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9 Couples That Prove Soulmates Really Do Exist

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Soulmates have been a topic of debate and discussion for centuries; do we all really have one person meant for us on this planet whose soul makes up half of ours? Or, could we have many soulmates who come into our lives to teach us different lessons?

No matter your stance on soulmates, these couples show us that maybe we do have a Mr. or Mrs. Right after all.

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soulmate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

Here are 9 real life couples who prove that soulmates do exist:

1. They make the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland look so romantic.

soulmates

IG: @amielynn_fit

Who wouldn’t want to kiss and cuddle with their soulmate at this beautiful spot?

2. These soulmates make a great couple, don’t you think?

soulmates

IG: @rockbottom_fit

You can definitely see their connection by the way they look at each other.

3. Aww, what a beautiful photo!

soulmates

IG: @madesann

If this isn’t proof of soulmates, then we don’t know what is.

4. Soulmates + beach = true paradise.

soulmates

IG: @samantha_mariette

Nothing says romantic like a day at the beach!

5. You can’t help but smile at the love these two clearly have for one another.

soulmates

IG: @peternguyenstudio

The genuine smile on his face could make anyone believe in love again!

Soulmates help each other improve and have fun no matter what they’re doing.

6. The love this couple shares is written all over their faces.

soulmates

IG: @love_pic____

You can’t fake a smile like these! Pure love is a beautiful thing indeed.

7. A power nap from time to time helps keep the love alive!

soulmates

IG: @drunk_off_your_love

We all know that commitment takes a lot of hard work and dedication, so a nap is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.

love

8. These two ambassadors for love bring that unconditional love into their relationship, too.

soulmates

IG: @prestonsmiles

The true love soulmates share can help heal the world, like this power couple does.

9. A relationship with the right person can bring pure joy to your heart.

soulmates

IG: @date_relationships_

We wish them a lifetime of happiness as soulmates!

We hope that these pictures show you that finding your soulmate is possible and that everyone deserves love and happiness. Even if it hasn’t happened for you yet, don’t give up; the one meant for you could be just around the corner. Maybe meeting your lifelong love means stepping out of a toxic relationship or getting involved in more hobbies that you enjoy so you can cross paths with the one.

No matter what, just keep doing you and the right person will come into your life when you least expect it.

Have you met your soulmate? Let us know in the comments!

https://youtu.be/eGPrRQYZ-ms

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

7 Telling Signs Someone Is Suffering From Chronic Stress (But Is Trying to Hide it)

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With some people it is almost impossible to sense that anything is wrong. Many folks just refuse to complain about anything. Others wear their emotions – and their chronic stress – on their well-worn sleeves.

The truth is, stress is normal, and sometimes, helpful. Moderate levels of stress enable us to act with urgency, perform under pressure, and make timely decisions. Stress can boost our concentration, encourage productivity, and even save our lives. On the other hand, chronic stress – a prolonged stress response to real or perceived pressures – can create a variety of problems. The stress response (or, to be more accurate, the fight-or-flight response) can be our best friend or our worst enemy.

What happens during ‘fight-or-flight’?

When our brain senses danger, it signals the body to release a stream of stress hormones mostly consisting of adrenaline and cortisol. Physically, our body “revs up.” Blood pressure rises, muscles tighten, breathing hastens, and senses heighten. As a result, our focus is boosted, reaction time shortened, and our stamina and strength are amplified.

Mental and Physical Effects

The human body, resilient as it is, isn’t designed to withstand constant stress. Physically, heart and lung conditions can arise, as can chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), damage to reproductive organs, and others. Mentally, the brain can remain in a heightened state of arousal, stimulating the release of stress hormones in otherwise unthreatening situations.  This can result in diminished cognitive performance and potential shrinkage to some regions of the brain.

 

7 Signs Someone is Dealing with Chronic Stress (And Doesn’t Realize it) 

1. Pain and tension

The first thing that happens to our body when exposed to stress is that our muscles tense up. The reason for this is that the body is bracing itself for a shock of some sort. When this automatic response remains “switched on,” over time it can lead to headaches, migraines, and other musculoskeletal problems.

2. Digestive problems

Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or gut, is super-sensitive to any changes in the body. We’ve all experienced that knot in the stomach when anxious or stressed, and in many ways chronic stress is the same. However long-term exposure to stress can lead to symptoms that resemble irritable bowel syndrome, such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.

