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Study Links Working Too Much To Increased Risk of Repeat Heart Attacks

May 13, 2021 by Kristen Lawrence

A new Canadian study found that too much overtime could lead to a higher risk of repeat heart attacks. The study revealed that working over 55 hours per week following a heart attack posed the greatest risk. People working this many hours had twice the likelihood of a repeat heart attack than those working 35-40 hours per week.

Dr. Alain Milot, a professor of medicine at Laval University in Canada, co-authored the study. The professor of medicine at Laval University in Canada commented on the dangers of working long hours following a heart attack. He said the risk compares to the effects of heavy smoking. He added that governments and city officials should enforce mandates to reduce working hours. This would help lower the risks of subsequent heart attacks in coronary patients.

According to the International Labor Office, around 36% of workers globally work more than 48 hours per week. Regions of the world most impacted by excessive work hours include Southern and Eastern Asia and Arab states.

In developed countries, men are twice as likely as women to work long hours. Men also work longer hours than women in developing countries, though to a lesser degree. Overall, however, the proportion of people working long hours is more than double in developing countries vs. developed.

Excessively long working hours do not just increase the risk of repeat heart attacks.

Other dangers of working too many hours include the following:

Higher risk of alcohol abuse. People working over 48 hours a week have a 13% higher likelihood of new onset risky alcohol use. This equates to 14 drinks for women and 21 drinks for men per week.
You have a greater chance of developing depression. People who log 11 hours or more of work per day have more instances of depression than those working seven to eight hours.
Excessive work means your cortisol levels will remain elevated for long periods of time. Not only does this put a strain on your heart, but it can also cause weight gain, sleep problems, and other major issues.
Working long hours increases the likelihood of developing back or neck pain. The pain you feel after working so much is caused by muscle tension. This happens when you stay in one position for a long time or engage in repetitive movements.
Working 45 hours or more per week increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in women. Women working excessive hours had a 63% higher chance of developing the condition compared with those working normal hours.
It leads to lower life expectancy. Studies have found that working over 48 hours per week could shorten life expectancy by 10 years.

Study showing that long work hours increases the risk of repeat heart attacks

For the study first mentioned, Milot’s team collected data on nearly 1,000 men and women. In the mid-1990s, all of them were under 60 years old, were employed, and had a history of heart attacks.

The researchers interviewed the participants and asked them to fill out questionnaires over the course of six years. They wanted to document cases of heart disease, hospital stays, and lifestyle risk factors.

The questionnaires also asked extensive questions about working conditions at their jobs. They included questions about exposure to smoking, chemicals; pollution; noise; excessive heat, cold or physical exertion; and hours worked weekly. Finally, the research team measured participants’ stress levels, job strain, and social support at both work and home.

Over the course of the study period, 22% of the participants had a repeat heart attack. The investigators discovered that working long hours doubled their risk of having a second one.

The questionnaires revealed that two groups seemed to work the longest hours: men and younger workers. Those who smoked, drank alcohol, and had a sedentary lifestyle also had a higher likelihood of working long hours. Finally, workers with stressful jobs logged excessive hours as well.

Best ways to prevent heart attacks

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, interim chief of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), reviewed the study. He said that in previous studies, men and women who worked long hours had greater risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and premature cardiovascular death.

However, for this study, he said that too few patients had repeat heart attacks for him to say there is a correlation. Only 95 individuals in the study worked long hours (over 55 per week). Therefore, he believes larger studies are needed to determine if reducing work hours alone would reduce repeat heart attacks.

He went on to say that the best preventive measures against heart attacks include medical care and lifestyle changes. Medications, cardiac rehabilitation, exercise, and a healthy diet can greatly reduce repeat heart attack risk.

Dr. Jian Li of UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health co-authored an editorial released alongside the study. In the editorial, the researchers suggested heart attack patients complete a standard questionnaire about their work hours and job stress. This way, doctors can better understand their needs and formulate a proper treatment plan. Additionally, Li said that cardiac rehab programs which teach patients about healthy living could help them relax and increase resilience.

The findings were published online on March 29, 2021, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Final thoughts about the Canadian study showing long work hours increase heart attack risk.

It is no secret that our modern world requires us to work far too many hours. Humans need work to feel productive, but going to the extreme leads to unhappiness. It can also increase the risk of developing mental and physical health issues, such as heart attacks. The study found that working more than 55 hours a week doubled the risk of a repeat heart attack.

The best ways to lower your risk of having a heart attack are the basic pillars of health. Get enough sleep, exercise, eat healthily, do relaxation techniques like meditation, and spend time outdoors. Living in the modern world makes these things more difficult, but not impossible. Staying healthy not only helps you perform better at work but also increases your quality of life overall.

5 Problems In Your Body That Cause Pimples

May 13, 2021 by Power of Positivity

There’s nothing worse than an unsightly zit, and why is it that pimples happen at the most inopportune times?

These ugly blemishes pop up out of nowhere, and they leave you feeling embarrassed and self-conscious. Pimples are thought of as a problem that only plagues teenagers, but they can affect anyone at any age.

There are many herbal and home remedies that you can use to help sudden flares, but the problem is that they can come back. It would help if you got to the root cause to stop the issue before it begins. To combat zits, you must understand what causes these blemishes.

Some people are more susceptible to zits than others, so you must find the root cause of your acne to correct the problem. Do your siblings or parents have issues with blemishes? According to The Genetics of Acne, family history can make your chances of developing these unsightly bumps more likely.

However, there are no acne-related genes that can identify whether you will have an issue. Some skin experts believe that zits are more of a hormonal and lifestyle factor than genetics. Still, conditions like rosacea can cause inflammatory conditions on the face, and it brings along blemishes.

While rosacea is incurable, many treatments can help. Though it’s not acne proper, it’s a medical condition from within that shows to the outside. According to the Mayo Clinic, natural ruddiness is caused by hereditary and environmental factors.

What Foods Cause Acne?

How many times have you heard someone say that if they eat chocolate, they will get pimples? Perhaps, you’ve even said it a time or two yourself. There is a direct link to what you eat and breakouts, though some medical experts disagree on the matter.

Some many articles and studies show that chocolate doesn’t cause breakouts, but plenty of food can activate yeast on the skin, which will. If you’re prone to food sensitivities, then there are some foods that you should avoid. Cut out or limit food intake, cheeses, sugary snacks, baked goods using white flour, fast foods with high-fat content, and processed junk.

Additionally, canned foods also have a high level of sodium and other preservatives that can be harmful to your entire system, though they won’t specifically cause acne. Rather than filling your diet with these foods known for causing an overproduction of yeast, why not fill up on nuts and whole grains containing zinc?

It’s essential to get plenty of leafy vegetables and add fatty omega-3s to your diet, which you can get from avocados and salmon. Make sure you use plenty of herbs in your cooking, especially turmeric. Lastly, consuming foods that are rich in vitamin A like pumpkin and carrots is also beneficial.

When you feel sweet hungry, don’t reach for that candy bar. Instead, fill up on fruits and berries to ensure your body gets the antioxidants that it needs. Your diet can certainly influence what’s going on in your body, and it can help prevent inflammatory breakouts caused by yeast.

Five Suprising Ways Your Body Causes Pimples

What’s happening on the inside of your system can certainly show on the outside? For instance, when your body retains water, it shows by swelling. If you have excessive bloating in your stomach, you pass gas.

Acne can be from an internal challenge or caused by topical issues that create blemishes. Here are the five problems within your body that will cause zits.

1. Hormonal Changes

Hormones rage during the teenage years, and that’s what makes it so common to see teenagers with a face full of acne. Hormonal fluctuations can happen at any age, and some with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome will experience acne due to these hormonal shifts.

PCOS is a common hormone problem found in women. It can affect fertility and body weight and cause situations like overgrowth of body hair and acne. According to an article in Women’s Health Magazine, PCOS causes an imbalance of androgen, testosterone, and estradiol.

