Blog
April 10, 2024Meditation is a practice that promotes the strengthening of the child’s emotional health and brings great results when incorporated into the family and school routine.
When we talk about children health, we usually highlight the physical dimension. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) itself defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being”. It is understood, therefore, that both the cognitive and socioemotional aspects need to be considered in the education of our children.
We live in a highly connected society, which presents countless stimulus and demands of all kinds. Little ones are not immune to this – on the contrary, it is more and more common to find cases of depression, stress and childhood anxiety, as well as learning problems whose sources are psychological.
Have you ever heard of emotional health? And in child meditation? Let’s talk a little more about the subject and present this practice that promises countless benefits for children’s development.
So what are the benefits of child meditation and relaxation?
An activity that has stood out for the effectiveness of its results is children’s meditation. This ancient practice, which emerged in Asia, has the main objective of quieting the mind and body so that the practitioner can experience greater contact with himself and achieve a deep state of inner peace.
The gains for the child who practices meditation daily are many and we have listed some for you to check out:
Improves focus and concentration
In physiological terms, meditation favours the functioning of attention, which makes the practitioner become more aware and perceive what happens around him/her and, above all, inside him/her.
The increase in focus, as a consequence, increases the ability to concentrate on the activity that is being performed or observed. This ability to be truly present in what one experiences extends to all other daily activities.
This is a particularly useful benefit for children’s learning and increased school performance. Children who find it easier to pay attention and focus on the execution of a particular activity find it easier to establish relationships between explained content and narrated facts, to learn information, as well as memorize data of different natures.
Encourages the cultivation of good habits
The habits in our life are being implemented and become automatic. These habits can start in childhood and we usually get used to doing things in a certain way and we rarely change.
Meditation aims to help children learn how they can look at their habits and change if necessary, as well as learning to cultivate good habits.
Stimulates playfulness
In children’s meditation, the techniques must consider the child’s age group, his/her universe and his/her capacity for assimilation and reaction. The playful bias is very important in conducting the practice with the little ones.
Through guided meditation, it is possible to produce associations with elements of nature or with situations that are part of the child’s routine. In other words, to guide meditation is to establish a sequence of images that stimulate their creative imagination.
Meditation can start, for example, with the observation of raindrops, with the observation of clouds, their shapes and movement. It is also possible to propose fixing the gaze on a candle flame or a fire at night, or even stimulating the child’s body perception, for example.
Assists in overcoming negative feelings
From children to adults, humans overall have a series of feelings that paralyzes them and prevents them from moving forward in their professional, educational, personal and spiritual goals such as anger, fear, and anxiety.
Meditation is an incredible and powerful tool to help overcome these and other feelings.
It is common to identify children who need learning to deal with feelings that may be harmful in some area of their lives and Meditation is one of the best techniques to help find calm and peace within yourself.
Promotes relaxation and tranquillity
Children, in general, are quite agitated and full of energy, which, if taken to the extreme, can make it difficult for children to adapt to the different demands of everyday social life.
To control this exacerbated animation, many families choose to put their children to carry out various activities, so that they spend all this energy contained. Instead of reaching the desired goal, this exhaustive routine can cause stress, tiredness and even anxiety.
Meditation works on the opposite side, that is, it stimulates the channelling of energy – which leads to body and cognitive balance, and leads to calm, thus contributing to regulate different types of behaviour and children’s emotions. The technique also produces a feeling of relaxation and tranquillity.
As the practice can be done together, adults and children can enjoy its benefits. Besides, it presents itself as a great opportunity to strengthen social and affective bonds.
Inspires the ability to forgive and accept others
We often live through situations, where we have to teach children that the wrong acts of others against them, must be returned with love and forgiveness, however difficult and contradictory it may seem.
With meditation, the child learns from a young age, that daily practise can help him/her to have a paradise of happiness within him/her. That happiness will become so strong that it will help children deal with difficult situations in their lives and learn to accept and forgive others.
Stimulates self-knowledge and self-control
Upon reaching a state of complete tranquillity and concentration, the child tends to start to know himself/herself better and to acquire self-control. It all starts with monitoring your own breathing and focusing your attention during meditation. Then, with the help of family members, the child can gain more control over his/her emotions and actions.
In other words, episodes of impulsiveness, violence, anger, crying and anxiety attacks tend to be reduced, because the child discovers other ways to express his discomfort and negative feelings. Added to this is the appreciation of positive feelings of peace and communion with other beings (human and non-human).
The individual who does not dedicate himself/herself to self-knowledge is hardly able to mature emotionally – and, as we have seen, the socioemotional aspect is essential for the achievement of a balanced and healthy life.
Family members and educators are free to explore the possibilities and discover the best ways to awaken the child’s interest in meditation. It is worth remembering that small children learn mainly by example, so it is not enough to encourage them to practice if they do not witness this activity in the routine of close adults.
Did you like to know more about the importance of strengthening your child’s emotional health and the benefits of child meditation and relaxation?
And if you liked this content, I invite you to leave a comment, telling me your thoughts and suggestions, and be sure to share this post on your social networks! Thank you for your continuous support. [...]
Read more...
