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Researchers Reveal How Vaping Causes Brain and Lung Damage

June 26, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Vaping has only grown in popularity over the years. You’ll rarely be able to go anywhere without seeing someone puffing away at their little vape device. It is regularly touted as a “safe” and “healthy” form of smoking.

But surely inhaling all that smoke can’t be good for you, right? As it turns out, science definitely thinks so, and vaping may not be as safe as many people seem to believe. In fact, it can have somewhat severe long-term effects on your health!

Researchers Reveal How Vaping Causes Brain And Lung Damage

1. What Is Vaping?

Vaping is the act of “smoking” through the use of e-cigarettes. They typically consist of a kind of liquid known as e-liquid, which is used to create the flavor of the cigarette. These cartridges of liquid can then be refilled or disposed of and replaced, depending on the type.

E-cigarettes are powered through the use of a rechargeable battery which, when turned on, activates a heating system within the product that turns the liquid inside it into vapor. A user will then inhale that “smoke” through a mouthpiece at the top.

E-cigarettes come in countless different forms. Some mimic the look of the tobacco products they are based on, like cigars and cigarettes. Others look less conspicuous, appearing as pens or even thumb drives. They go by many other names, including:

E-cigs
E-juices
ANDS (alternative nicotine delivery systems)
Vape pens
Vapes
ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery systems)
Vaporizers
Mods
Tank systems
E-hookahs
Juuls (after JUUL, a popular e-cigarette brand)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially classifies e-cigarettes as tobacco products. However, it should be noted that there is no tobacco content within any vape system – hence its attractiveness to the population.

Popularity of Vaping

In fact, vaping has gained millions of fans globally since its inception back in the year 2004, where it first popped up in China. Now, years later, countless people are using them – around 3.2% of American adults in the year 2016.

It seems like a small number, but vapes are also increasingly popular among teenagers and high school students. In fact, between the years 2011 and 2015, the usage of juuls among students in high school skyrocketed by 900%. The number of youths – who go to middle or high school – who have tried vape pens numbered two million in the year 2016 alone.

While many adults vape in order to overcome dangerous smoking addictions, many of the younger adults up to the age of 24 have never smoked before trying out an e-cigarette – around 40% of them, to be exact.

The act of vaping not to aid addiction recovery but just for the sake of it is becoming increasingly worrisome as science reveals negative links between health and vaping.

2. Understanding E-Liquid Vapor and Its Dangers

When you think of the word “vapor,” it’s easy to brush it off, as it sounds like water. But this is far from the case – and it is this vapor that “smokers” are inhaling whenever they use an e-cigarette.

Here are some of the components found within e-liquid that are less than positive for the body: (1)

· Nicotine

You may know nicotine as the substance found in cigarettes that makes them addictive. The content may be a little lower, but it is still easy to get hooked. This means that vaping can be just as addictive as smoking – and nicotine is especially harmful to the mental development of teenagers.

While this allows vapes to be great for those looking for a safer alternative to their smoking addiction, it also means that people who have never smoked before can wind up addicted to vaping. So if you’ve never smoked but are curious about vapes, this is your warning not to start.

In addition to that, if you’re looking to stop smoking through the use of vapes, there is a much lower chance of you kicking the smoking habit altogether. Those who have never smoked cigarettes before are also more likely to start if they begin vaping.

· Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, known also as VOCs, are responsible for a lot of health issues. They irritate your nose, eyes, and throat, and they put you at risk of nervous system damage. It can also lead to kidney disease, liver disease, and side effects like nausea and headaches.

· Glycol or Glycerin

In order for the vapor to appear very smog-like and thick, special chemicals have to be added to e-liquid. (Just compare the drama of a vape pen’s fog to the much thinner smoke that comes out of a cigarette.)

To create this effect, e-liquid contains either vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol – or, in some cases, both! These components can both cause irritation to your airways, including your lungs, leading to coughing and possible infection.

· Benzoic Acid

This preservative is often found in certain e-cig brands, including the famous JUUL brand. Benzoic acid may work well in preserving a product, but it also has links to a variety of problematic health issues, such as hyperactivity and asthma. You may also wind up with skin and eye irritation, nausea and vomiting, throat problems, and abdominal pain.

· Formaldehyde

Most people already know how dangerous inhaling formaldehyde can be. It isn’t in e-liquids, to begin with, but when a vape pen becomes overheated, it can release this substance.

This can also happen when insufficient e-liquid remains, causing a “dry puff.” Formaldehyde is known to increase the risk of cancer.

· Heavy Metals

According to a recent study, heavy metals were found in certain vapors from e-liquids in toxic amounts. Although not a majority, this indicates there is a good chance that you will come into contact with e-juice that contains too many heavy metals if you are a heavy vaper.

Heavy metals in toxic amounts are linked to liver disease and also to lung cancer, with both issues arising when you inhale them.

· Flavors

Lots of juuls contain interesting flavors that make them more palatable to users. This is what makes them so popular, especially among the younger crowd. Unfortunately, these flavor chemicals are not regulated, and some can be significantly toxic.

One such flavor is the type that contains diacetyl, which has been proven to be linked to bronchiolitis obliterans – a type of lung disease. Diacetyl is most commonly found in popcorn and butter-flavored juuls.

There are also other flavors that are dangerous, so don’t just avoid popcorn tastes while looking to the others with positive thinking! Fruit-flavored e-cigarettes tend to have high acrylonitrile content. Acrylonitrile is a known carcinogen. (2)

Cinnamon flavored products are also dangerous thanks to their cinnamaldehyde content. The same goes for honey flavors, known as pentanedione, and vanilla flavors, known as O-vanillin. All of these flavoring chemicals can negatively affect white blood cells.

But that’s not all. Menthol, strawberry, and coffee juuls are also bad for you because they are significantly dangerous to the cells of your lungs, according to research.

There is a possibility that, in the future, the FDA will begin to regulate the types of chemicals used in e-cigarettes. For now, though, there is nothing preventing manufacturers from using chemicals that can be harmful in the long term – and many do not disclose the full list of chemicals that they use.

3. The Flip Side

To some degree, these findings have been taken out of context and used to spread frightening misinformation. It is crucial that these misunderstandings are cleared up in order to avoid the further spread of incorrect, non-scientifically proven facts.

A lot of the information currently spreading involves lung cancer, but studies have explicitly discovered that vaping doesn’t actually lead to increased lung cancer risk. In fact, most vapers use it as a method to help them quit smoking – a method that has had positive effects and been effective for many.

In addition, the most famously cited study that links cancer to vaping tested primarily on mice, and they used an extremely high concentration of the e-liquid components – a concentration that you would never encounter if you are actually vaping.

With that being said, this isn’t to say that vaping cannot cause cancer at all. It is a relatively new phenomenon, after all, and it is impossible to see its effects until the young population using it ages. As such, only time will tell how dangerous vaping can be.

Vaping as an alternative to smoking

Clearly, vaping isn’t exactly a healthy habit due to all the chemicals it holds. It can definitely cause damage to non-smokers who take up the habit. However, it has proven a good option for smokers looking to kick their tobacco habit. This is because:

Juuls and e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, which is what causes cancer.
Studies indicate vaping helps smokers to quit smoking tobacco.
There is a reasonable amount of nicotine within juuls that helps smokers fulfill cravings in a more healthy manner.
Evidence suggests that secondhand vaping – or inhaling the “smoke” from someone’s juul or e-cigarette – is not dangerous.

Once again, we’d like to emphasize that this information applies specifically to those who are already smoking cigarettes. If you have never smoked before, vaping increases your risk of disease because of the addictive nicotine and the extra chemicals. However, this risk is low compared to real cigarettes.

Final Thoughts On How Vaping Can Cause Brain And Lung Damage

Is vaping dangerous? Current research isn’t enough to tell us for certain, but we do know one thing – it is less dangerous than cigarettes. Unfortunately, that isn’t a very uplifting idea, to begin with.

Due to the beginnings of research surrounding juuls in all their forms, we are beginning to see that there is harm that may come from regularly vaping, especially if you have never smoked before. The chemicals contained within many e-liquid brands are definitely no joke, and many are noticeably toxic.

Is there a chance that vaping products will be FDA-regulated in the future, allowing for “safer” vapes? Possibly. But until then, if you’re not a smoker, it’s best to steer clear of this hip new trend. It may be a lesser evil as far as vices go, but it is still a vice, and a vape addiction is an addiction nonetheless – no matter how much you spin it with positive thinking.

Science Explains How to Learn Anything Faster

June 26, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Continuous learning is a profitable endeavor in today’s society. Yet, for many of us, the notion of taking time out of an already busy day to fill our mind with more information seems crazy – and darn near impossible.