While PCOS is one major contributor to blemishes, it’s not the only thing that can cause imbalances. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism will also cause fluctuations in hormones, among other issues.

2. Bacterial Infections

One of the main reasons why people have acne is due to bacterial infections within the body. The skin is highly susceptible to bacteria, and this bacterium grows when it encounters excess oil. The oil and bacteria combination causes the area to become inflamed and form blemishes.

If you have pus-filled zits, then it’s due to this reason. Your body can have many different types of blemishes, but these are well known for the clear liquid they ooze when you squeeze them. You can use antibacterial cleansers to thoroughly clean the face and any cream with salicylic acid to help dry out the area.

3. Dead Skin Cells

While it’s disgusting to think that you shed skin as some animals do, your skin is constantly getting rid of old cells to make way for new growth. In fact, you lose between 30,000 and 40,000 skin cells each hour, which is over a million each day, according to an article in the Boston Globe. It’s not uncommon for these dead cells to become trapped within the pores, especially if you have larger holes.

Once the skin piles into these tiny craters, the oils trap them, where they become inflamed and fester. Therefore, it’s so important to keep your pores cleaned out if you have larger ones, and you can use natural remedies to shrink these cavities as well.

It’s essential to exfoliate your skin using a face scrub at least twice a week. When using any makeup, make sure that it doesn’t have excessive oils, which can worsen blemishes. Also, a light moisturizer can help your skin during the replenishing process so that the dead cells are washed away and your face is hydrated for new growth.

4. Yeast Infections

When you think of yeast infections, you probably think of them developing in the private areas of the body. However, yeast can cause problems anywhere on your skin, and it can become infected too. Food sensitivities can trigger yeast overproduction, especially when you have allergies to yeast.

Once the yeast begins to grow, the fungus will surround the hair follicles and cause an infection. How can you tell if your zits are caused by yeast or another issue? Well, blemishes caused by yeast infections will appear anywhere on your body, as well as your face.

Additionally, it’s usually accompanied by an itchy rash. You can prevent this type of acne by avoiding things prone to cause yeast, like bread and baked goodies. It’s beneficial to avoid wearing any clothing with synthetic fibers, so you should stick with cotton.

Also, if you have issues with excessive sweating, then it can increase yeast production. According to The National Institute of Health, hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes the body to sweat abnormally, and it’s not associated with exercise or being in hot temperatures. There are ways to get this disorder under control, and it can be the key to ridding yeast variations of acne.

5. Excess Production of Sebum

You may have excessive sebum on your skin. However, you probably don’t know about sebum unless you have medical knowledge. Underneath your skin, you have tiny secretors called sebaceous glands.

The main job of these glands is to provide lubrication for both your skin and your hair follicles. In some instances, these glands become overactive and create more sebum than necessary. This excessive amount of sebum can clog the skin’s pores, and it will cause blemishes.

To prevent getting pimples from a buildup of sebum, you should wash your face between 2-3 times each day. Another way to counterbalance the oils is by drinking more water. While you may feel you need heavy moisturizing cream for your face, you should stick with something on the lighter side.

Heavy lotions can cause damage to the pores, which makes them more susceptible to an inflammatory condition.

Final Thoughts on Issues That Cause Pimples

Has this article helped you uncover the reasons behind your breakouts? Since each person is different, you might need to see a dermatologist if your acne is out of control. Few people understand that much of their lifestyle contributes to the embarrassing pimples on their face, neck, and back.

Sadly, pimples can occur on anyone at any age, and they can cause you to lose your self-confidence too. The good news is that this is a highly treatable condition, and much of it can be done by making a few alterations in your eating habits. Once you identify the root cause of your breakouts, you can take proactive measures to fix it.

Science Explains How Children Benefit From Mindfulness Training

May 12, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Mindfulness training is mastering the ability to be present in the current moment. It means being aware of yourself, observing and not stopping your emotions and thoughts, and fully experiencing the world around you.

It sounds simple, but for many, it’s a skill that’s tough to learn. The world is ripe with all sorts of distractions, and human minds often fill up with concerns, worries, and negativity. There’s a lot to think about all at once. So positive thinking – or even neutral thinking – feels hard to come by.

But children don’t usually have these many, many concerns about responsibilities. While they experience negative emotions, they aren’t as weighed down by everything yet and may not even fully understand a lot of their parents’ concerns. So, can children benefit from mindfulness training? Science says so!

1. The Benefits of Mindfulness On Bullied Children

Bullying is a serious problem faced by many children around the world. Unfortunately, it’s a form of behavior that hasn’t lessened over the years and is often not taken seriously by education institutions. While mindfulness cannot prevent someone from becoming a victim of these cruel and unkind acts, it can help children to better cope with the strain.

A study titled “Bullying victimization and depression in Chinese children: A moderated mediation model of resilience and mindfulness,” published in Volume 104 of the Personality and Individual Differences journal in January 2017, found that mindfulness benefitted bullied kids.

This study made use of 448 participants, all Chinese students between grades 3 and 6, and had them complete a mix of symptom-determination questionnaires:

Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children
Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure
Child and Youth Resilience Measure
Revised Bully/Victim Questionnaire

Here are some key discoveries:

Being a victim of bullying leads to a significant decrease in positive thinking among children, leading to a correlation with childhood depression.
To some degree, bullied children can mitigate depression with mental resilience. Resilience refers to an ability for a person to resist or be resilient to mental strain and stress.
Mindfulness might improve children’s resilience, providing them with a balanced and strong mediating effect to protect them against depressive risk during bullying victimization.
Mindfulness, then, can moderate and reduce the risk of childhood depression in kids who are bullied.
Early intervention in reducing the negative bullying victimization effects in children is crucial in boosting mindfulness and overall resilience.

2. The Benefits of Mindfulness For Attention In Children

Children often have difficulty focusing, and many have short attention spans. This is especially true in environments with a lot of sensory input and easy distractions – even more so if these kids are dealing with emotional problems on top of that!

A study titled “Mindfulness-Oriented Meditation for Primary School Children: Effects on Attention and Psychological Well-Being,” published in Volume 7 of the Frontiers in a Psychology journal in 2016, suggests that mindfulness and mindfulness meditation may be capable of providing positive effects on attention problems in children. The paper involved a small experiment.

Researchers chose a total of 31 children for mindfulness meditation training. They were all healthy, aged between seven and eight years old, and studying in Italy’s primary school. One group held 16 participants. The other held 15. The control condition chosen was concentrated for the group with 15 students. The change was simple: their training would focus on awareness of emotion.

For eight weeks, the same instructors would deliver a series of education lessons to both groups separately as a part of a program, thrice weekly. The main teacher of the aforementioned two classes then filled out pre-post evaluations of the children’s skills in the regulation of:

Attention
Emotion
Behavior
Social interaction

The teacher’s reports of her students’ progress indicated that mindfulness meditation training reduced internalizing problems while also aiding in stronger attention spans.

3. The Benefits of Mindfulness For Children With ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a disorder doctor most often diagnosed in children and youth. ADHD involves an ongoing set of symptoms or patterns relating to inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity to the point of interference with development and daily function.

There is a wide spectrum of symptoms that a child can have if they are diagnosed with ADHD. It can affect people of all ages but is easier to diagnose in kids. In our modern era, people are becoming more and more aware of the disorder’s existence, allowing it to be diagnosed more easily in children whose cases may have previously been ignored.

Children with ADHD often struggle in many areas of life as many standard development and education methods are less accessible. Treatment varies depending on the child’s needs, but mindfulness may help.

A study titled “Mindfulness-based intervention for Chinese children with ADHD and their parents: A pilot mixed-method study,” published in Volume 8 of the Mindfulness journal in August 2017, functioned as a pre-post intervention experiment that sought to find out if mindfulness intervention would be beneficial to children with ADHD. Indeed, the results were positive.

A selection of Chinese children aged between eight and 12 years old and diagnosed with ADHD participated in a mindfulness-based intervention training program. Specifically, they engaged in a MYmind course lasting 9 weeks with one of their parents. Scientists measured quantitative results with testing correction and objective attention tests, namely the following: Test of Everyday Attention for Children.

Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI)
Conners’ Continuous Performance Test 3rd Edition
Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF).

Parents also took tests and questionnaires, namely:

Parenting Scale
Parenting Stress Index
Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting

The results were as follows:

All participants had positive opinions of their experiences with satisfaction scores of 7.3 out of 10 from children and 8.0 out of 10 from adults.
Children had reduced symptoms of ADHD and better managed the most disruptive daily experiences.
Children exhibited fewer attention problems, especially in map mission, time per target, omissions, and attention score segments.
Parental stress and personal mindfulness showed improved scores.
The feasibility of the MYmind course also proved to be workable for implementation as treatment.

4. The Benefits of Mindfulness Training For Self-Awareness and Self-Regulatory Behavior In Children

Young children can often be very unaware of themselves. They behave in whatever way their impulses urge them to, even if they aren’t the best ways to act. They also often fail to draw connections between their emotions and how they react to them. So self-awareness and regulating thoughts and feelings is an important skill for kids.

A study titled “Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum,” published in Volume 51 of the Developmental Psychology journal in January 2015, sought to determine if self-regulation in children improved with mindfulness. Results were, again, positive; here is how they achieved it.

68 children in preschool were recruited for a 12-week program known as the Kindness Curriculum, or KC, which is a mindfulness-based program. These children would be in a public school setting to participate in this program.

The scientists separated children into two random groups. One group took part in the Kindness Curriculum intervention training. The second group received other forms of training—the program trained children in self-regulation, executive function, and pro-social behavior.

Results and effects were recorded based on:

Teacher Social Competence Scale measurements
Dimensional change card sort tasks
Tasks involving flanker, delay of gratification, and sharing elements

Researchers observed the following results:

Children who took part in the mindfulness-based program had better social-emotional development, health, and learning.
Children who took part in the mindfulness-based program improved their report card grades, executive functioning, and overall social competence.
The children in the other program began to behave more selfishly as time went on, with greater development and improvement delays.
Delayed gratification and cognitive flexibility showed the most differences; mindfulness may promote self-awareness and self-regulation in children.

5. The Benefits of Mindfulness For Social Skills and Interaction In Children

Children need to learn social skills to begin forming good relationships with their peers. It’s how they’ll make friends, learn to interact in the world, and more. Mindfulness may help to facilitate this sort of development.

A study titled “Mindfulness Training and Classroom Behavior Among Lower-Income and Ethnic Minority Elementary School Children,” published in Volume 23 of the Journal of Child and Family Studies in October 2014, sought to determine if intervention trials of a mindfulness curriculum could improve classroom interpersonal behaviors and decorum. This research was found to bear fruit with positive results, though further research is necessary. Here is the relevant information regarding the study.

409 children, a majority from an ethnic minority, participated in the study. They were between kindergarten and sixth grade in their education level and were from a public elementary school in Richmond, California. These participants then enrolled in a mindfulness-based curriculum for five weeks.

Researchers evaluated the children before the program, immediately after the program, and finally seven weeks after the program ended. These evaluations were done via teacher ratings focused on students’ behavior in class and were also intended to discover if additional sessions in this curriculum with boost effects further.

Findings showed that teachers could report better behavior from their students as far as the final evaluation seven weeks after the program. Additionally, they interacted with each other in more positive ways.

This behavioral improvement manifests as the following:

Higher respect for others
Improved self-control
Better attention span
Increased participation in classroom activities
Higher levels of care for others

Final Thoughts On How Children Can Benefit From Mindfulness Training According To Science

There are many effects of mindfulness that seem to apply to people of all ages. But usually, adults focus on it. Why concentrate on older folks only when kids are just as capable? Children who learn mindfulness will perform better at school, form more positive relationships, and better regulate their behavior and emotions. In fact, it’s a valuable skill, and it’s never too young to start!

5 Ways To Be Less Picky and More Content in Life

May 12, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Pickiness is a trait that denotes choosiness and difficulty in making decisions or accepting certain situations and circumstances. In moderation, it can be beneficial, ensuring that you have healthy standards and don’t turn into a total doormat. But it can also cause you to become less content with your life.

In excess, though, pickiness can be non-beneficial, reducing your positive thinking and happiness by making you quickly dissatisfied and disappointed. If you’re a picky person, you probably already know the struggles that come with this behavior! So, how can you overcome it? Here are five ways to be less picky and four ways to be content in life.

Five Ways To Be Less Picky and Become More Content

Try these tips to overcome your pickiness.

1. Learn Gratitude

It can sound harsh to be told that being grateful is a cure to pickiness, and it’s certainly not something that works instantly. But counting your blessings and utilizing positive thinking have been proven to help change the way you view your options and the world around you.

It’s easy to be picky when you’re never satisfied with what you have. You covet other people’s experiences, belongings, and successes. You obsess over the things that you wish you had. At the end of the day, you can be so blinded by the items you want that you forget to even look at what you do already have! Building gratitude can be tricky. Here are some tips for doing so:

Write at least three things you’re grateful for every day.
Make an effort to appreciate and thank the people around you.
Take note of tiny things and be appreciative of them, even if they seem inconsequential.
Point out silver linings in all the dark clouds you see.

2. Simplify Your Life

It’s somewhat of a paradox that the more options you have, the pickier you may become. As it turns out, having many different things can make you much more selective in life. It’s good to have standards, but it’s not good to get so caught up in the complexities of life that you can’t make quick, simple choices.

You don’t have to go full minimalist, but there are many aspects of a simpler, cleaner, a less possession-oriented lifestyle that can benefit you. If your pickiness tends to stem from material objects, trying out minimalist concepts may help you tame those tendencies.

Think about all the things you have. Do you need it all? How many go unused most of the time? What can you give away or clear out? What items do you need to buy less because you don’t even use them much, to begin with?

3. Understand Negativity Bias

A negativity bias is a concept that feeds into pickiness. It refers to the tendency to pay more attention to and be more affected by negative things than positive ones. This means that, even if you’re surrounded by positivity, you may pay more attention to the tiny negative details, making you very picky about the things and people in your life.

Focusing on the negative is a natural part of the human experience, so don’t feel bad if you’re strongly swayed by negativity bias! Instead, focus on learning to pick out positive features of the world around you. When good things occur, try to remember them by taking pictures, telling others, or writing them down. You’ll gradually learn to pay more attention to good things, and your pickiness will die down as you see that things you wouldn’t have chosen before seem much more appealing now.

4. Stop Demanding Only The Best

Perfectionism is a trait that only sets unrealistic expectations. You cannot be perfect, and neither can your plans or the circumstances surrounding you. Having high standards for yourself and others isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you need to understand that demanding the best all the time is just a recipe for failure and disappointment.

When you demand only the best when you’re picky, what you’re doing is insisting on something that can’t happen. You can’t always get what you want, and obsessing over those things you can’t have isn’t productive. Instead of demanding the very best, seek things that are good for you now. You can improve and “upgrade” with time!

5. Take Responsibility For Your Life

There are many things outside of your control, and it’s true that many issues in the world that affect you aren’t necessarily ones you can fight. However, the fact remains that only you hold power over yourself. What you do with your life is your responsibility.

Pickiness often stems from the desire to blame other circumstances and situations for why you’re not achieving a certain goal. Instead of leaning into these thoughts, think about what you can do to get closer to your aspirations. They’re not going to fall into your lap; you have to work for them! Ask yourself:

What things can I change about my current situation?
Can I take action on or responsibility for current events in my life?
How am I behaving unnecessarily like a victim of these circumstances?
What can I do about this?
What can I learn from this?

Four Ways To Be Content In Life

These behaviors can boost your happiness.

1. Live In The Here And Now

If you want to be content, you must focus wholeheartedly on the present. This is because:

Focusing on the past forces you to revisit old issues and problems, tying you down to past troubles instead of taking their lessons and moving forward.
Ruminating over the past keeps you grounded in things that are no longer true, causing the idealization of things long past that hold you back from creating happier moments now.
Focusing on the future can mean worrying a lot about things that you have no control over, as you can’t predict the future at all.
Focusing on the future can mean getting ahead of yourself and failing to do the necessary work now to get to that visualized positive future.

