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Alarming Research Reveals Dangers of Synthetic Scents

December 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Artificial fragrances may smell amazing, but they contain chemicals that have incredibly harmful effects on the body.

Surprisingly, the products in most homes are a source of synthetic scents and chemicals. Manufacturers pack these chemicals into air fresheners, shampoo, candles, dryer sheets, detergents, and many other products that produce an appealing scent.

Some of the common chemicals found in these products are carcinogens, aldehydes, and toluene.

These chemicals can lead to the dangers of synthetic scents, including serious problems such as cancer, congenital disabilities, and allergic reactions. Any of these products can cause rashes and other uncomfortable skin issues. These health issues aren’t something that will occur right away.

The problems sometimes take many years to become evident; by then, it is too late.

Knowledge Is Power: Scan the Product Label for Synthetic Scents

When an ingredient list says “parfum,” it likely contains one or more chemicals associated with synthetic scents. The word “parfum” or “perfume” can refer to any of more than 3,000 chemicals. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not need to specify which chemicals they include. Not only is this unfair to consumers, but it also puts consumers at an even higher risk since there is no way to find out what chemicals are being put into the air or onto their skin.

The dangers of synthetic scents are too much to continue risking the health of everyone in the home so any natural product would be a preferred alternative. Pay close attention to any products you use because artificial fragrances come in the most surprising products.

Products, Dangers, What to do Instead

So what are you to do if you find these ingredients in your favorite products? Read on to learn more.

Products that Contain Synthetic Scents

So many everyday household products contain artificial fragrances. Many fly under the radar because we assume the products are safe. In reality, however, these products harm our families in many ways. To eliminate these artificial fragrances, every ingredient label in the home must be examined. Some of the products that are a culprit are as follows:

Lotions
Serums
Shampoo
Conditioner
Scented candles
Wax melts
Dryer sheets
Laundry detergent
Dishwashing detergent
All-purpose cleaners
Make-up
Air fresheners
Plug-ins
Deodorant
Soap
Sunscreen
Perfume, cologne, or body spray
Scented baby wipes
Bubble bath
Body scrub

Dangers of Synthetic Scents

Artificial fragrances can lead to many health concerns. While these health problems likely won’t be noticed immediately, they can cause problems years later. Some of the health problems that may link to artificial fragrances are:

Cancer
Autism in children
Congenital disabilities
Decreased sperm counts
ADHD
Severe allergic reactions
Rashes
Kidney damage
Liver damage
Asthma
Other respiratory problems

Use These Products Instead

Luckily there are natural ways to make a home smell pleasant without exposure to the dangers of synthetic scents, though.

These ideas will make your home smell just as fine as the artificial fragrances. The best part is, you will get the scent without any of the health risks. Some of these natural methods are:

1 – Essential oils

Using steam distillation, technicians extract the essence of the leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds of plants into essential oils. You place a few drops in a diffuser to permeate the air with the sweet fragrances.

They smell fantastic and offer a myriad of health benefits. Learning more about essential oils, how to use them, and the health benefits are well worth the effort!

2 – All-natural candles

Makers integrate the essential oils mentioned above into candles crafted from natural sources like beeswax and soy. They insert natural wicks. As the flame burns, the wax melts and release the scent of the essential oils into your room.

3 – Opening windows for fresh air and natural scents

Here’s an age-old solution we sometimes forget in our air conditioning and heated air homes. Open up your windows! Let the stale odors out and the fresh air and smells of nature in. Mother Nature is at your service!

12 Chemicals That Can Disrupt Your Hormones

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Synthetic Scents

Having a home that smells fresh and clean is desirable, but it can be potentially dangerous. Many times the scents that make the home smell so good are artificial fragrances. These synthetic fragrances are full of chemicals that lead to many severe health issues. It is essential that we protect our families by minimizing exposure to unhealthy chemicals, and eliminating these highly dangerous indulgences can immensely lessen the exposure.

So many products that we use every single day, sometimes multiple times a day, are harming our families. Even our everyday shampoo, conditioner, and soap have dangerous effects on our bodies that could cause cancer, kidney and liver failure, congenital disabilities, and many other serious health or behavioral issues.

9 Reasons You Should Never Ignore Your Gut Instinct

December 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Have you ever felt a firm but seemingly illogical pull in your heart or your stomach towards a particular option, decision, or action? Commonly referred to as one’s “gut instincts” or “intuition,” many of us make the mistake of ignoring this in favor of being guided by logic alone.

Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with the logic. But there is something inherently wrong in completely ignoring your gut altogether and never even giving it the time of day.

9 Reasons You Should Never Ignore Your Gut Instinct

1. It Teaches Self-Respect

Gut instinct is the voice of your intuition. If you respect your tenacity and your intelligence, you may feel inclined to trust that your subconscious has picked up on crucial information. Recognizing your subconscious is an essential step to better self-respect.

Besides, some gut instincts are accompanied by the desire to follow them. Of course, you can’t always get what you want – but sometimes you have to put yourself first. Instead of listening to all the external input from people who aren’t you, look inward and listen to your voice.

Gut instinct is a compelling pull of your heart and a critical voice in your head. When you listen to it, you’re learning to put your thoughts and instincts first. Even if you ultimately decide against following your gut, you have at least acknowledged it, giving it the respect that it – and you – deserves.

2. It Makes You Make Faster Decisions

Many decisions are thrown around, hitting you like fastballs that you don’t have time to process or research fully. This situation means that there’s a lot of pressure to make smart decisions with minimal time to do so, but the stress that comes with that pressure can make it very tough to choose something.

Worse still, choosing hastily under these circumstances typically means choosing with a confused mind. This means you likely won’t feel confident in the quick choice you made, and you’ll regret it and think about it for hours. Instead of allowing that to happen, the next time you’re forced to make a quick decision, do the following:

First, take a deep breath and stop yourself from performing any panicky, split-second reactions.
Remind yourself that you are capable of making the right decisions, even with these time constraints.
Look inward and focus on your heart, gut, or soul, whatever you want to call it.
Think: when you were first asked to make this choice, what was your immediate, automatic thought? Is it one you still feel drawn to now?

This way, you can get in touch with your gut instincts, even in times of pressure. Spontaneity is an excellent quality, and it’s part of what makes life more fun, positive, and enjoyable. So don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!

3. Knowledge Shapes Intuition

Gut feelings aren’t just raw, animalistic instincts, unlike what many people believe. Intuition, on the whole, is shaped by what you know. A combination of your past experiences, small tidbits of knowledge, and natural instincts develop your intuition, meaning that there are times when your gut is just telling you what you already know deep down within.

Your brain is responding to all sorts of knowledge and stimuli, sent up and down your nervous system, as you face certain situations. That instinct is just your brain trying to tell you what it thinks is best, guiding you down the path it believes has the most positive outcome.

So, let’s put it this way. The more experience you have within a particular field, the more likely your gut instinct is to be accurate. If it’s something you’re brand new at, you can use your gut instinct to ask questions, determine potential dangers, and decide whether something is right for you, but not as a be-all-end-all decision-maker. If it’s something you’re practically an expert in, trust your gut.

4. It Pushes You

Sometimes, you need a little extra push in the right direction. A gut instinct provides that. Here’s how:

· It Encourages Change

Change is frightening. Many times, this fear stops us from making changes that our gut is already telling us we should make. Listening to your gut can help you step outside of the world that you know, giving you the positive thinking you need.

· It Makes You Take Risks

If you never take risks, you’ll never leave your comfort zone, and you’ll never be able to grab opportunities as they come. Your gut instinct informs you when risks must be taken and when they should be ignored.

· It Pushes You To Improve

No change? No risk? Well, then you’ll be stuck, stagnant, forever. It’s safe, but it’s boring, it’s not particularly positive, and it’s rarely ever successful – it’s just average. Do you want to be stuck in a mediocre position for the rest of your life?

5. It Shows Your Strength

Your gut instinct often whispers that you’re stronger than you believe. When your mind burns with anxiety and reels with fear, confusion, and a desire to run away, your gut instinct can ring true: “I can do this.”