February 14, 2024As years pass by, the practice of Mind-Body exercises has become increasingly common in Western countries. As a result, in the last few years, the number of people seeking to explore unity consciousness with activities such as Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga has grown as a way of exercising the body, stretching, and even relaxing. Mindful exercise can also complement and serve as an alternative to conventional exercise programming.
To understand the historical origins of these classical mindful exercises traditions and their relevance to the contemporary mindful exercise was one of my goals while living in Asia and travelling extensively through China and India.
So without further ado, let’s align mind and body and explore the disciplines of mindful exercise:
Yoga
Yoga is a mindful exercise that has its origin in India, more than 5000 years ago, and is currently known not only as a philosophy of life but also as a holistic system that works both body and mind at the same time. Yoga works on emotions, helps people to act according to their thoughts and feelings, in addition to bringing deep relaxation, concentration, mental tranquillity, strengthening of the physical body and the development of flexibility.
This ancient science aims to unite the body, mind, and spirit allowing people to reconnect with their true essence. According to Spiritual Master Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, “Yoga gives you the power to feel the way you want to feel, at any time, without being a victim of your own feelings.” Yoga also means to control. It is a term of Sanskrit origin, a language present in India, especially in the Hindu religion. Yoga is a concept, a philosophy, which works the body and mind, through traditional disciplines of those who practice it.
Yoga is related to Buddhism and Hinduism, with practices such as exercise and meditation to work on the physical as well as the mind. There are several branches of yoga, such as Vinyasa-yoga, Karma-yoga, Bikram-yoga, Ashtanga-yoga and Hatha-yoga, each of which has different actions and activities.
For a long time, yoga remained restricted to some cultures, especially those of the East. Their techniques were passed down from generation to generation of masters, who taught their disciples the deepest knowledge. Here in the West, it took a long time for science to make advances that would allow the recognition of such practices, and with that thousands of years passed without Western culture having access to the benefits that the practice of Yoga can offer to each individual.
Today, scientific research is already able to recognize the connection between energy and matter. Several branches of physics then began to look more closely at the way Yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques have the power to alter the energy of our body, producing very beneficial transformations, not only for the person who practices but also for the environment around you. Basically, Yoga is much more than just a set of twisting, stretching movements, mixed with some complex and challenging postures.
Tai Chi Chuan
In every single town and city, I have visited in China, I would find people doing slow, harmonious and circular movements in parks and squares mainly in the mornings.
Quickly I’ve discovered that it was Tai Chi Chuan, an ancient practice that was born in China as a martial art, but today it is better known as a form of meditation and physical activity.
Chinese legend tells that the practice was created by the Taoist master Chang San Feng, after observing the fight between a heron and a snake. During the fight, the animals, each with its own characteristics, demonstrated flexibility, lightness, energy, speed and accuracy. Yet, they also demonstrated special abilities to remain in the struggle for long periods. The fight between the two animals lasted a long time and served as inspiration and led Chang San Feng to develop the techniques of Tai Chi Chuan.
Tai Chi Chuan early practitioners, in addition to living in the isolated mountains of China practising inner calm, also had to defend themselves against the intermittent invaders of the time. The practice of Tai Chi Chuan has always served the need for both “internal cultivation” and “struggle” of these people since it unites concepts of strength and softness. This martial art is practised with movements performed slowly and in silence, providing the movement of the body’s energy and stimulating body awareness, concentration and tranquillity.
This practice is also known as meditation in movement, and it is widely performed both as a self-defence sport, but also for therapeutic purposes, as its exercises bring benefits such as correcting posture, balance and strength, in addition to harmonizing emotions and combat mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. Tai Chi Chuan is one of the simplest and easiest martial arts, it can be practised by anyone and started at any age, and is also very suitable for the elderly. It is recommended to use soft shoes and comfortable clothes that do not hinder the performance of movements. It can also be practised anywhere, but preferably outdoors.
Qigong
Qigong (pronounced “tchikon”) is an ancient therapeutic technique from ancient China. “Qi” means energy, vital breath, and “Gong” means work, cultivation, training. So Qigong would be work, training and cultivating our vital energy in your physical and mental practice.
This discipline has more than 5000 years of existence and it is an art of personal development that has stood the test of time. This ancient practice especially indicated to balance the energy of the body and mind through a series of simple postures and movements, as well as self-massage and meditation.
The ancient experience with the effects of his practice has been accumulated over successive generations. For this reason, Qigong is a discipline made up of a complete set of physical, respiratory, mental and spiritual exercises, properly purified of any adverse elements and with clear objectives and well-defined results. In Qigong, the exercises are gentle, while pleasure and well-being are references that allow us to assess the quality of the exercise.
Qigong’s principles are based on Taoist philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine and were first published in the Yellow Emperor’s internal canon. This book is considered the head of the source of the ancient Chinese medicine system. Qigong is believed to be able to cure illnesses to improve the practitioner’s physical and mental health.
Qigong has three forms: medical qigong, meditation qigong and martial qigong. Qigong is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a preventive and therapeutic method. Regular exercise improves health and vitality, harmonizes energy systems, increases the flow and quality of vital energy (Chi, Ki or Prana) to the internal organs and helps the expansion of consciousness.
Qigong is a form of meditation that allows you to make your inner, physical and psychic experiences clear, and to relive past experiences full of health, joy and happiness.
