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5 Riddles That Will Test Your Mental Fitness

Both mental and physical activity are crucial to mental fitness (a.k.a brain health). Somewhat predictably, many of us – including Americans – do not engage in enough of either. (Perhaps we’ve substituted physical and mental activity for mindless stuff; the average American adult, for example, watches about 4.5 hours of television per day.)

But we may want to rethink how we use all our extra time. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia (Canada), regular aerobic exercise (e.g., jogging, running, HIIT, etc.) increases the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Considering that exercise reduces inflammation, promotes insulin resistance, and stimulates the release of BDNF (which fosters brain cell production and protection), it’s hardly surprising that regular physical activity boosts brain power.

But “brain exercise” is just as important to a high-functioning brain as physical movement – if not more. As a bonus, exercising your brain protects you against age-related cognitive decline. Additionally, certain brain activities are proven to:

  • Increase overall cognitive ability (‘I.Q.’)
  • Improve short-term (working) memory
  • Improve attention
  • Reduce emotional reactivity
  • Increase processing speed (the effective transferal of sensory information into actionable intelligence.)

brain exercise

Riddles to test your mental fitness

“Your brain – every brain – is a work in progress. It is ‘plastic.’ From the day we’re born to the day we die, it continuously revises and remodels, improving or slowly declining, as a function of how we use it.” – Michael Merzenich, Ph.D., co-inventor of the cochlear implant and author of Soft-wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life

What better way to sharpen your smarts than to do fun brain teasers? Here are five to get you started! (Please find the answers at the end of the article.)

#1 Find the mitsake here (hint: make sure to look everywhere!):

find the mitsake

#2 Look at the following three grids. Which number is missing?

#3 How many words can you create with the letters from the word RIDDLE plus one letter (of your choice)?

Example: ‘Drilled’ (the letters of ‘Riddle,’ plus one ‘l’)

#4 What number is missing from this series?

2, 4, 16, ___

#5 Unscramble the following letters. The answer should reveal the surname of a famous artisan.

D N E R B A M R T

A C I S O S P

E M N O T

A G N E O L L I M H C E

H L A R P A E

Answers

(If you didn’t perform to your expectations, keep practicing. Mental fitness puzzles are like anything else; the more you do them, the better you get!)

  1. The mistake is not in the number series at all! Indeed, the misspelling of the word ‘mistake’ (mitsake) is the answer.
  2. The missing number is 4. The number of horizontal and vertical lines in the grid are multiplied to find the answer. 3*3 = 9; 1*1 = 1, and 2*2 = 4; the missing number!
  3. There is, of course, no ‘right’ answer to this riddle. An unofficial count of the number of potential words that can be created from the letters of the word ‘riddle’ is 13. Here they are: bridled, griddle, diddler, middler, piddler, dreidel, riddled, drilled, riddler, riddles, fiddler, tiddler, girdled.
  4. The answer is 256, the square of 16.
  5. The answers are Rembrandt, Picasso, Monet, Michelangelo, and Raphael!

BONUS: Take the Comfort Zone Quiz

Okay. This one is not a riddle. But the Comfort Zone quiz gives instant feedback and tools to help you improve your life, be happier, and reach all your goals.

Tips for sharpening your mental fitness!

Contrary to what we have been taught, intelligence is not fixed, nor is it necessarily destined to decline. (Rather, our brain’s “processing speed” slows slightly as we age.) A magnificent hypothesis from brain science was brought forth – and subsequently proven – within the last twenty years. The science realm of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis revealed that engaging and challenging the brain spawns new connections throughout life. Trying to stimulate the brain regularly can boost our mental fitness and make us smarter, sharper, and healthier.

