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What Are Your Choices When Something Bad Happens?

June 18, 2017 by Power of Positivity

One inescapable truth of life is suffering. You’ll experience suffering, as will the people you love. We see bad things happen daily – in person, on TV, in the newspaper, or elsewhere – it seems inescapable.

“If you expect your life to be up and down, your mind will be much more peaceful.” – Lama Yeshe

Maybe one day, humankind will evolve to a point when we can alleviate all of the sorrow in the world – we’d all love that to happen. For now, it’s up to each one of us to acknowledge the current reality while working for a better future.

We have two options when something bad happens: to accept it or suffer. That’s it – there is no option (C). No third curtain. While this proposition may sound harsh, it is anything but. We’ll explain why.

(Note: while this article makes several references to Buddhism, it’s not intended to be a religious or spiritual piece. The tenets of Buddhism, in many ways, are calibrated into man’s moral compass. Buddhism approaches acceptance and suffering from a very humanistic perspective. This fact, in conjunction with self-acquired knowledge on Buddhist teachings and practices, greatly helped for purposes of instruction.)

Here Are Your Choices When Something Bad Happens

Option #1: Acceptance of the Bad

Toni Bernhard, a longtime Buddhist practitioner and three-time author, writes:

“Upekkha means equanimity (in Buddhism). It refers to a mind that is calm and steady in the face of life’s ups and downs. This is a tall order because it means opening our hearts and minds not to pleasant experiences but to unpleasant ones too. Resisting the latter just adds to our own stress to what is already difficult.”

Mrs. Bernhard is a former attorney, law professor, and dean at the University of California-Davis (UCD). After 22 years at UCD, Bernhard was forced to retire because of a rare and chronic viral condition. Instead of dwelling on her circumstances, Bernhard has written three award-winning books on Buddhism and Mindfulness.

People all over the world experience unexpected pain. Some are forced to deal with difficult circumstances every day.

To see the ubiquitous suffering in our world can be depressing and heart-wrenching. Since the dawn of man, people have been stricken with disease, hunger, and poverty. Countries wage stupid wars and kill their own people. Tyrants rule over countries wherein the people have no freedom or rights.

As a result, we (naturally) feel angry, depressed, guilty, helpless, and sad. We weep, mourn, and feel wounded.

We ask ourselves “why?” “Why would this happen to me, I’m a good person.” “What did they ever do to deserve such a thing?” And, in most cases, we can’t explain it. So, we’ll pray, send good thoughts, and ask the Universe to put things in balance.

Then you have to ask yourself: what can you do about it? Send a check, or volunteer your time or skills? Sometimes, there is something you can do; sometimes, there is not.

Acceptance is not indifference. Instead, it is recognizing the situation as it is and not dwelling on negativity. Acceptance is truth and observation. Acceptance is being open to the actual thoughts and feelings we’re having in each moment, whether anxiety, anger, fear, heartache or happiness – and not try to control what’s uncontrollable.

Option #2: Suffering the Bad

The first noble truth of Zen Buddhism reads: ‘To Live Means To Suffer.’ This truth, in various ways, is recognized and taught across all religions and spiritual practices.

The story goes that when Prince Siddhartha (Buddha’s birth name) stepped out of his palace for the first time, he saw the following: a new born baby, a crippled old man, a sick man, and the corpse of a dead man. Buddha, until age 29, was completely oblivious to the suffering all around him.

Instead of making a U-turn and heading back into the lap of luxury, the Prince instead left. He gave up his life in search for truth – something that had been hidden from him for nearly three decades.

Various forms of Buddhism are taught today, including secular varieties. All forms adhere to Buddha’s four noble truths:

– ‘To Live Means To Suffer’

– ‘The Origin of Suffering Is Attachment’

– ‘The Cessation of Suffering Is Attainable’

– ‘The Path To The Cessation of Suffering’

All four noble truths have one word in common: suffering. We will suffer. We will see others suffer. Finally, we will experience heartache and pain.

The all-important question is this: will we approach suffering with acceptance, or will we permit suffering to dictate our lives?