Consciously recalling this type of experience reactivates the unconscious memories of vitality and health that are stored in the cells of the physical body and that will enrich and quicken the practice of exercises so that their preventive and curative effects are amplified.
Qigong was not created by a single individual and results from thousands of years of the Chinese experience in using energy to treat disease, promote health and longevity, improve fighting skills, expand the mind, reach different levels of consciousness and develop spirituality. The various Qigong techniques have developed separately in different parts of China, but in many cases, they have influenced each other.
Hope you find these mind-body exercises helpful and manage to get curious about adding them into your routine.
Cultivating health by mastering Qi or Chi is the ultimate goal of Qigong, as is Tai Chi. This includes creating difficult body postures in the same way as yogis in India. The mind’s focus on doing the postures helps the practitioner’s mind, breathing and energy.
They have personally been very helpful through my journey as they have enabled me to control my life while benefiting physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
And if you liked this content, I invite you to leave a comment, telling me what you think and which one of these mind-body exercises you prefer or are more curious about, to share it on your social networks and to continue following us. [...]
Read more...
February 21, 2023Depression is an emotional/psychological disorder characterized by feelings of anguish and deep sadness. Sadness is normal, we all feel sad at some point, but when we are unable to manage emotions, our inner peace is affected and we lose the energy that moves us to live a happy life.
The word Depression is derived from the Latin verb deprimere, which means “to press down, to crush, to sink”. The most common feeling of a depressed person is the anguish and tightness felt when we think or are in life situations that disturb and sadden us.
Depression, when left untreated, can become a spiral of anguish so severe that death may seem the only way out.
Depression vs. sadness
Depression should not be confused with sadness, although this is one of the symptoms of depression. However, usually, sadness appears as a reaction to a certain event and is temporary, while depression persists if there is no treatment, causing suffering and interfering with daily activities, professional performance and the family sphere.
Causes
It is the bad experiences of the past that bring us anguish and sadness. We feel anguish whenever we encounter experiences that break the state of motivation, such as offences, misunderstandings, violence, among so many other circumstances that take away inner peace and joy. Often, we suffer from experiences that clash with our dreams, with our ambitions and that damage our self-esteem and self-confidence.
Traumatic events can trigger depression or promote depressive episodes. Today it is also known that the personality type and the way we deal with adversity can be linked to a lesser or greater predisposition to depression.
Experiences such as traumas, child violence, bullying, divorces, difficult relationships can be experienced with an intensity that can be difficult to overcome.
In addition to biological causes, depression can be related to external factors. Therefore, in general, it develops by a mixture of factors. Here are some of the possible triggers:
Stressful events
Difficult situations can act as a trigger for depression. But beware, nothing to judge each person’s reaction to life’s events. For some people, ending a romantic relationship that lasted a few months may be enough to trigger depression. The severity of the event itself has little to do with the severity of the subsequent depression; the fact that it happened by itself is enough.
When an unpleasant event occurs, it is important to be at the side of the person facing it. The chances of developing depression will be less if you receive support from friends and family.
Loneliness
Loneliness is another trigger of depression. Being away from family or breaking relationships with friends, for example, can trigger the disease in predisposed people.
Chronic diseases
Fatal or long-term health problems, such as cancer or coronary heart disease, have the potential to lead to depression. In these cases, the condition is triggered by the need to live with the symptoms and also by the lack of perspective on the future. In addition, severe head injuries and hypothyroidism can also cause imbalances in brain chemistry that generate depressive symptoms.
Alcohol and drug use
Abusing alcohol and drugs, especially in difficult times, is dangerous. In complicated times, there are those who use them as an escape valve. But although they seem to “help” momentarily, the effect is the other way around: they end up starting or worsening depression.
Giving birth
Even an event as joyful as the birth of a baby can trigger depression. Certain women are particularly vulnerable to a variation of the disorder called postpartum depression. The condition occurs due to a mixture of biological and psychological conditions, related to hormonal variations and new maternal responsibilities.
When the emotions caused by these experiences are not managed or overcome, we enter a state of depression.
Overall, depression appears to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, biological and psychological factors.
Common Symptoms
Sadness
Tiredness
Demotivation
Anger and/or irritability
Sleep disturbance
Concentration problems
Apathy
Agitation or lethargy
Crying Crises
Feelings of worthlessness
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
Loss of energy
Self-loathing
Loss of interest in daily activities.
Unexplained aches and pains
Guilt symptoms
Decreased sexual desire
Appetite or weight changes
Reckless behaviour
Suicidal thoughts
Signs to watch for
– You feel like crying frequently and don’t even know why;
– Sadness most of the day, for no apparent reason;
– Persistent lack of energy and lack of motivation;
– Feeling fatigued, sluggish, physically drained, exhausted, etc;
– Struggling to fall asleep or/and wake up – insomnia or oversleeping;
– Significant changes in appetite and/or weight (weight loss or weight gain);
– An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, etc
– Trouble focusing, making decisions or remembering things.
– Inability to concentrate, indecisive with frequent memory lapses
– Low tolerance level, and short temper;
– Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt and constant self-criticism;
– Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent;
– Struggling to engage in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex;
– Loss of interest in day-to-day activities;
– Feeling like you lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure;
– Escapist behaviour such as substance abuse, reckless driving, compulsive gambling, etc;
– Recurring thoughts about death or suicide
– Wishes to die because death seems the only way out of anguish
Treatment
Emotions such as fear, hurt and sadness, felt in depression, if left untreated, destroy our quality of life, incapacitating us from being happy.