With this in mind, here are some suggestions for maintaining your mental fitness regardless of your age, courtesy of Harvard University:

  • First, the essentials: eat right and get enough sleep. Don’t smoke. Drink alcohol in moderation, and keep in touch with friends and family.
  • Safeguard your physical health by getting a physical exam at least once per year.
  • Be a lifelong learner: pursue a new hobby, learn a new skill, or take an online course.
  • Do what makes you happy: a positive state of mind is a key component of keeping your brain sharp.
  • Repeat, repeat, repeat: Repetition is the mother of all learning. Need a few things from the grocery store? Repeat the items to yourself again and again – every time. With enough practice, you won’t need a list at all!
  • Delegate: Don’t waste your precious brain energy on questions like, “Where’d I put those car keys?!” Have a spot for everything, and take advantage of tools like planners, calendars, files, etc.

To your continued brain health!

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved
Sources:
http://www.allscrabblewords.com/word-description/riddle

https://brightside.me/wonder-quizzes/7-riddles-for-kids-to-test-your-logic-529910/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/6-simple-steps-to-keep-your-mind-sharp-at-any-age

If You Want to Try Intermittent Fasting, Here’s What You Need to Know…

What’s intermittent fasting? Is best to do while I’m cutting? Bulking? How will it work? How does a person go so long with no food?

You most likely are going to have a bunch of questions if you’re new or a beginner with intermittent fasting. It may feel very intimidating to you, primarily if you’re a person that enjoys having breakfast but are interested in improving the quality of your life. So without further ado, here is everything you’ll need to know about intermittent fasting from a person that’s extremely experienced with it at this point.

What’s intermittent fasting (IF)? 

Simply put, intermittent fasting is just having periodical cycles in between a feeding and a fasting window. Everyone goes through this – upon waking up in the morning, you’re in a state of fasting after going however many hours with no caloric intake.

The program of IF merely advises that you prolong that fast period more and eat breakfast later in the day. The plan you’ll see the most is 16:8 where someone fasts 16 hours after the final meal and consume all the calories for the day in an 8-hour time frame. Take note that IF not a diet by any means, it’s really just a tool or lifestyle which allows you to reach your physique goals in a more sustainable and easier way.

That looks overwhelmingly difficult! How would that be healthy? 

The only reason it’s difficult is due to the fact that we aren’t accustomed to it. Each of us is used to having a meal right away when we arise, but take a moment to think about it – we evolved as a species to eat like this. In the past, we hunted and gathered throughout the daylight hours and feasted throughout the night.

Intermittent Fasting

Many benefits come with an intermittent fasting weight loss plan which we’ll talk about in a second, but really think about this, we didn’t evolve to have a meal every couple hours because that is truly uncomfortable if you’re working on losing weight.

What are a few of the health bonuses of an intermittent fasting weight loss program? 

This is a wonderful topic because an intermittent fasting plan is more than simply eating at times and then not eating at other times to burn fat. Many studies prove (which we won’t go into detail here but you can look up) that in a state of fasting the body intensifies its levels of HGH or Growth Hormone. So that makes it excellent for gaining muscle. A lot of people apply an intermittent fasting plan whether it’s time to bulk, cut or maintain weight – it a way of life.

Ever more than that – as you grow used to IF your body settles, you’ll notice that you’re more level-headed while you’re fasting, and increasingly efficient while you’re working. It sounds sort of like pseudo-science, but give it a shot for yourself and you’ll notice the same thing, all the people we know tell us a similar thing.

How worthwhile is IF when you’re trying to lose weight? 

Let’s face it, trying to lose weight is painful, and taking in food at a calorie deficit is simply discouraging because it seems like most foods are a no go.

But IF transforms the way we look at everything, it lets eating with a caloric deficit to be way easier to maintain. When you’re forcing your daily calories into just two meals and perhaps a little snack in the middle, you can have those large satisfying meals. We have some people on a cut at the moment, but they can indulge in some ice cream or chocolate or a sweet treat almost every single day. You’ll have room to pick most of the foods which regular diets normally deem as detrimental.

We’re not telling you to go pack your mouth with ice cream and cupcakes, we’re just stating the fact that you can include those comfort foods with your calories as long as you have all the rest of your diet in check, and you’ll still have great outcomes.

