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Counselors Explain How to Communicate Better With Your Loved Ones

June 9, 2022 by Deborah Tayloe

With today’s technological advances, you can chat with anyone worldwide, and you can even see their smiling faces. Unfortunately, people still seem too busy for quality conversation. Learning how to communicate better with your loved ones is a skill you’ll never regret.

Ten Tips on How to Communicate Better

Knowing how to communicate efficiently is crucial in your personal and professional lives. How you relate to your family, friends, and loved ones will make a difference in your fulfillment. Here are some valuable tips for better communication.

1. How to Communicate Better by Being an Excellent Listener

You’ve probably heard that conversation is a two-way street. The person you’re talking with says something, and you respond, then vice-versa. Have you ever been in a one-sided conversation when the other person is chatting away, and you smile and nod your head?

Concentrate on being a good listener if you want to learn how to communicate better with friends, family, and coworkers. Listen to them instead of simply hearing their words and thinking what you want to say next.

Use receptive body language, eye contact, mirror their emotions, and don’t interrupt. Please take a couple of seconds to ingest what they’re saying. Active listeners show genuine interest in what others say, and they know it’s a key component of communicating.

Think of how many relationships were ruined because of misunderstandings. After you listen to the other person and pause for a minute, ask for any clarification. You can avoid a misunderstanding that could throw a wrench in your discussion.

2. Send an Old-Fashioned Letter

Before people had telephones, texting, and email, they wrote letters to their family and friends. Transportation by horse wasn’t always available at a moment’s notice, so they often sent letters to folks living in the same area. Our ancestors knew how to communicate better with cards and letters, even without modern conveniences.

Why not revive an age-old custom and surprise your family and friends with a handwritten letter or card? Buy some attractive stationery, a colorful selection of cards, and some stamps. While it’s acceptable to email and text, the people in your circle would appreciate the extra step you took to think of them.

3. How to Communicate Better by Being Honest and Genuine

Those who know how to communicate better make honesty their best policy. A real friend will tell you the truth lovingly, even if it stings a little. Those who tell you just what you want to hear aren’t doing you any favors.

Your family, friends, and coworkers will show you more respect when you’re genuine and honest in your conversations. They need to know that you’re a person of your word and aren’t fake. Those with honesty and integrity know how to communicate better.

It’s also essential that you convey honest feelings to each other. Don’t wait until someone has passed and regret that you didn’t express your feelings. Excellent communicators understand the value of leaving nothing unsaid nor love left undone.

4. Create a Positive Atmosphere

Isn’t it mind-boggling to converse with someone who has nothing to say but negativity and criticism? Everybody has a person in their circle that puts a damper on any festivity. Be an inspiring conversationalist and try to keep things upbeat.

People are more apt to lower their guard and have genuine discussions in a positive atmosphere. Even when you’re the bearer of bad news, your compassionate ear can be a positive support in times of despair. If you enjoy lively conversation, remember that people gravitate toward others who radiate optimism.

5. Turn off Technology and Tune into Others

Have you ever wondered how people in the past entertained each other? They didn’t need televisions, video games, and other noisy gadgets. Instead, they gathered around the hearth or on the front porch to laugh and talk under the stars.

The best gift you can give to others is to be fully present. When you pay attention when others are talking, you’ll know how to communicate better. Take a break from technology and learn to speak and listen to each other again.

Better yet, why not have meaningful conversations in the great outdoors? There’s something about the beauties of nature that boost your sensitivity and gratitude. Plus, all the little woodland creatures won’t repeat anything they hear.

6. Ask the Right Questions (One of the Friendliest Tips on How to Communicate Better)

If you have teenagers or have raised them, you know how futile closed-ended questions are. They usually offer their parents the classic teen trio of “yes,” “no,” or “I don’t know.” Learning to communicate better with your kids and others begins with asking the right questions.

Remember the five questions you should ask when talking to those in your circle: who, what, when, where, and how. These open-ended questions solicit a more detailed answer. It encourages the other person to talk and puts them at ease with you.

Another tool skilled conversationalists use is getting people to talk about themselves. It’s a subject they know best, and they’ll appreciate your interest in their thoughts and experiences. In a social setting, avoid taboo subjects such as religion, romance, politics, or anything too personal.

7. Know When to Take a Break

Even in the best personal and professional relationships, different personalities and opinions make people lock horns. Debating these differences shouldn’t be bad if the conversation is respectful. However, some situations can cause heated emotions, and it’s best to step back when things are going south.

Rather than say hurtful things that can’t be retracted, call a time-out. Give yourself and the other person time to relax and reflect on the conversation. You’ll have better relationships when you both learn to listen to each other and make compromises when necessary.

8. Know Your Circle

Discovering how the people in your circle tick is relevant for learning how to communicate better. You know their personality differences and the best ways to converse with them. Treat everyone as individuals and tailor your conversations accordingly.

For example, maybe your mate isn’t a morning person and is a bit cranky before a pot of coffee. You realize that mentioning certain subjects with them isn’t wise until later in the day. Being sensitive to others’ habits and moods will help you learn how to communicate better.

What kind of communicator is your family or friend? Are they a person of few words, or do they create a one-person gabfest? You’ll need to tailor your conversation a bit to understand their thinking. The more you communicate with others, the more you can improve your relationships.