But then, you may ask, why don’t you hear your gut instinct often enough? And why do you never listen to it when you’re in the throes of panic? It’s because most of us have learned to suppress it as much as we can. We learn that logic and rationale are essential things in life, and that causes us to put trust in our brains and brains alone.

There’s nothing wrong with being logically driven. But there are times when our brains are compromised by negative or panicked emotions, impairing our abilities to believe in ourselves. It’s times like this when a gut instinct can shine showcase just how strong you are. It knows what you are capable of, and you must believe it.

So the next time you feel frightened or panicked, quiet your mind and listen for your instincts. Deep down, a small part of you will tell you what you can do. Learn to listen to it more and more, and it will become stronger over time – and so will you.

6. Intuition Embeds In Your Brain

Intuition is 100% natural. It’s a part of your brain. Intuition links many different aspects of yourself to each other – your spirit, your body, your mind, and everything else. This allows for a balance – a harmony – between emotion and rationale. And this balance is natural.

So when you try to ignore your instinct, you are ignoring the natural impulses within your brain. While it’s okay to regulate them to adjust your approaches to different situations, flat-out ignoring them is counterproductive.

7. It Opens Up Your World

When you trust your instincts, there’s very little that you can’t do. Here are some ways it can open your world:

· Career

Why merely aim to barely scrape by when you could do so much more? Learn to trust your gut when it comes to taking career-related ventures and risks. Work with both your smarts and your instincts to determine the best route.

· Love

Dating is difficult, and everyone has so much advice to give. But try to follow all that advice, and you’ll wind up being confused and awkward. Overthinking will make your dates very uncomfortable and will likely make you inauthentic.

On the other hand, listening to your gut and doing what feels right will make you true to yourself, attracting kindred spirits in both friendship and romance, and putting your best foot forward.

· Travel

Fear often holds us back from exploring new places. Travel to big cities from your little town. Go overseas and immerse yourself in culture. Try new things, visit new places in your country, or see a site you’ve never been to. See what you need to see and only stop when your gut feels you’re where you need to be.

· Potential

With all that being said, it’s clear that trusting your intuition opens your world to potential, allowing you to be the best version of yourself that you can be.

8. It Helps You Pick Those You Can Trust

In life, you’ll meet many people. Most will be alright and merely either compatible or incompatible with you. But there will be people who will hurt you or betray your trust, and that’s just a part of life.

Having healthy relationships is a process that involves effort and hard work, but your instincts can help tell you who to cut off before you’re in too deep. If you get bad vibes about someone, be cautious around them. There’s no need to burn bridges right away – keep your concerns in mind and don’t get too trusting.

This logic goes the other way, too. If you feel like you click with someone and feel great energy from them, then that will be your gut instinct telling you that this person is safe to trust! Enjoy going into that new friendship with some sense of security and positive thinking.

9. Your Intuition Keeps You In Touch With Your Nerves

If you have issues with anxiety, understanding what frays your nerves can be significant. If your intuition honestly is warning you about things that aren’t issues, then there’s a possibility that potential trauma or negative experiences from past situations are causing your instincts to “malfunction.”

Understanding your nerves through your intuition allows you to listen to your body’s concerns. You can then lay subconscious fears to rest, allowing you to fine-tune your gut instincts so that they work better for you. You can refine your abilities by:

Keeping a journal where you record and contemplate your anxieties
Confronting old emotional baggage that leads to incorrect judgments
Speaking to friends, family, therapists, or other people you can trust about your concerns
Doing meditation
Writing reflections on progress, anxiety, and troubles

Final Thought: Trust Your Gut Instinct!

The main reason your gut instinct is so vital is that, in a world where everyone scrambles over themselves to tell you what they think is best for you, you are the only person who truly knows yourself. No one else understands your inner workings without a shadow of a doubt.

Sure, it can feel like you’re not in touch with yourself – at least, not yet. But intuition can be trained, and you can undoubtedly whip yours into well-working shape!

12 Habits of People That Limit Their Potential (And How to Avoid Them)

December 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

If you’re not getting ahead in life, perhaps your daily habits are limiting your full potential.

Mic drop.

Do you feel like you’re going nowhere in life? Do you feel like you have so much left to give, but it just isn’t coming through? Or do you feel like there’s something within you that could make you better, but instead, you’re stuck wondering what happens next? Are you confused because you feel very dull and average?

These types of feelings often come with an inability to meet your full potential. To do so can be difficult, but it’s worth it for the success that comes with that level of self-enlightenment. Luckily, there are plenty of simple tips and tricks that can get you successfully started in the business of reaching your full ability.

12 Habits Of People That Limit Their Potential, And How To Avoid Them

1. Fighting Change

Change is an inevitable part of life. That’s why those who are successful are never interested in fighting against change. They embrace change and all the challenges it entails. Along the way, they learn how to improvise impressively to all sorts of situations, whether new or old.

On the other hand, people who limit their potential complain about change, whether it is expected or not. They would much rather stay safe and stuck in one place than deal with the eventual switching of the seasons. As such, they never learn to adapt, and when the time comes when change is no longer a choice, but mandatory, they will crash and burn.

2. Not Having Goal Setting Habits

Setting goals is crucial because it gives you something to work towards. Having no direction in life always limits potential, as your energy is scattered and unsure instead of focused on the few things that motivate them. Here are some tips for setting positive goals:

Find goals that you genuinely believe in, whether your motivation is as simple as earning higher wages or as complex as playing music for an audience in all the countries in the world
Aim reasonably; never aim so low that it’s not a challenge, but never aim so high that it’s virtually impossible to achieve what you set out to
Give yourself a timeframe to accomplish these goals, so you can really work towards them
Write the goals down so that you have a sheet to always refer to (you can also stick it on your fridge, door, or desk, or even set it as your phone wallpaper!)
Make a reasonable action plan that will help you achieve your goals with small mini-goals along the way

3. Being Stuck In The Past Holds You Back from Your Potential

If you’re living in the past, it can be difficult to look to the future. Some examples of this negative habit are:

Dwelling on past painful experiences
Being too caught up in nostalgia
Not wanting to move on from what you’re used to

It’s okay to remember the past every now and then. But when you’re so obsessed with it despite being unable to change it, your mind gets occupied with that version of you that you were back then.

You need to move on and let go of metaphorical baggage in order to take the next step into a new chapter of your life. Don’t let the past hold you down forever.

4. Giving Up Quickly

Life gets hard. Work gets hard. Dating gets hard. But giving up is never an option. There is always a way for you to achieve what you want to, and losing hope is a real pity.

The next time you feel like giving up, just excuse yourself and take a break. Take deep breaths to calm yourself and think rationally. Identify the root cause of this natural “give up” reaction, then work on curbing those triggers.

With that being said, there is also wisdom in knowing when to give up. Some things just don’t work out, and it’s okay to come to the realization that it’s time to throw in the towel and focus your efforts elsewhere. Just don’t do it randomly or impulsively; make sure you really believe this is the best course of action first.

5. Only Prioritizing Others

People who put everyone else before themselves are putting a limiter on what they can do. Their days are so filled with paying attention to other people that they are entirely unable to focus on themselves. And if they’re not a little self-focused every now and then, there’s no way to improve on their current state, preventing their potential from breaking free. There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing others. But learn to say “no” when:

You’ve overpacked an already full schedule.
You don’t have the physical, mental or emotional capacity for it
You’re in a wrong place at the time, whether physically or mentally
The person in question has a history of behaving selfishly
You need a break from being worn too thin
It’s just something you genuinely don’t want to do or help with

6. Neglecting Your Health

People often forget just how much the health of the body affects the health of the mind. Even on a surface level, when you’re sick, you’re unable to function as well. Go more in-depth, and you’ll see that a lack of positive thinking is often directly related to being unhealthy. And we’re not even beginning to mention the effect that happiness has on physical health!

Neglecting physical health makes you tired, less productive, and more prone to diseases that can take ages to recover from. Ignoring mental health can ruin your entire outlook on life. So don’t forget to go to all your annual check-ups for physical health and practice self-care for mental health!

