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15 Daily Affirmations to Help Make Self-Love a Priority

February 11, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

It’s easy to put yourself last when everything seems out of control in life. However, no matter what’s going on in your life, making self-love a priority is essential to your well-being. Self-neglect will only worsen your situation, but when you love yourself, even your worst days will be manageable.

You might put too much time and energy into people that wouldn’t do the same for you. When you give so much of yourself to people who don’t deserve it, you sacrifice essential time in your life. Think of how better your life would be if you used that time and energy for self-love instead.

When you love yourself, you treat yourself with kindness and respect. You’ll nurture your growth and make your well-being a priority. Loving yourself allows you to have a favorable view of yourself and the world around you.

Daily Affirmations to Help Make Self-Love a Priority

Life is too short not to prioritize yourself, your needs, and your desires. You deserve to live a life you love, full of positivity and joy. Daily affirmations will remind you to make self-love a priority no matter what is happening around you.

1. I deserve to make loving myself a priority, even when life gets busy.

When you’re busy, you’ll feel pressured to cram everything you can into your day without allowing for downtime. You’ll remove the things deemed unessential from your schedule, starting with your self-care time. However, after living this way for a while, you’ll experience burnout and feel dissatisfied with your life.

This affirmation can help pull you out of that mindset and allow you to prioritize self-love again. If you know you have a busy day coming up, make sure to use this affirmation as you get ready. Don’t let a day pass where you don’t take some time to care for yourself.

2. I feel the love flowing within me.

It’s impossible not to love who you are if you feel love coursing through your body. With positive, loving energy flowing through you, you’ll start your day out on the right path. It’ll help you look for ways to practice self-care and make your well-being a priority.

3. I am gentle with myself and forgive my mistakes.

No one is perfect, and that includes you. When you make mistakes, be gentle with yourself and give grace when necessary. Reflect on what went wrong, but don’t dwell on it or spend time overthinking.

Learn what you can to do better next time, and then forgive yourself. If you’re holding onto any mistakes, this affirmation can help you move forward.

4. I am enough and worthy of love and being my own top priority.

You might encounter people who make you feel unworthy of love. They’ll say hurtful things, implying that you aren’t good enough. Sometimes, it’ll be you that makes yourself feel that way. If you experience not being sufficient or being unworthy of life, start using this affirmation each day.

This affirmation will help you overcome those feelings, and you’ll be able to push away negative self-thoughts. You are enough, and you are worthy of love. This knowledge will help you make self-love a priority each day.

5. I am complete just the way I am right now.

If you’ve lost someone you love, you might feel incomplete. Likewise, if you lost something that defined you, you might feel like you aren’t whole anymore. These feelings can cause you to neglect yourself as you search for what you already have inside.

6. I prioritize my mental and physical health over everything else.

Your mental and physical health should be at the top of your list of essential things. Please don’t put anything else before them, or it could cost you everything. Using this affirmation each morning will help you remember to put your needs first throughout the day.

7. I love the things that set me apart from others.

Your unique qualities set you apart from everyone else in the world. Embracing them can help you love yourself for who you are. When you start being critical of your unique qualities, repeat this affirmation to help you push away the negativity.

8. I am allowed to have and enforce boundaries–it will be a priority.

You are allowed to set boundaries for yourself and expect others to respect them. No one should be allowed to push your limits, let alone cross them. This affirmation can help you stay firm if there’s someone in your life that urges you to ignore what you’re comfortable with.

When you set boundaries and enforce boundaries, you make your well-being a priority. Never let anyone make you feel bad for having limits, either. The people in your life should respect what you want and need.

9. I am allowed to feel good about how I look and who I am.

Some people experience guilt for feeling good about themselves, but that’s not how it should be. When you feel good and embrace the sensation, you’ll be happy and love your life even more. You deserve to feel good about who you are on the inside and outside.

Spend time taking care of yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself. Don’t guilt-trip yourself for wanting to feel good, and don’t let anyone else give you a hard time, either. This affirmation will help you remember that there is nothing wrong with feeling good and loving yourself.

10. I am free of negative self-talk.

When you say that you’re free of something, it helps you envision it leaving your mind. It’s a reminder that while you once experienced negative self-talk, you’re now free of the burden.

This positive phrase helps reaffirm your mindset shift, allowing you to think good things about yourself. When you stop thinking negatively about yourself, you’ll find that self-love comes a little easier than before.

11. I choose myself in every situation.

When you make the conscious decision to choose yourself, you’ll have an easier time staying firm. It’s not uncommon for people to try to sway your decision, so keep this affirmation at the front of your mind.

If you use this affirmation each morning, you’ll feel more confident in yourself, too. It’s empowering when you know that you matter and that you can prioritize yourself.

12. I am embracing life and all it has to offer me.

Life is a blessing, and embracing it will help you live intentionally. Part of embracing life is doing the things that make you happy and feel fulfilled.

This affirmation will help you remember to prioritize what you need from life rather than putting everyone else first. When you take care of yourself, everything else will fall into place. Add it to your morning routine, and you can reap the benefits from the start.

13. I am letting go of those lower priority things that take my time and energy.

Letting go of things that aren’t beneficial to your life can make all the difference. You might spend your time doing things for others, knowing that they wouldn’t do the same for you. Or, you might struggle to say no when people ask you to do something, even when you know that you don’t have the time.

This affirmation will help guide you to let go of things that don’t bring fulfillment to your life. You could be using that time and energy to take care of yourself and become a better version of yourself. Don’t waste any more of that precious time on things that don’t matter.

14. I am kind to myself no matter what happens.

Things won’t always work out the way you hoped they would, but you should still be kind to yourself. It’s easy to beat yourself up and think about what you could have done differently. However, this easy way of thinking won’t help you at all, and it’ll only make you neglect yourself.

Repeat this affirmation when things don’t go how you wanted them to. You deserve self-love, especially when you’re upset. Push away the negative self-thoughts with these positive words, and focus on the things you did well instead.

15. I am successful, and I believe in myself.

Everyone’s measure of success is different, so don’t care yours to anyone else’s. Comparison only leads to disappointment and negativity rather than growth and development. Instead, consider where you are right now compared to where you were in the past.

If you’ve grown at all, you’re successful. You’ve learned and developed to get where you are today. This affirmation will remind you of your achievements, and it’ll help you remember that you can keep moving forward.

Final Thoughts on Daily Affirmations to Help Make Self-Love a Priority

It’s easy to neglect ourselves when things go wrong, or life gets busy. However, these are the times we must make self-love a priority the most.

Be gentle with yourself, and let go of anything that doesn’t make you feel great about life. Forgive yourself for your mistakes, and use them as guidance for something greater in life. Don’t waste any more time putting other people and things before yourself. When you prioritize yourself, you’ll experience all the joy and fulfillment that life has to offer.

15 Behaviors a Cruel Person Displays Before Revealing Their Intentions

February 11, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

Cruel people are good at fooling those around them until the time is right. They’ll make you think that they are a kind-hearted, good person and then flip on you in an instant. When you’re caught unaware like this, it can be a shock that the person you thought you knew could be so toxic.

Cruelty can come from anyone, including parents, siblings, co-workers, friends, and romantic partners. They’ll likely be skilled at hiding their intentions until they’re ready for you to see their harmful ways. However, even if they try to hide it, there will be signs of who they are.

If you know what to look for, you’ll see subtle signs of their true intentions right from the start. Pay attention to how people make you feel daily, and if there’s any fleeting sense that something is off, don’t ignore it. It’s easy to brush away reg flags in the early stages of knowing someone, but these signs can make a difference.

Fifteen Behaviors a Cruel Person Displays Before Revealing Their Intentions

Learning the behaviors that an evil person displays before revealing their intentions protects you in the long run. It keeps you one step ahead of the cruel person, allowing you to prepare for what they intend. You can escape the toxic situation before the harmful behavior intensifies.

1. Cruel People Don’t Respect Boundaries

It’s a bad sign when people are persistent even after being told no. You might not recognize it as a toxic behavior at first, but not respecting simple boundaries signifies a much deeper issue. As you get closer to the person, they’ll continue ignoring your limitations, and their behavior will become more severe.

Not respecting boundaries is a sign that someone wants to gain power and control over you. They might use guilt or coercion to convince you to meet their needs or desires. It’ll be subtle in the beginning but

2. They Enjoy the Misfortune of Others

An evil person might smile or feel excited when they see other people experience misfortune. Whether they see disaster right in from of them or on the news, they’ll enjoy hearing all about it. It’s natural for people to be curious, but finding joy in misfortune is a toxic trait.

For some reason unknown to the rest of us, these people bask in the bad feelings of others. Even if they experienced a similar unfortunate situation in the past, they seem to forget about it for the time.

Unfortunately, they may eventually take it a step further and start creating bad situations for you and the people around you. They want to enjoy the moments of misfortunate that they brought on. If you can recognize them for who they are early on, you can prevent these malicious attacks from occurring at all.

3. You Receive Warnings from Others

If someone’s friends and family give you warnings about them, it’s a huge red flag. They might not say it directly, but they’ll issue warnings in the form of stories about their lives. If they tell you they went through a hard time but dismissed the issues or make excuses. It’s a warning sign of impending disaster.

Friends and family don’t want to speak ill of the person, but they’ll give you clues. It’s a way of letting you know that something is wrong and you must do something about it. Other times, friends and family will come right out and tell you that the person isn’t healthy.

Either way, don’t ignore the warnings from those closest to the person. However, don’t take a lack of warning from friends and family as a good sign, either. Sometimes the people closest to them will hide things or lie to help them out.

4. Cruel People Don’t Reveal Who They Are

A person with bad intentions won’t reveal their true self, and it’ll leave you feeling confused. One day they’ll portray kindness, love, and a caring heart. The next day they might be harsh, inconsiderate, or distant without reason.

These people will also be who they need to be when they want to get something. Evil people might change who they are, depending on where they are and who they are with. Cruel people switch their behaviors and hide themselves to play games with others. They do it to assert dominance over you and maintain control.

5. They Show Signs of Manipulation

The longer you know someone with bad intentions, the more manipulation you’ll experience from them. It’ll be subtle at first, but their toxic behaviors will gradually worsen. They manipulate the people in their lives to reel them in and get what they want.

Manipulative people are comfortable lying and taking advantage to obtain their desires. They’ll also do kind things for others, but it’ll come with a high price that no one knew about until later.

6. They are Rude and Belittle People

As you get to know the person, they’ll become ruder as they get comfortable. They’ll order people around, say rude things, and display unfriendly behaviors toward others. Even worse, they can’t seem to stop belittling people.

Belittling someone is a form of manipulation, but it’s also rude behavior. They’ll say hurtful things about someone’s body, interests, hopes, goals, hobbies, home, friends, and dreams. As they say these things, they want to change your opinion of yourself and make you question your decisions.

7. They Never Apologize

An evil person doesn’t apologize to others, even when they should. They won’t own up to their mistakes, and they believe it’s not their fault. These people create elaborate lies to avoid admitting guilt for anything they’ve done.

An evil person also cannot show remorse. They aren’t sorry for what they’ve done and how they’ve made you feel. Plus, if you mention that they didn’t apologize, they’ll deflect or try to make you feel like it was your fault.

8. Cruel People Are Controlling

Evil people feel like they must control the people in their lives. They’ll feel uncomfortable and powerless if they can’t manage even one aspect of your life. It’ll seem like they don’t trust you to do anything without them knowing or looking over your shoulder.

The early signs of controlling behavior are hard to see because they often come off as polite and concise. However, they’ll gradually start controlling everything as they get more comfortable.

9. They Don’t Like to Help Others

When people know that they shouldn’t bother asking someone for help, it’s a sign of a cruel person. Even when they can help someone, they won’t do it.

If you see them in public, they won’t hold the door for others or help someone pick up a stack of dropped papers. The usual things that most people do to help others will be far from the toxic person’s mind. However, if they ever decide to help someone, it comes at an intense price.

10. Cruel People Are Habitual Liars

Everyone lies sometimes, but habitual liars can’t seem to stop. They’ll lie about things that don’t matter at all, and they’ll lie about important things. These people lie pathologically, and they often don’t even realize that they do it.

They use lies to make them seem more substantial, brighter, and better than others. Plus, they often lie about their accomplishments and experiences, but they also lie about the people in their lives.

11. They Get Defensive Easily

When someone gets defensive or denies something, it’s their attempt at making the situation false. If someone offers a suggestion or gives constructive criticism, they’ll twist it all around. The person might turn it into a joke, but they also might turn it into an offensive statement that doesn’t make sense.

More subtle signs of defensiveness are when they pout, change the subject, or withdraw. They also sometimes act passive-aggressive when they get defensive.

12. Cruel People Try to Ruin People’s Happiness

When someone shares something exciting or joyful, a cruel person will say something to ruin the moment. They have a way of turning any positive news into negative because they are secretly envious. Evil people don’t want those around them to be happy.

Likewise, if they see people having a good time, they might find a way to ruin it. Whether they join and act inappropriate, or they put an end to the experience altogether, they’ll ruin everyone’s happiness.

13. They Throw Everything Out of Proportion

Toxic people turn everything into a big deal, and everyone will hear about it. They speak in absolutes, frequently using “always” and “never.” Their absolutes are rarely accurate, but they use them to incite an argument or debate.

These people want you to react, so they throw it out of proportion so that you’ll defend yourself or what you said. If you don’t respond, they’ll use it as a way to prove their point.

14. They Don’t Take Responsibility for Their Emotions

Cruel people blame their emotions on everyone around them. They project their feelings onto others because they aren’t strong enough to deal with it alone. Deflecting responsibility for their feelings is a defense mechanism that helps them cope with their problems.

15. Cruel People Are Judgmental

An evil person will exhibit signs of being judgmental early on. They might make offhanded comments about someone’s appearance, and they’ll point out flaws about everyone and everything. Evil people behave like no one is better than them.

Plus, they’ll secretly tell you their judgmental opinion of others that you both know. They try to draw you in and get you to agree with them or give your own negative opinion. Avoid falling into the trap because you don’t know their true intentions.

Final Thoughts on Behaviors a Cruel Person Displays Before Revealing Their Intentions

Knowing these behaviors that a cruel person displays before revealing their intentions can help protect you. Having people with bad choices in your life is a risky situation, and it’s best if you know who they are.

Remember to look for these signs when meeting someone new, whether at work or in your friend group. They can help you spot a cruel person early on, allowing you to stay one step ahead.

15 Balanced Life Behaviors Most People Forget

February 11, 2022 by Chris Butler

Good habits help your life better, but bad habits can create chaos and cause unhappiness. If you want to be successful and have joy in your life, you must learn to develop good habits that will help you become a better person.

Fifteen Balanced Life Behaviors You Should Always Remember

Think of the process of developing good habits as a positive step towards becoming a better version of yourself. You know that some things like eating right and getting enough sleep are givens, but what other habits can you develop to enhance your journey? Here are some things you can begin today.

1. Express Gratitude for a More Balanced Life

One of the best ways to have a balanced life is to express gratitude every day. You have many things to be thankful for, and you should never lose sight of all your blessings.

Even on the darkest day when the sun doesn’t seem bright, you must still focus on your blessings. Develop the habit of writing down all the things the Universe has blessed you with, and it will keep you through the times when being grateful isn’t as easy.

2. Smile

Smiling is such a little thing that has such a significant impact. When you smile, you shift your mental attitude from negative to positive. It’s hard to be upset when you’re smiling.

Since smiling is contagious, you’ll create an atmosphere of joy, and people will be more apt to have good interactions with you. Plus, according to the National Library of Medicine, smiling can increase your immune system, which ultimately helps with your stress levels.

3. Utilize Daily Meditation

If you need a more peaceful life than what you’re living, maybe it’s time to utilize meditation. Did you know that you must start by changing your mindset to develop good habits? Meditation can help you ease those negative racing thoughts, and it can help get you into a more positive headspace.

4. Practice Mindful Living for a Balanced Life

Many people are present in the world, but they’re not engaged. Mindful living is all about noticing the things around you and not just going through life on autopilot. When you eat dinner, do you stop and focus on the flavors of each bite you take, or do you rush to get onto the next task?

So many people are suffering because they live life in such a hurry that they miss the beautiful things right in front of them. Having a balanced life requires attentiveness and focus.

5. Speak in Friendly Tones

Your tone means everything when you speak. If you’re upset or frustrated, you’ll inevitably say things that you regret later. Did you know that communication errors are one of the biggest causes of issues globally?

It’s effortless to let your emotions get the best of you, but you must develop the good habit of speaking in a friendly tone. Even if the conversation is harsh and heated, remember to speak kindly and control your reactions. It can mean everything towards a good outcome.

6. Spend Time with Friends and Family

Living a balanced life with contentment and peace comes from simple things, like spending time with your family and friends. It seems that everyone is in a mad dash these days, and there’s not enough quality time spent with the ones you love. Remember, your family is the ones that will be there when everything else around you is crashing, so it’s essential to make time for them too.

7. Simplify Your to Do List

Stop cramming so much into your day that you couldn’t have a peaceful day if you wanted to! You’re not a superhero who has incredible strength or superpowers, nor can you do miraculous things, so quit putting so much pressure on yourself. Simplify your day by making it all about things you can accomplish.

You will not only feel better crossing things off, but you’ll have a sense of accomplishment that balances you. A long list is an enormous burden, so just cut it short and make it doable.

8. Volunteer for a Balanced Life

It would be best if you took the time to give back to those in need. The Food Research and Action Center found that 38 million Americans, or around 13 percent, go without proper nutrition each day.

That means that someone in your community, family, or place of employment is struggling to feed their family. Even people that go to work each day are still one paycheck away from being homeless. You will build meaningful relationships with those who need it most, as well as learn a new appreciation for your life.

9. Exercise

Part of a balanced life and developing good habits is to exercise. Yes, people always put their physical health on the back burner to focus on matters at hand, but it eventually catches up with you. The first step is the hardest in this journey towards health, but it’s worth the effort not to have problems down the road.

Not only does exercise give you more energy to accomplish all your daily tasks, but all those feel-good endorphins it releases helps to make you a happier person.

10. Use Positive Affirmations

Reciting positive affirmations can do wonders in helping you develop a positive attitude. Sadly, pessimism can be a genetic trait that seems impossible to eliminate, but you can rewire your brain from negative to more positive ones. How many times have you used the words “I can’t?” Perhaps you tell yourself that you can’t do the following things:

Maintain your weight
Find your soul mate
Have financial freedom
Pay off debt
Get the job of your dreams
Be a success

It would help if you changed the way you look at things and what you say, and you can start to change this by using positive affirmations.

11. Keep A Healthy Sleep Routine

How much rest do you get each night? Did you know that you should be in bed no later than 10 pm if you want to wake up naturally feeling rested? Your sleep is not a negotiable item in your life, as sleep deprivation will certainly mess with your level of contentment in life.

When deprived, you will feel grouchy, tired, have mood swings, and don’t have the attention you need.

12. Find A Hobby to a More Balanced Life

Do you have a hobby? Strive to find things to do that don’t cost money, but it helps you focus and boost your creativity. A balanced life has many aspects, including allowing you to have some fun.

People think they need lots of time to develop a new hobby, but it’s all you need if you can allow yourself a couple of hours a week.

13. Eat a Balanced Diet for a Better Life

It’s much easier to grab a burger on the way home, especially when you’re super busy. However, while the burger is cheap and filling, it’s not going to do a thing for your waistline. The chef at the local eatery isn’t concerned with your nutrition as much as taste.

If you want to live a balanced life, balancing your meals is a simple place to start. It would help if you had proper nutrition and fuel your system and not cause a mechanical breakdown.

14. Experiment with Right Brain Activities

Sometimes your thoughts are loud and racing, which is often caused by the brain’s right section being more active than the left. If you need peace and stability in your life, it’s time to focus on the right side. Some things that can help to strengthen this hemisphere include adult coloring, crossword puzzles, games like sudoku, painting, and meditation.

Many people don’t realize that those folks with a right brain that’s more active than the left tend to be calmer throughout life. So, it’s essential to make sure that the right side is working at optimal levels.

15. Go Outside in Nature

You need lots of vitamins to live a balanced life, but one of the most important is Vitamin D. The good news is that you get this from the sun, and all you need is around 20 minutes a day. Spending time in the great outdoors not only makes you feel better, but it improves your health.

Having balance in your life is about so much more than the food you eat, as your daily habits play a significant role in the equation. A walk around the neighborhood can add years to your life if it helps you keep your weight down and your vitamin levels up.

Final Thoughts on Balanced Life Behaviors to Implement

Developing good habits doesn’t need to be an overwhelming task. Start small, find a couple of things on the list that you can do with ease, and then add in some more challenging ones. There are so many things that you can do that can add balance and harmony to your life.

What things do you want to try, and are you ready for the first step towards a new journey? If you can become healthier, happier, and more balanced overall, why not start today?

12 Quad Exercises That Melt Away Fat and Shape Your Thighs

February 11, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

Quad exercises help shape your thighs, helping you reach your goals and feel better about yourself. You’ll notice an improvement in the shape of your thighs as you tone the large area of your legs. With regular exercise, you’ll experience continued improvement in the appearance of your body.

The four muscles on the front of your thigh make up your quadriceps. They help raise your thigh and extend your knee, allowing flexibility and movement. By targeting this muscle group during exercise, you’ll promote the balanced development of all four.

While you can’t melt away fat in only one area of the body, these quad exercises will help burn calories. You’ll melt away fat all over your body while toning your thighs at the same time. Since this group of muscles is so large, toning it burns lots of calories compared to other areas.

These quad exercises can help you melt away body fat and shape your thighs. Consistency when exercising leads to results, so implement some of these exercises into your routine two or three times each week. Before you know it, you’ll notice that your thighs are more sculpted and defined.

Quad Exercises That Melt Away Fat and Shape Your Thighs

Are you ready? Let’s get to it!

1. Short Arc Quad Exercises

This exercise helps with properly contracting your muscles, preventing pain and injury. It also helps tone and defines the area.

You’ll need a yoga block, basketball, or something similar to prop your knee on. As you support your knee, make sure its back stays against the item even as you start moving. If you want more of a challenge, you can add a small cuff weight to your ankle.

How to Do It

Start by lying on your back with your yoga block beneath one bent knee
Slowly straighten the bent knee, keeping the prop beneath it
As you straighten it, tighten your muscles and point your toes toward the ceiling
Hold the position for five seconds before slowly lowering your leg, and repeat 15 times on each leg

2. Burpee

Burpees are a fat-burning exercise that engages every muscle of your body. They’re also an excellent way to build strength and tone muscles.

How to Do It

Start in a squat position, keeping your palms flat on the ground
Kick back your feet so that you’re in a plank position, but keep your arms extended
Return your feet to the starting position
Stand up
Repeat the exercise 10-20 times

3. Squats

Squats are great for your legs, thighs, and core, making them a well-rounded exercise. They build and tone muscles, helping you achieve the healthy shape you’re looking for. Plus, squats burn lots of calories, helping with fat loss.

You’ve likely heard of many variations of squats, but learning the basics is essential for preventing injury. Once you’re comfortable with the proper form and range of motion, you can increase the intensity by mixing it up.

How to Do It

Start with your feet hip-width apart.
Reach your arms back and move into a sitting position, as if you were sitting on a low stool with your hip crease just below your knees
Keep your core tight and avoid bringing your knees forward
Return to the start position and repeat 15 times for a complete set

4. Curtsy Lunge Quad Exercises

This exercise targets your inner thighs and helps with stabilizing your hips. It improves your overall posture, too, allowing you to feel better overall.

How to Do It

Start by standing straight.
Move your left leg behind you and to the right, crossing your thighs
Bend both knees as if you are doing a curtsy
As you bend, place your palms together
Repeat the exercise using your opposite leg, completing one rep
Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps, taking breaks in between sets

5. Straight Leg Raises

This simple exercise is a great way to get your quad muscles working. Once you get comfortable with the straight leg raise, you can add weights to your ankles.

How to Do It

Lie flat on your back
Bend one knee to a 90-degree angle with your foot flat on the floor
Keep your other leg straight with your toes pointed toward the ceiling
Lift the straight leg off the floor using the front thigh muscles and hold for five seconds
Lower your leg to the floor, and repeat 10-15 times

6. Step Ups

This exercise uses many of the same muscles you use for a squat. However, you’ll use these muscles differently, strengthening weak areas. Step-ups help promote balance and stability while burning calories and shaping your thighs.

You will need something to step onto at least 12 inches high. If the exercise is too easy, consider adding resistance by holding dumbbells. You can also use a taller step to increase the intensity.

How to Do It

Place one foot on the step and push through your heel to stand all the way up
Bend your free knee up so that you are standing on one leg
Put your free leg back down and return to a starting position
Repeat this 15 times, and then switch feet

7. Glute Kickback Quad Exercises

This exercise strengthens your muscles, beneficial for any experience level. Focus on keeping your head facing forward throughout the movement. When you extend your leg, keep it parallel to the floor.

How to Do It

Kneel on the floor or an exercise mat, keeping your hands directly under your shoulders
Keep your back parallel to the floor.
Raise your heel toward the ceiling, and hold this position for a few moments
Return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg, doing 10-15 reps on each side

8. Leg Extension Quad Exercises

The leg extension machine is popular at the gym, but you can achieve the same results at home. You’ll need at least one set of dumbbells, a foam roller or rolled towel, and a solid chair. It helps melt away fat and build up your quads.

Doing two sets of leg extensions at the end of your exercise routine can boost your results. However, don’t keep pushing until you experience muscle fatigue because it can lead to injury. Aim to feel a burn, and then allow your muscles to rest.

How to Do It

Find a chair, bench, or any other solid surface to sit on
Put a dumbbell in front of your feet on the floor
Place a rolled towel or foam roller just above the back of the knees to elevate your legs and increase the range of motion
Shift into a sideways seat position, making sure the rolled towel stays in position
Use your feet to lift the dumbbell, pushing your heels into the ground to get started
Retract your muscles as you raise and lower the dumbbell, holding it at the top for a few moments
Repeat the exercise 15 times, rest, and do it for another 15 reps

9. Terminal Knee Extension

This exercise is an effective method to strengthen your muscles while in a standing position. You’ll tone your thighs while simply supporting your body weight. You’ll need a resistance band or something similar.

As you do this exercise, make sure to move slowly and steadily. Your knees should be directly over your toes, and make sure you don’t shift forward to avoid excessive strain.

How to Do It

Tie your resistance band around a fixed object so that it’s anchored at knee-height
Step into the loop with one leg and pull it up around your knee
Bend your knee slightly, and then slowly straighten it while placing tension on the band to produce resistance
Once your knee is straight, hold the position for three seconds
Repeat the exercise 15 times on each side

10. Chair Pose

This exercise is a standing yoga pose that strengthens your entire lower body. It specifically targets the quad muscles, improving balancing while shaping your thighs.

How to Do It This Quad Exercise

Start with your feet together and arms relaxed at your sides
Bend your knees and lower your hips similar to the way you would sit in a chair
Lengthen your lower back and lift your arms toward the sky
Make sure you keep your weight on your heels, knees bent, and butt low
Hold for ten seconds, then return to the start position
Repeat the pose two to three times

The yoga chair pose is excellent for balance and melting fat.

11. Box Jumps

This exercise will increase the strength and power of your legs. It targets all of your lower body muscles and your core, melting the fat in the process.

How to Do It

Start by facing a sturdy platform (around 12 inches tall) with your feet hip-width apart
Press your hips back while swinging your arms behind you, and then bend your knees into a jumping position
Push through the balls of your feet, jumping straight into the air and landing on the sturdy surface
Both feet should land on the platform at the same time simultaneously
Return to the start position and repeat the exercise five to ten times

12. Wall Sits

Wall sits are one of the best quad exercises to shape your thigh muscles. Implementing wall sits at the end of your workout ensures you get the most out of it. It’ll produce a muscle burn that doesn’t let you forget how hard you’ve been working.

How to Do It

Start with your back against the wall.
Slide down until your knees and hips are at a 90-degree angle
Tighten your core and keep your back flat against the wall
Hold the position and focus on your breathing until your legs reach fatigue
Slide your back up the wall and return to the starting position
Rest for 30 seconds before doing another wall sit

Final Thoughts on Quad Exercises That Melt Away Fat and Shape Your Thighs

Melting away fat and shaping your thighs can be easy when you know the best quad exercises. Start slowly, and don’t overdo it until you become more comfortable with your new exercise routine.

These quad exercises won’t only help shape your thighs, but they’ll increase your mobility and balance. Don’t push yourself if it starts to hurt or result in injury. As you get more comfortable, your range of motion will increase, too, allowing you to increase the intensity of your workout.

Neurology Explains How Cognitive Flexibility Might Be as Important as IQ

February 10, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

For society to flourish, cognitive flexibility is essential. However, with IQ in the limelight over the past couple of decades, it’s all people can think about. Whenever people discuss intelligence, IQ is the first thing mentioned. Everyone uses the number as a guideline to determine how intelligent someone is. According to the Standford-Binet test, if you have an IQ above 132, you can get into Mensa (the High IQ Society).

Having a high IQ seems to be everything you could ever want if you aspire to be the brightest in the room. But lately, that perception has started shifting. Even though IQ can be an excellent measurement of your reasoning ability, that can give you a general idea regarding how well you’ll use the information to make predictions and answer questions. But IQ doesn’t consider many important attributes, like knowledge, ambition, and drive.

And IQ tests favor people who can think on the spot. While they can show you some essential details, these tests can also be arbitrary. The results can change depending on the conditions taken in, and they can also fluctuate as time passes. But neurologists seem to believe that they have found something as important, if not more important, than IQ. Cognitive flexibility, or adapting to your environment, can also tell you some essential things about human intelligence.

What Is Cognitive Flexibility?

Cognitive flexibility measures how well people adapt to their environment and respond to it. It occurs either when you think about multiple things at once or when you modify your thoughts in response to changes in demands. In a nutshell, it’s all about flexible thinking.

Cognitive flexibility is considered a core aspect of executive functioning (the processes that allow people to plan, focus, and juggle more tasks at once). Because of this, people with attention disorders, hyperactivity, or learning disabilities show lower levels of cognitive flexibility. Thus, these people will have trouble with their executive functioning.

In comparison, IQ levels are more like a number that compares you with people in your age range. They show you how well you do on a test compared to the people in that range. They test math and language skills and memory and information processing speed. But IQ scores don’t and can’t measure practical intelligence. They can’t determine if you will or won’t do things well in your life. Not just that, but it doesn’t measure your artistic skills, your creativity, or your curiosity.

It’s also dependent on your mindset when you take the test. If you are in a bad mood and your thoughts are distracting you, your IQ score will be lower than it should be. But cognitive flexibility isn’t measured by a number. It isn’t determined using a test. It’s just something that describes someone’s ability to juggle many thoughts at once efficiently. Sure, you might have some off days if you have high cognitive flexibility, but it won’t matter.

How Cognitive Flexibility Might Be as Important as IQ

On a typical day, you will still be able to display all the abilities of a cognitively flexible person. But why are those abilities even desirable? What can they tell you about how smart and resourceful you are?

1. It Shows How Well You Can Concentrate

IQ levels show how well you can solve a problem on the spot. But, in real life, it’s not as important as concentrating and sticking to the job. In life, “eureka” moments can be helpful, but people appreciate a person who can be present and dedicated much more.

When you have high cognitive flexibility, you can adapt to the ever-changing environment. Even when the things around you get crazy or when distractions surround you, you can still focus on your work. You can work around those distractions and tune them out. That’s something that isn’t intrinsic to having a high IQ.

A person with a high IQ might be more likely to get distracted. All the information around them might way too stimulate their brain. But a person with high cognitive flexibility will look past the complications and stick to the safest course of action. They are the people who can concentrate the best and will navigate most situations smoothly.

2. It Makes You More Reliable

People with high cognitive flexibility are the people you know you can count on no matter what. Because of how well they can adapt to their environment, they can overcome whatever obstacles they need to to get things done.

When you adapt to your environment and juggle many thoughts at once, you can become an incredible problem-solver. Even though this seems valid only for people with a high IQ, that’s not the case. Maybe people with a high IQ can solve problems better, but that’s not always true. As long as there are intuitive and logical problems, they can solve them. Otherwise, that might not even be the case.

But cognitively flexible people are the ones who will be able to juggle an issue as well as other responsibilities at the same time. Thus, the likelihood of solving all of them is higher. Plus, if they can’t solve a problem, they will adapt. Maybe they’ll ask someone for help or research how to solve the issue. That makes them very reliable people, on a personal and professional level.

3. Cognitive Flexibility Signals A Higher Creativity Level

The IQ tests only measure limited math and language knowledge and some logic and memory skills. But they have no way through which they can ever take into account things like creativity and artistry. And a number couldn’t ever be able to determine something as subjective as creativity.

When creativity comes into the discussion, most people assume that it means artistry. You can be creative only if you can draw, paint, sing, play instruments, or otherwise be artistic. But that’s not the case at all. An engineer can be highly creative, and they can use that creativity to find a better, more efficient way to do their job. They might find a new, innovative way to do something routine or even come up with an entirely new concept.

Of course, artists are also very creative, though not all have to be. Some of them learn artistry methodically, though their creativity levels are low. So, creativity does not necessarily tie to artistry.

But IQ tests don’t consider this side. They dismiss people based on their logical abilities alone. If you aren’t the most rational person and can’t come up with answers on the spot, you are labeled as being less competent than your peers. But creativity is just as important as logic, if not more important sometimes, and it should never be dismissed.

4. Cognitive Flexibility Helps You Overcome Negative Life Events

Just because you have a high IQ level, it doesn’t mean that you are better suited to get over the hurdles you stumble upon throughout your life. Sometimes, people with higher IQ scores can even be detached emotionally or have trouble adapting. But cognitively flexible people have been shown to deal with adverse life events more efficiently.

Because you are flexible to changes in the environment, changes and negative situations will not impact you as harshly. You will have the ability to get over the initial shock and try to make sense of all that’s happening. Cognitive flexibility can also be beneficial in an emotionally charged situation. It helps you take all those emotions and try to rationalize them all simultaneously. Cognitive flexibility has links to a better ability to understand the feelings and thoughts of the people around you.

This can mean that you fit in better in your groups and are better suited to handle critical situations. Cognitive flexibility can also help protect you against several biases. For example, it will make you less vulnerable to confirmation bias. These people are better at spotting flaws in the world around them and themselves. This allows them to devise better strategies and overcome those flaws.

Unlike people with high IQ, cognitive flexibility allows you to be more emotionally available. It will also help you be more self-critical, but in a healthy way that will enable you to become a better version of yourself.

Final Thoughts On How Cognitive Flexibility Might Be as Important as IQ

IQ has been used for over 100 years to determine how intelligent people are. But that’s a bit reductive, and it leans towards false advertising. In reality, while IQ tests can show you some essential details about yourself, they never tell you the whole story. For example, they don’t consider general knowledge, creativity, and artistry skills. They only take into account language and math skills, as well as your memory and how quickly you solve problems.

Plus, the tests depend on how you feel when you take the test one day. This means that if you are stressed or distracted, your IQ test will show a lower score than you are. But that’s not the case when it comes to cognitive flexibility. This is not determined by a number but rather an observation of a person’s ability to juggle multiple thoughts at once. As long as you can adapt and modify your thinking in response to your environment, you are considered flexible. This concept might be even more helpful than IQ is for a few reasons.

Being cognitively flexible shows that you can stay focused and that you are reliable. But more importantly, it takes into account essential attributes, like creativity and artistry. It gives meaning to being creative instead of brushing over it as IQ does. And most importantly, it helps you manage adverse life events better. It can help you understand emotions, socialize more efficiently, and avoid biases. Cognitive flexibility is a great thing to consider when considering factors like intelligence.

7 Ways That Healthy Attachment Helps Form Long-lasting Love

February 10, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

Everyone wants to find that special someone with who they can build a future. But finding love and maintaining a healthy attachment is quite a difficult task. Most people can’t differentiate between lust and love, so they jump into a relationship solely based on attraction. But love is not all about looks or about material conditions. To find love, you need to open up your heart and learn to become emotionally attached to your partner.

Attachment is quite a tricky subject. It is a crucial ingredient for a strong relationship. But if you do it wrong, it can become toxic. Most people tend to fall into unhealthy attachment patterns in their relationships. But you can avoid making that mistake if you make it your mission to learn how to use healthy attachment patterns. And, you will find that healthy attachment can help you find and nurture a loving relationship.

What Is Healthy Attachment?

When you get close to a person and begin building trust and connecting with someone, you become attached. People are attached to their families, friends, and romantic interests. Sometimes, you might even find yourself attached to a random person on the street, just out of sheer empathy. But attachment is also a patterned behavior learned throughout one’s life.

As a child, you have some role models you can look up to, like your family. You see how they interact, and you try to emulate that. If your parents are distant and cold, chances are you will develop an insecure attachment style.

If you develop toxic attachment patterns, your love life will always be lacking. You risk seeing yourself in a bad light, which in turn makes you have low self-worth. Because of this, you might cling to any person that shows you even the tiniest drop of attention. You are much more vulnerable and risk becoming a victim of abuse. If you believe you aren’t worthy of love, you will settle for any situation, no matter how bad.

Most people make the mistake of thinking that love and attachment are synonyms. But there are two different concepts. To have a strong relationship, you need an attachment, but attachment alone doesn’t equal love. So, be careful not to get the two confused. If you get attached to someone, that doesn’t mean you are in love with them. If you base your relationship on attachment alone, you might fall into co-dependent behaviors.

7 Ways That Healthy Attachment Helps Form Long-lasting Love

If you want to avoid any toxicity in your relationships, you need to learn how to do attachment in a healthy way. You need to trust people, open up to them, set boundaries, and allow yourself to develop feelings. What you need to avoid is desperately clinging to someone who mistreats you. When you learn to get attached healthily, you will find that your relationships will become much more stable. And, you can even find and nurture true love.

1. Healthy Attachment Builds Trust

When you become attached to a person, you start feeling a sense of safety when you’re with them. If your attachment style is healthy, it will allow you to have faith in your partner.

When you are close to someone, and you aren’t attached to them out of fear, you will allow them to earn your trust. They will be able to show you through actions that they will never betray or hurt you. Trust is at the core of every loving relationship. The stronger your trust is, the stronger your bond will be. The people you can trust are those you will love in your life. And that love can only get stronger in time.

2. Allows You To Open Up

Of course, physical attraction is essential in any romantic relationship. But that’s not enough to form love. You need to connect to your partner emotionally; if you want to create a deep bond, you need to open up.

As you become attached to someone and you start trusting them, you feel more comfortable opening up to them. You will feel like they offer you a safe space to talk about your feelings. That not only promotes communication, but it lets the other know what your needs are.

Through the process of communication, you can start understanding each other better. You will get to know all aspects of your partner, and they will get to know you. When you start learning each other on a deeper level, that’s when love starts creeping into your life.

3. Healthy Attachment Promotes Intimacy

Closeness is not enough if you want to have a truly intimate relationship. You can be close with many people, but that doesn’t mean you’d be comfortable being intimate with them. But when you are attached to someone, and you feel safe with them, that’s when you’ll feel safe to be close.

Attachment means that you know the other person will accept you for who you are. You understand and feel that they won’t rush you into doing anything you don’t want to do. You know they’d never hurt you. On the contrary, they’d go out of their way to take care of you. Additionally, being attached to someone means always putting them first.

When you and your partner are attached, you will never forget important things like date nights and other couple’s activities. You will want to spend quality time, just the two of you. And this intimacy is precisely what’s needed in a relationship to keep that spark alive. There’s nothing better for nurturing love than a bit of intimacy.

4. Promotes Mutual Understanding

When you love someone, your relationship is driven by passion. But, as time passes and that initial lust starts fading, you need to lean on other things. Mutual understanding is one of the essential pillars in a romantic relationship, especially long-term.

When you are emotionally attached to someone, you are ready to make sacrifices for each other. You are prepared to listen to each other, even if you are fighting. Healthy attachment promotes a sense of understanding between people. You feel like you can talk and be listened to, and the other feels the same. And it’s not just about being heard.

It’s much deeper than that. It’s about being heard and understood. That means when you fight, you are more likely to be open to trying to settle. This mutual understanding is essential for promoting real, true love.

5. You Are Still Independent

One of the biggest dangers of unhealthy attachment is falling into co-dependent behaviors. You might find yourself obsessed with your partner and need to cling to them for dear life. But that’s not the case if you learn to attach yourself to others in a healthy way.

A healthy attachment system will allow you to stay independent even in relationships. You will understand that having your own life is essential if you want to be the best partner you could be. And your partner will also have their own life. That doesn’t mean you won’t do anything together.

On the contrary, the attachment will mean that you will want to share as many experiences as possible. But you won’t feel pressured to give up everything just for the sake of your partner. You will have a healthy bond, but you will also give each other the space you need.

6. Healthy Attachment Promotes Respect

If you are looking for love, you need to find someone who will respect you. And, it would be best if you also appreciated them. Attachment is one of the ways through which this mutual respect can be reached. When you connect with someone, you start understanding who they are and why they act the way they do.

As you get closer to them and start bonding, you start seeing the world through their eyes. That encourages you to start respecting who they are and all they do for you. When you respect your significant other, you honor their needs and wishes. But you also learn to respect your own needs. This will create a necessary balance for every loving relationship to last.

7. Makes You Happy

Unfortunately, some people end up in relationships where they have to settle for feeling less than content. Because they have unhealthy attachment styles, they risk being manipulated, mistreated, and even abused. And, in those cases, they can’t even get out of that situation.

If you want to be truly happy in your relationship, you need to make sure that you don’t attach yourself blindly to people. Make sure that you are satisfied with yourself and ready to add a relationship to your life. If you feel like you are desperate for a relationship or you are obsessed with your partner, chances are the relationship won’t bring you love.

But, if your attachment comes from a genuine interest in another person, then it’s healthy. And that kind of connection will make you feel complete. When you think that happiness from attachment, you will be the best version of yourself. And that’s the path you have to take if you want to find true love.

Final Thoughts On How Healthy Attachment Helps Form Long-lasting Love

Attachment is one of the trickiest things to get right in any relationship. And, because today’s society hasn’t gotten used to the fact that they have to teach kids how to have a healthy relationship. Because of this, kids grow up seeing some patterns in their parents and trying to emulate them. As a result, a lot of those kids develop toxic attachment styles. They might become obsessed with their partners, or they might settle for whatever they can get.

But everyone can learn to have a healthy attachment style. As long as you work on being happy when alone, you won’t develop toxic relationship behaviors. And a healthy attachment style will help you and your partner bond, communicate, and respect each other. It’s the fundamental way you will open up to someone and develop intimacy. If you want to find and nurture true love, the best way to do it is by allowing yourself to get attached.

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