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15 Exercise Recovery Tips to Improve Your Workouts

January 13, 2022 by Chris Butler

Whether you’re a professional athlete or have workout routines at home, the physical rules are the same. It’s best to include a little bit of exercise recovery time after your body uses stored energy to work muscles and joints. It’s a vital cooling-down session that can relax your body and minimize pain or potential injury.

15 Exercise Recovery Tips to Add to Your Routine

When you schedule a workout routine, allow time for warmups and cooldowns. If you jump into a routine without preparing your body, you risk hurting yourself. Likewise, recovery time cools your body down after a workout for essential healing.

Fortunately, recovery isn’t difficult and doesn’t take long to perform. If you pay as much attention to it as you do your exercises, you’ll be thankful in the long run. Consider adding these 15 recovery tactics to your regular workout sessions.

1. Do Some Stretching During the Exercise Recovery Phase

Exercise recovery begins before you even do your first exercise. Your muscles need advance notice so they will be primed and ready. Start each exercising session with a few minutes of stretching.

Do a variety of gentle stretches that include significant muscles and joints in your arms, legs, waist, and neck. For optimal exercise recovery, remember to stretch before and after your workouts. You may consider doing yoga poses or tai chi for healing.

Another efficient way to do stretching is to use resistance bands. They come in different sizes, are inexpensive, and are convenient. Use them at home or do some stretching outside before taking your morning walk or run.

2. Wear Compression Garments

Your physical fitness routine will be more comfortable and efficient with the proper clothing. According to an article published by the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, wearing compression garments seems to help with performance recovery and muscle soreness. Some are made as complete outfits, while you can wear others under your regular exercising clothes.

3. Stay Hydrated

Not only does your body have a high concentration of water, but you also need it to survive. It’s essential for all your body’s systems and can flush out waste and toxins. Try to stay hydrated before, during, and after your workout to benefit muscle growth and mental health.

Whenever you’re working out, keep a cold bottle of water at your side. You can also bring a reusable water bottle on hikes and cycling activities. Sweating during exercise takes a lot of water out of your system, so keep hydrated as you recover.

4. Eat Right

A healthy lifestyle includes physical fitness, maintaining good mental health, and consuming nutritious foods. Instead of munching on processed junk food loaded with fat, sugar, salt, and calories, enjoy a variety of whole foods. Lean proteins, veggies, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats help keep your body fit and make exercise recovery easier.

5. Take a Cold Shower

After a hearty workout, your muscles and joints probably feel exhausted. Once again, water comes to your rescue. Taking a cold shower soothes those sore muscles and helps you relax along with other exercise recovery techniques.

6. Get Enough Sleep During Exercise Recovery

Not only does your mental health depend on a good night’s sleep, but so does the rest of your body. While you’re in dreamland, your brain goes to minimum power so that it can reboot, and your body does the necessary repairs.

Aim to get six to eight hours of sleep each night, and you’ll see a difference in your physical fitness regimen. Sleep is a natural exercise recovery that can provide more energy for exercising, muscle growth, stamina, and better mental health.

7. Try Supplements

If you want to boost your exercise recovery, you might consider natural supplements. An article published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition explains the benefits of creatine for effective muscle growth and exercise. Not only can creative supplements enhance your exercise recovery, but they may help reduce injuries during intense workouts.

Creatine also occurs naturally in healthy lean meats, fish, and dairy products. These are all part of a balanced, nutritious diet and lifestyle. Plus, your body makes its creatine for cell health and other vital functions.

8. Get a Massage

What could be better after exercising than a comforting massage? It’s an ideal exercise recovery technique that can reduce muscle soreness and cramps. An article published by the National University of Health and Sciences states that massage can also benefit your mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and irritability.

After exercising and stretching, use your hands to gently massage the muscles in your legs, arms, and neck. You might also consider investing in an inexpensive foam roller or massage unit for your physical fitness routines. Of course, you can ask your partner to massage those achy muscles for you.

9. Take a Break

No matter how dedicated you are to physical fitness and muscle growth, everybody needs a break. It would help with a relaxing diversion for your mental health and extended exercise recovery. Try to devote at least one day each week to having some fun or reducing your regular exercising routine.

There’s nothing wrong with spending a leisurely Sunday walking through the park or catching up with family and friends. Since your physical health and mental health are intrinsically connected, a bit of relaxation can benefit your entire well-being. It’s also an excellent time to practice gentler stretching exercises.

10. Do a Quick Body Assessment

Your body is a unique machine, and it will tell you what it needs if you listen. As you stretch and prepare for a workout, notice any aches, pains, or anything that seems irregular. It’s normal after exercising to have muscle growth pain, but you need to be careful of injuries.

Another best practice in physical fitness is to do body assessments during your workouts and afterward for recovery. If you feel any pain, you should immediately stop what you’re doing. Even the slightest sports injuries can be exacerbated if you don’t care for them.

11. Alternate Hot and Cold Presses

Here’s another benefit of water for your physical fitness routines. You can use ice, or you can use a manufactured cold pack. Also, you can use a hot water bottle or a heating pad to produce the necessary warmth.

Consider alternating heat and cold therapy on your sore muscles and joints as you’re recovering from your workout. This alternation can dilate your blood vessels and strengthen the blood supply to problem areas. Some people even like to alternate hot and cold water in their post-workout shower.

