According to Wikipedia “In some Indian religions, a chakra (Sanskrit cakra, “wheel”) is thought to be an energy point or node in the subtle body. Chakras are believed to be part of the subtle body, not the physical body.” Their number varies in different scriptural texts, but seven are the most important ones.

They are associated with different physiological functions, but also with the way we react in different situations. Any imbalance in their functioning is affecting us.

Take just now this quick, easy quiz to find which chakra is guiding you!

Which Chakra Are You Guided By?
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Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve got!

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In this world of violence, anger, hate and tragedy, more now than ever before, we are in desperate need of healing, love and kindness. Yet it still seems that the negative is outweighing the positive when it comes to news stories, articles on our FB feeds and coffee shop chat.  We are bombarded with news of brutality and killings around the world. Some stories get more attention than others. People are praying for Paris, Houston, Syria, etc. We shake our heads in disgust and sadness, cry and hold our loved ones tight. What we really need to be doing is spreading more love.

It’s no secret, love makes the world go round. The Beatles knew what they were talking about when they sang all you need is love. Love is such a powerful energy and it’s so ridiculously easy to spread it around. We can do this faster with our words to each other on a daily basis. Here are just a few things we can say to each other that will help spread love around faster. These things don’t have to only be said to loved ones. You can say them to strangers too!

1. I appreciate you in my life.

Let people know you love them and they are very special to you. Too many of us, though not out to seek appreciation or recognition, still don’t receive it freely from others. Eventually people will stop doing for others when they feel they are being taken advantage of. Take two minutes and tell someone you appreciate them and what they mean to you.

2. You are beautiful.

We are all beautiful in our own special way. Beauty isn’t what’s on the outside but what’s on the inside. Many of us struggle to feel beautiful or look beautiful because of the pressure they feel from advertisements of skinny models and dapper men with ripped abs. Beauty isn’t just looks and people forget that sometimes. They need to know they are beautiful just the way they are.

3. Thank you.

Why don’t we do that more often? Say thank you for reasons other than when someone actually gives you something. You can thank someone just for being in your life and or making the world a better place. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for making me feel special. Thank you for making me smile. Thank you for your company. The possibilities are endless really.

4. You are perfect just the way you are.

We are all desperately trying to fit in, do our best and some are probably wasting time trying to be someone they aren’t. Let people know they are perfect just the way they are. Imperfections and all. We all mess up sometimes, some where along the way. We are imperfectly perfect. People need to know they don’t need to strive for perfection. They already are perfect.

5. I think you are awesome.

Whether they are a stay at home mom or a carpenter, a plumber or your hairstylist, the newspaper delivery boy or the pharmacist. When was the last time you told any of them, or anyone else for that matter, that they are awesome? People love to hear this. The mom and the labourer. We all work our asses off at something and it’s just nice to hear hey you’re awesome every now and then. Really.

6. You are special.

For whatever reason. We don’t need a reason to be told we’re special. Just say it. Say it to your children, your spouse, your best friend, to anyone and everyone, the homeless guy on the street or the cashier at Walmart. People love to know and feel special. We all do. It’s a basic human necessity. To feel loved, appreciated and special.

Can we change the world and make it a better place? I believe we can, on e person at a time but if we don’t at least make an attempt, nothing will change. Do your part in making this world more loving, caring and kind.

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I used to be a person who set goals like a boss. For (too many) years, I designed spreadsheets, tracking tools and creative reward systems that were really quite impressive.

But none of those things got me any closer to actually accomplishing my goals…until I figured out what was really getting in my way and made a change.

Most people decide to set a goal because they want to make something in their life better. They have good intentions. They are motivated. They have decided that they want change. With all of these things going for them, you would think that the next steps would come naturally.

But for many of us, they don’t.

Here are the top five reasons why most people do not accomplish their goals:

You’re afraid.

Fear is a really helpful evolutionary tool. It kept your ancestors from being eaten by saber-toothed tigers, and it helps you cross the street during rush hour traffic.

But it also has a way of keeping us stuck when getting what we want involves change and uncertainty (which it almost always does). As a professional coach and consultant, a large part of my job is helping people become friendly with feelings of fear. The first thing I help people understand is that the opposite of fear is not courage. In fact, the most courageous people I know are often joined to fear at the hip.

Changing your relationship with feelings of fear in order to see that those feelings accompany every great success you’ll ever pursue is the most important step you can take when you are feeling stuck and scared. In reality, the opposite of fear is joy, and once you have accepted fear as a partner instead of a saboteur, you will look forward to your next encounter.