11 Thoughts to Remember When Your World Is Falling Apart

June 18, 2017 by Power of Positivity

“When you think your life is falling apart, it’s usually falling together in disguise.” – Charlotte Eriksson

Life can get overwhelming. The world can throw so many things at us, and often times it can feel like everything is crumbling around us. Jobs, money, family, friends – all these things can contribute to the stress of life. When problems and new challenges arise, it may feel like life is throwing more at us than we can possibly, conceivably handle.

Sometimes, that may be true. But being able to slow down and assess every new situation will make all the hardships in your life shift into a new perspective. When it feels like your whole world is falling apart, you have to learn how to stop, assess, and evaluate.

Here are all the things you need to remember when everything is falling apart:

1. THIS PAIN IS TEMPORARY

No matter what you’re going through right now, whether it be money troubles, family problems or an emotional break up, remember that the pain you’re feeling is only temporary. It will not last forever. It may not even last the rest of the day. If you’re able to remember that there was a time where you weren’t feeling emotional pain, you’ll be able to more easily handle it now, instead of becoming overwhelmed.

2. WORRY LESS

Worrying only causes anxiety and makes focusing on what needs to be done harder. If you find yourself worrying over something that you can do nothing about, try to focus on the steps that need to be taken to fix whatever problem or challenge has arisen. If you’ve lost your job, worrying about how you’re going to pay your bills is not going to put more money in your bank account. Instead of worrying, make a plan on how to move forward. Put positive energy forward and don’t let yourself get weighed down by negativity.

3. OTHER PEOPLE’S PROBLEMS ARE NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

While your own life feels overwhelmed with issues, you need to remember to take a step back from trying to shoulder the weight of other people’s problems as well. Being open and available to help others when they need it is a good and positive quality. However, you need to make sure that you’re asserting boundaries and not allowing other people’s problems to become your responsibility on top of your own.

4. JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD

When your life feels like it’s falling apart, the only possible direction is to move forward. Even when it feels impossible, you need to remember that it’s okay to get back up and keep trying. One failure or bump in the road doesn’t mean that all your plans should be derailed. Life can be tough, but you are stronger than the challenges that life throws at you.

5. DO WHAT YOU’RE AFRAID TO DO

If your life feels like it’s in shambles and that you’re stuck in this situation, maybe the only way to move forward is to do exactly what you’re too scared to do. Being afraid of change is natural, but being too afraid to actually change can hold you back. Even if it feels impossible, take a deep breath and leap. You’ll be surprised how often you land on your feet.

6. IT’S OKAY TO CRY

Bottling up how you feel, especially when those feelings seem enormous, can cause more stress and anxiety than good. Sometimes, it’s okay to cry when you need to. When things go wrong, or when grief becomes overwhelming, it’s natural to want to cry. Giving into your emotions doesn’t make you weak. Often, you’ll find that after you let yourself have a good cry, you’ll be more clear-headed and be able to take the next logical step forward in your journey.

7. PRACTICE GRATITUDE

When things are falling apart, it can be hard to see all the things in your life that aren’t going wrong. Take a moment to think about the things in your life that are stable, and that you’re grateful for. Being able to think positively will help you put your problems into perspective. If you’ve lost your job, be grateful for a supportive network of family and friends. If you’re having family troubles, take time to appreciate your significant other.

8. YOU HAVE POWER OVER YOUR LIFE

Even though it may not seem like it at times, you are not being controlled by the stars. You have an amazing about of influence and control over your own life, even when everything feels like it’s out of your hands. If everything feels like it’s starting to become too overwhelming, you have the power to make a change.

9. EVERYONE HAS PROBLEMS

Sometimes, it’s nice to know that you’re not the only one who is going through challenges. Remembering that there are people who have weathered the same storms as you can give you strength to keep moving forward. You can find community, validation and solidarity with other people who are going through the same challenges as you.

10. LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN EVERY SITUATION

When life is crumbling around you, it can be hard to continue to see the optimistic side of a situation. Try to look for the silver lining in everything. If you’re going through a bad break up, try to see it as a new opportunity to find your soulmate. When you lose your job, see it as a change to begin your life anew with a career you love. Don’t allow yourself to be bogged down with pessimism. A positive outlook can completely transform your situation.

