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15 Daily Affirmations to Help You Unlock Opportunities

February 11, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

Sometimes life seems to slow down, and you may feel stuck in one place. It will appear as though there is nothing new for you to go after and that you are destined to remain idle. This isn’t the case, though, and these daily affirmations will help you unlock opportunities you’ve never expected.

As you go about your day, use these daily affirmations to give yourself the courage to keep moving. Remind yourself to stay alert and always watch for new opportunities to appear. The world is full of opportunity. You have to be willing, watching, and ready to jump on it.

Even as you wait for an opportunity to present itself, you must keep moving forward. Better yourself as you wait, and keep learning and growing as a person. The more you do this, the more opportunities will come, and the sooner they will appear.

Fifteen Daily Affirmations to Help You Unlock Opportunities

When you feel discouraged, come back to these daily affirmations. They will help remind you that there is more out there and that you can go after new opportunities. Come back to these affirmations to help you unlock opportunities you’ve never expected whenever you need some encouragement and positivity.

1. I am smart and can do anything.

If you acknowledge your wisdom and remind yourself that you are smart, you will be more open to opportunities. When you know how smart you are, you will see that you can do anything. This will leave you ready for any opportunity that arises, and you won’t feel like you can’t do it.

2. I am a leader, and I follow my path.

Leaders are the ones who will unlock opportunities. They set their path and keep moving forward, despite what anyone else says or does. When you are a leader and follow your path, opportunities that you never expected will appear.

When you follow your path, there won’t be as many people going that route. You won’t have to compete for opportunities as often, and there won’t be as many people taking the opportunities before you find them. When you’re on your path, the opportunities will be all yours, meaning you’ll unlock ones that you never expected.

3. Other people enjoy working with me.

If you believe that other people like working with you, then they will. By speaking those words, you will begin behaving in a way that makes you likable. When you know that people like working with you, you won’t be afraid to take new opportunities.

You will always be confident enough to give each opportunity a shot. Plus, you will begin to notice more options, too. This is when the ones you didn’t expect seem to appear.

4. I am open to new opportunities, and I am ready when they come.

You have to be open to new opportunities if you want to unlock them. If you aren’t available and ready, then you won’t unlock the opportunities or see them if they come. Keep an open mind and always stay prepared while watching for opportunities.

5. I am always growing and learning.

If you are always learning and growing as a person, you will unlock opportunities. Repeat this positive affirmation each day, and you will find that it comes true. You will genuinely begin growing and learning, and then the new opportunities will unlock.

6. My life is full of new opportunities.

When you say out loud that your life is full of opportunities, you will suddenly notice that it is true. This affirmation will help attract new opportunities to you, and you will be watching for them. Then, suddenly, you will realize that there are opportunities everywhere you look.

By telling yourself that your life is full of opportunity, you will begin to manifest that statement. Not only will you start seeing options that are already there, but you will attract even more possibilities. If you can stay positive and assure yourself that new things are out there, you will find what you are hoping for.

7. I won’t make decisions based on the expectations of others.

Make decisions based only on what you want in life. Don’t let the expectations of others sway you, or you will end up on a path that doesn’t make you happy. If you want authentic opportunities to unlock for you, then you have to be on the path that was destined for you.

This is your life, so keep that in mind if others try to press their expectations on you. Please don’t feel bad for not going along with what they want. You must do what you want and need to do if you want opportunities to unlock.

8. I am attracting opportunities all the time.

Feeling like you attract opportunities will help you do just that. You will be open and watching for opportunities, plus you will seem to draw them to you without even trying. Repeat this affirmation, and you will notice more opportunities unlocking.

9. I am always watching for new opportunities.

Watching for opportunities is the only way you will know when they present themselves. You have to keep watching with both your eyes and your mind because you never know where it will come from. Don’t let an opportunity pass you by because you weren’t watching for it.

By saying this affirmation out loud, you will send a signal to your brain. Your brain will believe the statement, and then you will begin always watching for opportunities. If you ever feel like you aren’t watching, repeat this affirmation a few times.

10. My potential has no limits.

This is true, and if you speak it aloud to yourself, you will begin to believe it. There is no limit to how much you can learn and achieve. You are capable of achieving anything that you set your mind to, as long as you remind yourself that you can.

Any opportunity that presents itself can work out for you. Don’t shy away from new things just because your skillset isn’t where you want it to be. Continue to remind yourself that there is no limit to what you can do.

11. I can handle any new challenge or opportunity.

New things can be scary, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it your best effort. You can handle anything, and you will grow and prosper as long as you believe you can handle it. Repeat this positive affirmation aloud anytime you begin to doubt yourself, and that feeling will turn around.

12. I am patiently waiting for a new opportunity.

You can’t expect a new opportunity to unlock the minute you want it to. Waiting can be challenging, but remind yourself that you are patient while waiting. If you can do this, you will unlock opportunities sooner than you would have if you hadn’t been patient.

13. The right opportunity will present itself.

Rest assured that the right opportunity will present itself when the time is right. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t begin thinking that you will never have a new opportunity. Things you never expected will unlock as long as you trust that the right opportunity will come along.

Keep your mind open and always watch for an opportunity. You can find opportunities anywhere, as long as you look. The more positive you are, the sooner you will notice them.

14. I must keep moving forward as I watch for opportunities.

Don’t sit idly while you wait for a new opportunity. You must keep moving forward, learning new things, and growing as a person while you wait. If you choose to stay in one place while you wait, you won’t unlock opportunities.

If you want to improve your life and unlock the unexpected, you must keep going and doing your best. Only those who can stay productive while they watch for an opportunity will find the right ones.

15. The world is full of opportunities, and my options will never run out.

The potential for unlocking opportunities you never expected is endless. As this affirmation confirms, the world is full of opportunity. You never have to feel like you have run out of options because there is always something more.

Final Thoughts on Daily Affirmations to Help You Unlock Opportunities You’ve Never Expected

Sometimes you may feel like you are at a stand-still in life. You’re stuck in one place, and nothing new is presenting itself. When this is the case, these daily affirmations can help you unlock opportunities you’ve never expected.

Repeat the positive affirmations mentioned above as often as you need to. They will help you keep an open mind and encourage you to always watch for a new opportunity. You can do anything, so don’t let negativity hold you back from going after something you want to do.

If you can use these affirmations, you will be well on your way to unlocking opportunities. You never know what will present itself to you, so you should be ready for anything. Repeat these daily affirmations as you go about your day to help you unlock opportunities you’ve never expected.

5 Smart Ways Innovators Are Recycling Face Masks

February 10, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Today, with so many people wearing face masks, there is an increasing litter problem on sidewalks, beaches, and parking lots worldwide. Several innovative companies have found creative ways to turn recycled face masks into useful materials. Here are 5 ways these companies are recycling face masks.

How long have face masks been around?

Although face masks are now mandatory in most public places worldwide, many countries have been wearing face masks for decades.

Historians first believed that during the Middle Ages bubonic plague, medical professionals wore beak-like masks filled with herbs to protect themselves while treating patients. Later, they could find no real proof that doctors wore this type of mask. However, a German museum displays two such artifacts that they admit may or may not be forgeries.

Still, according to the National Institute of Health, the use of nose or mouth coverings such as veils, masks, mouth bandages, although infrequently worn earlier, began being more widely used at the beginning of the 20th century.

Surgical masks were first used in operating rooms in the United States in the 1920s. Over time, face masks evolved, being made from various materials, thicknesses, and shapes. Despite the findings that they helped eliminate germs’ spreading, many older surgeons refused to wear them, saying they were annoying.

In the 1940s, the development of washable and sterilizable face masks revolutionized their useability. Disposable masks made of fleece and paper came from the United States in the mid-1960s. World-wide use of reusable and disposable masks is acceptable in most countries today, especially since the pandemic.

What about face mask littering?

Disposable face masks today are many of plastic with only a one time use. This means thousands of face masks are thrown out every day. Face masks are the new litter problems burdening the landfills around the world. Fortunately, some innovative companies are taking notice and finding ways to recycle face mask waste.