3. Reproductive issues

Chronic stress has the effect of suppressing sex drive. Women may experience irregular and painful periods, while men may produce an abnormally low amount of sperm. It may be more challenging to conceive during periods of chronic stress.

4. Elevated heart rate and blood pressure

The fight-or-flight response is a “shock” to the system. When experiencing the stress response, our heart will pump more blood faster. This results in an elevated heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP).

5. Insomnia

For sleep to take place, our body and mind must be in a state of relative relaxation. Someone who is chronically stressed may find it much more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep; additionally, they may notice that sleep doesn’t have a revitalizing effect on their mind and body.

6. Mental and Emotional Problems

As mentioned during the introduction, the human body – and the brain – is not equipped to deal with prolonged bouts of stress. The brain requires periods of downtime to replenish its energy reserves, something that constant stress makes hard. As our hormones are thrown through a loop during stressful times, it’s typical to experience mood swings such as emotional outbursts.

7. Fatiguestress quote

This last sign is kind of a no-brainer. The chronically stressed are exposed to considerably more worry than the rest of us. Fatigue during periods of stress is not a weakness or shortcoming, but a natural response to an underlying problem.

Help for Chronic Stress

Listen, we are all stressed out from time to time. Regardless of the degree and frequency to which stress affects you, learning how to manage and prevent chronic stress effectively is a wise idea. On this note, here are a few approaches:

  • Exercise: Physical activity can boost your mood and vastly improve your physical health. When it comes to stress-busting, nothing else that you can do comes close to a good sweat session.
  • Talk to someone: A good conversation can boost “feel-good” chemicals of the brain and relieve pent-up stress. On a related note, don’t pay attention to the “keep it all inside” garbage advice. Talk to someone trustworthy and empathetic.
  • Use your senses: Mindfully engaging one or more of your five senses – touch, sight, sound, smell, or taste – can quickly relieve stress. How you go about this is up to you. Ideas: light a scented candle, pet an animal, or eat a snack.
  • Relaxation techniques: Just as there’s an embedded stress response, there is an inherent relaxation response. This is described as a state of deep relaxation and restfulness brought about through activities such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga.

Relief stress infographic

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(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved
Sources:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_stress
https://www.choosehelp.com/topics/anxiety/the-physical-signs-of-chronic-stress
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-signs-and-causes.htm
https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body#2

10 Signs Someone May Be Schizophrenic

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What is schizophrenia?

Affecting around one percent of the American population, schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that interferes with a person’s ability to think clearly. A person diagnosed as schizophrenic often has difficulty managing emotions and relating to other people.

Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed between the ages of 13 and 40. The peak ages for male diagnosis are between the late teens and early 20s. Females are frequently diagnosed between their late 20s and early 30s.

Schizophrenia is notoriously difficult to diagnose. Certain mind-altering drugs like meth and LSD can trigger similar symptoms. Some doctors may confuse the underlying cause. This is especially true if the patient is not forthright about past drug use. People with schizophrenia rarely realize they’re developing a mental illness. This lack of self-awareness can further complicate diagnosis and delay treatment.

“The schizophrenic mind is not so much split as shattered. I like to say schizophrenia is like a waking nightmare.” ~ Dr. Elyn Saks, diagnosed schizophrenic, Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Southern California

Causes of schizophrenia

Let’s quickly discuss the potential causes of schizophrenia, of which there are several.

  • Brain Chemistry: Imbalances of brain chemicals, including dopamine, may increase the risk of schizophrenia. Problems with neural networks may also be a factor.
  • Environmental Influences: Exposure to toxins or malnutrition before birth increases the risk of chemical imbalances in the brain. In some studies, this increases the risk of schizophrenia. A compromised immune system, along with one or more of these conditions, can also increase risk.
  • Genetic Predisposition:  While just 1% of the population will develop schizophrenia, this percentage increases considerably for first-degree relatives of someone with the condition.
  • Substance Abuse: Some research suggests that substance abuse between late teens and early adulthood increases the risk of schizophrenia onset. Some studies conclude that marijuana may increase the frequency of psychotic incidents. Importantly, this potentially leads to an earlier onset of symptoms.

 10 Signs Someone Might Be Schizophrenic

Here are ten potential indicators of schizophrenia:

1. Agitation:

People with schizophrenia may feel agitated. Treatment becomes more difficult because of the agitation, which often worsens due to high levels of inner tension.