11. TAKE TIME TO PRAY

Or, if you don’t pray, you can take a moment out of your day to focus on your positive energy. This can double as a moment to re-center yourself so that all that you’re experiencing doesn’t completely overwhelm you. You’ll be surprised how much calmer and focused you feel after forcing yourself to take a minute to focus on all of the positive energy around you and inside of you.

Stephen Hawking’s Powerful 100 Year Prediction

June 17, 2017 by Power of Positivity

Stephen Hawking is one of the most well-respected scientists in history. To celebrate his 75^th birthday, the BBC channel will air a new documentary titled “Stephen Hawking: Expedition New Earth.”

According to a press release, Hawking explains humankind’s “precarious” situation, including “his predictions that the human race only has 100 years before we need to colonize another planet.”

Unsurprisingly, Hawking is taking a bashing for – what some consider to be – an extremely radical perspective. The fact that Hawking initially predicted 1,000 years for colonization is only adding to the scrutiny.

In this article, we’ll discuss a bit about Professor Hawking and his work. To the best of our ability, we’ll contextualize the genius’s predictions.

“With climate change, overdue asteroid strikes, epidemics and population growth, our own planet is increasingly precarious.” – Professor Stephen Hawking

Who is Stephen Hawking?

If you were to pose this question to anyone in the scientific community, you’d likely be mocked, perhaps relentlessly.

Hawking is a graduate of both Oxford and Cambridge University (two of the most prestigious institutions in the word), where he majored in Physics and Cosmology, respectively. He graduated near the top of his class despite “not very much work.”

Dr. Hawking was diagnosed at Oxford with a rare form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The condition has rendered Hawking wholly paralyzed. He can communicate and give lectures via cutting-edge technologies developed by many companies: Lenovo, Intel, Speech Plus, and SwiftKey.

Professor Hawking is best known for his work on gravitation, gravitational radiation, black holes, and wave functions. His book, A Brief History of Time (published in 1992), made accessible his elaborate theories to non-specialists. The book ultimately became a bestseller, and has sold more than 10 million copies in 20 years; the work has also been translated into 35 languages.

Where Hawking “ranks” among the best physicists of all time is a matter of fierce debate – a debate that Hawking himself never wanted.

In many ways, Hawking doesn’t fit the traditional “mold” of a scientist. He downplays his intelligence (“People who boast about their IQ are losers”), has an unabashed sense of humor (“It is not enough for me to wear dark sunglasses and a wig. The wheelchair gives me away”), and is stoically optimistic (“Where there is life, there is hope.”)

Hawking, despite his stubborn opposition, has been called “The most influential physicist since Einstein.” (Which Hawking says is “Rubbish.”) With this kind of clout, people listen when the Professor speaks.

Famous Scientist Says Humans Move to a New Planet in 100 Years

In November of 2016, Hawking’s warnings were three-fold: artificial intelligence, global warming, and nuclear war could destroy the Earth. “Although the chance of a disaster to planet Earth in a given year may be quite low, it adds up over time, and becomes a near certainty in the next thousand or ten thousand years.”

The phrase “next thousand or ten thousand years” is a source of pause for many. There’s a sizable difference between one to ten thousand years and one hundred. What possible reason can explain the physicist’s sudden “100 years” theory? Hawking lists explicitly climate change, possible asteroid strikes, population growth, and epidemics as the biggest threats. (Nuclear war seems more plausible to many.)

Is colonization of another planet the answer? Is it possible, now or ever? And is it even necessary – in a thousand years or beyond?

Should I pack my bags?

First, let’s examine the scientific rationale of Hawking’s “culprits” for extinction:

1. Climate change: Per NASA, 97-plus percent of actively publishing climate scientists concede that “Climate-warming trends over the past century are likely due to human activities.” Few scientists deny the climate is changing, and that climate change following the Industrial Revolution has expedited this warming effect.

2. Overdue asteroid strikes: The last “civilization-ending” asteroid hit Earth over 65 million years ago. As Professor Hawking suggests, some scientists believe we’re “overdue,” but “NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordinate Office does not expect a major asteroid impact in the near future.”