Your goal isn’t aligned with your values.

If you’re trying to achieve a goal that doesn’t sit with who you are, who you want to be, or what you believe…wait, why are you trying to achieve a goal like that? This is an often overlooked area that blocks a lot of progress plans.

On the flip side, some people find that they can accomplish their goals, but get little satisfaction from their achievements. The problem is the same. You will never feel fulfilled by succeeding at something that doesn’t align with what’s really important to you.

You haven’t figured out what’s REALLY important to you.

Most people think that they know what their values are, but when asked to define them, many start to stumble. If you can’t clearly articulate your values, it’s going to be really tough to make sure your goals (or your actions, in general, for that matter) are appropriately aligned with what’s important in your life.

You are making goals to satisfy someone else’s expectations for you.

If any part of your goal starts with “I know I should…”, or “People are supposed to…”, it is a good indicator that you are trying to achieve someone else’s version of what is ideal. This is the fast-track to feeling empty and bitter, not to mention creating vicious loops of negative self-talk that add nothing worthwhile to your life.

So, if your boyfriend is nagging you to lose 10 pounds, perhaps you should do him one better and lose all 150 pounds of his sorry self–because, really, you are destined for greatness and don’t need that kind of anchor weighing you down.

Your goal is an energy vampire.

Goals that focus on perceived character deficiencies do not create lasting motivation. In fact, they drain your energy and lead to self-defeating cycles of negativity. Think about it–would you rather spend your time focused on plugging gaps in your personality, or utilizing your strengths? And notice that I called these perceived deficiencies–who decided that these so-called gaps even exist? Refer to point #4, above, and carry on with your badass self!

Now that you know how to set better goals, get out there and start creating the life of your dreams!
Your turn: Do any of these pitfalls sound familiar? What steps do you take to stay on track towards your goals?

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Researchers from Arizona State University in Tempe have determined there is a gene that allows us to see the color red. That gene sits in the X chromosome and since the women have to X chromosomes, they are better at differentiating between the red-orange color spectrum.

And speaking of orange did you know that if you drink your chocolate in an orange cup it will taste better? But do not forget, colors don’t exist, they are all in your head! Actually, they are just results when our brains try to make sense of signals it receives from the outside world.

Take just now this quick and fun quiz to find out if you can actually see ale the colors!

Can You Actually See All The Colors?
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Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve got!

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(In this article, the dependent person could be either you or your partner)

At one time, years ago, co dependency referred to an addiction or dependency on alcohol or drugs. A need to be completed intoxicated or high to be able to either deal with the world or block it out. It’s not that cut and dry anymore. Co dependency now often refers to people. To be dependent on someone means to give up all control and to no longer have self sufficiency. It is giving up who we are and what we are to someone else giving them complete control over our lives, quite often without them even being aware this is happening.

Many people who are co dependent are this way simply because having to deal with life and make decisions is just too stressful and they lack trust and confidence in them selves to do this, so they offer up all control to others. It’s extremely unhealthy but they know no other way. Are you in a codependent relationship? Do you or your partner have any of these warning signs?

1. Cancel plans.

If you did make plans to do something, you are quick to cancel them to accommodate your partners, without question. You are positive that what ever plans your partner made are much more important than yours. You never want to upset the apple cart so you go along with everything, all the time.

2. You agree to everything.

You never talk back or argue. Whatever they say they want or want to do, you immediately just say yes and don’t ever think once about saying no. No is not even an option. This doesn’t necessarily make you completely ecstatic and you long for a different life but for now, it’s their way.

3. Good mood bad mood.

Whatever mood your partner is in, so are you. If they are happy so are you, if they are angry, so are you but also if they are angry you try to do what you can to make them happy often, offering up your self respect in order to achieve this. Th e mood of the room is dictated by your partner and respect is commanded. This is how it’s going to be for the day.

4. You are desperately sad all the time.

You smile on the outside but cry on the inside all day everyday. You know what you are doing is wrong but you feel helpless and hopeless. You don’t tell anyone how you feel and never get it dealt with.  You know you are living your life, or dependent on what your life is going to be life, according to them. It’s not your life anymore and you feel beaten down and defeated.

5. You want to leave but can’t.

You know it’s the best thing to do but you don’t have the strength or courage to do it and you don’t want to upset your partner. Not only that, you don’t trust yourself enough to make that decision and be confident in your decision. Where would you go where would you stay but above all else, how will you live without them? You need them, after all.

