The Tragic and Inspiring Story of Keanu Reeves Revealed

February 6, 2016 by Power of Positivity

The name Keanu Reeves most likely brings to mind the myriad of roles he has played on the big screen, but the real story of his life is both tragic and inspiring. The 51 year old musician and actor’s name is a derivative of his great-great-uncle Keaweaheulu, whose name means “the soft breeze raising” in Hawaiian.

The Tragic and Inspiring Story of Keanu Reeves Revealed

We most often think of Keanu Reeves as Ted in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, as Johnny Utah in Point Break, or as Neo in the Matrix. Or you may know him best for his ‘Whoa’ expression from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure which has been used as a funny conspiracy-themed meme in social media since 2010.

Keanu was born in Beiruit, Lebanon, the son of Patricia Taylor and Samuel Nowlin Reeves Jr. His mother was born in England and his father is Chinese and Hawaiian. Far too early in his life at age 3, Keanu Reeves’ father left him and his mother to fend for themselves. Although it is tragic, the abandonment by his father might have been best for both of them because his father would later go to prison for selling heroin at a Hawaii airport.

Keanu Reeves’ mother remarried several times and her career as a costume designer as well as her numerous marriages led the broken family to travel extensively. Keanu attended many different schools in Lebanon, Australia, Toronto, and America. But at the age of 17, he had had enough and dropped out to become an actor.

Keanu Reeves tragic adulthood losses

His co-star and friend River Phoenix who played opposite him in My Own Private Idaho in 1991 sadly died of a drug-related heart failure on Halloween 1993 at the far-too-young age of 23.

In fall of 1999, Keanu’s girlfriend Jennifer Syme, tragically had their stillborn daughter, who the couple named Ava Archer Syme-Reeves. A short time later in April 2001, Jennifer Syme was killed instantly in a tragic car accident.

His sister Kim fought leukemia for over a decade. During that time Reeves stayed with her in her home to care for her. He had his own room so that he could be near her during her recovery. Reeves wasn’t trying to be inspiring, that’s just his genuine big-heartedness.

The unknown inspiring story of Keanu Reeves

The true tragedy for the story of Keanu Reeves is that his intellect is far superior to our generalized idea of him. He reads voraciously, can quote Shakespeare from memory, and seems to be genuinely unconcerned about the views of the public and the media.

The man whose most famous line may be ‘Dude’ is an inspiringly un-Hollywood person who resembles the casual self-confidence that we all hope to embody. He prefers to be out of the limelight of the film-promotion merry-go-round and keeps some parts of his life private; his love life and losses, his absent father, his sister Kim’s cancer, River Phoenix’s death, and his feelings about his childhood. But we shouldn’t need to ask. The answer to every one is that he grieves these tragic losses.

Keanu Reeves’ dark ‘demon ride’ side

Keanu loves being active and is a bit of a thrill seeker and an escapist. In his younger days he played hockey and is reported to enjoy ballroom dancing, horseback riding, surfing, and riding on fast motorcycles, of which he owns two English-made Norton Commandos.

In 1988 he took what he calls a ‘demon ride’ on a twisting canyon road with the lights off on his motorcycle and crashed going 50 miles an hour. He had another motorcycle accident in 1996 that left a scar on his leg.

Keanu Reeves’ inspiring generosity

Keanu Reeves’ generosity is sort of a legend. He prefers anonymity when it comes to his inspiring monetary gifts as well as his gifts of spirit. Actor Robert Mailhouse said of Reeves ‘I thought he was eccentric in a sense that he was drinking a real nice bottle of wine out of a coffee mug. Probably it was a hundred-dollar bottle of wine. It was a Montana State Highway Patrol mug.” Mailhouse also said of Reeves that “He’s a really giving person. He’d give you his last shoe. Really smart, too. He’s incredibly booksmart. He’s a really interesting person who doesn’t talk a lot of shit.”

According to celebritynetworth.com: ‘Over the years Keanu has given millions of dollars to charity. Reeves has supported PETA, the SickKids Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer, among others. His sister [Kim] has leukemia, and he has spent more than $5 million dollars to help her in her fight against the disease. Reeves also reportedly has set up a private cancer foundation to help a handful of children’s hospitals and cancer research. Reeves does not attach his name to any his gifts. ‘

The site also credits Reeves generous spirit with sitting for lunch with a homeless man, donating one million dollars of his Matrix salary to each employee of the costume and special effects design teams, giving the entire stunt team on the “Matrix” sequels their own Harley Davidson motorcycles, and giving $20,000 to a set builder he had never met as a Christmas bonus to help him out when he heard about difficulties that the man was having.’

