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11 Habits That Make it Easier to Forgive Yourself and Move On

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Everyone has acted wrongly and felt guilty afterward. It can cause you to have negative thoughts, making it hard to forgive yourself. You may wonder what you can do to make it easier to forgive yourself. Here are some suggestions that may help you.

What is forgiveness?

Perhaps you’ve done something that hurt another person’s feelings. Maybe you knew it was wrong, but you still did it. It’s human to do these things, and it’s important to apologize when you’ve hurt someone.

Forgiveness is letting go of your anger toward someone who has done you wrong to stop requiring payment for what they did. It’s a willingness to stop holding that person hostage in your heart for what they did. It doesn’t mean you trust them or think that what they did was okay. It merely means you let go. You are at peace, you may still feel the sting of what they did, but you aren’t going to try to get revenge.

What about forgiving yourself?

But there is another side to forgiveness. Studies show that unforgiveness can make you dislike yourself and believe you’re not worthy of trust and love. To deal with these thoughts about yourself, it’s essential to forgive yourself.

According to the National Library of Medicine at the National Institute of Health, the self-forgiveness is the following:

a willingness to abandon self resentment in the face of one’s own acknowledged objective wrong, while fostering compassion, generosity, and love towards oneself.

How do you deal with your past mistakes and forgive yourself?

There are many ways to incorporate self-forgiveness in your life. Here are some practical habits to forgive yourself and move on.

1 – Resist the urge to rehearse what you did wrong

It is disappointing when you do something unkind or tell a lie, but rehearsing what you did over and over again won’t make you feel better about it. It will only make things worse for you. You may begin to feel unworthy of love or trust. Once you’ve apologized to the other person or persons, it’s time to move on and forgive yourself. Resist the urge to beat yourself up about what you did wrong.

2 – Find faith in God

People of faith believe that God forgives them and helps them with self-forgiveness. They know they need help outside themselves to be able to forgive others and themselves. They also find support from their church community, who are learning about forgiveness. One study found that emotional support from fellow church members can make it easier to self-forgive. Most religions endorse forgiveness as a way to find personal peace and help. Knowing God has forgiven you can make it easier for you to forgive others and yourself.

3 – Take responsibility for what you did

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. When you mess up, like accidentally saying something hurtful, it’s essential to take responsibility for what you did. Trying to defend yourself usually backfires. Plus, not taking responsibility for the things you do will make you feel bad about yourself because you know you’re living a lie. Step up and take responsibility for your mistakes. It will help you be more at peace with yourself and others.

4 – Don’t condemn yourself

Self-condemnation won’t help you forgive yourself. These feelings will cause you to feel worse and can lead to depression or self-harm. If you’ve asked the person or persons for forgiveness, then you can be at peace and forgive yourself. If you have faith in God, ask God to forgive you, too.

5 – Take positive steps

If there are things you said you’d do but didn’t do them, like finishing a project at work or spending money on something you said you wouldn’t to your partner, you may feel guilty about it. Start a habit of going back and doing what you said you’d do. It can make self-forgiveness easier. Getting stuck by your feelings of guilt or shame about letting down your boss or partner won’t help you. Self-forgiveness enables you to take the proper actions to make right the wrongs you’ve done.

6 – Figure out your triggers

Some things in life trigger feelings of your unforgiveness. It may be something you associate with your childhood. There are some relationships or situations that can trigger an emotion, making it difficult for you to forgive yourself. Parents often struggle with self-forgive when they get mad at their kids or say something hurtful to their child. This guilt may trigger feelings they had as kids, so they try to make it up with buying gifts for their kids or over apologizing. Regret is a terrible substitute for asking for real forgiveness. Once you’ve apologized to your child, you can move on to self-forgiveness. Of course, you may need to find a way to control your anger because it can affect your child long term, but that is secondary to apologizing to your child and forgiving yourself.

7 – Change where you need to

If you find yourself repeatedly doing the same wrong thing, maybe it’s time to break free from this habit. If you’re always lying to your spouse or getting angry at work, perhaps you need to get some help. Taking the necessary steps to change in these areas can help you forgive yourself.

8 – Make amends if possible

If possible, try to make amends for what you did. Apologize personally to the person, or at least over the phone. Try to avoid text messages or email apologies. These don’t convey your full meaning and could be misinterpreted by the person you’re apologizing to. If possible, see if there is a way to make it up to them, maybe by replacing the thing you broke. It’s an essential step to fixing your mistakes so you won’t wonder if you could have done more to help the relationship.

9 – Ask yourself if you’re really at fault

It’s essential to make sure you are responsible for doing something wrong rather than being blamed for something you didn’t do. You should never apologize for something you didn’t do. If you are prone to feeling like you should be blamed for things you’re not responsible for, you may be suffering from past trauma or abuse. This causes feelings of guilt and shame for innocent sufferers. If you see this pattern in your life, talk with your pastor or counselor. They can help you work through these issues and get other help you may need.

10 – Learn from your mistakes

It’s impossible to live life without making mistakes. Maturity is not that you don’t make mistakes, but that you earn from your mistakes. You will remember what you did and try to avoid it next time. This lesson is an excellent deterrent to stop doing certain things.

11 – Keep yourself physically and mentally healthy

Mental health is vital to forgiving others and forgiving yourself. Here is a list of ways you can stay mentally healthy.

Sleep: Get enough sleep every night. Lack of sleep affects your judgment and the way you relate to others. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’ll be prone to irritability and anger. You won’t be patient with your kids or kind to your spouse. This impatience can lead to hurt feelings, and then you’re feeling bad about how you’re acting. It’s a vicious cycle that a good night’s sleep could cure.
Get vitamin D: This vitamin is something called the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D is vital for your mental health. It improves your mood and gives you more energy. If you live in a climate that doesn’t have much sun in the winter, you can take a supplement or use a light therapy lamp.
Stay active: Staying physically fit will help your mental health. It helps reduce stress and boosts the chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy. Because of this, you’ll relate to others better and be more productive at work.
Stay connected with people: Try to maintain connections with your friends and family. Even if you’re struggling with self-forgiveness, get with others. They will support you when you’re feeling disappointed in yourself. It can also help you get your mind off yourself and on to others.

Final thoughts on learning to forgive yourself for past mistakes

Doing wrong is a universal human problem. Perhaps when you did something wrong, you found it difficult to forgive yourself. Maybe you held on to resentment, which hindered your ability to forgive yourself. Try to incorporate some of these habits to see if they give you the ability to forgive yourself regularly. Hopefully, these ideas strengthen your resolve to break free from guilt and practice self-forgiveness.

Is Being Skinny Always Healthy? 14 Red Flags That Reveal Someone’s Too Thin

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Being skinny is highly desired among both men and women in the American culture. It’s hard to imagine that places like the South Pacific island of Tonga praise women who are overweight for their voluptuous size. While the focus is on the body, it should be on a person’s health and not all about their exterior.

You can be 200 pounds and be the picture of health, while being frail 97 pounds may come with more health problems. It all comes down to your body, genetic history, and the foods you consume. People believe that obese individuals are healthy, but many of these overweight folks have vitamin and mineral deficiencies that aren’t investigated.

Shockingly, many obese people in this country are malnourished as they lack proper nutrition, and the same can be said for the skinny folks.

Fourteen Red Flags of Being Skinny and Unhealthy

The old saying that you can’t judge a book by its cover certainly rings true. Just because someone looks perfect in their skin doesn’t mean that there aren’t issues lurking under the surface. Here are some red flags that being skinny is not healthy.