This is not to say that you should never think of the past or the future. It’s always good to be prepared for what comes ahead and to have reasonable goals for life ahead of you. It’s also good to remember your history and the lessons you learned from it.

But don’t spend all your time ruminating on these timelines that aren’t relevant to where you are currently. You were a different person back then and will be a different person shortly, so why not focus on the version of you that exists now?

2. Focus On Your Strengths

A lot of people aren’t content in life because they feel that they’re not sufficiently capable. The world has loads of expectations, and many of them start to sink their hooks into you as you are raised among such unfair goals. These things can make you feel bad about yourself, making you think you’re not capable.

To fight this, you need to start focusing on your strengths. Pick out your talents and skills and use them in work, hobbies, and your general life. Taking note of your strengths will allow you to apply them to many different situations, giving you the upper hand and proving your abilities to yourself.

Of course, you should still work on other skills that you’re not particularly good at, and every time you learn something new, you won’t be competent at first. Focusing on your strengths doesn’t mean neglecting other parts of your growth; it just means playing into your best abilities to remind yourself of what you can do.

3. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

Comparing yourself to other people is a surefire way to hold yourself back from becoming content in life. This is because:

There will always be better off than you, and there will always be people who are worse off than you; it is pointless to try to pinpoint and compare them all.
Everyone’s journey is different, and it is unfair to ever compare yourself to other people; that unfairness applies to both you and the other people involved.
The things that work for other people may not work for you, and vice versa.
You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors; people have a tendency only to showcase the best parts of themselves, and reality is always different than appearances.
You have no power over other people, only over yourself, so why focus on others?
Copying other people to be comparable to them will only result in you being a second-rate version of the object of your imitation; strive to be a first-rate version of yourself instead.
At the end of the day, you are the only person you truly will always be with – no one else’s opinions or situations matter when it comes to your personal life.

The bottom line is that comparisons are unproductive and don’t add any value to your life. If you want to be content, you must find intrinsic motivation to improve yourself for you, not to meet everyone else’s standards.

4. Find Emotional Balance

You can’t be content all the time, and if you’re learning to overcome pickiness, it’s likely not going to come quickly to you at first. It’s okay to put a smile on and pretend to be content at first as you work out the bumps. The act of “pretending” in this manner can genuinely help your progress, as the brain tends to have trouble differentiating your false actions from real ones.

At the same time as you have to fake it till you make it, you may also have to stop and allow yourself to feel your negative emotions. Positive thinking can’t be constant, and repressing your feelings will make them worse. Allow yourself to experience the full sweep of your emotions and be an observer to them. You can learn a lot about yourself and manage your feelings by reflecting on what you feel!

Final Thoughts On Finding a Few Ways To Be Less Picky So You’ll Become More Content In Life

Pickiness isn’t always a bad thing, but all traits in excess are harmful, and this one is no exception. Learning to manage your pickiness can help you to feel more happy and content in life, with the world around you, and in yourself.

10 Hidden Things That Stop People from Being Happy

May 12, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

The way you live your life is a direct correlation to the happiness you experience. Choices that you make each day impact the way you feel in life, including being happy. Many of these choices are ones that you might not realize are stopping you from being happy, either.

Once you know these things that stop people from being happy, you can address them in your life. Everyone wants to be happy, but you must recognize how you sabotage your happiness and make the necessary changes.

You are the only person that can decide on your mindset, so it is up to you to make the changes. No one else can make you happy, either, so looking for someone to do that won’t work. People can indeed influence your mood, but in the end, it is entirely up to you.

Ten Hidden Things That Stop People from Being Happy

It is never too late to focus on being happy and making the changes that it requires. The things that stop you from being happy are only holding you back in your life. All of the changes will be beneficial in many ways, and you will find happiness once again.

1. Blaming Your Problems on Others

When you constantly blame other people or factors for your problems, it will prevent you from being happy. Placing blame will make you feel powerless to change. Plus, you will always be waiting for someone or something else to make things better for you.

You might blame your parents for the issues in your life. Parents often get blamed because adults feel that their parents didn’t teach them enough in childhood. Or, they might believe that their parents didn’t do enough to help them.

When you stop blaming your problems, you will begin to see that you can create the life you want. You are responsible for everything that happens in your life, and you are the only one that can make a change. Placing blame, however, makes it so you can’t change your situation, even if it brings temporary relief.

2. Not Prioritizing Your Health

It would be best if you took care of yourself, which involves taking care of your health. Your health should be a priority because if you aren’t healthy, you can’t be happy. If you want to live your life to the fullest, move your health to the top of your priority list.

3. Worrying About Your Future or Ruminating on the Past

When you don’t live life in the present, it can seriously interfere with your happiness. While you should make plans for a positive future, you shouldn’t constantly worry and stress about it. When your thoughts of the future interfere with the present, you will experience dissatisfaction with life.

Over-worrying about the future manifests itself in a handful of ways, including:

being a workaholic
neglecting your friends and family
refusing to take time for self-care
putting your happiness on hold

Additionally, dwelling on the past can interfere with your happiness, too. You might focus on experiences that didn’t go well and obsess over what you could have done differently. Doing this brings about feelings of shame, regret, and anger.

When you focus on the past, it can stop you from moving forward positively. It hinders opportunities that would have been available to you if you were focusing on the present. While you should learn from the past, you should never allow it to haunt you in the present.

4. Comparing Yourself to Others

Frequently comparing yourself to others will leave you feeling miserable. There will always be someone that seems to be ahead of you in life, but you can’t fixate on that. Everyone progresses at different levels and does things differently.

Remember that the things you see about other people’s lives are only what you want them to see. There might be many things going on behind the scenes of their life that they hide from everyone. Comparing yourself to others will make you feel unworthy or less valuable, which isn’t true.

Instead of comparing yourself to other people, try to compare yourself to the past version of you. If you have made progress from where you once were, then you are on the right path.

5. Self-Limiting Beliefs and Not Trying to Better Yourself

Every person has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses, yourself included. Self-limiting beliefs cause you to fixate on your weaknesses rather than using your strengths to your benefit. If you aren’t sure what you are good at, do some self-reflecting to figure it out.

Your strengths are the things that you are naturally good at or love to do. When you focus on your strengths, you will be happier, and your self-limiting beliefs will diminish. Focusing on your strengths isn’t to say that you should ignore your weaknesses, however, because you should work on managing them.

Once you have recognized your weaknesses, work on bettering yourself in those areas. As you learn, grow, and develop, you can improve the person that you are.

Tell yourself that you can improve the areas of your life that you struggle with. If you convince yourself that you can do it, then it will be easier for you to improve. Then, look for ways to practice your weaknesses, and you will notice a drastic improvement in your happiness.

6. Putting Other People Before Yourself

The people you surround yourself with and the way you treat them have an impact on your well-being. If you surround yourself with people that you must put before yourself, you will be unhappy. You should be able to put yourself first and not sacrifice your happiness and well-being.

Putting yourself first doesn’t mean that you are selfish, despite what society tells you. Instead, it means that you care enough about yourself and those important to you to take care of your needs and desires, too.

7. A Lack of Self-Control

If you struggle with self-control, it could be interfering with your happiness. One example of this is spending more money than you can afford or more money than you’re saving. If you lack the self-control to make good life choices, you might not realize that you are making yourself unhappy.

Money isn’t the only thing you should exhibit self-control about. You must have self-control towards all indulgences in life and think long-term about how things will affect your well-being.

8. Focusing on the Negative

When you consistently have negative thoughts, you won’t find happiness. Likewise, if you always discuss negative topics or focus on the negative aspects of situations, you will experience unhappiness.

Even though upsetting situations will occur, you shouldn’t get in the mindset of thinking nothing will change. You can’t obsess over things that didn’t work out, so you must focus on the positives as you move forward.

