You’re reading How Workplace Stress Can Lead To Addiction, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Many people assume that those struggling with addiction are unemployed and homeless. This could not be farther from the truth. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 9.5% of full-time workers ages 18 to 64 were dependent on or abused illicit drugs or alcohol in the past year. The workplace can be a source of great stress, anxiety, and depression. Self-medicating can lead to the “functional addict.”

Workplace Stress And The Dangers Of Self-Medicating

Stress is a known contributor to alcoholism and drug addiction. Stress and adrenaline can lead to “burnout,” or mental and physical exhaustion. Some employees in stressful workplace environments turn to drugs and/or alcohol to cope with work-related stressors. What starts as a few drinks after work can turn into an alcohol dependency.

The same is true for drug habits. Without the worker realizing it, workplace stress can ultimately contribute to addiction through the practice of self-medicating. Self-medicating can stem from a desire to relax and forget about work, but it can also serve to enhance alertness and boost performance.

Certain illicit drugs such as cocaine can increase mental alertness, but are highly addictive. Even taking over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers for aches and pains can spiral into a full-blown addiction. Self-medicating with a stressful job as a trigger is a slippery slope that can easily lead to a substance abuse disorder in anyone.

What Does It Mean To Be A Functional Addict?

Employed individuals with addictions often become “high-functioning addicts.” High-functioning alcoholism and drug abuse refers to the practice of habitually abusing substances while still performing daily tasks as a productive individual. It is a common misconception that alcoholism is always obvious – many people abuse alcohol without allowing the addiction to interfere with daily lives.

Over time, however, the addiction can wear on the person and start to show signs to friends, family members, and even coworkers. High-functioning substance abusers may be able to maintain their careers, families, and social lives – at least at first – but substance abuse problems often worsen. Eventually, the individual’s dependency on the substance will grow out of control. Some people may even be able to manage extreme addiction cycles, such as coming home from a stressful day at work, using drugs or alcohol in excess far into the night, waking up with a hangover, and using substances in the morning and throughout the day to dull hangover symptoms.

Even a high-functioning person struggling with addiction will build tolerance and need to take more of the substance to reach the desired state. Soon, he or she will start to experience withdrawal symptoms. At this point, the individual may not be able to maintain uninterrupted daily function. He or she may start having sleeping problems, intense hangovers, or need to remain medicated throughout the day to get through a work shift. Some may hit a “rock bottom,” scenario, such as losing a job because of substance abuse. Others may simply realize it’s time to get help.

Signs Of High-Functioning Alcoholism

If you think you might have a drug or alcohol abuse problem, you’re not alone. The workers most at risk of developing a stress-related dependency are police officers, paramedics, doctors, attorneys, construction workers, miners, and food service employees. There is absolutely no shame in admitting you have a problem and seeking help before it’s too late.

Long-term drug or alcohol abuse can deteriorate cognitive function, causing problems with memory, concentration, judgment, and decision-making abilities. Here are signs that can help you recognize if you or someone you know is a high-functioning addict:

• Consuming alcohol or drugs to cope with stress, depression, or problems.
• Drinking alcohol or taking drugs for almost every situation.
• Consistently drinking alone (not in a social setting).
• Drinking too much too often. The average drinking limit for women is seven drinks in a week; for men it is 14 drinks in a week. Drinking more than this increases the risk of alcoholism.
• Increasing the amount of drugs or alcohol over time. (Building tolerance.)
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as headache, irritability, anxiety, or nausea.

Remember, a high-functioning addicted individual may drink too much, yet still excel at work and maintain good relationships. The substance abuse disorder does not have to cause problems in life to be a problem. It is easy for functional addicts to be in denial about their problems, since they often maintain a good level of success. It is important to recognize the signs of this type of addiction, and to seek professional addiction recovery.

Seek Help – Do Not Attempt To Self-Detox

If you are someone who has developed a dependency on drugs and/or alcohol because of work-related stress or pressure, help is available. An addiction does not have to control or destroy your life. With help from the right people, you can detoxify your body and brain in a healthy way, identify the source of your problem, and take steps toward long-term recovery, such as developing healthy coping mechanisms and stress management techniques.

Treatment starts with an understanding of the dangers of self-detox. Attempting to quit drugs or alcohol on your own can be deadly. Depending on your degree of tolerance and dependency, your body may not be able to handle a “cold turkey” withdrawal. This can cause organs to shut down or fail, resulting in seizures, coma, and death.

Self-detox also runs a high risk of relapse. Relapsing after a period with fewer or no substances is a recipe for overdosing, as your body may have a lower tolerance than what you’re used to. Do not let the stigma against substance abuse or a fear of what others might think risk your life. Never self-detox. Instead, seek professional addiction treatment. Treatment can be completely confidential.

The Path Toward Addiction Recovery

If workplace stress caused or contributed to your addiction, stress management can be a key to long-term recovery. Practicing effective stress management instead of harmful self-medication is an important goal to have during treatment. Reducing stress in the workplace can remove burdens like anxiety and depression that can trigger substance misuse and abuse. A few things that may help with healthy stress management include:

• Find a work-life balance. Feeling like work is taking over your life can spawn feelings of anger and depression. Take time to do things you enjoy that are not work-related, such as taking a walk or reading a book.
• Learn time management. Prevent becoming overwhelmed by learning how to prioritize your time. Make a list of tasks from most important to least important. Start at the top and remain realistic about what you can handle. Learn how to politely turn down extra work.
• De-stress in healthy way. Find ways to unwind and relax after work that do not involve substances. Activities can include breathing exercises, yoga, group sports, physical activities, going to the movies, or doing other things you enjoy.

Getting sober and staying that way can help improve your mood, mental function, job performance, physical health, relationships with others, time management, and feelings of self-worth. Alcohol addiction treatment and drug addiction treatment with help from a professional rehabilitation center can give you hope for the future. You have the power to turn your life around and regain control. Start today.