2. Apathy:

Apathy is a hallmark symptom of schizophrenia, and is characterized by a lack of motivation, low energy, and detachment.

3. Delusions:

Tragically, most people with schizophrenia suffer from delusions – strongly-held beliefs that lack a basis in reality. The most common type of delusion is a belief that they are being followed, tormented, spied on, or ridiculed.

4. Depression-like symptoms:

Also called “negative symptoms,” people with schizophrenia often act or speak in a detached way. They may express hopelessness or sorrow. They may also lose interest in life or show little initiative.

5. Disorganized thinking:

Disorganized thinking is the trademark sign of schizophrenia. “Word salad” is a real psychological term describing a confused or meaningless mix of random words and phrases. This is, at times, characteristic behavior of someone with this condition.

6. Emotional detachment:

As mentioned, depressive symptoms and schizophrenia overlap at times. This may be due to the chemical imbalance in the brain as the disease progresses. In this case, the individual appears aloof and disinterested.

7. Hallucinations:

Though not as frequent a symptom as delusions, hallucinations are a serious sign. At times, the person sees things that are not there. Sometimes, these hallucinations can be extremely disturbing and upsetting to a person with schizophrenia.

8. Isolation and social withdrawal:

As the disease progresses, people with schizophrenia are more apt to isolate themselves from others. Social withdrawal may be both a symptom of the disease and a conscious decision by someone suffering from the disease. Those with schizophrenia are often embarrassed by their behavior when cognizant. Therefore, they choose to limit their interactions with other people.

9. Loss of drive/focus:

Schizophrenia often leaves someone feeling apathetic towards meaningful work. While stories of successful schizophrenics are not rare, they are the exception to the rule. Once again, this lack of drive and focus can be related to depression and withdrawal.

bipolar

10. Out of place behavior/mannerisms:

Schizophrenia may cause someone to act in a way that is inappropriate to the situation. For example, laughing aloud for no reason, or acting with an unmistakable child-like “silliness.” It’s common for someone with schizophrenia to resist simple instructions and act with defiance.

Final thoughts: Getting past the stigma

Stories abound of individuals who have schizophrenia attempting to hide their condition from others. Despite research and mental health outreach efforts, the ignorance surrounding mental health issues is prevalent. This has led to a shameful social stigma attached to conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and others.

As global citizens, we must do better. When people who are suffering feel support and encouragement, they are far more likely to seek potentially life-changing treatment.

If you or someone you love is suffering from a serious mental health disorder, please reach out for support. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Hotline can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.

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

Sources:
https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/schizophrenia
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Schizophrenia
https://psychcentral.com/lib/top-10-signs-of-schizophrenia/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627306007227
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusion

Science Explains How Stress Damages Your Memory (And 5 Ways to Get It Back)

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Our brain is a pretty amazing thing, no doubt. Weighing in at just over three pounds, the brain generates so much energy that it could power a low-voltage light bulb. It is capable of cellular growth throughout life, This almost superhuman ability is known as neuroplasticity. Stretched out, the number of blood vessels in your brain would extend over 100,000 miles – a distance capable of circling the earth four times! Amazing organ. But not without some flaws. Take for example the stress response. The stress response is vital to human survival. Without it, we wouldn’t bother safeguarding ourselves in life. It doesn’t take much brainstorming (unintentional pun) to think of ways this would be problematic. “Oh, an oncoming bus? No problem…” The End.

While our natural stress response – sometimes known as the fight-or-flight response – has been good to us throughout evolution, it has some kinks. For one, we’re not jumping away from every moving bush, fearing it may be a leopard or tiger. Despite the disappearance of predators, our brain is still capable of reaching “high alert” lickity-split.

All of that intelligence, all of those remarkable neurons, all of those years of evolution, and our brain still can’t tell the difference between real and perceived threats!  But don’t worry, because it gets worse (before it gets better!).

Stress and Brain Function

Our brain and body are not designed to sustain a constant state of alert. When in a state of high alert, nearly all of your energy is redirected to your brain and muscles, which is fueled by the stress hormone cortisol. In turn, too much cortisol can damage a vital part of the brain called the hippocampus (pronounced “hippo-camp-us”).

Cortisol has been shown to damage and kill cells in the hippocampus, the brain area responsible for the creation of new memories and retrieval of long-term memories. There is also considerable evidence that chronic stress causes premature brain aging.

