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20 Healing Affirmations to Make You Feel Whole Again

April 9, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

When painful memories keep running through your head, they can make you feel incomplete. No matter how recent the memories are, the effects are still the same, leaving you emotionally wounded. If you find yourself struggling with this, healing affirmations can help you feel whole again.

With healing affirmations, the healing process can speed up or begin if it hasn’t started. The promises will help you accept things you can’t change. Plus, the positive phrases will help you find peace in life as you overcome your emotional wounds.

As you use these healing affirmations, you will notice that you feel better right away. Once you make the positive phrases a regular part of your life, your healing will noticeably progress. You can find yourself again and begin to feel whole.

Twenty Healing Affirmations to Make You Feel Whole Again

As you read through the healing affirmations, remember the ones that resonate with you the most. Those are the ones you should say aloud to yourself each day.

1. I give myself permission to heal.

When you want to feel whole again, you must start by permitting yourself. Sometimes when things go wrong, you hinder your ability to heal emotionally by not allowing yourself to heal. If this sounds like your situation, then you need to permit yourself to become whole again.

2. I am getting stronger and feeling complete again.

When you tell yourself that you feel more robust and more complete, you will begin to notice it, too. Sometimes it is all about convincing yourself that you feel better. Then, your life can get back to normal, and you can feel like yourself again.

3. I put my well-being above making others happy.

You cannot put yourself last, even if you have made it a habit to do so. While making others is nice, you must take care of yourself, too. This means that when you know, something isn’t good for you or won’t make you happy, you should say no.

Likewise, when you are being worn out and expected to do too much, you must speak up. Voice your concerns and make it clear that you are putting your well-being first. If you wear yourself out, you won’t feel like yourself, and you won’t feel whole.

4. I have a purpose, and I will keep moving forward to discover it.

No matter what happens, your life is not purposeless. There is a reason you are here, but the only way you can discover it is by seeking it.

Don’t give up, and don’t hold yourself back because you feel bad right now. Instead, get out there and keep moving forward. Before you know it, you will feel whole again as you find your purpose.

5. I am patient with myself as I work through setbacks.

You won’t overcome obstacles right away. It takes time, so you must be patient with yourself as you go through it. Use this healing affirmation if you find yourself getting frustrated with your progress because you will get there, even if it takes time.

6. I work to better myself and take care of my mind.

When you work on becoming a better version of yourself, you will feel better. It will ease your mind, and you will begin to feel whole. Continue using this affirmation to motivate yourself along the way.

7. I will live a good life because that is what I want to do.

You are the only one who can decide the type of life you live. If you want to live a good and happy life, then make it your mission to be happy and grateful always. Nothing in your life has to change except for your mindset.

8. I am at peace with all things in my life.

If you can be at peace, you will indeed feel whole again. Work to find peace in all areas, but especially with things you can’t control. By doing so, you will begin to heal and find joy once again.

9. I am letting go of things that I can’t control.

Unfortunately, you can’t control everything, and part of feeling whole requires that you let go of those things. Once you have found peace with what has happened, you can then let go of it.

10. I am worthy and valuable, and I deserve respect and kindness.

Always remember your worth and value. You deserve to be treated with respect and kindness not only by others but by yourself, as well. Set boundaries with others that make it clear you expect to be treated this way.

Allowing anything less than respect and kindness will stop you from feeling whole again. It will make you feel like you are good enough, and that isn’t true. Use this healing affirmation to remind yourself of your worth each day.

11. I know that when things don’t work out the way I wanted them to, everything will be okay.

Life wouldn’t be as excited if you got everything you wanted, although it would be easier. Remember that you wouldn’t be where you are today if you had gotten everything you desired. Life works out for the best, and what is meant to happen will happen when the time is right.

12. I give myself permission to move on from the things that weigh me down.

Moving on can be challenging, and you may sometimes feel obligated to hold on. If you know that something is making you feel empty or incomplete, permit yourself to make a change.

To feel whole again, you must do what will make you happy, even if it isn’t the easy thing to do. Repeat this affirmation until you have convinced yourself to do what is best for you, even if that means moving on.

13. I choose happiness and seek joy in the little things.

Changing your mindset is all it takes to find happiness. By repeating this healing affirmation, you are more likely to notice positive things around you, helping you become happier.

14. I have people in my life who love me unconditionally.

When you are feeling incomplete, it is sometimes helpful to remember all of those who love you. Instead of feeling unwanted or unloved, use this healing affirmation to boost your spirits. When you remember that people love you no matter what, you will begin to feel like yourself again.

15. I forgive myself for my mistakes.

You can’t get through life without making mistakes, and sometimes you will feel defeated because of them. Forgiving yourself can make all the difference, though, and it will help you feel better.

16. I forgive those who have hurt me or betrayed me.

Forgiving others is essential to feeling whole again, as well. Even if you don’t allow them back in your life, you can forgive them and find peace again. Forgiveness will help you feel whole as you move forward.

17. I know that the only opinion of me that matters is my own.

People say mean and hurtful things sometimes, and it can make you feel bad about yourself. If this has happened to you, use this healing affirmation to remember that the only opinion that matters is yours. As long as you are happy with the person you are, you can find peace and feel whole again.

18. I accept myself as I am right now, and I am choosing self-love.

Self-acceptance and self-love can go a long way when it comes to feeling whole again. You will never feel more complete than when you are content and happy with who you are. Loving yourself is the best way to find yourself, your purpose, and the joy in life.

19. I am full of courage and can move forward confidently.

With courage and confidence, you can do anything, including feeling complete again. Find yourself and build your character as you go through hard times. It will help you get through so you can feel whole again, and you will have grown in the process.

20. I love myself even through the hard times.

Things get hard sometimes, but you must love yourself through it. Even if you feel that you have messed up somehow, be compassionate and continue to love the person that you are. Obstacles, failures, and setbacks are all ways to become an even better person.

Final Thoughts on Healing Affirmations to Make You Feel Whole Again

These healing affirmations will help you feel whole again as you move forward. It can be hard to move on and accept things, but it is essential to feeling complete and at peace. Whatever it is that is standing in your way, permit yourself to change it.

Take care of yourself and do whatever it is that makes you feel better, even if it is hard to do. As you work through your hardships, use these healing affirmations to help yourself move forward. You will find that they quickly help you progress with your healing as they keep your mindset in a positive place.

20 Positive Messages to Surprise Someone and Brighten Their Day

April 8, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

If you are looking for a way to brighten someone’s day, you can use positive messages to surprise them. You can compliment them, encourage them, or say something kind to help them boost their spirits. Recognizing the good in others is a positive way to contribute to society and improve the well-being of others.

Not only will the positive messages help the other person, but they will improve your well-being, too. You will notice a boost in your social skills and an increase in your self-confidence. Plus, you will find that you are more creative when you say nice things to others.

The receiver of the positive phrases receives plenty of benefits, as well, of course. Their self-esteem and confidence will increase, and they will feel happier and more at peace. You never know when someone needs to hear something good, so use positive messages whenever you can.