12. Go Easy on the Alcohol

Besides being high in empty calories, excess alcohol can interfere with glycogen production in your muscles after a workout, says an article published by PLoS One. Another problem is that it can also hinder the natural protein synthesis your body needs for muscle growth.

13. Listen to Calming Music During Exercise Recovery

Have you ever wondered why so many fitness centers pump music while people are doing their workouts? Not only does music benefit your spiritual and mental health, but the upbeat tunes may inspire you. Afterward, listening to calm music can put you in a relaxed mood essential for recovery.

When exercising at home or taking a run, don’t forget your mobile device and earphones. Play your favorite songs with a tempo that makes you happy and want to move your body. You can find many excellent exercising tunes online to download for free or at minimal cost.

14. Eat A Snack Before and After You Exercise (Helps Recovery Later!)

If you’ve ever exercised on an empty stomach, you understand why it’s not such a good idea for most. It’s especially true if your workout routine is after you awaken in the mornings. While you don’t want to exercise after a large meal, a healthy snack can be just what you need.

A few minutes before you start your warmup, have a high-protein snack like a few nuts or a boiled egg. This boost of protein helps strengthen your body while working out and helps with muscle growth. During recovery, consider another high-protein snack to aid with muscle repair.

15. Stay Spiritually Connected

In many cultures and traditions worldwide, the human body is considered a sacred temple that houses your mind and spirit. All components of your triune being require compassionate care for your well-being. You can enhance your exercise routine by promoting good mental health and spiritual connectivity.

Attention to your spiritual being is just as important as keeping your body fit and healthy. Meditation is a superb method for reconnecting with spirit while recovering after exercise. It helps shut the world away for a while so you can listen to your inner voice.

Final Thoughts About Including an Exercise Recovery Phase Post-Workout

Your entire body engages in burning energy and working muscles, tendons, and joints during your workout routine. Not only does it deserve recovery for a job well done, but it’s essential for repair and future workouts. Recovery rebuilds your strength and helps prevent muscle and joint damage.

12 Techniques to Help Heal After a Friendship Breakup

January 13, 2022 by Deborah Tayloe

You often hear people talking about the hurt that comes with breaking off a romantic relationship, but what about when you and your close friend part ways? Friends are a vital part of your social life throughout your childhood and into adulthood. A friendship breakup can take a long time to get over, as you grieve the loss of someone who is no longer there.

As you age, your friendships deepen as you find people to share your thoughts and even secrets. One of the reasons it hurts so much is that you bear your heart and soul to someone, and they leave. How do you go through a breakup with your friend, move on, and let go of the overwhelming feelings of hurt?

Twelve Ways to Heal After a Friendship Breakup

If you’ve ever experienced a friendship loss, it’s not an easy thing to handle. However, there are some ways to get over this pain without making foolish mistakes in the process. Here are a few tips to help you through this difficult time.

1. Go Ahead and Grieve the Friendship Breakup

A friendship loss is much like death, as this person will not be there for you anymore. They won’t be listening to you cry on the other end of the phone or be there when life is unkind. So, it’s okay for you to grieve.

The grieving process of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance is inevitable in any loss. If you need to cry, then let it out. It’s a big deal to lose someone special to you, and you’re not going to do yourself any favors by trying to suppress these overwhelming emotions.

2. Work On Your Goals

Rather than focusing on your loss, which feels overwhelming, it’s time to focus on your goals. Work on you and what the future looks like. It would help if you used an old trick called diversion. When your child is fixated on something and throwing a fit, diverting their attention to something else often helps.

The same thing can be done to help with your grief. You can divert your attention towards something positive and away from the negative.

3. Process the Situation and Validate Your Feelings

Donna Mitchell is a therapist who helps people process things that happen in their lives. She states that while many people hear that they should process their feelings, they don’t know what it means. When you process, you’re reflecting on your side of the story as seen from your perspective.

It’s a way for you to get things out in the open and validate how you feel. It’s a tactic that’s often used in cognitive behavioral therapy as it’s a great way to get things from the inside out. Moving on isn’t easy when you’ve lost a friend, so processing the situation is a great place to start.

4. Be The Bigger Person and Move on Following the Friendship Breakup

Some people want to get even with a person who has hurt them, and this is especially true if you’ve been done wrong. However, don’t get all caught up in seeking revenge. The Universe will take care of any wrongs done to you, as this person is creating a karmic debt they will need to repay.

As for you, focus your energy on moving and put your efforts towards positive energy and healing. Karma will have a way of handling things done to you, and all you need to do is focus on your life.

5. Get Counseling or Join a Support Group

Breaking up with a friend hurts, so counseling is a great place to start your healing journey. Therapists can help you through your grief, no matter what it stems from in your life. If you don’t feel comfortable with counseling, you might consider a support group.

Support groups of peers experiencing similar things are very helpful, and they’re abundant these days. You can find them both online and in person, so you need to search for the group of people that best fits your needs. After a friendship breakup, it helps to have that circle of support to make you feel like you’re not alone.

6. Sever The Ties That Bind

Please don’t call them, text them, or comment on their social media posts. You’re only prolonging the inevitable, and your hurt won’t heal when you keep the communication going.

