May 29, 2022 by Chris Butler

A traumatic event shocks or scares you. It puts you in danger, either physically or emotionally. A person who experiences trauma can feel a wide range of emotions right after and long after the event. We will explore twelve science-backed suggestions for overcoming emotional and physical traumatic feelings.

What can cause traumatic feelings?

There is a long list of experiences that can cause you emotional trauma. Some of these include

Natural disasters-Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods
Accidents-A car accident, seeing a drowning, or witnessing a horrible accident
Assault-Rape, abuse, mass shootings, or terrorist attack.

Different responses to trauma

Traumatic situations can affect you emotionally, physically, behaviorally, socially, or cognitively.

Traumatic Feelings Due to Emotions:

Emotional reactions to trauma may produce feelings of anger, fear, shame, or sadness. Processing emotions can be difficult for some individuals, causing them to deny their feelings, which can cause a lack of emotions or a feeling numb emotionally.

Traumatic Feelings Due to Physical Health:

Physical reactions to trauma can include headaches, stomach pain, insomnia, racing heart, and being jumpy. Other physical problems after a traumatic experience include the following:

Heart problems and circulation conditions
Trouble breathing
Skin disorders
Autoimmune disorders
Stomach disorders
Joint pain

Cognitive Causes of Traumatic Feelings

Cognitive reactions to trauma are common. Studies found trauma challenges you at the very core of your understanding of life. You suddenly realize the world may not be as safe as you thought it was. Trauma challenges your expectations that you can protect yourself.

Behavioral Reactions to Traumatic Feelings

Behavioral reactions to trauma occur when you engage in a particular behavior to cope with the after-effects of the trauma. You may try to reduce your feelings of stress with alcohol, overeating, high-risk behaviors, or self-injury. Other people suddenly become aggressive or act out their trauma.

Twelve Habits to Help You Let Go of Traumatic Feelings

Here are some positive changes you can make to let go of negativity.

1 – Give yourself time to recover from those traumatic feelings

Getting over your traumatic feelings can take time. Don’t rush it. Processing your emotions, letting go of negative thoughts and feelings are part of healing. You may need to grieve the loss of someone or something. As you go through these traumatic feelings, remember you’re not alone. It’s thought that approximately 70% of adults in the United States experience a traumatic event at least once. Although knowing that it’s common doesn’t change what you went through, but it helps you see that you’re not alone. So, give yourself the time you need as you let go of your traumatic feelings.

2 – Find a support group

Talking to other people who have gone through similar trauma can be helpful to you.

When people share memories of a traumatic event, they have different perceptions of how things happened. Things stand out to them in a way that you may not have thought about. As you hear their different perspectives on similar experiences, you feel less trapped by the trauma.

3 – Face the facts about your traumatic feelings

This advice can be one of the most challenging things for you to do after trauma. It’s tempting to want to ignore what happened. But a crucial part of your recovery is learning to be okay with your memories of the trauma. When things trigger these memories, don’t avoid them. Choose to face your negative thoughts and feelings head-on. This approach helps you deal with them and enables you to heal. It’s tempting to avoid talking about the worst parts. Maybe you feel humiliated, or you’re scared to think about it. You may worry that you’ll fall apart when you talk about it. Or you think no one understands what you went through.

Traumatic feelings are messy. It produces a jumble of emotions. If you don’t talk it out, it will control you. Even if you don’t know what to say, that’s okay. Part of processing the trauma means making some sense of it. Talk to a trusted friend, a family member, your pastor, or even start journaling what happened.

4 – Laughter

Laughter is good for you. An ancient proverb says this:

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22).

The literal meaning is a joyful heart causes good healing. It turns out; the ancients knew something about the power of laughter. Research says that laughter has positive effects on your body when you engage it regularly. After a traumatic event, it’s understandable that you don’t feel like laughing, but as time passes, smile. Little by little, practice these ideas to put laughter back into your life.

Smile: Many suggest that smiling is contagious. Smiling activates mirror neurons in human brains, sort of like how yawning makes the people around you yawn. So, smile and watch others around you follow your example.
Tell jokes: According to research, people who tell good jokes are more likely to get a raise or promotion.
Be silly: Do silly things that make you laugh. Here are a few suggestions, if you’re brave enough:
- Go to MacDonalds’s and ask for fries without potatoes
- Go to a pet store and buy birdseed. At the checkout, ask the person how long it will take for the birds to grow.
- Sit in your car and point a hairdryer at people driving by. See if they slow down.
- Call your friend and tell them you can’t talk right now.

