8 Easy Ways To Create A Relaxing Home

relaxing-home

If you are not at work, chances are you’re probably at home. Your home should be the place where you mentally reset. And if you work from home, it’s even more important that you have your own relaxing space.

Are you relaxed when you’re at home? When you walk into your house, what do you feel?

You should be able to find your peace, recharge your batteries and enjoy quality time by yourself or with your loved ones. In order to get all these benefits from your home, you should make it a cozy place, just the way you need it. This doesn’t have to be difficult or involve a lot of money. It can be a simple strategy and trust me, the outcome will be impressive.

This post shares 8 extremely easy fixes to create a more relaxing home.

  1. Declutter & Organize

Coming into a cluttered home only increases your level of stress. Before anything else or any other home improvements, you should organize your space. Get rid of all the things you don’t really use. If you have items that you use rarely, but you don’t want to get rid off them, find a storage place. But for those goods that no longer serve you, you shouldn’t have any mercy. You can sell them online or simply donate them to people who might need it more than you do.

Once you got rid of the unnecessary items in your home, it is time to organize your space. Living in a messy house can add stress and frustration to your daily life. You will not be able to relax and even enjoy simple activities. Organize one room at a time until you go through the entire house. And remember – you don’t have to do it all in one day! Don’t stress yourself.

  1. Add Relaxing Colors

The colors in your home are pretty important as they can have a direct impact on your mood. Certain colors can make you feel relaxed or stressed and even anxious. To avoid negative feelings while you spend time at home, try to use pastel colors that usually offer a calm feeling.

Light shades of blue, green or pink could work great for your home decor. White and beige are also great choices. Vibrant colors can do more harm than good as they can increase the stress level.

  1. Add Relaxing Decor

Choose the decoration in your home wisely. Sometimes a decorative item can have a bigger impact in your life than you expect. For instance, adding some beautiful pillows that also look cozy on your couch and bed will definitely better your atmosphere. They will make your home feel more comfortable and you will enjoy your space even more! Also, you can add some soft rugs to spoil your feet every time you step on them. When it comes to decorative items, the sky is the limit. You will find everything you can think of on the market. If you are more on the exotic side, you can even add some indoor fountains.

  1. Bring Nature In – Bring Home Fresh Flowers

    tulips at home

Add a plant or two to de-stress your room. If the idea of taking care of plants feels overwhelming, bring home fresh flowers from time to time. It is such a lovely way to treat yourself.

Add a bouquet of fresh flowers to your home every now and then. I personally looove wild flowers. They add a fresh vibe to your place.

  1. Share Your Memories

The memories we gather along our life should be cherished. And what better way to cherish your memories and the best moments in your life than hanging pictures in your home? Print out favorite photos you might have with your friends and family and hang them in places where you can see them easily. They will bring a smile on your face every time you look at them.

  1. Invest In Bed Sheets

From your entire house, the bed is the most important piece of furniture. Investing in soft bed sheets can increase your comfort significantly. No matter how comfy your bed is, if your sheets are not following the same standards, chances are that you’re missing the opportunity to improve your sleep. Soft sheets are way more relaxing. Plus, they are very pleasant to the touch so it will be an investment worth making. A good tip is to purchase bed sheets with a high thread count.

Good bedding is essential to creating a lovely home. Having soft bed sheets helps recharge and actually sleep better.

  1. Light Some Candles

Aromatherapy can improve the entire vibe in your home. Nowadays, you can find plenty of scented candles to give you a relaxing fragrance. You can use scented candles that are in accordance with the season so you can emphasis beautiful autumn, winter, spring or summer day. There are also scented candles that will match festive events or holidays such as Christmas. Or you can simply use candles instead of electricity every now and then, especially when you take a bath.

If you love essential oils, an essential oil diffuser might also be worth having.


Related: 30 Daily Self Care Ideas


  1. Put On Relaxing Music

In order to create a relaxing atmosphere, you should put on some relaxing music. You can listen to any type of music that helps you relax. A good tip would be to keep the music at the minimum level so you can still focus on other things you might have to do.

Anyone can apply these ideas in order to make a more comfortable place out of their home. You might have others to add to this list, so please share your ideas in the comments below!

6 Productive Things To Do Before Bed

productive-things-to-do-before-bed

Is it sometimes hard to switch off from a hectic day? Do you find yourself staring at the ceiling thinking about work when you should already be sleeping? I’ve been there, my friend 🙂 And I’ll give you a precious hint: watching Netflix or scrolling down Instagram feed are not gonna help! Now that we got that out of the way, let’s look at some productive things you can do before you go to bed!

1. Unplug

Disconnect from all your devices at least 3 hours before going to bed. This will increase your melatonin level and will help get ready for a calming and relaxing sleep. If you are used to falling asleep checking your social media accounts, know that this is not working in your favor at all. As a matter of fact, it prolongs your daily stress into your night sleep.

2. Have A Skincare Routine

Taking care of your skin should be a part of your self care night routine. Make sure to remove all the makeup off your face as you clean it every evening before bedtime. Use a good moisturizer that will nourish your skin during the night. You will see that you feel more relaxed as you take care of your skin. It’s a sort of meditation for me personally. Not to mention that you will postpone aging signs and other skin conditions that you can avoid by simply having a good skincare routine. When your skin looks good, you feel more confident and therefore, you are able to focus on other aspects of your life.


Related: 30 Simple Self-Care Ideas


3. Read For 30 Minutes

Reading is a great way to unwind and disconnect from your hectic daily schedule. If you read for at least half an hour before you go to sleep, your mind will relax and you will be able to reduce your stress level significantly. You will also fall asleep easier as you help your brain to disconnect. Reading in the evening can also improve your memory. When you are reading try to read an actual book, because of the melatonin level, as mentioned earlier.