9. Learn How to Discuss Difficult Subjects

According to Dan Mager, LSMW, having difficult discussions with people can heighten your anxiety. Mager suggests that you prepare what to say and keep to the topic without being accusatory.

Nobody enjoys these conversations, but the other person will appreciate your honesty. Whether you’re relaying terrible news or discussing a problem in your relationship, remember to do it with respect and compassion.

Confronting relationship issues is bound to heighten emotions, so tread carefully. Instead of putting your mate on defense with “you” and “your,” use “I” and “my.” For example, “I feel unappreciated when you spend more time watching tv than with me in the evenings.

Statements like these convey your feelings instead of pointing a finger. Avoid using blanket statements with “always” or “never.” They aren’t helpful and may escalate the mood into an argument. It’s better to be neutral and say, “Sometimes I get frustrated when you don’t call me and tell me you’ll be late for dinner.”

Another way to give your conversations more equality is to say, “talk with” rather than “talk to.” When you ask, “May I talk with you?” it makes the other person feel connected. Saying “talk to” gives the impression of superiority that won’t be well received.

10. Remember the Importance of Touch

Physical contact is of the utmost importance when in a romantic relationship. Receptive body language and a loving touch speak volumes without saying a word. You’ll also pay attention to nonverbal cues as you discover how to communicate better.

There’s nothing like walking through the park or the grocery store hand-in-hand with your lover. Gestures like a hug, a touch on the shoulder, or the hand can also show your loved ones you care. In most cases, courteous handshakes are still appropriate in a professional setting.

Final Thoughts on How to Communicate Better

It’s been said that nobody is an island, and everyone depends on each other to survive and thrive. Communicating better can enrich your life and strengthen your personal and professional relationships.

It’s like any other skill that must be practiced to see improvements and benefits. Communication is vital in your life, so spend some time perfecting it.

20 Questions to Ask When You Meet a New Love Interest

June 9, 2022 by Chris Butler

Meeting someone new can often be overwhelming, but you have a lot of things you want to know before you go any further. Everyone has a proverbial list in their mind of things that they will and won’t accept in a person, as well as some things they’re looking for in a mate.

It’s always good to get the essential conversations out of the way first so that you know right away if something is or isn’t going to work. Not every person you have a spark for will be a perfect match for you, so you must do some detective work.

Twenty Questions to Ask a New Love Interest

To see if you’re compatible with a person requires a bit of small talk. Physical attraction is one thing, but such superficial things are not enough to sustain a relationship. You need to know something about this person that shows substance.

If you ask them to tell you about themselves, it’s a bit of a broad topic that might be too hard to answer. Nerves always play a significant role in the first few encounters, so it’s better to ask more pointed questions. Here are the best questions to ask when meeting a potential love interest.

1. What’s Your Idea of a Perfect Date?

You need to know if they like the mountains, beach or prefer to go out to dinner or sit home and chill. When you have an introvert and an extrovert trying to match, it can be troublesome to find activities, so you need to know their preferences.

2. Have You Ever Been Engaged or Married?

Questioning someone if they’ve ever been married or engaged before is essential. You want to know if they have failed relationships. If so, why did they go wrong?

The last thing you want to do is get involved with a serial cheater or someone who has a narcissistic personality disorder.

3. Do You Like Pets?

One critical discussion to have right away is if they love pets. It can be a significant issue if you love both dogs and cats, and they don’t like animals in their space.

If you both love animals, then it won’t be a problem. However, some folks feel very strongly about the cleanliness and bringing Fido into their space.

4. Where Do You See Yourself in Five or Ten Years From Now?

Do they have plans, dreams, and goals for their future? You want to make sure you’re both going in the same direction. If they’re moving to Italy and you want to stay stateside close to family and raise kids, it might not work.

5. What Do you Do for a Living?

Romance requires some finance, so you need to find a roundabout way of asking what they make. Can they sustain a relationship financially? Ask them what they do for a living, and it can answer many questions that you want to ask but you’re afraid are too personal.

6. Are You Close to Your Family?

Always find out if they’re close to their family or if there’s some weird dynamic going on. Claire Jack, Ph.D., explains this in an article on toxic family relationships. She states that people often have harmful situations cut themselves off from family due to emotional or physical abuse.

If you get involved with a person who has challenging family dynamics, it can affect you profoundly. Should you ever get married, remember you’re signing up for a life of more than just this person.

7. Do You Have Any Hobbies You Enjoy?

Find out what they like to do for fun. You don’t want someone who sits in front of the TV all the time, as there’s so much life to live. It would be nice if you had some things in common that you could do together.

8. What’s Your Favorite Type of Food?

While finding out what their favorite food is won’t make or break a relationship, it can help you know what they like for future date planning. If you ever decide to have this person over and cook for them, you will know exactly what to make.

9. Are You a Sports Fan?

Okay, so it’s one of the questions to ask that seems silly, but you want to know if you need to rearrange your life during football, basketball, or baseball season. Some people are obsessed with sports, so you need to see if you will be spending more time stadium side than you like.

10. Where Do You Like To Vacation?

Do they prefer the mountains and the privacy of a rustic get-a-way, or do they like the ocean and the tranquility of the lapping waves? Since you want to spend time together, finding out if you like similar things can be helpful.