If you’re interested in more zany ideas, check out these. Some of them are over the top! Even if you’re not brave enough to do these in public, you’ll get a good laugh just reading them.

5 – Avoid isolating

After experiencing trauma, It’s tempting to isolate yourself from your friends and family.

Withdrawing from society is a common side effect of trauma. Your friends and family may feel some of the same awkwardness as you. Being with these loved ones is essential to your recovery, so don’t withdraw from them. Even if you can’t talk about the trauma immediately, it’s good to be with the people you love and trust.

6 – Get professional help

There is so much stress that comes from a traumatic event. You may feel sad, fearful, angry, depressed, or have grief. If these feelings persist and interfere with your ability to do life, it may be helpful to get professional help. A mental health expert can walk you through some things you are feeling.

7 – Press into your faith

Remember to press into your faith when dealing with traumatic feelings. It’s in the hard times that your faith is tested. Suffering is a common human experience that helps you recognize your need for God. Attend church services, talk to your pastor, or read books on suffering to help you draw closer to God and find peace.

8 – Have a balanced lifestyle

As much as possible, try to keep a daily routine. Incorporate a balanced lifestyle with regular meals, daily exercise, and get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep. It may seem small, but routine can bring peace and a sense of control into your life.

9 – Exercise

Exercise reduces your adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. It stimulates your body to produce chemicals in your brain that improve your mood. It improves your thinking and memory so you can concentrate better and feel mentally sharp. Exercise also causes the growth of new brain cells. Studies show that aerobic exercise can be an effective therapy for people with PTSD. Some of the best exercises you can do to help you let go of your traumatic feelings include

Running
Biking
Hiking
Swimming
Fast walking
Team sports
Yoga
Tai chi

10 – Take care of your body

Ongoing stress because of trauma harms your body. You’re more prone to weight gain, digestive problems, fatigue, or moodiness when going through trauma. Eating nutritious foods helps your body deal better with stress. Include these foods in your diet to help you let go of traumatic feelings.

Carbohydrates

Carbs help increase your serotonin levels. Serotonin regulates your mood, lowers anxiety, and makes you happier. Low levels of serotonin link to depression. Eat healthy carbohydrates like the following:

Sweet potatoes
Beans
Eggs
Whole grains
Fruits

Vitamin B

B vitamins impact your energy levels and brain function. It helps your body fight infection. Vitamin B6 produces serotonin, which lowers your anxiety and boosts your mood. Good sources of B vitamins are these:

Lentils
Black beans
Wheat germ
Cereals
Leafy greens
Tuna
Salmon
Milk or yogurt
Chickpeas
Bananas
Avocado

11 – Mindfulness

Mindfulness allows you to notice the things around you more profoundly. It helps you relax and let go of the anxiety related to your traumatic feelings. Try deep breathing or these relaxing techniques to release your negative thoughts.

Walk outside and enjoy the sounds and smells
Notice colors in your home or your clothing
Eat a meal enjoy the various flavors of each food
Listen to music and enjoy the notes or the different instruments

12 – Do normal things without talking about the traumatic feelings

After you’ve experienced trauma, you feel different. You wonder if you’ll ever feel normal again. It takes time to get over these feelings of being different. One thing you can do is to try to do everyday things with other people without talking about the traumatic feelings. Go out to a restaurant. Hang with your buddies at a sporting event. Doing these simple things is part of your healing process.

Final Thoughts on Letting Go of Traumatic Feelings

It can be tricky to let go of traumatic feelings that become ingrained in your soul. But once you absolve yourself of the weight of your worries, you will feel free to be happy all over again. And that is a gift you should give yourself freely.

Nutritionists Reveal 25 Tricks to Speed Up Weight Loss

May 28, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

When you want to supercharge your weight loss, many tips and tricks exist.

Not all of the weight loss tips that you find will help, and many ideas are unhealthy.

Nutritionists know all the proven ways to supercharge your weight loss, giving you the information you need to get started. With the right weight loss tips, you can quickly supercharge your weight loss plans.

Nutritionists Reveal 25 Tips to Supercharge Your Weight Loss

Use these proven tips to help you boost your weight loss quickly and effectively. With science to back it up, you can rest assured that the methods are safe and accurate.

1. Limit Refined Carbs

Refined carbs are often found in sugar and grains that have been stripped of their natural fiber, such as white bread and pasta. These carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike, making you experience more cravings and feel hungrier sooner afterward.

2. Split Meals in Half

If you don’t have time or don’t want to count calories, cut your meals in half instead. Cutting your meals will help you eat less, supercharging your weight loss. Most of the time, meals are too big already, so cutting them in half will make them closer to the correct serving size.

You can do the same with high-calorie beverages, too. Pour them into a cup instead of drinking right from the bottle or to-go cup. By pouring them into a different cup, you won’t be as tempted to drink more than half.

3. Do Cardio Exercises

Cardio or aerobic exercise is the perfect way to burn extra calories. As you burn more calories, you will lose weight, targeting belly fat.

4. Drink More Water

Increasing your water intake is one of the best ways to supercharge your weight loss. Drinking water boosts metabolism for up to five hours, helping with additional calorie burning that entire time.

If you drink a decent amount of water about 30 minutes before a meal can help you eat less, too. You won’t consume as many calories, and water helps curb cravings.

5. Get More Sleep

Getting more sleep is directly related to weight loss, but many people don’t take advantage. Those that don’t get enough sleep have an increased risk of obesity. Plus, when you’re tired, you are more likely to eat junk food without thinking about it.

6. Use a Smaller Plate

When preparing your meals at home, use a smaller plate. With a smaller plate, you will fill it with less food, meaning fewer calories. You aren’t as likely to go back for seconds, and even if you do, your servings will be a little smaller.

7. Consume Spicy Foods

Eating spicy foods can boost your metabolism and reduce your appetite. The capsaicin found in chili peppers quickly causes these effects, and it keeps working for a while.

8. Go for a Walk After You Eat

If you can, go for a short walk after every meal. It increases your overall daily movement while supporting healthy digestion and supercharging weight loss. If you have the time, increase the length of your walks for additional benefits.

9. Eat Eggs

Eating more eggs can help you lose weight and consume fewer calories. The protein makes you feel full for a longer time, meaning fewer cravings and mindless snacking. Avoid adding oil or butter to your eggs, though.

10. Practice Portion Control

You can lose a ton of weight if you practice portion control and pay attention to calories per serving. You can exercise portion control by tracking your food and measuring out your servings. This one dietary change can enhance your weight loss right away.

As you pay more attention to portions and calories, you will become more aware of what you eat. You will begin to make healthier choices a habit instead of a chore.

11. Take Breaks to Stretch

If you work at a desk or in a sedentary position, take breaks to stretch every half hour. Spend one minute stretching each time. If you need a reminder, set a timer on your phone when you are working.

Not only does stretching help burn calories, but it will relieve knots and tightness in your back and shoulders. The goal is to move and stretch often, so start making it a habit today.

12. Drink Coffee

Coffee is full of antioxidants and increases metabolism by up to 11%. It promotes fat burning, too, making it perfect for weight loss,

Coffee can be tricky because it is healthy, but many things that people add to it aren’t. If you add sugary or full-fat creamer to your coffee, you are likely negating all of the benefits.

Try to drink your coffee black. If you don’t like it, add sugar-free creamer instead.

13. Do Weight Training

Lifting weights promotes muscle strength and increased metabolism. As the exercise challenges your muscles, you will burn more calories as you tone your body.

14. Consume More Protein

Protein is essential for weight loss because it boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories. Eating more protein also decreases cravings and late-night snacking.

15. Try Green Tea

One of the many benefits of green tea is that it helps you lose weight. It contains caffeine and antioxidants that work together to burn more fat. It also boosts your energy level, increasing your daily movement and burning more calories.

16. Increase Your Fiber Intake

If you eat more fiber, you will lose more weight. It makes you feel full for a longer time, helping you control your weight easier. You won’t eat as much, either, supercharging the weight loss even more.

17. Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand

If you keep healthy snacks around, you will be less likely to indulge in unhealthy foods when you get a craving. You can use fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, and other healthy snacks ready.

18. Avoid Sugary Beverages

Sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice are incredibly fattening and can lead to obesity. The added sugar in these drinks is one of the leading contributors to weight gain. Limiting these drinks is a good start, but eliminating them from your diet entirely is best.

19. Do Intermittent Fasting

This popular eating cycle requires you to go a set amount of time without consuming anything but water. Studies show that this is an effective method to supercharge weight loss by restricting calories. It will also help you avoid the loss of muscle mass.

