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12 Ways to Stay Positive When Dealing with Stressful People

February 6, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

When you feel stressed out, take a moment to think about what makes you think that way. The first sources that come to mind are likely the most prominent roles in your stress levels. If certain stressful people come to mind, your best bet is to avoid them, but that isn’t always possible.

Instead, all you can do is identify the people that cause stress and find ways to protect yourself from their negative mindset. Whether relatives, co-workers, or your boss, you can learn to handle the situation effectively.

If you fear that someone will destroy your happiness, you might start feeling stressed out even before you see them. Knowing they’ll be in your presence soon can set you off and make you put up your defenses. The stress sets in any time you feel like you can’t manage something, but remember that you can handle this situation.

Identifying the toxic people in your life can help you better deal with them. Taking stock of stressors can make all the difference in keeping your cool and protecting your well-being. Luckily, there are many ways you can be positive when dealing with stressful people.

How to Identify Stressful People in Your Life

It’s sometimes hard to think of people as stressors because many stressful events receive so much attention. Stressful events often link to poor physical and mental health, but you don’t always hear about stressful people being an issue. However, you can become just as distressed about people as you can from life experiences such as time pressure, loss, or financial insecurity.

One way to identify stressful people in your life is by making a list of all daily events. Once you’ve made your list, rate the difficulty of each event. If certain situations are more problematic than others, consider whether it’s a person making your day so stressful.

As you make your list, consider all situations you deal with regularly. Think about work, school, time with friends or family, or anything else you have on your schedule. If any of the situations turn out to be one of the most stressful, think about the other people involved.

How to Stay Positive When Dealing with Stressful People

As you think about other people in your life, ask yourself if anyone makes you feel anxious or tense. If you encounter stressful people regularly, you can manage how the situations go. You don’t have to let co-workers make your job harder or allow family members or friends to impact you negatively.

1. Don’t Follow the Emotional Bullying of Stressful People

The first step to staying positive when dealing with stressful people is to avoid following their emotions. They will likely try to ruin your mood and get you to feel the same way they do. If they get angry or sad, they’ll try to make you feel that way, too.

When this person is in your presence, you can talk, listen, and communicate, but don’t let it go further. Don’t let them trigger you to feel unnecessary negative emotions. If it gets to that point, walk away rather than react defensively.

2. Remember That It’s Temporary

When you experience stress, it’s hard to remember that it’s only temporary. Remembering that you can get through this, and it’ll end soon will help you face the person with less fear. When you aren’t afraid of going into the situation, you won’t experience as much stress. You’ll have an easier time coping with toxicity and recover from it quickly after it’s over.

3. Think Ahead of How You’ll Respond to Stressful People

Being proactive when dealing with stressful people will get you through it. You’ve been through it before with them, so you can predict how the experience will go. If you know them well enough, you’ll know what they will do or say.

Use your knowledge of their demeanor and behaviors to plan how you’ll handle the situation. Once you have a plan, stick to it no matter what that person does. Knowing what you’re going to do makes it less stressful going into the situation, and you won’t dwell as much.

4. Change Your Perception

If you can change your perception, you can be positive no matter what happens. You create your perception of stress, so make sure you don’t focus on anxious anticipation. Your fight-or-flight response activates when you imagine yourself in a threatening situation.

By triggering the response, you’ll already be stressed before you even encounter the stressor. However, by changing your perception and focusing on optimism, you’ll go into the situation with a clearer mind.

One way to encourage a positive perception is by imagining how you can overcome the other person’s negativity. You’ll feel confident and ready to get through it rather than experiencing overwhelming stress.

5. Think of the Things You’re Grateful For

Counting your blessings can help you get through any stressful situation. If you know you will see someone who triggers stress, start practicing gratitude before they arrive. However, if they surprise you with a visit, start counting your blessings the minute they get there.

You have plenty to be grateful for, so keep your blessings in mind. By thinking of the good things in your life, you won’t fixate on the negativity. You’ll feel more confident and optimistic throughout the experience.

6. Remind Yourself of Your Resiliency When You Have to Deal With Stressful People

You’ll manage stress and negativity better if you see yourself as resilient. Remember that you can get through anything and that each obstacle is a way to gain confidence in yourself. You can bounce back from the situation and use it as practice for later experiences.

7. Keep Your Needs and Goals in Mind

It’s essential to know ahead of time what you need and want. If you know you’ll be meeting with the stressor, have your goals in mind.

Then, as you talk with them, keep your objective in mind and bring the conversation back to your goals when the conversation strays. Focusing on your needs and wants in the meeting can help you get to the point before things get toxic.

8. Think of Stress-Reducing Methods

When dealing with stressful people, keep all your stress-reducing methods in mind. Not all of them will help, but you can likely apply a few of them to the situation. You’ll need different techniques when dealing with a boss than you would with an annoying family member.

Making a list of the methods ahead of time can help because you’ll already have a plan for handling them. However, if you get caught off guard, focus on stress reduction as you communicate with the stressor.

9. Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself can work in a couple of different ways. First, you should reward yourself anytime you do a good job or accomplish a goal. Doing so will boost your confidence and make you feel great about yourself, no matter what threatens to stress you out.

Additionally, you can reward yourself every time you remain positive during an encounter with your stressor. As you spend time or talk with the person, think of your reward when it’s over. Their toxicity won’t affect you as much if you establish a positive aspect of the situation.

