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7 Sleep Habits of Highly Successful People

March 21, 2018 by Power of Positivity

Here’s a riddle: What does nearly everyone do a lot, yet can’t seem to get enough of? Okay, so you probably know by the title of this article that the answer is (wait for it…) SLEEP!

It’s a bit generic to simply say “Sleep. It’s good for you!” So, let’s get more specific. In this article, we’re going to discuss the sleep habits of successful people. We’ll wrap up by going over some tips to improve your ‘sleep hygiene’, courtesy of the National Sleep Foundation.

Let’s start off by asking another (non-riddle) question: What does success require? If we were to have a deep discussion about “success principles” we’d be here a while.

So, let’s narrow it down to three things that we should all be able to agree on: energy, thinking, and health. As it turns out, adequate sleep is the most important activity for maintaining the healthy function of all three.

Sleep is important enough to success that companies all over the world now have “nap rooms” for their employees. You may have heard of this little company called Google. Yeah, nap rooms. (Meditation rooms, too!)

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

We’re fascinated with how successful people live. Articles have been written about what successful people eat, the books they read, and yes, how they sleep.

While some wildly successful people have erratic sleeping habits, most of them stick to a schedule. Case in point: Ole’ Benny Franklin (quote, above) used to sleep from 10 PM to 5 AM.

Here are 7 other sleep habits that the vast majority of successful people have in common:

1. They’re asleep by 1 AM

According to nine different sources who compiled the sleeping habits of 21 successful people – from Barack Obama to Elon Musk – about 95 percent of them are snoozing by 1 AM. (Winston Churchill apparently didn’t drift off until 3…as in 3 AM!)

2. They’re awake by 7 AM

According to Home Arena, nine out of every ten successful people are awake by 7. Ellen DeGeneres, the widely-successful comedian and T.V. host, is on her feet at precisely 7. Others, like Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi, are “up and at ‘em” as early as 4.

3. They get at least 6 hours

Speaking of Ms. Nooyi, she’s one of the few outliers who doesn’t get a minimum of six hours sleep (she registers five). Even Elon Musk, the insanely-driven inventor extraordinaire, hits the hay for at least a half-dozen hours. Musk’s biggest competitor, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, gets seven hours of shuteye.

4. They’re extremely disciplined

No real surprise here. By most accounts – at least, the ones that are available – successful people approach sleep like they do everything else … with an uncanny amount of self-discipline.

5. They have a morning routine

While routines differ widely among the successful, they do have one. The late, great Steve Jobs used to ask himself every morning, “If today was the last day of my life, would I be happy with what I’m about to do today?” Job’s biggest life rival, Mr. Bill Gates, spends an hour on the treadmill each morning without fail.

6. They have an evening routine

Like their morning routines, successful people differ. But they tend to unwind in bed the same way, every time. Arianna Huffington gets rid of the tech; Oprah Winfrey meditates, and Kenneth Chenault plans his to-do’s for the next day.

7. They understand the importance of sleep

Successful people are also exceptionally busy (Google “Elon Musk’s schedule.” Insane.) Highly successful people generally don’t have a need for payday loans no credit check type of scenarios – and also take on more responsibilities than many of us can fathom. Some manage billions of investor’s dollars; some keep non-profit’s afloat; some are heads of state. All hectic, demanding, stressful stuff.

The outrageously successful don’t get to where they’re at by being dumb: as these people’s sleeping habits demonstrate, the successful know the importance of shuteye.

Per the National Sleep Foundation, here are some tips and tricks for improving your sleep habits:

1. Keep the same sleep schedule every day (even on the weekends).

2. Practice a relaxing evening routine every night.

3. Switch off the technology. The blue light emitted from e-devices disrupts the brain’s production of melatonin – our body’s natural sleep chemical.

4. Do some moderate exercise every day.

5. Design a comfortable sleep environment. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 to 67 degrees. It should also be noise-free with a minimal amount of light.

