5 Ways to A More Balanced Life

5 Ways to A More Balanced Life

Creating a work-life balance can be tough. It is very hard to find the delicate balance between a happy boss and a happy home life. There are a few things that you should do both at work and at home to create a balanced life.

Because this is such an important topic, it has been covered by groups like Mental Health America, Web M.D., Forbes, and Business News Daily. Instead of sending you all over the Internet to try and find some tips to help you manage your time and create a work-life balance we’ve combined them into five tips that you can create a more balanced life both at home and at work.

  • Create a Routine

One of the best routine tools to use at work is to make a list of tasks based on priority. Prioritizing your work allows you to get the most important things done and using a checklist allows you to see what you have achieved during the day. Having a daily routine will make you less stressed about what you will do each day at work.

Routines are great for home as well. They let everyone know what’s going on and when. However, sometimes you need downtime too. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself and your family some downtime. You can even put it on the calendar if you want to. Scheduling in downtime for you and your family is a great way to make sure you all are able to relax and bond together.

  • Telecommute

If you can telecommute to work especially on days where you are sick, your children are sick, or the commute will be extra-long due to weather or outside circumstances. Telecommuting is a great way to provide your employer with what they need while giving you some breathing room.

  • Learn to Say No

Many of us think we don’t have the ability to say no at work. This results in taking on too many tasks, working overtime, and being stressed about not being able to get everything done. If there’s a job you know, you won’t be able to get done or that you are not suited for say no. You may be surprised at how well this is received by your employer.

It is important to learn how to say no to social events and home life events that will be too taxing as well. Maybe you have social obligations that are just too draining or don’t allow you enough time with your family in the evenings. Cutting these out will help you find balance.

  • Learn Your Employer’s Policies

Learning leave, vacation, sick, and disability policies are paramount. Also, learn what telecommunication systems your company has in place. If there aren’t any, you may need to ask. This will alleviate any stress if you need to use vacation or sick days or if you need to telecommute.

If you have children, learn their school’s policies too. Knowing the procedure for turning in sick notes, calling out for the day, or showing up late is going to save a lot of headache for both you and them!

  • Communicate

Let your employer know what’s going on. Let them know where you’re at on individual projects if you’re going to be on time ahead of deadline or behind on schedule. Communicating these vital elements to your employer will alleviate stress on the job.

At home, communication is essential. This is even more so if there are marriage and kids at home. Make sure you are letting everyone know what is going on with you. In addition, you need to know what is going on with everyone else.

Set a family meeting once a week to discuss upcoming events, stress points, things that may need planning and other elements of life that could cause stress if not well planned. This simple act will aid in your ability to find that balance between work and home.

These five steps will help you find some balance in your busy life. What are some ways that you have found a balance between work and home that weren’t on our list?

Changing Your Physiology to Change Your Mind

Changing Your Physiology to Change Your Mind

In order to perform your best, you need to be in the perfect state of mind.

That means that you need to have just the right chemical balance of neurotransmitters you need to be slightly aroused and alert but not to the point of being stressed to distraction. During times of relaxation, you, of course, want to tone down that stress to achieve a relaxed state of mind, which is also optimal for being creative.

You can use nootropics, brain training, visualization and more to achieve this, or you can rely on your natural cycles and choose the right time to work. Our body goes through natural cycles based on what we eat, what the weather is like and even our breathing.

But alternatively, you could also consider actively influencing these physiological factors triggering the most desirable mental state for the given activity.

The Role of Physiology

You can also manipulate your physiology to changing your mental state can change the way you feel, act, and perform at any given time.

For example, if you want to be more alert and focused, then you should avoid a heavy lunch. A heavy meal requires energy to digest, and as it triggers the release of feel-good endorphins, which also happen to be inhibitory neurotransmitters, it actually makes your brain more sluggish.

This may be the reason that many people have claimed they feel more alert when they are focussed when they are in this fasted state.

Conversely, if you find yourself becoming anxious and grumpy, then consider seeking out more food to fix that chemical balance.

Likewise, if you turn the temperature down slightly, then you will also increase your arousal. The colder you are, the faster you breathe, and the quicker the blood flows through your veins. You also produce significantly more norepinephrine and testosterone. Consider that this is why it can be such a useful tool to take a cold shower, to jump in a plunge pool, or even to splash cold water on your face.

