peace of mind

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.

Nov

2020

10 Toxic People That You Should Avoid

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Toxins are everywhere – from the food that we eat to the things that we use. They are even in the air that we breathe and the water that we drink. Just like in the food, air and water; they can also be found in the people around you. Daily exposure to toxins is poisonous, harmful and dangerous to the body. It leads to sickness, diseases and even death if not flushed out from the body. In the same way, that too much exposure with toxic people can affect your overall health, happiness and success. We may not be able to totally avoid it but we can reduce our toxic exposures by doing things like not eating canned goods, avoiding plastic water bottles and going organic. Likewise, we should also avoid exposures to toxic people. But how to identify the toxic people? Here are 10 toxic people that you should avoid.

Generally, toxic people spread negativity. They are highly contagious. They drain your energy. You are better off avoiding them at all cost since they can create chaos around you. If you spend too much time with them, you might even end up like them. Remember, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with .

Toxic people will pollute everything around them. Don’t hesitate. Fumigate.
– Mandy Hale

1.The Arrogant

Arrogant persons are people who act superior than others. They think of themselves as more important, thus, they disrespect and put others down. They think that their thoughts, beliefs and experiences are way better than others. Some people become arrogant because of the success that they have accomplished in life. They want others to appreciate them to boost their self-worth. On the other hand, for some people, their arrogance is actually a self-defense mechanism to hide their insecurities and inferiority complex.

An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person’s main task in life – becoming a better person.
-Leo Tolstoy

2. The Complainer

Complainers are people who think that the world is out to get them. They perceive themselves as perpetual victims. They don’t see themselves as negative people, instead they see the whole world in a negative light and they are merely voicing out their annoyance to all the unfortunate events happening around them. Complainers are people who are looking for understanding, sympathy and emotional validation.

When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation or accept it, all else is. madness.
– Eckhart Tolle

3. The Critic

Critics are people who are skeptical about things. They often criticize and oppose everything and everyone around them. They will sabotage any new ideas and they will keep you from achieving your highest potential. Critics are actually people who have a lot of fears in their lives. They don’t have the courage to take risks. Their statements are actually projections of their own fears and worries.

Don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of going after yours.
– Zig Ziglar

4. The Envious

All persons experience an occasional feeling of envy. We are after all humans. This emotion arises when we see someone who is better than us whether it be their beauty, intelligence, wealth or success. Envious people however, take their jealousy to the next level. They let their feelings control them to the point that they begin to hate the other person. On extreme cases, they even harm the person they are envious of. This stems from their inferiority complex. They feel worthless deep inside that they subconsciously developed the habit of comparing themselves to others.

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.
– Harold Coffin

5. The Gossipmonger

People who like to gossip derive pleasure in the misfortunes of others. It might be fun and entertaining at first but spreading confidential information and offensive judgements eventually gets tiring and uncomfortable. You will only end up hurting other people. Gossipmongers are persons who are unhappy, envious and attention-seekers. They want to feel superior and better about themselves by highlighting the problems of others.

Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.
– Eleanor Roosevelt

6. The Liar

Liars are people who lie all the time. They believe that they are smarter than everyone else and that their lies will never be found out. It is hard to trust these people because you never know what to believe. Doubt and mistrust will always be present in the relationship. Remember that they never keep their promises. If they lie to you about themselves and about others, there is a big probability that they will lie to others about you too.

When someone lies to you, it’s because they don’t respect you enough to be honest, and they think you’re too stupid to know the difference.
– Unknown

7. The Narcissist

Have you ever had a conversation with somebody whom you can’t get a word in? Narcissist people love to talk about themselves. They think the world revolves around them. They are not concerned about anything else. Narcissists don’t ask questions nor will they ask you how you are doing. Even if they do, they won’t wait for your responses. Professionals argued that a narcissistic personality is linked to a parent-child relationship. They are people who either have narcissistic parents or they received excessive pampering as a child.

The narcissist doesn’t question himself. He never wonders if he is at fault. Why? Because in his mind he is never wrong. You are.
– unknown

8. The Party Animal

It is all right to party, have fun and go out occasionally. The body needs to unwind every now and then to relieve some stress. However, doing it excessively can be disastrous not only for your wallet but also for your health, productivity and overall well-being. Party animals are sad and depressed individuals. They try to escape the reality of their lives and seek temporary comfort through heavy partying.

