Category Archives: Mental Health

Jan5

How You Can Be Kind To Yourself In 2021

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How You Can Be Kind To Yourself In 2021

If there is one good thing about a new year, it’s that it gives you a clean slate to try something new. For some people, this is kicking bad habits. For others, it’s being more in-tune with their friends and family. This is all well and good but it’s also important to remember to be kind to yourself in 2021 too. We all know how tough the previous year was, and while there are still reverberations from 2020, it’s still possible to put yourself first for the new year:

Keep a journal:

Keeping a journal is not just a great tool to keep track of your days, it can also help you reflect and work through any problems you encounter throughout the year. This will give you the chance to recognize how insignificant such problems were, even if they seemed too much to handle at the time. A journal will also help you see how much you have grown throughout the year and give you something to look back on fondly. Ideally, you want to write in your journal every day so your memories don’t fade.

Try something new:

Humans are not designed to stand still, but many people will get to a point where they don’t explore anything new. There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable, but it can mean that you get dissatisfied with life. This is why it’s always useful to try something new, whether you want to try something you’ve always wanted, like running a marathon or losing weight, or even doing something that you’ve never done before. This could be rock climbing, dyeing your hair a different color, or testing out foods that you have never had.

Make new friends:

It’s tricky to make new friends as an adult. Everyone seems too busy, and they have so many responsibilities that it feels impossible to find the time to hang out with someone else. However, the potential for new friends is out there. You just need to know where to look. If you’re trying new hobbies, look for online communities who can advise you on whether a Shimano Tyrnos conventional reel is the right fishing tool or whether a sub-five minute kilometer is something to celebrate, which it is, by the way!

Spend more time with yourself:

One of the most effective ways to be kinder to yourself this year is to spend more time with yourself. It’s nice to hang out with friends and family, but you also need the chance to recharge and do what you want to do. It’s important to get comfortable in your own company, so put your feet up, pick out your favorite book, and relax. You’ll find that you enjoy your own company much more than you expected.

Be kind:

Some people will spend all of their time trying to be kind to others and forget about being kind to themselves. However, it is impossible to fill others’ cups when yours is empty. So, don’t be afraid to give yourself some time to recharge and be kinder to yourself. Once you feel one hundred percent, you can start thinking about helping others, too.

2021 can’t be as bad as 2020, right? Use the tips above to help you start this new year on the right foot!

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Dec15

Have You Lost Weight?

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Have You Lost Weight?

Trigger Warning – This post discusses eating disorders!

Hi everyone! Have you ever received a compliment that made you a little upset? As a recovering bulimic, I admit that I still worry about my weight a lot even though I haven’t purged in several years. So, when I was asked twice in one work day if I lost weight it definitely had me feeling some type of way – even though I don’t really do anything to work out except for a couple of short walks once or twice a week.

I genuinely hate being asked if I lost weight because the thoughts that instantly form in my mind go along the lines of “was I overweight before?” and “challenge accepted, I’ll lose more”. It is extremely triggering for me and, although I have much better coping skills now, I still have to deal with those thoughts and I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t still thinking about it.

A lot of people think that asking someone if they have lost weight could be a compliment but I know firsthand that it is anything but. I encourage all of you to really think before you ask someone that and would advise to only ask it if you know for a fact that the person is actively trying to lose weight for a healthier lifestyle. You have no idea if the person you’re asking has or had an eating disorder, an illness, or tons of stress that has attributed to their recent weight loss. What you think is a compliment could actually be harmful and has the power to hurt feelings and exasperate issues that people are currently struggling or used to struggle with.

If you genuinely want to compliment someone in regards to their weight, I would recommend just telling them that they look good. “Hey, you look nice today” has a lot less of a negative connotation than straight up asking if they lost weight. Some people might roll their eyes when they read this post as they are sick of having to “monitor” what they say. But, as writers, we all know that words have power and effect everyone differently.

