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5 Ways a Circle of Control Can Make You Happier

September 2, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

As self-help expert Stephen Covey explains, a circle of control can help you focus on improving happiness and living a fulfilling life. It’ll help you prioritize the things that matter most so you don’t waste your time and energy on other things.

Stephen Covey is an author and businessman who wrote “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. In his book, Covey discusses the circle of control and how it can promote happiness in your life.

You can’t always be sure things will work out how you hoped. Instead, you can only control how hard you work toward the goal. You can only do your part and let the rest play out.

The circle of control helps you stop thinking and worrying about things you can’t change. When you let go of these worrisome thoughts, you’ll notice an improvement in your life. It allows you to regain power over your life.

What is Covey’s Circle of Control

Stephen Covey discusses the circle of control and how it can improve happiness. He believes that all issues in your life fall into two categories, including the circles of:

Concern: represents everything that worries you, and you can’t change all of them.
Influence: represents what you can influence or change.
Control: represents the portion of overlap that you can make a definitive decision about.

Your circle of influence includes things within your concern, but not everything. Covey says that all issues in your life fall into one of the two categories.

Your circle of control includes the things within your circle of influence and are also in your circle of concern. It’s the things you want to do something about and can directly influence. There is still an area you can’t do anything about, and that’s where Covey’s concept comes in.

You can only influence the things you can put effort into. If you can’t do anything productive, you likely can’t change the situation, even if you try. The circle of concern is even narrower, as it includes only things you can directly control.

To narrow it down, it’s as follows:

Circle of Concern

This circle can include anything that causes worrisome thoughts. It involves things like war, politics, pandemics, weather, and issues with your daily life. Anything vital to you falls within this category, regardless of how it affects you or if you can influence it.

Circle of Influence

This circle involves what you care about and can influence in some way. You might have to improve your skills or take extra steps, but you can make a difference.

Circle of Control

This circle involves the things you worry about, can influence, and can make an effective plan for. It also includes how you respond to external situations. This circle includes your attitude, thoughts, and enthusiasm for the situation. These things must also be within your circle of influence.

Think about how you can directly influence or change a situation. All that matters is whether you care and can do something.

Where to Focus Your Energy

Understanding the circle of control helps you figure out where you should focus your energy. Put your time into anything that falls within the circle of influence.

It might help if you create your circles on a piece of paper. Layer them to show what you worry about compared to what you can influence. Then, narrow your focus to only the things in your circle of influence.

You can expand your circle of influence by picking up new skills or finding new sources. Otherwise, you can let go of things you can’t change if it’s not worth your time or energy. If you can’t do anything about it and don’t want to figure out how to change it, then it’s time to let go. Letting go narrows your circle, but it frees your mind to think about positive things instead.

However, your circle of concern expands if you lose skills or the ability to influence a situation. You must find a balance between the two and learn to let go of the rest.

When you focus only on the things you can change, it helps you work more effectively. You’ll make more progress in the areas that matter rather than burning yourself out in the other parts of life. If you can’t influence a situation, putting time into it won’t make a difference.

What Happens If You Don’t Focus on Your Circle of Control

You’ll waste time and energy if you focus on things you can’t influence. It causes you to miss out on the things that can change, hindering your long-term progress.

You likely don’t want to waste energy focusing on things that hold you back. It can cause negativity in your life, hindering your confidence, growth, and overall well-being.

When you focus on things you can’t influence, it also causes you to radiate negative energy. If that happens, you might find it hard to find people to spend time with because they pick up on the negativity. You might constantly talk about what’s wrong in your life without realizing it.

While your friends want to hear you out, they don’t always want someone who can’t focus on anything positive—concentrating on things you can’t do anything about increases your stress, leading to other negative feelings.

Why You Should Use Covey’s Circle of Control for Increased Happiness

When you utilize Convey’s theory, it can help you lead a happier life. You’ll be more proactive when focusing only on the things you can change. Worrying or trying to change anything else only creates unhappiness and stress.

Focus on your strengths, desires, and connections to determine what’s within your circle. When you narrow it down, you’ll find happiness knowing that you only worry about the essential things.

It gives you direction on where to go and focus your energy yet. Narrowing your circle also helps you let go of worries that don’t serve you or can’t change.

You’ll save time and energy by not ruminating or being inactive. Plus, it helps you focus, see the connection to success, and become more resilient.

How to Apply the Stephen Covey Principle to Your Life

Knowing why the circle of control creates happiness is one thing. Understanding how to apply it is another. Altering your thinking can help you be proactive moving forward, enhancing productivity and satisfaction. If you use it in your life, you’ll notice an improvement in your surroundings and well-being.

1 – Challenge Your Thinking

If there’s something you deeply care about but is outside your circle, you can think about it again. Consider if there is a way you can influence it that you haven’t thought of yet. You can do the same with the things you can already contribute to, brainstorming new ways to make progress.

2 – Determine What You Must Do

Focusing on the areas of importance, figure out what you must do to change the situation. Consider which skills you can build to improve your level of influence. You can also work on eliminating self-limiting beliefs that hold you back.