When you’re not having a meal throughout your day, you aren’t simply keeping your calories for a later time – but also burning nothing but fat. You need to last about 3 or 4 days with no food to settle your body into a mode of starvation where it begins burning muscle, so you won’t need to fret over that.

However, while you’re in the mode of fasting, let’s say 12 hours afterward, the body doesn’t have any food or stockpiles to use as energy so it runs to the storages of fat, which is also the densest energy reservoir you have. You could be consuming the identical amount of calories you do on a regular weight loss diet, but you’d burn fat quicker and more efficiently while enjoying the freedom to eat your preferred and most gratifying meals.

As always, everything in moderation. Someone might prefer to go keto, but we especially support a diet balanced in carbs, protein and fats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG-G9_LOkLA

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

11 Ways to Get Rid of Acne Naturally

If you’ve ever had a pimple pop up right before an important event, you’ve probably wondered how to get rid of acne fast. Acne is annoying, there’s no doubt about it – but there’s actually a lot you can do to treat your acne at home.

Acne is caused by a number of things, including oil, clogged pores, bacteria, and hormones. Hormonal acne is a little tricky to treat, but it’s easy to learn how to get rid of acne naturally if it’s caused by one of the other culprits. These tips will show you how to get rid of acne once and for all – without visiting the dermatologist once.

How to Get Rid of Acne in Just 1 Week with These Home Remedies

1. Soothe acne-prone skin with aloe.

The aloe plant is well-known for its cooling properties – you’ve probably used it to treat burns before. Aloe is also useful for treating inflammation and helping your skin heal, which makes it an ideal acne treatment. Rub a freshly-cut piece of aloe on your skin, or use aloe vera gel from a bottle.

2. Disinfect your skin with citrus juice.

A big part of learning how to get rid of acne involves keeping your face clean and bacteria-free. Citrus juice – especially lemon juice – is useful for killing those pesky bacteria. Apply citrus juice to the problem areas on your face with a cotton swab.

3. Make a DIY chemical exfoliant with apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar might not be the best-smelling thing to put on your face, but it’s actually a powerful exfoliant due to the lactic acid it contains. Dilute apple cider vinegar with water (never use it on its own!) and pat it on your face to get rid of dead skin cells. No worries – the smell doesn’t linger once it dries.

4. Brew some green tea for your face.

Brew a cup of strong green tea and let it cool. Then apply it to your face with a cotton swab. Green tea contains antioxidants that are good for your skin, and it can kill some kinds of bacteria.

5. Fight acne-causing bacteria with a honey mask.

Honey is ultra-moisturizing for your skin, and it kills microbes that can make you break out. Apply honey to your face alone, or mix it with another skin-friendly ingredient (like oatmeal or plain yogurt) to make a mask.

6. Mix up some tea tree oil and witch hazel to treat acne.

Tea tree oil and witch hazel both have astringent and inflammation-fighting properties. Combine them to make a skin toner that dries out pimples.detox your skin

7. Use oil as a moisturizer.

Want to know how to get rid of acne and oily skin? Try adding more oil to your face. It sounds strange, but often when someone has oily skin, it’s a sign that their skin is actually dehydrated and producing too much oil to compensate. Adding oil to your skincare routine can help to re-hydrate depleted skin, which will make your face less oily (and acne-prone) in the long run. Coconut oil, avocado oil, and jojoba oil are all good choices.

8. Increase your water intake.

Healthy skin starts on the inside. If you aren’t drinking enough water, your skin won’t look its best. Aim to drink at least half a gallon of water every day.

9. Try a turmeric mask.

Turmeric is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties. To get the benefits of this spice, mix water and turmeric powder to form a paste. Then apply the mixture to your skin. Leave it on for five to ten minutes. This soothes acne, promotes healing, and kills any bacteria on your skin.

 

10. Dry out acne with aspirin.

Aspirin contains salicylic acid, which is an active ingredient in many commercial treatments for acne. You can make a DIY version by crushing an aspirin tablet and adding a small amount of water to make a paste. Apply the paste to your acne and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.