When you are looking for ways to make someone’s day, these positive messages will come in handy. The best part is that you don’t have to go out in search of a gift, and you can use the positive phrases on a whim.

Twenty Positive Messages to Surprise Someone and Brighten Their Day

You can use these phrases anytime and anywhere, so make sure you remember the ones you like best.

1. You are so smart, and I appreciate your wisdom.

People love to hear that you think they’re brilliant. Letting them know that you appreciate their wisdom will brighten their day and leave them feeling confident. Complimenting someone’s brain is the best way to make them happier.

2. You have made so much progress.

No matter what the situation is, if you notice that someone has made progress, tell them. Knowing that others are seeing their improvement will surprise them and make them happy.

3. I value your insight.

Sometimes people hold back their thoughts due to fear of offending someone. If you appreciate the insight given to you, make sure to let the person know. Letting them know will make them feel good about themselves, and it’ll brighten their day.

4. You look happy and full of joy today.

People love to hear that they look happy. By using this positive message, you will encourage that person to stay happy and joyful throughout the day.

Similar to the way positive self-affirmations work, hearing positive messages from others can convince the brain that the words are valid. So, if you tell someone they look happy, they are more likely to feel that way.

5. You look great!

Never miss out on the chance to tell someone how great they look. It will boost their confidence and self-esteem, and it will probably make their day. These types of compliments aren’t often forgotten, either.

6. Your strength gives me motivation.

The people around you go through so much, just like you do. As they go through hard times, their strength will shine through and possibly motivate you, too. If this is the case, use this positive message to let them know.

7. You are such a kind person.

When you notice that someone is a kind person, telling them can boost their spirits. This surprising compliment can go a long way when it comes to brightening someone’s day. Plus, it encourages them to continue being nice, making it a positive thing no matter how you look at it.

8. I love how authentic you are, and I think it’s courageous that you always stay true to yourself.

This is one of the best positive messages you can tell someone to brighten their day. It is hard to be authentic when society tells you that you should fit in and be like everyone else. Those who resist that idea and stay true to themselves are truly special people.

9. You are inspiring to me.

If someone inspires you, it isn’t something you should keep to yourself. Let them know how and why they encourage you, too. You never know when someone needs a confidence boost, and this one is sure to brighten their day.

10. You are so encouraging and cheerful, and it’s impossible not to be happy around you.

Encouraging and cheerful people are gems, and you should surprise them with this positive message. Let them know that you are always happy around them and that their positivity is contagious.

11. I love spending time with you because you always brighten my day.

When you tell someone that you love spending time with them, they will know they are unique to you. Letting them know will make them feel valued, worthy, and happy with the message. Don’t miss the chance to tell someone that they always cheer you up.

12. I admire the way you live your life.

When you tell someone that you admire the way they live, their day will surely get better. It will help them feel good about themselves and the life they live. Plus, they will be surprised that you offered such a kind compliment that they will be flattered.

13. You are so thoughtful, and I am fortunate to have you in my life.

Thoughtful people are the best people to have in your life. When they always think about you and do sweet things for you, make sure they know how you feel. You are lucky to have someone like that, and letting them know will be the best.

14. You are essential and valuable.

Everyone feels down about themselves sometimes, and letting them know that they are necessary will help boost them back up. Let those around you know how important they are and that they bring value to the world around them. There is no better way to brighten their day than to remind them of their worth.

15. You work so hard and deserve a vacation.

People who work hard should get recognition for their dedication and drive. Even if no one else gives it to them, let them know that you recognize their efforts. Letting them know that you think they work so hard they deserve a vacation will make them feel proud.

16. You are so good at what you do!

Those that are dedicated to what they do like to hear that they are good at it. Even if they already know that they are reasonable, hearing it from you will be better and more uplifting. Surprise them by offering this kind compliment to boost their spirits.

17. You always make me laugh.

Funny people like to know that they are entertaining others. If you know someone that is always cracking jokes, use this positive message to brighten their day. They will be flattered that you think they are so funny, and they’ll likely tell even more jokes for you to laugh about.

18. Your smile makes everyone else smile, too.

People with contagious smiles are magnetic. Everyone wants to be near them so that they can get a glimpse of that person’s smile. It makes other people smile, too, cheering everyone up.

If you have someone like this in your life, this is the perfect positive message for them. Remind them of how beautiful their smile is and how it brings joy to those around them.

19. You have the skill it takes to accomplish anything.

Noticing someone’s talent is the best compliment you can give. When you recognize someone’s ability, let them know it so that they can receive a confidence boost.

Using this positive message will brighten their day while giving them the confidence to chase their dreams. This phrase is especially beneficial when you know someone has been feeling bad about themselves recently. It can help them begin to think positively again.

20. You are always here for me, and I am grateful for you.

Showing your appreciation to those who are there for you will mean a lot to them. This positive message will surprise them and make them feel good as they see your gratitude.

Even if you believe the other person knows how you feel, use this positive phrase anyway. The message will ensure that they know your feelings and boost their spirits while strengthening your bond.

Final Thoughts on Positive Messages to Surprise Someone and Brighten Their Day

Use these positive messages often to brighten the day of those around you. Encourage your friends, co-workers, and loved ones by telling them positive things about themselves. If you feel confident enough, don’t hesitate to use the phrases with strangers, either.

If someone came to mind as you were reading the positive messages, make sure you let them know. Not only will they feel good, but you will feel better, too, and the cycle of positivity will continue. Offer compliments whenever you can, and work to boost other people’s spirits because there is no downfall to positivity.

You never know what someone is going through or what they are keeping to themselves. With that being the case, use positive messages frequently because you never know when someone needs to hear them. Memorize or write down the ones you liked best, and share them with the people in your life to brighten their day.

15 Behaviors That Reveal a Pessimistic Person

April 5, 2021 by Power of Positivity

No matter where you go, you’re surrounded by emotional energy. The ways we connect with others have a profound effect on us. This means it is important to choose wisely when spending significant amounts of time with friends, relatives, or romantic interests. Each person brings a unique energy to a relationship, but the more positive the energy is, the better. When you’re around someone who makes you feel good, you gain a sense of confidence, feel happier throughout the day, and look forward to seeing the person again. A pessimistic person has the exact opposite impact.

When the majority of the people around you give off negative energy, you risk adopting that negative energy. This can affect the way you view life and has a tendency to change the way you treat people. When you don’t have enough positive energy in your life, you can increase your chances of depression and anxiety.

At times, the negative traits present in your friend or relative’s personality may be hard to spot. It may not always be easy to detect that someone you love is profoundly negative. But after some time, you’ll start to see and feel the difference in your own energy.

15 Actions That Show Someone is a Pessimistic Person

You must protect your energy and ensure that you spread positivity no matter where you go. So here are 15 behaviors that will help you spot a pessimistic person.

1. Constant Pessimism

Pessimistic people have a difficult time seeing the good in any circumstance. This occurs even in happy or positive situations. If you notice that someone close to you can never truly be happy “in the moment,” no matter how upbeat a situation is, you like won’t be able to convince them to adopt another viewpoint. Their thoughts are wired to see the bad in everything, and if you spend too much time with them, you’ll find that you won’t enjoy the things you used to love.

