Globally, health experts agree that incidences of stress and obesity are rising. In the US, recent studies show that up to 1 in 5 adults often or always feel lonely, anxious, or depressed. Similarly, obesity is growing rampant, with two-thirds of all adults in the US qualifying as such. 

As it happens, the fact that these two issues are on the rise at the same time is no coincidence. Health experts have found that excess weight and heightened stress levels perpetuate a toxic cycle, where one encourages the development and progression of the other. This is concerning since the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that obesity-related complications are responsible for nearly three million deaths from around the world every year. With this in mind, it’s important to understand how stress and weight are connected and how to cultivate a positive weight-loss mindset. 

Where weight and stress meet

Although stress is primarily mental and weight is physical, they are undeniably linked, where one’s symptoms manifest in the other. To start, when the body is stressed, it causes hormonal changes. Chief among these fluctuating hormones is cortisol, which regulates the body’s fight-or-flight mode. During this period, the metabolism naturally slows. High cortisol levels also cause slower production of the hormone leptin, which controls feelings of satiety and hunger. Without enough of this, appetites can increase and lead to weight gain. Stress can also demotivate a person from pursuing weight management methods like diet and exercise.

Meanwhile, eating is a self-coping method for many people, even though any relief it brings is temporary and causes more problems down the road. For some people, what makes weight management tricky is that the extra pounds slowly creep up, making many underestimate the impact of what they’ve gained. However, when you look at the difference between overweight and obese individuals, it’s clear that graduating to obesity carries severe health issues. The extra adipose tissue you gain when obese can trigger inflammation and deregulate blood sugar. Over time, this can lead to up to 200 pressing chronic ailments. A few examples of this include sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancers, gallstones, and, of course, anxiety and depression. Societal biases against obesity can also heighten any depressive ideation. From here, the two continue to impact each other, while an individual just gains more weight and feels more depressed. 

Ways to manage mindset

Obesity is not easy to reverse, but having a positive mindset is the first step in the process. To begin, try to be more compassionate with yourself. We are our own worst critics, so the next time you find yourself thinking overly harsh thoughts about yourself, picture saying this to somebody you care about. Instead, surround yourself with a support system that can quell any of your self-criticisms and lift you up. Having this kind of support is not only inspiring but also a great opportunity for you to receive first-hand tips that can help you.

Next, find a weight loss approach that suits you. There’s no point in following the latest diet or exercise if you find it unsustainable. Even if the approach you opt for is slower to show results, if it’s something you can maintain, you’re bound to feel more fulfilled. For example, if you’re not too keen on traditional gym classes, maybe you’re better off with something like walking. Though more low impact, it’s free, easy to do, and great at helping lower stress, blood pressure, and overall body weight. When you’re doing something, you actually enjoy, it’s easier to keep a level head and keep going, even when the going gets tough. 

Finally, learn to celebrate small wins. Most people end up hyper-fixating on their bigger goals. While not losing sight of what you ultimately want is good, these big goals do take time to reach. As such, you may feel like this goal is so far off and you’re not working to get there fast enough. Naturally, this can lead to feelings of depression. To fight this off, recognize your mini milestones. Doing this helps you acknowledge the progress you’ve made so you can cut yourself some slack and see that you are making changes slowly but surely, along the way to unlocking your best life!

Article written by Sophia Emma Exclusively for Lifestyle Magazine

The post Is Stress Affecting Your Weight? How to Manage Your Mindset for Weight Loss appeared first on Lifestyle.

According to research, gratitude is a game-changer. How can something so easy and simple improve sleep, brighten mood, boost immunity, and reduce depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and disease?

To say that gratitude is powerful is an understatement.

The Mental Health Benefits Of Gratitude 

Gratitude improves mental health by instantly imparting a better outlook on life and increasing happiness.

But the benefits don’t stop at increased happiness.

Being more grateful is linked to a better self-image, less anxiety, and even less depression because taking a few minutes to intentionally practice gratitude increases dopamine and serotonin levels. 

The Physical Health Benefits Of Gratitude 

This is where it gets interesting. Being grateful makes you feel better emotionally, and the “feel-good” hormones it releases affect your physical well-being, too. Gratitude reduces stress, which leads to better sleep, lower blood pressure, and increased energy. As a result, you move more, creating better overall physical health.

