11:11 Is it Happening to You?

May 22, 2015 by Power of Positivity

What does it mean if you keep seeing 11:11? Your Spirit Guides, angels, or higher self like to speak to you through various methods. You might notice a recurring song on the radio that may have special significance, answering a prayer, flipping to a certain page in a book as you are reading, or even directing your attention to repeating numbers on a clock or sign, such as 11:11.

At first, this occurrence might seem like a silly coincidence. But by looking further into it, you will find that it has a powerful spiritual message hidden within.

More and more people seem to notice this repeating numerology on the clock, on roadside billboards, signs, emails, and other places lately. In fact, this only provides further truth that a massive shift in consciousness and awareness is taking place. Sometimes these 11:11 occurrences even happen on November 11th — the 11th day of the 11th month. So what does 11:11 mean?

This phenomenon basically occurs to remind one of the profound synchronicities and cosmic shifts occurring during this beautiful time on the planet. Also, it brings your attention to your present thoughts and feelings. Yur angels’ underlying intention bringing our awareness to 11:11 is to make us more conscious of ourselves. Plus, it serves to remind each of us that we always have guidance and greater wisdom when we feel stuck, scared, or frustrated.

Let us look together to further understand the significance of seeing these numerals.

What is 11:11?

According to Doreen Virtue, a well-known angel therapist and psychic medium between the spirit world and the human world, seeing repeating numbers, especially these angel numbers, 11:11, means you should focus on keeping your thoughts positive. That’s because your desires will manifest instantly into form. Put all your attention on what you desire instead of what you fear. And soon, your angels will continue to reward you.

The more 1’s you see on a clock, sign, or anything else with numbers, the stronger the connection between yourself and your spirit guides or angels. Millions of people all over the whole world can attest to seeing these numbers more often, which only suggests that more of us have begun our own journeys to becoming Lightworkers, or healers for the planet, as is our spiritual purpose. The Earth is in such a state of disarray outwardly. Thus, many humans are called upon in order to bring back peace and harmony to the planet, making our Earth a true Garden of Eden on which we can all thrive and enjoy the human experience.

The Mayan Connection

According to the Mayan Calendar, the turning of ages began on December 21, 2012 at 11:11. This marked a New Age on our planet. It denoted a literal shift in consciousness from the Dark Age to the Golden Age.

Another interesting thing about 11:11 is that the numbers add up to four. That number indicates transformation and the dissolving of the ego. Many healers and spiritual leaders on Earth interpret 11:11 to mean that the ascended masters are on the planet to aid us in this grand healing and help bring Earth back into alignment once again.

Any time you see numbers repeating themselves, specifically 11:11, your angels want you to know that you are on the right path and that they will protect you no matter what adversities you face. During this time, we must become masters of ourselves, instead of succumbing to the negativity and chaos around us. We have literally created this world due to a lack of self-control. So now, our masters remind us that we must reclaim our internal power and once again learn to govern ourselves. Furthermore, we must strive to learn to coexist with all beings on the planet.

Final Thoughts on Seeing 11:11

This is an exhilarating time here on Earth, despite what you may see going on around you. As the grand healing and transformation continue to unfold, small changes will soon amount to much more significant changes as the veil is lifted and more people are awakened to our Oneness. It might seem difficult right now, but continue to trust in the angels. Additionally, know that they have your best intentions at heart.

We are all one family, and we are in this together. So next time, don’t look outside yourself for any answers; it will only lead to more confusion and feelings of disempowerment. Pay attention and trust in the power of the universe and planetary energy to help you heal. Anytime you notice 11:11, monitor your thoughts, and ensure that your vibration matches positivity or whatever you want or need to see in your physical reality.

10 Ways to Manage Self Doubt

May 22, 2015 by Power of Positivity

“Erase self doubt by working to build your strengths instead of focusing on your weaknesses.” – Rodolfo Costa

It’s easy to give in to self-doubt when challenges arise because it takes little effort to quit. It is scary to go the other route, which is to take a risk and continue moving forward despite the doubts.

