Tell Me I Was Dreaming

Is this really happening... it has to be a dream; these are words born in the state of confusion that ensues when suddenly we wake up and realize they are gone. Gone is a lonely, desolate word delivering a cold harsh reality with awful finality. Gone carries the sound of the human heart breaking into pieces. It invites us to cover our heads and go back to sleep, back to yesterday when nothing was changed. Regardless of how strong and competent you may be the loss of someone you love is accompanied by a host of fears.

Will you make it through this, will your world ever be the same again, will you ever stop hurting, or how can life ever be the same again? These are the fears that accompany a profound loss. Somehow diving back under the covers to dream time is a natural response. And why not; we heal when we sleep. This kind of traumatic change inflicts deep wounds, the kind we can't see but can never stop feeling. We instinctively run to the place where the pain stops, even momentarily. There is a need to return to sleep where we can once again touch the one who is gone.

For those who have experienced a profound loss, they know this is true. When we sleep those barriers born of 'good common sense' are down. When we dream we touch that which has gone, seeking answers that haunt us. We pray it was just our imagination telling lies, maybe they didn't really say goodbye; we need to ask those haunting questions, 'Can you hear me, are you OK, are you in pain, did you know how much I loved you; do you know how much I hurt?' These are a few of the answers we are seeking; we have to know, seemingly because we cannot go on until we do. And so we sleep until we find the truth, and there where our filters and bias are gone we find our answers. We don't really need an affirmation; we just know we have made the connection and learned the truth. We are fully awake again, wobbly, but able to test the road forward and learn to navigate without them. It really happened, it was not a dream.

There is no painless way to lose a loved one. It is a unique experience for everyone. No one can do more than understand your pain. Everything else is personal, as it should be. It is a broken road to travel yet in some odd way your grief protects you, forcing you to go slowly and see every option before you. This is necessary and helps you to see more clearly as you choose the right turn for you, onto a new path and a new future. It may never be pain free but you will always be more aware of how important today is and how comforting memories will always be. There is a startling clarity in creating new memories because you understand how important it is to capture and hold them close.

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Get Self Confidence in 5 Steps

It is important to be confident. Being confident, means to be secure in who you are and being certain in the decisions you make. Being confident in your abilities means that you are positive about yourself and it is this self confidence that make other people have trust on you. More sure you are about your skills, will make other people have more confidence on you. Self confidence goes a long way. From seeing everything in positive light, self confidence helps in career as well as life opportunities.

Every person is not born with the skill of self confidence but it is ability that can be groomed with a little dedication. Here are 5 pointers for boosting your confidence in yourself:

Concentrate on Positivity

Revaluate your life and take a break from the people who take you and your self confidence to a low. Try focusing on the solutions rather than the problems. Even if there is nothing going right, keep in mind that one day it will. Stay positive and concentrate on the silver lining in the dark clouds. It's your life and to enjoy it you have to stay positive and let go of negativity and negative people around you. Remember that after every rainy day, sun comes out.

Change in Body Language

It is said that people takes more cues from non-verbal language that is body language rather than verbal language. It is very necessary to have a good and agreeable body posture that shows your confidence. The straightforward task of pulling shoulders back provides a sense of confidence to you and lets other person see that you have confidence in your own abilities. Smiling and maintaining eye contact makes the other person comfortable around you.

Never Accept Failure

Don't accept failure and never give up. The act of accepting the failure shows that you can be easily defeated by your defeats and have no confidence in yourself. Follow the old saying of "Try and Try again and Never Quit". More you get challenged by a particular problem work hard and make sure that you try and complete the task. If you are continuously knocking yourself down with your negative thoughts, you are becoming what you are sermonizing within your head. Next time you think negatively, substitute it straight away for a positive assertion.

Always Be Prepared

Whether you go out for a job interview or you are working on a new project, learn to be always prepared. Discover everything, there is to know about your line of work, work, projects and more. Whatever maybe on your "to conquer" list, it is important that you always be prepared for all the setbacks and triumphs. If you are geared up, and have the skill to back it up, your self confidence will rise.

Create Accomplishment List

Life is full of trials and there are times when it's hard to keep our self confidence up. In those times, sit down and make a list of all the points in your life that you are thankful for and list of all the things you are proud of accomplishing. Once your lists are complete, keep them by your desk and always be reminded of what a marvelous life you have and what an incredible person you really are.

With these five steps, you can boost your self confidence and turn a new page of your life. Remember have trust in your abilities and your self confidence will show.