6. Use a quality mattress and comfortable pillows. (Mattresses have a max life expectancy of about 9 years.)

“We are such stuff that dreams are made on. And our little life is rounded with sleep.” ~ William Shakespeare

https://youtu.be/hXxTtXOz5JQ

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

Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/11/13/the-sleep-habits-of-highly-successful-people-infographic/#4002a15b6d7f
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/news/a35114/sleep-habits-of-highly-successful-people/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-merle/sleep-routines-of-successful-people_b_8869634.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/from-steve-jobs-obama-jeff-bezos-mark-zuckerberg-how-8-of-the-world-s-most-successful-people-start-a6686466.html
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/6-habits-highly-successful-people-before-bedtime.html

Crohn’s Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

March 21, 2018 by Sarah Barkley

By understanding Crohns Disease, you can help yourself, or your loved ones get through the uncertainty. It might be hard to handle, but with a plan and treatment options, it is manageable. With information, you can navigate this time without as much worry and stress.

Inflammation from Crohns Disease often affects layers of bowel tissue, making it painful and debilitating. This disease can even lead to life-threatening complications, making it a condition that you can’t ignore. In other cases, the disease only produces mild symptoms, and the key is to find the best treatment options.

According to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, more than 780,000 Americans have this disease. There is no known cure for it, but there are treatment options available. Getting a diagnosis from a medical professional is the first step to treatment, and they can help you come up with an effective plan.

If you know the symptoms and causes of the disease, you will know what to look for. When you recognize the signs, you will know when to see a medical professional and begin treatment.

What Is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, and it can be debilitating and life-threatening. It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease and leads to uncomfortable symptoms and complications.

The disease weakens the lining of the small and large intestines, creating ulcerations. Crohn’s can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the rectum. It most commonly affects the end of the small intestine and the beginning of the colon.

Crohn’s affects the entire thickness of the bowel wall and can skip patches of the intestine. With treatment, you can enter periods of remission, but you might still experience relapses.

What Are the Symptoms of Crohns Disease?

The symptoms of Crohns Disease range from mild to severe and include the following:

Abdominal pain and cramping
Persistent diarrhea
Kidney stones
Skin problems
Weight loss
Fever
Fatigue
Blood in your stool
Reduced appetite and weight loss
Pain or drainage near or around the anus
Rectal bleeding
Inflammation of skin, eyes, and joints
Inflammation of the liver or bile ducts
Urgent need to pass a bowel movement
Incomplete bowel evacuation
Low energy and fatigue
Redness or pain in the eyes
Vision changes
Bumps, sores, rashes, or other skin complications
Night sweats
Abnormal menstrual cycle
Shortness of breath

What Are the Types of Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s affects different parts of your GI tract, resulting in different types of the condition. These types include:

Ileocolitis: The most common type is ileocolitis. This type of Crohn’s affects the end of the small intestine and the large intestine. The symptoms that accompany this type include diarrhea, cramping, pain in the abdomen, and significant weight loss.
Ileitis: This type of Crohn’s only affects the ileum, which is the small intestine. The symptoms are the same as with ileocolitis, but severe cases can also cause fistulas or inflammatory abscesses.
Gastroduodenal: Gastroduodenal affects the stomach and the beginning of the small intestine, also known as the duodenum. The symptoms of this type include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
Jejunoileitis: This type of Crohn’s affects the upper half of the small intestine, called the jejunum. Characterized by patchy areas of inflammation, the symptoms include mild to intense abdominal pain and cramps after eating, diarrhea, and fistulas.
Granulomatous Colitis: Granulomatous affects the colon, including diarrhea, rectal bleeding, skin lesions, and joint pain. It also causes abscesses, fistulas, and ulcers around the anus.

What Causes Crohn’s Disease?

While the exact cause of Crohn’s is unknown, experts believe they have narrowed it down to a few factors, including:

Immune System: A virus or bacteria can trigger Crohn’s if the immune response is abnormal. When an abnormal immune response occurs, it causes your immune system to attack the digestive tract cells. Sometimes the bacteria your immune system attacks are harmless or beneficial, resulting in issues then, too.
Genetics: If you have family members with Crohn’s, you might have genes that cause the disease. Research shows that 20% of people with this disease have a relative with it. It isn’t always inherited, though, so don’t assume you’re safe because none of your family members have it.
Environmental Factors: Crohn’s is more common in developed countries, urban areas, and northern climates. It can also develop from something you’ve eaten, microbes, and cigarette smoke. Environmental factors can either trigger an immune system response or directly damage the intestine lining.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Crohn’s Disease?

There are many risk factors for Crohn’s Disease, including:

Age: It can develop at any age, but most people are diagnosed before they are 30.
Ethnicity: This disease can happen to any ethnicity, but it is more common in Caucasian people. The highest risk is for those of Eastern European Jewish descent.
Smoking: Smoking cigarettes increases a person’s risk of developing the disease. This controllable risk factor not only increases the risk, but it makes the condition more severe.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications: Taking ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, diclofenac sodium, and other anti-inflammatory medications increase the risk of developing the disease. While these are anti-inflammatory, they can cause inflammation in the bowel.
Stress: Stress triggers flare-ups of Crohn’s symptoms. People that experience long-term stress have a higher risk of developing the condition and exacerbating symptoms.
Unhealthy Diet: If you eat high-fat and processed foods, your risk increases significantly.

What Are the Complications Associated with Crohn’s Disease?

The symptoms of Crohn’s disease are bad enough, but it can also cause complications, including the following:

Bowel Obstruction: Since Crohn’s affects every layer of the intestinal wall, it can cause your bowel to scar and narrow. Eventually, a bowel obstruction can occur, requiring surgery to remove that portion.
Ulcers: Chronic inflammation can cause ulcers or open sores. These sores can occur anywhere in your digestive tract, from your mouth to your anus. Sometimes they happen in the genital area or the perineum.
Fistulas: When ulcers extend through the entire intestinal wall, it creates a fistula. A fistula is an abnormal connection between one intestine and your skin, the other intestine, or another organ. If the fistula is left untreated, it can lead to infection, an abscess, and even death.
Anal Fissures: An anal fissure is a small tear in the tissue lining or around the anus. Infections can occur, and they can cause painful bowel movements.
Anemia: You can develop low iron or vitamin B-12 due to diarrhea, abdominal pain, and cramping. These symptoms make it hard to eat or for your intestine to absorb nutrients, causing anemia.
Colon Cancer: If Crohn’s affects your colon, it increases your risk of developing colon cancer.
Abscess: Pockets of pus can form on the walls of your intestines and bulge out, causing an abscess. You might notice pain, swelling, tenderness, or a fever.
Arthritis: Inflammation can lead to pain, swelling, and lack of flexibility, causing arthritis.
Bone loss: Bone loss is similar to osteoporosis, and it prevents your body from absorbing calcium. It also boosts the production of cells that break down your bones.

How Is Crohn’s Disease Diagnosed?

If you have any symptoms, it is essential to visit your doctor for a diagnosis. The diagnoses process includes the following methods:

Blood Tests: Your doctor might suggest a blood test to check for anemia or signs of an infection.
Stool Studies: You might have to give a stool sample so your doctor can check for blood or parasites.
Colonoscopy: A colonoscopy allows your doctor to see your entire colon and the end of your ileum. The doctor uses a thin, flexible, lighted tube that has a camera at the end. They can also take small samples of tissue for a biopsy.
CT Scan: A computerized tomography (CT) scan is an X-ray technique that provides more detail than a standard X-ray. The test scans the entire bowel and the tissues outside of it.
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a magnetic field and radio waves to give a detailed image of organs and tissues. It can help with examining a fistula or the small intestine.
Capsule Endoscopy: This test requires you to swallow a capsule that has a camera inside of it. The camera takes photos of your small intestine and transmits them to a recorder that can download to a computer. Your doctor will use these pictures to check for the disease.
Chromoendoscopy: During this technique, a blue liquid dye gets sprayed into the colon. The dye highlights and detects slight changes in the lining of your intestine. It shows polyps that might need removing.

How Is Crohn’s Disease Treated?

There is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatments can reduce symptoms and limit complications. These treatment options include:

Medications: Your doctor might prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs like corticosteroids, oral 5-aminosalicylates, or immune system suppressors. These medications are often the first step in the treatment plan. In some cases, your doctor might prescribe antidiarrheals and pain relievers.
Antibiotics: When fistulas and abscesses are present, antibiotics can reduce the amount of drainage they produce. The antibiotics also help heal these issues and reduce harmful intestinal bacteria.
Nutrition Therapy: Your doctor will likely recommend a special diet, and they might recommend nutrients infused into a vein. This therapy can improve your nutrition, allowing the bowel to rest and reduce inflammation. Your doctor might also recommend a low residue or low-fiber diet.
Surgery: If other treatment options don’t work, you may need surgery. The surgeon will remove the damaged portion of your digestive tract and connect the healthy sections. Surgery is also required to close fistulas and drain abscesses.
Probiotics and Prebiotics: These live bacteria can help you rebuild the good bacteria in your intestinal tract. They can also help prevent microorganisms from disrupting the natural balance of your gut. Prebiotics, found in plants, help feed the good bacteria.

