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6 Reasons You Need To Add Hemp Seeds To Your Grocery List

6 Reasons You Need To Add Hemp Seeds To Your Grocery List

Grocery stores all over the world are stocking massive amounts of hemp seeds.  This non-psychotropic seeds of the cannabis plant will give you a big health high, but not a THC high. Regardless of not getting high off of them, they are making a huge comeback in healthy eating and holistic health. The variety of hemp that is grown for agricultural purposes has very little of the chemical compound that makes you feel high, and what little there is gets removed during processing.

Hemp seeds and the oil produced from cold-pressing them contain a unique fatty acid profile. They have ab excellent content of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This combination of essential fatty acids have a positive impact on our health in many ways.

They contain a protein similar to that found in egg whites. Albumin and edestin are the two primary proteins,, and both are rich in the amino acids that are essential to our health. As such, they are a great protein source for vegetarians and vegans.

Here is a quick look at the nutrition found in hemp seeds.

Nutritional values in milligrams per 100 gram serving of hemp seeds:

  • Vitamin E 90.0
  • Thiamine 0.4
  • Riboflavin 0.1
  • Phosphorous 1160
  • Potassium 859
  • Magnesium 483
  • Calcium 145
  • Iron 14
  • Sodium 12
  • Manganese 7
  • Zinc 7
  • Copper 2

Hemp seeds also give us carbohydrates for energy, and are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber for digestion.

6 Reasons You Need to Eat Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds lend a nutty flavor to your favorite dishes and can also give you several significant health benefits. Here are 6 good reasons you should eat hemp seeds in your diet.

black seed oil
Read 9 science-proven reasons why you should add black seed oil to your supplementation plan.

1. Lower cholesterol

The polyunsaturated fat and linoleic acid can help reduce the bad cholesterol and increase levels of good cholesterol in our blood. A higher total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio is associated with coronary heart disease and is especially unhealthy following a heart attack. One study showed that healthy individuals who added hemp seeds to their diet for 4 weeks had a lower total to HDL cholesterol ratio.

2. Lower blood pressure

Results reported by The International Study of Macro-Micronutrients and Blood Pressure, a study that included over 4500 people, suggested that linoleic acid in the diet may contribute to prevention and control of high blood pressure. Hemp seeds are a good source of linoleic acid in your diet.

3. Reduce atherosclerosis

Hemp seeds contain high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both of these fatty acids have had healthy effects by decreasing blood levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). TNF causes inflammation and kills certain healthy cells in our bodies. Flax seeds have been shown to have beneficial effects for reducing atherosclerosis in animal studies so the same should be true for hemp seeds.

4. Coronary heart disease

Some studies have shown reductions in coronary risk with the use of a diet that is rich in linoleic acid. This product gives us a good source of dietary linoleic acid so we can help to reduce our risk of coronary heart disease by eating hemp seeds.

5. Immune system benefits

The fatty acids in the oil are similar to that of black currant seed oil, which also seems to have a beneficial impact on immune system health. People who use hemp seed oil have reported that it has helped with many illnesses. For example, the oil may help heal minor cuts and burns, helps recover from the flu faster, helps with allergic symptoms and inflammatory diseases like arthritis.

6. Skin health

We have been using plant-based oils to hydrate and nourish our skin for centuries. Keeping your skin moist helps prevent the signs of premature aging. Some organic cosmetic companies have started adding the oil to their lotions, lip balms and skin treatment creams. Hemp seed oil can also be used alone as a massage oil. Applying the oil to the skin will add moisture and won’t clog pores.

As a skin treatment, this product can help patients with eczema and acne. However, the improvements came after patients ate hemp seed oil as a supplement to their diet rather than applying it to their skin. These improvements were most noticeable after eight weeks of consistent use of hemp seed oil in their diet.

hemp milk

If you’re wondering how to start adding hemp seeds to your cooking, you can find some tasty recipes through this link. Shelled hemp seeds can be eaten raw and they have a similar taste to sunflower seeds but are less crunchy. You can sprinkle them on a salad for added texture and flavor. You can also find toasted hemp seeds.

Finally, look for a high-quality cold-pressed and unrefined oil at your natural food grocery store. You can use the oil for salad dressing and it will lend a fresh, nutty flavor to your food. Cooking with the oil is not recommended as the heat can breakdown some of the beneficial compounds in the cooking process. So go ahead–add these seeds to the grocery list!

