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

Join Now
Twt-img.png
burger-icon.svg
Main Menu

4 Behaviors That Reveal Someone Is Silently Anxious

by

Anxiety is an umbrella condition (so named because of its many types) that affects up to 40 percent of U.S. adults and 10 percent of teenagers. In all likelihood, these numbers are applicable across the globe. But why are so many people silently anxious?

“I have anxiety. It feels like every cell in my body is moving so fast that my veins are blurry … It makes everyday tasks, such as making simple decisions, incredibly difficult, it feels like being out of your mind distant from reality … It’s like walking through the streets, but everything’s a blur.” ~ Lan Nguyen Ngoc

“You can never understand.” Sufferers of chronic anxiety will, with 99 percent probability, utter some variance of these four words. You can never understand – in part because THEY can’t understand.

The variations of anxiety include:

– Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
– Social anxiety
– Panic disorder
– Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
– Specific phobias
– Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Consider some of these facts about anxiety, courtesy of dosomething.org:

– Despite its high level of treatability through therapy and/or medication, TWO-THIRDS of adults with anxiety DO NOT receive treatment. Teenagers with anxiety receive treatment even less frequently – only 1 in 5 teen sufferers do.

– War veterans are not the ones who suffer from PTSD. Others who commonly experience post-traumatic anxiety, including flashbacks, are survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, accidents, or natural disasters.

– Those who suffer from anxiety are prone to suffering from depression simultaneously.

– Although anxiety disorders can be triggered by extended environmental stress or traumatic life events, ANYONE can be afflicted with this form of mental illness.

While the symptoms of someone diagnosed with anxiety may slightly differ depending on the type, most anxiety sufferers attest to a common set of anxiety symptoms.

With this in mind, here are 4 telltale signs of anxiety, according to researchers:

1. Feelings of Overwhelm Can Make You Anxious

Anxiety tends to be ever-present. Symptoms of anxiety surface no matter what you’re doing or how much you try to suppress them. The underlying reason that anxiety is so overwhelming is that it triggers the brain’s fight-or-flight response, which quickly depletes all of the person’s energy.

The FoF response floods the brain and body with stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These chemicals can, and often do, distort regular thinking patterns. It is possible for someone to experience momentary paralysis, which has the effect of crippling logical thought.

Physically, anxiety can reek havoc on the body. Severe anxiety (e.g., panic attacks, PTSD) ratchet up these symptoms, which often include: chest pains, dizziness/lightheadedness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and trouble breathing.

Suggestion from the experts: Find Distractions

When anxiety gets a strong grip, it can be hard to distract oneself. But there are some strategies that prove effective. Try playing a game, calling a friend, reading a book, or doing some controlled breathing. If you’re at work, take a bathroom break or step outside. (Tip: Many workplaces have Employee Assistance Programs, or EAP, that can help connect you with a licensed therapist.)

anxiety2. Depersonalization

Depersonalization can be a scary experience. It occurs when one’s mind seems separate from their physical body. The common symptom that is depersonalization causes some anxiety sufferers to feel as if they’re losing their mind.

Depersonalization occurs when the brain is subjected to constant overactivity. The rumination of anxious thoughts and feelings causes the brain to become overly-aware. This extreme awareness may cause the person to question every single thought or feeling that arises to no avail.

Suggestion from the experts: Be okay with depersonalization.

While depersonalization can be frightening, it isn’t serious or dangerous. When it occurs, don’t attempt to “fight back.” Wait it out, don’t interact, and the thoughts will eventually subside.

3. Insomnia/Trouble Occurs When You Are Anxious

When the brain is in a chronic state of worry, it’s chemical makeup is often changed. Researchers observe that trouble sleeping is one of the first problems to surface.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 54 percent of adults report “that stress or anxiety increased their anxiety about falling asleep at night.” As mentioned, anxiety symptoms don’t discriminate – they’re as likely to appear during our bedtime as any other time of day.

Suggestion from the experts: There are many recommendations here. Among them: exercise, eat lighter, drink decaffeinated beverages, set (and stick to) a regular bedtime, completely darken the sleeping area, keep a journal, mindfulness, meditation, controlled room temperature, and having a nighttime routine.

4. Focus and Concentration Problems

The chemical changes taking place within the brain during periods of anxiety leave few mental resources (read: energy) for conscious attention. These concentration and focus problems severely affect millions of peoples’ professional and academic lives.

University students, for example – must absorb huge amounts of information, contend with hours of homework, and study for exams – often find out that their anxiety condition depletes them of the brain power needed to get through their program.

Suggestion from the experts: Take advantage of corporate and college/university mental health programs. At the very minimum, talking to a psychologist or other expert will help alleviate some of the built-up stress.

Sources:
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/stress-and-anxiety-interfere#

5 Exercises You Can Do Without Getting Out of Bed

by

What better way to get your heart pumping first thing in the morning than to do a few exercises while still in bed? You’ll immediately have more energy and may even see a difference in your waistline after spending some time!