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Elevate Addiction Services is a holistic-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center with locations in northern California. The tranquil, peaceful, and highly private centers are the perfect places to overcome stress-related addictions and to address the root causes of substance abuse.

You’ve read How Workplace Stress Can Lead To Addiction, 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 Side Hustles You Can Start With Very Little Money, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Always dreamt of starting your own company? Want to branch out and earn money for yourself?

What if I told you that you could keep the stability of your full-time job and earn significant cash on the side by offering up your skills in your spare time?

That’s the spirit of a side hustle. You earn good money, but you don’t have to quit your job (yet).

You need motivation, inspiration, and the right mental attitude to make a success of hustling, but luckily there are loads of tools and communities to help you out. Below I’ve listed six of the savviest side hustles that you can start — giving you an additional income with minimal, or no, start-up costs.

1. Social media exec

Knowing the world of social media inside out may seem like an ordinary thing for you, but for some business owners who didn’t grow up in the internet age, it’s a whole new era that they just can’t get their heads around.

92% of marketers say that social media is important for their business, so your ability to operate various social platforms at ease can be a godsend to some companies.

Upskilling yourself to work as a social media executive isn’t that difficult to do — you just need to undertake some training in the strategy side of things, and ensure that you’re confident when it comes to using social media essentials like Canva and Bitly.

Brand yourself as a social media manager and you could charge mega bucks – with the US national average salary for this role being a crisp $51,613.

With handy tools like Hootsuite, TweetDeck and Meet Edgar, you can simply dedicate one day per week to working on branded social channels and the content will look continually fresh and updated. Make sure you keep your clients in the loop, and pencil in some ‘reactive’ time too.

2. Virtual assistant

If you’re a highly organized individual and like to work independently, your skills could lend themselves very nicely to a virtual assistant role.

You’ll be completing basic admin tasks like answering emails, processing orders, taking phone calls — but remotely from the comfort of your own home (or Starbucks as most freelancers do). Basically you’re a PA without the office — and the hours can be very flexible, with some contracts starting at only a few hours a week.

Check out this success story of an office worker turned virtual assistant.

3. Online teacher

The internet is awash with people wanting to learn – especially things like a new language. So how about becoming an online English tutor?

It’s not as daunting as it might sound because for most roles, you won’t even need a formal teaching qualification.

They will require you to demonstrate a high-level understanding of the English language – but that’s usually by having a degree or equivalent qualification. Then you can complete simple online courses yourself to hone those teaching skills before you get going.

If you have impeccable English and fancy yourself as a bit of a mentor, this is the perfect option for you. Here are some great companies that you could work with.

4. Online retailer

Setting up your own shop may sound like a huge task to take on, especially while you’re still in full-time work – but trust us, it can actually be pretty straightforward.

Indeed, with a few clicks and a little bit of time using their technology, you can have create a web based shop that looks as delightful as Factory 43’s:

You don’t even necessarily need to build your own site. You could buy an existing store, using an online store marketplace to buy a website, then make some tweaks to it and tailor it to your own brand.

Forget hiring out a high-street space, ecommerce businesses are where it’s at. The stats speak for themselves and if 80% of Americans shop online at least monthly, then you won’t be short of customers.

By operating your consumer business online, you’ll be cutting out so many overhead costs. Plus, with the added benefit of dropshipping (which is basically when the manufacturer ships straight to the customer) you won’t even have to handle the goods – saving you time, space and money!

5. Blogger or vlogger

It’s not too late to jump on the blogging hype. There are still niches out there that haven’t been tapped into.

Think about your passions and what you like to read online and transform that into your own blog.

If you’d prefer not to go down the writing route, vlogging is also a really cool way to get in on the action.

Once you become an established blogger or vlogger (which can happen relatively quickly in the whirlwind of the internet), you will then be able to charge brands for sponsored posts, book in paid advertising, and team up with other companies to bring in revenue.

6. Copywriter

Good writing skills are not to be underestimated. Every company needs the written word – on their website, leaflets, adverts, press releases and even on social media.

Therefore, at some point or another they are going to need someone with a great copywriting prowess – that’s you!

If a company doesn’t already have someone within the company who can execute this kind of work, they will hire a freelance copywriters to do the job.

You can look to charge a set fee per hour or quote them per piece. Either way, it’s a great way to earn some extra money on an ad hoc basis if writing comes naturally to you.

So, there we have it. It turns out that launching your own start-up side business isn’t that overwhelming after all.

Now that you’re feeling super-inspired, you’ll be ready to go out there and start earning money for yourself. Go smash it!

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Victoria Greene is a branding consultant and freelance writer. On her blog, VictoriaEcommerce, she shares tips on ecommerce and online marketing. She is passionate about using her experience to help companies improve their branding strategy.

You’ve read 6 Side Hustles You Can Start With Very Little Money, 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 Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

This year PTB has made a number of Best of the Web Lists, our new Podcast just launched, my first book ever will be published soon, and above all else I gave birth to my first child, George Winnie Delavenne who is an absolute joy!!  I have so much to be thankful for.

You’ve read Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!, 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 Why it Took me 15 Years to Live My Dreams, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

‘The goal is to die with memories, not dreams’
– Unknown

In 2002, I had a vision while studying at University. Although disinterested in my Politics course, I’d become fascinated by hypnotherapy and personal development. While pondering what to do when I left, and how I had no desire to follow a conventional path, this vision hit me. I saw myself speaking to an audience and inspiring them with my words.

What followed was a 15-year journey to become a personal development leader. It’s a journey that took many twists and turns. Via the route of becoming a tennis coach and then a hypnotherapist, while overcoming personal problems like insomnia, IBS, chronic shoulder pain, and loneliness, I was finally able to publish my book and embark on my life as an author and speaker.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Fifteen years is a long time! It’s too much effort, heartache and rejection.

Furthermore, you might be thinking it won’t take me that long to live my dreams. There’s an easier way and I’m smarter than that.

And maybe there is and maybe you are. However, what I’m about to share with you applies to any dreamer irrespective of their abilities or the nature of their dream.