11. What Season is Your Favorite?

If you’re all about Christmas and live for the season, you probably want to know if you’re getting involved with Scrooge. Perhaps, they have a religious affiliation that forbids them from celebrating any holidays, even birthdays. You need to find out if the person you’re interested in is festive.

12. Are You a Spiritual Person?

Religion and spirituality play a significant role in a relationship, so one of the questions you should ask early on is faith. Your dynamic as a couple depends on mutual respect and your beliefs. According to Paul Thagard, Ph.D., many people classify themselves as spiritual but don’t partake in indoctrinated faith.

Today’s society rejects organized religion with rituals and convictions and discards the belief in a higher power like God, Allah, or Ba’al. The most important thing is that you both can respect one another’s ideas, which doesn’t interfere with your relationship. If there’s mutual respect and conversations about how kids will be raised and such, you can work through it.

13. Do You Have Any Weirdest Habit or Quirks?

The person of your dreams may be everything you’ve ever wanted, but this one weird habit or quirk may drive you mad. Ask them upfront if they do anything that drives other people crazy. Maybe they have some fetish or other odd habit that you know you can’t live with no matter how hard you try.

14. Do You Have a Special Diet?

While you wouldn’t think diet would be so important, it’s one of the questions to ask early on. If they observe a vegetarian lifestyle and avoid meat and live for a rack of ribs and a steak, it might cause some friction. Additionally, some people feel very passionate about their diets, so you need to make sure that you mesh food-wise.

15. What’s Your Best Memory as a Child?

One of the questions to ask must be about their childhood. When you ask them to go back and identify a good memory, you’re essentially asking them how childhood was for them. Listen closely to how they talk about their mom and dad; it can indicate red flags of emotional baggage and intense wounds.

16. Do you want children?

It’s too late to ask them if they want children when someone is pregnant. Find out if they see themselves as a mom or dad early on. Some people don’t want children and the intense responsibility of raising them, while others want a whole house full of kids.

17. Did you go to college?

Finding out whether they went to college can help to determine their financial status. Someone who goes to college probably has many student loans, but they may have an excellent job to offset those. People who go to college tend to make more money than those who don’t, so it’s good to know.

18. What’s one thing you would like to change about yourself?

Everyone has things about themselves that they would like to change, and it’s better to find out about these issues before you’re involved. You may be surprised at the answers you get.

19. Where do you see yourself in the future?

Where do they see themselves in the future? Do they want to move to faraway lands and be an ex-pat? If their life’s dream is to see the world, and you refuse to get on a plane, then how can it work?

20. Are you free next week?

Of all the questions to ask, the most important is the one that lets you know if their social calendar is free next week. You want to see if they can go on another date, especially if this one went well.

Final Thoughts on Questions to Ask When Meeting a Potential Love

First dates and meeting someone new is always a challenge. However, you can get to know each other better by giving them a few questions. Sure, the questions seem harmless, but there’s some valuable information in there that you need to know if you intend to go any further.

It’s always better to find out early on if issues such as spirituality might cause significant rifts in the beginning. If you can come to a compromise early on, there’s nothing that can stop your love, especially if you set firm boundaries.

15 Self Love Affirmations Most People Ignore

June 9, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

Self love affirmations can help boost your confidence, optimism, happiness, and your overall well-being. When you love yourself, it helps improve your life and share your positivity with the people around you. Affirmations help you switch your mindset and focus on the essential things in your life.

If you want to respect yourself and recognize your self-worth, these self love affirmations can help. As you repeat the positive phrases, keep your mind open to the words that you say. The affirming statements make you feel good, helping you develop a love for yourself.

Self love affirmations provide positive internal dialogue to focus on, center your mind, and direct your thoughts. You can use them to guide your thoughts, words, and actions in a way that allows you to embrace self-love. Using these affirmations can help you put yourself first and embrace the person that you are right now.

Self Love Affirmations Most People Ignore

It’s sometimes hard to put yourself first when it seems like everyone else needs something from you. You must learn to love yourself first, though, because you can’t give your all to others when you aren’t well. Use these self love affirmations that most people ignore to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself.

1. I feel the positive energy radiating within me.

When you feel the positive energy coursing through your body, you’ll feel much better about life. It helps eliminate negativity, allowing you to focus on bettering yourself and embracing life. Use this affirmation each morning to help keep negative thoughts out of your mind as the day continues.

To further boost the benefits of this affirmation, look in the mirror as you say it out loud. Then, visualize the positivity working its way through your body. With the positive words and the visualization, you’ll quickly feel love within.

2. I am smart and a valuable asset to society.

This self love affirmation will help you recognize your value and worth. Remember that you are smart, and you’ll have the confidence to do anything.

Plus, the reminder that you’re a valuable asset helps you see your worth outside of your home, too. While it doesn’t matter what other people think of you, you’ll like yourself better when you know that you’re a good person.

3. I am always learning and becoming better at the things I do.

You’ll feel more positive about yourself and your life if you always continue learning. There are learning opportunities in each day as long as you know to look for them. Embrace each chance you have to improve your skills and adopt a new one, and the love you have for yourself will increase.