If there’s been a misunderstanding and the relationship can be fixed, then you should make such efforts. However, sometimes you need to know when it’s time to give up.

7. Manage Your Anger Throughout the Friendship Breakup

Your anger can get the best of you, especially if you’ve been done wrong. It would be best if you learned how to manage your emotions because they can get you into a lot of trouble. Rather than saying things you’ll regret or becoming vindictive, you need to strive to do whatever it takes to get your rage under control.

8. Write Them a Letter for Closure

You’ve heard of the Dear John letter that people send when they want to break up with someone, well you can do a similar action with a friendship breakup. You carry a great deal of weight with you daily from your emotional hurts. When you’ve been betrayed or have pain from others, one of the best ways to get all that stuff off your chest is through a letter.

A letter can help you say everything you need this person to hear, but you can’t seem to say these things in person. Once you write the letter, you can send it to them or burn it. Either way, you’re releasing some of the pent-up feelings that are hindering you.

9. Avoid The Blame Game During a Friendship Breakup

It’s easy to engage in the blame game, as pointing fingers seems the proper thing to do. However, it’s not wise to point at anyone because a friendship breakup often occurs when wrongs are on both sides. Finger-pointing is unhealthy and damaging, and it keeps you from taking responsibility for your part.

10. Don’t Be in a Hurry for New Friendships

Why do people feel like they need to rush and find someone to fill that void? You often see this in romantic relationships. People will jump from one person to the next and get involved in a rebound relationship.

An article on Magnet of Sucess discusses a poll done on rebound relationships, and shockingly, most only last about two to four months. Be wary of jumping out there and trying to find a new best friend to replace the one you lost, as you may get involved in a worse situation than you’re in right now.

You’re grieving and hurting from your friendship breakup. You’re in no position to be a good judge of character and start getting involved so quickly. It’s best to have a few friends so that if someone happens with one of them, you have the others to help support you.

11. Face It’s Not Going to Work

Like with marriages, some people hope that things will work out and waste their time and energy. Sure, even your best friend and you won’t see eye-to-eye on everything. However, a relationship should make you feel better, not worse.

If the relationship is more trouble than it’s worth, or you feel like it’s constant drama, then you need to face the fact that it’s better to let it go. Letting go and moving on from a friendship breakup is one of the hardest things to do, but getting rid of toxic relationships is better than letting things drag on.

12. Celebrate New Beginnings

So many people want to focus on the negative aspects, but it’s time to use this as a learning experience. What is the Universe trying to teach you through this loss? You will learn that you need to do things differently in the future.

Were you too clingy and demanded a lot of time from your friend, or did you tell them things that scared them away? Sometimes you have skeletons in the closet that you need to keep buried, as it doesn’t do anyone any good to dredge them back up.

Since you’re already in this situation, it’s time to use it to learn and grow. You can be a better friend when you understand why things didn’t work so well in this relationship.

Final Thoughts on a Friendship Breakup

It can be a harrowing and confusing experience when going through a friendship breakup. The good news is that there are ways that you can move on from the loss, process the pain, and hurt. There’s no need to carry baggage from one relationship to another, so you must give yourself the proper time to grieve.

Though you might be eager to move on and find someone else to fill the void your friend left behind, it’s wise to give yourself some time. Only you will know when you’ve had sufficient time to grieve the loss. Once you’ve moved past the negative stuff, you can move forward to the positive things.

New beginnings should be celebrated, and you should spend this time working on yourself and your goals. Most importantly, take time to learn a lesson from what went wrong with this relationship so that you can forge a more successful friendship the next time around.

10 Signs of Love Bombing Never to Ignore

January 12, 2022 by Chris Butler

Everyone dreams of being loved and adored and showered with attention regarding relationships. However, what happens when all the attention is over the top and becomes too much to manage? While love is a grand feeling that makes your heart skip a beat, some people use this emotion to exploit people for their gain, and it’s called love bombing.

While it’s not always easy to tell at first, you will soon be able to identify if your partner is genuinely in love with you or using you to further their agenda. Since love bombing is a relatively new term, you may not fully understand it. It simply means that someone is manipulating you with your emotions.

The manipulation is to get you to change or do something they want. The motives behind it seem endearing at first. However, you will soon learn they’re bringing you under their spell for selfish purposes. Oddly enough, when you’re being used and manipulated this way, it directly affects your hormones.

The manipulator wants you to feel valued and treasured, so they work overtime to accomplish this task. Your brain loves being adored and desired, so it will release endorphins to flood your feel-good receptors. Please make no mistake; it will only be a matter of time before you know the truth, and sometimes it’s too late.

Once you’re entangled in their web of deceit. The relationship is all a figment of your imagination, and the feelings you developed are not genuine, as you were a pawn in a sick and twisted game.

Ten Telltale Signs of Love Bombing

It can be challenging to identify the signs of love bombing, especially since you tend to be distracted by their undying love for you. Consequently, it is essential to distinguish between true love and the narcissist who uses control tactics like love bombing to manipulate you. Here are some signs to help you out.

1. Someone Engaged in Love Bombing Will Call or Text Way Too Much

Everybody knows that communication is essential in a relationship. However, it can be smothering if your partner calls or texts non-stop. They don’t miss you that much.