2. Always Playing the Victim

People plagued with pessimism are always painting themselves as the victim, even in situations where they have inflicted pain on others. Pessimists believe that bad things are destined to happen to them, which means they will always believe that they are the victim even if they are the ones who are responsible for the situation they’re in.

3. Using People

Pessimistic people will usually only pay attention to you when it benefits them. If they need you to give them money, do a favor for them, or want emotional support, they will be sure to contact you and keep in touch. However, when they have no need for you, they will pretend that you don’t exist, especially when you need them for support and encouragement. If they do decide to show love or concern toward you, they will only do so if they feel they will be rewarded with validation or gifts.

4. Never Making Time for Relationships

If you have a friend or loved one who is a pessimist, you may notice that they will always make excuses when you need something. They don’t want to expend any of their emotional energy loving and supporting you but expect you to always be there for them. When you’re not able to drop everything to be by their side, they may sulk or pout to make you feel guilty. Beware of friends and loved ones who only want to hang out with you when their schedule permits, but have no regard for your time.

5. Being Emotionally Draining

Spending time with the people you love should be a fulfilling and rewarding experience. However, when you’re interacting with a pessimistic person, you may feel depressed, exhausted, or anxious when you’re with them or immediately after leaning their presence. Negative energy can suck the life out of you and stop you from having a healthy outlook on life.

6. Always Complaining

A person who is a pessimist rarely has anything good to say. No matter what is going on, they will look for something to disapprove of. If you buy them a gift, they complain that it’s the wrong color or size. If the weather is sunny and the skies are clear, they will complain about the heat. This type of person will also complain about parts of your personality and accuse you of not being a good enough friend/partner/family member.

7. Being a Gossip

It’s not always a bad thing to exchange information with your friends. But pessimistic people will find a way to say cruel or hurtful things about someone they say is a friend. This will try to get you to engage in these salacious conversations and may get upset when you don’t want to gossip with them. Keep in mind that if someone wants to gossip with you, they will also gossip about you when you’re not around.

8. Never Being Satisfied

No matter what you do or how you try to make a pessimistic person comfortable, they will never be satisfied. Nothing you do is good enough and these people often attack parts of your looks or personality to deplete your confidence. If they find something about you that they don’t like, they will try to eliminate it or change it, which can take a toll on your self-esteem.

9. Spreading Feelings of Negativity

If you notice that you start to feel more negative energy in your own life, it could the result of being around someone who is pessimistic too often. If you naturally have a positive and upbeat demeanor but find that you’re sad and anxious more often than normal, this is likely because pessimism spreads. This behavior could be a sign that you should limit your time with the negative people in your life as much as possible.

10. Displaying Signs of Envy

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all experience feelings of jealousy at some point. However, a pessimistic person’s envy will make it impossible for them to congratulate you or be happy for you, even if you’ve achieved a huge milestone or the negative person has great things going on in their own life. When someone is jealous of you, they will try to make you feel bad about your accomplishments to keep you from appreciating your accomplishments.

11. Straining Your Positive Relationships

If you let pessimism affect you, you’ll, unfortunately, notice that your relationships will suffer. If you notice that meaningful relationships in your life start to suffer because your friends or loved ones are pulling away from you, you could be giving off negative energy.

12. Being a “Realist”

Some people who struggle with pessimism think they are realistic by negatively viewing the world. They are afraid to be disappointed, so they feel that if they always expect the worst, they won’t have to go through the emotional anguish of getting their hopes up for nothing. It’s important to be balanced in our thinking but to always think something bad is going to happen has a negative effect on the mind and body. This mindset also keeps up from enjoying life to the fullest.

13. The Inability to Be Spontaneous

When people have a mindset that is rooted in pessimism, they are unable to do things without planning first. If they can’t control as much of a situation as possible, they are sure something is going to go wrong. While planning and being organized are noteworthy traits, it’s important to enjoy life and do something unexpected every once in a while to create beautiful memories.

14. Worrying Too Much

If you have a friend or family member who is a “worrywart” you may avoid telling them certain things. After all, if you’re already concerned or nervous about something, you don’t want their worrisome energy to transfer to you and make the issue worse in your mind. On the other hand, if you have exciting news to share, you may avoid telling the worrier in your life because you don’t want to walk away from the conversation feeling discouraged or hopeless. Since pessimism makes it difficult or sometimes impossible to see the good in anything, people with this trait may seem like they’re looking out for you initially. However, by the end of the conversation, it’s easy to see that they are projecting their worries onto you.

15. Never Trusting People

It’s wise to “go slow” when you enter a new relationship. There are certain things you shouldn’t reveal to someone about your personality or your past until you’ve established a bond of trust with them. If you have a loved one who is constantly negative, it will be negative to get to a place where they can trust you, even if you’ve done nothing wrong. However, this person will likely want to know everything about you so they can pick apart your personality to find “reasons” why they can’t get close to you.

Final Thoughts on Identifying a Pessimistic Person

While you may not be able to do anything to make your loved one aware of their pessimism, knowing the signs to look for can help you avoid living with negative energy and spreading it to others.

How to Make Homemade Immunity Gummies To Help Fight Illnesses

April 5, 2021 by Kristen Lawrence

If you want to protect yourself from colds or other illnesses, these immunity gummies will do the trick. There is no need to buy expensive herbal supplements or powders; you can make these right from your kitchen. Of course, you’ll need a few ingredients, but you’ll get more per serving than you would from store-bought gummies. No one likes getting sick, so why not do all you can to prevent illnesses?

In addition to a healthy diet, exercise, fresh air, sunshine, and quality sleep, these gummies will boost your immune system. They taste pretty good, too – a bonus!

Here are several recipes for homemade immunity gummies to prevent sickness:

First, gather these kitchen tools:

Large bowl to mix ingredients
Spoon
Squirt bottle
Molds of your choice for the gummies
Cutting board
Knife
Large pot
Strainer

1 – Elderberry immunity gummies

Ingredients:

1 cup elderberry syrup
1/4 cup gelatin powder
2/3 cup hot water

How to make them:

Pour 1 cup of elderberry syrup into a large bowl.
Next, gradually add in 1/4 cup of gelatin powder, stirring to combine.
Then, pour in 2/3 cup hot water.
Once you’ve stirred the ingredients thoroughly, transfer the liquid to a squirt bottle.
Grab the mold you’re using to make the gummies, and fill each one with the mixture.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2 – Citrus immunity gummies

Ingredients:

One grapefruit
1 lemon
1 orange
2 tbsp honey
6 tbsp gelatin powder

How to make them:

Cut an orange, grapefruit, and lemon in half. Remove the seeds, and use a juicer to make citrus juice. This should make about 1 cup of liquid.
Next, pour your juice into a large pot of hot water.
Add in the 2 tbsp of honey, and mix with a spoon until fully combined.
Slowly add in the 6 tbsp of gelatin powder until it’s completely dissolved in the juice.
Transfer the liquid to your squirt bottle, and use a different mold to create these immunity gummies.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3 – Apple juice immunity gummies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp gelatin
3/4 cup apple juice