Here are the five exercises:

1. Crisscross
2. Full Body Crunch
3. Leg Raises
4. Single Leg Pulses
5. Wide Leg Cross Sit-ups

Perform each move for fifty seconds with a 10-second break in-between exercises. If you have more time (say, on the weekends), feel free to repeat the exercise cycle a couple of times.

Here’s how to perform each move:

Give these a try.

 

care for your body

Crisscross Exercises

– Lie on your back in a neutral position (straight spine)

– Bend your knees and bring your shins up so that they are parallel to the floor.

– Place your hands behind your head, supporting the base of the skull. Keep the elbows wide.

– Use an exhale to pull your abs into a deep scoop, and leaving the pelvis in a neutral position (not tucked or tipped), curl the chin and shoulders off the mat up to the base of the shoulder blades.

Full Body Crunch

– Lie on your back with your legs out straight.

– Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.

– Lift your feet up off the bed, tucking your chest as you “crunch” your torso upwards. Keep a space between your chin and chest as you lift your shoulder blades.

– Crunch both your lower and upper body in unison. Then, relax your upper body as you kick your legs out straight. Don’t allow your heels to touch the bed until all repetitions are complete.

Leg Raise Exercises

– Lie flat on your bed, placing your hands under your lower buttock on each side to support the pelvis.

– Keeping your knees straight, raise your legs by flexing the hips to a full-flex position.

– Return to starting position. Don’t allow your heels to touch the bed until all repetitions are complete.

Single Leg Pulses

– Lie with your back flat on the bed, legs straight. Then, slowly lift your head and shoulders so that your shoulder blades barely touch the bed.

– Bend one leg and place your hands on this leg’s knee. Keep the other leg straight.

– Pull the knee towards your chest in a way that is quick (“pulsing”) and mindful of technique.

– Alternate with the other leg. This counts as one repetition.

(Single leg pulse exercise videos are available if you’d like a visual depiction of the exercise. This may help.)

Wide-Leg Cross Sit Up

– Lay flat with legs spread wide.

– Extend your arm behind your head. Using your core strength, push yourself forward to touch your left toe with your right arm, inhaling slowly.

– Lie down with both arms behind your head. Again, push yourself up to touch your right toe with your left arm. This counts as one repetition.

(Perform this move slowly using your core strength.)

8 Behaviors People Don’t Realize They Display Because They Are Zen

by

“Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.” – Zhuangzi

Stress seems to be a permanent fixture in our modern life, mostly due to our “always on” culture. The stress epidemic stems from many sources but boils down to one main problem – our obsession with productivity. Many people don’t even know how to relax anymore because it’s become so ingrained in us to remain busy at all times. When we DO happen to get down time, a lot of us don’t even know what to do with this gift.

Most people live solely in the past or future, and entirely skip the present. This creates a constant feeling of anxiety and depression, because the mind can never relax – it is always either reminiscing or dreaming. Now more than ever, people need to learn how to cope with stress in a healthy manner so they can thrive, not just survive. To some, this comes easily, and to others, it takes some practice and dedication to learn how to remain calm in the midst of chaos.

With that said, we’d like to discuss some habits that emotionally stable people have so that you can learn to incorporate them into your daily life.

Here are 8 common behaviors of zen people:

1. They control their emotions.

Easier said than done, we know. It seems that life always demands a reaction from us, because we have so much stimuli to sift through. However, not everything in life needs a reaction, despite what you might think. If someone cuts you off in traffic, for example, your initial reaction might be to curse them out, give them the finger, and try to get in front of them. Next time that happens, though, try to do the opposite. Just allow them to get in front of you and take a few deep breaths. See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? It might hurt your pride a bit, but you will save a lot of unnecessary stress and emotion by keeping your cool.

You can apply this technique to anything in life. Remember, once people have gotten under your skin, they have control over you. Once a situation has your blood boiling, you have already lost the battle. It’s important to learn when a person or situation warrants a reaction – otherwise, you live in constant fight-or-flight mode, and this is neither healthy nor effective.

2. Zen people practice deep breathing.

Did you know most people breathe wrong? Yes, you read that correctly; even though we’ve been doing it since birth, most of us breathe much too quickly and shallowly. Instead, zen people practice deep breathing, which offers many benefits to the human brain and body.

According to an article by the Mayo Clinic: “The benefits of deep breathing extend beyond in-the-moment stress relief. Many studies have found that deep, yogic breathing helps balance the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary bodily functions, such as temperature control and bladder function. This may help ease symptoms of stress-related disorders and mental health conditions such as anxiety, general stress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

3. They take time for self-care.

It seems quite absurd that we tend to put ourselves last when the only person who can truly take care of us, is ourselves! We have to live in our bodies and minds our whole lives, and they take a lot of abuse. So, why do we feel that we can only treat ourselves to relaxation and indulge in peace when we “deserve” it? If you didn’t get the memo, you don’t have to do anything to deserve self-care. You exist, so therefore, you require some TLC from yourself, and lots of it!

