You’re reading 7 Things a Person with a Mental Illness Doesn’t Want to Hear, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

In the United States alone, nearly one out of every five people is suffering with one or more mental illnesses. That means that when a person passes you by on the street, they have a better chance of having a mental illness than of having green eyes.

Yet, why are so many people struggling with knowing what to say, or maybe what NOT to say, when they are talking to a person with anxiety, depression or maybe even PTSD? Have you ever been involved in a group conversation at a party, only to hear a friend tell a newer acquaintance that he knows all about her struggle with OCD because his mother is a “neat freak” and asked him to keep his room clean when he lived at home? Pretty awkward, right?

So, let’s take a look at just a few of the many things that you should never say to a person who has a mental illness. We can all learn a thing or two, right?

1. “Stop focusing on negative things.”

I think we’ve all gone to a negative place before, where no matter what we do to shake ourselves out of it, that’s where we reside for day or two. Maybe we’re jealous of the neighbor’s new car, or perhaps we spent an afternoon thinking about mistakes that we’ve made. But eventually, most of us snap out of it and go about life as usual.

When a person has a mental disorder, sometimes even the happiest moments can be overtaken with feelings of depression or anxiety over what comes next. This is all part of the illness, and completely not within the boundaries of control. We should all keep in mind that people don’t choose to be mentally ill, and no amount of focusing on an upcoming vacation or getting a raise at work will push away symptoms of illness.

2. “Everyone feels that way at one time or another.”

Sure .. sometimes we all have had a bad day or even a bad week, or perhaps we have experienced a feeling of hopelessness when we lose our job or have some other type of financial or social setback. However, these feelings and emotions are temporary. Something good will happen the following day, and most of us will forget all about what had us in a disheartened place the day before.

But it’s not like that for a person suffering with a mental illness. Depression isn’t something that will just “go away” because your favorite band comes to town or you close on your first house. It can take years of therapy and medication adjustments to balance out a person’s levels of anxiety. So, please don’t dismiss it with a, “I felt that way yesterday, too”.

3. “Keeping busy should help.”

We have all probably found ourselves using diversion tactics at one time or another before. Maybe we’re thinking about our busy Monday morning, so we go out for a movie Sunday night to get our minds on something else before the start-of-the-week alarm clock rings. Sometimes we even just call a friend and reminisce about old times to stop thinking about an ailing parent or that test your doctor wants to run next week. We’ve all been there.

But “getting your mind off it” doesn’t work so well for someone with a mental illness. Yes, maybe they will push through the activities or events that you plan to “cheer them up”, but diversion isn’t a sound replacement for therapy treatment. Does this mean that you shouldn’t go shopping or watch Monday night football with your good friend? Of course not! Just don’t see it as the magic wand that will “cure” a disease.

4. “I know how you must feel.”

Sometimes seeing people close to you hurt will make you want to empathize with them, explaining that you think that you honestly do feel their pain. Maybe you’re having an especially difficult time dealing with an emotional loss of some kind, or perhaps you have another friend who has been diagnosed with a sleeping disorder. But do you really feel the way a person with a mental condition must feel?

If someone close to you is suffering from a mental illness, the last thing they want to hear is how their ongoing pain is identical to what you experienced for a week or two until you found a solution for your problem. Plus, let me tell you that anxiety and depression are not the same things, so explaining away about how your aunt had anxiety and went through exactly what a person who has depression has experienced will not score you any extra points in the “good listener” category.

5. “Plenty of people are worse off than you are.”

Everyday we see people who are down on their luck or need a little extra help. Thankfully, there are organizations that make attempts to offer assistance whenever possible. Many people live hard lives, and most of us are grateful to help whenever we can.

However, people with a mental illness aren’t just “going through a rough patch”. And no matter how worse off someone else’s life might be, it doesn’t automatically wipe away the symptoms that they have learned to deal with each and every day. And there is often no trigger whatsoever to bring out symptoms for a person who is suffering with a mental illness, so knowing that someone else is out there suffering more than you won’t ease the feelings of stress and helplessness. Plus, telling a person that they have it a lot better than other people belittles their experiences.

