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How To Apologize With All Your Heart

July 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Whether platonic or romantic, the relationships that we have with others can help us cope with the stress in our lives. However, they can also be the catalyst for most of our stress as well. This is especially true when conflicts arise. That said, the ability to effectively apologize not only resolves stress but also deepens a relationship.

Conversely, the inability to effectively apologize can further strain a precarious relationship. In other words, it can make things far worse. Being apologetic entails much more than saying, “I’m sorry.” It requires making a concerted effort to express your feelings to another individual, which makes the apology more heartfelt.

In this article, we will take a closer look at how to be more sincere when apologizing. We’ll also consider the benefits that come with it.

A Perfect Guide To Apologize With All Your Heart

KNOWING WHEN TO APOLOGIZE

Knowing when to apologize is not always obvious. You may not realize that you did or said something hurtful to another individual. In many cases, the answer lies in self-assessment. If your actions would have upset or bothered you, they would likely have the same effect on the other individual. Sometimes it is best to err on the side of caution; offer an apology even if you only suspect that you did or said something offensive. In doing so, you will assume responsibility for mistakes that you have made. At the very least, you create an opportunity to reaffirm that what you did or said was, in fact, okay.

KNOWING WHEN TO EXPRESS REGRET

Assuming that your behavior does warrant an apology, it is important that you understand how to effectively communicate regret. This negative conscious and emotional response stems from one’s actions or lack of action. Communicating regret ensures that the other person understands how you feel bad, even if your actions weren’t intended to be malicious.

The best way to go about communicating regret is by stating what you believe to be a negative action and apologizing. This shows that you accept responsibility and you’re willing to make amends. Beyond that, expressing regret helps to boost the sincerity of your apology, which would otherwise not be felt by the other party.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Along with expressing regret, taking responsibility for your behaviors can increase the value of an apology. What does taking responsibility mean, exactly? Basically, it is assuming ownership for mistakes that you have made, which may have resulted in the other person feeling hurt in some way. In doing so, you eliminate the element of vagueness often associated with being apologetic. The best way to show that you’re taking responsibility for your action is by acknowledging and stating that what you did was wrong.

RIGHTING YOUR WRONGS

While expressing regret and taking responsibility for your actions is all well and good, these actions wouldn’t be as meaningful if you don’t take steps towards making amends. After all, if your primary goal is to offer a sincere apology, it is a good idea to back up your words with some actions.

For example, if you said things that may have hurt or offended the other person, you can say things rooted in positivity to help offset the negative feelings associated with what you said in the past.

While this is great for intangibles like hurt feelings, it is also great for tangible issues as well. For example, if you’ve broken something that belonged to someone else, consider replacing it and also offering a sincere apology. This same applies to instances where trust may have been broken. You can take steps towards restoring it by acknowledging your wrongdoings. Additionally, try identifying ways to avoid similar problems in the future. This can often be accomplished by setting boundaries.

WHY HEALTHY BOUNDARIES ARE IMPORTANT

Whether we’re discussing relationships with friends, family, co-workers, or even in the context of a romantic relationship, it is important to establish boundaries. In doing so, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that can otherwise ruin a good relationship.

Two of the biggest benefits of setting boundaries are the ability to keep conflicts to a minimum and promoting closeness. Also, it can help keep stress levels from spiraling out of control. Boundary-setting can benefit your relationships with others and also provide individual benefits as well. These primarily come in the form of minimizing the impact that stress has on mental and physical health. All of that aside, let’s take a closer look at how boundary-setting can benefit not only relationships but also an individual:

MINIMIZING CONFLICT

Along with being able to apologize sincerely, keeping conflicts to a minimum is also a good practice. The best way to accomplish this goal is by looking inward. Identifying our own triggers is a great way to keep them from contaminating the relationships we have with others. For example, feelings of resentment and frustration brought on by a bad day at work can easily be transferred to our friends and family. One of the best ways to circumvent these problems is to let the other person know up front that you’re having a bad day. This will likely minimize conflict and possibly prompt compassion from the other individual. This type of boundary-setting can go a long way towards deepening and strengthening the bond of any relationship, romantic or otherwise.

PROMOTING CLOSENESS

Regardless of the context of your relationship with another individual, a genuine connection is critical when it comes to the long-term health of that relationship. Setting boundaries is a great way to minimize miscommunication and misperceptions that can cause the other party to become distant. While this sounds counterproductive, it actually works. Basically, setting healthy boundaries creates opportunities for closeness without the threat of feeling overwhelmed. To further illustrate this point, let’s look at some signs that can indicate the need to set boundaries in your relationship with others.

Signs You Should Establish Boundaries:

Harboring feeling of resentment
Saying yes when you would rather say no
Having a tendency to keep people at arm’s length
Feeling like you do more for others than for yourself
Feeling stress as a result of disappointing others

Identifying areas in your relationships where boundaries are needed is essential not only for the health of the relationship but also for your well-being. Once you have identified and implemented healthy boundaries, it will be easier to gauge your comfort level with others. Also, it will be easier to discern between who is being genuine versus who may be trying to take advantage of you.

SHOULD YOU APOLOGIZE WHEN SOMEONE IS BEING DIFFICULT?

Although a healthy relationship can be good for the soul, an unhealthy one can have the opposite effect. While we cherish the relationships we have with friends and family as well as our significant others, some relationships may feel like they’re not even worth salvaging, especially those where the other person is being difficult. But does this mean they are unworthy of an apology when one is due? No, it actually means you might have to be the bigger person and apologize, especially if the situation or circumstance warrants an apology. That said, here are a few tips that can make dealing with challenging people slightly easier:

Apologizing is a lifeskill…but how do you know when you should NOT apologize?

STAY NEUTRAL

Certain conversational topics are naturally very divisive, especially those rooted in politics or religion. In many cases, these topics can bring out the worst in people and can fan the flames of conflict. To avoid a heated debate, steer clear of these trigger topics entirely.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH

The best way to handle dealing with difficult people is to understand who you’re dealing with. This often means acknowledging their negative traits. In doing so, you can work towards engaging with these individuals. For example, you would never tell your deepest, darkest secrets to someone who enjoys gossiping. Taking a moment to understand the personality of your friends, family, and acquaintances can help you avoid a lot of heartaches.

UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP

More often than not, the difficulty in any relationship stems from the ability to see and appreciate the other person’s perspective. Once you understand how another person behaves, you can use this information in finding better ways of managing your relationship. All too often people engage in conversation and activities that end in disagreements or arguments. So, how do you overcome these differences and promote healthier behavior patterns? Simply change how you respond to them. This could mean letting the other person vent their frustrations without you interjecting.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW TO APOLOGIZE

In summation, there are a variety of ways to apologize to your friends and family; however, there are also a variety of ways to avoid having to find yourself in that role in the first place. The relationships that we have with others can be as challenging as they are rewarding. Still, they play a critical role in who we are as individuals.

21 Healthy Vegan Overnight Oats Recipes Under 400 Calories

July 8, 2019 by Power of Positivity

If you are looking to live a healthy lifestyle, then keeping your meals (especially your breakfast) in check is crucial. Having overnight oats recipes on hand will ensure you consume only healthy vitamins and minerals.

For this to work, there is no healthier breakfast than overnight oats. Here are 21 healthy vegan overnight oats recipes under 400 calories.