Zen people don’t apologize for putting themselves first at times and putting the chaotic world on pause. They carve out time each day for things that bring them peace and joy, such as a relaxing Epsom salt bath, creative activities like drawing or writing, or maybe just going for a walk.

remain calm

4. Zen people stay away from drama.

To them, drama = stress, and they have no room for it in their lives. Calm people maintain their cool by choosing to eliminate drama, negative people, and stressful situations as much as possible. If they can’t avoid it, they use Habit #1 to help diffuse the situation so it doesn’t take control of them. Toxic people tend to engage in drama and gossip often, but zen people know that negativity will only kill their vibe, and don’t want any part of it.

5. They don’t hide their true selves.

A big part of having inner peace comes from bringing your authentic self wherever you go in life, and not holding back for the sake of others. The most zen people have mastered the art of being themselves, and have learned to not care what others think of them. You can’t possibly live a stress-free life if you put a mask on and pretend, so zen people have practiced the habit of doing and saying what feels right to them at all times. They’ve accepted themselves as they are, but also know where they need to improve and can admit their flaws. They don’t judge themselves too harshly however, which helps them accept others as well.

6. They accept reality as it is.

“What you resist, persists.” – Carl Jung

While they may not like it, zen people know that fighting reality will get them nowhere. In fact, it will just add more stress and anxiety to their daily life, which will get them even further from where they want to be energetically. Even the most zen people among us have their moments; however, they don’t allow themselves to remain stuck in a negative place for too long. They know that pain and stress are simply a part of life, and allow any negative emotions to come and go without judgment. Simply put, they don’t try to control reality; they just go with the flow.

7. They know how to say “No.”

Zen people know that they have a limited amount of energy and resources, and therefore, they don’t spread themselves too thin. They allocate their time and energy as needed, and they don’t do something if they simply can’t. If their boss asks them to stay late and they already have an obligation, they don’t feel bad about saying “Sorry, I can’t.” Even if the other person gets mad, the zen person knows that they only have control over their own emotions, and others have responsibility for theirs. Zen people have learned to move past people-pleasing behavior, because that only leads to dissatisfaction and stress.

8. Zen people look after their health.

They know that they can’t possibly remain calm if their mind and body don’t get looked after properly. Many studies have linked good gut health to better mental health, so zen people make sure to keep their guts happy by eating plenty of fruits and veggies, staying hydrated, and keeping active. They know that their bodies and minds need good fuel to thrive, so they don’t deprive themselves of their right to health.

Final thoughts

Being “Zen” might seem difficult in today’s world, but really, it just comes down to incorporating simple habits into your daily routine. After practicing them for a few weeks, you’ll start to feel calmer, happier, and more in control of your emotions, too!

Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/decrease-stress-by-using-your-breath/art-20267197?pg=2
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201404/the-gut-brain-connection-mental-illness-and-disease

What Does Your Zodiac Sign Reveal About Your Love Life?

by

All people experience love differently and want different things out of relationships, but at our core, we all need the same basic things in our romantic partnerships. Astrology can tell us a lot of things about what we need in our love lives, so read on to find out what your zodiac sign reveals about your relationships.

Here’s what your zodiac sign says about your love life:

AQUARIUS

Aquarius, you live life by the seat of your pants and crave intelligent conversations. In relationships, you need spontaneity and thought-provoking conversations, or else you get bored pretty quickly. You want someone who will keep you on your toes and show you a new perspective on life. The perfect person for you would take you on trips unexpectedly and just tell you to pack your bags without informing you of where you’re going. Your love life is a bit chaotic, complicated, and passionate, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

PISCES

Pisces, you’re sensitive, have a huge imagination, and live inside your head a lot. You don’t take relationships lightly, and don’t open up to someone until you’re totally comfortable and can trust them wholly. You aren’t one for flings, and would rather be single than stay in a relationship that doesn’t satisfy you. You need a deep, passionate connection with someone or else you don’t see the point of a relationship.

ARIES

Aries, your independent, headstrong nature calls for having someone in your life to keep you in check when you start to get a little too hot to handle. You never feel that you need anyone to complete you, however, as you know how to master your own life without someone else directing you. You need a passionate, goal-oriented, independent partner who knows how to listen and can handle your feisty nature without trying to change you.

TAURUS

Taurus, you’re stubborn and stuck in your ways, but you truly care about your partner deeply and want the best for them. Underneath that tough exterior, you have a lot of emotions that you don’t show. You want someone who can take care of you after a long day at work, and someone who can help you open up to show your sensitive side. You’re not big on words, but you surely know how to show someone you care about them.

GEMINI

Gemini, you definitely have a split personality, because sometimes you want to settle down with someone, and other times you want to play the field. Your love life is ever-changing depending on your current mood and goals with romance. This can make it confusing for your partner, but you just see it as “trying out” different people and personalities until you find your true match.