11. Take fish oil supplements.

Fish oil supplements can help hydrate your skin from the inside. They’re also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation in your skin.

Final Thoughts

If you’re wondering how to get rid of acne fast at home, there are a number of different remedies you can try. You’ve probably got some of these ingredients in your pantry, fridge or medicine cabinet already! Once you know how to get rid of acne naturally, you’ll never have to go back to store-bought acne treatments.

If you’re prone to acne, be patient as you try these tips. It may take up to a week for your skin to clear up. When your skin improves, continue using these treatments on a regular basis to keep your face healthy. Once you know how to get rid of acne, keeping it at bay is simple – and your face will feel so much better for it.

Get rid of acne

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(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved
REFERENCES:
HTTPS://WWW.HEALTHLINE.COM/HEALTH/ALOE-VERA-FOR-ACNE
HTTPS://WWW.BUSTLE.COM/P/EVERYTHING-YOU-NEED-TO-KNOW-ABOUT-USING-HONEY-FOR-SKIN-CARE-42322
HTTPS://WWW.TREEHUGGER.COM/ORGANIC-BEAUTY/SKIP-FANCY-LOTIONS-AND-USE-OIL-MOISTURIZE-YOUR-SKIN.HTML
HTTPS://WWW.UWHEALTH.ORG/MADISON-PLASTIC-SURGERY/THE-BENEFITS-OF-DRINKING-WATER-FOR-YOUR-SKIN/26334
HTTPS://WWW.HEALTHLINE.COM/HEALTH/TURMERIC-FOR-SKIN
HTTPS://WWW.MEDICALDAILY.COM/ASPIRINS-HEALTH-AND-BEAUTY-HACKS-6-LITTLE-KNOWN-USES-COMMON-PAIN-RELIEVER-298596

How To Find Your True Love (Without Even Looking)

“To get where you want to go, you’re going to have to rewrite the script of your life and make yourself the star. And, you have to define who you want to be your leading man. Then you’ll know exactly who you are and what you’re looking for.” – Dr. Phil McGraw, Love Smart: Find the One You Want – Fix The One You Got

Life can be lonely, and many people are still looking for their true love. When we have to go through life alone without a trusted partner at our sides, life seems dark and gloomy. We may wonder what we are lacking in ourselves that would make us attractive to a potential partner. This feeling of inadequacy makes us feel like we will never find true love.

Luckily, there are ways to change your perspective and make you more open to finding love. Follow our 7 tips and learn how to find true love without sacrificing what makes you unique.

7 Ways to Find Lasting Love and Partnership Without Losing Yourself

1. Know Yourself

Rather than pushing yourself to change, true love can be found when you look within yourself. If you don’t know what you want out of life, you won’t be able to find the right partner. Spend time truly getting to know yourself. This may take some soul searching. When you have an authentic relationship with yourself, you will be able to look for love without compromising yourself.

2. Know What You Want

Sit down and make a list of the qualities you want in a partner. Rather than blindly following this list in an attempt to find a new partner, cultivate these qualities in yourself. If you want a partner who is artistic and musical, for example, get out and take a class or practice an instrument. You may meet someone special. Like attracts like, and you will have a much easier time finding a partner if you have something in common with them.

3. Let Go of Self-Criticism

If you have been looking for a life partner for a long time, it’s natural that you might feel inadequate. Try to let go of this feeling. Stop berating yourself for being alone. Stop comparing yourself to people who have “perfect lives.” Negative self-talk is damaging.

If you find yourself engaging in self-criticism, stop and think about whether you would say those things to a friend in your situation. If you wouldn’t say them to a friend, don’t say them to yourself. Negativity will make you less attractive to a potential partner.

4. Live Authentically

Stop trying to cover up the truth about yourself. Live according to your own principles. Resist the urge to edit yourself to make yourself more attractive. When you meet a partner, you will want to be your true self. If you are not living authentically, you may attract the wrong person for you.

5. Be Open

It won’t be possible to find true love unless you are open to new experiences. Put yourself out there. Taking risks may bring you closer to your true love.

6. Be Selective

If you meet someone special, move with caution. New relationships are always exciting and can cause us to lose perspective on ourselves. Don’t try to submerge yourself in your partner. Trying to mold yourself to what you think he or she wants will only get you into trouble down the road. True love develops over time; it isn’t instantaneous like attraction and infatuation. Live with the relationship for a while and decide whether you have the potential for lasting love.

soul mate

7. Stop Looking

When we spend too much time focused on the desire to find a partner, we lose touch with what is really important in life. Step back from learning how to find true love and become confident in yourself. When you stop trying to appeal to an imaginary partner, life may step in and offer you a chance at partnership.

Final Thoughts

Finding love means sharing your authentic self with the world. By connecting with your own needs and desires, you will be better able to attract the right partner for you.

Let go of self-criticism. Stop editing yourself to better fit in with a new partner. If you are truly yourself, you will attract the right person. Rather than searching for love with a list of qualifications in hand, work on these qualities in yourself. If you are open to new experiences, you will have a much easier time finding a life partner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb0WixYxQ5M

How to Move On And Let Go Peacefully

Sometimes in life we have to learn to let go of a relationship, situation or position we enjoyed but which is no longer available to us. In other cases, we may have to learn to let go of a deeply painful emotion and heal from the inside out.

In order to move into and accept the new situation with grace, we must let go of the old one. No matter what you need to let go of or move on from, here are 5 tips to how to move on in peace.

Tips on how to let go and move on peacefully

let things go

Let yourself feel

The end of anything generally casts us into the unknown and for most of us, the unknown can be downright scary. For that reason, while the thing that is ending might actually be a bad relationship or horrible job that made us miserable, we can still fight against losing it simply because it is familiar. It is a strange irony that even the most abusive relationships can feel “safe” in their own way, simply because they are familiar.

This need to let go of what is comfortable and familiar can be scary, which can actually cause feelings of anger and even rage. Know that it is okay to feel these things. Keep in mind, acting on your anger or rage is different from feeling it. While acting on it may in many cases be highly unacceptable, feeling it is not. Just allowing yourself to feel what you feel is an important part of almost any healing process.

Take ownership of your part

Every relationship involves at least two parties and in every type of relationship, both parties will make mistakes. No matter how many mistakes the other person or entity made, you made some too. One of the biggest tips to move on is to acknowledge what you did wrong in the relationship or situation. You cannot fix other people, you can only fix yourself. You can’t change the behaviors of other people, but you can change your own. Owning what you did wrong in the relationship or situation will help you not only move on, but also to not be in the same situation again.

Acknowledge what the other party did wrong

While it is important to own your own part in the situation, it is also important to acknowledge the mistakes of others as well. Often, people will do one or the other by assigning blame to others while not taking ownership of their own, or take all the responsibility on themselves without acknowledging the faults, failures or mistakes of the other party. Part of learning how to move on is learning how to honestly assess and acknowledge the mistakes made on both sides of the relationship.

Forgive yourself and others

Learning to forgive is an important part of learning how to move on. Forgiveness is the means by which we let go of old baggage that can not only weigh us down, but have a significant impact on our health. According to the Mayo clinic, just a few of the many health benefits of forgiveness include:

  • Lower blood pressure
  • A stronger immune system
  • Improved heart health

how to move on

Learn how to live with empty space

Generally, when one chapter of our life ends, it leaves an empty space in its wake. We are often so desperate to fill this space we can simply move from one bad situation right into another. Part of learning how to move on is learning how to move on to a better place than the one we just vacated. If we simply jump right from one situation into another, we generally don’t have time to make the changes necessary to make the next situation or relationship better than out last one. Sometimes, we need to just learn how to let a space be empty for a bit before trying to fill it.

Learning how to let go and how to move on is a lifelong process. Change in inevitable and not all relationships are meant to last a lifetime – and thank goodness for that! Letting go of a painful situation or relationship, however, can sometimes be just as difficult as letting go of a good one. Letting go of a difficult relationship can sometimes feel like defeat and bring about feelings of failure.