For instance, maybe your gratitude practice inspires you to go for a walk, during which you get more oxygen into your body and bloodstream and load up on Vitamin D from basking in the sunshine.

Being able to sleep soundly reduces appetite because it balances your hormones, and less stress helps you make smarter food choices and engage in less comfort eating. The cumulative effect is a healthier and stronger version of yourself. 

Gratitude promotes heart health because lower stress levels and healthier blood pressure put less strain on the heart. Besides, the added exercise and sleep strengthen your heart, giving it time to recover and heal overnight. And since heart disease is a leading cause of death, there’s never been a better time to practice gratitude and calm your nervous system.

Setting aside two or three minutes daily to be grateful can unlock the mental and physical benefits of gratitude.

Find a place to be alone, put your hands over your heart, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Think of people and blessings you’re thankful for. Remember the simple things we often take for granted, like nature, laughter, hope, opportunities, things we’ve survived, and people we’ve had the honor to serve.

Just be grateful.

Open your heart and let your Creator know how much you appreciate His abundant blessings. Doing so will set the tone for your day and your life, too.

Unlock your best life with the empowering benefits of gratitude.

The post The Mental and Physical Connection of Gratitude appeared first on Lifestyle.

Why does it seem so hard to kick procrastination to the curb for good? Beating procrastination is hard. We knuckle down, and things are great for a few days. But then we fall back into old habits or get frustrated with our lack of progress. Minor setbacks can be enough to derail us from working on what we wanted to get done in the first place.

Ready for some good news? One word dramatically improves your chances of success: Accountability. 

Measure Your Progress 

Start by measuring your progress. Be guided by data and not controlled by emotions.

Track your habits. A simple way is to use a journal or a box for each day of the week. Check off each thing you did that you said you were going to do. If you were going to go to the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and you went, then keep a record of it.

In fact, make a list of the things you must do tomorrow, schedule them in a calendar, and keep track of what you actually do.

Do this daily until it becomes a habit or until the project is done. 

For larger projects, organize your goals into milestones. Record your progress toward reaching those milestones as you inch closer to your goals.

What gets measured gets done.

Make Weekly and Daily To-Do Lists 

Take time on the weekend to plan your week based on the major things you need or want to get done; schedule days and times in your calendar to do them.

If that seems overwhelming, make a to-do list the day before. Play around with how many items you put on that list. Too many items will overwhelm you, but challenge yourself to get more done.

Weekly and daily to-do lists keep you accountable because you can look back and see what you’re putting off. If you’ve been “slacking” on certain things, decide if they’re still important to you. If they are, prioritize them in your schedule by working on them before anything else.

Tell A Trusted Friend About Your Plans 

If you’re struggling to get something done, tell a trusted friend about it and ask them to hold you accountable.

Make sure it’s someone who is in your corner and supports you – someone who will hold you accountable in a supportive, encouraging manner.

Sometimes, this gives you the little nudge you need to get you to stop procrastinating and start following through more consistently.

Find An Accountability Buddy 

What’s the difference between asking someone to hold you accountable and finding an accountability partner?

An accountability buddy is someone else who’s also procrastinating. You agree to hold each other accountable. It could be as simple as checking in once in the morning to share what you’re committed to doing that day or following up in the evening to see if you followed through on your to-do list.

Knowing someone else is in the trenches with you is motivating and gives you courage.

Defeating procrastination doesn’t have to be so difficult. Remember, procrastination is a habit you can break one tiny action at a time. You have the power to conquer it and unlock your best life!

The post How To Break-Free From Old Habits And Unlock Your Best Life! appeared first on Lifestyle.

2024 is nearly half over. If you’re actively crushing your goals, congratulations, you’re in the top 9% of goal achievers on the planet!

But if you’re like most people… chances are when you read that question, it’s probably the first time you’ve thought about your New Year’s goals in a long time.

Remember how motivated and excited you were about the possibilities when you made your New Year’s resolutions?

You were focused and clear about your intentions and the changes you wanted to make.

And chances are you still want to take charge of your life and make those changes, so it’s not a lack of desire.

The Culprit

So what’s the culprit? It’s what gets in the way of most of us when we’re trying to learn anything new or uncomfortable:

RESISTANCE.

Resistance comes in the form of self-doubt, fear, discomfort, worry, procrastination, lack of commitment, comfort, etc.