What Does Your Sweat Reveal About Your Health?

February 5, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Sweat can tell a lot more about your health than just showing that you are properly hydrated (read our article on 10 Signs You’re Dehydrated here). Sweating is a naturally healthy way to rid yourself of toxins, clean the pores of your skin and keep you cool on a hot day.

Sweating is a sign of a healthy body. Also, it is a good sign that you are burning fat in aerobic exercise. Sweating means that you should hydrate. An excessive amount of sweat can mean a fever. Having less sweat can mean dehydration. These are a few sweat-related health facts that most of us know. Here’s one that you might not know.

Babies that cry are experiencing some distress and when that happens, they sweat. By the age of three weeks, water loss from the palms of an infant was as much as that of an adult would experience.

Here’s What Your Sweat Says About Your Health

1. Sweat can reveal the health of many bodily functions

Doctors frequently use the blood levels of electrolytes and other substances to test for healthy levels of body functioning. By using these four biochemical measurements, health professionals can check for kidney function, dehydration, muscle fatigue, management of diabetes and more.

2. Sweat can reveal if you have anxiety

Most people sweat when they are feeling a “fight or flight” response to a fearful stimuli. People who experience chronic anxiety sweat in small amounts in response to perceived threats in their environment.

Researchers studying the perception of choice and reducing anxiety used finger sweat print as a measurement of anxiety levels. The group who was given a choice of taking a test in any order had reduced sweat amounts than those who did not get a choice.

3. Sweat might mean that you’re lying

Lying isn’t necessarily part of your physical health but it could help with understanding more about your psychological health. Lying often produces similar sweat responses as being anxious does, because the brain knows that the words spoken do not match the event as it happened in the mind. The difference between the two creates stress and can cause sweating.

Lie detectors often use skin conductivity to test for the amount of or presence of sweat. On a more personal level, we can learn to sense when we are sweating and identify if we are lying to ourselves about our shortcomings. Believing a lie that we tell ourselves is often the beginning of a mental health problem.

4. Sweat can signal to potential romantic partners how healthy you are

Hormones are naturally secreted in your sweat as pheromones, which can be detected by smell. When you are a healthy male or female, you send out sweat pheromone signals to potential mates. These pheromone signals can tell a man if a woman is fertile or not and they may also send signals of a woman’s receptivity to sex.

You can read more about how pheromones help attract a mate in our article 5 Things That Make a Woman Beautiful (Besides Her Looks). Both men and women who use synthetic sweat pheromones reported an increase in being approached by the opposite sex over those who did not use the pheromones.

5. Sweat can determine hair growth

Again, crime show enthusiasts know that the human hair can be used to show markers for use of drugs because the shaft acts as a timeline of when drugs came into the body. However, a recent study has shown that it is actually sweating that plays a role in how the drugs get into the hair shaft in the first place. When sweat is secreted at the follicle, it is likely incorporated into the hair shaft.

This sweat and hair data that is collected from a patient provides drug use information that can be used in addiction treatment facilities, by law enforcement, or by health professionals who are doing deeper analysis of bodily functions for a patient. This is true for both illegal drugs and prescription pharmaceuticals.

Sweat band detection devices will likely soon be incorporated into personal wearable fitness trackers. According to some, future applications for wearable sweat data devices could “diagnose a heavy metal poisoning. They will warn a person that they’re in a severe enough depressive state to warrant medication and signaling that the body is getting an infection.”

How to Have An Out Of Body Experience

February 5, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Having an out of body experience can be a bit disconcerting, especially when it seems so real. During an out of body experience, you may feel like you aren’t really where your body is. This sense of displacement makes you question your reality.

It is estimated that 1 in 10 people have had an out of body experience. This event feels like you have left your physical body and are floating or moving about as usual. But you feel removed from your physical self.

Trying to have such an experience can result in some disappointment. If a first you don’t succeed, keep trying. It is important not to discount your experiences as you work to achieve this non-physical state. You may experience images, sounds, voices, smells, colors, sights, or other interactions. Keeping a dream journal by your bed is a good idea so you can record these when you wake up.