7. Self-Doubt

When you doubt yourself, you’re disrespecting your abilities and potential. Signs that you have a lot of self-doubting habits are as follows:

You don’t trust yourself to do challenging things
You ignore your gut instinct
Your avoidance of risk due to fear (which we’ll expand on later!)
You suffer from imposter syndrome

But you have a lot of potential living within you, and it’s only fair that some of it leak out into your everyday life, making you more sure of yourself! Do note that there’s a difference between being confident and being arrogant. You want to be confident, not cocky.

8. Choosing The Wrong Friends

Your friend group should be loving and encouraging. You should all support each other, love each other, and trust each other. If you hang out with people who do the opposite, the chances are that they’ll just drag you down with them. Thus, you create a roadblock to your potential growth.

Sometimes, you just have to cut off negative friends. It’s a complicated process that can be painful, but being rid of toxicity is worth it in the long run.

Did your friend group get smaller because of this? Don’t fret! Studies indicate that small groups of good friends are more positive for your mental and physical health and large groups of average friends.

9. Avoiding Risk

Risks are how we grow. When you stay within your comfort zone and never take (intelligent and calculated) risks, you wind up being stagnant. You simply cannot improve yourself or your life without taking leaps of faith every now and then.

To be fair, it’s understandable why you may avoid risks. Risks are scary and present a lot of questions about the future. Weighing risk vs. reward can be frightening, too. But dare to give it a go, and you’ll be surprised about the positive change that it can make in your life! Plus, as you go on, you’ll get better and better at choosing new habits that really pay off!

10. Using Shortcuts

In many things in life, you have different options about how to do things. Most commonly, you’ll get the age-old easy way versus right way. If you want to unlock your full potential, you will probably want to do things the right direction.

The same goes for most other shortcuts in life. Plagiarizing work, taking credit for other people’s efforts, and paying your way to the top are all examples of “shortcuts” that are despicable to attempt.

This is not to say that short ways are never the best habits. Sometimes, things indeed are straightforward, and the best way is also the most concise way. But make sure you genuinely have considered all options before deciding to take an obvious shortcut.

11. Procrastinating

Many people procrastinate, so much so that it’s become the subject of many an Internet meme or joke. The term refers to delaying something that has to be done until the very last minute time. It’s probably quite obvious why this limits your potential, such as:

Your efforts are rushed and, therefore, not as good as they could have been if you had more time
You can cause stress to see all your work pile up
It can be damaging to rush everything at the last moment, and your health could be affected

It’s very easy to put things off, especially when it comes to daunting tasks. For some, this can make them even more productive. But if you’ve been pushing something aside for a week or more, it’s time to rub on that elbow grease, get your positive thinking, and get to work!

12. Not Working On Yourself

Are you content with how you are now? Successful people rarely are! This doesn’t mean they don’t love themselves – it just means that they are always trying to get better. They don’t want to be second-rate, or mediocre, or even above average. They want to be somewhere on top.

A big part of achieving your full potential is by repeatedly growing and learning. The moment you stop growing as a person in a positive way is the moment your potential is lost. To keep yourself fresh, you can:

Take note of things you want to improve
Set small weekly goals focusing on self-improvement
Take the time to reflect on the past week or month regularly
When things go badly, identify what went wrong and figure out how to prevent it in the future

Final Thoughts on Habits That Limit Potential

You contain multitudes. You can do anything that you set your mind to. If this is the case, then why limit yourself? With releasing these poor habits, you’ll start working on your personal issues and slowly build up your confidence and ability until your potential can be unleashed in all its glory. You’re worth the effort!

10 Things Happy Couples Do To Strengthen Their Relationship Every Night

December 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Falling in love is easy, but relationships take work. Most people and couples can agree with that statement. There isn’t any set formula to determine if a relationship will last or if a person you are in love with is “the one” to spend the rest of your life with. While there are certain traits happy couples have, there are also certain rituals couples do to keep that happiness.

Here are 10 things happy couples do to strengthen their relationship every night.

Traits of a happy couple

A survey done by E-Harmony in 2019 states that 83% of American couples are happy together. The survey also noted that the happiest couples were ones who were very similar to each other. These are the same traits they shared:

Similar personality traits
Held similar political views
Both had been seeking a meaningful relationship from the start
Are faithful to each other /monogamous
Have equivalent or related education
Open communication is strongly believed in
One party is not more dominant over the other
Tended to be of either the Millennial or Gen Z age groups
Stay knowledgeable and aware of current events
Maintain good health
Have up to 2 children

Other studies share some of these traits and also show some changes over the years.

According to a 2007 Pew Research study, the factors that make a marriage work included:

Fidelity
Healthy and happy intimacy
Sharing chores
Solid income
A decent home to live in
Same or similar religious beliefs
Shared interests
Children
Identical or similar political views

What was interesting was when the 2007 poll was compared to a study in 1990; certain elements showed a definite shift.

The desire to have children to aid a relationship has declined over the years. From 1990 to 2007 it went down by 27 points.
The importance of shared responsibility in the household had increased by 15 points from 1990 – 2007.

Traits that can destroy a relationship

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some traits identified could end even the best of relationships. In an article in PsyBlog, Professor John Gottman is credited with isolating those very traits from his 40 years of analyzing all types of relationships.

Per the article, he has isolated 4 distinct behaviors:

1. Criticism.

Repeated criticism points at the other person as if they somehow are “less than” or flawed in some manner. The type of criticism he is speaking of is one that isolates a personal trait of an individual, as opposed to pointing out a habit that could use some change.

For example: Telling a person, “You’re always on your phone, so you’re never there to listen to me.” There may be a legitimate complaint in that one person should put down the phone when another is trying to communicate. That doesn’t necessarily point to them not ever being emotionally available for the other.

2. Contempt.

Contempt can be shown in a variety of manners. By mocking the other person’s interests, calling them insulting names, mimicking them, being overly sarcastic, or discounting their opinion or expression of emotions. Professor Gottman reportedly stated that this one trait almost always led to divorce.

3. Defensiveness.

Being defensive often is a sign of not taking responsibility and making excuses for mistakes. It is viewed even worse if that defensiveness includes pointing out the other person’s mistakes without owning your own. A relationship requires teamwork, cooperation, and partnership. If one party is excusing their behavior while pointing fingers at the other, there is no togetherness in making things work.

4. Stonewalling or the silent treatment.

Once communication or any form of acknowledgment of the other person ceases, the relationship is at a standstill and pretty much over. Communication and the desire to connect is the foundation of a relationship. Without it, there cannot be any moving forward.
10 things happy couples do to strengthen their relationship

Happy Couples Do These 10 Things to Strengthen the Relationship

As stated above, connection and communication are essential to maintaining a relationship. We all get busy in life between jobs, errands, cleaning, children, health issues, and other responsibilities. It can be easy to slip into your own world and lose touch with each other. This is one area that couples agree requires work to keep that connection, appreciation, and love shown to each other. Making the commitment to do certain things each night to strengthen their relationship is one way to ensure each other’s hearts are still touched.

1. Reliving a funny event that they shared in the past.

A study in 2006 showed that couples who reminisced about a past situation, which was funny, showed higher relationship satisfaction that went beyond just mood enhancement from laughter. Within the study, previous studies are listed demonstrating that couples who laugh together and where each party demonstrated humor in the day, was among the top 3 reasons why they were satisfied in their marriage.

2. Share in a typical bedtime preparation ritual.

Usually, people have things they do before they get into bed, such as brush their teeth, put out their clothes for the morning, take a shower, shave, and wash off makeup. Happy couples will choose to do one or two of these at the same time as the other is doing their thing. Think of the cartoon where the man is sitting on the toilet, and the woman is brushing her teeth. These little self-care rituals that people do become more intimate when shared with a partner.

3. Share about each other’s day.

Sometimes couples don’t have the time to share much about each other’s day until bedtime. There may be children to take care of, dinner to make, laundry to do, or other commitments. Making a sincere effort to reach out to your partner and both share about your day can help relieve stress as well as make their work world not seem so far away.