If you begin to think negatively when something undesirable happens in your life, change your thought process. Look for the good in all situations, instead, no matter how small it might be. Making it a habit to look for the positives in your life will help you become a more positive person.

9. Spending Time Doing Things That Don’t Benefit You

Wasting time on things that won’t benefit you is a big problem when it comes to happiness. Spending time relaxing or doing things that make you happy does benefit you, so those don’t count here. Instead, this is in regards to anything that doesn’t bring value to your life.

One example of this is scrolling on social media. People tend to lose track of time while they engage in what everyone else is doing. This mindless scrolling doesn’t add value to your life but takes away valuable time.

10. Thinking That Your Responsibilities Will Work Themselves Out

You can’t sit back and expect life to work out the way you want it to. If you do that, you won’t get anywhere, and you will feel stuck in an unhappy situation. To live a happy and meaningful life, you must take charge and handle your responsibilities.

By taking care of the things that you are responsible for, you can move forward positively. You won’t be overwhelmed by what you haven’t done, and it won’t cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Your responsibilities won’t work themselves out, and chances are, no one else will do it for you. You must work hard and put in the effort if you want to be happy.

Final Thoughts on Hidden Things That Stop People from Being Happy (Without Realizing It)

If you can’t seem to find happiness in your life, it could be due to some of the things discussed here. Many things in your life could stop you from being happy, and you likely don’t even realize it.

Once you have identified the problem areas in your life, you can make the necessary changes. These changes will help you find happiness and move through life positively. Don’t stand in your way of being happy because you deserve to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

How to Reparent Yourself If Your Parents Were Absent as A Child

May 12, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

If you grew up with an absent parent, you likely already know it causes issues for you as an adult. Without parents to guide you and help you develop, you might have missed out on many essential life skills. Luckily, you can reparent yourself and develop the skills that will help you through life.

Reparenting is when you teach yourself the things you didn’t learn from your parents. Some parents don’t realize that their children need more than just food, clothes, and shelter. When they don’t know or care, then they fail to teach their child social-emotional skills.

Parents should teach their children to set limits for themselves, regulate their emotions, self-soothe, and treat themselves with kindness and respect. They should also set examples of unconditional love, healthy relationships, and how to overcome issues. If your parents didn’t teach you these things, then you will likely struggle with them well into your adult years.

If you are in this position, you can begin to reparent yourself and develop the necessary skills. Learning these skills will help you in your personal and professional life.

Fourteen Signs You Might Need to Reparent Yourself

Before you can learn to reparent yourself, you must know which skills might have been missed in your childhood. Knowing the areas that you should focus on can help you get on the right track to develop these skills.

Figure out what you need and what you didn’t learn as a child. Think about which emotional needs weren’t met by your parents. Some of the areas you might want to focus on include:

1 – Communication Skills

Adults should know how to express themselves. If you can’t do that, then this is a skill you should focus on teaching yourself.

You will notice a lack of communication skills if you aren’t able to resolve conflicts directly. One sign of this problem is the use of passive-aggressive behavior.

Communication skills are essential for both professional and personal life. Without it, you might be stuck in the same position at your job, or your relationships could suffer. Communication is key when it comes to moving forward and bettering your life.

2 – Self-Care Skills

Parents are supposed to teach their children to recognize their needs and fulfill them. Absent parents don’t always do this, though, leaving you lacking in that area. You deserve to take care of yourself and find comfort in life because your needs matter, too.

3 – Being Aware of Your Feelings and Accepting Them

You must be aware of your feelings if you want to understand and accept them. Otherwise, you will constantly feel like you don’t know what is going on with you.

4 – Emotional Regulation

Not only should you be aware of your feelings, but you also must know how to manage them. Absent parents often miss teaching their children to calm and comfort themselves in a positive way. They likely didn’t teach you to respond positively instead of over or under-reacting in an emotional situation, either.

With emotional regulation, you can handle unpleasant emotions with positive coping skills. You will know when and how to respond to certain situations and keep your emotions under control. Without emotional regulation, though, you can become caught in a cycle of negativity.

5 – Self-Validation

Your feelings and decisions are valid, and you can confidently reassure yourself of that with self-validation. Knowing that you and your feelings matter and that you have done everything you can is enough. Unfortunately, if you had absent parents, you might struggle with this skill.

6 – Developing and Enforcing Boundaries

Respect and trust in relationships are essential. You must speak up and make your expectation and boundaries clear. Then, enforce those boundaries by surrounding yourself with people that respect you.

7 – Maintaining Healthy Relationships

Another skill that you might have missed if you had absent parents is how to maintain healthy relationships. You must also know how to recognize unhealthy relationships and end them right away.

8 – Self-Discipline

Knowing when to cut back on unhealthy activities is something every child should learn. If your parents were absent, you might have missed learning about creating healthy habits that benefit your life. The habits could be as simple as going to bed on time or limiting the amount of junk food you consume.

9 – Self-Compassion

Treating yourself kindly is something that is usually learned during childhood. Instead of beating yourself up when you’ve made a mistake, you should allow yourself room to learn and grow.

10 – Accountability

If you take responsibility for your actions and apologize when necessary, you have likely already learned this skill. Otherwise, you may have missed it, but you can reparent yourself to learn accountability. Another sign that you need to develop this skill is if you struggle to follow through on commitments.

11 – Resiliency

Learning to overcome obstacles is something most people learn as a child. Believing in yourself and having faith in your abilities is also a part of being resilient.

12 – Accepting That You Won’t Always Get Your Way

Most children learn that they don’t always get what they want, and they learn to accept it. If this is something you struggle with as an adult, you likely need to reparent yourself. It would be best if you were mature as you handle upsetting situations and avoid throwing a fit.

13 – Love and Respect

Parents should teach their children to love and respect themselves, but absent parents often don’t do this. With self-respect, you can set boundaries and speak up for yourself.

Likewise, parents should teach their children to love and respect others, too. You should know to accept differing opinions and beliefs and avoid forcing your beliefs on others.

14 – Self-Confidence

Children should learn self-confidence, but if you didn’t, you could still teach yourself. With confidence, you can take steps to reach your goals rather than being afraid to get started. You will know that failure is only a learning opportunity and that you can try again.

Ten Ways to Reparent Yourself

Now that you know what to work on, are you ready to do this important work?

1 – Spend Time Learning

The most important step in reparenting yourself is to learn all that you can. Determine which areas you need to work on, and then start researching those topics. You can find self-help articles, books, and podcasts on any of the skills you might need.

2 – Find People You Can Look Up To

Observing others is one of the best ways you can learn and develop your skills. Choose people that are good at these things so that you can have a positive example. They should foster healthy relationships and manage their emotions well.

Choosing the right person can make your reparenting journey so much easier. If you can, go a step further than observation and ask them for tips.

3 – Go to Therapy

Therapists have formal education and training for dealing with these issues. They are experts at social-emotional skills, and they can help you determine your problem areas. The best part about therapy is that it offers a safe, comfortable space to try out your new skills.

4 – Practice

You can’t expect to develop these skills overnight. Instead, make it a goal to practice your targeted skills each day. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away because everything takes time.

5 – Avoid Perfectionist Behavior

You will get discouraged if you expect to master these skills perfectly. Even the people that are great at these skills struggle sometimes. Give yourself grace and compassion, even on your bad days.

6 – Write in a Journal

As you learn to reparent yourself, keep a journal of your journey. Write about the things you have learned and spend time self-reflecting, as well. When you write your thoughts out, it is easier to understand them and grow.

7 – Pay Attention to Your Thoughts

Part of reparenting yourself includes keeping your thoughts in check. If you notice that your self-talk is turning negative, refocus your thoughts on positivity. Focusing on your thoughts and shifting them when necessary can help you make better decisions and practice better self-love.

8 – Practice Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is essential when you are working to develop these skills. Take care of your physical and mental health, and focus on being kind to yourself all of the time. Set aside time for self-care each day, even when you feel like you don’t have time.