5 Things You Should Remind Yourself Of Every Day

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of the things that really matter. Between paying bills, stressing about work deadlines, and everything else we have to manage, we can easily overlook all the little things that make life so beautiful. However, these seemingly insignificant parts of our journey here can totally alter our outlook on life, if we choose to remind ourselves of them.

Here are 5 things you should remind yourself of every day:

1. Remind yourself to remain grateful for all the blessings in our lives.

Maybe your car broke down yesterday, and you can’t afford the repairs at the moment. Perhaps you just lost your job and can’t find a replacement. Maybe you forgot to pay the electric bill this past month. But really, when you reflect on your life as a whole, do these things really matter in the end? Will you allow these trivial parts of modern life to take away your peace? Instead of thinking about everything that seems to go wrong, start directing your thoughts toward things that go right. Express gratitude for your family, friends, the fact that you woke up to a beautiful sunrise, the nourishing breakfast you had today, and anything else you feel thankful for.

Notice how your whole outlook changes when you silence the negative thoughts, and instead allow positivity to color your life. All change begins within our mind, so if you don’t like your current situation, start examining and questioning your thoughts. They might just have gone off on a tangent without you even noticing.

2. Remind yourself that the only limits that exist are in our minds.

Limitations only exist if we allow them to. As a human being occupying this planet, you come from the universe just as we all do. You represent a fragmented part of the cosmos, which means that the universe gets to express itself through you. Don’t let the monotony and hardships of modern life make you believe that you only exist to pay bills and die, because that will only perpetuate the idea that you must live within societal expectations and limitations.

Every morning, remind yourself that you have unlimited potential, and no one can dictate your abilities and lifestyle except for you. You control your vessel, and you get to decide where to sail. You have supreme control over your life, and no one can live it but you. Rise above the status quo, and aim to reach your full potential – you deserve to become the best version of yourself.

3. Remind yourself that happiness begins and ends with us.

No matter your attitude, you chose it right when you woke up this morning. You either woke up thinking of everything you had to do today, and how little you wanted to do it, or you woke up thankful for another day, feeling excited for new opportunities. With each new sunrise, we have the power to transform our lives through our thoughts, because we ultimately become what we predominantly think about. If you want a happier life, then start creating it with more positive thoughts.

Gratitude, humility, and dedication will get you there – you just have to have patience with yourself. You can’t change your whole life overnight, but the small changes you do make will accumulate, and your life will finally start to look like the one you’ve envisioned.

Of course, no one can feel happy 100% of the time, but if you strive to look at the bright side of every situation, then happiness seems much easier to achieve.

4. Remind yourself to give unconditional love.

All of the problems we experience here on Earth stem from the fact that people don’t really love themselves. If everyone filled up their own cups with love and care, they wouldn’t feel the need to take from others. While people may have different definitions of love, we can all strive to go within more and heal ourselves with positive affirmations, meditation, and self-care. By showing ourselves love in abundance, we will never again feel empty.

So, when you wake up tomorrow, say to yourself “I love you, no matter what. You’re doing the best you can, and I will never give up on you.” If you show yourself some compassion and make a habit of doing so, the clouds begin to roll away slowly, and life begins to look like a much brighter, less hostile place.

5. Remind yourself that you choose how to occupy your time.

Many people unfortunately don’t like how they spend the majority of their time. If you don’t enjoy your job or your degree plan at school, you need to sit down and reevaluate your goals and dreams.

Will your current job get you closer to your ultimate goal, or does it simply pay the bills and put food on the table? Do you enjoy what you’re learning in college, or do you feel uninterested and restless during most classes?

We all deserve to live fulfilling, meaningful lives, and if you don’t remember your “why,” then remaining in school or at the job that drains your energy will only continue to drag you down. Don’t waste your life doing something you hate just because you feel afraid to see what will reveal itself when you strip away everything that no longer serves you.

Each morning, ask yourself if you feel excited for the day ahead. If not, think of how you’d rather spend your 24 hours, and build your life around that. We can all live our passion; it just takes believing in ourselves and committing to following our hearts, no matter where they lead us.

5 Things That Improve Your Thyroid Health

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that is located in the front of your neck. A small, unassuming gland; many people overlook the value of a healthy thyroid. In fact, most people wouldn’t be able to say where this gland is even located, much less articulate the importance of it. So, what does the thyroid gland do and why is it important?