Smart ways companies are recycling face masks

These innovators might be on to something big!.

1 – Pressed plastic for protective visors

Plaxtil, a French entrepreneurial company, is recycling face masks, turning them into pressed plastic. At first, they were turning textiles into plastic goods. But since last June, they collected thousands of face masks for recycling.

First, they remove the metal noseband and disinfect the masks with ultraviolet light. Later, they press the sanitized material into the plastic. Finally, they mold it into various types of protective items such as visors or attachments to hold masks in place.

Co-founder of the Plaxtil, Olivier Civil, explained the motivation behind their work, as follows:

“We said to ourselves, these masks mustn’t end up either in the wild or burned. We can recycle them, we can make something out of this material.”

Plaxtil is just one of many companies seeing the problem and taking innovative measures to recycle face masks.

2 – Road paving materials

A group of researchers in Melbourne, Australia, found a solution for discarded face masks. They discovered that they could use old face masks in road paving materials. One kilometer or approximately a half a mile of road uses up to one million discarded face masks. The materials in the face masks, polypropylene plastic, make the roads more flexible and durable.

Research scientists Jie Li and some other scientists at the Royal Institute of Technology published their findings in the journal of Science of the Total Environment.

Road paving is a major operation, so finding materials that reinforce the roads and provide extra resistance for the asphalt wear and tear is huge. Besides these advantages, using discarded face masks for road paving is cheaper, almost half the average cost. Right now, the recycled masks can be used on two of the four layers that need to be put down on roads. They calculate that if they’re using three million masks to pave half a mile of road, they could recycle up to 93 tons of waste that would normally go into landfills.

Holy highways, Batman!

Meet an inspiring eleven-year-old entrepreneur who runs his own recycling company.

3 – Railroad ties, decks, and lumber

After the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas was forced to close down due to the pandemic temporarily, they reopened with new safety measures in place to protect their staff and guests. Along with this, they felt a new vision to recycle the discarded face masks used by their guests.

According to the resort, their innovative idea to recycle guests’ face masks is the first recycling program its kind in the hospitality industry. Working in partnership with a waste management company called TerraCycle, the Venetian Resort collects discarded face masks and delivers them to a recycling facility.

This facility cleans and shreds them, making them into raw materials used to make railroad ties, composite lumber for shipping pallets, and composite decking materials. Before this project, Venetian Resort recycled their trash, but much of it still went into landfills.

Venetian Resort stated the following:

“Through this program, between 55% to 60% of waste is diverted from local landfills, a number that far surpasses the national average of 32% or the state average of 23%.”

This project is part of TerraCycle’s global sustainability plan called the Sands ECO360, which pulls together responsible businesses with the hopes of encouraging others to find ways to recycle to help the environment.

4 – Three-legged stools

Surprisingly, this story’s not about a company but a concerned citizen. Kim Ha-neul is an individual bothered by all the face masks he saw littering the streets and sidewalks.

This college senior knew that face masks were made of polypropylene, which is a type of plastic. He reasoned that since plastic is recycled all the time, why couldn’t face masks be recycled. With this in mind, he set up mask collection boxes around his university in Uiwang City, just south of Seoul. He collected over 10,000 masks and more than a tonne, approximately 2,204.6 pounds in U. S., of defective covers donated by a nearby factory.

He put these masks in storage for four days to ensure they won’t transmit the virus and then work recycling them. After he removes the elastic and wires, Ha-neul heats the mask to 570°F, melting and molding them into an 18 inch, red, blue, or white three-legged stool. That depends upon the color of the face coverings he’s recycling. Ha-neul hopes to make other furniture pieces in the future, such as chairs, tables, and even lights.

He’s setting up face mask recycle boxes around his city and others to collect more discarded face-coverings In fact, he hopes that his government takes notice and uses his idea. Ha-neul’s three-legged stools aren’t for sale yet, but he’s been an inspiration to many of his fellow students.

Art student Park Sung-chan, aged twenty, summed it up by saying this,

“It has such a strong message. This will remind us what we’ve been through in 2020 with the coronavirus and is also environmentally friendly.

Kim Ha-neul is an inspiration to everyone. His one small idea eliminated thousands of pounds of face masks waste. How smart was he for turning them into useful products? And as Ha-neul’s friend says, the stools are a memento for everyone of what we’ve been through in 2020.

5 – Recyclable plastic

Watching discarded face masks and other trash collecting on beaches and cities across the country, one man decided to do something about it. Jack (Tato) Bigio co-founded UBQ Materials in Israel.

Every week, the UBQ factory located at Kibbutz Ze’elim in southern Israel collects 30 tons of garbage from diapers, plastic bags, and face masks. Once collected, they transform them into heavy-duty and durable sustainable materials.

The factory runs partially on solar power. In fact, it’s the first factory in the world to recycle every type of waste to make reusable material. UBQ just announced a recent partnership with Mainetti, a retail supplier of plastic clothing hangers. They also supply McDonald’s with the materials they need for their trays and other products.

Bigio sums up the vision of UBQ Materials by saying,

“For us, waste is a locally available natural resource; for others, it’s a problem.”

Final thoughts on how innovators are recycling face masks

The global pandemic continues to spread throughout the world. And so does the growing need to find creative ways to recycle disposable face mask litter. These innovators see the problem. But instead of sitting on the sidelines, they came up with creative ways to turn waste into a new resource. Their actions inspire and hopefully remind everyone that it only takes one small idea to create a solution for a big problem.

20 Positive Affirmations to Help You Free Your Mind of Biased Thinking

February 10, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

To be biased means being prejudiced about something, someone, or a group of people. Everyone is a little biased, even if they don’t want to be. The good news is that although the biases don’t just disappear, you can free your mind of biased thinking.

If you ever find yourself in favor of or against someone or something, it is a bias. Sometimes these biases are formed based on past experiences. Other times, preferences are developed based on personal history.

No matter how biases form, they can weigh on you. They may overcome your thoughts when you don’t want them to, and it could interfere with your behavior. Biases could stop you from experiencing new things and meeting new people.

The key to freeing your mind of unbiased thinking is to change your mindset and treat everyone with kindness. Spend time trying to learn about things you don’t understand, and surround yourself with diversity. Plus, many positive affirmations can help you to free your mind of biased thinking.

Positive Affirmations to Help You Free Your Mind

1. I can think with an open mind.

Thinking with an open mind is essential to changing your thought process. To free your mind, you have to open it and experience new things.

2. I will not make assumptions.

Making assumptions is being biased, so tell yourself you won’t do that. If you tell yourself not to make assumptions, you’ll be less likely to think that way later. Repeat it to yourself as often as is necessary because making assumptions could cause problems.

3. I have mental clarity.

Being able to think clearly can help free your mind. You can be kinder and relate to others more, and you will be able to listen and learn. Plus, when your mind is clear, you will be more open to new things and ideas.

4. I am empathetic.

Being empathetic means being able and willing to see things from someone else’s perspective. It is a way of feeling what the other person feels and understanding them better.

Try to figure out what others are thinking and learn their motives and behaviors. Then, imagine how you would feel if you were in their shoes. Doing this can help you become more unbiased.

5. There are no limits to my mindset.

The more you learn, the less biased you will be. Your mind has no limit, and you can continue learning and growing all the time. Take in information whenever you can, and make it a habit to say this affirmation daily.

6. I enjoy spending time with people who are different than me.

If you aren’t used to people who are different than you, it might be uncomfortable at first. With this affirmation, you will be more positive and open-minded going into it. This affirmation will help you enjoy the time you spend and make you want to do it again.

This means that you have to get along with people who aren’t like you. They may think and act differently, or they may have different views than you have.

7. I am controlling my thoughts.

You are the only person in charge of your thoughts. If you feel these thoughts creeping in, change your mindset and start thinking positively. Before you know it, you will be associating that bias with something positive.