What You Need to Know About Having An Out of Body Experience

1. An out of body experience is a type of lucid dreaming

The sensation of being out of your own body has been described as a euphoric awareness that you have the ability to control where your ethereal self is going while your physical self stays behind. The ability to control what happens while you sleep is called lucid dreaming.

Most people who have an out of body experience become aware that it is happening. Once they know it, they can consciously decide to go certain places or transport themselves to see other people.

2. An out of body experience could be related to a brain dysfunction.

According to Swiss researchers who were looking for the causes of out of body experiences, “An out-of-body experience (OBE) may be defined as the experience in which a person seems to be awake and to see his body and the world from a location outside the physical body.”

The researcher believes that these out of body experiences come from brain dysfunctions because they ‘have been described repeatedly in patients suffering from neurological or psychiatric disease – such as epilepsy, migraine, neoplasia and psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and dissociative disorders.’

3. You can control having an out of body experience

There are different ways to control having an out-of-body experience but all of them involve sleep paralysis while you are aware in your mind. The easiest method is to remain still after waking up in the morning. Literally, stay as still as possible without moving anything and keeping your eyes closed.

At this point, you can imagine a rope hanging down above you. Imagine yourself reaching for the rope, grasping it, and pulling yourself upward. Continue to climb the rope until you are vertical. Once you are vertical, you can choose to let go of the rope and walk about as usual.

If this method doesn’t work for you to create this experience, you can also set an alarm to wake yourself during the night after at least 4 hours of sleep. Be sure to awaken fully, stay in bed as still as possible and try to go back to sleep. Then either imagine pulling yourself out of your body with the rope again or your hands rising up away from your body and pushing yourself up vertically with your visualized arms without moving your physical body.

If you cannot achieve the out of body experience with either of these methods, you can try a countdown timer to induce the out of body feeling. It will count you down with a relaxing hypnosis designed to plant subconscious thoughts about an out of body experience.

4. Your ‘GPS’ cells may be responsible for having an out of body experience

In an out of body experience, your brain may send signals about your physical location is wrong. It is possible that this event is an illusion. An out of body experience can be induced by scientists in a healthy brain. In one study, researchers mapped “brain areas involved in feelings of body ownership, as well as regions that contain cells known to be involved in spatial orientation.” These “GPS cells are involved in navigating one’s body in space.”

In a study of a patient who had ringing in the ears, a surgical procedure was done to implant an electrode in the auditory or hearing cortex of the brain. As the researchers stimulated the electrode, the patient reported several out of body experiences.

The patient was able to stay conscious during the procedure. While he sensed this event, he reported that he felt the “perception of disembodiment always involved a location about 50 cm behind his body and off to the left.”

10 Space Oddities That Will Change Your Entire Perspective About Life

February 5, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Space has stirred the curiosity of scientists such as Hawking since the beginning of mankind. Indeed, the Universe is incredible. It’s astounding to consider that the more we learn about space, the more there is to learn. Some scientific discoveries lose that initial spark of intense curiosity as more information is uncovered – the universe’s origin, function, and complexity have not. These space oddities prove why.

Many people have often reflected on the complexity and sheer magnificence of the Universe. Anyone who studied space – formally or informally, inside or outside of the classroom – will state that the breadth of knowledge about space and the passionate inquiry it elicits are unmatched. The human brain is probably the only entity inviting such intense interest.

Fortunately, technological advances have made space more identifiable than at any other time. Telescopes like the Hubble have led to breakthrough discoveries in astrophysics, astronomy, and cosmology. The Hubble Telescope helped determine the universe’s age (13-14 billion years), discover new galaxies, and gave us – for the first time – detailed visual information from billions of years past.

The Hubble telescope is now over 25 years old, and there now exists imaging technology that far exceeds the Hubble’s capabilities. Of course, this development led to many asking: ‘What next?’

The simplest answer: some pretty amazing stuff.

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. – Stephen Hawking

Some of the knowledge obtained about space was quite unexpected, as one would assume. Then some discoveries flat-out stumped some of the most brilliant scientists, researchers and academics in the world.