Self-doubt is normal, and believe it or not, even healthy at times. It’s our body’s way of providing an assessment of our actions to make sure we are proceeding in a way that supports our values and our intention. The difference between people who achieve their goals and those who struggle to live a life they want is the ability to keep self-doubt in check.

Here are 10 ways to manage self doubt and keep moving forward

1 – Recognize It

It’s impossible to manage self doubt if we don’t know what it looks like or even if we have a hard time acknowledging that it exists. The better we become at knowing our thought patterns and recognizing hidden doubts, the easier it will be to develop a plan to deal with them.

2 – Do Something

The best thing we can do to manage our self-doubt is to take action. Self-doubt is usually temporary and relates to the fears we are having at that moment. Stepping into the doubt by taking action will help it subside. Stay on the path, follow the plan and ask for help if needed.

3 – Trust Things Will Work Out

Trusting things will work out doesn’t necessarily mean they will work out the way you want them to. Instead, it’s important to know it will work out as it’s meant to.

It is important to believe our self-doubt will cease. That happens when we understand that no matter the outcome, there will be a lesson to be learned. And applying the lesson is the only way to reach the next step of the journey.

4 – Choose Your Friends Wisely

The people we spend time with influence our thoughts, whether we are aware of it or not. In fact, according to Dr. John Kounis from Drexel University, the pathways in the brain can change after a short 20-minute conversation. If you are spending time with doubters, chances are you will begin to doubt. Evaluate your conversations, and ask yourself if they leave feeling better or worse?

5 – Stop Talking About Your Goals

There is research is out there that if you state your goals you are more likely to achieve them. And while affirmations and self-talk are absolutely fantastic in achieving them, you may actually be less likely to do so by talking about them too much with others.

It doesn’t seem logical does it?

What’s happening is our brain mistakes talking about them as the positive feedback we receive, and the gratification of accomplishment as if the task happened. This type of gratification reduces the motivation to move forward.

6 – Anticipate Challenges

One of the best ways to manage self-doubt is to anticipate the challenges that might appear along the way. If you anticipate that challenges happen, you will be better prepared when they do. Being prepared eliminates the fear and doubt that can sneak up on us when things don’t go according to plan.

7 – Stop Seeking Approval

Seeking other people’s input and advice is a natural part of doing business. The problem lies when our decision-making ability is hampered by the advice and input we receive.

Getting varying opinions can create doubt in the plans we have in place and may end up causing overwhelm. Stand firm in the plan and seek information, but stop seeking approval.

8 – Be Self-Compassionate

We are much more likely to be compassionate towards others than we are towards ourselves. Studies show that there is a direct correlation between being kind to oneself and a positive state of mind.

Be kind and be aware that imperfection is normal and part of being human. It’s important that we forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make so we can learn from them and use them for our personal growth.

9 – Stop Making Excuses

When we are doubting, we are trying to figure out a way to make a situation fit our emotional state. Fear of failure and even success manifests itself through excuses. Stop making justifications and finding reasons to avoid the risk. Say yes and know you will figure the rest out as you go along.

10 – Breathe

When all fails and self-doubt is still lingering, breathe. Our breath is the body’s way of regulating emotions and negativity. It helps to clear out toxic thoughts while putting things into perspective. It releases stress and returns us to a place of calm. Breathing is a powerful weapon against any negativity but especially self-doubt.

Find the ways that most effectively help you manage your self-doubt. Keep questioning until you use your self-doubt in a way that is helpful and not debilitating.

“If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent van Gogh

Are you able to successfully manage self-doubt? Tell us how you do it in the discussion below…

5 Types of “Friends” You Don’t Need In Life

May 20, 2015 by Power of Positivity

As we go through life, we learn and grow – and so do our friends. As we continue to evolve into the best version of who we can be, it is important that we surround ourselves with friends who support us. We don’t need support in the space where we once were, but rather where we are now and where we are going. Because of the changes we make, it might be time to evaluate our friendships and determine which ones are still serving us.