8. I will learn about things I do not understand.

To overcome bias, you have to learn about things you don’t understand. Become aware of the world around you and learn about the things you have a bias toward.

9. No two people are the same, and that is okay.

If everyone were the same, the world wouldn’t be a fascinating place. Stop putting people into categories or comparing them to other people. Everyone is unique, and this affirmation will remind you that being different is a good thing.

10. I will treat everyone equally.

Even if your thoughts aren’t perfect or you aren’t where you want to be with your biases yet, the way you treat people is most important. Treat everyone the same, and you won’t have to worry about biased thinking taking over. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and speak to everyone the same way.

11. I can think with an unbiased mind.

By telling yourself you won’t have biased thinking, you can free your mind of these thoughts. Hearing yourself speak the words out loud will help your brain process them. This will help you as you go throughout your day, allowing you to stress a little less.

12. I will find answers for myself rather than relying on others for information.

When you get answers from other people, you may not be getting the complete information. Go to the source and find solutions to form an opinion on your own with an open mind. Then, you can rest assured that your thinking isn’t biased.

13. I will ask any questions that come to mind so that I can understand.

Asking questions is the best way to learn. Make sure to ask someone who knows the answers and not someone that only vaguely gets it. Listen when the answers are given, and take in what you are told.

Remember always to ask the questions respectfully. Most people don’t mind explaining or sharing details when someone is curious, but you must be kind as it you ask.

14. I listen to what others have to say before I make up my mind.

If you made decisions based only on your negative thoughts, the findings wouldn’t be for the greater good. Instead, listen to what others have to say and hear them out as they explain. Take their thoughts into consideration along with your own before you make up your mind.

15. I treat everyone with respect, even if I disagree with them.

Treating people with respect is essential to freeing your mind of biased thinking. If you treat everyone like they are necessary (which they are), you can think with an open mind.

Disagreeing with someone doesn’t give you a valid reason to disrespect them. Disagreements are a part of life, and you can still interact positively with someone you disagree with. Show respect in all situations, and you will be able to clear your thoughts of bias.

16. I do not let biases affect my thinking or change my behavior.

As explained before, everyone has biases, and the tendencies don’t merely disappear. You can’t let those biases change your behavior or the way you treat people. Think positively, treat others well, and always behave in a positive way.

17. I am friendly to everyone.

Even when you don’t agree with someone, you should be friendly to them. Being kind to everyone opens you up to more knowledge and will further free your mind. Don’t hold back on being familiar with someone just because they are different than you or because you don’t understand them.

18. I think positive thoughts in the presence of others.

When you are around other people, you should focus on keeping your thoughts positive. Keeping your thoughts positive is especially important when you are around people, things, or groups you may have biased thinking about. If you can keep your thoughts positive, you will free your mind of those negative thoughts.

19. I embrace the things that make people different.

The things that make people different aren’t bad, and no one should be made to feel like they are. There are beauty and happiness in all people, and you have to look for it to find it. Always remember that the things that make people different are what make life so exciting.

20. I am kind and compassionate.

If you are kind and compassionate to everyone you interact with, you will be freeing your mind of biased thinking. By being kind, you are making it clear to yourself that everyone deserves kindness. Practice compassion by trying to see the world from their view.

Final Thoughts on Positive Affirmations to Help You Free Your Mind of Biased Thinking

As much as you would like to be unbiased, it just isn’t possible. All humans tend to be biased in some regard, but the way you react to your biases is what matters. If you are kind, compassionate, respectful, and friendly to everyone, you can free your mind of biased thinking.

Before you begin each day, say some of these positive affirmations aloud to yourself. They will help you overcome biased thinking and clear your thoughts. Having an open mind will help you accept others and learn more about things you don’t understand.

Don’t let your biased thinking stand in the way of new experiences and meeting new people. Embrace life and all it has to offer and learn to be positive even when you aren’t entirely comfortable. Remember these positive affirmations and repeat them anytime you need to free your mind of biased thinking.

15 Habits That Make You Oversleep in the Morning

February 10, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Oversleeping interrupts your daily scheduling, making it difficult to get to work or school on time. It makes you feel sluggish and groggy. You may wonder if there are things you’re doing that are causing you to oversleep.

Are you getting too much sleep, or just oversleeping?

Getting excessive hours of sleep is called hypersomnia, which means long sleep. It’s not a common condition. Indeed, it affects only 2% of the population. If you believe that you require inordinate amounts of sleep, you should visit your doctor. They can help you get the slumber you deserve and need.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this chart explains how much sleep you need:

On the other hand, it’s natural for everyone to hit the snooze button too many times once in a while. When it becomes a habit, you must examine your nighttime routines.

What nightly habits might cause you to oversleep?

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to be your best at work, school, and home. Here are the habits that could be causing you to oversleep.

1 – Going to bed too late

It’s tempting to want to go to bed late, especially on the weekends, since you don’t have work the next day. If you’re prone to oversleeping during the week, your late weekend nights could be the cause. Everyone is different, and some people can mix up their sleep schedule routine with no effects. But if you’re having a hard time getting up on weekdays due to oversleeping, it could be due to your late nights on the weekends.

2 – Drinking alcohol late at night

If you’ve been drinking alcohol, you may fall asleep quickly but then wake up in the middle of the night. This is because once your body detects alcohol in your system, it affects your REM sleep. REM is a sleep cycle you go through several times every night. It causes your brain to increase its activity and helps you learn. If you’re not getting enough REM sleep, it can interfere with your brain function. Long story short, after lying awake until your body finally metabolizes the alcohol, you fall asleep but then oversleep in the morning.

3 – Stress

The extra stress at work or school or hectic days at home can be exhausting physically and mentally. When you’re stressed or worried, it affects your sleep patterns keeping you awake at night. You may feel emotionally exhausted but fall asleep, or you wake up in the middle of the night worrying. When you do finally fall asleep, you oversleep. It’s a vicious cycle. Try to find ways to reduce your stress levels.

4 – Poor sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is a relatively unfamiliar term to many people. It basically means that you have wise practices at night that help you fall asleep. The CDC recommends that you.

Turn off your blue screen technology an hour before bed.
Keep our bedroom just for sleeping or intimacy.
Don’t eat your meals or snack close to bedtime.
Avoiding caffeine several hours before bedtime

Sleep hygiene makes a big difference to the quality of your sleep. What are signs you have poor sleep hygiene besides oversleeping?

Frequent yawning
Feeling irritable
Sleepy during the day
Fall asleep when you sit down

5 – Eating meals (or snacks) too late

Late evening meals or snacking late at night interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep all night. One study found that late-night eating can result in hyperglycemia or high blood sugar, which is a symptom of diabetes. When you eat near your bedtime, it slows down your body’s metabolism, making it difficult to digest. Having food in your stomach late at night makes falling asleep difficult.

Plus, if you’re eating foods like chocolate or caffeine products, it may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. Another side effect of late-night eating is acid reflux or stomach ache. All these things can cause you to fall asleep in the early morning hours. This means your deeper sleep is in the morning when it’s time to get up. If you don’t oversleep, you’ll feel groggy and foggy-brained.

6 – Medication

Another contributing thing that causes you to oversleep is medication. Certain medications can disrupt your sleep. These include

Antihistamines
Muscles relaxants
Antidepressants
Corticosteroids
ACE inhibitors
Beta-blockers

Be sure to talk with your doctor if you’re taking any of these medications and not sleeping. It can be very frustrating being on medications that help your body, but they mess up your sleep. When you’re so tired, you oversleep in the morning, making it difficult to function at work, school, and at home.

7 – Not having a regular sleep schedule

This sounds like a simple thing, but maintaining a regular sleep schedule is important for you to get up in the morning. Your body thrives on routine. When you keep a traditional wake-up time and bedtime, you’ll feel better and won’t oversleep the next morning.