3 – Let Go of Anything Outside Your Circle

Once you’ve brainstormed and determined what’s outside your circle, let go of everything else. Don’t waste your time and energy on things you can’t do anything about. Once you let go, you can focus on everything else and find happiness.

You’ll find fulfillment if you stop worrying about things you can’t control. It’ll help you focus on meaningful experiences and situations rather than worrying about anything else.

4 – Shift your Mindset

If you feel anxious about things beyond your control, shift your mindset. Make a conscious effort to focus only on what you can change. It’ll help you refocus and let go of things you can’t do anything about.

5 – Think About Your Priorities

When your thoughts focus on negativity, think about the things that bring meaning to your life. Think about your priorities and the things you can directly influence.

How the Circle of Control Creates Happiness

When you focus on the things you can change, it helps you improve your overall well-being. You can improve your mental wellness and focus on the things that matter the most.

While the things outside your control might still matter, you’ll know that you can’t do anything about them. It helps you let it go and focus your energy and time on things that will bring happiness. Doing it any other way will only induce stress.

Narrowing your circle beyond your circle of influence can make a difference. It allows you to release the things you only care about because those around you are passionate about it. Letting go of these things further narrows your circle by letting you focus on your passions.

Final Thoughts on Understanding Stephen Covey’s “Circle of Control” and Embracing Happiness

Stephen Covey explains the circle of control and how it can create happiness in your life. It helps you refocus on the things you can do something about rather than the things you can’t. When you can refocus your thoughts this way, it helps you train your mind to focus on positivity. It helps you live a life of hope, confidence, and happiness.

Men Reveal 20 Romantic Things Their Partners Do to Keep the Love Alive

September 2, 2022 by Chris Butler

Men often have a reputation for being poor communicators–and some are. Still, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a wish list for their romantic partner. This lack of communication creates a problem for many women because they don’t always know what their man wants. Guys love to be cared for and catered to, just like women. However, they don’t always know how to tell you what they desire. These habits can help to keep the romance alive in a relationship.

Twenty Things A Man Wants His Romantic Partner To Do

Psychiatrist Willard Gaylin studied and reported his findings in his best-selling book The Male Ego. He stated that men see themselves as protectors, procreators, and providers. Outside of these three roles, it’s challenging for them to tell their partner what they need to make the relationship thrive.

Matthew Boggs is a motivational speaker who hosts Cracking the Man Code sessions. Through extensive research, he helps women know how to have a successful relationship by providing their partners with what they require. Here are a few essential things men want and need in their romantic partners.

NOTE: If you want to know women’s habits that help keep the flame of love burning, we cover their behaviors separately.

1. They Want a Romantic Partner Who Will Show Affection Often

Guys like receiving affection and romance. They want a woman to hold their hand, whisper sweet nothings in their ear, and be close to them. Just because men like to hide their emotions doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy affection from you. This is just confirmation of how much they’re loved.

2. Make Date Night a Priority

When you’re in love, you want romance. Date night is a priority for a man as it shows that he’s still important enough for your time. When women don’t make time for their partners, it sends a message that they’re unimportant. Men have questions and doubts, too, so they need a romantic partner who will dedicate time to them.

3. They Hope Their Romantic Partner Will Do the “Little Things”

Romance can come from the simplest of things. Guys like it when they have a cup of coffee waiting for them before work. They like random text messages throughout the day, as they like to know they’re still on your mind. Doing those little things will secure your relationship and show your romantic partner how much they mean to you.

4. Travel Often

Many guys have stressful jobs and feel the strain from the constant pressure. So is it any wonder that men looks forward to these getaways where they can focus on romance and the one they love? Whether for a weekend or a week doesn’t matter; they want one-on-one time with you.

5. Unplug for Your Romantic Partner Once in a While

Most importantly, guys want their women to turn off their phones occasionally. They get tired of competing for their romantic partner’s attention because she’s always on the phone. It would help if you gave them some undivided attention when you’re with them.

6. Dance

Who says women are the only ones who love a twirl around the dance floor? Many guys like to dance, too. Holding you close and feeling your heart beating as you tango the night away is something they want more of.

7. Learn Each Other’s Love Language

Each person has a love language that shows how they need to be loved. Some guys like affirmations, while others prefer acts of service. Guys want you to learn their love language to enhance the romance in your relationship.

8. Write Love Letters

Leaving love letters on the car seat before work or slipping a note in their lunch box are ways to connect with your man. Men love that you take time out of your day to remind them that you still have strong feelings. Though this could be classified as a little thing, it means a lot to the person who receives the letter.

9. Validate One Another’s Feelings

Guys want to be heard. They want you to listen and understand when they feel passionate about something enough to voice their opinion. That doesn’t mean you must agree with them, but you must validate their feelings and give them a voice.

10. Gaze Longingly Into Each Other’s Eyes

Every man wants to be looked at as an object of desire. They want you to have that particular look you give them that makes their heart beat. While it takes little to no effort to gaze deep into their eyes, it’s something you should do to connect.