21 Healthy Vegan Overnight Oats Recipes Under 400 Calories

1. Carrot Cake Oatmeal

This overnight oats recipe has only about 265 calories. In a tiny bowl, combine grated carrots, low-fat Greek yogurt, unsweetened almond milk, a slice of apple pie, salt, old fashioned oats, protein powder, and baking stevia.

Use chopped nuts, low-sugar syrup, and cinnamon as toppings. You can have it chilled or microwaved for up to one minute. This meal is the ideal combination of proteins and whole grains to keep you energized throughout your morning.

2. Strawberry Chia Oatmeal

This overnight oats recipe has 339 calories per serving. Almonds add an excellent crunch to this satisfying and sweet breakfast. Also, almond nuts have magnesium to regulate your blood sugar and protein to fill your belly.

Put sliced strawberry, sliced banana, oatmeal, and chia seeds in a bowl. Mix vanilla and milk before pouring it on the oatmeal. Put the food in the fridge overnight and top with almonds and strawberries in the morning.

3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Oats

Despite being sweet, this overnight oats recipe is loaded with only 308 calories. Prepare it by mashing the banana in a bowl and mixing it with vanilla extract, chia seeds, pumpkin puree, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate dreams. Then add almond milk, maple syrup, and rolled oats before mixing.

Keep the bowl in the fridge overnight after covering it with a plastic wrap. Divide the meal in the morning and top with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts.

4. Blueberry-Cashew Cream Oats

This creamy overnight oats recipe has around 270 calories. It has chia and flax seeds, which are excellent sources of fiber that fill your stomach and selenium mineral that lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Combine mashed bananas, blueberries, Medjool date, cashew nuts, and dairy-free milk in a food processor. Then put chia seeds, oats, and flaxseeds in a bowl before topping with cream. Store in the fridge overnight.

5. Honey, Thyme, and Lemon Oats

You will find 310 calories in this overnight oats recipe. In a bowl, combine your oats, lemon juice, milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Add honey and thyme leaves to the mixture.

Cover the food with a plastic wrap and keep in the fridge overnight. Serve in the morning and top with some honey.

6. Gingerbread Chocolate Oats

This overnight oats recipe consists of 282 calories. It is also rich in fiber and protein. Combine oats, almond milk, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and protein powder in a bowl.

Cover the meal and store in the fridge overnight. Serve and use cacao nobs as toppings.

7. Peanut Butter and Jelly with Oats

A serving of this overnight oats recipe has 319 calories. To make the meal, mix chia seeds and strawberries before microwaving for one minute and mashing them. Now mix oats, chia seeds, vanilla almond milk, plain Greek yogurt, peanut butter, vanilla extract, stevia packets, and some salt in a separate container.

Add the oatmeal mixture and the strawberry chia sauce in alternate layers in five mason jars. Cover the jars and keep in the fridge overnight.

8. Pumpkin Persimmon Oats

This is one of the healthiest overnight oats recipes due to its 267-calorie content. To prepare, combine rolled oats, buckwheat groats, hemp seeds, powdered stevia, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and some salt in a bowl.

Now add pumpkin puree, almond milk, diced persimmon, and blackstrap molasses and mix. Store in the fridge and serve in the morning for a low-fat and fiber-rich breakfast.

9. Pumpkin Pie Oats

This is another one of the top overnight oats recipes due to its 332-calorie content. The pumpkin and oats will assist you in managing your weight. The inclusion of Greek yogurt will improve the protein level to ensure you are fuller for longer.

On the other hand, the cinnamon will boost the flavor and maintain your blood sugar levels. To make the oatmeal, mix milk, vanilla Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a piece of pumpkin pie in a container. Top with granola or cereal and keep in the fridge overnight.

10. Chocolate Chia Oats

This oatmeal has 353 calories, making it one of the best weight-loss overnight oats recipes. Its chia seeds can offer the power you require to take you throughout the day. Its energy comes from an excellent balance of fiber, protein, and fats as well as low carbohydrates.

Combine oats, soy milk, cacao powder, maple syrup, and chia seeds in a bowl. Put into five mason jars and store in the fridge overnight. Serve in the morning and top with fresh fruits.

11. Blueberry Muffin Oats

This oatmeal has 366 calories with plenty of proteins and fiber. Its fresh blueberries assist you in losing weight. Mix oats, yogurt, pudding mix, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk in a container. Stir them until they are properly mixed.

Add toppings of flake cereal and fresh blueberries. Then seal the container and store in the fridge overnight. Serve the oatmeal cold.

12. Fruity Oats and Quinoa

With a 362 calorie content, this oatmeal is low in both sugar and calories while full of flavor. To prepare your oats, mix the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a small bowl before microwaving for ten seconds and stirring. Add in the oats, milk, and pumpkin and stir properly until the almond butter is well mashed.

Include some salt, cinnamon, and a piece of pumpkin pie and stir before adding chocolate chips. Put into mason jars, seal them, and keep in the fridge overnight. Serve in the morning and eat cold or hot.

13. Chia, Banana, and Mocha Oats

The oatmeal has only 294 calories with low fats and high-protein content. The use of slightly green bananas ensures you ingest resistant starch that resists digestion and boosts satiety. Since the body has to perform harder to digest it, there will be oxidation of fat and a decrease in abdominal fat.

Put warm espresso, cacao powder, and almond milk into a food processor and combine. Then add spices, sweetener, and more almond milk to the mixture and combine. Mix chia seeds, the cacao mixture, and chia seeds in a jar and add some salt.

Put alternating layers of sliced bananas, cashew nuts, and the chia mixture. Keep in the fridge overnight and serve warmed or chilled.

14. Honey and Figs Oats

This oatmeal is only loaded with 240 calories. To prepare it, combine chia seeds, soy milk, and oats in a sealable container.

Keep the chia mixture in the fridge overnight. Serve warmed or chilled and top with chopped nuts, honey, and figs.

15. Vegan Oatmeal

With 369-calorie content, this meal is super healthy. Prepare your oats by mashing bananas in a bowl before mixing with chia seeds and cinnamon. Combine with vanilla, almond milk, and oats.

Seal the food and store in the fridge overnight. Serve in the morning with some extra non-dairy milk.

16. Coconut Cardamom Oats

This oatmeal has a record 214 calories. Make the chia seed jam by mixing maple syrup with blueberries in a pot. Add some salt and heat for ten minutes over medium heat.

Add the chia seeds and cook for another ten minutes until the jam looks thick. Remove from heat and mix with lemon juice before keeping in the fridge. In another container, mix coconut milk, chia seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, maple syrup, and oats.

Put alternate layers of the oats, diced pears, and the chia seed jam in five mason jars. Store in the fridge overnight and serve chilled.

17. Bananas Foster Oats

This oatmeal has 250 calories. To prepare, heat coconut oil in a pan before adding cinnamon, vanilla, and bananas, and sauté the mixture for three minutes. Add maple syrup, stir the mixture, and heat for another minute.

Put oats, ground flaxseeds, banana mixture, and coconut milk in a bowl and mix. Place the oats inside four mason jars and keep in the fridge overnight.

18. Skinny Funfetti Cake Batter Oats

The Skinny Funfetti recipe has 200 calories. Mix almond milk and oats before microwaving for three minutes. Add butter extract to the mixture and combine till smooth.

Eating overnight oats in the morning will satiate you for hours!

Keep in the fridge overnight. Serve chilled or warmed and sprinkled with some rainbow jimmies.

