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11 Ways to Save Mother Earth

The greatest aspirations of humankind have always been to save the world and also save ourselves. As fallible human beings, it’s too easy getting into a mindset in which we think making a difference is impossible – but it’s not. It’s too easy to get discouraged about things going on in the world and to complain that Mother Earth is going downhill.

The truth is, People are going green and saving Mother Earth through many daily preservation practices. However, there are still many people that think it is costly and time-consuming or more of a “tree-hugger” activity. This problem is that we have a tendency to try and take on either too much or too little.

However, there are little things that you can do on a daily basis to make yourself feel better while also making the world a better place.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Here are 11 Ways You Can Start Saving Mother Earth Right Now:

1 – Say hello to a stranger.

Being so busy and stretched for time, we are all wrapped up in our own little worlds. Once in a while, you are on the receiving end of a friendly person’s warm greeting, and it feels magnificent. Reciprocate that feeling and give someone a warm “Hello!” or “Good morning!” You could just be making someone’s day!

2 – Donate something.

Most of us have stuff laying around the house we no longer use. Look in your closets, on your desk, or in your drawers. Do you have any old clothing or stuff that doesn’t fit? Take it to a Goodwill or Salvation Army. Most places are happy to take your discarded items, and there is probably someone in need that can find a good use for it.

3 – Recycle

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Recycling in today’s world is becoming a pretty easy thing to do. In the US, it’s not hard to locate a trash service that offers glass, plastic, and/or aluminum recycling deposit station. However, there are a large number of people who still continue to discard glass and aluminum items into the normal garbage can.

In reality, it only takes a few seconds to rinse cans and bottles before dropping them into the recycle bin and allowing that precious material to be re-used in an eco-friendly way.

Newspapers, notebooks, mail, and most other paper products are another series of items that place a serious burden on our landfills. The majority of people, although they may not realize it, toss out hundreds of trees per year along with the daily trash.

Search for community groups in your area and you might find a group of earth-friendly folks may even run paper drives. To participate, gather your old newspapers, stack them, and contact them to pick them up at your location. There are also quite a few other uses for your paper products rather than tossing it out with “yesterday’s news”. Restaurant owners can also do their own share of recycling by working with a company that provides grease trap maintenance and grease recycling services.

Did you know that you can clean your windows with old newspapers?

If you’re tired of seeing small white pieces of dust and streaks on your windows after using paper towels, try old newspapers instead – you’ll be more than happy to see the results of your re-use!

4 – Visit Someone Who Needs Company.

Someone at a nursing home, retirement center, or a relative close by would love to see and hear from you. Visit an orphanage or a facility for the disabled, if you’d like. Unfortunately, there are people who feel alone or abandoned by others who could use the company of a friendly person such as you!

5 – Volunteer.

Find a cause that’s near and dear to your heart and spend some time there. There are wonderful sites like www.voluntermatch.org and www.serve.gov that will match you with great causes such as feeding the homeless, caring for pets, reading to children, helping disabled veterans, rebuilding our neighborhoods, and much more.

6 – Pick up trash lying around.

“We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all.” – Wangari Maathai

This is our earth, our environment, and our responsibility. When you are strolling somewhere, and you see a piece of trash lying on the ground, what do you do? Do you take a few seconds to pick it up and dispose of it properly or just walk by? If you walk by, please pick it up.

We’ve been given this beautiful planet, and we alone are responsible for keeping it beautiful.

7 – Grow a garden to help Mother Earth.

Not only will this give you something fun to do, you will be doing your part for our environment. Think of walking outside and seeing a beautiful array of flowers or plants, knowing that you are responsible for their beauty as it can be. Pretty cool.

8 – Leave the auto out of your mobile

One more thing that could help you to start going green is walking a bit more. Have you ever taken a drive right up the street just to pick up bread?  Try walking or jogging next time, you’ll be surprised at the places you wouldn’t normally see driving; as well as the people you may meet! Most importantly, you’ll be saving the Earth by saving oil rather than burning it.