11. Say “I Love You” Frequently

Men want to hear you say, “I love you.” While they’re not notorious for constantly questioning how you feel about them, they like to listen to it. When you say “I love you” to your partner, you reassure them that you still have feelings.

Hearing these three little words can mean everything to them. This is especially true when stressed out at work or life isn’t going how they envisioned.

12. Take A Bubble Bath Together

While bubble baths have always been thought of as something women prefer, don’t think that men don’t like soaking in a tub next to you. There’s something very romantic about having your partner, a glass of wine, and some intense cuddling to enhance your romance.

13. Candlelit Dinners

You’ll drive him mad with desire when you make his favorite meal, light some candles, and put on some mood music. A man loves his romantic partner to make him feel like he’s the only one in the world. Doing these extraordinary things to show them how you feel will help to strengthen your bond and enhance your passion.

14. Engage in Public Displays of Affection

While a guy may like a pretty girl in their arms, they also like their women to be open enough to show their feelings publicly. A man feels special and like he’s won the lottery when his partner kisses him, holds hands, and sits on the same side of the restaurant booth. He loves it when you show the world that he’s yours.

15. Be There for a Romantic Partner

Once you’ve been together for a while, you’re going to see that there are many ups and downs. Some rough times will take him to rock bottom, but he wants you to be there.

He doesn’t want to hear things like “I told you so,” but he wants you to stand by his side and support him. Being there is one of the most incredible things you can do for your man.

16. Give Him Space to Increase Feelings of Romance

Women tend to be a bit clingier than men by nature. However, men sometimes need space. It doesn’t mean they don’t love and care about you, but they want you to understand sometimes they need to be alone to recharge their batteries.

17. Make Them Feel Like a Hero

Since early history, men have developed a primordial sense of being the protector. They want to shield you, so they need you to make them feel like a hero. Let them know how safe you feel with them as your romantic partner, and you must ensure them that as long as they’re by your side, all is right in the world.

18. Let Your Romantic Partner Be Vulnerable

While you may want to be the first to share your feelings, you need to make sure your man gets to be the vulnerable one, too. He should feel safe enough with you to be able to share the innermost parts of his heart without judgment.

According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, being vulnerable helps with emotion regulation. When your man opens up to you and puts his feelings into words, it’s therapeutic for him.

19. Stand By Your Word

Trust and dependence are parts of keeping things alive with your romantic partner. Your man wants you to do what you say. He wants to know that he can count on you when the world is crumbling around him.

20. Be Faithful to a Romantic Partner

Health Research Funding found that 60 percent of all married people will cheat on their spouse at least once. In fact, 34 percent of those who engaged in infidelity were women, and these ladies claimed they were happy with their spouses.

Your man wants to be the only romantic partner in your life, and he needs you to be upfront and honest about monogamy. It’s much better to tell someone you don’t want to be with them than to cheat and wounds them deeply.

Final Thoughts On Things Guys Want From Their Romantic Partner

As you look over the list, you may see many things you already do for your remarkable man. However, there are probably a few areas that you can improve. Your romantic partner wants to feel like they’re important to you and want you to tell them as such.

Though men and women ultimately have different physical and emotional needs, many things both genders need are very much the same.

Humane Society Frees 4000 Beagles From a Virginia Lab Testing Facility

September 1, 2022 by Chris Butler

A historic move by the Humane Society frees 4,000 beagles held by the Envigo facility in Cumberland, Virginia. The facility bred dogs and sold them to laboratories across America for animal experimentation. The rescue, a coordinated effort between the Humane Society and the District Court for the Western District of Virginia, and the cooperating facility allowed the Humane Society to assume responsibility for the beagles.

Who alerted the Humane Society about the dogs?

In May, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Envigo, saying they violated the Animal Welfare Act. United States inspectors reported many violations against the facility, including these:

Dogs euthanized without anesthesia
Dogs received insufficient food and water
They didn’t have proper veterinary care
The dogs were living in unclean conditions

In response to the violation charges, Inotiv, Inc., which used these dogs for animal experimentation, closed the Virginia dog breeding and research facility that Envigo operated.

How common is dog experimentation?

Concerned citizens say using dogs for clinical research is common even though there are laws set to protect animals from suffering unnecessarily. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) became law on August 24, 1966. Currently, it’s the only Federal law that regulates the humane treatment of animals during

Research
Teaching
Testing
By dealer
In transport

Over the years, new standards have been added and updated, but even with these regulations, many people struggle with the moral dilemma of whether laboratory experimentation should include live animals. According to the Humane Society, the large breeding facility broke one violation after another.

Does the Humane Society do animal rescues all the time?

The Humane Society of the United States frees at-risk animals all the time. They have trained animal rescue teams for situations like this one in Virginia. They get called in to assist with animal rescue operations when the number of animals is more extensive than local animal services, or law enforcement can handle. Other resources provided by the Humane Society of the United States include:

Temporary housing for animals
On-scene assistance
Evidence collecting
Animal handling
Transportation of animals
Legal assistance
Assistance with placement through a network of animal shelters or rescue shelters

Where are the Humane Society freed beagles now?