The diagnosis of depression is made based on the observation, complaints and clinical history of the patient. Therapeutics may include psychotherapy and/or taking drugs (such as antidepressants, among others).
There are different psychotherapeutic currents: analytical, cognitive-behavioural, among others. The patient should look for the one he feels most identified with.
The most widely used treatment is still pharmacological, using drugs that act exclusively on symptoms of depression. However, medication does not always work and the side effects are very negative. Regular use of these drugs alters thinking and reasoning ability.
As for drugs, treatment is always individualized and only the doctor can prescribe the most appropriate medication for each case. Family and social support remain very important throughout the process.
Therefore, one must work on the causes of depression, and not on the symptoms, with Psychotherapy being the most suitable way for people who
Hope you find this article helpful and that has given you a better idea about what depression is and how to treat it.
There are several types of depression, as well as different causes. Regardless of this, it is essential to identify the symptoms of this mental illness and seek help. [...]
Read more...
February 21, 2023Pursuing personal development must be one of the most important pillars of a person’s life. This is because, when we improve our talents and qualities, developing our full potential, we change the way we relate to the world, to others, and we evolve constantly and naturally.
Personal improvement is a constant journey in our lives. Every day we must strive to be better people than we were yesterday. As a constant activity, it means investing in yourself, training yourself, learning to deal with different situations. It is directly linked to a better quality of life, increased individual capacities and achievement of personal and professional goals.
When we start our self-improvement, we transform thoughts, words and actions. This has a direct impact on all our relationships, whether personal or professional, helping our well-being and chances of success and being happy.
There are many people who think of growth only in professional terms, but this is a much broader and more fruitful issue. Of course, in the professional world, these virtues count a lot. So much so that, when we are still inexperienced, it is the level of our personal development that helps us get hired, because without technical knowledge, what is evident for the employer are some qualities that we have and that can be useful to companies.
There is no longer any doubt that the main asset of companies is people. In a structured way, they perform all functions and guarantee high-performance deliveries.
At a certain level, all companies depend on the individual and collective success of employees. The great results produced by individuals within the organization is the result of this development of each individual and shows us that it is worth investing in our training.
However, self-development goes far beyond career planning or short/long-term goals in the company. It means tracing a path for you to become the best person possible, polishing defects and valuing unique qualities and skills. And this search need not be anything complex, as we need to learn to develop ourselves with the tools that are available to us on the journey of life.
There are countless skills that we need to develop throughout life in order to achieve our goals more easily and have a full life.
When we evolve and make our personal lives more spectacular, we also grow in other ways.
But the big question is, what are the best ways to invest in your personal improvement
Let’s start with what personal development really is?
When you think about developing personally, which aspects stand out? This type of development encompasses several skills, which can be used in different contexts, for example, emotional intelligence, good communication and interpersonal skills are some of the skills acquired when you invest in personal development. It also encompasses several areas of knowledge and challenges all of our abilities and intelligence. Becoming a multi-skilled person makes you better and work differently from the standard.
In this sense, it is possible to state that everything that can be developed to improve the way you deal with yourself, your emotions and the other, are part of personal development.
Now that you are aware of the importance of working on your personal growth plan, here are some powerful tips:
Self-Improvement is the first step
Self-knowledge is one of the key points of personal development. It will help you to identify many self-sabotages that will not let you go the way you would like.
Likewise, you will be able to define a type of profile that fits and where you need to improve, and to change if necessary.
Therefore, only by having the courage to know yourself deeply, you come to understand your limitations and capabilities, an essential factor in achieving your achievements.
Sometimes we are “tricked” by our unconscious, repeating unhealthy behaviours without realizing or even knowing why we do them. But, whether we are aware or not, if the result is unhappiness, we need to look for the cause of these behaviours and, above all, change them.
Another important point is to take care of our mental environment, such as productivity, creativity, the cause of emotional disorders and also the path to our personal development. In fact, our life is a reflection of our mental state. So much so that if we are stressed and discouraged, we become unfocused and even develop illnesses.
When we have well-being and high self-esteem, our work progresses and we manage to maintain healthy relationships. In this sense, striving to create a mental environment conducive to your growth is often difficult but essential to train your mind and body in the path of self-realization.
Set goals and have clear and defined objectives.
After learning more about yourself it is time to set your goals and objectives. To achieve our dreams in professional or personal life, it is necessary to make decisions and they need to be aligned with a purpose.
Having a clear objective is the essential criterion for a successful personal development plan. So it is important to establish a list of goals, write down how to achieve them and what you need to change in order not to give up halfway. Always try to be as clear and sincere as possible.
It is proven that those who put ideas on paper are much more likely to achieve. With good personal strategic planning, you will greatly accelerate your personal development. In it you will detail your goals, define an action plan and go for it.
The opposite of this can lead to a waste of time for the realization of your dreams. Therefore, define your goals, defining priorities, areas in which you need to develop more and where you will seek help to accomplish all this.
Read books, especially personal development ones.