What Is the Outlook for People with Crohn’s Disease?

While there is no cure for Crohn’s, effective treatments help you manage it and enter remission. Your doctor can help you determine the best treatment plan that will help you take control of your life.

Remission occurs when your disease is no longer active and inflammation stops causing damage. You won’t experience the symptoms, and your blood tests will show normal inflammation levels. Remission isn’t a cure, though, because you can still have relapses.

Final Thoughts on Crohns Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Crohn’s disease can be painful and debilitating, but understanding it can help you. With a better understanding, you will know how to ease the symptoms and possibly enter remission.

When you know the symptoms and causes, you will recognize when to visit a doctor. Your doctor will help with a diagnosis and treatment plan. With the best treatment, you can still live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

12 Habits of Someone You Never Want to Marry

March 20, 2018 by Power of Positivity

“The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.” – Julia Child

Getting married is the ultimate commitment. Most people suggest that you marry someone who is not only your significant other, but also your best friend. Sometimes, however, we marry people that turn out to be complete strangers. Most people tend to show their hands before marriage occurs. People who aren’t marriage material tend to exhibit several signs and habits. Keep an eye out for these habits, and maybe rethink happily ever after.

Here Are 12 Habits of Someone You Never Want to Marry

1. Lying

When it comes to relationships, honesty is key. “There’s the idea that “what they don’t know won’t hurt them.” This is absolutely not true. Nothing will kill your relationship faster than secrecy and lies. Deception in any form is deadly to trust,” says couples’ expert, Stuart Fensterheim, LCSW.

Both partners in a relationship should be honest with one another. If one partner has a habit of lying, this is a red flag. You don’t want to spend forever with someone who has consistently lied to you throughout your relationship. Even if the lies didn’t seem all that bad to begin with, lies can pile up and ruin a relationship.

2. Judgmental

Your relationship should be a safe space. Having a partner who is judgmental, of either you or other people, is a recipe for disaster. If your partner tends to put you down, or judge the things that you like, you should reconsider just how happy they really make you. Marriages should be a place where both partners feel safe from judgement – especially from one another.

3. Infidelity

Dr. Phil McGraw once said, “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.” Maybe there was a time where your partner was unfaithful to you, and you decided to forgive them and try to move forward. Unfortunately, infidelity is a habit that you don’t want in a spouse.

“If someone has spent past relationships cheating on a partner, chances are they will do so in future relationships, also,” says Cathy Meyer, a divorce coach, marriage educator and legal investigator. If your partner doesn’t respect your relationship enough to stay faithful, then you don’t want to make a long-term commitment to them by marrying them.

4. No outside relationships

What do your partner’s relationships look like outside of your own? Do they have friends? Do they have a good connection with their family? If your partner’s only relationship is you, then you might want to take a step back and look at the reasons why. Chances are, there are some skeletons in their closet that they don’t want you to know about. Someone who has no other positive relationships in their life except for their partner isn’t marriage material.

5. Hot head

Emotional intelligence and emotional maturity are all skills that have to be learned throughout life. Someone who gets angry at the drop of a hat is probably someone you want to avoid when it comes to marriage. Letting anger get the best of us is a bad habit, and one that many people pay therapists to help them break. You never want to marry someone who is a hot head. They can go from 0 to 60 in a second, and that isn’t good.

6. Needs to be taken care of

Can your partner cook? Do they know how to do their laundry? Are they capable of cleaning up after themselves? Can they make basic financial decisions on their own? There are all things you need to ask yourself when considering marriage. If the answer to most or all of these questions is “no,” you might want to reconsider marriage.

“Consider if you are dating someone you will have to carry along in life instead of a real partner you can depend upon. What appears fun and sexy now could eventually become deadweight that you have to carry—along with your children, household duties, and finances,” says clinical psychologist and author Jill Weber, Ph.D.

Your partner should be your equal! Marriage is starting a family together, not becoming the caretaker of your partner.

7. Mean to children

Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. That’s fine! There is a “child free” movement just for those adults who don’t see little ones in their future. However, there’s a huge difference between not wanting children, and being mean to them. If your partner doesn’t know how to act around children, bad mouths children, and just can’t muster kindness towards them… you might not want to marry them.