Granted, it’s not good news that stress can affect the memory, but keep reading. It’s not all bad!

stress

Clearing the Air

We must make an important distinction between types of stress, because not all stress is negative. There seems to be a proliferation of articles denouncing stress in all of its forms. Here’s an example: did you know some people are claiming to know how to make your life “stress-free?” (Hint, hint: You can’t. And you wouldn’t want to if you could.)

Such information is misleading, misguided, and irresponsible. It’s nothing more than click bait with no reputable evidence or research to back up its wayward claims.

The truth is that moderate stress can benefit both physical and mental health. Mentally, proper stress can ward off boredom and depression. The “right” amount of stress can also fine-tune the brain’s neural networks, helping to improve cognitive performance. Proper stress levels also allow us to exert ourselves physically when necessary.

The “answer” to stress isn’t avoiding or abolishing it, but making efforts to strengthen our cognitive abilities in spite of the stress we face.

How to Improve Memory and Cognition

Here are a few tips for regaining and improving your memory and cognitive abilities:

 

stressed

1. Eat “brain-boosting” foods

Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., walnuts and salmon). Other foods shown to improve cognition include legumes, blueberries, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.), and whole-grains.

2. Learn How to Meditate

Our brain has an entrenched negativity bias, meaning that we direct more of our attention onto what’s bad than good. Meditation demonstrates that it is possible to rewire our brain into a more positive state. World-renowned universities such as Harvard and Stanford have built mindfulness meditation centers on campus because of the benefits involved in learning to meditate.

3. Use Repetition

Repetition is the mother of all learning. Studies have repeatedly shown that repeating something over and over again is the most effective method of encoding information into the brain. When you have problems remembering a phone number, for example, try breaking the digits down into 3-digit chunks and repeating them back to yourself.

4. Sharpen Your Focus

Make it a habit to focus your attention on one task (no matter how small) at a time. When washing the dishes, just be thinking about washing the dishes. When talking on the phone, just be thinking about talking on the phone. These practices that can aid your memory power go by another name: mindfulness.

5. Exercise

Exercise is pure magic. Sure, it can be tough to get our collective butts moving, but the benefits are incredible! You won’t be surprised that exercise brings some serious brain benefits. Moderate physical activity increases the blood flow to the brain, enhances overall mood, and protects brain cells. Evidence exists that exercise stimulates the growth of neurons – a phenomenon known as neurogenesis!

 

ways to relieve stress

Final Thoughts

The sad truth is that we are too often on “auto-pilot.” Frequently, we are not paying conscious attention to what we’re doing, where we are, and so forth. Unfortunately, this “default” mode of the brain often causes us pain; we’re carried away by negative thoughts and lose our concentration. When this happens, it is more difficult to remember anything.

The best way to improve our memory is by making lifestyle changes. Start exercising, stop smoking, practice meditation, learn to single-task, be mindful, eat right, and engage your brain. Doing just one of these things will drastically improve your ability to store and retrieve more precious memories!

5 Ways to Be Intimate (Without Being Physical)

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Intimacy can be a terrifying experience. Whether it’s emotional, or spiritual, being intimate with someone can make you feel extremely vulnerable. We all crave acceptance. As such, opening yourself to someone is scary, especially if you’re worried that they might not be receptive or may even react poorly. This article will give you an insight on how to allow yourself to become more intimate, both with yourself and with your loved ones.

Here Are 5 Ways to Teach Yourself to be More Intimate

“Intimacy is not a happy medium. It is a way of being in which the tension between distance and closeness is dissolved and a new horizon appears. Intimacy is beyond fear.” – Henri Nouwen

1. Make Time for Emotional Conversations

Having these crucial conversations can be anxiety-inducing, especially if you lack practice. Love Life Solved has a three-step formula for helping yourself get better at having emotional conversations in a way that allows your partner to respond with emotion. It takes time to grow comfortable with participating in emotional conversations. Psychology Today suggests that setting a time limit, making a list of things to talk about, and acknowledging your partner’s willingness to talk all help to make emotional conversations easier.

relationship quote

2. Actively Listen to Your Partner

Listen to learn from your partner. Active listening is hearing your partner’s meaning instead of just their words. Try to understand the emotions behind what they’re saying to you. If you can’t do that without more context, ask questions. Phrases like, “To me, it sounds like … , is that how you see it?” are clarifying and helpful. Such open questions also show that you’re trying to understand where your partner is coming from.