8 – Sleep apnea

When you wake up dozens of times at night, you’ll probably oversleep in the morning. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start all night. Snoring loudly and feeling tired the next day could mean you have sleep apnea. Causes of sleep apnea include

Being overweight
Having a narrow airway
Being a man
Smoking
Being older
Drinking alcohol or tranquilizers
Certain medications
Congestion

If you think you have sleep apnea, be sure to speak with your doctor. There are new ways to help control sleep apnea, so it doesn’t disrupt your life.

9 – Overeating carbohydrates

Eating too many carbs can elevate your blood sugar, giving you energy for a short time, making you feel exhausted and tired afterward. These bursts of energy and tiredness interfere with your sleep. You may fall asleep only to wake up in the middle of the night, causing you to oversleep.

10 – Not setting an alarm

Set your alarm so that you can wake up with the light of sunrise. Sunlight stimulates your body to wake up, while darkness signals your body to wind down for bedtime. Get an alarm clock or set an app that gets you out of bed. Some alarms are especially loud or vibrate your bed. Don’t neglect this simple habit because if you skip setting your alarm, good chance, you’ll oversleep.

11 – Depression

Depression is something that can lead to oversleeping. If you struggle with depression, it can leave you wide awake at night, resulting in oversleeping in the morning. This makes it hard to get up in the morning, interrupting your routine, which in turn can make you feel depressed and worried. If you think you’re struggling with depression, talk with your pastor, a counselor, or your doctor to get help.

12 – Poor ventilation

Poor ventilation in your bedroom at night can affect your ability to fall asleep and get up in the morning. If your bedroom is hot and stuffy, this can keep you awake. Also, be sure to check your CO2 monitor to be sure there isn’t any concentration of CO2 in your bedroom. Open your windows at night or turn on a fan to circulate the air throughout your bedroom.

13 – Napping during the day

When you sleep during the day, it interrupts your ability to fall asleep at night, which in turn causes you to oversleep in the morning. Try to avoid napping during the day. Instead, get outside and go for a walk. Or get involved in a project or hobby to stave off your tiredness. Don’t drink coffee since the caffeine will have the same effect as a nap keeping you up at night.

14 – Uncomfortable at night

If your mattress is uncomfortable, or you’re too hot or cold, this can interfere with your ability to sleep at night. Keeping your bedroom around 65 degrees is considered a good temperature to help you sleep best.

15 – Lack of exercise

Exercise and sleep go together. When you are getting enough exercise, you’re more likely to sleep well at night. Plus, when you’re feeling well-rested, you’ll have the energy to exercise every day. Try to exercise during the day. Some people suggest that exercising at night may keep you awake, while others say this isn’t true.

Find a time to exercise that works best for you. You can also try yoga at night to stretch to reduce stress and feel relaxed, so you can fall asleep and wake up refreshed in the morning.

Why is sleep so important?

If you’re not sleeping well, you will oversleep. Lack of sleep can not only make you feel unhealthy, but it can also have other negative impacts on your body. Short-term effects include these:

Sleepiness during the day
Irritability
Lack of focus and alertness
Slower motor skills

Besides these things, here are a few other reasons why sleep is so important for your body.

High blood pressure: Individuals who can’t sleep have increased blood pressure levels. This can result in an increased risk of heart disease.
Mood disorders: Lack of sleep over an extended period can lead to mood disorder problems. Moods like anger, sadness, and stress result when you don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can also trigger panic attacks, hyperactivity, and bipolar disorders in some people.
Arthritis and other pain problems: If you struggle with lack of sleep, it can cause you more pain symptoms like inflammation like arthritis.

Final Thoughts on Improving Your Nightly Habits, So You Don’t Oversleep in the Morning.

An occasional oversleep is expected when you’re not sleeping at night. If you struggle with getting up in the morning, try to establish good habits to promote your sleep during the night.

Loyola University Psychologist Explains Differences Between Love and Attraction

February 10, 2021 by Deborah Tayloe

You’ve probably felt that moment when sparks fly between you and someone special. It’s thrilling when you experience your first feelings of affection, even as strong as love. Perhaps you’re getting these feelings from an instant attraction you share when you meet someone’s eyes across a room. Sometimes the draw can be so strong that it confuses you.

You’re not alone if you’ve ever been confused about your feelings for someone. It can be hard to tell the difference when you’re feeling attracted to someone or you’re in the cupcake phase of a relationship. Luckily, this article contains information to help you sort out your feelings.

Is It Attraction or Attachment?

Many people aren’t aware that attraction is a part of love. Scientists have divided love into lust, attraction, and attachment.

Lust is self-explanatory, and it’s not hard to figure out when you’re feeling that way, as some particular reactions happen to your body. The attraction is just that – being attracted to the person can quickly lead to lust. However, attachment is what people are referring to when they say love.

Attraction and attachment can feel the same, leaving you confused about your feelings. It’s a common confusion, and just about everyone experiences this at least once in their life.

Trying to figure out the difference between attraction and attachment was a subject of an article written by psychologist Theresa E. DiDonato Ph.D., assistant professor at Loyola University Maryland. She explored the idea that people sometimes have trouble telling the difference between true love and instant attraction. According to her, the two are both powerful emotions and can be intertwined in ways that can get confusing. However, some subtle differences can help you figure out your genuine emotion.

Goals Make the Difference

According to Dr. DiDonato, one of the most significant differences is the goal of your emotions. For example, when you need attachment, you aim to get close to the object of your affection. You’ll want to feel connected and possibly share your life with that person. You might feel true love if you desire to have someone around you often.

On the other hand, attraction can be more temporary. You desire to fill, and once it’s done, your desires are gone. Although the attraction may occur again, you won’t feel like sharing your life with the person.

While these two goals are specific and different, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between your emotions. Emotions can cause your thinking to be clouded so you need to look for other clues.

Other Differences Between Attraction and Attachment

Goals are not the only way to tell what you’re feeling. It’s not even the best way. You may need to consider multiple points to work out your emotions.

Dr. DiDonato pointed out other differences that can help you distinguish which emotion you truly feel. Here are some of the points she made.

If you would be willing to sacrifice for the person, that’s attachment. It’s attraction if not.
If this person fulfills your need for support (emotionally and mentally), there could be a desire for attachment involved. If not, it’s merely attraction.
The desire for attachment gives you the confidence, to be honest and authentic. If you feel the need to deceive the person for any reason, you are feeling attraction.
If intimacy has become something more important than lust satisfaction, that is a clear indicator that you may be attached to the person.

The last point is not always as clear-cut as the other points. Dr. DiDonato said that intimacy or intimate attraction sometimes could launch attachments or the desire for it. Therefore, even if you only feel an instant attraction, further exploration of that attraction can make you crave a close relationship with that person.

All the points that Dr. DiDonato wrote to make a lot of sense. Think about how relationships are started. It’s doubtful that people form relationships with someone they are not attracted to. However, people start relationships before they fall in love all the time. That is a clear indicator that instant attraction can lead to love.

Some wait a while before becoming intimate, while others may wait until marriage. Sure, they are attracted to each other but choose to develop an attachment before exploring close bonds. This is not to say that falling in love is always a choice. Sometimes, it just happens unexpectedly. However, it is easy to see the difference between love and instant attraction in this case.

Love: A Chemical Reaction?

For a long time, scientists have explored attachment and attraction on a chemical level. However, neither emotion comes from any reactions in your heart (although both may cause your heart to beat faster). It has been proven that these emotions either happen or are enhanced by chemical reactions in your brain.

Since both emotions can stem from reactions in your brain, this could be why people get the two confused. However, they occur from different chemical reactions in different brain areas. That is one reason you can experience both emotions at the same time.

According to researchers at Harvard University, the chemicals responsible for attraction are dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. The ones responsible for attachment are oxytocin and vasopressin. While there can be some slight overlap, these sets of chemicals cause different reactions in your body.

Behavior from Attraction Chemicals

It may surprise you that the chemicals responsible for your feelings of attraction are the same chemicals responsible for drug addiction sentiments. That may be scary, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be addicted to the person you’re dating. It merely means that dating an attractive person gives you the same euphoric feeling you’d get from being high (no matter how you phrase that, it sounds strange).

