mindfulness

Jan

2023

How to Stop Our Fast Fashion Addiction

Reading Time: 5 minutes

How to stop our fast fashion addiction? We all dream of having the wardrobe of our dreams. We want it filled with clothes that we want and need to suit our mood and for different occasions. However, we actually end up only using 20% of the clothes in our closet.

We only wear our clothes only 7 times in a year on average. Then, we forget them in the darkest corner of our closet or we discard them. The only exception to this are the clothes which we consider our favorites. Those ones we wear often and usually until they are all worn out.

Fast Fashion and Its Negative Effects

We may not realize it, but we’ve probably bought and dressed in a lot of fast fashion items. We see them on high-end runway shows. They then become available for purchase a few weeks later.

This is what fast fashion is all about. Its producing clothes faster than most people need to wear them. Its producing clothes in lesser quality, but more quantity. Cheaper imitations are also available for those who want an even lower price range.

Clothes are discarded at an alarming rate due to fast fashion. These go out of fashion really fast. New styles and designs are being displayed on the runways each week. This means people also have a new trend to follow. The environmental impact of this phenomenon is staggering.

The fashion industry generates 5% of the global greenhouse emissions through the materials used, manufacturing processes and freight operations.
Toxic chemicals are used to dye garments for faster and cheaper production.
Garment workers are forced to work in an unhealthy environment.
Clothes don’t last long so you constantly need to buy clothes; which is terrible for your budget.
It takes 20,000 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of cotton.
4 trillion gallons of water are wasted on producing textiles and clothes. This is enough to fill 550 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
57.1% of fashion waste end up in landfills; an average of 92 million tons of textiles waste produced every year.
Polyester, the most commonly used clothing fiber is made from plastic and will never fully decompose. It will break down into microplastics which can harm wildlife and emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for many years to come.
16 million tons of CO₂ emissions was generated by online returns of clothing in the US alone in 2020. This is equivalent to the emissions of 3.5 million cars on the road for a year.
Almost 10% of microplastics dispered in the ocean each year come from textiles.

Even with these statistics; it is estimated that fast fashion brands will be producing twice the amount of clothes today than they did in the past.

Tips to Reduce the Effects of Fast Fashion

Being aware of the negative impact of fast fashion enables us to do something about how we consume fashion. Fast fashion does not only mean clothes; it also includes the stuff that goes with it such as bags, shoes and other style accessories. Here are 5 things you can start doing to help reduce the negative effects of fast fashion.

Buy Less, Buy 2nd Hand, Shop Your Closet

We have more clothes in our closet than we actually need so the first step is to buy less. Instead, shop your closet for what you can wear. Then shop for the items you need from 2nd hand shops or thrift shops where you may even spot classic styles and great vintage finds. You can even swap clothes with your friends or rent them for when the occasion calls for it. Yes, you may have to stay out of being on trend but there is no need to follow fashion trends anyway. At least you’re now taking the right path to a better environment.

Buy Sustainable, Buy Quality Over Quantity

Buy your clothing items from brands who focus on sustainability and quality rather than what’s on trend. Sustainable brands are not always expensive. Better still, buy from local brands to lessen transportation costs and emissions. If you can afford luxury brands then go for them as they ensure quality, which means your clothes will last longer. More importantly, make sure you buy classic styles so you never have to worry about going out of style. A little black dress is always fashionable for most occasions. It also comes in a unique variety of styles so you can choose your very own unique style or have it altered to suit your taste.

Don’t Throw Away: Repair, Recycle, Donate or Sell

Instead of contributing to the number of clothes in the landfill, use your sewing kit or sewing machine to repair torn or damaged clothes. Or give other people an income by having a professional repair it for you or alter it to update or “upcycle” it to suit your needs. You can donate your clothes to your family, friends or charitable institutions who need them. You can also sell them on 2nd hand shops in your area or online. Start decluttering your closet and see which clothes you can repair, recycle, donate or sell. Audit your wardrobe and see if you have the must-have closet staples which you can use for many, different occasions. Remember, there are ways to look expensive even on a budget.

Follow Washing Instructions and Use Sustainable Products

If you use a washing machine, pay attention to the washing instructions for different types of clothing. Different clothing materials need different settings for washing so they will maintain their quality longer. Also, look for organic or natural products to use in your washing so you are sure that they are biodegradable and won’t add even more chemicals to your clothes or the environment. If you have laundry shops do the washing for you; look for ones that use sustainable washing products as well.

Find Your Personal Style, Declutter and Try A Capsule Wardrobe

One of the major reasons why people buy fast fashion is because you get a sense of belonging to a group of people who share the same style preferences as you. However, we must never forget that each of us has our unique sense of taste and style which makes us attractive to others even if we are not wearing the latest trend in fashion. We can only highlight our own unique, personal sense of style by getting to know ourselves better. If we know ourselves better; we can be confident to express ourselves in many ways, including our fashion choices. Once you know your own style, it will be easier for you to declutter your closet and shop for your new wardrobe. You can even create your own capsule wardrobe. This will still allow you to express your style in whatever season or occasion.

Once you start thinking differently about how your style choices affect the environment; you will naturally dress differently. You become mindful of the things you do and the choices you make. As you start to dress different; you also start to think differently. With each better choice, you can grow closer to living a life that serves your overall wellness as well as that of your larger environment.

Feature Image: Original Photo by The Nix Company on Unsplash.

Apr

2021

How to Practice Self-Control

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Do you know the Marshmallow Test? It is a study about self-control. In the study, results indicate that children who practiced self-control have better outcomes in life. Thus, the study proves that self-control is vital in the fulfillment of goals. Indeed, the ability to control our desires, emotions and impulses can ultimately lead to a happier, healthier and wealthier life. But the question now is how to practice self-control.

Here are some tips on how to improve your will power:

1.Believe in Willpower

Willpower is the ability to control one’s thoughts and actions. Believing that you can actually accomplish something gives you a strong determination to accomplish a difficult task. In other words, it is a belief that you have in yourself that you have in your hands the power to create success or failure.

If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.
– Henry Ford

Rather than thinking that you can’t do something, shift your thinking to “I will do it” or “I choose to do it.”

2. Exercise

A new study from the University of Kansas reveals that exercising is a simple way to increase our self-control. Physical activities affect our mood, and this can ultimately affect how people make decisions. The study shows how regular physical exercise altered and improved the decision-making of the controlled group in areas relating to self-discipline such as anger control, healthy eating, spending, studying habits and commitments. The study also reveals how exercise reduced unhealthy habits such as smoking and caffeine consumption.