There’s a three-stage process you must pass through to live your dreams. I want you to understand it. This way, you’ll appreciate why it can take longer than expected and, most importantly, not be discouraged.

The Hero’s Journey

The three-stage process I’m talking about is The Hero’s Journey. It’s creator is the writer Joseph Campbell, who developed this theory while studying ancient mythology. He discovered that there were certain key stages that every adventurer must pass through to achieve their goal.

Originally numbering 21, for the sake of brevity, I’m going to describe them under their 3 main headings (and use my journey as an example of how they apply). I want you to understand that you too are a potential hero. It’s my belief that we all have a meaningful contribution to make to this world.

Will you heed yours?

Stage 1: The Departure – February 2002 to September 2003

The Departure occurs the moment you set out on your quest. It also shines a light on the confusion you may experience.

In The Departure, the hero has ‘a calling’ (an idea for a new business, a goal they want to achieve). However, they are torn between the excitement of this dream and the comfort of the world they know.

For me, this occurred in February 2002 with the vision I mentioned at the start. I felt compelled to pursue it and, yet, it seemed impossible to achieve. Much deliberation ensued as my mind wavered between the two options.

The Hero’s Journey states that when making your Departure, you will face a ‘Threshold Guardian’ – an obstacle in the form of a monster or evil being that seeks to prevent your advance. For our times, this will present itself in the form of fearful/disapproving parents, colleagues, friends, a bank manager refusing to give a loan or a so-called expert warning that your journey will be fraught with hardship, or just plain impossible. Typically, they play on your greatest fears, claiming your quest could leave you broke and lonely.

Overcoming ‘Threshold Guardians’ is hard. As you can see from the length of time it took me to embark on my Departure (a full year and a half), their influence can cause a great deal of doubt.

Part of me accepted the ‘fact’ it’s virtually impossible to get a book published. Furthermore, I believed people when they told me I was too young and lacking in life experience. For a while, my fears of what might go wrong were stronger than my desire to explore the possibilities of my ‘calling’.

Eventually, I decided that I must stay true to my heart. Rejecting my parent’s pleas to consider a mainstream career in law or the corporate world, I trained, and then began working, as a tennis coach (the first step to me pursuing my greater dream of writing a book and becoming a personal development leader).

Stage 2: The Initiation: September 2003 – February 2012

This stage is about the trials you’ll experience in seeking to achieve the object of your quest. They’ll test you on three levels – physical, mental, spiritual – and the outcome, if passed through successful, will be a change in your consciousness.

My initiation was twofold. Not only did I need to learn a range of professional skills – how to coach and hypnotise people, how to write convincingly, how to build rapport, how to cope with failure – I also had to overcome my personal issues.

Both Luke Skywalker and Neo experience something similar in Star Wars and The Matrix. Their mentors – Yoda and Morpheus – push them through a series of trials aimed at altering their concept of reality. By mastering The Force and, for Neo, ‘setting his mind free’, they maximise their potential and develop the belief they can do anything.

It’s likely that your initiation will test you on many levels. You’ll need to develop the discipline to go the extra mile, the leadership qualities to convince others of your ideas and the resilience to overcome adversity. This may sound unappealing. However, it’s important to remember that going through these trials is what gives you the strength to rise above your old reality.

My Initiation took a lot longer than I’d have hoped or anticipated (eight and a half years). This was because I kept looking for an easy way out. I didn’t embrace the necessary hard work and, instead, told myself that I would only work when feeling inspired.

Eventually, I learned to accept the challenge of The Initiation. I made sure I did a minimum amount of writing every single day (1 hour). This was irrespective of how motivated I felt. Doing so enabled me to finish my book and prepared me for the final stage in my journey.

Stage 3: The Return: February 2012 – February 2017

The Return marks the moment the hero reveals themselves to the world. They make a stand. They say, this is who I am (by launching their product, creation, entering a competition etc) and set out to achieve what they initially intended.

For me, this occurred when I pressed enter on my laptop and published the first edition of my book on Amazon. It was the 8th February 2012 and I thought I was ready for superstardom.

What I soon learned, though, was that The Return doesn’t necessarily signify ‘the end’. I was hoping to sit back, watch the sales role in, live off the royalties and enjoy some speaking opportunities off the back the books success. This didn’t happen and it taught me an important lesson.

When you make your Return, you may well face even greater failure and rejection than you experienced during The Initiation. You may present yourself or, your project, to the world, and the world may turn around and say, ‘we’re not interested’.

But this is ok. It’s what The Initiation has prepared you for. You’ve already been tested to the limit and developed an unbreakable inner strength.

It’s normal to face inner resistance upon making your Return. The Hero’s Journey mentions that the hero will often feel the world cannot understand the new person they’ve become.

This was certainly the case with me. When I first published my book and launched my website, I was painfully aware that many people would find my point of view controversial.
This held me back. It stopped me promoting myself wholeheartedly. I hoped that people would chance upon my work without me having to make any noise.

Of course, this didn’t happen. Instead, I learned I needed to change my approach. Just as Luke Skywalker had to confront Darth Vader, and Neo had to fight Agent Smith, The Return demands that you face your greatest fear. For me, this was speaking my truth.

To be successful with my book and wider message, I had to get comfortable with bearing my soul to the world. For someone who had previously sought to cut himself off, it was a trying time. However, the more I forced myself out of my comfort zone, the more I realised that people warm to others who aren’t afraid to be themselves.

Soon, the result came in. The sales of my book increased, the interest in my website grew, I received some fantastic reviews on Amazon and I finally got some speaking gigs.

15 years after my original vision, I was finally living my dream.

***** Special Offer to Pick The Brain readers from the author*****

Do you want to learn more about living your own dreams? If so, grab a copy of my FREE course by clicking the link below. I call it, ‘How to Escape The System’ and it will provide you with the blueprint for breaking free form the 9 to 5, finding your passion and overcoming your fear. It also includes a 30 Day Challenge to get you started.