3. Become More Intimate with Yourself

Understanding your meaning is as important as understanding your partner’s. In fact, it’s possibly even more important. It isn’t easy to become more open with someone when you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve. There are three types of intimacy: self-intimacy, conflict intimacy, and affection intimacy.

  • Self-Intimacy is about understanding yourself and the reasons behind your feelings. This is an ongoing process for everyone. It’s one thing to understand that you’re upset, but another to unpack why you’re upset. It’s also important to understand how your feelings influence your behavior and how it can affect those around you.
  • Conflict Intimacy is about learning to have important and difficult interactions without becoming defensive or aggressive. It is crucial that you make the environment between you and your partner a safe place for discussions. Authors Joseph Grenny and Kerry Patterson wrote the book Crucial Conversations about this particular subject. Focusing on the facts, recognizing emotion but not letting it take over, and understanding each other’s points of view are critical for having constructive, intimate conversations.
  • Affection Intimacy is the typical intimacy connotation; words of affirmation, expressions of love, and sexual intimacy. Though this is an important part of being intimate with your partner, it shouldn’t be your main focus. Once you begin to be more open emotionally, this form of intimacy will become even more meaningful to you and your partner.

4. Touch Your Partner While You’re Talking

Touch creates a physical connection during conversations. It doesn’t have to be a conversation of heightened emotion; it could be a gentle touch to their hand as you tell them about something exciting or a kiss on the forehead as you say goodbye for work. Touch is one of the first connections we make as infants, and it sticks with us throughout our lives.

Nonverbal communication makes up more of our interactions than verbal communication, so touching is a critical part of our relationships. Making more eye contact and smiling also increases the intimacy of communication nonverbally.

5. End Things on a Good Note

There’s nothing worse than walking away from an interaction still upset. For starters, it’s not constructive. Moreover, unresolved, negative emotions can cause you and your partner to let things build up. This could lead to more hatred and even decrease your intimacy level. Emotional upset leads to a lack of physical connection, which will only harm your connection.

Huffington Posts suggests starting a new ritual of ending things with a kiss or another form of physical affection. This should start with small, positive interactions daily so that during conflicts or heightened emotional states, you won’t forget about it.

intimate

Final Thoughts on Ways to Be Intimate

Intimacy can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. Letting your partner know that you’re working on how you communicate and show affection is one of the first steps to enhancing your relationship. Working on intimacy together can become a couple of activities as well. Sometimes, the scariest and hardest things are the most important to do.

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

Overcome your Fear of Public Speaking: 11 Easy and Effective Ways

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Do you have a fear of public speaking? You’re in excellent company. Some of the most intelligent people can stand in front of a crowd and become numb. Finding ways to express yourself even with an audience is an important tool to have for life. Many jobs and ministries require public speaking as part of what is expected.

The fear of public speaking is not uncommon. In order to overcome public speaking fear, there are some things you can do. Putting these steps into practice will help you gain the confidence you need to stand and speak. It is possible to face your fears and conquer them too.

1. Get a Large Mirror

Purchase a large full body mirror that you can stand in front of while you practice. Practice speaking to yourself out loud every morning and evening in front of the mirror. Notice your standing position, your posture, and overall appearance.

2. Use Your Trusted Friends

Gather a small group of your trusted friends and practice speaking in front of them. Stand at the front of the room and make a short presentation. Ask them the give you two positive corrective criticisms of your speech. The more you talk about it, the more you will face your fear of public speaking.

3. Join a Local Book Club

Find a local book club that you can join. Watch the speakers and take notes of what works and does not work for them. Take a turn speaking to this small group. It is informal so the expectations are not as high. Openly share your opinions on the books you are reading together. Learning to share ideas in a small group will help you overcome your public speaking fear.

4. Use Cue Cards

Purchase some index cards and write an outline of your speech on them. They will help you stay on task when your mind wanders while speaking. If your main public speaking fear is forgetting what you are discussing, this will alleviate it.

5. Study Up

Before your public speech, study up on what you are presenting. Know the information to the point where you are comfortable with it. Don’t speak on a topic that you don’t understand.

6. Teach Something

Look for an opportunity to volunteer to teach. Speaking in front of a class about a topic you understand will give you confidence. You will learn different ways to help others understand your lessons. The fear of public speaking can be overcome by teaching others.

7. Choose a Comfortable Outfit

Choosing the right clothes to wear will make all the difference in your public speaking. You need to be comfortable at all times. You do not need to worry over something pulling, shifting, or riding up. Wear your clothing before the speech for a practice run. Practice walking up stairs, sitting, and standing for longer periods of time. You do not want to be distracted by a bad clothing choice during your speech.