3. Look at the Bigger Picture

When you look at the bigger picture, you are not just looking at satisfying your desire for now. Instead, you are focusing on your bigger goals and what you ultimately want to accomplish. In short, there is change in the perspective of things. It is easier to divert and refocus. In the end, you will be able to make decisions based on your true priorities.

For example, you have always wanted to have your own car. And your goal is to raise enough money for the downpayment of the car. But a new cellphone model has been released. And you want to purchase one. However, you are well aware that if you purchase that cellphone now, it means a step further away from having your own car. So, what do you do in this scenario? It is so easy to succumb to your immediate desire. But a person looking at the bigger picture will have a different decision.

4.Meditate

Meditation puts us in command of our emotions. Through mindfulness practice, we get to learn to observe our thoughts and feelings. As we begin to become aware and pay attention to the bodily sensations that accompany a specific emotion; we begin to master impulse and behavior control. Awareness and acceptance increase our capacity to inhibit such impulses.

5. Stay Away from Temptation

Assess yourself, are you the type of person who is simply not wired to have excellent self-control? If so, then the best thing to do is to stay away from temptation. Why subject yourself to torture and struggle when you can easily remove it.

For example, you love eating junk foods. Resisting them is a big challenge for you. Then, the best thing to do is not to purchase one. Don’t fill your pantry with junk food. Avoid that aisle in the grocery. If it is not readily available, then there is nothing to eat. In short, out of sight, out of mind. Period.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Mar

2021

Things You Can Do Right Now to Reset Your Health

Reading Time: 5 minutes

There are many things that you can do right now to help you reset your health. Keeping our immune system healthy is our first defense from any sickness. Diet and exercise are not the only factor that affect the efficiency of our immune system.

Maintaining our overall health requires us to live a healthy lifestyle. That may sound like a difficult thing to do and it can be overwhelming. So the trick is to start with the small stuff. Check out some of the things you can do right now to start resetting your health.

Boost Your Water

If you’re the type who keeps forgetting to drink their daily recommended water intake of 8 glasses per day, then it’s the first thing you should do upon waking up. For the rest of the day, aim to drink 2-3 liters a day to boost your body’s hydration. Keep a pitcher of water beside you with a glass so you can drink frequently as you work on your desk.

You can also boost your water by adding lemon slices to it. Infuse your water with the flavor of your favorite fruits by adding fruit slices. Of course, you can also drink some hot tea or fresh fruit juices for added health benefits. This is one of the simplest things you can right now to reset your health.

Stay Off Sugar

Sugar is one of the most inflammatory ingredients that you can eat. Try to limit your sugar intake by avoiding sodas, chips and other processed foods. Sugar is in most of the packaged goods that we often buy in supermarkets and groceries so learn to read the labels. If you can’t avoid it, at least choose to get the item with less sugar. This is one of the most effective ways to reset your health. It might be difficult but it will have a major effect once you implement this habit.

Another way to reduce your sugar intake is to reduce carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereals, etc. in your diet. These carbohydrates are easily reduced to sugar when processed by your body. Instead, opt for more complex carbohydrates with more nutritional value such as baked or roasted sweet potatoes, nuts, beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Eat More Protein

Protein is a more stable energy source that does not cause a spike in your blood sugar levels like sodas can. So try to have a source of protein for each meal throughout the day. More protein in your meal also helps you feel fuller longer so you reduce your hunger pangs. This one of the ways to get optimal nutrition from the food you eat.

Some of the protein-rich food you can add to your diet are beans, legumes, and nuts. You can also keep sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in your stash so you have some protein to grab when you just want to munch something. Having a bag of these with you while are traveling, also helps you stave off unhealthy sugar cravings. These can also power you up in the meantime ,if you can’t sit down to a full meal yet.

Get More Sunshine

Try to wake up earlier and spend at least 10 minutes outdoors to soak in the warmth of morning sun. We know it gives us Vitamin D but it also helps us calm down and set our mood for the day.

Get your daily dose of sunshine from 6AM to 9AM so you don’t get sunburned. If possible, try to wear clothes that allow you to expose as much of your skin so you can absorb more of it. However, don’t go out in the middle of the day (past 9AM) without any sunscreen as this is not healthy at all. Sunshine is gentler and more beneficial in the early morning hours so aim for that window of time to your daily dose of Vitamin D. This is a habit that you can integrate into your daily routine right away to help your reset your health.

Go For A Stretch

This is best done in the early mornings (and get your sunshine at the same time) or later in the afternoon. Taking a walk or a jog not only helps us stretch some muscles; it’s also a good way to calm down to start our day or to wind down to end our work day.

Walking or jogging can help you fulfill your requirement of at least 10 minutes of exercise daily. If you’re an active exercise, then this can be part of your warm-up or cool down routine. If you can’t go out to do this, then gentle exercise like yoga is a good alternative. You can also try out more active forms of movements that require much equipment such as pilates, barre or HIIT workouts.

Get More Sleep

You can’t wake up early if you can’t sleep properly. It’s important to schedule a time to unplug and wind down after a day’s work. This is signaling your body to prepare for sleep. So turn off your social media apps at least an hour before your sleeping time.

What else can you do to ensure better sleep? Don’t drink water 3 hours before your sleep time so you don’t interrupt your sleep to empty your bladder. Don’t eat foods that are too stimulating so you can fall asleep naturally. Sugar and caffeine are stimulants that you should avoid in the evenings. Also, stretching is a great way to help you normalize your sleep cycle and get a deeper sleep. So do some stretching before bed as well.

Start A Journal

We often think of a journal as a diary of our most private thoughts and secrets and it can be that. But there are some types of journals that we can use to helps us organize our life and maintain our mental and emotional health (read: keep our sanity). All you need is a notebook and a pen to start journaling.

Start a bullet journal to help you schedule your day. Each morning or the night before, sit down and jot down your tasks for the day, for the week even. This way, you can go through your daily tasks with a sense of purpose and not just to get through the day. At the end of the day, you can review what items you have completed. Having a sense of accomplishment is a great way to feel good about your day. Another journal you can do at the end of the day is a gratitude journal. You can do it as a list or write an essay of the things you are grateful for this day. Counting your blessings helps keep you in a positive mindset so you can go to sleep in a lighter mood. Journaling can help you organize your mind right away so you can feel motivated to reset your health and work on your other goals.