8. Jealousy

Everyone gets jealous sometime in their life. It’s a natural emotion that we all feel. However, when someone doesn’t know how to control their jealousy and lets it affect their relationship, that becomes a problem. Someone who is constantly jealous to the point where it is causes problems in your relationship is not someone you want to walk down the aisle with.

9. No goals

“Some men with no ambition whatsoever like to talk up a good game, but at the end of the day, they are just saying what they know women want to hear,” says online dating and relationship expert, Joshua Pompey.

Someone who has no life goals is not going to be suited for your happily ever after. Being stagnant in life is a habit that you want to avoid when choosing a life partner. Your partner should have goals, dreams and ambitions, even if they might need some help achieving them!

10. No compromises

Compromise is key to a lot of marriages. You need to be able to work together to make a marriage work, and sometimes that means compromising on something that you want to happen. Relationships that don’t have compromise fall apart quickly. If your partner has shown no ability to compromise, they’re definitely not the one to spend happily ever after with.

11. Can’t keep promises

When you promise something, you are usually expected to follow through. There are some people, however, who consistently break their promises. If you’ve learned not to take a promise from your partner very seriously, it’s probably a sign that you’re not meant to be together forever. You want to marry someone who can keep their promises.

12. Lack of maturity

Marrying someone is a big commitment. It requires a fair bit of maturity. If the person that you’re with still seems like they’re stuck in high school, they might not be ready for the commitment that marriage requires.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, these twelve habits will give you an idea of what kind of person you should let into your life for the long haul. Marriage is a big step, and these habits will make it clear what kind of person is, or isn’t, ready for marriage.

https://youtu.be/DVqPIRU2EwQ

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

References:
http://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.com/2017/08/marriage-counseling-deadly-little-white-lies/
https://www.liveabout.com/marry-someone-with-a-history-of-cheating-and-you-will-be-cheated-on-1102862
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/having-sex-wanting-intimacy/201510/5-signs-you-might-really-be-dating-man-child
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/joshua-pompey/dating-advice-guys-to-avoid_b_2758814.html

5 Easy Ways to Clear Your Mind Naturally

March 20, 2018 by Power of Positivity

If you’ve had problems with focus, you’re probably struggling to find a way to clear your mind. “Anything that goes on in the mind is ripe to be ‘clutter’ if you haven’t learned how to focus and organize internally,” says director of behavioral sciences, Craig Travis, PhD.

For some people, taking medication that helps them focus is the right course of action. But, if you’re looking for a natural remedy to clear your mind and help you focus on your day-to-day tasks, science has your back. Here are some of the ways that scientists have found that people can naturally clear their minds and have better focus.

Here Are 5 Ways to Clear Your Mind Naturally for Better Focus

1. Meditation

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” – Buddha

Meditation isn’t just for new-age hippies anymore. Everyone from psychologists to scientists have spoken about the benefits that meditation can have on your mind. The purpose of meditation is to have designated time to yourself in order to gather your thoughts. This time should be alone and quiet.

Scientists who have studied the brain during meditation have found that it improves the neural pathways in our brains. “We’re coming to recognize that meditation changes people’s brains… And we’re just beginning to gain understanding of what those changes mean and how they might benefit the meditator,” says assistant professor of neurology Rebecca Erwin Wells, M.D.

Meditation helps us stay focused, and to clear our minds of all of the busy static in our lives. All you need to do is find a quiet place to close your eyes and focus your mind and energy.

2. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a technique that is used in therapy for all kinds of mental health issues, from anxiety to depression to emotional disorders. Science, and psychology, have long recognized that mindfulness is a technique that does so much good for our brains. For people who need a natural way to clear their minds, science has proven that mindfulness is the way to go.

“People with anxiety have a problem dealing with distracting thoughts that have too much power. They can’t distinguish between a problem-solving thought and a nagging worry that has no benefit,” says psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Hoge.

Mindfulness is a technique where you actively focus on switching your attention from one thing to another. For those using it to focus, it’s actively recognizing your thought process, and making a concentrated effort to clear your mind and switch your attention to a task at hand.

3. Write

If your mind is full of distracting thoughts, science has found that writing is one of the best ways to clear it. Writing down all of your distracting thoughts is a physical way of taking them out of your head.

“This can help get them out of your mind and alleviate the brain’s need to dwell or mentally try to work on things,” says psychologist Jennifer Gentile, PsyD.