I know all of the statements in this post to be true for me personally and I just wanted to open everyone’s eyes to a comment that they might not even think about before they make it. Choose your words carefully and don’t use them to cause anyone any additional stress – with the state of the world right now, I promise that we all have a lot more important things to deal with than racing thoughts about if you lost a couple of pounds. Just something to think about!

What is a “compliment” that you hate receiving? What is a compliment that you like to give to people? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Nov26

How To Enjoy A Calm Winter

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How To Enjoy A Calm Winter

Winter is well and truly on its way. In fact, it’s pretty much here. And with what’s going on in the world right now, you may find that you really don’t want to be spending too much time on anything that’s strenuous or that takes your energy away. And if that’s the case, you will be reaping as many of the benefits that a winter hibernation can offer you. At this time of the year, we don’t always want to spend too much outside or on hard activities. Instead, we want to be able to slow down and make sure that we can get through to spring feeling fantastic. To help you to do that, you may find that the ideas below will inspire you:

To get started:

Before shifting into hibernation mode, is everything on your winter checklist tended to? Garden furniture put away? Winter tires installed? Has an inspection of your heating system been completed? As the temperatures drop it is so important to get your HVAC or boiler system inspected to ensure it is in working order for the season. A company like https://heatsafeheatingltd.co.uk/ (or something similar in your local area) can inspect your boilers and repair any issues to keep your home warm and cozy all winter long. All that will be left to do is relax!

Switch off more:

To start with, one of the best things that you can do here is to make sure that you’re letting yourself switch off as much as possible. If you’re always on the go or your mind is always racing, your time won’t be calm. So try to switch off from work or the online world for a little bit if you can.

Distance yourself:

From here, you might want to try and think about keeping your distance from negativity. This may seem like a strange thing to add in as a winter practice, however, it can be really beneficial for your mind. If you know that you have a lot of toxic people in your life as you’re choosing to enjoy a few calming months, it’s good to try and keep them at arm’s length. That way, you know that your tranquillity won’t be threatened.

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Make room for calming practices:

The next thing that you might want to do is make sure that you are welcoming more calming practices into your life. You may find that you are able to feel a lot calmer throughout the colder months when you actively look to make this happen. Maybe you want to read instead of watch TV? Turn to something like Bloom Farms CBD instead of alcohol? Or quiet games nights with family rather than something rowdier? It all helps.

Treat yourself better:

Even if you think you already do this, you may not be treating yourself as well as you’d think. Are you resting? Are you looking after your body? Are you prioritizing your needs? If not, then you’re going to want to make sure that you change this. You’ll find it helps you to be a lot calmer and feel much better about yourself.

Enjoy the downtime:

Finally, you may find that it’s actually really nice for you to just enjoy more of the downtime. Winter isn’t always as fun, busy, and outgoing as summer – and it needn’t be. With winter comes the cold and dark and it’s not always the time of year that you want to be active. So just let yourself enjoy the calm and the slower pace. Do less. Relax. Be slow. Lap up all of the things you can do in hibernation before a glorious springtime comes back once again.

Ready, set, relax with the tips above and have a calm and safe winter!

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Aug25

How To Take Better Care Of Yourself

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How To Take Better Care Of Yourself

It’s not always easy to take the best care of yourself. Even though you know deep down that you need to look after your health and wellness, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, life gets in the way. And when that’s the case, you may find that you put yourself and your care to the bottom of the pile. But this is never a good idea. Because, before long, you will find that it catches up with you and you will find yourself feeling sick or run down. So, it’s important for you to make sure that you know how to take care of yourself. This can be especially important if you are feeling stressed or burned out. Here’s what you can do:

Get More Sleep:

To start with, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. It’s easy to think that you are, but it’s more likely the case that you are not. Especially if you are feeling off! However, you may find that when you sleep better, you’re going to feel great too. You will feel healthy and much better in yourself. So do what you can to make high-quality sleep your priority.