How to Escape The System

Joe Barnes is creator of the Screw The System website, author of the critically acclaimed Escape The System and long time contributor to Pick The Brain. His mission is to give all Dreamers, Adventurers and Entrepreneurs the inspiration and information necessary to pursue their true calling. He also works as a hypnotherapist and tennis coach.

 

You’ve read Why it Took me 15 Years to Live My Dreams, 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 Yoga and Meditation Made Me a Better Person, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

When I was young, I was privileged to have been born in a family where money was not an issue yet my father combined his hard work with hard alcohol daily leaving my mom to raise myself and my 3 brothers. My dad’s income presented my mom with a security that she was unable to attain on her own with no college education. She was married at 18 and pregnant with her first that following year.  My fathers’ growing pay check and increased absence gave her the freedom to hire babysitters, shop, or go on fancy trips. We had many babysitters and family rules were not part of our upbringing.

As kids, we were pretty much given whatever we wanted whether it be ordering out pizza every night or money to buy material items.  Living life in this way may have seemed nice to many, but without the stability of 2 parents teaching family values such as love and kindness towards others, my family life often resulted in a chaotic blend of self entitlement, without compassion, love or respect towards others.

When I turned 25, I was in the middle of College with average to low grades and my dad had made a series of poor business decisions which resulted in him filing for bankruptcy. My mother was filing for divorce. Suddenly, I no longer had the financial support that I used freely to get by in life. I’ll give you an example. This was me speaking to my car insurance company:  ” Oh, you’re not going to insure me anymore because I skipped a few payments and was living and driving in the States? – Who cares.  I’ll find another car insurance company.” So, I did and my dad paid double.

“Oh, you mean, I can’t come back to school because I missed too many classes and essentially failed out? Whatever…I am going to school in Europe next year.” So off I went.

By the time I was thirty the family money was all dried up with my parents fighting over it in court, and I was left with a very poor set of values and wondered why things just weren’t working for my very entitled self.  I no longer had my dad’s money as a crutch. Whatever good things came my way, I realized I would have to work hard for them and learn how to maintain them.  It was a while before I found yoga and process of meditation, and in the interim I would say that my life was a series of lessons learned without any real guidelines to go by. I was frustrated with life’s curve balls and was searching for some form of peace and guidance in my life. Once discovered, it would seem that yoga and meditation process was the perfect solution.

I think one of the first things I learned was that life is so unpredictable. From Hurricanes to Earthquakes and so many other Natural, Social & Personal Events can bring you way up, then way down. Then way up, then way down, just like a seesaw in a playground.  Yet with life’s unpredictability, I could always find shelter from ups and downs through mantra meditation. When practicing this meditation on a daily basis, I felt safe. I especially felt warmth and love in my heart.

So, my whole world could be turned upside down but I always had somewhere peaceful to go to.  This constant consistent practice gave me peace of mind, and soon I learned how to detach from the things that were out of my control.  I realized that my life’s events of going up and going down were essentially just part of my karma. And the only way to ride my karmic storm without getting all caught up in it would be to surrender to it.  This was very humbling. I learned that I had to detach from the outcome because after all, we have very little control over how people will respond to us or what life brings us and takes way.

With learning this powerful lesson, I was humbled and my heart softened. I began to realize that one of the only things I could control was the way in which I treated other people, especially my friends and family.  I no longer wanted to feel guilty about how I would mistreat my friends and family if I wasn’t getting what I wanted. This feeling soon spread to no longer wanting to be a cause in the mistreatment animals by eating them.

I came to the understanding that all living things are spirit in nature covered by material bodies. And each spirit soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Being. Once I understood this, I felt the desire to treat all living things with kindness and respect from the smallest ant on the sidewalk to my elderly grandmother. I began to see the world as literally one big family with the Supreme Being as the Father of all living entities.

The truly most wonderful thing I learned about yoga and meditation was that the more I practiced it, the more I achieved self-realization. The more I achieved self realization, the more I understand about the science of identity, my essence, purpose and goal in this life. This has become a wonderful journey and I feel so blessed to have found yoga and meditation.

I make an effort each day to meditate upon the Supreme Being, and in return, I feel a sense of love and happiness which supersedes all other forms. In return, I can’t but help to try and emanate the same love and kindness I feel in my heart to all.  This can only be done through the regular daily practice of chanting the names of the Supreme Being. I truly know this because I have experienced it.

 

You’ve read How Yoga and Meditation Made Me a Better Person, 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: November 20, 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 I’ve got a little self-care (think massage), a little music and some pumpkin pie just in time for the holiday. Check out my list below for discoveries that made me happy last week! (and please share your cool finds in the comments below)

• BIGTHINK.COM – This podcast is outrageously good. Historian Nancy Koehn (Harvard) discusses resiliency and muses on the question of what is a real hero? Her research focuses on what makes people live lives of purpose, impact and worth, focusing on leaders of the past and present. We live in a time where we find it easy to distrust in leaders, so how can we harness the power of the courageous to reveal once again what real guidance is about.
• SOUTHERN BAKED PUMPKIN PIE – They arrive at your doorstep, frozen and ready to thaw whenever you want. What could be a better addition to your thanksgiving dessert menu than this with a buttery crust, creamy texture and warm spice aroma? It’s Thanksgiving this week, so amidst all the good friends and family get-togethers, nothing is as satisfying to share in as this sweet treat.
• DRIP – started in 2011 as a membership crowd funding service providing a way for musicians to have a recurring income, it was forced to shut down in 2016. Soon it was acquired by kickstarter. Kickstarter has now re-imagined Drip, with 61 creators to start. Creators need income sources other than advertising. It works as a invite only (for now) membership campaign that allows contributors to continually support through recurring contributions as opposed to a one off campaign. With these membership contributions model, kickstarter is once again relevant by placing itself at the forefront of the digital age.
• YAYOI KUSAMA – Born in Japan, Yayoi Kusama is the youngest of 4 children in a very affluent family. She is a self described ‘obsessional artist’, who is known for using many polka dots and infinity installations in her work, she’s been called incredibly avant-garde. At age 10 she began using these motifs (nets as well) and created watercolor, pastel and oil painting. She also began to have vivid hallucinations where flowers would speak to her and patterns would come to life, sparking her lifelong struggle with mental illness. Her painting, drawings and sculptures have drawn much attention since the 60’s- environmental sculptures using mirrors and electric lights give us a glimpse into her wildly focused imagination. She is a unique and contemporary feminist artist who operates now from a mental hospital. If you can catch one of her exhibits, you will be very inspired by the experience!
• THE NOW – Los Angeles has done it again. Leading the way can experience luxury massages in a convenient, accessible and affordable way. The motto: ‘Restore Your Body. Reset Your Soul.’ Conceptualized by Amy Krofchick, Erica Malbon and Gara Post, the goal of their expanding brand is to uplift everyone through massage. With spas on Beverly Boulevard, Santa Monica, Studio City and Silverlake it is easy to get to, and enjoy the atmosphere of this sanctuary. We all need to hit the pause button from busy city life, I cannot think of a more convenient and aesthetically pleasing environment that makes one feel aligned with nature. Massages start at $35 for a 25 minute massage, and there are even massages for kids! If you feel like dropping in, you are welcome to do that, alternately you can make an appointment or even join on with a membership.