Much of this thinking stems from the “old” way of learning. The old way being repetition, repetition, and more repetition. There is, indeed, a “newer” way of learning.

Learning how to learn, if you will.

Not to say that repetition is useless. Far, far from it. The axiom, “Repetition is the mother of all learning,” exists for a good reason. The issue is that the repetitive cramming of information is, to put it lightly, not the ideal way to learn anything. (And is usually the result of procrastination, which only adds to the stress of taking in new information and finding it difficult to retain that info.)

There are better ways to learn. We say ways because there are multiple learning methods that, which properly and regularly implemented, produce better results. In this article, we’re going to focus on two of these methods as well as provide some tips for learning anything faster according to science.

Why Learn New Skills?

“If they don’t reform their education system, countries will create a time bomb.” – Alain Dehaze, CEO of Adecco Group (source)

We live in a society and economy that is quickly becoming automated. More data and information are being produced today than at any other time in history. In a May 2018 Forbes article, the author writes, “There are 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created each day.” He continues, “Over the last two years alone 90 percent of the data in the world was generated.”

Read that again if you must. Keep in mind that the article was written a year and a half ago.

Most countries are now in the early phases of the “knowledge economy.” In this economy, the intellectual capital one possesses will determine their monetary value and, ultimately, their future. In other words, the phrase “knowledge is power” is far more applicable today than even a couple of years ago.

Per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), knowledge-based capital includes “a broad range of intangible assets, like research, data, software and design skills, which capture or express human ingenuity.” Alan Wyckoff, the Director for Science, Technology and Industry at OECD, writes, “The creation and application of knowledge is … critical to the ability of firms and organizations to develop in a competitive global economy and to create high-wage employment.”

How to Learn Any Skill Faster

Tip #1: Think of “Skill-Gaining” As a Set of Dominoes

While a good-sized paycheck provides some security, one’s bank account is far from the only benefit of newly-acquired skills. Per a study by researchers at Cornell University, learning a new skill leaves a measurable impact on the brain’s learning capabilities.

Perhaps the most surprising outcome of the study is the radical transformation to the brain’s makeup brought about by learning a new skill. Astoundingly, these radical changes are not limited to areas of the brain associated with the specific skill. Instead, the 38-study meta-analysis finds that the brain’s executive functions – those involved in attention, effortful control, and planning – appear to operate more effectively.

More specifically, the brain reconfigures its cellular networks to speed up the rate at which the brain processes information. These alterations of the brain are so powerful that scientists are analyzing the study’s data for use in treating neurological conditions. Interventions being considered include those used to improve brain functioning in aging individuals, as well as in patients suffering from brain injury or disease.

What does this all this research mean for you? Two things: (1) learning a new skill may result in a drastically more efficient brain, and (2) once that new skill is acquired, adding more skills becomes much easier. Point number two actually serves the dual-role of a caveat to all of these benefits. One must be willing to embrace lifelong learning as a lifestyle to maintain this sharper mind. Moreover, all of these beneficial changes are kickstarted by deciding to learn a new skill and becoming more proficient.

Tip #2: Accelerate Learning By Taking Regular, Short Breaks

“Everyone thinks you need to ‘practice, practice, practice’ when learning something new. Instead, we found that resting, early and often, may be just as critical to learning as practice.” – Leonard G, Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. (source)

We’ve discussed this a bit already in the opening, but it bears repeating; trying to cram information into the brain is a bad idea. It’s stressful, inefficient, and not at all conducive to how to brain learns best.

Okay, so maybe you know this stuff already. But what you may not know is that resting may speed up learning faster than the learning itself! Yeah! Here it is again: resting – that is, not trying to learn anything – may speed up skill learning faster than the actual learning.

(Yes, you read that correctly.)

This astounding finding was discovered in a study by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and published in the journal Current Biology. Subjects in the study, wearing a capped brain scanner, were asked to type a series of numbers with the left hands for 10 seconds before being asked to take a 10-second break. The participants repeated the work and rest cycle another 35 times. The thought process for rest was simple: to reduce mental and physical fatigue. It turns out that the rest periods did something else:

“I noted that … (the) brain waves seemed to change much more during the rest periods than during the typing sessions,” says Dr. Marlene Bonstrup, a postdoctoral research fellow at NIH. This observation flies in the face of multiple years of research studies citing the rapid brain activity preceding rest – when the brainwaves presumably became less active.

What does this all mean? Two things:

Performance improves significantly following short periods of rest.

According to Dr. Bonstrup, short rest periods led to much higher measures of performance improvement than practice. This analysis underscores the critical role that rest plays when it comes to learning any new skill.

Short rest periods should be scheduled when learning anything new or performing important tasks.

Neuroscientists, performance experts, and others have been saying it for years; short periods of rest between extended work periods are essential for producing quality outputs.

Final Thoughts: Elon Musk’s Advice

As is apparent by now, lifelong learning is a profitable endeavor; however, it needn’t be too stressful or overwhelming. We’ve discussed how to learn any skill faster through two methods:

Optimizing and taking advantage of short breaks
Always keeping your mind engaged by learning something new

But there are certainly other ways to accelerate your learning and pick up new skills. There is perhaps nobody on the planet better qualified to answer discuss this than the polymath and serial entrepreneur, Elon Musk. In a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything), here’s what Musk had to say:

“I think most people can learn a lot more than they think they can. They sell themselves short without trying. It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree – make sure you understand the fundamental principles, i.e. the trunk and big branches, before … the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to.”

Words from a wise (to put it mildly) super-genius.

31 Best Inspirational Quotes That Will Make You Grateful

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Feeling a bit lazy? Lack of motivation to go about your daily tasks? If you’re in need of a bit of inspiration, we’ve got just the thing for you; Inspirational Quotes! When I’m feeling not up to the task of the day, I find reading inspirational quotes to be a great way to get myself in gear.

Inspirational quotes can come from anywhere really; A short story, a poem, novel, or just from our daily conversations. Some of the greatest inspirational quotes have come from literature, and we’ve sifted through hundreds to bring to you the best inspirational quotes to get yourself in gear!

Continue reading for some of the greatest inspirational quotes you’ll likely ever read:

31 Of the Best Inspirational Quotes Ever Written:

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LIFE

1. “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
–Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

2. “If you’re reading this…
Congratulations, you’re alive.
If that’s not something to smile about,
then I don’t know what is.”
–Chad Sugg, Monsters Under Your Head

3. “It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
–Vincent Van Gogh

4. “And still, after all this time,
The sun never says to the earth,
‘You owe me.’

Look what happens with
A love like that,
It lights the Whole Sky.”
–Hafiz

5. “You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.”
–Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

6. “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
–Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LOVING EACH OTHER

7. “If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”
–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

8. “I read once that the ancient Egyptians had fifty words for sand & the Eskimos had a hundred words for snow. I wish I had a thousand words for love, but all that comes to mind is the way you move against me while you sleep & there are no words for that.”
Brian Andreas, Story People: Selected Stories & Drawings of Brian Andreas

9. “The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected. Maybe they always have been and will be. Maybe we’ve lived a thousand lives before this one and in each of them we’ve found each other. And maybe each time, we’ve been forced apart for the same reasons. That means that this goodbye is both a goodbye for the past ten thousand years and a prelude to what will come.”
Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT PURPOSE:

10. “Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals.
If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.”
–Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

11. “Live the Life of Your Dreams: Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.”
–Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

12. “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”
–Jordan Belfort

13. “For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”
–Neil deGrasse Tyson

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LETTING GO OF REGRET

14. “Tomorrow will be better.”
“But what if it’s not?” I asked.
“Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better.”
Morgan Matson, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

15. “Do not let the memories of your past limit the potential of your future. There are no limits to what you can achieve on your journey through life, except in your mind.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

16. “Don’t let the expectations and opinions of other people affect your decisions. It’s your life, not theirs. Do what matters most to you; do what makes you feel alive and happy. Don’t let the expectations and ideas of others limit who you are. If you let others tell you who you are, you are living their reality — not yours. There is more to life than pleasing people. There’s much more to life than following others’ prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what you experience right now. You need to decide who you are for yourself. Become a whole being. Adventure.”
Roy T. Bennett

17. “I’ve been in love before, it’s like a narcotic. At first it brings the euphoria of complete surrender. The next day you want more. You’re not addicted yet, but you like the sensation, and you think you can still control things. You think about the person you love for two minutes then forget them for three hours. But then you get used to that person, and you begin to be completely dependent on them. Now you think about him for three hours and forget him for two minutes. If he’s not there, you feel like an addict who can’t get a fix. And just as addicts steal and humiliate themselves to get what they need, you’re willing to do anything for love.”- By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept”
Paulo Coelho

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE ABOUT SELF-WORTH

18. “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
Sharon Salzberg

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU

19. “Do stuff. be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. stay eager.”
Susan Sontag

