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5 Things That Happen When You Start Loving Your Body

September 25, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Life can be challenging sometimes, but that has rarely been in doubt. There are both good challenges and bad challenges, and how we rise to meet them is both a true measure of who we are and an indicator of where we find ourselves.

The world around us, though, never stops running, making noise, never stops asking, never stops making demands, and never runs out of energy. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for us. There is no shame in it, but over time, life can wear us down and tire the very best of us. As a result, we often let one thing slip, just one thing – ourselves, leading to poor choices, bad habits, and a lack of self-love.

Remember, life is a marathon and not a sprint, take just one step at a time. Soon you will be back to that beautiful, confident person you can see in your mind.

5 Positive Outcomes When You Start Loving Your Body

If you need a little encouragement, here are five things that will happen when you start loving your body and yourself.

1. Things will get clearer.

We can’t be who we want to be until we know who we are today. To find out, we have to stop and take stock of the person we are right now and consider who and what we wish to be tomorrow. We want to be that upright, confident, fit and happy person that we can visualize; it all starts with loving yourself and your body.

We can start by listing the things that are keeping us down, at work, at home, socially, or wherever—give them due consideration and be prepared to let go or just say no!

Just pick one thing to work on this week. Be prepared to consider that it is not always other people who are the problem, sometimes, it’s us. ??A little exercise and fresh air is a wonderful way to clear the head; it gives you time to think properly and separate the issues.

Let’s make a decision today that we are going to get out into nature three or four times every week. Mark the days on a calendar or put it in your planner. Make sure it is noticeable and in a place that you will see it every day. The “when I have a chance” method is a recipe for failure; writing it down is at least the beginning of a plan. Just getting outside more will help you learn to appreciate life and yourself as it is today and get you on the right path to loving your body.

2. You’ll eat better.

When we get more air, we get more exercise, making us feel better. When we feel better, we want to eat better. We begin to crave more goodness. Commit properly to that exercise, and it won’t be long before you see poor food choices for what they are – bad choices that offer you no real benefit, internally or externally.

Better food choices also mean less of those predictable ‘slumps’ that drain energy from our mind and body. Now, that’s not to say there is no room for occasional treats; they will taste better and make you feel good—because you earned them. Everything in life tastes a little sweeter when it’s earned, and loving your body becomes much easier when you really care for it.

3. You will sleep better.

When you get in the mindset of loving your body, you’re more willing to get proper sleep. And when you get a good night’s rest, loving your body becomes almost second nature. Self-care and sleep go hand in hand; you can’t have one without the other.

It’s important to get a full night’s sleep of seven to eight hours. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you don’t need it. Proper sleep also means more rational thoughts, better health, and a more optimistic personality.

Ideally, we’ll create a bedtime routine to get enough sleep before having to wake up in the morning. Waking up before the alarm is set to go off is beneficial to our mood and will start the day off on the right side of the bed.

4. You’ll have more energy.

More energy is the by-product of getting outside, eating better, and proper sleep. And when we have more energy we make better decisions and do better work. Loving your body is hard when running around on an empty tank. So we must start fueling our bodies properly to sustain a positive mood.

5. You will care less what others think.

This is a natural side effect of bodily love and better health. When we feel good – we look good; simple as that. Feeling good on the inside means better care of the outside, we’ll want to dress it up and show it off. Remember, inner confidence and satisfaction have a glow visible to others, and loving your body will come naturally.

While the above may seem a little obvious, life does not need to be complicated or groundbreaking, it needs to be simple. Simpler choices are good choices. What we are trying to do is highlight the interconnectedness of better habits. So choose one and get started. Start loving your body; it will show!

Final Thoughts on Loving Your Body Right Now

Your body deserves your love. More importantly, you deserve self-love. Focus on the positives and reach for these healthy outcomes. You should ask nothing less of yourself than loving your body for all it does for you right now.

5 Signs You’re Not Listening To Your Gut Instincts

September 25, 2015 by Power of Positivity

“Instinct is a marvelous thing. It can neither be explained nor ignored.” ~ Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

Some people use their gut instincts to explain what may seem like a random decision while some people discount their instinct in favor of evidence and logic. A study conducted at ETH Zurich shows that the stomach has a way of talking to us when we are experiencing fear and other negative emotions. Many believe this “signal” helps us to make the right decisions when faced with conflicting information or perceived danger.

Lead researcher Urs Meyer, says, “The innate response to fear appears to be influenced significantly by signals sent from the stomach to the brain.” He goes on to say, “We were able to show for the first time that the selective interruption of the signal path from the stomach to the brain changed complex behavioral patterns. This has traditionally been attributed to the brain alone.”

