11 Benefits of Eating Protein to Never Overlook

November 24, 2022 by Chris Butler

Eating a balanced diet is vital for overall good health. A healthy diet comprises fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Eating enough protein is critical for staying healthy, having proper growth, and having good body function throughout your life. There’s no doubt that protein is key to your diet.

Here is a list of ten benefits of eating protein you should never overlook.

11 Science-Backed Benefits of Eating Protein

1 – Stay full longer by eating protein

Consuming healthy sources of protein daily helps you stay full for an extended period, making you less likely to snack in between meals. Protein is more filling than carbohydrates or fat. Eating protein also suppresses a specific hormone called ghrelin, which has an appetite-suppressing effect on your body. Eating protein in your meals can help you avoid consuming those extra calories that cause you to feel hungry and gain weight.

2 – Speeds up your metabolism

Your body burns more energy processing protein than it does fats or carbohydrates. You can’t magically lose weight just by eating protein, but you’ll drop some extra pounds, especially if you add exercise to your daily routine. As your body digests protein, it speeds up your metabolism, making you feel full quicker, which helps you eat fewer calories.

3 – Help you maintain your weight

An adequate amount of protein in your diet will help you reduce calories. Studies found that eating a higher protein diet was a successful way to treat obesity and help with body weight management. They found that those who ate more protein had more significant weight loss, better weight maintenance, lower blood pressure, and reduction of waist circumference. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, add healthy protein foods to your regular diet.

4 – Eating protein improves your overall strength

Protein comprises amino acids, like building blocks that, when built together, make up your muscles, bones, skin, and hair. When you consume protein, your body breaks it down during digestion into amino acids. If you aren’t eating protein, your body will remove protein from your muscles and then other parts of your body to function. This causes you to have less strength.

5 – Builds and repairs your muscle

Protein’s amino acids are building blocks that build and repair your muscles. The amino acids help repair your muscle tissues. You need to eat an adequate amount of protein each day to assist your body in this building and repairing itself. Eating too little protein results in weak muscles, lack of hair growth, and poor skin tone. If you are physically active walking, biking, or hiking, consume extra protein to help restore your muscles.

6 – You can avoid heart disease by eating protein instead of too many carbs

Even though protein is essential for your overall health, be sure to eat healthy proteins. Plant protein results in a lower risk of heart disease than eating protein from red meats or dairy. Plant proteins are cholesterol-free, a factor in many cardiovascular diseases. Eating processed red meats can also cause cardiovascular disease. Processed red meats such as:

Bacon
Salami
Pepperoni
Hot dogs
Cured ham
Canned meats
Beef jerky
Sausages

7 – Eating protein lowers your blood pressure

A higher intake of protein will lower your blood pressure. Studies found that eating plant protein lowers blood pressure and reduces your risk of heart disease. Even though plant proteins lack amino acids, they’re still healthier than red meats. Consume these healthy plant proteins:

Edamame
Lentils
Black beans
Chickpeas
Peanuts
Almonds
Quinoa
Hemp seeds
Broccoli
Wild rice
Guava
Soybeans
Spinach

8 – Helps you stay strong as you age

As you get older, your muscles naturally grow weaker. Your daily routine gets more challenging if you have less muscle strength. This can lead to falls, or poor quality of life, especially in older adults. Eating more protein-rich foods is one way to help fight muscle deterioration. Add exercise to build your muscle strength. Walk, swim or ride a bike. Lift weights to add muscle tone and strength.

9 – Eating protein oxygenates your blood

Your red blood cells contain protein that moves oxygen throughout your body. Oxygen carries essential nutrients to your different organs and tissues. Thus, eating protein plays a massive part in fueling you with energy and lots of oxygen.

10 – Helps with hormone regulation

Besides being a building block of your body’s cells, organs and tissues, protein also plays a significant role in your body’s hormone development and regulation. For instance, a low-protein diet is linked to decreased estrogen and prolactin, increased stress, and thyroid imbalances. If you’re eating meat protein, choose organic turkey or chicken, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed beef for the best hormone quality.

11 – Helps you have strong bones

Individuals who eat protein build and maintain their bone mass better for their age. If you’re not eating enough protein, you could be at risk for osteoporosis, a bone disease that decreases your bone mass. This leads to lower bone strength and increases your risk of falling and breaking a bone. It’s called a “silent ” disease because you rarely have symptoms. Most people don’t know they have it until they break a bone. It’s more common for women than men. Eat plenty of protein and get enough exercise to prevent this common bone disease.

How much protein should you eat?

Generally, adults should eat 10 to 35% protein, 45 to 65% carbohydrates, and 20 to 35% fats to maintain optimum health. This works out to consume approximately 7 grams of protein for every twenty pounds of body weight. Here’s a calculator to help you determine your best intake.