20. “The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up some air in a spacious apartment, and warms that, instead of robbing himself, makes that his bed, in which he can move about divested of more cumbrous clothing, maintain a kind of summer in the midst of winter, and by means of windows even admit the light and with a lamp lengthen out the day.”
Henry David Thoreau

21. “There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask “What if I fall?”
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?”
Erin Hanson

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LIFE LESSONS

22. “Why do they always teach us that it’s easy and evil to do what we want and that we need discipline to restrain ourselves? It’s the hardest thing in the world–to do what we want. And it takes the greatest kind of courage. I mean, what we really want.”
Ayn Rand

23. “I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.”
Hermann Hesse, Demian. Die Geschichte von Emil Sinclairs Jugend

24. “The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty — it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”
Mother Teresa, A Simple Path: Mother Teresa

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT FINDING MEANING

25. “Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed Fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio.”
Hunter S. Thompson

26. “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

27. “Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT THE QUEST FOR HAPPINESS:

28. “Even if you cannot change all the people around you, you can change the people you choose to be around. Life is too short to waste your time on people who don’t respect, appreciate, and value you. Spend your life with people who make you smile, laugh, and feel loved.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

29. “Do not set aside your happiness. Do not wait to be happy in the future. The best time to be happy is always now.”
Roy T. Bennett

30. “Sometimes you have to lose all you have to find out who you truly are.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

31. “The more you feed your mind with positive thoughts, the more you can attract great things into your life.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

After reading through these 31 great inspirational quotes, you’ll likely have found plenty of motivation to get going with your day’s activities. Literary quotes, and especially inspirational quotes are imbued with great wisdom and can be used as an excellent tool to get things done when you’re just not feeling up to the task.

31 Self Care Tips For A Better You

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Self care is the mantra of the year, yet many self care tips floating around don’t have any science behind them. Others come across as so farfetched they can’t be right.

We want our self care tips to work for us. After all, we only have so many hours in the day, and self care often pushed to the bottom of our to-do lists. There’s no time to do things that don’t help our wellbeing.

Fortunately, we don’t have to waste time. This list of 21 science-backed self care tips will have you feeling the positive effects in no time flat. When you feel better, you’ll do better in life!

31 Self Care Tips

Tip 1 – Surround Yourself with Scents

Scents, in this case, can be natural or artificial. Practices like aromatherapy actually trigger different parts of the brain. Each scent has a different effect, so try out several.

Regular kitchen rosemary has the power to increase memory, for example. (1)

Tip 2 – Go Outdoors

Whether you prefer to go hike a mountain or sit in the garden, being outdoors is great for your health. Science shows that being outside actually helps your brain relax and increases your mental energy. (2)

Tip 3 – Dance Like No One is Watching

Who doesn’t love a good dance party? Now we know that dancing ourselves silly every day has health benefits beyond the obvious calorie count due to its requirement to interconnect various parts of the brain. (3)

Tip 4 – Declutter Your Spaces

No one likes clutter, but we often find ourselves putting off organizing. New research suggests that office, home, and digital clutter affect our inner peace. Office clutter can even prevent you from getting promoted, so pick a time to declutter.

Tip 5 – Explore Your Spirituality

As humans, there’s no one guiding spirituality principle. However, adding a little bit of what you believe in your everyday life does have health benefits, including reducing stress. It also helps you ground and connects you with the world. (5)

Tip 6 – Indulge Yourself

Getting a massage is one of the ultimate indulgences. Often it feels as though all the tensions rub away over the course of a session. It also improves muscle performance and blood flow.

Tip 7 – Cuddle It Out

Humans need physical contact on a chemical level. Our bodies produce a hormone called oxytocin, which counteracts stress. One of the best ways to get that contact is to cuddle. Cuddling benefits both the giver and the receiver in the hormonal release.

Tip 8 – Laugh Often (It’s great self care!)

We all know laughing puts us in a better mood. Did you know it also stimulates many responses inside our bodies? Indeed, each laugh stimulates your organs and circulatory system.

Tip 9 – Unplug Your Notifications

You wouldn’t think to leave home without your phone these days. However, being constantly reachable and bombarded with social media is not the healthiest habit. Instead, it’s time to turn off the notifications, especially if it’s causing mental health issues.

Tip 10 – Learn about Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a practice using electronic monitoring to teach someone how to control natural bodily functions. You practice bio-feedback when you breathe purposefully, however, the practice goes beyond that. Over time, biofeedback teaches us how to trigger certain automatic body reactions when we’re stressed.

Tip 11 – Cook Something

We all know there’s something rather therapeutic about vigorously chopping something into tiny pieces. There’s preliminary research that cooking helps confidence levels and mood as well. All those benefits while making something good for us?

Tip 12 – Meditate

We’ve heard about the benefits of meditation for years, but somehow the benefits are a little foggy. The big benefit is the inner peace many find with meditation. However, regular meditation may be useful for decreasing blood pressure as well.

Tip 13 – Catch More Zs

In the age of everything, we forget that our bodies need rest. While the minimum recommendation for sleep in adults is seven hours, many find that’s simply not enough. You can create good sleep just like you would any other habit, by sticking to a schedule.

Tip 14 – Supplement Away

Depending on the season, we lack certain vitamins. Many people come up with a vitamin D deficiency in the winter, and that affects their mood. By adding a supplement (or consciously choosing foods every day that contain it), people improved their cognitive performance and mood.

Tip 15 – Just Move

Any kind of movement will do for this one. Movement increases circulation and muscle use, which counteracts the negative side effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Many of us live sedentarily without realizing it on account of the work we do.

Tip 16 – Reconnect with Friends

We’ve all had spells where we felt alone in the world. However, these spells have a cure in reconnecting with our friends. Just talking to them boosts our self-confidence and relieves stress.

If you’re worried about upsetting your friends, start with a simple hi, how are you, and let the conversation go from there.

Tip 17 – Eat the Rainbow

Our mothers always told us to eat our vegetables. As it turns out, she was right. Eating all the colors in the rainbow in vegetables is good for us.

Each vegetable and fruit produces slightly different nutrients. However, we can group these nutrients into colors. If you eat the rainbow every week, your body gets the incredible array of nutrients it needs to function properly.

Tip 18 – Take Up a Hobby

Hobbies are things we do in our free time for fun. If a hobby is fun, it reduces our stress levels over time.

Tip 19 – Read More

There’s more to reading than gaining new knowledge. Reading has actually been shown to reduce stress levels and provide mental stimulation over time. It doesn’t even have to be a nonfiction book for you to benefit.

Tip 20 – Plan Something Fun

Even if it’s a day trip, planning something fun helps recharge our batteries. With each trip, we feel a little better. In between trips, remember to take coffee breaks if possible, that helps too on a small scale.

Tip 21 – Use All the Hot Water

Whether you’re a bath person or a shower person, warm water does wonders for how you feel. It loosens muscles, which in turn makes it more difficult to feel the tension.

Tip 22 – Revisit Nostalgia

In this case, nostalgia is all about revisiting simpler times. Whether it’s music or TV shows, old favorites take your mind back, and it reduces stress.

Tip 23 – Practice Positivity

Positive thinking affects your health in many ways. Even back in 1993, researchers have been looking into this as a method to increase resilience and treat illness. Try it by reframing negative circumstances as positive opportunities.

Tip 24 – Journal Regularly

Journaling as a practice helps us sort through our thoughts, feelings, and experiences. As a self care tool, that is invaluable for processing the world. Journaling also helps us release stress.

Tip 25 – Stretch Everything

Not only does stretching feel good, but it can also be preventative. Today’s jobs are mostly sitting and working for specific muscle groups. Adding a set of stretches to get everything moving helps keep your body going.

Tip 26 – Perform an Act of Kindness

Not only does paying it forward feel good, but it also helps you connect. People who perform random acts of kindness tend to find themselves happier and in a stronger support network than those who do not.

Tip 27 – Get It On

Sex is a possibility for both immediate and long-term stress relief, providing it is between consenting adults. As a pleasurable activity, it activates the reward centers in our brains. This, in turn, releases stress-fighting hormones.

Tip 28 – Take a Run

Runners high is a legitimate thing. When running, the long-term exercise creates a feedback loop in our brains, so the release of stress-reducing chemicals continues.

Tip 29 – Write Affirmations

Affirmations written for a few minutes a day can show a dramatic effect. Affirming intrinsic items works better than external things, so focus on internal areas of improvement over time.

Tip 30 – Disappear for a Weekend

When the stress gets to be too much, sometimes the best way to handle it is to unplug and go somewhere for a weekend. There are a lot of options near you for places to visit and just unwind.