Another good way to fight the fight or flight response though and to restore your homeostasis/calm is to practice correct breathing. Correct breathing technique is often referred to as ‘belly breathing,’ and it involves first relaxing the diaphragm and then allowing the stomach to expand as the lower portion of the lungs drop into it, before feeling up the top of the lungs and expanding the chest.

This slower, fuller breathing can modulate the response of your parasympathetic nervous system restoring a sense of calm – especially if you make each breath longer and count for 4-5 seconds on every exhale and inhale. Next time you’re about to give a speech or do an interview, try this technique to calm your nerves.

Master Your Emotion

Many of us make the mistake of believing that our emotions arise from our thoughts, but more often it is our thoughts that result from our feelings. And what do our emotions stem from? Our beliefs. These have an evolutionary purpose remember, so they are all about driving us toward survival – finding food, resting when we can and avoiding danger.

If you’re having a bad day, and you think the world kind of sucks, then before you do anything rash, ask if you might be overtired (which makes us groggy but eventually results in a fight or flight response), overly hungry or even ill which can create brain fog by causing inflammation via the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Either way, look after your body if you want to have the best chance of controlling your mind and consider the context for how you’re feeling at any given time. The reason you can’t focus might even be because your belt is digging in…

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5 Ways To Find Happiness Instead Of Getting It From Food

Do you find food to be your only source of happiness? How’s it working out for you?

Chances are, not very good. However, you’re not alone; millions of people around the world suffer from food addiction. Food addiction has nothing to do with being greedy, as some people may wrongfully assume; but rather a psychological condition that binds to food.

So is there any way out? Yes, absolutely. You can and should start implementing the tips below to find happiness in the real things in life, and not be held prisoner by food any longer!

Get In Your Workouts

Exercise is so much more important than making you look good. The health benefits are far superior, with looking good coming as a pleasant bonus. Activity promotes the production of feel-good brain chemicals, known as endorphins, which boost mood, productivity, and sense of wellbeing. Repetition is a very important adjuvant in treating depressive illness, and may in some cases be the primary management technique.

For best results, get in your exercise sessions at least three times per week, up to a maximum of 5 times weekly. You will be surprised how good you feel after six short weeks of starting a new plan.

Re-acquaint Yourself With Nature

When is the last time you spend real time in nature? Living in a concrete jungle, we spend less and less time camping, hiking or just going for walks in the beautiful forests. Mind you, we’re not advocating you get lost in unfamiliar territory, but a light step in nature is sure to give you a deeper appreciation of the beauty in the world.

Better yet, how about picking up gardening? Knowing that you nurtured something from a seedling and watched it grow every day can give you joy like raising a child. Knowing that you made a difference in the world may be all you need to break the psychological addiction to food.

Go Out With Friends

We know, sometimes you end up sacrificing friends for food, the selfish master that leads you down a spiral of depression. However, there is always time. Reconnect with friends you haven’t spoken to in week, months or even years.

You will be amazed at how time flies when you’re out with your friends, and you won’t be held captive by food. Also, you are likely to burn a few more calories than you would if you were just at home, and the memories you form from your adventures will give you pleasure for a long time to come. Not the short bouts of up, followed by severing downs that food is notorious for doing.

Practice Meditation

Meditation is no longer some obscure practice followed by just a few but has spread to the mainstream population thanks to its proven benefits on health. Though the addiction to food is a real psychological condition, meditation can help you break the bonds by increasing your appreciation for other things in life, bringing profound happiness. Mindfulness rises, and you experience pleasure and thankfulness for everything in your life.

Get A Pet

A pet can deliver tons of happiness in your life, motivating you to break free from using food as your motivation. Having someone (yes, your pet) that loves you infinitely is a powerful motivator of happiness, and works in most cases. Adopt a puppy or kitten, and you will have tons of fun and pleasure for years to come.

Conclusion

Food needs to resume its real function, being used for fuel and subtle pleasure. It was not meant to become a source of happiness, and this may have been inadvertently promoted due to the marketing of sugary junk.

Go live in the real world, and find your true happiness.