If you’re struggling with a cluttered mind and really need to focus, taking a pen to paper can help you sort out your thought process so that you can move forward. Science has even found that taking the physical thoughts written on paper and destroying them – such as throwing them away or burning them – can help you clear your mind and keep it clear. The symbolic act of destroying negative or intrusive thoughts can do wonders for our mental health.

4. Move your body

Sometimes, all we need in order to help us focus and clear our minds is the physical act of moving. Exercise may help some people clear their minds. For others, just getting up and walking around, stretching, or doing a quick jog around the living room will work just as good.

According to a research by a group of scientists, “Overall, converging evidence suggests exercise benefits brain function and cognition across the mammalian lifespan, which may translate into reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in humans.”

Taking our mind and using it to focus on doing movement and exercise is a tried and true way to clear our minds. When you find that you’re having a hard time focusing, try getting up and moving around.Take a walk, go for a jog, or do your favorite exercise routine.

5. Take initiative

Clearing your mind should be a step towards focusing your attention on a task at hand. You don’t want to linger on the actual step of clearing your mind. If you’re going to meditate, make sure you don’t accidentally take a nap at your desk! If you’re going to write your feelings, make sure you don’t get stuck writing too much out. If you’re going to use mindfulness, make sure you use it as a step towards focusing. And, if you’re going to physically move your body, don’t tire yourself out so you can’t focus! Taking initiative is probably one of the most important steps to clearing your mind: knowing when your mind is clear, and when it’s time to focus.

Final thoughts

Medication can work for some people when it comes to a focused mind, but for other people, natural remedies work better. Clearing your mind takes a little bit of practice, but once you find a technique that works for you, you’ll be able to command focus easily.

https://youtu.be/FWMSYeRHWU4

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

References:
https://www.prevention.com/mind-body/cluttered-mind
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201504/5-neuroscience-based-ways-clear-your-mind
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-may-ease-anxiety-mental-stress-201401086967
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24029446

10 Lists to Make When You Feel Like Everything Is Falling Apart

March 20, 2018 by Power of Positivity

List making is something that can help all of us. Whether you need to make a grocery list, or a list of things you need to accomplish, having it all written down is a great way to stay organized.

But what about when you feel like your world is falling apart?

List making can help us put our life back in perspective. Lists can also help you keep your thoughts positive. Here are the best lists to make when you need to feel better.

Here Are 10 Lists You Should Make When You Feel Like Everything’s Falling Apart

1. Happy things that have happened to you

Whether they happened two months ago, two weeks or two days – keeping a list of all of the happy things that happened to you will keep you positive.

“Positive things happen when you think positive because you take charge of your thinking. Because you take control of your thoughts you make good things happen. You become a powerful positive force,” says hypnotherapist Rex Steven Sikes.

Happy things often get lost in the fray of all of the negativity in our lives. Stress can make it difficult to remember happy things when you’re in the moment. But, when you sit down and focus on them, you’ll see that there are so many happy things in your life.

2. Things you love to do

What are your favorite hobbies? What are the things that you love to do? When things aren’t going well and stress hits, we don’t always have time to devote to our favorite hobbies. You may even forget the things that you love to do until you focus on them. Make a list of all your favorite hobbies so you can pick one to do when you need some time to yourself to de-stress.

3. Things you like about yourself

Stress can cause a dent in our self-esteem. Even if you think you have good self-esteem, it’s always good practice to remind yourself of your good qualities. Louise L. Hay once said, “You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”

When life feels like it’s falling apart, take some time to love yourself again. Make a list of all the things you like about yourself. Try to focus less on things you do for other people (“I’m reliable”, “I’m a good helper”), and instead focus on things about you, like “I am funny,” or “I am intelligent”.

4. Ways you can make someone’s life better

When stress gets to be too much, we tend to feel helpless. But there’s no reason that we can’t take control of our lives. Taking control seem feel difficult at first. So, start with ways you can make someone’s life a little better. What are the ways you can help people in your life? It will make you feel good when you realize how much worth you have for other people.

5. Your favorite songs

It may seem cliché, but music can make all of our lives a little better. According to a group of scientists, “It has been reported that music may have physiological effects on blood pressure, cardiac heartbeat, respiration, and improve mood state in people affected by anxiety, depression and other psychiatric disorders.”

Therefore, when you’re feeling down, listening to your favorite songs can be just the thing you need to make you feel better. It’s good to have a list of all your favorite songs so you can make yourself a playlist. It will be perfect for those days when your life feels like it’s falling apart.