Tip 31 – Challenge Your Brain

Whether crosswords, sudoku, or brain training is the theme of the day, all of them challenge your brain to think creatively. While this may not sound like self care, solving puzzles offers the brain a break from regular stress.

Final Thoughts on Self Care

Self care is essential to our overall wellbeing as humans. Without it, life becomes more depressing and overwhelming. So let’s fix that.

Pick an item off our self care list to try and spend 10-15 minutes a day doing it over the course of a week. Let us know what self care practices worked for you!

21 Tricks That Improve Your Personal Finance Skills

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Personal finance skills are difficult to come by, but they are so important in the long run. In order to save money for emergencies or retirement, you must be at least decent when it comes to personal finance.

There are many personal finance tips on the web, but some are more important than others. Likewise, some of the personal finance tips have to be implemented before some of the more complex tips can be applied to your life. You have to start somewhere, and the basics are the place to do so.

21 Personal Finance Tips

Try these things when you want to get your money in order.

1. Create a budget.

Most people don’t realize just how important a budget is when it comes to their personal finances. Skipping this step can be devastating to your finances, and can leave you with too much month and not enough money.

You have to know ahead of time how much money you can spend on each part of your life. Budgeting can further benefit your personal finance skills because, once you see where your money is going, you will be able to decide what you want to cut out of your budget. Without this useful tool, you will just notice a decrease in your bank account but have no real register of where the money went.

You have to be sure to include all spending categories when you are creating a budget. These categories may include:

Housing
Utilities
Food (both groceries and eating out)
Clothing for everyone in your family
Pets (food, medical, grooming)
Entertainment (or “extras”)
Transportation (vehicle payment, insurance, gas, maintenance)

2. Learn to negotiate.

When it comes to salary, interest rates, vehicle costs, or any other financial aspect, you should be comfortable negotiating. Never settle for what you think isn’t fair, but you also have to remember to be fair yourself. Most often, if you are respectful and fair with your negotiation, you will get a bit more of a break (or a salary increase).

3. Force yourself to separate needs from wants.

When you think that you “need” a new cell phone, reconsider that thought. Ask yourself if your current cell phone still works to make phone calls and send text messages and if you are still able to search and take pictures. If you answer ‘yes’ to all of those, you don’t “need” a new cell phone, you “want” a new cell phone.

This should be your thought process with all material items in your life. If your current item still works, then you should put it in the “want” category, and come up with a savings plan to buy it.

4. Educate yourself on interest rates.

Interest rates could cost you a ton of money over the course of your repayment plan. When it comes to any kind of loan (vehicle, mortgage, etc.) or credit card, you should check the interest rates before you ever apply.

Additionally, if you are offered a loan or a line of credit and the interest rate is higher than you’d like it to be, you can try to negotiate to bring the rate down. If the rate cannot be brought down, you should just pass on the loan or credit. High interest rates could mean that you pay double or triple what your original cost would have been.

5. Invest money wisely.

By investing your money, you are taking a step to grow your money in another way. This is one way to save up money for retirement, with a higher rate of return than most other options offer. Investing is also a way for you to keep up with never ending inflation, ensuring that your savings doesn’t lose value over the years.

6. Never pay full price for anything.

Unless the item or service you are paying for doesn’t ever go on sale or have some type of deal available, you should never pay the full price. Be patient and plan ahead. Wait to buy until the price comes down at least a little, and you’ll save some money.

If you do this with every purchase you make, you will save a noticeable amount of money throughout a year. This allows for more saving, paying off debt, or investing.

7. Upcycle whenever possible.

Upcycling is becoming increasingly popular and occurs when an old, unwanted item is used to create something different. Lumber and other types of wood can be upcycled into furniture.

Any type of container can be upcycled to become a planter, and an old dresser can be used as a bathroom vanity. If the dresser can’t be used as a vanity, the drawers can be used as shelves. The possibilities are endless when it comes to upcycling, so you just have to remember to take something old (or just unwanted) and make it into something new and desirable.

8. Prepare all food at home.

Eating out is expensive. When you make a habit of it, you are wasting a large amount of money each month. Instead of going out to a restaurant or fast-food joint each day for lunch, pack something from home instead.

Not only will you save money, but your body will thank you for the more nutritious food options. You can prepare sandwiches, chicken and rice, soup, or you could even take dinner leftovers from the day before.

9. Try DIY projects.

Instead of paying more money for items that are already made, try to make things on your own. You can build yourself a bench, or you can even put in your own flooring. If you need a hair trim, research a DIY method for a hair trim.

You can do DIY projects for so many things, and it will save you so much money almost instantly. Whenever you want something new, ask yourself if you can make it yourself for cheaper. The money saved will likely be well worth the time and effort you put into it.

10. Learn to say no to things that cost you money.

You don’t have to buy something from every fundraising catalog brought to your door. Likewise, you don’t have to order magazine subscriptions to help with random causes, either. If you don’t want (or need) any of the items, politely say no.

Your personal finance is worth more than any of the wasted money on items you didn’t really want. Additionally, if someone invites you somewhere that costs money (or may cost money once you get there) and you really aren’t that excited about it, just say no to this, as well.

11. Do all of your shopping at one time.

This trick can make you have better personal finance skills in multiple ways. First, you will be using less gas (and, in turn, less money) going back and forth to stores. Secondly, whenever you walk in the store, there is a high chance that you pick up something you don’t really need. Doing all of your shopping at one time can save you from the random impulse purchases.

12. Be happy with what you already have.

Be content with your “old” laptop or cellphone. There is no need to spend money on new items when you should be happy with what you already have. This concept goes for all things in your life, you should really just focus on being thankful.

You don’t need a newer car if your old one works just fine, and you don’t need new furniture each year. Appreciate that you already have these things, and move on without buying what you don’t need.

13. Start an emergency fund.

An emergency fund should cover all of your expenses for 3-6 months. This is in case someone in your family becomes extremely ill, you lose your job, or some other extreme situation occurs that prevents you (or your spouse) from earning an income.

To do this, simply transfer money into a separate saving account each time you get paid. This money isn’t to be touched at any time unless you are in desperate need and have no source of income.

14. Use envelopes for anything you have to spend money on.

This is an old concept, but it works really well. Set a grocery budget and each time, pull out that exact amount of cash. Put this cash in the envelope, and that is all you have available to spend on groceries.

You should do this with gas money, spending money, and money for holiday spending, as well. It helps you keep track of how much you have already spent, how much more you can still spend, and it prevents you from overspending. If it helps, you can leave your debit and credit cards at home and only take the envelopes of cash with you when you go out.

15. Don’t get a car loan.

This may not be possible for everyone, but if you have the means to buy a used car outright, do that! You don’t need the newest car, and if you can save hundreds of dollars each month (instead of putting it toward a vehicle loan), you can use that money to pay off other debt.

16. Be aware of your credit score.

One of the most important personal finance tips is to know your credit score. You will be able to quickly notice any drastic changes and see what is causing issues on your credit score. You can’t have excellent personal finance skills if you don’t know your credit score, and not knowing can cost you quite a bit of money. If you encounter any problems with inaccuracies or disputes on your credit report, consulting with an experienced FCRA lawyer can help you resolve these issues and protect your financial well-being.

17. Have insurance plans.

Health issues can cause serious damage to your finances. If anyone in your family is diagnosed with a serious disease or illness, the treatment and other medical necessities will likely be very expensive. To prevent putting yourself into serious debt over it, everyone should have health insurance.

Other insurance policies that should be in place include:

Vehicle
Homeowners
Life

If you need to file a claim for home damages that are covered by your insurance policy, you may want to contact professional claims adjusters like LMR Public Adjusters to inspect your property and determine how much your compensation should be.

18. Set financial goals for yourself.

Figure out what you want most out of your financial situation. Paying off debt may be your goal, or simply putting all of your bills on auto-pay. Saving a certain amount of money for emergencies is a good goal, as well.

The more specific you make your goal, the more likely you will be to reach it. Keep track of your financial goals in a notebook or planner.

19. Find a side hustle that you enjoy.

Side hustles don’t have to take much time, and you should always enjoy this method of making money. Some ideas include:

freelance writing
website building
graphic design
furniture repurposing

20. Work to pay off all debt, and avoid accruing new debt.

With debt comes interest rates and, inevitably, spending more money than you should have.
Types of debt may include:

credit cards
student loans
mortgage
vehicle loans
personal loans

This isn’t to say that you should cancel all of your credit accounts. Having open lines of credit is actually a good thing. It only becomes a problem when those accounts are maxed out, or when only the minimum payment is being made each month. In situations where you need extra funds but don’t want to risk your assets, no collateral loans offer a smart solution, allowing you to borrow without putting your property on the line.

21. Save money right when you get it.

Don’t wait until the spending is all done to save what is “left”. Instead, you should put money into your savings account as soon as you get paid, and then spend what is left.