So what exactly are gut instincts? Traditionally they are defined as something you just know or sense. A natural, unlearned, predictable response to stimuli.

But more than that, gut instincts help us survive. The problem is we are also thinking beings, and when we feel something is not just right, instead of taking action based on the feeling, we stop and think about it. It’s this pause that can sometimes work against us.

Here are five signs you’re not listening to your gut instincts:

1. You choose to stay where you are even when your instinct says otherwise.

When we are experiencing a feeling of fear in our stomach or the hairs on the back of our neck are standing up, we shouldn’t stay where we are. Instead, leave the area and then try to figure out what is going on, even if you can’t explain it. Remember, the feeling that something is wrong is a gut instinct, and the time we try to figure out whether it is a valid feeling or not, could jeopardize our safety. The adage “better safe than sorry” certainly applies here.

2. You choose to trust someone even when your gut instincts are telling you to question them.

Just because someone has a title or an advanced degree doesn’t mean they have earned our trust. We tend to take someone’s word on something if they have the right credentials even when our gut instincts suggest we question them. Think about a doctor’s visit. We go in because something is wrong, and we’re told we’re healthy. We leave feeling as if something is not quite right, but we put our faith in what the doctor has told us. It’s important that we continue to question our gut instincts until the right answers appear.

3. You are questioning every decision you make.

When we listen to our gut instincts, we are confident in the decisions we make. We may have considered the evidence and listened to varying opinions, and then made a decision that was in agreement with our gut. When we do that, we tend to move forward with comfort and ease. It’s when we take into account evidence and opinions, while choosing to go against our gut instincts that we question the decision. It seems like a good decision on paper, yet we continue to doubt we’ve done the right thing. If we are questioning and doubting the decisions we are making, we need to start listening to our gut instincts more.

4. You are looking for a reason not to do something even though it feels right.

Fear talks through our thoughts even when our gut “just knows.” When we know we should do something, but continually look for reasons not to do it, we are letting fear control our decisions. Personal growth can’t happen if we give into fear. Fear thinks it’s trying to protect us while our gut is telling us to do what’s necessary to continue towards living our best life. If something excites us and makes us feel uncomfortable at the same time, we should trust our gut and stop taking the “safe” option.

5. You avoid taking action even though you know it’s necessary.

To achieve our goals, we must take action. It’s as simple as that. The problem comes that working towards our big goals can be scary because failure is an option. Our gut wants us to take the action in spite of the potential for failure while our head wants to stay and plan to avoid the failure. We must learn to shift our focus from the outcome of the action to doing the action. When we concentrate on doing our best regardless of the outcome, it becomes easier to listen to our gut instincts and take that first step.

The best way to tune into our gut instincts is to find some quiet and really pay attention to the feelings in our gut. The answers may not always seem logical, but they will always be of service.

Why You Need to Start Drinking From A Copper Cup

September 24, 2015 by Power of Positivity

It might seem like a strange practice to drink out of a copper cup. But doing so actually provides a slew of surprising health benefits. Copper gives water a positive charge, and after the copper leaches into the water, it provides antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. The study that revealed this information also found that keeping contaminated water in copper cups for 16 hours drastically reduces the number of harmful microbes found in the water.

This important revelation could provide clean drinking water for millions of people, especially in developing countries.

In another study, researchers found that copper surfaces in hospitals killed 97% of harmful bacteria that can result in infection. Just because of the copper surfaces alone, infection rates in the hospital dropped by 40%.

“If you hold water in a copper bowl, preferably overnight or for at least four hours, the water takes certain qualities from the copper that are primarily good for your liver, but also for your health and energy in general.” – Sadhguru, Indian yogi, mystic, and philanthropist

So, why else should you start drinking from copper cups? Here are some more important health benefits:

1. Drinking from a copper cup improves the functioning of the digestive system.

For this to work best, drink water from a copper cup first thing in the morning when you wake up. This works wonderfully to cleanse the digestive tract, since you will have the water on an empty stomach. Drinking water from copper cups stimulates something called peristalsis, or the contraction and relaxation of the stomach, which helps food digest and move to the next process of digestion. During detoxification, harmful bacteria is killed, and inflammation is reduced, which could eliminate painful stomach ulcers and infections. If you have regular indigestion, drinking from copper cups could serve as the remedy you’ve been looking for.

2. It strengthens the immune system.

Because of all of the antioxidants and cleansing properties in copper, regularly drinking water from a copper cup can boost your immunity. Copper aids in various enzymatic processes that promote endothelial growth, or the healing of tissues. Other studies have shown that copper can eliminate the growth of harmful bacteria, which further strengthens the immune system.