6. “You should try herbal tea.”

We live in a time period where there are herbal and holistic remedies for just about everything, and it’s fantastic! Having trouble getting that eight hours of sleep? Try drinking some chamomile tea. Does your energy level need a little boost? Try rhodiola. Really … there’s a solution that is definitely worth a try for most aches, pains and uncomfortable situations.

But let me assure you that a pinch of ginger and a lavender sachet will not erase the symptoms of PTSD. Of course, most soothing substances can help bring a bit of calm, but it’s rarely enough to make a drastic everyday difference. An over-the-counter remedy will not likely provide better results than a course of treatment that has been prescribed by a professional. Try offering to listen when having a discussion, rather than offering advice. After all, isn’t that what a therapist is for?

7. “Maybe your therapy is making it worse.”

It’s probably a true statement to say that we have all probably had a few misconceptions about therapy and the way it works. Even though we’ve come a long way, some still get this notion that dredging up all of those experiences that were so carefully covered over will do way more harm than good.

However, saying something along those lines to a person with a mental illness is most definitely urging them to take three steps back. And let’s think about this for a moment. Would you encourage someone with a broken arm not to see a medical professional because it might hurt a bit to set the bone? I didn’t think so, which is why it is extremely important that we support those that we love while undergoing treatment, only offering words of encouragement.

As we all become more educated about mental health, we will learn to see the symptoms that a person displays as a part of the illness, not something that they can control or just stop doing at a mere suggestion. The attitude towards those suffering with a mental disorder has really improved, helped in part by celebrities and common, everyday people who are starting to speak up about their own personal struggles. More and more people are reaching out for help, seeing a therapist and utilizing methods to stay engaged in treatment. Learning how to support those that we love as they are going through treatment can only lead to more positive outcomes and a unified, better world. Why not start today?

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Angela Ash is a professional article writer and editor, specializing in online content and authoritative blog topics. Her additional therapy-related content may be found at http://ift.tt/2g6pVpt. Angela is also the Content Manager for Mentegram, a mental healthcare technology company that is bridging the gap between patients and their therapists. They have helped over 200 therapists provide better care to more than 1,500 of their patients, and she loves sharing experiences that could assist others to do the same.

You’ve read 7 Things a Person with a Mental Illness Doesn’t Want to Hear, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Erin’s Things: October 8, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

This week for Erin’s things, I’m talking about a couple of interesting ingestibles, Marijuana for your health and the comeback of one of my favorite sneakers – just a couple of things that made my week a little more interesting!

1. Bone broth and Collagen powder –So, what exaclty do bone broth and collagen have in common? Apparently, it’s ridiculously amazing health benefits. Glowing skin, shiny hair, strong nails and good digestion is a start…well, I’d wager to say it is at the top of the beauty spectrum that most of us desire to achieve. However, there is more, this growing trend to drink bone broth and/or to drink collagen (in protein powdered drink form) is also said to reduce inflammation.  This trend is not about to go away, precisely because it isn’t about sort term gratification, it is a commitment to long term benefits. I’m in.

2. Cannabis as wellness- Whether you are a user or not, one cannot deny that the taboo associated with cannabis is on the decline. LA’s Goda Yoga offers 420 classes for medical marijuana users. These are what you call ‘Cannabis workouts’ and they are finding their stride in everyday wellness routines across the country. Also, the non-psychoactive extracts of the plant are said to reduce anxiety, lower inflammation and subtly lift your mood. This then trickles down into anti inflammatory skin care as well as products to soothe menstrual cramps. The future looks green.

3. Kava root drinks – Kava Sutra (NYC), Bula Kava (Portland) or Kava Lounge SF (San Francisco) are indications of the boom in the newest mind altering and stress relieving drink on the market right now. It is an ancient root based drink from Pacific Islanders, that is often used as a type of sedative. It is said to increase or regulate our GABA receptors in the brain, which are the neurotransmitters that balances our mood and optimizes healthy brain function. As it is a root sedative though, it should never be mixed with alcohol. I feel as though its main attraction in the wellness community is allowing oneself to be brought more into the present moment of whatever it is you may be doing.

4. Helix – personalized mattress – yes, you read that correctly. The ‘where has this been all my life’ moment is upon me. It is custom made to cradle your own body (measurements sent in and sleep style noted), it regulates body temperature throughout the night and it is made to order to your exact firmness preferences- and can be blended to take into account your partner’s needs as well! The bed is the beginning and end of a good day, it is ingenious that this company has delivered magic to one of our most important household items. Bonne Nuit.

5. Nike Cortez – The 70’s running shoe is having a huge comeback moment and I could not be more stoked. They are sleek and comfortable, the newest design is in white mesh, which is easily paired with any outfit, even an LBD. Sneakers are becoming a fashion staple and my feet couldn’t thank me enough.

Hope you enjoyed the list and I’d love to hear what you’re loving this week!

Be well,

Erin

You’ve read Erin’s Things: October 8, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 8 Tips on How to Live a Meaningful Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

We all want to live a meaningful life since after all, we only have one chance at doing this. Happiness and fulfillment is much more attractive than emptiness, which makes living a life with some kind of meaning one of the widest held goals in the world.

People measure their success in terms of meaningful actions. You will find that everyone is obsessed with life meaning – starting from philosophers and scientists to the ordinary man. And while there is no single or final answer to living a meaningful life, there are several things you can do to get closer to this goal.

Here are 8 amazing tips on how to live a meaningful life:

1.    Focus on the Important Things

We all have some things that are more important than others. Pinpointing this is something you must do on your own, since there is no general definition as to what’s most important in your life.
Once you determine the top 5 things that you find to be essential to your happiness, use them to live the life as you want it. If you prioritize your family, focus on spending time with them. If you like singing, turn this into your hobby or job. In other words, pursue your passion in life. The world is your limit.

2.    Find Your Life’s Purpose

If someone put a gun to your head and said ‘give me one reason for you to live’, what would this reason be? What do you stand for? What is your life’s purpose? If you want to make your life meaningful, you need to find its meaning first. Otherwise, you cannot really set a meaningful goal.

3.    Give to Others

Of course, this does not mean that you should base all your life actions to helping the rest. You are the focus of your life, but giving to others will give your life more purpose and meaning. So, focus on the things you find important, but make sure to help others. This will increase your and their life satisfaction. Sometimes, something as simple as lending a friendly ear or shoulder to cry on can give your life more meaning.

4.    Be Aware of Your Actions

What can you improve or change? Review the actions you take on a regular basis to learn what made you stray from your goal or imagined path. Focusing on details will help you accomplish more, as long as you are prepared to make some changes.

5.    Find Some Courage

You need to be courageous to live, but living a meaningful life requires a lot more courage. After all, you need to make many changes to achieve this, try new things and put yourself out there.
Once you determine the essential actions to improve your way of living, you can easily find courage. Don’t be afraid to be different or try something new – you can rarely achieve your biggest goals without a bit of a risk.

6.    Focus

Rather than micromanaging 20 goals and focusing your attention on them all, focus on one thing at a time. This does not mean that you will leave the rest of your priorities behind. It solely means that you will dedicate all your energy in making sure they are all achieved, step by step.
You can easily achieve this. Make a habit of creating a list of goals you will do over the day or the week, not further. This list should consist of things that are achievable and realistic to avoid failure. If you learn how to do things at their time, you can achieve more.

7.    Simplify the Life

This may sound strange, but in order to make your living meaningful, you have to make the life simpler. The life is more meaningful if you spend your time doing things that fulfill you, so get rid of all those things that cause stress and frustration and basically, simplify your way of living.

8.    Express Yourself

You are who you are and there is no one else like you. Accept yourself for who you are and be authentic. Instead of fearing and struggling from fear of rejection and criticism, embrace this in a way that allows you to be who you truly are. If you aren’t yourself, your life cannot really have a meaning. Finding your life’s meaning is a journey that never ends. It is not something you will find and be done with it, but you must maintain your living meaningful every step of the way. After all, you may find something to be meaningful today, but this does not mean that you will find it meaningful tomorrow. Seeing that you are the one giving meaning to things, it is your job to pursue them.

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Jade Parker is a marketing expert that has worked in the industry for five years. She is developing her own small business and helping others build successful marketing strategies. Over the years, Jade has started writing and contributed several of her works to assignment writing.

You’ve read 8 Tips on How to Live a Meaningful Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Let’s Start a Movement of Kindness!, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Think about a time when someone did something kind for you. A smile from a stranger, an unexpected compliment, someone buying you coffee or lunch. A simple act of kindness is enough to change someone’s day around for the better. Or even life.

My grandfather navigated his life with ultimate kindness. By actions, not words, he helped teach many others and myself what true kindness means. My beloved grandfather recently passed away, and I regret not sharing with him some ways in which he influenced me. At his memorial someone noted a fierce argument in Grandpa’s life in which he responded to an offensive statement by saying softly, “it sounds like we have a difference of opinion.” Within a few months of my grandfather passing my wife and I had our first child, which was the happiest moment of my life. I would like to help my son grow up with the spirit of kindness I learned from my grandfather.

Life is so good. Life is so short. It’s easy to get caught up in routine and just sort of drift through. I want to remember (and help other people remember) the amazing feeling you get when you step out of your comfort zone and do something good for someone else. It’s a simple concept, and so powerful, but practiced much less frequently than it should be.

As I think back through my own life and about the random acts of kindness people have done for me, I realize those memories are life altering. How is something that is so simple to do (a smile, a compliment, buying someone lunch, going out of your way to do something helpful or unexpected) so powerful? And why are those simple acts so underutilized and acted upon in day-to-day life on a whole throughout humanity?

As we all know, the news from mainstream media is mostly bad news. What if each of us did a little bit to help shift this paradigm from negativity to positivity through small and unexpected acts of kindness?

A wise man once said, ‘Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.’ Over the last few years I’ve been formulating ideas to bring kindness into the mainstream. With death comes life, when one door closes another opens. An idea is worth nothing without execution, so after my grandfather passed, and my son was born, I decided to launch Kindness & Co with the goal of starting a global movement of kindness

To begin to create a Movement of Kindness and to help people jumpstart their own ripple effects of kindness, Kindness & Co collaborated with Pick the Brain to create a beautiful hand designed Random Act of Kindness Kit.  These Kits make it easy to get started practicing kindness and includes great ideas of things to do for others that will make life a little sweeter.

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Check out this about video to learn more!

http://ift.tt/2eZumS3

Together, let’s start a Movement of Kindness

‘Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.’ – Scott Adams

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Jesse Weinberg is a serial entrepreneur living in the Pacific Southwest who loves nothing more than sharing time with his wife and son. He is the founder of GlobalYodel.com, a community that explores the world from the perspective of a local and Global Yodel Media Group, a content/influence marketing agency. He thinks kindness is cool and in 2015 founded Kindness & Co with the mission of starting a movement of kindness though Random Act of Kindness Kits and beyond. He is dedicated to shifting the paradigm of collective human consciousness to revolve towards kindness.

 

You’ve read Let’s Start a Movement of Kindness!, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading How to Stop Preparing and Start Doing, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Are you a chronic over-preparer?

I am. Really, I used to be—but I say “I am” because, as with any addictive behavior, recovery from that persistent feeling of needing to do more is a slow and lifelong process. We don’t decide just once to quit over-preparing; we decide day after day, with each and every presentation, product launch, coaching conversation, and article submission.

We decide every single time we have the opportunity to over-prepare. Which means every single time we feel the temptation to return to the familiar. Tweaking the font for the hundredth time before we’ll allow the webpage to go live. Rehearsing and rehashing the stack of index cards on which our talk is written. Researching just a bit more before we’ll launch that creation of ours that we already know will help people greatly.

Instead of continuing to coddle ourselves with all the non-threatening, non-exposing, low-risk tasks of preparation, we decide enough is enough. This—this thing we’ve created—is enough. We are enough.

So, how do you reach this decision?

Well, I can tell you only how I reached it for myself (rather, how I ‘reach’ it on a case-by-case basis—because, as I said before, this work is constant).

I make experience my objective. Experience over preparation. And I allow the learning that comes from the experience to be just as valuable, just as laudable, as the effects that over-preparing and compulsively polishing something might yield.

But, in order to do this, I have to value experiential learning first.

I have to value my own learning experience—and I have to be willing to share it with transparency—if I’m going to forgo the habit of chronic over-preparation.

Because that’s the thing about over-preparation: It serves us insofar as it protects us from on-the-spot learning, and the public failure and shame that might result. It gives us the opportunity (infinite opportunities, if we allow ourselves to be mired in that state of analysis-paralysis) to perfect our thing before we’ll share it. It might be said then, that over-preparation is a symptom of a performance mentality. Of believing it is our job to present ourselves as authorities, as experts, who live somewhere at the far end of the journey, closer to destination than anyplace else.

A story from my own life: Not quite two weeks ago, I decided to host a morning gathering for tea on Facebook Live. It was maybe a few weeks prior that I’d joined Facebook at all (I know, I know—definitely not an early adopter there), so you can imagine just how unfamiliar I was with all aspects of the platform. Well, regardless, I decided I wanted to connect with my readers in a real and meaningful way, so I announced in my Tuesday newsletter a morning gathering for the following Saturday. I knew that if I announced it, I had to do it—whereas, if I waited to announce it until I felt adequately prepared, it might never happen.

Now, what I could’ve done was to pick a specific topic to speak about and create some airtight takeaways for the folks who might join me live (you know, to make it ‘worth it’ for them in exchange for some of their Saturday morning); I could’ve written up an agenda and run the whole thing like a well-oiled meeting; I could’ve gotten myself worked up about being on live camera and, therefore, spent extra time in the mirror with my concealer stick.

But, I didn’t. Instead, I made experience my objective. I decided I wanted to learn about Facebook Live by doing Facebook Live—no dry-runs or dress rehearsals or obsessing over providing value. I decided I was willing to be an amateur at this thing I’d never done before. (You get that, right? I was, in all ways, an amateur at Facebook Live…so, why would I struggle to present myself as anything different?)

I carried a pot of tea upstairs to my office, sat in front of my laptop with slightly-damp hair, clicked the “Go Live” button, and had my first ever experience on live video. Five women from my community showed up and I talked with them for 45 minutes. Entirely unscripted, absolutely transparent about being a newbie, and prepared to learn. It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had in a long time, and I attribute that to being fully present to the opportunity before me—the opportunity to try something for the first time and to share that ‘first’ with my viewers, in an act of trust and bonding—instead of meeting the opportunity with rigid anticipation and polish, both of which can create some distance.

Maybe the question you and I (and the other recovering over-preparers out there) need to ask ourselves is: Is it my objective to perform this thing, as though it’s fixed, for an audience? Or, am I open to experiencing it as a living, breathing thing, at the same time that I’m sharing with my community what I know about it thus far?

Start there. As equal parts teacher and student.

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Helen McLaughlin is an action-oriented life coach and writer based in Appleton, Wisconsin. She works with highly-motivated women who are fun, resourceful, and creative as hell…and need a plan for going after and getting what they want. Enrollment for Finishing School, her eight-week group coaching program on completion, kicks off the week of September 25. Find out more by subscribing to her newsletter and by joining the movers and shakers in her Facebook group, Action Oriented.

You’ve read How to Stop Preparing and Start Doing, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading How to Stop Preparing and Start Doing, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Are you a chronic over-preparer?

I am. Really, I used to be—but I say “I am” because, as with any addictive behavior, recovery from that persistent feeling of needing to do more is a slow and lifelong process. We don’t decide just once to quit over-preparing; we decide day after day, with each and every presentation, product launch, coaching conversation, and article submission.

We decide every single time we have the opportunity to over-prepare. Which means every single time we feel the temptation to return to the familiar. Tweaking the font for the hundredth time before we’ll allow the webpage to go live. Rehearsing and rehashing the stack of index cards on which our talk is written. Researching just a bit more before we’ll launch that creation of ours that we already know will help people greatly.

Instead of continuing to coddle ourselves with all the non-threatening, non-exposing, low-risk tasks of preparation, we decide enough is enough. This—this thing we’ve created—is enough. We are enough.

So, how do you reach this decision?

Well, I can tell you only how I reached it for myself (rather, how I ‘reach’ it on a case-by-case basis—because, as I said before, this work is constant).

I make experience my objective. Experience over preparation. And I allow the learning that comes from the experience to be just as valuable, just as laudable, as the effects that over-preparing and compulsively polishing something might yield.

But, in order to do this, I have to value experiential learning first.

I have to value my own learning experience—and I have to be willing to share it with transparency—if I’m going to forgo the habit of chronic over-preparation.

Because that’s the thing about over-preparation: It serves us insofar as it protects us from on-the-spot learning, and the public failure and shame that might result. It gives us the opportunity (infinite opportunities, if we allow ourselves to be mired in that state of analysis-paralysis) to perfect our thing before we’ll share it. It might be said then, that over-preparation is a symptom of a performance mentality. Of believing it is our job to present ourselves as authorities, as experts, who live somewhere at the far end of the journey, closer to destination than anyplace else.

A story from my own life: Not quite two weeks ago, I decided to host a morning gathering for tea on Facebook Live. It was maybe a few weeks prior that I’d joined Facebook at all (I know, I know—definitely not an early adopter there), so you can imagine just how unfamiliar I was with all aspects of the platform. Well, regardless, I decided I wanted to connect with my readers in a real and meaningful way, so I announced in my Tuesday newsletter a morning gathering for the following Saturday. I knew that if I announced it, I had to do it—whereas, if I waited to announce it until I felt adequately prepared, it might never happen.

Now, what I could’ve done was to pick a specific topic to speak about and create some airtight takeaways for the folks who might join me live (you know, to make it ‘worth it’ for them in exchange for some of their Saturday morning); I could’ve written up an agenda and run the whole thing like a well-oiled meeting; I could’ve gotten myself worked up about being on live camera and, therefore, spent extra time in the mirror with my concealer stick.

But, I didn’t. Instead, I made experience my objective. I decided I wanted to learn about Facebook Live by doing Facebook Live—no dry-runs or dress rehearsals or obsessing over providing value. I decided I was willing to be an amateur at this thing I’d never done before. (You get that, right? I was, in all ways, an amateur at Facebook Live…so, why would I struggle to present myself as anything different?)

I carried a pot of tea upstairs to my office, sat in front of my laptop with slightly-damp hair, clicked the “Go Live” button, and had my first ever experience on live video. Five women from my community showed up and I talked with them for 45 minutes. Entirely unscripted, absolutely transparent about being a newbie, and prepared to learn. It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had in a long time, and I attribute that to being fully present to the opportunity before me—the opportunity to try something for the first time and to share that ‘first’ with my viewers, in an act of trust and bonding—instead of meeting the opportunity with rigid anticipation and polish, both of which can create some distance.

Maybe the question you and I (and the other recovering over-preparers out there) need to ask ourselves is: Is it my objective to perform this thing, as though it’s fixed, for an audience? Or, am I open to experiencing it as a living, breathing thing, at the same time that I’m sharing with my community what I know about it thus far?

Start there. As equal parts teacher and student.

---

Helen McLaughlin is an action-oriented life coach and writer based in Appleton, Wisconsin. She works with highly-motivated women who are fun, resourceful, and creative as hell…and need a plan for going after and getting what they want. Enrollment for Finishing School, her eight-week group coaching program on completion, kicks off the week of September 25. Find out more by subscribing to her newsletter and by joining the movers and shakers in her Facebook group, Action Oriented.

You’ve read How to Stop Preparing and Start Doing, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 6 Steps, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

You’ve read 6 Steps, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading What Happens to Your Life When You Write Goals Down, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

The idea of giving promises to oneself isn’t new. Most people do that. We vow to quit smoking, set a life goal, read more books, spend less time on Facebook showing jealousy to our friends’ success… You name it!

In the eye of psychology, such approach is more than justified.

We think of time as if it’s something geometrical: linearly or cyclically, any day becomes a pen marking off some sections. We choose a point to move. No matter if it’s New Year, birthday, or Monday – the wind of changes can start blowing anytime, making us feel the need to revise something.

And we give promises to ourselves.

The most common ones are easy to specify: they influence us indirectly, and that’s why we often forget or postpone them for later. Healthy food, jogging, or charity are significant by all means, but some people find coffee and cigarettes enough to function. As sad as it sounds.

It’s great to set goals, but it’s greater to keep your word and achieve them. For a better life, don’t plan to promise to start one day.

For a better life and your goals achievement, write them down.

“The more abstract your goal sounds, the more difficult it’s to hold.”

Do you know a theory about promises saying that every time you can’t live with new rules, you lose motivation but get a bad taste in the mouth?

Most goals don’t influence our life because they are too general. Despite the best answer to “Who do you want to become when grown up?” remains “A happy person,” it’s the worst motivation ever. The more abstract, plagiarized, or paraphrased your goal sounds, the more difficult it’s to hold: you’ll find its new senses over and over again, blaming yourself for failure to follow its boundless variants.

Eat better. Be kinder. Save more money. Our consciousness deludes all the time, so we shouldn’t leave it any trade space.

Instead of “save more money,” write down a clear plan a la “set apart $XXX monthly.” Instead of “eat better,” write “eat three carrots, spinach, and five apples weekly.” The trick is to avoid abstractions, dividing all goals into small and detailed tasks.

From my experience, I can recommend you this exercise:

Time 15 minutes and write down your all dreams with full concentration. It’s not easy to do. The first several minutes get out desired shoes of your subconsciousness, but wishes become more and more abstract by the end: “I want to be loved,” “I want my family to be healthy,” and so on.

After 15 minutes of writing do the following:

• Divide your wishes into categories.
• Attach priorities to each.
• Make the most desirable one a goal.
• Write it down as precisely as possible.

For example, write “My weight will be 55 kilos by June 10” instead of “I want to be slim.”

Think of the goal as if it’s your project: come up with a strategy, develop a habit, think of resources, and minimize risks. Write down each stage of this project step by step.

Besides writing down a step-by-step plan and setting time (day, week, and month) for each goal, make sure you launch new habits little by little. Sweeping changes look impressive but don’t motivate long while: soon, you’ll tire of a new schedule and come back to your oldy-moldy regime.

To develop a new habit, you should spend at least ten weeks for its regular repetition.

“It’s essential to understand why you need and want these changes. Are you ready to take responsibility for their realization?”

Here goes a life hack:

Underestimate yourself. It sounds provocative but means downgrading your goals number and quality. Works efficiently for do-or-die perfectionists who often plan more than can handle.

It doesn’t mean you should give up advantageous goals for something ordinary or needless: it’s more about planning your goals in good faith.

Planning is an individual thing, but most people think of it as something that “has to be done.” It’s okay to follow your friends or mentors but harmful to try operating their goals to your life because of jealousy or slavish imitation. It’s essential to understand why you need and want these changes. Are you ready to take responsibility for their realization?

“Whatever hard you may plan, remember that some goals are doomed to fail.”

From my experience, most guides on planning recommend telling others about your goals to make it harder to step back. But this strategy has pitfalls, either.

No one but you can make positive changes in your life, so don’t shoulder the responsibility to others and don’t associate your achievements with them. What do I mean?

Let’s say you decide to jog on Mondays. Don’t lead friends on going with you! As soon as their plans change, it appears more challenging for you to achieve the goal. Besides, their absence becomes your excuse for laziness.

Acclamation is great, while damnation will never be efficient motivation. Those setting small goals, they achieve more. And the more positive experience in goals achievement we experience, the more chances are we’ll have positive results in future.

Writing down clear goals do wonders to those making lists because it’s the profitable way to organize life. Maximum visualization and detalization of the process, as well as systematic positive changes, let you see results and stay motivated through thick and thin.

Whatever hard you may plan, remember that some goals are doomed to fail. And it’s okay.

Failures are a part of the process, and we shouldn’t be afraid of them. Get ready for some plans to bring eggs to a bad market and consider them nothing but minor obstacles you’ll overcome soon.

Sometimes our goals don’t lead to what we expected. Nevertheless, do not deprive yourself of a chance to take a loss. In fact, it’s a part of your invaluable experience, too.

You’ve read What Happens to Your Life When You Write Goals Down, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Ways Of Securing Unsecured Loans For Poor Credit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

When you need loan while you are the owner of the property, things will not be difficult. Among the various kinds of loans, fetching secured homeowner loans are the easiest to get. Homeowners who can present collateral, things are very easy for them. As the home is used as security, the lender and even the financial institution will not have a problem in forwarding a loan. A secured loan is the matter of protection for lenders of secured loan and the banks. The lenders will not be ready to give you the loan if you have no security at stake. However, not everyone can be a homeowner or have security to present as collateral. So, what to do when you have no security and require cash on an emergency basis? Even your credit score is bad, and so the lenders will not be ready to forward any loan under any situation. So, what to do? Well, your options are limited, but still, there is a solution. You may get in touch with a loan broker in the UK for guaranteed loans online. Despite your bad credit history, the broker will find a lender for the unsecured loan.

Guaranteed loans online when the credit score is bad

If you have bad credit score, you may apply for the loan online. Find a suitable lender who is ready to lend unsecured loans for poor credit. It is already seen that unsecured loans are difficult to gain when you have poor credit history. The rate of interest is very high, and so it is an unaffordable option. To get better interest rate, you may get in touch with a loan broker. If there is no time to rebuild your credit score, your best option would be the loan broker. A broker will understand the terms and conditions of the borrower in a better manner and will calculate tax savings. It is possible to apply for the guaranteed loans online, but there is every chance that your request will be rejected. So, to avoid this, it is best to avail services of a loan broker. The broker will have the names of lenders who offer unsecured loans for poor credit and so you will be benefited.

Using home equity line of credit

Those who have sufficient equity in the property, they can apply for an unsecured loans for poor credit and get lower interest rate. It is possible to get a tax-deductible line of credit when there is sufficient equity in one’s property. If you have a reliable source of income and you are sure of repaying back your debt, you can go for home equity loan.

Loans from credit unions

On the event of bad credit history, banks will not lend you money. Your best option would be a credit union. They are a non-profit organisation that tends to pass on the earning to the members at a lower fee. You should do your part of the work to locate a suitable credit union.

You may directly approach someone for the loan. This is called peer to peer lending.

You’ve read Ways Of Securing Unsecured Loans For Poor Credit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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