Here are 5 types of “friends” you don’t need in life:

1 – The Complainer

It is exhausting to live in the world of a constant complainer. Something is always wrong, out of place or not up to impossibly high standards. When we spend too much time with a complainer, it becomes easy to start complaining too.

In fact, a recent study of college roommates found that over the course of the school year, students starting the year in a positive frame of mind developed more negative thought patterns when living with a negative roommate.

The problem with keeping chronic complainers in your life is there isn’t anything you can do to help them see the problem. They tend to not view themselves as complainers, and they are resistant to positive reinforcement or advice. The chronic complainer is happiest when the glass is empty.

2 – The Naysayer

Naysayers are all around us. Whether it’s an acquaintance, friend or even family, naysayers live in a constant state of “nay” or “no.” Whatever the suggestion, the idea or the goal, the naysayer responds automatically with “no” and a list of reasons why.

The hard part is figuring out who is a naysayer and who has our best interest at heart. The first step is to be aware that there is such a thing as “naysayer syndrome.”

Naysayer syndrome is the act of verbalizing one’s fears rather than expressing genuine concerns about another person and their situation. Once we know it exists, we can begin to determine who around us needs help.

Naysayers are just afraid. They don’t understand how we do what we do, because they are too afraid to take risks. If you spend too much time surrounded by naysayers, you will soon find yourself with naysayer syndrome.

3 – The Doubter

The doubter is even more dangerous than the naysayer because the doubter appears to be supportive but undermines our efforts by creating doubt in our abilities to complete or tackle the challenge.

The biggest cause of setbacks, failure, or quitting is self-doubt. We begin a project believing that we can do it, that we will be wildly successful, and that if we can’t do something we will figure it out.

Doubters lurk around missteps and hover to quickly point out what went wrong and why it’s best to give up. What’s dangerous is they do it in a way that appears to be supportive but is actually attacking our character, drive, and ambition.

Keep the doubters at bay and surround yourself with friends who believe in you more than you believe in yourself.

4 – The Bragger

We dislike excessive bragging yet when we are proud of an accomplishment, we are excited to share it with our friends. The occasional sharing of personal achievements is normal but when it is extreme, it can be draining on a relationship.

The constant need to brag is often an indication of low self-esteem. While it is necessary to support our friends, we can’t handle providing the attention the bragger needs to feel worthy of our friendship. They need to find that within themselves.

Our role as a friend is to help them by being supportive but not getting caught up in the need to reassure them constantly. If you find yourself paying too much attention to someone else’s accomplishments instead of achieving your own, it might be time to cut the bragger loose.

5 – The Flake

Being a flake is more than standing someone up once, twice, or ten times. Being a flake means putting more importance on posting a picture to Instagram, answering the phone in the middle of a conversation, interrupting someone when they are speaking and all sorts of other disrespectful behaviors.

A relationship with a flake can often feel insignificant, as if it doesn’t matter, because of their behaviors. We owe it to ourselves to surround ourselves with people who show up and stay in the present moment with us.

We have all acted “flakey” at one time or another. However, it is the constant flakiness that will have you doubting the importance of your relationship.

We all need different types of friends who serve us and whom we can serve. When you surround yourself with people who bring different attributes to the table, their and our lives become richer through shared experiences.

Bottom line: Make sure the experiences you have in friendships are empowering, not draining.

5 Memory Exercises That Boost Your Brain Power

May 20, 2015 by Power of Positivity

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ost people think their ability to remember things is static – either you are good at it or you aren’t. Well, the good news is memory can be improved. Building your memory is like any skill you develop, it takes some effort and continual practice.

This next statement might seem obvious, but your memory is a function of the brain and anything that supports brain health will help boost memory too.