Final Thoughts On Tricks for Personal Finance Skills

Changing some of your habits may be the trick to developing better personal finance skills. Once you have implemented some (or all) of these personal finance tips, you should notice that your financial situation has improved. This will allow you to live more comfortably and save for your future.

Fiber Rich Foods: 30 Healthy Additions to Your Diets

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Fiber is an essential nutrient that should be the mainstay of any well-rounded and healthy diet! Eating fiber rich foods helps to keep your digestive system functioning at peak capacity, helps maintain even blood sugar levels, and promotes a healthy heart!

It can be difficult for some of us to get in enough fiber throughout our day to meet the recommended daily amounts. 25 grams of fiber is recommended for women, and for men, nearly 40 grams are recommended! If you take stock of your current diet, you’d be surprised to find that you likely aren’t even coming close to these numbers!

In order to meet or exceed the recommended daily value of fiber, you must actively seek out fiber-rich foods. To help you meet your daily intake goals, what follows are 30 of the most fiber rich foods you can add to your diet:

30 Fiber Rich Foods

1. Pears

Pears are rightfully a very popular fruit. They’re very nutritious and tasty, and with nearly 5.5 gram of fiber contained in just one pear, they’re a great addition to your diet!

2. Strawberries

Strawberries are one of the healthiest berries around! They’re also a delicious and versatile ingredient that lends itself well to a variety of dishes. With nearly 3 grams of fiber contained in a single one-cup serving of strawberries, they are hard to beat!

3. Avocado

Unlike most other fruits the avocado is brimming with large amounts of beneficial fats. Naturally low in carbs, the avocado is high in many vital nutrients and with nearly 10 grams of fiber contained in a single cup, they’re a safe bet!

4. Apples

The phrase “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” isn’t for nothing! Apples are wonderfully sweet and nutritious fruits that provide long-lasting satiety. With 4.4 grams of fiber in just 1 apple, it’d be a mistake to not include one in your daily intake!

5. Raspberries

Raspberries have a unique tart flavor, and are among the healthiest of berries! Chock-full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and manganese, the raspberry is a great addition to any diet. With 8 grams of fiber in a single one cup serving, they’re a great way to meet your daily intake goals!

6. Bananas

Bananas are an amazing source of vitamins and nutrients that provide your body with a quick energy boost due to the healthy carbs and electrolytes contained. With roughly 3 grams of fiber in a single banana, they are a great source of clean energy for your body.

7. Carrots

Carrots are a wonderfully crunchy vegetable that packs a real nutrient punch! These orange wonders are high in many vitamins and minerals including vitamin B6 and K, plus beta-carotene and magnesium, making them a nutrient-dense addition to any meal plan. With 3.6 grams of fiber available in a one cup serving, the carrot is a great fiber source.

8. Beets

Beets have a beautiful purple or red color and pack a whole lot of beneficial nutrients into a small package. On offer in a single cup of beets are 3.8 grams of fiber, plus a healthy dose of iron, folate, manganese, potassium, and copper!

9. Broccoli

One of the healthiest vegetables available to add to your diet is broccoli! Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, one of which that is probably the most nutrient-dense available! With 2.4 grams of fiber per cup, it’s hard to go wrong with broccoli!

10. Artichoke

More than any other vegetable, the humble artichoke packs over 10 grams of fiber in just one serving! Artichokes are a great addition to a variety of dishes, including dips, pasta, and salads but for some reason are often overlooked. Consider adding the artichoke to your next meal!

11. Brussels Sprouts

Similar to broccoli, brussel sprouts are another cruciferous vegetable with a good variety of vitamins and minerals available, plus a hefty dose of fiber. With 4 grams of fiber available in just 1 cup, brussel sprouts are one of the most fiber rich foods!

12. Lentils

Lentils, above all else, offer you one of the most affordable sources of fiber and calories available! They also feature a good amount of protein and other vital nutrients which make them hard to argue against! In just 1 cup of cooked lentils, you can gain 15.6 grams of fiber!

13. Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are one of the most popular legumes around, and with good reason! They are brimming with vegan protein and a plethora of other vitamins and nutrients. With 11.3 grams of fiber in a prepared cup, kidney beans are an incredibly nutritious way to reach your daily fiber goal!

14. Split Peas

Split peas are another great source of fiber! The split pea is derived from peas, where they are first dried, split open, and then peeled. With 16.3 grams of fiber in one cooked cup of split peas, they are a great addition to your diet.

15. Chickpeas

Another member of the legume family, the chickpea is another nutrient-dense option, and is an amazingly healthy fiber source! 12.5 grams of fiber is available in just 1 prepared cup of these legumes.

16. Quinoa

Over the past several years, quinoa has seen a sharp rise in popularity, and with good reason! One cooked cup of quinoa contains 5.2 grams of filling fiber, and with many other vitamins and nutrients available, they are hard to pass up!

17. Oats

One of the healthiest and lowest glycemic index carb sources available, oats are a great addition to any diet. Oats are chock-full of minerals vitamins and beneficial antioxidants. They feature a soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which provides you with better blood sugar regulation and improved cholesterol levels. With 16.5 grams of fiber in a cup of raw oats, they’re a great addition to your diet!

18. Popcorn

One of the best snack foods around is popcorn. It is very low in calories but high in ultra-filling fiber! Be sure to avoid adding too much butter or salt to this great snack. Otherwise, you may negate some of the health benefits! In a cup of popped popcorn, you’ll consume 1.2 grams of fiber.

19. Almonds

Almonds are an incredibly nutrient dense food that is full of healthy fats! A member of the tree nut family, almonds contain substantial amounts of manganese, magnesium, and vitamin E. With 3.4 grams of fiber available in just 1 ounce, they are a healthy and filling addition to your meal plan.

20. Chia Seeds

Once relatively unknown, the chia seed has become a common ingredient in many homes! They’re quite nutrient dense, and offer you phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium in good amounts. For their size, they could be considered the best source of fiber available to you, with 10.6 grams available in just one small ounce serving!

21. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest foods available to us and offer you a sweeter means of meeting your daily fiber intake goals. Aside from the 3.8 grams of fiber available in a single sweet potato, significant amounts of B vitamins, beta-carotene, and various other vitamins and nutrients are available.

22. Dark Chocolate

Who could argue against adding chocolate to their diet? Dark chocolate is full of vitamins and nutrients and is among the most antioxidant and fiber rich foods available. Be sure that you go with dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa to avoid the unnecessary added sugars that can negate it’s various health benefits! In a single 1 ounce piece of dark chocolate, 3.1 grams of fiber are available.

23. Peas

Peas are another great vegetable to add to your diet if you’re seeking out some more fiber rich foods. In just a single cup, 9 grams of fiber are available!

24. Whole Wheat Pasta

If you’re a fan of pasta, consider making your next Italian-themed dinner with whole wheat pasta instead! In a single cup of whole wheat pasta, 6 grams of fiber are available!

25. Brown Rice

For a more natural and less processed carb source, as an alternative to whole wheat pasta, consider brown rice! Where a cup of white rice only offers you a measly 2 grams of fiber, a cup of brown rice will net you 4 grams!

26. Prunes

If you’ve ever had digestive upset in the past, prunes have likely been recommended to you. Prunes, like most dried fruits, contain added sugar alcohols which offer a laxative effect, and when combined with 12 grams of fiber in a single cup, they are sure to provide relief!

27. Oatmeal for a Fiber Rich Breakfast

The real breakfast of champions! Oatmeal is your best option if you are a serial cereal eater! With a plethora of nutrients and vitamins available, a good amount of protein, and nearly 8 grams of fiber in a serving, oatmeal is an incredibly versatile option to add to your morning meal!

28. Edamame

Edamame is featured on nearly every Japanese restaurant menu and with good reason! They’re an incredibly healthy way to start your meal! With 8 grams of fiber in one cup, they’re a great source of fiber, that’ll help ensure you don’t overeat over the course of the rest of your meal!

29. Flax Seeds

A single tablespoon of flax seeds contains 3 grams of fiber, and with a good bump of healthy fats available as well, they’re a great natural supplement!

30. Corn

Corn is a tasty and nutritious addition to any diet! You’ll take in 12 grams of fiber in a single cup of corn!

Final Thoughts On Fiber Rich Foods

If before now you had not thought about how much fiber was included in your diet, now is the time to change! Of course, once you’re armed with the knowledge about what foods are the best sources for healthy and satiating fiber, you should now have no issues reaching your daily fiber goals! Try to include at least 1 serving of these fiber-rich foods in each of your meals, and you’ll be hitting your fiber intake goals, no problem!