4. Keep arguments or heated discussions out of the bedroom.

The bedroom should be your sanctuary away from everyday life, a place you both know you can come together and just be with each other. Not only should arguments be resolved before going to bed, but they should be resolved outside of the bedroom in order to keep it a safe place to be together.

5. Do something simple that shows thoughtfulness for the other person.

It genuinely is the little things in life that can show someone that they are special, important, and loved. Prepping the coffee pot, making lunch for the next day’s work, filling the humidifier, putting out the toothbrush or shaving gear, or running a hot bath. Choosing something that will make the other party’s life just a teensy bit easier shows a lot of care.

6. Happy couples kiss goodnight and or cuddle.

Regardless of if sex is happening that night, physical touch is essential to keeping intimacy and love alive. It is the one non-verbal cue of connecting to the other person.

7. Share and rotate children’s bedtime rituals.

Depending upon your partner’s work schedule, they may not be able to share in putting the children down to sleep. They also may only be home on time on certain nights. Giving the other partner a break to allow them to do something for themselves demonstrates both compassion, understanding, and sharing in the responsibility.

8. Forehead kisses.

When one partner is already asleep by the time the other is able to get to bed, a sweet forehead kiss is cherished. It demonstrates deep caring, affection, and a desire to connect.

9. Loving and encouraging little notes.

If you and your partner don’t share the same bedtime or maybe just to surprise them, write a little loving or encouraging note. Show that you see how they are working, how much you appreciate them, wish them good luck before a big meeting the next day, etc.

10. Give a compliment.

Everyone needs to hear they are appreciated, are doing a good job, look attractive, were supportive, or something positive about their day. Give compliments freely.

Final Thoughts on Remaining a Happy Couple by Keeping a Strong Relationship

Relationships may be hard work, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t also include humor, positivity, support, love, affection, intimacy, connection, and so much more. There are many different ways to show your partner all of those things. Developing a ritual is a great way to ensure you make the time so that time doesn’t slip by. Just because it’s a ritual, doesn’t mean it always has to be the same.

Consistency can show reliability and dependability, but it can also become meaningless. Do a few little things differently every once in a while to keep things from getting stale. These 10 things happy couples do to strengthen their relationship every night might give you some ideas too!

Hyperpigmentation: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

December 5, 2019 by Power of Positivity

When we look in the mirror, we want to see our best selves. Unfortunately, discolored spots on our face, neck, chest, or hands can affect our self-image. This problem of hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation is common, you might feel all alone.

It’s called hyperpigmentation when dark blotches appear on lighter skin. For people of color, the problem is lighter patches on dark skin. It’s called hypopigmentation, but the causes are the same.

In most cases, hypo- or hyperpigmentation is nothing more than an unwelcome skin condition. There are a few conditions that might trigger the problem, such as Lupus. Fortunately, it’s not likely to be precancerous, such as a common mole.

That said, if you have hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation, you will find many treatment options available. You’ll want to go slowly, making sure you don’t waste money on products that aren’t right for you. It helps to know what caused your problem as you seek answers to how to tackle it.

During and after treatments, it is vital to take extra measures to shelter damaged skin from the sun. This protection means sunscreen, but it also means covering up, wearing a hat, and seeking the shade.

Hyperpigmentation Causes

Discoloration of the skin can occur for a variety of reasons. If you are searching for hyperpigmentation causes related to your skin, here’s what you need to know.

1. Acne.

Skin injured by acne is likely to discolor due to age or sun exposure.

2. Injuries.

Scar tissue post-injury or surgery is susceptible to a color change as you are exposed to the sun or as you age.

3. Eczema.

Just as eczema harms skin when it is active, it leaves scarring that can change color over time.

4. Freckles.

A genetic disposition to freckling can lead to dark patches on the skin exposed to the sun.

5. Melasma.

Sometimes hormonal changes, such as pregnancy, birth control pills, or menopause, will cause brown patches to appear on your face or abdomen.

6. Age Spots.

Over time, exposure to the sun causes age spots. These may appear on hands or faces. The medical term is solar lentigines. Of course, you may not care what they are called. You want them gone!

7. Medication.

Medication can sometimes trigger temporary skin changes. If you suspect this is your problem, talk to your physician or your pharmacist.

How to Recognize Hyperpigmentation Symptoms

Sometimes it seems to happen overnight. For many of us, it feels like one day, our skin looks okay, and the next patches have appeared on our face, hands, arms, or elsewhere on the body.

The change in the skin happens gradually for most people. For some, time in the sun can speed up the discoloration process. A patch of melanin may have just been waiting for the sun to trigger it.

It’s not itchy or bumpy skin. That’s a different problem with different causes.

When unwanted pigmentation affects the face, it depends on the shade of your skin, whether it will be a lighter or darker color. You may experience:

a) a pregnancy mask, which seems to surround the face’s main features

b) a single significant blemish on the cheek

c) two large matching blotches on the forehead

d) blotches in one or more areas of the face

e) an irregular pattern of blotches

For others, the symptoms occur in other parts of the body, usually those areas exposed to the sun.

a) blotches or blotchy patches on neck, chest or back

b) spots on hands or arms

What are the Most Successful Skin Treatments?

Melasma discolorations are the only ones that may fade on their own, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). All the rest will need intervention if the unwanted color is to disappear.

There are many directions to go for treatment. Lots of products are on the shelves. So many it can make your head spin. Then you find yourself asking should you go to a dermatologist. After all, they can offer prescriptions and laser treatments.

What’s the best answer for your skin?

That’s the single-most-important question you can ask. The wrong treatment can cause a new discoloration, and you don’t deserve that.

Before you start any treatment, consider these four things:

1 – Hyperpigmentation causes can affect treatment.

You should narrow down the cause because it will help you decide on the right treatment.

2 – A pre-existing problem may need to be resolved first.

In other words, if you have eczema or acne, these must be treated and cured before you can work on a pigmentation issue.

3 – Allergies.

You may be allergic to a product, or your skin tone may be unevenly bleached or otherwise negatively affected by many chemical products. So be careful. Go slowly.

4 – Expensive is not always better

The more effective treatment for your skin may not be a costly one. Don’t waste your money on something unproven.

5 – Seek the best natural solutions

Look for useful natural remedies, recommends the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.

What are the Natural Choices?

Some of the best natural choices are found in combination with other ingredients in an over-the-counter lightener or another type of cosmeceutical. It may deliver in the form of a lotion or a cream.

1 – Soy.

The same soybean plant that gives us nourishing foods can also provide a melanin suppressant when in combination with other lighteners. Soy acts to block the melanin before it can come to the surface.

2 – Ellagic Acid.

This antioxidant likewise may block melanin from darkening the skin. When used in conjunction with a lightener, it helps keep the color from coming back. The acid is naturally found in pomegranates, cherries, and strawberries.

3 – Liquirtin.

This extract of licorice can lighten skin.

4 – Niacinimide.

This B3 variety stops the melanin from reaching the outer layer of the skin.

5 – Kojic Acid.

This substance, which derives from a fungus, may break down the discoloration and prevent it from getting worse.

6 – Arbutin.

This substance comes from cranberries and blueberries. Scientists consider it a natural source of hydroquinone, a significant chemical in many skin treatments.

What Are Your Pharmaceutical Choices?

If you go to a dermatologist, they may recommend a topical treatment that includes one or all of these. Prescriptions will have higher doses of key ingredients than over-the-counter medicines.

1) Hydroquinone

2) Corticosteroids

3) Tretinoin

Before accepting a prescription, ask your doctor about side effects. Be sure to find out how much you should use and how often you should apply it. Ask your dermatologist about sun exposure risks.

Can You Afford a Procedure?

If you have the money and you want guaranteed results, there are treatments you can get at a dermatologist. Your skin type, your age, and your hyperpigmentation causes will affect which treatment is suggested. Mainly these treatments take off layers of affected skin. It must be done scientifically, but it is possible to get lasting results.

When discussing these procedures with your doctor, be sure to ask about side effects that may make your skin worse. You also want to learn if the process will require downtime afterward. Some procedures need you to stay inside for a few days. There may be slight discomfort or pain involved.