You’ve read Erin’s Things: November 20, 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 Exercise Can Boost your Mental Health, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

In an age where pharmaceutical drugs dominate television advertisements (the average US television viewer sees nine pharmaceutical ads per day (C. Lee Ventola, 2011)), it’s not surprising that the overwhelming majority of the population are looking for quick fixes to often complex problems. After all, there’s a pill for almost anything these days. But one of the most time-tested and effective mental health boosters is completely under-utilized and under-prescribed – exercise.

The Connection Between Exercise and Mental Health

Do a simple Pubmed search on the link between exercise and mental health, and you’ll find more relevant articles than you can count. Coincidence? No way. Researchers as far back as the 1930’s identified strong relationships between amounts and types of physical exercise used in treatments, and the positive mental effects they had on those patients (Davis, 1930). Since then, countless studies have been performed, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive. A comprehensive study from 1985 found that “physical activity and exercise probably alleviate some symptoms associated with mild to moderate depression. The evidence also suggests that physical activity and exercise might provide a beneficial adjunct for alcoholism and substance abuse programs; improve self-image, social skills, and cognitive functioning; reduce the symptoms of anxiety…” (Taylor, 1985). These benefits are known worldwide as well, with groups such as Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) stating that “Exercise appears most effective for depressive disorders and may also improve mental well-being and physical health in individuals with serious mental disorders” (Morgan, 2013); while a Chinese study from 1997 on college and middle-school students found that “physical exercises were helpful to reduce students’ tension, anger, fatigue, depression and confusion, and improve their vigor and self-esteem” (Biyan, 1997) . These are just a few of what are thousands of reports of the positive effects of physical exercise on mental health. The relationship is not limited by nationality, age or time-period – it’s abundantly clear that physical exercise boosts mental health.

The Disconnect

So why, with all the knowledge we have on this physical-mental link, do we still first reach for the anti-depressant pills, and not our running shoes?  The answers are beyond the scope of this article, but most certainly include the billions of dollars of annual advertising spent by Big Pharma; our ever-increasing need for instant gratification; and (perhaps most unfortunately), our ever-increasing lethargy underpinned by our growing worldwide obesity rates. So, where to from here?

Re-Connecting

The first step towards using exercise as an adjunct to an overall healthy mental state is to acknowledge that there is a clear link between exercise and mental health, and that you are responsible for self-medicating with the powerful drug of movement. At its’ most basic level – getting up and moving around will give you a more positive outlook on life, and moderate some symptoms of depression, anxiety, addiction and cognitive impairment. So, just get up and move.

Taking this to another level, if you want to make a significant and lasting change by using exercise to improve your mental health, there are countless websites dedicated to helping individuals improve their physical health. Many of these are free, and provide detailed workouts, meal plans, tracking tools and guidance to help you stay on track.

Here are some quick and easy recommendations to get you started:

Walk More

No matter how busy you are, there are quick and easy ways you can get more movement in to your daily routine. Set a timer every hour to get out of your chair and walk around the office or your home. Try parking another hundred yards from your workplace or the store. Walk your children to school if time and distance permits. Get a pedometer or activity tracker and try to reach a goal of 10,000 steps per day. If your fitness level is low, don’t get hung up on numbers – just try to move around more!

Lift More

Resistance training is one of the most beneficial physical exercises a human being can do – particularly one that utilizes multiple muscle groups and body parts. When most people think of weight training, they picture powerlifters or bodybuilders moving huge weights around a gym, but in reality, any resistance to your body can make a positive impact on not only your mental health, but your physical health as well. For beginners, air squats, push-ups against a wall and lying leg lifts might be enough to get excellent results. For the more physically-experienced, a weight-training regimen of three to five days per week alternating muscle groups will be more effective.

Join a Class

One of the best ways to continue with physical exercise is to be accountable to a group – whether at a gym, social club or even with work or family members. A great way to achieve this is to join an organized fitness class – it could be aerobics, swim, senior fitness, CrossFit or anything in between. The important thing here is that you get some level of physical exertion.

What to Expect

In the world of instant gratification that we seem to be a part of, it’s unrealistic to expect that walking a few minutes a day will alleviate all your mental health concerns. In that same vain, please don’t take this article as a prescription to drop your medication, counseling, dieting or other treatments and just do some form of physical exercise. What we’re encouraging here, is adding some level of physical exertion to your daily routine as a supplement to your treatments. The goal is most certainly to be symptom and treatment-free, but don’t expect exercise to be your cure-all. Here are some things you can expect, and in a fairly short period of time:

– Improved mental clarity
– Higher self-esteem levels
– Improved cardiovascular capacity
– More restful sleep at night
– Lower anxiety levels
– A better sense of purpose

These should be the goals of anyone looking to improve their mental health, and with decades of published research on the topic, it seems to be a no-brainer that you should incorporate some physical exercise in your daily routine.