Here are 10 facts about space that will change your perspective about life:

10. Triangulum II

Researchers at Caltech, one of the most prominent universities in the country, were enthrallingly astounded concerning the speed with which the stars of our ‘galactic neighbor’ moved.

The main reason is that for such a ‘tiny’ galaxy, Triangulum contains a huge amount of hidden mass. Consider this: our galaxy contains at least 100 billion stars, while the Triangulum has only about 1000. So this discovery left scientists intrigued on what one this galaxy was composed of, as the size of a galaxy is somewhat proportional to its number of stars.

Scientists found the highest concentration of dark matter – lightless, non-observable matter – of any galaxy ever discovered.

9. Tanya The Firstborn

Astronomers employed the combined powers of both the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to capture images of the dimmest galaxy ever. ‘Tanya’ is not only the dimmest galaxy ever, it’s one of the earliest (hence, ‘Firstborn’) – forming between approximately 12.6 to 13.4 billion years ago.

Launching in 2018, the James Webb Space Telescope – NASA’s ‘premier observatory of the next decade’ – will allow astronomers to explore some of the earliest galaxies in far more detail.

8. Breast-Feeding Galaxy

Astronomers can tell us a vast amount of information about space. One discovery that has eluded them so far is how galaxies are formed. Currently, there are two predominant hypotheses: (1) hydrogen and various gasses gather with massive clumps of dark matter, or (2) a long filament feeds gas into forming galaxies through a webbed pipeline.

Caltech used their Cosmic Web Imager to spot a baby galaxy ten billion light-years away that was being ‘breast-fed’ a hydrogen mixture via an expansive filament of gas – a filament that is part of a cosmic web of stellar-forming material. This was the first significant discovery of the 2^nd hypothesis.

7. A Cryptic Galactic Ring

Using the juxtaposition of seven observable gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most violent collisions in space, astronomers discovered a structure so massive it shouldn’t exist.

This unnamed entity is insanely massive: a formation of galaxies over five-billion light-years in width, stretching across an area over 70 times greater than that of a full Moon.

6. Hercules A

Hercules A is one of the brightest conglomerations in space. At the center of Hercule’s pinkish-red mixture of magnetic fields, subatomic particles and plasma is a black hole that contains a mass comparable to 2.5 billion suns.

The energy that Hercules emits is astonishing: its central black hole discharges energy with one billion times more power than our Sun.

5. The Large Megellanic Cloud

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One of Earth’s closest neighbors at a distance of 160,000 light-years, the LMC is visible by the naked eye in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere. One aspect of the LMC that is puzzling to astronomers is the sheer brightness of its stars. Another is that it siphons off these stars from its smaller companion, the Small Magellanic Cloud, making it the first observable entity to do so.

4. The Super Luminous WISE

The WISE is the brightest galaxy that scientists discovered so far, it emits a light source more powerful than 300 trillion Suns. The images captured from the WISE also provide us with a picture of the universe at 1/10^th of its age – supplying us with one of the earliest glimpses of the universes’ complex evolution.

3. The Milky Way’s Birthing White Dwarfs

White dwarfs are one of the densest forms of matter in existence, encompassing the mass of the sun in a structure only slightly larger than Earth. Astronomers discovered 70 dwarfs contained within the Milky Way’s “heart,” which experts estimate to be near twelve billion years old.

Although these dwarfs are now inactive, scientists believe that they could have seeded our own galaxy.

2. The M60-UCD1

This minuscule galaxy is the size equivalent of about two-tenths of one percent (.02%) of the Milky Way. Yet, its enormous black hole is the mass of approximately 21 million Suns. By comparison, the Milky Way’s black hole is a relatively small 4 million Suns.

This discovery completely whitewashed a long-held hypothesis: that a galaxy’s size is proportional to the size of its black hole. This had led scientists to the newfound belief that black holes are much more common in space than originally thought.

1. The 13.2 Billion-Year Old Galaxy

Dubbed the ESG8p7 (what’s with these names?), this is the oldest galaxy visible with our technology. In fact, it’s so ancient that scientists shouldn’t have been able to observe it at all. To the astonishment of astronomers everywhere, the cluster became visible through the Keck Observatory’s MOSFIRE spectrometer. This discovery is currently one of the most noteworthy conundrums that experts are trying to rationalize.