Instead, they want to call and check up on you because there’s a trust issue. They know they’re doing you wrong and want to ensure you haven’t figured them out. They may be working an angle and trying to get something from you too.

2. They Want to Know Your Every Move

While it’s sweet to want someone to check in to ensure safety, it can also be creepy when overdone. When someone wants to know your every move, they’re not concerned about your safety but more about checking in on you. They can spew the sweetest words that make you trust their motives, but you will soon notice a narcissistic trend that quashes that euphoric feeling they once gave you.

3. Love Bombing Partners Will Become Chummy with Family and Friends

To make their ruse more believable, the manipulator is not uncommon to get in good with your friends and family members. This person needs your inner circle to trust them to back up the plan. Once they get the family to buy on to the plan hook, line, and sinker, then it becomes easier to manipulate you.

Your friends and family will vouch for them when you question their motives. The exploiter has everyone fooled into thinking they’re the perfect partner, but they’re nothing more than a master manipulator.

4. They’re Overly Involved in Your Successes

It’s nice to have someone that celebrates with you when you’ve done something successfully, but have you ever noticed that your partner is more excited than you? Going overboard when you accomplish a milestone is something that the manipulator often does.

To the rest of the world, you’ve hooked one great fish in the dating pool, but you must look behind the façade and see the real intentions. They want to manipulate you and get you on their side, as they have a much bigger plan for you.

5. Love Bombing People Use Your Insecurities to Manipulate Your Feelings

It will help to keep your guard around these classic manipulators, as they tend to be very good at finding out all the dirt on you. They can dig up your darkest secret, and nothing is off-limits once they have something to use against you. The information becomes leverage, and you’re putty in their hands.

They manipulate your emotions so that you trust them and feel good, but then the sociopath will try to make you regretful and depressed. If you feel like you’re riding an emotional roller coaster with this person, it’s a red flag that you’re being love-bombed.

6. They Hate Any Boundaries You Set

Everyone has boundaries, and these are important in any relationship. You need to retain your individuality, and it’s often a bone of contention with the narcissistic lover. According to therapist Sharon Martin from Psych Central, it’s a big red flag when someone repeatedly violates personal boundaries.

She further states that love is all about respect, and you have choices. If someone continually violates your boundaries, it disrespects you as a human being.

7. They Pamper You Way Too Much

Is it possible to be pampered too much? WHaving someone tells you how special you are and how much you’re loved feels incredible. However, there’s that point where it goes from pleasant to overboard, and they begin to look suspicious.

The issue with this pampering lover is that the goal is for you to become dependent on them for everything. They’re doting on you because they want to ensure that you aren’t going anywhere.

When going through this stage of being pampered like royalty, you must ensure the relationship is not heading into the next phase of love bombing. Is the extra attention genuine, or are you being played?

8. Someone Who Is Love Bombing Wants to Dominate Your Time

When you’re in love, you want to spend every chance together. However, what do you do when that other person becomes suffocating? While it’s fun initially, you have responsibilities that don’t include dating and hanging out every night of the week.

It’s impressive at first that they can’t seem to live without you, but it soon feels like you have no personal time or space. This is another tactic of the classic manipulator who wants to get on your good side. Doing this makes it easier for them to use you without you noticing a thing.

9. The Relationship is Moving. Lightening Quick

There are many phases of love bombing, and the first stage moves very quickly. They may say they’ve been swept up in your beauty and overcome by passion, but it’s because they have a time frame that has nothing to do with you.

If someone starts saying they love you by the second date, if they want to move in with you in less than a month, or if they want to be exclusive right after you meet, it’s all red flags.

Sure, some people know the minute they see each other that they’re the one, but those stories have more bad endings than good ones. Time is your friend when it comes to protecting yourself from narcissists. Ensure you date long enough to know them and their motives before entering a committed relationship or marriage.

10. A Love Bombing Partner Will Be Overly Involved in Your Life’s Decisions

If your partner seems overly concerned about your decision-making, it’s a cause for concern. Unless you plan to spend eternity together, the other person shouldn’t be so involved in your choices. Another alarming action is that some folks will mirror your pursuits and preferences to match theirs.

Don’t be fooled by all this concern for your decisions and future. Once again, they have only their selfish plan to consider. While it feels so good to have someone who genuinely cares for you, they’re nothing more than a very skilled actor.

Final Thoughts on Knowing the Red Flags That Reveal Love Bombing

A study published on Research Gate shows that love bombers often have low self-esteem and poor views of self. As with most narcissists, these folks have likely had something happen to them in their past that has warped their idea of relationships. Often, these people don’t have good relationships with friends or parents, as they tend to have an expiration date with folks.

It’s nothing more than narcissistic self-enhancement when someone tries to control you to the point of taking over your life. Sadly, these arrangements can have a negative psychological impact on you and the person who is manipulating you. Toxic relationships surround you, but it’s about picking the best person for you.

Indeed, you’ll probably kiss a few toads before you find your prince/princess. It’s better to take your time and ensure you find someone who complements you and does not harm you psychologically.