Reflect on the first few months of 2024. What headwinds of resistance have been keeping you from reaching your goals?

The bad news is that the year is nearly half over. The good news is that you still have six months to make 2024 your best year.

There’s still time.

Setting Goals

Most people need to become more familiar with how to set appropriate goals.

In January every year, people usually write down two to three goals in each of the following categories: personal finance, relationships, jobs/business, spiritual, and personal.

In fact, this year, the top six New Year’s resolutions were to improve fitness, improve finances, improve mental health, lose weight, improve diet, and make more time for loved ones.

But here’s what typically happens: We’re told to prioritize our goals and set a deadline to achieve them. Then, make a list of tasks to accomplish those goals by the allotted date.

Unfortunately, this type of goal-setting only leads to failure.

Consider how many Januarys have come and gone where you’ve written goals; June arrives, and you’ve barely looked at them; December arrives, and you’ve not achieved them. This is because they are overwhelming and out of reach.

Goal-Setting That Works

Setting goals is more than dreaming about the kind of life you want.

Goal setting is about creating a life vision for yourself where you successfully achieve your goals without any specified time limits.

Not setting a time limit for your goals may be a new concept.

However, by setting a time limit for achieving your goals, you are setting yourself up for failure, and here’s why.

If you set a time limit on a goal that is sooner than you could conceivably expect to achieve it, your mind will tell you that it is impossible, you will feel overwhelmed, and your productivity will plummet.

On the other hand, if you set your goals for a time that is considerably out of reach, then your mind will tell you that you have a significant amount of time to achieve this goal and that you can “start tomorrow” and not have to work towards it anytime soon.

The Power of A Life Vision

When you create a life vision in which you see yourself accomplishing your goals or enjoying the fruits of your labor, you are more likely to work towards achieving those goals and avoid failure.

Next, set “process tasks” that take you in the right direction and into the reality of your vision.

It’s almost a cliche, but fall in love with the process not the payoff.

The chasm between where you are and where you want to be is bridged by a process—by a batch of certain habits and tasks—that gets you there.

These tasks will have a timeline and strategies, which you should initiate and track using as many time management productivity tools as you find necessary. Unless you measure your progress regularly, you will never follow through. And this time next year, you will be in the same place you are today.

Accomplishing your goals is a matter of keeping them at the top of your mind and in your current consciousness, where you will continue to make forward movement in your task list daily to sustain momentum, much like standing next to a fire to keep warm.

Setting goals isn’t about identifying tasks but discovering what you truly want in life and the person you want to become and establishing a road map to the final destination that unlocks your best life.

The post Did You Forget This? appeared first on Lifestyle.

We live in an age of overwhelm and overload. It’s easy to be paralyzed by choices and feel lost in confusion. The world has become loud, noisy, and increasingly more intrusive.

Being true to ourselves has never been more challenging.

Who are you? What do you stand for? What do you stand against? What do you believe to be true about yourself and the world?

Here are some steps to reconnect with your authentic self in a world that tells you daily who you should be and what you should believe.

Curiosity 

Self-discovery begins with becoming curious about yourself and your life.

What are you passionate about?

What brings you joy?

What gives you a sense of fulfillment?

Explore all the different parts of your desires, interests, and personality. 

Be Present Without Judging Yourself 

It’s hard to connect with your authentic self when you dwell on the past or live in the future and judge yourself for how you feel, the mistakes you’ve made, or missed opportunities.

Take a few minutes to be alone, breathe, and root yourself in the present moment without judgment or self-criticism.

Observe your thoughts, emotions, and situation without attaching self-defeating or disempowering labels.

Accept yourself; be kind and compassionate.

Be your own best friend in this moment – be supportive of yourself!

Why? This quality of self-reflection deepens self-awareness, connecting you to your authentic self.

Values 

So many people are lured into chasing other people’s values.

Step back from the crowd and turn off your devices to protect yourself from the thousands of marketing messages that interrupt your life every day, telling you what you should buy, wear, believe, and be.

Ask yourself: What do I value—what’s most important to me? Is it honesty, integrity, family and friends, health, material wealth, faith, and connecting with God? 

Remember, your values and beliefs change as you mature and grow wiser. What was important to you five years ago might not be today.

Passions

When was the last time you thought about your passions?