CANCER

Cancer, you have a lot of love to give, but you often give it to the wrong people who only want to take advantage of you instead of sharing their love with you. Because you wear your heart on your sleeve, you tend to get hurt very easily. In love, you want someone who you can fully trust and who can handle your sea of emotions. You want someone who won’t try to change your sensitive, caring soul, but instead will embrace you and serve as your anchor when you drift too far out to sea.

LEO

Leo, you have a loud, outgoing personality, and need someone who will join in your party rather than raining on your parade. You have a lot of goals in life, and aren’t afraid of going after them. You need someone who will support you and can keep up with the fast pace of your life. You have a fun, caring personality, and want someone who looks at life through the same optimistic lens as you.flirting

VIRGO

Virgo, your specialty in life is overanalyzing and making decisions based on pure logic, so you’d do well to find someone more laid-back and emotional to balance you out. You have a hard time talking about your emotions, so you need someone who can help you open up a bit. Also, you like to have everything planned out to a T, so you need someone who can help you be less rigid and more flexible.

LIBRA

Libra, you need balance in your life like plants need the sun. It’s your method of survival, and you don’t do well when the seas get turbulent. You’re a natural peacemaker, so you need a relationship that will promote those feelings instead of causing you stress. You have a calm, yet fun-loving personality, so you need someone grounded and steadfast to help keep you feeling stable.

SCORPIO

Scorpio, you don’t like to admit it, but you’re a highly emotional, sensitive creature. You like to hide your emotions, however, because sharing them makes you feel vulnerable, and you don’t like people to know too much about your inner world. In a relationship, it’s vital for you to have someone who makes you feel comfortable sharing your emotions instead of giving you a guilt trip about being too “moody.” You have a lot of passion, and need a relationship that ignites your flames.

SAGITTARIUS

Sagittarius, you’re always on the go. You love to go on adventures and don’t like to stay in one place too long. You’re a big jokester and don’t like taking life too seriously. You need a high energy partner who can keep up with you and who also doesn’t have the need to plan things out too much, because that seriously drags you down!

CAPRICORN

Capricorn, you’re a loyal, dedicated person to whatever comes your way in life. However, you tend to work yourself to death, so you need a partner to show you a good time and drag you away from your work. You tend to be a homebody, so you need someone who will take you out on the town and make you laugh to help balance out your serious personality. In a relationship, you give someone your whole heart and don’t want someone who’s just interested in playing games.

https://youtu.be/4GfHZOO1aNc

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved
Sources:
http://thespiritscience.net/2016/02/14/how-does-your-zodiac-sign-influence-your-love-life/
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/what-does-your-zodiac-sign-reveal-about-your-love-life/

How to Make ‘Ginger Tea’ To Help With Weight Loss And Digestion

by

Have you ever wondered what ginger does to your body?

To help answer these questions, here are a few facts pertaining to Zingiber officinale, aka, ginger:

  • Ginger is the rhizome, or stem, of the Zingiber officinale plant, and it has been used for centuries as a food, spice, and medicine…” – Owen Bond
  • It is a vasodilator – a fancy word for saying that it widens your arteries and enhances blood circulation. This vasodilation effect increases body temperature (called the ‘thermogenic effect’), stimulating metabolism and burning calories.
  • It increases the production of gastric juices, which helps to enhance digestion and burn calories.
  • Animal studies demonstrate that it increased metabolism rates by as much as 20 percent.
  • “Ginger promotes digestion and stimulates metabolism, which leads to increased calorie burning.” ~ Owen Bond: “Does Ginger Burn Fat?”
  • Besides weight loss, ginger helps relieve upset stomach, constipation, and indigestion.
  • The ginger plant’s root or underground stem (rhizome) can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form, or as juice. This root is part of the Zingiberaceae family, alongside cardamom and turmeric. It is commonly produced in India, Jamaica, Fiji, Indonesia, and Australia.

ginger

Ginger is also tasty, which is good because we will stir up some ginger water. Ginger root is widely available, so finding the main ingredient should be easy.

So, are you ready to whip up some ginger water? Us too!

 

Juices for weight loss

Here are the five simple steps for making ginger water:

1. Get either some dried root powder or some fresh ginger. (Note: If using it fresh, slice it nice and thin!)

2. Bring two cups of water to a boil.

3. Pour hot water into a cup.

4. Add ginger powder or slices. (Note: If using slices, wait 15 minutes until drinking.)

5. (Optional) Add a slice of lemon or a bit of honey to give it some extra taste. Bonus: both honey and lemon are excellent natural remedies for burning body fat. WIN!

To maximize the fat-burning effectiveness of ginger water, drink a cup 2-3 times a day. Remember: ginger – and ginger water – isn’t just great for weight loss; it helps support digestion and metabolism, too.

(Here are more health benefits with drinking and eating Ginger!)