10 Signs of Parental Gaslighting Never to Ignore

January 12, 2022 by Chris Butler

Everybody has a past, and few people can look back on their childhood with joy. Parents, even the best ones, make mistakes. Sadly, their errors can cause you problems in your adult life. Most folks think of gaslighting as a form of mental abuse in a romantic relationship, but parental gaslighting can also happen in the home.

Many parents are narcissistic, and while their job is to protect and love you, there are many times that they make you question your sanity. Yes, it’s possible that your parents made you think you’re going crazy. This emotional abuse creates a lot of baggage that people carry into adulthood, and you can even pass along these harmful discipline methods to your kids without realizing it.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow when you know that your parents can be manipulative, toxic, and even downright abusive towards you. These are the folks that are supposed to love you unconditionally, guide you, and they’re in charge of your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Going through these experiences alters your perception, and you start to believe that what’s abusive is normal. Parental gaslighting can and does happen in many families, from the richest to the poorest, but it’s time to call attention to it and end these cycles of abuse.

Ten Parental Gaslighting Behaviors Nobody Should Ignore

Parental gaslighting causes a terrible impact on your psyche. In adulthood, you may have thoughts that no matter what you do or say. How does a parent gaslight their child, and why would they do such a thing?

First, you should know that this is not usually a deliberate act, but many parents only imitate the methods used in their childhoods. However, some folks are downright narcissistic and will play games with their kids for their gain. Here are some classic ways that parental gaslighting occurs.

1. Lying Parents Indicate Parental Gaslighting

Your parents are the two people in the world that you should trust. However, when your parents lied to you about anything and everything, you begin to question the world.

In your adult life, you still are doubting everyone. You might even feel that you need to be a detective as you always have an underlying suspicion that someone is being untruthful. According to an article on How to Adult, many kids mimic behaviors they’re taught.

So, you may grow up to have a problem with telling the truth because it seems like an excellent way to get out of trouble.

2. They Act Like You’re Delusional

Many people have traumatic childhoods because their parents didn’t care about their mental or emotional health. If you confronted them about their lack of interest in your life, they would counter it by saying things like, “I have no clue what you’re talking about.” They want you to question your reasoning and even sanity as it takes the blame from them and puts it on you.

You may find as an adult that you too deny actions and don’t take responsibility. You may think it’s acceptable to turn the guilt back onto others.

3. Parental Gaslighting Often Involves Mocking or Taunting

It’s never okay to mock, taunt, or blatantly make fun of someone. However, when a parent stoops to this behavior, it’s parental gaslighting. For instance, the small child crying because they shut their finger in the cabinet.

The parent could mimic their crying sounds, call them a big baby, or say derogatory things. This behavior is not only humiliating for the child, but it also causes life issues. You might suppress your emotions for fear of being mocked by your spouse.

Additionally, you may learn that this is an acceptable action to use on your kids to get them to stop crying.

4. They Act Like They Know Everything

Your parents know you well, but it doesn’t mean that they know everything about you. Teachers, counselors, and friends often know those inner secrets more than a parent. When a parent pretends they know everything and refuse direction from other professionals, this is gaslighting.

In adulthood, you might be apt to think that you know yourself better than anyone, and you might refuse the help of counselors or other therapeutic staff.

5. Getting Others Involved in Discipline

It’s scary how many parents use this tactic and how toxic it can be for the child. If a child is acting up, a frustrated parent may get grandparents, teachers, friends, other relatives, or whoever they can find to back them up. They want to come across as all-powerful people, so they need to build an army against you.

The problem with this action is that you may feel that you need to do the same as an adult. Whenever you’re caught in something, you may also feel the need for backup. Bringing other people in for verification is unnecessary, and it can stem from the discipline tactics as a child.

6. Those Engaged in Parental Gaslighting Can Pin Mistakes on the Children

It’s hard to answer anyone else, even as an adult. However, it’s easier to pin things on the child instead. For instance, if your father was upset because money was missing from the savings jar, your mom might blame you for keeping the heat off herself. This blameshifting is an example of gaslighting as she blamed someone else for her actions.

You might think that it’s acceptable in life to have a scapegoat to keep you out of trouble. It’s better to acknowledge what you’ve done and face the music, as it’s better than lying.

7. Exaggerate the Little Things

Sometimes parents make a big deal about everything their kids do. This is a classical gaslighting tactic, as anger has no logic. You felt nothing you did was right, and you often walked on eggshells to keep from getting into further trouble.

Your parent would have reacted with intense rage if you spilled a glass of milk or wrecked their sports car, as everything you did was a cause for an explosion. As an adult, you’re still waiting for someone to blow upon you, and you might still feel like you’re walking on eggshells. You may think that your spouse will be angry when you do something, so you might keep things from them for the fear that they will overreact.

8. Apologies Are Non-Existent in Parental Gaslighting

Some parents refuse to apologize even when they are clearly in the wrong. Apologizing to someone means that you must surrender your pride and admit fault, and a gaslighting parent would refuse such things. Having a parent who refuses to accept wrong can be a real issue, but there’s no perfect parent.

In adulthood, you might feel it’s okay to refuse apologies, or you may think you need to apologize for everything as you never received this kindness.