Your dermatologist may recommend:

1) Laser treatment. A pigment-specific laser can be used to penetrate the skin’s surface.

2) Microdermabrasion. Through a series of treatments, the old skin is removed through gentle exfoliation. This process is effective on melasma, age spots, and acne spots.

3) Dermabrasion. This exfoliation method is a more aggressive way of removing the top layers of skin.

4) Chemical Peel. Performed in a surgical setting, the patient is under anesthesia during this procedure.

facials for hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation

15 Cucumber Masks That Get Your Skin Glowing

Skin Care During and After Treatment

Even though the treatments help your skin, the treated areas will remain vulnerable for some time to come.

You’ll want to protect your skin during and after treatment. The most important step you can take is to keep the affected skin out of the sun. This means more than using sunscreen. You may need to wear a hat that shades your face and blocks the sun from touching the part of your skin that is or was under treatment.

While nutrition can’t solve it, it doesn’t hurt to add skin enhancing natural ingredients to your diet.

Final Thoughts on Hyperpigmentation

If you have skin discoloration, don’t be discouraged. There have never been as many solutions as there are today.

Save your money. You can start with the least expensive and see how far it will take you before you invest in a more costly approach.

Try to be patient with the process. Even dermatologists can’t promise you overnight results. The problem happened over time, and it will take time to correct.

Be kind to yourself. Often our self-image affects our mental health. Remember that you are a unique individual who shouldn’t be defined by looks.

How to Take the Perfect Nap, According to Science

December 4, 2019 by Power of Positivity

We’re going to discuss how to take a perfect nap, according to science. We’ll also contemplate the science behind napping before wrapping up with some other napping tips.

Let’s do this!

The Science of Napping

“If you love naps, don’t waste naps, for naps are what life is made of.” ~ Bruce Lee (Source)

Eighty-five percent of mammals are what scientists call polyphasic sleepers, meaning they “sleep for several short sessions with one longer duration of a few hours” throughout the day.

Humans are part of the other 15 percent – we’re monophasic sleepers. That is, we designate two periods – one for waking hours and one for sleep. Something quite interesting is that we are polyphasic sleepers as babies. (Oh, and in case you are interested, cats and dogs are polyphasic too!)

The only time that humans break the polyphasic habit is when we nap. There is, however, a right and wrong way to catnap. Hence, the topic of this article.

The studies of napping are clear: short siestas are fantastic for health and performance. More recently, a study covered in Time magazine and published in the journal Heart researched the effects of napping on 3,462 people.

“We observed a significantly lower risk for [people] napping 1-2 times weekly for developing a CVD (cardiovascular disease) events,” the authors note. The study cites a 39 percent lower risk for CVD, even after adjusting for age, education, gender, smoking status, and sedentary (non-active) lifestyles.

A 2009 meta-analysis of nine studies, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, found that regular napping enhanced cognitive performance, especially memory. Other benefits of getting that rest cited in the article include:

– physical and mental recovery from sleep deprivation

– improvements in self-reported measures of subjective mood

– reduced fatigue and sleepiness during the daytime

– enhanced performance on multiple tasks, including logical reasoning, mathematics, reaction time, and symbol recognition

A 2008 study published in the journal Behavioral Brain Research

Heck, the government is all in on napping. A 1994 study from scientists at NASA found that a 40-minute siesta “reduces fatigue and improves alertness and performance” in commercial airline pilots.

The result?

A total of three pilots are now required by federal law to fly “long-haul” flights – those lasting over eight hours. Whereas before the study, two pilots were the norm. If you were to walk into the cockpit during one of these longer flights (not recommended), you’d always see one pilot resting up.

If snoozing is good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for us!

Nap Types

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), there are three types of naps:

1) Emergency naps:

Taken when we can no longer safely engage in an activity due to excessive tiredness or sleepiness. This sleep type is common among those who experience fatigue while driving or when operating heavy machinery.

2) Habitual nap:

Naps that are taken at the same time each day. Young children who generally fall asleep around the same time each afternoon are one example. Another is adults who regularly nap after lunch or after getting home from work.

3) Planned (preparatory) naps:

Planned (or ‘preparatory’ naps) are periods of rest taken before one gets sleepy. Planning napping is used strategically to counteract anticipatory fatigue due to a scheduling anomaly (e.g., having to work or study late into the night.)

How to Take the Perfect Nap, According to Science

Without further delay, here is how to take the perfect snooze, according to science:

Get over any stigma

So, you’ll have to get over any ignorant, unscientific stigma you may hold about napping. This includes the stigma created by idiots who, for some reason, decided to equate napping as a sign of laziness or some other type of dysfunction.

These people probably also insist that the earth is flat, and dinosaurs lived 5,000 years ago.

There’s nothing wrong with napping unless you’re not doing it the right way.

Nap for 60 minutes, max

Sleeping for longer than an hour may leave you with some nasty sleep inertia. Disorientation and grogginess are common “symptoms” of sleep inertia, which can be challenging to contend with if you still have work to do. Even if you don’t, you may end up feeling like a zombie for a long time.

Longer naps can also interfere with your ability to sleep during the night. This is a far more concerning aftereffect of napping too long than sleep inertia, and can potentially impact our quality of life.

Actually, go for 30 minutes

Some people can’t get adequate rest under 60 minutes, and that’s fine. Better some grogginess than sleep deprivation.

But science says that there are certain benefits for capping a siesta at 30. Most research cites a nap duration of 20 to 30 minutes, no longer, to reap the rewards.

Set the right conditions

Some of us can sleep anytime, anywhere. If you aren’t one of these lucky ones, you’ll need to arrange things a bit. Set a comfortable room temperature and isolate yourself from noise as much as possible. Darken the room as much as possible. You may try using earplugs, a neck pillow, and a sleep mask to see if they help.

An underrated tip: use your bed only for sleeping. That means don’t read, send messages, or have long conversations. When in bed, sleep. If you need to do something else, get out of bed. The same applies to nap.

Keep in a ‘rhythm.’

The circadian rhythm, that is. The circadian rhythm is a biologically-programmed 24-hour system that, among other things, determines our quantity and quality of sleep. Research shows that naps between the hours of 1 and 3 pm are the most favorable to restful nighttime sleep.

Napping at random times can throw off our circadian rhythm and disturb rest. Moreover, this behavior counterproductive to good health and productivity.

Know about REM and SWS (then figure out which one you want)

Depending on when you take a nap, you may experience more rapid eye movement (REM) or slow-wave sleep (SWS). There are certain benefits and drawbacks to both.

‘REM naps’ are common when napping earlier in the day, say the late-morning or early afternoon. This time frame ‘fits’ our circadian schedule, but may not rejuvenate people who need deeper sleep. REM naps are also conducive to creativity, lucidity, and dreaming. SWS naps rejuvenate the body more, however. SWS naps are to be experienced during the late-afternoon, which puts them outside of ideal napping hours.

Practice “The Perfect Nap”

Sara Mednick, a sleep researcher and author, actually came up with the phrase “The Perfect Nap.” It’s restricted, however, to those who have the time (it takes 90 minutes) to commit to the elite napping program.

Here’s how it works:

(1) Fall asleep during the “prime napping zone” time: 1 to 3 pm.

(2) Stay napping for precisely 90 minutes (setting an alarm clock is recommended.)

Why does this work? Because it takes the brain 90 minutes to go through one full sleep cycle, including the SWS and REM phases mentioned earlier.

Drink some caffeine

In one study, published in the journal Clinical Neurophysiology, Japanese researchers sought to determine the effectiveness of five nap strategies against mid-afternoon sleepiness.

Among the strategies implemented: a straight 20-minute nap, 200 mg of caffeine followed by a short period of rest, exposure to 2000 lux (lx) of bright light for one minute after the nap, face-washing immediately upon waking up from snoozing, and a 20-minute rest without sleep.

The research team noted that caffeine with a nap is “most effective for [improving] subjective sleepiness and [increasing] performance.”

So, after finishing that java, hit the hay for 20 minutes!

Final Thoughts: Getting Serious About Sleep

It’s time for a bit of tough love about sleep – something that many others also need to hear.