3. Health epidemics: Throughout the 20^th and 21^st centuries, we’ve had five epidemics that have each resulted in more than one million fatalities – all of them occurring in 1889, 1918, and 1957, 1960, and 1968. The most recent epidemic, the Ebola Virus, was extinguished after just three years.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Hawking is not alone in his warnings about the adverse effects of AI. Elon Musk, the brain behind Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures, also articulated his stance: “I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that. So, we need to be very careful,” Musk continues, “I’m increasingly inclined to think that there should be some regulatory oversight, maybe at the national and international level, just to make sure we don’t do something very foolish.”

Putting it all together

There is no denying that Stephen Hawking is a genius of the highest order. He is undoubtedly one of the most influential physicists since Albert Einstein. Still, others question his motives, methodology, and even his mental stability (Hawking is now 75.)

That said, a few facts are hindering Hawking’s hypothesis. First, we are nowhere close to achieving the technological capabilities required to colonize another planet. Second, we don’t know if human beings can live on a distant planet; we’ve evolved over hundreds of thousands of years on Earth. Third, many “powers that be” still deny the dangers that Hawking, Musk, and other great minds have articulated.

With all of that said, is colonizing another planet really the answer? Shouldn’t science and rational thinking prevail over the whims of vested interests? It has in some advanced countries. Sadly, the United States cannot claim to be one of them.

The bottom line: we must educate and inform ourselves and future generations of the potential perils this planet faces. Human logic must prevail over ignorance.

20 Habits That Improve Mental Health

June 17, 2017 by Power of Positivity

Some argue that mental health is just as important as physical health; fair enough, but one could make a strong case that the former supersedes the latter. Without proper mental faculties, no level of physical prowess will overcome this weakness.

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” –Khalil Gibran

Our mental health state is dynamic in that it affects everything in every experience. For example, when our mental health is good, our job performance, relationships, and overall quality of life are also good. When we suffer, we cannot effectively navigate our daily life.

As important as mental health is, it’s pretty easy to take for granted. It is easy to succumb to social pressures that place physical attributes (e.g., appearance, body weight) over the mental. Furthermore, those seeking consolation for any mental health problems fear being stigmatized, perceived as “weak,” or otherwise being negatively judged.

The truth is that mental health problems are not a character weakness – they are a chemical imbalance in the brain. Plain and simple. Nothing less and nothing more.

Whether we realize it or not, we are responsible for maintaining our mental health. This responsibility should be second-to-none.

This brings us to the topic of this article: ways to maintain and improve your mental health. We sourced these ideas from the expert team at the University of Michigan University Health Service.

Ten Habits That Improve Mental Health

Try these new habits to help boost your mental resilience.

1. Value yourself.

It’s natural to be our “own worst enemy” at times, harshly criticizing any (real or perceivable) mistake and continually punishing ourselves psychologically.

Despite this default mechanism, make every attempt to practice some self-compassion (there are many ways of doing this, meditation among them.) Allocate time for the things you enjoy, such as your favorite hobbies.

Put: do things that make you feel good about being you!

2. Care for your body.

The connection between physical and mental health is well-established. As such, it is essential to take care of your body. Here are some things you can do:

Do not smoke
Drink a lot of water
Get at least 30 minutes of exercise
Sleep at least 7 to 9 hours per night
Eat a well-balanced diet, avoiding high-fat and sweet foods and drinks.

3. Watch your social circle.

Not everyone is blessed to have solid family ties, which (unsurprisingly) helps with mental development. However, it’s our responsibility to allow the “right kinds” of people into our life. This means supporting family members or friends and searching for social events that can bring good people into your life.

4. Give what you can.

You don’t need to give away half your paycheck to reap the mental health benefits of generosity. Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else; find a worthy cause you can fully support and stick with it.

5. Understand and practice stress management.

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: some of us are atrocious at managing stress. These types of people face significant disadvantages in physical and mental well-being.

Several structured stress-management systems exist, and many of them are pretty compelling. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program is worth mentioning. There are also plenty of simple stress-reduction techniques that can help, such as moment-to-moment mindfulness.

6. Silence your mind.

Our minds possess exceptional powers. Unfortunately, our minds can also be a liability. We can develop habits such as overthinking that threaten our mental states. As such, it’s important to practice techniques to counteract our “monkey mind.” Among them: mindfulness, prayer, deep breathing, relaxation techniques.

