What Is Your Guardian Angel Trying To Tell You?

Believers or not we all have a guardian angel that helps us in our most unfortunate moments. If only we were paying attention at how the things are unfolding around us, we would understand for sure the message he’s sending.

It doesn’t really matter if this guardian angel is some supernatural being, or just the energies that we project into the universe, the important thing here is to have an open mind and to understand that some things are beyond what we could explain.

AngelTake just now this quick and easy quiz to find out what your guardian angel is trying to tell you.

What Is Your Guardian Angel Trying To Tell You?

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Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve got!

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How to Unlock Your Creative Mind: 5 Easy Steps

Have you ever wished you could use your mind in a more creative way without losing it? Do you want to have a more creative mind?

Let’s admit it – we’ve all doubted our creativity at some point in our life. But what if I were to tell you that today there’s a substantial amount of scientific evidence that shows creativity isn’t intrinsic at all?

Okay then, what is creativity anyway? Well, it’s a skill you practice, develop and hone over time, just like any other.

So, if you think you’re not creative because you weren’t born with it, chances are you don’t know how to use your mind yet. Building a creative mindset isn’t a doddle – it is far less inspiration than it is hard work.

Here are 5 easy steps you can follow to tap into that wellspring of creative energy within you.

1| Make time for Silence and Solitude

silence and solitude

Life moves at a crazy speed. So the problem is: we don’t often have time to stop and reflect at things that really matter. Getting caught up in haste and day-to-day bustle of our lives holds us back from those moments of silence and solitude that could otherwise be so rewarding.

So, set aside time each day solely for yourself, because nowhere else does a creative mind flourish than in the stillness of your own mind. Once you find some time to be alone, not only can you hear your thoughts, but also reach deep within yourself.

Your brain is your best tool but only when you know how to use it properly. Go ahead – give yourself a break.

Take a walk in nature. Carve out some moments for yourself. Get rid of social distractions. Stop being a crowd pleaser. Disconnect with the world and try staying in tranquility.

It’s a great opportunity to recharge yourself with more focus and good energy.

See Also: 8 Mind Hacks That Give You Instant Results

2| Connect with your Body

Do you realize what exactly is going on in your body right now? How often are you aware of your own bodily tendencies?

The first thing you must remember is that your body contains the sensations and feelings that are the result of your own thoughts. Most people don’t realize this and spend too much time thinking and thinking alone which in turn gives rise to numbness, physical tension and chronic contractions in the body.

Stop thinking for a moment and focus all your attention on your inner energy field. Just limit your awareness to yourself. It’s time to connect with your body.

If you find it hard to get in touch with your inner body, focus on your breathing first. Try conscious deep breathing. Just feel your abdomen expanding and contracting with each inhalation and exhalation. This is a powerful meditation in itself.

Once you resume your thinking after being aware of the sensations in your body, you’re bound to be more fresh and creative.

3| Stop dwelling on the Past

stop dwelling on the past

Most people lose their creativity not focusing on the present moment. All they do is get hung up on the past or concern themselves with the future.

I can tell you it won’t take you anywhere. Maybe you have a history of broken relationships. Maybe you were fired from your dream job. Maybe you’ve screwed up big time and felt like you’ve had it all.

Well, guess what? Thinking about the problems won’t solve them. So move on. They were in the past – not here, right now.

Start today: If you feel like your past is weighing you down and influencing and impacting your state of mind and the decisions you make, it’s time to let it all go. Not only will it boost your creativity, but also infuse a better health and positive state of mind.

4| Always perform one task at a time

Stop multitasking. I know it is essential to multitask at times, but when it comes to sparking that creativity and getting it going, you should be really focusing on one task at a time.

It’s easier to stay present for more time throughout all your day if you single-task everything as best you could. This means you shouldn’t be browsing multiple tabs, answering your emails, checking your phone, or taking notes at one fell swoop.

Pick one task. Something that fires up your soul. Something that excites you like nothing else. Something that can have a huge impact on your work, life and business. And something worth your time and trouble.