Too many of us treat sleep as a trivial event – something our body forces us to do, so we begrudgingly comply. If you’re looking for proof of this statement, look no further than these statistics:

– 1 in 3 Americans meets the clinical definition of sleep deprivation. (Including 50 percent of our police officers and military members.)

– In 2018, people were more 25 percent more likely to experience sleep deprivation at some point than in 2010.

– Over 80 percent of high school students are chronically sleep-deprived.

And it’s not like we don’t have the time to get proper rest (a common excuse) since the average person watches about four hours of television per night.

This is foolish. Detrimental, irresponsible, and foolish.

Detrimental because we are damaging our own bodies – and potentially risking our own lives – by not taking sleep seriously.

Irresponsible because we are putting the health and well-being of ourselves, our fellow citizens, and our kids’ health at risk by not prioritizing sleep.

Foolish because proper sleep is something that is under the control of every single person.

Including all bad sleepers. So let’s get back on track to feeling better by taking sleep a bit more seriously.

Climate Change Causes Greenland to Lose 11 Billion Tons of Ice in One Day

December 4, 2019 by Power of Positivity

The concern about climate change is not going away, but the ice in Greenland continues to. Multiple factors contribute to the melting and breaking apart of the ice sheet. So scientists continue to express concerns regarding the potential environmental impact in the coming future. On just one day in August of this year, climate change caused Greenland to lose 11 billion tons of ice. That was just the literal tip of the iceberg.

Understanding the cycle of ice sheets

From June through August, with July being the height, Greenland ice sheets melt annually. Typically the melting occurs around the edges of the layers. Furthermore, the loss is countered through fresh snowfall usually. This new snowfall isn’t only crucial to maintaining balance, but it also reflects the radiation from the sun’s rays. Old ice isn’t as shiny and reflective, so it absorbs the sun’s rays, resulting in eventual melting.

About 80% of the ice sheets should consist of this fresh snow sitting on top of the older ice. This older ice gradually becomes compressed into a glacier as its air pockets absorb more and more of the melted fresh snow each summer. This process helps to maintain the freezing of the ice. Plus, it prevents the runoff of water into the ocean.

2019 Greenland melting

This year, there wasn’t an abundance of snowfall in the winter. That lack of precipitation left much of the old ice exposed as summer approached. On average, melting points should only encompass about 10% of the ice sheet. Between the lack of snow and higher temperatures, this June, 45% of the ice sheets reached melting temperatures. The air temperature maintained about 10 – 15 degrees C above normal. And during one heat spell, the ice sheets lost nearly 80 billion tons of melt. This event exposed even more old ice, making the ice increasingly vulnerable to future heat waves.

Additionally, ice slabs formed over the old ice. These ice slabs have grown in size, blanketing large areas of Greenland. This meant that the air pockets couldn’t absorb any melting in the old ice. As a result, the melting water had nowhere else to go but toward the ocean after overflowing the rivers and creeks.

At the end of July and early August, 90% of Greenland was melting, dumping 55 billion tons of water and 10 billion tons of ice into the ocean over just those five days. 197 billion gallons of ice was lost to the sea from all of July according to a tweet from Ruth Rothram of Danish Meteorological Institute, as published in The Washington Post.

According to the Washington Post, on August 1^st, 12.5 billion tons of ice were lost in one day. On August 15th, CNN reported an additional 11 billion tons of ice was lost.

Confirmation from the experts

A tweet from Xavier Fettwies, a climate researcher at the University of Liege in Belgium, claimed the melting amount for July/August hadn’t happened since the 1950s. Scientists didn’t expect to see Greenland in this state until between 2060-2080. The 2019 July melt off was near equivalent to the significant loss in 2012, which had resulted in a 97% melt off in a matter of 4 days in July.

According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the melt off had affected 28.3 million square kilometers of Greenland. Even the higher elevations, including the Summit Station, had experienced one day of melting. The net ice loss for 2019 was a little over 300 gigatons.

Climate change and Greenland warming and melting

Multiple shifts are being equated to Greenland ice sheets melting and climate change.

1 – Changes in the Jet Stream create longer stretches of warm weather.

According to National Geographic, over the last 20 years, the Arctic air temperatures have warmed by about 1.8 degrees C. Scientists believe this is altering the typical jet stream. Typically, the jet stream in the Northern Hemisphere is partly balanced by the difference in temperatures between the Arctic and the equator. This increase in air temperature is influencing the jet stream to remain in areas for more extended periods.

We get hot spells, cold spells, or rains that last a few days longer because the jet stream isn’t moving as quickly as it was. This shift includes the warming spells over Greenland. An atmospheric scientist, Jennifer Francis of Woods Hole Research Center, is quoted in National Geographic as stating: “They’re very clearly connected to the extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere—they’re a very obvious symptom of climate change.”

2 – Methane released from melting ice

In addition to the already increased concern regarding greenhouse gases adding to climate change, studies are being performed regarding released methane from Greenland ice melting, as well as Iceland. The study in Iceland demonstrated about 40 tons of methane was being released a day, as opposed to Greenland, which released 6 metric tons in 2015.

Scientists theorize that methane is locked in the ice from microbes digesting carbon. Typically, this methane releases in small amounts in the summer months. With the recent mass melting occurring since 2000, scientists are discovering multiple pockets of methane seeping out in larger quantities.

Being able to study methane releasing from glaciers is relatively new, and scientists are uncertain what to expect from it. It is a factor they are certainly keeping their eye on.

3 – Melting ice due to climate change creating rising sea and ocean levels

According to NASA, rising sea levels can be related to two things, both of which are due to a warming planet:

Melting glaciers and ice sheets
Warming ocean causing the water to expand.

NASA and other organizations are keeping a close eye on rising sea levels and any variables that are contributing to it.

A research team from the Geophysical Institute at the University of Fairbanks Alaska developed another model using data from NASA’s Operation Icebridge airborne campaign. They ran the scenarios 500 times with changing variables dependent upon greenhouse gas emissions up to the year 3000. The results concluded:

Without any reduction in emissions, the scientists predicted that the Greenland Ice sheet would melt entirely in 1000 years and contribute 17-23 feet to sea level.
If emissions stabilize by the end of the century, then ice decrease will amount to 26-57% of total mass by 3000 and increase sea level by roughly 5 feet.
If the emission significantly decreases, then ice loss will total 8-25%, and sea-level increases by 6 feet.

Consequences of rising sea levels

For as long as humanity has created villages, towns, and cities, being located close to a water source were crucial. We need water for drinking, sanitation, factories, and irrigation for farming. This is why our ancestors built our most populated cities near water.

With rising sea levels, these populations and the populations on islands, are at a substantial risk of being flooded out of their cities and homes. It will also create a considerable burden on agriculture, fishing industries, and factories.

Furthermore, an increase in sea level and water temperature changes weather patterns. Hurricanes and typhoons become more abundant and fiercer. This weather change, too, creates billions of dollars of infrastructure damage, loss of businesses, homes, loss of crops, and costs to ships and boats. It can also increase disease and illnesses from overpopulation in areas ill-equipped to handle it.

Learn how scientists discovered ways to use lithium to fight climate change.

Final Thoughts on the Impact of Climate Change

Climate change is here. Whether excessive human-created greenhouse gases cause it, the Earth’s natural cycles, or a bit of both, doesn’t change the fact that its consequences on a planet with 8 billion people can be devastating. We know that greenhouse gases are a contributing factor and that decreasing greenhouse gases can reduce the speed and severity of the effects of climate change.

We’ve seen that climate change can cause Greenland to lose 11 billion tons of ice in one day, and that isn’t even the worst of it. How can we shake our heads, ignore that changes are happening, and not make responsible choices to prevent them? Our options don’t need to be extreme. However, they need to be conscientious of future repercussions.

10 Things To Remember When You Lose Your Spark

December 4, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Do you ever feel like you’ve just lost your mojo? No matter what you do, things aren’t going right for you. You’re uninspired, unproductive, and upset with the direction your life seems to be taking.

But why does this happen? How can you stop it? Is there any way to get your spark back? Don’t panic!

Here Are 10 Things To Remember When You Lose Your Spark

1. Remember To Keep Going

This is a little easier said than done, but it’s an important factor to remember. The first thing you need to do to keep your thoughts organized when you lose your spark is to keep going.

The motivation to keep moving can be elusive when you feel stuck and like your light has gone out. But stopping is the true death sentence to your spark. You have to push through the difficult times and keep going. It’s tough, but it’s possible with some positive thinking. Tell yourself:

“I have been through bad times before and have always come out again.”
“Things have always gotten better before; I just have to keep going until it does.”
“Everyone has bad times, and this is just one of mine. Good times will come again soon.”
“I should just get started; a tiny amount of progress is better than none.”

2. Remember Who You Are

No, we’re not quoting Lion King here! Often, when you lose your spark, it’s because you’ve also lost a part of yourself. The truth of who you are deep down inside may have become obscured.

This is not unusual because, in life, many different things may begin to throw you off balance, affecting your sense of self. You are met with distractions, struggles, opinions of varying individuals, influences from those you love, and more.

But all is not lost! The person you are is comprised of building blocks, all set upon the foundation of your core values. As such, who you always remain within you, even if the wrong coat of paint goes over them from the wrong sources.

Take the time to reflect on your values and the things you hold dear. Do you feel that you are following those values and doing justice to them? Or have your recent actions contradicted the person that you know you are?

3. Remember To Stay Curious

People like to say that curiosity killed the cat – but that’s because they’ve forgotten the true meaning of the full phrase: “curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” So, even though you’ve lost your spark, you should never stop being curious.

Think of it this way. Curiosity opens the door to a new place. If that new situation turns out not to be to your liking, the “cat” is “killed” – which sounds bad but just means your interest in the thing in question has “died.” It does cost you time and some effort, but it’s not much to lose, and it’s part of your self-discovery.

But then, when your curiosity opens the door to something you love and are satisfied by, it makes all your other efforts worth it. And there’s scientific truth to this, too. Research indicates that curiosity has positive effects on creativity! So don’t lose that curiosity! You can keep it alive by:

Watching videos on new topics
Going somewhere new
Trying a new cooking recipe
Taking an interesting class
Attempting to learn a new hobby

4. Remember To Fight Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts and negative self-talk are easy to fall into when you feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself. You may feel like a failure and like you’re letting yourself down. But giving in to these thoughts is an almost guaranteed way to keep your spark down and away.

Tangled and messed up thoughts can cause your self-esteem and positive thinking to plummet quickly. You obsess over all the wrong things and cannot move past them, further dulling your shine.

You can try using positive affirmations to boost your confidence and deflect negative thoughts. These are scientifically proven to help mental and even physical health!

You can also opt to set aside a specific time of day – around 10 minutes – dedicated just to negative thinking. So, for the whole day, whenever you feel a negative thought begin to form, push it away and save it for your Bad Thought Time. You may even have forgotten about it by then!

5. Remember To Rest

Someone who has lost their spark may push themselves extra hard to regain that spark through a project or new venture. It’s not a bad idea, but you must also remember that resting is important.

Forcing yourself to continue working non-stop, or even harder, can harm you more than it helps. You’ll be subjecting yourself to burnout and making it even harder to get back up again. Sometimes, all your spark needs is a little time to recharge. You can:

Treat yourself to a spa day
Go exploring on your own to a new place
Binge-watch shows all-day
Curl up with a good book
Spend all day lying around doing nothing

Resting can help get your spirits back up again, and you may find that when you wake up tomorrow, you’ll be back to your more energized, inspired self.

6. Remember To Make Yourself Happy

Losing your spark can make you beat yourself up, but the spark will never return if you don’t have positive thinking. To make yourself happy, you need to be aware of the following three “f”s:

· Freedom

This involves your ability to do whatever you want (to an extent in life). To feel freedom, you have to feel in control of your situation. Why not do something out of the ordinary today to take back your life’s freedom?

· Fun

We all know that happiness often stems from fun. What can you do to have fun today? Treat yourself to a day dedicated to happiness!

· Fulfillment

This refers to satisfaction, typically at the end of your goals. What smaller thing can you do to help you feel satisfied today? It can be as simple as successfully making a craft or as complex as doing a task you’ve been putting off.

7. Remember To Switch Things Up

If a spark dies under certain circumstances, it will not come back to life. That’s why you need to change things to bring it back to its full fire.

· Change Your Routine

Is every single day exactly the same? Can someone practically set a clock for you? Is it all monotonous and predictable? It’s time to switch things up. Move some of your daily activities around, try a new brand of coffee, eat somewhere new, or take a different route home – it’s up to you!

· Start A Side Project

Is there something you’ve wanted to do but never got around to? Well, there’s no time like the present. Beginning a side project is a great way to add spice to your life and possibly bring back your spark.

· Learn Something New

You’re never too old to learn something new. Take up a new hobby: playing an instrument or doing a new form of exercise. Attend a class about something totally out of your usual field. Again, this adds variety to your life.

Here are five signs you need more self-care.

8. Remember To Connect With Others Meaningfully

A lot of the people we see every day aren’t those with whom we interact meaningfully. You may have relatively shallow relationships with most people in your life without any true meaningful connection.

This doesn’t mean you need to have meaningful connections with every single person out there. But you should attempt to forge meaningful bonds with more than just a couple of people.

How can you do this? Start by being more aware of other people, your actions toward them, and how they affect them. So, the next time you talk to a friend or acquaintance, think about how they act. Do they seem stressed out? Or do you know they’re going through something, and can you see how it’s affecting them?

Do the same with your actions, too. Instead of groaning because you’re running late after listening to someone vent for five minutes, consider how your positive energy may have helped that person, all for just a short time’s worth of effort.

9. Remember To Care For Your Health

A healthy body makes a healthy mind. If you’ve been neglecting your physical health, it’s no surprise that your spark is taking a break. Here are some tips for caring for your health.

· Eat Well

You don’t have to be confined to a restrictive diet plan to eat well. Just ensure you get all the nutrients you need in reasonable amounts, eat good portions, and save treats for the weekend!

· Exercise

Though sadly commonly ignored, exercise is one of the best ways to get positive thinking going again. Once again, you don’t need to work out for hours every day. You can do simple exercises, like taking a walk, going for a swim, or even just dancing. Half an hour of physical activity every day can work wonders!

· Visit Doctors

Don’t neglect your health. Yes, check-ups are expensive, but developing an easily preventable disease is even more expensive.

10. Remember To Appreciate The Ups and Downs

Losing your spark doesn’t have to be permanent. It’s part of life: things go up and down. You can’t have a perfect time forever. More importantly, life is rarely black or white, so there are rarely truly “bad” or “good” times – just ones with fewer or more challenges.

Learning to appreciate the ride, no matter how many difficulties you face, is crucial never to lose your spark. You’re strong enough to overcome just about anything, and if you treat life’s ups and downs similarly, you’ll have no problem maintaining your spark – or not minding that it’s dimmed for a while!

Final Thoughts on Reigniting Your Spark

Losing your spark doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You can regain it with positive life changes, but at the same time, you don’t have to be in a rush to get it back. Take your time and do what you must, but don’t beat yourself up about it! When you least expect it to, your spark will return.

Scientists Reveal That Toad Poison May Treat Addiction and Depression

December 4, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Do you know someone who struggles with addiction or depression?

Just in case you haven’t been keeping up, a bit of a psychedelic revival is taking place. And unlike the communal acid trip that was the 1960s, today’s user of hallucinogens is more likely to use for reasons other than as a departure from reality.

(Not to bash on LSD users of the 60s, including military test subjects of MKUltra, the CIA-sponsored military program.)

Perhaps the biggest claim to fame of such drugs is their apparent effectiveness in treating various mental health ailments. If studies and numerous anecdotal accounts are indeed valid, psychedelics are immensely useful in treating anxiety, depression, and even addiction.