To save even more on gas, cut your lawn mowing in half. If you do it weekly, do it bi-weekly and so on. A luxe-looking lawn is great to have but skipping an additional week before you mow again shouldn’t have an effect on the health or appearance of it. You can even use a manual push mower; your local hardware store probably still carries this type of lawnmower. Or, you can order one online!

9 – Set a Positive Example.

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” – President Barack Obama

There’s something to be said about a person who sets the example for others. Whether it’s at work, home, school or out and about, there are people who are consistently well mannered and set a positive example in their attitude, speech, work ethic, and in other areas as well. This is not to say that you need to be perfect… but conducting yourself with dignity and class is something that can have a very powerful impact on others.

10 – Commit to self-improvement.

This is easier said than done, but it’s possible. Nobody changes overnight, and you shouldn’t expect to either, but great thing is that by doing any of the above nine steps, you are already committing yourself to the noble goal of self-improvement. The real challenge lies in doing the little things on a consistent basis and by taking advantage of all opportunities to change the world – one little step at a time.

11 – Say “I Love You” More Often

These three small words create one VERY big statement.  When you say I love you to someone, or in the mirror to yourself each morning (highly recommended practice), you are sharing the greatest power in the world.  Love stops wars and starts lives, and according to some, love is all you need!

What small things can you add to the list that could help save the Earth?  We’d love to discuss in the comments!

These 11 Bedtime Habits Will Make You Happier Every Morning

Is there a better way to start each day than to be happy and well-rested? Unfortunately, our fast-paced, instant-gratification seeking and over-scheduled society often stands in the way of a good night’s sleep. Thus, improving your nightly habits can increase your quality of slumber.

Sleep is our secret weapon. There isn’t one part of your life that isn’t affected by sleep. The quality of your mental, emotional, and physical performance relies on the quality of your sleep

There are plenty of habits that can help you sleep better and make you happier every morning.

Here are 11 mindset and tactical habits to implement into your nighttime routine.

Use these 11 bedtime habits to establish a ritual to honor your sleep and let your happiest self emerge when you awaken.

1 – Keep a Journal

Journaling helps to release our thoughts’ hold on us so we can relax and let the stress of the day fall away. Just write what is on your mind. Keep your journal by your bedside so if you find random thoughts are preventing you from sleeping, you can write them down.

2 – Breathe

Andrew Weil, the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona says, “Persistent insomnia becomes more common as we age.” He suggests the 4-7-8 breathing method for relaxation at bedtime.

Start by exhaling and closing your mouth. Begin inhaling through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath while you count to seven. and then exhale to a count of eight. Repeat the sequence until you start to feel relaxed.

3 – Quiet the Inner Chatter

It always seems as if our best ideas and to-do list for the next day surface when we get into bed. All of this noise going through our heads is a result of a stressful day and a lack of control over our time.

We are inundated with information, and it is important to understand how to handle it. One suggestion is to create your to-do list for the next day at the end of your day. Then bring it to bed and keep it in your journal. If you think of something you missed, add to it. If you have a great idea, jot it down. Then it’s time to let it go and revisit it tomorrow.

4 – Reflect on Your Day

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When you hear “reflect on your day” you probably think of expressing gratitude. And while you should think of the good things in your day, you should also think about the bad. It is a fact of life that bad things happen and it is important to acknowledge them or you risk suppressing them.

5 – Ask yourself these three questions at the end of every day:

1. What is something good that happened today?
2. What is something not so good that happened today?
3. Am I able to forgive myself and let it go?

You can think about these questions or you can journal them. The goal is to process the events of the day. End your reflection on the engagement you had with people throughout your day. What better way to end your day than to reflect on smiles, kindness, and love?

6 – Change Your Thoughts About Sleep Habits

Have you ever thought as you crawled into bed, “I am so tired, I know I will never get enough sleep.” Or maybe you have said something like, “I only have six hours and that isn’t enough.”

Just like everything else in our life, our thoughts help determine our destiny. If you think you will have trouble sleeping, then chances are you will. Instead, reframe your thoughts to positive ones. Thoughts like, “I am ready to feel refreshed and energized in the morning,” or “I have earned a good night’s sleep.”