19. Neapolitan Oats

It has 253 calories. Prepare the oatmeal by mixing rolled oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt, soy milk, honey, and vanilla extract to make vanilla pudding. Repeat the procedure but replace the vanilla extract with cacao powder for chocolate pudding and strawberries for strawberry pudding.

Layer the puddings in containers and keep in the fridge overnight.

20. Coconut Latte Oats

It has 212 calories. Combine rolled oats, brewed coffee, coconut milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a bowl. Seal the oats and keep in the fridge overnight.

Serve chilled or warmed and top with cinnamon, shredded toasted coconut, and coconut cream.

21. Sweet Potato Pie Oats

This oatmeal has 343 calories. To make the oatmeal, combine mashed sweet potato, nutmeg, cinnamon, and almond milk in a blender. In a different jar, mix almond milk, chia seeds, vanilla extract, stevia, and oats.

Store the two mixtures in the fridge overnight. Layer the sweet potato and oats mixture in a container and top with maple syrup and pecans.

Conclusion

These 21 overnight oats recipes will offer you a diet low in saturated fat and carbs but high in proteins and fiber. You will be able to reach your weight loss goals while enjoying a savory breakfast.

Moreover, you will not have to keep snacking at work since you will be fuller for longer.

21 Healthy Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

If you are a vegan, you need to ensure that your vegan recipes have sufficient proteins to ensure that you compensate for missing out on the proteins that are found on animal products. For proteins, you can include legumes among other foods. And the great thing is that you will have plenty of nutrients including vitamins and minerals from the vegetable-filed vegan recipes.

21 Healthy Vegan Recipes

If you are looking for healthy vegan recipes, then these 21 healthy vegan recipes will ensure you have a balanced diet. They are not only delicious, but they are filled with nutrients that will enable healthy living.

1. Vegan Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

To prepare this meal, mix flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl. Then add a tablespoon of vinegar and soy milk into the bowl and mix until the mixture is smooth. Place a pan on medium heat and grease with coconut oil.

Then pour the mixture into the pan in medium quantities and turn the pancakes when the bubbles disappear. Top the pancakes with coconut cream, strawberries, and coconut oil.

2. Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is one of the best vegan recipes for your brunch. You only need to heat a pan with a tablespoon of coconut oil. After it gets hot, add a pinch of pepper and salt as well as tofu.

Cook the tofu until it begins to get brown on the sides. Steam some asparagus and prepare your Hollandaise sauce. Then toast some English muffins before topping them with a vegan meat slice and a tofu egg.

Now serve two muffins and top with chopped chives, cayenne, and Hollandaise sauce.

3. Energy Balls

Energy balls are among the top healthy vegan recipes. Prepare your energy balls by mixing oats, dates, vanilla, salt, agave, and almond butter. Add chocolate chips and walnuts before pulsing to combine further. Then keep the mixture in the fridge for half an hour.

Now make the mixture into small balls before placing them on a baking plate or sheet. Cover them and store in the fridge for up to half an hour and put them in a sealed container for one week.

4. Baked Taquitos with Guacamole and Creamy Salsa

Baked taquitos are one of the tastiest vegan recipes, especially when served with guacamole and creamy salsa. Microwave corn tortillas for ten seconds for softening. Serve a tablespoon of refried beans and nacho cheese at the center of the tortilla.

Roll the tortilla and use a toothpick to secure it. Brush the tops of the tortillas with olive oil before sprinkling with salt. Bake for fifteen minutes and serve with guacamole and creamy salsa.

5. Buffalo Cauliflower Wings and Vegan Ranch Dip

Cauliflowers place these meal on the list of the top healthy vegan recipes. Roast your cauliflower in the oven for 40 minutes. Now combine egg replacer and soy buttermilk in a bowl.

Cover your cauliflower in seasoned flour before dipping in the buttermilk mixture. Then fry them in a pan for four minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce.

6. Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Use a bowl to combine wheat gluten, onion powder, poultry seasoning, nutritional yeast, and salt. Then whisk tahini and broth in a larger bowl. Combine the two mixtures into a smooth dough.

Make the dough into tiny nuggets before cooking with chopped onions and broth in the oven for one hour. This is one of the best vegan recipes.

7. Vegan Nachos

Spread half of your tortilla chips on a serving tray and add refried beans to form dollops. Include minced vegan meat and sprinkle vegan nacho cheese.

Now add another layer of nachos, refried beans, cheese, and meat like before. Then add tomatoes, green onions, and jalapenos.

8. Jackfruit Tacos

Put the maple syrup, chili powder, coconut oil, tamari, and paprika in a big freezer bag and combine well. Add jackfruit to the mixture and let it marinate overnight. Cook onions and garlic with coconut oil in a pan.

Then add chipotle peppers and bouillon and mix in the pan. Include the jackfruit and mix before leaving it to simmer for 20 minutes. Break the jackfruit with a masher and cook for another 15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.

Serve the dish with lime crema sauce and spicy mango sauce. If you are looking for delicious vegan recipes, this is one of them.

9. Pasta Sausage Gnocchi Vegan

Put garlic and onions in a large skillet and heat with olive oil. Put crumbled sausage and cook for one minute. Then add uncooked gnocchi, vegetable broth, and tomatoes before covering and cooking for five minutes.

Remove from the stove and add black pepper and spinach and stir. Season with salt and add vegan cheese before covering for five minutes. You can eat the dish with sliced Italian crusty bread.

10. Vegan Orange Chicken

Put soy curls in a big bowl and add vegan chicken broth and let the soaking take place for ten minutes. Then whisk together orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, spicy-sriracha, orange juice, coconut sugar, hoisin sauce, and grated ginger.

Now dry your soy curls and soak in half of the sauce overnight. Heat the curls with coconut oil until they are crispy. Cook the other half of the soy sauce with cornstarch slurry for two minutes to form a thick mixture.

Add the soy curls and green onions before tossing to coat. Serve with boiled rice for one of the most savory vegan recipes.

11. Vegan Fajitas

Put chopped onions, garlic, coconut oil, and mushrooms in a big skillet and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Season well with chili powder, cumin, and salt and add peppers. Cook for the vegetables to soften and season with black pepper and cayenne.

Microwave your tortillas and serve them with mushroom pepper medley, greens, vegan cheese, and some sriracha. To make it one of the top tasty vegan recipes, you can serve with guacamole and salsa.

12. Vegan Ramen

Cook garlic and ginger with sesame oil in a saucepan until fragrant. Add broth and simmer for fifteen minutes. Then cook smoked tofu and mushrooms in peanut oil in a big skillet for fifteen minutes and season with pepper and salt.

Add wakame and soy sauce to the broth and set aside. Boil soba noodles and drain in a bowl before simmering the broth. Serve the broth, tofu, mushrooms, green onions, and sesame seeds in the noodles.

13. Homemade Instant Noodles

Combine cooked ramen noodles, chopped green onions, pickled ginger, fried shitake mushrooms, sliced carrots, peas, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, veggies bouillon cube, and spicy chili in a mason jar. When serving, add boiling water to the noodles and veggies. Wait some minutes and serve.

14. Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich

Use a big mixing bowl to mix mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, mayo, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, and black salt until smoothly combined. Crumble the tofu into tiny pieces and mix with mayo.

Mix well and include more cracked pepper, black salt, celery, parsley, chives, and onions. Serve the tofu mixture on slices of toasted bread before topping with alfalfa sprouts and tomatoes.