4. Visualize Tomorrow

Before going to sleep, try to focus on your next day. Try to visualize your next day without putting any worries into it or fear or any other negative energy. Simply go with your mind through what you expect your tomorrow to be like. Projecting a good future will definitely help you relax and drift into a peaceful sleep knowing that everything will be fine. If you want to have an ideal day, the first step is to visualize it before bedtime.

5. Plan Out The Next Day

You don’t even need to have a planner, get a piece of paper and simply write down your tasks for the next day. Doing so will help you clear your mind and fall asleep with a more peaceful mindset. Put your ideas on paper and get back to them in the morning as you wake up. Once you see how beneficial this habit is, you will most likely want to keep it. You will not have to worry about forgetting important tasks and your mind will be free to enjoy other thoughts before bedtime. I personally write down 3 most important tasks that I want to accomplish the next day.

6. Get Clothes Ready For Tomorrow

One of the things you can do to be productive before bedtime is also getting your clothes ready for the next day. Doing so will save you time in the morning and you won’t have to worry about what outfit to wear to work. Setting up your clothes in the evening also brings more peace to your sleep as you take one more item off the list. It is one of the best things you can do to not only ease your evening anxiety but also take some anxiety from the next morning!

For some evenings, these things will have to be a matter of discipline. However, the more you do them, the more you will get used to doing them. They bring a lot of benefits not only when it comes to the quality of your sleep but also the quality of your life. Studies suggest that it takes 21 days to implement a healthy habit, so be patient with yourself. Before you know it, you will have a healthy and productive bedtime routine that will improve your life at many levels!

15 Super Effective Pinterest Marketing Tips

Pinterest Marketing Tips

Have you ever heard that Pinterest can bring tons of traffic to your blog or website? No, Pinterest is not only for fitness, fashion, and food. It can be a very effective marketing tool that can continuously drive tons of traffic on your website. If you’ve been somehow involved in internet marketing then you are aware of how important that is.

Here you can find an assembly of 15 Pinterest marketing tips that are effective in 2019 as they were in the year before. And yes, even though 2019 has just begun, everything you will find here is recently tested and works like a charm.

Learn how to grow your business with Pinterest marketing: Enroll in the Pinterest Marketing Course

 

Let’s get started…

1. Open a Business Account

This is the first and most important step you need to do. Having a business account means access to analytics, rich pins, buyable pins, and promoted pins.

2. Learn About Keyword Research on Pinterest

Even though most people think of Pinterest exclusively as a social network, it isn’t. It also doubles as a type of search engine. Ask any expert and he will tell you that keywords are the true currency of Pinterest. First, you need to learn how to find suitable keywords for your pins so that you can use them later. Without this, you can not expect any positive results from your Pinterest page. Pins without the right keywords are much harder to be found and get way less exposure than the ones with the right ones.

3. Add Keywords to Your Profile Name

Whatever your profile name, try to include some keywords in it. For example, your name is John Doe and you are promoting yourself as a blogger and a marketing guru. You can name your Pinterest profile “John Doe I Marketing Expert and Blogger”. The “I” is a nice little touch that separates the name from what you do. And at the same time, you got some catchy keywords attached to it.

4. Include Keywords To The Bio

Again, it is not just about telling people what you do and maybe reveal part of your personality, but also to appeal to the Pinterest algorithm. The trick here is to add two or more keywords while keeping things real and easy on the eye. Also, it is recommended you add a call to action to the bio. For example, visit my blog if you want to know more about this and that.

5. Claim Your Blog/Website

It is important to claim your website because once you do its link becomes clickable. That alone translates to more visitors. In addition to that, you got access to analytics which will show what people are saving from your blog/website. But in order to get access to the analytics, you need to paste a custom code on your website.

6. Make a Board For All Your Blog Posts

Even though your blog posts can be on multiple pins, it’s recommended to have a dedicated board for all your content. And when you create this board don’t forget to add keywords.

7. Fill up The Boards

Don’t just add your own pins or some random junk you’ve found. Combine your own content with high-quality content from your niche. First, keep the boards secret. Make them public only after you add at least 30 top quality pins. In case you have some personal boards, the professional thing to do is to keep them secret.

8. Follow Influencers

Once you set up your Pinterest page you need to start thinking about finding followers. The best way to start is by watching how the influencers are doing it. On top of that, you need to create a profile of your ideal customer. That way you can create targeted content and present that content in a proven and effective way. Much like the influencers in your niche do.

9. Be Consistent

Pinterest’s algorithm likes active members. Therefore add pins regularly. According to some experts, 30 per day is the optimal number of pins. Again, don’t focus solely on your own content. Make things more interesting by adding someone else’s pins on top of your own. But make sure that every pin is of great quality. Otherwise, don’t bother. Quality always comes before quantity.

10. Add Keywords to Your Pins

Keywords mean that search engines can understand what your pin is about. If you want your pins to appear on search results you make sure that you got your keywords in order and in place.

11. Add Hashtags in Your Pins

Many people follow hashtags and make searches using hashtags. Don’t miss out on those people and make sure that every pin features few hashtags. Pinterest allows up to 20 hashtags, but don’t go to the max. Instead, focus on four or five hashtags.

12. Call to Action in the Pin Description.

The all point of you being on Pinterest is to promote your blog and gain some traffic. The ideal pin should have a call to action that will make people click on it. It’s that or the pin to be saved. Worst case scenario people neither click nor save your pins. For example, a pin can contain CTA such as:

• Click and get this free ebook
• Signup for a free course
• Get this free cheat sheet
• Get free recipes
• Download five premium themes for free

13. Join Pinterest Group Boards

Group boards present a great opportunity to present your content in front of a larger audience. The trick as always is to provide super interesting content represented in pins crying to be clicked or saved.

14. Make Most of Tailwind Tribes

This is a tool that is created to help marketers and bloggers to connect to each other and share each other’s content. Tribes hold many similarities with group boards, but they are way more effective than them.