How to make them:

Pour the apple cider vinegar, water, and apple juice into a large pot. Turn the heat on low.
Next, gradually mix the gelatin until thoroughly combined.
When the gelatin is fully dissolved, transfer the liquid to a squirt bottle.
Once again, fill up your molds with the gummy mixture.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

4 – Lemon honey ginger immunity gummies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup water
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp gelatin

How to make them:

Pour the lemon juice and some of the water into the pot, and bring to a boil.
Next, take it off the heat and mix in the ground ginger. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the water and gelatin until fully combined.
Once that’s done, grab your filter, and strain the lemon-ginger mixture into the other bowl.
Stir the liquid and then add in the honey until thoroughly combined.
Once again, transfer the liquid to a squirt bottle and fill up your molds.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

You can store the remaining immunity gummies in a glass mason jar in the fridge. Adults should have 2-3 per day, and children should have one. All of the gummies contain powerful immune-boosting ingredients to ward off illnesses. Below, we’ll go over the many benefits of these natural medicines.

Health benefits of the immunity gummies

ELDERBERRY: You’ve probably seen elderberry syrup, gummies, and other natural remedies in your local health foods store. People have been using elderberry for thousands of years to treat colds, cases of flu, swelling, inflammation, and pain. This powerful plant contains many nutrients and antioxidants, explaining why cultures have used it for medicinal purposes. It’s rich in Vitamin C, which is known for its ability to keep colds and flu cases at bay. It also contains high amounts of phenolic acids and anthocyanins, both antioxidants which reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
GELATIN POWDER: Gelatin, a protein that comes from collagen, has plentiful health benefits. Not only is it almost entirely comprised of protein, but it also contains almost all the essential amino acids. Gelatin helps improve joint and bone health, support healthy skin, hair, and nails, and even boost brain function.
ANTIOXIDANTS: Just half of a medium-sized grapefruit contains 64% of the RDI of Vitamin C, and 28% of the RDI of Vitamin A. Vitamin C helps protect the cells from bacteria and viruses, and Vitamin A aids in lowering inflammation in the body. Grapefruit also contains other powerful antioxidants such as lycopene and flavanones.
LEMONS: Lemons also contain tons of Vitamin C, over half of your RDI in just one piece of fruit. They also improve digestive health and help prevent kidney stones.
ORANGES: Oranges are the ultimate powerhouse for fighting colds, containing 80% of the RDI of Vitamin C in one orange. They’re also high in flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral benefits.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: ACV contains probiotics due to yeast and bacteria formed during the fermentation process. It also is rich in B-vitamins and polyphenols, which bolster the immune system.
GINGER: This powerful root has been used in traditional medicines for millennia. It’s mostly been used to treat nausea, indigestion, infections, and pain.
HONEY: Honey is also known for its antioxidant content and is commonly used to ward off colds, coughs, and respiratory illnesses. It also can help heal wounds and burns as it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Final thoughts: These immunity gummies can help you stay healthy

The immune-boosting ingredients in all of these gummies will ensure you don’t come down with a nasty cold. Or, at the very least, they will help you get over illnesses much faster. Plus, the adorable gummy form makes them seem more like candy than medicine! Here’s to your continued health!

Why Every Parent Needs a Day Off, According to Counselors

April 5, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

Parents are pushed to their limits every day and tend to feel bad for taking a day off. It can be hard for parents to enjoy themselves when they have free time because they feel like they should be doing something else. If you find yourself in this position, counselors say that there are certain reasons you need a guilt-free break.

Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your family and being dedicated to your job. Recognize when you need a day off so that you can work on self-care and bettering yourself.

You are an individual with needs of your own, and it is important to meet them. Giving yourself a day off once in a while is a part of self-care, and it will help you in many ways. It will help your family, too, which makes it all the more beneficial.

Why Every Parent Needs a Day Off

Society tends to make parents think they have to do it all without taking a break. It is impossible to find a balance in your life if you live that way, though. Counselors have made it a point to explain why you should take a much-deserved break from parenting for a day.

Things are Different Now

Things are different now, and parents are expected to do much more than parents did decades ago. In the past, it was typical that mothers stayed home and ran the house while the husband went to work and paid the bills. Now, both parents are expected to work, maintain the house, and cater to their families more than ever.

While it is now normal for both parents to work, they are also expected to spend more time parenting. According to research, parents spend nearly 50% more time with their kids than parents did decades ago. This means that if you need a guilt-free day off, you should take it.

If you stay at home while your partner works, you have to do so much. Taking care of yourself, your children, your home and ensuring all needs get met is a big job. The extra parenting expected of modern-day parents will be up to you most days, which can lead to burnout pretty quickly.

You Can’t Do It All

It is impossible to find balance in life if you aren’t taking time for yourself. Stress is inevitable, and if you don’t give yourself a day off, you will experience burnout quickly. Counselors explain that parents are drowning in stress, with moms being affected more than fathers.

The reason for this overwhelming amount of stress is easy to figure out. Parents want to provide for their families, but they also want to care for and raise their children. Finding a way to excel at both aspects of life is nearly impossible.

For stay-at-home parents, the stress comes from different problems. Feeling the pressure to be a perfect parent, have a clean home, and be responsible for others’ well-being all day is draining. It’s hard to find time to relax and to let go of the worry of daily life.

Society sets unrealistic standards for parents today. It seems that parents have to be the perfect parent and the best employee. They are supposed to help their children learn and develop as they work toward climbing the ladder themselves.

This idea is typically unrealistic. The time it takes to devote yourself to your family doesn’t leave enough time to dedicate yourself to your career goals. If you focus on your career goals, you will feel like you aren’t doing enough with your family.

You can’t blame yourself for not being perfect when you have to give so much of yourself. When you have pulled in so many directions, the stress will continue to pile up. Give yourself a guilt-free day off so that you can overcome some of this stress.

You Deserve a Break, and it Will Benefit You Both.

You spend so much time taking care of others that you have earned a day off. Of course, you are there for every part of your child’s life, and while you love it, it can take a toll after a while.

As you focus on getting the kids ready for school, cleaning up after them, and helping with homework, you are wearing yourself thin. Then add in going to extracurricular activities, preparing meals, getting the kids in bed, and everything else, and you truly deserve a break. Counselors say that taking time away from caring for your child will help both of you and help your relationship.

It will help your child see that you are more than just a person that does things for them. They will appreciate you more, and your relationship will strengthen. Plus, it will help you remember that you are an individual and not just responsible for getting the snacks.

Parents must take guilt-free time off from their kids to do something they enjoy. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t a committed parent, and it simply means that you need a break from all you do.

There is no Down Time in Parenting.

It seems that you can’t do anything without having a child underfoot or calling out your name. Simple things like doing something on your phone can become an impossible task because you can’t focus. Kids pull your mind in many different directions, and getting a second to yourself seems impossible.