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I Don't Like Me When I'm Angry

I have to admit, I get angry at times. There are moments when something happens or someone does something, and I get upset. I'm human. Anger is a normal emotional response to things. If you have ever met someone who says they do not get angry ever, then they are probably not being honest with themselves.

However, when I was younger, I would hold onto my anger in a righteous manner. I would almost feed my grudge until it was larger than it originally was. It would take my energy for days and ruin my mood and even affect those around me. The worst part was, when I would run across the person who had so upset me to begin with days or weeks later, they were usually fine and going on with their life. I was the one who was stuck in the black hole of my own negativity.

We are all composed of energy. And unfortunately, negativity seems to affect us more easily and longer than positivity. That is, it tends to take more positivity and more awareness on our part to focus on the positive to combat all the negativity that is around us every day. This is even more vital if we are creating and feeding that own negativity within ourselves.

The Buddha is quoted as saying, "Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Holding onto anger truly only affects the one holding onto it. The other people can choose to move on with their lives, but in order for you to, you must let it go. This is not always easy but once you do, you will be amazed at the freedom and lightness that will come into your life. Let go of the anger and free yourself from the poison.

1) Are you holding onto any grudges right now? If so, it's time to let it go. Realize it is in the past and focus on the positive.

2) The next time you get upset, allow yourself to feel it but then let it go. Do not feed the anger or keep making it bigger in your head. Remember, not everything will go your way all the time and that is okay.

3) For the next 21 days, wake up each morning and say one thing you are grateful for. Throughout the day, focus on that positive thing.

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Three Steps to Beating Stress

The body's natural flight or fight response to stress is designed to protect vital functions from attack until the threat is gone. It does this by pumping hormones into the blood stream, mainly cortisol. The boost in cortisol helps to heighten your alertness and shift energy to essential bodily functions, temporarily. One of the functions that has energy removed from it during stressful periods is the digestive system. The body slows down the energy required to process and digest food in the digestive tract until the stress period is over.

You may have experienced unpleasant reactions, like stomach aches and diarrhea, in your gut in response to immediate stresses. If you remain in a heightened stressful state over a long period, the elevated cortisol levels and stress-response systems can cause significant damage to your body. Stress can also make existing digestive problems worse, leading to more abdominal pain, nausea and heartburn. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in five Americans has a common and very uncomfortable digestive malady, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which produces pain, bloating and sometimes diarrhea and constipation.

Many of these digestive problems appear to react or to become more pronounced in response to stress events. The continuing discomfort can affect your mood and it can affect your health. In addition to IBS, you may experience indigestion as another disorder affected by stress. Feeling bloated and wanting to throw up for no apparent reason may be a symptom of a stress response. When the stress is gone, these symptoms disappear. You may also experience heartburn as the stomach may cause the stomach to produce more acid. If your diet contributes to heartburn issues, stress can only make it worse.

When your digestive processes are disrupted, you may create an unbalanced bacterial population, starting in your stomach. This can lead to a growth of the bacteria that lead to ulcers and may worsen ailments where inflammation or infections are present, such as Crohn's disease. Sustained stress can result in a variety of undesirable physical and functional disorders. While all of this is occurring, your body's immune system is compromised for two reasons. The heightened cortisol levels helps to suppress your immune system as part of the stress response. A poorly functioning digestive system will not be able to extract nutrients from your food, which further degrades your body's ability to remain strong and cope with the stress.

It is not possible to avoid all stress-producing events. Life goes on around us and we feel as if we are on a roller coaster with emotional ups and downs with each new turn. However, we can take some important steps to keep our bodies working optimally by reducing the stress levels and improving our ability to recover from these events. The first thing to think about is a walking timeout. Whenever possible, at the first sign of stress, try to take a walk of no less than ten minutes. Exercise helps to re-balance your hormones and keep you on an even keel. Walking near trees and grass will further stimulate positive reactions in your brain, which will help you to relax.

Next, make sure your diet is packed with a diverse range of nutrient rich vegetables, fruits and proteins. Remove processed sugars and starches from your diet as much as possible. The excess sugar helps to promote inflammation and digestive issues. Finally, add a good multi-species probiotic to your diet, including plain sugar free yogurt or kefir to help boost the population of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system. Exercise and nutrition will go a long way to helping you manage stress, and keep your system working through the next events that are bound to come.