The thyroid gland actually supports all of the other organs in the body. This gland produces thyroid hormones that affect our metabolism rate; in effect, determining how fast or slow organs such as the brain, liver, heart and other parts of the body work.

The importance of this function and its wide-ranging effects on other parts of the body ultimately determines how we feel. For example, without sufficient levels of thyroid hormones, we’ll often feel tired, groggy or even cold. Too much of the available hormone often creates feelings of anxiety, nervousness or excessive warmness.

The pituitary gland – a small, pea-shaped gland located at the base of the brain – determines the level of thyroid hormones in the blood. The pituitary monitors and regulates the thyroid’s hormonal level by adjusting the output of the thyroid hormones produced. If the pituitary detects a low level of thyroid hormones, it will pump out more of the hormone. If it detects a high level of thyroid hormones, it will scale back production to stabilize our body.

Signs of Poor Thyroid Health

Watch for these symptoms.

Hypothyroidism

An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can produce a multitude of symptoms, including:

  • Excessive tiredness
  • Weight gain
  • Constipation
  • Dry skin
  • Feelings of coldness
  • Stunted growth (in kids)

Hyperthyroidism

An overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) can also product a multitude of symptoms, including:

  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Wakefulness (inability to fall asleep)
  • Diarrhea
  • Dry skin
  • Feelings of warmness
  • Weight loss

An underactive thyroid is, by far, the most common type of thyroid disorder. In total, it is estimated that approximately 430 million people are currently affected by some kind of thyroid problem.

As with a multitude of other disorders, thyroid disorders often originate from a diet lacking in essential nutrients. One of the common causes of thyroid dysfunction is iodine deficiency. This nutrient can be difficult to obtain from our modern diets, but it is available in some foods as we’ll discuss later.

Here are 5 things that improve your thyroid health:

On a positive note: all of the essential nutrients necessary for healthful function are available from food. Subtle changes in our diet can help the thyroid function normally, which we are going to show here.

1. Alternative dairy products

It has been discovered that there exists a link between Vitamin D deficiency and Hashimoto’s disease – the most common type of hypothyroidism. Alternative dairy products fortified with Vitamin D, such as almond or soy milk, can help regulate the levels of Vitamin D. Most alternative dairy products are also a good source of calcium, iodine and protein – all nutrients that assist with healthy thyroid function. Coconut yogurt is a good food for thyroid function as well, as it helps support the production of good bacteria in our bodies while providing most of the recommended daily intake of iodine in just one cup.

2. Cranberries

As mentioned, healthy iodine levels are essential to normal thyroid function. In addition to providing fiber to our diets and delivering a healthy dose of daily vitamins, cranberries are one of the most iodine-dense foods out there. Consider this: just one cup of cranberries contains 267% of the recommended daily intake of iodine. If the taste of cranberry is a bit sour for the palette, consider adding ½ to one cup of cranberries to a smoothie to dilute the effect.

3. Hemp seeds

Omega-3 foods are becoming the new craze, and for good reason. In addition to supporting a healthy heart and brain, foods rich in omega-3 also contain a good amount of iodine. Most nuts and seeds contain high levels of this nutrient, which can help decrease inflammation and boost our immune system.

4. Coconut oil

Considered the healthiest saturated fat food on the planet, coconut oil is rich in fatty acids – supporting many important bodily functions.  Now, there is growing evidence that coconut oil not only helps with thyroid hormonal production, but helps mitigate the side effects caused by an underactive thyroid, including: weight gain, slow metabolism, dry skin, and irregular blood sugar levels.

5. Seaweed

Somewhat an enigma to most Western diets, seaweed is an incredible source of nutrients. Containing rich amounts of both iodine and selenium, seaweed effectively provides the two of the most critical nutrients to healthy function. In fact, seaweed has the highest level of iodine in any available food product. Seaweed also contains high levels of calcium, iron and magnesium, while providing more vitamin C than oranges.

How To Master Your Mind: Part One

Most of us have – at one time or another – thought about the mind and how to reach its full potential. We’ve all heard of the great philosophers and thinkers of the past – Confucius, Socrates, Aristotle, Descartes, and so forth. What we may not know is that all of them discussed the importance of controlling our minds and, in doing so, controlling our destinies. This discussion continues today.