Self Care Time

Throughout the day, we may feel the need to take a breather from all our chores and work tasks. Don’t feel guilty about it or think of yourself as selfish for taking some time out to just be alone with your thoughts or to do something on your own. We often forget our own needs and wants to make time for other people. So develop the habit of giving yourself some loving throughout the day.

You can enjoy your favorite food and savor the moment. Be mindful of it’s taste and textures so you can appreciate the moment more. You can give yourself a hand massage and do it slowly; savoring each comforting moment. Sometimes, we just want to sit down and not think of anything. Take 10 minutes to meditate. Just close your eyes and focus on your breathing. If you are doing this at work, set a timer so you don’t end up neglecting your work. If you’re at home, you can take the time to read your favorite book, make some art, indulge in a hobby, water and talk to your plants too.

These are just some of the small things you can do right now to reset your health. Start with one and tailor it to your daily routine. You will find that you feel better as the days go by; not just physically but mentally and emotionally too.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash.

Mar

2021

Spring Clearing Challenge

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Spring Clearing Challenge is an annual practice in many households all around the world. Different cultures have different names for it. It is also practiced at different times of the year, usually during holidays or when the weather changes. Of course, not everyone views it as a challenge. But isn’t it challenging work to clean out stuff in our homes and in our lives, whatever season it may be?

There are many stages in our lives where we practice “spring clearing” to rid ourselves of past negative energies that are weighing us down. The end of the month is as good a time as any to do some spring clearing.

Spring Clearing Challenge

For this challenge, instead of just cleaning out our space physically; we will do a clearing up of negative energies. Remember that our mind and body are connected. Our thoughts, emotions and physical health influence each other. So clearing up one aspect will help improve the others.

Take Time to Meditate

Find a spot at home to sit awhile for a meditation. Make yourself as comfortable as possible and try to calm your mind and relax your body. If you are just starting out, focusing on your inhales and exhales is the only thing you need to do so you don’t get distracted.

Ask yourself, “Where would I want to be to feel completely relaxed and refreshed?” Allow your imagination to take you to that place. Picture yourself relaxing there and try to enjoy all aspects of that moment with all of your senses. Taking the time to relax your senses helps you feel lighter so you can better focus on what needs to be done.

In this way, you can slowly clear up the things that are piling up around you, mentally, physically or emotionally. By doing this spring clearing challenge; you can prepare yourself for a fresh start on your goals.

Practice Mindfulness

Can’t sit still enough or can’t find the time for a meditation? Then start practicing mindfulness. Try to be aware of the little things in your daily life; the small actions that you do throughout your day. Are you eating your favorite dessert? Savor the taste. Are you enjoying the smell of a new book? Tune your senses to that moment.

Ask yourself, “What makes this activity so pleasant or pleasurable?” Finding the answer to this question helps you get to know yourself better. It helps you better understand what things make you happy and allows you to plan for more moments like this.

By understanding what motivates and triggers you; you can better take control of your own actions and reactions to negative circumstances. Reacting mindlessly to negative situations is one of the biggest ways to waste our time and drain our energy. So being able to manage yourself in these situations allows you to focus on what you should be working on. It also helps you figure out how to deal with toxic people and not become a toxic person yourself. So you can focus your attention on the people you love and cherish instead.

Let Your Feelings Go

You may be carrying a lot of emotional stress because of past traumatic experiences, like losing a loved one. You may have regrets about not being able to apologize to someone. Or you maybe struggling to forgive someone. Instead of bottling everything up, why not let it all go?

Ask yourself, “How do I really feel about the situation/person?”. Crying is not weakness. It is a necessary process to start your healing process. Many of us go through our daily lives like zombies because we refuse to deal with our feelings and confront them. We end up becoming numb to other emotional experiences as well.

Find the time to be alone and cry if you have to. If you need to write down your thoughts and feelings while you’re crying, then do so. Maybe you want to watch sad kdramas or movies while eating ice cream; go ahead. You need to feel what you feel and acknowledge it. Of course, you will feel bad at first, but that is the only way you can release all those burdens in order for you to start feeling better about it.

Envision a New You

Clearing out your life should be for a purpose. It is natural for us to strive for a goal in order to have a direction in life. Otherwise, you will just be living your life on auto-pilot and never feel fulfilled with anything that you do even if you accomplish much.

Ask yourself, “How do I want my life to look like in 3 years, 5 years, 10 years from now?”. Make plans for yourself so you can start acting on something you truly want. This is your signal to the Universe so that you can be guided in the right direction.

Create a vision board, write down a bucket list of how you want your life to be. Don’t be afraid to go big and be ambitious. Of course, you have to be prepared to work for these goals so make sure they are SMART goals.

Many people don’t want to start working on their goals because they are afraid to fail. Remember that failure is part of the process to success. Unless you fail, you will never learn which means you will be stuck doing the same thing over and over again without moving forward. Treat failure as a learning process instead of an end result. Welcome the challenges into your experience; like this spring clearing challenge. They are good experiences to help you grow.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun

Do you start the day with a smile? Maybe you still feel groggy from a lack of sleep. But try to face the mirror with a smile and see how it lifts up your mood. Try to smile back at people too and express your gratitude so you can lift up their mood. You never know how your small gesture can make another person’s day brighter and more pleasant. A genuine smile can completely change a person’s negative outlook in life and even make them feel more hopeful.

Ask yourself, “What can I do today to make things more fun (for me or for someone else)?” Having fun on your own may sound boring for you. Doing it with somebody else can make the goal even more worthwhile.

Taking life too seriously is one of the major causes of stress in our daily lives. Worrying endlessly about the what-ifs exhausts us mentally and emotionally. By focusing on the positive aspects of any situation; you can feel less stressed about it and enjoy the whole experience instead.

These are just some of the things that you can do to start spring clearing your mind, your emotions and your physical environment. This spring clearing challenge is not just for spring though. You can do this anytime you feel the need to clear out negative energy from your self or in your environment. Try to start spring clearing today and see how much better you will feel afterwards.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash.

Dec

2020

Healthy, Fresh Start for The New Year

Reading Time: 6 minutes

There’s a few more days left before the new year. Have you thought about how you can have a healthy, fresh start for the new year? We emphasize the importance of health because that is what allows us to take action towards our goals.