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10 Habits Of Fit And Healthy People

Have you ever met anyone who is a health fanatic? Maybe they rarely touch dessert or fried chicken, or they go to the gym every day. Maybe their favorite lunch includes a whole grain bread sandwich with sprouts and a wheat-grass juice chaser? Possibly they don't engage in unhealthy behaviors like, smoking or excessive drinking?

There are people who live by a strict code of health that of course includes regular exercise and a healthy diet.

These people never miss a checkup, they stay up to date with all the latest medical news and take great care to follow their doctor's orders.

What sets these people apart?

Taking care of themselves is their highest priority. These people take their health seriously, it is engrained in them and a huge part of who they are. They live by the code of self care, and are rarely tempted by the indulgences some of us take part in every day.

Good health really does come down to self-care that is at the core of all health conscious people, it is what drives and motivates their behavior. They care about their health, their wellbeing and living healthy lives.

Many have had this attitude their whole lives, and for some it all began in childhood with parents who role modeled positive health habits. But, in reality, anyone can adopt this attitude, even if it is not something you learned while growing up.

Good self-care can be learned and adopted at any age, and a good place to start is by learning about the 10 habits of these healthy folks who make self-care a priority.

10 Habits Of Healthy People

Habit #1: To Exercise Or Not Is Not An Option

Healthy people get exercise on a regular basis. They rarely wonder if they should go to the gym or not, they just go. They workout with gusto, some because they love it, and for some it is simply necessary for good health, a great body, disease prevention and overall wellbeing.

Habit #2: Moderation

Healthy people understand moderation. They don't eat whole bags of chips, and they do not regularly eat junk food or unhealthy sweets. They have accepted that these foods are not conducive to their health and they are simply not a regular diet choice.

Healthy people enjoy an occasional indulgence, but, instead of eating a whole slice of cake, they eat one or two bites. Some may occasionally order French fries, but it is only on a rare occasion.

They pay attention to portion sizes and avoid mindless eating that can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Their typical diet is filled with healthy whole foods that support their health, improve their energy levels and prevent chronic disease.

Habit #3: Setting Priorities

Health conscious people know how to set priorities. They don't look for excuses to skip a workout, instead they make those workouts a priority, even if that means skipping an evening out, or postponing some other activity that interferes. Exercise always takes priority on their daily schedules.

Habit #4: Goal Setting

Healthy people set goals that they wish to achieve. Whether it is to maintain a certain weight, or to lift a certain weight, or to improve some aspect of their fitness and health level, they set goals and plan what needs to be done to achieve them.

Habit #5: Set Time For Relaxation

Healthy people set aside time for relaxation and plan activities that help them to de-stress. They understand that self-care is not only about the things you do, but also about things you don't do. Too much work, the hustle and bustle of life and everyday tension that results from a busy lifestyle must be counteracted with enough relaxation so that stress does not become an impact on good health.

Healthy people understand that relaxation is a reset button and they take the time to push that button regularly.

Habit #6: Stay In Touch With Their Bodies

Healthy people are in touch with their bodies, they pay attention to what their body and also their mind needs as they strive for optimal health and wellness.

Habit #7: Social Relationships

Healthy people strive for healthy social interactions and inter-personal relationships. They know that their emotional state and overall fulfillment plays a key role in their health.

Habit #8: Sleep

A big part of self care is getting enough sleep every single night and health conscious people strive to do so because it helps them to be healthier and function at their very best throughout the day.

Habit #9: No Addictions

Healthy people don't engage in addictive behaviors, including, smoking, illicit drugs and excessive alcohol use.

Habit #10: Preventative Care

Healthy people get regular preventative health screenings, as well as, preventative care. They visit their doctor and get tests like those for cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes.

They get regular physicals, mammograms, testicular exams and pap smears to ensure there are no issues that need their immediate attention.

They also engage in regular preventative care, like visiting the dentist for cleanings and eye care specialists for eye exams.

How About You?

Simply implement these habits into your life and you too can become healthy and fit!

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Staying Firm With Your Life Goals

Be Serious About Your Goals

Life is not a game. And you don't have time to waste.

If you want to succeed in life you have to take your life seriously. Most of you walk around in life dabbling without a purpose, without a focus, just walking aimlessly in life. This is not you, so stop doing that.

You are different.

The reason you are reading this article because you want a better life for yourself or perhaps want to transform your self, your life, your car, your house, but something in your life you want to change now.

You are convinced that you are ready to change and will do anything in your power and resources to make that happen.

You want things to change; you want things to be better for you because let's face it you're tired of being miserable. You are dissatisfied with something in your life than you find unfair, tiring, boring, stunt-growing and angry.