All of the non-stop work of being a parent can quickly lead to brain overload. It seems that kids are always talking, asking questions, needing something, or wanting you to play. Of course, you expect this as a parent, but it can still take its toll if you don’t get a break once in a while.

Even when you are sick, you still have to show up as a parent. Someone has to cook the meals, see the kids off to school, and deal with everything else.

Dealing with that each day earns you the right to a guilt-free day off. You need to recover some time, and you need a bit of time to focus on yourself.

You Will Have More Energy

While you may think alone time is selfish, you have to remember that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. Giving yourself a much-needed break will help increase your energy levels, allowing you to be a better parent.

Parents often don’t sleep through the night, even when their children begin to. You might wake up thinking you hear crying, only to find that everything and everyone is at peace.

Even as your children get older, you aren’t likely to feel fully rested. With teenagers come many other worries and concerns that might keep you up at night.

Additionally, taking a guilt-free day off will help you re-energize. Without a break, parents aren’t able to be the best they could be, and this includes you. If you want to continue being a great parent to your children, you must take a break once in a while.

Even just a few hours away can re-energize you for more parenting when you are reunited. You will be ready for storytime, endless questions, and playing with toys before you know it. Then, you will see that you are more patient and attentive to your child now that you have had a break.

Not Taking a Break Can Cause Mental Health Issues

If you feel like you need to take a break, not taking one can cause mental health issues. Listen to what your body and mind are telling you, and take care of yourself. Otherwise, you are at risk of developing depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other disorders.

Sometimes parent burnout becomes so bad that the parent-child relationship suffers. The parent may begin to feel detached from the child and feel like a failure at the same time.

Your Life Should be More Than Just Parenting

Parenting is, without a doubt, the biggest part of your life. It shouldn’t be the only thing you do, though. Make other areas of your life a priority, too.

By opening up your life to more than parenting, you will help yourself avoid burnout. Spend time working on your other relationships, your health, and your hobbies. Doing things without your kids is a way to remember who you are as an individual.

Final Thoughts on Why Every Parent Needs a Guilt-free Day Off, According to Counselors

Now that you know you don’t have to feel guilty for taking a day off, it’s time to start setting it up. Make a plan for the kids and decide what you want to do with your much-deserved break.

Take time for yourself and do what makes you happy aside from being a parent. Recall the reasons discussed here if you begin to feel guilty, and you’ll remember that this is beneficial for everyone.

Even if you have an overloaded to-do list, make the time for a guilt-free day off. You might find that you come back more focused and determined than before.

15 Behaviors That Reveal Someone with Emotional Maturity

April 5, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Do you consider yourself a person of emotional maturity? Or do you feel that you have some room for growth? Learning to navigate the emotional spectrum is undoubtedly something that you should strive to do, but it’s often a daunting task. How many times do you let your emotions get the best of you?

Assume you’re at the grocery store, and the parking lot is a zoo. You finally see a car that is pulling out. You put your turn signal on to indicate that you’re going to take that space as soon as they leave. Before you know it, some lady whips her car into the spot at the last minute.

An emotionally mature person would move onto another spot and think that she must have really needed to get into the store quickly. However, were you the person honking the horn and making gestures to let her know how angry she made you? It’s these little situations like this that test your maturity daily.

Fifteen Behaviors That Reveal Emotional Maturity

The goal is to strive to do better in situations when life hands you lemons. You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it. Once you gain this level of maturity, you will look at the world differently.

According to the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, being emotionally mature is essential to solid relationships.

Here are 15 signs that you’re conquering emotional maturity and you’re getting a handle on your reactions.

1. You Don’t Complain When Life Doesn’t Go Your Way

No one likes to hear someone complain all the time. If you dwell on the negative aspects of your life, it can cripple your emotions.

When you learn to look at the glass half full rather than empty, it changes your whole perception. When the things that often cause you to complain suddenly don’t send you into a tailspin, you are entering into emotional maturity.

2. You Never Holds Grudges

When someone does you wrong, it’s only natural to want to avoid this person. Holding grudges is effortless when you feel you’re justified. However, maturing means that you learn to forgive and get past these issues and not let them fester.

3. You’re Eager to Admit When You’re Wrong

A significant sign of maturing is that you can admit when you’re wrong. Have you ever known someone that will not admit how wrong they are, no matter how guilty? Realizing something that you said or did that was inappropriate or hurtful is a giant step in becoming a bigger and better person.

4. You Don’t Judge by First Impressions

Have you ever heard the saying that you shouldn’t judge a book by the cover? Some of the most wonderful people have an outward appearance that doesn’t match the inside. Someone who is emotionally mature doesn’t always look at the clothes and hairstyles but looks beyond the exterior to see the beauty within.

5. You Never Expect Others to Be Perfect

If you expect others to be perfect, then you will be greatly disappointed in life. Entering emotional maturity allows you to realize that humans are fallible and going to make mistakes. Additionally, it would help if you gave yourself the same consideration when you stumble and fall.

6. You’re Aware of Your Flaws and Shortcomings

Since you know you’re not perfect, you will also begin to embrace your shortcomings when you mature. Rather than denying issues, you learn to acknowledge and work on things like being late all the time, spending too much money, and having a short fuse with your temper.

7. You Develop a Realistic Perspective on Love and Relationships

Relationships start as physical feelings of attraction, but they soon develop into something deeper as the connection grows. Your perspective on love and your partner morphs into something different the longer you are together. Once emotional maturity begins to take hold, you will have a more realistic view of relationships and love.

8. You Allow the Inner Child to Have Moments of Playfulness

Everyone has an inner child that loves to come out occasionally. It’s fun to forget about the job, bills, family, and responsibilities and have fun. Someone growing into their maturity isn’t afraid to let their hair down and have joy.

Why does life have to be so serious anyway, as there are almost always times where you need to be a kid for a while.

9. You Show Empathy to Others

When someone is down, you should always show empathy. The key is that you never know when it will be your turn to go through some turbulent times, and you will need the support of your friends and family. Empathy and sympathy are words that are often used interchangeably, but they’re quite different.

Anyone can sympathize with a person in pain, but empathy takes it one step further by feeling the individual’s emotions. When you learn to show compassion, it’s a sign that your emotions are maturing.

10. You Understand That Happiness is a Lifelong Process

Wouldn’t it be great if life were all sunshine and roses? However, it’s not realistic to think that life won’t be without its fair share of complications. When you reach a mature level, you realize that it’s the difficult times and storms in your life that teach you more than sunshine and rainbows.

11. You’re Flexible and Can Adapt Accordingly

Are you flexible and can adapt to many situations? Have you ever seen someone that falls to pieces when the plan doesn’t go accordingly? Becoming mature means that you realize that nothing is ever going to go according to your plans, and you learn to roll with the punches.

If you expect everything to go the way you intend, you have an unrealistic perception of life. Learning to embrace the challenges and see them as opportunities for growth is signs of maturing emotionally.

12. You’re Focused on Personal Growth

Personal growth is a constant process. Rather than focusing on what’s wrong with everyone else, an emotionally mature person will focus on the areas where they need growth. There are no perfect people in this life, and everyone has things that they need to alter to grow and change.