6. You are in a constant state of anxiety.

This feeling stems from the fact that you have no control over anything ever and you never know what’s going to happen at any given moment of the day. You don’t know what your partner’s mood of the day is going to be hence you are unsure what your mood is going to be. Your whole existence depends on them which is a very scary place to be.

7. You’ve become a bit of a loner.

You rarely see your friends or even your family anymore. When you guys go out it’s with their friends and to see their family, not yours, because you are doing what they want to do, not what you want. Because of this, the life you once knew is non-existent. You don’t even call any of your friends or family anymore because you can’t bare their questions about your life anymore.

Being in a relationship like this can be very exhausting emotionally and mentally and sometimes even physically as stress affects us this way. It may not be easy to get out of a relationship like this but it’s not impossible either.

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Do you think you have a dirty mind? No, no offense there, just another way to asses your creativity. It seems that the more creative the mind is, the more dirty can be.

Maybe, you have a very creative mind that can connect almost everything into something dirty. Or maybe, you have a very practical way of thinking that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Either ways, there are advantages and disadvantages, and it’s helpful to know where you stand.

Take just now this quick, easy and fun quiz to find out how dirty your mind is!

How Dirty Is Your Mind Really?
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Leave a comment below to tell us what you’ve got!

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We all dislike our bosses sometimes, but it’s hard to see the forest for the trees unless you put yourself in their shoes sometimes. If you have been a boss then you understand the pressure associated with it – dealing with Head Office, commanding the respect of your peers, being “always-on,” and never being able to put the phone down. Bosses may seem like the bad principal from high school, but we forget that sometimes they have long days, less holiday time, are expected to have a strong attitude, and in some industries might even make less money than their workers!

We expect our bosses to uphold our company’s values even when we don’t, and expect them to be there for us at a moment’s notice. Our misconceptions of the duties of our chiefs are similar to those as when we walk into a convenience store or restaurant and see someone playing on their phone. In our snapshot perspective they might look lazy and undisciplined, working an easy job with little consequences. What we don’t see is their 5 A.M. shipment orders; late nights at the bar, fights with patrons, or bathroom cleaning duties.

1. See the snapshot for the larger picture

One thing about being a boss is that it’s hard to manage everything when you cannot see everything all the time. Employees are frustrated with their bosses when they show up and pass judgement on a snapshot of a situation. A good leader should be able to take the moment they have seen into the broader perspective and be able to use testimony of others as well as tertiary observations in order to make a conclusion. We all know what it’s like getting caught playing on our phone, knowing that what our boss didn’t see was the two hours of extra hard work we just put in!

2. Greet your employees with respect

A rather conservative manager of mine from a job long gone was noted for his rigid frame and unmoving emotional detachment to basically everything. He did his job at an OK level at best, but never used emotions or colloquialisms in his work ethic. What he did do however was greet everyone with respect. He said hello sir to our most playful colleagues and pardon me ma’am to younger women. He brought a level of respect to an otherwise playful environment that would have been complete childhood chaos had he not been present. As a whole, the entire staff was happier each day and it increased their appreciation for unearned respect. Respect your employees, and they will respect you.

3. Lead, don’t command

Another manager I once had, had me carry two very heavy boxes of things downstairs one day. While I struggled with my balance, sight and the weight of the objects, he carried some papers and a small object. I also noticed he was walking in the same direction I was going into the exact same room I was to put the boxes in. I thought, couldn’t he have carried one of these boxes? He was bigger and stronger, and we could have done it as a team. I actually quit the very next day. I knew I could not work for someone who showed such disregard for leadership. When I became a manager later in my career, I emphasized teamwork leadership and dismantled any form of physical hierarchy there might have been. And when I had to send someone downstairs with a heavy box, I made sure to help them carry one when I was going that way too.

4. Thanking your employees for little things

Our jobs seem thankless all the time. Our customers say thank you for our services but neglect to recognize the hours of behind the scenes work involved. Our bosses see us work everyday and simply expect things to get done. Don’t be one of those guys. Besides staying on top of your duties you should also stay on top of your daily appreciation for your employees. Saying thank you never goes out of style and it could change someone who is having a bad day’s day. You could make someone feel better without realizing it and increase productivity at an exponential rate. A happy family is a happy home!