4. I have the skills it takes to achieve my goals.

With a positive mindset and love for yourself, you can do anything you set your mind on. You have what it takes, so encourage yourself by using this affirmation. This phrase encourages you by highlighting your skillset and ability.

If you ever begin to doubt yourself, turn to these self love affirmations for guidance. It’ll help you remember that you have the skills, and you just have to look within to find them.

Affirming Statements to Boost Confidence

5. I deserve happiness and joy.

Without happiness and joy, you likely won’t experience love for yourself. Love and happiness tend to accompany one another, so always remember that you deserve joy. If you ever feel like you aren’t worthy of good things, use this affirmation until you remember that you do.

Once you recognize that you deserve happiness and joy, you’ll begin looking for it and finding it all around you. Sometimes all it takes is telling yourself that you can have good things in your life.

6. I speak lovingly to myself and those in my life.

When you speak lovingly to yourself, you show yourself the love that you deserve. It’ll make you happier and more confident as you go through each day.

This affirmation can help improve your relationships, too, further increasing your joy about life. If you speak kindly to yourself, you’ll do the same to others, spreading love everywhere you go.

7. I am safe, and everything is okay right now.

Sometimes the best way to take care of yourself is by affirming that everything is okay. When life gets hard, you might feel on edge all of the time. By assuring yourself that nothing bad will happen right now, you’ll begin to feel love within.

This positive phrase is highly beneficial to those with anxiety. Anxiety can make you feel like something is always wrong, and it interferes with your ability to care for yourself. Repeat this phrase until you begin to feel some relief.

Affirming Your Strength

8. I am strong and can persevere through any obstacle.

You can get through anything that comes your way, and using this affirmation will help you remember. Never hold back positive self-talk because it can help you find your inner strength and abilities. Then, you’ll have the love you need to get through anything and come out more resilient than before.

9. I am staying true to my values and beliefs.

There’s no better way to show love to yourself than by staying true to who you are. Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into doing something that you don’t believe in or feel comfortable with. You can say no at any given time without feeling bad about it.

Likewise, when you want to do something that aligns with your values, feel free to say yes. You don’t have to go along with what other people want because it’ll interfere with your well-being. Appreciate and value yourself enough to stay true to who you are–use these self love affirmations to remind yourself.

10. I focus on taking care of myself each day.

It’s easy to put other people’s needs and desires before your own, but you must refrain from doing so. Embrace the time you have to take care of yourself, and make sure to make it a priority. Use this affirmation to help you focus on taking care of yourself rather than putting all of your energy into others.

It isn’t always other people that distract you from taking care of yourself, either. Prioritize self-care time above work and any other obligations you have in your life. Take care of yourself, and the rest will fall into place before you know it.

11. I have plenty of things to offer to the people around me.

Never doubt how much you offer to the world around you. Embrace your good qualities, skills, and characteristics and recognize how much value they have. You are an asset to the universe, so make sure you remind yourself of it often.

Self Love Affirmations About Emotional Intelligence

12. I am at peace and feel calm within.

With peace and calmness within, you’re sure to find love, too. You can give yourself the love you deserve when your mind and body align and focus on you. Repeat this affirmation until you feel tension and worry leave your body.

13. I am open to love from the important people in my life.

To fully show yourself love, you must be open to receiving love. The people in your life want to give you love, but you might be closed off from accepting it. Use this affirmation to help yourself become more receptive to love from the people around you.

14. I care for and protect myself.

This phrase is one of the most ignored self love affirmations because most people don’t see its importance. You must care for and protect yourself because no one else will do it for you. If you know what you need and want in life, it is up to you to provide it for yourself.

Don’t wait around for someone else to swoop in and take care of you. Even if you have people that might do it, you must learn to do it yourself, or you’ll never find love within.

15. I am thankful for all that I have.

With a grateful heart and thankfulness, you’re sure to experience a meaningful and fulfilling life full of love. Embrace the things you have and the people you are close to, and you’ll find the love you need within yourself.

As you repeat this affirmation, think of the things you are most thankful for in your life. When these things and people run through your mind, you’ll experience a surge of love for yourself.

Final Thoughts on Self Love Affirmations Most People Ignore

Repeating self love affirmations can help you take better care of yourself and embrace the person you are. When you love yourself, everything else in life becomes a little bit easier. You’ll be more confident, optimistic, and happier.

Plus, your relationships will flourish as you have so much love to give to others. With self love, you will radiate positivity and attract good people and things into your life. Choose your favorite self love affirmations and implement them in your morning routine.

When you learn to love the person that you are, your health and wellness will improve. Embrace your life and love the skin you’re in so that you can live a meaningful, fulfilling life.

11 Kitchen Scraps That Serve as Natural Garden Fertilizer

June 8, 2022 by Chris Butler

Is your trash can overflowing with food waste every day? Even if you have a garbage disposal, some of it can’t be put in it. How can you turn your kitchen scraps into black gold for your garden?

Whether you live on a large farm or in a small city apartment, you can successfully compost your kitchen waste. For a larger area, consider a simple wooden compost bin or metal barrel. If you have limited space, try one of the many small composting buckets that go under your sink.