15. Vegan Sloppy Joes

Use a large saucepan to heat oil, onion, garlic, and red pepper. Season with pepper and salt and cook for five minutes. Then include lentils, cumin, tomato paste, water, and chili powder and boil over medium heat for thirty minutes.

Now add veggie ground round Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and bbq sauce and heat for ten minutes. Use pepper and salt to season and scoop the lentils onto buttered and toasted bun bottoms before garnishing with your favorite toppings.

16. Vegan Mac and Cheese

For this vegan recipe, use whole-grain macaroni elbows, broccoli, florets, grated russet potato, and cashew. The whole-grain pasta will ensure you have sufficient fiber to prevent constipation.

You can add some vinegar to taste and use avocado oil for healthy fats.

17. Pea and Carrot Soba Noodles

Mix boiled soba noodles, edamame, carrots, and snap peas in a huge serving bowl. Add dressing and mix with salad servers. Then be sure to add the toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro before serving.

The vegetables will ensure you have a myriad of vitamins and minerals for a healthy lifestyle.

18. Black Bean, Kale, and Avocado Burrito Bowl

Boil some rice, prepare a kale salad, make the avocado salsa verde, and cook the black beans. Now serve portions of rice, kale salad, and black beans into a small bowl as well as avocado salsa verde. Use chopped cherry tomatoes to garnish your meal.

19. Butternut Squash Linguine with Fried Sage

Prepare the ingredients including fresh sage, butternut, yellow onion, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, vegetable broth, fettucini, and Pecorino. Now boil the pasta and cook the butternut. Then serve the pasta with fried sage, butternut, Pecorino, and smoked salt.

20. Black Bean & Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

Fry black beans and chopped sweet potatoes. Then use vegetables of your choice to lay on toasted and buttered buns before adding the sweet potatoes and black beans.

21. Vegetable Paella

To prepare this green dish, use yellow onions, garlic, paprika, salt, diced tomatoes, brown rice, chickpeas, vegetable broth, saffron threads, artichokes, red peppers, Kalamata olives, black pepper, parsley, and frozen peas.

Love these ideas? Find 30 more fantastic vegan meal ideas!

Final Thoughts on Vegan Food

If you are looking to spice up your vegetable diet, then these 21 vegan recipes will ensure you achieve just that. You need not have a boring diet just because you don’t eat animal products.

The great thing about these healthy vegan recipes is that you can make it once a week and have variations of the same meal during the week.

25 Happiness Quotes To Never Forget

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Happiness is something that you cannot find outside of yourself. You must look within to find lasting happiness. These happiness quotes will remind you of all the goodness that exists.

25 Happiness Quotes

Writing is an absolutely amazing tool. With it, we can convey thousands of emotions and thoughts in great detail and spread them to the masses.

Throughout the years, many have used writing to express their gratitude and happiness towards the world. There are many happiness quotes out there, which get the job done quite well. Some of the best happiness quotes are simple one-liners, while other happiness quotes can extend to pages!

Whether you’re feeling a bit glum, or just like to read happiness quotes, this list of the best happiness quotes is libel to bring a smile to your face.

What follows are some of the best happiness quotes to have ever been written down. Continue reading for 25 happiness quotes that you won’t soon forget.

25 Happiness Quotes To Never Forget

1 – Chinese Proverb (one of the best happiness quotes)

“If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap;
if you want happiness for a day — go fishing;
and if you want happiness for a year-inherit a fortune;
if you want happiness for a lifetime-help someone else.”

2 – Stacey Charter

“Don’t rely on someone else for your happiness and self-worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can’t love and respect yourself – no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are – completely; the good and the bad – and make changes as YOU see fit – not because you think someone else wants you to be different.”

3 – Frederick Keonig

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

4 – Eskimo Proverb

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”

5 – Anthony de Mello

“There is only one cause of unhappiness: the false beliefs you have in your head, beliefs so widespread, so commonly held, that it never occurs to you to question them.”

6 – Viktor E. Frankl

“Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run—in the long-run, I say!—success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it”

7 – Aldous Huxley

“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.”

8 – Elizabeth Gilbert

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”

9 – Dalai Lama (famous happiness quote)

“We begin from the recognition that all beings cherish happiness and do not want suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one’s own happiness oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others when pursuing our own happiness.”

10 – Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

11 – Kahlil Gibran

“Happiness is a myth we seek,
If manifested surely irks;
Like river speeding to the plain,
On its arrival slows and murks.
For man is happy only in
His aspiration to the heights;
When he attains his goal, he cools
And longs for other distant flights.”

12 – Douglas Adams

“This planet has – or rather had – a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movement of small green pieces of paper, which was odd because on the whole, it wasn’t the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.”

13 – Charles Caleb Colton

“Men spend their lives in anticipations, in determining to be vastly happy at some period when they have time. But the present time has one advantage over every other – it is our own. Past opportunities are gone, the future has not come. We may lay in a stock of pleasures, as we would lay in a stock of wine; but if we defer the tasting of them too long, we shall find that both are soured by age.”

14 – Winston Churchill

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.”

15 – Albert Ellis

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”

16 – Betty Smith

“I know that’s what people say– you’ll get over it. I’d say it, too. But I know it’s not true. Oh, you’ll be happy again, never fear. But you won’t forget. Every time you fall in love it will be because something in the man reminds you of him.”

17 – Leo Tolstoy

“A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.”

18 – Andy Rooney

“For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don’t enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are you’re not going to be very happy. And if someone bases his/her happiness on major events like a great job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn’t going to be happy much of the time.

If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness.”

19 – Katja Millay

“People like to say love is unconditional, but it’s not, and even if it was unconditional, it’s still never free. There’s always an expectation attached. They always want something in return. Like they want you to be happy or whatever and that makes you automatically responsible for their happiness because they won’t be happy unless you are … I just don’t want that responsibility.”

20 – Kahlil Gibran

“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see in truth that you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”

If happiness seems elusive, read happiness quotes to boost your spirits.

21 – Mark Twain

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

22 – Denis Waitley

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

23 – Buddha

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

24 – William Phelps

“The belief that youth is the happiest time of life is founded on a fallacy. The happiest person is the person who thinks the most interesting thoughts, and we grow happier as we grow older.”

25 – Alain De Botton

“Our capacity to draw happiness from aesthetic objects or material goods in fact seems critically dependent on our first satisfying a more important range of emotional or psychological needs, among them the need for understanding, for love, expression and respect.”

FINAL THOUGHTS ON BEST HAPPINESS QUOTES

When reading through the literature, you’re bound to come across plenty of happiness quotes that’ll make you feel in better spirits. If you haven’t the time to crack open a good book, this list should have done the trick, bringing to you some of the most powerful happiness quotes we could find!

15 Photos That Perfectly Capture The True Power of Love

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

“Love conquers all” is perhaps one of the best quotes of all time regarding love. When you think about it, doesn’t the power of love save us from all the traumatic things we go through in life?

If we lose a job, spouse, friend, or anything else meaningful to us, we count on the people we love to get us through the day. If we fight with our significant other, we eventually learn to compromise or make sacrifices because of our love for him or her.

We spend our lives searching our souls for a fulfilling career because we want to spend time doing something we love every day.

At the end of the day, love saves us. It gives our lives meaning and helps us form bonds with others.

In this article, we will show you some photos that capture what true love really looks like.

Here are 15 photos that perfectly capture the true power of love:

1. This man is showing the power of love by delivering toys to children in hospitals and posing as Santa Claus. What an awesome guy.