There are two types of memory, long-term and short-term. The short-term memory stores information you learn or need right away like the items you need to complete dinner. While long-term memory is the memory you don’t need to access right now but will access over time like birthdays and phone numbers.

Studies show that your short-term memory is capable of holding about seven items. As you keep filling your short-term memory with information something is going to be forgotten. And that explains forgetting one of the items on that short-term shopping list.

Are you ready to improve your memory? Here is an easy and effective memory exercise you can do right before bed that will help boost your brain’s power.

One Simple Exercise to Boost Your Memory

At the end of your day while lying in bed but before lights out, review your entire day. Try to remember everything thing you did from the moment your feet hit the ground in the morning until you jumped into bed at night.

As you go through your day in chronological order, try to remember visually as many details as possible. Initially, you might be surprised by how few details you remember. Over time, though, you will begin to remember more and more.

Of course, there are other brain-boosting exercises that will help improve your memory. Remember, anything you can do to improve your brain health will also improve your memory. Here are some more tips to help you remember better.

4 More Tips for Improving Your Memory

1. Use Your Senses

When you use as many senses as possible, memories can form more easily. When we are learning something new, it is helpful to notice what is seen, smelled, heard, touched and tasted. Of course, it is not always appropriate to use all the senses, but use as many as possible.

For instance, when you are meeting someone and learning their name, shake their hand, look them in the eye and notice what is around you. What do you hear, is there music playing?

Using four of the five senses and creating a visual picture will help you cement the meeting into memory.

2. Chunk It Up

As mentioned earlier, our short-term memory can only hold seven pieces of information at a time. So how do we remember things that have more than seven pieces of information? We break it down into chunks of information.

Take a phone number for instance. Instead of seeing ten numbers, we break down into three separate chunks of information, the three-digit area code, the three-digit prefix and the four-digit number making it easier to remember.

Chunking works for all types of information, just divide the bigger picture into smaller chunks and memorize the chunks versus the individual pieces.

3. Repeat It

An obvious memorizing technique is to repeat the information over and over again until it is easily recalled. Most people repeat the item in a short period, but it has been proven that repetition spaced over a longer period is most effective. For optimal memorization, it is advised to repeat, wait a bit, repeat, wait a bit and repeat.

4. Form a Connection

It is easier to memorize when you associate information to other pieces of information you already have learned. Find some commonality between what you are learning and something you have already learned. Research has shown that memory for the new and already learned information is enhanced when you link them together and form a connection in your mind.

As an adult, the way we memorize, recall information and solve problems automatically happens because we have already established our mental habits. In order to continue to improve our memory, we must continue to stimulate our brain by developing new habits to keep the mind sharp.

The best thing anyone can do for their brain is to shake things up by trying new things, solving problems differently, taking different routes home and doing anything that forces you to put some thought into your actions. Keeping your brain sharp will help your memory.

Improving your memory is something anyone can achieve using some simple techniques and giving your brain a workout. Whether you are stay-at-home mom, working outside the home, a retired person, or a student, putting the time in now to enhance and build on your memory skills, will continue to serve you throughout all stages of life.

What techniques do you use to improve your memory? Share in the comments below!

7 Ways to Turn Anxiety Into Positive Energy

May 19, 2015 by Power of Positivity

Anxiety, stress, and worry rob your soul of its energy. When not controlled, fear can be paralyzing. Your productivity can suffer, your health can deteriorate, and your creativity will go into hiding.

Recognizing when you have anxious is the first step in helping to manage anxiety, so it doesn’t have such a significant impact on your life.

“Being anxious is the worst feeling in the world.” – Enrique Iglesias

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a regular experience for many people today. Based on the National Institute of Health’s data, scientists estimate that 31% of adults in the United States have had an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. That’s a considerable percentage of people who suffer from anxiety. So what is anxiety? And how do you turn yours into positive energy?