Want to start eating protein for better health? Try these foods:

Here are the best sources of protein for optimum health benefits.

Legumes
Seeds and nuts
Whole grains
Vegetables and fruits
Seafood
Poultry
Lean dairy food

Strange things you may not have known about eating protein

Protein is a familiar topic for most people. But there are some exciting things you may not know about protein.

Hair problems: Your hair is composed of protein. It would help if you ate enough to keep your hair strong and healthy. If you don’t consume enough protein, your hair will fall out. High-protein foods help your hair grow faster and not fall out as much.
Calorie counting: One gram of protein provides four calories.
It’s fishy: Of all the fish, yellowfish tuna has the highest amount of protein, followed by anchovies, salmon, snapper, halibut, and tilapia.
On no, bugs: If you want a high-protein snack, try crickets. They have 60 grams of protein in a 3.5-ounce serving.
Second place: Your body is made up of approximately 70% water. Protein is your body’s second most abundant material, making up around 18% to 20%.
Greek to me: The word protein comes from the Greek word, Proteios. In Greek, it means holding a primary position.
Protein deficiency: In kids, protein deficiency is called kwashiorkor. This condition causes a protruding belly, thin hair, weight loss, and faded skin color. There are mental disorders and even death if a child has Kwashiorkor.
More protein: Poultry has more protein than beef.
Less consumption: India has the least amount of meat consumption even though they’re second in population. In India, individuals only eat around 7 pounds of meat a year compared to Americans, who eat around 274 pounds of meat every year.
Eating too much protein: Too much protein isn’t good for you. It can put a strain on your liver and kidneys, causing them to need to work too hard.
Luxembourg’s meat-eaters: Although it’s the smallest country in the world, Luxembourg is one of the largest meat-eating countries in the world. On average, citizens of Luxembourg eat 299 pounds of meat every year.
Please don’t overdo it: Overeating protein will cause you to gain weight.

Final Thoughts on Understanding the Eleven Best Reasons for Eating Protein

Hopefully, this information on protein benefits will convince you of the importance of eating protein for your overall good health. It’s essential for healthy bones, hormones, weight loss, weight control, and strong muscles. Try incorporating lean proteins like plant protein, fish, or poultry into your daily meals. Choosing high-protein foods will guarantee you stay strong for years to come.

7 Signs It’s Time to Release Toxic Family Members

November 23, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Toxic family members can take a toll on your emotional and mental health. In some cases, they may act violent or abusive, becoming a threat to your safety. Your family should never scare or intimidate you but support you in both good and bad times. Having a stable, healthy family means you always have someone to count on when the world seems cruel and uncaring.

Historically, people have held their families close and counted on them for security. Nowadays, those ties have begun to fray in our individualized society. People have expanded their circles and found kinship in communities far beyond their own. We can connect with people all over the world, which increases opportunities for new relationships.

In this way, many people have found a sense of belonging that they never had with family. Modern social networks have become a blessing for those who endured toxic family members in childhood. However, not everyone finds it so easy to let go of their families. Guilt, abandonment issues, and doubts may get in the way.

7 Times It’s Time to Disconnect From Toxic Family Members

It may serve your best interests to release toxic family members. We’ll go over some signs that you should cut ties with the family below.

1. Your Family Members Display Abusive Behaviors.

You should never tolerate physical, emotional, or verbal abuse. Toxic family members see no problem making you miserable if they feel better about themselves. Abusive people typically have narcissistic tendencies and have no concept of healthy relationships. They believe they can treat others however they’d like without consequences.

To them, relationships only serve as a means to an end, and they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Dealing with these toxic family members can lead to mental illnesses and low self-esteem. It’s best to cut ties with them to protect your well-being.

2. Most of Your Interactions Are Negative.

You should terminate a relationship with toxic family members if they negatively influence you. Or, at least distance yourself from them, so their toxicity doesn’t affect you as much. Dysfunctional families tend to have overly negative outlooks, which can rub off on others. If you spend too much time around them, it can start to impact your mental health.

For instance, if they usually complain or criticize you in conversations, they probably don’t add much value to your life. It may hurt to end relationships with toxic family members, but you deserve positive people in your life.

3. You Constantly Have to Defend Yourself to Toxic Family Members.

It’s also a good idea to end contact with family members who constantly require explanations. If you always have to defend yourself around them, they don’t have your best interests at heart. You shouldn’t have to keep your guard up around family, so that should set the alarm bells off.

You can make your own choices in life without having to get approval from others. Their desire to control or micromanage your life also points to deep insecurity within themselves. Don’t allow them to have so much influence, especially if they only bring drama to the table.

