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.

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.

With everything that’s happening in the world today and living lives of constant and never-ending activity, it seems our stress and anxiety levels reach new highs each day.

Taking care of our mental well-being is crucial. 

Controlling our mood is a must, too. Otherwise, it will quickly control us, plunging us into overwhelm and depression. 

Of the many tools and rituals for reducing stress and finding calm, exercise is among the best.

Physical activity improves mood. 

Research has proven time and again its many positive impacts.

Why does exercise boost your mood?

Exercise causes the brain to release a neurotransmitter called endorphins.

Endorphins interact with receptors inside the brain, reducing pain and triggering positive feelings throughout the body. 

Have you ever heard someone refer to a “runner’s high”? It’s the euphoric state runners often feel at some point during their run. 

The euphoria comes from all the endorphins released during a strenuous workout. 

Once the runner slows down, that wash of chemicals courses through their bodies, making them feel extremely happy, content, and satisfied. 

But, is pounding the pavement for endless miles the only way to enjoy exercise-induced euphoria?

Absolutely not! Although it’s called the runner’s high, this euphoric experience accompanies many other physical activities.

Other neurotransmitters are released during exercise besides endorphins.

Two other neurotransmitters released by physical activity are serotonin and dopamine, critical players in mood regulation. 

Serotonin is nicknamed “the feel-good” hormone because it makes a person feel satisfied and happy, which is why it helps regulate mood, appetite, and sleep patterns. 

The more a person exercises, the more serotonin will be available for the brain to receive. 

Similarly, dopamine, nicknamed “the reward” hormone, is directly tied to your feelings of pleasure and motivation. 

When you exercise, you boost dopamine levels, leaving you feeling accomplished and satisfied at the end of a workout session.

How does exercise reduce stress levels?

Exercising regularly reduces the amount of stress hormones in the body, such as adrenaline and cortisol. 

Adrenaline is the “go” hormone that spikes and triggers you into action when extreme stress hits, like the sudden rush you feel when slamming on your car’s brakes to avoid a collision. 

That rush you feel is adrenaline surging through your body to help you think fast, act quickly, and, in this case, hit those brakes! 

Adrenaline is helpful when it functions as designed. But, if you’re constantly on edge and stressed out, it can cause major damage to your body. 

Cortisol levels rise whenever you’re stressed. And, like adrenaline, too much cortisol in your system for an extended period without relief (chronic stress) can create physical issues that cause discomfort and increase the risk of disease. 

Exercise helps your stress levels and boosts your mood in another significant way: it can improve your sense of self-esteem and self-confidence, both of which are necessary for your overall well-being. 

Sticking with your plan and seeing yourself improve over time and achieve fitness goals is something to be proud of. It should give you a sense of accomplishment while boosting your self-esteem. 

Regular physical activity can improve your body image and help you see yourself more positively.

How much exercise for mood enhancement?

According to experts at Harvard Health, not much! 

Even a simple fifteen minutes per day of running or an hour of walking can boost your mood, ease stress, and combat depression. 

Though specific amounts of exercise were recommended from the study’s findings, the doctors at Harvard Medical School emphasized that any amount of exercise has the power to combat feelings of depression and boost one’s mood. 

The quality of your life is directly tied to the quality of your mindset, which you can improve and brighten with a few minutes of physical activity every day. 

The post How (and Why) Exercise Brightens Mood appeared first on Lifestyle.

According to Psychology Today, people procrastinate – delaying what they know should be done – for many reasons. It cites three in particular: 1) Because we don’t think we’ll enjoy doing them, 2) We don’t think we’ll do them well, or 3) The task at hand is too complex; it’s estimated that 20 percent of the population falls into the category of “procrastinators” who put off doing things because they don’t feel like doing it right now. 

We can procrastinate by ignoring what needs to be done right now, but we can’t ignore the consequences of not doing it.

Start With A Goal – Even If It’s Blurry

A blurry goal is better than no goal because it gives you a general idea of where to begin, helping you overcome the inertia of getting started. When you don’t have a goal and don’t know what you want, you have no idea where to even begin. 

What do you want to accomplish for yourself and others?

What do you want from your life?

Don’t wait for perfect clarity; get an idea and go! Getting started makes things less blurry and brings them into focus – and keeps you moving in the right direction.

Write It Down

We know that procrastinators don’t take action. Taking some action, no matter how small, is better than taking no action.

Writing your goals down is taking action.

It gets you moving; it activates your ambition. 

Write down what you want and give it a deadline for completing it. If it’s a big goal, write down a few things you’ll need to do to achieve your goal and then give those action steps deadlines. 

Most people in the United States know what’s coming in a few weeks: April 15th -Tax Day, which most of us dread because of the paperwork and millions of little details we must collect and submit. So break it down. You have a clear deadline, April 15th, and you might have an idea of the forms you’ll need. If you don’t, your accountant will. And each form will require certain data. So, to make it easier on yourself, organize your taxes into little tasks: 1) Get forms, 2) Collect income documents, and 3) Complete forms. This may be a bad example because there isn’t anything inspiring about taxes! But you get the idea. 

What’s one thing you must get done? Turn it into a goal by writing it down and giving it a deadline, and then keep it close by so you can look at it daily so you don’t forget. 

START!

The secret to progress is to START!

Stop thinking about it, talking about it, analyzing it, and resisting it!

Stop thinking about it and just do it. 

If your goal is to get stronger and leaner, and you’ve decided to go to the gym three days a week but don’t feel like going when the time comes, stop thinking about it, put on your sneakers, and get yourself to the gym!

You must create momentum. Life doesn’t hand you momentum on a silver platter. It’s up to you to get started.

So go do it!

Today Matters, Make It Count

Life isn’t waiting for you. You only have so much time before it’s over. Today matters—this very moment matters! 

So, stop talking yourself out of living your dreams! Write down two or three major goals and dreams that will unlock your best life, and get started! It will be messy and frustrating at first, but keep going. Don’t put off living your life another day. 

The post Three Ways To End Procrastination appeared first on Lifestyle.

Life is messy and unpredictable sometimes. We don’t make the best decisions, or things spiral out of our control, or we suffer the unfortunate consequences of other people’s choices. 

How we react to certain triggers and situations and show up in life either fills our life with more or less hope, joy, or misery. To have more hope, joy, and happiness is an intentional choice. 

As the famous quote goes, “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to it that matters.“-Epictetus.

Here are some strategies for your consideration for living a joyful life: 

Find and prioritize your purpose.

There’s joy in finding your purpose and living it. You have a calling, an assignment, something to do to serve and improve the world. Finding a purpose is vital to living a joyful and fulfilled life. Some people may find purpose in their work and jobs, but you can also find it by volunteering your time and resources for the good of the community or society. 

Take a moment to think about some things you’re passionate about that contribute positively to the world; maybe your gift or passion is something you do well and allows you to make an income. There’s a good chance this is your calling. When you find and prioritize your purpose, you have something to look forward to and wake up to every morning. Fulfilling your purpose fills your life with joy and meaning, leading to a happy and satisfied life. 

Nurture relationships.

When we look at the centenarians from the Blue Zones, we see that they highly prioritize and nurture their social relationships with friends and family. They live a simple life, and one of their main focuses is building and nurturing supportive relationships. 

Even at 90, these people are seen to be fit, healthy, happy, and free of chronic diseases due to their lifestyle and familial support. We learn from these people of the Blue Zones the wisdom of nurturing healthy relationships; it’s a pillar of living a happy life. We all need support, a shoulder to cry on, and like-minded friends to share the joys of life with. 

Release things that no longer serve us. 

Life has different stages, each requiring a different and more evolved version of you. To live a joyful life, learn to let go of things, people, situations, and memories that no longer serve you or support your faith and values. Be brave and clear on who and what deserves to move forward into the next season of your life. 

Embracing the process of letting go leads to a happier life. To live more joyfully, learn to let certain attitudes go, too, like perfectionism and how you think life ‘should be’ or what ‘could have been.’ Embrace the present moment and declutter your life, heart, soul, and mind of habits, negative mindsets, toxic relationships, and feelings of regret, guilt, or shame from the past. Learn to let go of any emotional baggage that may deter you from living a joyful life. 

Be kind and compassionate to yourself.

Nurturing your relationship with yourself is essential to living a happier life. This can mean being kind and compassionate to yourself by not talking negatively to or about yourself. It can mean showing yourself compassion and forgiveness and treating yourself well, like taking time out of work to rest and wind down instead of overworking yourself, improving your mental and emotional well-being, taking care of your body, and whatever else enriches your life and soul. 

To be happier and emotionally healthy, you must ditch the negative self-talk, rewire and reframe your mindset to be more positive and supportive of yourself. And observe how your life shifts from misery to joy. 

Joy can look different to every person. What you perceive as joy may not be the same for someone else. Some may find joy in nurturing relationships, while others may prefer some ‘me time’ in solitude. 

Lastly, remember to fill your cup first so you have something to give and pour it into others. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so find your purpose, do activities that enrich your life, release whatever isn’t serving you anymore, lean on others, and laugh more to live a joyful life. Find your version of joy to unlock your best life!

The post The Science Of Happiness: Strategies For A Joyful Life appeared first on Lifestyle.

Imagine achieving your dreams and goals and living a flourishing life. When you activate your potential, that kind of life can be yours. Many people fall short of their potential because they don’t want it bad enough and they lack mental and emotional toughness.  

Unlocking your best life requires time and effort, dealing with obstacles, and taking risks to achieve the desired result. However, the benefits are powerful. 

Here are seven steps you can take to begin unleashing your full potential.

Define Your Goals

What do you want and why?

When you know what you want and why, you have a map for pursuing your goals and dreams. 

What do you want to accomplish in your life? Why do you want it – what do you think you’ll gain by achieving it?

Make a list of goals that motivate you; you will have some short and long-term ones. 

Evaluate them to determine the steps you’ll need to take to achieve them. 

Landing on the moon by the end of the 1960s was a dream, but NASA needed to take a million little steps to achieve it. You must do the same with your goals, especially your big ones.

Set a mission accomplished date to make your goal more than a dream. Then, track and measure your progress daily, weekly, or monthly – whatever it takes because what gets measured gets done.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is optimistic and solution-focused; it sees challenges as stepping stones to success.

A person with a growth mindset knows their weaknesses, and they receive constructive criticism. They keep the end result in mind but focus on the process because it bridges the gap from where they are to where they intend to go. 

They’re not jealous of the success of others; it motivates them instead. 

They remember why they want what they want to keep going when they want to quit. 

And they’re constantly learning, applying, experimenting, and adapting. 

Journal Your Thoughts and Ideas

Journaling is a great way to get to know yourself, see patterns, and remember what works and doesn’t work and why. 

Journaling boosts creativity, improves mental health, and inspires you to stay the course when things get hard. 

Pay close attention to your feelings and record them in your journal. Evaluate them to see what thoughts, people, or situations triggered them. Examine your life to learn about yourself and to discover what you can do better moving forward.

Don’t Waste Your Mistakes

A mistake is an opportunity for growth. You’ll make mistakes, so you might as well explore and learn from what went wrong. Sticking your head in the sand accomplishes nothing. There’s truth to the old adage “fail forward.”

Opportunities and Risk

Risk comes with opportunity. The bigger the goal, the bigger the risk. Regardless, there’s always some risk. 

For example, assume you have a limited budget to achieve your goal. You might run out of money before you reach it. 

Some people worry themselves to death in that scenario. However, excessive worry depletes energy and decreases productivity, and it can make you feel like giving up.

There are four things you can do with risk: accept it, avoid it, reduce it, or transfer it. 

Minimize worry by identifying the types of risks that could occur and listing what you can do to reduce risk. If the potential benefit outweighs the risk, accept it after doing all you can to reduce it. But be honest with yourself because some opportunities and experiences are not worth the risk.   

Take Care of Yourself

Nurturing your well-being increases motivation because you feel mentally strong and emotionally healthy. You’ll have less stress and be happier, too. So, eat healthy, exercise, and get your sleep.

Manage Your Time & Priorities

Make the most of time management by focusing on your priorities. Don’t use time as an excuse for not following through on your dreams and living your life. 

At the very least, plan ahead the evening before by making your to-do list and prioritizing each task. Eliminate any tasks that are not essential; delay low-priority tasks to another day.

Remember: first things come first. Your life changes when you change what you do during your day.

Discourage interruptions by finding a quiet place to focus and temporarily turning off social media, phone calls, texts, and emails. 

Share your boundaries with those you know so they are aware and can support you. You’ll accomplish more in less time without unnecessary interruptions.

Start with a few minutes if you have to, but follow this plan to make consistent progress. Ten or fifteen minutes here and there add up over the course of a week. 

Conclusion

You must know your goals and why you want them to unlock your best life; be persistent and consistent. Ask yourself today, what vision do I have for my life? Where would I like to be this time next year? And what do I need to start doing or stop doing to get there? Answering these questions puts you on the road to success and unlocking your best life.  

The post Seven Steps to Unlock Your Best Life in 2024! appeared first on Lifestyle.

Negativity doesn’t just suck up precious mental space; it leaks into every area of your life, undermining your hopes, dreams, and plans. 

Pessimism and negativity are toxic to your mental health, physical health, and social health. Let’s have a look.

Mental Health

Besides making you feel miserable, negative thoughts compromise your long-term mental health. These are some consequences of letting negative thoughts occupy your mind:

• Major Depressive Disorder
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Psychosis

But even if the condition of your mental health doesn’t result in an official diagnosis, being pessimistic and having negative thoughts create numerous other mental health symptoms. Some of these include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Low self-esteem
• Perfectionism

Whenever a negative thought invades your mind, use your will to shift your focus to something positive and hopeful, like a blessing or a promise in the Bible or finding something good in someone.  

Physical Health

Your mind exerts a powerful influence over your body, probably more than you realize. How you think and the quality of your thoughts impact how healthy your physical body is. These are examples of how negative thinking can affect the body:

• Increased risk of diagnoses such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure
• Decreased immune system strength
• Healthier weight
• Healthier blood sugar levels

There’s something to the old adage “mind over matter.” You can use the power of your mind to manage the body’s physical reactions to external stimuli.

Negative thinking and a pessimistic imagination will always make your physical well-being and health outcomes worse. So, even if the situation seems bleak, put the odds more in your favor by focusing on something positive. 

Social Health

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to have a healthy and happy relationship when it’s filled with negativity and pessimism? Negativity ruins relationships.

Indulging in negative thinking tends to blind you to the positive experiences and good in others. And when you see something good, it’s stained with skepticism or cynicism.

Worse yet, negativity and pessimism can make you see things that aren’t even there, causing you to believe things about the other person that aren’t true. Unfortunately, assumptions are made, or devastating scenarios are created in your mind that make you think and behave in ways that damage the relationship, sometimes irreparably.

Negativity and pessimism can make you overly sensitive to jokes and comments because you take them too personally. This negativity damages your trust and connection with the other person and causes you to treat others negatively. Examples of social relationships that can be affected include:

• Your marriage
• Romantic partners
• Friends
• Family members
• Coworkers and/or supervisors
• Neighbors
• Teammates and hobby club members
• Classmates

How to Let Go of Negative Thinking

People only change when they want to or have to, like when diagnosed with a severe disease that requires them to change their lifestyle habits. 

Therefore, the first step in detoxing your mind from negative thoughts is to create the desire and motivation to overcome negativity and pessimism by replacing it with positivity and optimism. 

Desire is key. Without desire, you will never change your habit of thinking.
It will take effort and commitment on your part. But as long as you’re consistent and persistent, you’ll make it. 

Try these tips for overcoming negative thinking and pessimistic thoughts:

• Keep a journal: List your negative thoughts and emotions daily. Why put them on paper? Because it gets them out of your head and keeps them from lingering in your mind.

• Play Detective: Look at your list of negative thinking for patterns and clues of underlying causes that need attention and healing.

• Schedule a time of day to review negative thoughts. The last thing you want is to obsess about your negative thoughts the whole day. Scheduling a time to process your negative thoughts frees up your mind to make the most of your day instead of wasting precious mental energy on endless problems and negativity.

• Acknowledge negative thoughts when they occur and replace them with positive ones. For example, instead of beating yourself up for being late, be thankful that your friend is willing to be flexible.

• Be intentional about receiving and giving love and positivity.

• Take care of your physical health. Remember the powerful mind-body connection. Taking care of one takes care of the other.

• Use Bible promises and positive affirmations for yourself and others. Focus on what’s possible when you and God work together as an unstoppable force. And remember to celebrate your wins no matter how small.

• Be grateful for your relationships, possessions, achievements, and opportunities.

• Avoid negative news and media. Add humor and heartwarming media to your life.

• Consider making meditation and prayer a daily habit to connect with Divine power.

Optimistic people are happier, healthier, more successful, and have pleasing personalities, attracting opportunities and like-minded people. Negative, pessimistic people are like a cold and foggy day; they repel people and opportunities. Where would you rather be, on a sunny beach or where the weather is dismal and dreary? Exactly.

Detoxing your mind of negativity and pessimism is one of the best things you can do to unlock your best life in 2024!

The post Detox Your Mind: The Importance Of Letting Go Of Negative Thoughts appeared first on Lifestyle.

Clean slates and fresh starts inspire us to dream. Each New Year, we imagine the kind of life that might be ours. The promise of change fills us with hope as we get excited about the possibilities.

People promise themselves that this is the year everything changes: out with the old and in with the new. Gym memberships soar, cupboards are cleaned out, and new standards for romantic relationships are set. 

Who doesn’t want to be healthier, happier, and wealthier than the year before? But it takes focus, resilience, dedication to the monotonous, and sheer will to make it happen.

A new you in the new year is possible, but how much do you want it? How much comfort are you willing to give up to create the life of your dreams? Dreaming is easy. Doing, well, that’s the hard part. 

Change starts with reflection

Reflect on where you are in this season of life and consider where you want to be. Imagine ways to use your time and energy to make things better, more fun, and more meaningful. Decide what you must give up to gain what you want most.

There’s a lot of truth to the old adage: No pain, no gain. In Arnold Schwarzenegger’s words, “Hard work works.”

What Worked in 2023?

Spend time reflecting on what worked for you in 2023. What did you do that support your health, relationships, career, and dreams? What results are you pleased with? 

Does anything stand out in particular? Were there any meaningful experiences with friends or loved ones?

Were there any special moments with your children or family that you want more of in 2024?

Being mindful of what you appreciate about 2023 can help you bring them into 2024 and inspire you to live by design instead of default.

What crashed and burned in 2023?

Not everything about 2023 was ideal. Certain things were probably a disaster. 

Were you overwhelmed by an activity or assignment you thought you’d enjoy but was a total waste of time and energy?

Did any relationships crash and burn? If so, why?

If you’re married, what were some highs and lows, and what made the lows low?

Do you have personal standards that must be changed or any values you must add?

Missing the mark can be painful. But pain can be the best teacher ever.

As you reflect on the flops of 2023, what are some things that were so bad, disappointing, or painful that you say, “No more!” going into 2024?

What was missing from 2023? 

If you could do 2023 again, what was missing that you’d surely add next time? 

What would you do differently? What would you say “yes” to more often because it fills your life with more of what brings you true joy, and what, or to whom, would you give a hard “no” because it subtracts from your happiness instead of adding? 

Your 2024 Pep Talk

Remember your value going into 2024. Don’t sell yourself short by settling for less than you KNOW you deserve in 2024. 

Toxic activities must go, along with toxic people, energy stealers, and dream killers.

You’ve outgrown certain activities, relationships, and standards. 

Reflecting on 2023 while fresh in your mind is an excellent way to ensure 2024 will be better and help you stick to your vision when things get hard, and you’re tempted to give up on yourself and your dreams. 

May 2024 be the year you leave behind all the things that steal life and joy from your soul and unlock your best life!  

The post How To End 2023 To Unlock Your Best Life in 2024! appeared first on Lifestyle.

Norman Vincent Peale said, “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.”

How often do we seek praise over criticism? While no one likes being criticized, a critique can be a gift, depending on how you see it and what you do with it. 

Here are four ways to make criticism build you up instead of tearing you down.

Create Emotional Space Between Yourself and the Comment

Criticism can hurt your feelings and make you angry. It’s easy to get defensive and lash back, so you must create some emotional space between you and the critical comment. Why? To gain objectivity.

Becoming offended immediately gets you nowhere. 

The philosopher Epictetus said, “If someone in the street were entrusted with your body, you would be furious. Yet you entrust your mind to anyone around who happens to insult you and allow it to be troubled and confused. Aren’t you ashamed of that?”

Don’t let someone take charge of your thoughts and feelings with their words of criticism or praise! Don’t allow yourself to be easily manipulated like an animal being led around on a leash. 

Look at it this way: someone’s opinion only has the power you give it; you decide what impact their words will have on your life. You get to decide how YOU will feel about the matter; letting other people manipulate or control you with their words is dangerous and unwise. 

Creating emotional space between you and your self-worth and what people say is a powerful tool to help you navigate the minefield of social opinion and the societal pressure that can often lead to disapproval and rejection if you don’t conform or comply with their views and beliefs.

Let Life Educate You

Transform criticism into a learning experience; let life educate you. Learning from every experience is empowering because you maintain control of your life; no one else gets the privilege of being behind the wheel. 

Must you agree with what people or pay lip service to their “intelligence?” No. But you can be grateful because every interaction is a teaching moment. When someone criticizes you, it’s a great learning opportunity. 

Because of the emotional space you’ve created between yourself and their comment, you can evaluate what they’ve said to see if there’s anything useful to learn. This growth mindset transforms encounters from defeats to victories that support your life. 

Be Patient With the Process

Pride is a stumbling block to learning; humility goes a long way. 

No one is perfect or has “arrived; we’re all works in progress. Instead of feeling attacked, embarrassed, or belittled when someone criticizes you, remind yourself that you’ve embraced this process of examining what people say because you’re committed to growing and improving. 

Embrace the process of creating space and evaluating what people say because you might find something beneficial. Listen, evaluate, keep what’s helpful, and delete what isn’t; grow and move forward. 

Criticism and Creativity

Criticism can create new perspectives that lead the way for innovation. What if you saw criticism as feedback instead of rejection? Truth is, you choose whether to accept or reject criticism; the final say is yours. 

For example, when someone raises objections or points out problems in a proposal or presentation, their comments might ignite your thinking to see new ideas or solutions. Why not give yourself the opportunity for expanded thinking? 

According to Harvard Business Review, there’s a sweet spot in criticism that recognizes the flaws in something without discarding the idea altogether. They refer to this process as “yes, but, and.” In this scenario, the “yes, but” portion presents the issue with a presented idea, while the “and” part presents potential solutions.[1]

This approach allows leeway for criticism to be evaluated to find solutions and improvements before discounting it altogether because we feel offended or rejected.

Final Thoughts

Ideally, it would be nice if people were more considerate of other’s feelings and perspectives when doling out their constructive criticism. It would make communication more effective and create better outcomes. But even when that isn’t the case, we can make the most of the situation by embracing this process.  

Being criticized can be positive, even if the critic has questionable intentions. When we choose to evaluate their comments to see if there’s anything we can learn for our growth or improvement instead of taking them personally, we’ve created a productive encounter and reduced the sting of criticism.  

This approach to criticism is freeing and empowering! Criticism can be something that shuts you down or something you use to unlock your best life! 

References:
1 Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2019/07/why-criticism-is-good-for-creativity.

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