Megan Ware, RDN, LN, states that other potential health benefits of ginger include loss of appetite, relief from motion sickness, and pain relief.

Ginger is available in fresh or dry form and as an extract or oil. Whole food stores and nutrition establishments sell ginger in supplement form.

Foods that contain ginger include cookies, ginger ale, gingerbread, and ginger snaps. You may also be able to find ginger as a capsule, tablet, or tincture.

Psychologists Explain 7 Reasons Compulsive Liars Think It’s Okay To Lie

by

Compulsive liars have an aversion to telling the truth.

According to psychologist and author, David J. Ley, Ph.D., compulsive liars “get so accustomed to lying that they do so even when there is no clear purpose, and when their lies are easily disproven, leaving everyone scratching their heads over the point of their deceptions.”

Even if lying doesn’t make the situation better, compulsive liars feel compelled to lie. But why? Chances are, we’ve all known a compulsive liar in our lives, and their lies stretched from big to small. Psychologists have studied the compulsive liar, and they have figured out a few reasons why they lie. Or, rather: why compulsive liars think it’s okay to lie.

Here Are 7 Reasons Why Compulsive Liars Think It’s Okay To Lie

“Liars begin with making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood.” – William Shenstone

1. Lying keeps them in control

When you have control over the truth, you can control a situation. Compulsive liars tend to lie because it keeps them in control of the narrative. It doesn’t matter if the lie is good or bad. Giving up the lie means that they will also have to give up control of the narrative, and that is scary for them.

“The truth can be “inconvenient” because it might not conform to their narrative,” adds Dr. Ley. Not all compulsive liars do it maliciously, but that doesn’t stop it from still being a compulsive behavior. Lying to stay in control is one of the main reasons they think it’s okay to lie.

2. They don’t think they’re lying

For compulsive liars, they often twist the truth so much that they no longer know what is real and what isn’t. So, when a compulsive liar lies, they may be doing it because they no longer believe that it’s a lie. In fact, they may very well think that they are telling the truth.

“It has been observed that pathological liars believe their lies to the extent that the belief may be delusional,” says Dr. Charles C. Dike, MD, MPH, MRCPsych.

If they’ve told themselves and everyone else around them that they had a goldfish that died, even if they didn’t, they may begin to really believe that they had a goldfish that died – and if they really believe it, they no longer believe that they are lying.

signs of compulsive liar

3. The lies don’t matter

At least, in their eyes, they don’t. Even if the lie has the potential to change someone’s life, to them the lie simply doesn’t matter. This is how they continue to tell themselves it’s okay to keep lying, because the lies that they tell don’t really matter.

“Pathological liars will look at a situation entirely from their own perspective. They have no regard for another’s feelings about what might happen as a result of their lies,” states professor of psychological and brain sciences, Robert Feldman, PhD.

Unfortunately, for many compulsive liars, if something doesn’t affect them in any way, then they are not likely to care about it affecting other people. Psychologists have found that compulsive liars tend to keep lying the more they convince themselves that they’re not hurting anyone.

4. They want the lie to be true

On the flip side of the compulsive liar really believing their own lies, they also lie because they want their lies to be true. In fact, they want them to be true so bad that they’ll continue to repeat the lie as a statement of fact until they get their way. This often works with trying to ostracize someone they don’t like from a certain group.

“Pathological liars seem utterly sincere about their lies, but if confronted with facts to the contrary, will often just as sincerely reverse their story. Their stories have a believable consistency, but they just do not seem able to monitor whether they are telling the truth or not,” says psychiatrist at the U.C.L.A. School of Medicine, Dr. Bryan King.

A compulsive liar may tell a lie about someone bullying them over and over until other people believe the lie, and it becomes truth to the people around them. To them, the lie then becomes true.

5. Lying feels good

To a compulsive liar, lying is much like a rush or a high. They lie for fun, and because it feels good to get people to listen to them. They may lie about things that don’t matter in the long run, like an old college girlfriend or a trip they never took to Hawaii. For the most part, many compulsive liars continue to lie, and continue to justify it to themselves because it feels too good to stop. They like the attention and don’t want it to go away. Many continue to lie because they think people won’t find them interesting, otherwise.

6. To protect themselves

Much like lying to stay in control, compulsive lying can often be born out of a situation where the liar was once abused, either physically, verbally or emotionally. While this doesn’t excuse the lying, it does give a frame of reference for why they tell themselves it is okay to lie in the first place.

liars

In this case, the compulsive liar may have developed it as a coping mechanism to keep themselves safe from the abuser. Now that they are out of the situation, they may continue to lie because they feel the need to protect themselves.

7. They already started, so why stop?

For some compulsive liars, they justify the lying to themselves by thinking, “Well, I already started this lie, I’d better finish it.” This is because, “If a chronic liar admits to any single lie, they feel like they’re admitting to being a liar, and then you’ll have reason to distrust them,” adds Dr. Ley.