Composting is a great start to creating a more sustainable lifestyle, but don’t forget about protecting your garden once you’ve nurtured it with that rich compost. Fencing is essential to keep out unwanted animals and create a neat boundary around your garden space. Whether you choose wooden, metal, or even Premier enclosures fencing, a sturdy fence will safeguard your plants and ensure they can grow undisturbed.

In addition to its practical benefits, fencing can also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden. Fencing, for instance, offers a variety of stylish and durable options that can complement any garden design. By choosing the right fence, you can create a beautiful and secure environment for your plants, making the most of your efforts in turning kitchen scraps into valuable compost. If you need an expert to help you decide, consider American Heritage Fence Company to assist you with the fence installation.

Composting Made Simple

The basic process of composting is when microorganisms break down organic matter into nutrient-rich soil. It works with the natural heat of decay and moisture. The time it takes for your kitchen waste to decompose into healthy compost depends on how much is there and what you’ve added.

An article published by the National Resources Defense Council explains that your compost bin needs air, water, carbon, and nitrogen. To get a well-balanced product, you may modify your compost as needed. It would help if you had a balance of green and brown, as stated in the article.

Your organic kitchen waste provides the “green” nitrogen component. Paper and cardboard scraps and dead twigs and leaves are the “brown” carbon part. If your compost is too wet, add some more brown. Add some green if it’s too dry and it’s decomposing too slowly.

Lastly, your compost bin needs moisture and air. Watering your outside bin or adding water to your smaller kitchen bucket keeps the compost moist. Aerate the mixture by turning with a pitchfork or shaking a portable model occasionally.

If you can’t spend much time tending to a compost pile, you prefer the cold method. It just allows the organic matter to break down naturally with time and little attention. However, if you don’t want to wait a year or so for compost, you can monitor the moisture, air, and minerals, known as the hot method.

Another popular method of composting is vermicomposting, which uses the help of earthworms. As gratitude for providing a healthy food source and warm living environment, these helpful critters will aerate and amend your compost.

An article published by the US Food and Drug Administration estimates that Americans waste at least 133 billion pounds of food each year. While much of it is only scraps, the majority of waste that goes into municipal landfills each year is food, according to the article. It’s a severe criticism against this nation while so many poorer countries are experiencing food shortages.

Don’t Throw Away These Eleven Kitchen Scraps.

It’s easy for your trash can to fill up quickly with kitchen waste left from cooking. You also probably purge your refrigerator and pantry once a week and toss expired food. Be kind to your garden and the environment, and you should consider composting these eleven ordinary scraps.

1. Raw Fruit and Vegetables

Think of all the peelings, seeds, and cores that go into your trash each day. Not to mention the fruits and veggies that are past their prime. Although there are a few fruits and veggies that won’t work, most can be composted successfully.

2. Biodegradable Tea Bags and Loose Tea

A tea for two and then what? Instead of disposing of your used tea bags and loose-leaf tea, turn them into rich compost. As they decompose, they will add valuable tannic acid and other nutrients to your backyard or garden.

3. Expired Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices boost the flavor of almost any dish. The fresher they are, the more aromatic and flavorful. Unfortunately, even dried herbs and spices lose their savor after a while and need to be replaced.

They are an excellent source of vitamins and fiber for your compost bin. Dump your expired herbs and spices in and give them a good stir. Avoid composting salt or salt combinations since they can be toxic to your soil.

4. Yard and Garden Waste

Each time you cut the lawn, weed the garden and prune your plants, you have piles of green waste. Although these aren’t kitchen scraps, they often get tossed away in trash bags with food waste. Consider composting yard and garden waste, being careful not to add weeds or diseased plants.

5. Egg Shells

Have you ever watched experienced gardeners add crushed eggshells to their house plants? Like humans, plants need calcium to grow healthy and strong. Eggshells that are cleaned and crushed are an ideal source of calcium for your compost bin.

6. Spent Flowers

That stunning bouquet on your table soon wilts. Rather than pitch wilted flowers in with your kitchen scraps, why not compost them instead? They boost nutrients and can be either the green or brown component of your compost.

7. Pulp from Your Juicer

If you enjoy juicing, you might keep the pulp for some added vitamins. However, many people prefer pulp-free juices, so they discard the leftover pulp as kitchen scraps. You can compost pulp easily to create balanced and healthy compost for your garden.

8. Paper Scraps

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, paper waste is the most significant component of American landfills, about 290 tons annually. Consider all the paper packaging that people toss with their kitchen scraps. Did you know that you can compost used paper goods like paper towels, napkins, and clean cardboard packaging?

9. Healthy Clippings from House Plants

Houseplants add interest and beauty to your home, as well as beneficial oxygen to the air. If you have a green thumb, you know that houseplants need occasional trimming and grooming to stay healthy. Why throw away those pruned leaves, branches, and tired flowers when you can compost them?

10. Wine Corks

Nothing makes a dinner more special than a fresh bottle of wine or the occasional bubbles of champagne. There are only so many corks you can keep or repurpose into cute crafts. Cork is a natural material that is 100% biodegradable, and it’s perfect for your compost bin. However, the plastic composite “new” corks are NOT compostable, so be sure only to toss natural cork into your compost bin.

11. Wood Ashes

Some people enjoy the primitive joys of cooking over a wood stove. You may also use hardwood in your grill or smoker.