3. Drinking from a copper cup helps with weight loss.

Copper helps to break down body fat, and can even help heal the thyroid gland, which plays an important role in weight loss. Copper also helps with the synthesis of a vitally important coenzyme in the body called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. Otherwise known as the “molecular unit of currency,” it helps us have enough energy to get through our day and not feel lethargic halfway through it. Therefore, drinking water from a copper cup can boost energy levels, which can ramp up weight loss.

4. It can fight off cancer.

Drinking from a copper cup can even do what most people deem impossible without chemotherapy – kill cancer cells. With all of the antioxidants present in copper, this fights off free radicals, giving oxygen to the cells and literally killing cancer. While more studies need to be done to test this on a wide scale, drinking from a copper cup could provide hope for the future and increase the number of alternative therapies available for beating cancer.

5. Drinking from a copper cup can stimulate the brain.

Copper aids in the synthesis of phospholipids, which helps to form myelin sheaths over neurons in the brain. These sheaths allow the impulses to flow from one neuron to another in the brain, and the faster these impulses move, the more efficiently your brain can function. Drinking from a copper cup could also prevent seizures and keep the brain working with clarity and ease.

Other important health benefits include: speeding up the process with healing wounds, slows down aging, maintains cardiovascular health and reduces blood pressure, reduces or eliminates arthritis and inflamed joints, can ward off anemia, and aid in melanin production and promote healthy skin.

10 Things Creative People Do Daily

September 24, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Creative skills are unique in advancing society’s essential and joyful facets. Without the ability to conceptualize ideas and create something unique, there would be nothing of value. Think about this: nearly everything we take for granted began with the spark of creativity – roads, phones, computers, video games, food, books, paintings, electricity…and so on.

All great inventors, writers, painters, composers and designers possess incredible creative talent. Strangely enough, our children are increasingly preparing themselves for a lifetime of work that doesn’t fall within the creative realm. Outside of the traditional art and writing classes one takes in a course of study, there’s just not much else. To this end, we should encourage our children to pursue something that will enhance their creativity.

Whether or not you consider yourself to be creative, there are some great ways you can enhance this skill. From creating a PowerPoint presentation to constructing the next Pulitzer Prize winning novel, following these ten tips will ensure that you’re at your creative best.

10 Things Creative People Do Without Even Realizing It

“Logic will get you from ‘A’ to ‘B’. Imagination will take you everywhere.” – Albert Einstein

1 – Keep an open mind

This is number one for a reason – creative discoveries happen when the mind is relaxed and open. While logic and analysis demand intense concentration and staying power, creative thinking cannot be forced using these ways of thinking.

An open mind is a foundation for innovation and creative insight. This is very simple: keeping your mind open means keeping your options available. The more attuned you are to the options at your disposal, the more you can make connections and create something of value.

2 – Listen to ambient noise

Turns out that there is a reason many of us find it easier to pluck away on our laptops in coffee shops. In a Journal of Consumer Research study, scientists used five different experiments to determine if and how noise level affects cognitive cognition. Here is a synopsis of the study:

“Compared to a relatively quiet environment (50 decibels), a moderate level of ambient noise (70 dB) enhanced subjects’ performance on the creativity tasks, while a high level of noise (85 dB) hurt it. Modest background noise, the scientists explain, creates enough of a distraction to encourage people to think more imaginatively.”

3 – Exercise regularly to stay sharp and creative

The benefits of exercise are numerous and have been meticulously documented through various studies and experiments. We can add one more thing to this list: exercise enhances creative ability.

According to a study in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, regular exercise seems to be connected with enhanced divergent (thinking of multiple solutions to a problem) and convergent (thinking of one solution to a problem) thinking – two foundational components of creative thought.

4 – Get (a little) tired

While analytical thinking is highly difficult with even a slightly sluggish mind, creative thinking seems to improve. The reason is that a tired brain struggles to ignore distractions and solve complex problems. However, this is not the goal in creative thought. The goal in creative thought is to allow our brains to wander off on tangents.

The easiest way to implement this tip is to determine your “non-optimal” times of day. For example, if you’re a night owl, you may consider conducting your creative work during the day. If you’re a rise-and-shiner, you should do most of your creative thinking at night.

5 – Make those brain connections

Consider the words of Steve Jobs:

“Creativity is just connecting thing. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really DO it, they just saw something.”

In a slightly more scientific explanation:

“Several brain regions and the connections between them, (are the areas) most important to general intelligence.”