1. Excessive Hair Loss

Being skinny requires most people to eat less. Now, keep in mind that this is not always the case as some people naturally have a fast metabolism that allows them to eat whatever they want. However, skinny people usually don’t get anywhere near the 2,500 calories a day that they need, so they are not getting the vital nutrients the body needs either.

The most significant indication of a vitamin deficiency is hair loss. There are many reasons why your hair might fall out, but one of the major concerns is losing nutrients. According to the National Library of Medicine, vitamins such as B, C, D, E, iron, zinc, and selenium are just a few of the deficiencies that can cause hair loss.

2. Hyperthyroidism

One major problem that might be causing a person to be too skinny is their thyroid. When you think of thyroid disorders, you probably consider those who have issues with weight loss. However, a hyperthyroid can cause just as many problems.

These people tend to be painfully thin as their thyroid has sent their metabolism into overdrive. The thyroid can cause problems for your entire body.

3. Struggle to Stay Warm

Why is it that a skinny person is always cold? You may see them in a restaurant in the summer with a jacket on because the AC is chilling them to the bone. Many things can cause a person to be cold all the time, including the thyroid.

However, the thyroid isn’t the only culprit, as an iron deficiency can cause anemia. Those who don’t have sufficient iron in their blood and don’t have enough healthy red blood cells often have a problem staying warm. According to the National Library of Medicine, anemics aren’t getting enough oxygen to their body, and it can cause these sensations.

4. Fertility Issues

Women who are overweight often have fertility issues, but you can also have trouble conceiving if you’re too thin. Being skinny doesn’t mean that you will be able to get pregnant with ease. Your hormone levels can quickly become out of whack, and it can throw your whole reproductive system off balance.

5. Diabetes

It’s probably surprising to see diabetes on the list of issues with being too skinny. Most people think that this is a problem with being overweight, but it has to do with the food you eat. First, diabetes can have genetic links, so if you have a family history, then you can develop it regardless of your size.

Second, a skinny person thinks that it gives them a ticket to eat whatever they want whenever they want. The truth is that eating fast food all the time isn’t healthy, regardless of what the scale says. You can develop diabetes from poor eating habits, even if obesity isn’t the culprit.

6. Heart Disease

The skinny person doesn’t carry the proverbial spare tire around their waist, but they have extra fat around the heart and liver. The problem is that this fat can be just as dangerous, but most skinny people assume they’re healthy.

It’s not uncommon for someone who is underweight to have heart issues. Extra fat around the heart is dangerous regardless of your size.

7. Poor Immunity

If you want to boost your immune system, you should eat leafy greens and other vegetables and fruits. However, many people that are too skinny are the way they are because they starve themselves or they have an overactive metabolism. The problem is that many aren’t taking in the nutrients the immune system requires.

When you’re too thin, you can starve your immune system so that it doesn’t work correctly. The sad thing is that when your immunity is low, you will catch everything coming and going. Additionally, a low immune system can make you more susceptible to cancers too.

8. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that affects many older Americans. The bones become quite brittle and will break too easily. This condition often is a problem that occurs with a low diet and a lack of vitamin D.

Additionally, a lack of estrogen also plays a significant role in the development of this condition. If your breaking bones more often than others around you, then it’s an issue that warrants further investigation.

9. Menstrual Problems

Cycle irregularities are commonplace when your weight is not at an acceptable level. You can experience infertility as a problem with these issues, but it’s also a cause for concern when your body is not functioning as it’s designed.

Your body was made to shed the lining of your uterus once a month. When the reproductive system isn’t working, it can make your moods all over the place as there are many hormones involved.

10. Eating Disorders

One of the first things people think when they see someone too skinny is that they have an eating disorder. It’s not unheard of for someone today to develop anorexia or bulimia. They strive to be thin from cultural influences because people are unhappy with their bodies, no matter the size.

11. Muscle Weakness

A lack of nutrition affects the whole body, including the muscles. Your muscles need protein to be healthy and vigorous, and when you’re barely eating enough to keep your body going, it’s going to cause you to be weak. Your body needs around 1,500 – 2,000 calories each day to keep the processes going. Anything less than this is going to cause deficiencies and significant issues.

12. You Can’t Find Clothes to Fit

Going shopping for clothes isn’t fun if you’re too skinny. If you don’t fit into society’s clothing norms, you may have difficulty finding something that works for you. Jeans can be a real issue as they may fit in length, but they won’t fit around the waist. Did you know that many thin people often shop in the children or teens sections for specific items?

13. Exhaustion

When you’re too thin, you can become exhausted quickly. When you eat, your body stores some of the nutrients from your food as energy. Since you’re probably not eating enough, your energy reserves are low. Doing something as simple as walking through the mall can be nearly impossible for you.

Forget exercising and building muscle mass as you don’t have the energy to do what it takes during the day.

Final Thoughts on Being Skinny but Not Healthy

The medical community considers anyone with a BMI under 18.5 to be too thin. The target range for a BMI should be around 19-24. If you’re below 15 percent of your ideal weight, you need to gain some weight slowly.

America has worshiped the thin physique while casting shame on anyone who doesn’t fit into the perfect size range. According to Bellatory, a small frame is anyone that is a size 00 through a 4. A woman who is a medium frame will be anywhere from a size 6-10, and a large frame is a 12 and up.

The bottom line is that you can be a size two and be healthy or a size 22. It all comes down to what you eat and the nutrients that your body receives. You must learn to be comfortable in the skin you’re in, and if you need to adjust your weight in either direction, it’s best to do it slow and healthy.

10 Effective Hairball Fixes That Can Help A Cat

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Hairballs are the dread of cat parents. It’s repulsive to have your cat cough up a giant hasty hairball at your feet. Cat hairballs may feel like the gift that keeps on giving, but you can do something to stop them or at least eliminate most of them. Here are ten at-home hairball fixes you can try today.

First, if you have any questions about whether your pet has a hairball or another condition, seek a vet’s advice. However, if you are confident of the condition, feel free to try these things.

Why do cats get hairballs?

Unlike dogs, cats are self groomers. They lick themselves to stay clean. Their rough tongue gets rid of debris, dirt, and any loose hair on their coat. While grooming, they swallow some of their hair, which gets passed through their digestive system. They excrete most of this hair, but some hair gets left in their approach, causing hairballs to form.

One study found although most vets and cat owners feel that a cat’s habit of vomiting hairballs is usual for them, researchers think there are often other things that contribute to this problem. They suggest that when a short-haired cat frequently coughs up hairballs, it’s a sign of an underlying disease causing the cat to ingest more hair, or it’s a sign that the cat has a gastrointestinal problem.

Other causes of frequent hairball vomiting include:

Flea infestation
A skin disease that causes scratching
Diet allergies or intolerance
A bacterial infection on their skin that’s causing scratching

It would be best if you watched other symptoms that could indicate your cat has health issues that are causing the frequent vomiting of hairballs. If your cat shows these signs, you should take your cat to the vet for a check-up.

Watch for these signs of a hairball:

Constipation: this could be due to dehydration, but if your cat is drinking and eating but still is constipated, this could mean they have a blockage in their intestines.
Lots of hair in your cat’s stools: Loose amounts of hair could be an indication your pet is sick.
No appetite: Refusal to eat isn’t typical for cats. Try different foods, but call your vet if your cat refuses to eat more than a day or two. Lethargy: If your cat doesn’t want to play or cuddle, this could be a sign your pet is sick.
Increase in hairballs: If your cat is vomiting up numerous hairballs, this is a bad sign
Overgrooming: If your cat is obsessively grooming, this could be a sign of skin disease.

Hairball fixes for your cat

All cats get hairballs. You can significantly reduce the number of hairballs for your cat with some simple fixes. Here’s the list of what works best to limit those nasty little hairball gifts your cat gives you.