A good way to improve your personal development is by reading. After all, books are a huge source of knowledge. What is written there may be the work of a lifetime of experiences, research, mistakes or successes. So, no laziness, to improve your personal development it is good to align yourself with good reading practices.
If you want to take a step forward, read about personal development. Today, there is so much content focused on promoting emotional evolution and personal development.
The important thing is that they all bring beneficial examples of changing habits and behaviours that can change your reality, in favour of achieving goals and dreams. Whatever your affinity or preference, invest in books that bring positive changes to your life. Read, put the proposed exercises into practice and, above all, do whatever it takes to be happy and self-fulfilled.
Watch lectures and listen to podcasts
Books are wonderful but there are other tools like podcasts and lectures, such TED talks.
They are great opportunities that enable us to meet professionals and experts in the field of your interest. In them, you are exposed to several points and ideas with which you had not yet had contact and that help to deepen your knowledge in a specific subject.
Through lectures and podcasts, you will have contact with a problem and its solution, something that someone may have taken a lifetime to discover.
Managing your time
Poor time management is one of the biggest enemies in achieving your personal development. That’s because having time to take care of yourself and look for ways to evolve is essential to conquering a new reality in your life.
We all have diverse goals in various fields of life, including professional, family, learning, travel, reading etc. In addition to rest and leisure, it is essential to find time to dedicate to the path of self-development. Therefore, personal development also depends on an organization of your time.
So, divide your time between all these activities for your personal growth. Start, of course, by thinking about what they are and choosing priorities. And do not hesitate to eliminate anything that is not a strategy or a path to achieve goals of personal and professional self-realization.
The goals are quite different among people, because we are all unique, too. However, thinking about the main areas of your life (family, professional and leisure) and choosing a priority for each one is a good start.
Avoid procrastinating
We human beings are the best in the world in deceiving ourselves. We have a real tendency to underestimate the time to complete a task and always leave it to do it later. However, if you have a goal in life, try to focus on it instead of just the task. So you may be able to get extra motivation to tackle everyday activities.
Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today, and overcome procrastination!
Increase your Networking
You are not alone in the world and if you have any certain desires or aspirations, I bet with you there will be other people with the same intentions and goals. It is worth knowing and relating to them to accelerate your personal development. They will certainly give you many tips on how to improve.
To further intensify learning, you can participate in online forums on your subjects of interest, search for pages on social networks, groups such meetup.com among others. In these places, you have the opportunity to learn and also to share your experiences.
Focus on your improvement points and work on your weaknesses
When reflecting on our actions and behaviours, we will notice several points where we can improve. And this can be represented in several ways. It may be a habit that harms us like procrastination, for example, it may be a skill that we have not yet developed, among other points.
No one is good at everything, that is a fact. It is up to each person to make an internal reflection and put on paper all the points where they think they should improve. This search for improvement has to be worked on daily and is part of the process of your personal development.
The fact is that we always need to improve on something. Remember that personal evolution is constant, so investing in personal improvement is an endless path. You can and should become a better person, but you will never be perfect. So, focus on finding points where you should improve.
Be prepared for new challenges
Have you ever received a new challenge and felt panicked for not knowing if you would be able to meet the expectation? This can happen, especially, because when you develop a function for a long time it is normal for you to be very good at it and do the job with skill. However, when faced with a new challenge, especially in the professional field, confidence in your ability can be shaken, since you are rusty in everything else and do not know if you have the necessary skills for the new activity.
When investing in your qualification, you will be constantly learning something new and, consequently, you will feel more prepared for the challenges.
Learn new languages
Without a doubt, learning a new language is one of the best experiences for your personal development. Think of all the benefits associated with this learning.
Learning a new language will allow you to get in touch with more people and also get to know different cultures, which in turn is a great experience that will contribute to your personal development.
About which language to learn we can say that English has become basic for most professionals. It is used in international trade, in scientific articles and also in many multinational companies worldwide. However, it is worth remembering that there are many other markets on the rise. How about learning Mandarin?
Invest in knowledge and training
Nowadays there are no more excuses for anyone who wants to learn new skills. On the internet it is possible to find many free and paid teaching sites and platforms with a multitude of courses available.
Self-knowledge can help you understand what you want to do with your life. And with that, run after your dreams! Search for courses and training that help you achieve your goals.
During the quarantine, several educational institutions released free courses or with great discounts, this is an excellent way to invest in coaching and training with little pay.
We cannot stand still, be always investing in knowledge and training. Always take a course, take a workshop, attend a seminar, among other things. Acquiring knowledge is fundamental for your personal improvement.
Get your own personal coach
You can achieve so much by yourself, however, you must understand that it is not always possible to achieve all your personal development goals alone.
A good way to start is to invest in something that will help you understand what is missing in your life and career. Seeking professional help is one of the most efficient ways in the medium and long term.
Get professionals and experts such as psychologists or coaches, whose main objective will be to help you walk this inner path, without fear and insecurity.
Coaching is one of the professionals who can help you find the right path and work on the necessary aspects of personal and professional development.
Whether to be a better professional or a better person, we have already seen that it doesn’t matter, that you are the whole, and coaching helps you to get the best out of this whole. With self-knowledge and the reflections in which you start to dedicate yourself, you understand what is best in you. Coaching works its best so that it is applied in all spheres of your life. That way, you start not only taking advantage of new opportunities, but developing new opportunities for yourself, identifying your strengths, strengthening your skills and abilities.