Look After Your Body:

From here, you’re then going to want to make sure that you are looking after your body as much as you possibly can. It’s important for you to keep your nutrition in check and to keep on top of your exercise. This is something that will always make you feel better in yourself. So make this a big part of your routine. If you need additional help with these steps, it can be a great idea to work with a nutritionist and visit the gym or walk regularly. Going to the gym for the first time might be a little intimidating and perhaps you could benefit from a personal trainer to show you the ropes and motivate you. If you’d like to go that route, simply enter a search for “personal trainer new jersey” (or your local area) to research the best fit for you. Focusing on your diet and exercise can make a huge difference in your mood!

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Get Your Check-Ups:

You’re going to want to make sure that you are getting yourself medically checked out too. You know that you need to see a doctor when you’re sick or for a general check up, and you have to do the same with your dentist too. So why not access their website and make an appointment. It’s something so small but it can really make a difference to your health.

Be Kind To Yourself:

It’s also important for you to make sure that you are as kind to yourself as possible. If you feel stressed or you are beating yourself up about something, it’s going to have an affect on your health. So, you need to make sure that you are working on your mental health so you can keep viewing yourself in a positive light.

Finally, you are also going to want to make sure that you’re making self care a priority. You can’t just rush through life stressed out and feeling overwhelmed – it’s not going to do anything for your health. However, if you can slow down a bit and make sure that you’re having some me time, it will really help your health. Things like taking a bath, pampering, drinking more water, having cozy evenings, and just relaxing can really help you to take better care of yourself. Enjoy!

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Jul27

Taking Care Of My Mental Health In Quarantine

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Taking Care Of My Mental Health In Quarantine

Hello! Living in a quarantine style state can be very taxing on one’s mental health. It’s hard when you can’t see your friends as often and every day outings that you used to look forward to have become a thing of the past. As someone who has struggled with depression for over a decade, I know first hand that it can be very easy to fall into a slump when you’re confined to the four walls of your home day in and day out.

So, how do I keep a positive attitude despite hardly ever leaving my apartment? A healthy mixture of the following keeps me right on track:

Scheduled Pampering:

Once a week, typically over the weekend, I always enjoy using a new face mask. I like having a “treat” that I look forward to and experimenting with different face masks is a fun and cheap way to try something new. I ordered a pack of six different sheet face masks from Amazon and got twelve in total for ten bucks. I thought it was a steal and now I have something new to try for the next several weeks. Score!

Getting Enough Sleep:

I think one of the most important things that one can do, especially if they are currently not working, is to continue with their normal sleep schedule. It is very easy to fall into the trap of staying up late and sleeping in until the following afternoon and that is not good! Try and maintain your regular schedule throughout the day as much as possible. I always find that a sense of normality makes me feel better and a good night’s sleep tends to do the trick, too. 🙂

Exercise Your Mind:

There are so many fun apps and games that are designed to make you think. Believe you me, I enjoy a video game or movie marathon just as much as the next one. But, so much mindless entertainment can leave your brain feeling mushy. Spend an hour or two a day with a good book, a crossword puzzle, or even building with LEGO. I promise that it will be a welcome break from whatever show you’re currently binging and your brain will thank you!

Talking About It:

We are all dealing with the current state of things differently because we have never experienced anything like this before. Everyone is feeling nervous and scared and those feelings can continue to fester into something debilitating if you keep it all bottled up. Have a conversation with a trusted friend or family member and voice what is concerning you or giving you anxiety. You will probably find that they have a lot of similar fears and that is usually really comforting to me and, hopefully, for you too.

With the times that we are living in right now, it is easy to let your own self care fall by the wayside. So, use the tips above and get yourself back to baseline and, then, beyond!

How have you been taking care of your mental health? What make you feel better? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul26

Four Ways To Help Bring Calmness To Your Life

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Four Ways To Help Bring Calmness To Your Life

Bringing a sense of calmness into your life can be refreshing. With the hustle and bustle of life, things tend to get a little overwhelming and it’s good to find some perspective to keep grounded. Here are four ways to help bring a sense of tranquility into your day:

Reduce Your Stress Levels:

Stress is something that can really throw you off from keeping yourself calm, and not only is it something that affects you mentally, it can also have a lot of physical impacts too. It’s important to try and find ways to reduce your stress levels where you can and try to control what stress has been created in your life that you might be able influence. If you’re finding your job is getting too stressful, make the necessary arrangements to try and find solutions to making it more bearable. Whether it’s speaking to your boss or looking for a job that is less stressful in nature. There are both big and small ways that you can help to reduce your stress levels. Look at what’s stressing you out currently and pinpoint the areas where you might be able to improve it.