4. They Gossip Behind Your Back.

Family members should never talk about you behind your back, but it happens often. Gossipers have low self-esteem and derive power from bringing others down, even family. However, you shouldn’t tolerate toxic family members treating you with such disrespect.

If you hear that they’ve been bashing you behind closed doors, confront them about it. If they can’t apologize or show no interest in changing their behavior, it’s time to release this relationship.

5. Your Toxic Family Members Show No Compassion.

Studies show that parent-child estrangement may occur due to specific dynamics like inadequate parenting. This could mean a lack of compassion or empathy, neglect, abusive or overly involved parenting. Children cited chronic parental sensitivity as another reason for cutting ties with parents. For example, the parent may create constant conflict, perpetuate one-sided relationships or display negative outbursts.

Of course, mental illness may play a role in the behaviors of toxic family members. While showing empathy and understanding toward family is essential, this doesn’t excuse their behavior. If you can’t agree with them, it may serve you best to walk away from the relationship.

6. They Disrespect Your Boundaries.

Toxic family members may have no respect for your boundaries, whether in your personal or work life. They believe they’re entitled to show up at your home or workplace whenever they feel like it. Also, they may become overly involved in your relationships, wanting to know every detail of your love life.

You may brush it off as them just being lonely and needing companionship. However, they have crossed the line if they can’t learn to give you space, especially with intimate relationships. If they don’t seem to care about making you uncomfortable, it’s time to release this family member for good.

7. They Judge and Criticize You.

Abusive family members never seem to have anything positive to say. No matter what you do, it never seems good enough in their eyes. If you got a promotion at work, they would judge you for taking so long to move up. Or, if you moved into a new house, they may criticize the location or style. They only want to get a rise out of you, so don’t let them.

Final Thoughts on Releasing Toxic Family Members

Unfortunately, not all of us have loving, supportive families. Unstable and abusive parents or extended family members can cause unwanted stress and even mental illnesses. In some cases, the pressure of turbulent relationships may lead to physical health issues, such as chronic pain.

Family should be a haven–somewhere you can go to escape the horrors of the world. If you have toxic family members that only bring you down, perhaps it’s time to let them go. You may feel guilty or ashamed at leaving your family behind. However, holding on to negative relationships will only harm you in the long run.

6 Habits to Help Avoid Afternoon Sleepiness

November 23, 2022 by Chris Butler

When you visit a workplace mid-afternoon, you’re likely to see many employees in a state of sleepiness as they struggle to keep their eyes open. The infamous nosedive of energy usually strikes you right after lunch. The fatigue and lack of focus can be chronic throughout the week. In most workplaces, a nap is not a viable option.

Are you frustrated with how midday exhaustion affects your entire well-being? You can make some lifestyle changes to alleviate the daily tailspins of lethargy and have a more even energy level.

6 Habits Reboot Your Energy and Avoid the Late Day Slump

If you’re tired but cannot take a nap in the late afternoon, then it’s time to do something about it. Here are six helpful hints for keeping your energy at optimal levels all day long.

1. Eat Right to Avoid Afternoon Sleepiness

If you own a car, you’re probably particular about maintaining it. Your vehicle needs regularly scheduled oil changes and other preventative maintenance to keep it on the road. Plus, you ensure that it has quality gasoline for the motor to run.

You value your ride and realize that you will not have it for long if you don’t take care of it. Likewise, your body is a complex machine that requires proper fuel and maintenance for optimal performance. Personal neglect can lead to malnutrition and severe health issues.

Those irritating energy slumps you feel in the afternoon result from poor-quality food consumption. Your body needs a variety of whole foods for the vitamins and nutrients necessary for survival. It’s the fuel that maintains your living engine.

Consider this all-too-familiar scenario. It’s lunchtime, and you zip to the nearest fast-food drive-through for a hefty burger, greasy fries, and a giant soda. Or maybe you don’t have time, so you load up on stale snacks from the office vending machine.

By mid-afternoon, you’ve morphed into a sluggish zombie in one of those cheesy apocalypse movies. With all your strength, you drag yourself down the hallway in a deep brain fog. You refuel with some more vending machine snacks to hopefully gain enough energy to make it through your day.

It’s a defeating domino effect brought on by poor food choices. Instead of processed junk food loaded with sugar, salt, fat, and preservatives, you should choose healthy whole foods. Pack lunches that include lean proteins, whole grains, veggies, nutrition, and modest fat. If you must have fast food, try to make intelligent choices.

Simple carbs may give you energy, but you’ll need a nap about midafternoon. Try quick and easy lunches high in protein and heart-healthy fats to sustain your energy and blood sugar levels. Keep small portions of nutritious snacks, like nuts, veggie sticks, or some unbuttered popcorn.