Were you aware of all these powerful tips to improve your Personal Development? Which ones are your favorite? Hope you find them helpful. [...]
Read more...
November 16, 2022Are you one of those parents who care about the quality of time they spend with their child? If your answer is yes, mindfulness can become your greatest ally. Most of the time, we are on “autopilot” and react reactively, rather than receptively. We are driven by mental patterns, concerned with a future that never comes and a past that is no longer happening.
But what is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a state of awareness of the present moment. It is the ability to live, moment by moment, observing the present situation with curiosity, acceptance and free of judgment.
Given the importance for children to learn how to relax and manage stress and frustration, it is important to learn some techniques that will allow them to reduce their tension and achieve mindfulness.
The truth is that children love to jump, run and play, but they also need moments of relaxation to feel at peace.
Learning to relax is very important for a person’s physical and mental well-being. For this reason, teaching children relaxation techniques from an early age can be very useful for them and become, over time, a habit for life.
When they relax, children eliminate tensions in the body and reduce muscle and mental stress. By channelling energy, little ones experience general well-being.
In addition, with relaxation techniques for children, they increase self-confidence and reinforce memory and concentration, which improves learning ability.
Relaxation can also help to enrich the child’s sensitivity and improve the quality of sleep.
(If you would like to know more about the benefits of relaxation techniques and meditation for children please read our last article: The Benefits of Meditation and Relaxation for Children)
Even though there are hundreds of different Mindfulness techniques and exercises, we will be focusing mostly on Meditation and Yoga, but also share a few of our favourites for the little ones.
Discover the benefits of relaxation techniques for children that we propose:
Meditation
Whether after a day full of activities, games and new learning or to start the day with calm and tranquillity, guided meditation for children is a practice that contributes to the well-being and balance of busy routines.
There are many benefits that meditation brings to our body and mind, and with children it would be no different! This practice helps to improve concentration, control anxiety and reduce stress and tension, thus contributing to the socio-emotional development and learning process of the little ones.
Check out those quick 5 tips from Matthew Akal on how to help your little one practice meditation:
1. Training
It will take a lot of training and encouragement, especially in the beginning, for the child to adapt to this new activity. Be an example for your little one, so that he/she is more interested in the activity. One way to make this possible is family practice!
In addition, at times the child may become distracted or fail to follow the commands and guidelines of meditation. You can encourage it, but it is necessary to respect the child’s time and not force the activity.
2. Concentration and calm
A good exercise to work on concentration, calm and focus is to take a walk in some park and encourage the little one to observe nature, its colours, sounds and perfumes. This will contribute to the idea of feeling present in the moment, in addition to releasing endorphins in our body, increasing the feeling of happiness and relaxation.
3. Breathing
Breathing exercise is one of the main exercises to lead to a meditative state, as it helps to maintain focus and calm down. To diversify this activity, you can ask the child to watch how his chest and belly move during this exercise. Another way is to ask the child to lie down and put his favourite toy on his stomach and watch how it goes up and down during his breathing. That way, the little one will focus on the present moment.
4. Imagination
Guided meditation is a method that consists of bringing a visual element to the practice of meditation, through a narration accompanied by sound effects, contributing to maintain the focus of the mind at the present moment and encourage breathing and relaxation exercises. You can tell a simple story, with a soft tone of voice and a relaxing musical background.
5. Favorable and interesting environment
A favourable environment makes all the difference in the process. Let the child use his/her imagination to create a safe, comfortable and beautiful environment, this will help him/her to feel interested in that moment.
Yoga
The benefits of Yoga for child development are immense, but on top of that, it’s one of the best relaxation techniques for children and by far one of the most important to achieve Mindfulness.
Nowadays, with the amount of information we receive at all times, we have to work a little harder to live in the present moment, observing ourselves and seeking the self-knowledge and development we need to be well with ourselves and with others. Especially for children, being able to live the experience of reflection and learning during a Yoga class is something that can permeate their lives, bringing a direction in relation to the good paths and purposes of life that they can walk as human beings.
Recently, schools from different places around the world have inserted the practice of Yoga in the school curriculum. When inserted in this context, the practice can contribute to the students’ performance, which brings a positive influence to the children, both physically and socially, as they begin to awaken their awareness in themselves, reflecting on their behaviours, becoming more observant and focused. This certainly reflects in better school performance too.
Massages and caring
Sometimes the child just needs to feel loved, cherished and safe.
Hug her/him and massage their shoulders, and talk in a low, calm voice until the child calms down. It is also important to listen to them, let them vent and help them let out their emotions.
A massage can translate as a series of caresses with the palm of your hand on the side of your face. But the slowest and soft the action, the better will be.
There is no need to be an expert. Just as long as you have time to help the child relax.
In case you don’t have the time, at least give a hug and a caress …, physical contact with another person tends to be a reassuring element for the human being and super important to the little ones. Also, this activity helps to improve the relationship between those involved.
Hug a cuddly toy
This exercise of relaxation is indicated for younger children. It consists of using a plush toy and giving instructions for the little one to hug it, increasing and decreasing the strength little by little, in a gradual way, in a calm way with breathing. In this way, the muscles tighten and stretch without being carried out in one moment too much effort, in such a way that a feeling of relaxation falls.