What makes you feel alive? What energizes you? What feeds your soul with a sense of fulfillment?

It could be a cause, a hobby, a creative pursuit, or making a difference in the world through your faith community.

Explore your passions because they give you valuable insights into who you are at your core.

Confront Fear 

You can only unlock your best life once you face your fears and limiting beliefs.

What fears are keeping you from being you?

What beliefs aren’t serving you well?

What compromises are sabotaging your hopes and dreams?

Journal 

A journal is a safe space for you to record your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and see how you’re growing and progressing in life.

It reveals emotional and behavioral patterns, giving you deeper insights into your true self. This private space gives you permission to express yourself without fear of judgment. 

Strengths and Weaknesses 

What are your strengths and weaknesses? As difficult as it might be, this should be an objective process.

When do you feel strong?

When do you feel weak?

What do you embrace?

What do you avoid?

Ask people who love you and want to see you succeed what they see as some of your strengths and weaknesses.

Final Thoughts 

Connecting with your authentic self is an exciting journey. So, get curious, be fully present, spend time in non-judgmental self-reflection, explore your passions, and confront your fears to uncover your true self and finally unlock your best life.

The post Unlocking Your True Self appeared first on Lifestyle.

Our brains are the command center of our lives and are essential for the quality of our physical, emotional, and mental performance. Chronic stress, poor diet, smoking, and excess alcohol take a severe negative toll on our brain’s functionality. 

These habits also contribute to high blood pressure, cognitive decline, and dementia.

But you can always learn new habits and strategies and change your life. Here are 8 tips to prime your brain for success and unlock your best future.

Mediterranean Diet (MeDi)

High-quality foods are essential to your brain health and physical fitness.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, fish, whole grains, and healthy oils like olive and avocado. 

Based on a study of 502,536 participants, people who followed the principles of the MeDi had a 23% lower chance of developing dementia. Research has also found that the MeDi may improve cognitive capabilities, such as memory.

Tame Stress 

Chronic stress harms brain function. Yale Medicine defines chronic stress as “A consistent sense of feeling pressured and overwhelmed over a long period of time.” 

There are many causes of chronic stress today because life is busier and more complicated than ever. These include life changes, unfulfilling jobs, economic distress, and family dysfunctions. 

When stressed, the brain increases glucocorticoid production, including the stress hormone cortisol. 

The mind goes into overdrive and starts worrying about the future and everything that might go wrong, causing panic and anxiety. 

Reading the Bible and praying have a calming effect on the mind that keeps us anchored in the present. Practicing Mindfulness helps us stay focused on the present rather than dwelling on the past or situations that cause us to worry. Other key concepts include paying attention to our surroundings, accepting ourselves, and focusing on our breathing.

Physical Activity

The Center for Creative Leadership asked over 1,500 executives how exercise impacts their performance. Approximately 90% said that physical activity “clearly impacts” their performance, 12% reported “some impact,” and no one reported zero impact.

They reported regular exercise improved mental clarity, focus, alertness, and problem-solving.

In addition to improving your brain, exercise has physical benefits such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing anxiety, improving sleep, decreasing insulin resistance, and strengthening your immune system.

Be Mentally Active

People who don’t “exercise” their brains are at significant risk for early cognitive decline. You can do many activities to give your brain a workout, such as reading, memorizing scripture, learning a new language, playing games, or working on a jigsaw puzzle.

Sleep Well

The importance of sleep and its effect on brain health is huge! When you get good quality, deep sleep, the brain repairs itself and rejuvenates your immune system. In REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, the brain compiles details you learned during the prior day.

Inadequate or insufficient sleep can contribute to feeling exhausted, cause concentration, mood, and memory disorders, and suppress the immune system.

You know the drill: create a bedtime routine by going to bed at the same time nightly and waking up at the same time in the morning. Over time, this will help set your internal clock and become a regular sleep pattern. Also:

• Turn off your electronics at least two hours before bedtime. This includes cell phones, computers, and social media.
• Eliminate caffeine after 12:00 p.m. The most common sources of caffeine are coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate.
• Avoid eating before bedtime to prevent gastrointestinal issues that may keep you awake.

Stop Smoking

Although people feel that cigarettes or cigars help to calm them and are pleasurable, they pose severe risks to brain functionality. 

