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10 Lessons We Need to Learn from Animals

August 2, 2015 by Power of Positivity

From the tiniest bug on the sidewalk to the mighty lion roaming the African savannah, animals of all kinds can teach us valuable life lessons.

If we really pay attention, other animals can teach us many important lessons that we may have forgotten in the haste of our normal daily lives. Just by interacting briefly with other creatures, we can take away valuable knowledge that we can’t always learn from our fellow humans.

Even your own pet can teach you new things every single day without you realizing it. We live in such a fascinating universe that constantly gives us opportunities to learn.

Open your eyes and silence your mind to take in all the lessons our amazing animal friends can show us, including these ten.

10 Things Animals Teach Us About What Matters Most:

1. Live in the present moment.

Humans often bounce around from one thought or place to the next without fully immersing themselves in what’s happening around them. Other species, on the other hand, don’t have much else to think about other than searching for food, water, shelter from the elements, and their next mate.

Take a deer, for example – they peacefully flow from one activity to another, searching for berries, fresh water, or just enjoying their surroundings. If you get the chance to observe this graceful creature in action, you will surely forget about everything except the present moment.

2. Love unconditionally.

When people think of animals that show unconditional love, dogs usually come to mind. These loving, cuddly animals never withhold their desire to offer support and understanding to their fellow human friends, and even if you get mad at them, they will still be there for you.

Dogs are called man’s best friend for a reason, because of their undying loyalty, faithfulness, and respect for human beings. We can learn a lot about how to treat one another based on how our furry canine friends treat us.

3. Smile no matter what.

In Australia, you can find a tiny, cute animal called a Quokka scurrying through the trees…and stopping to take selfies with humans if they’re not too busy. Recently, people have been posting their pictures with this amiable, cheerful creature, and the first thing you will notice about them is their infectious smile. They seem to live out their days without a worry in the world and keep a positive attitude through it all.

So, even if you’ve had a bad day, think of how the Quokka would handle it, and you will instantly break out in smiles.

4. Work together.

Ants, in particular, are a shining example of this in action. They carry tiny specks of dirt underground to form complex tunnels and living systems, tackle prey as a team, and help each other carry leaves back to their colony to use as mulch for raising fungus, which they eat to survive. They work harder than many species just to get through each day, and they do it as a team. No one gets left behind, and no one carries all the weight while others just sit on the sidelines.

What can we learn from them?

To value one another, collaborate, and work together to coexist instead of competing with each other for resources.

5. Make time to rest.

Let’s face it – humans tend to work way too much, and rest way too little. Other species don’t overwork themselves; they enjoy every moment of downtime they get to re-energize and relish in life’s beauty. Look at pigs – they roll around in the mud all day, eat, and lay around until they get hungry again.

While they might seem lazy, we could actually learn a thing or two from them about learning to relax once in a blue moon.

6. Be brave.

More than any other animal, lions represent courage, strength, and resilience. They don’t back down from a challenge and must hunt aggressive prey for their tribe. They don’t just lurk in the shadows – they make their presence known and pick themselves back up every time they fall. If someone says you have the heart of a lion, consider that a compliment; it means you show incredible strength and bravery in the face of extreme adversity.

Humans tend to let fear stand in our way, so channel your inner lion next time…your fear will quickly step to the side.

7. Follow your own path in life.

Horses tend to live pretty independently, and often stray from the pack when they get an itch to explore on their own. While they have a majestic, fanciful appearance, they also have a fierce, stubborn side that takes them into uncharted territory and allows them to pave their own path.

Be like the horse and run freely into the wind without thinking of what the consequences might be – just let your heart take the wheel and drive you where you need to go.

8. Listen more, talk less.

Dolphins actually communicate with one another via high-pitched whistling noises, and each one makes a distinctive sound that other dolphins can immediately recognize. They have very advanced communication techniques that rival our own, in some ways, and must listen in order to understand each other’s location in the vast ocean. If they all whistled at once, none of them would be able to find one another – they have honed their listening skills in order to function best as a group.

Humans can especially learn from dolphins that listening to another person, rather than always needing to talk, can actually benefit relationships much more in the long run.

9. Get silly!

Bunnies have very silly, playful personalities, for the most part, and can teach us to let our guard down and have a little fun with life every once in a while. They hop and run around, lick our feet when they want our attention, and never sit still for too long. Some consider them as hyperactive, annoying little creatures, but they just like to enjoy life and express themselves in a way only that they know.