Find Positive Outlets:

Positive outlets are good for controlling stress and for bringing more calmness to your life. Everyone has various outlets that keep them satisfied and happy in life. Yours might be a lot different from the next person, but that’s fine as long as they bring comfort for you. So perhaps one of these outlets might be reading a book once a week or month? It could be taking fitness classes or picking up a hobby that you’ve always wanted to try. Find something that’s going to be good for you, and the more you have, the better you’ll feel.

Keep Yourself Distracted:

Keeping yourself distracted can certainly help when it comes to bringing more peace into your life. Avoid the things that are causing the issues and find those parts in your life that help to keep you distracted. It might be trying some products from kayahempco.com or throwing yourself into work if that’s something you enjoy doing. There will always be something that can help keep you from thinking about those negatives in your life, so concentrate on what will give you that opportunity to switch off.

Surround Yourself With The Right People:

Surrounding yourself with the right people is certainly important, and there can be a lot of joy that comes from being with those you love. Spending time with people who are going to bring you up, rather than put you done will be so much better for your state of mind and promoting a more carefree lifestyle. It’s not healthy to have people in your life who are going to bring you down.

Life isn’t always calm, but can be when we focus on the things that make us happiest!

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Jul1

Redefining How You Perceive Yourself In Daily Life

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Redefining How You Perceive Yourself In Daily Life

Self-image can seem like a tertiary consideration to reflect upon, but it actually defines much of how we view the world, and how we relate to other people. For instance, if you hold very little self-confidence, everyone can seem impressive and, sometimes, others can take advantage of you more easily. If you are thoroughly narcissistic and egocentric, odds are you’ll have trouble really connecting with anyone or forming trusting relationships.

Of course, it’s rare that we are either one or the other. Personalities are complex, to the point where even the best behavioral scientists, psychologists, and neurologists haven’t and likely will never fully map out how our ‘souls’ can express themselves. But that doesn’t mean you can’t commit to personal changes that make the most sense.

Redefining how your perceive yourself in everyday life can seem like an intense challenge and reflective habit, something that we might not be very comfortable with. Yet taking small changes for the better and doing so with a sense of grace and consideration can lead to big, positive changes. For instance, what if instead of telling yourself that you’re not skilled enough, you simply thought ‘I can give this a go?’ Odds are, you’d benefit dramatically over the years.

Now, try the following to help keep the positivity flowing in your life:

Daily Affirmations:

Daily affirmations needn’t share voodoo, spiritual, or otherwise ethereal beliefs. Simply looking in the mirror and telling yourself you are powerful and are about to enjoy a great day can be enough. Telling yourself you look great in the mirror and pointing your finger-guns to confirm it can be enough. How we speak to ourselves matters, because ultimately you will begin to believe the narratives you tell yourself. If you wouldn’t allow a friend to speak to you that way, why allow yourself?

Working Towards Improvement:

Confidence can also come from working to improve yourself. For instance, if you’re obese, does that really matter if you’re now eating right and working out as you can? Obesity is just a present state, sooner rather than later you’ll be amazed at the progress you’re making. This can help you avoid feeling completely stuck in the situation you are in now. No matter what the improvement is, from taking care of your skin to losing weight or simply feeling more body-confident with well-fitting clothes, you have a sense of progression and something to be really proud of. For some, this might be emphasized with a new tattoo or a visit to SOMA surgery center for further work. This can help you feel positive about your self-image to an untold degree.