Make it as fun as possible. This is going to be the only task you’ll focus on. Don’t switch back and forth. Give your everything to it. Don’t wait. Set the tone as soon as you wake up every day. Set your priorities right.

If you still need to multitask, set off a definite time for it during your day.

5|Practice Openness

The most creative people are the ones that are open to new ideas, concepts and experiences. A research from Emory University by neuroscientist Gregory Berns suggests that creative thinkers bombard their brains with new experiences, which forges new connections scrambling their existing ones.

So, does this mean you can’t be creative if you resist new ideas and experiences? No. It just means that developing a set of new habits can propel you toward greater results.

If you really want to be creative, never hesitate to try new things.

See Also: 7 Amazing Ways to Be Creative Like a Child

Let yourself go with the flow. Don’t stick to the same old routine all the time. Try taking a different route to work. Listen to a new genre of music. Go talk to a stranger without a purpose.

A study from over 3,000 entrepreneurs and business executives shows that creative thinkers spend more than 50% of their time trying to think differently. Don’t run after pleasing people and seeking their approval – it’s only a waste of all your time and energy.

So there you have it. Follow these 5 steps and you will soon discover the fire of creativity that lives in you.

What kind of creativity are you expecting from yourself? Let me know in the comments.

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10 Crucial Health Reasons Why You Should Chill Out

We live in a go go go society. Don’t stop. Go to work, go shop, go home, get dinner, back out, go to extracurricular events for kids and family, go home, go to bed, rinse and repeat tomorrow. I’m exhausted just typing that out. When do we stop? When we’re sleeping? By the time we actually get to fall into bed we’re too tired and can’t sleep. It’s time to chill out. In fact, it’s necessary for your health.

We want to accomplish everything in such a short time. Save the world, if you will. Maybe we can’t save the world but we do want to try to do for others to save them. Maybe? The only one who pays for this madness is you. You can’t save the world or anyone else for that matter, but there is still time to save yourself. Here are a few reasons why you need to chill out, now.

chill_out1. Your mental health depends on you.

While you are busy running around and trying to save the world, your brain is screaming at you to stop or, at the very least, slow down so it has time to recharge. You need to give it time to process things, and relax. It needs time to decompress otherwise overload sets in and that isn’t good for anyone, especially not you. Exhaustion comes in many forms, not just physical, but mental too. When you recognize your brain shutting down, it’s time for you to shut down too and chill out.

2. Put that donut down.

Yes, you heard me. Put it down. When we are busy running around and not paying to the time of day, soon we realize it’s 2 pm and we haven’t had lunch yet so we stop at the local coffee shop and grab a donut, muffin, croissant or something that we think is going to fill our belly. It does, but only temporarily. Not only that, it adds unwanted calories and sugar into our bodies. These treats or midafternoon snacks are far from healthy. Throw a bag of almonds or some fruit in a bag and take them with you on your errand running day.

3. So stressed out!

That’s what happens at the end of the day. You have been going all day, eventually running on empty and realize that your nerves are frazzled. You didn’t save the world after all. In fact, you couldn’t even save your friend either. That’s not what you are here for and when you realize you aren’t, and you can’t save them you get stressed out. What did you do wrong? How come that didn’t work? Why is the world still falling apart? It’s not for you to answer these questions. Time to chill out and let others take care of their own problems.

4. Nurture your own growth.

When do you have time to do that? Are you making time for that? What about your passions and your hobbies and your enjoyment? Have you made any time for that or is that all sitting on the back burner while you run around for everyone else? It is important to take time to chill out and spend time with you. During this time, maybe you can nurture one of your hobbies or passions. Get a little more pleasure out of life. I mean, this is your life after all.

5. Bedtime is the best time.

Right? Who doesn’t love bedtime? Other than your toddler that fights to not want to go to bed, we all love bedtime. Ironically enough, you get there and can’t sleep. You’re wired up and fired up. Too much on the brain, too agitated from the day’s events, just too filled with anxiety to sleep. Sleep is crucial to our well being and without a good night’s sleep you will run the risk of creating health problems, physical and emotional, that were not there before. Take some time just before bed to unwind. Listen to some nice soft music, meditate, sip herbal tea or whatever else soothes your soul. Do this every day.