9 – Use Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations can help with anything you are going through in life. Use them each morning to start the day on the right path and to keep your mindset where it needs to be.

10 – Let Go of Your Shame

When you are a child, you can’t control the way your life is. Many adults blame themselves for the things that happened during their childhood and feel shame looking back on situations they couldn’t do anything about. If you experience those feelings, let go of them because you carry a burden that isn’t yours.

Final Thoughts on How to Reparent Yourself If Your Parents Were Absent as A Child

Now that you know the things you must teach yourself, you can focus on learning these skills. As you reparent yourself, try a few different methods so you can have the most beneficial experience.

By reparenting yourself, you are improving your life in many ways. Your mental health will improve, and your personal and professional relationships will strengthen. Give yourself everything you deserve in life by teaching yourself these essential life skills.

A Broken Heart is a Real Illness, According to Research

May 12, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Have you ever gotten your heart broken? The earth-shattering, world-upending experience is a significant roller coaster of emotions, memories, and a lot of complex thoughts. You may become drained, feel unmotivated, or feel stuck or trapped in the awfulness of your feelings.

With how severe a broken heart can feel, one wonders if it’s a more severe problem – specifically, one that requires medical attention. Is a broken heart an actual illness, and how can you move on? Let’s talk about that and three ways to help you heal.

Is A Broken Heart A Real Illness?

We rounded up the research proving that heartbreak can sometimes be an actual ailment.

1. Why Does A Broken Heart Hurt?

If you’ve ever had your heartbroken, you know that it can manifest with physical pain in your chest, even when your heart’s health is otherwise fine. The language around the concept of a broken heart often involves physical terms, too, such as how it feels “gut-wrenching,” like your heart’s been “torn out,” or like you’ve been “slapped in the face.”

This kind of language indicates how human beings experience physical pain when it comes to a broken heart. This happens because of hormones. When you experience positive feelings, powerful ones like love, your brain releases many different neurotransmitters that make you feel good, like oxytocin and dopamine. It’s what makes you feel attached to someone and want to be around them.

When your heart is broken, these hormones suddenly and dramatically plummet, replaced with cortisol. A potent stress hormone is released when you enter fight-or-flight mode. This can cause many different physical responses, including anxiety, panic attacks with chest pains, acne, and even physical experiences of pain.

2. Can A Broken Heart Become a Medical Illness?

Getting your heart broken can contribute to mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and other similar disorders. But can a broken heart itself be a medical illness? In most cases, it’s a simple temporary case of pain, discomfort, and low mood. But in some situations, it can escalate into a recognized medical problem.

“Broken heart syndrome” is the common phrase used to refer to this phenomenon, but the medical terms are Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, stress cardiomyopathy, or simply Takotsubo syndrome. This is a form of cardiomyopathy when the heart muscles weaken in a non-ischemic and quick manner. It typically occurs after a significant emotional stressor, through physical means, can also induce it.

A rather complex disorder, there aren’t definite causes for it, though most research leans towards the suggestion that the dramatic release of stress hormones can “surprise” the heart and “stun” it. This can cause the cells and blood vessels of the heart to change, weakening the left ventricle and preventing it from efficiently pumping oxygenated blood for the body’s use. Although 28.5% of individuals who experience broken heart syndrome don’t come with clear triggers, the most common causes are:

Tragedies such as natural disasters or accidents
Intense, violent, or emotionally tense arguments and disagreements
Unexpected deaths of loved ones
Severe financial losses
Unexpected medical diagnoses, especially of a severe, chronic, or terminal illness
Exerting a lot of physical effort in excess
Surviving or handling domestic abuse
Conflicts among family, relationships, and even at work
Facing significant fears or phobias
Physical ailments, such as head trauma, surgery, or severe onset of diseases
The presence of mental health disorders, which increases risk according to studies
Positive stressful events, like a pleasant surprise

3. Symptoms Of A Broken Heart As A Medical Illness

Many physical symptoms of a broken heart don’t constitute medical illnesses. They can result from panic, hormonal changes, and other similar forms of distress and usually go away with time.

If you do develop broken heart syndrome, be aware of symptoms that crop up a few minutes to a few hours after stress exposure, such as:

Irregular or uneven heartbeat
Chest palpitations
Chest pain
Breathing or respiratory difficulty
Fainting and loss of consciousness

These symptoms cover a wide range of heart-related problems, so their presence should be treated as a possible medical emergency, even if you believe it is only Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. On that note, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that heart attacks and broken heart syndrome aren’t the same things. It is not a heart attack if:

EKG tests don’t produce any results similar to those of heart attacks
There are no blockages of the arteries in the heart
Blood tests don’t produce any signs of heart damage
There are no odd movements, swelling, or changes of the left ventricle of the heart
Recovery time occurs very quickly, often within the span of a few days or a few weeks

4. Can You Die From A Broken Heart?

Naturally, the most common concern of broken heart syndrome is whether or not it is fatal. The good news is that most individuals who experience it will recover, even if the initial onset seems very grave. Most of them will not continue to experience any complications as a result of the syndrome. In other words, the prognosis is highly positive. This outcome includes when:

The systolic function of the ventricles is significantly compromised in the beginning; most cases of this kind begin to get better in a few days and then resolve within a few months.
In-patient care is necessary for the acute initial stages; most individuals improve even in awful conditions.
Recurrence of broken heart syndrome happens due to similar exposure to an additional trigger; this is rare to begin with, and can be treated when it occurs.

However, all illnesses carry some form of risk, so it is a good idea to be realistic and reasonable. Adverse outcomes may occur when:

Arrhythmia, or irregular rhythm of the heart, escalates to lethal levels or causes heart failure.
Cardiogenic shock occurs as a result of the syndrome.
The heart walls rupture as a result.
The heart becomes significantly weakened following the onset of the syndrome.
No treatment is provided to the symptoms when they occur.

3 Ways To Heal From A Broken Heart

Here is how to start recovering from heartbreak.

1. Take Care Of Yourself

If your heart has been broken, you may become overly focused on the cause of the pain and be unable to think of yourself or manage your life well. It is outstanding to need a few days to recover from the initial pain, but don’t forget that healing requires self-care in the following ways:

Eating a relatively healthy diet and steering clear of junk foods that trigger inflammation, promote depression, and make you feel worse.
Getting enough sleep, so you are sufficiently rested and recharged every day to heal and recover.
Requesting help and support when needed instead of withdrawing and overloading yourself by trying to get into it.
Understanding feelings of guilt, shame, or self-loathing that have cropped up from the incident and being gentle with yourself instead of leaning into them.
Paying attention to your needs and trying to meet them or acknowledge them in positive ways, even if that requires re-evaluating them in the process.
Stopping the act of rebounds into impulsive arrangements and situations to distract yourself, as this action will only worsen the effects and make you feel more negative, as studies

2. Allow Yourself To Feel

The healing process involves… well… processing! This sounds a little convoluted, but it simply means that you need to process your emotions to recover from them entirely. This means that, no matter how much pain you’re in with your broken heart, you have to allow yourself to feel the full spectrum of that hurt.

It is natural to avoid or try to escape the negative emotions you experience, insisting on positive thinking. Many people make the mistake of trying to push their feelings away and ignore them, burying them in the recesses of their minds. Those emotions fester and grow deep down, and they begin to shift and change into different, complex feelings that attempt to cover up the initial root.

Don’t let this happen to you. While it is okay to find ways to distract yourself sometimes, the healing process means you have to sit with your feelings intentionally. It will hurt tremendously, but in the long run, it will also heal. Let yourself cry, rage, and express your feelings through art by ranting to a willing listener or pondering them.

3. Remember To Validate Yourself

Your emotions are real and valid, and they deserve to be believed, comforted and understood. As you recover from your broken heart, there will be moments when you question yourself or even feel guilty about your healing process. This can be detrimental to your overall recovery as it makes you ashamed of your process.