If you’re thinking about new year’s resolutions, here are some that you should consider.

1. Eat more healthy food

You may be tempted to binge out during the holidays so you should consider eating healthier in the new year. Make sure that you have lots of fruits and veggies in your daily meals. To ensure that you do, try to regularly do your groceries and cook meals at home too. Practice meal prepping so you always have healthy food around. Don’t rely too much on convenience foods and bring a lunch box instead. You can even try out doing your own bento box to make meal preparation more fun and creative.

2. Cut back on sugar

One way to instantly make an impact on your health is to cut back on sugary foods and beverages. Sugary food contributes to inflammation in the body which leads to many other health issues. You can go cold turkey but gradually minimizing your intake will most likely help you kick out this habit for good. Start by limiting the number of sweets you put on your plate. Maybe opt for half a cupcake or share a cake slice with a friend.

3. Drink more water

Since you will be reducing your intake of sugary beverages, you can just replace it with water. We know just plain water sounds boring so try out hot beverages like tea or lemon water. You can also put some cucumber, mint or lemon slices into your water to infuse it with the flavor of these herbs. Fruit slices are an option too. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. This will definitely give you a healthy, fresh start for the new year.

4. Sweat and move more

Some of us may have stopped exercising due to the quarantine and also due to the cold weather. You can still move around your home instead of just sitting all day. Walk around or jog in place when you take breaks from working. Stretch your body even as you are seated. Take a walk outside to take in some sunshine and get some exercise. Dance to some music or incorporate some dance steps while you mop or sweep your floor. Just get your body moving!

5. Get better sleep

Your aim is to get better quality sleep, not necessarily more sleep. Different people of different ages require different sleep hours. Although the 8 hours of sleep is still the standard, some of us working adults might have found that we can do with just 6-7 hours of sleep. Others may require less or need 9 hours, especially if they are physically exhausted from their job. Make a ritual of sleeping so you can signal your body that it’s about to sleep and you can gradually fall asleep more easily. That would mean a healthy, fresh start to your mornings in the new year.

6. Be more grateful

One of the ways you can prep your mind and body for better sleep is to include a gratitude journal in your daily routine. Sit down and write 3 things that you are grateful for during the day. It doesn’t have to be an essay but do recall the positive feeling that you got as you write down each of what you are grateful for. Say a prayer of thanks for each blessing that came your way that day.

Another way you can show your gratitude is by expressing your thanks to others. Not only will it lift up your mood but those of other people too.

7. Do more of what you love

If you really love writing, then keep a diary. If you want to document your dreams, then have a dream journal. Love drawing or sketching? Keep a sketch pad and pen with you at all times. Is singing your passion? Sing to your plants, to your friends or join a group. Do you have a sport you really want to learn? Get lessons. Buy books to read more.

Try to do more of the things you love. You will not only have more fun in your life; you will also get to meet new people who share your interests. This is also a time for you to indulge your inner child. What did you love to do as a child that you haven’t been able to do as a grown-up? You can start with that.

8. Be present in the moment

Not too many people practice meditation but it is such a simple way to relax and quiet our mind. It also helps us stay in tune with our inner selves. If you are just starting, try doing it in the early hours of the morning when the world is still quiet. You can also do it as a way to relax when daily activities stress you out. Some people may find it hard to do at first. You can start by observing mindfulness during your meals or when folding your laundry, etc. The goal is to be focused and present in the moment and not be distracted with your own thoughts or other things around you.

9. Practice self-care

Show more love for yourself by practicing daily self-care. This requires you to schedule some “me time” during the day. This is when you can meditate as well. Your main goals is to spend more time with yourself. You can indulge in reading your favorite book, listening to music you love, giving yourself a manicure or pedicure or a DIY facial, etc.

This is also a time for you to talk to yourself; pat yourself on the back for your little victories and manage negative self-talk. Remember that your thoughts also influence your health. So it is helpful to talk to your self positively. This is the time to show love for your self. Practicing self-care ensures that you give adequate attention to your own personal needs so that you can be your best self when you are with other people.

10. Forgive more

Reconnecting with friends and family who you don’t really get along with or who you have had issues with in the past is difficult. But if you can learn to forgive yourself and these people in your heart without needing them to apologize in person; then you can let go of the bad experience you had with them. This means that you can face them with a more positive outlook and a lighter heart the next time you see each other. You can include forgiving them and yourself in your meditation. Try learning about Ho’oponopono, the Hawaiian forgiveness ritual to help you.

11. Listen to your intuition more

Have you ever had times in your life where you had a strong “gut feeling” that seems to warn you from doing something and it turns out to be right? This gut feeling is your intuition and it is your inner guidance system. When you spend more alone time, meditating, being mindful and practicing self-care, you can get more connected and in tune with your intuition. Think of it as your angels guiding you and sending you messages to keep you away from negative experiences and warning you of negative people. Try to feel for this “gut feeling” each time you are hesitant about something and trust what it tells you.

12. Be more authentic

Adulting is hard and we sometimes have to sacrifice a lot of who we are in the process. How many of us have had to let go of our childhood dreams in order to earn a living? Do you sometimes feel guilty for not saying what you really wanted to say because you didn’t want to hurt your friend’s feelings? Most of us have suppressed who we truly are in order to fulfill other people’s expectations of how we should be.

Start to honor your true self by accepting your self, flaws and all. Talk to your loved ones about what you truly want. Tell your friends what you truly think but reassure them that it is because you care that you are being honest with them. It may take some time for other people to understand you. You may lose some friends along the way but this is part of the journey. Those who accept you will stay and they are the ones who deserve your love and a place in your heart.

We hope you consider these resolutions to create a healthy, fresh start for the new year for yourself and your loved ones. Be kinder to yourself as you make these changes. In the meantime, do try your best to stay healthy this holiday season. Cheers to new beginnings!

Feature Image: Original Photo by Bart LaRue on Unsplash.

Sep

2020

How to Cope with Traumatic Events

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Dealing with everyday stress has become a normal part of our daily lives. Sometimes, we are put into situations that are more stressful than what we usually encounter. How are we to cope with such traumatic events?

If you or any of your loved ones are experiencing this or have experienced this, then these tips should be helpful in your recovery.