Remember, you are the most important person in the world and you can’t pour from an empty cup. Put your cup down every day and spend time with you. Chill out and enjoy some alone downtime.

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Five Spiritual Tools to Improve Your Intuition and Psychic Ability

Developing your intuition and psychic ability on your own is not an easy task, especially if you are a beginner.

But with the right tools you can develop and even enhance your psychic gifts naturally.

For ages, psychics have used certain kinds of divination and spiritual tools to nurture and improve their intuition and psychic abilities.

When used correctly, the tools I’m about to share with you can help you improve your intuitive sense to a great extent and benefit you enormously.

spiritual_toolsGiven here is a list of five spiritual tools that you can use to develop your intuition and psychic skills.

1. Tarot Cards:

Tarot cards or angel cards are commonly used by psychics all over the world.

The images, symbols, and colors on these cards trigger the right side of your brain, which is associated with creativity, imagination, and intuition.

When used correctly, these cards communicate with your subconscious and give you the answers and insights that you need.

One of the important aspects of tarot cards is that they tap into the consciousness of the person who reads them.

This is why two people looking at the same card can interpret its meaning in different ways because the card talks to each person individually.

So, it is a great tool for fine tuning your gut instinct and intuition.

To make the most out of tarot cards and enhance your sense of intuition, you should allow the pictures to communicate with you, imagine what they could symbolize, and try to come up with your own interpretation, rather than learning the meaning of the symbols from a book.

2. Pendulum

The pendulum is one of the easiest tools to use and is also one of the most effective ways to physically demonstrate the power of your intuition.

Though it is primarily used to answer “yes” or “no” questions, it has many applications.

It can be used to find lost items such as car keys or cell phones, seek answers to your everyday problems, and confirm what you sense or feel about a particular object, person, or problem.

Simply, hold the pendulum in your hand and ask a question to which the answer is “Yes.”

Observe the way the pendulum moves and make a note of it.

Similarly, ask a question to which the answer is “No.” and make a note of its movement.

You can repeat this experiment until you find a pattern in the movement and can easily recognize which way the pendulum moves for a “Yes.” or “No.”’ response.

Once you do, you can use it to develop a keen sense of intuition.

It can be a little difficult in the beginning, and you may get a lot of wrong answers, but over a period of time, you can clearly recognize a pattern in the movement of the pendulum.

You can easily buy a pendulum from any metaphysical store.

However if you’re in a DIY mood, then just make your own pendulum; simply tie a string and a weight or with a gemstone for better results.

3. Gemstones:

Gemstones have been known for their ability to enhance intuition and psychic abilities for a long time.

They are used to help people communicate with the spiritual realm.

They are also used to ward off negative energies and act as psychic protection tools.

This is the reason why psychics and clairvoyants have always used gemstones for various purposes.

There are a large variety of gemstones available on the market, but certain stones like Azurite, Amethyst, Quartz, Moonstone, Turquoise, and Snowflake

Obsidian are known for their amazing ability to develop people’s sense of intuition and enhance their psychic abilities greatly.

You can wear these stones as jewelry, use them for meditating every day, or simply keep them in your possession all the time.

You need not buy all these stones, as any one stone that you feel a strong connection with will do.

As you continue to use your gemstones, you will be able to sense your power of intuition and clairvoyance increasing sharply.

4. I Ching

The I Ching can be used as a decision-making tool, similar to a pendulum.

When used regularly, it will improve your mental clarity and stimulate your sense of intuition significantly.

I Ching allows you to approach your issues in a completely relaxed manner.

Experts say that your psychic abilities and intuition are in a heightened state when you are relaxed.

Also, I Ching allows your subconscious to interpret things in your own way and produce a pattern.

Once you are aware of the pattern and the way your subconscious responds to various queries and problems, you can improve your sense of intuition exponentially.