About Empaths

About Empaths

January 30, 2019

What are Empaths? Some Zodiacs signs can be psychic or read thoughts, there are certain signs that are specifically empathic in their abilities. Everyone can develop intuition, but these signs come by it so naturally, it can be a hindrance more than a help when they aren′t taking care of themselves as an Empath.

Water signs are the most empathic because they feel everything. Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio signs will know how someone is feeling without them saying anything because they can actually feel the other person′s symptoms in their own body. Imagine picking up everyone′s emotional issues wherever you go and wondering why you have that daily headache!

It′s very important that empaths know they are empaths so that they can protect themselves, sometimes they might feel a little distant to you. They are just protecting their energy field.  This keeps them from being drained all the time. Virgo, Taurus, and Capricorn are the second most empathic signs and empathic sensitivities often depend on how many water signs are in someone′s birth chart, as well as where the placement of those signs are.

Don′t be fooled into thinking someone whose sun sign is not a water sign won′t be empathic. They may have a lot of water in other places in their chart and be overwhelmed with their empathic abilities.

Traits of an Empath:

Before empaths come to understand that they feel things way more intensely than others, they often turn to substances to handle the pressure they are under without relief. They may feel the pain or physical symptoms of people they love who might not even near them. They will often call you and say they had a feeling you weren′t okay, or they had a dream about you.

They will often ask people what′s wrong even if the person hasn′t mentioned anything because they can sense when someone′s emotions are off. Empaths have trouble being around large groups of people because they are feeling everyone′s energy. They also have difficulty being around negative people or stressful environments because it taxes their nervous system so much.

Crowds stressed out people, and places, where people are sick, will drain them almost right away. They often deal with autoimmune disorders, hormone disorders, and stomach problems because of the stress their bodies go through being empathic. They will have people tell them not to be so sensitive and emotional.

They will often feel the planet movements and large-scale energy of an entire area when they visit. They will know the general feeling of a space and even want to avoid places because of the vibes they get there. They aren′t likely to want to visit a beautiful, luxurious building if the people there are addicts or extremely unhappy.

Alternatively, they′ll love a simple home or even a park if the people there are relaxed and happy.

How Do We Tell the Difference Between Empathic, Intuitive and Psychic?

Psychic often refers to knowing the future; being empathic means knowing how someone feels in the present moment, not the future moments of their life. Psychic abilities are very common among air signs and fire signs. The air signs can often read thoughts because their energy is so mental, and they live in the mind space more than other signs.

Think about your dog.  Dogs live in the NOW but always seem to know when you need them.  If you are having a bad day or maybe you are sick, they will be by your side to help, cuddling you, comforting you. I believe that almost all dogs are Empathic. You can always count on your dog to be happy to see you no matter how bad (or good) the day is.

Fire signs like to live in the future because they must channel their energy and they can often predict what′s coming because of that. Empaths are good at knowing the present state someone is in and can develop their clairvoyance (seeing) and clairaudience (audio) if they work on it. Air signs may be more clairaudient because they are word people.

Earth signs sense things intuitively and can also often know the future or get a read on people. Intuition is about vibes and usually comes from being tuned into their surroundings. Intuition can come from body language, voice tone or through the thoughts if someone has an active pineal gland. (“A pea-sized conical mass of tissue behind the third ventricle of the brain, secreting a hormonelike substance in some mammals.”)

The chakra system interacts with the energy field and downloads information constantly from other people and the environment, but each sign has a VERY distinct way of processing that information. It′s what they do with the knowledge that sets them apart.

A water sign will often try to help someone. A fire sign will use it to direct the future. An earth sign will use it to make practical decisions; an air sign will curiously debate or inquire about things as they are information seeking.

How we Empaths Protect Ourselves

An Empath can wear protective crystals such as onyx, black tourmaline or black obsidian. Empaths need to take this seriously, or they may fall into depression or psychosomatic illnesses. For work and at home they need a loving environment where feelings are honored. This is absolutely essential for their wellbeing.

We also have to avoid narcissists who will be drawn to us. This can sometimes make it look like we are cruel or non-caring but is actually the opposite. If we draw near to these people, they cannot help them or care for their wellbeing properly. Those who love and are obsessed with themselves will be draining and manipulative to an Empath. I personally often call them psychic vampires.