15. Make Sure That Your Blog/Website Is Mobile Friendly

Most Pinterest users visit the platform via mobile phone. That means much of the traffic you will receive from Pinterest will come from mobile phones. Therefore, if you want to take advantage of that make sure that your blog/website is mobile responsive.

Conclusion

There are plenty of other strategies and tips that can be used to drive traffic from Pinterest. There might be even some there are more effective ones than the ones mentioned here. But nevertheless, the ones here are proven to be effective and are still in use. Any smart blogger or marketer can use them and benefit greatly from them. They are easy to follow and don’t require special knowledge. Pinterest can be your traffic “goldmine”, just need to be willing to make the most of it.

Learn how to grow your business with Pinterest marketing: Enroll in the Pinterest Marketing Course

How To Stop Taking Things Personally

taking-things-personally

On some days, we tend to feel as if the whole universe is taking time out of its busy schedule to ruin our lives. We tend to mess everything up, we arrive late on our perfectly planned events, and sometimes, we tend to miss all of the important stuff that we should be at. If you are one of those people who feels like their whole life is falling apart, read on this article, because it can thoroughly help you out.

Would you believe that most of the time, what you are feeling is just a result of you taking everything personally? Sure, it may sound kind of rattling and offending, but if you think about it, it is true. Sometimes, we tend to forget that most of the problems we encounter are simple things, and we can easily get past them. We suddenly fall into this pit of anxiety, self-blame, and recklessness that will eventually eat us up inside.

If you are dealing with issues like these, you do not have to stay this way. You can take baby steps into fixing everything up, and eventually, you will find yourself in a more peaceful and beautiful state. In order to help you out, here are five amazing steps to take for stopping yourself when it comes to taking everything personally.

Six Steps for a More Peaceful Life

  1. Reassess the Things that You Believe In

Sometimes, we tend to believe the things that our brain tells us to think. For example, when you greet someone, you would initially think that they will greet you back. When they don’t, you will start feeling anxious and beat yourself up with it, even though the real thing that happened is they did not see or hear you.

These are the things that will continuously consume you if you do not reassess them right away. Using the previous example, you need to think about the ridiculous things that you usually think about. By acknowledging the fact that things are the way they are, you will get to move on from these little mind-boggling thoughts, and you will be able to relax more because you will not stress out about them.

  1. Fill Your Timeline With Activities

Another step you can take to stop taking everything personally is to fill your timeline with fun and informational activities. By doing this, you will get to distract yourself from everything you have been thinking about, and you will find the time to be more productive.

This part is also quite useful if you have this constant anxiety about what other people are thinking of you. If you are too busy for other things, you are certainly too busy to care about what other people are thinking. That is the most important part, since by flushing away all the negative energy, you will get to absorb and enjoy a lot of positivity in your life.

  1. Remember that You Cannot Control Everything

When it comes to life, there are certain things that we can and cannot control. Problems and other challenges in our lives are inevitable, which is why it is important to take note that we cannot get a hold of them all the time. By setting your mind this way, you will become more peaceful, and you will be able to do things a lot easier than you did before.

Stressing yourself out over things that you cannot control will not help you improve and grow. If you want to move on with problems you are currently facing, acknowledge the fact that some of them are just there to annoy you. Find a way to go around them, and forget them as you continue on with your life. Eventually, things will get better, and you will find yourself having a healthier perspective.

  1. Get a Hold of Your Emotions, Absorb Them, and then Let Them Go

One of the most effective methods of freeing yourself from this dragging mindset is to acknowledge your emotions. In the book “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom, his former professor (Morrie Schwartz) taught him how to handle his emotions effectively. Morrie said that in order for you to process your emotions, you have to feel them first.

If you are feeling happy, stay happy, absorb it, and move on. When you are feeling sad, absorb the sadness, acknowledge that it is happening, and let go of it. The same process goes on for other emotions, and Morrie actually had moments in the book wherein he portrayed this effective process.

If you are thinking that this is just a book, you are totally wrong. This book is based on Mitch Albom’s life experiences with his former professor. If they can get through all the challenges they faced, you can definitely get through yours too. Start with this simple process, and you will notice one day that your life is slowly getting onto the positive side of things.

5. Start Believing in Yourself

The deal with taking things personally is that it will take a big hit on your self-esteem. You will start to doubt yourself, your skills, your looks, basically everything about you, and you will tend to think more about what other people are thinking of you. This is an unhealthy mindset, and you should get rid of it as soon as possible.

By believing in yourself, you will tend to get more confident when it comes to the things you love. You will be able to express yourself in a more delicate manner, and you will inspire others to follow your lifestyle. It does not sound bad at all, considering that you will be a positive influence when it comes to other people.

If you do not know where to start, you can simply feed yourself with the “placebo effect”. If you do not know what the placebo effect is, it is the method of tricking your brain that you are well, even though your body says otherwise. If your brain sends those good signals to your body, your cells will regenerate faster. This is why it is used for patients with physical ailments. Of course, it may also be used for people that are dealing or struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses.

By telling yourself that you are doing good on a daily basis, you will eventually reach a point wherein you believe the positive words you are saying. You will have a new outlook in life, and you will forget the things that you used to take personally.

  1. Start the Change Within

If you want these positive changes to take place in your life, you should take the first step today. Nothing bad will happen if you embrace change, especially if it is a good change. Slowly, but surely, this process can help you become a better person and individual that can influence your society with a newfound respect for life.

Taking things personally could provide a lot of negative effects on our physical and mental health. Avoid this mindset by taking the steps that are listed above. The day will come when you will wake up, get out of your bed with a new glow, and face the rest of your day with a healthier and more positive mindset.

How To Stop A Panic Attack

stop-panic-attack

Not many things can make a healthy man as debilitating as a panic attack. It feels like the world has stopped and you feel overrun by intense fear supported by crippling physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, trembling, chest pain, nausea, sweating, or pounding heart. A panic attack can last anywhere from five to twenty minutes – a period in which you lose the ability to reason logically or clearly.