6. Your bucket list

A “bucket list” is a list of things you want to do or accomplish before you “kick the bucket”. If life feels really overwhelming, reminding yourself all of the things you still want to do can make it easier to keep moving forward. Your bucket list can have big things or small things. Whatever you haven’t done yet but want to do before you “kick the bucket” can go on the list.

“Sometimes when we think our lives are falling apart what we don’t see, is that they might just be falling into place.” – L.J. Vanier

7. People who love you

When life feels like it’s falling apart, remembering the people who love you can be a positive and uplifting experience. Start with your family or significant others, and expand it to your circle of friends. You’ll be surprised by all of the people you know that love you. You can keep the list with you or put it somewhere you can see it. Whenever you need a reminder, take the list out and see all the names of the people that love you.

8. Places you want to see

Traveling the world is often expensive, and not everyone can afford it. But that doesn’t mean that imagining all the places that you want to go is a futile effort. Sometimes, all we need is a change of scenery to make our lives feel a little more in control.

“Sometimes pain is so strong and so deep that the only way to heal it is to travel, just leave everything behind and give yourself the space to get over the hump so you can begin to move forward,” says transformational coach & tour leader and author, Halle Eavelyn. So, make a list of all the beautiful places you want to visit, and then pick one to start working towards.

9. Favorite quotes

Whether they be from people, books, movies or poems, a list of your favorite quotes can help bring positivity back into your life. They can be quotes that inspire you, make you smile, or make you laugh. Whatever they are, make sure they bring out a positive emotion. After you write them all down, you can place the quotes somewhere that you can always see them.

10. Good memories

Stress can make us forget all of our good memories. When life feels like it’s falling apart, remembering all of the good times in your life will bring you right back around. Positivity takes effort, sometimes. Write your favorite, happy memories down so that you can look at them when it feels like life keeps throwing you curveballs.

Final thoughts

List making is something that can really help focus your attention. It can also help you focus on the positivity in your life. Even if the list is only a few items long, it’s still a good exercise.

https://youtu.be/qWkzCo0h0Ok

References:
https://dailyinspirationandgratitude.com/2014/07/13/it-is-true-think-positive-and-positive-things-will-happen/comment-page-1/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17980967
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/halle-eavelyn/how-travel-can-heal-your-_b_5003407.html

5 Negative Behaviors of People to Never Allow Into Your Life

March 20, 2018 by Power of Positivity

The people we allow into our lives come from all walks of life, and they bring with them their own energy and experiences. Sometimes, the people who come into our lives exhibit negative behaviors that affect us in certain ways. “This person is not your cheerleader,” says author Ann Clark, MFT.

Whatever the reason, it’s good to exert boundaries around the people that you let into your life. There are certain behaviors of negative people who shouldn’t be allowed in your life, whether they’re platonic, romantic or familial relationships.

When talking about toxic behaviors, psychiatrist and author Abigail Brenner M.D., says, “Dealing with such an individual can be difficult and draining, to say the least. In fact, it may challenge what you know about yourself and push you to the limits.”

Here Are 5 Negative Behaviors of People to Never Allow into Your Life

“Toxic people attach themselves like cinder blocks tied to your ankles, and then invite you for a swim in their poisoned waters.” – John Mark Green

1. Gossip

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Great minds discuss ideas, average ones discuss events, and small minds discuss people.” Gossiping can be so tempting, especially when you want to know all about what’s going on in the lives of people around you. But, someone who gossips about one person will be much more likely to gossip about you, too.

Gossip isn’t a behavior you should tolerate in yourself, or in other people. The only thing that gossip brings about is hurt feelings and negativity. Your life will be so much happier when you’re not preoccupied in the gossip of other people.

2. Lying

Everyone has told a lie once or twice in their lives. Sometimes it’s just a little white lie to make someone’s day feel better. However, other people tell big lives, and they lie a lot. They may lie in order to get out of trouble or to get something they want.

Lying is a negative behavior that you shouldn’t allow in your life from anyone. It’s important to keep the lines of communication open and to be honest with the people in your life. If there’s someone in your life that you can’t trust to tell you the truth, take what they say with a grain of salt. If you don’t feed into the lies, they will eventually learn that you can’t be lied to.

3. Controlling behavior

Do you have someone in your life that is always trying to control what you do, say, or think? Controlling behavior is a negativity that you don’t need to tolerate. Everyone should be able to be free to make their own decisions and have their own thoughts.