They convince themselves that they might as well see the lie through to the end, even though the end only happens when they get caught in the lie. This often also includes adding more lies on top of the original lie, until it just kind of snowballs out of their control and they get caught.

Final thoughts

“Pathological lying isn’t a clinical diagnosis, though it can sometimes be a symptom of other issues, such as a personality disorder or a manic episode,” concludes Dr. Ley. Thankfully, while being on the other side of the lies can be frustrating, a compulsive liar can be helped by therapy.

There are ways to work through a compulsive liar’s inability to tell the truth and come out on the other side. Psychologists are able to take these reasons as to why compulsive liar’s think it’s okay to lie, and work through them to help change their behavior.

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

5 Behaviors Awakened People Display In Their Relationship

by

Unfortunately, many people stay in bad relationships just to avoid being alone or because they think no one else would want them. A British survey commissioned by money-transfer service TransferWise and carried out by YouGov on a sample of 2,031 British adults found that 6 in 10 people stay in relationships that are unfulfilling because they’re used to compromising. 

While these statistics only represent British people, they are likely similar worldwide. Granted, it’s understandable to be afraid of getting out of a relationship and being on your own again, especially if you’ve been with the person for a while, but your mental and physical health are the priority. If you are unhappy in a relationship and nothing is changing despite the two of you working on things, then it’s best to leave it behind and move on.

With that said, conscious couples tend to take relationships to their highest heights, and truly embody the term “power couple.” Both people have worked on themselves and healed their past wounds, and this allows them to fully give themselves to their partner and relationship. They see a relationship as an opportunity to grow, not a chance to control or bring down another person.

Here are 5 traits of conscious couples:

1. They care about helping each other grow

Being in a relationship provides a chance to grow individually, but also as a couple. Conscious couples not only care about the growth of themselves, but the growth of their partner, too. They don’t try to control the other person, but rather, allow them to flourish and blossom into whoever they desire to be. They help each other reach their goals, and truly care about their partner’s happiness and well-being.

The conscious couple never stops expanding and growing, because they know stagnation is the death of a relationship.

They don’t put out each other’s flames, but instead keep kindling the fire until the whole world shines a bit brighter.

2. Conscious couples don’t blame their partner for their wounds

Basically, the conscious couple takes responsibility for their past and have learned to put it behind them to start anew in their relationship. They don’t blame their partner for feelings of abandonment or neglect caused by their past, and therefore, they don’t expect these feelings to surface in the relationship. Of course, everyone makes mistakes and no relationship can feel happy all the time, but conscious couples have far less fights and misunderstandings than others.

They have simply agreed to use positivity to help their relationship grow rather than let the relationship die due to holding onto old pain.

relationship

3. They don’t try to stifle their partner

From a young age, we have all been conditioned to think we have to act, think, or talk in a certain way to get people to like us. It’s natural to want to be accepted, but so many people have buried their true selves in order to make other people like them – and nothing about this is healthy. In a conscious relationship, there are no filters, no expectations, and no hiding. Everything gets thrown onto the table, out in the open, and both people are perfectly okay with that.

They would rather watch their partner be their authentic self, even if that feels a little intense, than make them feel like they have to put on a mask just to maintain the relationship.

4. Conscious couples make love the priority

The power couple always asks “How can I love you more?” “How can I bring more love into our relationship?” They don’t expect to feel rainbows and butterflies all the time, but they certainly try everything in their power to keep their partner happy and feeling loved.

They treat love as a habit, not as an occasional place to retreat to after a fight or on an anniversary. They put love first, because without love, what would be the point of a relationship? Conscious couples approach every circumstance in their relationship with the question “How can I be love?” In other words, they aren’t interested in using the other person for the sake of love; they want to take things to the next level and embody love themselves. 

Because each partner isn’t dependent on the other to provide this feeling, it’s ever-present, like the very air we breathe.

5. They practice active listening

Unfortunately, many people today have forgotten the art of simply listening. We live in such a fast-paced, loud, chaotic world that requires our attention be split in a thousand directions. This habit of being in such a hurry has led many of us to forget to slow down, stop thinking for a second, and just listen. In romantic relationships, stopping what you’re doing, allowing your partner to speak, and fully listening to what they have to say leads to better conversations, deeper understanding, and a stronger bond.

According to an article by Diana Raab, PhD, on Psychology Today, “The goal of deep listening is to acquire information, understand a person or a situation, and experience pleasure. Active listening is about making a conscious decision to hear what people are saying. It’s about being completely focused on others—their words and their messages—without being distracted.” 