Remember, then, to validate yourself and how you feel with positive thinking. Here are some things to keep in mind:

· There’s No Time Limit For Healing

Some broken hearts are easy to mend, and others take a long time. While you should always be working towards recovery, remember that it’s okay if it takes you a long time to finish the process, and remember that it’s natural to be affected by something that profoundly hurts you, even a while after the fact.

· It’s Not A Contest

Some people bounce back quickly, and you may think you’re taking too long as a result. Some people may grieve openly and powerfully, and you may feel guilty that you’re not able to express your feelings fully. There are so many different people in the world who will handle a broken heart differently from you, with different coping mechanisms and varying degrees of openness. It is not a competition. Focus on yourself and what works for you.

· Be Kind To Yourself

You are going through a difficult period, and you deserve your kindness. Too often, people are harsher on themselves than they will ever be with others. Treat yourself as you would treat a loved one or close friend, and remember that it’s okay to feel how you feel.

Final Thoughts On Some Ways To Heal From A Broken Heart

It’s not easy to recover from a broken heart. There is no shame in needing support or help from others, whether professionally or socially. Whether you have broken heart syndrome (which requires medical attention) or simply an aching broken heart, it is okay not to be okay, and it is okay to take your time to heal and feel better.

15 Things That Bring Fun and Adventure Back Into Your Life

May 12, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

It is easy to get stuck in a rut and lose your sense of adventure when dealing with daily tasks. You can change this, though, even if you can’t travel right now. You can do things to restore your sense of adventure that doesn’t even involve leaving your home. Of course, if you can get out in the world to travel and explore, you should do so. These behaviors will help those who plan on traveling, too, as they can apply to anyone.

15 Things to Help Restore a Sense of Adventure

Whether you are planning a trip right now or only dreaming of one, try implementing these behaviors into your routine. You will feel more adventurous, helping you to enjoy your life a little more.

1. Try Needs Foods

While this seems like a simple behavior, trying new foods is adventurous. Whether you make the food yourself or order it, you will enjoy experiencing foods you never have before. Trying new foods can help restore your adventurous side as you experience new things. You could even sign up for a cooking class, but make sure it is a type of food you’ve never had before.

2. Take a Risk

Taking a risk can make a huge difference in your sense of adventure. Make sure it is a calculated risk, and only do it once you have thought it through. You could start by applying for a new job or a different position, or you could even take a class or invest in something.

3. Make a Travel Journal

Your journal could be in a notebook or scrapbook, on your computer, or in a note on your phone. Of course, you could opt for a regular journal, too. It doesn’t matter what you choose to use for your journal as long as you get your thoughts and ideas down. As you sit in front of your journal, let your mind wander to all of the places that you want to visit. Don’t leave it at only places, however. Think about all of the things you have wanted to experience, too. Once you are thinking of all of the things you want to do and places you want to see, let the inspiration flow. Begin journaling about those places without thinking about the time or money it would cost to do those things. Keeping a travel journal is free, and it helps you feel more adventurous.

4. Take a Class

Cooking classes were mentioned before, but you could take any class to learn a new skill. Think about hobbies you might be interested in or outdoor skills that would be handy to know. You could also consider a class to teach you about a new profession. Whatever class you choose to take, make it something that you haven’t done before. As you try new things, a sense of adventure will rekindle within.

5. Go Somewhere New

Going somewhere new doesn’t have to mean that you travel far. Instead, it could mean that you simply take a new route to or from work each day. Another option is to choose one day a week or once each month to take a road trip. You could bike or drive to the destination and explore the new area. Of course, you can also travel farther away. You can aim to visit a new state or country once or twice a year. And if you’re searching for a trip to some of the best places like New Zealand for travelers aging 50s, 60s and beyond, you can visit some reliable sites like moatrek.com for great help!

6. Gather Travel Guides

It is easy to ignore travel guides, but they are a helpful resource. The guides offer a plethora of free information including:

local attractions
hiking and fishing information
scenic drives to take
area parks
resorts or places to stay
camping information

Many other things can be included in travel guides, too, so it is best to check them out. If you are already in that area, you can even squeeze in a couple of the suggestions. These guides can restore a sense of adventure in you by inspiring you to get out there. If you aren’t in that area right then, save the travel guide for later. Look over it, even if you can’t go, and allow the images and words to restore your adventurous side, instead. You could even add them to your travel journal by cutting out pictures or facts to include.

7. Say Yes

Saying no is tempting, but it won’t help you feel adventurous. You shouldn’t take on more than you can handle or let anyone take advantage of you, but you should say yes anytime you can. If someone asks you to go out with them or try something new with them, then go. Don’t stay at home because you are afraid to try or because it makes you uncomfortable. Even if you want to say no, refrain from doing that and do what you were invited to do. A fun way to do this is to decide on a certain number of things you will say yes to. If you choose the number three, then you must say yes to the next three opportunities that come your way. Remember that you won’t be good at everything, but you won’t know until you try. If you fail it, at least you will have a new funny story to tell. The point is to experience new things to restore a sense of adventure, not to become a professional.

8. Look on Travel Websites and Social Media Pages

Looking at travel websites can help you discover new places and new activities. You will find places and things you never knew existed. Doing this can help you feel adventurous as you imagine yourself there. Plus, you can use the information you gained from the travel websites when you plan a trip. You can go back and look at all of your resources to help you plan something perfect and adventurous. Another option is to check social media for updates and events in the areas you’re interested in visiting. Social media is the place to find information that isn’t mentioned anywhere else.

9. Do a Project

Doing a project may seem like it has nothing to do with being adventurous, but that couldn’t be further from the case. By doing projects, you are reminding yourself of all that you can accomplish. Then, a sense of accomplishment will help you become comfortable with new things. Spend time each week working on a project, and make sure you finish it. Let inspiration strike naturally, and then use tools and materials you already have on hand to make something. Being innovative and creating something with recourses you already have will boost your sense of adventure.

10. Meet New People and Make Friends

Meeting new people and making friends will help you feel adventurous. Since everyone has different backgrounds and viewpoints, it can open your mind up to so much more. You will be challenged to think differently, and your new friends will help you experience all new things, too.

11. Be Active

Being active will give you a rush of adrenaline, which will give you what you need to try new things. Push yourself physically and try new exercises to switch up your routine. If you are a runner, switch up the course you take on your daily run. Between the physical activity and the new sights, you are sure to feel more adventurous.

12. Explore Outdoors

Getting outside is one of the best ways to help restore a sense of adventure. Get back to the basics and spend time basking in the beauty of nature. If you can, go camping and test your skills to see how many things you can do without modern tools. Since camping isn’t always an option, you can spend time outside hiking and exploring new areas. Whatever it is you choose to do, spending time outdoors can help you feel more adventurous. And if you choose to go camping, remember to bring important camping accessories with you.

13. Start Planning

Even if you can’t go on a trip right away, plan it anyway. Sometimes the planning process is just as much fun as actually going on the trip or doing the activity. Figure out what you will need to take and if you need to learn any new skills. You can also figure out how much it will cost and where you would stay. As you plan your next adventure, you will begin to feel more adventurous.

14. Face Your Fears

You can’t restore your sense of adventure if you don’t face your fears. If you are afraid of heights, hike to the top of a mountain or go skydiving. Likewise, if you are scared of the ocean, go to the beach and get your feet wet. You don’t have to choose something dangerous to face your fears. You simply have to experience them and stop avoiding things because of your fears.

15. Go Places Alone

Going out of dinner or to a movie alone is something that makes many people uncomfortable. If you can do it, though, you will feel a little more adventurous. Buy a single concert ticket if no one will go with you, and see what happens once you get there. Either you enjoy the time alone as you boost your self-esteem, or you meet a new friend to enjoy it with. Whatever happens, you are sure to experience a sense of adventure as you do it.

15 Things to Help Restore a Sense of Adventure

There are so many places to visit and explore and so many activities to try. If you can, get out there and start experiencing as much as you can right now. On the other hand, if you can’t do anything right now, you can still work to restore a sense of adventure within. Try implementing the behaviors discussed here, and you will begin to feel more adventurous right away. You will find things that you never knew existed and can begin exploring near and far.