Even though Envigo posted on their website that the beagles were well-socialized and healthy, that’s not what the officials from the Humane Society discovered. The officials from the Humane Society found beagles with diarrhea, hungry, and grossly mistreated. Some of them were dead in the cages. One rescued dog had to have its eye surgically removed.

Dozens of volunteers and hundreds of potential owners wanted to help rescue the pups. Rescuing these dogs has been an enormous task involving medical treatments of the canines and relocating them. Volunteers, dog owners, veterinarians, and drivers have all stepped forward to help.

In late July, the Humane Society rescued the first couple hundred beagles. These were the first to leave, and they went to a rescue facility in Maryland. Several hundred other pups went to reduce partners around the country. The volunteers wore protective clothing to inspect the dogs before taking them to different centers. Because the dogs never received names but only numbers, the adoptive pet parents will give them names for the first time.

Shelters in Massachusetts sent large vans driving over twenty hours to rescue dogs. Their shelters had about eight hundred people reaching out to ask about adopting the puppies. The canines will get vaccinations that are specific to each state. For instance, in Massachusetts, they must be quarantined, micro-chipped, treated for parasites, and spayed before adoption.

The rescue of the beagles will continue over the next sixty days. Of course, getting them to their new forever home will take much longer.

How will the dogs adapt?

Rescuers with the Humane Society explain that everything is new for these canines. They haven’t felt grass under their feet or heard a car horn. Their adoptive pet or foster parents will help them experience all these new things. It’s thought that for some dogs, it might take years to adjust to everyday life. Even so, some volunteers have been surprised by how resilient the dogs are despite their experiences. They aren’t as traumatized as rescue volunteers thought they would be. Some of the older beagles who grew up at the Envigo facility had little human contact. They never played or had toys. These dogs’ lives have changed instantly. They can get the chance to take a walk, play games with their owners, and lay on the sofa for an afternoon nap.

Spa day for the rescued dogs

Homeward Trails in Virginia received twenty-one of the rescued beagles from the Envigo facility. A spa day was one of the first things they organized for the pups. Who could have thought a bubble bath and rolling in the grass could be so much fun? Some dogs got to experience playing in the grass and dying off in the sunshine for the first time in their lives. In a YouTube video, Homeward Trails show off one recipient of the beagle spa day.

Are there any negatives to this story?

Rachel Ward, manager of the Humane Society of Tulsa, isn’t thrilled with how the rescue operations. With the addition of two hundred beagles to her shelter, it’s become a massive amount of work to house, feed, and find adoptive pet parents for the dogs. Bringing so many out-of-state- dogs in at once is overloading many shelters similar to the one in Oklahoma. The manager hopes they won’t be there too long.

The Humane Society received a hundred fifty adoption applications from many states. Still, some shelters euthanize for space. As a result, shelters like Ward’s are worried the space the beagles have filled will shorten the lives of their local animals. Some individuals say the people had good intentions, but there was a poor execution of the event.

Brittnea Atwood, Catoosa Animal Control’s assistant director, agrees with Ward, saying, “I believe it was a selfish act, just because there was so much that could’ve been done with those 200 spots.” She suggested that the Humane Society hasn’t helped smaller shelters with their needs, so suddenly bringing these out-of-state dogs into shelters already bulging at the seams is wrong.

How can you adopt one of these dogs?

As the dogs continue to arrive at shelters, there is a growing need for adopters. Currently, the Humane Society of the United States still coordinates the transportation of dogs. The list of shelters receiving these dogs will grow over the next few months. Every shelter has its process for adoption and fosters care requests. So far, confirmed shelters include:

Homeward Trails (Virginia): You must complete a questionnaire and attend an interview.
Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary (Wyoming): Requires filling out an application first.
Massachusetts SPCA (Massachusetts): You must submit an inquiry and set up an appointment to visit the dogs.
Northeast Animal Shelter (Massachusetts): Submit a query for the pet you’re interested in fostering or adopting.
Priceless Pets (California): Fill out a form about the dog you’re interested in.

What are the characteristics of beagles?

It’s hard not to want to adopt one of these beagles from the Humane Society or their partners. But with any dog, you bring into your home, be sure you understand the breeds’ characteristics to see if they’re right for you.

Beagles pros:

Good size
Athletic
Short coat
Need exercise
Like to play
Love the outdoors
Generally good-natured dog
Peaceful around people

Beagle cons:

Look for sound temperament
He needs extensive exercise, not just quick walks around the block
Destructive when they’re bored
They like to run away
Without training, they’ll howl and bay
Hard-to-house train
Independent; can be stubborn
Doggy odor distinct to beagles
Potential health problems down the road

So, before you rush out to adopt one of these rescued dogs, be sure your head controls your heart. You don’t want to bring a dog home only to realize they’re not a good fit for you and you’re not a good fit for them.