What’s even worst is that you don’t have to be in a life treating situation to experience a panic attack. It can happen while you are asleep in bed, at a restaurant, or even while hiking. It all starts with an intense surge of fear that is followed by the other crippling symptoms.

Symptoms of Panic Attack:

Before we go into how to deal with a panic attack, we need to recognize its symptoms. The list of the most common symptoms include:

  • Shaking
  • Increased heart rate
  • Sweating
  • Chest discomfort
  • Stomach upset
  • Nausea
  • Heat sensations
  • Chills
  • Tingling or mumbling
  • Fear of dying
  • Fear of losing control
  • Feelings of unreality

Sometimes they are triggered by something, while other times they may come out of nowhere. Typically, they reach their peak within minutes. But regardless of how much they last or the extent of their peak, they can feel overwhelmingly unsetting.

Here’s how to prevent panic attacks from happening in the first place.

Unfortunately, when you got hit by a panic episode, you need to wait for it to run its course. Because of that, it is evenly important to take preventive measures as it is important to know how to cope with it once it hits. After all, preventing the problem before happening is always the smartest play.

Your physical health is the single most important factor that influences your stress tolerance which means your anxiety attacks. Generally speaking, the healthier you are, your stress tolerance will be much higher.

To that end, consider maintaining a healthy diet, being physically active, and having good night sleep habits. Furthermore, lower your alcohol and caffeine intake as both can worsen your anxiety symptoms.

Mindfulness, regular relaxation, and cognitive-behavioral therapy can also be very helpful preventive measures. Behavioral therapy can help you deal with your fears safely, whereas cognitive therapy teaches you how to control yourself when you are under an anxiety attack.

Structured relaxation and mindfulness activities such as yoga and meditation can have a very positive effect on both your physical and mental symptoms.

Stopping Panic: What to Do When Having a Panic Attack

Here are some strategies that have worked for many people faced with panic attacks.

Deep Breathing

Various breathing techniques can be very helpful when faced with a panic attack. One of them includes breathing in through the nose and holding it for about five seconds before breathing out through the mouth. Then you repeat the sequence. If you want to learn about the different breathing techniques, you should take a class in meditation. There you can learn different breathing techniques.

Talk to Yourself

Once you are aware that you are having a panic attack, you need to convince yourself that this too will pass and you will be fine soon enough, just need to wait it out and let the panic attack run its course.

To that end, remind yourself that there is no real danger. You can practice a verbal response such as “This will pass” or “I am not afraid”.

According to modern medicine, there is no need to distract yourself and face your panic attack head-on. Don’t fight it, but identify, acknowledge it, and let it run its course while you are being fully aware of the situation. Just keep on reminding yourself that this is temporary and it shall pass soon enough.

Ground Yourself

First, notice five things around you, then four things that can be touched, then three that can be heard, two that can be smelled, and one thing that can be tasted.

That way your mind is not focused on fear and doesn’t run around bouncing from one to another worry.

This is a common exercise often recommended by physicians to people that suffer from frequent panic attacks.

H.A.L.T.

H.A.L.T. is an acronym for hungry, angry, lonely, tired. These are four feelings that not only can bring out the worst from anyone, but they are potential triggers for panic attacks.

So when panic attack symptoms start to appear, ask yourself – am I hungry? Am I angry? Am I tired?

A positive answer can help you cope with your panic attack easier. For example, if you are hungry, head to the fridge for a quick bite. If it is because you feel lonely maybe you should reach out to a friend or a family member.

In any case, coping is much easier when you know what’s behind your panic attack.

Progressive Relaxation

As mentioned earlier, panic attacks are not just in your head as they tend to manifest through your body. For some people, increased muscle tension is one of the symptoms.

In that’s the case, tense one muscle and then relax it. Then do that to another muscle. Repeat that to every muscle that could benefit from this exercise. You can stop when the whole body feels relaxed or when the panic attack stops.

Start counting backward from 100 by 3s

The very act of counting is kinda like an override of anxious thoughts that try to crawl into your mind. This is a technique that increases your focus and makes you feel calmer. All that can significantly decrease the severity of your panic attack.

Put a Stop to the “What ifs”

Most panic attacks are fueled by the “what if” thoughts within our heads.

For example, What if I don’t pass this exam? What if the interview goes sideways? What if I fail on this audition as well? What if everyone hates my art? What if I run into my ex?

Very often, even the worst-case scenarios are not as bad as they seem at that moment. But when you are in the middle of a panic attack you can’t reason and think clearly. Again, it all comes down to being aware of what’s going on in that moment and convincing yourself to wait it out, let it pass, and don’t spiral into further confusion.

The fewer “what ifs” the less severe your panic attack will be.

Recall a Favorite Memory

Creating a mental list of imagery that makes yourself calm when under a panic attack is a nit trick. For best results, choose a favorite event and imagine as many details as possible. Think of all the surroundings, the smells, the sounds, the people, the laughs, the interactions, pretty much anything that happened and you can recall. That will place your brain on a different track, one that is on the opposite side of your panic attack.

However, this is pretty much against everything we’ve advocated for, in terms of dealing with panic attacks. That’s so because this is creating a distraction. But when nothing else works, and nothing else works for you at the moment, this might do the trick.

It does work for many people suffering from panic attacks. There are hundreds of thousands of people that deal with their panic attacks using this method.

Conclusion

Each of these ways has been helpful to folks suffering from panic attacks. If you can apply some of them, your panic attacks won’t be so severe and extreme. Once the severity of the symptoms starts to wear out, you will know that you are on the right track. It is not a fast process, but if you are persistent in your attempts to prevent and stop panic attacks, at one point they will go away.

The Ultimate Blueprint on How to Get Through a Bad Mental Day (Without Visiting A Psychiatrist)

bad-mental-day

There are days when you can barely make yourself get up from your bed, let alone go to work or do anything productive.

