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9 Powerful Ways Random Acts Of Kindness Can Change Your Life

December 27, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

In today’s world, being kind isn’t as common as it should be. Many people shrug off compassion in favor of material growth and surface-level success. We are often too busy with the hustle and bustle of daily life to take the time out for random acts of kindness. It’s sad!

But what if you found out that being kind isn’t just something you do for others. What if it were something that can help you, too? What if compassion could dramatically alter your world in ways you may not have thought possible? Here are 9 powerful ways random acts of kindness can change your life.

1. They Reduce Stress

When you are kind to others, you divert your brain’s attention onto other people for a time. This is a form of pro-social behavior or behaviors performed to help others, and it can create bonds in what is known as affiliative behavior.

Pro-social behavior has been known to have tremendous positive effects on stress levels, helping people to cope with different stressors in life. It’s actually been studied numerous times, each time coming out on top for reducing stress impact and even aiding in the management of more balanced emotional function.

Meanwhile, affiliative behavior has its share of benefits, too. You’re forming a close bond and creating good feelings within you from feel-good hormones and pride in your actions. That’s why altruism is often cited as a way people find happiness and even health!

2. Random Acts of Kindness Boost Heart Health

Yes, we’ve all heard about how your heart can feel “warmed” when you perform acts of kindness for others. That feeling is compelling for those who aren’t expecting it and are genuinely moved and touched by it. But your heart actually isn’t just warmed. You also physically help it.

You see, random acts of kindness produce a positive hormone in the body known as oxytocin. This feel-good neurotransmitter works further by facilitating the production of more nitric oxide in the body, particularly in the blood vessels. This means that those vessels are dilating with the nitric oxide or expanding. This results in:

Better circulation
Better transportation of nutrients throughout the body
Reduced blood pressure

As a matter of fact, despite being most commonly only associated with positive thinking, oxytocin is also often considered a cardioprotective neurotransmitter – that’s how effective it is! So adding acts of kindness to your day can boost cardiovascular health in surprisingly helpful and healthy ways!

3. Your Perception Of Life Changes

It’s a little cheesy to think about, but your performance of random acts of kindness changes your life most profoundly by changing your perceptions and views of the world around you. Think about it: random acts of kindness are unconditional, selfless, and non-obligatory forms of love and care, given without the intent to receive in return. This gives you a subconscious chance to:

Acknowledge the existence of selfless goodness in the world around you, whether from you or for others
Spend increased amounts of time considering additional acts of kindness that you can continue to perform, therefore spending less time and negativity
Remove some of the jaded skepticism that may linger in your brain about the authenticity of generosity or altruism
Regard your relationships and bonds with more respect and love while spending more time thinking positively of them
Accept kindness from others as you realize that everyone could use a hand or even just a smile sometimes, and you’re in a better position to receive
Feel more hopeful and create purer intentions in your everyday life, potentially shifting your attitude and values for the better

In addition to those subtle perspective shifts, you can’t quite remove yourself from the equation when you act kindly. There’s something special about realizing that your actions have brightened someone’s day. Indeed, it can make the world seem much less bleak. It elevates you into a place of positive thinking!

4. They Make You Feel Loved

For some reason, when you give to others as an act of love, you naturally receive love feelings. It’s quite an interesting phenomenon, as your emotions respond most positively when you make others happy. This means loving others gives you the sense of being loved – and that’s not just a subjective statement, either.

In fact, a study entitled “Reflecting on acts of kindness toward the self: Emotions, generosity, and the role of social norms,” published in 2012 in The Journal of Positive Psychology, found several interesting facts about how emotional responses from kindness can increase this aspect. You will:

Feel more loved
Feel in awe of acts of love
Become more optimistic
Experience more positive thinking
Achieve better self-esteem

5. They Reduce Anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time along its wide-ranging and complex spectrum. You might get a little nervous sometimes, or you might have severe panic disorders, or you may fall in between the two extremes. Whatever the case is, it’s unlikely that you’ve never felt anxiety in your life, ever.

A study entitled “If it makes you happy: engaging in kind acts increases positive affect in socially anxious individuals,” which was conducted by the University of British Columbia and published in the journal Emotion in 2013, revealed that kindness might be an effective way to manage such anxiety.

The research conducted in a randomized control trial indicated that low positive effect is typically associated with anxiety, especially of a social kind. Positive affect, in this case, can be defined as positive experiences of alertness, interest, happiness, joy, and so on.

But here’s the kicker – researchers then found that those who performed acts of kindness were able to enjoy a much higher positive affect occurrence in just a month! Even small random acts of kindness helped significantly, reducing their social anxiety in the long run.

6. They Improve Relationships

This is a fairly obvious point to consider. When you are kind to those in your life, especially when it’s not expected, you’re creating a stronger bond with them. Relationships that would have gone stagnant or drifted apart are instead strengthened when you take the time to be kind to the other party – and, chances are, they will reciprocate your kindness, leading to an ever-increasing bond.

Kindness is a part of human nature, believe it or not. It’s hard-wired into our systems. After all, our ancestors who came before us needed to work together to survive, and the more bonds they formed, the better their chances of managing the difficult life of the olden days.

Though we no longer need to group up to survive the harsh outdoors and a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, humans still build connections through cooperation. Be kind to the people around you, and they’ll be kind in turn, and your connections will grow and grow!

7. They Can Increase Your Productivity

Kindness can benefit you in somewhat surprising ways. If you’re looking to be more productive, try being kinder to people who you work with – and if you’re in a leadership position, start encouraging more kindness among those working beneath you.

A study published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior in 2008, called “The Contours and Consequences of Compassion at Work,” indicated that the act of enforcing compassion as part of office culture could lead to increased productivity. Several reasons for this can be concluded logically, such as employees who:

Will not fear the micromanagement of leading figures.
Become less likely to engage in unhealthy forms of competition
They are likely to cooperate, leading to better productivity and work results.

8. They Can Prevent Illness

A lot of illnesses occur with something called inflammation, which occurs when blood pools in certain areas. The response intends to help get rid of an infection, heal wounds, or cure problems. It’s the reason your temperature rises when you get a fever-causing infection or why parts of the body that are injured tend to feel warm.

When it happens chronically, inflammation can be a factor in the risk of developing the following conditions:

migraines
obesity
diabetes
chronic pain
cancer.

Believe it or not, kindness may be able to help bring down inflammation. Thus, it leads to a reduced risk of disease.

Research titled “Do productive activities reduce inflammation in later life? Multiple roles, frequency of activities, and C-reactive protein”, published in 2014 in the Gerontologist journal, indicates that older adults who perform volunteer work have the lowest inflammation levels. Go figure!

9. Random Acts of Kindness May Facilitate Shifts and Evolution

A larger way that random acts of kindness can change your life is more surprising than you may expect. You see, kindness in sufficient amounts can become a feedback loop. It inspires others to be kind, which inspires more people to be kind, and so on. It’s the kind of positive cycle we really need in life today. So dedicate all that good energy to important things.

In the long run, this means random acts of kindness have the power not just to change your life but also the lives of everyone around and potentially the lives of every human being. Here are some thoughts to consider when it comes to an understanding of the evolution of humankind through kindness:

An act of kindness can dramatically change someone’s life for the better or even completely turn their life around, allowing them to play a bigger role in the cycle of kindness.
When you make something unexpected but beautiful in someone’s life, you remind them of the beauty that they, too, can create and the beauty that already exists in this world.
Your random act of kindness can shift another person’s perspective just enough for them to get back on track with positive thinking.
When you are kind, you serve as an example to the people around you about the possible things and can happen in the world.
Teaching others indirectly about kindness can promote kindness as a core value for future generations, strengthening the unity, compassion, and love humanity has for each other as the decades fly by

Final Thoughts On Some Powerful Ways Random Acts Of Kindness Can Change Your Life

You shouldn’t need a reason to perform random acts of kindness out of the goodness of your heart. Hopefully, these powerful ideas described today will convince you that it’s time to start exercising compassion more regularly!