2. Drink Plenty of Water to Avoid Afternoon Sleepiness

Your body needs freshwater to survive and thrive with nutritious eating habits. You get some hydration from water-based foods like fruit and vegetables. However, you still need to consume enough water to keep your body from dehydrating.

Did you know that you can be dehydrated and not even realize it? It can often manifest in those dreaded midday energy slumps. According to an article by the University of Connecticut, even mild dehydration can negatively affect your energy levels, moods, and concentration.

Do yourself a favor and fill a reusable water container at your desk. You can refill it as needed from the water cooler and take it with you if you travel. Aim to drink about six to eight glasses or more.

It’s a common temptation to guzzle coffee and other caffeinated drinks to evade energy slumps. While you’ll feel the hyper buzz at first, it will eventually wane, and you may feel worse. Also, excess caffeine can dehydrate your body, make you jittery, and keep you awake all night.

If your day must start with coffee, keep it at a minimum—the same with caffeinated sodas and energy drinks. If you can’t stand the taste of plain water, add some fresh lemon juice for a kick of flavor and Vitamin C.

3. Fight Sleepiness With Exercise

An article from the American Psychological Association notes that at least fifty million people in this country have sedentary jobs. What’s worse is that the same folks may have little or no physical activity at home.

Do you have a job that keeps you chairbound forty hours a week or more? Not only are you more likely to experience energy slumps in the afternoons, but you’re also more at risk for obesity and its associated health problems.

Break those after-lunch doldrums and get your body moving. If necessary, set a timer each hour to remind you to stand, stretch, and walk around the office for a few minutes. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and park a little further away, so you will have to walk more to get to the office.

4. Spend Some Time in Nature

One of the reasons people may experience midday fatigue is simply boredom. Many daily tasks become mundane in the afternoon as the clock doesn’t seem to budge. Consider giving yourself a change of scenery each day to revitalize your mind and inspire you to think more creatively.

Resist the urge to stay at your desk during lunch and go outside instead. Even if you live and work in a bustling city, you can visit a nearby park or green area. Take a brisk walk and enjoy the beauty of the trees, plants, and tiny animals.

Nature is a powerful stimulant that can reinvigorate you physically, mentally, and spiritually. You may also use this time for mindful walking like a mobile meditation. Bring a touch of nature into your office with a couple of plants or a bouquet of fresh flowers.

5. Try a Power Nap to Beat Your Late Afternoon Sleepiness

Remember when you were in preschool, and the students took a brief afternoon nap? Not only did it recharge your young body, but it also gave the teachers a bit of respite to do other things. The good news is that the same principle can eradicate your afternoon slumps as an adult.

You can’t keep a cot, pillow, and blanket in your office for a daily siesta. However, you can lean back in your chair and take a 15-minute power nap on your break. Set a timer so you won’t oversleep or not sleep because you’re worried about it.

Napping can boost your energy, cognitive skills, and memory. Just a little snooze for about 15 minutes will do the trick. However, the article warns that too much napping during the day can mess with your sleep habits.

If you can’t sleep during the day, consider using this time to meditate in a quiet spot. Meditation can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase clarity, and invigorate your spirit. It’s also a superb way to cleanse your body of negativity and cultivate a more positive attitude.

6. Learn How to Use Your Circadian Rhythm

Humans have a highly evolved internal clock that prompts sleep and waking hours. This circadian rhythm developed a natural connection with daylight and darkness. Shift work, health issues, medication, and stress can interfere with your rhythm and cause sleep deprivation and midday slumps.

Have you ever noticed that you feel more energetic during different times of the day? A unique ultradian rhythm of high and low energy levels within your circadian rhythm. It’s not surprising that many people are at their lowest point mid-afternoon.

You can better understand your circadian and ultradian rhythms by keeping a journal. For a week, note when you go to bed and when you awaken. Also, record your peak energy hours and when they’re the lowest.

Use your journal as a general guideline for planning your day. Reserve your most energetic hours for brainstorming and complex tasks. You can work less stressful and low-key jobs during your slower hours.

Are you a night owl or an early bird chasing a worm? Your circadian personality can help you plan your work accordingly. Instead of fighting your energetic fluctuations, use them to your advantage.

The Issues with Self-Medicating Your Exhaustion

Caffeine is probably one of the most abused substances for energy-deprived people. According to an article published by Frontiers in Pharmacology, the nicotine in tobacco can decrease energy levels. Whether you smoke or chew, you’ll be bound to notice the lack of stamina during the day.

Alcohol is another contributing factor, especially in excess. An article published by Harvard Medical School states that alcohol’s sedative quality can deprive you of sleep and make you tired the next day. While some abused prescription drugs may give you manic energy, a debilitating crash is inevitable.

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Afternoon Sleepiness

Does waning energy affect your moods and work performance? While your sleep habits can play a significant role in these energy crashes, make other lifestyle choices. Try these and additional helpful hints to keep you happy, revitalize the entire day, and resolve your exhaustion—lack of focus.

5 Ways Overthinking Holds You Back in Life

November 23, 2022 by Chris Butler

If you want to make good choices in life, you need to stop and carefully consider each action. Have you ever been in a situation where you stall because you meditate on things and take longer to make choices than you should? It’s a classic problem to overthink, and it can hold you back in life.

While it’s necessary to put a great deal of thought into your decisions, you can often dwell too long on an issue. In many instances, it’s better to go with your gut instincts rather than overthink things. Dr. Sanam Hafeez is an expert at Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services in New York City.

He states that he’s observed people who develop paralysis by analysis because they overthink. This event occurs when you ruminate over something so much that you become paralyzed by the fear of going forward or backward.

The Damage Caused by Sabotaging Self-Talk

Consider this example. Henry got a great job offer in California. He was tired of the harsh winters of Michigan, and he longed to live in the sunshine and help his seasonal affective disorder. Still, the cost of living was much higher, even though the job paid more.

He made the traditional pros and cons list trying to make the right choice, but the more he thought about the move and the process, the more scared he became. It was a big decision to move his family across the country to an unknown place, but his fears and constant ruminating about it paralyzed him from living out his dreams.

He might indeed have failed when he made it to California, as many things can happen. He might have hated the job, not made any friends, and had difficulty financially. The problem is that if he stays where he is, he is already unhappy, so there’s no change.

Being afraid to step outside your comfort zone is a significant risk, but if you don’t ever take any risks in life, then you won’t reap the tremendous rewards. He turned down the job, and he’s still miserable in the winter and fighting the depression. The moral of the story; don’t be like Henry.

Don’t overthink things to the point where you talk yourself out of them. Stop overthinking every little choice you must make. Go with your gut and take a chance!

Each person has an inner voice that’s there to guide them. When you think about something too much, you’re disconnecting yourself from your instincts. That voice inside will tell you that you need to take that job in California, but the fear of moving across that country will give you all the reasons you shouldn’t go.

Five Ways Overthinking Holds You Back

The key is that you need to make wise decisions. You don’t want to make a wrong choice and have it come back to bite you in the end.

However, you don’t want to let your sabotaging self-talk keep you from doing some great things in your life. Here are some ways that your overthinking can hold you back.

1. You Don’t Go Forward or Backwards

Overthinkers are scared to move to the left or right. Have you ever seen someone in a movie stuck in quicksand? They are paralyzed because of the heavy weight from the sand pressing on their bodies.

When you contemplate a situation for too long, you are often like someone trapped in that sand. You’re too afraid to make a move as you fear that it will all collapse around you. Thus, you live a life of unhappiness controlled by fear.

2. You’re Not In-Tune with Your Instincts

While pro and con lists are good tools, they bypass your Universe given instincts. Your gut instincts are there to help guide you through life, and you may be shocked to discover that these little pangs of what to do are accurate about 90 percent of the time.

A study was conducted and reported in the Uk’s Daily Mail. The participants had two choices to make and used only their instinct to make such a decision.

The researchers were shocked when they found that using instinct alone allowed these people to make the right choice most of the time. Only 10 percent made the wrong choice when using their gut. It just shows how accurate these little urges you feel genuinely are in life.

3. Overthinking Makes You Miss Deadlines

Did you know that many people who have a problem with overthinking tend to miss deadlines? Jessica’s boss asked her to write a report he needed for a presentation. Knowing this was a vast project, Jessica kept deliberating on which direction to go with the piece.

She knew that the deadline was fast approaching, but she started over so many times she had nothing completed by the due date. She asked for additional time, but Jessica’s boss reassigned the project to someone else. Though she did work on the piece, her employers saw it as not getting her job done.

Sometimes, you can overthink something to the point where it causes you to miss deadlines. Jessica’s case left a wrong impression of her work ethic to her employer, which wasn’t the case. She just was so wrapped up in her thought she couldn’t produce what was needed.

If you allow your thoughts to overrun you, it will cause you to miss many deadlines. These deadlines are imperative for your job, family, and self in many instances.

4. You Spend Too Much Time in Your Head

Many people have a challenging time being present at the moment. Life keeps you busy, but when you spend a great deal of time in your head, you zone out when around others. It’s effortless to focus more on your thoughts than the people sitting right in front of you.