9. Using Toys as Weapons

Many parents are guilty of using toys against their children, but they think this is an effective method of discipline. If your child is misbehaving, you will threaten to take or throw away their cell phone, tablet, or other toys to get them to shape up. However, it’s a threatening behavior that falls into the category of gaslighting.

Additionally, you may feel as an adult that you can threaten and withhold things from your kids, spouse, or even people you manage at work. While there must be consequences for behaviors, threats to take something from someone constantly crosses a line.

10. Your Routine Was Too Strict

Children need to be on a routine for them to thrive. However, parents must be flexible to keep things from being too rigid. While many parents like things to be run in order, they must realize that things will never be that perfect.

If your parents refuse to make any alterations to their schedule, it’s indicative of a control issue rather than for the child’s good. One example of such an issue would be if you didn’t fall to sleep right by 9 pm each night, your parent would become very upset and likely punish you for alleviating from the schedule.

When you reach adulthood, this can cause you to go one of two ways. You might become rigid about your schedule, or you might be a free spirit who has a hard time keeping anything of the sort. It can also lead to feelings of low self-worth and punishing yourself harshly if you miss a deadline.

Final Thoughts on Parental Gaslighting

You may see some of the examples on the list and feel that you suffered through these things. It’s not always straightforward to know if you’re a victim of parental gaslighting. The best way to handle these traumatic childhood injuries is to get help from someone who has more perspective.

A counselor is a great resource to help you go through the ins and outs of parental gaslighting, and they can help you recall past events and bring clarity to the matter. If you live with the consequences of growing up in a home where these behaviors occurred, you should seek the help you need. A professional counselor can help facilitate your healing.

10 Signs of an Old Soul Never to Ignore

January 12, 2022 by Chris Butler

Some folks aren’t comfortable in their skin, as they feel missing. Maybe you’re a person who longs to be in another place in time. These are two of the first signs of an old soul that nobody should ignore.

Could it be that you recall a former life? Or are you too sensitive and overactive in your imagination? Countless people all over the world have reported these puzzling sensations and experiences. Whether it’s supernatural or has a rational explanation, there must be something to it.

For most of your life, have you ever felt like you didn’t belong and didn’t quite fit into the world around you? Perhaps you were bullied in school because you were different and were deemed “uncool.” At some point, you learned to embrace your differences as a gift.

The good news is that you’re in good company throughout the ages. Some of the most brilliant people in history were eccentric, loners, and strange. However, they became the visionaries, artists, writers, and inventors who defined eras, and they made the history lessons you read about today.

Ten Signs of an Old Soul

The cyclonic nature of the Universe is a phenomenon observed since the beginning. Shifts in social concepts, traditions, and ideas often seem to revolve. A practical instance is how fashion other popular trends return with a modern twist.

You and everyone else on this planet are part of the never-ending evolution of the Universe. Perhaps your insight and sensitivity are linked to the recycling of the collective consciousness into the present day.

Are you constantly daydreaming about faraway lands from long ago? How do you know if you’re in a spiritual warp or use disassociation as a coping tool? Here are ten signs of an old soul you may have and why it’s essential to recognize them.

1. Signs of an Old Soul: You Have an Affinity for the Past

Listen to your conversation and consider your hobbies and other interests. Have you often said that you were “born out of your time” and you yearn for the past? It’s one of the significant signs of an old soul, and you probably feel a profound attachment to a particular place and era.

You’re so in love with a time in the past that it permeates your tastes in food, clothing, and home decor. For example, maybe you’ve always wondered why Jane Austen’s books entrance you. You may feel like your spirit was plucked up from Austen’s Regency Era and planted in your current body and time.

2. You Look Beyond Materialism

While an old soul does appreciate having necessities and conveniences, you’re not driven by materialism. Maybe you’ve chosen a career that encompasses your love of history or serving others. Money is a servant to make ends meet for you, and it’s not your master.

You have your sense of style, and you don’t pay a fortune on designer clothes and things for your home. You’d instead browse rummage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets for vintage items that speak to you. You place quality over quantity and have dreams that go beyond temporary riches.

3. You Have a Few Close Friends

Another one of the signs of an old soul is if you’re probably more of an introvert than an extrovert. It’s not that you are unfriendly or have social anxiety. You are extremely sensitive, and you feel more comfortable by yourself or in a small group, at the most.

Consider your inner circle. From childhood to adulthood, you’ve probably maintained a few close friends. You have many acquaintances and co-workers, but they usually aren’t in your immediate circle.

According to the law of attraction, you instinctively attract people like yourself, and they “get” you. It’s a spiritual bond that makes a romantic relationship even more fulfilling.

4. Signs of an Old Soul: You’ve Always Been Mature for Your Age

Did your parents and teachers often describe you as an advanced child who was well beyond your years? Learning probably came easier to you than other children your age. Adults may have noticed your preoccupation with subjects that were considered over your head.

Such youngsters are usually avid readers, and it’s one of the signs of an old soul. You probably lost yourself in countless novels, and you always enjoyed an unusual rapport with seniors. Even as a child, you listened intently to their recollections as if you were part of them.

You’ve also had remarkable emotional maturity in your youth. Those around you may also have noticed your empathy. As you grow into an adult, being an empath can affect your stress levels. In her article published by Psychology Today, Dr. Elizabeth A. Segal notes that empathy may lower your stress and connect you with others, which can further point to someone with an old soul.