Comparing Yourself To Yesterday:

Comparing yourself to yesterday is much better than comparing yourself to someone else’s stature today. If you’re stronger and more pensive than you were last week, that’s good news. If you feel happier in that you’ve managed to achieve a life milestone, be that a promotion or starting a new relationship, it doesn’t matter that someone ten years younger than you is advising the United Nations. What matters is your own progress. Remember, you’re lapping everyone stuck on the couch!

With this advice, we hope you can incrementally redefine how you perceive yourself in daily life – all for the better.

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Jun11

Six Ways To Help Your Mental Well Being

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Six Ways To Help Your Mental Well Being

With all of the craziness of today’s world, it’s easy to let your mental health slip. But, there are always steps that you can take to help improve your mental well being, like the following:

Speak To Your Loved Ones:

It’s always good to speak to others when you’re feeling low. Social connection is something we need as humans to function. Going without speaking to anyone for a long time can definitely take its toll, and when you’re not feeling yourself, that feeling can be even worse. Communicating is important, and we all have those individuals, whether they’re friends or family, who we can trust to speak openly about anything.

Surround yourself with people who you feel comfortable with and can talk to, rather than being around people who might bring you down or make you feel like you can’t be open about certain things in your life. Pick up the phone or see them in person, whatever form of communication you use, make sure you’re doing more of it when you can.

Learn To Forgive Yourself:

There’s a lot in life that we can end up regretting, things happen and mistakes are made. However, when it comes to focusing on what we’ve done in the past, we tend to reflect more on the negatives and less on the positives. Looking at what we’ve achieved is more important than those things in life that we’d rather forget. There are also times in life where events might happen that are simply out of control. A lot of heartbreaking situations like an abortion procedure or having to deal with a difficult breakup are just a few examples where we have to learn to forgive ourselves. It’s important to understand that these things happened, and forgiving yourself is the first step to accepting it.

Of course, learning to forgive yourself can be far easier said than done and no one needs to go through this process alone. Talking to a therapist can be most helpful or a mental health treatment center can benefit those who need more intensive care. To find a center that is the right fit for you, simply enter a search for “Mental Health treatment in Woodland Hills, CA” (or your local area). Don’t be afraid to ask questions or even schedule a tour to see if their options suit your needs.

Focus On What Makes You Happy:

As you go through life, you start to understand what makes you happy. There are certainly things that you might have done in the past or you will do in the future that you feel could have been handled differently. As long as you’re learning from these experiences and putting your own happiness before others, that’s all that matters. We spend a lot of time making sure everyone else is happy but spend a fraction of that time making sure that we are happy. Self-care is a word that’s thrown about a lot nowadays, and it’s an important one. It’s important to spend more time on yourself to help give your mental well being a boost when it needs it.

Have A Healthy Work-Life Balance:

Work-life balances are something that can be difficult to perfect, and we’re all different in how we see a career. For some, work is simply a way of earning money to spend more time enjoying life. For others, it might be something that they love to do and sacrifice other areas of their life, perhaps being less sociable, for example. However, it’s important that whatever your attitude is towards work and life, it’s good to try and balance it when you can. For all of the work you do, it’s important to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The same goes for your lifestyle and that in order to have a good one, you need to work and be able to support yourself independently, even with a partner.

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Take A Digital Detox:

Digital detoxes are something that many are considering to be very important nowadays. We spend so much time on social media and technology that it can be exhausting when we don’t switch off from it. As far as your mental health goes, it can be very difficult to not compare yourself to others online. We all want to share the very best version of ourselves and not so much of the negativity. However, what that does is show a reality that’s not actually always a positive one. It can be easy to compare yourself in a number of ways to others online, whether it be to do with your looks or the amount of success someone might be having in their life compared to yours.

It’s good to take a digital detox every now and then when you can. Whether it’s a day or two, a week, or even a month. Switching off from social media can be refreshing but will also help you refocus your own ambitions and goals in life.