 

Things like that can happen to anyone, even if you didn’t have any prior anxiety or other mental issues. And it’s okay to have a bad and not wanting to go to work.

 

What matters most is to be able to go through it so that the next day, you don’t feel down as well.

 

To that end, we’ve made a list of recommendations on how to get through one such day. They might look like simplistic strategies, but they tend to get the job done. You might not find each one of them helpful, but some will surely do the trick.

 

All of them have been endorsed by professional psychologists and online counselors.

 

Here’s what we got.

 

Give Yourself Time to Rest and Sleep

Don’t feel like getting up from bed? Then don’t. Spend an hour, two, or even three more hours sleeping or just resting.

By resting, you are giving your mind a time to repair and refresh itself. Most people undervalue the significance of rest. Sometimes a short, 20-minute nap, can make all the difference in the world as you will come out of it recharged and ready to face whatever the remaining of the day can throw at you.

Don’t beat yourself up for the additional time you spend resting or sleeping. Also, that doesn’t mean you should spend the entire day in bed as that will be contra-productive.

 

Enough With the Sleep And Rest….It’s Time for Something Else

So, you’ve got your beauty sleep, now it is time for something else. That else being dragging yourself from the bed and taking a steamy shower. Your mind will be telling you not to get up and stay in bed, but you need to find the strength to get off the clutches of your bed.

The order of things is a shower, a full breakfast, and dressing up. Find something nice to wear, not what you typically wear at work or when on a grocery run. It’s guaranteed that will make you feel better.

 

Reach Out to a Friend & Go Out

It doesn’t have to be your best friend, but anyone that has some free time on their hands and is available to meet you.

Go for brunch, lunch, or even for just a cup of coffee. Ideally, find a place you’ve never been to before, but you didn’t have the time to visit it.

The idea here is to take you away from your home and get you socializing with other people. A cup of your favorite coffee and a simple conversation to a friend won’t solve any underlying mental issue, but you won’t feel that bad.

 

Being surrounded by other people always help.

Even if you can’t find a friend to keep you company, you should grab that coffee or head for brunch. Sometimes we find comfort even in the smallest things like small talk with an absolute stranger or the waiter that brings our meal.

 

This is What Comes Next

You’ve probably heard of nature therapy or ecotherapy. In Sweden, a physician can prescribe exactly that a week of nature therapy. That’s spending a certain period in outdoor surroundings. For example, within a forest.

Considering that you don’t have that much time on your hands, but probably just the rest of the day, the best course of action is to head out to the nearest park. The bond between nature and people is ongoing. At the same time, the therapeutical effect that nature has over people is proven in actual studies conducted by some of the most renowned universities and research centers in the world.

Sometimes, just an hour spent in the nearest park, just embracing and appreciating the surrounding, walking among the trees, can feel profoundly fulfilling.

 

When You Go Back Home

At first, that might feel like going back to the scene of the crime. But worry not, because by now you should feel somewhat recharged and refreshed. Plus, there is a lot you can do so you don’t fall back in the same bad mood once you are back home.

To keep up with the accumulated positive energy, you might want to turn your attention toward some “feel good” type of food.

There are over 160 studies on how food affects our mood and the brain in general. What’s common for all of those studies is that they all acknowledge the influence food has over our brain, mood, and it links to mental conditions.

To that end, you should consider consuming dark chocolate, quinoa, salmon, foods that contain probiotics (sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, etc), beef, poultry, leafy greens, turnip greens, bok choy, grapes, and so on.

Those are all foods that can have a profoundly positive effect on your mental condition.

If you are out of healthy foods, call it a cheat day, and go for some comfort food like ice cream. The idea is to keep your spirits high and not fall in the same abyss as before.

 

Before Calling it a Day

One way to forget your problems is to turn your focus over something else, even if they are fictional characters from some TV show. So, the advice here is to watch a TV show or a movie, anything that will distract your mind from your issues. This too is a common distraction technique that in all honesty doesn’t work in the long run. But if you need to go through that particular day, it works like a charm.

 

To Conclude

There is no eastern world philosophy here, nor some spectacular recommendations. Just a set of recommendations and tips on how to make it through a bad day. Each of them has been tested in practice by folks like you.

However, consider this a short fix. Something that can get you through your bad mental day. Dealing with the root of your mental problems is another matter that you need to address as well.

However, that’s something that requires a somewhat different approach and usually the involvement of a professional psychiatrist or a counselor.

The No-Bullshit Guide on How to Reinvent Yourself When You are Feeling Lost

reinvent-yourself-feeling-lost

Feeling lost?

 

Feeling desperate to find yourself again?

 

It is truly awful to feel like that, but it doesn’t have to be like that for too long. There is a way out of the abyss, even though it feels like there isn’t.

 

But how? Your mind must be pressing for answers right now. Well, check out no-bullshit guide on how to rediscover yourself again. There is no going around the bush, fancy metaphors, no motivational quotes.

 

We simply cut to the chance and give straight answers. That’s why we call it a “No-Bullshit Guide”.

 

Keep on reading to find out how this works.

 

Where to Start?

Start by making a timeline of your life so far. Grab a pen and paper, and list your past accomplishments, your regrets, all the major highlights in your life, both good and bad.

When you write down the positive ones, stop for a moment, think how good you felt at that point, and all the great things that came from that.

When you are writing down the negative ones, think about the lessons and experience you’ve gained from that.

Next, create another list. This one needs to contain your dreams and goals.

This exercise is not just fun, but also very beneficial. It’s very popular with psychologists and life coaches trying to help people find their way once again. What’s great about it is that it gives you a structure, a sense of direction, and a new perspective on what your life is all about.

Once you are done with all that, you can turn towards other things. Here’s a list of practical exercises that will bring high dividends in your effort to reinvent yourself.

 

Take Responsibility and Accept Your Reality

The fact that you are reading this means that you’ve already done the first step in the right direction and that you are taking responsibility for your life. Recognize that you have strayed away from who you are and accept it.

It happened, and it is now time to do something about it, to get unstuck and move forward.

The point is not to live in the past. Let your self-acceptance be your ground zero from where a new you will rise. Get it in your head that anything is possible if you believe strong enough in it.

 

Dream Big, But Start Small

Norman Vincent Peale said it best, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”.

The point is, there is nothing wrong with big dreams and you shouldn’t be frightened by their grandioseness. But big dreams take time, effort, and a lot of work in between.

Start with baby steps and celebrate every victory on your way up. Make sure that each of those steps leads in the same direction, closer to your dreams or you are a better, stronger person because of it.

 

Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle

The healthier you are, the better you will feel about yourself. We are not the car we drive or the clothes we wear, but our body which is part of us.

Open a clean slate, start eating healthy, exercise regularly, quite harmful vices such as heavy drinking and smoking, and clear your body of all the accumulated toxins.

The change will be almost immediate as you will feel more energized, you will look and feel better. Furthermore, you will have a clear mind. That will allow you to change your perspective of how you see things, how you do things, and most importantly how you feel about yourself.

That doesn’t mean you are cured, you are where you wanna be. But it is one hell of a start, a solid foundation to build on in your effort to find yourself once more.

 

Ask Yourself Questions

This is about opening an inner dialogue with your inner self. You don’t have to start asking fundamental questions like what’s my purpose in this world. Instead, start with less significant questions such as “What can I do today that will take me closer to my dreams?”, “How to schedule my day so that I can achieve more?”, or “What can I do to make me feel more accomplished?”

By asking yourself questions, you are improving your problem-solving skills. All that will eventually lead to finding yourself as a whole.

 

Find Time for Your Passion

Let’s be honest, not many of us can’t afford to make a living of what we are passionate about and that fulfill us to our core. Many of us work jobs that we don’t like, but often there is no other way to make a decent wage.

On the other hand, that doesn’t mean you can’t devote some time to doing something you are passionate about.

The best thing about passion projects is that you never know when it can turn into something valuable, something that can bring money in the same manner and quantity as it fills you up emotionally.

Making a living by doing what you love and for which you are passionate about is the very definition of success. When that happens you will know that you’ve arrived where you want to be. Your true nature will reveal itself and you won’t feel lost anymore.

 

Step Out of Comfort Zone

Routines, monotony, repetition, all that can only deepen your comfort zone which will make you feel even more lost. To start fixing that, start with baby steps.

For example, visit someplace you’ve never visited before, take music lessons, volunteer, re-connect with an old friend, things like that. You don’t have to go skydiving right away or do something majestic in your first attempt to get out of your comfort zone.

After a while, you will feel the courage to take even bolder steps that will take you further from your comfort zone. Soon enough you will able to think on your feet and deal with all sorts of unforeseen challenges.

 

To Conclude

The path to finding yourself doesn’t have to be a difficult one or full of challenges. All it takes is some discipline, determination, consistency, and trust in the process. The steps above might feel a bit generic, bit plain, and simplistic.

But, know that once you start applying them, they will feel overwhelmingly personal. As time passes, you will feel the change in your life. Just don’t stray away from the given blueprint and soon enough you will feel like reborn and thinking only of success.

How to Build Your Self-Confidence and Live up to Your Full Potential

how-to-build-self-confidence

There you are at a certain period of your life, sitting and wondering how did I get here? Why haven’t I done more? Why does it feel like I am stuck in some perpetual idle moment in which the only thing that seems going forward is time?

 

At the same time, deep in yourself, you know that you could and you still can do more. You know it, all your friends know it, yet there you are.

 

Bono said it best – “Stuck in a moment that you can’t get out of”.

 

Bono might be the epiphany of cool and success, but that doesn’t mean his lyrics are all there is to it. On the contrary, with some deliberate effort and strong determination, you can increase your self-confidence and live up to your fullest potential.

 

Don’t know how?

Don’t worry, you don’t need a life coach, a psychologist, or someone else to help you shine again. You can be your own guru and put yourself back on the fast track of success without anyone’s help.

After all, no one knows you better than you.

But that doesn’t mean you need to figure out everything on your own. To make things easier we’ve assembled a list of things you can do to increase your self-confidence.

Consider this your blueprint, the one-way path that leads only in one direction – success!

Here we go.

 

Rediscover Your Competencies and Develop Them

One of the best ways to start building up your self-confidence is by demonstrating real ability.

For example, if you are a good cook, start throwing dinner parties for colleagues and friends. Or maybe you were a good runner at some point. Regardless of your age, you can start training again and start competing.

In short, find something that you are good at and start building on that. Success in one area attracts success in another area of your life. You don’t need a high paid psychiatrist or a life coach to tell you the effect of success over self-confidence.

 

Replace Self-Criticism With Self-Compassion

Being self-critical can further lower our self-confidence. The biggest drawback is when our self-critical inner monologue starts. That’s when whatever left self-confidence we got left in the tank goes in the drain.

To battle this, and you must do, is to replace your self-criticism with self-compassion. Imagine that you are talking to a friend, not yourself. Approach the matter from a compassionate point of stand and not from a point of criticism.

Ask yourself, what advice would you give to a dear friend of yours if they were in your shoes? The thing is when it comes to friends, we tend to be much more compassionate then we are to ourselves. That is why you need to act like that.

It is a proven method that has been tested over and over in practice. Many people claim it helped them to go through some difficult times. There is no reason why it wouldn’t help you as well.

 

Challenge Yourself

Don’t aim big, make it a small challenge that you can accomplish by yourself. Something that takes you a step from your comfort zone, maybe something you haven’t done before.

For example, invite your colleagues for a drink after work, even that you haven’t done it before. Maybe take a yoga class, learn to knit, learn to cook a dish, things like that. These are all small wins that can bring big gains and that can restore your self-confidence before you know it.

 

Start Facing Your Fears

Being fearful and not trying new things go hand in hand, and has a lot to do with low self-confidence.

Being afraid to try new things only reaffirms your inner critic that keeps on repeating that you are not good enough for any of those things. It is what keeps you in your “so-called” safe zone which is nothing but a point of stagnation – the thing that doesn’t want you to move forward.

However, if you don’t try new things, if you don’t find the courage to step out of that comfort zone, you will never know how far you can go in life and what you can achieve ultimately.

Again, the trick here is starting small and work your way to the things that scare you most. One win at a time and you will find yourself knocking down your fears and realizing your true potential.

That’s the true recipe for growth!

Soon you will realize that in most cases, the fear of falling was unjustified. Yes, sometimes you might fall flat on your face. But you will not see it as the end of the world type of experience, but rather just another experience.

 

Re-affirm your Qualities

This is an exercise that has proven quite effective in reviving self-confidence after suffering a blow.

Create a list that contains qualities of yours that are relevant to the situation you got yourself into.

For example, you didn’t get that promotion you were hoping for. Make a list of all the qualities that make you a valuable employee. Maybe you are responsible, maybe you got some unique set of skills no one has in the company, you have strong working ethics or stuff like that.

Then use one of the points on your list to write a short essay (not more than two paragraphs).

Write about why that particular quality is so valuable and why it will be appreciated in the future. The next day chooses a different item from your list and write down another one. Repeat the exercise every day until you cover all your qualities listed there.

By the time you are done writing, your self-esteem should get a much-needed boost.

The bottom line is that increasing your self-confidence is not an overnight kind of thing, but something that needs a bit of work. It requires developing healthy emotional habits through proven exercises and devotion.

But if you are doing so correctly, you will experience a great psychological and emotional return on your investment.

7 Things That Can Contribute To Our Anxious Thoughts

anxious-thoughts

Does your heart beating faster than normal?

 

Do you palms get sweaty in stressful situation?

 

Yes, that’s anxiety! Even when you do not know it, you deal with anxiety on a daily basis. You feel anxious when you are in traffic, when you are late for work or when you are waiting for a specific thing.

 

No matter where we are and what we do, anxiety is within us most of the time. Anxiety may lead to a lot of complications when it comes to our physical and mental health. It will ruin our way of thinking, and it will stress us out, causing unexplainable pain within our bodies.

 

If you want to get rid of those anxious thoughts, the first thing to do is to acknowledge it. If you do not know that you are suffering from anxiety, then you cannot help yourself. In order to do that, one of the first things you should do is to know the causes of anxiety. Thankfully, you are in the right place! In this article, we are going to discuss all the things that supposedly bring about those anxious thoughts of ours.

 

Thoughts That Cause Anxiety

 

Parental Pressure

This is one of the leading contributors when it comes to our anxiety. As we grow old, some parents tend to force these three things into our lives: a stable job, marriage, and a place to live. Although they mean well, dealing with their constant reminders could give a whole lot of anxiety within us. It also doesn’t help if you do not have a healthy relationship with your parents.

If you want to get rid of your anxiety from parental pressure, the simplest thing to do is to talk to them. Explain to them that the pressure is too much, and they should understand that you are capable of handling your life at your own pace. By simply having an open discussion about things, you could release yourself from the tension that you are constantly feeling.

 

A Full Tummy

Having a large meal and a full tummy can be quite satisfying, that is until the anxiety creeps in. Most people tend to rant that they feel bloated after eating a lot, even though the reason is clearly obvious.

When you feel anxious right after you ate, you might experience a few physical symptoms that can affect your comfortability. To avoid these symptoms, you could try eating a more balanced meal, and make sure that you are not eating in a way that is as if it is your last meal ever. Eat slowly, enjoy the food, and you will have a satisfied belly and a brain that is anxiety-free.

 

Social Media

When you browse around your social media sites for long periods of time, you will notice that you are comparing yourself to others. This will bring around anxious thoughts about your looks, your career, and your overall progress in life. Social media is one of the leading causes of anxiety, which is why it should not be tolerated. Thankfully, there is a way you can get through this easily.

The solution for social media anxiety is simple: do not stick around too much in it. Keep yourself busy from your daily tasks, and make sure that you are not spending way too much time on social media. Watch yourself when you are browsing through your accounts, and try to set a personal timer, so that you will know if you are getting hooked again.

By balancing your time on social media and your personal life, you will get to have a lifestyle that is more productive and with less anxiety.

 

Overthinking

If you are an overthinker, you are feeding your anxiety effortlessly. Overthinking will do you no good, especially since nothing will happen. You are just thinking about things that are most likely to happen, but we will never know if they will.

To avoid overthinking, try to distract yourself with other stuff. Watch television shows & movies, catch up on the latest songs, or play a game on your computer. This way, you can reroute your thoughts and reset your mind to avoid thinking about negative stuff. Only then will you release yourself from the grasps of anxiety.

 

Too Much Coffee

Being a coffee lover is okay, but too much of it will bring a few complications, and that includes anxiety. If you are drinking too much coffee, you are more prone to anxiety than you used to be. Aside from this, you will suffer from palpitations, thanks to the caffeine’s side effect partnered with your anxiety.

To avoid this minimal problem, try cutting down on your caffeine intake every now and then. You could also consider decaffeinated coffee, so that you can still enjoy the beverage without compromising your health.

 

Finances

If you are dealing with financial problems and you are having a hard time finding a solution for them, anxiety may suddenly kick in. It also doesn’t help if the bills are coming your way, which is why you need to take care of this matter in a more organized manner.

To deal with your anxiety while handling your finances, always prepare a pen, a pad, and a calculator by your side. Take it slow, and plan your budget effectively in a relaxed manner. Eventually, you will find yourself getting calm as you plan out your finances, getting rid of the anxiety that contributes to your stress levels.

 

Being Out in Public

Being out in public could cause a lot of anxiety triggers, especially if you are not a people person. This is because you do not know what could happen while you are inside a big crowd. You might stumble, bump into someone, or worst, get your things snatched away from you. Although these things do not happen most of the time, the thought of them might worsen your anxiety while you are outside.

The best way to deal with this matter is by listening to music that you love. By doing this, you will help yourself relax in a more effective manner, and you will get to walk around easily while you are drowned in your favorite tunes. Eventually, you will get accustomed to your surroundings, and your anxiety will tone down for the rest of your time outside.

 

The Little Things Matter

Everyone has their own way of dealing with their anxiety. Some methods may be effective for others, and not effective for you. The quickest way to get rid of your anxiety is to pay attention to the little things. By doing this, you will become more attentive, and you will get to take care of yourself in a more organized manner. Lastly, take note of the things that can trigger your anxiety, and make sure that you will avoid them next time.

Best Mental Health Quotes To Help You Feel Less Alone

mental-health

Some of us are fortunate enough to live with our family, and have a great time in the presence of our loved ones. However, there are some people who are living far away from their families and loved ones, dealing with their daily dose of professional work in the city. After working hours, being at home alone can bring a lot of negative energy towards their mental health.

 

Taking care of your mental health and having positive energy is essential if you want to succeed in life. This means that you have to make sure that your mental health is always intact.

 

You can find ways when it comes to doing this. One of the best ways is searching for positive and encouraging quotes on the internet.

 

If you are struggling and you want to feel better, here are some helpful mental health quotes to get your day going.

 

Ten Best Mental Quotes to Avoid Feeling Alone

 

1.“I wish people could understand that the brain is the most important organ of our body. Just because you can’t see mental illness like you could see a broken bone, doesn’t mean it’s not as detrimental or devastating to a family or an individual.” – Demi Lovato

Nothing beats the feeling of contentment after knowing that people actually understand what you are going through. In this case, famous singer and actress Demi Lovato acknowledges that mental health is a serious problem, and that people should be more aware of it. She pointed out that just because you cannot see mental illness physically, you are just going to ignore or belittle it.

 

2.“What we don’t need in the midst of struggle is a shame for being human.” – Brene Brown

Brene Brown is a well-known professor and author from Texas. She holds one of the most iconic achievements at the University of Houston, an Endowed Chair that is specially dedicated to her name. Since she specializes in social studies, Brown contributed a comment that highly promotes awareness when it comes to our capabilities as humans. She gently reminds us through this quote that in the middle of our toughest moments, we should take time to acknowledge ourselves as strong-willed humans.

 

3.“Everyone experiences a version of anxiety or worry in their lives, and maybe we go through it in a different or more intense way for longer periods of time, but there’s nothing wrong with you.” – Emma Stone

Emma Stone is one of the most well-known celebrities in the US. For most of us, we know her as Gwen Stacy when she played the part in The Amazing Spider-Man films. In this quote, Gwen reminds us that even though we face our mental illnesses in a lot of different ways, what matters the most is that we acknowledge the fact that there is nothing wrong with what we are feeling.

 

4.“People are often afraid to admit difficulties, but I don’t believe that there should be a struggle with anything that’s the truth.” – Zayn Malik

Pop star Zayn Malik is one of the most followed musical artists in today’s world. Ever since the celebrity left the boy group “One Direction”, he started his solo career and pursued a whole new sound. In this quote, he reminds us that we should not be afraid to acknowledge our difficulties. In some aspects, this is quite a helpful quote, since the first step to getting better is to acknowledge that we are struggling.

5.“If you are broken, you do not have to stay broken.” – Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is a well-known celebrity, featuring in various television shows and gaining an identity as a pop star. Here, she simply stated that being broken does not mean that you have to remain in that same place for the rest of your life. All we have to do is to find the will to stand up and move on, and all will eventually get better.

6.“You just have to trust that people are out there waiting to love you and celebrate you for who you are.” – Wentworth Miller

In this quote by Wentworth Miller, he pointed out that being afraid to show who you are will not get you anywhere. Sometimes, all you have to do is to build up your confidence and trust the people that are there to help you out. A lot of people deal with the same issues we are having, so it is nice to know that we can share our struggles with them as we continually heal deep inside.

7.“Being vulnerable is actually a strength, not a weakness.” – Cara Delevingne

Model and actress Cara Delevingne recognizes the importance of using vulnerability as a weapon of strength. In this quote, she establishes the fact that being vulnerable does not make you weak. In fact, it makes you stronger, enabling you to accept who you really are. Using our struggles as our strength could prove to be helpful in a lot of ways. This is why Delevingne made sure that we truly know it.

 

8.“You are the one thing in this world, above all other things, that you must never give up on.” – Lili Reinhart

Riverdale star Lili Reinhart lovingly reminds us through this quote that self-love is the best love you could get. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing yourself, and you must always remember that. This quote is an inspiring reminder that giving up on yourself should never be an option.

 

9.“If you’re afraid to ask for help, don’t be. You don’t have to be in constant pain and you can process your trauma.” – Ariana Grande

Pop star Ariana Grande reminds us through this quote that staying silent will get you nowhere. If you are in pain because of your mental illness, it is okay to tell people about it. There are lots of people out there who are ready to give you everything you need, so take the first step and share your struggles with them.

10.“Please take care of yourself and be good to yourself and be nice to yourself. Don’t take that extra step to hurt yourself further.” – Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish is one of the newest trends in the music industry today. In an interview with Gayle King, Eilish pointed out that she almost took her own life one time while she was 17. In this quote, she reminds us that hurting ourselves won’t make any difference. Instead of amplifying the emotional pain and bringing it on our physical body, she encourages us to be good to ourselves in the best ways we can do. Only then we will start getting better.

If you are suffering from a difficult time, know that even these people go through the same things you do. You are not alone, and there are lots of people out there who are ready to help you out. Remember to take the first step, then step back a bit if you are overwhelmed, and continue the process until you are getting better in your life.