Inspired by Her Children, Woman Starts Amazing Weight Loss Journey

December 27, 2020 by Kristen Lawrence

Opal Stacie, a mom of three, decided to start her weight loss journey to improve her and her kids’ quality of life. She said her wake-up call came when she couldn’t walk from the bathroom to the kitchen without losing her breath. She knew she’d have to start making changes to have better health and improve her fitness levels. For her, losing weight wasn’t just about becoming stronger physically – it was about empowering herself mentally as well.

Opal’s weight loss journey

“I started the journey because I wasn’t well mentally, and physically, my health started failing,” she said. “I started having headaches and I started to have really bad asthma symptoms.” Since she began to worry about her health, she made an appointment with a neurologist, but he couldn’t find anything wrong. She felt that gaining around 100 pounds in a short time led to her having unpleasant symptoms, so she made losing weight a priority.

Opal and her neurologist came up with a plan for her to lose at least 20% of her body weight so she would have better health. She said that eliminating unhealthy foods from her diet was one of the first changes she made. Cutting back severely on foods high in sodium and carbohydrates helped her feel better and eliminate unwanted bloating. The next step was to add some sort of exercise to her daily routine.

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A post shared by Opal | Wellness | Weight Loss (@opalstaciewellnfit) on Sep 1, 2020 at 5:29pm PDT

“Then, I made a goal of just moving, just movement, even if that meant just to walk around my neighborhood,” she said. “I did that for about 30 minutes, at least 5 times a day, 5 times a week.” She said she didn’t follow a specific diet, simply deciding to eat intuitively and listen to her body. Moving more and eliminating or reducing intake of unhealthy foods helped her reconnect to her body and give it the right fuel.

She quickly figured out what foods caused inflammation and what foods she should avoid. While she didn’t commit to one type of diet, she did count calories. This is a great idea for people just beginning their weight loss journey, so they can get an idea of how many calories are in certain foods. After a while, you can eat intuitively once you learn proper serving sizes and calorie amounts of the foods you eat.

A weight loss plan underway

This new plan for losing weight greatly helped Opal, but it didn’t always come easily. “Weight loss for me has been a struggle that I’ve dealt with my entire life. I don’t think there was ever a time that I was able to lose weight on my own.”

She said that her kids gave her the most motivation, because she wanted to have better health and fitness for them. She knew that if she felt healthier, she could provide more for her children mentally and emotionally. We all need a reason for the improvements we make in our lives, and sometimes that comes from the people closest to us. Plus, she can include her children in walks around the neighborhood, which teaches them the importance of exercise as well.

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A post shared by Opal | Wellness | Weight Loss (@opalstaciewellnfit) on Aug 12, 2020 at 12:42pm PDT

“I would say that physical fitness has given me my worthiness back. It has given me my confidence back, it has allowed me to live, honestly,” she said.

Her biggest advice to anyone wanting to improve their fitness and begin a weight loss journey is just to believe in yourself. Even if you have no idea where to start, just having faith in yourself can give you the momentum you need to take the first step. Opal says that it is possible and you can do it, as long as you keep that positive energy going. It may just turn out to be the best decision you’ve ever made.

On one of her Instagram posts, Opal said of her weight loss journey:

“Before I could lose a lb I learned to accept myself. I lied and told myself “you can do it” because at the time, failing so many times before left me with zero confidence in my abilities so I had to tell myself lies every day. The more I lied and pushed myself to workout, the easier it became to believe the lie.

I pretended like I had already lost 50 and it was only a matter of time before my body would catch up. It turns out, dedication, will power, resilience, courage, endurance those things were already embedded in me, wasn’t a lie. The lie was the loud voice telling me that I was too big to ever see real progress. The lie was that I wasn’t strong enough to complete a workout, the lie was that I didn’t have enough will power to resist my favorite foods.

If you lie to yourself long enough, you start to buy into it. You think that the things you’ve been telling yourself in your head is true. You are capable, you just have to believe you are capable and then make that 1 small step.”

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A post shared by Opal | Wellness | Weight Loss (@opalstaciewellnfit) on Aug 6, 2020 at 12:19pm PDT

This proves that everything begins in the mind. So you look at your body and feel like you have so far to go. But you can achieve whatever your mind tells you. Simply affirm every day what your goals are and tell yourself you’ve already achieved them! As long as you get your mind focused, you can totally transform your life and outlook. Self-love and care must come first, no matter what goals you have. Remember, as long as you remain centered and aligned with your inner self, everything will fall into place eventually.

Don’t Miss the 10 Confidence Builders Most People Ignore

December 26, 2020 by Power of Positivity

How would you rate your self-confidence on a scale of 1-10? Are you a confident person who believes that you can do anything you set your mind to, or do you need some confidence builders to boost you? If you lack trust in yourself, it harms your mental well-being. Did you know that if you think you can’t do something that chances are you will never accomplish that goal?

Your mindset is essential as you go through life, and it will change as you age. The way you feel towards yourself at 20 isn’t going to be the same by the time you hit 40. Life has a way of changing you through experiences.

For some, they are humbled, and for others, they get the wisdom they need to live the life they’ve always wanted. It’s normal for an 18-year-old starting out to fear the world around them, and they may have a negative mindset from being around peers who have the same thoughts and views. Thankfully, a unique thing happens as you begin to age.

You will start to have a mindset more geared towards success, and you will want to surround yourself with like-minded folks. Confidence builders are little tips and tricks that can help you mature and see the world through different lenses. Your experiences mold and shape you into the person you are, and some have had poor experiences to guide them.

It doesn’t matter what you’ve been through or where you’ve been; you can learn to be a new and better you.

Confidence Builders You Need to Succeed

Shake the dust off your feet from those past mistakes; here are some great tips to help you build your self-confidence so that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

1. Define Your Purpose and Set Goals

How many times did someone ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up? The chances are that you never became any of those dreams you wanted as a child. However, you are never too old to dream.

What do you want to do with your life? Where do you see yourself in one, five, or even ten years down the road? One of the best confidence builders is to define your purpose. If you want to give back and help children with special needs, then go towards your goal full steam.

When you stop looking at all the wrong things in your life and focus on what’s right, it can change your confidence level.

2. Surround Yourself with Positive People

Your inner circle is significant to your self-esteem. You want to make sure you have friends who help you build your confidence and not tear it down. It’s always essential to have a sound support system.

Positive people are the ones that can look at the glass as being half empty and see it as half full. They can help you see the light even in the darkest situations in your life. You need this kind of people around you to thrive and survive in life.

3. Quit Comparing Yourself with Others

It would help if you learned to be grateful for the things you have in life and not compare yourself with others. Social media has given people a skewed sense of reality. People post pictures loving on their spouse or the unique gifts they receive, but they never show you the things beyond those pictures.

Be honest; how many times have you read one of those posts and then felt down on yourself. It would help if you learned to take things you see and read at face value. Don’t compare material possessions, looks, or relationships with others. You have unique gifts and callings that are just for you.