“If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” Lao Tzu

We often hear the mind being described as powerful, limitless, complex, and transcendent. We hear such phrases as “mind over matter,” “be mindful,” “our mind only limits us,” and “the mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

Indeed, the mind is incredibly powerful…if used properly.

You see, the mind is either (a) our greatest ally or (b) our greatest foe. There is no in-between or gray area; either our mind is used to our advantage or to our detriment. This is because a mind not fully engaged does not fulfill its purpose. We shortchange ourselves and the world in not giving all of us.

To that end, we’ve created an engaging two-part series on mastering this – at times – an ambiguous entity known as “the mind.” In this part, Part One, we will discuss what hinders our mind and allow some time for recognition and contemplation. In Part Two, we’ll give you guidance on overcoming obstacles and embracing your mind’s full potential.

Please understand, this is not a “know-it-all” piece. The author is just as fallible and prone to mental lapses, and miscues as anyone else. In fact, this piece was written as much for the author’s own knowledge and application as it is for you, dear reader.

Let us begin.

How To Master Your Mind

mind

Where is your head?

From the moment we are formed until the moment we depart, our mind never stops working. Not one time. Even when we sleep, our mind is extrapolating and synthesizing the information taken in during the day and using it to shape our world. Consider that in just one day, we have around 70,000 thoughts. 70,000 thoughts in one day… over 25 million thoughts a year.

This poses the question: what are your thoughts?

Our mind is extraordinary as it is complex. This complexity often results in our mind’s racing and jumping from one idea to the next – seemingly without rhyme or reason. Even the most storied, gifted people of the past have contemplated the reason this intriguing occurrence.

Buddha once described the human mind as being filled with “drunken moneys,” fledgling from one thing to the next, to the next, to the next. This discovery allowed Buddha to become one of history’s most cherished figures, and the reason why the practice of meditation has become so prevalent.

Buddha realized that – without intercession – the mind would continually run an endless race. He was insightful enough to realize that, as powerful as the mind is, it requires taming; discipline. This school of thought begged the question: what about our mind requires attention?

The “Four Horsemen”

The “Four Horsemen” is terminology often used to describe apocalyptic events. Don’t worry; we’re (definitely) not going to do that here. But for the sake of our mind, we should think of these four horsemen as enemies to be defeated, foes that deserve no mercy. Let’s introduce the Four Horsemen of the human mind without further ado.

Horseman #1: The Critic

Recognize this one? The horseman often tells us that we’re not worthy of success. Indeed, this horseman takes what other people say about us and makes it fact. This is the horseman that spews all types of nonsense, only for us to turn this nonsense into a sermon of truth.

This also happens to be the horseman responsible for addiction, infidelity, depression, illness, anxiety, co-dependence, and even suicide. And this doesn’t even scratch the surface of what this infestation of the mind has produced.

He doesn’t deserve our attention or contemplation. He’s simply a by-product of what Buddha talked about over 2,000 years ago – a figment of the mind that deserves nothing other than to be ignored.

Horseman #2: The Wanderer

“Where’d I put those keys?” “Where are my shoes?” “At what time does that one thing I can’t remember need to be at that one place that I forget?” Distraction after distraction after distraction…

Folks, meet The Wanderer. Wanderer, meet the folks. Oh, you’ve already met like a thousand times today? Okay, carry on. Actually, don’t.

He’s the one that causes us to jump on Facebook when working; the one that has us mindlessly reach for that last doughnut; the one that causes us to never get anything done without starting over for the umpteenth time.

“Lack of concentration”, “lack of self-discipline”, “lack of focus”…these are all just aliases of this annoying character. We’ll discuss how to deal with him in Part Two.

Horseman #3: The Worrier

A close relative of all three Horsemen, The Worrier embodies all that is exasperating in one annoying, fictional character. Well, at least, he should be fictional. But, we’ve managed to keep this incessant nuisance around for a long time.

We’ve met this delightful acquaintance when we’re driving to work and then, unexplainably, think about losing our job; when our kids are outside playing and we constantly peek through the window; when we’re studying diligently for an exam only to think about failing.

The Worrier can manifest itself into all types of physical and mental ailments using nothing more than our insecurity. He can cause all types of problems in our relationships, at work, our finances, and our self-esteem.