A study by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that smoking is associated with cognitive decline, leading to worsening performance. You deserve better. So do yourself a huge favor and stop smoking.

Be Socially Active

Social connections can help reduce stress and depression and prevent memory loss. Look for ways to interact with others, especially if you live alone. 

Brain atrophy has been linked to a lack of socialization. 

Interpersonal relationships and being socially active enhance physical well-being and strengthen brain health. 

Find Inspiration

How often do we take the little things in life for granted? We often overlook these special moments of inspiration, which can be so good for brain health. 

For example, Psych Central says watching the sunrise gives you a feeling of awe, bolsters your mood, and helps you have a “big picture” mentality where we view situations broadly rather than focusing on limited details. It opens your mind to evaluating scenarios entirely rather than breaking them into detailed parts. 

People may also find inspiration from art, visiting a park, or watching the sunset.

Conclusion

A healthy brain keeps our sensory, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and motor functions working smoothly. Good habits such as eating properly, being physically, mentally, and socially active, and getting sufficient sleep are essential to overall well-being and life satisfaction.

The preceding tips can boost brain health, priming your mind for success and well-being so you can unlock your best life!

The post 8 Ways To Prime Your Brain For Success appeared first on Lifestyle.

What do most of us do when taking a trip to somewhere we’ve never been? We find someone who’s been there and ask them about it because we want to make the most of our trip!

If we put that much thought and effort into a trip, how much more should we be putting thought and effort into the other important areas of our lives?

Just as getting information and advice from friends is a big help when planning a trip, coaches and mentors can be very helpful when designing our lives. 

Steven Spielberg said, “The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” 

A true mentor gives you access to wisdom and experience because they’ve done or become what you want to do or become. They don’t coach from theory; they mentor from experience. 

Let’s say you set a goal of making a million dollars. Would you rather be mentored by an experienced multimillionaire or coached by someone who has no experience, only theory? 

Mentoring is a partnership that goes far beyond teaching and holding you accountable. Your mentor gives you access to experience and wisdom, encouragement, and mutual growth. 

It seems everyone has gone into life coaching since the 2020 pandemic. Coaches are a dime a dozen. But genuine mentors, well, they’re worth their weight in gold. 

The Transfer of Skills and Knowledge

A mentor is someone who is much further in their field than the mentee, which means they can provide insights the mentee still needs to gather through real-world experience. 

The transference of wisdom, skill, and knowledge can shave years off the learning process.

This exchange of knowledge accelerates skill development because not only can a mentor teach the mentee new skills, but the wisdom they impart helps the mentee put everything to work to tackle obstacles and challenges with an informed, strategic approach. 

The Thread of Wisdom

A mentor is a compass, providing guidance as you navigate the industry or life situation. You can leverage their experience to become more skillful and create new opportunities. Not only does this help with things like career advancement, but it amplifies purpose and direction.  

Emotional Support and Growth 

A skillful mentor helps nurture emotional well-being and personal growth. They facilitate a safe space for open and honest communication, which allows you to discuss your fears, dreams, and challenges. That emotional reassurance will help you in every aspect of life.

Networking Connections

Your mentor wants you to succeed. They wouldn’t be investing their precious time and energy into you if they didn’t. As an established person, they can introduce you to influential contacts and expand your network. 

Inspiration

Your mentor should be someone you respect and wish to model. Your partnership isn’t just about gaining wisdom or new skills. They inspire you to build a work ethic and adopt the qualities you see in them that you admire. Your mentor is your role model.

Final Thoughts

Many people succeed without a mentor, but they often learn the hard way, struggling with challenges and stresses they could’ve avoided had they reached out to a wise and experienced mentor. Why make the journey any more difficult than it has to be?

If you aspire to greatness and want to unlock your best life, finding a mentor you respect and admire could be worth its weight in gold, so why wouldn’t you accept help from someone who’s already taken the journey you’re about to embark upon? 

The post Do You Need A Coach or A Mentor? appeared first on Lifestyle.

It has long been proven that the mind-body connection is real, with physical health influencing mental wellness and vice versa. So, besides making healthy lifestyle changes through diet and exercise, you can refer to a previous post about the science of happiness for strategies for boosting your mental health and overall quality of life. These include finding your purpose for a more fulfilling life, nurturing supportive relationships with family and friends, and practicing self-compassion.