Talk yourself to sleep with positive thoughts around sleep. Now, look at these tactical tips that will help you set the environment for better sleep.

7 – Tactical Habits for Better Sleep

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8 – Ban the Blue Light

Ban blue light in the bedroom. Blue light interferes with your sleep. So get rid of the blue numbered alarm clocks and night lights. And avoid bringing tablets and phones into the bedroom.

9 – Turn your clock around.

When you glance at the clock, you will begin to worry about how few hours are left. I know you can relate. We have all been there. A simple remedy is to turn the clock around.

10 – Create a separate sleep haven for your pet.

Animals are restless and they can prevent you from settling into a deep sleep. They also track all sorts of allergy-type stuff into your bed, and sneezing is a surefire way to get out of good night’s sleep.

11 – Set your body clock

Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Yes, even on weekends. Once your body clock is set, you will fall asleep quickly. I was skeptical at first, but I am proof it works.

BONUS HABIT: Eat light and drink right at night.

Heavy foods and big meals late in the day can burden the digestive system making it difficult for your body to be at rest. And alcohol may make you sleepy but when the effects wear off it actually will cause frequent awakenings during the night.

Final Thoughts on Improving Your Bedtime Habits

These tips are helpful when your insomnia is fleeting. But if you have tried everything and are still having trouble sleeping, you should consult your wellness provider. Many conditions can contribute to insomnia; the only way to figure it out would be to consult a medical professional. What have you got to lose except sleepless nights?

5 Ways to Tune Into Your Intuition

Your intuition, commonly known as your gut feeling or inner guide, is an instinct to know something to be true or false without any supportive evidence. In other words, you just know.

Scientists believe intuition to be a key component of a human’s operating system. A scientific study looked at intuition and people’s ability to predict what would happen. They asked study participants to predict whether an image would be behind curtain #1 or #2 on a computer screen. They were surprised to learn through physiological responses that the subjects could predict the correct curtain seconds before the computer placed the image.

Many of the great philosophers consider intuition a major part of our thought process and our connection to our subconscious mind. It is the best source for tapping into our creativity and wisdom. When we trust our intuition, it can have a great impact on our lives, allowing us to tap into our full potential…

Here are 5 ways to tune into your intuition:

intuition

1 – Trust Your Gut Instincts

You know the feeling you get when something isn’t quite right yet logic says do it anyway? Well, that is your gut warning you. Chances are you have gone against your gut a time or two and wished you had trusted your gut.

Trusting your intuition can be scary especially when all the logical evidence says something to the contrary. When something doesn’t feel quite right, it probably isn’t.

Make a commitment to trust your gut. The only way to learn to trust it is to take that first step. When you realize it didn’t let you down, you will be more willing to trust it in the future.

2 – Learn to Listen

Listening to your intuition in a noisy world can be a challenge. When you are struggling to make a decision, you have the perfect opportunity to consult your greatest teacher – your inner guide. To do that though, you have to learn to listen to it.

It’s important to quiet the noise around you and focus on how you feel about the question at hand. Let go of the desire to analyze, compare and scrutinize the issue. Just listen and tap into your feelings. When you are actively listening to your intuition, the answer will become clear.

3 – Pay Attention

So much of our day is made up of habitual behaviors. Behaviors that require little to no thought. If we are moving through our day using habits, then we are not allowing ourselves to tap into our intuition. An important part of developing our intuition is paying attention to what is happening around us.

Our intuition uses the information our conscious mind gathers through interaction and experiences. The more information our conscious mind gathers, the more insightful our intuition becomes.

4 – Remember Your Dreams

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Our subconscious mind talks to us not only through gut feelings but also through our dreams. Once you begin to pay attention to your dreams, you will gain very valuable insight into your life. Dream recall can be hard, but it will become easier when you train your brain to reflect on them first thing in the morning.

You can use your dreams to help put your intuitive guide to work. Before you go to sleep, consider the challenges that are still unsolved. Spend a few minutes thinking about possible solutions. This will help trigger your inner guide to continue working while you are sleeping.