10. Practice forgiveness.

Unfortunately, elephants often fall victim to poaching or other violence inflicted by humans, and they usually lose family members in the process. Elephants possess great intelligence and feel complex emotions just like we do. Many organizations take in orphaned elephants who have watched family members die or get injured at the hands of humans, yet these elephants allow their new caretakers to rear them anyway. Elephants can teach us to forgive in any situation, even if we can’t always understand the other person’s actions.

What have animals taught you during your life so far? Share your lesson in the discussion below!

How to Release Attachments to Past Relationships

August 2, 2015 by Power of Positivity

We’ve all carried baggage from past relationships at one time or another. Whether it’s from a past love, friendship or even a family member, we carry the baggage from these relationships with us, and it can affect everything we do. Everything.

The problem isn’t actually the baggage itself but how we allow the baggage to define us. Can we figure out who we are independent of the baggage or has the baggage created who we are?

If the baggage is defining who we are, then we owe it to ourselves to release its hold over us. “Just let it go,” they say. But just letting it go is a much more difficult task than it sounds. Letting go of something we have been carrying around with us for a while isn’t something that happens overnight, but it is possible.

Here are some ways to help us begin the process of releasing the hold our baggage has on our lives, the decisions we make, and our existing relationships.

How to Release Attachments to Past Relationships

1 – Be willing to release the attachment

Why we hold onto baggage is different for all of us. We might use it to shield us from future hurt, to help propel us into action, to allow us to feel certain emotions, or to keep us from moving forward. Any action motivated by the baggage we hold onto is not serving us.

We often want to release the baggage, when in some way it is giving us something we think we need. We know it isn’t healthy, but on some level, we keep justifying it to ourselves. Letting go of the baggage is hard and doesn’t happen overnight, but we have to start with the affirmation that it is what we need to do.

2 – Journal

We should start writing down our thoughts, beliefs and the behaviors that affect our mood. Be honest and just write anything that comes to mind. It’s important to create a judgment-free zone where we are able to be real with ourselves. As we continue to write, we will start to notice patterns and triggers that we can begin to recognize and change.

Research backs this claim. Mental health experts recommend journal writing as a therapeutic intervention for patients.

3 – Challenge the Story

We write our life’s story from our perspective. If the story is not contributing positively to our current reality, it is up to us to challenge it. Our story is from our point of view, as it should be. But to begin to let go of the baggage, it is helpful to take a step outside of our story and write it from another perspective. Another perspective helps us to release the overwhelming emotion we feel and can help us break the hold it has on us.

4 – Find the Positive

Every relationship, even the bad ones, serve a purpose in our lives. Our goal should be to find something positive that will help us reframe how we look at the relationship.

Maybe the relationship helped define acceptable behaviors, made us stronger and more resilient, or helped us become more grateful for small moments. We can only begin to let go once we stop focusing on the bad and shift our focus to the silver lining, however small.

5 – Treat Others With Kindness

It is easy to treat kind people with kindness, but make it a goal to treat everyone with kindness – even those less deserving. This shifts our focus from past bad behaviors to future good ones. When we stop letting the bad behaviors of past relationships determine our future actions, we can begin to let go.

6 – Visualize Your Own Version of Happy

As we begin to separate ourselves from the baggage, it is important to visualize what our happiness without it looks like.

How do we feel and act in our relationships with others? And how does our time alone make us feel? Finally… How do we make decisions without the baggage as an influence?

Once we have a clear vision of what life is like without our dependence on our baggage, it is easier to make choices with that future in mind.

7 – Release Expectations

As we begin to act independent of our baggage, it is important to move forward without expectations. It is our expectations that will keep us tied to the behaviors of our past relationships. We oftentimes have expectations, some of which are unrealistic, without even realizing it. That is why journaling is so important. You will become aware of when the baggage is creeping in.

Final Thoughts: It Can Be Healthy for You to Release Past Relationships

It’s okay to be a little weary of the process. We harbor a great deal of emotion and it can be painful to get through it. If we continue to hold onto it without facing it, it will affect everything we do. Don’t wait until there is a risk of losing something wonderful to release the baggage.

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

7 Ways to Defrag Your Mental Hard Drive

August 1, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Do you ever wish you could just plug your brain into your computer so you can capture all the stuff and release its hold over you? Well, you can. Maybe not literally, but certainly there are steps we can take to defrag our mental hard drive.

Defragging is consolidating data on a disk (in this case our brain) so it works more efficiently. Sounds a little daunting, right? Well, when we don’t take the time to defrag our brains, we can become overwhelmed and more anxious. We start having the constant feeling as if we are forgetting something, and many times we likely are.