However, a lesser-known fact is that focusing on eye health specifically can also influence your mental health. Below, we look at how poor eyesight can contribute to poor mental health and what you can do to invest in eye care for better holistic wellness.

The connection between eyesight and mental health

In this digital age, one of the most straightforward ways your eye health can impact your mental well-being is through the stress-related effects of excessive screen time. Specifically, prolonged exposure to the blue light emitted by electronic devices can increase the risk of digital eye strain. Its symptoms include fatigue, dryness, headaches, and blurred or double vision, which otherwise go beyond physical discomfort to also contribute to or worsen stress levels.

Besides stress-inducing digital eye strain, research shows that vision problems like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism can also lead to poor mental health. Findings of a systemic review published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that the proportion of depression is higher among those with poor or low vision, especially older adults. Since your eyesight is essential to navigating your surroundings and performing basic tasks, getting your vision compromised can worsen your mood and mental health due to increased feelings of loneliness, helplessness, and isolation.

Fortunately, these mental health concerns can be addressed through the eye care tips in the next section.

Eye care tips to boost your mental wellness

Update your eyewear

As previously mentioned, individuals with vision impairment are at higher risk of chronic stress and depression due to the difficulties of daily life. So, it’s best to regularly update the prescription of your eyeglasses for optimal vision correction and comfort. When ordering an updated pair, consider going to Ray-Ban not only for its wide range of frame styles like the bold Wayfarer and timeless Clubmaster to suit your features but also for the high-quality design and material that prevent discomfort while you wear your glasses all day. Besides prescription glasses, the countless frame and lens combinations include protective features, such as blue light filters to reduce glare from digital screens and other artificial sources.

Regulate your screen time

Because digital eye strain can also negatively affect your mental health, remember to regulate your screen time by taking regular breaks to rest your eyes, rehydrate, and even do simple eye exercises like blinking and rotating your eyeballs. Additionally, you can better monitor your screen use by using a mobile app like Digital Wellbeing for Android devices. Much like Apple’s Screen Time feature, the app allows you to set up screen time limits for certain apps, schedule Focus and Bedtime modes to take a break from your phone, and track your overall screen usage to foster a healthier relationship with technology.

Get routine eye exams

Lastly, schedule routine eye exams every one or two years for ongoing monitoring and assessment of your vision and overall eye health. Going to a qualified optometrist can not only detect early signs and symptoms of eye problems but also introduce treatment and prevention approaches to avoid these conditions from affecting your mental well-being.

Overall, eyesight is one of the five basic senses that help you experience life to the fullest, so make eye care a priority in your daily life. For more helpful resources on health and lifestyle, continue exploring the rest of the posts here at Lifestyle.org.

(Article written by Sophia Emma Exclusively For Lifestyle Magazine.)

The post Poor Eyesight Can Lead to Poor Mental Health— Here’s What You Can Do appeared first on Lifestyle.

You can drift through life or sail through life. The difference is that one is aimless and undefined, and the other has a purpose and has direction.

Life is challenging. There will be rough water. Pray for wisdom and batten down the hatches to navigate life’s storms, but never stop believing in yourself; trust the journey. 

Gain confidence from your faith in the One guiding you as you sail into uncertainty on the open sea. 

Let Go So You Can Sail

One of the biggest lessons that sailing through life can teach you is found in the art of letting go. 

You can only sail once you release the anchor. 

What’s keeping you from moving forward? What’s anchoring you? 

What do you need to let go of?

Do you need to let go of some fears, habits, attachments, or dreams that have become too small to start your voyage? 

Give yourself permission to let go of past traumas, release yourself from external expectations, and let go of the need for control. 

Control and comfort are two anchors that hold people back from sailing toward their dreams and a life of love and happiness.  

Start letting go of the weight of trying to control the things you can’t control because that mindset is an anchor that keeps you from growing and hinders your ability to adapt. 

Let go of the need to feed your comforts. There’s nothing wrong with relaxing and being comfortable. But comfort can become a nest that turns into a prison. Nothing great ever happened within the comfy confines of comfort. 

Remember, you’re in charge of the sails. So when life throws an unexpected storm in your path, adjust your sails and navigate accordingly.

And when you’re nearing the doldrums of comfort, catch the wind and sail away by choosing a more adventurous and fulfilling course. 

Use whatever you face along your journey to grow personally and spiritually as you master the seas of your life. 