5. Auto Writing Journal

Auto writing, or automatic writing, is a great way to connect with your inner self and develop psychic skills.

All you need is a pen and a notepad to jot down the thoughts in your mind.

This is a very simple and effective exercise to develop a strong sense of intuition.

You can also use a computer if you type faster than you write, but writing with a pen on paper feels a lot more personal than using a PC.

You should use a clean, white sheet of paper without any ragged edges and a pen or pencil that you are comfortable using.

Sit down in a quiet place and make sure you have at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time before you begin the exercise.

Say a prayer or meditate for a few minutes before you get started.

It does not only clear the unwanted thoughts in your mind but also makes you receptive to your inner self and heightens your sense of intuition.

Write the question first, stay silent for a moment, and listen to yourself.

Do not try to think anything and do not be judgemental.

Trust your intuition and write down exactly what comes to your mind.

Do not worry about making grammatical or spelling mistakes.

Initially, the answers may seem random, but you will see a pattern over time.

You can keep experimenting with different questions until you get the answers you are looking for.

Once you do, you can use this experiment to validate your intuition on various issues in your life.

Here you have it!

5 awesome tools that you can use from the comfort of your home to develop your intuition and psychic ability!

While the tools mentioned above can help you develop your psychic abilities greatly, It is, however, important to remember that these tools do not give you predictive power.

It comes from within you.

These tools merely help you develop a keen sense of intuition and help you interpret the messages from your subconscious in the right manner.

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What Dog Breed Are You?

Dogs are known to be man faithful friends. But just like us, humans, they have different personalities. You won’t find two alike. If you ever had one, you know that.

Let’s look at this the other way around; maybe we have some dog personality traits. Some of us are fiercely loyal to our family, others are here just for fun… Can you see the similarities? Let’s have some fun and see what we will get!

dogTake just now this quick, fun and easy quiz to find out what dog breed are you!

What Dog Breed Are You?
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Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve got!

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33 Expressive Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt & Anxiety like Madonna

Did you come here to read all about overcoming self-doubt?

I have good news and bad news.

Bad news is we are all here to learn lessons…sigh.

Good news is that we are meant to learn lessons and by addressing them, we can transform them into strengths.  Yaaayyy!

So why not transform self-doubt and anxiety into performance gold?

Just look to Madonna for inspiration.  This sassy, bold chameleon doubts herself saying, “I too have my moments of doubt and weakness.  My moments where I react before thinking things through.  My moments where I take the easy road.  My moments where I gossip and am envious.  My moments of deep insecurity.”  (Madonna admits Self-Doubt, 2001)

We aren’t all gifted with her talents, but why not dance through and past all the ‘what ifs’ using self-expression?

Inspired by the lyrics from Madonna’s, “Express Yourself”, here are 33 expressive methods to live fully through acceptance, failing, looking outward, simplifying, value, presence, spirituality, imperfection, honesty, creativity, and purpose.

Hit it Madonna! (Since I cannot use the lyrics direction, instead let us look to my interpretation of the song.)

1.    Act on your sizzle.

Before a nerve-wracking performance, journal about something you love.  Act on what you love with all your heart!

2.    Make panic your friend.

panic

The more you pretend panic doesn’t exist, the more it tells you it does.  Like Jeff Goldblum’s line in Jurassic Park: “…life will not be contained.  Life breaks free, it expands to new territories and crashes through barriers, painfully, maybe even dangerously….life, uh…finds a way.”

Your panic is trying to live and keep you alive, so give it air and use it as performance fuel.

3.    Reduce alcohol and don’t be cold.

Don’t play it cool. Feel fully and limit alcohol, sugar, and caffeine which fuel anxiety and mask feelings.

She has something to say about it

You need to find your own voice and speak out about your feelings.  Transform your fear by taking accountability for your words, situation, and actions.  Stand out on purpose.

4.    Step out of garbage and breathe.

Step out of the life-sucking garbage of apathy and fear and make yourself a priority.

Build in the life-affirming habits of breathing and living intentionally. Breathe in for a count of 4, hold it in for 7, and exhale for 11 seconds to reset.

5.    Stop expecting to be misunderstood.

Don’t expect people to read your mind.  Find the words and meet people halfway to say what you think, feel, and need.

6.    Rock the boat and don’t ‘fit in’.

Don’t people-please or ‘fit in’. Build up integrity and act intuitively.  Your life is a series of choices. Make them and accept consequences.

Go for the best and don’t be afraid to test it.

It feels safer in your predictable circumstances but what is that costing you? Don’t settle for less or for anything less than the best. Don’t be afraid of things falling apart. Be willing to test things and let them fall apart and fail repeatedly until you succeed.

It takes courage to test your comfort zone and act on your feelings.

7.    Don’t judge.

Liberate from labeling.  Aren’t you tired of judging others and judging yourself? By stopping the cycle you will realize it takes up unecessary and unhelpful space.

8.    Fail fast and fail often.

Embrace quick, repeated failure allowing for the meant-to-learn lessons and opportunity.

9.    Compare real and imagined anxieties.

Test reality by comparing your actual with your anticipated anxiety.  Use that imagination for good and create something instead.

Get your man to express his feelings to know it is real

Be vulnerable to bring out the best in everyone and start the help cycle by asking for and offering help.  Get others to open up by opening up yourself.  Express honestly to bring out the best in yourself and others.

10.  Be a feeling sponge.  

After hearing ‘you’re too sensitive’, have you diluted your emotions? Tune into and channel this delicate, acute awareness positively.  The opposite is apathy, numbness, insensitivity, and unconsciousness.  So feel and contribute.

11.  Leave your island and ask for help.

Schedule a weekly social hour to spend less time isolated. Call a friend or plan a meetup or volunteer event.  Spark new and genuine connections.

12.  Help me help you and be a lantern.

Self-doubt is selfish; when you’re thinking, ‘What am I going to say when they’re done talking?’ 

Lighten your load and get out of your head by helping others with a smile and really listen.

You don’t need fancy expensive things that don’t last

Cut through superficiality; no longer under or over estimating your contribution and problems. You don’t need riches or superficial illusions or distractions.  Discover grounded, focused, light-hearted, and authentic expression.

13.  Ground yourself, start small and build.

I procrastinated through school with unrealistic expectations and break downs.  Grand ideas serve a purpose but make things happen with swift and assertive action.

See Also: How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Follow Through with Your Goals

14.  Be narrow-minded.

Your anticipatory mind is too open to possibilities! That’s fabulous and it’s overwhelming. Use a simplified focus to get clear.

15.  Why so serious?

learn to laugh

Stop taking yourself so seriously, learn to laugh and move on.  Do your best.

You need a strong hand to lift you up

Build your future on a rock solid foundation.

16.  Let go of the reigns and get wild!

Anxiety is about control so hand it over and step out of your comfort zone.  Spend time in nature where you can draw upon perfection outside the computer.

17.  Practice Gratitude.

Recall a success.  Get clear and descriptive, using all your senses, to recall it when needed.

18.  Think and be still.

Fill your spiritual well and clear your thoughts by focusing on your breath, 10 minutes daily, for powerful, lasting, and building benefits.

Feel like royalty and never come down

Find the perfection in imperfection and start to feel entitled to a full and rewarding life.  True happiness comes from being, not doing.  Find this space and live fully in the present. You deserve it.

19.  Be like man’s best friend.

Animals are geniuses at life so try to tune into nature with no agenda.  Your pet companion will also calm anxieties and never judges.  My cat’s day consists of sleep, sun, petting, food, and cuteness.

20.  Practice outside in success.

Imagine you are successful through “what if’s”.  Success comes from practice; it’s muscle memory.  Read Amy Cuddy’s book Presence and practice positive body language so that your mind will follow suit.

21.  To the death!

Don’t let anything, especially perfectionism, get in the way of finishing.  Consistent commitment and follow-through automates success, confidence, and a final product of your own.

Don’t be fooled with roses

There has to be trust built upon truth

Keep your head straight with a solid, honest foundation.  Consider the rationality of ‘what if’ outcomes.  Recognize when your thoughts are irrational and refocus.

See Also: 3 Ways to Develop Rock Solid Self-Confidence

22.  Tear down walls.

Feel and express your feelings, even anger.  Honesty will crumble down the walls separating you from others and lead to purpose and happiness.

23.  No more manipulation.

No more sighing, criticizing, complaining, and whining. Don’t pretend things are good.  Live in truth and act assertively as a fruitful place to build upon.

24.   Be yourself and grow.

Live your truth and keep growing.  Commit to something like yoga on Thursdays as a positive way to connect.

madonna yoga

You deserve the best so keep walking if it is not the right time

Find your standards, balance, and discipline starting with building positivity and structure in your day.

25.  Build with compassion and friendship.

Instead of destructive “I can’t” language, build and speak from your heart positively.  Master the art of caring without being a doormat.

26.  Balance it out.

Prioritize balance for calm, healthy, centered living.  Don’t underestimate the value of a good night’s sleep, an organized home, a healthy routine, breaks, and a friend over ‘more important work’.

27.  Kick some butt.

Consider a workout routine.  Find yourself in the discipline and connect with your breathing, body, accomplishments, commitment, and follow through.

Express Yourself

Channel repressed thoughts into expressiveness, making decisions that open doors and improve your life’s richness.

28.  Art and Music.

art and music

Find your artistic side through painting, sculpting, or drawing, or music.

29.  Rearrange/decorate.

This can be as simple as rearranging your room or organizing your closet. It’s positive, expressive action.  I recommend also the life changing magic of tidying up.

30.  Perform.

Take an acting or public speaking class.  Practice alone, on camera, online, or in front of a group.

When your man leaves you, he might be regretting it and thinking about you and try to win you back

Be mindful, don’t regret the past, and immerse yourself in the present. Make the most out of the present and have no regrets.

31.  Find a cause.

Nothing like getting present, than finding a cause you’re passionate about; it may lead you to your purpose.

Madonna also recommends giving to communities and schools saying, “When you feel down or trapped, get outside of yourself and do something nice for someone.  This is a great cure for sadness, anxiety and self-obsession.” (Madonna admits Self-Doubt, 2001)

32.  Focus on a goal.

focus on a goal

Instead of being caught up with what people are thinking of you, consider what you want to get across and consider learning something new.  Ask why on both of these until you get to the core reasons.

33.  Have a positive, action-oriented to do list!

Embrace what you can do today with no regrets.  Commit to completing one item per day that will get you closer to your goal.  “I will write the first sentence of my book today!”

Don’t wither or shy away from your next speech or social event, allowing self-doubt to rob you.  Expand, bloom, and boldly shine as you are with balance, passion, and color to move from self-doubt into honest self-expression.

 

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Help I Need Friends

If the title of this article made you say – “that’s me!” then we are glad you stopped by! Feelings of isolation and loneliness occur even to the most seemingly popular of people. Even those who have large networks of friends, acquaintances, colleagues and romancers slip into stages of despondency, leaving the rest of us to wonder, why? And how?

People love comparing themselves to others, but when doing so also tend to neglect the relativity of each of our situations. Take our local bartender for example – a staple of our community, he or she is constantly in the limelight, and we have fantasies about how popular they must be with the opposite sex and how many friends they must make everyday. Although that may or may not be true, what do most bartenders do before and after work? They go home, sleep, and hide in their rooms. Not such the life of the party, huh? But why is this?

need_friendsWhen it comes to friendship, sometimes the adage less is more is appropriate. Most bartenders lead rather quiet lives outside of the spot light because they have to be so socially charged for so much of their average day, that when given the opportunity to relax and shut down, they do it with enthusiasm.

Remember what I said; we all experience a feeling of loneliness every now and then, that has us seek other people for companionship. It is the byproduct of our daily routines getting to us that make us crave something slightly different, a bit of outside influence to sprinkle into our life.