Stop looking at the neighbor’s yard thinking the grass is greener over there. One of the most prominent confidence builders you can learn in this life is to be thankful for the things you have. Chances are, if you had the life you wish for of those you envy, you would want the life you have back.

4. Take Action

Why is it that the first step is the hardest one to take? You know what you want to do in life, but you lack the confidence to make that initial move. The difference between those that succeed in what they do in life and those that don’t is one got out of their comfort zone, and the other didn’t.

A man worked in a factory delivering goods to customers. His boss approached him and offered him a sales position to make about $25,000 more a year. It was indeed a boost in income, and he could pay off all his bills.

Sadly, the man turned down the job because he didn’t think he would be good at sales. The sales would be to the same people he had delivered supplies to for over 20 years, but he didn’t trust his abilities.

Don’t be afraid to take the chance. Believe in yourself enough to know that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

5. Develop a Good Exercise Routine

Exercise is the key to getting a better body and mindset. When you get rid of the few extra pounds you’re carrying, you will feel better about yourself. Additionally, you will also notice that you feel better mentally too.

When you’re working out, your body is boosting the vital neurotransmitters inside your brain. These chemicals, like serotonin and dopamine, help you to feel good. It will reduce any anxiety you have as it drives away the chemical imbalance that can hold you back.

6. Look Good, and You’ll Feel Good

How do you dress each day? Do you look like someone confident and ready to tackle whatever comes your way, or do you look like you grabbed the first clothes out of the laundry basket to go to work? Your appearance means everything.

If you want to make a million bucks, then you need to start looking like it too. Get up early, take a shower, splash some cologne or perfume on yourself, and dress like you mean business. When you look good, you will feel good. Confidence builders can be as simple as changing your outward appearance to reflect a positive mindset.

7. Focus on Solutions Rather Than Problems

Are you focused on your problems or your solutions? One of the most significant ways to improve your confidence is by adjusting your focus. It could be that you’re focusing on all the wrong things, and it’s holding you back.

Rather than looking at the lack of money in your checking account, why not look at the ways that you can make more cash? Confidence builders require you to think outside the box and find new and creative ways to get things done. As you pull yourself out of one dire situation after another, you will start to build your esteem, knowing you can handle whatever comes your way.

8. Get A New Best Friend

Did you know that your best friend is a direct reflection of you? How many times have you heard the saying that “birds of a feather always tend to flock together?” It’s an adage with plenty of truth behind it. You’re known by the company you keep, and their thoughts and mannerisms will rub off on you.

You want to make sure that your best friend is going in the same direction as you. If you have an always pessimistic and depressed friend, how can they push you to be a better you?

9. Fix Your Body Language

Did you know that your body language speaks volumes, and it communicates much louder than your words? Someone who has low self-esteem will feel down on themselves; they may have poor posture, keep their head hung low, and look like they’ve lost their dearest friend.

However, someone who is confident holds their head high and acts as if they own the world. Try changing your stance and see how it helps your mood and your confidence levels.

10. Fake It Until You Make It

So maybe you don’t have everything together, and your life is a mess. Why not learn to fake it till you make it? Just because you suffer from low self-esteem and have no confidence doesn’t mean you have to show the world how you feel.

Still get up and dress and prepare for success. Make sure you surround yourself with positive people and don’t envy your neighbor’s life. When you set yourself up for victory, even if you don’t feel like it, then you fake it until you get to the point where you believe it.

Final Thoughts on Confidence Builders

If only there were someone that could wave a magic wand and make you more confident. Alas, there is no magic solution to boost your ego. However, if you take small steps in the right direction, you can fix your mindset and grow over time.

A complete changeover in your thought processes isn’t going to happen overnight. Think about a person that’s climbing the side of a mountain. It takes momentum to make it to the top. Each step you take should be a learning experience in how to accomplish the goal.

When you finally reach your destination, you will realize all the confidence builders that helped you on the way, and you can share your journey with others.

10 Ways to Fix Things If Your Partner Dislikes Your Friends

December 26, 2020 by Power of Positivity

One of the most enduring parts of a committed relationship is that you and your partner are best friends. You complement one another in many ways, and you have each other’s backs. However, what do you do when your partner dislikes your friends?

According to research published by the National Library of Medicine, friendship plays a vital role in your well-being. Humans have evolved as social creatures and have a fundamental need for companionship. The study mentions that camaraderie is a critical component of happiness.

Ways to Settle Issues Between Your Partner and Friends

You’re in a problematic situation if you’re between your lover and your pals. While you are in love with your significant other, you don’t want to destroy years of treasured friendships. If your partner dislikes your friends, here are ten suggestions that may resolve the conflict.

1. Find the Underlying Issues

Whenever there’s a conflict in your personal or professional life, not everything is as it seems. Once you start talking to the opposing sides and do a little investigating, you may discover underlying issues. Some may be so obvious that you never noticed them, and others more hidden.

You know that your mate doesn’t care for your friends, but do you know why? Perhaps they are withholding some information from you or have a grudge from the past. Maybe it has more to do with your love relationship than any issues with your friends.

2. Is Your Partner Jealous of Your Friends?

This recommended step can be a slippery slope, but it’s essential to know. You’ll need to be honest with yourself if you suspect that your partner can’t stand your buddies because of jealousy. When you go out with your friends, does your partner become angry and critical?

Maybe they’re jealous of your time for a good reason. Do you spend most of your free time running around with your besties and rarely with your partner? Perhaps they feel lonely and betrayed because they’re always last on your list.

If this is the case, it’s understandable that your significant other may feel slighted and bitter. However, if your partner expects you to spend every second with them and is irrationally jealous, there’s a problem. You may be in a relationship with a controlling and toxic person, and you’ll be wise to make your exit.

3. What Do You Say About Your Friends?

You’ve probably known your pals for a long time. Perhaps you even grew up together and had many shared experiences. So, you have the advantage, and your lover may only be familiar with what you say.

If your partner dislikes your friends, listen next time to how you talk about them. Do you mention them in a positive light, or do you share all the things you can’t stand about them? Have you ever broken confidence and told your mate things about your friends that they trusted you not to repeat?

It’s impossible to erase something that you’ve already said, and your mate heard. However, you may try some damage control. It may involve apologies to your partner as well as to your companions.

Have you painted a skewed picture of who your friends are? Since that’s all that your person may have as a reference, it’s no wonder they think ill of your besties. The only way to fix this situation is to let them know your friends for a more accurate assessment.

4. Have You Outgrown Old Friendships?

Sometimes, you hang on to old friendships out of obligation. If you’ve known each other for years and have gone through a lot together, it’s hard to admit that maybe you’ve grown apart. It’s normal, and it doesn’t mean that either of you is a terrible person.

Maybe one of the reasons your significant other isn’t fond of your buddies is that you’ve also lost interest in them. Unless you have a strong bond, time and distance can make friends drift apart. You rarely spend time together or talk, so it’s just the natural course.

It’s not like you are “resigning” from a friendly relationship. You’ve simply grown apart and have gone your separate ways. However, if you are involved in a toxic friendship with others, and your mate realizes it, you’re within your rights to walk away.

5. Be Patient

Remember the old phrase about good things coming to people who wait? If your partner dislikes your friends, maybe you need to give them some more time? According to a study cited by the National Library of Medicine, people often form impressions of others by their physical appearance.

Such personal judgment isn’t always accurate. Have you ever met someone and your first impression of them turned out to be wrong? It takes time to know people for who they are, not by who they seem to be. So, be patient with your partner, and let them get to know your friends better.

6. Listen to Each Side

It’s difficult being between a person you love and longtime pals. If your partner dislikes your friends, you usually become the mediator. You need to make sure that you are listening to both sides.

Maybe your mate doesn’t care for your buddies for a good reason. If you don’t listen to them or are in denial, you’ll never know. To be fair, you must listen to what both parties have to say.

Active listening involves open body language, mirroring the speakers’ emotions, and restating what they’ve said. It’s the best way to avoid misunderstandings.

7. Have a Group Discussion

The best way to settle a conflict between your lover and your besties is to get it all out in the open. Consider meeting on neutral grounds and let each side have their say. Everyone may be surprised if there’s been a long string of miscommunications and misunderstandings.

Usually, these situations are mild, and there are no strong emotions involved. However, if your partner dislikes your friends intensely or has a history of confrontation, your group discussion may be more difficult. In this case, you’re better off talking to both sides separately.

8. Learn How to Compromise

After having a group discussion and hearing both sides, you may not like everything you hear. However, confrontation may be the tool that helps resolve some issues. If not, it’s still okay to agree to disagree.

Maybe you’ve come to an impasse that makes you realize that your mate and your buddies will never be close. Unless either side is toxic for you, you needn’t choose one over the other. It’s possible to love your person and keep your other friends.

By making a compromise, you also set some ground rules. Your pals will be supportive of your love relationship and civil to your partner. Conversely, you will ask your significant other to be supportive of your relationship with long-time besties.

9. Create More Occasions to Get Together

Often, your partner dislikes your friends because they don’t genuinely know each other. The best remedy for that is to make your person part of your social circle. The next time you meet your companions for dinner or a movie, bring your mate along.

Consider inviting your pals over more often, so your partner feels more relaxed around them. Ideally, a couple has mutual friendships. However, differences in culture or ideals may make it difficult. The only way you can tell is if you bring everyone together.

10. Make Some Hard Decisions

Staying between your lover and your besties can wear you down mentally and emotionally. If you’ve tried to be a peacemaker and nothing has worked, you have some hard decisions to make. Take into consideration what you’ve learned from discussions.

You must try to set your emotions aside and re-evaluate your relationships. What if your friends and your lover clash because they’ve been trying to warn you that your lover is toxic? It’s not a case of choosing your buddies over your mate, but rather you are choosing your best interests.

If your significant other is acting out of jealousy and has control issues, listen to your friends, and say goodbye. It’s a difficult call, and you must know that your companions are acting out of love and for your well-being. This is an extreme case, though.

On the other hand, what if your partner dislikes your friends because they are toxic and you’re too close to realize it? Good friends will be supportive of your love relationship when they see you are happy and being cherished. Those who get jealous or try to sabotage you and your partner aren’t real friends, so write them off.

Final Thoughts on Your Partner Disliking Your Friends

There are no rules that say your partner and your friends must be one big happy family. However, it makes life a little easier when they can at least be civil. It’s up to you to offer the olive branch and see what happens.

Science Reveals 12 Reasons You Should Eat Amaranth

December 26, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Have you heard about amaranth? This fast-growing plant is taking the health world by storm due to its amazing health benefits. You may wonder why you should add amaranth to your diet. Here are 12 good reasons why that may be a good idea.

What is amaranth?

The word amaranth in Greek means immortal. Although amaranth’s health benefits aren’t as extensive as mortality, they are worth noting. Amaranth is a bushy type plant with a thick stalk and abundant leaves. This fast-growing plant can reach anywhere from three to nine feet tall. The seeds of the amaranth plant are used to mill flour. Aztecs popped amaranth seeds and eaten ate them with brown sugar in Mexico’s ancient times.

Amaranth is also used in medicine in some countries to remedy malaria, diabetes, bacterial diseases, snake bites, and parasites. Both red and green amaranth plants provide lots of health benefits.

So why eat amaranth? Let’s take a look at why this healthy food exploded onto the nutrition scene again recently.

Twelve Reasons to Eat Amaranth

To say that amaranth is nutritious is an understatement. Researchers continue to dig up new evidence of its health benefits. Here are at least 12 reasons you should add this amazing plant to your regular diet.

1 – High in Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid aids the growth and proper development of your body’s functions like the formation of collagen, the ability to absorb iron, healing, and maintaining your immune system. Without enough vitamin C in your body, you can’t maintain good bones, cartilage, or teeth.

A recent study on green amaranth found it contains a higher amount of vitamin C than the red amaranth plant. It’s abundant in antioxidant phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are compounds found in plants. When you eat plants high in phytochemicals, they can lower your risk of some diseases.

2 – Amaranth is gluten-free

Gluten is found in pasta, bread, and cereal. It’s healthy for most people, but for some, gluten triggers reactions such as inflammation or gut pain. Because amaranth is gluten-free, it’s a great alternative substitute for grain. Amaranth is low in carbohydrates and easy to digest, but be sure to cook it. It’s not digestible eaten raw. You can cook it like you would a grain.

Cooked amaranth

Add 1 cup amaranth to 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft
Don’t let it set too long; otherwise, it will get mushy and jelly-like. Eat it as a savory dish or sweet, depending upon what you add to the grain.

Popped amaranth

Put one tablespoon of amaranth seeds into a saucepan and set on medium heat. Allow seeds o warm-up, and they’ll begin to puff up. Shake the pan when you hear the popping sound to make sure all the seeds get popped. Don’t let them get too hot, or they’ll burn.

3 – Lowers cholesterol

Cholesterol builds healthy cells, but too much cholesterol in your body causes a buildup in your blood vessels. This blockage makes it difficult for your blood to flow properly to your arteries. This leads to heart disease. There’s no way to tell if your cholesterol is high except through a blood test.

Research confirms that amaranth is high in fiber and phytosterols. So eating it may lower your cholesterol and, in turn, lower your blood pressure and reduces your risk for atherosclerosis. It’s also packed with vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting and helping wounds heal. It’s also thought that vitamin K can help you have better bone health.

4 – Boosts immune system

Your immune system plays a significant role in your body’s health. Protecting your body from harmful germs, substances, or cell damage, your immune system goes to work, destroying any foreign microbe that enters your body. It’s important to have a healthy functioning immune system to stay healthy. Amaranth is packed with antioxidants, which means it boosts your immune system.

It’s also thought that it has anti-inflammatory benefits to help relieve arthritis and other inflammation-related diseases. It’s phytochemicals neutralize the free radicals and other damaging that affect your health. Amaranth oil can be used topically to relieve painful minor injuries and skin conditions.

5 – Abundant amounts of protein

The cells in your body contain a lot of protein. You need protein to help your body repair damaged cells and build new cells. Protein is essential for proper growth in kids, teens, and pregnant women, high in protein and amino acids, including lysine. One cup of this super grain provides 10 grams of protein, which is higher than most grains. In fact, this plant-based protein is very similar to milk proteins, which makes it easy to digest.

6 – It may be good for diabetes

Left untreated, diabetes is harmful to your heart, kidneys, and nerves. The high glucose levels damage your organs, causing a stroke, a heart attack, eye problems, feet, and nerve damage. If you have diabetes, you need to manage your glucose levels by eating a healthy diet and checking the levels throughout the day. Amaranth can lower blood glucose levels. With 2 grams of fiber per half a cup of amaranth, it’s a great addition to your diet.

Because amaranth is considered high on the glycemic index, it should be eaten with a grain that has a lower glycemic level. A glycemic level is a number assigned to foods that represent the rise of your blood glucose level a couple of hours after eating food. Good grains to mix with amaranth are as follows:

Buckwheat
Brown rice
Quinoa
Oats
Rye
Barley

One study suggests combining amaranth with a type of grain in 25% to 75% for the lowest GI level.

7 – Loaded with vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals are combined to provide your body to perform many roles in your body. They keep your bones strong, heal your wounds, and boost your immune system. Some vitamins and minerals turn your food into energy and repair damage in your body. If you’re looking for a great source of vitamins and minerals, look no further than amaranth. This super grain is a great source of vitamins, including vitamin C, E, A, K, B5, B6, folate, niacin, and riboflavin. Amaranth contains many minerals, including:

Calcium
Copper
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Phosphorus
Potassium
Zinc

8 – High in calcium

Calcium is essential to maintain strong bones and perform other functions. Most of your calcium is stored in your bones and teeth to keep them hard. Your body also needs calcium to build and maintain your muscles and nerves. Eating amaranth regularly may help improve your bone health. This is because it has much calcium and vitamin K. Thus, it helps to fight osteoporosis, a degenerative disease that causes bones to become brittle and weak.

9 – Aids your digestion

Digestive problems make it difficult to find healthy foods that won’t affect your gut. Look no further than amaranth super grain. With lots of fiber and other easy-to-digest minerals, amaranth is a good gluten-free grain to add to your diet, especially if you have Celiac disease. Just be sure to cook or pop the amaranth before you eat it. When it’s not cooked, it’s hard like a dried bean.

10 – Strengthens blood vessels

Ugh, varicose veins!

Those ugly blue and green bumpy veins that pop out on your legs aren’t attractive. They can also be painful and sometimes harmful. The secret to getting rid of varicose veins could be as simple as adding amaranth to your diet. Packed with flavonoids such as Rutin, which helps reduce varicose veins, amaranth also strengthens the capillary walls due to its high amount of vitamin C and collagen.

11 – Healthy eyes

It’s easy to forget about the importance of keeping your eyes healthy until you face an eye infection or other eye-related problem. Amaranth is easy to boost your eye health due to its high level of vitamin A and carotenoid. Muscular degeneration and cataracts are common as you age. Adding amaranth to your diet can help slow down these degenerative diseases.

12 – Helps your overall cardiovascular health

Today, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for women and men in the United States. Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are a growing problem for all age groups. Studies found that this grain is a good dietary source for people with CVD because it contains magnesium and healthy dietary fiber.

Final thoughts on Adding Amaranth to Your Diet

Amaranth leaves, stems, and seeds are packed with proteins carotenoids, amino acids, and dietary fibers to name a few. This super grain is a high level of antioxidants phytochemicals and vitamin C promotes your immune system and helps reduce heart disease.

The plant acclimates well to drought or wet conditions, so it’s easy to grow. Thus, it’s making a big impact on countries around the world who are adopting it as the main food source, especially in poorer countries where food is difficult to grow. Researchers are constantly finding new health benefits of this amazing plant. With so many benefits to eating this food, the question isn’t why should you eat amaranth, but why aren’t you?

Adorable Dog Learns to Use a Soundboard to Communicate with Family

December 25, 2020 by Kristen Lawrence

Pets have so much to tell us, and this dog showed the world how to communicate with family using a soundboard. The beautiful Australian Shepherd named Flambo uses buttons with words on them to talk to his owners. When Flambo pushes them with his paw, it makes the buttons say the words aloud. This helps the adorable dog communicate his wants, needs and thoughts with his family, an incredible feat!

Flambo’s owner Abba has many fond memories with her beloved Aussie dog. However, she says one of the most memorable ones was the first time he said he loved her using the buttons. Flambo’s ability to communicate with family in this unique way makes their connection even more special.

How Flambo came into Abba’s life

“I got Flambo when I was looking for a new service dog prospect,” Abba says. “My other dog was getting older and it was ready to retire. I found Flambo’s breeder because I’ve known her for 14 years. She breeds fantastic, healthy dogs with great temperament and I knew she would have a dog that would absolutely fit my needs.”

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Little did she know at the time just how much Flambo would change her life! Of course, Australian Shepherds are well-known for their intelligence and training potential. So, the fact that Flambo can communicate with family using the buttons is something you’d expect from this dog breed.

Facts about the Australian Shepherd

According to the American Kennel Club, here are some basic facts about this beautiful dog:

They are smart, exuberant, and hard-working.
They have a life expectancy of 12-15 years.
Australian Shepherds are in the herding group.
They need a lot of exercise, at least 1-2 hours a day, and a large area to run around in.
It’s one of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S.
They actually aren’t Australian. They probably came from the Basque region of Spain, and shepherds from this area took their dogs with them to Australia. From here, they brought them to the U.S., so Americans called them Australian Shepherds.
Aussies became famous from rodeos, where they helped herd bulls and perform tricks.
Native Americans considered them sacred, nicknaming them “ghost eye” because of their pale, ghostly blue eyes.
They often have two different colored eyes, called heterochromia.
These shepherds can do a wide variety of jobs due to their intelligence. Common duties include being a Seeing Eye dog, search and rescue dog, or drug sniffing dog. They make wonderful service dogs of any kind as well.

“I knew instantly that he was the right guy for me, and after a few weeks of begging, I was finally able to take Flambo on a test trial and the rest is history,” Abba says.

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“Besides the obvious unconditional love, some of the positive things he brings to my life is laughter. I don’t think there’s an hour in my day that goes by without him making me laugh or smile,” Abba says. “He is goofy, he is funny, he is so happy; and he just keeps you entertained and happy all day long.”

Why dogs make us feel so much better

Pets in general have this incredible ability to brighten our lives and lower our stress levels. Dogs also teach us important qualities such as love, compassion, patience and generosity. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that “pet owners exhibited greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, were less lonely, were more conscientious, were more socially outgoing, and had healthier relationship styles (for example, lower fear and preoccupation levels) than non-owners.”

According to the Dog Parent Study conducted by BarkBox, 71 percent of dog owners believe their pets have made them happier. Almost 80 percent find it easier to get out of bed in the morning thanks to their dogs. Around 93 percent believe their dogs have made them better people!

Some people call dogs the angels of the animal world because of their loyalty and unconditional love. Studies have shown that even spending a few minutes with dogs can boost oxytocin in the brain, the “feel-good” hormone. You may feel this love chemical when dog, which lowers feelings of stress and anxiety. It also boosts empathy, trust and relaxation levels.

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Research published in the journal Science found that just gazing into each other’s eyes caused a huge spike in oxytocin for both dogs and their owners.

“Of the duos that had spent the greatest amount of time looking into each other’s eyes, both male and female dogs experienced a 130 percent rise in oxytocin levels, and both male and female owners a 300 percent increase.”

Dogs have astounding healing benefits for humans, and it seems our furry friends benefit as well! If you have a dog and want to teach it to communicate with family like Flambo does, watch Abba’s video for more tips. You can find the stickers for the buttons on Amazon.

Pet owners reveal the true reasons they canceled their plans with friends.

Final thoughts: Dogs can learn to communicate with family in clever ways, such as using buttons like Flambo

Flambo the Australian Shepherd learned to talk with his family using stickers on buttons. Any owners can teach their dogs to do this with a little patience and training! While Australian Shepherds are known for their intelligence, many dog breeds can learn this unique communication technique.

Dogs have so many benefits for humans, including boosting oxytocin levels, lowering stress, and keeping us active! If you have a dog such as a shepherd, you know firsthand how much exercise they need. Dogs just make life better all around, and if they can communicate with family like Flambo, it’s even better!

We hope you enjoyed hearing about Flambo’s story, as well as learning about all the beautiful things dogs bring to our lives. If you have a pet of your own, let us know in the comments if you have taught them to communicate with you! We would love to hear how it’s changed your life.

15 Reasons Why You Should Live With Intention

December 25, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Are you living life to your potential, or are you merely existing? You should know that there’s a big difference between the two. When you learn to live with intention, you’ll see the many beautiful things you’ve been missing.

What is Purposeful Living?

The definition of being alive is that you are breathing, your heart is beating, and you have a body temperature of at least 98.7 degrees. Unfortunately, many people go through their given years with this necessary proof of life. Instead of being active and thriving, they feel as their life is dust in the wind.

Does that sound familiar to you? Everyone searches for a purpose in life. Have you discovered why you’re in this world and what is your destiny? Finding goals and meaning for your life may seem too complicated, but you can do it with purposeful living.

When you live with intention, every day is a new adventure. You refuse to be a victim of circumstance. It doesn’t mean that you’ll never have stress or unforeseen problems, nor does it mean you control everything. However, purposeful living allows you to choose how you will respond to situations.

1. Your Sense of Clarity will be Stronger

Do you know what you want in life? What are the things that are most important to you? Purposeful living can give you the clarity to know these things for sure. When you have a clearer vision, you will know areas that need improvement in your life.

2. You’ll Find a Sense of Calm and Inner Peace

Did you know that peace is not the absence of turmoil? Instead, it is finding an inner calmness regardless of the situations around you. While you can’t avoid all stress in your life, you can learn to manage it.

Countless studies show that too much stress can lead to mental illness, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, and premature death. When you live with intention, you gain the strength and inner peace to keep your stress levels at a minimum.

3. You Can Keep Things in Proper Perspective

Have you ever been a person who jumps to conclusions when unexpected things happen? Not only does this keep your body overflowing with stress hormones, but it creates a negative attitude. With a life plan of intent, you remember what’s most important to you, and it helps you keep things in their right perspective.

4. You May Achieve Your Goals Quicker

Do you have goals for your life? Unless you do, you will wander with no feeling of satisfaction. With better clarity and perspective, it can be easier for you to make decisions. As you focus on your goals and are aware of your actions, you can progress toward the things you want.

5. You Can Be a More Positive Person

Nothing dampens the mood more than a person who has negative attitudes. No matter how cheerful others try to be, these “Negative Nellies” can always complain and find fault. Most likely, these people are miserable because they haven’t discovered their life’s purpose.

A purposeful life creates a positive attitude that affects the people around you. Even when situations aren’t going your way, you intend to work them out and remain positive. Having positive intentions can attract optimistic outcomes.

6. You Have More Gratitude

People can usually tell those who live with purpose by the gratitude they show. Such a person was Rabbi Hyman Schachtel, who said that “happiness isn’t having what you want but rather enjoying what you have.” When you live purposefully, you already know what you want, and your heart is filled with gratitude.

Grateful people know how to treat others the way they want to be treated. They make it a habit to use good manners and say “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome.” You can never expect more in your life until you are grateful for what you have.

7. Your Life can be Passionate

You are more apt to do something when you are passionate about it. When you live with purpose, you identify the most precious things to you and what you want to achieve. A life without passion and emotion is dull, empty, and meaningless.

Some of the most outstanding leaders made changes in the world because they believed in what they were doing. Consider people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, and countless other people who realized their destiny. Nothing ever happens without a dream and a purpose.

8. You Can Have More Trust

While it’s wise to learn people’s character before you fully trust them, chronic skepticism and mistrust only breed contempt. Do you find it easy to trust people, or are you always looking over your shoulder? Even the most mindful people can be taken occasionally, but not often.

When you’ve discovered your purpose, you easily connect with others who are on the same path. You learn more about who they are, and you know who is in your corner. Trust is a precious gift that must be given judiciously and with purpose.

9. You Have a Life of Integrity

Someone once said that you are only as good as your word. Since it’s impossible to separate you from your word, integrity is of the utmost importance. Knowing your life’s purpose helps keep you true to your promises and gives you a reputation of honor and trustworthiness.

In your purpose for living, you strive to help others with their life goals. Dishonesty and backbiting have no place in your goal chart. You will get along well with most people, and they will look up to you as an honest person.

10. You Will Learn to Forgive

Are you holding a grudge against someone who’s hurt you? It’s time that you forgive them. Bitterness does nothing but tears down your joy and wastes precious time. It can also stand between you and your life’s goals.

When you forgive people, you’re not excusing or forgetting the offense. It doesn’t even mean you want or need them back in your life. Forgiveness frees you to move on with your life and gives you the ability to continue with your purpose.

11. You Can Go with the Flow

Have you ever been around people who get in a frenzy when the unexpected happens? Just because you live purposely doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter road bumps on the journey. You learn to take life as it comes and deflect the negative to make it into something positive.

12. Purposeful Living Defines Your Values

There’s a difference between the things you believe and the things you know to be true. You can “believe” that you can drive, but you’ll only know it’s true when you get behind the wheel. A life of intention helps define your morals and separates them from your “preferences.”

You will also respect people for their system of beliefs and practices. While you have a clear map of your destination, you realize that there are many paths beside your own. You cling to what you know to be accurate and where you’re going in life.

13. You Will Have More Fun

It’s a wise person who can balance work and play. Just because you’ve set essential goals for your life doesn’t mean you have to work 24/7. Balancing the two is healthy so that you learn life isn’t all about taking things so seriously.

Numerous medical studies show that people who have a good sense of humor often have less stress, fewer diseases, and may live longer. If you intend to have joy in your life, know when to relax, laugh, and have fun. Good-natured humor also does much to create a positive atmosphere in a group.

14. You Can Be More Courageous

On your path to purposeful living, you’ll encounter things that may scare you. Being courageous doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid. It means that you know what you want, and you’ll step out with confidence. You will be more willing to ask for that raise at work, change careers, or ask a special person out on a date.

When you know your purpose, it’s as if you are reading the back of your life’s book. Now, it’s up to you to fill in the preceding chapters with actions that will fulfill your intentions. It takes courage, but you will be up to the challenge.

15. You Will Cope with Failures

If you are afraid of failing, then you’ll never accomplish your life’s goals. As you lay out your intentions, things won’t always go as planned. When you have been unable, you learn to get back up and try again.

Some of the most successful people in the world learned from their failures. Colonel Sanders’ famous chicken recipe was rejected at least 1,000 times before he met the right person. A producer told Oprah Winfrey early in her career that she’d never make it on television, and now she’s a media titan. The list of famous people who didn’t let failures get in the way of their goals is extensive.

Final Thoughts on Purposeful Living

You have the power to set the course for the rest of your life. When you have goals and work purposely on them each day, you’ll see changes. Your destiny is up to you, and it all starts with living with intention.

11 Ways to Give Pancakes a Healthy Makeover

December 25, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Pancakes are so delicious, but so unhealthy, right? Wrong. These healthy pancake make-overs aren’t your mother’s white flour pancakes. They’re packed with healthy goodness, so you can still enjoy pancakes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner without feeling guilty.

Make your pancakes healthier by trying these tips:

People enjoy pancakes all around the world. But they have different names across the globe. In the United States, we might call them flapjacks. Australians call them pikelets/ The French enjoy a thinner cake, crepes. To create a pancake, you need flour, a liquid, and some leavening agent. They’re cooked in a pan or on a griddle and flipped to cook them on both sides.