Final thoughts on how the Humane Society frees beagles from a laboratory test facility in a historical rescue

The Humane Society of the United States frees 4,000 beagles, and dog lovers across the nation cheered the heroic rescue. This rescue isn’t over yet, as hundreds of dogs continue to move out of the Envigo facility in Cumberland, Virginia. Hundreds of volunteers, veterinarians, drivers, and potential pet parents have stepped up to help in this historic rescue. Of course, the Humane Society has much to do to ensure every beagle is adopted.

First Native American Woman Astronaut Set to Take Flight

September 1, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Nicole Aunapu Mann will make history as the first Native American woman in space in fall 2022. If all goes according to plan, she will lead NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on October 3rd. It will mark Mann’s first spaceflight since she became an astronaut in 2013.

In an interview with Indian Country Today (ICT), she said she feels proud to represent Native American women at NASA. As a member of the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, Mann believes Native children should realize what they can achieve. She believes most barriers keeping women and minorities from distinguished careers, such as becoming an astronaut, no longer exist. So, she hopes her story will show them what’s possible.

The mission set to launch this fall marks NASA’s fifth crewed operational Commercial Crew flight. As mission commander of the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft, Mann will direct all phases of flight from launch to landing safely back on Earth. NASA reported that she would also be an Expedition 68 flight engineer on the station.

Three other astronauts will accompany her on the Crew-5 mission. They include NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina. The crew will remain in space for about 250 science experiments for six months. The 45-year-old Native American woman said she feels excited about potentially making discoveries to benefit human evolution.

The Inspiring Woman Can’t Wait to Explore Space

In an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), she said something called the biofabrication lab interested her the most.

“Essentially, it’s 3D printing human tissue. We could grow cells here on Earth, but because of the effects of gravity in space, we can grow them three-dimensionally. We have already produced a partial meniscus of a knee, and we’re looking at growing heart cells. And eventually, the concept is that we could grow organs. They’re really hoping to have trials in animals by the end of the decade,” she told NPR.

While on the mission, the team will also upgrade some of the solar arrays on the station. In addition, Mann said she hopes to do a couple of spacewalks since she underwent extensive training learning to walk in outer space. The Native American woman remembered the spacewalk training as being challenging yet rewarding.

She explained that engineers place you in an astronaut suit just like they would in space. Next, they “blow you up like a balloon” by pressurizing the spacesuit, filling it to about 4.3 pounds per square inch, or psi. For reference, the Earth’s air pressure psi measures 14.7, according to NASA. Astronauts require a highly pressurized suit to compensate for limited mobility in space.

After ensuring your suit fits correctly, the engineers place you in a massive pool to simulate microgravity. Engineers designed the pool to mimic the conditions and components of the space station. Astronauts navigate the giant pool and work on equipment like they would in space. Mann says it’s a cross between scuba diving and climbing on a jungle gym at a playground.

She described the training as physically and mentally exhausting, taking six hours to complete. However, it’s a realistic simulation of walking in space since you’re underwater working on the space station replica.

“It is incredible. It is some of the coolest training I think that we do. And hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to do that in space for real,” the Native American woman told ICT.

The Native American Woman’s Journey to Becoming an Astronaut

Mann didn’t always know she wanted to become an astronaut. In fact, she didn’t dream of exploring space until later in her career. She earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1999. That year, she was appointed second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

While flying a F/A-18 fighter jet, the Native American woman began to think more about her future aspirations. After earning a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Stanford University, she enrolled in the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Part of her training program included a visit to NASA, which inspired her new career as an astronaut.

“I got a chance to meet astronauts and really get a better sense of what do astronauts do on a daily basis other than go to space,” Mann said in an interview with Inverse. “It’s a huge team working together for this goal which is so much bigger than yourself, and that’s what really drew me towards NASA.”

After she applied to the 21st astronaut class in 2013, NASA selected Mann, along with seven other applicants, to join the agency. At the time, Mann was 35 and served as a major in the Marine Corps. She’s since climbed the ranks and serves as a colonel.

The Native American woman has achieved so much in a relatively short period. She feels thrilled to be a part of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission, but her journey doesn’t end there. In December 2020, NASA also selected Mann as one of eighteen astronauts to return to the Moon as part of the Artemis program.

However, the mission will only send two astronauts to land on the Moon. If Mann is one of the lucky two chosen, she would be the first woman on the Moon.

“It’s just this really overwhelming sense of emotion in the best of ways that I can describe,” she told Inverse. “Yes, you want to be the first person to walk on the Moon, you want to fulfill that role, but really it’s not about you. It’s about the bigger mission, so you’re just excited to support in whatever role you can.”

The Artemis III crewed mission plans to land on the Moon’s South Pole, a previously unexplored area, in 2025. Astronauts have already begun rigorous training to prepare for their flight to the Moon. Mann feels ecstatic about possibly being the first Native American woman on the lunar surface. Perhaps her galactic travels will even take her beyond the Moon in the future.