Common Reactions to Traumatic Events

A traumatic experience commonly results in having distressing thoughts and feelings long after the event has passed. These reactions are common and may include the following:

Anxiety or fear of danger to self or loved ones
Avoiding situations or thoughts that remind you of the event
Always thinking about what happened
Anger at what happened
Feeling doubt or guilt for not being able to do something about it
Being easily startled by loud noises or sudden movements
Sudden flashbacks of the event
Physical reactions such as tense muscles, trembling, nausea, headache, tiredness, etc.
Withdrawing from the usual activities
Feelings of sadness, loss or loneliness
Sleep problems, sleep walking, nightmares
Problems with concentration or remembering things

How to Cope with Traumatic Events

Acceptance, communication and being around supportive people are important in the recovery process. Here are some tips to help you deal with your anxieties.

1. Understand that It’s Not Your Fault

Most people end up blaming themselves for causing what happened or for not being able to prevent what happened. You have to understand and realize that the only thing you have control of is your own reaction. So you can’t blame yourself for what other people did that resulted in the event.

If you think you did something wrong which resulted or aggravated the event, understand that you did the best you could in that situation. People’s reactions to your action are not under your control. You all might have misunderstood each other’s intentions and that’s how things got out of hand.

Accept that you and everyone involved did what they did because it was how they coped with the situation at that time. Realize that things are not always under your control or anyone else’s.

BONUS: It is good to remind yourself that there are things that you cannot control. Things will keep happening even without the intervention of us human beings.

2. Continue Communicating

Another common reaction is to withdraw from social interactions. It’s okay to give yourself time to calm down and rest after the situation. However, don’t completely shut yourself off from communicating with your family and friends.

It is during this time that you need the presence of other people most. They can help you get out of your head so you don’t dwell too much on thoughts and feelings of blame, shame, guilt and self-doubt. They can also help you assess whether you need to seek professional help if your trauma is negatively affecting your life and those around you.

Communicating with your inner self is also helpful during this period. Write down your thoughts and feelings throughout the day when you are feeling anxious. Try to review what you wrote when you are in a calmer state of mind. You can also review this with someone, whether a loved one or a professional, so they can help you figure out how to manage your anxious thoughts and reactions.

BONUS: Meditation is a helpful way to calm your thoughts and relax your body so you can communicate with yourself and with others more effectively.

3. Learn to Care for Yourself

We often forget that our mind and body are connected. If we are anxious and stressed out with negative thoughts, our body also suffers. Taking care of your body is an important part of your recovery. Focusing on good health is one way on how to cope with traumatic events.

Try to listen to your body. It always knows what it needs. Feed it when it feels hungry, drink to hydrate, go out and enjoy the sunshine as you walk to warm up and energize. You may even try to use your body to help improve your thoughts. For example, you may dress differently so that you feel more confident about yourself.

Part of caring for yourself is to have fun instead of dwelling on your anxious thoughts. You can do fun things at home or have some fun in your backyard. A simple activity such as writing down the things that you are grateful for can greatly help ease your negative thoughts and make you feel better.

BONUS: Practicing mindfulness is one way to become more connected and be aware of how you can care for yourself more.

4. Start Looking Forward

How are you to cope with traumatic events if you keep looking back at it? You have to accept that what happened is all in the past now and that you can move on from it. Try replacing your anxious thoughts with more pleasant ones.

Play the “what if” game with yourself or with family members and friends. Focus on pleasant scenarios such as finding your dream job, buying your dream house, getting yourself that car you’ve always wanted. What if you got your dream job? What’s the first thing that you will do? How will your life change for the better?

Try to come up with fun and positive scenarios to answer these questions. No matter how ridiculous the answers are, the point is to have fun imagining the future and to imagine a fun future instead of dwelling on the past.

BONUS: You can even create a vision board as your answer.

5. Give Yourself Time to Recover

Recovering from a trauma is a healing process and it is a long process. Just like healing from a broken arm takes time, proper care, some sacrifices (not being able to do your regular activities), and help from others for some activities; emotional traumas need a lot of time for healing too.

While it is easier to see that a broken arm is completely healed; it is hard to tell when it comes to emotional traumas. They are like hidden wounds in the body that we think are already healed and have turned into scars. But once in a while, when we think we have gone back to our normal lives, something triggers the scar to open up again.

Remember, it’s okay to not be okay. So don’t rush yourself but don’t dwell too long in the negative thoughts and feelings that may come up when your memories about a past trauma is triggered. Although your aim is to completely recover, no one can tell when this will happen. So focus on dealing with it as it comes along.

As you learn more from your experience, you will be able to identify what triggers your traumatic anxieties. This will help you to manage your thoughts and reactions when such situations come up again. Trust that one day you will wake up having completely recovered from your traumatic experience.

BONUS: During the process, you will have mastered your own thoughts and reactions to deal with regular events in your daily life so you feel less stress and anxiety.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Inzmam Khan from Pexels.

Jul

2020

Valuable Life Lessons from The Alchemist

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Feeling lost in life? Then, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is for you. One of the best-selling books of all time, the Alchemist is about the story of a young shepherd boy, Santiago and his quest to find treasures in the pyramids. The story is more than just your typical fiction stories. It is a philosophical book that will give you a better understanding of what life truly is all about. It is about listening to your heart, chasing your dreams and pursuing your destiny. There are so many powerful and valuable life lessons from The Alchemist that every person should read this book at least once in their life.

Here are 10 Valuable Life Lessons I’ve learned The Alchemist.

1. Life is Continuous Learning

Life is a continuous learning process. We can only grow us a person if we broaden our horizon and discover new things. Santiago knew this. Although a shepherd boy, Santiago loves to read books. He was able to dream of faraway places because he read about them.

Santiago also listens and seeks advice from people who are smarter than him. Throughout his journey, he met people along the way that served as his mentors – the king, the merchant, the Englishman and the alchemist.

Sadly, many people stopped learning after school. That is the reason why they got stuck in life. Others are too proud to ask advice from others. They think they know everything. The moment you think that you know everything is the start of your downfall.

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
– Socrates

Santiago also learns from experience. His quest for the treasure was not smooth sailing. He made mistakes along the way but he learned from them.

There are so many valuable lessons to be learned throughout your life’s journey. Master the lesson. If you think that you have the same problem over and over again, that is because you have not learned the lesson yet. This applies in all aspects of your life whether it be your finances, career, health and even your relationships. Learn the lesson from past events, apply it and move on.