The result of this technique translates into a complete muscular and mental relationship not only because asking the child to breathe deeply and embrace his/her teddy or soft toy with a lot of strength, helps to relax the muscles but also the affection and care by the stuffed toy.
Guided Imagination
This technique is very useful to reduce tension and anxiety, especially in children with a high level of imagination. It is about creating in the imagination of the smallest, safe and relaxing environment where the cause of anxiety in the future cannot affect them. For example, a wooden house in the mountains, a wild jungle or a beach.
This process of imagination is going to be guided by the therapist, teacher or parent in a way to look for an environment with elements that are pleasant and reassuring. For better results, play soft music and a talk with a calm and deep voice.
Colouring
Fun and enjoyable, this is a pastime that conquers children and adults! It is possible to explore different materials, such as chalk, paint or pencil, for example. In addition to calming the little one, this activity also stimulates creativity.
Plasticine
Manual activities are great ways to release stress in a healthy way. Homemade modelling clay is one of those options that work with feelings of anger and frustration, discharging child aggression.
Soap bubbles
This is a fun activity that works both with little babies and with slightly older children. With babies, you can blow soap bubbles around the little one, so he/she gets distracted by the colours and the bubbles fading and he/she ends up forgetting the crying. The bigger ones, on the other hand, can blow the bubbles themselves, taking a deep breath and thus calming down.
Sing and listening to music
When we think of calming a child, one of the typical images that come to mind is a mother singing to her child.
Music is a very important element for human beings. After all, who doesn’t like good music? In addition to being enjoyable, listening to music is very important for child development. Choose a calm and quiet song, it can be sounds of nature or a song that your little one likes.
Singing or singing together a simple song, which requires a slight effort to control the tone and pace will help improve the state of tension and relax the child.
Read your favourite story
The moment of reading is always something very special! So, how about telling your little one’s favourite story so that he/she can relax and, of course, spend time full of affection with you?
What’s up at your house? Tell us what you do to calm your little ones when they are very anxious or angry.
Did you like to know more about the different techniques and activities to help strengthen your child’s emotional health and improve their mindfulness?
And if you liked this content, I invite you to leave a comment, telling me your thoughts and suggestions, and be sure to share this post on your social networks! Thank you for your continuous support. [...]
Read more...
November 16, 2022Matthew Akal, Clinical Director at IMBT Ltd has achieved the Expert Witness in Civil Law certificate from the Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS).
The graduation ceremony took place during a prestigious annual Expert Witness conference in London on 4th November 2022.
CUBS is a comprehensive assessed training programme that equips delegates with the necessary competencies and confidence to work effectively as an expert witness. The Certificate is held by over 1,500 experts and is widely recognised by solicitors and other instructing parties as a badge of excellence. Holders of the Certificate are able to demonstrate to instructing parties that they possess the requisite skills and knowledge to fulfill the expert witness role.
Matthew Akal commented ”I take my role as an expert witness and my duty to the Court very seriously. I am proud to complete the Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Expert Witness Certificate, and join other experts who hold this qualification.” [...]
Read more...
September 30, 2021Based in Central London, IMBT Ltd is a comprehensive psychological consultation, assessment, treatment and coaching practice. In light of their recent success in the UK Enterprise Awards 2021, we got in touch with Clinical Director Matthew Akal to discover more about its extraordinary offerings.
Access the award official magazine here – https://www.sme-news.co.uk/issues/uk-enterprise-awards-2021/145/
Founded in 2017, IMBT Ltd works tirelessly to improve the mental health of individuals, couples and families.
To provide us with more insight, Clinical Director Matthew Akal elaborates further on some of the firm’s areas of expertise. “Here at Integrative Mindfulness Based Therapy (IMBT), we provide a full range of services including coaching, therapy and clinical psychology in order to help and support clients from all walks of like achieve their full potential. Right from the start we’ve been evidence based, with a focus on CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to help us achieve our goals through a time-efficient process. However, as the mind is not all about quantitative science, we’re also holistic and integrative, drawing on other schools of thought including humanistic and narrative approaches”.
With its competitors in the psychology field always looking to improve, the firm aims to stay at the forefront of the industry by focusing on strengthening the mental performance of its clients. Matthew adds, “Most people will experience some form of mental health problem in their lives. Moreover, it’s likely that when they find the right combination of support, self-care, sustainable goals and outcomes things will improve. As much as we need specific physical movements and exercises to build bodily strength, agility and resilience, we can also benefit from mental practices and exercises to strengthen the mind. Naturally then, by providing individual coaching, therapy and curated courses on how to deal with stress and burnout, we introduce mindfulness into everyday life”.
Previously, Matthew has been heavily involved in the research of trauma, something which he is proud to share with us today. “Having been employed up to consultant grade in the UK public sector and practiced for over 10 years in the NHS, Local Authority and Ministry of Defence, I have gained significant experience in the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress, complex trauma and associated mental health conditions. Additionally, I have also had research on child sexual abuse published”.