Sadly, this can come across that you’re not interested in them when nothing could be further from the truth. Many people ruin relationships because of overthinking things about their life instead of focusing on the moment. Consider Tina.

She was dating the man of her dreams, but he’s been very distant lately. She wanted more than anything to make things work so they could get married, but there was a disconnect. Tina was at lunch with three of her friends, but she barely said two words.

Though she was sitting in the small café, her mind was 100 miles away. Her friends thought she was disinterested in being there and were offended. The truth was that she was so worried about her boyfriend and what to do about the situation that she couldn’t get her mind off it.

5. Overthinking Causes Sleep Disturbances

Do you lay in bed each night and can’t sleep? Does your mind play like a perpetual loop that keeps you from slumber? You worry about health, bills, children, family, and decisions that you must make. Before you know it, it’s 5 am and the night is gone, but you haven’t got one ounce of sleep.

When you’re overthinking your life and everything that it involves, it can disrupt your sleep. Reaching your goals requires you to be in top shape, which means getting sufficient rest. It’s easy to let the cares of life weigh you down, but you need to learn to shut your mind down so that you can repair and restore yourself through sleep.

Three Quick Tips to Stop Overthinking

You’ve learned the consequences of an overactive mind that ruminates constantly, but you need to know how to fix it. Here are some quick tips to help you stop overthinking.

1. Meditate

When your mind is going so fast that you can’t stop it and tend to have a hard time deciding, you need to meditate. Meditation can help you purge negativity and open your mind to a higher power.

2. Journal

Journaling is a great way to get all those jumbled thoughts out on paper. The purpose is to put things down in black and white as it helps you make sense of them. Decisions making is often more manageable when you have a pros and cons list, though it bypasses the gut instincts.

3. Live in the Present

Many people are so focused on the big picture and what’s happening tomorrow that they don’t stop to enjoy today. When your mind starts to wonder, real it back in by engaging with the present.

Final Thoughts on the Harmful Impacts of Overthinking

Those who have bad decisions burned in their past might tend to think long and hard before making any choices. While it’s good to be careful and not want to make any mistakes, you’re not living.

Life is all about making choices, some of them good, and some of them bad. How do you know if you will fall flat if you don’t take a chance? Remember that a baby must fail many times before they finally learn how to walk, but if they never fell and experienced the pain of those falls, they would have never been where they are today.

5 Signs Your Spiritual Guide Is Trying to Reach You

November 22, 2022 by Chris Butler

Does your soul’s journey often feel like a lonely trail? Fortunately, there’s no need for you to wander this path solo. Your spiritual guide, also called ascended master, gives you clues daily that they’re holding your hand along the way.

Your triune being is a delicate balance of body, mind, and spirit. Any time one element is out of tune, it affects the other two. The body is only a short-term temple that houses your collective mind and eternal spirit.

Some people believe that you turn to dust once you’re dead. Others say that the souls of the dead are eternal and will go to a place of paradise or torment. For those who believe in reincarnation, death is a perpetual cycle of rebirth and learning universal truths.

An article published by Investigation Clinica concludes that science can never prove nor disprove the theory of reincarnation. The proponents believe that each person’s rebirthing process depends on karma. Good deeds produce positive karma, while evil actions bring negative.

They assume the more lives you live, the more chances you have of cleaning up your karma. Once you’ve learned the universal truths of your destiny, your spiritual being is perfected. When you are self-actualized, reincarnation ends, and you’ve become a spiritual guide or ascended master.

Understanding Spiritual Guides?

According to many reincarnation theories, very few people in the world are self-actualized and in their final life as a human. Throughout history, various cultures have exalted these perfected humans as their religion’s power and voice. Their hope is if they follow the guidance and teachings of their ascended master, they will eventually obtain perfection.

Now, these perfected beings are tasked with navigating their human wards throughout their spiritual journeys. These celestial beings are believed by many to be godlike. However, they respect the universal law of free will and won’t interfere in human affairs without consent.

Avatars

In the Hindu tradition, some ascended masters have returned to earth to help open the spiritual eyes of culture. These reincarnated deities are called avatars. The avatar makes a connection with a group as one of its own. The teachings and miracles of these beings are handed down through history.

Celestial Hierarchy

Throughout human history, very few avatar interventions have been recorded. Believers in other-worldly communication refer to a chain of command among the spiritually ascended masters. They range from avatars to ancestral spirit guides and helper spirits.

How to Contact Your Spiritual Guide

Whether you call your cosmic presence spirit guides, ascended masters, angels, gods, or simply the universe, you’re not alone. There are as many beliefs and sacred traditions about spiritual communication as people who believe in it. There’s no right or wrong way to begin your spiritual awakening.