10. Control Yourself

Anytime you let someone else control your reaction or mindset, it gives them power over you. However, you can change at any moment and regain control over yourself. When you decide that no one but you can control your reaction to a situation, you’ll have an easier time handling it.

Remember that you can’t control anyone else. Rather than wishing someone would change and letting them get to you, focus on controlling yourself.

You’ll regain the power and provide a protective barrier when you shift your mindset. You take power away from your stressor, helping you be positive throughout the experience. If you struggle with staying in control, ask yourself what you will gain from reacting. Chances are, you won’t achieve anything, and the reminder could be enough to help you refocus.

11. Think of It as an Opportunity for Growth

Research shows that experiencing stress can help you develop more coping mechanisms. Rather than letting someone’s negativity affect you, think of it as an opportunity for growth. You won’t always have these opportunities, so utilize them when you can, and you’ll be ready for anything.

12. Don’t Dwell on The Encounter With Stressful People

After your situation with a stressful person, don’t dwell on what happened. If things don’t go well, find a way to clear your mind and move on.

Reassure yourself that the toxic person isn’t thinking about you or your experience anymore. They often move on to their next target quickly, so don’t let it ruin your day. Learn from the experience, and you can create a plan for future encounters, but don’t let it bring you down.

Final Thoughts on Ways to Stay Positive When Dealing with Stressful People

Recognizing that stress can come from stressful people is the first step in dealing with the situation. You can’t always avoid people who trigger anxiety, but you can learn how to handle them.

Use your coping mechanisms before, during, and after encountering stressful people. So it doesn’t need to impact you in the long term. Remember that each situation can be an opportunity for growth and that you’ll get through it.

12 Benefits of Good Karma Never to Ignore

February 6, 2022 by Chris Butler

Have you ever wondered what might be the benefits of good karma?

When the holiday season rolls around, parents tell their children about the importance of good behavior. They tell them that Santa is making a list, and he’s checking it to see if they will get coal in their stocking or a present. The truth is that someone or something is watching over everyone and your good or evil deeds add to your karmic debt.

Have you been a good person? You will certainly be repaid for your efforts by the Universe. Karma has steep roots in Buddhism and Hinduism, which teaches that the sum of your honorable deeds in this life will affect you in the next one. According to Psychics 4 Today, the sum of all your evil deeds can follow you indefinitely unless you make restitution.

Twelve Benefits of Creating Good Karma

Have you ever felt like you were cursed or that your life is just full of unhappiness? The good news is that you can do something about it. Even if the Universe has plans for you based on your karmic debt, you do have the power to alter things.

You control your destiny, and how you act in this life will undoubtedly affect you in the next. Here are some reasons why good karma is so essential.

1. A Positive Aura Follows You When You Reap the Benefits of Good Karma

A person’s countenance can be dark, or it can be light and airy. Have you ever seen someone walk into the room, and it was as if darkness followed them? When you’re focused on good karma, you will have a positive aura that follows you.

Others will see and identify that goodness radiates from you. Positivity is a light that shines for all to see, and negativity can also be quite apparent. People are drawn to positive folks as it makes them feel better, and they love to interact with such folks.

2. You’re Blessed Beyond Measure

There are always those who seem like they were born with all the luck. They seem to have things that go their way, and the Universe has opened its abundance to them. However, you will reap the rewards when you bask in good karma.

When you pass around good karma, great things will happen to you in return. Expecting to receive is never a reason to be or do good to others. Is it any wonder that so many rich people are philanthropists?

Their generous hearts allow the Universe to bless them even further. Not everyone with good karma is rich, as your blessings may be greater than financial.

3. One of the Most Surprising Benefits of Good Karma–Your Health

Remember that time and chance happen to everyone, and your genetics also play a big part in your health. However, many people have poor health because of the negative karma they bring to themselves. When your heart is full of thanksgiving, you help others, and you prefer your brother, then your health will benefit.

4. You Become Enlightened

A spiritual awakening can enlighten you, but you can also receive inspiration by being on the right path. You can easily connect with your spirit guides and open your third eye to see and hear things that others can’t. Spirit wants to communicate with those who will use these gifts wisely and help others.

5. Wisdom is Another Amazing Benefit of Good Karma

One of the fascinating things about karma is that it’s just like gravity, it’s happening, but you don’t notice it. As you embrace this new and positive lifestyle, you will begin to develop wisdom on things you never thought possible. For instance, rather than killing that mouse or ant that gets into your home, you take them back outside and set them free.

Wisdom tells you that they’re a living, breathing thing and have a right to live. You’ve just learned that your actions, no matter how small, will boomerang back to you. So, you walk more carefully and become wiser about your choices.

6. Increases Concentration

Negativity brings mental blocks. Those who hold grudges need to ask for forgiveness, and those bogged down with materialism will have more difficulty concentrating. How can you focus on the essential things when these useless pessimistic things consume your mind?

However, when you clear your mind by asking for forgiveness, being present in the moment, and being thankful for what you have, it opens the pathways for better concentration.

7. Makes the Impossible Seem Possible

Your mindset has a lot to do with what you accomplish in your life. According to the Berkey Institute, you set off a psychological process that allows you to manifest your dreams when you start believing in yourself. Your faith in your abilities is like the key that turns the engine on in the car.