 

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James Anthony is the manager of Protein King – an online fitness, health, supplement and apparel store dedicated to improving the lives of everyday people. Based in Australia, James writes extensively on the topics of diet, nutrition, sports supplements and fitness, and in his time working with Protein King, has been rewarded with many inspiring stories of change and empowerment.

References

Biyan et al. (1997). The Mental Health of College and Middle-School Students in Shanghai And Its Relationship With Physical Exercises. Psychological Science, 1.

684. Lee Ventola, M. (2011, Oct). Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising: Therapeutic or Toxic? Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 36(10), 669-674; 681-684.

Davis, J. E. (1930, August). Mental Health Objectives in Physical Education. Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitation, 9(4), 231-238.

Morgan et al. (2013, August). Exercise and Mental Health: An Exercise and Sports Science Australia Commissioned Review. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 16(4), 64-73.

Taylor et al. (1985, March-April). The Relation of Physical Activity and Exercise to Mental Health. Public Health Reports, 195-202.

You’ve read How Exercise Can Boost your Mental Health, 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 Exercise Can Boost your Mental Health, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

In an age where pharmaceutical drugs dominate television advertisements (the average US television viewer sees nine pharmaceutical ads per day (C. Lee Ventola, 2011)), it’s not surprising that the overwhelming majority of the population are looking for quick fixes to often complex problems. After all, there’s a pill for almost anything these days. But one of the most time-tested and effective mental health boosters is completely under-utilized and under-prescribed – exercise.

The Connection Between Exercise and Mental Health

Do a simple Pubmed search on the link between exercise and mental health, and you’ll find more relevant articles than you can count. Coincidence? No way. Researchers as far back as the 1930’s identified strong relationships between amounts and types of physical exercise used in treatments, and the positive mental effects they had on those patients (Davis, 1930). Since then, countless studies have been performed, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive. A comprehensive study from 1985 found that “physical activity and exercise probably alleviate some symptoms associated with mild to moderate depression. The evidence also suggests that physical activity and exercise might provide a beneficial adjunct for alcoholism and substance abuse programs; improve self-image, social skills, and cognitive functioning; reduce the symptoms of anxiety…” (Taylor, 1985). These benefits are known worldwide as well, with groups such as Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) stating that “Exercise appears most effective for depressive disorders and may also improve mental well-being and physical health in individuals with serious mental disorders” (Morgan, 2013); while a Chinese study from 1997 on college and middle-school students found that “physical exercises were helpful to reduce students’ tension, anger, fatigue, depression and confusion, and improve their vigor and self-esteem” (Biyan, 1997) . These are just a few of what are thousands of reports of the positive effects of physical exercise on mental health. The relationship is not limited by nationality, age or time-period – it’s abundantly clear that physical exercise boosts mental health.

The Disconnect

So why, with all the knowledge we have on this physical-mental link, do we still first reach for the anti-depressant pills, and not our running shoes?  The answers are beyond the scope of this article, but most certainly include the billions of dollars of annual advertising spent by Big Pharma; our ever-increasing need for instant gratification; and (perhaps most unfortunately), our ever-increasing lethargy underpinned by our growing worldwide obesity rates. So, where to from here?

Re-Connecting

The first step towards using exercise as an adjunct to an overall healthy mental state is to acknowledge that there is a clear link between exercise and mental health, and that you are responsible for self-medicating with the powerful drug of movement. At its’ most basic level – getting up and moving around will give you a more positive outlook on life, and moderate some symptoms of depression, anxiety, addiction and cognitive impairment. So, just get up and move.

Taking this to another level, if you want to make a significant and lasting change by using exercise to improve your mental health, there are countless websites dedicated to helping individuals improve their physical health. Many of these are free, and provide detailed workouts, meal plans, tracking tools and guidance to help you stay on track.

Here are some quick and easy recommendations to get you started:

Walk More

No matter how busy you are, there are quick and easy ways you can get more movement in to your daily routine. Set a timer every hour to get out of your chair and walk around the office or your home. Try parking another hundred yards from your workplace or the store. Walk your children to school if time and distance permits. Get a pedometer or activity tracker and try to reach a goal of 10,000 steps per day. If your fitness level is low, don’t get hung up on numbers – just try to move around more!

Lift More

Resistance training is one of the most beneficial physical exercises a human being can do – particularly one that utilizes multiple muscle groups and body parts. When most people think of weight training, they picture powerlifters or bodybuilders moving huge weights around a gym, but in reality, any resistance to your body can make a positive impact on not only your mental health, but your physical health as well. For beginners, air squats, push-ups against a wall and lying leg lifts might be enough to get excellent results. For the more physically-experienced, a weight-training regimen of three to five days per week alternating muscle groups will be more effective.

Join a Class

One of the best ways to continue with physical exercise is to be accountable to a group – whether at a gym, social club or even with work or family members. A great way to achieve this is to join an organized fitness class – it could be aerobics, swim, senior fitness, CrossFit or anything in between. The important thing here is that you get some level of physical exertion.

What to Expect

In the world of instant gratification that we seem to be a part of, it’s unrealistic to expect that walking a few minutes a day will alleviate all your mental health concerns. In that same vain, please don’t take this article as a prescription to drop your medication, counseling, dieting or other treatments and just do some form of physical exercise. What we’re encouraging here, is adding some level of physical exertion to your daily routine as a supplement to your treatments. The goal is most certainly to be symptom and treatment-free, but don’t expect exercise to be your cure-all. Here are some things you can expect, and in a fairly short period of time:

– Improved mental clarity
– Higher self-esteem levels
– Improved cardiovascular capacity
– More restful sleep at night
– Lower anxiety levels
– A better sense of purpose

These should be the goals of anyone looking to improve their mental health, and with decades of published research on the topic, it seems to be a no-brainer that you should incorporate some physical exercise in your daily routine.