1 – Brushing

When you brush your cat’s hair, you remove dead fur, dander, and dust from their coat. This will diminish the amount of hair your cat swallows while they’re self-grooming. Make your cat is relaxed before you brush. Make brushing a cuddling time with ear and tummy scratches. Try giving your cat little treats as you brush to help your cat stick around long enough to brush its entire coat. Never force your cat to stay the whole time of brushing. Even if you get just part of their coat brushed, you can finish the rest the next day. Make brushing a daily event, especially if you have a long-haired cat. This will significantly reduce hairballs for your furry friend.

2 – Healthy diet

Like humans, cats need a wholesome diet to stay healthy. Your cat’s diet should include these six major groups of nutrients for the best health. These include the following components:

Protein
Minerals
Vitamins
Fats and oils
Carbohydrates
Water

If you buy cat food, read the label to look for these six groups. Or you can create your cat’s meals using safe to eat human foods.

Avoid giving your cat too much food since cats are prone to overeating. If your cat is getting all the nutrients he or she needs in its diet. They will be less inclined to losing lots of hair, which can lead to hairball build-up. Plus, maintaining a healthy diet helps their digestive system work well to rid their body of hairballs quickly and efficiently.

3 – Several small meals

Feeding your cat smaller meals more often is better for them than providing one large amount of food. The smaller meals help your cat’s digestive system work more efficiently to eliminate the hairballs easier.

4 – Control parasites

When cats suffer from fleas or ticks, they instinctively want to get rid of them. They will over-groom to try to do that, which causes them to ingest more fur than usual. This causes hairballs to develop. Keep your pet free of fleas and ticks with natural ingredients.

Keep a fine-tooth flea comb on hand. Check for fleas and ticks regularly to detect infestations. This habit will help you find the bugs early for quick treatment.

Here is why orange cats are so special.

5 – Wipes and shampoos

After you brush your cat’s fur, try wiping down her coat with a hypoallergenic wipe to remove more loose hair. There are also specially made shampoos that help control hair loss you can use on your cat. Grooming is vital if your cat is long-haired since these cats are prone to more hairballs.

6 – Butter

Say what? It’s true. A half teaspoon of butter a day for a week will expel those nasty hairballs in no time flat. The butter is a fat that helps push the built-up fur through your pet’s digestive system, so they get naturally excrete. Butter helps your cat’s gallbladder contract and empty. It’s a mild laxative, so don’t overdo it, or your cat will get diarrhea. Use this method once a month or less if it’s causing diarrhea.

7 – Sardine treat

Another proven hairball fix is feeding your furry friend a can of sea sardines once a month. Sardines are oily fish that will help keep your cat’s digestive system working well so that food and hair move through their intestines. Plus, sardine oil will make your pet’s skin and fur healthier. If you don’t want to mess with sardines once a month, you can give your cat a teaspoon of fish oil every day for the same benefits.

8 – Pumpkin

The regular canned pumpkin you buy at the grocery can be a simple way to get rid of hairballs. Just add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the canned pumpkin to your cat’s daily food. The fiber in the pumpkin regulates and improves your pet’s digestion to help their body get rid of fur, so their hairballs don’t form and get stuck in their intestines.

9 – Keep your cat hydrated

Sometimes the best fixes are the simplest, like making sure your cat is drinking lots of water. Many cat owners find that their cat loves to drink from the water faucet. You can’t leave your faucet turned on all day, but you can purchase a cat water foundation to entice your kitty to drink more water. Another way to ensure your cat is getting enough fluid is to feed them wet cat food instead of dry. Water is essential for your pet’s digestive system to work its best, so it can remove the hair your cat ingests while grooming.

10 – Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is another tried and true simple hairball fix. Keep a small bowl of coconut oil where your cat can get it whenever they want. The oil lubricates and helps the hairballs to slide on through their intestines. The coconut oil will also give your kitty a shinier coat.

Final thoughts on trying natural hairball remedies

Hairballs are a cat parent’s least favorite thing. Fortunately, there are several natural fixes you can try to reduce your cat’s hairballs. If you are unsure of anything, please contact the kitty’s veterinarian for further advice. You love your cat to do everything you can to make them feel happy and healthy. Try these simple suggestions to see which ones work best for your beloved pet.

7 Habits That Make It Easier to Release Resentful Feelings

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

It’s easy to become resentful when you’ve been hurt badly. Perhaps someone said something offensive that hurt your feelings, or there was an action that caused you great mental pain.

When you get so upset that you feel anger and bitterness inside, it can cause a toxic condition that allows resentment to creep in.

What is resentment exactly, and how is it different than anger? When you resent someone, you dwell on a situation that was very pain full to you. You can’t let what happened to go, so you develop rage towards them. The biggest issue is that this one event can cause you to mistrust people in the future, and you may lack compassion towards others because of one mistake.

You must overcome these feelings and forgive the other person; even if you don’t do it for them, you must do it yourself. Allowing this toxic negativity to dwell in your heart will only cause you further complications down the road.

Overcoming Resentful Feelings

When you’ve been done wrong, it’s normal to be upset and angry. However, it would help if you let it go no matter how bad the offense. Now, you should know that letting it go doesn’t mean you have to be best friends with the person.

It just means that you choose to forgive so that it doesn’t cause you emotional issues. What if your best friend had an affair with your spouse? You must come to terms with the situation and forgive this individual, but it doesn’t mean that you must go on as friends. Sometimes, there’s a line drawn as some offenses cause unrepairable damage.

If you’re ready to move past the feelings of antipathy, here are some tips to help you work on the issues.

1. Write It Down

Perhaps, you have a list of people who’ve done you wrong and hurt you. Get a journal and write down what happened, when it occurred, and why it hurts you so badly. Getting your feelings out on paper will show you precisely what you need to work on, and you can think of this as your road map to get started in the healing process.

2. Find the Root Cause

There may be a few issues that are causing you pain in your life. So, you should pick the one that causes the most resentful feelings to work on first. Now, you must identify why this situation is hurting you so badly.

If you lost a job and it was due to someone else’s blunder, then you’re mad at them because they caused you to be fired. Find out the reason why the offense hurts you so bad. In this instance, it’s easy to see you’re upset because your income and livelihood was affected at the hands of someone else.

3. Identify If You Played Any Role

Did you have any role in this person’s actions? For instance, if your spouse had an affair, was it because you were ignoring their needs after they had told you several times about a problem. Now, there is never an excuse for infidelity, but if you were not in a good place with your partner, then you need to own any role that you might have had.

4. Are You Mad at The Person or The Situation?

Sometimes people get mad at a situation more so than the person involved, and the individual becomes the fall guy. This could be the occurrence if you were passed up for a job, and management gave it to another person in your office. You’re not mad at that individual, but you’re envious and jealous that they choose them over you.

In this instance, it’s not a problem with the individual but rather a problem within yourself. You can channel your feelings onto this person when it has nothing to do with anything they’ve directly done to you.

5. Allow Yourself to Have Feelings

Resentment and bitterness are powerful feelings, and if you try to push those feelings away, it may cause more harm than you think. It’s okay to be upset, and you can work on it when you identify the problem.

Developing hatred or grudges is never good for you and can cause you to form anti-social behaviors to avoid being hurt in the future. Give yourself a moment to have a pity party but know that you must quickly move on from it.

6. Talk to A Counselor or Therapist

Mental health professionals deal with resentful people all day long. You’re not going to tell them something that they haven’t heard before, nor will you shock them in any way. They can help you see both sides of the situation, see what input you had in the matter, and help you find a resolution.

Before you confront the person, you should talk with a trusted adviser about the matter and get a third-party opinion.

7. Confront the Individual

Now comes the most significant part in your step towards healing your resentful feelings. You must confront the person. This is so important because you release the feelings of negativity that you have and allow positive ones to enter.

In many situations, the chances are that the individual didn’t even realize that you were offended with them, which may be the case with a job issue. By confronting this individual, you’re being the bigger person and apologizing for any part you had in the matter.

Why is saying you’re sorry so difficult? Human beings have a hard time admitting when they’re wrong, but you must do this to heal these resentful feelings.

Moving on and Letting Go of Resentments

Now that you’ve gotten everything out into the open and talked to the person, it’s time to move past this event. If you continue to ruminate over the situation, then it’s only going to keep opening a wound that’s already started to heal. If you need help in this area, then you must learn to manage your thoughts.

• Stop Looking in The Past

Every time some negative idea or feeling creeps in, you need to remind yourself that you’ve already moved past it. If you entertain the idea for even a short time, you are reopening the door to allow all sorts of re-manifested issues. You have a bright future ahead of you, but you need to stop looking in the past.

• Change Your Thought Processes

If you still find yourself hung-up on this situation or person, then you need to make a bold move to retrain how you think. Sit down with your journal and write a list of all the redeeming qualities that this person has to offer. Be honest with yourself and write nice things about this individual.

Did you know that even the most unscrupulous and evil person around still has at least one good quality? While that quality might not be easy to see from your aspect, others can quickly identify their good characteristics.

•Forgive Them

Forgiveness is a journey, and it’s not something that you can do overnight. When you’re ready, you must forgive this person. Truly forgiving them means that you’re not ruminating about the event anymore, and you’re going to change your mindset against them. Don’t be mad if it takes you six months or a year to get to this point, but you must realize that it’s something that must be done for your sanity.

•Forgive Yourself

When you forgive this person, then you must also forgive yourself. If you had any part in the situation or made things worse, then you must let go of any ill feelings you hold against yourself. Remember, you’re always your own worst critic.

•Gain Spiritual Understanding

When dealing with a harrowing circumstance with resentful feelings, it’s good to gain spiritual understanding. Looking to a higher power for help and understanding is always wise. Did the situation happen to you to help someone else along their journey, or was there a lesson you needed to learn from all of this?

It’s not only emotionally damaging but also spiritually devastating to harbor bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart. These feelings can keep you from fulfilling your commitments and assignments while here on earth. Though you may feel like throwing the towel in, it’s time to let it go for the sake of your mind-body-spirit.

Final Thoughts on Healing Resentful Feelings

Wouldn’t it be nice if you never got hurt or had to deal with resentful situations in life? Sadly, there will always be life-changing events that will make or break who you are as a person. Learning to forgive is essential to your life journey, making you a better person.

Remember, there will be a day when you need forgiveness from someone for something that you’ve done wrong. If you want others to forgive the blunders you’ve made, then you must extend the same forgiveness to them. Karma ensures that what judgment you hand out always comes back to you, and you want to make sure what comes back on you is nothing but good and kind.

Counselors Explain 12 Ways Toxic Parents Impact Children for Life

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Most people try their hardest to be good parents. However, it’s normal to make mistakes, apologize, and learn from the experience. Unfortunately, some people were raised by helplessly toxic parents.

When you reminisce about your childhood, do you have fond memories, or would you rather forget it even happened? Perhaps your childhood was muddled in experiences of physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse. Maybe the dysfunction in your family unit was caused by substance abuse, untreated mental illness, or both.

If you grew up in a harsh environment, you probably vowed that your children wouldn’t suffer as you did. Do you avoid talking about the past by changing the subject? Have you hidden years of pain, fear, and anger in the dark recesses of your mind?

It’s important to remember that not all toxic family relationships are apparent. Some abusive situations are subliminal and may go unnoticed for years. Your memories and issues may not come to the surface until you are an adult and become a parent yourself.

If your parents were toxic while raising you, do you worry that you would be the same with your children? Conventional wisdom has always said that abused children grow up to be abusive. However, a three-generational study published by the EKS National Institute of Child Health and Human Development states things don’t always turn out that way.

After the evidence was reviewed, the study concludes that parents who were abused as children are not more likely to harm their kids. However, the study deals more with physical abuse than other forms of mistreatment. The authors do admit that more research is needed to come to a firm conclusion.

12 Ways Toxic Parenting Has a Lifelong Effect on Children

Sadly, toxic parenting can be a vicious cycle that haunts one generation after another. Was your childhood less than ideal? Here are 12 ways that toxic parenting can impact children for life.

1. They Have Issues with Boundaries

If you had a toxic relationship with both of your parents, you might not have learned proper boundaries. Most parents realize that as children get older and more responsible, they earn more privileges. They also understand that even kids need a certain amount of privacy.

When the parent/children relationship is skewed, the parents often don’t teach boundaries. They also don’t always value their children’s rights to age-appropriate privacy. Growing up with boundary issues is almost guaranteed to spill over into adulthood.

2. They May Develop Trust Issues

The first people children learn to trust are their parents and other caregivers. If that trust isn’t established at an early age, children can be fearful and distrustful of others. Parental trust issues have significantly negative consequences for future personal and professional relationships.

3. They Might Have Low Self-Esteem

As a parent, you say loving, sincere, and encouraging things to your children. They long to hear genuine praise like “I’m so proud of you,” or “I know you can do it.” Children need to hear “I love you” and all the esteem-building words their parents can offer.

Did you feel like your parents were on your side and made you feel loved and worthy? Even when parents must correct unacceptable behavior, good parents do it lovingly. Statements like “I’m ashamed of you” or “Can’t you do anything right?” are poisonous to a child’s heart and soul.

4. They Often Feel Responsible for Another’s Well-Being

People who are raised by toxic parents often become people-pleasers as adults. Some parents place the unfair burden of their happiness on their children. They expect the kids to be little angels, and family life will be perfect.

When the going gets tough, these parents blame the children and often take frustrations out on them. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, it may be the root of perfectionism and people-pleasing issues that still hinder and hurt you.

5. They May be Critical and Judgmental

It’s one thing to offer your children constructive criticism out of love, but quite another to bash their ego. Parents who have a toxic relationship with their kids don’t know how to encourage them to try harder or do something else. Instead, they point out everything wrong and make unacceptable judgment calls.

If you were used to your parents criticizing everything you do or say, it might become a norm for you. Not only may you believe their judgments, but you may find yourself judging others harshly. It can be damaging to your relationships with family and friends.

6. They May Feel Alienated from Others

When you think of parental negligence, you may assume that the children aren’t cared for and their needs aren’t being met. However, children can have a safe environment with all they need and want and still be emotionally neglected. Some parents are so engrossed in their problems that their children are an afterthought.

People who were raised by toxic parents often feel alienated. They grew up without a strong parental bond, so they are used to being alone. They may blame themselves as if something is wrong with them to make their parents alienate them.

7. They Often Have Irrational Beliefs or Fears

Children use their parents as role models and usually model the intensity of their emotions. It’s not uncommon for a parent to pass irrational fears or beliefs to their kids. For example, a parent who has a water phobia may refuse to allow their children to learn how to swim.

Some parents can also enforce toxic religious views on their kids. Such psychological based abuse is long-lasting.

8. They May Bounce from One Toxic Relationship to Another

One of the most crucial issues stemming from toxic parents is that it often becomes the children’s status quo. Sometimes, one parent may be the abuser to both the children and the other parent. If your family dynamics were mostly abuse and enabling, the familiarity may be strangely comforting.

Do you have a pattern of going from one destructive relationship to another? You may have been raised with low self-esteem, and you don’t know any other way to live. Fortunately, you don’t have to settle for someone who mistreats you.

9. They Can be Distant and Closed Off Emotionally

How do you protect your heart when toxic parents raised you? You may build up emotional barriers that keep others away who may hurt you again. Keeping others at an arm’s distance may give you a sense of security.

However, these actions can isolate you and make your feelings of insecurity worse. According to a study published by Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, long-term isolation can cause depression and other anxiety-related issues. Building healthy relationships may be more difficult for you.

10. They Are Often Hypervigilant Parents

Have you heard the term “helicopter parent?” These are parents who are so worried about their kids that they “hover” around them nonstop. While parents should keep their children safe and be concerned for their well-being, hypervigilance can stifle their growing independence.

It’s understandable that if you grew up in an abusive home that you would be extra cautious. An article from the American Psychological Association states that obsessive parenting can have adverse effects on children’s emotional health. Hypervigilant parents usually are dealing with control issues.

11. They May Resort to Substance Abuse

An article published by the American Psychological Association lists substance abuse as a significant risk factor for parental abuse. If one or both parents are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, their children’s safety and well-being are at risk. The problem only gets worse without intervention for both parents and children.

According to a study published by Pediatrics, children raised with abusive parents are prone to substance abuse as teens and young adults. If you saw your parents use harmful substances, it may be tempting to you. Plus, people often turn to substance abuse to escape their pain from the past.

12. They May Become Toxic Parents

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you may become the person you never wanted to be. Do you see familiar patterns in your relationship with your children that you had with your parents? You may be repeating the past without even realizing it.

Final Thoughts on How Toxic Parents Affect Their Children

Do you still struggle from growing up with a toxic parent? Then you must consider talking to a certified mental health provider. It’s time you realized that the toxic relationship was not your fault. The cycle of neglect and abuse can stop with you.

Not all dysfunctional parent/child relationships involve violence or lack of care. Listen to how you and your children communicate with each other. The things you do and say will influence your children’s lives forever, so make sure it’s done in love.

10 Positive Changes in Life That Will Make You Happier

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Everyone deserves to be happy. No matter what you’ve done or what your life was like before this very moment, you deserve happiness. The good news is that it’s not hard to make yourself happy if you’re willing to make positive changes.

First, make sure you know what happiness is. Happiness has a general definition – an emotional state of being characterized by joy, enlightenment, a sense of wellbeing, and a sense of accomplishment. However, happiness is also relative. It can be different from person to person.

Once you’ve brainstormed what makes you happy, you can get started on actually making yourself comfortable. If you don’t know where to start, it’s a good thing you’re reading this. This article has excellent advice on what you can do to make yourself happier. Below are ten small behavioral and mindset changes you can make to become happier.

10 Positive Changes to Make You Happier

1. Think positive.

It’s tough to be happy when you’re thinking negative thoughts all the time. Thinking negatively can become a habit, and every negative thought is essentially feeding depression.

Thinking negative thoughts all the time can take a toll on your physical health. Your mind and body have a connection. If your mind is negative, your health may become worse. Bad health can also keep you from being happy.

Overthinking goes along with this. When you overthink things, it can be easy to turn those thoughts into negative thoughts. Stop overthinking everything and stick with the positive side of things.

Many people have a habit of seeing the negative side first. It may take some practice to learn to think positively, but it’s not impossible to make the change. Even just a few positive thoughts are enough to get you going in the right direction.

In short, practice positive thinking to be happy and healthy.

2. Cut out the doomscrolling.

Bad news and false information reign the internet. While you realize that not all of it is accurate, you cannot seem to tear yourself away. It’s addicting! That’s where doomscrolling comes in – consuming a large amount of negative information online in a short period.

There is scientific evidence that scrolling through a ton of negative headlines makes people sad and angry. According to psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, it is a way to reinforce negative thoughts. She says that unhappy people are often looking for validation for being sad. In fact, doomscrolling can become a mindless addiction and can even indicate obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Most people who doomscroll don’t have OCD, so it’s much easier to break the habit. You can do this by taking a break from social media for a while–a positive change, indeed!.

3. Eat healthier foods.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you are what you eat.” This couldn’t be truer, and if you eat foods associated with poor mental health, you can expect to be sad and miserable.

You wouldn’t believe how much food can affect your happiness. Research shows that eating fruit and vegetables can make people just as happy as eating sweets. However, in the long run, eating a diet high in sweets can lead to reduced health, and reduced health negatively affects your happiness.

No one is saying that you need to cut out burgers, pizza, and sugar thoroughly. However, it would help if you focused on eating a more balanced diet and increasing the number of healthy foods you eat. This can lead to you being happier in the long run.

4. Exercise more.

There is a science behind exercising and improving your mood. Exercise makes you happy on a chemical level. It reduces stress hormones like cortisol and increases happy hormones like endorphins.

These chemical changes can lead to increased self-esteem, better focus and concentration, and an overall well-being feeling. Best of all, these happy feelings occur shortly after exercising and can occur with as little as one exercise session.

Research has shown that aerobic exercise has the highest effect on mood. Participating in a dance fitness class or yoga is a great idea. Yoga even has meditation built-in, so it’s the right choice. Plus, it works on improving your aura and psyche as well.

5. Hang around happy people.

Happiness is as contagious as a virus. If your circle of friends is composed of happy people, you can be sure that it will catch up to you. Being around happy people makes it almost impossible to stay sad.

Conversely, if your circle of friends includes many sad, negative people, their emotions will rub off on you also. If this is the case, it’s time to make some new friends. If you don’t, you may find yourself bogged down with all of their negativity. Even healthy people may be affected if they stay around negative people all the time.

Keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with being the person to help someone else be happy. You could be someone else’s muse, which will increase your self-worth and, ultimately, your happiness. Just make sure they aren’t bringing down your joy in the process.

6. Learn to let things go.

If you want to be happier, learn to let go of grudges. Life is too short to spend that much energy on disliking someone or something that they did. The chances are that they’ve moved on, so you should also.

Holding grudges can negatively affect your psyche. You can’t control others or what they do, so accept whatever happened and let it go. You’ll feel so much better like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

When you’re feeling light and free, it’s a lot easier to let happiness into your life.

7. Have fun as you make these positive changes.

Having fun always makes people happy. Even if you’re feeling sad at the moment, doing something fun can turn your frown into a smile. It’s almost like faking it till you make it.

A lot of people go through life never having fun – all work and no play. Living like this can be stressful and tiresome. Having fun is essentially giving your mind and body a break from stress.

Being always stressed, bored, and overworked is dangerous for your health. Not only will having fun make you happy, but it will keep you healthy. Look at it as a natural way to stay focused on tasks by giving you a break you need to recuperate.

8. Achieve your goals.

Everyone feels great when they achieve goals. It doesn’t matter if it’s small goals or big ones. They can have the same effect. If you continuously achieve goals, you’ll make yourself happier and happier.

It’s essential to make sure you set attainable goals. Setting goals out of the realm of your possibility will have the opposite effect. The best way to do this is to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely). If you do this, you’ll find that you get as much happiness from working to achieve the goal as you do from attaining the goal.

9. Be nice to other people.

While studies have shown that being nice to people only gives you a moderate boost in happiness, it’s still better than no boost at all. Plus, when you pair being friendly with some of the other advice in this article, that gives you a significant increase.

You could look at it in a different light. Being mean to people makes you sad and makes you think negatively. As stated before, negative thinking makes you unhappy. Therefore, being nice to people will help with positive thinking.

Either way you look at it, being nice to people is a great way to bring yourself some happiness.

10. Volunteer.

There are many needy people in the world, and doing something for others is a great way to make yourself happy. It could be from seeing others’ mood boost from being helped or feeling useful when volunteering. Plus, you’re making other people happy in the process. Making this positive change creates a win-win situation.

In fact, like exercise, doing for others can induce chemical changes in your brain. You will feel less stressed and more energized. Your brain may release endorphins which can aid in giving you an elevated mood. Plus, you can boost your self-confidence, give yourself a purpose, and even increase your physical health.

Final Thoughts on Positive Changes to Make You Happier in Life

As you can see from the ten changes above, it’s not hard to make yourself happy. All the changes listed are easy to incorporate into your life. Plus, most of them don’t cost any money, so that anyone can do them.

It merely takes the willingness to be proactive and the belief that you can make yourself happier. You must also realize that you are worth it, and you deserve to be satisfied. Stop overthinking things and go for it.

Doing all the changes at once could be overwhelming, so start with one or two and add others as you go along. Before you know it, you’ll be walking on sunshine.

10 Signs That Reveal Someone Is Hiding Feelings by Overworking

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Have you ever heard the term workaholic? This person works 24/7 and focuses their entire life on their career. Loved ones accuse them of overworking, but they fail to accept that as the truth.

Many of these people avoid family commitments, relationships, feelings, and other obligations because their job comes first.

The workaholic avoids family vacations or any downtime, and it seems to others as if all they do is work. However, if you were to take away the job from this individual, they would stir crazy. It’s apparent that they’re married to their career, but is there a reason why this person must be continually working?

Maybe you’ve been accused of being a workaholic, but you don’t understand why people label you with this term. According to the National Library of Medicine, there’s a psychological component behind the person who prefers to work long hours. What are you avoiding at home, or are you running from something, and your job provides the perfect escape for you?

Two Typical Examples of Workaholics

Let’s look at some hypothetical stories of people who work to avoid coping with their feelings.

Consider Suzie, who is the Vice President of a manufacturing company. She works long hours as her day starts at 6 am and often doesn’t end till 8-9 pm. She is only required to work ten hours a day, but she chooses to work all the extra overtime she can get.

Sure, the money is excellent, but what’s going on that Suzie feels she needs to work so much? Most people don’t know that Suzie’s husband is quite abusive, and anytime she is home, the fighting starts. She found that by staying at work, she only hears the machines’ silent humming and occasional workers chatting.

Suzie is using work to escape her abusive home life. Now, what feelings are you trying to suppress by staying at work? There is almost always a reason why someone chooses to live at their job, and if you dig deep enough, you will find the answer.

Consider another story. Adrianna works at the local coffee shop. She finds that her workweek keeps getting longer and longer. She’s started volunteering and working extra shifts so her coworkers could have days off.

Adrianna is 26 years old, and she doesn’t have a boyfriend or any real friends. She’s always felt like the “ugly duckling” and a social outcast. However, she is one of the best baristas in the city, so she thrives when she’s at work.

Her career helps her to erase negative feelings, and she has a sense of “normal.” Everyone loves to see her because her coffee skills are exceptional. It’s better than going home to an empty home and a boring life.

Ten Surprising Signs That Your Hide Your Feelings by Overworking

Can you relate to Suzie or Adrianna? The truth is that many people find that they can relate to these fictionalized stories. See, people often don’t know why they do the things they do until they sit down and think about it.

Working takes away your extra time to ruminate on your problems. Here are some red flags that you’re hiding your feelings by working too much.

1. You Use Your Job as A Crutch

How many times have you used your job to get out of things? If someone invites you out on a date, it’s easy to say that you can’t go because you must work. What if your mom or dad wants you to come to a family dinner?

You know how disastrous it was the last time the entire family got together, so you can use your job to get out of this mess. You may not even realize that you’re using your career as a crutch. The habit has become so common that you don’t even feel you’re lying anymore.

2. You Dread Going Home

Do you watch the clock at work and dread when it’s quitting time? Maybe you hate going home because there’s no one there to share the space. However, you may be avoiding the issues that wait for you when you walk through the door.

You may have children running amuck, or you have a spouse that you wish would find somewhere to go and leave you alone. Lastly, you may be unable to keep up with laundry and other household responsibilities. If you get off from work regularly, you might have to tackle those feelings that you don’t want to face.

3. You Never Take A Day Off

You don’t want to take a day off work, even if the boss says no more overtime. If you can’t be at your place of employment, you will find other work to do to keep yourself busy. You don’t use your sick days or paid days off, and you, no doubt, have more than enough to take off a few weeks without issue.

4. You Moonlight

Some workaholics become obsessed with having enough money and something to keep them busy. If the first job doesn’t provide enough time away from home, why not get a second or even a third job?

Some people will freelance or pick up something in the off times of their primary place of employment. One way to avoid your feelings is to stay busy.

5. Who Has Time for Fun?

The person who is overworking doesn’t see the need for fun and games in their life. They believe that only lazy people take time off to relax. There’s always something to do, and they never get involved in anything extracurricular.

The only sad part about this is that they often neglect their health and don’t exercise either. Many people who are married to their job grab fast food and don’t take time to cook nutritious meals.

6. You Have Stress and Anxiety Issues

Work is your sanity on one hand because you can avoid dealing with things that are troubling in your life. However, it’s threatening your mind, on the other hand. It’s impossible to work that many hours, not have time for self-care, and think it won’t bother you.

Everyone needs downtime where they can relax and destress their mind. When you’re always in action mode, it can quickly wear you out. You need to be able to shut down the work mode for just a few hours each day, or it can drive you mad.

7. You’re Experiencing Health Problems

What’s one thing that stress and constant anxiety cause? It won’t be long until you experience health problems. Your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose can all be affected by the lack of a healthy diet and constant pressure.

The body must have a nutritious diet and time to rejuvenate to stay in top shape.

8. You Get Angry When People Imply That You’re a Workaholic

One sure way to see if someone is overworking to hide underlying issues is by suggesting they cut back. How dare this person even suggest you work too much? It’s not as if they know your life anyway. You don’t want to face the reality that what this person tells you is the truth, and you are overworked by choice.

If you find yourself being defensive or becoming angry with someone who mentions your workload, then it’s a sign there’s an issue.

9. You Free Some Time So You Can Do More Work

Do you rearrange your days so that you can fit more work into them? Even if your first job only gave you a mere 40 hours a week, you still have at least another 40 or so that you can devote to moonlighting. If you find that you plan your day around work or move things around to do more work, you have a problem.

10. You Spend More Time Working Than You Planned

How many times have you told your spouse that you would only be working till noon on Saturday, but you still weren’t home by the evening? You may have only intended to work just a few hours, but it seems like when you’re in the middle of everything, eight hours seems like two.

If your job so engrosses you that you forget time and other responsibilities, you are overworking.

Final Thoughts on Overworking to Hide Your Feelings

It’s challenging to deal with some thoughts and feelings that you’ve hidden deep in your heart. Maybe you’re trying to outrun a trauma from your childhood, or perhaps, you want to avoid an empty house when you get home.

According to the National Library of Medicine, you can develop antisocial behaviors if you suffered abuse as a child. Whatever the reason you dive into the work pool and don’t seem to come up for air, it needs to be addressed.

How long do you think that you can continue to go on like this? When your body gets to a certain level of exhaustion, it will give you plenty of warning signs before it has a significant issue. It would help if you had a well-balanced life to be happy and healthy.

It would be best if you investigated the real reasons behind your crazy work schedule. Do you have financial issues, or do you have suppressed emotions, like anxiety, that you want to stay hidden? Did you know that workaholics are not always good workers anyway?

These people are often exhausted and use their jobs as a place to hide. You need a life outside of your job, and you have family and friends who would love to spend time with you.

Why Do People Get Zits? Dermatologists Explain 4 Causes

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Not many teens made it through high school without a few zits. Remember as a teenager waking to an inflamed pimple right on your nose or on your forehead? It was probably at the worst time, as the day of school pictures or the senior prom.

Fast-forward to the present and consider your skin as an adult. Are you still battling the same breakouts you did as a teen? You’ll be glad to know that you’re not an anomaly. A study published by the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology states that adult acne affects at least 15 percent of men and 80 percent of women in America.

Acne is a common skin condition. It’s caused when hair follicles become clogged by oil and dead skin cells. The results are inflamed or infected lesions called pimples or zits form.

During puberty, hormone fluctuations and excess skin oil production usually cause classic adolescent acne. While most people get blemishes on their faces, you can also get pimple breakouts on your neck, back, and shoulders.

Are You Predisposed to Breakouts

You can’t blame everything on your genetics. According to a study published by the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, researchers discovered a possible link between genetics and acne. Of the sets of twins who were studied, 81 percent of their acne issues were genetic, while 19 percent were attributed to different environmental factors, the study said.

Two Types and Subdivisions of Acne

If you have breakouts as a teen, it’s called adolescent acne. However, some people get zits well into adulthood, and when these flares occur in middle age, it’s called adult acne. Statistics published by the American Academy of Dermatology Association reports that at least 50 million people in the United States are affected by acne each year.

• Noninflammatory Acne

Non-inflammatory acne is characterized by blemishes called comedones. These comedones may be open or closed, states the article. You know them as whiteheads and blackheads.

• Open comedones: When clogged small hair follicles stay dilated, the clog has a dark color because of oxidation. These are called blackheads.

•Closed comedones: Whiteheads are called closed comedones because the debris in the hair follicle is sealed. They usually have a clear, yellow tint to them.

• Inflammatory Acne

In inflammatory acne, the comedones become inflamed and infected, causing pus-filled lesions. They are the more prominent blemishes that are usually red and sore to the touch. These are usually the ones that surprise you at the worst times possible.

•Nodular acne: This is a subcategory of inflammatory acne that develops when the infected lesions get bigger and more painful.

•Cystic acne: Some people develop this most severe form of zits. Large cysts can form deep within the skin tissue that is filled with infectious fluid. They are unsightly and quite painful. If you develop nodule lesions and cystic ones, the condition is called nodulocystic acne.

It’s not unusual for people to have a combination of non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne. You can develop whiteheads, blackheads, nodes, and cysts in a simultaneous acne issue. If you don’t resist temptation and pop or pick at these, it can result in permanent scarring.

Myths About Your Zits

Remember when you were a teen, and your parents warned you to stay away from chocolate and fried foods? Many people still erroneously believe that these treats can cause breakouts. While too much of it isn’t good for your body, there’s no concrete evidence that chocolate or fried foods cause breakouts.

Another myth that can cause more harm than good is that acne comes from not cleaning your skin properly. Yes, experts recommend that people with oily skin and acne use non-oily cleansers to gently clean away excess oil. However, scrubbing and washing too much can cause skin irritation that results in blemishes.

Four Reasons for Acne Breakouts and How to Fix Them

Do you have problems with adolescent or adult acne? It can be a source of frustration and embarrassment. Here are four of the main reasons you may be battling acne.

1. Fluctuations in Hormones

Although androgen is primarily a male hormone, females also have small amounts. As kids go through puberty, androgen in both genders causes the oil-producing glands in the skin to get bigger. When these sebaceous glands enlarge, they produce more skin oil, called sebum.

While your skin needs sebum to stay flexible and hydrated, excess oil can mix with dead skin cells and clog your pores. Some people have oily skin naturally, and these clogged pores can cause zits. Women whose hormones fluctuate during pregnancy or midlife are also prone to adult acne.

• How to Fix It

There’s not a whole lot you can do about hormone changes in puberty, during pregnancy, or pre-menopause. Even if you have naturally oily skin, use skin products that are formulated for you. Keeping excess oil at bay may minimize your acne breakouts.

Dermatologists explain stress acne, and how you can fix it.

2. Diet

You are what you eat, and certain foods can affect your whole body, including your skin. According to an article published by the American Academy of Dermatology Association, certain foods may cause acne. These are foods that are high on the glycemic scale or those that cause your blood sugar to spike quickly.

High glycemic foods are also high in simple carbohydrates, like white bread, white rice, sugar, white potatoes, and sugary junk food. The article states that when your blood sugar spikes, it can cause inflammation throughout your body. It can cause your skin to produce more sebum, which in turn can lead to more zits, the article states.

Some people in the cited studies experienced more acne when they drank cow’s milk. The studies included both genders and suggested that at least 44 percent of women surveyed consumed cow’s milk and were more acne-prone. The researchers found no evidence that dairy products like cheese or yogurt had the same effects.

Nevertheless, the article says that studies are only suggestive and aren’t conclusive. It is promising, though, when some people eat less of these foods and have few breakouts. More studies are needed, per the article.

• How to Fix It

The same article suggests that a diet rich in low-glycemic index foods may lower your risks for acne breakouts. Some of these healthy foods include fresh vegetables, whole oats, and some fruits. Talk to your primary healthcare provider or a registered dietician to find a diet that is best suited for you.

3. Makeup

Did you know that many makeups are made with oil? Even if your makeup isn’t oil-based, if you don’t wash your face correctly, the makeup can fill the pores with dirt and debris, leaving it prone to infection.

• How to Fix It

If you notice the appearance or worsening of acne symptoms, then you should switch makeup brands. Many are not made with any extra oils. Additionally, making sure you wash the makeup off your face when you return home can minimize breakouts. Further, adding a supplement of zinc or essential oils may help.

4. Chronic Stress

There will always be some stress in your life, but you can do things to reduce chronic tension. According to an article studied by the American Academy of Dermatology Association, there’s a link between chronic stress and acne breakouts. The article explains that chronic stress increases androgen production, which increases oil creation in your skin.

The excess oil can mix with dead skin cells, plug pores, and lead to irritating zits. The more you stress about your breakouts, the more apt they can continue. It’s a vicious cycle.

• How to Fix It

Learning to minimize stress in your life has many benefits. Not only is it better for your overall health, but it can help reduce your acne breakouts. Consider meditation, reconnecting with nature, or practicing yoga to de-stress and relax.

Look at the Labels

Now you realize that having acne breakouts doesn’t mean you’re not a clean person. However, you must use the right products and cleaning regimen to minimize breakouts. Be sure to read the labels on all your skin and hair products and look for these words:

Non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog your pores.
Non-acnegenic, which means it won’t cause acne breakouts.
Oil-free, which won’t contribute excess oil that can clog pores and form blemishes.
Won’t clog pores, which is an easier way of saying non-comedogenic.

• Hands Off

Your hands also have oils and can transfer microscopic dirt and countless microbes to your face. Avoid touching your face or cleaning it. Also, please resist the temptation to pop a pimple because it can cause infection and scarring.

Final Thoughts on What Causes Zits

Acne can be painful both physically and psychologically, whether you’re a teenager or an adult. However, there are some steps you can take to avoid or minimize breakouts. If you develop painful cystic acne, consult a skin specialist for the treatment options that are best for you.

You don’t want to try to combat this without any assistance, as it can leave scarring. Many folks find that good old soap and water, which includes washing your face more frequently, is the best remedy for zits.

10 Behaviors That Reveal Someone is Paranoid (and 5 Ways to Help)

February 1, 2021 by Power of Positivity

If you know someone you think could be paranoid, you may be curious about their behaviors. Here are 10 common behaviors of someone who is paranoid.