You know that once you put the key in the ignition, the car will fire up and get you to where you need to go. Now, think of karma as the connection that allows you to experience and do things you never thought possible.

8. It Takes Care of Those Who’ve Wronged You

No, karma isn’t going to chase your enemies and cause them harm, but when people come against you, what goes around comes around. Karma is just the assurance that you don’t have to do anything to repay the incident no matter what comes your way. The same judgment that people meter out to you will come back on them, and you can let the anger and bitterness of the situation go.

Take, for instance, a young woman who wasn’t very popular among those at work. Tammy was a good person, who always showed up and did her job, but she was much poorer than the other women. She was often the butt of every joke, and they didn’t even include her in lunch or after-work events.

Tammy held her peace and didn’t want to cause a ruckus at work, as she needed her job. However, while they were out partying after work, Tammy often spent her nights volunteering at the local food pantry and homeless shelter. This upstanding lady endured much ridicule over the years, but as time passed, the mean colleagues moved on one by one.

Fast forward ten years later, and Tammy runs the entire branch at her company. She no longer has money issues, as she’s making plenty. The benefits of good karma not only repaid some of those ladies who mocked her, but it allowed her to manifest her dreams of financial freedom.

9. Keep Serious Disease at Bay if You Harness the Benefits of Good Karma

When you live a life full of negative karma, it allows illness to come to you. However, you can reverse this force by simply applying the protection of the benefits of good karma. Living a vibrant life will enhance your ability to overcome sicknesses and disease.

According to Speaking Tree, the goodness inside you may stimulate your body’s natural healing potential. Thus, it will release potent antibodies and enzymes to keep you safe. When your life is full of things like hate and bitterness, there’s nothing to help shield you from other negativity coming your way. The good news is you can erase this negativity by doing good deeds.

10. The Process of Aging Slows

Have you ever seen someone who’s lived a hard life? You can always tell a person who’s smoked or done hard drugs by the changes that occur to their skin. If you want to grow old gracefully, then the benefits of good karma should be considered.

What’s on the inside always radiates to the outside. So maybe it’s time you fill your temple with goodness as it makes a significant difference in your appearance.

11. Healing for the Soul

Remember the feeling when you’ve had a good cry, how cleansed and whole you felt on the inside? You felt as if the tears washed away all the overwhelming emotions and brought calm. The same things happen to your soul when you live a good life with positive karma.

12. Helps Keep Negativity at Bay

One of the benefits of good karma is that it helps you keep negativity from yourself. The world can often be harsh, and devastating blows occur each day, but it becomes easier to put those evil thoughts aside when you are full of goodness. Chaos can be all around you, but your inner peace helps you stay calm.

Final Thoughts on Reaping the Many Benefits of Good Karma

Some folks act like karma is a punishment handed down by the Universe for your evil deeds. While it may seem that way, it’s the method the Universe uses to keep you in balance. When you’ve good karma, your soul can grow spiritually and find healing from your past.

Additionally, you live a better life by doing good deeds, which rewards you through karma. You want a soul at peace and a mind that can focus and rest. The benefits of good karma are too vast to list, but it alters your life for the good.

12 Behaviors Reveal That You Check Your Phone Too Much

February 5, 2022 by Sarah Barkley

With technology being more accessible than ever, people check their phones more than before. Checking a phone is a common occurrence, but some people check theirs more than others, and they might do it at inopportune times. If you ever wonder if you check your phone too often, some behaviors can clue you in.

Anytime you pull your phone out for something other than an urgent call, you’re unnecessarily checking your phone. Looking at your email, checking Instagram, or scrolling your Facebook newsfeed aren’t necessary at all moments, and they can wait until a later time. You might be guilty of this behavior or know someone that is because it’s so common.

Your technology use can quickly become a bad habit, and you’ll start to justify being rude around others. Most people spend too much time on their phone, checking it even if there are no notifications or alerts. Sometimes, you might even think you hear or feel your phone, even when nothing is there.

Why Are Cell Phones So Addictive

People zone out when using electronics, and they might not notice anything around them. Playing games and scrolling through social media can be disorienting and make time pass quickly. These devices are designed to be addicting, and it’s easy to get caught up.

Like slot machines, they come with rewards that make people oblivious to the world around them. One minute of screen time turns into half an hour of wasted time. Before you know it, you’ve missed half a meeting or zoned out of a get-together for quite a while.

Not only are smartphones addicting, but technology addiction, in general, is an issue. Everyone wants to learn to break free of it, but it can be hard to do, despite people’s awareness.

Companies do whatever they can to make products more engaging, encouraging you to keep coming back. You’ll spend more time than you intended, and you’ll miss out on essential aspects of your life because of it.

The Harm in Checking Your Phone Too Much

Checking your phone too much can interfere with your career path. Every time you check your phone, you’re wasting a little more time. Throughout the day, that wasted time adds up and disrupts your productivity.

Checking your phone too much can also interfere with your mental health. It increases anxiousness as you constantly feel compelled to check your notifications. Additionally, scrolling social media feeds can breed negative moods.

Your compulsion to check the phone interferes with your ability to focus. You might even feel like you’re missing out when you can’t check it. Plus, it interferes with your personal and professional relationships as you continually check out of the present moment.