Consider Your Diet & Exercise:

Diet and exercise are important to stay healthy in life, but for some, it can be difficult to manage. Even with all of the hours in the day, it can be hard to exercise if you don’t have the motivation. It’s even harder when you’ve not found something that you enjoy when it comes to fitness. The same can go for your diet and enjoying food that is healthy without it being something you don’t actually like. Try to find ways of improving both where you can because eating the right foods and exercising regularly can contribute to better mental health and well being. Find sports or exercise you enjoy and try new foods to see what you like and don’t like. Don’t feel guilty for indulging every so often either!

Helping your mental health is important, and it’s something you certainly need to do a lot more of. Use these tips to help spend time on your well being and do them more when you’re struggling. See friends, keep a priority on your happiness, and take a detox when needed.

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Jun10

How You Can Feel Your Best, Every Single Day

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How You Can Feel Your Best, Every Single Day

There are some days when we wake up and we’re just raring to go. Then, there are the days when we wake up, and bleh, not today. At some periods, it feels like more or less like every morning fits into the latter category, when we really want the former feeling. While there will always be times when life isn’t all that enjoyable, there are things you can do that’ll help to nudge things in the right direction. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some tried and tested tips that’ll hopefully have you feeling your best, every single day:

Limit the Vices:

There are some things that are socially accepted but aren’t all that good for us. Take alcohol, for example. It’s so commonplace in society, yet it can have a negative effect on our overall well being. If you’re continually waking up feeling a little lackluster and without energy, then you may want to look at your alcohol intake. A couple of beers or glasses of wine a night might not sound like a lot, but they can have an accumulative effect. Try giving it up for a few weeks and notice the increase in your energy.

Start the Day Right:

You should start as you mean to go on, is what they say. If you’re starting your day chaotically, then it’ll be little wonder if you’re not feeling so great throughout the day, will it? While it can be tempting to get as much sleep as possible, there are benefits to rising early. If you have an additional hour each morning, then you can go for a run, prepare a nice breakfast, read, and leave the house feeling like you’ve already had some goodness in your life. It can be tough to make this transition (that is, to get out of bed), but after a few days, you’ll know that you’re onto something good, and will keep it part of your routine.

Handle Any Problems:

While we’d like to hope that our days will be filled with nothing but good times, this just isn’t the case, not always. There’ll be times when problems present themselves. It’s not the problems that’ll dictate the day, however, but how you respond to them. There’s a solution for everything! It’s all about being prepared. If you have the right medication with you, then you’ll be able to wrestle back control from the things that threaten to derail your day. So make sure you’re prepared. You can get chlamydia treatments online, buy some aspirin, and have anything else in your bag that you think will make your day more comfortable. When those problems present themselves, you’ll have the remedy that’ll have you back on track in no time. 

Moments of Joy:

You won’t be feeling your best if all you’re doing is going through the grind, and doing all the things that you have to do. They should be taken care of, of course, but they’re not the only things that should make up your day! There are always ways to incorporate moments of joy into your day, even when you’re just going to the office. For example, could you park a little further away from the office, and take a pleasant stroll before work? Could you treat yourself to something nice on your lunch break? These small joys might not seem like much, but adding them to your day can shift your life in a more positive direction. 

Work up a Sweat:

Sometimes, we think that all we want to do is curl up on the couch and watch Netflix. And sometimes, that is the case. But if it’s becoming the default way for you to spend your day, then it might not be doing all that much good for you. Our bodies feel good when we use them. If you’re ever feeling a little low of energy and uninspired, then one of the best things you can do is put on some running shoes and go for a jog. Fifteen minutes is enough, so long as you’re working up a sweat. You’ll feel great once you’re back and showered!

Meditation and Slowing Down:

Finally, take some time to slow down. Life can be chaotic, and if you’re not taking steps to protect yourself, then you’ll only get caught up in the chaos. Meditation is perhaps the best way to keep a sense of calm and serenity. Give it a try, and you’ll see. 

Use the tips above to keep you feeling tip top every day!