Anxiety is a feeling of concern about an outcome. Anxiety weighs on your mind. If you’re anxious, you may feel fearful, agitated, or uneasy. You may have physical symptoms too, such as

Extreme tiredness
Lack of concentration
Edgy, nervousness
Insomnia or trouble staying asleep

It’s normal to experience anxiety once in a while. Everyone experiences anxiety due to work issues, financial woes or family problems. It’s part of life, and typically after the problems go away, the nervousness will disappear, too. But for some people, anxiety never lifts. It will morph into something more controlling and life-altering. If you experience this kind of overwhelming fear, you may have an anxiety disorder. It may be time to get some help outside yourself to deal with your anxiety.

Types of Anxiety

People suffer from many types of anxiety disorders. Some of the most common anxiety disorders are

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Panic disorders
Phobias
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder

What is GAD?

Generalized anxiety disorder or GAD causes feelings of worry or nervousness when there isn’t anything to worry about. If you struggle with GAD, your life is so affected by anxiety, to the point that it can be hard to function normally since your fear will alter your job, your family life and your social life.

Symptoms of GAD

There is a wide assortment of symptoms of GAD. These symptoms often begin in your teenage years and then grow over the years. GAD symptoms include

Prone to being worry about daily things, aware they worry a lot
You can’t control your concern or nervousness
You get startled easily
Insomnia or trouble staying asleep
You feel tired a lot of the time
Physical problems are an issue, are a problem such as IBS, headaches
You may have tremors
A feeling of being edgy
You are to sweating a lot
Lightheadedness is common
You need to use the bathroom a lot, diarrhea or constipation

Panic disorder

If you have a panic disorder, you will have periodic and unanticipated fear-inducing experiences that are triggered by a situation you’re in or something you fear. Your panic attack can affect you physically, causing

Fast beating, fluttering heart
Shaking all over
Sudden sweating
Feeling like you can’t catch your breath, the sensation of smothering
Feel like something terrible is about to happen
Feel like you can’t get control

If you have a panic disorder, it’s hard not to worry about when the next panic attack will occur. You may try to avoid those situations that could set it off again. Worrying about another panic attack can consume your time and energy. It also affects your work, family, and social activities so that you may eventually become reclusive and withdrawn from your healthy life.

Phobias

A phobia is when you have constant, unreasonable fears of a thing, a person, an animal, or a circumstance. This anxiety disorder causes you to stay away from the specific thing that sets off the fear and anxious feelings. If you have a phobia, you may experience

Unreasonable fear and worry about a situation or something you fear
You’ll work hard to stay away from that thing or circumstance you’re afraid of
Extreme, anxiousness being near the thing or circumstance
Experience physical and emotional upset when you’re in the situation, or around the thing you fear

Specific phobias

Specific phobias are common phobias you may encounter. These phobias can be so intense that you alter your life to avoid them. Specific phobias include the fears of the following situations:

Flying
Heights
Insects or animals
Getting a shot or needles
Dark places
Thunderstorms
Doctors, hospitals or dentists

Sometimes specific phobias run in families. There can also be learned phobias that you picked up in childhood, especially if one of your parents had a phobia. Phobias sometimes get worse as you grow older, and they may increase your risk of other psychiatric problems later in life.

Social anxiety disorder

If you have a social anxiety disorder, you will fear social experiences. You will worry when in social settings and fear that people will notice your nervousness and anxiety while you’re in this setting. It can feel like a vicious cycle. This fear and worry about being in a social environment can get so bad, and you start avoiding social situations entirely. This anxiety disorder can affect your family life, your work, and your other activities outside the home.

Agoraphobia

If you have agoraphobia, you will fear to be in at least two or more of these situations.