7. Look at your job

Job-related mental health problems are attributed to their inherent stressful requirements. Certain professions, according to health.com, are associated with higher levels of depression. Think of the jobs that work with the public–nurses, teachers, salespeople.

Should you suspect that your job is taking a dramatic toll on your mental health, it may be time to consider your options. Not many jobs are fun, but they shouldn’t be stressful as to threaten your mental stability.

8. Get rid of alcohol and other drugs

Sure, booze and pills can offer some temporary stress relief. However, when this behavior becomes habitual, it manifests into other severe problems.

The challenge lies in making people “see the light” regarding alcohol and drug use. More specifically, the long-term consequences of their use are NOT worth it.

9. Shake things up

Monotony is an inductor of stress. When we do the same thing, accumulated stress can pose a (sometimes severe) threat to our mental health daily. Find a way to mix in something enjoyable, or find ways to “switch up” your approach to work, hobbies, and other routine activities.

10. Get some help

Many employers in the United States offer an employee assistance program or EAP. EAP helps employees “with personal problems and/or work-related problems that may impact their job performance, health, mental and emotional well-being.” Other advanced countries offer something similar.

Regardless of whether it’s a board-certified psychiatrist or someone you look up to, find an outlet. Remember: getting help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength and courage.

11. Get outside

You’ll feel happier and less stressed outside into the sunlight and fresh air. Being outside causes your brain to release serotonin, a natural mood-stabilizing chemical. It’s a healthy escape to recharge your brain and get energized. Try getting out doing an activity such as:

Going for a walk
Gardening
Swimming
Having a picnic
Birdwatch
Taking a bike ride

12. Get enough sleep

People who get enough sleep have less depression and other mental health problems. Sleep recharges your body and mind. It boosts your mind and body, including the following:

It helps your ability to learn
Boosts your memory
Protects your heart
Improves your ability to decide
It helps you avoid weight gain

13. Eat well

Your mental health connects directly to your physical health. When you eat well, you feel good physically and boost your positivity. Choose whole foods rather than processed. Eat lots of crunchy veggies, fresh fruits, lean meats, and whole, fibrous grains to experience your best health.

14. Read

Reading is an inexpensive way to improve your mental health. It strengthens your brain function lowers blood pressure and heart rate. A study conducted with college students found that the students who read daily felt less stressed. It reduced their psychological distress and improved their overall mental health. It’s thought that reading fiction is the most effective genre to reduce stress. When you’re fully engaged in the story, your muscles relax, and you concentrate. Your breathing and heart rate slow down similarly to when you meditate.

15. Laugh

Laughing lightens your mood and relieves your anxiety levels. Spontaneous and even “fake” laughter make you feel more positive about life. Laughter is a natural activity that boosts your mental health and relieves stress in your life. Watch a funny movie, read a funny novel or listen to your favorite comedian’s podcast.

16. Express gratitude

When you are grateful, it can reduce your stress. Gratitude helps you to let go of negativity. It allows you to be thankful to the people around you. As you express gratitude to others, you’ll be surprised at how it improves your outlook on life and mental health.

17. Look for the good

Focusing on your life’s bad things makes you feel weighed down. It harms your mental health. Try focusing less on your problems. There’s always some good, even in the most challenging situations. Take some time today to look for the good that’s going on around you.

18. Be creative

Did you know that creativity can improve your mental health? As you focus on your creative activity, your mind is stimulated, lowering your stress. Creativity helps you solve problems. Studies found invention produces positive emotions and can give you a greater sense of well-being. Individuals who practice creativity say they feel happier and have more energy.

19. Get some exercise

Exercise increases the health of your mind and body. Taking time to exercise relieves your anxiety, helps you sleep, and reduces overall stress. On average, strive to get around 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week. You don’t need to do the thirty minutes all at once. Break it up with different activities, such as:

Yoga
Walking
Strength training
Push-up
Swimming
Biking

20. Get a pet

Owning a pet gives you a sense of purpose and reduces stress and anxiety. Dog owners get more exercise because their dog needs to go for walks. You’ll have a better sense of security and feel less lonely when you have a pet. Pets boost your self-confidence and give you a chance to meet new people in your neighborhood.