All you need is a willing heart, an intuitive ear, and a

positively teachable attitude. It’s also essential that you communicate with genuineness and respect. You may learn some fascinating aspects about yourself that you never knew.

Inviting your spiritual mentors to manifest their presence is a personal and rewarding experience. It’s up to you how you do it, but here are some helpful suggestions.

1. Set the Mood

Choose a place that is quiet and favorable to meditation. It doesn’t need an entire room, but it can be. You need a sacred place to call your own where you can communicate with your loving guide. Feel free to light candles, burn incense, or play calming music to relax and open your psychic power, called the third eye.

2. Begin the Conversation

As you sit or lie relaxed, start by saying welcome. It will feel silly at first, but it will soon be second nature. How would you greet a beloved relative or a special friend? Offer the same greeting to your spirit guide and welcome them to enter your sacred space.

3. Open Your Awareness

Imagine yourself as a lovely lotus blossom, slowly and gently opening its petals to kiss the sunlight. Be aware of every sensation around you as you practice mindful breathing. As you welcome your loving spiritual master, notice that you are no longer alone.

4. Be Patient

Forget what you’ve seen about spiritual communication in the movies. You probably won’t be blinded by a light glare and suddenly see an eerie being floating above you. Be patient and be aware of the slightest indications that your guide is present and has awaited this inspiring moment in your life.

Remember that these celestial beings are spirits and can manifest themselves in any way they think will help you. You may need several meditation sessions to open your spiritual eyes and ears completely. Be patient with yourself and know that it will happen.

Perhaps the most frequently asked question from those new to spiritual communication is, “how do I know?” As you plunge into the depths of divine relationship and spiritual awareness, can you tell if your guide is speaking or if it’s just you? Here are five signs that can help answer your question.

Five Things That Often Confirm Your Spiritual Guide Connection

Open your mind to allow your spiritual guides to deliver important messages.

1. Heightened Senses

According to an article published by the National Center for Complementary and Integrated Health, meditation can enhance your well-being. When your spiritual guide is near, you’ll probably notice that your feelings have gone into hyper-mode. It’s an entirely natural “high” that allows you to be keenly aware of the physical and spiritual world.

2. Here’s Your Sign

Ask for a sign if you want proof that your spirit guide’s benevolence is near. They realize that you’re human and your faith has limitations. It won’t offend them in the least.

For example, ask your guide that whenever they are present, they allow you to see a butterfly. These magnificently winged creatures have been associated with the spiritual realm for thousands of years. No wonder so many people ask to see them as a sign.

If you ask for butterflies, feathers, or whatever, you’ll be amazed at how often they cross your path. Each beautiful sign is your spiritual guide’s gentle way of saying, “Good morning! I’m here for you.”

3. More than Coincidence

Some events in your life may be random or accidental. However, as your spiritual awareness opens to your loving guides, expect more “coincidences.” The things that you may dismiss as opportune may have a celestial origin.

Isn’t it strange that you were thinking of a particular person, and they suddenly call or text you? Did you find the perfect parking spot at the mall randomly, or was it an other-worldly favor? Remember that your spiritual mentor loved you before you were born and will often find ways to bless you throughout the day.

4. Greater Compassion

Your spiritual guardians manifest pure love and will work with you to strengthen your compassion for others. Your patience may expand as a tell-tale sign of their involvement in your life. Over time, you’ll see that you’re less judgmental and more compassionate to others, including yourself.

5. Spiritual Manifestation

Everyone has different levels of psychic abilities. You may be one of the unusual empaths who can sense your spirit guide and see and hear them psychically. A few highly-gifted people may see manifestations in the physical realm.

Like an earthly friendship, you will know more about your spiritual mentor as you cultivate the relationship. At first, you may notice signs and unusual coincidences. You must only ask if you want to know your guide’s name and other things about them.

Your celestial friend will manifest themselves to you in a way that’s best for you to accept. They can appear as humans, angels, animals, or fantasy creatures. If your guide is a cherished loved one who passed away, they will manifest as you knew them.

Past the Opened Door

Once you’ve met your eternal guide and are comfortable with them, the rest of the story is up to you. Although they are forever at your side, they are infinitely polite and won’t intrude in your mind or world. They will only have a manifested relationship with you as you desire.

Whoever your loving spiritual being is, always treat them kindly and respectfully. Be gracious and say “thank you” when they gently hold your hand on your destined path. Express gratitude when they talk to your heart and show you divine favor.