IF you want to become a party animal, you have to learn to love in the jungle.
– Kelly LeBrock

9. The Puppeteer

Puppeteers are expert manipulators. They deliberately exploit the other person for their own benefit. Be careful, puppeteers are disguise as good friends. They are the friendliest, most accommodating and they will flatter you with words that you want to hear. Unfortunately, they are only nice to you because they want something in return. You will be taken advantage of over and over again as long as you let them control you. They are self-centered individuals whose words and actions are intended to seduce and impress you so they can achieve their aim.

People who feel the need to control others, don’t have control over themselves.
– Unknown

10. The Temperamental

Temperamental persons are persons whose moods change very quickly. One minute everything seems perfectly normal, the next thing that you know that person can turn into a monster. They are very hot-headed and irritable. They are also bad-tempered and moody. Controlling their own emotions is not their forte. Being with them will make you the receiving end of their negative emotions. They can even embarrass you in public or worse, they can hurt you. As a result, you will forever be walking on egg shells being around these people.

You don’t ever have to feel guilty about removing toxic people from your life. It doesn’t matter whether someone is a relative, romantic interest, employer, childhood friend or new acquaintance – you don’t have to make room for people who cause you pain or make you feel small. It’s one thing if a person owes up to their behavior and makes an effort to change. But if a person disregards your feelings, ignores your boundaries or continues to treat you in a harmful way, they need to go.
– Daniell Koepke

Updated version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 19.09.2018.

Feature Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay Images.

Aug

2020

Get Rid of Negative Energy in Your Home

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The home should be the place where we feel safe and secure. It is also the place where we let out all our stress and emotional baggage. It’s not surprising that stagnant or negative energy may build up in our homes. This can make us feel down, fatigued, and even make us sick. How do you get rid of negative energy in your home? Here are some tips.

Open the Windows

Air out all the negative energy in your house one room at a time by opening the windows to let fresh air come through. While you’re at it, shake out your pillows and blankets to recirculate any stagnant energy around them. Try to breathe in the fresh air too to get rid of negative energy not just in your home but in your body as well.

Wipe Down, Wipe Out

Regularly wipe down surfaces in your home to clean and disinfect them but also to wipe out the negative energy in the room. It doesn’t only keep your home safe and clean, it also detoxifies you mentally and physically as it can be therapeutic and a good workout. Do the 15-minute cleaning routine daily to maintain the cleanliness of your home.

Burn Some Incense

Incense has long been used to clean and purify any space of negative energy. This is used in temples and even churches to this day. The most popular one used for this purpose is sage. You can use sage incense sticks or sage smudge wands and use the smoke to get rid of negative energy in your home. It would be great if you could do this for every room in the house. Have the windows open while doing this so the smoke detector in your house isn’t activated.

Remove or Repair Broken Items

Broken things that are stuck around the house bring stagnant, negative energy into your home. Each time an item is broken, immediately set aside time to have it fixed so they don’t take space while remaining unused. If it can’t be repaired, then get rid of it immediately.

Remove Clutter Immediately

Doesn’t it feel good after you’ve cleaned your desk? Clutter can make you feel tired and stressed so try to banish clutter from your life by regularly decluttering your space. Get rid of negative energy in your home by cleaning as you go each time you use a room.

Spray Orange Essential Oil

The smell of orange is not only refreshing, it also helps to lift the mood. Mix some orange essential oil in water and use it to spray around the house. You can also use it on your regular diffuser to elevate the mood in any space. Not only will you get rid of the negative energy in your home; it will make your space smell fresh too.

Ring a Bell in Each Room

This is a simple way to move bad energy out of any space. Ring a bell in each corner of a room and the doorways in your home. You can also use a singing bowl to do so. The sound waves will help get rid of the negative energy accumulating in your home.

Salt the Corners of Each Room

Salt can be used to ward off negative energy as well as to absorb negative energy. Put some salt in the four corners of your rooms and let it sit for 48 hours. You can vacuum it or sweep it away and throw it out to get rid of negative energy in your home.