The Beauty of Life 

Storms are temporary. Bask in the calm waters when the sea is serene. And celebrate life’s joys when things are tranquil. 

Change is inevitable.

Storms will come and go. You will have balmy days and billowy days. 

 Embrace both.

Take the wheel and learn to navigate every storm with resilience. Use the challenge to unlock your inner capabilities. Realize everything you face is an opportunity to grow, strengthening your faith and courage.  

So many stay anchored where they are because they don’t believe they have the skills to sail beyond the harbor.

You have the skills and what it takes to navigate life’s biggest challenges. So embrace the journey and enjoy the moments, especially the calm, sunny ones, so you may live life to the fullest. 

Final Thoughts 

On larger ships, a crew is needed to sail the ship. They work together to get the job done. So remember to appreciate your support network and social connections; if you trust them, they can help you thrive. Being a solitary captain is lonely; navigating the seas alone is perilous. Stay connected. 

As you navigate the seas of life, you will encounter giant waves, but you’ll have a lot more calm water than turbulent water. To make things go as smoothly as possible, let go of toxic attachments, embrace change, trust the process, and steer your life toward growth and fulfillment. 

There is strength in letting go, not weakness. 

Chart your course and trust the journey as you sail through the natural ebbs and flows of life – – your adventure will be remarkable, but only if you let go, trust, and enjoy the journey. 

The post Sailing Through Life: Letting Go And Trusting The Journey appeared first on Lifestyle.

Chronic stress can wreak havoc and cause harmful disruptions to our health and well-being. It can make us vulnerable to disease, drain joy from our lives, and throw our metabolic systems into disarray, from the immune system to blood sugar and the cardiovascular system.  

In fact, the damaging effects of long-term stress are so pervasive that researchers have been unable to produce an exhaustive list of everything that stress can cause to go wrong in the human body. This means that stress can trigger symptoms that physicians might be unaware of or know are stress-related.  

In addition, medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illnesses and diseases are stress-related.

What Is Stress?

Stress can be anything from aggravating things that go wrong during the day to losing a job. 

Anything that interrupts your daily routine or nightly sleep can have a cumulative effect on the body and brain. 

Bad things happen to the brain when a person is overly stressed for a long time without relief. Consider this:

“Chronic stress and prolonged exposure to cortisol also increase the production of glutamate. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in mood regulation, cognition, and memory functions. Excessive glutamate, however, can contribute to the damage or death of brain cells.”

Hormones

Powerful hormones are released during stressful situations or events. These include corticosteroids, cortisol, and others released from the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. 

These hormones are released in ways that drive the body to respond appropriately during stress and then bring the body back to a normal state.

When these hormones continue to run rampant throughout the body of a person who is dealing with ongoing chronic stress, they cause mental and physical health issues.  

Life Events That Trigger Stress

Certain life events cause stress in all people. Some of these include the death of a spouse, divorce, jail time, change in financial situation, sexual difficulty, pregnancy, mortgage, change in residence, change in church activities, going back to school, change in sleep habits, vacation, and minor violations of the law. 

Just about any significant change in one’s situation or circumstances – positive or negative – is perceived as stress by the body.

Symptoms of Stress

Stress-related physical illness can include backaches, insomnia, cancer, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, absence of menstruation, changes in sexuality, sexual dysfunction, headaches, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, colds, infection, dermatology changes, and emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

Eliminating Stress

It’s impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, and even if you could, you wouldn’t want to because stress, when “used” appropriately, has an important function.  

However, we can reduce some of its harmful effects and hormonal responses by implementing stress reduction techniques. 

Stress-Reducing Strategies

Most people find these strategies helpful: following a balanced diet, regular exercise, and 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Other effective techniques include deep breathing, prayer, meditation, memorizing scripture and reading Bible promises, staying present and not dwelling on the past or the future, or becoming overwhelmed by everything that has to be done, focusing on one thing at a time instead, and spending time with trusted friends and loved ones. 

You’ve Got This!

While it’s true that life gets increasingly stressful every day and chronic stress damages one’s health, you can control the damage. 

Using stress reduction techniques and getting emotional support disrupts stress’s disruptive influence in your life. 

Consistency is king. By consistently managing your stress levels, you will reduce any long-term effects on your health and, as a bonus, unlock your best life! 

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