Horseman #4: The Settler

Stuck in a job you hate? In a relationship that is going nowhere fast? Putting your dreams on permanent hold?

None of this is possible without The Settler. The fourth Horseman gets us to accept less than what we deserve – most times without a fight. In fact, The Settler has few scratches to show for what should be a 12-round brawl.

The most subtle of the Horsemen, the Settler will often operate without us even being aware. We just get up, go to work, come home and sleep… all without much thought. After all, we’re managing to get by just fine. Yeah, we get by just fine…get by…get by…get by…We despise much of what’s required of us, but hey, we’re getting by.

Until we reach the end of this precious life and we realize that we’ve gotten by for most of it.

Which of the four are your biggest foes? Fear not my friend, we’ll conquer them!

Stay tuned for “How to Master Your Mind” Part 2!

8 Things You Should Never Believe About A Relationship

If you believe that your relationship should be a certain way, you might be setting yourself up for failure. And when that happens for some, you’re left wondering what went wrong, when all that happened was that no one could live up to your ideal of a perfect relationship.

Maybe you were jaded; thinking that the world would be your fairy-tail filled oyster when you fell in love. To say that there aren’t plenty of amazing relationships out there would be a mistruth, but many are lead down the lane of love believing things about a relationship that for the most part, are simply not true. For that, we’ve come up with 8 things you shouldn’t believe to be true in relationships today:

Here are 8 Things You Shouldn’t Believe About A Relationship

you are amazing meme

1. Happy couples don’t fight

Conflict is perfectly natural in relationships; expressing anger with violence is not. Happy couples do argue but they have learned to express their feelings in a more productive way that works toward a solution.

Compromise and collaboration are the tools that successful couples use to solve conflict. You can read more about how to communicate positively with your partner in this article.

2. You have more sex in a long term relationship

It is perfectly natural for couples to have sex less often the longer they are together. In a study of couples over the lifetime of their relationships, couples reported that sex did happen less often over time. Reasons given by the couples for having less sex include age, health problems and sex becoming a routine.

In a successful relationship, partners have many ways to be intimate with each other and only one of those is having sex. If you are looking to increase intimacy in your relationship, you can read more about reigniting passion in your relationship here.

3. Having children is the death of passion in a relationship

Adding another small person to your couple doesn’t have to spell the end of your sex lives, but it won’t fix problems in your relationship either. Children can add great joy to relationships, but they also bring stress and added work.

Expressing your fears to your partner about what changes you will experience with regard to your sex lives by having children. Take your role as a spouse just as seriously as you do being a parent. Make a plan with your partner and devote equal time and energy to sustaining an intimate connection as you do to raising a family.

4. If your partner really loved you, they would know how you feel

No one can read minds, although close partners do pick up on the facial expressions and body language of their other half and they know what they mean. You have to continue to communicate your feelings and desires to your partner throughout your relationship. Strong listening and effective communication skills are important throughout the lifetime of your relationship.

5. If your partner isn’t jealous, it’s because they don’t care.

Jealousy as a healthy emotion is a relationship myth. Trusting partners don’t become jealous over their partner looking at or talking to other potential romantic partners.

Instead, jealousy is often a sign of one partner’s insecurity over the stability of the relationship or their own self-esteem. Trust in relationships is key. Feeling secure in a couple means that you do not question your partner’s loyalty.

6. Happy couples don’t have to work at it

Happily ever after is definitely a relationship myth. Having a caring relationship means continuing to care for and nurture your partner as they do for you.

To make sure that your partner is happy, you can do the relationship equivalent of asking your partner for a performance review. Ask what more you can do to help your partner to be fulfilled in the relationship.

When each half of the partnership is committed to working on being the best person that they can be for their partner, the relationship is in a state of continuous improvement.

7. If it’s not working, you can make your partner change

You’ll never be able to force someone to change. You can help shape behavior with rewarding language like ‘thank you’ when your partner does something that you like. You can tell your partner what you want them to do but you can’t make them do it.

When it comes to major personality changes, your partner has to want to make a change. If your partner has a general negative outlook or is neurotic in some way, it is unlikely that you can undo these personality traits that were likely developed in childhood.

8. Happy couples don’t look for help outside of the relationship

Couples do seek counseling to work out their problems. Unfortunately, they get professional help when things have seriously deteriorated in their relationships.