However, letting go of a good relationship can be just as hard as it can make us feel like we are somehow not worthy of good things. No matter how you slice it, moving on and letting go are just difficult things to do. Like everything else in life, however, more often we practice letting go and moving on with grace, the better we get at it.

4 Simple things I Did to Overcome my Self Doubt

Self-doubt is a crippling, self-defeating disease that creeps in unnoticed, takes up residence without asking, and can devastate your entire life.

But it doesn’t have to. Even though millions of people suffer every day from some form of self-doubt (almost 85% of Americans, according to a recent statistic), millions more crawl out from underneath its shadow and establish a life that proves to everyone that victory is possible. All we have to do is fight. Here are a few things I did to do exactly that.

1. React Quickly

One of the things that helped me the most when I started turning in my battle against self-doubt was to recognize when the feelings were beginning to creep in and put a stop to it. I’ve struggled with it for most of my adult life (beginning roughly in high school), so I was familiar with the symptoms: despair, uncertainty, inferiority, feeling of being an imposter, etc.

The difference between me now and me 15 years ago is that now I was willing to stop it in its tracks. To be sure, resisting self-doubt is much harder than simply letting it wash over you. It’s a strangely comforting feeling to feel like you’re not good enough, almost like low expectations meets a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But you know what feels even better? The ability to stare down your insecurities and prove to yourself (and to everyone else) that they won’t beat you. That’s what life’s about. But in order to do that, you have to stop them before they begin to take hold of your life, and that includes saying no right at the outset.

2. Talk to Others

Whenever I was struggling with self-doubt, the last thing I wanted was to open up and talk to someone about it. It almost felt as if by bringing it up, I was verifying it as factual – or, even worse, that other people would verify it for me. Either way, that couldn’t happen. So I bottled it up and kept it locked deep inside me.

However, that first time I opened up was scary. I stuttered, my hands started to get clammy, and I almost couldn’t get the words out. But once I did, they came full force, like a tidal wave of emotions pouring over my friend.

And then a funny thing happened. Rather than stiffen up and leave the room, he gave me a hug that lasted about ten seconds but felt like a lot longer. Then, he looked me in the eye and told me that he struggles with it too. It was an incredibly cathartic moment, and one that I am still thankful took place. Now, not only do I have a friend that I can confide in, I have an accountability partner that I can turn to whenever I need.

3. Keep a Journal

You’d be surprised how much your mind plays tricks on you. Since the origination of self-doubt begins in the mind, it can be hard to put your thoughts down on paper, but once you do, you’ll be surprised at the things you used to doubt yourself on.

For instance, looking back at my journals from college, it’s almost humorous to see what I doubted myself on: grades, relationships, internships, etc. Now, as a moderately-successful 29-year-old, the topics may have changed but the feeling of doubt remains. What I learn from those journals is one simple fact: no matter what, I’ll be fine.

doubt

It’s a lesson I needed to remind myself then, and it’s a lesson I still remind myself now. Look back on your success over past worries and it’ll give you the confidence that you need today to overcome doubt.

4. Seize the Growth

To progress in life, you have to be willing to take chances. Whether that means overcoming a physical hurdle or, as in this case, a mental hurdle like self doubt, the only way forward is right through the thick of things.

However, what I realized is that defeating the small times of doubt gave me confidence to grow even higher. Then I conquered the next biggest hill, then the next biggest, then the next, until I eventually reached a position where I believed I could do anything. Even if I didn’t always feel like I could, I at least knew – intellectually speaking – that I was more than able.

I love what Bertrand Russell had to say about doubt: “The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” If you’re feeling doubtful about your own abilities, according to Russell, it’s only because you’re more aware of the dangers and your own capabilities. Take heart in knowing that you’re special in that regard, but don’t let it dominate your life.

To overcome doubt, you don’t need to have a fancy guru to guide you through a twelve-step program; all you have to do is decide and act. Once you make the decision that you won’t let self doubt rule your life anymore, you’ll start living.

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