They saw this guy at Walmart tonight with a cart full of stuffed animals. When he was asked why, he told them that every year he dresses up as Santa & walks the halls of the children’s ER & delivers one to each child. That’s a pretty kick ass hobby.
byu/GallowBoob inaww

2. What an adorable picture of these two sisters together. This shows that age doesn’t mean anything!

My grandma (93) and her sister (96) going to the beach last weekend.
by inaww

3. If this doesn’t hit you in your feels, we don’t know what will!

The first moment my mom and dad met 35 years ago, when they collided while playing volleyball
byu/theshamwowguy inpics

4. An amazing story and an incredible man. The power of love is limitless.

This man took a bullet while protecting my sister from the gunfire in Vegas.
byu/tynation inpics

5. Our grandparents took care of us when we were younger, so let’s not forget to extend that love back to them.

Alzheimer’s Proof Remote!

6. It’s the thought that counts. 🙂

Our 8-year-old son woke up early this morning to put together stockings for me and his mom…which were plastic bags full of what you see here.
byu/fried_eggs_and_ham infunny

7. A beautiful (and thoughtful) touch from this woman’s photographer.

So my sister got married this weekend and sadly her mother (and mine) passed away in Feb of 2000. However she made a little appearance thanks to Photoshop. This was a beautiful thing done by her photographer.
byu/monkeypugs1 inpics

8. The power of love can be felt from other animals as well, like this cockatoo!

https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/6cqc43/ive_never_seen_my_autistic_sister_light_up_this/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

9. This is a very touching story and shows how reaching out to others can build community when you need it the most.

Why I invited 100+ strangers into my home in 2017

10. These pictures are adorable beyond words. Looks like this dad got the hang of selfies pretty quickly!

Daughter teaches dad how to take selfies, this is what happens
byu/hawktremor inaww

11. This definitely made us tear up, but it shows that the power of love is truly remarkable.

True love never dies.
byu/attheisstt inpics

12. We think everyone should have an office dog, especially if they’re this cute!

We have an office dog and he visited me today.
byu/lvl99slayer inaww

13. This woman is a hero. Even though she went through so much, she still has a smile on her face.

My mom smiling after saving 40 kids off a burning school bus today

14. This man just wants all the animals in the shelter to be happy.

This old man is donating tennis balls to the animal shelter
byu/GallowBoob inaww

15. This is the embodiment of what the power of love can do. It brings together people, and sometimes animals, for a greater purpose other than ourselves.

My brother, who only has vision in one eye, bought a dog that was only born with one eye that no one else wanted.
byu/kt2133 inpics

We hope you enjoyed these pictures showing the power of love. Whether we find love in our family, friends, significant other, or even our furry friends, love exists everywhere.

No matter what you’re going through in life, just remember that love can be one connection away. Reach out to someone if you’re feeling lonely or depressed. People out there care about you.

If you have photos showing love, please share them with us!

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

15 Photos That Show Why Family Is The Best Thing Ever

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

“The older you get, the more family is everything.” – NF

Families get on our nerves, push our buttons, and disagree at times, but they always have our backs. When friends come and go and significant others move on to someone new, we can always count on our family to dry our tears and help us back up.

As young adults and teenagers, we tend to take our family for granted. We stay out too late with our friends and get annoyed too easily at our dad’s lame jokes. We might snap at our parents due to teenage angst. Also, we do not really appreciate them until we get out in the world and realize that we actually need our moms and dads.

Ultimately, when we don’t really have a clue what we’re doing, we need that guidance and support from family.

The following photos and clips show what makes family so important, and why we should always cherish them, no matter what we go through in life. These precious moments are a testament to our shared experiences and love. If you ever find a special photo that has a watermark, don’t worry! You can easily use tools to remove watermark ai technology, allowing you to preserve and share your cherished memories without any distractions. If you have old family photos that you would like to have digital copies of, you may get in touch with companies like https://everpresent.com/photos-to-digital/.

Here are 15 photos that show why family is the best thing ever:

1. No matter how many years apart family is, they always come together.

100 years apart. My grandfather on his 103rd birthday with my 3 year old daughter. Picture is priceless to me.
byu/Howells2202 inaww

2. This is some of the best news you can receive. Never take time with your family for granted.

My mother just got confirmation from her doctor… CANCER FREE!
byu/perfectdrivermusic inpics

3. You can just see this mom brimming with pride when her daughter won an award for academic excellence.

The amount of pride
byu/gabrieln_j inpics

4. This awesome dad brought some holiday cheer to his community much to the surprise of his loved ones!

My dad was Santa at our local Petsmart, was not expecting this
by infunny

5. This mom cooked a Thanksgiving dinner all by herself. What an awesome woman!

My family's Thanksgiving Hero. Cooking by herself non-stop all day. Thanks, Mom.
byu/Jicaar inpics

6. Five generations of beautiful women in one picture. What a beautiful family!

Five generations of women in a family.
byu/hootersbutwithcats ininterestingasfuck

7. What an original and thoughtful Mother’s Day gift!

I know this is mostly for cute animals but this mini bouquet I made for my mom on Mother’s Day. I don’t know what they are, found them in my yard. I do construction and never made a bouquet.
by inaww

8. This is so adorable! Do you and your family look at Christmas lights around the holidays?

No one has ever been as excited as my daughter seeing Christmas lights for the first time
byu/maceymcr95 inaww

9. This photo of a grandpa and grandson is cute beyond words.

My dad holding his first grandson
by inpics

10. We couldn’t possibly write an article about family without including guinea pigs!

Such a cute family picture 🙂
byu/Phantom_Kitten1768 inguineapigs

11. How about this cute family picture of dogs though?!

Family picture
by inaww

12. What a beautiful family!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FASHIONISTAA01 ™? (@fashionistaa01) on Feb 3, 2019 at 11:36am PST

13. Holding your baby’s hand for the first time is the moment that changes everything.

Became a dad today

14. Not too shabby for this dad’s first Thanksgiving dinner, wouldn’t you say?

My ex wife took my son when he was 3. He’s 8 now. I drove 1200 miles to see him for Thanksgiving and made this. It’s sparse, but I feel more like a dad than I have in years. He said it’s not bad for my first time.

15. When your dad is in the military, you learn to value family even more.

Little girl realizes the video call from her Dad who was deployed in Nepal is actually coming from inside the house.

We hope these photos showed why family is the best thing ever because it really is. There’s no one like your family who can cheer you up when you’re down, be there for you at your darkest hour, and give you hugs that seem to melt all your problems away.

Please share this with your own family if you enjoyed it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swrvh0TowUw

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

5 Diet Foods That Actually Make You Gain Weight

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Do you know what “health foods” are actually healthy? Can you distinguish between the diet foods that make you gain weight and those that help you to lose weight?

If your strategy in this regard mainly involves searching for foods that advertise their healthy nature on the box, T.V., or somewhere else, it may be time to reconsider. We’ll provide some tips on this later on.

Many so-called “diet” foods are not healthy at all. Many producers of these “diet” products have one goal – and one goal only – in mind: handing your hard-earned cash over to their shareholders.

In other words, don’t assume that the food industry (or any other industry, for that matter) has your best interests at heart. Plenty of so-called “diet” foods will render one’s weight loss efforts worthless in this respect and actually make you gain weight.

In this article, we’re going to talk about the devious nature of the food industry. While our main topic revolves around sham diet foods, we’ll also discuss – at length – why you should take what you put into your mouth entirely into your own hands.