8. Choose the Right Shoes

Wearing shoes that are presentable and comfortable is pertinent. If your toes are pinched or the heels are slipping in the back, you just can not concentrate on your speech. The fear of public speaking increases when you are physically uncomfortable.

9. Have Good Hygiene

You want your hygiene top rate when you are in the public eye. Self-confidence goes out the door when you have bad breath. Make sure you have breath mints handy. In order to overcome public speaking fear, keep up those simple things like your teeth brushed, and your nails presentable.

10. Remember to Practice

Nothing beats practice. Practice your speech in advance of the date it is due. Hold your cue cards in your hands while you practice. You will get to the point that you no longer need them. You can continue to hold them for confidence, taking away your fear of public speaking.

Fear of Public Speaking

11. Realize the Worst Thing

Remember that the worst thing to happen to you if you mess up a speech is an embarrassment. We are all embarrassed at some point in our life. Give yourself forgiveness when you stutter or have a hiccup. Understand that this happens to everyone.

Standing in front of a crowd can be a scary thought. It can reduce a person no matter their status or job description. Knowing how to overcome it will increase your job earning potential and effectiveness as a leader.

The fear of public speaking can be overcome. Try these steps out and repeat them until you gain the confidence you need. You may even learn to love speaking in public over time.

7 Powerful Ways to Boost your Confidence Immediately

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Do your palms sweat at the thought of speaking in front of your class or giving a presentation at a big meeting? Does the fear of failure consume you? Are you uncomfortable in social situations?

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. We’ve all been there at one time or another. In fact, studies show that 85 percent of the population suffers from what bestselling author Dr. Joe Rubino calls a “self-esteem deficit.”

Luckily, extensive medical treatment isn’t required to tackle this problem. Instead, there are a number of easy tools you can use day to day to boost your confidence and lead a better life. Here are a few valuable tips to help you control your self-doubt.

Tips to Boost your Confidence

Daily affirmations make a difference

Sure, many of us have laughed at the Saturday Night Live sketches featuring the fictional character Stuart Smalley, a self-help guru. You might remember his catch phrase that he said to himself while looking in the mirror: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”

But these affirmations are more than just a punchline on a comedy show. Science shows that positive thinking about yourself and your life can rewire your brain chemistry and increase the feel-good chemicals released by your body.

If you find yourself swimming in self-doubt and unable to think of any positive affirmations to pull yourself out of it, you might want to make a list of your strengths to keep with you at all times. This will give you a quick and easy confidence boost.

Let’s get physical

Exercise is a great way to boost self-confidence. Whether you’d rather pump some iron or go for a run, physical activity helps you look better, improves your overall health and makes you stronger.

All of those physical changes are confidence boosters. But experts say there are also mental and emotional benefits to working out. Physical activity releases beta-endorphins that make you feel good, and also reduces stress by decreasing cortisol levels.

So the next time you’re looking to boost your confidence and your mood, hit the gym!

Try something new

A great way to boost your confidence is to challenge yourself by trying something new, something that you’ve never done before. It’s easy to fear the unknown, but the greatest way to face it is by tackling it head-on.

This can be anything from joining a Meetup group with strangers who share a similar interest or learning a new skill. Once you try something new and succeed, though, you’ll see an increase in confidence. Even if you don’t get the hang of your new skill or project at first, you’ll see a surge in confidence simply because you know you tried and didn’t let fear get the best of you.

Leaving your comfort zone can be scary, but it’s also exciting and can expand your world.

Visualize who you want to be

It’s difficult to overcome years of negative reinforcement, your brain telling yourself that you’re no good. Experts say that visualization exercises are a great way to overcome this negativity and to boost your confidence, though, and they can be done in your own time and space.

The visualization process will help you replace your negative thoughts about yourself with positive ones. Start with some notes about who you’d like to be and what you’d like to accomplish. With these traits and goals in mind, close your eyes and picture yourself. Slowly alter the picture of yourself in your mind to match the traits you wrote on paper. These could be anything from wanting to be a more outgoing person to landing a big sale at work.

Before long, visualization will lead to actualization and increased self-esteem.

Surround yourself with a positive support network

If there are friends, family or colleagues who are negative and tend to criticize you, limit your time with them.