Riding on any kind of public transportation like trains, planes, or buses
Being in some sort of wide-open area
Being in a closed-in place like a small room, small waiting room or closet
Waiting in line with other people
Staying alone in your house
Standing alone outside in the open

If you have agoraphobia, you will try to stay away from these circumstances because you’re afraid they’ll trigger a reaction. If you don’t get help, it could lead to you never leaving your house. Stay away from these circumstances because you’re afraid they’ll trigger a panicked reaction. If you don’t get help, it could lead to you never leaving your house.

Post-Traumatic Stress

Post-traumatic stress, PTSD, develops when you experience a frightening situation. When you suffer from a scary experience, you may feel anxious or fearful. Most people adjust back to normal after the event has passed. But sometimes the event is so traumatic and upsetting that a person experiences long-term problems. These include being overly anxious or easily frightened, even when there isn’t anything to be afraid of.

Doctors don’t know what causes PTSD, but it often occurs in response to the following types of events:

A stress-inducing situation, it usually includes some kind of severe trauma that you’ve experienced
Family history of anxiety, depression or mental illness
Temperament or personality is prone to it
Brain chemicals or hormones don’t respond well to stress
Living through dangerous events and traumas
Seeing someone get killed or injured
Trauma experienced as a child
Extreme fear situation
A usually stressful event that induces pain, injury or fear or loss

Things to help you heal or reduce your PTSD may include

Strong community or supportive family situation
PTSD support groups
Feeling like you did okay in the face of danger
Coming up with a coping strategy when you are faced with uncertainty or fears
Learning what to do when you face fear

Obsessive-Compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD, is a long-standing disorder that often shows up in a person’s childhood. If you suffer from OCD, you have repeated, out-of-control thoughts or behaviors or compulsions to repeat something over and over.

OCD symptoms can be obsessive or compulsive, and sometimes both. OCD can disrupt your work, family life, and social relationships. If you suffer from obsessions, you may have recurring thoughts, desires, or mental pictures that produce anxiety.

Typical obsessions for those who struggle with OCD include the following:

Fear of getting sick, being contaminated or in contact with germs
Troubling thoughts about sexual things, injuring yourself or someone else or unnatural religious thoughts
Aggressive thoughts about others or yourself
Perfect tidiness and obsession about cleanliness

If you suffer from compulsiveness, you will have the urge to do something over and over again.

Typical compulsive behavior for those who struggle with OCD includes these actions:

Constant hand washing
Continual tidying up and rearranging
Always checking if things are in order-doors locked, stove turned off
Constant counting

Doctors aren’t sure what causes OCD, but certain factors contribute to this anxiety disorder.

Genetics-if a parent has OCD, their child is more likely to develop OCD
Brain structure and function-people with OCD have some differences in their frontal brain cortex and subcortical part of the brain
Environment-Childhood trauma, sometimes kids develop OCD after having a strep infection

Physical conditions that result from anxiety

Anxiety affects your body and your mind. There are several physical conditions and emotional problems that may occur if you suffer from anxiety. Some common physical and psychological issues related to anxiety include

Heart disease-stress and strain affect your heart
Depression-anxious thoughts contribute to depression and hopeless feelings
Asthma-Breathing problems sometimes show up in those who suffer from an anxiety disorder
Gastro problems-Problems with your gut connect to anxiety, fear, and constant worry
Persistent coughing- A nervous cough may show up if you suffer from anxiety
Headaches-Migraines are a common side effect of anxiety
High blood pressure-Doctors often warn high blood pressure patients to find a way to relax, to avoid anxiety or situations that cause anxiety
Insomnia-Sleeplessness if a common problem for those who suffer from anxiety

Anxiety disorders affect many people today. These disorders can be life-altering and debilitating if you don’t get help. With help, you can get your life back into control and learn to deal with your anxiety disorder. It will take time and patience, but that’s okay. It will be baby steps at first. Start small, and before you know it, you’ll find that you are turning your anxiety into positive energy little by little.

Try these seven things to help transform anxiety and worry into positive energy.