6 Simple Ways To Improve Your Mood Right Now

May 11, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Now and then, one needs a pick-me-up. Everyday life can be stressful and random, unexpected events – whether minor or significant – can bring down your emotions, and it’s not always easy to figure out how to improve your mood on bad days.

Well, guess what? It doesn’t take much to help your brain feel a little bit better, and you can do many different kinds of things to improve your emotional state in a pinch. Here are six simple ways to boost your mood to feel better right now.

1. Breathe In Some Nice Scents

Scents are a powerful way to engage your sense of smell to improve your mood. The scents you inhale can change the way you feel. Using essential oil diffusers, perfumes and soaps, scented candles, and even air fresheners in the good smells can provide you with the pick-me-up you need. The most effective scents to try are as follows:

· Citrus

Orange, lemon, and lime are all great citrus scents, and research indicates that they can help relieve anxious thoughts and feelings while improving mood.

· Grass

The smell of newly cut grass can be good for your mood, giving you stress relief and happiness, according to studies. This may be due to the chemical that freshly cut grass releases, so you may have to find newly mowed grass to test this out!

· Lavender

Famous for its calming effects, lavender has effects on GABA, a kind of hormone that regulates emotion and stress. Studies have found that it has positive effects on feelings of restlessness, agitation, aggression, and anger, thanks to how it affects nervous system responses.

· Vanilla

Studies have found that vanilla beings can increase positive thinking, relaxation, and even feelings of joy.

2. Get Attuned To Music

You know that your sense of smell can boost your mood – and your sense of hearing can too! More specifically, though, music is capable of changing your attitude dramatically for more reasons than just the engagement of your ears. There’s a reason many people turn to music to set moods, hype themselves up, or even encourage a good cry. If you want to improve positive thinking with music, here are some ways to do so:

· Listen To A Cheerful Song

Upbeat music is a great way to boost mood. Studies have found that you can feel much happier when you listen to feel-good songs. So when you need a way to perk up, put on some cheerful tunes, or even make a playlist that you have ready to go when you need it!

· Dance

When you play your cheerful music, dancing along can help bring the mood up even more! Not only is dance a form of exercise, meaning it releases feel-good neurotransmitters like endorphins, but it also enables you to feel freer and more relaxed, according to studies. If dancing isn’t your thing, you can go for a brisk walk while listening to tunes for a similar – though not as strong – result. However, there’s something to be said about learning to let loose and dance, even if it feels silly!

· Sing

Once again, cheerful music can have even better effects if you sing along to them. Research indicates that positive hormones like oxytocin and endorphins, which make you feel happy and reduce stress, are released when you sing. Singing in groups is one of the best ways to get these benefits, but even just singing alone can help soothe you and bring your mood up.

3. Seek And Be Grateful For Positive Things

Gratitude is often overlooked in life. Everyone’s so busy that it can be tough to stop and appreciate everyday things. This is a mistake for those seeking mood boosts, though! Research finds that expressing gratitude and appreciation – or even just feeling those emotions yourself – can improve your mood and change the structure of your brain for long-term happiness.

Gratitude doesn’t have to be something big and fancy. You can experience and express gratitude for positive things in your life by seeking out the good in the world. You can also:

Revisit good memories and feelings
Reflect on life lessons and experience to find silver linings
List three things every day that you are grateful for
Thank people more often for what they do

4. Engage In The World Outdoors

Human beings were never meant to spend their entire lives cooped up in concrete buildings 24/7. Engaging in the world beyond your walls can improve your mood and is just good for your psyche and wellbeing in general. Here are some specific ways to boost mood with the great outdoors:

· Be Amongst Green

Head outdoors and go to a nearby park or any location with some nature in it. Five minutes spent wandering in a lovely green space can be sufficient to boost positive thinking, according to research.

· Go For A Walk to Improve Your Mood

Spending an hour or so strolling in a natural setting can be beneficial to your overall mood. Nature walks have a wonderful way of calming the mind because they decrease activity in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, according to studies. It is this part of the brain that, when overactivated, contributes to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.

· Look Out The Window

Can’t go outside at the moment, but need that good mood boost? Expose yourself to sunlight from your window and observe the world outside. Natural light exposure has immeasurable positive benefits for your wellbeing, and basking in the warm sunny glow can help take your mind off your stress for a moment.

· Volunteer For Nature-Related Causes

If you need more excuse to spend time in the great outdoors, you can opt to volunteer for a charity organization that spends time outside often, such as a Wildlife Trust, an animal shelter that needs dog-walkers, or anything similar. You’ll get the mood boost from doing a good deed, the motivation to continue the practice, and the positive thinking from nature exposure all in one!

5. Make Yourself Express Good Mood

Expressing positive feelings can further intensify them, adding to the overall already good mood you’re in. But did you know that expressing positivity when you don’t feel any is actually a fairly reliable way to improve your emotional state?

As it turns out, the human brain often can’t tell the difference between real and acted happiness in itself. So when you display common signs of good emotions, it begins to produce feel-good hormones regardless. It’s a neat trick! Here’s how to use it:

· Smile

Smiling can be the reason you feel good instead of the other way around. This is because the expression releases feel-good hormones like serotonin, endorphins, and dopamine while also producing neuropeptides, which are crucial in stress management. Research has found that smiling can enhance positive experiences, so faking a smile may actually make you happy!

· Laugh

Laughter is a wonderful way to bring up your positive hormones and reduce stress. It works best when genuine, and fake laughter certainly feels awkward. So you can try watching or reading funny media, trolling the Internet for silly videos, or talking to friends who always make you laugh.

· Seek Good Things In Life

Good things aren’t always obvious. Sometimes, they’re even hidden. Make it a point to find silver linings and notice them. This will change the way you say the world in the long term, but it will still benefit a little mood boost in the short term. There’s something comforting about knowing that, no matter what happens, there is always something positive to be found in it.

6. Interact With Others

People often joke about social interaction being the bane of their existence. While introverts and those with social anxiety can experience difficulty in high levels of social interaction, just a little bit of contact with others can boost mood significantly.

Different people enjoy different levels of social activity, so the trick is knowing how much you personally need to work with. Once you determine that, you can use interaction to help boost mood when you need a little help in your day. Here are some ways to do so:

· Call A Friend

Staying in touch with friends can be a great way to feel socially connected to others. If you’re not able to see them in person, calling each other now and then, whether via simple voice call or video call, can help you feel happier. Do note that it’s the quality of your friendships, not how many friends you have, that makes a difference! So stay in touch with positive people and give them a call to cheer both of you up!

· Chat With A Stranger

Not everyone is happy talking to strangers, but you don’t need to have an in-depth conversation with a fellow commuter on the bus to enjoy the benefits of a chat. A little small talk, a quick “how are you” or “good morning,” a brisk compliment given respectfully, or even a little eye contact and a friendly nod can help give you the positive boost to your day you didn’t realize you needed.

· Hug Someone

Physical touch with others produces feel-good hormones, specifically oxytocin, which is commonly called the cuddle hormone. This can help you feel more secure and safe while promoting mental wellbeing, according to studies. A hug is a fantastic way to give and take warmth while lowering stress. If a hug isn’t available, receiving a pat on the back or engaging in any positive physical touch can provide similar benefits.

· Pet An Animal

If interacting with humans isn’t something you have the energy for today, or if you can’t contact people right now, petting an animal can provide some of those socialization benefits, say studies! Feel-good hormones like oxytocin, serotonin, and prolactin are released when you play with, cuddle, and pet your furry friends, like dogs or cats, and you’ll find that your stress levels are dropping too.

Final Thoughts On Some Simple Ways To Improve Your Mood To Feel Better Right Now

It’s perfectly normal to have ups and downs daily, which is why learning how to make yourself feel better quickly and conveniently can be useful for everyday mood and productivity. Use these little pick-me-ups whenever you need a bit of help perking up!

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