Read about how NASA will soon retire the International Space Station.

Final Thoughts on the First Native American Woman to Work for NASA

Nicole Aunapu Mann will become the first Native American woman to explore space this fall. As mission commander of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, she will guide her fellow astronauts to the International Space Station. In addition, NASA selected her for the Artemis Team to return to the Moon in 2025. We’re excited to witness this inspiring woman make history! Hopefully, her story encouraged you to always aim for the stars and believe in yourself.

15 Ways to Use Anxiety to Make a Life Transformation

September 1, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

Some people have anxiety disorders, while others only experience occasional anxious feelings. Either way, the feelings aren’t enjoyable and can be debilitating. If daily life tasks make you feel anxious, it’s time to use your experience to make a life transformation.

Anxiety is a natural human reaction. It can motivate you to do your best and to try new things. However, if you let it, it can hold you back and prevent progress.

Knowing how to use your stress can help you make positive changes in your life and find fulfillment. You can use your feelings as a way to reach your goals and find success. Plus, you can use it for other beneficial aspects of your life.

Research shows that hardship and adversity can improve your psychological health. When you experience anxious feelings, you can use them to your advantage. It can help you grow while pushing you out of your comfort zone.

How to Use Anxiety to Make a Life Transformation

You don’t have to let anxious feelings get the best of you. Knowing the ways that these feelings can help you is beneficial. It’ll help you shift your mindset, seeing anxious feelings for the benefit they can be.

1 – Write About Your Anxious Feelings

Writing in your journal can help you shift your thinking. It can help you focus on gratitude, positivity, and self-care. Anytime you experience anxious feelings, open your journal and get started.

Journaling helps you develop a deeper understanding of your situation. It can help you identify your triggers and find healthy ways to deal with them.

If you aren’t sure where to start with your writing, write the first thing that comes to mind. Build on that first line, and eventually, your feelings will start to come out.

When you write about your anxious feelings, it helps you develop a positive mindset. The mindset will help you through all life experiences, not just this one.

2 – Think of Anxiety as a Positive Resource

How you think about your situation plays a role in how it affects you. If you think of it as a positive resource, you’ll likely use it to your advantage.

When you think of it as a benefit, it’ll help you get further. However, it will hold you back if you think of it as a hardship. Remember that it’s all about how you look at the worry.

3 – Use the Transformation as a Reason to Be Creative

Sometimes the best time to tap into your creative side is when you feel stressed. If your stress worsens, sit down and take some time to do something creative. Doing something creative helps you refocus your anxious energy and do something useful.

4 – Learn to Focus on Alternate Thinking

Anxious thoughts can lead to you focusing on negativity. Rather than giving in to that, try to focus on alternate thoughts. Your problems don’t have only one answer, so don’t assume there’s only one right way.

You might have many thoughts running through your head. Focus on the most prevalent ones that frequently steal your attention. Use these thoughts and turn them into a positive alternative.

One way to reframe your feelings is to push away anxious thoughts. Replace those thoughts with excitement, instead. Studies show that reframing to excitement can help you forget potential threats and become more productive.

5 – Remember That You Won’t Lose Yourself

You might feel like these feelings can make you lose yourself. However, remembering that you won’t lose who you are can help you use it as a life transformation. Identify the areas of your life that need work, and rest assured that you’re still yourself no matter what.

6 – Use Affirmations to Make a Transformation

Affirmations can help you refocus your thoughts and find the positive in your life. They also prevent you from thinking of the worst-case scenario. When negativity threatens to take over, try using some affirmations to refocus.

Affirmations can help you improve areas of your life. Using them for anxious thoughts can help you make a life transformation as you focus on positivity more often.

7 – It Can Remind You to Never Lose Hope

Even at your most anxious, look for the good all around you. It is a reminder that there is hope even in a dark time.

If you’re afraid, take a leap of faith. It’ll help you see that there’s so much out there to ensure you get through.

8 – Anxiety Can Boost Healthy Competition

When you have anxious feelings, it can give you a competitive edge. You’ll want to beat those around you to prove that you can do it. If your feelings push you toward success, you’re already using them to your advantage.

9 – Schedule a Time for Anxious Thoughts

Scheduling time to worry can help you push negativity out of the rest of your life. While you might initially do it to reduce anxious feelings, you’ll likely continue to use that time.

It helps you set aside time to process your thoughts and think of a solution. This habit lets you focus on the task at hand, knowing that your time for worrying will come each day.

10 – Remember That People are More Important than Anything Else

When your anxious thoughts get the best of you, think of the people you care about the most. All the little material possessions in the world won’t mean as much as the supportive people in your life. Your anxious feelings can help you refocus on these people because they help you feel better.