1 – Use Your Breath

During times of anxiety and stress, our breathing patterns change. The normal pattern of breathing is slow and from our lower lungs. In times of stress, we begin to breathe from our upper lungs rapidly and shallowly. It may be even hard to catch your breath.

When you feel yourself tensing up or notice your breathing pattern change, try calming your breath.

Start by taking a long, slow breath. Breathe in through your nose and concentrate on filling your lungs, filling the lower lungs first (breathing into your stomach), then the upper.

Hold your breath for just a moment, then slowly exhale through the mouth. While you exhale, focus on relaxing the muscles where you carry your tension.

According to the Mayo Clinic, when you practice relaxation techniques like breathing, “you’ll become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment you start to feel stress symptoms. It can prevent stress from spiraling out of control.”

2 – Question The Situation

It is important to put the situation into perspective, especially in times of stress. The best way to do that is to ask yourself questions. Asking questions leads to clarity and will help you focus on what you need to understand and plan for action.

Learning to question effectively is an art form. Ask yourself open-ended questions, like “What?” or “How?” to make sure you can get the answers you need, not the ones you think you want.

Keep questioning until the situation is clear, and the challenge is put in the proper perspective. Always end by asking the question, “What is the worst that can happen?” This question alone helps you realize that the problem or the situation probably isn’t as bad as it seems.

When you feel like you have a handle on the situation, you become more empowered and in control, and it helps to alleviate a lot of stress and emotion around the situation.

3 – Stop Resisting and Start Accepting

Stuff happens, and it is our response to this “stuff” that determines our level of stress or anxiety. Realizing life isn’t perfect, and knowing “stuff” will happen helps you accept it when it does.

By accepting challenging situations as they occur as just another thing to work through, you will be better equipped to handle anything that comes your way.

4 – Brainstorm All Possible Options

One of the biggest problems in times of stress is the feeling that we aren’t in control. One of the best ways to start to feel in control again is to brainstorm solutions.

Just transitioning your thoughts from the “Why me?” mentality to one focused on solutions, gives back a feeling of control necessary to move through the stressful situation.

5 – Take Action

Doing something towards a possible solution is necessary to relieve anxiety and stress. Without taking action and trying to move out of the challenge, it is too easy to remain in the negative space.

Once you brainstorm a list of possible options, it is time to take action. Based on all of your brainstorming and other information, choose a solution, and do it.

6 – Be Comfortable with Your Decisions

The hardest part of taking action is the fear of failure. Trust that you made the best decision at the time based on all of the information you had.

It is easy to look backward and see things differently, but looking backward won’t help. Once you make a decision, be comfortable with it, no matter the outcome.

7 – Trust That It Will Work Out as It Should

You have done your due diligence if you have questioned, brainstormed, and taken action. When you work through challenges with the best possible intentions, the best outcome will be realized.

Even if it isn’t the outcome you had hoped, it is the outcome that was meant to be. Regardless of the outcome, there is a lesson to learn. Find it, master it, and then continue forward on the journey.

There is no need to succumb to the effects of anxiety, stress, and worry. Once you begin to recognize it, you can begin to do things to help alleviate it. The goal is to do something, anything, so the anxiety and worry don’t paralyze you. And a great place to start is with your breath.

10 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Ending A Relationship

May 19, 2015 by Power of Positivity

We’ve all been there at some point or another. We wonder if we should call quits on a relationship, or just stick it out in hopes that things will improve eventually.

Ultimately, it comes down to asking yourself a few key questions first before you make a firm decision; a little introspection and talking through the situation with yourself can go a long way in helping you make the right choice for your life.

Here are 10 important questions to ask before ending a relationship:

1. Does this relationship bring out the best in me?

Do you feel like the best version of yourself, or a less-than-stellar version of yourself? The right person should encourage you, support you, and feel a shared happiness when you reach a new goal or simply evolve more on your life path.