10 Ways To Stop Heartburn

February 5, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Heartburn is that throat-scorching pain that is annoying at its least and unhealthy at its best. When it happens, you regret doing whatever brought it on, like eating pizza, and vow never to do it again. But you like pizza, of course, so eliminating heartburn rather than your favorite foods should be the goal. Let’s look at 10 ways to eliminate heartburn so we can keep right on enjoying our food.

10 Ways To Eliminate Heartburn

Heartburn is literally the burning of the tissues of the sensitive esophagus by the acid that comes up from our stomachs. The typical over the counter remedies for heartburn is the typical chalky chews of antacids made from bismuth, liquid bismuth, or preventative pills that you take every day.

Rather than resorting to medication, whenever possible we prefer to seek natural, wholesome remedies that can be found just as easily at home. When you are already pursuing an organic, healthy lifestyle, you will find that your home begins to contain more of what will keep you healthy and heal you from the inside out.

1. Eliminate these heartburn trigger foods

Although we want to be able to keep our favorite foods in our diet AND eliminate heartburn, you may need to cut back on one or more of these:

Any caffeinated soda, cola, tea or coffee
Processed tomatoes (stewed, canned)
Alcoholic beverages
Carbonated beverages
Added fats (butter and oil)

There are some foods that you can predict will give you heartburn. Until you get control over your diet, you may need to skip these foods for a bit, or at least cut back.

Carbonated beverages or other foods that produce gas in your stomach are ones to avoid because they may cause your esophagus to open to release the gas, which makes it possible for stomach acid to come back up. The less you burp, the less likely it is that you will have heartburn.

2. Ginger can ease heartburn

Widely recognized as a natural stomach-upset remedy, ginger has the power to help balance your digestive system’s pH. Less acidic stomach means less stomach acid to come back up and cause heartburn.

3. Baking soda & water

Baking soda is the pH remedy to your stomach’s acidity. Mix a small amount (about a teaspoon) in 8oz of water and drink it. The baking soda will help the acid to come to a more normal PH.

4. Chewing gum

Chewing gum helps you produce and swallow more saliva, which helps your digestion to process food more easily. In fact, just slowing down your rate of eating by chewing food thoroughly may be the easiest, cheapest, and most effective way to eliminate heartburn altogether.

5. Supplements

HCl/Pepsin/vitamin B12 supplements may not be readily available to you in your kitchen, but you may have already heard of their benefits. In the book Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You, Jonathan V. Wright and Lane Lenard say that the way to eliminate heartburn is actually increase the amount of acid, not reduce it with antacids.

The authors say that heartburn pain is caused by acid, but not by too much acid. When heartburn happens there is actually too little acid in the stomach, but some of it got into the wrong place, which hurts. Taking supplements with Betaine HCl (hydrochloride) helps add to the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which helps your natural digestion process.

6. Probiotics to decrease heartburn

Eating your probiotics from fermented foods like miso, tempeh, or kombucha helps your gut. These foods can re-establish the good bacteria and aid digestion. Probiotics are more likely to help you by reducing gas, which reduces the need for your esophagus to open, and eliminates the likelihood of heartburn happening.

7. Put orange peel in your water

The d-limonene found in the peel of oranges helps eliminate heartburn. Lifeextension.com says that in a study of orange peel extract as a heartburn reliever, ’22 participants were randomized to take either 1000 mg of d-limonene or a placebo. At day 14, an impressive 83% of those taking the orange peel extract (d-limonene) reported heartburn severity no higher than 2 on the 1-10 scale, compared to just 30% of those taking placebo. At the end of 20 days, 75% of those taking d-limonene reported relief from heartburn symptoms, compared to only 20% of the participants taking placebo.’

8. Loosen your belt

Wearing tight clothing restricts your stomach and can put pressure on your organs. Pressure applied to your stomach can force acid up and out of where it belongs, causing heartburn.

9. Sleep with your head elevated

Let gravity help you keep your stomach acid down by lifting your head slightly as you sleep. Even a slightly thicker pillow could be enough to help. Eating late at night should also be avoided to help eliminate heartburn.

10. Licorice may help heartburn

The licorice plant root extract has been used for heartburn relief for centuries. Licorice root tea is available as well as candies that have natural licorice root extract in them.