To implement this somewhat abstract proposal, make sure you continue in your creative endeavors. If you’re a writer, then write. If you are a painter, then paint. In doing so, your brain does not remain stagnant and will sometimes provide some excellent creative insight.

6 – Disconnect

While it is an absolute that mild forms of distraction can be good for creative thinking, it is important to understand that constant distractions, especially of the tech variety – email, cell phone, and internet – are not.

If great writers like Tolkien, Hemingway, Angelou, Dickens, or Twain were constantly distracted, would they have produced the work that they did? Maybe, but they may have also found it more difficult and time-consuming. Distractions, especially with technology use, are so commonplace that they’ve become acceptable, even in the workplace.

Consider a “digital detox” on your next creative project. Shut down the cell phone, close the web browser, and focus on your craft. You may find some creative flashes that really make a difference in the finished product.

7 – Dim the lights

Among the more interesting findings: dimming the light around your workplace can boost creativity. This can surprise us, who love plenty of natural light when doing our work.

Consider this study from the Journal of Environmental Psychology; here are a couple of the studies’ findings:

Dim illuminations and priming darkness improve creative performance.
Perceived freedom and a creativity-supportive processing style explain the effect.
Light setting and the stage of the innovation process alter the effect’s emergence.

8 – Change the scenery for creative inspiration

Working at home is necessary for those who create while holding jobs or raising a family. While some of us may do absolutely fine with this arrangement, it is worth considering that an occasional change in scenery can boost our creative thinking.

The rationale is simple: our surroundings sometimes become stagnant and boring. Stagnation and boredom are not a good recipe for creative cognition while switching it up by visiting the library, coffee shop, or local parks can be just what our creative juices need.

9 – Expand your cultural and artistic knowledge

Novelty is the essence of creative thought. As such, it is necessary for those of us with creative inclination to expand our cultural reach.

This doesn’t mean that you need to book a thousand dollar flight to some far-away place (well…if you can, do it!), but expanding your knowledge through simple (read: affordable) measures – reading a book on different art forms studying a new poet, watching a movie on different cultures, and so on.

We’ve established that connections in the brain are important to creative discovery. To this end, plenty of new connections can be made by expanding upon our cultural knowledge.

10 – Embrace uncertainty and adventure

On a personal note, this author loves this quote by German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!”

As creators, we likely have a daring and adventurous aspect of our personality. In a world that encourages the nine-to-five “working for the weekend” culture, this side of us can feel distant and even foreign after a while. However, you are different!

In being someone who creates and, in doing so, chooses to share your creations with the world, you already open yourself up to some level of uncertainty. Good! Uncertainty is growth for the soul, and adventure is its soil.

Uncertainty is adventurous, and being adventurous expands upon those “connections” we discussed earlier. The bottom line? Never lose your sense of adventure – it makes life less fun and dulls your creative side.

Final Thoughts on Some of the Habits of Creative People

Of course, this list is all-encompassing. Furthermore, it may not apply to every creative thinker. Every genius has their own ways of supporting and driving even more creativity. That uniqueness makes artists and creators so fascinating to others–they’re always a surprise!

10 Life Lessons We Can Learn From Buddhist Teachings

September 23, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Buddhism is a very peaceful religion and Buddhist teachings center around releasing oneself from attachments and feelings of dissatisfaction and embracing liberation through following simple truths and regular meditation practice.

At the core of Buddhism is the development of mindfulness; Buddhists believe that by becoming more mindful and present in everything you do, say, and think, you will eventually enter a state of what’s known as “Nirvana,” or the ultimate liberation and awakening of the soul. In studying Buddhist teachings, we can learn many important life lessons that will help all of us along this sometimes difficult but rewarding journey on Earth.

Here are ten life lessons we can learn from Buddhist teachings:

1. Give generously to others

“If you knew what I know about the power of giving you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.”

“Give, even if you only have a little.”

“If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.”

“In separateness lies the world’s greatest misery; in compassion lies the world’s true strength.”

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

2. Free yourself from attachments

“See them, floundering in their sense of mind, like fish in the puddles of a dried-up stream — and, seeing this, live with no mind, not forming attachment for states of becoming.”

“Whatever precious jewel there is in the heavenly worlds, there is nothing comparable to one who is Awakened.”

“Pain is certain, suffering is optional.”

“The root of all suffering is desire.”

“All conditioned things are impermanent’ — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.”

3. Take the journey within to find answers

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”

“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you.”

4. Walk a humble path

“Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet.”

“Even as a solid rock is unshaken by the wind, so are the wise unshaken by praise or blame.”