When a person gains maturity, they learn that they have many flaws and things they should work on. When you start enhancing your personal growth, others around you can’t help but notice.

13. Accepts Alternate Views

Do you remember when you were younger and felt your views and opinions were the only ones that mattered? Thankfully, as you grow and mature, you will start to embrace the differences of others. There is much diversity in the world, and when you begin to learn and embrace the differences, it can make your journey here on earth more enjoyable.

14. Appreciate the Little Things in Life

A country songwriter did a song that talked about the little things. She was writing about relationships and the connection. She specified things like rubbing her back, making her laugh, and holding her while she dreamed that was important to her.

When you reach emotional maturity, you realize that life isn’t about big houses or fancy cars. Some of the most precious gifts you’re given are a note that tells you how special you are, a card that tells how much you’re loved, or your partner cooking your favorite meal when you’ve had a hard day.

Your perceptions certainly change when you age and mature, and you learn how much people and the little things they do mean to you.

15. Lives a Value-Driven Life

Folks will know you by your values and principles. If you’re always honest, then they will know they can trust you. If you’re loyal to friends and family, then they will know who to call when they need guidance. Your values make you a better person, and others will appreciate those things about you.

Understandably, the values you had when you’re eighteen are not the same as when you’re forty. With physical maturity also comes emotional development.

Final Thoughts on the Fifteen Signs of Emotional Maturity

Emotional maturity is complex and subjective. This growth encompasses your self-image, compassion for others, and respect for yourself and humanity. Most folks see their youth as a carefree period, In fact, it is at this time of their life when it’s okay to be a little zany.

How many times have you heard your parents or other authoritative figure say things like, “oh well, they’ll grow up, they’re still young and have a lot of learning to do?” Sadly, this type of maturity is not something that you are born with, but it’s a skill that you develop as time goes on.

How would you rate your emotional wellbeing, and do you think you’re improving? Try journaling a list of ways that you can grow positively. Implement some goals for personal growth so that you can make progress in your journey. Chances are if you start working on your inner self and your emotions, you will be a different person in no time.

10 Reasons Why Chronic Complaining Can Ruin Any Relationship

April 5, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Strolling through the rolling fields of life, some people are like lambs, while others tend to be more like goats. As the lambs peacefully munch on the green grass, the goats will often complain about the quality of their food. The goats represent those who have problems with chronic complaining, and they’re not always the easiest people to be around.

Why Chronic Complaining Will Ruin Your Relationships

When you give “goats” positive statements, they are quick to say, “Yeah, but…” and voice their criticism. These perpetually butting goats ruin the whole atmosphere at home, work, and on dates with their depressive, negative comments. If you are in one of these toxic relationships, you’ll succumb to the negative influence, or you will exit the relationship.

A study by the Psychoanalytic Review says that some people can become addicted to negativity. As with other psychological and physical addictions, relationships are often strained and broken.

Here are ten reasons why a grumpy attitude can spoil any relationship.

1. No One Likes to Be Surrounded by Negativity All the Time

Remember the old saying that nobody likes a party pooper? Think of a person who everyone seems to avoid. The reason may be that their chronic complaining is pushing others away.

When you are around somebody who is constantly bellyaching about something, you’ll notice that your mood is soon dampened. If all your other friends listen to the miserable whining, who will feel like celebrating and having a good time?

When you come into the room, do people tend to scatter or find an excuse to get away from you? Perhaps it’s time to check your attitude and listen to the words that come from your mouth. You may be smothering the positive vibes with your cranky fault-finding.

2. It Diminishes Your Gratitude

Most parents instruct their children that they can’t expect the Universe to give them anything else in life if they aren’t grateful for their blessings. When was the last time you had heartfelt gratitude for all the prosperity you enjoy? According to a study published by Psychiatry Edgemont, gratitude can positively affect your overall well-being.

Does a lack of appreciation and thankfulness result in a state of chronic complaining? Once you start counting your blessings, you may soon realize that they outweigh your burdens. One of the best ways to increase your grateful spirit is to keep a gratitude journal.

3. Complaining Keeps You Stuck in The Past

As you analyze your thought patterns and conversations, try to notice your verb tenses. Do your conversations usually relate to the past? Even when you’ve enjoyed a splendid childhood and early years, living in the past stalls your ability to be present at the moment.

However, if you constantly dwell on trauma and negativity in the past, you’ll exist in a perpetual loop. With each whine and grumble, you lose the blessing that’s before your eyes now. Plus, chronic complaining about the past can make you more apt to develop anxiety disorders and depression.

4. Negativity Brings About More Negativity

If you’ve studied the law of attraction, you realize that your attitude can draw more of the same to you, whether good or bad. Think of your life as planting a garden, and your attitudes and conversations are the seeds. Your life’s garden depends on the seeds you plant and how you cultivate them.

Negativity can be like an invasive vine. A few seeds can grow a stubborn plant that takes over the whole garden and chokes out the good seedlings. You can’t keep sewing negative thoughts and words and think you’ll get anything but a negative return.

When you want marigolds to grow, then you plant marigolds. You water, fertilize and ensure that they have proper sunlight. You are quick to snatch up any weeds that try to creep in the way. If you want positive things to come into your life, you attract them with a positive mindset. Negativity breeds negativity.

5. The Vicious Cycle of Pointing Fingers Is Hard to Handle

A problematic issue with chronic complainers is that they often refuse to own a mistake or fault. Instead of being responsible adults and accepting the blame for something they did, they pass the buck. You’ll often hear them blame others for any of their shortcomings or hurtful actions.

Their lives become a revolving door of bitterness and blame, yet they are faultless in their own eyes. They are quick to point at family, friends, and coworkers when they fall short on responsibility. Chronic grumblers blame events from the past instead of learning from them.

If this toxic behavior is left to its own, it will only lead to more frustration and more of the blame game. They are blinded by past bitterness and refuse to have the courage to apologize and make amends. For these chronic complainers, the future has nothing to offer but more negative backlash.

6. You Can’t Deal with What Life Throws at You

It’s been wisely noted that the only constant in life is that aren’t any constants. The very process of life includes growth, change, and coping with the unexpected. There are many things in your journey that are beyond your control.

Instead of moping and griping about what you can’t change, use your ability to change your attitude about these road bumps. Just as you must train your body to be physically fit, you can also train your mind for mental fitness. If you lie in the swamp of ingratitude and negativity, your mind will be defenseless against a crisis.

Strengthening your brain with positive thoughts and a good attitude will make a big difference when life throws a curveball.

7. No One Wants to Be A Part of Your Downward Spiral

Chronic murmuring and whining affect more than just the miserable person. Often, you’ll notice that their rotten attitude has bled over into their personal and professional life. Their partners may seem deflated, and the kids may take on a mopey effect. Coworkers dread being assigned to their project groups or working nearby.

Do you see this pattern in your life? You may be tangled in the blame-shifting game and think people are jealous and “don’t like” you. When you are honest with yourself, the blinders will be gone, and you’ll realize that your nitpicking and grumbling are to blame.