Final Thoughts on Developing Habits That Improve Mental Health

If you struggle with depression or anxiety, try incorporating some of these suggestions into your daily routine. Of course, these won’t remove all your issues, but they can help lower your anxiety and boost your overall well-being. Remember, you’re not alone in your struggles. If you struggle with depression, be sure to see your doctor.

How to Make a Home Spa to Treat Anxiety and Depression

June 17, 2017 by Power of Positivity

The word ‘spa,’ helps you visualize the luxury of some me-time. Alone, it’s enough to help the tension in your shoulders start to relax. With minimal effort, it is possible to have a spa experience at home. So, you can naturally treat stress, anxiety, and minor depression.

1. Rid yourself of tech stress and set aside alone time

First, turn off your hand-held media devices, television, radio, and other information sources, before your home spa session. That’s right, all of them!

It is at times difficult to remove ourselves from constant connectivity, but this is necessary to reduce stress, which will help alleviate feelings of anxiety. Then, schedule a minimum of 30 uninterrupted minutes for your home spa time.

When you need to relax in your home spa for your anxiety or depression, interruptions are unacceptable. Make sure you tell your loved ones to leave you alone and tell them for how long. Schedule a minimum of 30 uninterrupted minutes for an effective home spa treatment for depression or anxiety.

2. Know what works for you

Think about these senses; smell, touch, and hearing. What pleases each of these senses for you is what you should be sure to add to your home spa treatment for your depression and anxiety. Making an at-home spa is about surrounding yourself with what you feel is tranquil and soothing.

For example, if lavender is not your favorite scent, it may not feel relaxing to you. Think about the scents that uplift you and remind you of pleasant times. Decide to do what feels the most comforting to your body; a self-massage, a warm or hot steam bath, a soft comforting robe to wrap up in. Relaxing classical music or something that feels spa-like to you is another way to treat stress during your spa session.

3. Keep the treatments short and simple

Researchers studied spa treatments for their effectiveness in treating stress and depression. Many of the techniques used in this research can be reproduced at home. The relaxation techniques studied included an underwater massage bath, a jet massage from a whirlpool spa tub, mud wraps or herbal wraps, and hydrotherapy.

The study found that spa therapies like these treatments induce mental relaxation, reduce anxiety, and help create a feeling of well-being. The spa research also indicates that treatments like these reduce pain progression and chronic disorders because they improve the quality of life.

4. Enjoy the present moment

Anxiety can be said to be worrying about things that haven’t yet happened, while depression is about reliving the past that can’t be changed. Improve your mood by focusing on here and now. Identify things you can see, smell, taste, hear or touch right now. Inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of four. Do this for several breaths. Now increase the count to five.

5. Review your mood before and after a home spa

Consider some easy yoga moves or try a walk outdoors in sunlight to add these effective therapies to your home spa relaxation treatment. According to a study in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, exercise, light therapy, St. John’s wort, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e, and yoga were all found to be alternatives to medication to treat anxiety and depression.

If the spa treatment was helpful to reduce your anxiety or to improve your depressed mood, make a note of this. If an Epsom salt soak worked well to help you relax, would candlelight and music make it even more beneficial for you? How about adding aromatherapy? Tracking what you tried and how it helped will help you learn what works best to improve your mood.

5 Differences Between Choosing the Right and Wrong Words in Life

June 17, 2017 by Power of Positivity

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – ’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” – Mark Twain

As human beings, we have crafted the astounding ability to use language. Language allows us to communicate openly and honestly with those around us. Language also allows us to wield power, to ignite laughter, so cause wars and to make peace. The words we use every day make changes to everyone we speak to. Whether those changes we make are positive or negative largely depend on our choice of words, and the way we use those words. Sometimes, our honesty may come across as cruelty.

Other times, our tough love can be read as disheartening. Word choice matters, not only to those around us but internally, as well. The words we choose to say or repeat can have just as much of an effect on ourselves as they do on other people. Especially when we are in a position of power over other people, just as a leadership role, or the role of a parent or guardian. When you are in that leadership role, no matter what it may people, people will look to you for guidance.