Once you understand how the ingredients in pancakes work together, it’s easy to substitute alternative flours and ingredients in the batter. Whether you’re mixing up savory pancakes or fruity ones, the possibilities are endless.

1 – Flour substitutes

Binding agents hold your pancakes together. Flour and eggs are traditional binders. The flour also adds taste, texture, and volume to your recipe. Flour, whole grain flours, and gluten-free flours are packed with proteins. Also, starch is essential to give your pancakes structure and fats for flavor.

Flours that are low in protein have less gluten, while flours with high protein have more. If you’re making pancakes without wheat, you’ll need to use a mixture of high- and low-level protein flours. So, gluten-free flour blends should be around 70% high protein flour to 30% lower protein or a high starch flour. You can also add extra eggs to the pancake recipe to help give your pancakes more structure. If you add extra eggs, be sure to reduce the liquid a bit, say by two tablespoons.

2 – Almond flour

Almond flour doesn’t have gluten, so you’ll need to add extra eggs if you use this kind of flour in your pancake recipe.

3 – Amaranth flour

Amaranth flour is also a healthy flour substitute. It has more protein than most gluten-free flour and even more than whole wheat flour. It has a nutty flavor. In a pancake recipe, combine it with another flour in a 1 part amaranth flour to 3 parts other flour. You can substitute 1 cup of amaranth flour to replace 1 cup of wheat flour.

4 – Oat flour

Oat flour doesn’t contain gluten. It makes your pancakes moist and tender. Because oat flour is dense, it’s important to combine it with another flour so the pancakes will rise.

5 – Binder and leavening agents

If you’re making gluten-free pancakes, you’ll need to add xanthan or guar gum for binding, structure, and elasticity in your pancakes. Another good binder is eggs. Besides giving structure and being a binder to your pancake batter, eggs also act as a leavening when they’re beaten with sugar and butter.

If you don’t eat eggs, you can use mashed bananas to replace them. Baking powder and baking soda are also good leavening agents for your pancake batter. Use 1 teaspoon of baking powder or 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to leaven one cup of flour in your pancake recipe.

6 – Buttermilk or yogurt

Buttermilk and yogurt are acidic ingredients that help pancakes stay moist and tender. These ingredients also add some leavening to your pancakes. Baking soda and buttermilk do well together but don’t substitute buttermilk for regular milk. It will flatten out your pancakes.

7 – Plant-based milk

Plant-based milk is a perfect substitute for regular cow milk. You can use the same amount of plant-based milk in your pancake recipes as you would regular milk. You can use rice, almond, soy, or cashew milk in your pancake recipes for added nutrition and taste. Just be aware that some plant-based milk will add extra flavor. You can create buttermilk using plant-based milk.

Plant-based buttermilk: To make 1 cup of soy milk, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir and let stand for five minutes. Then add to your pancake batter.

Nutritionists refuse to eat these thirty things.

8 – Healthy fruit toppings for your pancakes

What is a pancake without some toppings? These healthy topping ideas fill the bill, giving you good nutrition, but without compromising flavor.

Any fresh, organic fruit adds extra nutrition to your pancakes. The list is endless, but these are especially tasty and good for you.

Blueberries, raspberries
Sliced bananas
Strawberries
Oranges
Cherries
Cranberries
Apples
Pomegranate
Mango

9 – Dark chocolate

Yep, dark chocolate is the real deal to boost your pancake makeover. Dark chocolate helps fight inflammation, balance your blood sugar, and increases the blood supply to your brain. Eating dark chocolate is thought to lower stress and help improve your memory so you can better focus.

10 – Turkey bacon

Leaner than pork bacon, turkey bacon is also lower in calories and fat. But, because it’s an animal product, you still get important vitamins and minerals such as zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. Cook the bacon, crumble it and add it to your pancake batter.

11 – Add nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fiber, magnesium, Vitamin E, phosphorus, and selenium. They’re packed with antioxidants that boost your immune system. They’re high in fat, but it’s the healthy kind of fat that helps lower your cholesterol. Chop, saute or process into healthy nut butter for pancake toppings.

Walnuts
Almonds
Pine nuts
Cashews
Brazil nuts
Flaxseeds

12 – All-natural, organic maple syrup

Maple syrup gets a bad rap. This is mostly due to the fake maple syrup sold at many grocery stores that amount to nothing but sugar boiled in water. But a 2017 study found that dark-color maple syrup actually inhibits gastrointestinal cancer growth.

Following ancient tradition, maple syrup is made by boiling the sap collected from sugar maple trees. Maple trees have been used for centuries by Native Americans as traditional medicines and tonics.

Maple syrup contains phenolic compounds that work as antioxidants, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Eating maple syrup hinders the growth of cancer cells.

Look for real, organic dark maple syrup at the grocery. Many fake maple syrups are made from dark corn syrup or brown sugar, which aren’t as healthy and don’t taste as good.

13 – Honey

Honey is a natural product produced by bees. Studies show that honey contains flavonoids and polyphenols, both antioxidants that can help treat conditions and diseases like diabetes, respiratory infection, gastrointestinal illness, and cancers. Be sure to buy real honey. There are some fake kinds of honey on the market made out of corn syrup. There are over 300 types of honey in the United States.

The flavor and color come from the nectar source the bees visited. Here’s a short list of some different kinds of honey you can buy.

Acacia
Alfalfa
Avocado
Beechwood
Blueberry
Clover
Dandelion
Healthier
Macadamia
Orange blossom
Pinetree
Sage

14 – Make crepes instead of pancakes (they’re lighter!)

Crepes are traditionally thinner than pancakes. You usually create a filling for the inside of the crepe and then roll it up to eat. Crepes can be savory or sweet, depending upon your preference. Try these crepe filling ideas.

Crepe fillings:

Spinach, feta cheese, and egg: Saute spinach in olive oil. Layer spinach, feta in the crepe, and top with an egg fried in olive oil. Delicious!
Cheese, egg, and bacon: Stick with tradition and create an egg, cheese, and turkey bacon filling for your crepe.
Vegetarian crepe filling: Saute spinach leaves, add parmesan cheese and walnuts. So yummy.
Sweet crepe filling: Saute cranberries, apple slices, lemon juice, and cinnamon for several minutes in a skillet with a teaspoon of plant butter. Pour the warm mixture onto your crepe and top with a little mascarpone. Yummy!
Fruit jam and ricotta: Mix any fruit jam with 1 cup of ricotta. Top with toasted almonds.

Weird but healthy pancake toppings

Maybe you’re a think outside of the box type of person when it comes to cooking. If so, you’ll love these crazy but genius pancake toppings ideas.

Sauteed mushrooms, shredded fresh Parmesan, and caramelized onions: Carmelize your onions, then sautee some mushrooms. Layer them onto your homemade pancake and top with fresh shredded Parmesan.
Homemade chili and grated Monterey jack cheese: Prepare your chili following any recipe you want. Pour a ½ cup of homemade chili onto your homemade crepe or pancake. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
Rotisserie chicken, cheese, and Granny Smith apples: Buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery. Shred the meat and warm in a skillet. Layer the shredded chicken onto your homemade pancake or crepe, then top with shredded cheddar cheese and diced Granny Smith apples.
Hawaiian flare: Top your homemade pancakes with crushed pineapples, diced macadamia nuts, and shredded coconut. Aloha!
Salmon and cream cheese: Buy ready to eat smoked salmon. Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese or alternative cream cheese on top of your homemade pancake or crepe. Layer pieces of warmed smoked salmon on top. Amazing!