Make it a goal to spend more time with people who are supportive. You can choose, however, to rely more on connections with individuals who are positive and help lift you up rather than tear you down.

Recognize your accomplishments

It’s easy to get caught up in a swirl of negativity. But everyone has both big and small accomplishments they can be proud of.

Write some of them down and keep the list handy for the next time you’re feeling fearful or anxious. Reading through a list of your accomplishments is a quick way to boost your confidence and remind you of how capable you really are.

boost your confidence

Practice self-care

Your well-being should always be your priority. This means making sure you’re eating well, getting enough sleep and making time for the things that you enjoy.

Self-care is imperative to a happy and balanced life, which also helps you boost your confidence.

You have the power

With these tips, you have the power to improve your self-esteem and your life. Whenever you feel negativity get the best of you, turn to these practices listed above if you need to boost self-confidence.

10 Things to Let Go of Right Now to Be Happy

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It’s all too common to hang on to the pain and suffering we experienced in the past. We may pity ourselves and feel dissatisfied with our lives. We may dwell too long on lost loves, lost jobs, or lost friendships. How do we begin to let go and move on from these upsetting experiences?

Some people are so bound up in their past, they can’t let go of the pain. The pain has become part of their personal identity. The pain can even be comforting to some people. When you let go of past hurts and deceptions, you can begin to move forward with intention and peace. Here are ten things you can release from your mind and heart.

How to Let Go of Past Pain and Suffering

1. Give up control.

Many people are “control freaks” and only feel secure in themselves if they can influence how others think and feel. Control is an illusion and you can only hope to control your own feelings and reactions. You can’t change someone else, you can only change how you think and feel. If you can let go of the notion of controlling things and people in your life, you will be a happier person.

2. Stop feeling entitled.

Self-pity when things don’t go our way is a natural feeling, but it’s best to let this feeling go. We are not entitled to success and happiness, we must work our way toward them.

3. Let resentment go.

Resenting others comes at a price to our personal growth. Blaming others for our problems only leads to a hollow sense of self. Rather than resenting others, work toward forgiveness.

4. Don’t let guilt run your life.

It is hard to let go of past pain and suffering caused by guilt. When we spend time ruminating on guilt, we lose the ability to take responsibility for our actions. It is better to make amends and move on.

5. Try to hold back perfectionism.

When we push ourselves to be perfect, we lose sight of what is truly important. Pushing ourselves to an impossible standard only makes us unhappy. It is better to let yourself be “good enough” to get along in life. For example, let go of the idea that your home will always be perfect.

6. Let pride go.

Pride can restrict us from making amends in our relationships. Our ego can get in the way of emotional resolution. Pride can also keep us from admitting we have made a mistake.

7. Release yourself from negative thoughts.

We always have a choice in how we approach a situation. If we expect the worst to happen, it most likely will. If we have a better attitude, we may be able to create better things for ourselves. Negativity attracts negativity.

However, it’s important to allow yourself to feel your negative emotions. If you bottle them up, they will only be worse when they do come out.

be happy quotes for the optimist

8. Let go of bad influences.

Everyone has at least one person in his or her life that is draining to be around. If possible, let these people go from your life. If you have to continue dealing with them, try to distance yourself from their negativity. This is especially hard if the people who are a toxic presence in our lives are close family members.

9. Don’t fear failure.

Don’t restrict yourself from trying something just because you are afraid you will fail. This is a self-defeating measure and keeps you from taking risks and from experiencing all that life has to offer. Take the opportunity to do things that scare you and break out of your comfort zone.

let go

10. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Envying other people’s lives only leads to trouble. We often see only the surface of our friends’ lives, and not the struggles they go through every day. They may be looking at your life in return and envying how easily you get along. If you can be honest with your friends, do so. It will open your eyes.

Final Thoughts

When you learn how to let go of past problems, your life will seem clearer and easier. Using these ten tips will help you learn how to move on and recreate your life in a more optimistic way. The people and events that have disappointed you will be easier to deal with if you can change the way you look at your life.