“Imagine that every person in the world is enlightened but you. They are all your teachers, each doing just the right things to help you.”

5. Conquer the ego (mind) and free the soul

“To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”

“Wear your ego like a loose-fitting garment.”

“A mind unruffled by the vagaries of fortune, from sorrow freed, from defilements cleansed, from fear liberated — this is the greatest blessing.”

“There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path.”

6. Release feelings of hate, resentment, and fear

“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.”

“It is in the nature of things that joy arises in a person free from remorse.”

“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”

“If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.”

“Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one’s own acts, done and undone.”

“Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind.”

7. Be here now

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.”

“The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. There’s only one moment for you to live.”

“As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise, you will miss most of your life.”

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”

8. You are the writer of your own destiny

“Purity or impurity depends on oneself. No one can purify another.”

“You yourself must strive, The Buddhas only point the way.”

9. Nourish your body with the right foods

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”

10. Don’t resist reality

“The world is afflicted by death and decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world.”

“Happiness or sorrow, whatever befalls you, walk on untouched, unattached.”

“You only lose what you cling to.”

5 Signs Your Relationship Is Making You Unhappy

September 23, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Do you feel unfulfilled or unhappy in your relationship? It turns out that you are not alone.

A Daily Mail survey shows six out of ten people report feeling unhappy in their relationships.

However, many stay in unhappy relationships due to comfort, safety, stability, or even fear of leaving. People remain in relationships that don’t bring them happiness because they fear being alone, but staying in a relationship with someone who makes you unhappy doesn’t seem any better.

In life, we all have to make choices at some point. In fact, it’s sometimes true that the most challenging and the right things are the same.

You deserve a relationship that will excite you about life, and encourage and support you; any relationship that makes you feel less than ecstatic isn’t worth having.

Here are five signs your relationship is making you unhappy:

1. You would rather spend your time with friends or family.

If you don’t even want to spend time with your partner, this should speak volumes to you about your unhappiness in your relationship. A solid relationship must have trust, communication, and, most importantly, the desire to stay with one another despite the obstacles. If you have grown tired of your partner and find yourself hanging out with friends or family in your spare time, you probably are in an unhappy relationship.

You need to communicate your feelings to your partner and either work on the things that make you feel unhappy or go your separate ways if the problems can’t be resolved. Unhappy partnerships can drag on for years, but they don’t have to.

2. Your relationship feels more draining than satisfying.

If you always feel exhausted around your partner and don’t feel that connection with them any longer, this points to an unhappy situation. A relationship should make you feel motivated, overjoyed, and alive, not lethargic and uninspired. Maybe you two just don’t click anymore, or you might have different life goals requiring you to go down separate paths. This doesn’t mean either person should be blamed for the lack of chemistry; just have a civilized, rational conversation and check in with them about their feelings. You might be able to work through these issues, but if not, you’re much better off on your own than staying in an unhappy relationship.

3. You don’t feel sexually attracted to your partner anymore.

Of course, you might not have sex as often as you did at the beginning of your relationship, but the desire to have sex with your partner should never go away entirely. If you find yourself saying no to sex more often, deeper issues might need to come to the surface. To have a sexual attraction to someone, you must also feel emotionally and mentally connected to them. Sex doesn’t define a relationship, but it is vital to having a healthy one.

If you and your partner don’t have sex regularly anymore, you should sit down with them to figure out the actual problem. A happy connection requires physical and emotional intimacy, and these two aspects must stay balanced to make a relationship thrive.

4. You don’t enjoy your time with your partner.

When you do spend time together, what feelings do you get? Do you feel excited to go out with them, watch movies at home, or dread hanging out with them? Your heart will always guide you to the best decision for yourself, so if you genuinely don’t enjoy your partner’s company anymore, you need to reevaluate your relationship. Why stay in a relationship that doesn’t bring you joy anymore?

It might seem scary to leave a relationship behind, especially if you have been with the same person for years, but your heart will thank you in the long run because you will finally feel free again. You deserve to be with someone who will light a fire within your soul, not extinguish it.

5. You feel trapped or suffocated in your relationship.

A relationship shouldn’t make you feel tied down or like you’re missing out on life; if you feel this way, you’re unhappy. Your partner should add value to your life, teaching you new things and giving you unforgettable experiences. A relationship should never feel like a prison cell; if it does, you need to escape and find someone who will liberate you.

A relationship should never feel like a burden; it should just be an extension of your connection with yourself. If you maintain a good relationship with yourself, the person who reflects you will add love to your life, not subtract from it.

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