Our brains are only capable of holding so much information in short-term memory. Once it exceeds its limits, it starts deleting stuff to make room for more. Defragging our brains helps us keep track of the stuff that really matters, and will also lessen overwhelm and calm anxiety.

Here are seven ways to defrag your mental hard drive:

1 – Write Things Down

As mentioned, our brains can only hold on to so much information at one time. Getting into the habit of writing things down can alleviate the pressure on our brains. Our brain will try and figure out where to store things and it may not always make sense or be in a place where it is easily recalled.

Writing things down, however, can keep our thoughts and information organized and in one place. Writing it down serves a dual purpose. First, it will help us remember. And second, it will alleviate the pressure on our brain to remember. Just think about how well we perform under pressure – our brain acts the same way. Help it do its job better by writing things down.

2 – Make Schedules–You’ll Find the Time to Defrag

We should keep a working schedule and segment it into areas of our life. Create a schedule for the family, work, projects, etc. Instead of creating a list of everything we need to do, actually schedule a time for it even if it’s way into the future. Knowing it is on the schedule helps to reduce that nagging “what am I forgetting” feeling.

3 – Draft a To-Do Today List

Where most people go wrong is creating the never-ending to-do list. If it’s never-ending what’s the point of starting? Instead create a to-do list for one day, the night before. It will organize everything that may keep us up at night worrying about and will make sure our most important tasks have priority.

4 – Create Space

It’s hard to have a neat and compartmentalized mental hard drive when we are surrounded by physical clutter. One of the best ways to eliminate overwhelm and anxiety is to declutter space around us. Make sure everything has a place so it can be put back, get rid of unnecessary clutter and keep counters clear.

Bringing a sense of calm and organization to the spaces we spend time in will help us bring a sense of calm and organization to our thoughts and feelings. It will help defrag our brain. Thus, we can operate more efficiently by focusing on the things that matter, not the chaos that surrounds us.

5 – Know When to Let Go

We are creatures of habit. And as creatures of habit, we hold onto things longer than necessary. This is true for physical stuff as well as emotional stuff. Knowing when something isn’t serving us is important to let it go and make room for what we need right now. Don’t be afraid to recycle the physical stuff that doesn’t serve a purpose and attack thoughts the same way.

6 – Step Away

Sometimes the best way to help our mental hard drive operate more efficiently is to step away from what is causing it to get bogged down. Spend more time doing things that add value to your life. Spending more time with our family and friends and learning something new is just like investing in a new hard drive when our old one wears out.

Once you force yourself to step away, the name of the game is to have some fun. Just plain old silly kinds of fun. Let your hair down as they say. When you spend time doing things that make you laugh, the kind of laughing that leaves your sides hurting a bit, you release all the corrupt portions of your hard drive.

7 – Just Breathe

And at the end of all, just breathe. It will give our hard drive new life. Think of mindful breathing as a reboot. It clears all the data that is holding on and creates the necessary space for the information we will be recalling most frequently.

Quieting our brain can seem as if it isn’t working. The reality is just like a hard drive, it is working most efficiently when you can’t hear the motor running.

How do you defrag your “mental hard drive”? Share in the discussion below!

15 Quotes That Will Make You Believe In Yourself Again

July 31, 2015 by Power of Positivity

In our society that sends mixed signals on who and what we should be, we can easily feel defeated by listening to these messages. We can feel like we will never measure up as if we will never become the version of ourselves that we envision. However, you must realize that this motivation to have faith in yourself and follow your heart from start to finish must come from within. We all possess that power that no one can ever steal from us. Indeed, we create it based on our own thoughts about ourselves. Therefore, we provide the momentum to bring those thoughts into actualization.

Remember that what you think, you become, so if you have been struggling to believe in yourself and all that you are lately, these quotes will help you reset your mind.

15 Quotes That Will Make You Believe In Yourself Again

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” –Walt Disney

“If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.” –Anonymous

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” –Helen Keller

“The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.” –Denis Waitley

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” –Maya Angelou

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all.” –Dale Carnegie

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

“A man who conquers himself is greater than one who conquers a thousand men in battle”. – Buddha

“Don’t be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Chistian D. Larson

“I am the greatest; I said that before I even knew I was.” – Muhammed Ali

“Stop beating yourself up. You are a work in progress, which means you get there a little at a time. Not all at once.” – Unknown

Did these quotes uplift you and encourage you to believe in yourself? If you have any more quotes that you use to motivate yourself to live the best life possible, please share it with us in the comments below!