11. Learn How to Center Yourself During a Time of Transformation

One way to use your worrisome thought to make a life transformation is to practice centering. It’s a seven-step process that helps you focus and quiet your mind. If you want to start learning to center yourself, follow these steps:

Choose a focal point below eye level.
Set an intention or goal for what you plan on doing. It could be a work task, art project, or anything else that shifts your focus.
Practice mindful breathing to calm your body and deactivate your stress response.
Scan your body to check for tension. If you notice tension, release it by tightening and releasing those muscles.
Find your center by looking for the area where most of your energy rests. It can help you feel calm, self-assured, and grounded.
Visualize yourself reaching your goal. Think of what it would feel, look, and smell like.
Direct your energy by using your anxious feelings as inspiration for taking steps toward your goal.

12. Anxiety Can Help Show How Much You Care

You wouldn’t be so worried about something if you didn’t care. Rather than letting that worry interfere with your happiness, use it as a transformation tool. Put your energy into doing something related to your worry that will show you feel this way because you care deeply.

13. When You’re Anxious, Put Your Energy into Doing Something Productive

Anxious feelings can be debilitating, but they don’t have to be. Use your worries to do something worthwhile and productive. You can either use your energy to stress or do something about it.

Being stressed or anxious doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish anything. Instead, it means you’ll use your thoughts and anxious feelings to progress and move forward.

Anxious feelings can give you determination and motivation to make things happen. It can also help you think more creatively, looking for other solutions that you wouldn’t have thought of before.

14. Use it to Acknowledge How You Feel

If you feel anxious, there’s a reason for it. Take the time to reflect and determine why you’re worried and how you feel. If you try to suppress the anxious feelings, you’ll never identify the underlying cause.

When you know why you feel anxious, you can do something about it. It also helps you distinguish between productive and unproductive worry.

15. Allow the Discomfort of Transformation to Force You to Focus

Anxious feelings are uncomfortable, but that’s not always a bad thing. When you acknowledge and process how you feel, it forces you to focus on your worries. Productive worries are the ones you can do something about, so it’s usually a good thing.

You can use your anxious energy to get closer to your goals. When you’re overly worried about something, you won’t be able to focus on anything else. It could be a bad thing, but make sure you’re focusing on your goals, and it’ll all work out.

Final Thoughts on Ways to Use Anxiety to Make a Life Transformation

Anxiety isn’t always easy to deal with, but you can use it to transform life. It might seem like a struggle, but shifting your mindset can make all the difference. Rather than letting it control your life, use it to your benefit.

You’ll notice a quick improvement if you know how to use anxious feelings to promote life transformation. It helps you focus on the essential aspects of your life while maintaining a positive mindset despite the worry.

15 Behaviors of Someone With Adjustment Disorder

September 1, 2022 by Deborah Tayloe

How do you know if your stress reactions are typical or if you have an adjustment disorder? Do you cope well with change, or does any alteration in your life wreak havoc on your emotions? Recognizing the symptoms of this condition (aka stress response syndrome) is the first step to understanding adjustment disorders and getting help.

The primordial world of the earliest humans was quite different from today’s civilization. A vast expanse of different environments required these beings to adapt for survival. They faced incredible dangers from wild animals and natural hazards.

Fortunately, their evolving brains developed an automatic survival instinct. When they perceived a threat, their brains sent signals to their endocrine system to dump hormones into the bloodstream. Cortisol and adrenaline supply temporary strength for them to fight or take flight.

This automatic survival instinct still works in people today. However, your brain sees stress as a threat, and you can be stuck in survival mode. According to an article by The Mayo Clinic, chronic stress can negatively affect your mind and body.

Understanding Adjustment Disorder (Stress Response Syndrome)

Another reason your survival instinct may be overloaded is if you have adjustment disorder or stress response syndrome. An article published by the Cleveland Clinic explains how it’s an excessive reaction to a stressful or traumatic event. Ironically, either positive or negative changes can cause this overreaction.

It’s usually a temporary condition caused by extreme stress. The stressors can be singular, or they can be a series of several events. It affects approximately two to eight percent of the population.

15 Behavioral Signs of Adjustment Disorder or Stress Response Syndrome

Has anyone ever told you that you overreact? Perhaps you can remember a significant event that triggered this condition. These are the fifteen primary behaviors someone with adjustment disorder (stress response syndrome) often displays.

1. Someone With an Adjustment Disorder Has a Strong Resistance to Change

Nobody likes change, and most people will often try to avoid it. Fear of the unknown and loss of control often contribute to resisting growth. Those with adequate coping skills learn to adapt and accept life changes.

However, people with stress response syndrome often have a heightened resistance. You feel safe and comfortable within the perimeters of the status quo. The slightest rift in your routine can create profound anxiety and emotional turmoil.

2. They Try Their Best to Live in The Past

Have you ever met someone whose body is present, but their mind and lives are hostages of the past? Even when their history is tainted with disappointment, failure, or trauma, they idealize it. When you have an adjustment disorder, you may avoid present issues by hiding in the shadows of the past.

Many people find the present too hard to handle, so their minds seem to revert to the past for comfort. Hiding from your current situation is no more helpful than an ostrich hiding its head in the sand. Your reflections on the past may temporarily dull the stress, but they will never go away.