8. You Make Your Partner Feel Unappreciated and Unworthy

The need for love and appreciation is just as much part of human necessity as food, water, and shelter. However, some people think that if they provide their partner and family’s basic material needs, their job is finished. However, a person who constantly nags and criticizes their partner does nothing to provide esteem and spiritual needs.

How do you feel when your partner is always riding your back and finds fault with everything you do? It leaves you feeling sad, alone, and unworthy. You may feel that you can’t do anything that will make them happy, and the relationship lies in the ruins of love left undone.

9. People Will Stop Listening to You

Do you feel like people hear you but aren’t listening? True, some people have poor active listening skills. However, they may have given up on listening to those opinions laden with criticism and useless grumbling.

Even if you are an expert or have a lot of solid experience, people may stop listening because of your negative attitude. If you are grumpy with how you give instructions and then nitpick others to pieces when trying something new, don’t expect any admiration. Soon, the only person you’ll be growling to is yourself in a lonely space.

10. You Might Find Yourself All Alone in Your Unhappiness

When do you come to a dead-end road where nothing makes you happy? You protest and murmur about everyone and everything under the sun. As these by one become faded memories, what will be left? If nothing makes you satisfied, then the universe wants to make you happy and gives you that: absolutely nothing.

For some, this harsh realization is enough to clean up their lives and start to rebuild damaged relationships. It’s not a quick fix nor a task that’s easy to do. Sometimes, people need treatment options from a mental health professional to overcome chronic griping and a general lack of satisfaction.

Final Thoughts on the Negative Outcomes of Chronic Complaining

You are the only person in the world who is responsible for your joy. If you are drowning in a muck of fault finding and chronic complaining, then your personal and professional relationships will suffer.

It takes a loving eye and a grateful heart to look beyond the dark rain clouds and wait for the beautiful rainbow. If you dwell in the darkness and negativity of the valleys of life, it will affect you and those around you.

15 Grocery Shopping Habits That Promote Weight Loss

April 5, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Your grocery shopping habits can determine the outcome of your weight loss efforts.

Do you want to lose weight and improve your health? Many experts would tell you that you need to start with a balanced diet and a good exercise plan, but others would say that the journey begins as you shop each week.

It would help if you learned some tips and tricks to grocery shopping because losing weight is more about making changes to your lifestyle than getting caught up in fad diets.

Grocery Shopping Habits to Help You Lose Weight

If you think about your last trip to the supermarket, how did you fare? Did you make a list and only buy the things on your plan, or did you overspend by making impulse purchases?

If you’ve ever found yourself walking out of the supermarket with more items than you planned for, you’re not alone. Many of us end up tossing extra snacks, beverages, or products that weren’t on the list, making impulse purchases that add up to an unexpected total.

The key to sticking to your grocery budget is preparation, but sometimes it’s also about finding a more affordable and efficient way to shop. For those looking for budget-friendly alternatives, shopping near me at bin stores can be a game changer. These stores often offer deeply discounted prices on a variety of food items, including pantry staples, dried goods, and sometimes even fresh produce.

Because of their overstock nature, bin stores can offer great deals on bulk items, which allows for more controlled shopping and can help reduce the temptation for spur-of-the-moment purchases. With a bit of planning, bin stores can become a smart option for those seeking to stretch their grocery budget without sacrificing quality or nutrition.

Dieting and losing weight is hard, but it’s more of a commitment to a lifestyle change than anything else. Here are 15 tips for your next grocery shopping trip that can help you in losing weight.

1. Make a List and Stick to It

Start by making a meal plan that includes healthy food choices. You want to shop smarter, not harder, so this is the place to start. Next, you make a list from the meal plan, and you only want to buy the items on that list.

By shopping smart, you can buy nutritious foods and save money too. Most people impulse buy and forget half of the things they need, which often requires a second visit.

2. Shop the Outside Perimeters of the Store

If you notice how your supermarket is laid out, you will see that the produce and healthy selections are almost always outside. On the inside aisles is where you will find candy, chips, and other convenience foods. Try not to stray from the perimeter too much unless you’re going into a specialty section that will benefit your weight loss journey.

3. Devote Time to Fresh Produce Section

You should spend most of your time in the fresh produce section. If you’re serious about getting healthy, then this is the area to start in. You need to eat a wild variety of veggies, and make sure to pick lots of different colors for all your nutritional needs.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, you need a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet because of the nutrients they provide. While some veggies provide vitamins and fiber, some fruits provide potent antioxidants. All these nutritional aspects are necessary for weight loss and overall good health.

4. Eat Before You Go

If you go to the store on an empty and rumbling stomach, then you’re more likely to make impulsive buys based on your hunger. The last thing you need is to give in to temptation and buy a massive bag of cookies or a quart of ice cream when you’re trying to get healthy. Eat a nutritious meal before you go, and you will probably spend less money.

5. Stay Out of The Candy Aisle

Though you may be tempted to go down the candy aisle for your children or spouse, it’s one area that you should avoid at all costs. Even if you’re looking for a candy bar that is 80-90 percent dark chocolate, it’s still not a wise choice to venture into this area. The smells and feelings that chocolate gives to people may be too overwhelming for you to resist.

6. Use A Click List Program

Click list programs have become popular these days. For dieters they can make your grocery shopping much more manageable. When you use these programs, you don’t even have to get out of your car. There will be no chances to mess up when you’ve everything loaded and already pre-chopped for you.

7. Read the Labels

Don’t be fooled by labels. Did you know that manufacturers can put anything they want on the packaging to make you try their product? There is little regulation about using marketing terms to sell food. So, it would help if you were wary of items that say:

Fat-free
Low carb
Keto-friendly
Sugar-free
Not a low-calorie food

Many of these products use unhealthy substitutions that aren’t going to lower the calorie content or favor your diet.

8. Avoid Impulse Buys at The Register

The registers were designed for impulse buying. How many times do the children beg for candy bars, lip gloss, or magazines? If you are trying to diet, it’s the one place that you will come face-to-face with all the things you’re not supposed to eat.

It’s best if you focus on the task at hand, unload the cart, pay the cashier and leave. Better yet, you might want to do a self-checkout. Not only will you get a good workout loading and bagging the groceries, but these areas have minimal impulse-buy displays.

9. Shop Early in The Morning

According to Today, the best time to do your grocery shopping is in the mornings. The produce is always the freshest and less picked over, and there will be more supply. As the days go on and people pile into the store, the selection will become less attractive.

So, the key is to shop early, like right after breakfast, for better results.

10. Load Up on Seeds

Seeds are a friend to a dieter. Trying adding flax, chia, and hemp seeds into your daily eating plan. Not only are these loaded with fiber that will help you eat less, but they can also lower blood sugar levels, glucose and keep you feeling fuller for more extended periods.

Chia seeds can swell up to 15 times their size, so if you eat a handful of these before a meal, chances are you will consume much less.

11. Shop Organically

While it won’t affect your weight loss, try to shop organically when you go to the supermarket. You will avoid produce and other foods that use preservatives or pesticides. Have you ever seen the amount of wax that’s on a regular apple from the store?