Protect your Space with Crystals

Crystals have been used since ancient times to ward off negative energy and to enhance positive energy. Black Tourmaline is especially known to ward off and dissolve negative energy. Keep this close to electronic devices to protect you from the negative effects of electromagnetic exposure. Other crystals also help to get rid of negative energy in your home with various effects.

Live with Plants

Having living, healthy plants around your home is one sure way to invite more positive energy into your home. Make sure you water them as needed and place them in spots where they are most suitable. Some plants require a lot of sunlight while others can thrive in the shade. Certain plants also help to naturally purify the air and freshen up the look of your living space.

Finally, the most important tip to ensure that your home does not accumulate negative energy is to be full of positive energy yourself. Remember the mind-body connection? Your thoughts influence your physical state but your environment affects how you think and feel too.

Keep yourself in a positive state of mind all the time so you don’t contribute to the negative energy in your own home. It is also easier for you to notice if there is negative energy in your home if you are in a positive state. This means, you can get rid of negative energy as soon as possible too.

Launch Challenge

Your challenge is to launch into action and do any of these tips or a combination of these for a whole month. See which ones are more effective for your lifestyle. The bigger challenge is to develop the habit of regularly clearing out your space of negative energy so you can work on your dreams in a positive space that helps you maintain a positive mindset and attract more positive experiences into your life.

Featured Image: Original Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash.

Mar

2020

The Practice of Mindfulness and Its Benefits

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Emotional health is not always easy to measure as people generally go through a range of different emotions from moment to moment. No one can maintain being cheerful all day or being sad all day. There will always be a break in the cycle. However, we can describe our general mood for the day. But is there a way to keep tabs on our thoughts and emotions and process them without stressing ourselves out? There is a way to do this through the practice of mindfulness and its benefits.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is an innate human ability to be fully present and aware in the moment and not be overwhelmed or be too reactive by the things happening around us. Mindfulness is a state where you can focus on what is going on in your thoughts, your physical sensations, etc. without judging what you observe. In this way, mindfulness is a meditation method and sadly, we don’t do much of it in our daily lives.

Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementaly. And then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.
— Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness is a quality that each of us possess. Thus, we should learn how to make use of it in our daily lives so we can experience the benefits. There are benefits in our mental, emotional, and physical states and even in our relationships and finances.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation provides us a time to suspend judgement. Instead, it gives us time to analyze how we think and feel, why we think in a particular way and why we feel the way we do. Mindfulness allows us to observe our experiences without judging them and instead look at them with kindness and understanding. This approach to understanding ourselves and our daily experiences has many health benefits.

Reduce Stress

Not judging yourself and extending understanding and kindness towards the self greatly reduces mental and physical stress. Too often, we punish ourselves for the things that we think we did wrong or did not accomplish. We rarely sit back and try to see why we acted in a certain way.

Encourage Acceptance

When we observe ourselves without judgement, we learn to accept and appreciate our flaws and weaknesses as part of who we are and we can more easily decide on how to change them to better improve ourselves. This also means, that we will be able to easily accept and even forgive not just ourselves but also the people around us.

Enhances Deeper Understanding

Being mindful and learning about our own inner workings helps us to better understand other people and through regular practise, we also learn to let things be instead of judging them in the moment. This means that we are still able to interact with negative people or still behave normally even in a toxic environment without being overwhelmed or being overly reactive.

Increase Awareness

Practicing mindfulness also enhances our awareness and insight not just of ourselves but of other people’s mental and emotional states as well so we can help them better in the way that they need most.

Enhance Performance

When we have a better understanding of how we think and act, we are also able to easily adjust our own patterns of thinking and our actions to align with our goals in the different areas of our life.

Practice mindfulness in your daily activities and experience the benefits in all areas of your life.

Mindfulness meditation is a practice that you can easily start doing. Find a quiet place to be alone with your thoughts and focus on them without judging them. You can also do the same type of observation in daily situations like during eating. Instead of just gulping down food, by being mindful of how you eat, you are able to appreciate the whole eating experience and appreciate its benefits. Try practicing being mindful of your daily habits today.

Edited version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living 08.07.2019.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Erriko Boccia on Unsplash.