5. You Crave Alone Time

Sometimes, being by yourself is the best company around. Nobody knows this better than an old soul. There’s something about peace and solitude that rejuvenates your mind and soothes your spirit. You can be cleverly social as needed, but your soul relishes those moments when you’re alone.

If you feel out of sorts with your life’s settings, you may be an introvert. According to a study published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, introverts are more likely than extroverted peers to remain single. In a long-term relationship, you’ve connected with a kindred soul who understands you.

6. You Are Highly Intuitive

Do you consider yourself an insightful person? As you’re searching for signs of an old soul, you’ve learned to develop your intuition and listen to your inner voice. Sensitive folks like yourself often use “feel” when describing their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.

There are many instances in your life when you “know” something in your heart. Whether it was about a career change, major decision, or discerning someone’s ulterior motives, your intuition often speaks clearly.

For example, maybe you have a successful career but feel missing. While you’re working on lucrative accounts at your desk, you’re daydreaming about opening a bookstore. You’re more apt to follow your dreams when you are highly intuitive.

7. You Often Experience Déjà vu

One of the classic telltale signs of an old soul is that you’re often influenced by déjà vu. It’s that inexplicable sensation of visiting a place for the first time, and everything is familiar. Sometimes, the feeling is so intense that you know where different buildings are and what’s inside before you ever take the first step.

In some religious traditions such as Hinduism, déjà vu is the knowledge you retained from a past life. The entire experience of being an old soul makes sense to those who believe in reincarnation.

8. You Are Spiritually Attuned

A common misconception is to equate spirituality to religion. Unfortunately, this fallacy often robs people of a fulfilling spiritual walk. While most religions have some aspects of spirituality, the two aren’t the same.

You can be spiritually mature regardless of your religious persuasions. Recognizing that spirituality transcends spiritual thoughts and traditions is an old soul’s sign. It’s a higher level of consciousness that you share with the divine, whether you call it God, the Universe, or your higher self.

You’re especially sensitive to the unseen and maybe a life student of the supernatural. In your heart, you know there’s a power beyond this world that can’t be comprehended on the physical plane. You instinctively feel a connection with the spiritual realm and acknowledge its presence in your life.

9. You Have a Strong Sense of Adventure

Even though you may be an introvert, you still have a keen sense of adventure. Maybe you’re a wandering soul who’s seeking a place and time that are no more. You may love to travel to different countries and gain new experiences that have long been on your list.

You may notice that you gravitate to a particular country as if you’re part of it. The people, culture, language, and traditions may be instantly comforting and familiar. These are all touchstones on your journey to where you finally call home.

10. Signs of an Old Soul: You Are Unusually Creative

Another of the inevitable signs of an old soul is vast imagination and creativity. It’s no wonder that artists and writers fall under this category. They have a fundamental connection with the collective consciousness that manifests in art, music, literature, and invention.

Have you always been a creative person who finds joy in making beautiful things? You also probably have vivid dreams that spark your imagination, and you bring them into reality.

Final Thoughts on Recognizing the Telltale Signs of an Old Soul

Whether you place credibility in reincarnation or not, you may be one of the millions of people who feel like an old soul. It can be frustrating at times, but feeling urges you to learn more and connect with a higher power. Your cosmic journey in this life will never be tedious, but it’s likely you don’t fit in with the crowd and tend to think outside the proverbial box.

10 Habits That Cause Mental Exhaustion (and 5 Ways to Beat It)

January 12, 2022 by Kristen Butler

Are you tired, stressed out, and don’t know how you will have the energy to keep going? Everyone gets exhausted occasionally, but sometimes, no matter how much sleep you get, the mental exhaustion won’t leave. When your stress levels don’t let up, they can bog you physically and emotionally.

Mental fatigue is different from exhaustion from not getting enough sleep the night before. It’s a tiredness that reduces your ability to function at an average pace. Your cognitive activities are slow, and you feel off. People fighting this mind tiredness might experience the following signs:

Lethargy
Inability to concentrate
Anxiety
Depression
Sleeping too much or too little
Pessimistic outlook
Appetite variations
Mood swings
Headaches
Detaching yourself from family and friends
Motivation issues

It’s easy to go from this state to one of mental concern. For instance, those who aren’t getting proper sleep might feel stressed and depressed. It’s essential to notice the symptoms of this exhaustion and get help.

Ten Habits That Help Fuel Mental Exhaustion

Many people say they’re tired these days, as life brings constant strain. However, have you ever heard someone tell you that they’re so exhausted their soul is tired, or perhaps you feel this way? Here are the ten most common habits that will cause you profound mental exhaustion.

1. Unhealthy Foods Contribute to Mental Exhaustion

You can put your body in a state of oxidated stress when you ingest foods high in fats and sugars. You must make time for eating healthy, no matter how complex planning and shopping are on you. You might want to check your diet first if you’re feeling run down and can’t go on due to exhaustion.

2. Sleep Isn’t a Priority

When you don’t have enough hours in the day, you start borrowing them from the night. You cannot bargain with your sleep time, as it will run your body down quicker than anything. According to the Sleep Foundation, you must get seven to nine hours a night.