How to Survive Venus Retrograde Without Losing Your Love Life

July 31, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Most of us have heard of the Mercury Retrograde that temporarily turns our lives and brains into slow-motion, but the Venus Retrograde can affect our lives as well, just not in the same ways.

The Venus retrograde phase began on July 25th this year. And then, it happens every 18 months. With it comes dealing with any issues in your love life that you’ve brushed under the rug one too many times, as well as examining your own emotions and feelings.

The retrograde might call for totally revamping your relationship, and even if it feels like you are going through a time warp that you can’t seem to find a way out of, these tips will help you get through Venus Retrograde without completely losing your mind (and love life)…

How to Survive Venus Retrograde With Your Love Life Intact:

1. Make sure to take time for yourself and reflect on your inner self.

Any retrograde calls for us to venture inwardly and examine our innermost thoughts and feelings. During the Venus Retrograde, these emotions will likely center around your relationship, so let them flow. Don’t let any corner of your soul go untouched as you make the journey within to uncover any hidden feelings you may have overlooked before.

It might feel uncomfortable at first, but honoring and recognizing your emotions will go a long way in helping you understand yourself and connect on an even deeper level to your partner.

2. Expect communication with others to be a bit turbulent, but try your best to create harmony.

During retrogrades, communication with other people can seem a bit awkward or unpleasant. Expect disagreements and misunderstandings, but do your best to exercise patience and compassion when listening to others (aka your partner). He or she might seem more on edge or just not in the mood to verbalize clearly, but you don’t have to let this take away your mojo. Respond rather than react, and make sure to have rational, civil discussions before jumping to any conclusions.

Patience and understanding are crucial for making it through the Venus Retrograde, and these are wonderful virtues to apply in every area of your life, anyway.

3. Take this time to find the gorgeousness within yourself, as well as the natural beauty we all possess outwardly.

Feeling less than perfect and lacking self-esteem lately? The Venus Retrograde will pull you back into yourself and make you realize that your supposed imperfections make you unbelievably beautiful. It doesn’t matter what size jeans you wear, how many pimples you have on your face, or the fact that you just can’t seem to tame that hair of yours.

While people do see your physical self first, your true beauty lies within. No one can ever take that away from you, just like no one can wipe away your confidence in both your inner and outer beauty.

4. Talk through any relationship struggles with your partner, and be open to their point of view.

Right now, talking through any sort of problems can feel like World War III, but don’t let this stop you from hashing things out if you need to. Also, just because you might disagree on something, doesn’t mean you can’t listen to your partner’s opinions fully and openly before stating your case.

While this time doesn’t provide the best energy for dealing with conflict and finding resolutions, you can still have meaningful conversations with your partner – it might just take more effort to find a middle ground.

5. Now isn’t an ideal time to welcome an old flame back into your life, so resist the temptation.

Maybe an old flame has recently gotten back in contact with you and wanted to find that spark with you once again. However, the Venus Retrograde isn’t the best time to rekindle romance with an ex, simply because your mind won’t be operating at full capacity. In general, any retrograde doesn’t give us the best hand of cards when it comes to making big decisions; it’s best to avoid making any sort of commitment during these times, if at all possible. Otherwise, you might make a decision looking through distorted lenses, and you will have to deal with the repercussions of that choice once the retrograde passes.

You will likely realize that your mind temporarily left the building when you decided to get back with an old flame, but at least you can blame it on the retrograde, right?

Are you experiencing any of these events through this period of Venus retrograde? Share your experience below…

5 Amazing Ways Chocolate Can Benefit Your Health

July 31, 2015 by Power of Positivity

I’ll bet you can’t think of even one person who doesn’t like chocolate, probably because it’s one of the most delicious foods known to man. But, did you know that raw, dark chocolate provides many health benefits along with that decadent flavor?

That’s right; you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying your favorite treat anymore, because you’re actually providing your body with essential nutrients and antioxidants. Dark chocolate also has been found to increase the levels of endorphins and serotonin in your brain, which can help you relax and de-stress from your day.

However, when you buy it, check the cacao or cocoa percentage carefully. The highest quality dark chocolate contains around 70-99% cacao or cocoa. Try to find raw, organic chocolate as well, without added sugar, chemicals, or milk products. These will only counter the health benefits otherwise found in dark chocolate.

So, what other benefits does dark chocolate provide?