31 Positive Quotes About Work To Keep You Motivated

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Hard work doesn’t happen by accident. The greater your dreams, the harder you’ll need to work. In life, there will never be a moment where hard work isn’t required. While we all need a balance of relaxation and work, it can be difficult to stay motivated.

Positive Quotes About Work

If you need that extra push to encourage yourself to take your work ethic to the next level, keep reading and find your new affirmation. The following quotes are inspired by some of the world’s greatest thinkers and dreamers:

1. “One needs three essential things to achieve something worthwhile: hard work, stick-to-itiveness, and common sense.” —Thomas Edison

These types of positive quotes explain that the greatest achievements in life hardly happen by accident. The more consistent we are and the harder we work, the likelier we are to achieve our dreams.

2. “In order to grow, we must work. We will never develop intellectually or physically without first putting forth effort—which always requires work.” —Calvin Coolidge

Life isn’t easy. At times, we may be tempted to think we can achieve our goals by willing them into reality. The truth is that only after our greatest efforts that we experience what we hope to achieve.

3. “Individuals that have reached the top of a mountain didn’t arrive there by falling.” —Unknown

This quote paints a picture reminding us of how hard we must work to get to where we want to go. Regardless of what your personal mountain may be, the only way to get there is to climb.

4. “Without hard work, you’re only going to grow weeds.” —Gordon B. Hinckley

This gardening analogy likens our personal growth to a garden. If you hope to grow more than weeds in your life, you need to put in more than the minimum amount of effort.

5. “Don’t give up. While the beginning may be the hardest part, you’ll be rewarded for your consistent hard work.” —Unknown

Giving up isn’t an option. Regardless of how hard life may get, keep going. Keep pushing and working hard and you’ll reap the rewards soon enough.

6. “Happiness is more than the possession of money—to be truly happy, you must achieve. Happiness is in the thrill of your creative effort.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt

The former president got this quote right. Even though most of our energy goes into making money, that isn’t where happiness is found. We must use our creative energies to accomplish our deepest desires in order to truly find happiness.

7. “The harder you work, the more luck you will have.” —Thomas Jefferson

Positive quotes like this one speak to the power of making your own luck in life. The more you work to achieve your dreams, the more opportunities you’ll be able to take advantage of.

8. “Success is about more than greatness—it’s about being consistent. Consistent work creates success. Greatness will follow.” —Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Too many people are under the impression that success only happens for a select few that are “lucky”. True success isn’t about luck—it’s about working hard day in and day out to create the future that you want.

9. “Hard work highlights one’s character: while some roll their sleeves up to get to work, others never turn up to work at all.” —Sam Ewing

Work isn’t inherently fun. At time’s it’s even painful—show up anyway.

10. “Quality is more valuable than quantity. A home run is far more important than two doubles.”—Steve Jobs

As Steve Jobs shares in positive quotes like this one, the quality of the work you do will always shine brighter than the quantity of what you create. Do a better job now so you can do more later.

11. “Perseverance is the work that must be done after you tire of the work you’ve already completed.”— Newt Gingrich

The thing about hard work is that it’s constant. While you may tire of hard work, you must keep going. The more you persevere, the further you will go in life.

12. “I work hard and play hard as well. I love life as I believe that life loves those who love it.”—Maya Angelou

Life is about balance; work hard now so you can enjoy everything life has to offer.

13. “Dreams don’t become a reality as a result of magic. It is through sweat, hard work, and determination that makes dreams work.” —Colin Powell

Magic isn’t real, but hard work is. Put in the effort now and watch your dreams unfold magically before your eyes in the future.

14. “The person you are tomorrow starts with what you decide to do today.” —Tim Fargo

Every action we take has a consequence. Work on becoming a better person tomorrow by wisely choosing what you give your time to today.

15. “Know what the difference is between triumph and try? All it is is a little umph!”—Marvin Phillips

Positive quotes about work like this one show just how capable we all are at making our dreams a reality. With a bit of motivation and effort, we can accomplish anything we put our minds to.

16. “Developing a strong work ethic now is key. Your work ethic will follow you wherever you go in life.”—Tyler Perry

Wherever life may take us, we will always need to keep working hard. Start redefining your work ethic now by giving as much effort as possible in everything you do.

17. “Your dreams only work if you do.”—John C. Maxwell

Want your deepest desires to work out? Then get to work.

18. “The greedy person is different than the ambitious person as the former isn’t prepared to work hard for things they desire.” —Habeeb Akande

If you want everything you desire in life, you must work for it. While someone without the desire to work might be labeled as greedy, those that work hard deserve every good thing that is coming their way.

19. “Success depends on very important glands—your sweat glands.” —Zig Ziglar

This quote highlights the real work that goes into success. Without blood, sweat, and tears, you won’t be able to achieve your deepest desires.

20. “I’d rather wear myself out from hard work than rust out from stagnation.” —Theodore Roosevelt

We are all more capable than we realize. Why let ourselves rust out when we can push ourselves to the limit, working as hard as possible?

21. “Work hard, assert yourself, and use your imagination to shape the world as you see fit.” —Malcolm Gladwell

The harder you work, the more opportunity you have to create your ideal world.

22. “Build your work ethic by doing what you need to. Work hard and learn by doing.” — Alex Spanos

Our responsibilities teach us how to get what we want in life. We learn very important lessons by getting to work and taking care of what we must. These lessons should be applied to everything else we do in the future.

23. “Don’t be afraid to enjoy life, but make sure you work hard, study hard, set higher standards, and learn to say ‘No.'” —Nia Long

Just as it is important to work hard, positive quotes like this show us that we need to learn how to make our lives work for us. By setting high standards and saying “no” when we need to, we’ll be able to keep working with the same level of consistency.

24. “Every time you don’t give your all, it’s that much easier for your competition to win.” —Unknown

Life isn’t necessarily a competition, but to truly be successful, you have to come out on top. The only way to win in these scenarios is to give your all.

25. “It’s not about not getting knocked down; it’s about every time you get back up.” —Vince Lombardi

Getting knocked down is part of life. What will you do to make sure you can get up just as fast as you fell down? How can you work to prevent the same things from knocking you down again?

26. “Don’t give up! Rejection and failure are the first steps to succeeding.” —Jim Valvano

Think of failure and rejection as life’s greatest teachers. Positive quotes like this show us that while failure doesn’t feel that great, it means we’re on the path to success.

27. “Most people never know how close they are to success when they give up.” —Ross Perot

Tempted to toss in the towel? While it may feel better than being rejected, you’re likely closer than you realize to succeeding.

28. “There may be other people that are more talented than you; that doesn’t give you an excuse to let others work harder than you.” —Derek Jeter

Talent isn’t the defining factor of what makes someone successful. There will always be someone that is more technically talented than you–work hard anyway.

29. “Train hard, become hard, and you’ll become harder to beat.” —Hershel Walker

The more you train, the stronger you’ll be. The more you work, the further you’ll go.

30. “You’re only a loser once you quit trying.” —Mike Ditka

Failure and giving up aren’t the same thing. Just like the positive quotes about work teach, don’t quit, don’t give up-keep going.

31. “If you can’t play better than them, work harder than them.” —Ben Hogan

If you’re outplayed that doesn’t mean you’ve lost—this is simply an opportunity for you to improve your work ethic. Learn to work harder and you’ll find a way to win.

Final Thoughts on Positive Quotes About Work

Treat these positive quotes like life lessons or affirmations. Anytime you’re tempted to throw in the towel, remember what these great leaders and thinkers have said.

Hard work is something that no one can take away from you. Keep going and you’ll see how far your blood, sweat, and motivation will take you.

21 Tips For A Happy (And Healthy) Pregnancy

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Approaching a new pregnancy is exciting. Throughout the next nine months, you’ll undergo an incredibly transformative experience that is sure to change your life forever. As you go through every step of your pregnancy, you must make sure to do everything possible to stay healthy and ensure that your growing child does the same.

The Healthiest Pregnancy Tips

Whether you’re a first-time mom or a seasoned parent, no two pregnancies are ever exactly the same. To make sure you and your baby are as healthy as possible during this pregnancy, consider the following pregnancy tips:

1. Adjust to a Better Sleeping Position

As you go through your pregnancy, your body will start to adjust to all the new changes.

Getting comfortable enough to sleep properly is a priority. If you usually sleep on your back, this position can put stress on the baby and your body during pregnancy. Similarly, this position can also make breathing uncomfortable.

Any other position that keeps you off your back or stomach should be safe during your first trimester. However, as you approach your third trimester, switch to sleeping solely on the left side. This will keep your spine straight and ensure that your baby is receiving essential nutrients and blood flow.

2. Practice Prenatal Exercises

Exercise is essential to a healthy pregnancy. While you may question how safe it is to exercise during pregnancy, getting your blood flowing to support your fitness will boost your mood, improve circulation, control your weight, and help you rest well at night.