Twelve Behaviors That Reveal You Check Your Phone Too Much

It might be wise to put down that phone if you do these things.

1. You Check Your Phone First Thing in the Morning and Last Thing Before Bed

If you check your cell phone as soon as you wake up and right before bed, you likely check too much. It’s a sign that you’re heavily addicted to your smartphone, and it might interfere with your sleep. Sleeping with your phone near you can disrupt your sleeping patterns even if you don’t realize it right away.

2. You Constantly Have Your Phone in Your Hand

If you always have your phone in hand, it’s a good sign that you check it too much. You might put it down sometimes, but it’ll always be within arm’s reach. Whether engaged in conversation, scrolling social media, or using a random app, you’ll always want to be connected.

Turning your phone off or going without it for a day will seem impossible for you. Anytime you have to be without it, you think of it often, wishing you could check. Plus, if you accidentally leave it at home, you’ll go back for it even if it makes you late.

Think about how you carry your phone because keeping it in your hand might indicate a problem. People who put their phone in their bag or pocket don’t check it as often. Additionally, if you take your phone with you to the bathroom, it’s clear that you check it too often.

3. You Check Your Phone on Vacation

If you’ve ever gone on vacation and continually checked your phone, you likely check it too much. When you’re on vacation, the point is to relax and enjoy your time. If you keep checking your phone, the time passes quicker than ever, and you wouldn’t have taken anything in.

4. You Look at the Smartphone Every Few Seconds

It’s normal to check every little bit, but tapping your phone screen every few seconds is an issue. If you can’t leave your phone alone, it’s a good sign that you check it too often. It indicates that you aren’t paying attention to what’s happening around you or the people you are spending time with.

5. You Check Your Phone During Every Quiet Moment

When you have quiet time, you should bask in the comment and take in the world around you. Or, you could reflect and contemplate things that come to your mind. However, if you take every quiet moment to check, you’re likely on your phone too much.

If you have nothing to do during quiet moments and it makes you feel anxious, you might have a technology addiction. You could opt for reading a book or learning something new during quiet time, so choosing social media every time is a bad sign.

6. You Check Your Phone When You’re with Friends

Spending time with your friends should be a joy, and your phone should be the last thing on your mind. If you keep checking your phone during the experience, it means you check it too much. You become more enthralled with your phone than what’s happening around you physically.

While showing your friends a funny image or video is okay, you don’t want that to be all you talk about. Plus, if that’s how you handle social situations, you’ll run out of things to discuss.

7. You No Longer Communicate Face to Face

Think about the last time you had a meaningful or fulfilling conversation in person. Now, consider whether you checked your phone at any time during that conversation. If you did, then you’re likely on your cell phone too much.

It would be best to give your undivided attention during conversations, especially during meaningful ones. Every time you look at your phone, it breaks the connection and makes the other person feel unheard.

If your last meaningful conversation was so long ago that you can’t remember, it’s another bad sign. Even with the ease of technology, there is nothing more fulfilling than a face-to-face conversation. Lacking this social engagement is a clear sign that you check your phone too much.

8. You Don’t Actively Listen to Others Because You Check Your Phone Too Much

If you check your cell phone while other people are speaking, then you miss out on the majority of what they say. Multi-tasking in this way shows that you aren’t actively listening, and it indicates a cell phone addiction. If you ever give disheartened replies as you stare at your phone, it’s time to reconsider your priorities.

When this behavior becomes a habit, the people closest to you might think you don’t care about them. Ignoring someone or half-listening as you check your cell phone isn’t a beneficial way to conversation.

9. Your Partner Feels Neglected

Anyone will feel ignored when someone keeps checking their phone, but your partner will experience it worse. When you’re alone with your partner, you must spend quality time together without distraction. If you keep checking your phone or scrolling social media, you won’t connect on a deep level.

Eventually, your partner might begin to feel neglected. If your partner expresses suspicion or irritation over your phone habits, you likely check it too often.

10. You Experience Physical Pain

Many people don’t realize this, but using your cell phone too much can cause physical pain. Overuse of your smartphone can cause thumb and palm pain, and it can cause a decrease in strength and function. If you experience pain in the hand that you typically hold your phone in, it could indicate that you check it too much.

Additionally, checking your phone too much could cause problems for your eyes, including dryness, blurry vision, and irritation. If you talk on your phone too much, it can also cause neck and ear pain on your dominant side.

11. You Compare Yourself to Others

Unfairly comparing yourself to others could indicate that you check your devices too often. When you’re constantly aware of what everyone else is doing in their lives, it can lead to negative thinking.

12. You Feel Anxious When You Can’t Check Your Phone

Losing your phone isn’t the end of the world, but it seems that way for those with an addiction. If you get anxious, irritable, or frustrated when you can’t find your phone, it’s a sign that you check it too often. You should be able to stay away from your phone for a while without reacting negatively.

Final Thoughts of Behaviors Reveal That You Check Your Phone Too Much

A smartphone is a great tool to have handy, but your life shouldn’t revolve around it. You should be able to step away from it and enjoy time with the people around you right now. Plus, enjoying quiet time without resorting to technology is a blessing you shouldn’t miss.

If any of these behaviors make you feel like you check your phone too much, you can make a change. Start implementing better cellphone habits and limiting yourself when you can.