Someone who has controlling behavior may berate you for your decisions or give you unsolicited advice. They may also become angry if you don’t take their advice or conform to their wishes. Cut off contact with someone who exhibits this kind of behavior and focus on the people in your life who are accepting of your autonomy.

4. Gaslighting

Gaslighting is an abuse tactic that can take place in any kind of relationship. It’s an incredibly toxic and negative behavior that shouldn’t ever be tolerated. Gaslighting occurs when one person causes another to question their reality and thoughts by denying things that happened. “Their goal is always to win or secure whatever it is they want. And they’ll do whatever they have to do to get it,” says Dr. George Simon.

It’s a way to control and manipulate another person.

This isn’t something that should ever be tolerated, either in romantic relationships or platonic ones. If you notice that someone is attempting to gaslight you, the best thing to do is hold your ground. You should also have a support system to help you ground yourself in reality. Gaslighting is a behavior that should never be tolerated in your life.

5. Possessive behavior

If you have someone in your life who is constantly trying to get you to hang out with them and only them, you may have possessive behavior on your hands. You should be able to have multiple friendships and relationships in your life. If someone gets upset when you hang out with other people, this is a red flag. It’s a negative behavior that can cause a lot of stress in any relationship. Assert your boundaries when it comes to possessive behavior, and make sure you have a support system. There’s no need to tolerate someone who can’t respect your space.

Final thoughts

Negative behavior isn’t always avoidable. There are times where you will be met with someone who exhibits one or more of these negative behaviors in your life. The best thing to do is to not feed into it.

“If the person’s toxic behavior doesn’t change, or the relationship is just too toxic for you, send them forward in life with love and compassion, and then move forward with your life,” says psychotherapist and life coach Jodie Gale, MA

Make sure you assert your boundaries and focus your energy on the positive behavior and positive relationships that other people bring into your life. When you do this, you’ll notice that negative energy has no power over you. Eventually, the people who have negative behaviors will realize that you can’t be swayed by their behavior.

https://youtu.be/lO-TMrAyth4

References:
http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetes-information-articles/general/1794-recognizing-and-dealing-with-toxic-people-in-your-life
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-flux/201608/8-things-the-most-toxic-people-in-your-life-have-in-common
https://psychcentral.com/blog/whats-a-toxic-person-how-do-you-deal-with-one/
https://counsellingresource.com/features/2011/11/08/gaslighting/

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Here are 7 other sleep habits that the vast majority of successful people have in common:

1. They’re asleep by 1 AM

2. They’re awake by 7 AM

3. They get at least 6 hours

4. They’re extremely disciplined

5. They have a morning routine

6. They have an evening routine

7. They understand the importance of sleep

Per the National Sleep Foundation, here are some tips and tricks for improving your sleep habits:

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Here Are 12 Habits of Someone You Never Want to Marry

1. Lying

2. Judgmental

3. Infidelity

4. No outside relationships

5. Hot head

6. Needs to be taken care of

7. Mean to children

8. Jealousy

9. No goals

10. No compromises

11. Can’t keep promises

12. Lack of maturity

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

Here Are 5 Ways to Clear Your Mind Naturally for Better Focus

1. Meditation

2. Mindfulness

3. Write

4. Move your body

5. Take initiative

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

Here Are 10 Lists You Should Make When You Feel Like Everything’s Falling Apart

1. Happy things that have happened to you

2. Things you love to do

3. Things you like about yourself

4. Ways you can make someone’s life better

5. Your favorite songs

6. Your bucket list

7. People who love you

8. Places you want to see

9. Favorite quotes

10. Good memories

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

References: https://dailyinspirationandgratitude.com/2014/07/13/it-is-true-think-positive-and-positive-things-will-happen/comment-page-1/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17980967 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/halle-eavelyn/how-travel-can-heal-your-_b_5003407.html

Here Are 5 Negative Behaviors of People to Never Allow into Your Life

1. Gossip

2. Lying

3. Controlling behavior

4. Gaslighting

5. Possessive behavior

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

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Us

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!

References:
https://dailyinspirationandgratitude.com/2014/07/13/it-is-true-think-positive-and-positive-things-will-happen/comment-page-1/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17980967
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/halle-eavelyn/how-travel-can-heal-your-_b_5003407.html

Rise and Shine On!
Master Your Day with the Ultimate Positive Morning Guide + Checklist