Mar

2020

Things To Get Rid Of To Improve Your Home

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Feeling bored? If you are one of the millions of people out there who are in a lockdown because of the coronavirus, now is the perfect time to clean and organize your home. A clean house is good for you and your overall wellbeing. Just look around you, for sure, there are things to get rid of to improve your home.

When your environment is clean you feel happy, motivated and healthy.
– Lailah Gifty Akita

According to a study by Nicole R. Keith, PhD, associate professor of Indiana University; people who live in cleaner houses are healthier and more active. On the contrary, another study reveals that people who live in cluttered areas are more likely to be depressed. Clutter affects people’s feelings and satisfaction about life.

Normally, people are so busy that they don’t have enough time to clean and declutter the house. That is the reason why things just accumulate over time. If you want a better and healthier life, take advantage of this time to get rid of things or clutter in your house. Here are top 10 things that you need to get rid of as starters:

1. Expired Food

Go through your refrigerator and your pantry. Avoid health risks by getting rid of anything that is already expired! If there are foods that you don’t eat, it is much better to give them away so that someone else can enjoy them.

2. Expired Medicine

Do you have any unused or expired medicines in your cabinet? You really have no use for expired medicine. It is best that you throw them away. Check the dates on the labels of each box or bottle. The ones that you will still keep should be properly labeled. Take inventory of those that you no longer need such as pain relievers or antibiotics. It is recommended that you throw them away also. Remember, they are prescribed specifically for you. It is not wise to let others take the medicines that was originally intended for you.

3. Expired Beauty Products

So, you can’t bear to part with an half-consumed expensive beauty product that you bought a year ago. Unfortunately, hanging on to expired beauty products might be doing your skin more harm than good. They might even become the cause of a skin problem.

In a study published by the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, results showed that about 70% of women in the study used expired beauty products and that 67% of the make-up samples used by these women were contaminated. If you use expired beauty product, there is a big probability that it is contaminated.

4. Clothes You Don’t Use

You might have shoes or clothes that you don’t wear anymore that are just taking up space in your closet. If you do, this is the best time to get rid of them. They may be outdated or do not fit anymore. Whatever the reason is, if you have not used them for over a year now, that’s a clear sign that you should get rid of them already.

5. Old Magazines

Let’s face it, you are not going to re-read old magazines or subscriptions. Before they even pile up and start cluttering your home, why not donate them instead to local charities, schools, libraries or free clinics?

6. Unused Plastic or Bottle Containers

It is always best to recycle plastic and bottle containers. However, if you have kept them for so long and they are still unused up to this time, it is best that you dispose of them already. Just may sure to dispose of them properly so that they can be recycle elsewhere. There are companies that buy unused plastic and bottle containers for recycling.

7. Outdated or Broken Technology

If you have old or outdated technology, that is considered an eWaste, short for electronic waste. These kind of waste can be extremely harmful to the environment because of the materials used in its production such as lead, mercury and arsenic. So, if you have old technology at home such us gadgets, TV remotes, cords, chargers and many others; it is best that you dispose of them properly. Include used and old batteries that are just lying around.

8. Old Toys

Throw away broken toys. Donate old toys that are no longer in used but are in still good condition so that you can make other children who are less fortunate a little happy. With the new toys that the children received over the years, they won’t notice if some of the old toys went missing.

9. Paper Clutter

Even in this digital day and age, you have probably still accumulated a lot of paper clutter in the house. Sort them out and throw away old newspapers, receipts, pamphlets, brochures, old bills, your children’s test papers and scribbled notepads.

10. Other Broken Items

Do you have any other broken furniture or items like chipped mugs, pens that are not working or broken jewelries in the house? Now is the best time to get rid of those. Remove clutter and get rid of items that are useless, broken and can no longer be repaired nor be given as gifts.

Edited Version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living 01.07.2019.
Feature Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay Images.

Feb

2020

Rules to A Happy Life

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Living a happy life seems like a simple goal but in reality, the journey is quite complicated. Depending on where you are in life; you will have a different set of rules that you follow to you can achieve your goals.

Everyone has their own path to happiness but these 7 rules to a happy life can help you along the way.