Licensed couple’s therapists offer premarital counseling to help partners iron out problems before they make the ultimate commitment. Seeking help early in relationships is best before problems become severe. If one of you has already given up on the relationship, it will be too late to fix it with the help of a counselor.

5 Ways to Be An Extroverted Introvert

According to research, introverts make up between 16-50% of the population, which means that most people probably identify not as an introvert, but as an extrovert. Extroverts obtain their energy from social interactions, and usually have no problem making friends. For an introvert, however, knowing how to enjoy social experiences with others in public can seem like more of a chore than a leisurely activity.

As an introvert myself, I can attest to the fact that getting out into the world and engaging in frequent social interaction often seems like unnecessary rocket science. Where do you go to meet friends? Should you just go up to random people and start talking? How does this whole friendship thing work?

Introverts might not be the life of the party, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less worthy of having enjoyable life experiences with other people and relationships to go with them. Introverts can get lonely if they don’t seek out relationships, and come out of their shell to let others in. So, fellow introverts, maybe this list will come in handy for you if you want to get more social in your life.

Here are 5 ways to be an extroverted introvert:

ambivert

1. Frequent coffee shops, book stores, or other low-key places close to home.

It’s no secret that introverts get stressed out in loud environments, so go to places where you feel secure and comfortable. Coffee shops and book stores are paradise for an introvert, because they offer a peaceful atmosphere full of others who probably like to have deep conversations, like yourself. Try to pick places within walking distance from your home, so you don’t put yourself too far out of your comfort zone. Also, you might recognize some of the people frequenting these businesses from your neighborhood or apartment complex, which means you will at least see some familiar faces.

Having quality interactions with others doesn’t have to be difficult; just smile, listen to the other person, and be yourself. People are friendly for the most part, and most love engaging in meaningful conversation.

2. Go to meetups in your community.

If you go to meetup.com, you can find a bevy of events in your area, ranging from yoga in the park to book clubs to hiking groups, and much more. If you feel overwhelmed or anxious going to a meetup where you won’t know anyone, bring a friend or relative along for support. Or, choose an event with a smaller group of people, so you can get to know others in an environment where you thrive. Most of all, choose activities or events that interest you, so you will have things in common with people already, making for stress-free, easy conversation.

3. Take a class that interests you.

If meetups or coffee shops aren’t your thing, why not sign up for a class in your area? If you check local newspapers and websites, they will likely have ads for a variety of classes, ranging from pottery to painting to cooking to yoga. While most classes cost money, the extra expense might be worth it if you can have fun while making some new acquaintances in the process. Plus, you might even walk away with a new skill under your belt, and any introvert gets excited over the prospect of learning something new.

4. Join a yoga or meditation studio.

If you want something relaxing that doesn’t involve a lot of talking, yoga and meditation studios make the perfect place to meet new people. Just being in the room with others who wish to develop themselves and become better people can uplift and motivate you, even providing newfound confidence in yourself. Yoga and meditation teach you to look deep within yourself, silencing your mind and allowing you to become the silent observer of yourself. These skills can teach you to look at yourself differently, increasing your self-esteem when it comes to talking with others.

Plus, if you’ve been practicing yoga or meditation for a while, you can share stories with others about how your practice transformed your life, and they can share their experience with you. Inspirational stories can provide hours of conversation, so give it a try. A little yoga or meditation never hurt anybody.

5. Go jogging or running on your favorite trails regularly.

If you like to exercise outdoors, you can find tons of other people to connect with. Hiking, biking, running, and jogging are all popular activities, and most places have paved trails winding through a city park that you can check out for your exercise routine. As you start to build up a routine, you will probably see a lot of the same faces, and can strike up a conversation about your common interest of exercising outdoors. Maybe you can even set up a weekly meetup group with some of the people you come across, which will give you a regular opportunity to connect with others and form deeper bonds with them.

As an introvert, talking and connecting with people in public places can seem like solving an intrinsic, baffling puzzle, but you will get better with practice. An unfortunate amount of people today feel lonely and disconnected from others, but sometimes, you have to make the first move.

You don’t have to be the world’s greatest conversationalist, or tell the funniest jokes, or have the most charismatic personality. You just have to make the effort, stay true to yourself, and let go a little bit. Everything else will fall into place as long as you believe in yourself, and believe that you are worthy of loving, supportive, caring people in your life.

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