We all have our core friends that we rely on for support, friendship and relaxing, but sometimes it’s not enough. The exploding rise of internet dating and social chatting puts us at the helm of our social desires, and we should not be afraid to use them. There’s also a number of social clubs that exist in all of our cities for different tastes – dancing, meet and greets, singles events – but many people are also worried about going to these alone.

Breaking through our own fourth wall is very important is we want to meet other people. It’s too easy these days to spend our time at home on Facebook instead of going out or organizing time with friends or making a new friend date. The excuses could be as long as you want them to be; you’re too tired, you’ll do it next weekend, you don’t have enough money, etc. But we all know this is a vicious, endless cycle. The reason I point this out is because humans are meant to be social creatures, and if we are not socialized properly, there’s a higher chance we won’t succeed in life as well as we could if we are socialized properly.

That means having a confident social network to draw from, and the strength to use it. If we neglect this part of our growth, we risk depression, lethargy, and the inability to create lasting relationships. We should use the most o f our time to socialize properly and exercise our social skills – fortunately for us, there are millions of people out there just waiting to become your friend!

Let’s say you live in the city, but have a relative who lives in a small town. They recently broke up with their partner, but suddenly a few weeks or months later, they are in a new, healthy relationship – meanwhile in the city, you’re struggling to get a date, for friends or otherwise! What’s happening here?

Despite cities having huge numbers of people, most citizens feel most left out when they live in the city. Social pressures like looking good, being successful, and being on the right path make us feel more insecure than ever as we try to keep up with the next trends. Meanwhile, our cousins in rural areas are able to socialize freely in their controlled society and socialize without the impending insecurities that we feel here in the city.

The key is to remember that we are all human. That it’s OK to feel the way we do, lonely or alone sometimes, and that we all feel that way. If you are afraid to talk to someone because they don’t seem like your type , fear not – they are thinking the exact same thing. We all fear the same things, and feel the same things. Some of us hide it better than others, but at the end of the day, we all love feeling wanted an d interesting. Don’t be afraid to speak to new people and see where it takes you; the other person is just waiting for you to come by.

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What Is Your Personality Type According To The Words You Use?

Words have immense power. It is said that “The pen is mightier than the sword”; a metonymic adage that indicates the power of communication. We can hurt or heal with them, we can create beautiful fantasy worlds or imagine nightmares. Everything it’s up to us and we’d better make wise choices.

We can reveal a lot about us without realizing. Our words will do that for us.

personality_type_wordsTake this quick, fun test to find out what type of personality you have based on the words you use.

What Is Your Personality Type According To The Words You Use?
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Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve got!

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Five Things To Do Right Now To Stop Procrastinating

Do you want to stop procrastinating? Do you find yourself constantly spinning your wheels and feeling like your to-do list never stops growing? If so, there are things you can do in the next few minutes to stop feeling like you never get anything done.

Here are five things you can do right now to stop procrastinating, become more productive, and get more done today.

1. Make A List

It can be so helpful to write down all the things we want to accomplish. Writing everything down helps us organize all the thoughts in our head and then prioritize them.

After seeing how many tasks are on our list, we can start tackling them one at a time. You can segment your list into items to do today, items to do this week, and even items to do this month.

Lists help us remember what we want to accomplish and keep us on track. Without a list it’s easy to forget all the things we want to get done and instead have a Game of Thrones binge session with regrets. After finishing an item off the list, it also feels great to cross it off!

2. Don’t Keep Your Phone Nearby

keep phone away

When you want to be in a “get ‘er done” mode, put your phone in a place where you can’t look at it easily. Taking the time to read and respond to text messages, checking Facebook, or seeing if there are any new emails, may seem like they quick tasks that only use a little time, but in reality these are all huge time sucks.

We may look at our phone for a quick break and realize that we just spent 30 minutes scrolling through our news feed.

3. Clean Up Your Space

It’s hard to be productive when you’re working in a messy environment. Whether it is your office or your kitchen, doing a quick clean up first will help you focus immensely. You cannot find things and be as efficient if you are always looking for something or getting distracted with the mess in front of you.