The leftover ashes can be composted with your kitchen scraps to balance the alkalinity versus acidity of the mix. Just be sure not to compost charcoal ash, as it receives chemical treatments by the manufacturer–and that’s bad for the health of your compost pile.

You Cannot Compost These Six Kitchen Scraps

Once you get into the habit of composting these ordinary kitchen scraps, you may wonder what other things in your kitchen you can add. These are some items that should never go into your compost bin:

1. Meat or Bones

While meat is organic and biodegradable, it’s not suitable for making compost. Most compost bins don’t generate enough heat to destroy any possible pathogens in the rotting meat. Plus, the scent of beef is bound to attract unwanted vermin to your yard.

2. Dairy Products

If your kitchen scraps include expired milk, cheese, or other dairy products, don’t compost them. Since these are also animal products, avoid mixing them into your compost bin. They could add a stray bacteria or pathogen that could be harmful to your developing fertilizer and draw pests.

3. Fruits and Veggie Exceptions

Live earthworms work magic in a compost bin by breaking down the waste and providing nutrient-rich castings. Citrus fruit, onions, and garlic are acidic and can raise the balance of the compost. Acidic soil is detrimental to the earthworms, so toss these fruits and veggies.

4. Cooking Oils

There’s a good reason why restaurants send used cooking oil to be recycled rather than composted. Your compost pile requires water to mature correctly, and the oil ruins the moisture balance. The same goes for oily foods like condiments, salad dressings, and even peanut butter.

5. Grains and Baked Goods

Whole grains may be delicious and nutritious for you, but they aren’t good for your compost pile. When mixed with your composting kitchen scraps, they may produce bacteria that are harmful to the process. Another reason to pitch them is that grains and baked goods tempt rodents and other pests.

6. Plastic Wrap and Packaging

Many food manufacturers have developed “biodegradable” packaging and cellophane for their products. What they fail to mention is that most of these are only biodegradable on an industrial level. Unless the packaging is specifically labeled as “home biodegradable,” consider the possibility of recycling instead.

Final Thoughts on Composting Kitchen Scraps

The process of decomposing and renewal is perpetual. Your garden and yard can reap the benefits of simple composting. You’ll have nutrient-rich compost for almost nothing, and you’ll be a good steward of the environment.

12 Fun Things to Do to Eliminate Stress from Your Life

June 8, 2022 by Kristen Butler

Are you subjected to a high-stress job every day? Do you feel like you will collapse with exhaustion if one more thing is put on your plate? It would help if you had some fun things to do to melt that stress and tension away from your life.

You can’t live to work, and you can’t be all about having fun, which is why you need a delicate balance of each. A recent study was done by UX Collective on why employers should add more fun to their business. Employees who enjoy their time at work typically don’t have near the stress of other folks, and they are more productive.

A fun atmosphere in which joking, laughter, and team-building activities are used creates an environment where people want to work. If you rank your stressors in life, your job will probably fall at number one, followed by your family. Sadly, not all companies use this philosophy, and the stress tends to pile up and smother you.

However, while you cannot control the atmosphere at work, you can manage your response to stress by finding some fun things to do. You can laugh away the blues and do tons of other things to improve your mental health.

Twelve Fun Things To Do To Eliminate Stress

Are you tired of stressing out every day and feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders? Well, today, you can turn over a new leaf. It’s time for you to make some significant changes that can impact your entire life. Are you ready to be a new, improved you? Well, here are 12 things you can do to help get some fun and laughter back into your life.

1. Take a Weekend Away

When is the last time you took time away for yourself? If you have a spouse or significant other, why not escape for a weekend of rest? Your body needs time away from the regular daily routine so that you can rejuvenate your mind.

You don’t need to travel far, but if you’re adventurous, you can hop a plane and go somewhere spectacular. Still, you don’t need to spend a ton of money. You need a break from the daily grind so that you can come back feeling recharged.

2. Goof off a Little Bit

Even if you don’t feel like laughing, it’s the best medicine for stress. When you’re laughing, you’re releasing those feeling-good hormones as well as increasing your blood circulation. All these effects will lessen tension in your body.

If you feel like you must fake it at first, don’t worry. Even a fake laugh can turn into an honest belly chuckle in no time. Did you know that laughter is infectious? If you start laughing, it won’t be long till the people around you begin to laugh.

Don’t forget to laugh at yourself on occasion, too, especially when you do something silly. It keeps things light, and when you’re laughing at your mistakes, then you don’t have time to feel sorry for yourself. When you’re engaging in this time of joy, it reminds you that you can never take things too seriously.

3. Have a Picnic

Picnics are always a lot of fun. It’s the combination of nature, the sunshine, and good food that heightens your mood. Gather some of your best friends and family for an old-fashioned picnic. If you live near the beach, it’s even a better place to enjoy a great ambiance.

If you don’t live near a park or the beach, you can still use your backyard as a hangout. You don’t have to go far from home to have a good time, but you must learn to find stress relief even at home. One important thing that most people don’t realize is that what you eat at these picnics could also help your mood.

Most people love watermelon, tomatoes, and pink grapefruit. Inside these delicious fruits is a substance called lycopene. A recent article from the National Library of Medicine found that lycopene can help relieve stress and tension. Add this powerful element with vitamin D from the sun, and you’ve got a great pick me up with your friends.