 

---

James Anthony is the manager of Protein King – an online fitness, health, supplement and apparel store dedicated to improving the lives of everyday people. Based in Australia, James writes extensively on the topics of diet, nutrition, sports supplements and fitness, and in his time working with Protein King, has been rewarded with many inspiring stories of change and empowerment.

References

Biyan et al. (1997). The Mental Health of College and Middle-School Students in Shanghai And Its Relationship With Physical Exercises. Psychological Science, 1.

684. Lee Ventola, M. (2011, Oct). Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising: Therapeutic or Toxic? Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 36(10), 669-674; 681-684.

Davis, J. E. (1930, August). Mental Health Objectives in Physical Education. Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitation, 9(4), 231-238.

Morgan et al. (2013, August). Exercise and Mental Health: An Exercise and Sports Science Australia Commissioned Review. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 16(4), 64-73.

Taylor et al. (1985, March-April). The Relation of Physical Activity and Exercise to Mental Health. Public Health Reports, 195-202.

You’ve read How Exercise Can Boost your Mental Health, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

>

You’re reading Living a Life of Purpose: Breaking Away From the Mental Shackles, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

If you ask a child of 12 or 13 what she wants to do with her life, it’s a futile exercise. At that age, most children don’t quite know what they want. It’s all about the shiny object of the moment. But we ask them nevertheless. I’ve seen this happen often where I come from in Asia. In many Asian households the child grows up wanting to be a doctor, engineer, or a lawyer simply because of the ingrained belief that by becoming one of these you will be successful. Many talented children give up things they are good at, things they are passionate about—and the world loses a brilliant musician, artist, or marine biologist.

When a person is able to marry their occupation with their vocation or calling in life, often it is because a door opened in their mind, and walking through it filled their soul and excited their spirit. Hence, their purpose was born.

Bear in mind, this door doesn’t open by itself. More often than not, we stumble onto something big through movement, not stagnation. It is cardinally important that you never stop seeking. There is no getting around this rule. If an explorer goes to a forest and stumbles upon a gold mine, it is because he got there by starting the exploration. Not just dreaming about it.

Possibly the biggest impediment to finding and living our purpose, is the mental shackles many of us are tied down to. This is usually a result of being programmed to follow and believe a certain set of norms set forth by family, culture, or society. In many ways, these norms are like blinders we put on horses, to cut out the peripheral vision.

Nature, in her innate wisdom, has designed the human body in such a way that if we pay attention, we can learn some important life lessons from it. Here are two important aspects of the human body from which I personally derive my life’s philosophies.

Forward Movement

The human body is designed to propel us forward, never backward. Walking backward doesn’t allow you to see where you are going, which can be dangerous. The body loses its balance as you try to walk backwards. This also applies to life in general.

If you want to find your purpose and discover who you are meant to be, you cannot regress. You have to focus on the future and keep seeking. The future may seem uncertain, but you cannot keep running back to the past because it’s familiar. It is our life’s purpose that propels us to keep moving forward, even when life gives us no reason to.

Peripheral Vision

Just because you are looking forward, doesn’t mean you lose sight of what is around you. Our eyes, though focused directly ahead on what we are looking at, are bolstered by a 180-degree view that fills in the background with what we are not focused on.

The areas we are not focused on are sometimes far more important than we realize. It gives us a depth of perception and an awareness of things approaching from the side. We are able to successfully steer forward only when we are also aware of the opportunities and threats around us. Otherwise, we are left only with tunnel vision.

I don’t deny that tunnel vision has its purpose, but it needs to be used selectively. When one needs to focus on an activity such as sharp shooting, then your mind objectively shuts out all peripheral vision. This is an important skill to develop so you can build concentration. But when tunnel vision is enforced by virtue of the metaphorical blinders put on by society, by the school system, or by other aspects of the environment we grow up in, then the peripheral vision that helps us balance what we need to see in life, is lost.

What if you could remove those blinders so you could see the world as it is? When we rely on the enforced tunnel vision, they become our shackles. These shackles inhibit us from recognizing our purpose in life.

Someone once told me a story about elephants in a circus. A man passing by saw these huge creatures being held in place only by a small rope tied to their front leg. It was obvious the elephants could at anytime break away from their bonds, but for some reason they did not.

He asked a trainer nearby why the elephants just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

“Well,” the trainer said, “when they were very young and much smaller, we used the same rope to tie them and at that age it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging on to a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we have been led to believe that we would fail?

To learn more about living a life of purpose and overcoming limiting beliefs, please get a copy of my new book Two Minutes from the Abyss, available as an e-book on Amazon.

———–

Vijay Eswaran is a successful entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and philanthropist and the author of the best-selling book In the Sphere of Silence. His new book Two Minutes from the Abyss published by Networking Times Press is now available as an eBook on Amazon. 

You’ve read Living a Life of Purpose: Breaking Away From the Mental Shackles, 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 The 6 Biggest Enemies to Creating Your Dreams, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Hey, what is your problem?

Wait, I’m not trying to pick a fight. I mean that in a literal way:

What issue(s) are you trying to solve so you’ll feel better than you do right now?

Do you want to build a billion dollar business?

Do you want an amazing marriage?

Do you want to write the next great novel?

Do you want to bake the perfect banana cream pie?

Do you want to shake thirty-five pounds off your body and keep that weight off? (If so, don’t hang out with the person trying to bake the perfect banana cream pie.)

WHATEVER your “problem” — your point A — may be, there is only one thing that will get you to the solution — your Point B — which is the achievement of your dream:  Your creativity.

Because by it’s simplest and truest definition, creativity means the act of making something. Making something happen that isn’t happening now. Making something exist that currently does not exist.

Without taking this action — without your creativity — the things you want and need go nowhere. But these unfulfilled thoughts don’t merely go nowhere… they in fact pull you down deeper and deeper into frustration and even misery because you aren’t DOING anything about them.

Indeed, being creative is absolutely required for you to solve any problem — to achieve any goal and dream — you have.

For two decades now it’s basically been my job (and passion) to help individuals and organizations get unstuck, stay unstuck, and make themselves become whatever they most desire to be. In that time,  I’ve discovered there are 6 very big enemies to creativity.