2. Always Look at the Bright Side

Santiago always find the good things in a bad situation no matter how big or small it is. Instead of complaining about how he had to carry the weight of his jacket in the heat of the sun, he remembered how that jacket kept him warm during winter nights. Likewise, he could have wallowed in self-pity when he lost everything in Africa; but he chose to change his perspective. Instead of looking at himself as a victim, he looked at himself as an adventurer in a foreign country.

In both cases, notice that both situations can be viewed negatively. But Santiago chose to look at them differently. Instead of of the negative, he looked for the positive. It is all about the mindset.

3. Follow your Dreams

Ever since Santiago was a child, he wanted to travel the world. His parents wanted him to become a priest. Rather than adhering to his parents’ wishes, he summoned enough courage to talk to his dad to tell him that he wants to do something else in life. Instead of becoming a priest, Santiago decided to become a shepherd so he can travel.

That’s the problem with most of us. We become victims of other people’s definition of success. We follow a different path because that is what our family and society expected from us. As a result, we lost track of our destiny. What used to be very clear when we were young seems to be impossible when we grow up.

The thing is no matter how successful we become with our chosen path, there will always be a feeling of emptiness. You will never be truly happy if you are not doing your purpose in life. Destiny is what you always want to accomplish. If you feel that something is lacking despite having everything, that is life’s way of telling you that you are not doing what you were born to do.

Follow your passion. Wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. Pursue your destiny if you don’t want to spend the rest of your life with regret.

4. Give 10 Percent

Giving a tenth of your income to others is a form of gratitude to God for all the blessings that we have received. We have an obligation to share a portion of what we have. The only way for us to receive more blessings is when we learn to give first. Don’t promise to give what you don’t have yet. If it is hard for you to give when you have little, it will be harder to share when you have more. Give 10% of what you have right now.

5. The Simplest Things in Life are the Most Extraordinary

The secret to happiness is to be able to appreciate the beauty of your day to day life. It is seeing the wonders of the world and the beauty of the little things that we normally take for granted like the flowers, the scenery and the people around us.

Happiness is never about the destination but rather it is about enjoying the journey. Each day matters. Every second counts. Learn to love everyday. Show the people around you how much you care. It’s all about mindfulness.

Towards the end of our life, the simple things like the time we spend with our family is what truly matters. True happiness boils down to the quality of our relationship with others. It is best that you cherish every moment while you still can.

6. Negative Things Happen in Life Because They Prepare our Spirit and our Will

Bad things happen to everyone, even to good people. These things happen not because we are being punished but because they are necessary for our growth. The pain that we experience in our lives actually prepares our spirit and our will in realising our destiny.

The road to the fulfilment of our dreams is never easy. There will be bumps along the way. Sometimes, we will be forced to make detours. We need to make some adjustments but the destination remains the same. The important thing is to keep on going forward. Once we have succeeded in overcoming life’s challenges, we become better persons.

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.
– Steve Jobs

The roadblocks that we will encounter are all part of a master plan. They all happened for a reason. It is difficult to understand at the moment but everything will make sense once you have found your treasure.

7. When you Want Something, All the Universe Conspires in Helping you Achieve it

Have you heard of The Secret? The Secret is actually the Law of Attraction. It states that if you really want something and you focus your thoughts on that, the universe will give it to you.

This belief system has been mentioned several times throughout the book, that there is a force out there that guides us. Whether you call it God, the Universe or the Soul of the World; that force is always nearby especially to those who wants to realise their destinies.

We should learn to recognise the omens or the signs and follow them. Sometimes, it appears as a solution or an idea. Sometimes, it presents itself as a direct message from somebody whom you are having a conversation with. Remember, there is no such thing as coincidence. There is a reason why you bumped into an old friend or why you are reading this article right now. We have to listen to what the universe is telling us. We also need to listen inward to our intuition.

In the same way, that if you think that the world is out there to get you, negative things will start happening your way. Thus, you have to be careful of what you think and what you say. In the story, when the monk told the alchemist that his payment goes well beyond his generosity; the alchemist quickly told the monk not to say it because life is listening. What the alchemist meant was that the universe responds to thoughts; thus, the monk might receive less next time.

8. Persistence is the Key

The road to our destinies is never easy. Only those who are persistent will be successful.

There were numerous times when Santiago could have just given up, when he lost everything in Africa, when he had enough money to go back to Andalusia after working for the merchant or when he met Fatima in the desert oasis; but still he persevered.

Your treasure can only be uncovered after a series of tests. The closer you get to your dreams, the harder it will become. It takes a lot of courage, patience and persistence to finally be able to achieve your destiny.

9. Success Happens Outside your Comfort Zone

Santiago was already traveling as a shepherd boy but he sold his flock of sheep to go to Africa. After a year in Africa, he already earned enough money to either stay there or to go back to Andalusia but he chose to go to the desert. While in the desert oasis, Santiago had met the love of his life and earned the respect of the community but still, he opted to continue his quest for the treasure.

In all three scenarios, Santiago was already successful and comfortable with his life but he gave them all up to continue his journey and pursue his destiny. Just what do you think would have happened in the story if he decided to stay in his comfort zone. Do you think, he would have found his treasure?

In reality, many people don’t like change or are scared of change. As much as we want to pursue our dreams, we are more scared of disappointment. We are scared that we might lose everything that we have worked for if we are going to start anew. We would rather stay in our comfort zone. This is the reason why people get stuck in life whether it is a bad relationship or a job that they don’t like. Fear is one of the biggest obstacles that is keeping us from achieving our dreams.

10. Everyone has His Own Destiny

If a person is successful in one area, it does not mean that you too will be successful in that same area. It is because each person has his own destiny to fulfil. His way is not the same as yours. So, don’t compare yourself with others.

No matter who we are, everyone has a central role to play in the history of the world. Each one of us is unique. Embrace your uniqueness. As the Englishman said, we all can’t become alchemist, otherwise, gold will lose its value.

Good luck on your journey and I hope you find your treasure!

First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 08.24.2018

Feature Image from Free Image and mbll from Pixabay Images.

Jul

2020

3 Tips on How to Deal with Change

Reading Time: 3 minutes

There are a lot of tips and tricks on how to deal with change and they all have some things in common. All of us are undergoing change and have to deal with change at different stages and aspects of our lives. We recognize that change is necessary in order for us to evolve. We also know that most humans suck at dealing with change. Each one of us copes and adapts to change in different ways.

Here are some tips on how you can deal with change more easily instead of feeling helpless about things. This is actually a process that is very helpful to get you in the right mindset. You can tailor it to your specific situation too.

1. Anchor Yourself

It is an overwhelming experience when change sweeps over us. Change can occur so fast that we may feel things are getting out of control. This feeling of being overwhelmed by what’s happening around us can stress us out or leave us feeling helpless and frustrated.

The best thing to do is to take care of your own well-being first. Focus on how to make yourself feel better again so you can have a stable foundation to anchor you as you think your next steps through.

Here are some things you can do to anchor yourself so you don’t get swept away by the whirlwind of change.

Don’t forget to observe daily health habits.
Do something you love and do it mindfully.
Meditate and visualize the things that make you feel good.
Talk to a friend and talk about the fun times or do something fun.
Do some exercise to release tension and stress.
Write down the things you are grateful for.

2. Construct Your Strategy

Change can show us our inadequacies in a very painful way. However, it can also be an opportunity to identify what our strengths are and how we can address our weaknesses. Before that process can take place, we need to put things in perspective first.

When you’ve taken the time to anchor yourself you can now think about your next steps — you need to come up with a strategy. Think of your strategy as constructing a building from the ground up. You start by figuring out what resources you already have on hand and what else you will need for each phase of the construction. You need to see which of these are easily accessible to you right away and which ones need other requirements to obtain.

This is also the time to figure out what things you can and cannot control. One of the things you can control is your reaction to the situation. Try to be objective about it but consider other people’s feelings when you talk to them to create a strategy together. You can influence other people’s reaction so it is better to have an open mind on both the negative and positive effects of the change.

Try to accept the things that you cannot control and consider the things you can use to help improve the situation.

Think of what you can do at the present moment to make the situation better or at least to improve the future situation. Think, short-term, medium term and long-term. This way, you have a strategy for dealing with any type of hurdles that may come your way. While you aim to accomplish the long-term results, be sure that your strategy is well-defined and flexible enough to accommodate some adjustments when necessary.

3. Thread Slowly but Surely

The time of great change is also a time of uncertainty. Keep in mind that the change you are going through may continue to unfold for a long time. So focus on the present moment and take things one day at a time. Just like threading in water, don’t exhaust yourself by paddling too hard only to find out you’ve moved only a small distance. Instead of reaching the shore, you end up drowning because you are too exhausted to swim your way to shore.

Don’t be too harsh on yourself and others. Be patient as you carry out your strategy. Pace yourself and make adjustments as you need to along the way. Rest when you need to so you don’t burn out. This way, you don’t get stressed out or frustrated when things don’t go as planned.

Keep yourself anchored through self-care practices so you have the mental and physical energy to sustain you through this phase. Celebrate small victories. You may feel disheartened at times but don’t lose hope. Remind yourself that the current situation is temporary and that this too will pass.

Change can be bad or good depending on our mindset. Hopefully, these tips will help you become better on how to deal with change in your life instead of being lost in the transition.

Feature Image: Original Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay.

Jun

2020

Why You Should Start a Meditation Habit and How

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The world is a busy place and we need to keep up with this hectic pace. Most of us lack sleep from working too hard in order to live the life we want. Some of us are constantly worrying that we are not working hard enough or doing enough to achieve our goals. We are discontent about the past and scared about our future. We forget to live in the present and appreciate each moment.

The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.
— Sakyong Mipham

Every day we judge ourselves and disappoint ourselves because we have too many expectations. We distract ourselves from the difficulties of life by trying to do more. We crowd our daily schedules with so much. At the end of the day, we go to bed exhausted but still unable to alleviate our fears and worries. We have not even taken the time to be alone, to just be with ourselves.

What is Meditation?

Many successful people have learned the benefits of taking time out for themselves thru meditation. Each person does it their own way and may call it different things such as “me time”, “alone time”, “moment of silence”, “emptying your mind” or “calming your mind”. This time for yourself is called meditation. When you pray by yourself, softly whispering or silently, that too is a meditation.

Prayer is you speaking to God. Meditation is allowing the spirit to speak to you.
— Deepak Chopra

Simply put, meditation is the practice of calming your mind. It’s not really emptying it but focusing your mind on something else other than thinking. It is putting your mind on a break from all your usual thoughts, fears and worries.

There are different types of meditation and meditation techniques that you can explore once you have learned the habit. They all start with calming your mind and relaxing your whole body so you can get in touch with your inner self. For now, practice how to give your mind and your self a break from your daily concerns thru meditation.

Prayer is asking for guidance. Meditation is listening to it.
— Sonia Choquette

Meditation is one thing that can contribute to your overall wellness and success. Try to get a complete overview of your current level of wellness so you know which areas of wellness you need to work on.

Benefits of Meditation

There are many benefits to meditation including a calmer demeanor right after and even more energy; clearer thinking and improved concentration on tasks at hand. Long-term effects include improvement of overall health, better sleep, better communication and relationships and a more a positive outlook.

I meditate so that my mind cannot complicate my life.
— Sri Chinmoy

All this translates to self improvement and increased chances of success in many areas of life. No wonder many successful people have made meditation a habit.

Some people who have incorporated this practice into their daily routine include these celebrities:

Self-made millionaire Tony Robbins – meditates 9-10 minutes
Entrepreneur Arianna Huffington – meditates 20-30 minutes
CEO of LinkedIn and former Yahoo executive Jeff Weiner – cuts out blocks of his daily schedule for meditation and thinking time
Singer and entrepreneur Katy Perry – meditates sitting in bed for 20 minutes
Actor Clint Eastwood – practicing Transcendental meditation for over 40 years now

If you search online, there are many more names to add to this list.

How to Start a Meditation Habit

Meditation is best done in the early morning or before going to bed. You need at least 10-15 minutes of time alone, in a silent place where you can focus on meditating. You may do this sitting on a chair or on the floor or lying down. Be as comfortable as you can.

Close your eyes, put your hands on your lap and breathe deeply, inhaling thru your nose and exhaling thru your mouth. Most of the time, we breathe shallowly, only engaging the upper part of our lungs. Breathe deeply, feeling the air go all the way down to your diaphragm. Breathe slowly, focusing on your inhales and exhales. If thoughts come, just go back to focusing your attention on your breathing. This is all you need to do for 10-15 minutes.

Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobstrusively.
— Sharon Salzberg

If you are doing this in an office setting, you can use headphones to reduce background noise, then play relaxing music to help calm you down. There are many meditation music available online. There are also guided meditation music to make it easier for you to meditate.