10 Benefits of Positive Psychology, According to Science

February 5, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

Positive psychology is a relatively new branch of psychological science. Its focus is on improving happiness and helping human beings develop prosperous lives filled with purpose. You’ve likely heard even more about it in the internet age, as its popularity continues to grow. It’s very approachable and easy to digest by those who read up on it and seek to apply it to their lives.

Positive psychology is so game-changing because it stands out among other branches of its science. Many aspects of psychology focus on abnormalities and dysfunction in behaviors. Meanwhile, positive psychology intends to concern itself with strength instead of solely on weakness. It provides a good balance against other psychological sciences and studies, which are necessary but certainly much grimmer.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Martin Seligman, expert psychologists at the top of this field, believe in its potential. They state that the branch will be able to promote effective interventions and deeper scientific understanding for communities, individuals, and social circles of all kinds to thrive.

With that being said, not everyone is entirely sold in positive psychology. Some people believe it may be superficial or insufficient scientific or proven. But, while there’s a lot more work to be done in the field, it’s already established itself in well-researched ways. If you’re on the fence, read on! Here are ten benefits of positive psychology, according to science.

1. Positive Psychology Encourages Gratitude

Gratitude is a trait that’s hard to cultivate. Given the many difficulties one may face in everyday life, it’s often hard to remember to be thankful.

Research has shown that positive psychology may improve that grateful cultivation. It allows us to focus on the things that are good about our world, so it makes sense that it’d increase our appreciation! Gratitude has numerous benefits for happiness and various factors in life, including:

Increased psychological wellbeing, happiness, mental health, and life satisfaction
Improved experiences of positive emotions
Better levels of spiritualism and faith, where applicable
Increased levels of optimism
Heightened senses of self-esteem and confidence
Improved social relationships, likeability, and support circles, as well as tighter bonds with loved ones
Increased desire for generosity and to give to others
Reduced levels of materialism
Improved sense of meaning in work and life
Better decision-making skills, patience, and leadership ability
Heightened performance in work environments and reduced rates of work-related stress
Improved sleep
Balanced blood pressure
Increased motivation for activity and exercise

2. Positive Psychology Tells Us We Can Take Control

Many people’s struggles with mental health and psychological factors have to do with a feeling like they’re not in control. People can quickly develop helplessness and hopelessness when everything seems so hard to handle.

Positive psychology allows people to take control back into their lives. Its findings have indicated, with studies, that intentionally cultivating positive attitudes and moods can manifest them into reality. In other words, taking steps towards improving your life can already negatively impact your overall happiness.

This is a powerful message – it shows that you can take control. The fact that you can take action to improve your well-being in such a significant way is inspiring!

3. Positive Psychology Balances One’s Relationship With Money

Money is a motivating factor in many people’s lives. But if it becomes too big of a driving force, it can cause problems in your life. Positive psychology allows for a balance between big money dreams and other more meaningful endeavors. It achieves this in the following ways:

· It Emphasises Experiences

Instead of material things, positive psychology research has taught us that spending money on experiences increases happiness. It takes some guilt off spending money to make yourself feel better by redirecting that spending to productivity.

· It Balances Financial Goals

Attaining wealth is a fairly common goal among many different people. Studies in positive psychology have shown us that accumulating money can improve happiness. It’s not that big of a boost to your mood overall. In other words, it doesn’t discourage financial goals – it just tells you that it shouldn’t be the only goal you have in life.

· It Encourages Generosity

When you don’t have additional money, it’s tempting to spend it on yourself. But positive psychology research indicates that spending money on others will make you happier than spending it on yourself. That altruism comes with plenty of other benefits in your life, too!

4. Positive Psychology Encourages Acts Of Kindness

So, you know that positive psychology encourages monetary generosity, as it can increase happiness more than spending money on yourself. And the field has much more to say about generosity of any kind! Studies in the branch have shown that those who perform random acts of kindness have better wellbeing and social standing.

Research also states that this applies to volunteering. Working for a cause that you believe in can boost life satisfaction and even reduce depression symptoms!

5. It Can Be Applied To Work Environments

Workplaces are often unfriendly environments to the people employed within them. Many business owners, managers, and bosses fail to realize how caring for their employees’ well-being can benefit their business. Positive psychology research shows that numerous workplaces can be improved by:

Encouraging positive emotions, which improves performance at different jobs
Taking small, simple actions to improve morale among employees
Further caring about fostering positive feelings, which are contagious and can spread quickly among people in a work environment
Giving people work that they can find meaningful and important

6. Positive Psychology Distances Us From Toxic Positivity

Many people believe that positive psychology is about forcing yourself to be always positive. But this is just a myth. In reality, the field has taught us that unrealistically pushing yourself to optimism can actually do more harm than good, or so studies say!

Toxic positivity has been on the rise in recent years. People have tried to push this idea that you must continually force a smile onto your face no matter what happens. Many individuals tell themselves that everything happens for a reason, so they shouldn’t be upset by adverse events. There’s also an intense belief that happiness is 100% a choice, so if you’re sad, it’s your fault.

These ways of thinking are all extremely damaging because they:

Shame people for having normal emotions and invalidate people for their experiences.
Avoid authenticity and promote facades.
Prevent people from regulating and processing emotions healthily.
Stop people from growing and learning from negative experiences.

Luckily, positive psychology has already begun educating us on toxic positivity’s pitfalls. It’s much better to experience and feel each emotion.

7. It Develops Positive Social Circles

Positive psychology has taught us more about developing positive social circles. Studies have indicated that interacting with others via physical affection can release oxytocin.

Oxytocin is a powerful neurotransmitter that promotes trust, morality, empathy, and well-being. Better yet, as we previously mentioned, these good feelings are all contagious. As such, if you develop a positive social circle, you’re more likely to attract happier, more positive people too!

8. It Helps Us To Focus On Meaning

It’s easy enough to guess that people are happiest when they can do something meaningful and purposeful with their lives. Studies in positive psychology have indicated that this truly is the case. If you fill your life with meaning, you’ll feel happier. Essential notes on such findings are:

Satisfying needs can improve happiness but don’t improve meaning. It would help to supplement your basic needs with greater fulfillment for maximum satisfaction.
Being true to yourself improves feelings of meaning, not happiness.
Meaning in life is long-term, whereas happiness is short-term and matters for the present.
People who have a lot of meaning in their life but not enough happiness are more likely to feel anxious and stressed out, indicating the need for a balance of both.

9. Positive Psychology Focuses On Personal Improvement

People often focus on what’s wrong with them that they forget they can improve on things they dislike about themselves. Indeed, positive psychology research proves that you can fight setbacks and adverse life events by enhancing your strength of character.

It’s worth noting that, to some degree, happiness is influenced by your biology. But you can develop a more positive life experience by working on yourself, developing healthy relationships, and building positive traits!

10. It Improves Your Chances Of Success

Last but certainly not least, positive psychology has given us a unique glimpse into success and effort. So when you implement the findings of its research into your daily life, you are more likely to succeed.

Better yet, the happier you are, the more successful you may become, not the other way around! As such, focusing on your well-being first instead of hinging your value on your achievements is a much better way to live your life.

Final Thoughts On Some Benefits Of Positive Psychology

As a new field, positive psychology has a long way to go before we can truly see its full potential. But it’s extremely promising; for once, we’re asking what’s right about us instead of what’s wrong with us. Instead of focusing on fixing things, it’s helping to uplift us based on what’s already good in the world around us.

It’s worth noting that, like any field of psychology, this one has accumulated its share of criticism. Mistakes in research have led to faulty and misleading findings, especially in earlier years. Positive psychology is also highly individualistic, focusing on unique, specific traits and characteristics. There’s also a lot of reliance on self-reporting in its research, and there’s a fair bit of Western bias in the branch.

But all branches of psychology have their upsides and downsides. Criticism doesn’t make positive psychology obsolete – it just means that more research is needed to refine what we know! Ultimately, there’s a lot to look forward to, and there are already many great things we’ve learned from its study.

There’s a lot to love about positive psychology. It has shown plenty of benefits for everyday life, personal growth, social interaction, and the workplace. Its steady growth will bring new findings, and hopefully, we’ll soon be able to understand it better and how to use it in our lives.

30 Motivational Quotes About Life From Bob Proctor

February 5, 2022 by Kristen Butler

Canadian-born author, motivational speaker, and Law of Attraction expert Bob Proctor passed away on February 4, 2022.

Sandy Gallagher, who helped Proctor operate the Proctor Gallagher Institute, announced the sad news in a Facebook post. However, Gallagher promised that Proctor’s work would carry on, so his legacy will continue to inspire people worldwide.

We intend to play a significant role in creating a world in which true wealth—spiritual, material, intellectual—flows to, through and from every person in an ever-expanding, never-ending cycle of abundance. This vision and Bob’s mission will most certainly continue through the Proctor Gallagher Institute and we look forward to continue serving you. -Sandy Gallagher, Proctor Gallagher Institute

Born on July 5, 1934, in Canada, Proctor rose to fame as the author of his New York Times best-seller, You Were Born Rich. The book helps readers understand the power of positivity, aka the Law of Attraction. This belief explains how energy, or vibrations, stream throughout the Universe. Further, similar vibrations attract themselves to each other. So if someone wants to attract good things, they must have good energy to reap their rewards. On the other hand, negative energy attracts adverse outcomes.

The Early Life of Bob Proctor

Proctor did not grow up in the lap of luxury. Instead, he came from a regular, working-class Canadian family.

While attending a technical program as an older teenager, Proctor suffered a thumb injury while operating a band saw. As a result, he struggled with a low-self image throughout his early adulthood.

At age 26, he began to transform his mindset. At that time, Proctor worked as a firefighter in Toronto, barely scraping by on his salary to make ends meet. In 1961, a co-worker shared with him a copy of the beset-selling Napoleon Hill guidebook, Think and Grow Rich. It was the first book that Proctor read as an adult, and it became the motivation to change his life.

Proctor realized that his future was in his hands and that he must take bold action to have a joyful life. He gained control of his finances by starting his own business–a cleaning contracting business. Despite having no business experience, he applied his drive and energy to the company and it flourished. In fact, the firm earned over $100,00 in the first year of business. Thus, he saw proof of the Law of Attraction in action and became a student of the movement–eventually writing his famous book.

Motivational Quotes About Life from Bob Proctor

Although Proctor is gone, his legacy will live on through his writings and words. Here are some key takeaways we can all learn from him.

Bob Proctor Life Lessons About How to Change for the Better

1 – “Regardless of what happens today, realize it is the beginning of something good.”

2 – “Change is constant and inevitable, but personal growth is a choice.”

3 – “You can only move ahead by letting go of old ideas.”

4 – “Success requires action and a strong work ethic.”

5. “Everything you are seeking is seeking you. Therefore, everything you want is already yours. So you don’t have to get anything. It is simply a matter of becoming more aware of what you already possess.”

Proctor’s Motivational Lessons About Goal Setting

6 – “The only limits in our life are those that we impose on ourselves.”

7 – “Everyone should have a sense of urgency – It is getting a lot done in a short period of time in a calm confident manner.”

8 – “Lack of time is really a lack of priorities.”

9 – “By visualizing your goal already completed, you flip your mind onto the frequency that contains the way that it will be attracted to you.”

10 – “Become personally involved with your dream and make it a priority, or it will never become a reality.”

11 – “Get the basic ideas in place and get moving.”

12 – “Set a goal to achieve something that is so big. So exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time.”

13 – “Doubt and worry freezes people. Don’t sit wondering if you can do something, just go do it. Doubt of any kind can be ended with action.”

14 – “One difference between successful people and all the rest is that successful people take action.”

15 – “Always ask yourself the question, is this going to help me get to my goal or not?”

Bob Proctor Motivational Life Lessons to Increase Your Self-Esteem

16 – “Don’t be a victim of negative self-talk. Remember, you are listening.”

17 – “Science and psychology have isolated that one prime cause for success or failure in life. It is the hidden self-image you have of yourself.”

18 – “Our attitude is the environment we carry with us during the day. It proclaims to the world what we think of ourselves and indicates the sort of person we have made up our minds to be. It is the person we will become. How’s your attitude today?”

19 – “The only competition you will ever face is with your own ignorance.”

20 – “There is no problem outside of you that is superior to the power within.”

Bob Proctor Life Lessons About Self-Motivation

21 – “All of the great achievers of the past have been visionary figures; they were men and women who projected into the future. They thought of what could be, rather than what already was, and then they moved themselves into action, to bring these things into fruition.”

22 – “Stay in charge of you, don’t let the outside world control you.”

23 – “People who are interested in doing something will do it when it’s convenient. People who are committed will do it no matter what.”

24 – “See yourself where you want to be and then be there. Don’t be in the past. Be there! Act like the person you want to become.”

25 – “Once you make the decision, you will find all the people, resources, and ideas you need every time.”

26 – “You’re going to find the people that make it work NEVER quit, quitting is NOT an option.”

27 – “You must do what others won’t, commit, and stay the course.”

28 – “Do you want to know what you think about most of the time? Take a look at the results you’re getting. That will tell you exactly what’s going on inside.”

29 – “Okay, do just a little bit more. Turn going the extra mile into a habit – it is what lifts most successful people above the crowd.”

30 – “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there.”

Final Thoughts on the Passing of Bob Proctor

Although Proctor has left this world, his teachings, ideas, and leadership will continue in his writing. His institute vows to carry on his life’s mission–inspiring millions of others to live their best lives. We know that Proctor is looking on, still encouraging everyone out there to grow, success, and SHINE ON!

10 Behaviors That Reveal Emotional Reactivity (and How to Fix It)

February 5, 2022 by Kristen Butler

Emotional reactivity is another newer psychological term that’s getting a lot of buzz. Do you have a problem with acting out impulsively when you’re angry, stressed to the max, your feelings are hurt, or you don’t feel good? When those stress hormones, like cortisol, are in abundance soaring throughout your body, you go into a state of panic, also known as fight or flight.

Your perceptions are altered by the surge of hormones you feel during the heat of the moment. Additionally, this emotional charge prohibits you from clearly seeing the situation and acting irrationally. You won’t listen to reason when you get to this point, as your emotions and your defensive nature are purely driving you.

Everyone Can Display Emotional Reactivity at One Time or Another

Your emotional reactivity is driven by your dynamic stance and often causes you to overreact. Now, you should know that it’s effortless to overdramatize a situation. Consider this scenario.

Janet is running late to work, and she gets a phone call telling her that her checking account is overdrawn. Frustrated, she goes into work already feeling life’s pressure. She loses it when she gets blamed at work for someone else’s error. Not only is she being written up, but she is innocent.

In the heat of the moment, she tells her boss exactly what she thinks of him, grabs her stuff, and walks out. She just quit a job she’s held for over ten years over a simple misunderstanding. This situation is emotional reactivity, as she acted irrationally instead of calmy communicating and resolving the issue. How many times have you done something like this when your emotions get the best of you?

Reducing Your Emotional Reactivity

If you walk around this world constantly overreacting to every little situation, it’s going to cause you many issues. The key is to slow down and listen carefully to what’s being said. People often take things as they understand them, and they’re not grasping the situation.

Don’t let your feelings get in the way, as you can rest assured that it will make a mess of things. Using your active listening skills, you can learn to communicate without shutting down. The next time you’re in a situation where someone is saying things that make your blood boil, make a mental note of the problem.