20. Eat a Whole Food Diet

Whole foods are single-ingredient foods in their natural state. These foods will help you stay full while filling your body with essential nutrients and vitamins. When you fill your diet with whole foods, it is difficult to gain weight, too.

21. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Not only are fruits and vegetables good because they are whole foods, but they also have other things that make them effective for weight loss. Since they don’t contain many calories and are filled with fiber and water, they are good to fill up on. The high amounts of nutrients are also highly beneficial to your overall health.

22. Use a Glucomannan Supplement

Glucomannan is a fiber that has been linked to increased weight loss. This type of fiber is water absorbent and stays in your gut longer, making you feel full. It makes you consume fewer calories and have fewer cravings.

23. Chew Slower

If you chew slower, your brain will register that you are full before you overeat. By chewing slowly, you will consume fewer calories while increasing the production of weight loss hormones. Plus, when you don’t eat as quickly, you will be more mindful of your eating habits.

24. Limit Added Sugars

Added sugar is highly detrimental to your health and causes significant weight gain. Most people consume too many added sugars each day, making weight loss impossible. To supercharge your weight loss, stick to natural sugars and avoid added ones.

Even some foods that are labeled as health foods are full of added sugar. Read all labels, and never assume something that says it’s healthy is free of added sugars.

25. Chew Sugar-Free Gum

Chewing gum can help curb your cravings, preventing you from overindulging in unhealthy snacks. Most gum is full of added sugars, so avoid that kind and choose a sugar-free option. Whenever you want something unhealthy, try chewing gum first and see if the craving passes.

If you replace a snack each day with a stick of sugar-free gum, you will be cutting out quite a few calories. Plus, your snacking habits will improve, and you won’t be as lucky to cave and have too many treats.

Nutritionists Reveal 25 Tips to Supercharge Your Weight Loss

As you work toward your weight loss goals, you may hit times when you want to supercharge your progress. Use these tips to boost your weight loss and reach your goals.

You don’t have to implement all of these tips at once, so don’t feel overwhelmed. Try a few tips at a time and see what works for you, then implement a few more tips later.

10 Ways to Stop Your Mind From Feeling Stressed

May 28, 2022 by Chris Butler

Your brain may be the most complex computer in the universe, but its power isn’t constant. As with manufactured electronics, your mind and body can overwork and become depleted of energy. Fortunately, there are ways to energize yourself and avoid feeling stressed.

In an article published by Northwestern Medicine, Dr. Kapil Sachdeva explains that the average brain only weighs about three pounds. Yet, it’s one of the most singular marvels in the world. Sachdeva states that your brain is composed of approximately 86 billion neurons and one quadrillion connections.

Imagine the speed of some of the luxury cars across the globe. According to statistics published by The Measure of Things, a Peregrine Falcon car can reach speeds of 240 mph. Now, consider the fact that your brain can send and receive signals up to 260 mph. It’s little wonder that such extraordinary speeds would cause your brain the need to be recharged regularly.

In the past, some research suggested that the average person has about 70-80 thousand thoughts per day. However, a new study cited by IFLScience believes that you probably only have about 6,200 ideas each day. Even at the much lower number, it still means you’re generating about 4.3 thoughts per minute.

Stress: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Talk to just about anyone in your circle, and they’ll probably mention they’re stressed out. Perhaps, you also join the ranks of people across the nation who feel burnout. It’s a crisis that affects people regardless of their socioeconomic status.

A report published by the American Psychological Association states that three-fourths of the US population has stress-related symptoms each month. These include sleepless nights, anxiety, irritability, anger, and fatigue. Undue stress creates a negative effect on your entire well-being, and it could be life-threatening with time.

Good Stress

It’s difficult to classify any stress as beneficial, but some of it is. In fact, your brain reacts to stressors for survival. It’s known as a part of your survival reaction, fight, flight, or freeze. Early humans depended on this automatic reaction to survive in an often dark and dangerous environment in the prehistoric world.

Your survival reaction signals your brain to dump emergency hormones into your bloodstream immediately. This adrenaline and cortisol increase your strength and stamina in an instant to save your life. The reaction has sometimes enabled people to lift cars from a person who is trapped under them.

Life without some stress is impossible. Your brain uses good stress as a tool for learning and growing. In this sense, stress can help you. However, you can also have undue stress that wreaks havoc on your health.