What is paranoia?

Paranoia, according to a recent study, paranoia has two main characteristics:

A belief that something bad that’s going to happen
A belief that people are out to hurt them

Paranoia sufferers have feelings of being watched or threatened by people around them. Paranoia is common, although it varies in intensity and frequency in people. Everyone is a little paranoid once in a while, especially when you’re feeling vulnerable. You may worry about things, even if you know they aren’t based on reality.

But clinical paranoia is different. It’s associated with a mental health disorder that causes sufferers to live with constant anxiety and fear that people are trying to cheat, lie or hurt them. It’s an incapacitating disorder.

10 behaviors common that reveal someone is paranoid

There are some common symptoms of people who suffer from paranoia. They may present themselves a bit differently depending upon the person and the severity of their condition. Here are the behaviors you may see in someone you think could be paranoid. According to the National Institute on Health, here are a few of the primary red flags.

1 – Mistrust

People who are paranoid have a hard time trusting people. They assume that people are going to hurt them. Because of this, they will limit their social contact with people. They begin to question their family members’ loyalty, assuming they are trying to exploit or deceive them.

2 – Looking for hidden meanings

Similar to mistrust, a paranoid person questions people’s motives, assuming they mean harm. They look for hidden meanings in what people say or do. If someone looks over at them, they suddenly feel suspicious of the person’s intentions.

3 – Feeling betrayed

Feelings of betrayal are common for a person suffering from paranoia. They assume their partner is unfaithful to them or their boss is planning to fire them. It’s hard to convince them otherwise.

4 – Always on guard

A person who struggles with paranoia is constantly alert, watching and waiting for someone or something to hurt them. They feel persecuted by the government or their family. They can’t let their guard down and won’t share personal information for fear it will be used against them.

5 – Hard time forgiving

Those who suffer from paranoid aren’t able to forgive people. Instead, they’ll hold grudges and seek revenge. They assume the person who apologized was lying to them. Besides, they feel like they’re never wrong about what they do or their assessments of people.

6 – Defensive of imagined criticism

Ready to defend themselves, paranoid people get hostile if they think someone is criticizing them. They keep a distance from family members, and if they do have a partner, they will become jealous and critical of them.

7 – Suspicious of others motives

They are very private and suspicious. If a delivery person says hello, they’ll read something negative into it. Their fears feed these suspicions, and often they get caught up in conspiracy theories, which only adds to their suspicions.

8 – Worried about being deceived

Paranoid people worry that other people are trying to deceive them. This is why it’s so hard to help them. They assume the wrong motives of those closest to them. This worry causes them stress, which can lead to deeper paranoia symptoms.

9 – Argumentative

Those who suffer from paranoia believe they are always right. Anyone who disagrees with them is perceived as wanting to hurt them. They will retaliate and react in anger when someone tries to explain why they’re wrong. Paranoid people get hostile and stubborn, refusing to cooperate at any level because cooperation would be admitting they are wrong.

10 – Can’t relax

Constant fears, worries, and distrust of people make paranoid people high-strung and unable to relax. They believe the government or others are out to get them, so they must be vigilant. They can’t sleep, which can lead to worse paranoia symptoms.

How are people with paranoia diagnosed?

If you or someone you love is suffering from paranoia, seek help from a doctor. The doctor will evaluate to make the proper diagnosis. Here are things you can expect the doctor will do to diagnosis paranoia.

Your medical history: They will ask you about your medical history going back to your childhood. They will ask you about your family’s medical history and if others have suffered from a similar condition.
A physical examination: This may include blood work to eliminate other conditions similar to paranoia but have a medical cause.
Ask about your symptoms: Your doctor will ask you for a detailed description of the symptoms to better understand what you’re going through to see if you have paranoia.
Psychological tests: Your regular doctor may do these, but a psychiatrist or psychologist will often administer these tests.
Tests to rule out other mental health disorders: These tests may be administered by a psychiatrist or psychologist rather than your doctor. Other disorders are similar to paranoia, so it’s important to get the right diagnosis.

What causes a person to be paranoid?

Paranoia is caused by some breakdown in a person’s mental and emotional capacities, especially in their ability to reason and explain their emotions. Doctors aren’t sure about root causes, but there are some reasons why people may get this condition.

Genetics: Some researchers believe that there is a genetic link to paranoia, though they aren’t sure why it’s not always inherited.
Substance abuse: Another reason could be due to marijuana, cocaine, or amphetamines that change a person’s brain chemistry.
Traumatic events in your life: Child abuse can disrupt a person’s ability to think and feel properly.
Stress: Severe stress can cause it. This is seen in soldiers who’ve experienced war.
A mixture of these situations: Researchers believe that paranoia could result from any of these combinations.

How is paranoia treated?

Paranoia has no cure, but some treatments can help a person suffering from paranoia live a happier life that is productive. Of course, the treatment will depend upon how severe the condition is and how well the individual responds to the treatment. Treatments for paranoia include the following:

Medication: Antipsychotic and anti-anxiety drugs help with paranoia symptoms. Sadly, it can be difficult for a paranoid person to trust their doctor, so they may refuse to take the medication for fear the doctor is trying to poison them.
Coping strategies: Another helpful treatment is helping them learn to function in social settings. This may include some relaxation techniques to help lower their anxiety.
Behavior modification is another successful coping strategy for paranoia. A person with paranoia may not want to participate in therapy until they totally trust their therapist. This can take a long time. So, the success of any therapy may be slow.
Hospital stay: if the paranoia is severe enough, the person may need hospitalization to help them. This can feed their paranoia and cause anxiety and stress. Once the person is stabilized, they can begin other therapies.

For the person suffering from paranoia, there needs to be a trusting relationship between them and their therapists to reduce their fears and help them with their social skills. It can take years for a person with paranoia to progress and recover.

What if someone you know is paranoid?

If you suspect that someone you know or love has paranoia, you may feel at a loss about how to help them. Here are some suggestions that may help you.

1 – Ask yourself if what they believe could be true?

Sometimes individuals get dismissed as paranoid, but there are legitimate reasons for their paranoia. Please don’t assume they are wrong. Check it out first.

2 – Try to understand

Even if you don’t understand their fears, try to understand the root of their anxiety. It could help you understand why they believe these things.

3 – Talk with them

Express your desire to understand them. Listen to their concerns and fears with an open mind. Please give them the benefit of the doubt. They may be isolating themselves from so many people. You are their only open ear.

4 – Be careful not to dismiss their fears.

You may disagree with their fears of the government conspiracy, but don’t dismiss their fears. Their feelings are real to them, even if they aren’t based in reality.

5 – Affirm their feelings.

Admit their feelings without agreeing or disagreeing with them. You can’t force their feelings to change. They will feel threatened by you and pull away if you respond negatively.

How to get help for someone who is paranoid

You can’t make a person with paranoia get help if they don’t want help. If you push them, it will only cause them to pull away from you, assuming you have bad motives. Reassure them of your love and concern. Tell them it’s okay to get help. Always respect their desires, even if you’re sure they need help.

What about an emergency?

If you know, the paranoid person is getting worse and possibly heading towards a mental health crisis that could cause them to harm themselves or someone else. You need to act. You should contact a mental health crisis line immediately to get help from a trained person in these situations.

Final thoughts on determining if someone is paranoid

People who suffer from paranoia have difficulty coping in social settings like work, family gatherings, or at school. They may have mild to severe symptoms and display them, especially when they feel stress. Hopefully, these symptoms, treatment, and the ways you can help them will guide you to help your friend or loved one.

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