Final Thoughts on Giving a Healthier Twist to Traditional Pancakes

Pancakes can be as healthy as you make them. Find a recipe you love, then top your amazing pancakes with super healthy toppings. If you like your pancakes thinner, cook up some crepes, and add delicious fillings. Or if you want to try zany pancake toppings, try one of the weird toppings, or make up your own. There’s no right or wrong way to create a healthy pancake makeover.

Strong People Do These 10 Things During The Pandemic Without Realizing It

December 24, 2020 by Power of Positivity

The Covid-19 global pandemic will go down in history as one of the most devastating, both physically and mentally. Learning a new reality is challenging as your daily life is altered with social distancing, masks, and constant stressors to the invisible threat lurking nearby. The financial stress from job loss is devastating. Still, strong people adapted.

Is it any wonder that people are anxious, depressed, and dealing with various mental health issues? This isn’t the first crisis in American history, but it will be one that will be remembered for the lives lost and the financial devastation it’s caused. Other horrific events include the 9-11 terrorist attacks and the SARS outbreak.

Americans learn to cope and move on, but how you respond to a crisis comes from your core strength. A mentally strong person can handle these adverse experiences better than someone who isn’t as resilient. It’s possible to come out of this nightmare with post-traumatic growth rather than post-traumatic stress.

You are not alone if you’ve never heard the term post-traumatic growth. When you go through a stressful experience, you make positive psychological changes rather than negative ones. You have the power within you to rise to a higher level of functioning, even though the world is in the middle of a major crisis.

Things Strong People Do to Protect Their Mental Health

When this pandemic ends, and it will, you can be stronger than you were before it started. However, your actions dictate how you will be on the other side. If you want to ensure that you are mentally unscathed, then here are some proven things strong people do to avoid long term mental health issues.

1. They Learn How to Control Their Emotions

You should know that you’re not alone if you find yourself a little sad and weepy at times during this pandemic. A healthy person doesn’t avoid their emotional self. Rather, they learn how to keep it in control. According to Dr. Marsha Linehan, the creator of DBT therapy, you have three states of mind, and they are:

•Emotional – This is the location where your emotional declarations govern.

•Rational – Both logic and facts abound here.

•Logical- Here, you blend your emotional and rational mind to develop a reasonable opinion.

You can dwell in logic when you learn how to reel in your emotions and use a rational mind to govern them. Your feelings are all over the place, especially in a pandemic. Your emotional mind may tell you that you’re going to be one of those who die from the coronavirus, but your rational mind steps in to give you the statistics you learned.

More people recover than perish, so you learn to be logical about your emotions. It’s easy to engage in catastrophizing behaviors, but you must learn to use logic to keep your sanity.

2. They Don’t Beat Themselves Up Over A Loss of Concentration

It’s challenging to be productive when the entire world is in chaos. While working at home may seem like a better way to get more done, many people find it quite challenging. It’s normal to have concentration issues and to feel completely overwhelmed with homeschooling and your new role.

When your safety is threatened, you must realize that you’re doing your best to survive. Practice self-care to help cleanse the body and mind, and don’t be so hard on yourself. Take the day off if you cannot focus or concentrate on a particular day.

Strong people accept their flaws and realize when they’re at their breaking point. It’s okay not to be okay; you can give yourself time to deflect from the stressors around you.

3. They Understand That What They’re Feeling Is Normal

Embrace your feelings, and don’t try to bury them where they will fester. To be resilient, you must know that anger, fear, sadness, and anxiety are part of such a challenging event. There will be things that take you days to process because it’s so overwhelming to take it all in at once.

In 2013, Adjustment Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual as a mental illness. Whenever you go through a major life stressor, even within the previous 90 days, it can cause great mental distress as you try to process and cope. Anyone going through this pandemic is in jeopardy of suffering from this mental strain.

Societal changes have taken their toll, such as homeschooling children, working from home, job loss, and the death of friends and loved ones. The key is to accept what you’re feeling, process those feelings, and move on. Don’t ruminate and become mentally overwhelmed.

4. They Choose Carefully Who They Follow

Strong people avoid negative people and are careful about who they follow. When it comes to fact-based data, don’t rely on social media. Avoid those who challenge public health efforts to handle the global pandemic.

Not only is it unhealthy to watch people banter about things that officials are doing to help you, but it’s psychologically harmful to hear something that may or may not be relevant. Listen to officials such as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control to get fact-based data.

Mentally strong people will understand that you can’t believe everything you read or hear on television, social media, or the radio. When you use trusted new sources, you can cut down on false reports and the mental strain caused by inaccurate information.

5. They Learn to Meditate

Meditation has many benefits as it helps to release negativity from the body. People who regularly meditate can return to a calm state even during the most stressful conditions.

Meditation is proven to reduce stress levels, and anxiety, help with depression, and enhance your overall emotional health. Some say that it helps to improve concentration and bring them back to a healthy baseline.

6. They Limit Media and News Exposure

One of the best ways that strong person protects themselves during a pandemic is to avoid how much news they consume. Have you ever heard of compassion fatigue? Nothing is uplifting on the news these days, and when you ingest all that negativity, it adversely affects you.

Hearing one devastating report after another can put your body under traumatic stress. Your body will release cortisol and adrenaline to put you into fight or flight mode. It’s common to utilize doomscrolling to get the current events, but you only need to know what affects you.

If you limit your exposure and choose reliable media, you can encourage mental stability.

7. They Avoid Negative People

Easy ways to avoid negative people include turning off the news and stopping doomscrolling on social media. Although, what about the people you encounter every day? While you must accept their flaws, you don’t have to listen to or engage in their toxic behaviors.

Avoid those who lie, gossip, and are self-centered, as it can affect your mental health.

8. They Focus on Self-Care

Strong people know that to make it through such a devastating pandemic, they must take care of themselves. Reducing exposure is essential, such as getting plenty of exercises, eating right, sleeping the recommended amounts, and connecting on zoom with family and friends.

While the pandemic has put much distance between you and those you love, you can still connect on zoom for the social interaction you need. Since so many gyms have closed, why not do a workout over the internet with some friends? Exercise helps to keep your positive energy flowing and can help build your immunity.

9. They Know Themselves and What They Need

Strong people know what they need to make it. If they are introverted, they prefer smaller groups anyway, as larger ones exhaust them. They find that being alone charges them.

The extrovert needs other people and activities to feel mentally strong. They will use ways to connect virtually and keep their social life strong no matter what’s going on. Knowing what you need and getting it regardless of new restrictions and mandates is part of being healthy.

10. They Respect Other People

A healthy person learns that you never know what another person is going through, so you must always be kind. You didn’t realize that the grumpy worker at the drive-thru this morning just got bad news about a loved one. She probably didn’t even feel like being at work, but she had bills to pay.

The man that took your parking spot at the mall was in a hurry and didn’t even see you. You didn’t know he was there to get his wife a soft robe. See, she’s in the hospital fighting for her life from Covid-19. The strongest respect other people because they realize that what you see or hear outside is usually a reflection of what’s going on inside.

Final Thoughts on Strong People (and how they seem to sail through rough waters)

Living through a pandemic takes a lot of strength. There will be good days and bad days, but you must practice self-care to ensure that you stay mentally intact. Find your support among positive people, and remember that it’s okay not to be okay.

A strong person can endure a horrific situation and have post-traumatic growth rather than post-traumatic stress. The choice is up to you.

Weekly tips, affirmations, and small actions to feel your best.

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!