Final thoughts

Relationships require a lot of nurturing to stay alive, but, like anything in life, what you get out of something depends on what you put into it. If you want a thriving, healthy, happy, vibrant relationship, you have to view love as a practice and an opportunity to grow with your partner, rather than trying to “fix” or change them.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3330752/Stiff-upper-lip-gone-far-60-stay-bad-relationships-poor-customer-service-save-face.html
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-21277/the-4-qualities-of-a-conscious-relationship.html
http://thespiritscience.net/2016/09/09/12-conscious-habits-people-in-healthy-relationships-do/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-empowerment-diary/201708/deep-listening-in-personal-relationships

7 Behaviors A Sexually Aggressive Person Displays Before Revealing Themselves

by

Society’s understanding of sexually abusive actions – and their consequences – are perhaps higher than ever before. Look no further than the United States. In just the last few months, the following movements and scandals have taken place:

– The #MeToo (“me too) movement: The phrase “me too,” coined by Tarana Burke, is perhaps the most effective sexual harassment awareness campaign in history. The hashtag #MeToo has been tweeted millions of times by women to “empower women through empathy.”

It’s founders – collectively called the ‘Silence Breakers’ – earned Time’s 2017 “Person of the Year” award.

– The Harvey Weinstein scandal and fallout: Harvey Weinstein, once considered one of Hollywood’s most successful film producers, has been accused by more than 50 women of actions “ranging from rape to sexual harassment.”

Since Weinstein’s indictment, accusers pointed fingers as public figures such as Kevin Spacey and Matt Lauer.

– The Michigan State University sexual abuse scandal: Various top officials of Michigan State University (MSU), one of the largest and most prestigious public universities in the U.S., are accused of covering up the most significant sexual abuse scandal in the history of American sports.

Larry Nassar, the former director of sports at MSU and former doctor of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team, was convicted of sexual assault involving as many as 150 women. Nassar received a sentence of a minimum 25 years in prison.

7 Hidden Signs of a Sexually Aggressive Person

“Behavior results from the way a person thinks. A person’s thinking processes largely define his character. In considering how to prevent further victimization … it is essential to understand the mental makeup of the victimizer.” ~ Stanton E. Samenow, Ph.D.

Sexual abuse is often traumatizing for the victim. One prominent U.K.-based sexual abuse therapist states: “I have counseled many women who have experienced sexual trauma. They have been emotionally scarred, lost their sense of identity, and live with the experience every single day.”

Considering the current state of affairs, understanding the psychology – and possible actions – of a sexual predator should be considered paramount. Indeed, an individual who possesses this knowledge can effectively make themselves less of a target.

1. Building (Suspicious) Trust

Anyone who victimizes others understands the importance of first establishing trust. To build this trust, a sexual predator will make the victim feel as if they’re the focal point of the perpetrator’s attention.

However, what differentiates a sexual deviant from others is the escalating intensity with which they display attentive behaviors. For example, they may text and call at inappropriate times or in excessive numbers.

2. Using Manipulative Language

To gaslight is to “manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity” – a deceptive tactic that sexual abusers almost always use to achieve their aims.

Should the victim challenge the abuser’s actions, the abuser will resort to lying, verbal manipulation, guilt-tripping, and victimization. Gaslighting eventually leaves the victim feeling emotionally drained, helpless, and – most unfortunately – ridden with guilt.

3. Normalizing the Behavior

The cycle of sexual abuse has begun, and the “honeymoon” emotions of attentiveness, care, and charm become less and less frequent. At this point, the vaguely uncomfortable feeling that something was wrong in the beginning is now apparent.

Following the normalization of unacceptable behavior, the abuser will begin with emotional and psychological exploitation – often culminating in sexually-abusive acts.

sexual abuse

4. Playing the Victim

Ironic though it may be, men and women who prey on the opposite sex possess a strong sense of victimization. Such feelings are narcissistic in nature – and often entail feelings of grandiosity (“delusions of grandeur.”)

The aggressor will often ratchet up this misplaced sense of victimhood; essentially turning it into a game of cat and mouse. He or she will usually blame the other person for anything that goes wrong: a “I only did this because you did that” sort of deal.

5. Degrading Words and Actions

At this stage, the sexual aggressor’s abnormally self-directed thoughts and actions become more apparent. He will make sexual comments and identify insecurities in order to exploit them later.

Sexual abusers will often bring up (personally-concealed) past sexual experiences – and encourage their victim to do the same. The predator, armed with this information, can use this as “intel” to strengthen their position of power.

6. Pushing Sexual Boundaries

Sexually-aggressive people typically have no respect for personal boundaries. Instead, they feel to need to “push and push” to get what they want. Despite sensing the victim’s anxiety, the aggressor is likely to be quite deliberate – even cerebral – in their approach.

Ultimately, determining when one is uncomfortable with certain actions taken – and exiting the situation – is key to avoiding this vulnerable position.

7. Attempting to Disempower

Disturbingly, the perpetrator will often try and assure the victim that “everything is okay” as they carry out their systematic abuse. This disempowerment entails normalizing the victim’s distress (we will talk about this later.)

The abuser tries to destroy his victim’s confidence. As a result, the abuser feels disempowered.