Here are 5 amazing ways that chocolate can improve your health:

1. It’s a natural stress reliever.

Dark chocolate contains so many antioxidants, which have a calming effect on the body and can even act as an antidepressant.

A study performed by scientists in Switzerland actually confirmed this after giving 30 people with reportedly high levels of stress 1.4 oz of dark chocolate for a two week time period. The scientists took urine and blood samples at the beginning of the study, at the halfway point, and at the end to measure the results. They found that the levels of stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine had lowered significantly by the end of the study.

So, if you’ve been overly stressed dealing with life’s pressures lately, grab a bar of dark chocolate. It might just do the trick!

2. It lowers cholesterol levels in the body.

In addition to lowering stress levels, it can also reduce the “bad” (LDL) cholesterol within the body. This type of cholesterol can clog up the veins and inner walls of the arteries. Therefore, those conditions can eventually lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health ailments. Dark chocolate contains a very important naturally occurring chemical called flavonoids, which aid in lowering bad cholesterol.

In addition, science proves chocolate useful to raise the “good” (HDL) cholesterol within the body. According to a study published in the journal Gut, people with higher levels of HDL cholesterol had a much lower risk of developing colon cancer. Having a healthy amount of good cholesterol also protects against heart disease and other serious health problems.

3. It can boost your brain’s power.

If you can’t seem to concentrate or focus on things for long periods of time, chocolate can come to the rescue once again. A study performed by scientists at the University of Nottingham found that eating dark chocolate can increase blood flow to the brain for up to three hours after consumption. This increase in blood flow consequently improves short-term memory, attention span, concentration abilities, response time, and memory recall.

The same study also suggested that the cocoa flavanols found in chocolate could enhance brain function for those who suffer from fatigue, sleep deprivation, and could even slow the effects of aging.

4. Chocolate contains a very high level of antioxidants and essential minerals.

Dark chocolate is most definitely considered a superfood, containing more antioxidants than almost any food in the entire world! Antioxidants act as a shield from free radicals that can cause cancer. So chocolate serves an important purpose, especially with all the cancer-causing chemicals and devices we use today. Chocolate contains many essential minerals. Additionally, it offers up iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, and fiber.

Can chocolate and coffee positively impact your cognition? Here’s the science.

5. It can lower the risk of heart disease.

According to the EPIC-Norfolk study, people who ate more chocolate over a 12-year span had an 11% lower risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease) and a 25% lower risk of death associated with that disease. They also had a 23% lower risk of suffering a stroke and a 9% lower risk of hospital admission.

Do you love chocolate as much as we do? Share your love for this little bean below!

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10 Things Animals Teach Us About What Matters Most:

1. Live in the present moment.

2. Love unconditionally.

3. Smile no matter what.

4. Work together.

5. Make time to rest.

6. Be brave.

7. Follow your own path in life.

8. Listen more, talk less.

9. Get silly!

10. Practice forgiveness.

What have animals taught you during your life so far? Share your lesson in the discussion below!

How to Release Attachments to Past Relationships

1 – Be willing to release the attachment

2 – Journal

3 – Challenge the Story

4 – Find the Positive

5 – Treat Others With Kindness

6 – Visualize Your Own Version of Happy

7 – Release Expectations

Final Thoughts: It Can Be Healthy for You to Release Past Relationships

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

Here are seven ways to defrag your mental hard drive:

1 – Write Things Down

2 – Make Schedules–You’ll Find the Time to Defrag

3 – Draft a To-Do Today List

4 – Create Space

5 – Know When to Let Go

6 – Step Away

7 – Just Breathe

15 Quotes That Will Make You Believe In Yourself Again

“Don’t be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

How to Survive Venus Retrograde With Your Love Life Intact:

1. Make sure to take time for yourself and reflect on your inner self.

2. Expect communication with others to be a bit turbulent, but try your best to create harmony.

3. Take this time to find the gorgeousness within yourself, as well as the natural beauty we all possess outwardly.

4. Talk through any relationship struggles with your partner, and be open to their point of view.

5. Now isn’t an ideal time to welcome an old flame back into your life, so resist the temptation.

Here are 5 amazing ways that chocolate can improve your health:

1. It’s a natural stress reliever.

2. It lowers cholesterol levels in the body.

3. It can boost your brain’s power.

4. Chocolate contains a very high level of antioxidants and essential minerals.

5. It can lower the risk of heart disease.

The Community

Our Free Community of Positively Powerful SuperFans

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