Final Thoughts about Your Spiritual Guide Contacting You

You needn’t be a “religious” person to recognize the loving forces guiding your life. When you ask your spiritual guide to make themselves known and be recognized every day, they are eager to help. As you form a loving bond between your heart and the divine, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

5 Steps to Increase Empathy, According to Psychology

November 22, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Empathy allows us to step into someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. It’s a skill that everyone should have, as being able to relate to others reduces conflict and enhances relationships. Of course, some people naturally have more empathy than others due to genetics, upbringing, and life experiences. This shortfall doesn’t mean you can’t learn to become more empathetic if you’re not already, though.

When you have empathy for others, you see things through their perspective and want to support them however you can. You can put your own opinions aside for a moment and listen to the other person without bias. Empaths provide light in a dark world due to their selflessness, genuine care for others, and ability to see into people’s hearts.

5 Steps to Understanding Others and Increasing Empathy

It’s rare to meet someone who can understand people on a deep level, but when you do, it changes you. You wonder how they developed this gift and may even wish to become more empathetic. Luckily, even the most guarded among us can open our hearts again with a few simple steps.

1 – First, you must have empathy for yourself.

Before you can understand other people, you have to know and accept yourself. Life acts as a mirror, so what we perceive in others reflects our inner world. So, if you genuinely want to become more empathetic, start with the person in the mirror. Forgive yourself for any past mistakes or wrongdoings, practice self-care, and accept where you are in this moment. You’re ready to extend this love to others when you can love yourself fully, scars and all.

2 – Practice mindful listening.

For this step, it’s important to quiet your mind so that your internal dialogue doesn’t get in the way while listening to others. When we don’t train our minds, they tend to wander and have difficulty focusing on the present moment. However, if you want to empathize with others, you need an unbiased, clear mind. Meditation can assist with this goal since it helps you become more self-aware and calms the mind.

So, imagine that someone comes up to you and needs advice about something. In today’s world, many people have forgotten the art of mindful listening and tend to interject with their points of view. Or, they’re distracted the whole time by their phones or even inner thoughts. If you want to increase empathy, you must block out all stimuli and become immersed in the here and now. After all, where else can you be but in the present?

With this in mind, take a few deep breaths and allow any distracting thoughts to dissipate. Tell yourself that only listening to your fellow human being matters at the moment. Everything else can wait until later, but this person truly needs your help right now. With this attitude of being mindful and putting others first, you’re well to become more empathetic.

3 – Open your heart.

Showing empathy isn’t just about actively listening to others when talking. It mainly involves feeling, which comes from the heart. However, there isn’t a formula or instruction manual for opening your heart because it must come from within you. You have to feel a strong desire to help others and start seeing fellow humans as an extension of yourself. When you can see yourself in all beings and love them as you love yourself, you naturally become more selfless. You realize that what benefits you also uplifts others, so you want to spread that positive energy whenever possible.

Meditation can also help you remove any barriers to love and help you feel that oneness with other people. We all share the same connection; it’s only an illusion that we’re different somehow. Specifically, loving-kindness meditation helps you develop compassion and unconditional love for every human.

Sit quietly in a meditation pose and extend love to yourself to practice it. Say a mantra such as “I am enough” or “I love myself unconditionally.” Then, imagine friends and family, and repeat the mantra with them as the subject this time. Move your awareness into your heart center, and imagine sending love to your relatives. Then, extend this love to all life. After practicing for several weeks, you’ll start feeling more openhearted and cheerful, as this study on loving-kindness meditators shows.

4 – Engage in random acts of kindness.

One of the best ways to enhance your empathy is to volunteer or help others without asking for anything in return. Whether you spend a few hours on weekends volunteering at your local soup kitchen or distributing warm clothes to the unsheltered, helping people put things into perspective. Your problems don’t seem as important when you’re focused on improving others’ lives, even in a small way.

5 – Allow yourself to become vulnerable.

Making connections with others isn’t just about listening when they speak. If you want to show more empathy, it helps to talk about difficult emotions or experiences to build trust with people. When they see that you’re comfortable with yourself and don’t feel ashamed of your feelings, they’ll take the cue to let their guard down.

Being on the receiving end of empathy helps you become more understanding. When you’re witnessing the value of kindness firsthand, you see how it can change someone’s life.

Final Thoughts on Developing a Keener Sense of Empathy

Empathy doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but hopefully, these tips will help you in your quest to show more compassion. Even if you’re a logical, straightforward person who doesn’t quite understand emotions, empathy isn’t challenging to learn. Simply volunteering in your community can help you connect with others and show you the benefits of compassion.

You can also practice active listening with your loved ones, which will help you become more selfless. When you witness others’ lives improving because of your empathy, it instills self-confidence and breaks down the walls between you and others. Kindness can significantly impact other people, and it all begins with how we treat ourselves.

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