Here they are, in countdown order to the biggest, baddest enemy #1:

Enemy #5: Self-Sabotaging Expectations 
Rome wasn’t built in a day. That’s such a tired old cliche, but I looked it up and it is historically accurate.

It takes time to solve your problem, to achieve your dream. And the bigger the problem — the more important your dream — the more time it takes.

Yet what I see constantly, and not only with the younger folks, is the expectation of success fast.

In part we owe it to our “Give it to me now” culture for this expectation. And it is mighty destructive.

People will let themselves feel like a “failure” when they haven’t built their Rome in a day… or even a year. This feeling chews away at their ability to create, so all they’re eventually left with from their creativity is just ivity. Whatever the heck that is.

The point is, be ambitious in your expectations, but not ridiculous in them. And stay aware of your expectations as you move forward. Remember it takes time, and ongoing effort too, which brings us to…

Enemy #4: Dreaming Without Doing
Thomas Edison said that “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety nine percent perspiration.” The same thing goes for creating your dream. You have to work at it. A lot. It’s as simple (and complicated) as that.

Ideas are nice and all that. But they are a dime a dozen. Generating ideas, even the great ones, is the easy part.

It is executing on your idea — moving forward no matter what to solve your problem — that makes dreams come true.

And I’ve seen that many people are pretty darned good about moving forward… for a little while. Until the “excitement” factor wears off and the going gets tough. Author Seth Godin calls that point “The Dip,” and it’s where most people give up.

Meanwhile, the few who keep going when things get discouraging or downright sucky are the ones who succeed.

Right at the start, when you’re planning to build or create anything, one of the smartest things you can plan for is getting disheartened and feeling like giving up once you’re past that exciting beginning stage of anything. And plan to keep going anyway.

Because 9 times out 10 people do hit that big (and often long) frustration point, where it feels like nothing is going right, no one is paying attention, what’s the point of doing this, whoa is me, etcetera.

Being AWARE at the start that this point will come, though, is a powerful defense. Because when it does arrive weeks, months or longer in, it won’t catch you by surprise. You’ll have the upper-hand on it — “Aha, I knew you’d come!” — and you’ll have the commitment you made to keep pushing forward anyway.

Enemy #3: Waiting for the Muse
Maybe you are moving forward to achieving your dream… but very, very slowly because you “wait for the muse.”

The “muse” is that sweet angel of inspiration and energy that occasionally visits you and, as if she’s made of rocket fuel, just jets you forward in creating high-volume, high-quality work.

The problem, though, is that this Rocket Fuel Muse typically doesn’t visit often… and she’s unpredictable as to when she might visit.

In other words, if you wait for the muse, you will likely be waiting until you are dead.

Again, you instead have to work at it. Routinely. As often as possible… and the more you want that dream, the more you will find is possible to work on it.

A funny thing happens, by the way, when you really bust your butt routinely no matter what to achieve your dream… the muse tends to visit a whole lot more.

The muse is attracted to the sound of effort.

Enemy #2: Negative Nelly
“You can’t… You shouldn’t… You never will! Give it up! You’re not good enough!”

These are some of Negative Nelly’s favorite phrases. And she is always very busy trying to make your life grey.

You should know that she’s not human… she’s more like a demon that possesses humans.

Sometimes she tries to drag your dreams and your life down through the voice of people in the present, like certain family members, your boss or co-workers, or friends.

Sometimes she harasses you through the voice of people in your past, such as parents or siblings or teachers or friends when you were younger.

But her FAVORITE method of trying to jade you is by getting right there inside your head, making you believe she is actually YOU.

But she is not you. Ever. The negative thoughts in your head trying to provoke you into believing you haven’t got what it takes… that you should give up or not even start … are NEVER EVER YOU.

You are the one with the big goal, the dream… and if you can think it, you can do it.

When Negative Nelly spits out her ugly words, therefore, don’t try to fight her (she enjoys that). Instead, step back, accept that she is there but she is not you, let her pass, and then get on with your doing.

She’s like a bad storm… don’t take her personally, and don’t waste your energy fighting her, and she will pass.

Enemy #1: The “Expert” Mind
The “expert” mind is one very strong and sneaky enemy.

It usually goes after, and often brings down, those individuals and organizations who have already enjoyed some previous success from their previous efforts, such as Fortune 500 companies, famous actors and actresses, celebrated chefs and authors, and the like.

With just a little practice, though — and some striving to be humble thrown in — you can learn to spot it and stop it from destroying your dreams and success.

First of all, whether it is inside your organization or inside your head, WATCH OUT for this kind of thinking:

> “I am better at this than almost anyone.”

> “What the heck do they know? We are the pros!”

> “I already know that. And that. And that.”

> “I’ve been doing this for 10 (20, 50, etc.) years… I’m not worried about them.”

> “I am an expert at this.”

This kind of thinking is deadly. This kind of thinking thwarts creativity and stops innovation and productivity in their tracks.

Back to old Thomas Edison, who said, “We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.”

And he’s still right. Much as your individual or your organization’s collective ego wants to congratulate you on what an amazing expert you are, there really are NO experts at anything.

While IBM was busy acting like the “expert,” Microsoft was busy innovating, eventually knocking them off their perches. Then while Microsoft was busy acting like the “expert,” along came Google, and Apple, and Facebook. And so it goes.

One of the most beautiful ideas from Buddhism — and one of my strongest recommendations — is to always maintain the “student mind.” A humble mind that acknowledges that, no matter how much you have learned, you still don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything… even in your field where others may consider you an expert (let them think that way about you, but never fall for the nonsense yourself.)

Or in other words, strive to remain a wide-eyed, humble, open-minded student no matter how much of an expert other people say you are.

So there you have it. Beware of these 5 enemies to your creativity — keep them out, kick them out if they sneak in — and you will achieve your dreams. Problem solved.

You’ve read The 6 Biggest Enemies to Creating Your Dreams, 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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