You want things to change.

I know this is you; the first thing you have to do is stop complaining about your life when you have taken it for a joke.

When you're not living the life you deserve you have to analyze yourself. Perhaps you have taken your life unfavorely. When you look around at yourself you see that you lack focus, purpose and vision of whom you are.

Be Different

But I know one thing about you, this is not you. You want things to change and want things to get better. You are willing to change things around because you're tired of living a circus and you're the clown.

It's time for you to live a prosperous, happy, tranquil life that you truly deserve.

This is you. You have to be ready to make the decision that your life, your desires, your dreams are not a joke anymore.

When you become serious about whom you are and about what you want to accomplish; everyone else will help you and respect you because you're serious about who you are and where you want to be. Earn the respect and recognition you deserve.

Goals are not attracted to clowns, they are attracted to people who have made the decision to achieve the best, be the best and are serious of themselves.

Changing Your Self-Dialogue

In order to be happy, peaceful, persistent or successful in life it's about the self-dialogue you hear or tell yourself. Change it and life will change. Self-dialogues are amazing and effective when you believe in them.

Start with this:

Your dream, your desires, should make you tremble so vividly through your body convincing you that what you're doing in life is your life's purpose. It gives you the certainty you need in life; there should be no room for doubt.

As you journey through your life you must get certainty of what you want; sure of what you need and be sure it belongs to you. You deserve it. This is all that you should tell yourself on a daily basis.

And as you things these thoughts, you have to remind yourself again and again of telling yourself that there is no room in your mind for any negativity such as fear, doubt, quitting. You must not poison your mind.

The only thoughts springing out of your mind should be ideas that will get you where you want to be. You have a dream to achieve, a goal to acquire and a need of changing something in your life. This should be your only sole focus, nothing else.

Remember we do not have time to waste. Life is not a joke anymore. We have to stop wasting our valuable potential energy only in thoughts that will help us grow.

Distinguish Your Self From The Rest

We are different.

You are different. Your thoughts should be too. Only those that accomplish goals in life are those who dare to be different from the rest. They are the one's where fear does not exist in their thoughts because they think different. Their mind has transformed itself differently. Mutated perhaps.

The only way you'll get there is by feeding thoughts, ideas and images that will help you build a big archive of only self-growth ideas.

Ask yourself "What thoughts do you need to help you grow?"

It's one thing. Do not tolerate any longer mediocrity. This is a thought you have to believe and carve in your mind.

What is what thing you have in common with successful people? It's the ability of believing that we deserve better than mediocrity.

Let me explain, you have to train your mind that most successful people out there are enjoying themselves because they have tolerated little, unhappy with some part of their life and decided to do something about it. They decided no longer to tolerate their low paying job because they know it will get them nowhere, they move away from toxic relationships, change their beat-down jalopy. They change themselves.

They changed it. They are the type of people whom don't tolerate mediocrity anymore. This has to be you too.

The reason you're angry at life is not external. This anger is against you for not taking the initiative to do anything about it. You have to be willing to do something some thing, fight for it; do what you must. I mean anything! Do at least some thing even if you look like a fool.

What will motivate you to take action is believing that you are put in this earth to live life at it's fullest.

You must have the thought that you love life.

Things will change.

Motivate yourself to pursue your dreams, your goals, appreciate the opportunities that life is giving you to change. Change will be given to those who decide to love life.

This is you.

When your mind is with different thoughts you will no longer settle for mediocrity. You decided to be different. Do not get comfortable with a poor unbearable life. Change now.

Start today.

When you finally had enough that is when you will change. This is when you will open your eyes, see how much you deserve to live and more. It's the turning point in your life when you realize that you are different, want more out of life and it's time to live that life you deserve. It starts by being a new you; a new beginning.

To finish this off you have to create thoughts and believe in them. You deserve them. Believe in them. You are worth more than you believe. Change your thoughts now and you'll thank yourself later.

Give yourself thoughts and things that will make you happy.

Say to yourself, "I need to give myself those thoughts to make me happy".

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Don't Let Life Happen to You

Don't Let Life Happen To You

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. - Marcus Aurelius (121-80 AD, Roman Emperor, Philosopher)

It's hard to believe that we are nearing the end of another year. As I write this, snow is falling in Colorado, the makings of a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner are in the kitchen, and our newspapers are filled with holiday ads. The end of the year always tends to be a time of reflection as we look back on the accomplishments of the past year and look forward to a new year. It's also a time to reflect on our lives and ensure that we are living the life we want.

It's easy to look at ones life and be content with where you are. You have a good job, a spouse or significant other, children, a nice car, and all of the trappings of success. Clearly you are well on your way to success. But the real question is, are you happy with what you are doing?

No, this is not an article about the spiritual side of your life. Normally these articles focus all of the attention on management and leadership concepts that you can use to shape your career, improve your performance, and move up the ladder of success. But as we enter a new year it is important to take a step back and make sure that the path you are on is the right path for you.

You see life has a way of just happening to people. Your first job tends to be the job that you were first offered, in an industry that may or may not really interest you, doing what you may or may not have a real talent in. Your career then tends to grow from there. You get promoted or change companies, but tend to stay with what you are familiar with and what you have done in the past. Months turn into years and at some point in time you find that you are on a career path that you never really intended to be on at all. It may be a great, wonderful career path doing all of the things that are important to you, or it may be a path where you have had some successes, but don't find inspiring.

In short, your life has been on autopilot. That is when you know that life has happened to you.

You didn't plan to be where you are. And while you are not unhappy with where you are, you are not happy with it either. It does not speak to your inner being.

The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. - Richard Leider

As you sit down in the coming weeks to plan your new years resolutions, take a few extra minutes to think about where you are in your life and where you are in your career. If you have not made a life plan in the past, start one now. Identify your core values. Identify what is important to you in life and in your career. Figure out were you want to be in 10 years and make sure your current path will take you there.

Your life is a fairy tale, with the journey unscripted. Take control of your life and write your own script. Understand your desires and passions and build a plan for your life that will be a source of happiness and pride. It may be in management and leadership. It may be in the arts. But whatever it is, make sure that you control your life and that your life does not just happen to you.

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Dream, Believe, Achieve

Dream.

Dreaming is for everyone; for you and for me. There aren't any age restrictions; you are never too old or too young to dream. There aren't any limitations; it's never too late or too early to dream. Dreaming keeps you going; it is something that you are looking forward to reach, each and every day, someday. Your status, gender and age don't restrict you from dreaming more. It doesn't matter if it's simple or extravagant, big or small, a dream is a dream. It is everyone's right to have one; yours and mine, and no one has the right to judge someone regarding their ambitions in life. Dreams make every sole individual's core being; your core being, the fulfilment of it is everyone's goal in life; your goal in life. Every day everyone strives and works hard to reach these dreams, including you. There might be some instances wherein you face some hindrances but don't ever let anyone or anything delay you or stop you from grabbing hold of your dreams.

Believe.

They say it's hard to believe, to trust, and to remain loyal to something, wherein you have invested all your effort and time, and still nothing happens. But you have to keep in mind that for something to actually happen you have to acquire the right amount of effort, time and the most important of all, patience. Like for example you want to change your life, you want to earn more money, these scenarios don't happen in a flash nor overnight, it takes time to do this; do you think Bill Gates became the richest man in the world right after creating Windows? No he didn't. He worked hard and believed in himself that he can do it, that's why he is where he is right now. Don't ever say that you have done everything that you have given everything and you have nothing left. Nothing is never enough, before saying that you have had enough, ask yourself first, 'Have I really given everything I have? Am I really giving up now when I have already put so much effort in it?' If you answered 'No', then don't stop, continue to give more and believe in yourself that you can do it, be confident and trust yourself. Don't let anyone or anything push you down, walk over you and intimidate you. No one is ever better than anyone. Believe in what you can do, not what just other people tell you what you can do. Do not let other people limit your abilities. You know yourself better than them, don't listen to what they say instead listen to yourself, your inner self, start believing.

Achieve.

Everyone wants to achieve their dreams and goals in life, who doesn't anyway? But in order to achieve anything and everything you want, you have to possess the right attitude. Even if you have all the abilities in the world, without the right attitude, you are going nowhere. You may be able to achieve what you want but with just a matter of time you'll lose it. Once you achieve your dreams and goals in life, always keep your feet on the ground, never look down on others, bear in mind that you were once in their shoes. Don't ever forget where you came from and remember the people who helped you in reaching and achieving your dreams.

Keep dreaming. Keep believing. It might take a little while to get what you want but when you achieve it, every single drop of sweat, endless effort and time will be wiped away by the happiness and fulfillment it brings and for sure you will say to yourself, 'It was worth it!'

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7 Keys to Unlock Your Potential - Now!

The difference between who you currently are and who you want to be in life comes down, at least initially, to your mindset in life.