Exhibit A: The “Low Fat” Scam

“After 1980, the low-fat approach [to dieting] became an overarching ideology, promoted by physicians, the federal government, the food industry, and the popular health media. Many Americans subscribed to the ideology of low fat, even though there was no clear evidence that it prevented heart disease or promoted weight loss.” – Ann F. La Berge, “How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America” (Source)

The food industry can’t be trusted. By the “food industry,” we mean the manufacturers, marketers, supposed food science “experts,” and even the government officials who shape public health policies. These people get paid millions – probably billions – bombarding us with T.V. advertisements espousing the benefits of low-fat diets.

“Don’t worry about sugar.”
“Fat makes you fat.”
“Stay away from the butter and oil.”
“Bread makes you full.”

If you were around the in the early to late ’90s, then you know all too well about the food industry’s omnipresent “low-fat” marketing and public service campaigns. It was B.S. All of it. Worse yet, people in high places knew that it was all a charade.

The Low-Fat Scam Goes Way Back

While the marketing of low-fat diets (based on faux science) reached a crescendo in the ’90s, the genesis of the story that is low-fat dieting actually goes all the way back to the 1960s. According to an article by Oxford University and published in the Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences:

‘By the 1960s, the low-fat diet began to be touted not just for high-risk heart disease [the initial aim], but as good for the whole nation.”

Food scientists responsible for helping to safeguard the health of the American public were paid to do the industry’s bidding. Government officials ignored evidence, as did physicians. Amid it all, the media – from the daily press to the toilet paper tabloids all too eager to publish “Do this and lose weight!” content for a quick buck.

Congressmen, senators, and others who shape health policy seemingly didn’t want to ruffle the feathers of the multi-billion dollar industry. After all, politicians have received roughly $100 million from the food industry over the last seven presidential elections alone.

Around the same time, we could supposedly eat about as much low-fat cakes, cookies, and ice cream as we wanted. Companies like SnackWells – producing low-fat snacks like cookies and crackers – raked in millions of dollars in profit. In the interim, the sugar industry decided it’d be a good idea to falsify their research and mislead the public. But doing so, they could continue to take in the cash as the low-fat craze peaked in the mid-90s.

The point is twofold: (1) Never (ever) rely on the good faith of the food industry. They don’t care about you. (2) Take your health into your own hands – and keep it there.

5 Diet Foods That Make You Gain Weight

“Diet foods, such as those labeled “low-fat,” “low-calorie,” or “fat-free,” are specifically marketed to people looking to shed excess weight.” – Jillian Kubala, MS, RD (source)

Now that we’ve thoroughly crushed the wretched food industry, let’s turn our attention to the article’s main focus. Here are five so-called “diet” foods that actually make you gain weight and a recommendation for what to eat (or drink) instead!

1. Diet Soda

While not technically a food, diet soda is perhaps this list’s most significant health mistake. The research is quite clear: diet soda drinkers are usually not healthier than the rest of the population. In fact, many studies find the exact opposite to be the case.

In a 2017 meta-analysis (an examination of data from multiple studies) of 30 independent studies and seven random control trials (RCTs) published in the journal Canadian Medical Association, researchers came to the following conclusions about artificial sweeteners (such as those included in diet soda):

(1) Evidence from RCTs does not support the benefits for “nonnutritive sweeteners” for weight management.”

(2) Frequent consumption of artificial sweeteners is linked to higher body mass index (BMI) and larger waist circumference.

(3) Routine use of nonnutritive sweeteners is linked to a higher risk of cardiometabolic disease. Cardiometabolic disease or cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) is a set of metabolic dysfunctions that include: central adiposity (a combination of subcutaneous and visceral fat in the lower torso), dyslipidemia (an imbalance of fats in the blood), hypertension, and impaired glucose tolerance.

Try this: Go with a fresh fruit smoothie or keep things simple and healthy with a tall glass of water.

2. Low-Fat Yogurt

In yet another arrow in the long-dead corpse that is low-fat dieting, low-fat yogurt – a favorite among many dieters – may actually be less healthy than full-fat yogurt. The same applies to other low-fat dairy products as well, including milk and cheese.

Why is low-fat yogurt unhealthy? Much of the blame is the tons of added sugar that go into the products. For example, just one cup of Yoplait low-fat vanilla yogurt contains nearly 30 grams of sugar – more than you’ll find in eight ounces of Coca-Cola.

In a massive 11-year study of over 18,000 healthy women published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists found that consumption of high-fat dairy products was linked with weight gain prevention or weight loss in middle-aged and elderly women. However, women who ate more low-fat dairy products had a greater risk of becoming overweight or obese.

Try this: Greek-style yogurt with fresh cut fruit.

3. Low-Calorie Breakfast Cereal

As is the case with low-fat yogurts, low-calorie breakfast cereals are loaded with added sugars. This shameless inundation of sugar ultimately renders any potential health benefit mute. Refined sugars are linked not only to weight gain, but several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.

Unsurprisingly, cereal manufacturers are among the most egregious offenders regarding the deliberate misleading of consumers. For instance, marketers of these products often include things like “Low-fat!” and “Whole grains!” in the too-often-successful attempt to bamboozle health-conscious consumers. Often, the top two items under the ingredients section of the label read as follows: “refined grains; sugar.”

In one particularly infuriating case, Kellogg’s advertised that their Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal could enhance children’s cognitive function, attention, and memory. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) disagreed, forcing the company to pay a multi-million-dollar class action lawsuit.

Try this: A bowl of shredded whole wheat with fresh fruit or a bowl of oats with the same.

4. Low-Fat Frozen Dinners

With few exceptions, frozen meals are among the worst things one can put into his or her body. They’re loaded with sodium, saturated fats, and calories. They lack many minerals and vitamins. Frozen meals are also heavily processed and stripped of nutrition of increase shelf life.

But what about low-fat frozen dinners? Again, you’ll find no benefit to eating low fat if the product has high sodium, refined carbohydrates, and additives or preservatives. This happens to be the case for the vast majority of frozen meals.

Try this: If you still prefer frozen meals, look for Amy’s Kitchen brand, a favorite of some nutritionists and dietitians.

5. Energy Bars/ Protein Bars

Energy bars and protein bars are a common meal replacement or grab-and-go food because of their convenience and advertised nutrition. While some of these bars are indeed healthy, it is important to read the labels. Some of these products are loaded with extra sugar and calories.

Some people make a big mistake by snacking on energy or protein bars while sitting at a desk for eight hours. Many manufacturers design these products as either a meal replacement or a supplement to working out, hence their calorie density. Snacking on something that’s meant to replace a multi-course meal is never a good idea.

Try this: When looking for a healthy energy/protein bar brand, look no further than Larabar. Larabar products contain no added sugars and even make some organic superfood bars!

5 Simple Ways To Relieve Back Pain At Home

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Back pain can rear up at any time. It’s more common to experience pain in your lower back, but your upper back is susceptible to injury too. Whether you’ve overdone an activity, aggravated a previous injury, or it’s a new one, finding relief fast and getting back to your day is a priority.

Understanding Your Back

The body is a complex set of moving parts. To understand how easy it can be to injure your back, you must take a look at how your body works on your best days.

Your vertebrae, discs, and hinged joints simplify movement along your spine. In addition, you’ll find muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These add support and create tension inside your body. You also have your pain sensors intertwined in a delicate network.