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Jun10

How To Start Moving Past A Fear Or Phobia

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How To Start Moving Past A Fear Or Phobia

When you’re dealing with a fear or a phobia, it can be a real challenge and it can even stop you from enjoying life in certain ways. No one should be held back like that, so if that’s the situation you find yourself in and you’re not sure what to do about it, you’re in the right place. There are options and techniques that can help you overcome these problems faster.

Of course, everyone is different and when it comes to psychological matters, there’s certainly no one size fits all solution that you can turn to. There are always going to be things that can go wrong and tactics that fail. But we’re going to discuss a whole range of options to try and a combination of them might just help you confront and move past your fears in life:

Take Small, Gradual Steps:

You should try to take relatively small steps when it comes to confronting your fears and phobias. There are always going to be difficulties along the way but you might end up doing more harm than good if you throw yourself in at the deep end. Small and gradual steps can help you to slowly adjust to the feeling of experiencing or being around the thing you fear. That kind of progress is positive and small steps are just as worthy of celebration as bigger ones.

Replace Negative Thoughts/Images with Positives Ones:

When you notice that you have negative thoughts creeping into your mind, you should try to replace them with more positive ones. The process of doing this is not always easy and straightforward but it certainly is something that’s worth working on. Sometimes, it really is as simple as recognizing the negative thoughts that are going through your mind and replacing them with thoughts that aren’t going to drag you down in the same way.

Don’t Demand Instant Results From Yourself:

You need to avoid the temptation to be too harsh on yourself. This is something that’s very easy to get wrong when you’re attempting to make progress with your fears and phobias. When you pile the pressure on yourself to change or to deal with your fears better, that pressure can end up making the situation worse than it already is, and that’s not what you want. Instead, you should try to be patient with yourself and don’t fall into a spiral of frustration just because things don’t change overnight.

Give Yourself Time to Think:

Sometimes, you just need to give yourself a little time and space to think things through. When you have a fear or a phobia, you often react in a very primal way. The fear is instinctive and it’s not the result of a real thought process. And that’s exactly why slowing things down and allowing yourself the time to think things through can be so beneficial to you. It allows you to analyze situations and understand if there really is a threat or whether you’re just being irrational.

Try Some Breathing Exercises:

Breathing exercises are useful when you need to calm yourself down and stop feeling so anxious about things. You should try to learn some breathing exercises and find ways to deal with difficult situations when they arise. When you take the time to breathe slowly and focus on every breath, you’ll find yourself becoming less stressed and you’ll calm down much quicker. That’s vital when you’re scared and want to start the process of overcoming that fear.

Write it Down:

Another thing that many people find helps them is the process of writing things down. This is all about processing those thoughts and feelings you’re having in a more logical and rational way. Fears and phobias tend to be quite irrational and you can work through them better when you write them down. This forces you to think about them and look at them clearly, rather than through the lens of your existing fears and phobias. It can really help in giving you the right kind of perspective.

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Learn to Deflate Situations with Humor:

When you find yourself in a difficult situation and you can feel your fear starting to mount and build up, you should try to deflate the situation with some humor. Doing this will be vital because when you can laugh, it’s hard to also feel scared at the same time. Learn to find the humor in the situation even if it feels a little uncomfortable and unpleasant for you in the moment. Once the situation deflates, you’ll feel a lot better.

Confront Past Experiences:

It’s a good idea to try to confront the things in your past that might have led to the fears that you have today. When you do this, you can be sure that you don’t carry on holding that origin story of your fears at the back of your mind. For example, if a dog bit you and you’ve been scared of dogs since, finding a dog bite lawyer and resolving the issue that’s caused you that mental trauma might help you to get closure and put the whole event behind you once and for all.

Exercises to Relieve Tension:

Finally, you should think about what you can do to relieve the tension you often feel when you’re in a situation where you’re scared and fearful. That tension can last even after the situation that’s making you scared is over. By exercises, you can release that tension and generally feel better from a mental health point of view.

When you have a fear that really stops you from doing things and achieving all of the things you want to in life, it’s time to take action. Don’t let yourself be held back or limited in any way by the things that you experience in life. Your fears can be confronted and dealt with using the ideas above!

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