If the person drags you down, brings out negative emotions in you, or just doesn’t fulfill your needs and desires, you really need to stop and ask yourself where things are headed between the two of you, and if you would be better off flying solo for a while.

2. Do I feel happy or upset the majority of the time?

Of course, no relationship comes without some trials and tribulations, and oftentimes the struggles that people face together make their relationship stronger. However, the dark clouds shouldn’t totally mask the sun – meaning that you should still feel overall happiness in the relationship, even when life throws you a curve ball. According to Mark D. White, Ph.D., you should never stay in a relationship just because you feel you “should” out of a sense of obligation – if you don’t feel happy, you have every right and responsibility, actually, to disclose your feelings to your partner.

“No relationship is terrific at every moment; one reason commitment is so valuable is that it carries us through the less-than-terrific times. It’s when the less-than-terrific times become the norm, and you don’t anticipate any terrific ones in the near future, that you naturally (and justifiably) start to think of alternatives. Commitment can carry the weight of keeping a relationship together once in a while, but it can’t do the job on an ongoing basis—there has to be something of value to a relationship itself to support the partners’ commitment to it,” says White.

3. Am I having to sacrifice more than I should for the relationship?

A relationship should never feel like a burden in your life; if it does, you need to question what they’re bringing to the table, and how much you have to sacrifice in order to make the relationship work. You can only give so much in a relationship before you feel taken advantage of and neglected, so you really need to ask yourself if you feel satisfied in the relationship or not.

If the other person doesn’t pull their own weight and make you feel special and wanted, you should probably go your separate ways.

4. Do we share the same passions and goals for our future?

In any committed relationship, talk of the future will inevitably come up at some point. In most cases, two people going in completely opposite directions won’t have much of a chance at keeping the flame alive way down the road, so you need to ask yourself this question early on.

Two people can absolutely have different goals in life, but if you feel that your visions for the future just don’t mesh well together, you might need to wait it out for someone who shares more of your own passions.

5. Are we fighting more than we’re laughing?

Relationships shouldn’t feel like a chore or dreadful part of your life; they should inspire you, uplift you, and just make you feel alive in general. Disagreements will occur in any relationship, but if you spend the majority of your time arguing rather than enjoying life in one another’s presence, this should be a red flag for you.

Keep the company of those who ignite the light within your soul, not those who put a damper on your spirit.

6. Do we make time for one another?

All of us have many obligations in the modern world, and life can get pretty hectic from time to time. However, no responsibility should take precedence over the love you have for one another. People either make time, or excuses, so if it seems that your partner often makes the latter, do you really want to continue the relationship feeling like you’re constantly put on the back burner?

7. Do I really love him/her, or just the person I want them to be?

Oftentimes, we convince ourselves that people will change as long as we give them time and support, but honestly, people will only change if they truly want to. Plus, if you can’t love the person as they are right now, will you really love them at some point in the future once other conditions have been met?

If you can’t say with certainty that you really love them, you owe it to your partner to tell them the truth – it might hurt, but the pain of staying in a false relationship is far greater – for both of you.

8. Would I regret it later if I didn’t end the relationship today?

Five years from now, would you look back and wish you had moved on from the relationship? Living with regrets will always leave a deeper wound than getting out of an unfulfilling relationship, even if that means you have to be single for a while. Stay true to your heart, and never stay in a relationship just because it feels comfortable, or because you feel like you’d be letting the other person down.

9. Do they add value to my life?

Do they truly enhance your life, adding color and vibrancy, or make you feel drained and uninspired? If you start seeing everything in black and white once you’re with them, is the relationship really worth sacrificing your happiness for?

10. Would my life be better without them in the picture?

This is really the million-dollar question – what would your life look like without them around? If you imagine yourself as a happier, freer, more peaceful person, you need to sit down with your partner and come clean about your feelings. Breakups can cause a temporary upheaval and emotional tidal wave in your life, but you will feel much better following your heart and cleansing your life of any negativity.

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