All it takes is one accident (such as sleeping in an awkward position, working too hard, or any number of underlying conditions) to cause pain in your back. Managing your pain once it occurs isn’t as simple. Sure, articles talking about prevention are a dime a dozen, and they can be worth reading and following. However, prevention won’t help you when you’re seeking back pain treatment and remedies.

What Causes Back Pain?

Oftentimes you won’t know the exact cause of your back pain. You can narrow down your activities and might discover the moment you first felt the ache or sharpness. If you have a preexisting condition that intensifies your pain, you could place the blame there. However, most of us simply don’t know unless we’ve injured ourselves.

Common Causes

• Injury to muscles, disks, or bones
• Overexertion
• Fractures
• Arthritis
• Poor posture
• Repetitive lifting, bending, or squatting
• Chronic coughing, such as smoker’s cough
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Illness, such as the flu
• Obesity
• Kidney and urinary tract infections
• Depression

Types of Back Pain

• Acute—lasts less than 6 weeks
• Chronic—lasts more than 6 weeks and frequently returns
• Lower back—occurs in your lumbar region of your spine
• Upper back—occurs in the thoracic and/or cervical region of your spine

When to See Your Doctor

You can ease your aches and pains at home. Sometimes other symptoms can present with your pain that will require medical attention. Your pain could also be due to an undiagnosed underlying condition.

Call Your Doctor if You Experience:

• Fever
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Difficulty peeing or passing stool
• Pain that radiates downward to your legs
• HIV positive
• History of tumors
• Pain that lasts over 2 weeks
• Leg weakness that onsets with your pain
• Worsening pain when you place pressure on your back
• Unexplained rapid weight loss immediately preceding your pain

According to the National Institute of Health, the following can be major factors:

• Previous injury
• Disease
• Hereditary conditions
• Age
• Lifestyle
• Job
• Weight
• Lack of physical activity

5 Simple Home Remedies to Relieve Your Back Pain

Pain threshold varies among individuals. These remedies are for mild to moderate pain. If any of the below remedies increase your pain, stop and contact your doctor.

1. Chakravakasana (Cat-Cow) Yoga Pose

Bed rest might seem like a good idea when you’re in pain, but multiple studies and doctors now recommend you move your body instead. Yoga offers a low-impact workout that builds strength, burns calories, clears the mind, and more. It’s also excellent for relieving stiff, sore lower backs.

Research also supports that people who practice yoga for pain relief receive equal benefits of those who underwent physical therapy for their back pain treatment.

Cat-Cow focuses on gently flexing and stretching your back. With my doctor’s permission, I used this pose sequence during each of my three pregnancies to alleviate my pain naturally with great success.

This sequence also stretches your core, shoulders, and your neck.

You won’t need any fancy equipment or a mat. I would often perform this sequence on my floor, in bed, and I even did Cat-Cow outside in the grass and once in a store dressing room.

How to Perform Cat-Cow

Get into position:
• Lower yourself to the ground on all fours.
• Make sure your wrists are underneath your shoulders. Knees should align with your hips.
• Ensure you evenly balance your weight among your four limbs.
• Your neck should hang loose and be relaxed.

Directions:
1. Inhale as you look up. Your focus should be straight ahead.
2. Allow your stomach to gravitate toward the floor.
3. Exhale, tucking your chin toward your chest. Draw your belly to your spine, and arch your back like a frightened cat.
4. Repeat the sequence no more than a minute or two before resting. Remember to breathe with your movements.

Other Poses to Treat and Strengthen Your Back:

• Downward Facing Dog
• Sphinx Pose
• Cobra Pose
• Locust Pose
• Bridge Pose
• Child’s Pose

2. Alternating Hot and Cold Therapy

This back pain treatment is simple and effective at relieving many aches and pains. Heat relaxes your muscles. It might improve blood flow and reduce spasms. Ice reduces swelling and inflammation. It can also numb deeply seated pain.

Sources for heat vary, but a hot water bottle, heating pad, or a shower/bath are common. If you’re pregnant, consult with your doctor before take a hot bath. Prolonged exposure to high heat, such as in a 100-degree hot tub, has been linked to birth defects.

Ice therapy is nothing more than an old-fashioned ice pack or a bag filled with ice. Be sure to wrap a towel around it to protect your skin.

3. DIY All Natural Muscle Rub

Making your own muscle rub offers more than a back pain treatment. It stores well, and you can use it on other areas of your body too. If you’re actively using essential oils, you likely have the ingredients on hand too.

We’re providing a base recipe, but you can use your favorite anti-inflammatory essential oils or create a custom blend that suits your needs. Feel free to experiment with the added herbs too.

Easy Muscle Rub Base

Ingredients:
• ½ c organic coconut oil
• ¼ c beeswax or candelilla wax (or favorite vegan alternative), grated
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. ginger powder
• 15 drops lavender essential oil
• 15 drops chamomile essential oil
• Heatproof glass container

Directions:
1. Pour two inches of water into a small saucepan. Place over a medium flame.
2. Combine oil, wax, and herbs in your heatproof container. Place inside the water bath.
3. Stir until ingredients melt and to combine.
4. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
5. Add essential oils.
6. Pour into small tins or containers and allow to cool completely.
7. A solid salve should be your final product.

To use your homemade salve, simply rub or massage a small amount wherever you have pain. Be careful to always wash your hands after using and avoid your eyes. The cayenne pepper can burn.

4. Get Proper Sleep

Lack of quality sleep can cause pain in your back (and be a royal pain in the neck!). It can also make existing soreness worse. When you receive restorative sleep, your body heals.

Is Your Mattress a Solution or an Underlying Problem?

Unbelievably, your mattress can cause back injury and pain. An old, sagging mattress without support is generally the culprit. If a new mattress isn’t in your budget, you can slid inexpensive plywood between it and the box spring. This will add temporary support until you can afford a new mattress.

Other options to try are sleeping on your side with a pillow wedged between your knees. Doing this removes pressure off your lower back and straightens your spine.

5. Relax and Relieve Pain with Aromatherapy

Pain causes us to tense our bodies, which creates stress and anxiety. Both can make pain feel worse than it actually is. By keeping stress levels low through aromatherapy, we can engage our senses and potentially reduce our reaction to pain receptors.

Think it sounds too good to be true? Science backs aromatherapy as a viable treatment for chronic pain.

Anti-inflammatory Essential Oils:

• Green apple essential oil
• Lavender essential oil
• Chamomile essential oil
• Eucalyptus essential oil
• Rosemary essential oil
• Thyme essential oil
• Sandalwood essential oil
• Juniper essential oil
• Wintergreen essential oil

Alternatively, you can use these same essential oils and make massage oil or a salve to apply to your affected area. This allows the anti-inflammatory properties to absorb into your skin. Be sure to use a carrier oil, and perform an allergy test if you haven’t used an oil before.

Basic Massage Oil Recipe

Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon carrier oil
• 4 drops essential oil

Directions:
1. Mix in your palm or a small bottle.
2. Shake gently.
3. Apply as needed.

Final Thoughts on Back Pain

You can’t prevent all forms of back pain, but you might find relief at home with many tried and true remedies. Some studies suggest that these treatments are as effective as conventional treatments. What you gain is little risk, which you’ll find increases with OTC and prescription medications.

Prevention can go a long way in protecting your spine and muscles. Make small changes and concentrate on the root cause of your pain. If you have arthritis, look to make changes that strengthen your joints and bones. Maybe you’re carrying extra weight. Consider adopting a new lifestyle and reduce your weight in a healthy, sustainable manner.

