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People Don’t Like Risk
Why People Don’t Like Risk Most of us were taught by our parents, and from a very early age, to be careful. We are told to look both ways before crossing the street, not to talk to strangers, not to eat what is unfamiliar and that people don’t like risk. Most parents want their kids to live longer than they think they themselves will live and believe doing so requires teaching them to be cautious about many things. It was the same for their parents and so on back through time. This learned fear, this learned caution is one of the biggest reasons we don’t take chances in life. It’s…
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How to Embrace Optimism
How to Embrace Optimism Let’s talk about how to embrace optimism. These days, it can be a hard to believe in and to embrace optimism. It’s important to remember we always have choices when it comes to how we think, how we feel, what we choose to “feed our heads”. First though, I want to tell you a story. I want to tell you a story about a young girl. It’s not a happy story, although the ending is a good surprise. This young girl became sad and depressed at the age of twelve and lived that way for many years. She couldn’t be joyful and optimistic. When her peers…
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The Negative Self-talk Loop in Your Head
The Negative Self-talk Loop in Your Head How do you stop the negative self-talk loop in your head? This is a question frequently asked question. I think the number has actually increased with all we’re dealing with this year. The question is, “How to stop the negative self-talk loop in your head and get moving again”. When I accidentally “disappeared” my decades-long struggle with chronic depression because of the dietary changes I made, it became abundantly clear to me that health isn’t just about food and your physical health; it’s about your mental health and what your “feed” your head. I find on my darkest days, and I still occasionally…
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Mistake or Miracle…How I “Disappeared” My Chronic Depression
Mistake or Miracle…How I “Disappeared” My Chronic Depression I knew a young girl who suffered with chronic depression. She became depressed at the age of twelve and lived that way for the next forty years. She cried all the time, and no one could figure out what was wrong with her. Her parents tried to reason with her, but there was no consoling her. Eventually, not knowing what to do, her parents punished her for crying and for being sad. This made her hide her sadness, but it didn’t make her less sad. That young girl was me. I wasn’t like the other kids in school because I couldn’t be…
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The Benefit of Being Optimistic
The Benefit of Being Optimistic for You You Have More Control Admittedly, the benefit of being optimistic is an important topic. I believe one of the most important benefits of being optimistic is that is gives you the feeling you have more control over your life and over what happens to you. Rather than playing the victim and feeling you are powerless to affect the outcome of what is happening to us, being optimistic gives you hope even when things may be quite dark in your life. Sometimes this means having to compartmentalize what is wrong or a challenge and slogging through some “stuff” to get to the other side,…
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Embracing Optimism – Part 1
Embracing Optimism Embracing optimism has huge benefits not only for your mind but also for your body and your spirit. You have one life; you can either view the glass as half-empty or half full. Even better, you can view it as being there waiting for us to fill it to the brim with positivity and optimism. The choice is yours. So, why consider adopting optimism and adding one more item to think about in your busy brains? Because it is exactly what your busy brain needs. Your brain needs help to creative a positive mindset in order to create a positive lifestyle. There is massive power in optimism. The…
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Music and Stress – This is a Good Story
Music and Stress Those of you who have followed me for a while no doubt are aware that I keep sheep. What do sheep have to do with music and stress? Do I have a story for you! I love animals in general, and a test I took in school when I was about thirteen reported back I should be a forest ranger. At the time, I wanted to be a singer, so I was highly insulted by this test. Looking back, it was accurate. Give me plants and animals, and I’m a happy camper. Last month, we lost our eldest sheep. Bella was more than seventeen years old, which…
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Turn Worry into Excitement
7 Ways to Turn Worry into Excitement about Getting Things Done Everybody worries sometimes; the challenge is to turn worry into excitement. Right now, a lot of people are worried about a lot of things, and you probably have a few worries on your own mind. You might be thinking about work and finances or about a relationship causing you trouble. Maybe you’re worried about your health and staying well during these challenging times. Whatever the case, worry happens whether you intend it to or not. While worry is a pretty common thing, it becomes a problem when it begins to take over your life and consume your thinking. What…
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Turn Around Negative Thinking
Turn Around Negative Thinking I’ve written about how to turn around negative thinking before. I think, given the times in which we find ourselves, a re-issue is in order. Negative thoughts are always out there ready to bombard you. They come at you from everywhere; TV, online, your friends, neighbors and co-workers. The news and even your favorite television shows contain negativity. You face it at work, at home, and you see enough of it online as well. It invades your life. What if you could picture your brain as a factory that takes negative thinking as input and processes it to churn out positive thoughts? Perhaps this seems a…
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6 Simple Tricks for Dealing with Pressure
6 Simple Tricks for Dealing with Pressure Anyone feeling the pressure lately? Stress anyone? If you aren’t careful, pressure can sneak up and overwhelm you. Before you know it, you’re a mess. Sitting in your chair sweating, with your heart racing, dreading the thought of doing any work and facing today and tomorrow. Fortunately there are some things you can do to help manage pressure when you feel overwhelmed. With a little practice, you may even be able to turn nerve-wracking stress into pure motivation! Count Backwards It sounds simple, but counting backwards from 100 is a great way to distract yourself from pressure and reset yourself. This easy trick…