Initially, this mindset is what kick starts you in the morning and all during the day.

You eventually become what you think you are!

The internal conversations that you are continuously having with yourself every moment of every day will become the driving force on who you actually end up becoming in life.

It is the driving factor behind every success and failure in life.

Below are 7 magical mystical keys that will help unlock your potential and guide you on the path to where you want to be.

1. Goal Setting

Don't settle for anything less than the best outcome here. Set your goals HIGH and don't stop until you reach them. Knowing what the final outcome is will motivate you and also allow you to track how far you've come.

2. Self Trust.

Being successful, no matter how you define success, is having the belief in yourself and your capabilities. Success is created by YOU. Expel the negative thoughts and voices regardless of the current situation. You alone can determine your worth and value. Believe, believe and Believe!

3. Patience

Sometimes moving forwards on something actually takes patience. This should not be taken as being the same as standing still. Standing still and procrastination will not get you any further along the road than where you currently stand.

4. Focus.

This is one of the hard ones. It's actually very easy to be focused when you first begin something new. Keeping that razor sharp focus takes discipline.

Discipline and focus are the middle layers to get you from where you currently stand to where you want to be.

5. Courage!

Another tough one. Fear has a nasty habit of showing its ugly face when you least expect it. Remember though, courage is not the absence of fear but rather acknowledgement of that fear and moving on regardless.

6. Positive!

I've written quite a few articles in the past regarding a positive mental outlook on life.

Set your mind to positive and expel the negativity from your life.

Remember the reasons that you want to do this and ensure that you keep these in mind. Print out a mood board, goal board or whatever other inspiration you require and look at it as many times as possible.

That's your goal - YOUR LIFE.

7. Learn and Adjust.

Not everything in your life will go as planned. Don't treat failure as anything other than another learning curve. Don't make that same mistake again and you will grow.

I hope these 7 points have at least a small impact on your life - in truth, I hope that they help you achieve everything that you actually want out of life.

It's YOUR life - LIVE IT!

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Do You Find Yourself Always in a Bad Mood?

Do You Find Yourself Always in a Bad Mood?

As human beings, it's common knowledge that we will have our downs as well as our ups and our bad moods as well as our good moods. Unfortunately, some of us find ourselves feeling down in the dumps most of the time. Our default mood is bad. We rarely feel good, content or happy.


When this is the case, chronic bad moods can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Speaking with a registered counselor or therapist using online services can be a highly effective manner of dealing with your bad moods.

Re-think your diet

We are what we eat, quite literally. When we eat a diet of poor food staples, we feel rubbish and this can directly influence our moods. Check your moods; do you regularly feel fatigued, lethargic, depressed, and anxious or down? If so, opt for plentiful amounts of fruit and vegetables, eat plenty of pulses and grains and choose lean meats. Avoid over-eating as this can make people feel bloated and grumpy. Under-eating can leave us feeling panicked and anxious.

Get out and about

The body craves movement. When we move, our bodies release endorphins which boost our feel good factor. Many of us now lead sedentary lives which is bad for us in every sense of the word; bad bodies, bad health and bad moods! Move as much as you can. A general rule of thumb is to try to walk 10,000 steps a day. You can buy a pedometer to count your steps as you go about your day.

Confront what's really bothering you

When we feel bad, there is usually an underlying reason why. Perhaps it is because we are battling with depression or anxiety, we hate our jobs, our commute is too long, we are worried about money or we feel generally unfulfilled. A bad mood tends to be a symptom of a larger problem. Sometimes bad moods can be triggered by lifestyle factors; do you get enough sleep? Do you spend two hours in traffic? These things can build up over time.

Sleep

When we sleep we refresh our bodies and minds. If you sleep poorly, oversleep or don't sleep enough, you might be putting yourself in a bad mood without meaning to. Try to get a decent night's sleep. Leave technology out of the bedroom and make sure that there is no excessive light or noise to disturb your rest.

Meditate

Meditating for just 10 minutes a day can make a radical difference to the way that we feel. The purpose of meditating is to sit or lay in a comfortable space whilst letting your thoughts pass you by. You might choose to meditate in the mornings, throughout your day or before you sleep. There are many forms of meditation so choosing one that suits you is vital.


Consult the professionals: If you've tried the above and your bad moods aren't fading, maybe it's worth consulting the professionals. Licensed counselors and therapists offer online counseling to those who require further help in a discreet, confidential and utterly professional manner. Using all of the above methods in tandem will help you lessen the frequency and intensity of your bad moods.

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