Allow the person to finish speaking, and then go back with your questions later. The person gets to talk without you interrupting them when you’re actively listening. Then, once they’ve completed their thoughts, you can ask any questions that you need to gain further clarification.

When making your inquiries, use a matter-of-fact tone, and remember to remain calm. You can’t help that your reactions become intense at times, but you need to learn how to make sense of these emotions to learn to articulate correctly. If you need help finding what’s underneath these intense passions, a therapist can help you explore the anger and rage that lies under the surface.

How Active Listening Helps to Lower Emotional Reactivity

Learning how to listen to your peers, spouse, children, and family members can reduce the amount of conflict in your life, and you will have more minor issues to manage. The key to controlling emotional reactivity is to figure out what triggers you. Perhaps you’re prone to misreading people, which means that often what’s said to you comes across as totally wrong.

If you’re a person who wears your emotions on your sleeve, you can easily overreact to a situation when it’s not as it was intended. Delving deep into your makeup is not an easy task, but through this art of self-discovery, you will learn to understand why you have such an issue with reactivity.

Advantages to Lowering Your Emotional Reactivity

No one likes to go on this journey to figure out all the nuances within their personality, but some advantages are the following:

You begin to experience better relationships with people you care about
Have fewer arguments, fights, and emotional disturbances
Understand your spouse better than before
Become a calmer, better version of yourself

Behaviors That Reveal Emotional Reactivity

According to Dr. Andrea Brandt from Psychology Today, reactive behaviors can damage your relationships as you tend to turn trivial things into full-blown crises. Alas, there’s a way to fix this nuance. Here are some behaviors that show emotional reactivity–avoid these.

1. Verbal Explosions

When someone says something you don’t like, you come back at them by saying things that you later regret. These things can be mean, aggressive, or even threatening. Sadly, you’ve often just misunderstood the communication, and now you’ve said things even worse than what was initially said to you.

2. Physical Altercations

Barb and Lisa were arguing over family matters. Barb’s temper hit the red-hot zone when Lisa called her mother a name in anger. To get back at Lisa, Barb kicked the side of the sofa table and busted the leg from it, which was an emotional reaction to the situation.

The table had nothing to do with the argument, but it was used as a vice to help relieve the rage Barb felt inside.

3. Muscle Tightness

If you’re getting reprimanded at work by a boss, you may feel the muscles tighten in your chest, neck, and anywhere else in the body. This is an emotional response to what’s being said.

4. Giving the Cold Shoulder

Your spouse spent the rent money on foolish gaming gear, and you’re seeing red. You give them the cold shoulder rather than say anything and communicate about the issue. The cold shoulder is another emotional reaction to a situation.

5. Refusing to Speak

Some people refuse to speak when they’re enraged. They use this as a tactic to show their anger without saying anything hurtful. Refusing to talk is a power play when someone wants to dominate or control the situation. Silence is often more potent than yelling.

Now, the proper thing to do would be to say that you need some time to cool off, as you’re afraid of what you might say at this moment. However, refusing to speak and going for days without uttering a word is very childish.

6. Increased Heart Rate, Flushing

Many folks can feel the surge of extra hormones rushing through their body as their heart rate increases and their face becomes flush. Just listening to someone say something that makes you upset can cause an autonomic response that you must get under control. Have you ever heard that someone gets so upset they have a heart attack?

A traditional heart attack occurs when the arteries supplying blood to this organ become blocked. However, when you have a stressful event that causes a heart attack, it’s called takotsubo cardiomyopathy. According to Harvard Health Publishing, most of these cases stem from emotional shock.

7. Refusals

You made broccoli and cheese for dinner, which your son hates. He gets angry when you tell him to eat his supper, as he believes you’re being mean by making him eat this nasty food. He refuses to eat anything for dinner to get back at you and as part of a temper tantrum.

The fact that your son is only six years old doesn’t matter, as people of all ages use emotional reactivity to get their point across.

8. Crying

Some people become so overwhelmed with emotions that they cry. Many times, tears aren’t of sadness but anger. Since this is a normal physiological reaction to the surge of emotions, many people are prone to waterworks.

9. Breathing Difficulties

Have you ever become so upset that you find it hard to breathe? It’s not uncommon for those chest muscles to tighten during times of duress, and you can lack oxygen. Some situations can knock the breath right out of you, but you can usually recover pretty quickly by using box breathing to calm yourself.

10. Head Banging

Headbanging is not something adults usually engage in, but it’s often observed in children. Yes, even your children can become overwhelmed with their emotions and react unhealthily.

Many kids will bang their head on the floor when their parent tells them to do something they don’t like. It’s a power play to get their way, and it’s also self-punishment for some.

Final Thoughts on Emotional Reactivity

It’s not healthy to try to repress or bury the sentiments you have, as you will soon find they come out in other ways. Learning emotional regulation is essential, as it helps you with the ability to control your emotional responses. However, you must know that this is only going to be mastered through practice.

You must learn how to diffuse an emotional situation and not react immediately. Learn to slow down, listen to what’s being said, and alter the intensity of the problem. It’s believed that practicing mindfulness can help you regain perspective by turning your focus to the present.

When you learn to be present, you can slowly lower your stress threshold. Additionally, you can learn to bring your mind from the reacting part to processing the situation. Reacting to stimuli is normal, but you must learn to put your emotions aside and listen.

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