Have a journal next to your bed, so when you awaken in the morning you can write down your first thoughts and journal about the dreams you had. You might be surprised to find some creative solutions coming to you through your dreams.

5 – Meditate

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There is no greater way to tap into your inner guide than through meditation. Mediation can be a scary word to people that don’t meditate, but there isn’t anything to be afraid of. Meditation is all about quieting the outside noise and excessive mental chatter so the important messages can come through.

Start by just focusing on your breath for a minute or two. There is no success or failure in meditation; it simply is what it is. The key here is to focus on allowing your intuition to speak to you.

Start by asking for inner guidance around a challenge or issue you are having. Sit still and focus your mind to allow you to tap into the wisdom of your intuition. When you ask a specific question and are ready to receive and answer, your intuition will clarify your options.

Developing and trusting your intuition is a skill. Start small and continue to practice it to build your intuitive muscles. The more you choose to listen and act upon your inner guide, the better at it you will become.

10 Things You Should Do Every Morning Before 10 AM

To benefit from morning rituals, you don’t have to be a morning person. Most people hit snooze, roll out of bed and into some clothes while plunging into their day without a plan.

You, however, can choose to approach your day mindfully. Being mindful will increase the odds that you will feel good, be more productive and end up happier when it’s all over.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive; to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

6 Reasons Why It Benefits You To Rise a Littler Earlier, Then Be Productive Before 10 AM

Rising early in the morning has many benefits and can be an excellent habit for a healthier and more productive lifestyle. Here are six reasons why:

  1. Improved Mental Clarity: Waking up early can give you a clear mind and a sense of calm, helping you to start the day feeling refreshed and focused.
  2. Increased Productivity: By getting up early, you can have more time to get things done before the demands of the day pile up. This can lead to increased productivity and a sense of accomplishment.
  3. Better Physical Health: Research has shown that people who get up early are more likely to engage in healthy habits, such as exercise and healthy eating, which can lead to improved physical health.
  4. Better Sleep Quality: Going to bed earlier and waking up early can help regulate your body’s natural sleep cycle, leading to better quality sleep and reduced feelings of fatigue.
  5. Reduced Stress: Waking up early can give you time to relax and reflect before the rush of the day begins, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety.
  6. More Time for Personal Activities: By waking up early, you can have more time for activities that are important to you, such as reading, meditating, or pursuing hobbies, helping you to lead a more balanced and fulfilling life.

 

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Ten Things Everyone Should Do Before 10 AM

Here are ten things you should do every morning before 10:00 am to stack the deck in your favor:

1 – Meditate

Meditating or even some simple breathing can help you begin your day with a sense of calm. Instead of reaching for your phone or checking email first thing in the morning, take just a few minutes to sit and experience the quiet.

There is plenty of activity during our day, so commit to start on a quieter note. It will set the tone for your day and help increase focus, energy, and optimism.

2- Reflect in Gratitude

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart

Start your day by reflecting on what you are grateful for. Consistent gratitude practice in the mornings will increase your awareness of gratitude throughout your day. It will also make you more resilient when challenges occur and help you put drama in perspective.

3 – Set Your Daily Intention

In the quiet of the day, before the fires need putting out, plan your day by focusing on three goals you want to accomplish.

Make those goals a priority for the day. When you plan your day with intention, you are more likely to feel productive at the end of it.

4 – Pad Your Morning Schedule

As you set your daily intentions, pad your schedule to allow yourself to tend to fires as they arise. Padding your schedule with free time will give you a better chance of achieving your goals and may even add some downtime throughout the day.

5 – Hydrate

Your body awakens dehydrated, so it is very important to drink up first thing in the morning. In her book, The Body Ecology Diet, Donna Gates suggests you drink half of your daily water intake by mid-morning. It will flush your system of toxins, leave you feeling less hungry and reduce headaches throughout the day.

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6 – Stretch Every Morning

You will be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t wake up feeling a bit stiff. It isn’t always easy to incorporate exercise into a morning routine. If you were going to choose one thing, the American Journal of Sports Medicine suggests adding a short muscle-stretching sequence of exercises to your morning schedule.

Studies show that consistent stretching in the morning can increase flexibility, improve circulation, reduce stress throughout your day and improve posture.

7 – Listen to Music in the Morning

Starting your day with upbeat and fun music will not only wake you up but fill you with positive energy for your day.

A 2013 study found that music makes you feel good. According to study participants, the two most important benefits of listening to music are “mood regulation” and “self-awareness.”

Not only has it been shown to improve your mood, but it can end up increasing motivation, performance, and lead to a better night’s sleep, too.

8 – Smile

Start your day off by smiling at yourself in the bathroom mirror. Smiling will positively affect your overall attitude and well-being, even when it starts out a little forced. Smiling makes you more approachable and appear more trustworthy. In fact, The University of Montpellier discovered that smiling would also make you a more effective leader.

9 – Clean Up After Yourself

Life is busy, and morning routines can be a bit rushed. It can be very tempting when you are running behind to leave your clothes on the floor, dishes in the sink or leave the trash until later.

Procrastination around cleaning up after yourself can prevent you from realizing your highest potential and best work. It also allows you to relax fully upon returning home. It is better to proactively clean up after yourself than wait to be called out.

10 – Do Your Hardest Task First Thing in the Morning

Getting a bunch of easy things checked off your to-do list might seem enticing, but it has been shown repeatedly that doing your most challenging task first leads to a more productive and happier day. You are more likely to remember the day as being a good one when your day gets better and easier over time. The bonus: it helps stop procrastination over the things we like to do the least.

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Final Thoughts on Getting a Jump on Your Day Before 10 AM

Getting up early in the morning has many benefits, including improved mental clarity, increased productivity, better physical health, better sleep quality, reduced stress, and more time for personal activities. Getting some tasks off of your plate every day can help improve overall health and well-being.

Join in the discussion: What morning habits do you practice daily? Share your tips in the conversation below!

10 Habits That Can Cause Headaches

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ccording to Science Daily, “Each year more than 12 million Americans visit their doctors complaining of headaches, which result in lost productivity and costs of upward of $31 billion annually. A new study suggests some of that cost could be offset by healthcare providers ordering fewer tests and an increased focus on counseling about lifestyle changes.”

Here are 10 little-known lifestyle habits that may be causing your headaches (and how to fix them):

1. Anxiety

One of the most common headache triggers is anxiety and stress. These headaches are fairly common, and the pain can range from moderate to severe.

The Fix

Breathing slowly in a quiet, dark space can help increase blood flow and provide an overall sense of relaxation. Dr. Andrew Weil suggests the 4-7-8 breathing method to relax. Inhale through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7 and then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.

2. Glare

Vision related problems are common for people who work on computers for more than 5 hours per day. The glare from computers and poor lighting can often lead to headaches.

The Fix

Get up from your desk and give your eyes a rest. Go outside to soak in some real light, the light that benefits your body. Ask for light bulbs that simulate natural light and use glare reducing shields on your computer.

3. Sleeping Patterns1235275_10151559222072371_1428219381_n

In a study published in the journal Headache, researchers conducted a detailed sleep interview that asked the participants questions about their chronic headaches and their sleep patterns. More than 80% said they experienced headaches during the day when they woke tired.

The Fix

Establish a nighttime routine to encourage good sleep patterns. Start with turning off electronics an hour before bed, limiting your caffeine intake close to bedtime, and eat and drink lightly in the evenings. Finally, make sure you are getting enough sleep. Most health professionals suggest 7-8 hours per evening.

4. Nutrition Choices

There is strong evidence that shows certain foods can trigger headaches, foods such as chocolate, dairy, proteins and alcohol. Everyone will have different triggers, and it can vary based on gender, weight, and overall health.

The Fix

Start a headache journal keeping track of your headaches and what you are eating. After a period, look back on your journal to see if you can find a pattern. Journaling is a good fix for identifying other triggers as well.

5. Noise

Constant or extremely loud noises can cause headaches. This happens because loud noises can cause your muscles to tighten which can lead to the headache pain.

The Fix

The obvious solution is to remove yourself from over-stimulating situations and seek quiet. If leaving a situation isn’t an option and you find yourself with noise headaches often, you might want to carry a pair of earplugs with you. They can help lessen the noise levels, so it doesn’t affect you as much.

6. Medication

Medication-induced headache is the third most common cause of headache after migraine and tension-type headache. Whether from the type of medication or overuse, certain medications can be the cause of your headaches.

The Fix

If you are noticing a correlation between any medications or supplements you are taking and the onset of headaches, consult your wellness provider to determine safe alternatives.

7. Physical Activity

Exercise headaches occur during strenuous exercise sessions and can also occur because of a lack of activity. The Mayo Clinic explains there are two categories of headaches, primary and secondary exercise headaches.

“Primary exercise headaches are usually harmless, aren’t connected to any underlying problems and can often be prevented with medication. Secondary exercise headaches are caused by an underlying, often serious problem within the brain — such as bleeding or a tumor — or outside the brain — such as coronary artery disease. Secondary exercise headaches may require emergency medical attention.”

The Fix

Not all exercise is created equal and understanding your routine and how to adjust it to certain situations is important to avoiding headaches. Do not exercise in extremely hot or cold conditions, take breaks during long exercises sessions, make sure to stay properly hydrated, and adjust your exercise routine based on elevation.

8. Hormones

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For women, hormonal imbalance can often be the cause of headaches and tension. It often happens just before the start of their period when estrogen levels take a dive.

The Fix

There are natural ways to help balance your hormones to help alleviate the onset of headaches. Reduce your sugar intake, stay hydrated, use the 4-7-8 breathing technique mentioned earlier, and take supplements designed for this purpose. Dr. Sara Gottfried recommends Magnesium, CoQ10, and 5-HTP.

9. Posture

When you have poor posture, you can be causing undue strain on your muscles and it can even affect your breathing patterns by restricting proper airflow. These two effects of poor posture can bring on tension and neck-related headaches.

The Fix

Improving your posture is the first step in relieving posture-related headaches. Shoulders back, pelvis tilted forward, and a tight core is the key components of good posture. Be mindful of the way you stand and sit and make corrections throughout your day.

10. Dehydration

Our brains are 80% water. When it lacks hydration, the brain will shrink and pull away from the skull triggering a headache. Basically, dehydration headaches are caused by inadequate fluid levels in your body.

The Fix

Drink plenty of water, avoid liquids with caffeine, stay cool, and reduce your physical activity. Avoid dehydration headaches altogether by keeping hydrated at all times.

Final Thoughts: Eliminating These Habits Could Offer You Headache Relief

Headaches have different triggers for different people. Monitor and look for patterns of behavior that might be triggering them. If it remains a mystery, consult with your wellness practitioner.

10 Things That Keep You From Achieving

The more you want to achieve something, the more obstacles you will likely face on your quest to reach that goal. If you want to achieve success, you have to stay focused and not let all of the possible distractions keep you from pursuing your goals. However, allowing your passions to flourish and not becoming overwhelmed or discouraged seems impossible at times.

If you have gotten tired of not achieving in life despite your efforts, read on to find out how you can avoid common pitfalls and achieve rather than admit defeat.

10 Things That Keep You From Achieving (And How to Overcome Them):

1. The Internet.

You know when you have to write a paper for work or school, but you go to YouTube instead to watch one video…and ten minutes of indulging in your guilty pleasure somehow turns into three hours of anything but achieving?

To achieve your goals, you have to exercise some self-control, as difficult as it might seem at first. Limit yourself to watching one video, knowing that you can come back later when you finish the tasks at hand. You can also leave open only the tabs that relate to what needs to get done (writing a paper or a blog post, researching for an assignment, etc). The Internet is a wonderful tool for sharing information and learning new things, but you have to make the cyber world work for you.

Prioritize the work first so you can have fun later.

2. Analysis Paralysis.

Maybe you have twenty things you need to accomplish in the next few days, but instead of getting started on just one of them, you analyze ALL of them at once, feeling defeated before you even start.