Moreover, regular exercise during a healthy pregnancy will help you build your endurance for the birthing process. As such, try to perform 30 minutes or more of walking, yoga, or Pilates every day.

3. Create Your Birthing Plan

While it’s true that every aspect of your pregnancy won’t go according to plan, having a birth plan ready to go will help to put you at ease. Planning out as much as you can in advance will make the entire birthing process less stressful.

When creating your birth plan, keep the following things in mind:

Who should be present at the birth
Procedures to avoid
Ideal labor and delivery positions
The clothing you’d prefer to wear during the labor and delivery process
Your pregnancy playlist
What pain medications you’d prefer
A contingency plan for complications

4. Practice Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises serve to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. These exercises support your bowels, vagina, uterus, and bladder. Additionally, regularly doing Kegel exercises will help you avoid hemorrhoids and may speed up healing after childbirth.

5. Track Your Weight Throughout Your Pregnancy

Though many pregnant women believe they are eating for two, the average woman only needs 300 calories more than what she was consuming before getting pregnant.

In order to stay on top of your weight gain, it is important to keep track of where your calories are coming from and how much weight you are gaining. At the same time, when you are pregnant, it is not the time to diet or try to lose weight. Make sure your body is getting enough nutrients to support yourself and the new life growing within you.

6. Upgrade Your Shoes

Whether or not you’re on your feet a lot throughout the day, you’ll need to change your shoes throughout your healthy pregnancy. As your pregnant belly expands, your body’s center of gravity will change as well. All these changes put extra pressure on your feet.

Pregnancy can also lead to edema, which will make your ankles and feet swell. To accommodate all these changes, it is important for you to wear shoes that fit properly and support your increased weight.

7. Skip the Sauna Visit

Though a trip to the sauna may sound like a great idea for relaxing, the increase in temperature isn’t always the best for pregnant women. Having a body temperature that exceeds 101 degrees Fahrenheit during a mother’s first trimester has been proven to increase the risk of the baby developing birth defects.

Speak to your doctor before taking a trip to the sauna to ensure that the temperature will be safe for you and your baby.

8. Eat Foods High in Folate

Folic acid or folate is incredibly important for fetal development as it aids in the formation of red blood cells. During a healthy pregnancy, mothers should increase their intake of this vitamin to 200 mcg daily.

Foods highest in folate include beans, asparagus, artichoke, spinach, soybean, yeast, and peas.

9. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine can be difficult to cut out of your diet, but a steady intake of caffeine may worsen the kicks and punches you feel from your baby. As a diuretic and stimulant, caffeine can also easily cause dehydration.

Moreover, caffeine has been tied to preterm delivery, premature labor, birth defects, and reduced fertility. Try to find healthier alternatives to your daily dose of caffeine.

10. Stretch Your Legs at Bedtime

Leg cramps during pregnancy are quite common for mothers during the second and the third trimester. These cramps can be prevented if you stretch your legs out before you go to sleep each night.

11. Add in Omega-3s

Fish is an important food to include in your diet as it is high in omega-3s. Omega-3s are essential for pregnant women; they have been proven to aid in proper brain development and function for both the mother and the baby.

To add more omega-3s to your diet, eat more shrimp, catfish, canned tuna, salmon, and other fish that are low in mercury levels.

12. Avoid Lunch Meat and Soft Cheese

Foods like processed meat and soft cheeses tend to contain additives and bacteria that can be harmful to your baby.

Stay away from the following processed foods during your pregnancy:

Brie, goat cheese, feta, and soft cheese
Undercooked or uncooked fish or other meat
Hot dogs and lunch meats

13. Protect Your Skin

During pregnancy, your skin is highly sensitive to sunlight. If you don’t properly protect your skin, you’ll be more prone to developing skin discoloration.

Protect your skin during pregnancy with all-natural sunscreen, moisturizer, and a wide-brimmed hat to cover your face. Additionally, try to stay inside during the peak sun hours.

14. Fly in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy

Many women wonder if they can fly while they’re pregnant.

The best time to fly during pregnancy is during the second trimester. At this time, your after morning sickness will have subsided. More importantly, the fetus will be well implanted, meaning you aren’t as likely to experience early complications.

15. Indulge in Your Cravings

Pregnancy cravings are the butt of many jokes, yet something most women experience. These cravings often indicate that your body is lacking in certain nutrients.

If you have wild cravings for healthier foods, it’s okay to indulge in them.

16. Know When You Need Help

By tuning into your body, you’ll be able to identify what feels “normal” during pregnancy and what doesn’t. If you sense that anything is wrong, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Oftentimes, if there are any complications with your pregnancy, these problems are more likely to be resolved quickly if the doctor can intervene as early as possible.

The following scenarios are signs it’s time to call your doctor:

Pain, bleeding, cramping, or fever
Passing tissue from your uterus
Vomiting three or more times a day
Pelvic pain
Painful urination

17. Treat Yourself Well

Self-care during pregnancy is important to keep mothers from becoming exhausted and overwhelmed during pregnancy. Taking the time to rest is something all mothers must prioritize during their pregnancy.

Make it a point to relax every day. Whether you take a long bath, drink your favorite tea, or enjoy pampering with similar activities, finding moments throughout the day to rest and relax is essential for your changing body.

18. Use More Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is helpful when hydrating your skin. As your body grows to accommodate your baby, your skin expands as well. Using coconut oil on your skin will help to prevent stretch marks. Similarly, using coconut oil after giving birth will help to bring your skin back to what it was before pregnancy.

19. Swim Frequently

Swimming is a great exercise for pregnant women. The weightless environment of a pool, lake, or ocean is ideal for stretching your joints, ligaments, and muscles.

Additionally, regular swimming helps to relieve your aches and pains as you work to stay active.

20. Eliminate All Toxins

Your unborn child is particularly susceptible to toxic chemicals. During pregnancy, do your best to eliminate all toxins like paint fumes and chemical cleaning solutions.

Similarly, it’s best to avoid alcohol, certain hormone inhibitors, nail polish, and similar products that will compromise the health of your baby.

21. Get a Pregnancy Massage

Massages are a good way to reduce your anxiety and relieve any tension. Prenatal massages work to eliminate the joint pains, aches, and related anxiety common in pregnancy.

Maternity massages also help to reduce swelling, fight nerve pain, and increase lymph and blood flow. To get the most out of this experience, be sure that you visit a certified masseuse that is familiar with prenatal techniques. These massage therapists should avoid using clary sage, rosemary, or juniper essential oils to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Final Thoughts on Pregnancy Tips

What you do (or don’t do) during pregnancy is critical to the health of your baby. During these nine months, it’s important that you take care of your body by eating well, exercising regularly, avoiding toxins, and allowing yourself time to rest.

A healthy and happy pregnancy is possible if you do your best to take care of yourself throughout every trimester of your healthy pregnancy. Keep this guide of pregnancy tips in mind to ensure that both you and your baby are happy during these next nine months.

Scientists Explain What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Water Every Day

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Water is such an essential component of our biology that we could die within three days without it. What else would you expect considering that, on average, 60% of our body weight is made up of water? Making sure to drink water isn’t just a necessity to stay alive, but also serves to benefit our bodies in multitudes of ways. Some of those ways may surprise you.

Science has explained 10 things that happen to our bodies when we drink enough water every day.

Where does all our water go?

We all hear that we are supposed to drink 8-10 cups of water a day. That’s a simplified way to put it, and the easiest way to remember. According to the Mayo Clinic, women need 11.7 cups or 2.7 liters, and men need 15.7 cups or 3.7 liters. Those numbers are not set in stone, however. There are variables that must be considered to allow for some flexibility.

Are you exercising? It is recommended that a person should drink water before, during, and after a workout in addition to the usual amount of daily intake. This is to accommodate for sweating, which will excrete water from your body. It also aids in replacing minerals lost.
The type of environment or climate you are in. If you are in a hot, dry or humid climate, then hydration will be more important than a cool, moist area.
Are you sick? Having a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea can cause you to lose bodily liquids quickly. It is essential to drink water when you have these symptoms to ensure that you do not dehydrate. Having bladder infections, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections will also require more water to help flush out your body.
Are you breastfeeding? A woman who is breastfeeding must increase water intake to about 13 cups of water a day according to The Office on Women’s Health.

The really good news about the amount of water that we need is that we aren’t limited to only drinking water. There are some delicious foods that contribute to our daily amount.

Below is a list of the highest water-based foods:

90-99% water-based foods: cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, cabbage, fat-free milk, celery, and squash.
80-89% water-based: yogurt, fruit juice, apples, grapes, carrots, pears, pineapple, cooked broccoli, oranges
70-79% water-based: bananas, avocados, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, cooked corn, baked potato, and shrimp.