Undue Stress

The same reaction meant to preserve your life from danger can also be a hazard to you. This instinct evolved to be used in an emergency and not perpetually. A constant flow of adrenaline and cortisol in your body can lead to disease, mental health problems, and conditions that can cost your life.

Ten Ways to Avoid Feeling Stress

Isn’t it frustrating when you try to make a call on your smartphone only to see that the battery needs recharging? The multitude of tasks and stress on your mind takes its toll on you. How can you renew your brain and break the cycle of anxious feelings?

It’s all about taking time for yourself and providing the rest you need and deserve. When you give your mind some respite each day, it will become a beneficial habit. Try these ten ways to energize your mind and lower unnecessary stress.

1. Create a Diversion When Feeling Stressed

Although your brain does go into rest and repair mode when you sleep, it’s still maintaining your vital functions. Due to the constant activity, your brain doesn’t fully rest. You can relax your body, but the only way to calm your mind is with diversion.

Determine each day to take a mental break to energize your brain. Do something fun and fulfilling. Find time to laugh or stretch your imagination. This welcome diversion will benefit your mind more than you know.

2. Spend Time With Family and Friends

Modern technological advances make connecting with people near and far a simple task. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when people may feel the most disconnected. Energize your mind and spirit by spending time with precious family and friends.

Surround yourself with positive folks who lift your spirits, inspire you, and make you laugh. They can provide a bright spot in your daily life when your stress levels are overflowing. Plus, your communication will be uplifting for them.

3. Take a Technology Break

Speaking of technology, you can have too much of a good thing. Most of each day, you’re surrounded by computers and mobile devices that are vying for your attention. Even when you’re relaxing, you depend on electronics to deliver your favorite movies, shows, and music.

If you want to energize your mind, plan to take a daily technology break. During family, mealtime is an excellent opportunity to shut off the phone and video games. Spend these cherished moments and have meaningful conversations with your family around the dinner table.

4. Reduce the Negative When Feeling Stressed

You can no more eliminate all the negative energy in your life than you can all the stress. While you can’t eliminate negativity, you can reduce its influence. You can also spend as little time as you can around energy-draining people.

When interacting with a bitter relative or a sour coworker, you needn’t partake of their drab outlook. Sometimes you need essential information from depressing news media outlets. After dealing with negativity, energize your brain with something positive.

5. Getting Past Your Past When You Are Feeling Burnout

Everyone has words and actions in their lives that are hurtful or shameful. Although your past is written in permanent ink, it doesn’t dictate the chapters of today or tomorrow. Living in the past is often a source of depression and negativity for many folks.

Energize your brain and cultivate a more vibrant present by closing the book on past failures, pain, and disappointment. Gratefully receive the lessons it taught you and leave them. Keep your eyes and your heart in the present, and you won’t stress about past problems.

6. Forget about Multitasking If When You’re Feeling Stressed

Multitasking is a modern buzzword that often appears as a personal strength on resumes and job applications. It’s the perceived ability to do several things at the same time. While you may view multitasking as efficient, it can also cause you to be overstressed and make foolish mistakes.

Instead, try to focus on one task at a time. Not only will your work be more accurate, but you won’t be as stressed. It will also be easier to energize your brain during breaks.

7. Practice Meditation If You Are Feeling Stressed

Although your brain likes to stay busy, it also needs some peaceful moments to reflect and energize. Spending as little as 20 minutes a day in meditation can keep you grounded and nourish you mentally and spiritually.

As you meditate comfortably in your sacred space, consider using visualizations or mantras to manifest positive energy. Your mind will get used to this daily break and will welcome it. Feel free to add candles, incense, or tranquil music if it helps you relax.

8. Challenge Your Brain

It seems counterintuitive to take your mind to a task when you’re trying to de-stress and revitalize. However, boredom is a great enemy of the brain, and it can also induce stress. Beat the boredom by challenging your brain every day.

Make it a habit of learning something new each day or solving a brain teaser. Keep crossword puzzles, sudokus, or other fun puzzles for a bit of a brain challenge. It will keep your mind more agile, and it can enhance your problem-solving skills.

9. Address Any Substance Abuse That Stem From Anxious Feelings and Stress

If your body and mind are overloaded with stress, it increases your anxiety level exponentially. Anxiety has many adverse effects, and your body naturally seeks to alleviate it. Many people temporarily mask their fear with substances that leads to addiction.