Making the right word choice can change someone’s course of action, their decisions and their lives. Here are several ways that the words we choose matter, and how choosing the right and wrong words in your day to day life mean something.

5 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT AND WRONG WORDS

MOTIVATION

Word choice can mean the difference between properly motivating someone to do their very best, and making them believe that they might as well not even try. This is true for all types of people, whether you are a leader talking to your workforce or a friend giving advice.

The words you choose can change a person’s internal drive and their ability to be properly motivated. Rather than allow your word choice to reflect negatively, you will want to take great care to make sure the words and phrases you use benefit someone’s motivation.

PERSPECTIVE

Someone’s worldview can’t always be easily shifted. However, the right choices of words can change someone’s perspective drastically if they are open to the idea of change. The right word choice can help change their perspective for better or for worse. You may be one word away from turning someone’s pessimistic outlook into a positive one, or vice versa.

Perspective is an important part of someone’s ability to make decisions, and make choices that are beneficial to both them and those around them.

EMOTIONS

Someone’s emotional state is just as important as their intellectual one. Emotions are what make us human, and someone who is in a positive emotional state is far more receptive that one who is in a negative state. Choosing your words carefully can help keep someone’s positive emotions to the forefront, or dreg up negative emotions.

A shift in someone’s feelings can lead to them either opening up to you, or closing themselves off- sometimes permanently. In the end, using your words in an uplifting, positive manner can do more good than letting yourself fall prey to the tempting use of “brutal honesty”.

INTERNAL PERSPECTIVES

Even the words we use to talk to ourselves have impact on our lives. You may be speaking to someone else, but your own words can still have an effect. When we interact with people, we reinforce what we already believe, whether we mean to or not. Changing the words you use can help shift your own personal perspective to a more positive, energetic one. If you allow yourself to wallow in negativity, you will have an effect on everyone around you, not just yourself.

Changing your internal mantra from negative words to more positive ones will inevitably give you a more positive outlook on life.

SELF-ESTEEM

Whether the self-esteem is someone else’s, or your own, the words we chose to use daily can have a great effect. Sometimes, this effect can be positive. Other times, it can be detrimentally negative. A snide comment from someone about your ability to work, or even something like the clothes you are wearing, can plummet your self-esteem and cause anxiety and second-guessing.

When you choose the wrong things to say, you are putting someone through the same pain and self-doubt that you would experience. Take your time to change your language and you can save both yourself and someone else a lot of grief.

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Here Are Your Choices When Something Bad Happens

Option #1: Acceptance of the Bad

Option #2: Suffering the Bad

Other questions to consider:

Here are all the things you need to remember when everything is falling apart:

1. THIS PAIN IS TEMPORARY

2. WORRY LESS

3. OTHER PEOPLE’S PROBLEMS ARE NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

4. JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD

5. DO WHAT YOU’RE AFRAID TO DO

6. IT’S OKAY TO CRY

7. PRACTICE GRATITUDE

8. YOU HAVE POWER OVER YOUR LIFE

9. EVERYONE HAS PROBLEMS

10. LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN EVERY SITUATION

11. TAKE TIME TO PRAY

Who is Stephen Hawking?

Famous Scientist Says Humans Move to a New Planet in 100 Years

Should I pack my bags?

Putting it all together

Ten Habits That Improve Mental Health

1. Value yourself.

2. Care for your body.

3. Watch your social circle.

4. Give what you can.

5. Understand and practice stress management.

6. Silence your mind.

7. Look at your job

8. Get rid of alcohol and other drugs

9. Shake things up

10. Get some help

11. Get outside

12. Get enough sleep

13. Eat well

14. Read

15. Laugh

16. Express gratitude

17. Look for the good

18. Be creative

19. Get some exercise

20. Get a pet

Final Thoughts on Developing Habits That Improve Mental Health

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

1. Rid yourself of tech stress and set aside alone time

2. Know what works for you

3. Keep the treatments short and simple

4. Enjoy the present moment

5. Review your mood before and after a home spa

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

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Master Your Day with the Ultimate Positive Morning Guide + Checklist