4. Spend Time With a Pet

Pets have healing powers, which is why they’re often used in a nursing home and for therapy. Many studies have been conducted on these animals, and they can not only lower your heart rate, but they can also get those feel-good chemicals, like dopamine, releasing in the brain. Even if you must do stressful jobs, bringing your pet along can help you relax enough to do the task at hand.

5. Go For a 20 Minute Walk

When you think of fun things to do, you might not consider a walk. A lovely 20-minute stroll down your street can help you to reset your stress levels. Walking is exercise, and it gets the serotonin levels in your body to increase. Plus, you’re getting loads of vitamin D from the sun’s powerful rays, so that this walk can be very beneficial to your mood.

Bring along a good friend, your spouse, or children to have a good conversation while you walk away from all the stresses of the day.

6. Go to Your Happy Place

Everyone has a happy place that they love to go to escape the world. Is your happy place the beach, the mountains, or maybe your grandma’s house? Visualize yourself in that place for a moment.

Imagine the smells wafting through the air, the scenery that you enjoy, and all the things that make this place so wonderful. The best part is you can take a day trip in your mind even sitting at your desk at work.

7. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

Have you ever danced in your living room to some good music? Dancing is a great exercise, plus it’s good to clear your mind. Put on your boogie shoes and dance the night away, and who knows, your kids or spouse might want to join in too.

8. Meditate for 20 Minutes

When it comes to stress relief, meditation is supreme. Not only does it incorporate controlled breathing, but it also purges the negativity from your body, mind, and spirit. A session can be anywhere from 5-20 minutes, and you can do it just about anywhere you start feeling your tensions rise.

The National Library of Medicine reported a pilot study where participants meditated 15 minutes, two times each day. By the end of the three-week experiment, 67 percent of the people saw a significant reduction in their stress levels. While it may not be on top of the list for fun things to do, it certainly can be beneficial.

9. Write Yourself a Positive Message

Sticky notes can be your best friend. You can use them to write positive messages or even something funny for you to see. Hang some on the bathroom mirror, on your computer screen at work, or anywhere that you need a boost in your spirit or attitude during the day.

10. Attend an Outdoor Concert

Forget being crammed in a building with thousands of people hearing a good band. Why not take the party outside? A concert with some good music, friends, and the sunshine may be just what you need to have fun and enjoy life.

11. Create a “Gratitude Sandwich.”

When you think of a sandwich, your mind wonders about ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and all the other fixings. However, a gratitude sandwich isn’t something you eat, but you ingest differently. To make your sandwich, you want to figure two things that are great in your life and one bad.

So, if you have a great job, a boss with whom you don’t get along, and have great fringe benefits, you can use that as one sandwich. What you’re doing is retraining your brain to overlook the negative by focusing on the positive aspects. You can use this trick with just about any part of your life.

The key is to stop spending so much time dwelling on the negatives, significantly since the positives outweigh them. Grab a piece of paper and a pencil and draw your gratitude sandwich and watch how it changes your perspective on things. Who’s hungry for that hoagie now?

12. Smell Your Partner’s Shirt

Of all the fun things to do, you probably didn’t imagine smelling your partner’s shirt would be one of them. In fact, the very mention of such a task might sound a bit creepy to you. However, a study conducted by the American Psychological Association shows that it can lower your stress levels and help you feel better overall.

Final Thoughts on Fun Things To Do

Remembering to have fun isn’t always easy, especially when your daily responsibilities consume you. However, it would help if you learned to take things one day at a time. While it’s not so easy to accomplish this task, it’s worth all the effort to learn new ways of living.

Did you see anything on the list that inspired you? If you want to decrease your stress levels and start enjoying life again, then pick a couple of these fun things to try.

13 Ways to Ease Your Mind When You Are Struggling

June 8, 2022 by Chris Butler

“Sorry, you failed.” These three little words make even the most confident person feel utterly discouraged. No one likes to fail, but it’s something everybody experiences in their life. Getting over your failure is vital. Here are thirteen tips to help ease your mind when you must deal with struggles.

Is struggling a good thing?

Researchers suggest that failure has some positive side effects. They say failure gives you a learning experience that you wouldn’t have otherwise. You can’t avoid failure, but if you view failure as a chance for self-improvement, you won’t be as devastated when it happens.

Thirteen ways to ease your mind when you have struggles

If you are struggling to accept the outcome of recent events, take a moment to relax. Soothe your mind by remembering these tips.

1 – Accept how you feel

After an enormous failure, it’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions. You may struggle with anger, despair, doubt, and fear in a short period. Failure is an emotionally disorienting experience. Some people don’t like dealing with their emotions. When they fail, they push away their feelings. But pushing away feelings is like putting a tiny bandage on a big gash on your arm. The bandaid may stop the bleeding for a few seconds, but eventually, you’re going to bleed out if you don’t take care of the gash. Don’t bleed out. Accept the fact that you’re damn disappointed you didn’t make the team. Don’t you feel better now?

2 – Don’t take failure personally

Failing feels like it attacks your person, but failing doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It’s a temporary setback in a particular area. Whether you failed an exam or didn’t get the job promotion you wanted, failing isn’t a stop sign. Failure is a yield sign. Yield means to slow down. When you fail, slow down and sort out what happened. What should you do next? Should you pursue a different route? Should you try again later? Most of all, ease your mind by reminding yourself you’re not a failure. You tried something, and it didn’t work out as you hoped.