While you may think you can go on five hours, your body needs this time to rest and repair damages from the day. Your immune system is complicated at work fighting off any invaders you’ve encountered, and you must allow it time to heal itself. While you may get away with the lack of sleep for a while, eventually, it will take its toll on you.

3. Your Work-Life Balance Is Off

You can only work so many hours in a day or week till your body will just shut down. It would help if you had a healthy work-life balance to fulfill all aspects of your life.

If you’re working way too much, you won’t have time to dedicate to your friends and family members who want to see you. Don’t forget you have other chores like cooking, cleaning your house, and taking care of your immediate family.

4. People Who Have Mental Exhaustion Often Skip Self Care

Everybody has different thoughts about what self-care means to them. However, it would help if you did those things for yourself that make you feel good. Maybe you like to go to the mall, get your hair done, buy a new outfit, or curl up on the sofa and read a good book.

Whatever you like to rest and rejuvenate your mind, you need to make sure you have time for it.

5. Not Saying “No.”

It’s not uncommon for people to take on more than what they can handle. When you overcommit yourself, you take on more than you can manage.

You do this because you want people to like you and not offend them. However, you’re just exhausting yourself.

6. Constant Pressure

Many things in your life can cause you to be under constant pressure. Your job is demanding, your family needs you, and you may have marital or health issues on top of it. One of the most compelling sayings about depression states that someone who is depressed isn’t weak, but it’s just a sign that this person has been strong for way too long.

When you’re under constant pressure, you only wear yourself down and exhaust yourself mentally. Yes, stress can make you sick.

7. Procrastination May Stem from Mental Exhaustion

Are you guilty of putting off things today because you can do them tomorrow? Procrastination is a big problem with mentally exhausted people. Your life’s inbox was already full, and now you’re just moving things over and making the next day seem impossible. It’s an excellent recipe for anxiety and exhaustion before you even get to your tomorrow.

8. Unachievable Task List

Many folks create their daily task list with the thought that they’re a superhero. They feel like Wonder Woman or Super Man with inhuman strength and powers. Stop setting yourself up for failure, and don’t put more on your list than you can manage.

9. Cluttered Environment

If you think all that clutter at your office or home isn’t affecting you, then guess again. According to Dr. Sherrie Bourg Carter from Psychology Today, she states that a cluttered space can make you feel anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed.

You can’t relax when your space is overflowing with stuff, and it’s also causing your senses to work overtime. You’re overstimulating your sense of sight, smell, and touch by forcing them to be on edge. This environment can cause you great anxiety, and it’s not an environment conducive to work.

10. No Identifiable Reason

Sometimes, there’s no known reason for feeling mental exhaustion. It’s also possible that several issues cause it, and it’s not just one thing. Evaluate your life, and if there’s been things like a divorce, death of a loved one, job loss, sickness, or another major upheaval, it can be what’s behind your inability to cope.

Five Ways to Beat Your Mental Exhaustion

Now that you know all the reasons that cause you to be exhausted, you need to know how to handle them. Here are five ways to beat your mental tiredness and get back to living.

1. Make Self-Care Important

If you work too much and don’t make yourself a priority, you will self-destruct. It would help if you had downtime to relax and chill, as it will make you feel so much better.

2. Meditate to Overcome Mental Exhaustion

Meditation is one of the simplest things you can do to help you clear your mind and release tension. All you need is about 20 minutes a day to start reaping the benefits. Best of all, if you feel overwhelmed at work or even at the mall, you can take a few minutes to meditate and calm yourself.

3. Cut Back on Your to Do List

There’s no competition where you win a prize if you get ten things done today. Stop putting so much on yourself that you can’t breathe.

If you’re so busy that you meet yourself coming and going, you will burn out. Clear your schedule and make time for the most important things.

4. Learn To Say “No.”

Sure, you want to be a good person and do things for others, but you can only handle so much. You only have so many resources. If you can help, then you should, but not for the sake of exhausting yourself. However, learn appropriate boundaries and when to say “no” to things.

5. Get Help

The burdens you carry in life are often much too significant to handle alone. If you have a medical condition that’s not treated, then seek medical help. If you’ve been through a massive life event and can’t process it, then seek counseling.

The important thing is to reach out to a support group or professionals that can assist you in this part of your journey. You’re never going to heal and get better until you learn to let go and find peace with the circumstances.

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Mental Exhaustion

Sometimes getting rid of your mental exhaustion requires doing some soul-searching and evaluating your life. What are the things that hold you back and cause you so much grief? Is it your job, your spouse, kids, bills, health?

Whatever the root causes, you need to resolve them. Until you get to the root and fix the problem, you’re never going to find peace. Think of your life like a clogged sink in your home. You’ve dumped those chemicals down there that promise to open it.

While it allows a little bit of water to drain, it’s still got a massive clog that’s preventing a nice flow. So, you call the plumber because it needs fixing. The professional found a toothpaste cap that was impeding the flow. Once he removes the issue, everything goes back to normal.

Now, what is it that’s stopping up your internal flow? Is it something that you can easily remove, or is it going to take the help of a professional? Whatever it takes, you need to resolve it as the mental exhaustion will frazzle you and wear you down if you don’t take proactive measures.

Today is the day to change your life for the better, and you hold power for that change.

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