It’s overwhelming when you realize all the extras they add to keep things fresh. Your body doesn’t need these “extras.”

12. Avoid Processed Bars and Diet Aids

Though you may be tempted to buy these diet bars and other aids, you don’t need them. Most of these bars use artificial sweeteners along with MSGs. Did you know that many of these chemicals are deadly to a dog or cat? If a dog or cat cannot eat them, then why should humans?

13. Just Say No to Sugar Alcohols

Okay, so you’re trying the keto plan, and you want to eat healthily, but you have a nagging sweet tooth. So, the first thing you do is go to diet-friendly snacks. One thing you will notice is that they use sugar alcohol instead of sugar.

The body does not digest sugar alcohols, and they can bloat you. If you see words like erythritol, arabitol, xylitol, mannitol, and isomalt, then you should avoid it. These products are all hybrids of sugars and alcohol together, and they’re useless additives.

On top of the bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea you can get from these products, you can also get headaches and nausea. Plus, according to Diabetes Strong, since these products act like sugar, some will raise your glucose levels.

14. Buy Yogurt but Check for Sugar Content

Yogurt is an excellent product that can help fill you up and keep you healthy. Buy one that has prebiotics for gut health, as well as one with low sugar content. Just read your labels, but yogurt is a versatile product that can fit into any diet plan.

15. Avoid Freezer and Convenience Foods

It may seem like the easy way out, but don’t fill your cart with convenience and processed foods. Even if these foods claim to be diet-friendly, they’re not the best option for you. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, frozen is better than canned as it has less salt and shelf-stabilizers added to them. However, most things are better made fresh.

Final Thoughts on Grocery Shopping for Weight Loss

Grocery shopping is a chore that most people hate. Thankfully, things have changed drastically over the years that make this daunting task a bit more manageable. Before you head to the supermarket to get things for your household, make sure you’ve eaten and are full.

It would be best to make a meal plan for the next week and then make a grocery list based on this meal plan. Having a checklist keeps you accountable for your purchases, and it allows you to focus on just the items needed.

If possible, frequent farmer’s markets and other such establishments that offer fresh produce. These are usually organically grown in your area rather than being shipped from all over the world. The local farmers pick their produce fresh, so you get the best offerings locally.

While losing weight is the goal, your journey must be about lifestyle changes. Diets don’t work, and many people quickly become yoyo dieters because they cannot go with these programs for the long haul. The key is to enjoy still the foods you want, but you must learn how to make them more healthily.

Woman Immigrates to US with $300; Now Leads NASA Mars Rover Team

April 5, 2021 by Kristen Lawrence

Many people, including Diana Trujillo, immigrate to the US seeking a better life and more opportunities. She grew up in Cali, Colombia, and had a strong interest in science and outer space from an early age. Little did she know how far those dreams would take her a few decades later.

She turned her vision of having a science career with NASA into a reality. She is an aerospace engineer, leading a 45-person team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. Her team worked on creating the robotic arm for the Perseverance Mars rover.

As a little girl growing up in Colombia, Diana longed to explore and understand the universe more. This fascination led to her taking a huge leap of faith to achieve her dreams.

She knew she wanted to pursue a career in science but saw many hurdles. Being a Latina woman in a male-dominated field, Diana felt unsure how far she could advance her career. However, her Dad thought that being able to speak a second language would give her an advantage. He became her biggest cheerleader, suggesting she live with her aunt in Miami while attending school.

So, she decided to immigrate to the US at only 17 years old to pursue a science career. She only had $300 in her pocket. But she vowed to become successful in her new country. She took jobs in housekeeping to pay her way through school at Miami Dade College. There, she took English classes and also enrolled in aerospace engineering courses.

She never complained while she struggled through school, sometimes taking six buses to get to class. Despite having to clean bathrooms for her job, she was grateful for the chance to achieve her dreams.

Diana persevered to become the first Hispanic woman at NASA Academy

Photo: NASA on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

“I saw everything coming my way as an opportunity,” Diana told CBS News. “I didn’t see it as: ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this job at night, or “I can’t believe that I’m cleaning a bathroom right now.’ It was just more like, ‘I’m glad that I have a job and I can buy food and have a house to sleep… ’”

However, she had another reason for wanting to immigrate to the US to study science. She also felt motivated to become an aerospace engineer to prove some of her family wrong.

“I wanted my — especially the males of my own family — to recognize that women add value,” she said, adding, “it came from wanting to prove to them that we matter.”

However, when she got to college, she had a different motivation to succeed. The day she had to declare her major at the University of Florida, she remembered not knowing what to choose. Then, when Diana reached the dean, she looked over at a magazine cover with female astronauts on it. Right then and there, she knew she wanted to pursue aerospace engineering.

She also noticed hardly any Hispanic students or women stood in line with her. At that moment, she remembered a part of why she decided to enroll in college in the first place.

Diana continued her studies, majoring in space science at MDC. Her professors recognized her efforts and encouraged her to apply to the prestigious NASA Academy. The training program eagerly accepted her, and she became the first Hispanic immigrant woman in the academy. She excelled, and NASA offered her a full-time job along with just one other student from the academy.

Diana defied the odds to work for NASA, but she has a bigger mission in mind.

While enrolled at the NASA Academy, Diana got to know robot expert Brian Roberts. He immediately saw her potential, asking her to join his NASA space robotics research department at the University of Maryland. There, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and graduated in 2007.

“By moving to the University of Maryland, I was a year behind in my career, but it was worth it because I managed to get into the NASA education department as the Academy’s operations manager,” she told the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo.

Later that year, she became a NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center member in the Constellation program. She also began working in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on human and robotic space missions. Since being hired at NASA, Diana worked to become the Flight Director for the Mars Rover.

She hit a career milestone in 2014 when she led the operational safety team for Curiosity Rover. She developed a dust removal tool during this mission to help scientists explore Mars’ surface better. This significant achievement earned her recognition as one of the 20 most influential Latinos in the technology industry. Since then, Diana has only kept setting the bar higher.

Diana provided commentary for the historic event when the Mars Perseverance rover landed on Mars last month. This marked NASA’s first-ever Spanish-language transmission. Following that, Diana hosted NASA’s first-ever Spanish-language broadcast called Juntos perseveramos (Together we Persevere). Since it streamed live last month, it has garnered over 2.5 million views on YouTube.

Final Thoughts: Diana became the first Latina immigrant at NASA and hopes to inspire other women

Since she decided to immigrate to the US, Diana has accomplished so much. According to the Student Research Foundation, Hispanics comprise only 8% of the STEM workforce, of which 2% are women. Diana encourages women, especially minorities, to pursue their dreams, regardless of their background. She believes greater visibility of minorities in STEM will inspire more children to pursue careers in this field.

“The abuelas, the moms or dads, the uncles, los primos, like everyone has to see this,and they have to see a woman in there, too. So, that they can turn around to the younger generation and say, ‘she can do it, you can do it.'”

Diana dreams of one day being an astronaut and going on space missions. However, her mission now is to encourage more women to pursue careers in science and engineering.

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