3 – Take responsibility

You probably know people who fail at something, and instead of taking responsibility, they blame everybody else. They say it was the teacher’s fault they failed a test, or the referee made a bad call. They aren’t to blame for any part of the failure. Of course, there may be outside factors contributing to your struggles, but good chance you may have a role to play in it.

Evaluate what you could have done differently. Was there something you did or didn’t do that contributed to the failure? Ease your mind by taking responsibility, and then let go of rest.

4 – Don’t worry about others’ opinions

It’s easy to let your failure get tied up with what others think about you. What will your parents say when you tell them you failed the exam? What will your co-workers think of you when they hear you didn’t get promoted? Don’t let what others think about you control you. Resist doing things based on others’ approval. Ease your mind by remembering that the people who love you are for who you are, not whether you succeed or fail.

5 – Failure: 101

Did you ever consider that failure is like a classroom? In the failure class, you learn new things about yourself, how you handle problems, and how you find answers to your questions. Failure can put a fire in your bones. It’s a tutor to those who will listen and learn. If you give up, you never know. So, set your mind on what you can learn from failing.

6 – Be resilient

According to psychologists, resilience is having the emotion and mental strength to cope with a crisis. It possesses mental toughness that helps you make good choices and protect yourself from the harmful effects of stress. When you fail, it’s essential to be resilient. Don’t let failure reroute your dreams or ambitions. In her song, Get Up, Cardi B explains resiliency like this,

Knock me down, nine times, but I get up ten. Look myself in the mirror, I say we gon’ win. Knock me down, nine times, but I get up ten Yeah, but I get up ten.

When you struggle, choose to be someone who gets up after being knocked down instead of quitting. Your resilience will pay off down the road.

7 – Don’t be too hard on yourself

When you fail, it may tempt you to get angry at yourself. Feeling irritated and critical of yourself gets you nowhere. And self-punishment won’t change the situation. Accept that you failed. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Ease your mind by extending yourself a little grace. That’s what you would do for someone else in the same position. Ask yourself these questions:

What lies am I believing about myself, my life, or my future right now?
Who am I scared to tell?
What am I most discouraged about?
What am I afraid of?
Where can I find hope right now?
How does this change my life right now?

8 – Get exercise

You may feel like crawling under your bed covers and staying there for days, but you won’t feel better. It’s more likely that staying in bed will make you feel more depressed and unhappy. Even though you’re struggling with failure, try to get yourself out of bed and outside for a walk. Studies show that being physically active improves your life’s well-being and lifts your spirit. Other benefits of physical exercise include

Diabetes
Certain cancers
Heart disease
Better sleep

Exercise eases depression. It makes you feel happier. Start small. One day, take a short walk. The next day, take another walk, and another one. Before you know it, you’ll be walking miles. Good chance you’ll also be feeling better about your life.

9 – Skip the junk food

When you’re feeling anxious, it’s easy to grab junk food like sugary candy, fatty ice cream, or salty chips to ease your mind. Junk food is high in fat and sugar. You feel worse when you eat junk food, which you don’t need right now. Instead, try whipping up something nutritious that you love. Invite a friend over to eat with you. Or go out to a health-oriented restaurant with your family. Eat yummy fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grain fibrous carbohydrates, and lean meats. Drink lots of freshwater instead of alcohol or sweet sodas. Don’t let failure make you unhealthy.

10 – Treat yourself to some pampering

After an epic failure, take some time to pamper yourself. It would be best if you let go of the tension and anxiety associated with loss. Whether you get a pedicure or a new haircut, find something to make you feel better balanced in life. Other things you can do to pamper yourself could be

Play music and dance around your house
Get on some comfy clothes and watch your favorite television show
Light some candles and enjoy a nice warm bath
Give yourself a facial
Get a massage

11 – Get support

When you need to ease your mind after an epic failure, reach out to a trusted friend or family member. Choose someone who has been an excellent sounding board for you over the years. Explain what happened and how you’re feeling. Listen to their perspective and allow yourself to experience their care and support. Check in with these folks periodically to give them an update on how you’re doing.

12 – Escape with a good book

Reading is a beautiful way to ease your mind. When you read, it’s like escaping to another time or place for a while. It’s probably not a good idea to read a sad story right now. Choose a novel with wonderful characters who make you feel like you know them. As you dive into a book, you’ll get a little break from your problems. And who knows, you may get inspiration from the book for what you’re going through.

13 – Look at the future

Failure can make you feel stuck. It may have messed up your plans, and now you’re not sure what to do. That’s okay. Take it one day at a time and one step at a time. Look to the future and keep pursuing your goals. You may need to try a different approach or retake an exam. The main thing is, look forward to your future and you’ll find it.

Final thoughts on finding ways to ease your mind when you face struggles or failure

There will be many twists and turns in your life. One of them will be a failure, and it will add a dimension to your story you didn’t expect. Struggling doesn’t cancel out your story. It gives your story depth and color. Remember, failure doesn’t define who you are, but your struggles can help you become a more determined person.

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