To avoid this, get in the habit of making structured lists. It gets easier to build momentum once you see the chores or tasks on paper, because then you can have organized, definable goals to work towards rather than a jumbled sea of thoughts clouding your brain.

3. Too much clutter in the brain.

Do you feel like your brain runs the show, and wish you could just switch it off to get some peace and quiet? Maybe you should listen to your gut and do exactly that for a while. Go find a relaxing spot in nature, or even clear out a space in your room, and just leave all the worldly demands behind for a few minutes. Relish in the silence, breathe in deeply, and remind yourself that life really isn’t as serious as we presume.

Your brain can easily overtake you if you don’t give it a well-deserved break each day, so give it a rest for at least five minutes. Then, you will feel much more focused when you get back to work.

4. Living in the future.

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Maybe you have ambitious goals like visiting every country in the world, becoming a best-selling author, running a business, or something of the sort. It’s fine to desire (and visualize) better things in life, but when you get so wrapped up in living a different reality that you no longer enjoy your current one, it will only push you farther away from your dreams.

Create your future intentionally, one small goal at a time. Before you know it, you will have achieved your dreams, not by saying “I will only feel accomplished when I reach X goal,” but by saying “I am consciously working on my goals every day, so they will have no choice but to manifest.”

5. Running on empty.

The average person works too much, sleeps too little, gets scant amounts of nutrition, exercises minimally, and then wonders why they feel so tired. Over time, these conditions can lead to dangerous diseases, or at the very least, a frazzled, worn-out mind.

Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, feed your body nourishing foods, get your heart pumping a few times a week, and try not to work to the point of exhaustion. You will find yourself achieving much more when you practice self-care and replenish your energy levels.

6. Giving up too easily.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” – Billy Ocean

This popular phrase just means that when adversity comes along, the most determined people push through it rather than throwing in the towel. Life will only seem difficult if you make it that way, so in reality, no challenge will seem too great if you decide to never give up. It all comes down to your mentality – do you want to be a whiner, or a winner?

You have a choice, so if something is really important to you, find your grit and don’t ever back down.

7. Switching from one thing to another.

We live in the age of multitasking, which means getting more things done in less time. But is that really the best way to achieve goals? If you spread yourself too thin, that means you give 5% to 20 tasks rather than 100% to one task. This will leave you feeling frazzled, and the outcome won’t reflect your best effort.

Try your best to only focus on doing one thing at a time. This is actually our natural state, not jumping around from one thing to another in a frenzied manner. Give more value to everything in your life, and you will start seeing much better results.

8. Fear of failure.

Society teaches that if you make a mistake, you fail at life. However, the only way to truly fail is to never try at all. Don’t become so attached to perfection that you stay in your bubble of safety and comfort – you will never learn and grow if you constantly cling to the shores of familiarity and order.

Go out on a limb and put yourself to the test – if it doesn’t turn out how you hoped, you will at least have experience under your belt so you can do it differently next time. Simply living is the greatest achievement of all, and you can’t live if you trap yourself in the prison of fear.

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein

9. Putting your energy into the wrong things.

Wrong is subjective, of course, but you know how it feels to work toward something that just doesn’t resonate with you. Maybe you have a job that you dread going to each day, but you still feel accomplished when you come home simply because you have gotten something done. However, does your job allow you to work toward your dreams? Does it provide a stepping stone for a bigger goal down the road? This can apply to many things, but jobs seem to continually top the list for why people feel unsatisfied in life.

Try to find a job that reflects your passions, so that you really feel like your energy and efforts are going toward something meaningful to you.

10. Surrounding yourself with negative people.

Do your friends and/or partner support your goals, or tell you why they aren’t realistic? If you feel drained or uninspired after hanging out with someone, and these feelings are reoccurring, you need to stop and ask yourself why you continue to subject yourself to their spew of negativity.

Find people that either aspire for bigger things in life, or at least support you on your journey.

What are some things that have stopped you from achieving, and how have you overcome them?  Add to the discussion below!

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