3. A Person With an Adjustment Disorder Always Fears the Worst-Case Scenario

People who overreact to change often tend to be pessimistic. Rather than hoping for the best, you may assume the worst-case scenario. If you have positive results, you’ll be presently surprised. Accepting adverse outcomes makes you think you’re saving yourself from shock and disappointment.

4. They Often Revise and Distort Past Memories

Listen to yourself when you recall events from the past. Are you a reliable self-historian, or do you revise your memories to improve them? If you experienced trauma, you might have developed a disorder that resists change.

This stress response syndrome may also lead to blocking or erasing unpleasant memories. Instead, you give a fictionalized account that’s all sunshine and roses, so you don’t have to admit the truth. This condition may stand in your way of healing from past traumas.

5. They Struggle with Irrational Fears

When you’ve experienced a traumatic event and barely survived, it’s understandable that you’d cope with fear later in life. Irrational fears or phobias are also common symptoms of adjustment disorder. The minor fights may cause you to overreact and go into panic mode.

6. Someone With an Adjustment Disorder Can Be Recklessly Impulsive

Stress response syndrome often presents with many symptoms that overcompensate for safety. However, the stress may cause you to be more impulsive than usual. You may develop impulsive behaviors and substance abuse problems that you never had in the past.

7. Stress Response Syndrome Also Causes Emotional Instability

Perhaps you’ve noticed that you have difficulty sorting out your emotions. Your feelings will be scattered across the board if you struggle with adjustment disorder issues. The overreaction to stress may cause an assortment of fear, anger, and extreme depression.

8. They May Become Socially Isolated

People who don’t cope well with stress often feel safer when they’re alone. Something is comforting about staying in your familiar surroundings. Nobody can judge you or do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable.

Such thinking can cause you to isolate yourself from close family and friends. Soon, you may develop agoraphobia and can’t walk outside your home without extreme fear. Social isolation magnifies fear, depression, and anxiety.

9. They Notice More Aches, Pains, and Health Issues

The human body’s survival instinct was only meant to be a temporary reaction and not perpetual. The stress hormones meant to energize temporarily can be a health hazard when they’re constantly in your bloodstream. It can lead to hypertension, diabetes, kidney disorders, mental illness, and even premature death.

You can be stuck in this mode if you must deal with changes and an adjustment disorder. You may notice chronic aches, pains, and other health issues you’ve never had before. It’s a red flag that your body is sending you that it needs help.

10. Someone With an Adjustment Disorder Wants to Be the Center of Attention

Overreacting to stress and change may lower your self-worth and self-esteem. To compensate for your depleted self-image, you may try to draw attention. Maybe you crave someone to listen to you and empathize with your exhausted emotions.

Unfortunately, some folks may see this behavior as narcissistic or self-absorbed. They don’t know that stress response syndrome makes stress and change difficult for you. This may be one of the reasons you may begin to isolate yourself.

11. They Have Difficulties Creating and Maintaining Relationships

Most people can admit that relationships take more than just love. It requires a lot of work, patience, understanding, and compromise. Stress and arguments are a given for even the most loving relationships.

Since adjustment disorder compels you to avoid stress at all costs, you may not have a lot of meaningful relationships. You might also have a history of broken personal and professional interactions. You may tend to overreact to every situation, which may be too much for most folks.

12. They Have Low Energy Levels

It takes a copious amount of energy to stay in a perpetual state of stress. No wonder you may feel exhausted no matter how much you sleep. You may be in a brain fog that can hinder you at home and work.

Instead of going out and having a good time, you prefer to stay home and take a long nap. Just the thoughts of a new adventure may exhaust you. The fear of missing out makes you depressed, and your energy levels plunge even more.

13. Stress Response Syndrome Often Causes Perfectionism

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everything was perfect and stayed the same? This is an unrealistic mindset that isn’t based on reality, and it can lead to negative consequences. However, people with an adjustment disorder are often perfectionists who refuse to do anything without making mistakes.

14. These Symptoms Connect to Life’s Usual Stressors

Maybe you’ve recognized stressors that cause your disorder to activate. These are called triggers, and you may go out of your way to avoid them. For example, maybe being in a noisy crowd reminds you of a traumatic argument in your past.

Most people with this condition can often remember the event that brought the symptoms. You’ll try to avoid repeating the situation or any remotely similar triggers. You may even plan your entire day or happy occasions around stress avoidance.

15. They Have Self-Sabotaging Behaviors

One of the most unfortunate symptoms of stress response syndrome is that you may sabotage your happiness. Rather than face the stresses of a relationship, you’ll break up to stay calm. These symptoms may also rob you of chances to advance your career or realize your life-long dreams.

Final Thoughts on Symptoms of Adjustment Disorder

Do any of these symptoms seem painfully familiar to you? The good news is that you needn’t stay in the grasp of this debilitating disorder. Life is ever-changing, and you must embrace mindful living. That way, you don’t miss even one of the adventures waiting for you.

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