These chemicals can cause you to feel giddy and excited. They can also cause you to eat and sleep fewer hours. It seems that dating an attractive person keeps you alert and may help you lose weight! It seems like a win-win situation.

If you notice these feelings or behaviors happening to you, there is a good chance you’re feeling the pull of attraction. If you experience them enough, you could bounce over to attachment.

Behavior from Attachment Chemicals

The behavior you get from attachment chemicals may not be as exciting as the behavior you get from the attraction, but the actions could be more stable. These chemicals cause bonding behaviors. The researchers at Harvard said that these bonding behaviors could include activities like breastfeeding and childbirth.

Before you start thinking that your partner’s bond is the same as the bond with your baby, don’t forget that the difference is that you’ve had the attraction phase and likely the lust phase with your partner that you didn’t have with your baby. That’s what makes the attachment a romantic attachment. However, the bond is just as strong in both situations.

The Downside of Chemical Love

In general, being in love is a great thing. However, you’ve probably heard the saying, “love can make you do some crazy things.” This couldn’t be more accurate.

All those chemicals floating around your body can affect your hormones and cognitive functioning. You could make irrational decisions simply because the chemicals flood your judgment, especially if the relationship goes sour. Science has shown that these are the same behaviors that drug addicts exhibit.

Generally, this is nothing to worry about. Those irrational decisions are usually harmless ones. However, you may need to step back if you make decisions that can harm yourself, your livelihood, your partner, or someone else.

Does Instant Attraction = Love at First Sight?

Some people believe in love at first sight, while others don’t. However, attraction is a part of love, and instant attraction happens often. Therefore, in a sense, love at first sight happens a lot more than you think.

What doesn’t happen often is an attachment at first sight. This can be strange and possibly even alarming since attachments typically take time to develop. There may be some mental illness going n when this happens, but that’s a discussion for another article.

Final Thoughts on the Difference Between Love and Instant Attraction

After reading this article, you should be clear that attraction is simply one part of love. Therefore, there isn’t a difference between the two. You could say that attraction is simply beginner’s love or love without an emotional attachment. You could even go as far as saying that attraction is the idea of the possibility of love.

None of these definitions would be wrong. Attraction, even instant, is a version of love that hasn’t yet developed into a commitment. It can fizzle out as quickly as it develops. Love, it seems, is a fickle emotion.

20 Items to Avoid Buying at the Grocery Store

February 10, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Supermarkets of today have become mega centers where you can get an oil change, have your hair cut, and buy school clothes along with your groceries. However, while it’s convenient to buy things at a one-stop center, it’s not always the best price. You will pay for the convenience of getting everything in one place.

Never Buy These Twenty Things at The Grocery Store

Most families are on a budget. It seems logical to buy everything you need locally, but it’s not always the best price. Here are a few things that you should shop online or at other stores to get the best deal.

1. Diapers

Did you know that the average baby uses 2,500 diapers a year? Mom Informed states that buying in bulk is always the better option as they cost way less than a small pack at your local store. Using online mega-sites can be helpful, as is shopping at your local bulk warehouse.

Cloth diapers are a great alternative, but most prefer the use of disposable diapers. A 40 pack at your local supermarket is going to cost you about 26 cents per diaper, while a bulk package can give you a price of around eight cents per unit. Now, since you’re going to need many of these diapers, it’s best to use the cost-cutting option.

2. Greeting Cards

Greeting cards start at about $4.00 each, and they can go all the way up to $12 for the ones that sing and have pop-ups. Now, it’s silly to spend this much money on a card that most people are going to throw away. You have two cost-cutting options.

First, you can go to your local dollar store and get any card you want for $1.00. Don’t worry because these stores usually have a nice variety too. The last option is to buy a bulk pack of miscellaneous cards. You can get some for every occasion and in size for about $10 for a package of 25 or more.

3. Magazines

Grocery stores put magazines on the racks as you check out to lure your attention. You will pay anywhere from $4-$10 for one of those books. However, if you get a subscription to your favorite publication, then you can save significant money.

You can get a whole year of delivery for about $15-$20. Another option is to check out your local library as they keep a large selection of magazines that you don’t have to pay one dime to read.

4. Toilet Paper

Toilet paper comes in all varieties. If you want the stuff that’s good enough to sew into a shirt, then you will pay more. However, when it comes to your TP, always try online services in bulk.

Many places like Amazon have amazing deals that no grocery store in your area can beat. Quit paying more than .50 cents a roll as it’s too expensive.

5. Bottled Water

Why everyone thinks they need bottled water is a mystery. Most water in your home tastes fine, and you can even run it through a filter for higher quality. All those plastic bottles are overkill on the planet as many don’t recycle them. If bottled water is a must, buy it in bulk at a warehouse club find an affordable price per unit.

6. Batteries

Few households in this country can live without batteries. However, it’s best to buy batteries in bulk as they’re much more affordable. Choose a bulk membership store rather than your local grocery store.

A two-pack of D batteries might set you back $4-$5 for the excellent kind, or you can get a monster pack for $20. The savings are hard to deny.

7. Dog/Cat Food

Dog and cat food is expensive, and the quality is usually lackluster at supermarkets. Use a store that specializes in pet supplies to get the best bulk deals. There are also subscription services that you can order from and get it shipped to your door for less.

Lastly, local feed stores offer one of the most incredible and most economical options for you.

8. Coffee

There are a few options for cost-effective coffee:

Delivery services have great pricing.
Office supply stores often have the best deals, which may shock you.
Your local warehouse store is an excellent place to look.

Buy the whole bean and grind your own so that it lasts longer and is fresher.

9. Baking Mixes

This may blow your mind, but you can make baking mixes at home with everyday staples. Stop paying a fortune for four, salt, baking powder, and a pinch of sugar in a box. You can buy nearly all the stuff to make ten times the amount you get in an all-purpose baking mix.

10. Celebration Cakes

The deli counter loves to lure their customers with custom cake creations that look amazing. They can write your name, use balloons, and create a culinary masterpiece. The only problem is that all of this comes at a price.

The average size cake purchased is one-fourth of a sheet, and it will set you back around $20. Plus, most store-bought cakes have a horrible taste and use pure grease for the icing. You can bake a delicious cake at home for around $5, or you can head to your local bulk food stores that have the same abilities as a supermarket for less money.

11. Birthday and Other Party Supplies

Why do people spend a fortune on paper plates and streamers that will all end up in the trash anyway? Head to your local dollar store to ensure that you get a fair price and don’t overpay for stuff going to the dump.

12. Frozen Pancakes and Waffles

Do you know how easy it is to whip up a batch of pancakes, and it’s inexpensive too? You can make larger batches to freeze for a quick breakfast. You can pay pennies for each pancake as opposed to up to .35 cents per unit. The same savings can be observed with waffles too.

13. Alcohol

One of the most significant sources of revenue for your local supermarket is beer and wine. However, use a warehouse club to get all your purchases for less. Did you know that many state laws regarding alcohol allow you to buy booze at these stores without a membership?

14. Bread

Use local bakery outlets to buy your bread. You can get many loaves for the price of what you would pay for one at the grocery store. Stock up and put it in your freezer.

15. Gift Cards

Gift cards make life easy when it comes to birthdays or other celebrations. However, buying them at the supermarket isn’t always the best option. You pay face value, but you miss out on the other perks.

Many restaurants offer a deal if you buy a $20 card, you get a $5 free. Or, what about Costco’s great card where you get $100 worth of any cards you want for the low price of $80.

16. Light Bulbs

Gone are the days where you could get a light bulb pack for $1.00. The new incandescent bulbs are expensive, and according to ZD Net, it’s because of the technology used to make them. However, you can find good deals at Amazon or at a warehouse club that carries bulk options.

17. Cooking Utensils

Walking through your local grocery store, you will see utensils and other baking goods hanging around. These are again geared at being impulse buys. They want you to see something you can’t live without. It would help if you resisted the urge to buy these impulses.