Peace comes from within, and can be uncovered if you take some time to release yourself from the burdens of the past. If you can let go of past emotions and events, you will feel happier and more satisfied with your life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=75&v=lVhLd8LiQDY

REFERENCES:
HTTPS://TINYBUDDHA.COM/BLOG/16-THINGS-LET-GO-LIVE-TRULY-HAPPY-LIFE/
HTTPS://WWW.ELITEDAILY.COM/LIFE/20S-THINGS-YOU-NEED-TO-LET-GO-TO-LIVE-HAPPY-LIFE
HTTPS://WWW.PSYCHOLOGYTODAY.COM/US/BLOG/YOUR-EMOTIONAL-METER/201708/IMPORTANT-TIPS-HOW-LET-GO-AND-FREE-YOURSELF
HTTPS://WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM/FANI-STIPKOVIC/HOW-TO-DROP-YOUR-EGO-WITH_B_9263250.HTML

Best Breastfeeding Positions: How to Breastfeed Your Newborn Baby

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Breastfeeding carries with it the age-old pictures from nursery rhyme books, where the mother is sitting in her rocking chair, holding the baby, and breastfeeding it in both arms. Best breastfeeding positions always show this picture. This is such an idyllic picture that very few people think of the actual dynamics of this. Hold an empty glass jar out in front of you to demonstrate how tiring this can get. It can be a small glass jar, and it absolutely can be completely empty.

This is fairly simple, right? The jar is not heavy. It’s really no big deal. Now, continue holding the jar in front of you for ten minutes. After about four minutes, you’ll start feeling it in your muscles, even though it just an empty glass jar.

Try to hold the jar for twenty minutes.

Get the picture? As much as holding your baby in both arms while breastfeeding seems so perfect and sweet, the truth is, your arms will become very tired very quickly. Think you can give your arms a rest? Think again. Baby will need to be fed 8 or 9 times a day and 2 or 3 times throughout the night. What can you do?

The 2 Easiest Breastfeeding Positions of All Time

The Flat Reclining Position.

This position should be done with you lying completely flat on your back. Even sitting up in a lean-back chair can create enough angle to make it difficult for both you and baby. Instead, use your couch. Prop your feet or calves up on the armrest, lie flat on your back, and let baby find your breast. This is extremely easy because you don’t have to arch your neck down to check on things right below you, you don’t have to use your arm muscles in active engagement for hours of the day, and you can safely close your eyes and rest without having to worry about dropping baby if you get too relaxed. This is one of the best breastfeeding positions of all time.

The Flat Reclining Method.

This position is also known as the Biological Method because it is easiest for baby, too. Human babies are not designed to start straining their neck muscles right after birth. Instead, they can build these muscles up at their own pace by crawling around on your tummy. Trying to lift their neck and latch onto your nipple and then suck without getting too much stream going is incredibly difficult for baby. Instead, they can find your nipple, latch on, drink as much as they want, and then let go when they want a break. And they can do this every single time they want a break without fearing extra milk coming out. This is natural and organic for the way human babies are made.

The Side-Lying Position.

The side-lying position is perfect for couches, floors, and beds, as well as the Flat Reclining Method. You can actually lie on your side (with your baby between you and the back of the couch, just to be safe), and baby can latch on to either nipple while you watch or close your eyes for a brief nap.

Both of these positions are brilliant for sleeping, resting, joining baby on the floor, and for generally getting in naps throughout the day. The sleep deprivation caused by caring for a newborn is so intense that these two positions should be your go-to positions around the clock. This one is also at the top when talking about the best breastfeeding positions.

Cradle Holds and Side Holds

Cradle Hold and Cross-Cradle Hold. A list of best breastfeeding positions cannot be given without the standard cradle holds. These two cradle holds are virtually identical to each other but differ in the position of your hands. In the Cradle Hold, you hold your baby like normal, with your arms crossed underneath it. In the Cross-Cradle Hold, you hold your baby just as before, but this time you are using the hand closest to the breast they are feeding on to hold and manipulate your breast for baby’s convenience.

Side Hold (also known as the Football Hold). This is a great position if you have a pillow to put beside you for baby to lie on or if your baby is a small toddler now and can just sit beside, facing the other direction. You hold your baby under your arm (like you would tuck a football under your arm) and their head comes out and latches onto your breast.

best breastfeeding positions

All of These Positions Can Be Done in Public with a Light Blanket or Cloth Lightly Spread Over You

Just have a light cloth or blanket on hand, and you can do any of these breastfeeding positions in public by just generally spreading the cloth over your shoulder and breast. Do not tuck it in because your baby may get too warm or have difficulty moving around. All you need is a light covering. The best breastfeeding positions are perfectly natural, with a light coverup in public.

Breastfeeding is a bonding ritual and organic feeding routine which will be amazing for you. Get as much sleep as possible and Happy Baby!

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