10 Habits of Unhappy People (and How to Avoid Having Them)

February 4, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Happiness is something that we all strive to attain. As human beings, we can accept that: (a) life is short, and (b) unhappiness makes our lives difficult. As is common knowledge, our habits have a big impact on the quality of life that we live; specifically, these habits directly impact whether we are happy people or unhappy people.

To make a clear distinction, there is a substantial difference between clinical depression and chronic unhappiness. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, while unhappy people have a disposition often acquired through how we choose to live our lives. Similar to depression, however, unhappiness can be diagnosed and treated.

Here are ten habits of unhappy people, all of which can be avoided.

“I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.” – Martha Washington, wife of 1^st U.S. President George Washington

1. Chronic Complaining

Happy and successful people do not complain much. Conversely, it seems that unhappy people always have something negative to say… even when those around them are happy! The bottom line: we all have different circumstances that we are given in this lifetime, but in the end, these circumstances are ours – fair or unfair, wanted or unwanted. Instead, seek solutions to problems instead of complaining, which leads to nowhere.

2. Being critical – of self and others

How we talk to ourselves shapes our self-image, for better or worse. Self-worth is essential to our happiness, and feeling good about ourselves is a right we all have. Realize when mistakes are made, accept them, and move on…don’t engage in negative self-talk. Further, respect the inherent differences of others and recognize their right to live happily and without undue criticism.

3. Living beyond means

We live in a materialistic society, one where we are constantly bombarded with advertisements for the latest car, gadget, or credit card; all promising an easier, more fulfilling existence. Don’t believe it for a second. While purchasing a new product may provide a needed emotional boost, it doesn’t last. Ever heard the term “buyer’s remorse”? It exists for a reason. Instead, seek out something to do that doesn’t involve whipping out a piece of plastic – exercise, reading, sightseeing, etc. – anything brings satisfaction without the debt.

4. Negative addictions

Most things are good in moderation – food, a drink or two, entertainment… it’s when these things take center stage in our lives that it becomes a problem. Unfortunately, many unhappy people have met their end through addictive habits, especially through dependence on alcohol and drugs. A great preventative measure and remedy to these addictions? Finding and living our passions to the greatest extent possible (see #8).

5. Regretting the past

Regret is not only useless, it can be extremely harmful. Research continues to show that repetitive, negative thoughts about decisions made in the past in often a precursor to chronic stress and depression. Four coping methods exist to deal with regret: (1) learn from mistakes but don’t dwell, (2) if nothing can be changed about the situation to let it go, (3) make sure too much blame is not being undertaken, and(4) reframing the situation more positively.

6. Worrying about the future

We only have so much say in what our future holds. This is not meant to disempower (quite the opposite); rather it is stating simple truth. What we can do is live in the present while fully exercising our God-given abilities and talents, enabling and empowering us to live a happier existence. There’s that phrase again: living in the present. Face difficulties as they arise and let them go. Enjoy the beautiful things in life and experience them fully…be present.

7. Being driven by fear

Yes, fear can be an enabler to why there are unhappy people today. To fully understand this, we must go back to being present again. Quite simply, we can’t allow fear of the unknown (and/or the unavoidable) to cripple our quality of life. Fear is a negative thought process that is often on autopilot. Remember: we are not our negative thoughts. We are not fear, worry, anxiety, or any other negative thought process.

8. Gossiping

Nothing exudes unhappiness and insecurity more than negative small talk about someone else. After all, why would a happy, confident person engage in something that is of no benefit? They wouldn’t. Gossip is something you should leave to the kids at recess. Indeed, it has no place for adults attempting to improve their lives (and others!).

9. Holding grudges

Like other negative emotions, animosity is a needless weight on our backs. We are all witness to the negative behaviors of unhappy people and can become (sometimes justifiably) angered as a result. But remember: this isn’t about their ignorant behavior but your happiness. Either forgive, forget, or ignore… and move on with your life.

10. Expanding our problems

When we experience unhappiness and discontent, our first reaction is almost entirely emotional. In other words, we blow things completely out of proportion. After all, we still have that darned “lizard brain” (amygdala) – the epicenter of negative emotions. Instead, just take a step back, look at the problem objectively (with minimal emotion), and focus on a solution!

Once aware of these habits, you can keep them at bay by following the advice mentioned above.

Join the discussion: What negative habits do you try to avoid?

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The Tragic and Inspiring Story of Keanu Reeves Revealed