As much as possible, use music that has no lyrics as the words will just add to your thought process. Instrumental, acoustic and nature sounds are most recommended.

Do your best NOT to follow a thought for long. If you get distracted by a thought that pops up, go right back to focusing on your breathing. You may feel you have failed the first time because you did not feel as calm as you expected but just practice again the next day until you get to a calm state.

If we read the stories of the great spiritual teachers of the past, we find that they have attained spiritual realization through a great deal of meditation, solitude and practice. They did not take shortcuts.
— Rajiv Mehrotra

You may exceed the 15 minutes but that is also alright. Some people who meditate regularly do this for up to an hour a day. Others do this several times a day in 10-15 minute blocks.

Some people may find it so relaxing and end up falling asleep especially when meditating while lying down. This is alright too since you are trying to calm yourself anyway. You can just try to do it again the next day without falling asleep. A timer would help too so you don’t go over your break time at work.

Next Steps

Once you have integrated a meditation practice in your daily routine; you can decide to devote more time to it than just 15 minutes a day. Doing it twice a day or doing it several times throughout the day may be more effective for you. If you feel that you have too many things going in on your mind and you need to clear out the confusion, then take the time to meditate.

Start taking baby steps to creating a meditation practice in your daily life. Do tell us about your experience the first time you meditated or give us more tips to improve our meditation practice if you are doing this already.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living 2019.02.03.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Maik Kleinert from Pexels.

May

2020

Do You Take Life Too Seriously?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Life is supposed to be fun and easy but it doesn’t seem to feel that way. For most people, fun and easy experiences can be said to be few and far in between. At an early age, we were taught that life is a constant struggle to achieve our goals. Once we have achieved our goals, then we can enjoy more fun and easy days ahead.

There are a lucky few for whom having fun comes easy. Then there are other people who have the ability to make anything look fun while juggling life’s responsibilities. While the rest of us are struggling, why is it that some people are able to live their days less stressfully?

An obvious answer would be that these people are just not taking life too seriously. How can we do the same?

How Seriously Do You Take Life?

First, let us check how seriously do you take life? If you answer YES to half or more of these questions, then you are indeed taking everything way too seriously.

Are you afraid of embarrassing yourself or looking silly?
Are you unable to make jokes about yourself?
Do you easily get offended by other people’s remarks or behavior towards you?
Are you terrified of making a mistake?
Are you overly self-conscious of how other people see you as?
Do you always feel frustrated and stressed when things don’t go as you expected?
Are you constantly worrying about the smallest things?
Are you always thinking of what could go wrong in a given situation?
Have you often been told that you “can’t take a joke” or that you “take things too personally”?
Are you always thinking of a Plan B or C, etc., to combat uncertainty?

If you are taking things way too seriously, here are some reasons why you don’t have to do that.

Why You Shouldn’t Take Life Too Seriously

Life is Stranger Than Fiction

It just is. We all know this for a fact. Have you experienced coincidences, good or bad, which you can’t explain? Even scientists admit that there are so many things in the world that remain unexplainable or are yet to be explained.

There are so many coincidences between fiction novels and real life. Sometimes it is hard to say whether life is imitating art or art is imitating life.

The Rich Aren’t Always the Happiest

This is one fact of life we all cannot deny. The rich may look like they are capable of enjoying themselves to their heart’s content. But if you ask, most rich people would tell you that this is not so. It takes a lot of hard work to create and keep wealth. They may even have to work harder than their employees.

How many divorce lawsuits and scandals have you seen in the news lately? Which rich celebrities and public figures who everyone thought lived a fairytale story are struggling right now?

Worrying Is Not Productive

We know that we have limited time on this planet. We already spend a good amount of that time sleeping so why spend most of our waking time worrying? Have you ever got anything done just by worrying? Do you notice that worrying does not make you feel any better afterwards than when you started the process?

There are other reasons why you shouldn’t take life too seriously, but you get the drift. Consider this as a bad habit that you need to change. So now, what should you do so you can start taking everything less seriously?

You need to figure out what you’re being so serious for and why. Here are some questions you should ask every time you notice yourself start worrying and thinking about things too seriously.

Why So Serious?

What exactly is worrying/irritating me right now?
Is this worth getting upset over?
Is this really so important right now?
Will this even matter tomorrow?
Will this significantly impact my life or is this just a minor inconvenience?
Am I simply blowing things out of proportion?
Is this even my problem at all?
What’s a better and more productive way to respond to this situation?

The last question is an important one. It helps you react to the situation in a different way than you usually would. A change in perspective and a change in your reaction can result in a different scenario. Things could actually turn out be fun and easy instead of difficult and stressful.

How To Take Life Less Seriously

If you seriously want to be less anxious and stressed, start putting more fun into your life.

Laugh at your self.

Confront your fear of being embarrassed by doing it intentionally. If you know how to laugh at yourself, you lessen the chances of getting offended by other people. It doesn’t matter how ‘personal’ their joke gets.

You only become afraid of being the butt of other people’s jokes when you are unable to laugh at yourself. Practice being able to laugh at your own silliness. If you do something wrong, apologize sincerely but learn to laugh at yourself with others too.

Let things happen.

We take everything too seriously because we want to be able to control everything that happens to us. Perfectionists are always stressed out because of this reason. There will always be some things in life that just don’t go according to plan. When this happens, let it unfold and observe the results, then react accordingly.

Think of it as a learning opportunity instead of a threat to your plans. These situations will also show you that one mistake won’t kill you; but can help you do better the next time instead.

Add more humor into your life.

If laughing at yourself with other people seems a far-fetched concept for now; start by injecting more humor into your own life. You can start watching stand-up comedians and learn how they are able to make fun of themselves and situations.

Find something funny in different situations in your everyday experience. Recall something silly you did in the past. It may have embarrassed you at the time, but it might actually be funny now.

The longest study on happiness shows that good relationships are important to enjoying life. Get together with a funny friend and talk with them more. Get a feel of how their attitude is different to yours and learn from them.

“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”
— Elbert Hubbard

Life is short and taking it too seriously may make your life span even shorter. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Learn to have fun and look at the bright side of things. When you learn to do this, then you can count yourself among the lucky ones. The truly blessed ones are those who are able to have fun and enjoyment every day while still working hard to achieve their goals.

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Feature Image: Original Photo by Ben White on Unsplash