While drinking water is essential, do not mistakenly believe that we can never drink too much water. You most definitely can drink too much.

Excessive water will result in diluting the amount of sodium in your blood because your kidneys are unable to rid the body of the extra water. This is called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening. Fortunately, it is not very common. Yet there are internet contests regarding “who can drink a gallon of water a day.”

Even if you are “only” consuming a gallon of water, you do not include the potential 20-30% of the water from food or other drinks containing water. Please, be aware that it is possible and dangerous to drink too much water.

How do I know if I need to drink water more often?

There are certain biological warnings our bodies give us if we have neglected to drink enough water. One of the most common signs is the color of our urine. Your urine is supposed to be light yellow or almost clear. Urine that comes out a darker shade of yellow or almost orange and has a strong odor is a big sign that you need to consume more water.

A few of the other signs of dehydration include:

Feeling tired.

Our entire body needs water, including our blood. When we don’t drink enough, our blood thickens and causes undue stress for the heart to pump oxygen and nutrients to the rest of the body. As a result, we feel fatigued.

Dry skin.

Be kind to the largest organ on your body, and it will help you look younger. In order for our skin to maintain its elasticity, it requires moisture. Lotion or oils only provide moisture to the first layer of skin. Water is what truly keeps it hydrated.

Less urination.

When you take in less water, your kidneys attempt to hold onto what water it has to ensure you don’t dehydrate. As a consequence, you will not urinate as often. This can lead to urinary tract infections as the body isn’t flushing out the toxins and bacteria. This can also lead to water retention.

Muscle weakness.

As our body is pushed to survive on less water, our bodies begin to pull water from our muscles. This may cause our muscles to release a chemical that begins to break down our muscles.

Should you not consume enough water over a period of time, various conditions could arise, which can have serious consequences for your overall health. Additionally, you can be dehydrated and not “feel” thirsty. This is because your brain has decided that for whatever reason, you must not need the signal since you have previously ignored it for an extended period of time.

The only way to flip the switch back on is to push yourself to drink consistently again.

What happens to my body when I make sure to drink water every day?

Drinking enough water every day isn’t a fad concept. Legitimate scientific evidence points out how crucial it is to our overall health. Medical News Today pinpoints some of the top reasons:

1. Lubricates joints.

You probably don’t associate water with your joints, but they are comprised of about 80% water. Drinking enough water ensures that your joints retain their shock-absorbing ability.

2. Forms saliva and thins mucus.

Saliva is necessary to digest our food and aids in decreasing cavities and bad breath. It is important that our mucous membranes stay hydrated to keep our eyes, nasal cavities, and mouth moist. Additionally, if you have sinus problems, staying hydrated helps to loosen mucus, allowing it to drain easier and prevent congestion.

3. More energy.

More water equals better blood flow and more oxygen. Water is necessary to prevent our blood from thickening, which strains our heart and adds further pressure on the cardiovascular system. Our entire body relies on nutrients and oxygen being carried to all the tissues, organs, and our brain in order to operate adequately. When our body is working at 100%, we feel better and have more energy.

4. Healthy skin and hair.

As mentioned above, the majority of the hydration our skin receives is from the water we drink. When we are drinking enough, proper oils are released to moisten skin; therefore, our skin has a more filled-out appearance with a healthy glow. Additionally, we have better blood flow to our faces and limbs, which adds color and stimulates collagen production. Releasing oils and increased blood flow and nutrients are also useful to hair growth. Hair that isn’t receiving enough water becomes dry, brittle, and possibly leads to hair loss.

5. Regulates body temperature.

To prevent our body from overheating, we sweat. That sweat creates a process through cooling that decreases our body temperature. For women in peri-menopause or menopause, drinking a lot of water can aid in reducing hot flashes in comparison to if you don’t hydrate. Additionally, when properly hydrated, you are better able to handle warmer environmental temperatures without side effects.

6. You Flush toxins when you drink water.

Water aids in flushing toxins in multiple ways: through sweating, through our kidneys, by easing the process of eliminating waste from our colon, and by helping the liver to filter chemicals. These are the systems that help our immune system handle a build-up of bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms in our body.

7. Increases athletic performance or your workout.

Improved joint lubrication and proper blood flow of oxygen and nutrients to our muscles and heart are essential to our bodies being able to have stamina, endurance, and to build or tone our muscles. Hydration also ensures that your blood isn’t too thick to flow properly and that airways don’t become restricted. In other words, enough water allows for better breathing. It can be detrimental to work out without enough water due to the strain on your heart and lungs.

8. Drink water to increase weight loss.

Drinking a glass of water prior to each meal not only helps make you feel full sooner but also helps to stimulate your metabolism. As a side note, ice water causes your stomach to contract to aid in feeling full as well.

9. Improved mood and concentration.

Our brain must be able to receive nutrients and oxygen in order to release the proper hormones and to fire off the neurons as designed.

10. Allows your colon to operate correctly.

Our bodies will pull water from every possible source they can to maintain their function and purpose. Your colon is no exception. Your colon is designed to pull water from itself to flush out waste. If there isn’t enough water, your colon will pull that water from the waste. This is one factor that creates the dry, hard stools associated with constipation.

Closing Thoughts

Water is probably one of the most essential components for our bodies and brains to operate at 100%. Many of us fail to drink enough water in a day. You are not alone in that. It is such an issue that apps have been designed for you to track how much water you have drunk. There are even water bottles with an alarm to remind you to drink. Personally, that one is my favorite.

Some tips to make water more enjoyable to drink is to add lemon slices or fruit for flavor, freeze water overnight to keep it colder during the following day, drink hot or cold herbal tea, or buy a sugar-free flavoring aid.

I hope this list of 10 things that happen to your body when you drink enough water every day can help convince you of its importance. Try and increase your water consumption by even one bottle a day for a week and see if it makes a difference for you.

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

Researchers Reveal How Vaping Causes Brain And Lung Damage

1. What Is Vaping?

Popularity of Vaping

2. Understanding E-Liquid Vapor and Its Dangers

· Nicotine

· Volatile Organic Compounds

· Glycol or Glycerin

· Benzoic Acid

· Formaldehyde

· Heavy Metals

· Flavors

3. The Flip Side

Vaping as an alternative to smoking

Final Thoughts On How Vaping Can Cause Brain And Lung Damage

Why Learn New Skills?

How to Learn Any Skill Faster

Tip #1: Think of “Skill-Gaining” As a Set of Dominoes

Tip #2: Accelerate Learning By Taking Regular, Short Breaks

What does this all mean? Two things:

Performance improves significantly following short periods of rest.

Short rest periods should be scheduled when learning anything new or performing important tasks.

Final Thoughts: Elon Musk’s Advice

31 Of the Best Inspirational Quotes Ever Written:

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LIFE

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LOVING EACH OTHER

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT PURPOSE:

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LETTING GO OF REGRET

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE ABOUT SELF-WORTH

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND YOU

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT LIFE LESSONS

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT FINDING MEANING

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT THE QUEST FOR HAPPINESS:

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEST INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

31 Self Care Tips

Tip 1 – Surround Yourself with Scents

Tip 2 – Go Outdoors

Tip 3 – Dance Like No One is Watching

Tip 4 – Declutter Your Spaces

Tip 5 – Explore Your Spirituality

Tip 6 – Indulge Yourself

Tip 7 – Cuddle It Out

Tip 8 – Laugh Often (It’s great self care!)

Tip 9 – Unplug Your Notifications

Tip 10 – Learn about Biofeedback

Tip 11 – Cook Something

Tip 12 – Meditate

Tip 13 – Catch More Zs

Tip 14 – Supplement Away

Tip 15 – Just Move

Tip 16 – Reconnect with Friends

Tip 17 – Eat the Rainbow

Tip 18 – Take Up a Hobby

Tip 19 – Read More

Tip 20 – Plan Something Fun

Tip 21 – Use All the Hot Water

Tip 22 – Revisit Nostalgia

Tip 23 – Practice Positivity

Tip 24 – Journal Regularly

Tip 25 – Stretch Everything

Tip 26 – Perform an Act of Kindness

Tip 27 – Get It On

Tip 28 – Take a Run

Tip 29 – Write Affirmations

Tip 30 – Disappear for a Weekend

Tip 31 – Challenge Your Brain

Final Thoughts on Self Care

21 Personal Finance Tips

1. Create a budget.

2. Learn to negotiate.

3. Force yourself to separate needs from wants.

4. Educate yourself on interest rates.

5. Invest money wisely.

6. Never pay full price for anything.

7. Upcycle whenever possible.

8. Prepare all food at home.

9. Try DIY projects.

10. Learn to say no to things that cost you money.

11. Do all of your shopping at one time.