The masks of addiction are as varied as those who are addicted. It includes substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Addiction to work, technology, or forbidden romance can also destroy your life and relationships.

After you awaken from the temporary high, your stress and anxious feelings are still there. Breaking the chains of addiction can bring healing to your body, mind, and spirit. If you battle addiction, get help.

10. Keep Your Body Healthy to Avoid Feeling Burnt Out

Do you want your brain to work at peak performance? Keeping your body healthy and robust adds many benefits to your brain. Enjoy a balanced diet of fresh whole foods and eliminate junk and processed items. Also, follow a daily exercise routine you custom-tailor to address your needs.

Final Thoughts on Energizing Your Brain

As with any computer or technical gadget, your brain needs to be recharged to run efficiently. By minimizing your stress and following some of these suggestions, you can revitalize your mind daily. It will bring you more clarity and a greater sense of accomplishment. And of course, it will help eliminate feeling stressed.

7 Signs It Is Time to Set Firm Boundaries With Your Family

May 28, 2022 by Chris Butler

Some families are good at living with boundaries. They naturally give others space. But other families can’t understand limits. They need some gentle but firm boundaries. How do you know you must set some ground rules with your family?

What is a relationship boundary?

Everyone lives with boundaries. Whether at work or school, you understand why limitations exist with other people. But family can be more complicated. So it’s easy to ignore the signs that indicate you need to set some limits with them.

Someone has described a boundary as an imaginary line you establish with other people regarding how you expect them to speak and act around you, your kids, and your house.

Signs you need to set firm boundaries with your family

Here is a list of the seven signs indicating it’s time for some family boundaries.

1 – Nonstop or frequent unannounced visits

If your sister stops by your house unannounced every day of the week, it’s time to set a boundary. Frequent, unannounced visits are disruptive to your family life. You may need to change your plans if she shows up at the wrong time. Perhaps your sister is lonely or looking for your support but hasn’t expressed it.

Solution:

Studies show that sibling relationships are often the longest-lasting family relationships a person will have. A good relationship with a sibling is essential for your well-being.

You may want to ask your sister why she’s coming over so often. It’s essential to be clear about your need for a boundary yet remain kind towards her. Being kind but firm, will help your sister feel like you care about her, but help her understand your limits.

2 – Unwanted advice about your life, your partner, or your job

Family members often feel like they’re helping you when they give unsolicited advice. Their suggestions about your work, where you live, or your partner can feel very intrusive. It’s easy to put up with them, but you may start to feel angry at them if you let it go on. Anger is harmful to your mind and body. Don’t allow their comments to fester. It would be best if you spoke up.

Solution:

No one else is going to set your boundaries. It’s something you must do yourself. So, when your aunt says something belittling about your partner, you must speak up and tell her to stop. If she continues, you need to say firmly and calmly,

“Aunt Elma, I know you’re concerned for me, but I don’t like the way you’re talking about Joe. If you keep talking like that, I’ll need to leave.”

While you acknowledge her concern for you, you also set a boundary for how she talks about someone you care for.

3 – Opinions shared about how you raise your kids

Being a parent is like having a target on your back. People seem very comfortable giving unsolicited parenting advice. It may be your mother-in-law giving you the side-eye for allowing your daughter one more show on your iPhone or a sarcastic comment by your sister about how strict your bedtime routine is compared to hers. At some point, you’ll become fed up with their unsolicited opinions.

Solution:

For relatives whom you know are genuinely trying to be helpful, you can say, “Thanks, but we’re going to stick with what we’re doing.” They’ll get the message to stop interfering.

But you need to be more direct with family members like your sister, who uses sarcasm to correct you. Tell your sister that her sarcastic comments make it clear she disagrees with your bedtime routine, but it’s what you think is best for your kids.

Your kids need to see how you work out disagreements with family members. It teaches them how to adapt to different people’s opinions without getting angry. It’s also helpful for your kids to understand that family members may parent differently.

4 – Buying things you don’t want without asking you

Do you have relatives who constantly buy stuff for you or your kids? Some relatives are extraordinarily generous, and gift-giving is how they express their love. But you may not appreciate your great aunt sending five stuffed animals in 30 days to your one-year-old. It’s probably time to set a firm boundary with your dear great-aunt.