Take a few minutes to clean up, and then move onto the tasks at hand.

See Also: 7 Tips On How To Overcome Procrastination Everyday 

4. Close your Email Tab

If you are working on a computer and have your email constantly open while doing other things, close it. We waste time looking at our inbox to see if anything new came through. When new messages come in, we spend time and energy switching gears and then coming back.

Close out of your email so you can focus on other tasks completely. Once you’re finished, re-open your email and spend dedicated time replying to messages. This will keep you on task and more productive.

5. Make One More List

to do list

You already have your to-do list. Now make a list of all your “needs.” These are things you cannot work on until you have the next step from someone else. You can include approvals you are waiting on, input from your supervisor, delivery from the printer, etc., on this list.

Having a list like this will help you stay organized and help prevent items from slipping through the cracks. It will also help your brain stay on task and not get distracted thinking of things on the back burner that you can’t quite wrap up.

See Also: How Procrastination Can Make You More Productive

Now that you what you need to do — don’t put off getting started. It is too easy to let procrastination sneak in. So look back over the list and pick one time to do right now.

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6 Powerful Ways To Be Assertive Without Hurting People’s Feelings

Before we dive into this, it’s important to understand the difference between being assertive and being aggressive. There is a huge difference. Being assertive means to be able to make your point, effectively, in a diplomatic manner where everyone can understand it and maintain respect for you.  Being aggressive is getting your point across in a harsh and abrasive manner often hurting people’s feelings or quite possibly making enemies along the way. Clearly these aren’t Webster’s definitions but it’s easier to understand in layman’s terms.

We all know aggressive people and do our best to not be like them but can you consider yourself to be an assertive person? Do you struggle to be assertive and find that sometimes you come off as borderline aggressive? Here are a few powerful but proven ways to be assertive without hurting anyone’s feelings.

assertive21. Style is everything.

The style in which you communicate is the difference between aggression and assertion. Body language plays a huge role in this as well. Be mindful of it. Stay calm, relaxed, in control, maintain a light smile and open arms when getting your point across. Remember people are more receptive to a gentler but firm discussion rather than a bold and loud one.

2. You are not being mean.

Don’t forget what being assertive means. You want to get your point across in a diplomatic and trusting way. You aren’t being a bully. You are simply standing up to what you believe in and respect is given for that. There isn’t anything wrong with that. You are just being you and people will appreciate that even more.

3. Talk in first person.

I did this, or I feel this, rather than you said this and you never did that. We aren’t looking to point fingers and lay blame all over the place. That’s aggression. You want to make your point in a sincere manner and a somewhat compassionate one so that people will feel your sincerity and understand your position better.

4. Stay consistent and focused.

Get your point across and don’t get upset if people don’t understand and begin to challenge you. This may happen regardless of you present yourself so stay focused, calm and consistent in your tone, your message and your body language. If you start to get annoyed or irritated by their criticism, you run the risk of losing your cool. Stay calm.

5. Believe in yourself.

When you strongly believe in your topic it is easy to be very passionate and knowledgeable about it, thus having confidence in yourself in being able to discuss it and possibly get others to have faith and believe in you as well. Sincerity will come naturally and you won’t come across as being too pushy or aggressive. People will admire your passion and you.

6. Know your limits.

Lay down boundary lines and don’t let people cross them. If we let people walk all over us, they will continue to do that forever. Let them know that under no circumstances is it acceptable that they do this. Make sure they know your boundary lines and if they cross it, firmly make them aware and let them know you won’t tolerate it if it happens again.

Too many people get taken advantage of and they continue to let it happen because they don’t want to upset anyone or rock the boat. All this does is show people how to treat you. If you want people to treat you properly and with respect, assertively show them how. You have to remember that even if you are being assertive and someone’s feelings have got hurt in that somehow, it’s not your problem, it’s theirs. There are times where no matter what you say or how you say it, some people will just take it all wrong anyway. There is little you can do about that. Stay true to you an d your values in a very assertive way, and people will respect and admire you for years to come.

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