If you need baking goods, check out a home goods store to get rock bottom pricing.

18. Toothbrushes

Your friendly dentist gives out free toothbrushes each time you visit. If you have children, their local school also gives out these aids. Now, why would you go to the supermarket for your toothbrushes?

If you visit the dentist two times a year, they should keep you stocked without spending a dime.

19. Spices and Herbs

Have you seen how much some of the herbs and spices are at the store? It’s unbelievable that the average bottle is around $4 and can go up to $20. Find a bulk food store that allows you to buy in bundles or by the pound.

You will get three times as much as you would by shopping at a store. Plus, what if you only need a tablespoon and you must buy a whole jar; it’s just a waste of money?

20. Snack Cakes

You know all those little snack packs that they wrap conveniently for you? Well, they’re charging you a mint to do all that work. Why not buy a big bulk of snack crackers and then wrap them in individual bags? The savings will be quite significant if you have a large family and you pack lunches.

Final Thoughts on What Not to Buy at Your Grocery Store

What things do you buy that you see a potential for savings by shopping around? While your local grocery store is a great place to get many things in a rush, it’s not always the most economical way to buy. Remember, it pays to do some research, especially when it comes to commonly used items like toilet paper and diapers.

10 Exercises That Work Best For People With Diabetes

February 10, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Being diagnosed with diabetes is a scary time in your life. If you have type 2, you want to fix the problems that have caused you to get this disease, which means altering your diet and adopting an exercise plan. However, you might wonder what’s the best exercises for diabetes, and how can you start such a program without further compromising your health?

Thankfully, there are many things that a person with diabetes can do without issue. The benefits of doing the proper exercises for diabetes can help put the condition in remission. Consequently, it would help if you choose your exercise routine wisely, as not all workouts are equal or suitable for a person with compromised health.

How much exercise do you need? Well, according to the National Institutes of Health, a person with diabetes should get around 150 minutes of activity each week. If you break that down into daily goals, it’s roughly 20 minutes.

The target is to never go for more than two days without any activity. If you develop a routine, then you can quickly get control over this disease.

Considerations Before You Begin an Exercise Routine

You’re pumped and ready to begin your workout schedule. You’re eating healthier, and now you want to try to lose some weight and boost your insulin-making abilities. While it sounds like a good plan, there are a few things that you must consider.

First, if you don’t have enough insulin in your body when you start your workout, it can cause your blood sugar to rise further. Anyone with a glucose level of 250 to 300 mg/dl shouldn’t do any activities until this number is more controlled. Another thing to keep in mind is that as you’re working out, your body will release hormones, such as adrenaline, which can cause a temporary rise in your glucose levels.

If there is any time during your workout that you feel weak, confused, or your body is shaking, then you should stop. If your blood sugars fall below 70 mg/dl, then it’s not safe for you to exercise. Low blood sugar can be dangerous when mixed with methods that can help to lower it further.

Choosing the Right Activities for Diabetics

So, what are the best exercises for diabetes? You might be surprised at the workouts that will help you with your body and your disease. Here are the top ten activities recommended by doctors for people with diabetes.

1. Swimming

When dealing with type 2 diabetes, it’s a commonplace to find obesity at the crux. Swimming relieves the pressure from aching joints that might not otherwise be able to move. Using a soothing swimming pool to exercise is a great way to work the entire body without intense pain.

Not only does this joint-friendly option help to lower glucose levels, but it helps to strengthen your heart, muscles, and lungs too.

2. Walking

Oh, the places your feet will take you in life! Did you ever think about starting a walking regimen? Walking is less harmful to the joints than running, and it’s something that everyone can do. You get to choose the pace and how far you go.

Plus, when you walk with friends or family members, you will have the companionship that makes it not even feel like a workout. You can walk on the beach, in a park, or even around your house. The options are limitless when it comes to walking, but it’s notably one of the best exercises for diabetes.

3. Dancing

What genre of music do you prefer? Do you like to boogie down to country music, or do you choose to show off your best moves to hip-hop? Whatever your preference doesn’t matter, as dancing will help you reach your goals to control glucose.

According to Captain Calculator, you can burn as much as 300-800 calories for one hour of getting your groove on. If you’re limited because of weight or mobility, you can use a chair and incorporate it into your routine. Dancing is one of the best exercises for diabetes because it’s fun and doesn’t feel like a workout.

4. Yoga

Yoga has got a great deal of attention in the last decade. This ancient practice combines centering the mind, body, and spirit using gentle poses and moves. The wonderful thing about yoga is many different styles can accommodate your needs.

Thankfully, you probably won’t break a sweat, but still, the rewards of this exercise are hard to ignore. Doesn’t weight loss start in mind first anyway? So, using an activity that helps you center is an excellent place to begin.

5. Tai Chi

This oriental art uses gradual, efficient body movements to loosen the joints and muscles and ease the mind. Using Tai Chi is an effective way to control your blood sugar as it enhances vigor, strength, and mental health.

6. Cycling

Remember how much you loved riding your bike when you were a child? Well, studies show that getting back on your cycle can help you manage your diabetes. There are now cycling centers with stationary bikes that can help you peddle your way to better health.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, almost half of the people who have diabetes have an arthritic condition. This most likely occurs from being overweight. Cycling is low impact, which means it won’t hurt your joints and muscles as much.

If you want to meet your fitness goals, improve your glucose levels, and lose some weight, then you can use cycling as your go-to method.

7. Weightlifting

It’s always good to build muscle mass to burn more calories and control your glucose. You can use kettlebells, free weights, or machines to help you achieve your goals. You don’t need to go out and buy any expensive equipment if you don’t have it on hand, as you can use canned goods or even water bottles to lift.

You must learn how to lift weights safely as you can cause joint damage if you do it incorrectly. A class or two is an excellent option to try out different methods and get some guidance on the strategies that work best for you and your situation.

8. Resistance Bands

If weights are too much for you at this stage in your life, you might consider resistance bands. Resistance bands are great because it’s a low impact way to get a good workout. It’s one of the best exercises for diabetes, especially for those who have extra weight and sore joints that hinder movement.

Using these unique bands, you can sit on your couch or a comfortable chair and get a good workout in.

9. Calisthenics

The wonderful thing about this type of exercise is that you use your body’s weight to build strength. The most common movements in this category are squats, lunges, pushups, and crunches. Since these muscle-strengthening activities are challenging when you’re first starting, you may want to allow a day to lapse in between your workouts to allow your body to adjust.

10. Pilates

Pilates became popular in the past couple of decades as it improves the inner core and enhances balance and coordination. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that it also improves blood glucose control in women based on a 12-week review.

Many online tutorials can show you what to do and allow you to work alongside professionals. Or you may want to take a class in your area and team up with others battling diabetes and overweight.

Final Thoughts on the Best Exercises for Diabetes

The first place to start when considering a workout is to talk to your medical provider. You need to ensure that your glucose levels are at a safe place to do any workout routines. Second, you need to select a workout plan that is right for your body and needs.

It sounds good to do an hour of weightlifting each day as it’s one of the best exercises for diabetes, but not everyone can do such a workout. You need to start small and do things that won’t cause a great deal of pain. An excellent place to start is with something like resistance bands and then incorporate some dancing into it.

Both workouts can be done using a chair for comfort when needed, and you don’t have to strain your muscles or joints. The important thing about working out with diabetes is knowing when to listen to your body. If at any point you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or you’re short of breath, then you need to stop.

While it’s great to pick fantastic exercises for diabetes that strengthen your core and bring down those glucose levels, you want to make sure it’s done healthily. You can get control over your blood sugar levels, and it just takes a little effort to do it.

Experts Reveal 8 Reasons Why Being Happy All The Time Isn’t Healthy

February 9, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Most people strive for happiness in their lives. It’s an admirable goal to be happy. Many even hold it up as a final ideal, an end goal that will mark their true success. Some might even feel disappointed with themselves when they “let” some happiness drop. But is this really a good thing?

The fact is that happiness was never meant to be a constant emotion. On top of that, it can actually actively harm you if it’s excessive! Here’s how experts reveal 8 reasons why being happy all the time isn’t healthy.

1. Not All Situations Should Involve Happiness

Being happy all the time isn’t practical because it’s not really appropriate to be happy in all situations. Human beings have emotions for a reason – to meet challenges, adapt to opportunities and new situations, and respond well to the environment. That cannot be done if you’re always happy.

Charles Carver, a psychologist, states that positive emotions in general, happiness included, can lead to the act of slowing down and just “coasting” mentally for a while. This is because happiness is meant to be a signal of fulfilled desires or goals. Unfortunately, this means that always being happy can lead to decreased performance, especially in challenging or competitive environments. In fact, being angry is likely to boost your performance more than happiness!

Knowing when it’s okay to feel bad is crucial for overall health and happiness. If you want to perform well, you don’t need constant overwhelming and unbalanced positivity – you need realism and emotional balance.

2. It’s Important To Truly Feel Your Feelings

Some people may be tempted to try and dismiss all negative emotions. If that sounds like you, you’re actually doing more harm than good. By replacinglings completely and becomingbecomingng but positive, you’re not really getting rid of the bad – only repressing it.

In most cases, someone who feels happy all the time isn’t being honest about their emotions with themselves, says Suzannah Weiss, a highly-published lifestyle writer who has degrees in Cognitive Neuroscience, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and Modern Culture & Media. It’s a dangerous cycle to get used to repressing emotions, and those repressed feelings can come back to bite you later. Here are some reasons it’s important to feel your feelings:

· You Shouldn’t Have To Perform

Hiding your feelings behind facades of happiness is a kind of performance. Constantly performing this “positivity” stops you from being human. You’re supposed to have ups and downs, and you shouldn’t be performing ups only, especially if it’s only because you feel pressured to act happy by those around you.

· You Want To Appreciate Happiness

If all you are is forcibly happy, you stop feeling appreciative of that happiness. In fact, happiness is now more negative, as you have to force that emotion. Letting yourself feel negative emotions means that you’ll be more grateful for times of positivity.

· You Need The Feedback

Your emotions exist for a reason. They’re valuable feedback provided by your brain for your wellbeing. Emotions are a chance to stop and reflect on why you feel those ways, allowing you to learn and grow through difficult times. In other words, feeling negative emotions can make you a stronger person!

· Bad Feelings Can Make Good Memories

Some people think that they need to force happiness,, so they don’t waste their lives on negativity. While it’s true that wallowing isn’t good, it’s also true that good memories don’t need to involve happiness. Letting yourself be vulnerable, allowing negative emotions to exist, and watching yourself rise from negativity again are all wonderful ways to make memories. Part of the human experience is going through ups and downs, and you’ll remember your strength, the people who helped you, and how you climbed up again!

3. There Is A Difference Between Happiness And Purpose

A lot of people conflate the idea of happiness with meaning. While the meaning is necessary to have most of the time in life, happiness is a completely different. Professor of counseling psychology, speaker, and author David B. Feldman, Ph.D. states that there are two common kinds of experiences that make people feel that their lives are worth living:

Hedonic experiences, which relate to pleasurable activities such as eating sinful foods, watching a sunset, watching your favorite shows, or enjoying intimacy
Eudaimonic experiences, which relate to personal purpose, typically relating to living by certain values, making a difference, helping others, or completing goals and projects
These two experiences are distinct and separate, indicating that what is meaningful is not always pleasurable, and what is pleasurable is not always meaningful

Hedonic experiences are often generally considered the things that create those moments of positive thinking and happiness – but as you can probably guess, they’re not sustainable and can’t – and shouldn’t – be done all the time. Having meaning in life is what should sustain you, not having bursts of pleasure.

4. It Reduces Creativity

Intense experiences of happiness that are unbalanced and disproportionate may actually lead to decreased levels of creativity. Basically, too much positive thinking can kill your ability to think outside the box and be open-minded!

Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson further expands on this by stating that this creativity decrease doesn’t just occur in obvious creative pursuits, like art or media. It also means:

A lack of flexibility when facing difficulties
An inability to come up with effective, unique, or innovative solutions in the face of challenges
Difficulty accepting or understanding new perspectives from other people
A lack of interest in learning or trying new things

5. Some Kinds Of Happiness Are Bad For You

Happiness is a spectrum. It’s not just one term with one definition. There are many different flavors and sources of happiness, each one providing valuable context to situations. Different happiness has different effects, according to Yale Positive Emotion and Psychopathology Laboratory director, licensed clinical psychologist, and assistant professor of psychology June Gruber, Ph.D., and not all of them are healthy.

Make you feel closer to others.
Increase energy levels
Make you feel proud of yourself.
Increase generosity
Slow you down

Even more complex than that, each flavor of happiness can have “sub-flavors”! For example, being proud of your accomplishments and patting yourself on the back reinforces positive self-esteem, but being proud to the point where you act above others has social consequences. Understanding the nuances of happiness is important to ensure that you keep your emotions in check and stay grounded in the real world.

6. Negative Emotions May Improve Your Life

It goes without saying that a majority of people would rather never feel anything negative in their lives. But Feldman states that this may actually not be very positive, as negative emotions are typically crucial in at least some circumstances. For example:

Fear and anxiety can warn you against threatening situations and circumstances
Feeling guilty helps you reach the decision to make amends, take responsibility, or own up to mistakes
Anger motivates you to stand up for yourself and refuse to accept injustice (and in some cases, may even get you more positive outcomes from interactions with others)
Sadness helps you process difficult situations and makes you more grateful in happier times
Regret can push you to do better in the future, learn from mistakes, or try to create a better world

The trick, of course, is not to go overboard with negativity. Anxiety to the point of an anxiety disorder, for example, needs medical attention. Or acting violently and lashing out in anger is not a good thing, as another example. Balancing negative emotions with positive ones allows you to have a more moderated, effective, and positive life overall.

7. It Can Threaten Safety

It’s hard to understand why being happy all the time could harm your personal safety, but all one has to do is look at what happiness is at its core. Let’s think, for a moment, about what happiness does. It:

Focuses your attention on positive thinking, excitement, and great things happening in your world
Reduces inhibitions, meaning you are likely to take more risks or be open to new possibilities off the bat
Tries to sustain positive feelings by focusing for as long as possible on only the good

Now, imagine all of those great benefits of happiness, but taken to the far extreme. You might ignore risks for a prolonged period of time, stop noticing anything grounded in reality, and take leaps without looking or caring about what happens next.

Think it’s far-fetched? Science supports it. A study by psychologist Howard S. Friedman found that individuals who grow up being considered extremely cheerful had a higher chance of mortality carried forward into adulthood. This is because of a “happiness overdrive,” where they would engage in behaviors without caring about threats. This could lead to:

Binge eating
Risk-taking behaviors
Promiscuity
Excessive alcohol consumption
Substance abuse

8. Constantly Chasing Happiness Is Bad For You

Everyone wants to be happy, but sometimes it becomes too much of an obsession. It’s fixed into our brains that we have to be happy and pursue that goal at all costs, and that being happy is a sort of end-goal. This is especially true for Americans, as the Declaration of Independence even includes a line on it!

But according to social psychologist and emotion regulation expert Iris Mauss, this is very counterintuitive. This is because:

The more someone pursues happiness, the more likely that they are to set very high goals and standards for that happiness
Higher goals and standards mean a lower chance of obtaining that gold-standard happiness they seem to want
Trying to chase happiness excessively is essentially setting oneself for disappointment.
Those with these lofty goals may not even be able to feel happy in positive circumstances, as their positive thinking is dependant on something almost unattainable.
The pursuit of happiness may be associated with a worsened risk for mental disorders, including bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

Final Thoughts On Some Reasons Why Being Happy All The Time Isn’t Healthy

Negative emotions are normal and healthy in moderation. Even the happiest, most successful people you know experience negative emotions. It’s just part of the beautiful life you’ll live as a human being.

Instead of focusing on achieving constant happiness, focus on regulating your emotions, balancing your feelings, and addressing your negative emotions. You can learn, grow, and appreciate yourself, even more, that way!

Why It’s Okay To Be Picky In Relationships, According to Relationship Experts

February 9, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Are you currently single? Are you often told that if you just lowered your standards and stopped being picky, you’d have an easier time dating? Do you sometimes feel ashamed for your perceived pickiness?

Keep your chin up and turn on your positive thinking! Being “picky” isn’t actually as bad as you might think. Here’s how experts reveal 8 reasons why it’s okay to be picky in relationships.

1. You Have To Focus On The Long-Term Facts

If all you’re interested in is a fling, sure, you don’t have to be picky. But if you’re seeking long-term relationships with the end-goal of a life partnership, then long-term thinking is crucial. This means being significantly pickier when it comes to the people you choose to date.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist Leah Aguirre states that although living in the present is important for healthy relationships, you need to still think of the big picture. Long-term implications exist in all relationships, and if you want to go the distance, you need to prepare for them.

In other words, chemistry and connection may not be enough to carry you all the way to a together-forever situation. Differing expectations, future desires, and general compatibility issues can cause long-term plans to fall apart. You have to think about if you share these common things:

You both want children, and if so, if they would be a good parent
Both will be supportive of your personal choices and career path
You both have similar visions for the future
You can both be happy with each other for the rest of your lives, or as long as possible
Both partners have the ability to compromise, communicate, and be accepting of each other

Being picky allows you to weed out prospective partners with who you may not be able to truly go the distance. It saves you time and heartache in the long run.

2. Little Things You Overlook Now May Bother You Later On

Minor quirks from a partner should be things that endear you to them. Finding tiny little personal traits of theirs annoying is a surefire way to wind up in a contemptible and negative relationship.

According to Andrew G. Marshall, a relationship expert, most people assume that major issues are the primary cause of difficulty in relationships. But in reality, small little irritations are more likely to build up over time and even overpower bigger problems. The reality is simple: if something small your partner does irks you to no end, there are likely larger issues at play, and that could point to long-term incompatibility.

Being picky allows you to avoid winding up in situations where seemingly small things wind up causing huge problems. Though it’s possible to learn to accept little things that annoy you, it’s also understandable if something you can’t stand from someone off the bat makes you realize this isn’t the right person for you.

3. You Can Learn From Past Relationships

When past relationships don’t work out, you need to stop for a while and think about why. When you realize what made you incompatible with your exes, you also realize that you have to be a bit pickier when you learn from these mistakes and choose new partners.

Studies have long indicated that people have a tendency to gravitate towards similar relationships than they had in the past. That, unfortunately, means that you may end up stuck dating similar people for a long time if you don’t learn to be picky!

The good news is that the same aforementioned research also reveals that individuals who are more open to new situations are less likely to choose new partners that are similar to their old ones. So if you do your best to open your mind and world, you likely won’t be bound by what naturally attracts you – and if that means being pickier, that’s okay!

4. Your Intuition Can Be Powerful

Intuition is often dismissed as something purely illogical, but sometimes listening to your gut isn’t a bad thing, says Aguirre. If things seem right with someone but feel wrong, and you can’t figure out what may be the cause, it’s okay to decide to call it off before things get serious.

Think about it this way: often, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The fault could like on their side, your side, or neither side, but the bottom line is that if things don’t add up or just feel “off”, you have every right to end things or back out. Especially in new or budding relationships, you do not have to justify a decision you make based on instinct – especially if it’s clearer and clearer that something is wrong every day.

5. You Shouldn’t Be Bound By Sunk Cost

Sunk cost refers to a phenomenon where people are more likely to stick with difficult or even painful situations if they have invested a significant amount of something into it. This could be:

Time
Money
Effort
Sacrifices
Plans made

Marriage and Family Therapist Darlene Lancer states that a huge number of people remain in relationships where they are unhappy. They can feel suffocated, be controlled, or be abused and still remain, despite being miserable, and a lot of that stems from the feeling that you have already invested so much into this relationship – why leave?

When you’re picky, you don’t let yourself be bound by these things. Putting in effort into a relationship that you later realize isn’t going to work won’t keep you there, unhappy. You’ll know that you should move on and won’t get hung up on the idea that you’ve “wasted” anything. In fact, you’ll have learned and grown from this relationship and will be wiser about future ones.

6. You Know Your Must-Haves and Dealbreakers

When choosing a partner, you likely have lists of things you absolutely need someone to have and also things you absolutely do not want. It’s true that some people go overboard with their lists, but it’s also good to have standards.

Some examples of common reasonable must-haves include:

Emotional openness
A kind heart or compassionate values
Aligning political or social beliefs and ideals
The responsibility to maintain reasonable employment
Similar desires regarding having children
Intelligence and the capacity for engaging in discussions and conversation

Some examples of common reasonable dealbreakers include:

Negative behavioral traits like selfishness, controlling behavior, or dishonesty
Smoking, drinking, or substance abuse
Career choices that put someone in the public eye
A far distance from each other
Money-mindedness
Incompatible intimate desires

Animal studies have shown that older individuals may have a likelihood of being more selective when they choose friends, let alone partners. Why? Because they seek more positive relationships towards the end of their lives and know what works for them!

People get tired of drama and trying to force things to work. They know what they like and they’re sticking to that. It’s a perfectly respectable approach to dating, as long as you’re being reasonable about your lists for must-haves and dealbreakers. The trick is to be the right amount of picky!

7. You Know And Appreciate Yourself

You know who you are. And you know what works best for you. You know your flaws, your strengths, and most of all, you know that you deserve to be appreciated – and you want to appreciate your partner in that same way, too.

Having high standards is often looked down on, but there’s nothing wrong with respecting yourself, says Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate and National Certified Counselor Heather Gillam. The time you spend searching for someone you’re compatible with isn’t “lost” time – it’s time you get to use to work on yourself!

8. You Shouldn’t Have To Settle

Nobody should have to settle on a partner. There is no point in choosing someone only to dislike them or wish you’d done better later. And think about how negative it is for someone to know you’re only dating them because you couldn’t find the right person!

Research has shown that individuals who are looking for a partner are likely to narrow down their options to choose “candidates” by settling. It may be some way to force positive thinking when you think dating is difficult or hopeless or might be entirely subconscious. But the bottom line is that it happens. Here are the four things people may “settle” on when choosing candidates for a relationship:

· Stability or Dependability versus Good Health or Physical Attractiveness

People may choose to forgo emotional stability for levels of physical attraction, or may happily disregard someone’s health status for the sake of better dependability.

· Love verses Resources or Status

People are likely to choose to compromise on someone’s economic status for feelings of romantic attraction, or to date someone without sufficient romantic attraction because of their economic status.

· Intelligence or Education Level versus A Desire For Children or Home-building

You are more likely to be picky about someone’s career or level of education if they don’t want a lot of kids, but you are also more likely to forgive someone’s lack of education if they genuinely want many children.

· Religious Beliefs versus Sociability

A person is likely to compromise on someone’s social skills or character in exchange for compatible or similar religious beliefs, but they are also likely to accept someone with a different religious background if they are sociable.

Professor of psychology, practicing clinician, and researcher Noam Shpancer, Ph.D., clarifies, however, that this process is primarily used for the selection of romantic candidates, not for actual decisions regarding whether you “accept” those candidates or not. Acceptance is dependant on highly personal and often mysterious personal desires.

Essentially, by “settling” when choosing between what traits you want in a partner during candidacy selection, you’re basically performing arbitrary tasks that don’t even matter when you actually make your full decision! Why start by settling when you can, from the beginning, follow your true desires?

Final Thoughts On Some Reasons Why It’s Okay To Be Picky In Relationships

There’s no race to the land of long-term relationships. You can take your time and define your own standards for a future partner, and that’s your choice and right. It’s up to you who you date, and if being so-called “picky” is what you need to be, then there’s no shame in owning that.

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