Solution:

Tell your sweet relative how much you appreciate her generosity, but you’ve put a moratorium on all gifts unless they are for a birthday or a holiday. If she wants to buy something for your kids, she can keep them at her house. Please don’t bring them to your house.

If she keeps giving unsolicited gifts, the best way to discourage her is to say, “My, this is cute. I’ll drop it off at the thrift store tomorrow. I’m sure someone will want it, but we’re maxed out at my house.” Hearing that her gifts are going to the thrift store will quickly stop her overly zealous gift-giving.

5 – Comments about your diet or body

Families sometimes cross the line on comments about diet, weight loss, and weight gain. Everyone has advice on how you should look, how much exercise you need or what diet you should be on. If you’ve recently gained weight, it’s hurtful when your relatives make comments. You know you want to lose weight, but having them tell you that you should lose weight feels rude. It’s challenging to navigate through these comments. It would be best if you told them to stop.

Solution:

The fact that your relatives are so free with their opinions reveals their rudeness towards you. These relatives may not be as “safe” as you thought. You don’t owe them an explanation about your weight gain. Set a boundary by not replying to their rude comment. Or you can say, “It’s none of your business.” That should shut them down. If not, walk away from the conversation.

6 – Asking intrusive questions about your personal life

Well-meaning family members sometimes ask too many questions about friends, dating, or your significant other. Perhaps you’ve shared a little about your partner, and now they feel free to delve into the nitty-gritty details of your relationship. At this point, your comfort meter goes off, and you realize it’s time to set some strict boundaries about your personal life with your family.

Solution

When your relatives ask questions about your personal life, reply, “Thanks for asking, but I don’t want to comment on that.” If they pry for more information, keep pushing back with the same comment, then change the subject to another topic you are comfortable talking about.

7 – Snooping around your house

There are those family members who come into your house and start looking through your entire home without regard for your privacy. This behavior is insulting and shouldn’t be tolerated. Even if it’s your sweet grandma doing it. You need to tell her to stop.

Solution:

The first time you find a family member snooping around your house, say something like, “Oh, you must be lost. Let me show you where the living room is.” If they do it again, you need to address their behavior with something like, “Grandma, I caught you snooping through my stuff again. Please stop. If you don’t, you can’t come over to my house.

Why is it hard to set firm boundaries with family?

There are many reasons why you may feel hesitant to set boundaries with your family. Here are a few of them.

You love your family and worry that setting boundaries will ruin your relationships with them. It’s easy to assume that a limit will hurt your relationship with a family member, but the opposite is true. Even if they don’t like the boundary, they will respect that you can stand up for yourself.
Kids don’t stand up to the older family members in your family: This may have been true when you were little, but you’re an adult now. It’s okay to disagree with an older relative as long as you’re respectful. If they get belligerent and angry at you, it’s wonderful to tell them to stop or walk away from the conversation.
It’s the first time you’ve said anything: If you let things go for too long when you finally set up a boundary, it feels weird. Your family member may be surprised because “it never bothered you before.” You need to explain to them that it has bothered you, but you were afraid to tell them. This could open up a conversation about your relationship.
The living situation makes it more complicated: If you live with your parents or with you, setting up boundaries can be challenging. Don’t assume you can live with the annoying things they’re saying. You’ll eventually get irritated, which could result in you making angry comments. Your parents may be surprised at your reaction because they thought everything was okay. Speak up while you’re calm and express the need for a boundary.

Could setting firm boundaries improve your family relationships?

It’s not easy setting boundaries with your family, but ultimately they can strengthen your family relationships. Here are some reasons why limits can be helpful.

Boundaries draw a clear line so family members feel comfortable knowing what is expected of them around you and your family.
When you set up boundaries for your younger family members, you inspire them to stand up for themselves in a kind but firm way.
Setting up healthy boundaries shows respect for your family and yourself.
Your family will understand that you want an open, honest relationship with them.
Instead of feeling resentful or avoiding your relatives, you feel comfortable around your relatives.
Healthy boundaries make family relationships stronger

Final thoughts on knowing that it’s time to establish some firm boundaries

Getting together with your family can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, family get-togethers sometimes involve gossip, unsolicited advice about your personal life, or unhelpful comments about your kids. At some point, you know it’s time to set some firm boundaries with a family member. It’s challenging to do but important for the sake of the relationship with that person and for your own heart. Take the bold step of telling that family member to stop saying or doing something. Be kind but firm with them. Setting a boundary is worth the hard work and produces good results for you and your family.

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