5 Ways To Prevent Negative People From Taking Over Your Thoughts

by

Our thoughts can be affected by the people we surround ourselves with. This means that when surrounded by positive people, our thoughts are mostly positive. Likewise, if there are negative people in our lives, our thoughts can also become negative.

“These negative people are markedly pessimistic and will exhaust anyone. Destructive energy and drama follow them everywhere. If you’re not careful, they can pull you into their chaos — disrupting your focus and sidelining your goals,” says author and business etiquette expert, Jacqueline Whitmore.

Thankfully, there are ways to ensure our thoughts don’t get taken over by the negative people in our lives. Here are some of the best ways to keep your thoughts positive, even when negative people are affecting your life.

Here Are 5 Ways To Prevent Negative People From Taking Over Your Thoughts

“You cannot expect to live a positive life if you hang with negative people.” – Joel Osteen

1. Practice self-care

Self-care is an integral part of keeping your thoughts positive, even when you’re surrounded by negative people. Sometimes, self-care can be as simple as enjoying some time by yourself. Other times, it can mean taking a long hot shower, going for a jog, or practicing some meditation.

Professional coach and author Angel Chernoff says, “…And since you can’t control what they do, it’s important to take care of yourself so you can remain centered, feeling healthy and ready to live positively in the face of their negativity when you must.”

Self-care is generally anything you can do to take care of yourself when things in life get too stressful. It can also help clear out your thoughts when you start to feel as if negative people are taking over your life. Don’t be afraid to do what you need to take care of yourself.

2. Remove yourself from negative people

Negative people in your life can be one of the biggest sources of negative thoughts. The best way to ensure your thoughts don’t get overwhelmed is to limit the time you spend with negative people. Some people in your life can’t be avoided, like family or co-workers. You don’t have to cut them out of your life, but taking time away from them will do wonders for your thoughts.

“It’s difficult to look on the bright side when you’re surrounded by negativity. Seek out positive people to keep you balanced. Just like negative people can rub off on you, a positive person can brighten your spirit,” says clinical social worker, expert on mental strength and author Amy Morin.

Spending more time surrounded by positive people will improve your thoughts and keep the negative thoughts away.

toxic people negative thoughts

3. Focus your energy on positive things

It can be tempting to focus all of your energy on the negative people in your life. This will cause your thoughts to be taken over. The best way to combat this is to focus your energy on positive things. Help someone, call someone you love, do something you enjoy, or spend a day with your family. You can do these things to keep your thoughts positive and free from the negative influences in your life.

Top-selling author Susan Reynolds beautifully pointed out that, “Being focused on negative thoughts effectively saps the brain of its positive forcefulness, slows it down, and can go as far as dimming your brain’s ability to function, even creating depression. On the flip side, thinking positive, happy, hopeful, optimistic, joyful thoughts decreases cortisol and produces serotonin, which creates a sense of well-being. This helps your brain function at peak capacity.”

Sometimes, focusing your energy on positive things can even mean focusing positive energy on the negative people in your life. You never know what a little positivity can do for someone.

4. Maintain your boundaries

You don’t have to let negative people into your life just because they’re family members or people you once were close to. Setting boundaries with the people in your life is something that everyone should learn to do, whether these people are positive or negative. To make sure that negative people don’t take over your thoughts, it’s important to set and maintain your boundaries.

“Don’t feel pressured to sit and listen to a negative person. Their negative energy will seep into your own life and affect your attitude… You can’t control the negative behavior, but you can control whether or not you engage,” says author and business etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore.

Your thoughts will benefit from being able to remove yourself from negative influences and making sure they don’t force their way into your life.

5. Validate your own self-esteem

One of the reasons that people tend to affect our thoughts, whether they’re positive or negative, is because we tend to seek our validation from other people. “It all comes down to how you value yourself, and thus believe in yourself… When your sense of satisfaction and self-worth are derived from the opinions of others, you are no longer in control of your own happiness,” adds Chernoff.

When we find validation in positive people, our thoughts tend to be more positive. However, when we seek out validation from negative people, we don’t always receive it. When that happens, our thoughts can be taken over by the negative people we sought to validate us. Instead, find a way to validate your own self-esteem. This will keep you free from negative influences and improve your own sense of self.

Final thoughts

Negativity can be a hassle to deal with. The people in our lives can affect us in all kinds of ways – and in turn, we also affect other people. When negative people take over our thoughts, it can be hard to figure out how to turn it around. These tips should help anyone bring a more positive outlook into their lives and stop negative people from taking over their thoughts. When we become more positive, we also influence other people’s lives positively and constructively.

References:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/308109
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201502/5-ways-stop-giving-negative-people-too-much-power
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prime-your-gray-cells/201108/happy-brain-happy-life
https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/308109#0
footer-logo.svg

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!

  • Copyright Power of Positivity 2025

Quote Remedy — Positive Energy+ — Faith Remedy

Like-img.png
Twt-img.png
Skip to content