31 Happiness Quotes From Buddha That Will Change Your Life

July 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

As one of the greatest minds of our time, Buddha is viewed by many as the embodiment of true wisdom, joy, and positivity. In Buddha’s teachings, we learn to be happy in life despite whatever suffering we experience.

Buddha Shares 31 Happiness Quote That Will Change Your Life

While life won’t always be filled with happy moments, we can find a way to see the positive through it all. Read on for 31 of our favorite happiness quotes inspired by Buddha.

1. Don’t focus on the past, do not daydream about the future; think about the present moment.

It can be hard to let go of our past failures, but in doing so we will be able to focus entirely on the present. The same is true for the future—while we should set our goals for a better future, we must center all our energy on today.

2. Your mind is everything. Protect your mind and your thoughts—what you think about, you will become.

Many of us go through the day letting our thoughts go unchecked. While it’s important to let our minds wander at times, we also must exercise intentionality in what we choose to think about.

3. Joy is the companion of a pure mind. Focus on pure thoughts and happiness will find you.

This happiness quote inspires us to clear our minds. When our thoughts are pure, happiness and joy aren’t far behind.

4. Only you can save you—no one else.

When we go through difficult times in life, it is natural to search for someone to give us a way out. The truth is that whatever we go through, only we can save ourselves. We have to be strong enough to keep going.

5. In life, your greatest mistakes are not starting and not following through.

This happiness quote shows us that our mistakes are just lessons to learn in life. The only real mistakes are choosing to quit or not starting in the first place.

6. An undisciplined mind leads to confusion. If we can train our minds, our thoughts will become obedient to us.

Our minds naturally want to wander—we have to discipline ourselves to change the way we think.

7. In life, we must be virtuous, wise, and of right mind. The purer we live, the more we enjoy life.

We are all born with a purpose. This happiness quote reminds us what really matters in life.

8. Many of us spend a lifetime searching for something. Stop looking long enough to realize that what you are searching for is already within you.

Many of us are searching for direction in life without realizing that we have the answer within ourselves. This happiness quote shows us that we have the ability to create our own destiny and we must trust and follow our inner desires to reach our destination.

9. Peace is found on the inside; it cannot come from an outside source.

Oftentimes, society will encourage us to do more, buy more, or be more to find happiness. This happiness quote teaches that true peace can only be found within.

10. Doing something good for another person will also have a positive impact on you.

The power of goodness is that it acts as a beacon of light for all that are exposed to it. When we do something good for someone else, we are shining that same light of positivity on ourselves.

11. Few people in life have the maturity to truly be a companion to you. Instead of searching for a partner in the wrong person, choose to walk through these moments alone.

We all long for companionship in life, but oftentimes, our greatest adventures and challenges must be experienced alone.

12. Compassion is the world’s greatest strength.

This happiness quote teaches us the truth to inner strength: we must be compassionate to others.

13. Happiness cannot be discovered. It is always there—we must learn how to see it.

We can’t FIND happiness. Happiness is the path we walk along in this journey of life.

14. Our anger is a punishment we give to ourselves.

Many people choose to become angry and remain that way without realizing that it is this very emotion that is destroying them. If happiness is your goal, you cannot let anger overtake your mind.

15. To truly live and exist in power, we must live without fear.

Fear can be our greatest setback or it can be a lesson in the secret to success: when we move beyond our fear, we are able to accomplish whatever we set our minds to.

16. Pain is a guarantee in life, but suffering is a choice.

In life, we are guaranteed to experience painful moments. However, we don’t have to linger in that pain.

We can move on from the suffering by letting go of these painful feelings.

17. We can use a single candle to light other candles. Sharing this flame doesn’t decrease the light of the other candle. Such is the case with happiness.

Joy and happiness are meant to be shared. When we invite others to experience these happy moments with us, we are increasing this joy within others.

18. When we transform our minds and purify our thoughts, we are cleansing our lives of wrongdoing as well.

Though transforming the mind is a lifelong process, the more we align our minds with pure and positive things, the less negativity will remain.

19. Don’t try to control anyone else—you should only seek to control yourself.

We should never aim to be in control of someone else’s thoughts, emotions, or actions. We must strive to gain control of ourselves.

20. If you are seeking Enlightenment, you must first control your mind.

The more we can control our minds, the closer we will get to Enlightenment. At that point, wisdom will be second nature to us.

21. Leading a wise life allows one to spend every moment intentionally. Leading such a life leaves no man or woman afraid of anything—even death.

We all die. Though we all have various beliefs regarding what happens after death, those of us that live our lives intentionally have nothing to fear—we will know our time on earth was spent wisely.

22. These three things will always come out: the moon, the sun, and the truth.

Just like the moon and the sun, the truth will always find a way to shine through. If you truly take this happiness quote to heart, you must make a commitment to always telling the truth.

23. Our lives are made of little moments. One perfect moment will change a day, another perfect day will change a life. One life may change the world.

Never underestimate the power of one day. Each day has its own potential and may be the day that changes your life forever.

24. The words we speak matter. We influence others to do evil or good based on our words alone.

We must remember to choose our words carefully. Even if we have no ill intentions in mind, others will always interpret our words in one way or another.

25. Hate is not snuffed out by more hate. To bring light to the dark, you have to shine something bright.

We can’t stop hate with hate. Only love can bring about positive change in our lives and the lives of others.

26. Each new morning is an opportunity to start fresh.

Each day, we have the opportunity to begin again. Whatever may have happened yesterday is in the past—today is what matters.

Discover the wisdom of Buddha.

27. We all are connected and have some influence over each other. Nothing exists in a vacuum.

This quote reminds us that no matter how alone we may feel at times, we are never truly alone in life.

28. Evil is always a choice. We are never lured to evil by anyone other than ourselves.

At times, we can be our own worst enemy. Though we may believe another person is to blame for our lack of happiness in life, the truth is that we are in control of our feelings and thoughts.

29. Our thoughts are powerful. Negative thinking can hurt us more than we know.

Buddha was a champion for positive thinking. The more we think about something, the more it affects us. With negative thinking, we invite negativity into our lives.

30. A foolish friend is no friend at all. It’s better to be alone than to befriend a fool.

Going through life alone can seem scary. Though you won’t be alone forever, taking the time to be by yourself is better than finding companionship with individuals that have negative qualities.

31. The words we say and the opinions we have don’t matter nearly as much as the actions we take.

We can say all the good things in the world, but if we only speak without taking action, our words will be nothing more than that.

Final Thoughts on Buddha’s Happiness Quotes

Buddha knew a thing or two about focusing on positive thoughts and retraining the mind. If you’ve been searching for happiness, the Buddha’s teaching can help you on your journey.

Keep each happiness quote in mind as you work to cleanse your mind and life of negativity. In your quest for happiness, remember that it’s about finding joy in the journey, not the destination.

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

A Perfect Guide To Apologize With All Your Heart

KNOWING WHEN TO APOLOGIZE

KNOWING WHEN TO EXPRESS REGRET

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

RIGHTING YOUR WRONGS

WHY HEALTHY BOUNDARIES ARE IMPORTANT

MINIMIZING CONFLICT

PROMOTING CLOSENESS

Signs You Should Establish Boundaries:

SHOULD YOU APOLOGIZE WHEN SOMEONE IS BEING DIFFICULT?

STAY NEUTRAL

KNOW WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH

UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP

FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW TO APOLOGIZE

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!