5. Be diligent, and rational.

It takes a strong leader to put their foot down and make a point. It also takes a strong leader to be able to accept their advisor’s advice and reverse a decision. Decide what kind of leader you want to be – you have been chosen for your job due to your aptitude for decision making and “know what you’re doing” skills. You must be able to be firm with your professional decisions, and patient enough to realize that your ideas also have room for change when your instinct says so. It’s a big job, but someone’s gotta do it!

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We are all aware of the problems that come with the hard and painful childhood. That is the part of our lives that can determine and mold our minds for the future and the also shape the nature of our behaviour. This is the most crucial part of our lives, and it’s a delicate one which requires a lot of work for us to form into a complete and stable personality as it is required of us by the society that we live in.

1. Encourage your child to face his/her fears, not run away from them

As we all know for sure, the best way to becoming a better and stronger person is for one to conquer his fears. Conquering fears I something that has the best effects when it’s done during our childhood, because the longer you’re afraid of something, the more you are going to fear that same thing, and it will only be harder for you to overcome that fear. It is going to look like it’s the hardest thing in the world for your kid, but you will have to help them realize that’s the best thing for them.

2. Tell your child that it is okay to be imperfect

Telling your kid, that it’s okay to be imperfect is something very useful and helpful for your child to build up self-esteem which is essential in the construction of a robust and stable personality. Aren’t we all looking for perfection every day of our lives? There is never going to be the right level of satisfaction in our minds when it comes to perfection because there is always more that we can do. You will have to stop from time to time and appreciate what you have achieved so far.

3. Focus on the positives

Be optimistic! This is one of the most helpful ways for you to overcome anything. You need to concentrate on the positive side of things in your life because if you do the opposite of that and focus on the negative parts, you will just end up accumulating depression and from that depression nothing good ever came out. Another thing that you can do is to ask your MD about the substances that stimulate anxiolytic response and boost the mood.

3. Schedule relaxing activities

You need to have those mind relaxing activities that you do when you want just to relax and chill. This is something that is essential for everyone if they want to have a healthy life. When you only work and build up stress without any way of getting yourself relieved of that pressure, you will soon experience a lot of problems that can be caused by that stress, and that is something you don’t want to come down to.

4. Model approach behaviour, self-care, and positive thinking

You can look up to someone and try to reach the level he already achieved, and that is a great motivator, but the moment you start to feel envy toward that idol, and start resenting him, that’s the bad side of having an idol. This mostly happens when you can’t reach that level he or she already achieved. You need to be careful when it comes to models and icons.

Do you need to take care of yourself, because who will if you don’t? Not just mental health but physical as well, treat yourself like you’re a king or a god because by doing so the others will start to treat you the same way, but this doesn’t mean you will have to overdo it. Positive thinking is as we already stated something that is of the most importance for you to stay healthy and vigorous; therefore, you should always see the glass half full, no matter what!

5. Reward your child’s brave behaviours

This is a simple way of showing them that what they did is good, and that’s the right way to do it. Especially when it comes to courage, you need to be special to show your courageous part of personality. Therefore, but rewarding them when they do, you will engrave in their minds that being courageous is something that is good and wonderful.

6. Encourage good sleep hygiene

Each and every one of us needs to sleep. That’s just how the thing work, we need to rest for our body to regenerate and refill the energy that we need to get through the day. A regular sleeping schedule is highly recommended, and you should teach your child to develop those habits in the childhood. That is also a great thing which can help you in beating anxiety and depression.

7. Encourage your child to express his/her anxiety

You need to teach your child how to speak with you and show him that he or she can trust you completely. Then talk to them, try to get as much information as you can from them, by talking to them not only that you will get what you need, but your child will feel better as well.

8. Help your child to problem solve

Our kids are yet inexperienced when it comes to problem solving; there is still so much they have yet to learn, and you are here to help them with that. Help your children with homework, with solving numerous problems, that way you will implement the feeling of not being alone which is the biggest problem when it comes to anxiety.

9. Stay calm

No matter what, you will have to stay calm at all time, because if you burst and show all that anger and rage in front of the kid that is dealing with anxiety, you’re just going to end up feeding that fear and crushing your child. Take a deep breath and keep calm.

10. Practice relaxation exercises with your child

As it was already stated, there is a greater need for relaxation exercises if you’re fighting with anxiety than there is in normal conditions. Try everything there is with your child, and teach them how to relax truly and stay calm as much as they can.

11. Never give up!

You can’t give up at any cost, because if you do you will leave your child on its own and that something very horrible and terrifying, especially for a little kid. You have to be the beacon of hope for your child, and the pillar on which he or she can found their fight against anxiety and depression.

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