1. Be Grateful

Whatever life brings you, it pays to be grateful. Recognize that each experience, each situation that you are put in and each person that you encounter pushes you to the right direction.

It may be in the form of support for what you need to pursue your goals or by teaching you a life lesson that you need in order for you to progress to your next step. A positive experience is just as important as a negative experience to enable you to grow and prepare you for the next stage of your life.

2. Stay True to Yourself

Sometimes, we forget our own goals and dreams because we are programmed to conform to what other people’s standards have of us. We compare ourselves with others and want to imitate their kind of success; forgetting that each person has their own form of happiness, their own measure of success.

There is no one path to happiness or success. Stop comparing yourself to other people’s standards and stay true to yourself. Do what you feel is right to fulfill your own definition of happiness or success.

3. Don’t Lose Your Inner Child

“Adulting” is a popular term that we throw around to describe our daily struggles as grown ups. We feel overwhelmed with adult responsibilities that we don’t make time to “play” as it is not an adult thing to do. However, neglecting time for play depletes us of our creativity and may cause us to burn out at work.

Make time to indulge your playful inner child. Give in to your curiosity; ask about something you are curious about instead of suppressing it so you don’t annoy someone. From time to time, try out new things just because it’s exciting or fun and not because you need it for work.

If you have a passion project that involves harnessing your creative side, pursue it and make time for it even if it doesn’t contribute to your current job. You will be surprised how nurturing your inner child can help you grow as an adult.

4. Appreciate the Moment

Have you stopped and smelled the flowers lately? Have you gone out of your way to just stare at a beautiful sunset until it vanishes from view? If not, then now is a good time to start learning how to appreciate the moment.

Appreciating the moment helps you become more observant of the things around you and being grateful for them. It also makes it easier to notice the good things in any situation, place, thing or even person. This means that you shouldn’t hold yourself back from appreciating someone else and be honest about your praise or admiration.

If you have the urge to just bask in the sunshine in the middle of your walk to your office building, give in and enjoy the feeling of warmth revitalizing your whole body. Just remember to look for a safe spot first and don’t suddenly do it in the middle of the street.

5. Share Your Blessings

When you share your blessings you are blessed in return. Blessings don’t have to be just financial in form. Giving someone your time and effort is a form of sharing. Listening to someone vent out their issues is a form of sharing as well.

Financially, you may not have a big amount in your budget for this but the important thing is to share what you are able. So make sure that you include a “Give” or “Gifting” or “Tithe” portion in your budget. Small acts like giving a tip to a restaurant or a salon staff goes a long way.

6. Avoid the Drama

We see drama all the time on TV and in films that we have grown to expect the same situations in real life. We hear different kind of real-life dramas from the news and even from friends and relatives but we all know that these situations are never pleasant and don’t usually have a happy ending. So how do you avoid all the drama?

Focusing on the positive side of things and being grateful will be helpful in these situations. Staying away from people who bring drama into your life is one of the best ways to keep your good vibes all the time.

Of course, if you can’t help but be involved in drama, don’t forget to take a deep breathe and try to keep a level head and analyze the situation from a practical point of view instead of just reacting to your emotions. This way, you can focus on solutions instead of drowning in all the negative details.

7. Learn to Forgive

In order to make it easier for you to follow the rules outlined above, you must learn to forgive. Forgiving yourself first is the first step to accepting yourself and self-acceptance enables you to move on to the next step to become better.

Forgive yourself for your flaws and wrong decisions in the past. Forgive yourself for breaking a promise or indulging in that food treat that’s not supposed to be part of your diet. The important thing is to pick-up yourself again and continue where you left of or start over if needed.

It also important to learn to forgive others. If you carry grudges with you, it will be hard to be grateful. You won’t be able to appreciate the moment or other people; you won’t be able to indulge in fun times and you certainly won’t feel inclined to share your blessings whole heartedly.

Carrying grudges around certainly puts you in a situation that attracts constant drama and negative vibes. So learn to forgive others. Look at what you can learn from the situation or the person and move on from what happened. Forgiving others does not mean that you need to act like nothing bad happened but it is an opportunity to not dwell on the drama anymore and move forward.

Original photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash