Top 15 Ways to Protect Your Wellbeing by Being Kind to Yourself

How do you react when you’re faced with circumstances beyond your control or you fall short of your own expectations? Kind to Yourself

You might be tempted to become harsh with yourself. You try to whip yourself into shape, thinking that will help you to overcome the obstacles in your way.

In reality, treating yourself with kindness and compassion is more likely to build your resilience and clarify your thinking. Kind to Yourself

Make a list of things you can do to show yourself a little love today, starting with these ideas.

Kind Habits That Protect Your Physical Wellbeing: Kind to Yourself

1. Stay active. Exercise lowers your risk for heart conditions, diabetes, stroke, and many other serious health issues. Design a program you can do at home to train for cardio fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance.

2. Eat whole foods. Fill up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Minimize your consumption of ultra-processed foods.

3. Drink water. In addition to its other health benefits, water helps keep your eyes, mouth, and nose moist so you may be less tempted to scratch your face. Quench your thirst with plain water or unsweetened tea.

4. Sleep well. Lack of sleep can make you more vulnerable to infection and illness. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of slumber each night

5. Manage stress. Deal with tension constructively. Find relaxation practices that work for you. Talk with your doctor if you find yourself using alcohol or other substances to manage your moods.

Kind Habits That Protect Your Psychological Wellbeing: Kind to Yourself

1. Think positive. Look on the bright side. Savor small daily pleasures. Read inspirational texts and keep a smile on your face. Remember that hardships are temporary.

2. Set goals. Add more purpose to your life by working towards realistic and challenging goals. Use specific language and put them in writing.

3. Express gratitude. Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness. Let others know how much you appreciate them and what a difference they make in your life.

4. Give generously. Focusing on others makes your own troubles seem less grim. Share your time, money, and talents. Volunteer online for a worthy cause. Ask an elderly neighbor if they need groceries. Kind to Yourself

5. Seek support. Surround yourself with family and friends who lift you up. Share your feelings. Ask for help when you need it.

6. Repeat affirmations. Use positive statements to retrain your brain and let go of doubts that hold you back. Say your affirmations out loud several times a day. Post written copies on your bathroom mirror and other places around your home.

7. Connect with nature. Green spaces have a positive effect on our emotions. Go outside for a walk as long as you’re careful about social distancing. Open a window to let in natural light and fresh air.

8. Laugh out loud. Use humor to help you through difficult situations. Watch cat videos and email funny jokes to your friends. Play with your children or fake a chuckle until it turns into the real thing.

9. Meditate daily. Develop a regular meditation practice. Create a quiet space in your home where you can sit down each day. Start out with a few minutes at a time. You can extend your sessions gradually as your power of concentration grows.

10. Live mindfully. Remain intentional and aware in between your meditation sessions. Practice healthy posture and deep breathing. Slow down and give your full attention to one task at a time.

Your relationship with yourself serves as the foundation for a happy and meaningful life. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion, the same way you would behave toward a dear friend.

Kind to Yourself

8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged

The words that people say to us can have a lasting effect, leaving us feeling powerless and vulnerable.

Over time, the things that people say to us can shape our own opinion of ourselves. This can lead to a fear of being judged, which if we are not careful, can negatively impact our relationships, jobs, social situations, and self-esteem

Try these 8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged and get your self-esteem back on track:

1. Learn your strengths and limitations. Once you know your own strengths and limitations, you’ll be less likely to be affected by what others say. Their opinions on your abilities become irrelevant, since you know what you are capable of.

Have confidence in your own ability but be aware of what you cannot do.

2. Acknowledge that things do not need to be perfect. Human perfection is a myth. You can excel at your tasks without them being perfect.

Rather than focusing on any imperfections, know that you are doing the best that you can – and that your best is good enough.

3. Understand that people will always have an opinion. Some opinions will please you and others won’t. What matters most, though, is your own opinion.

4. Be aware of your inner critic. That little voice in your own head can become deafening at times, so it’s important to recognize when negative thoughts start to creep in.

Once you start to recognize what triggers these negative thoughts, you can take the necessary steps to change them into positive ones.

5. Make yourself a priority. When you allow someone else’s judgement to cloud your own perceptions, you actually give that person power and priority over your life. You can take back control of your life by recognizing that you are your priority, not them.

6. Invest in yourself. Enhance your personal growth and well-being by doing more of what you enjoy doing. Take time for self-care.

The better you treat yourself, the better others will treat you as well, thus lessening your fear of their judgement.

7. Know that your memories fade. Even though hearing someone criticize you hurts at the time, if you purposely put it to the back of your mind by thinking of something else, then the memory of this event will fade.

There is only so much room in your memory banks, so you want to ensure that you aren’t giving these negative thoughts priority over more positive thoughts.

8. Tell yourself that you are good enough. Looking squarely at yourself in a mirror and telling yourself that you are good enough can help. Practice this exercise several times each day – whenever you’re in front of a mirror.

Repeat the affirmation that you are good enough off and on throughout the day, especially when you feel doubt creeping in.

Soon, you will automatically think about how you are good enough every time you see yourself. Your self-talk will automatically start to gravitate to the positive.

Consistent, positive reassurance such as this can help overcome the fear of failure and being judged.

Before you let fear of judgement affect your life in a negative manner, try these 8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged. You’ll be glad you did!

10 Simple Ways to Express Gratitude

Being thankful to someone and showing them how grateful you are may seem like a small thing, but it can have a massive impact on someone’s life.

Can you imagine a world where everyone was grateful for the things that were done for them? Even a simple act of kindness, like a smile for example, could brighten someone’s day and make them want to help again in the future.

You can make your life – and the world – better by expressing your gratitude!

Try these 10 Simple Ways to Express Gratitude:

1. Send a note saying thank you. Sometimes it is nice to read about how thankful a person is. Taking the time to write something down rather than just sending a text message makes it more personal too.

2. Give them a hug. You can only do this where appropriate, but if you’re feeling grateful about something, it’s okay to give your family or close friends a hug. Of course, not everyone will be receptive of a hug, so ensure that you know how they are going to react beforehand.

3. Offer a free favor. Even if it is something small, do something nice for someone without expecting anything in return. Think of what the person wants or needs and do your best to help, even if it is just making a cup of coffee or doing a small chore

Actions speak louder than words, and this simple act will show how grateful you are.

4. Give a little gift. A bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates won’t cost much, but the act of giving them shows that you’ve thought about the person and that you are grateful for what they do for you.

5. Be happy for their achievements. Show someone how pleased you are with their achievement. A nice handwritten card or some flowers would be a nice thought.

6. Write a list. This will only take 5-10 minutes but will show just how much you care. Sit down with a pen and paper and make a list of 10 or more things that you love about someone. Mention the things that they do for you that you are grateful for. Send that list to them.

7. Give them public acknowledgement. Not everyone will love being made a fuss of in public, but for some, public praise would be appreciated. This works especially well if you’re the boss and those you wish to offer gratitude to are your employees.

8. Just be there. Always be available for those you care about, even when things are not going well for you. When you are supportive of others, you are showing how much you care and that you’re grateful for the times they were there to support you.

9. Surprise them with kindness. This works especially well with your partner. Surprise them with a lovely dinner or clean the house when they go out shopping. These simple tasks will mean a lot to someone, especially if they are busy or stressed with very little spare time.

10. Look for the good in every situation. You may not always feel grateful for the things that are going on in your life. Especially if you feel as though things are going wrong. However, now is the time to be most grateful.

Look for those little things that are going right for you. Focus on these positives and be grateful for them. They can help take your mind off any negatives.

Notice the little things that others do for you, even in unpleasant situations. Let them know that they made a positive difference.

10 Simple Ways to Express Gratitude. You don’t have to make grand gestures to express gratitude. Even the smallest act can show someone how thankful you are.

5 Methods to Simplify Your Life

We only have so much room in our lives. Whether it is our mental space, physical space, or calendar space, everything we do, everything we buy, and everyone we spend time with takes up this space.

When you simplify your life, you will have more time, space, and energy to do the things you actually want to do!

Try these methods to simplify your life:

1. Declutter your house. The environment you spend time in has an effect on how you feel, both physically and psychologically. If you’re wasting time looking for misplaced items or feeling overwhelmed when you open a cupboard, a change is in order.

Once you start to organize your belongings, you’ll start to feel more productive and energetic.

Start with one room and then ask yourself whether you feel better or not.

2. Lose those negative mental habits. Negative mental activities, such as feeling sorry for yourself or dwelling on the past, can carry a lot of psychological weight and leave you feeling drained.

You can clear this mental clutter by focusing on healthier thoughts, for example, gratitude, self-compassion and realistic self-talk.

If you catch yourself thinking negatively, stop yourself by taking a deep breath and reminding yourself that it isn’t helpful. Then, switch your thoughts to something that makes you feel happier.

As you practice this technique, it becomes easier and easier until focusing on the positive becomes a habit.

3. Cut out toxic people. We all have that friend or family member who only sees problems and never any solution. These negative people can take up valuable space in your life.

Avoid cutting people out of your life just because they are going through a tough time. However, it is important to set boundaries too.

Even if you don’t spend too much time together, if the time you do spend together leaves you feeling exhausted, then sometimes the best thing to do for your own mental health is to sever your ties.

4. Take control of your money. When you don’t control your money, your money begins to control you, instead. When that happens, it takes up too much space in your life.

Make the decision to take charge of your finances, create a budget, and stick to it. Once you have done this, making future financial decisions will be much simpler, and you won’t be spending as much time and energy worrying about your money.

5. Prioritize your time. Time is your most valuable resource. When you consider how much of your time you spend complaining, scrolling through social media, or just waiting for something to happen, you’ll find that you’ve been wasting many precious moments.

Instead of letting timewasters take up your space, make a schedule and do the things that matter most to you!

Make time for yourself to go for a walk, play with your children, or watch the sunset. Many simple things in life make up some of our most valuable moments. Don’t let the clutter cut these precious experiences out of your life!

Life can be complicated at times, and while it may feel as though simplifying things is overwhelming, the effort to make these changes will be well worth it.

Start off by subtracting one negative thing from your life each day. Get rid of some stuff you no longer need, try to clear some mental space, and make a little room in your calendar for yourself.

As your life becomes simpler, you won’t have as many stresses, and you’ll find yourself enjoying your life again – a joy that you may have lost little by little as your life got more and more complicated.

5 Methods to Simplify Your Life. Simplify your life and bring back your joy!

Top 10 Differences Between Successful and Unsuccessful PeopleSuccessful People

Have you ever wondered what makes your most successful friend so successful? What about your least successful friend? What’s their problem? What’s the difference between those that thrive and those that struggle?

There are several differences, and they’re quite obvious if one takes the time to look.

If you understand the differences, you can examine your own situation and gain insight into why you might not be as successful as you’d like to be. Successful People

See how successful people do things differently than unsuccessful people:

1. Their lives are defined by their goals. Unsuccessful people’s lives are defined by their fears. Most people live their life in a way that avoids their fears. Successful people make decisions based on accomplishing their goals, not avoiding their fears.

2. They apply their time toward long-term objectives. Unsuccessful people are motivated by day-to-day concerns. The average person is only concerned with making it through the next week. Successful people take action each day that will provide benefits months, years, or decades in the future. Successful People

3. They seek success. Unsuccessful people seek comfort and base their decisions accordingly. A successful person moves toward success, whether the route is comfortable or not.

4. They take responsibility. Unsuccessful people have an endless list of excuses for their mediocrity. Successful people assume responsibility for everything that goes wrong in their lives. When you take responsibility, you have the power to change your situation. Blaming others is a form of powerlessness.

5. They continuously improve their results. A successful person wants to be better than they were yesterday. Average people maintain average results and are satisfied with this level of performance. Successful People

6. They read books. Unsuccessful people gravitate toward TV and other non-value-added forms of entertainment. Reading the right books is one of the most effective ways of boosting your knowledge. Would you rather learn something new or waste your time?

7. They are comfortable with failure. Successful people might not like failure, but they can deal with it. Average people avoid failure at all costs. This is similar to the previous point on fear. An inability to deal with the fear of failure is one of the things that makes unsuccessful people unsuccessful.

8. They have a plan for the day. It’s not possible to get the most from each day unless you have a plan for it. Average people wake up and let the day decide for them what might happen. If you don’t plan your day, you’re avoiding success.

9. They surround themselves with the right people. Successful people spend time with others that help them to become better. This could be a mentor, someone they could potentially do business deals with, or simply someone they believe has the right connections. Successful People

10. They have positive, effective habits. Good brushing and flossing habits lead to healthy teeth. Good exercise and diet habits lead to health and fitness. Good success habits lead to high levels of success. What do your habits lead you towards?

As you can see, there are clear-cut differences between successful and unsuccessful people. How many of these items can you identify with? What changes would you like to make?

Which one you decide to be is up to you. Are you committed to progress or comfort? Do you have a plan for your time that maximizes your effectiveness, or do you like to fly by the seat of your pants?

The choice between success and mediocrity is up to you. Successful People

5 Ways to Program Your Subconscious Mind

It depends on whose numbers you want to believe, but roughly 95% of our behavior is beyond our conscious awareness. Your subconscious files away your memories, experiences, perceptions, and insights and maintains them far beyond the recollection of your conscious mind.

These past experiences and revelations have a tremendous impact on your beliefs, habits, and general behavior.

Programming the subconscious mind is a powerful tool for altering behavior!

Using these strategies will help you program your mind to benefit your mind, body, and soul:

1. Affirmations. Everyone is familiar with affirmations. These are positive statements that you repeat to yourself each day. Affirmations can be powerful, but they must be used correctly:

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Avoid affirmations that are clearly untrue. Your subconscious is flexible, but it’s not willing to seriously consider the ridiculous. Repeating, “I am a billionaire,” is too factually untrue to be accepted by your subconscious. “My financial situation is improving rapidly” is easier to swallow.

Use imagery and emotions to really sell it. See yourself as thin, financially successful, or selling your first novel. Generate the same emotion you would have in that situation.

Repeat your affirmations 3 sessions per day for 5-10 minutes each. Right before falling asleep, right after awakening, and any opportune time during the day are ideal times. For example, if you want to strengthen your confidence, repeat the affirmations when you’re feeling self-doubt.

2. Subliminal technology. There is software available that flashes subliminal messages on your computer screen. These programs can run all day long without your awareness. You can use the affirmations included with the software or write your own.

There are also audio programs with positive messages embedded in the music beyond your ability to consciously recognize.

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the usefulness of these programs. Since so many are available for free, there’s no harm in giving them a try for a month. See what happens.

3. Hypnosis. You’ve been hypnotized many times. You probably just didn’t view it as hypnosis. When you’re totally engrossed in a book or movie, you’re hypnotized.

Hypnosis is just a state of intense concentration with a reduced awareness of what is happening in your immediate environment. In this state, you’re more suggestible. In other words, it’s easier to influence you or to change your mind.

There are many books, audio programs, and videos that utilize hypnotic techniques. Many people find these highly effective, while others seem less impressed. Again, give it a try and determine if it’s worth your time.

4. Meditation. Meditation is a great way of concentrating your focus. Meditation creates a mental state that opens the mind to new ideas. Meditation can be learned quite effectively from books and videos. It does require practice to become skilled, so this isn’t a quick fix.

5. Visualization. If you’re good at visualizing, you can convince your subconscious of nearly anything. A convincing visualization is viewed by your subconscious as an actual experience. For example, if you visualize yourself giving successful speeches, your subconscious will become convinced this is a skill you possess.

Again, the best time to use this process is right before falling asleep and upon awakening in the morning. Visualizing is easier and more effective at those times.

We are only aware of a tiny portion of what our brain is doing at any moment.

Our brains are dealing with far too much information for our conscious mind to process. The brain is controlling body temperature, blood pressure, pulse, digestion, concentrations of various salts, neurotransmitters, hormones, and far more sensory data than we’re aware of.

The same is true for our behavior. In theory, the subconscious mind controls 95% of our behavior. It only makes sense to address this 95%. There are several ways to program the subconscious. Pick one and see what you can accomplish!