Empaths need to create healthy boundaries with people who share their problems. They also need to recuperate away from people with things like a salt bath, healing tonics and self-love. Empaths often use breath work, mantras and yoga to help clear their energy field. The quickest way to clear the energy field is with a shower because of the moving water.

If we can′t do that, we may wash our hands and intentionally sending the energy we′ve gathered down the drain. Affirmations and visualizations can also help protect us. You might hear us chanting, “only positive energy is allowed around me,” and, “I give back anything that is not mine in the past, present and future with love.”

Empaths can visualize a bubble of light around themselves (with or without you), and if that doesn′t feel strong enough to close outside emotions, they imagine something stronger like lead, bricks or steel. Often before an Empath goes to bed, for instance, they can visualize themselves surrounded by gold bricks. It’s very hard for them to be around people who complain or don′t take care of themselves because they have trouble separating from their problems.

Boundaries are challenging for Empaths because they have trouble determining what thoughts and feelings are theirs and which ones are someone else′s. This means they may be easily influenced by people and need to avoid places with heavy drugs and drinking. When their guard is down because when they are intoxicated or sleeping, spirits are also more prone to come to an Empath because their energy field is clear, many don′t want to risk it. Sleeping with mantras playing and crystals around the bed is not unusual.

How Empaths Use their Gift

If you know an Empath, they are not at all cursed. It is a superpower that can be used to help people. They can develop these gifts into clairvoyance and help other people heal. An Empath can help people avoid negative situations and break bad habits.

Conclusions

Imagine being able to help someone out of unhealthy relationships, break self-sabotaging thoughts or to finally uncover their purpose and what′s stopping them from following their dreams! Empaths are gifted with an extraordinary ability to connect to people and help them, so do not be ashamed of it if you think you might be Empath, don’t be put off by those who are, be grateful that “all gifts” are given out for a reason.

If you know someone who you think is an empath, this information could greatly help them so don′t be shy to share it with them. We live in a new era where most people now understand that intuition is real and can be developed. Even talk show hosts and public figures are open about their use of gifted healers in their own life or the existence of these healers in their own families.

If you think you might be an Empath and “you” have become reclusive, feel overwhelmed, have been accused of being emotional, deal with fatigue or strange pains and illnesses, there are real tools that can help you manage this gift, so you don′t have to carry the burden of other people′s stuff unnecessarily.

Give yourself the opportunity to recover your energy and study how other Empaths have been in your shoes and been able to find a more empowered way of living. I am an Empath who struggled to understand why I was different and why I knew what people were thinking and feeling.

Once I started going to metaphysical centers and places, I felt like I had come home because I met people who finally understood me. I now continue to read books about it because it′s easy to slip into forgetfulness and suddenly wonder why you feel off.

Today’s Thoughts (Baby Quotes)

Today’s Thoughts (Baby Quotes)

To share in some of the joys of newborns, here are some popular baby quotes:

A baby is an angel whose wings decrease as his legs increase. ~Author Unknown

Babies are always more trouble than you thought – and more wonderful. ~Charles Osgood

Babies are such a nice way to start people. ~Don Herrold

When babies look beyond you and giggle, maybe they’re seeing angels. ~Quoted in The Angels’ Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

It was the tiniest thing I ever decided to put my whole life into. ~Terri Guillemets

A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on. ~Carl Sandburg

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone

A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. ~ Eda J. Le Shan

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past is forgotten, and the future worth living for.

A baby is born with a need to be loved – and never outgrows it.

My friend has a baby. I’m recording all the noises he makes so later I can ask him what he meant. ~ Stephen Wright

I can’t think why mothers love them. All babies do is leak at both ends. ~ Douglas Feaver

Laughter is like changing a baby’s diaper. It doesn’t permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for a while ~ Unknown

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? ~ Milton Berle

I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food. ~ Robert Orben

Parents have the glorious opportunity of being the most powerful influence, above and beyond any other, on the new lives that bless their homes.
~ L. Tom Perry

The art of mothering is to teach the art of living to children. ~ Elaine Heffiner

Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be. ~ David Bly