One such drug is 5-MeO-DMT, a potent psychedelic from the venom of the Incilius alvarius – the Sonoran Desert toad. The Sonoran Desert toad is ubiquitously found throughout Northern Mexico and the Southwest United States. We will talk more about this fascinating creature later.

Before that, we’re going to discuss the resurgence of psychedelics, their documented uses, and this science behind them. We’ll also discuss the early decriminalization efforts currently underway in the United States.

Early Decriminalization Efforts

“Growing up in the Mexican community, this [psychedelic plants] was our cure … These are plants we have known for thousands of years in our community that we continue to use.” ~ Noel Gallon

Psilocybin (pronounced ‘SIGH-LOW-SIGH-BIN’) is a hallucinogenic alkaloid in several Central American mushrooms. Psilocybin is classified as a ‘Schedule I’ controlled substance in the United States. Australia, Canada, the U.K., and most other nations similarly classify psilocybin and other psychedelics.

Per the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Schedule I substances indicate substances “have no accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse.” As we will see, this classification of psilocybin – and perhaps other psychedelics – is fiercely debated and highly questionable.

The dramatic turn of events in Oakland and Denver

This past June, the city council of Oakland, California, passed a resolution decriminalizing the possession and use of psychedelic mushrooms. The city council unanimously passed the measure, which decriminalizes the use of psychoactive mushrooms and ayahuasca, cacti, and iboga.

As radical as such a legal move may seem, Oakland isn’t the first city to ease up on the “magic mushrooms.”

A few weeks prior, Denver passed the ‘Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Initiative.’ Per Ballotpedia, the Initiative makes “the adult possession and use of psilocybin mushrooms the lowest low enforcement priority” in the city. Moreover, seeking prosecution for the “personal use and personal possession” of psilocybin mushrooms for people 21 and older is deprioritized.

The commonalities shared between the Oakland and Denver legalization efforts are evident. Supporters of both measures point to the plants being a natural alternative to prescription medicine’s side effects and costs. Moreover, say proponents, these plants promote healing and have done so for centuries. They also point to the growing body of research demonstrating these benefits.

A State-wide Legalization Effort Could De-Criminalize and Help Those With Depression

If a married couple in Oregon has their way, The Beaver State will be the first to legalize the use of psychedelic compounds. Per a story in The Oregonian, the state is “one step closer” to achieving this goal. Unlike previous efforts in Denver and Oakland, the ‘Psilocybin Service Initiative’ (or ‘Initiative Petition #34’ seeks full legalization*.

Spearheading the Petition 34 effort is Thomas Eckert and wife Sherry. Both are mental health therapists. Thomas says, “Where typical pharma-type interventions fall short, psilocybin is breaking through with pretty amazing frequency,”

“The initiative [Petition #34] attempts to reflect evolving … standards in relation to [the] safety and effectiveness [of psilocybin mushrooms] as established by scientific research at top universities,” says Eckert.

*Decriminalization is different than legalization in that the former doesn’t permit the manufacturing and sale of the substance, whereas the latter does.

The Research on Depression

“Accumulating evidence suggests that psilocybin with … psychological support … can be used safely to treat a range of psychiatric conditions…” ~ Harris-Carhart, R.L., Et. al

In a 2017 study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers tested the effects of psilocybin on 19 patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). TRD is a condition wherein “Standard treatments may not help much at all … or … symptoms may improve, only to keep coming back.”

Per the study, all 19 patients experienced a reduction in their depressive symptoms. Forty-seven percent met the clinical definition of recovery within just five weeks.

Scientists measured the mechanisms of action with functional resonance imaging (fMRI). fMRI is an imaging technology that detects changes in brain activity by measuring alterations of blood flow within the brain. A decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) manifested in the amygdala, a pair of tiny, almond-shaped structures in the limbic system.

The amygdala is most commonly associated with fear and, more specifically, the fight-or-flight response — a decrease in blood flow to the amygdala links to reducing depressive symptoms.

Interestingly, the chemical structure of psilocybin is “related” to that of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the gut and brain that links to a sense of mental balance and well-being.

From Mushrooms to Toads

The Colorado River Toad is a venomous amphibian with the psychedelic compound ‘5-MeO-DMT.’ You can also find the hallucinogenic in several plant species. According to research, 5-MeO is four to six times more potent than its close relative DMT.

Before being tested as an anxiety and depression reliever, 5-MeO induced spiritual experiences in South America. Indeed, some Native tribes in South America still use it to this day. The dogma of a religious group called the Church of the Tree of Life uses the psychedelic as a sacrament.

A synthesized form of 5-MeO was even used in the Caribbean and South American snuff. In the U.S., between 1970 and 1990, 5-MeO was distributed onto parsley and smoked as the primary means of ingestion.

In a study published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, researchers recruited 362 participants to test for any potential therapeutic uses of 5-MeO. Of these, 41 percent disclosed a depression diagnosis. Furthermore, 48 percent reported an anxiety diagnosis.

Eighty percent of the depression group reported improvements following 5-MeO use. Seventy-nine percent of subjects with anxiety said the same.

Here are some of the demographic statistics from the study:

Average age: 47.7 years
Gender: 55 percent male, 45 percent female
Race: White Caucasian (84 percent)

Treating Addiction

In another study published in the journal Scientific Reports, Brazilian researchers cite “cognitive gains, antidepressant effects, and changes in the brain areas related to attention” with 5-MeO use. Additionally, the research team found a reduction in the levels of addiction receptors in the brain/ such a finding suggests that the compound may be beneficial in treating substance abuse addiction.

In the results of a survey published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, 66 percent of respondents who self-reported psychiatric disorders experienced improvements in alcohol-related symptoms. Furthermore, others saw improvements in other causative symptoms, including post-traumatic stress disorder (79 percent), depression (77 percent), anxiety (69 percent), and drug use disorder (60 percent).

The research team concludes:

“Findings suggest … 5-MeO-DMT … has [a] low potential for addiction, and might have psychotherapeutic effects.”

Gosh, that sounds familiar!

Final Thoughts: Release the ‘shrooms (and toads)

In a review of “The abuse potential of medical psilocybin” published in the journal Neuropharmacology, a group of researchers from Johns Hopkins University cites the following after reviewing a vast trove of literature regarding the safety and efficacy of psilocybin (and, once may presume, 5-MeO-DMT):

[1] Human and animal studies indicate ‘low abuse and no physical dependence’ for psilocybin mushrooms.

[2] Nationwide surveys point to ‘low rates of abuse, treatment-seeking, and harm.’

[3] Psilocybin provides documented therapeutic effects.

[4] Psilocybin should be scheduled no more restrictively than Schedule IV.

Right now, psilocybin mushrooms are a Schedule I drug.

Once again, Schedule I drugs are those that “have no accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse.”

Wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Most evidence points to a few hallucinogens, including psilocybin and 5-MeO, as not only not addictive but, as Johns Hopkins researchers note, a very promising treatment for addiction.

Ten Powerful Ways to Recover from an Addiction

Final Thoughts on Dealing With Depression

Anxiety and depression are, by far, the most prevalent mental health disorders in the U.S. (and the world).
Psychiatric disorders account for nearly one in every four instances of disease globally.
Depression costs the U.S. economy alone more than $200 billion per year.
Many antidepressant medications aren’t beneficial. They also have terrible side effects and are addictive.
Per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), drug abuse (primarily alcohol abuse) and addiction is “a significant factor” that leads to suicides and suicide attempts.
Opiates, many Schedule II drugs, account for 20 percent of all suicide deaths in the United States. Moreover, that equals over 8,000 suicides annually or around 22 per day.

So what do depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and addiction all have in common? They’re treatable with psychedelics!

These examples could go on and on, but we’d be here for a long time.

In a few words: Not permitting medical professionals to administer psilocybin, 5-MeO-DET, or some other well-researched psychedelic to patients desperate for psychological healing is not only wrong. In fact, it’s insane.

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

Get over any stigma

Nap for 60 minutes, max

Actually, go for 30 minutes

Set the right conditions

Keep in a ‘rhythm.’

Know about REM and SWS (then figure out which one you want)

Practice “The Perfect Nap”

Drink some caffeine

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!