According to the World Health Organisation, deteriorating mental health is one of the most serious health challenges following the outbreak of COVID-19. Naturally then, in its attempts to support its clients, the firm will continue to focus on mindful meditation. “Mindful meditation has the potential to re-wire and hard-wire our brains through neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is a natural process that occurs throughout our lives and it involves the formation of new neural pathways in the brain. Re-wiring means we can establish new neural connections and pathways between different parts of our brain to support new faculties. Hard-wiring means these new neural networks and pathways can be made permanent, so that the benefits are still going on in the background, even when people are not actively engaged in meditation.
According to various neuro-science studies using different neuro-imaging techniques, there are a number of benefits that have been identified across the board when people meditate. The benefits are not only observed in long-term meditators who have been practising for decades, but also after just an eight week meditation course. So, our aim is to support our individual and corporate clients on their journey to mindfulness. The increase in the number of people coming for therapy or enquiring about mindfulness sessions to cope with post-pandemic burnout just shows the challenge we’re currently facing”.
Moving forward, innovation will play a significant role at IMBT as the firm attempts to develop technology that will help clients self-asses their mental health state. Matthew adds, “The launch of our exclusive new screening app ‘MoodWave’ this year is very exciting particularly as the app will help manage stress, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress”.
Access the award issue – https://www.sme-news.co.uk/issues/uk-enterprise-awards-2021/145/ [...]
Read more...
April 22, 2021Insomnia has been an old “friend” of mine for a large amount of my life as I used to have trouble sleeping, and it took me a long time to find the right measures to help me having a good night’s sleep, frequently.
The lack of sleep or the difficulty to sleep well directly interfere with the person’s quality of life because poor night’s sleep reduces the ability to concentrate during the day and can also result in mood changes. In addition, when poor sleep quality becomes frequent, there may be changes in appetite and health problems such as stress, anxiety, and the development of memory failures. Lack of sleep is a significant cause of stress. Unfortunately, however, stress also disrupts our sleep, while thoughts continue to spin in our heads, preventing us from relaxing enough to fall asleep.
To have quality sleep, it is important that the person adopts some habits that help to regulate sleep and that help to reach the sleep phase of deep relaxation, which is often difficult to achieve.
After managing to get rid of my old friend insomnia, I would like to share with you, dear reader, what was fundamental to achieve sleep quality, so here are 10 tips that can be useful for improving sleep quality and that should be adopted as a new lifestyle:
Go to bed when you’re sleepy
When you feel sleepy, go to bed, lie down and turn off the light!
Sleep is a natural process that should not be “forced”. To feel sleepy at the usual time, avoid falling asleep in other places, even for a short time, for example, on the sofa at the end of the day as this will probably disrupt your sleep pattern.
Try to have a “sleep and wake up” time routine
You should keep a regular schedule for bed and to get up, either during the week and at the weekend.
There should be no more than a couple of hours difference between the hours you lie down and get up during the week and on weekends. Being consistent helps to reinforce your sleep-wake cycle.
If you notice that there is a difference of more than a couple of hours between the time you lie down and get up at the weekend and on the other days of the week, you are probably not sleeping the number of hours you need regularly.
Turn off the TV and other devices and grab a book instead.
The television, computer or other electronic devices should be turned off approximately 30 minutes before the ideal bedtime. Ideally, the person should stay away from these devices, as well as the cell phone and video games, as they excite the brain, leaving the person more agitated and impairing sleep.
In addition, the clock must also be kept out of the bedroom or away from the bed, because when the person goes to sleep and understands that he/she is not able to fall asleep, he/she tends to look at the clock, which is another reason for stress, which makes it difficult to sleep.
Also, and as difficult it might seem, leave your cell phone in another part of the house. Don’t bring it to bed with you – and don’t use the alarm excuse – as you can buy an alarm for 5 GBP so no excuses to bring the phone with you to bed.
Instead, grab a book and read before bed. Ideally, a person should lie in bed only when is sleepy and before that, one can lie back in bed or, preferably, on the sofa, reading a book in a slightly dimmer light. It is important to give preference to reading things that bring peace and tranquility, avoiding books or stories that promote tension and stress, such as news, for example.
Bedrooms should only be used for sleeping
Use the room only for sleeping and only sleep in the room.
The bedroom should be a place to sleep. You should not watch TV, eat, study, or use your cell phone or other electronic devices in bed.
When other activities are done in the bedroom, associations are created between being in bed and being awake, which can train your brain to stay awake when you get to bed to sleep.
It may be difficult not to use the bed for other activities, but it is a key component in improving sleep quality. If you use the bed just to sleep, it becomes a place where sleep comes naturally. Sexual activity is the only exception to this rule.
Have a comfortable environment in the room
The sleeping environment should be quiet, dark, safe, and at a comfortable temperature, between 18ºC and 21ºC. The ideal is to have curtains that make the room dark at night.
Background noise and light, even if low in intensity, can interrupt and/or shorten sleep. One way to filter out unwanted noise is to maintain a constant low-intensity sound, called white noise.
Some people are able to have a stimulated sleep and sleep better when they hear some quiet or rhythmic sound and, therefore, some ambient sound can be added.
In addition, the clothes the person uses to sleep should also be comfortable. Make sure you wear comfortable pajamas and use a good pillow, which allows the reduction of tension in the back and the neck, accumulated during the day. A comfortable mattress/bed is also a must for me.
Relax at the end of the day
Instead of relying on medication, your goal should be to maximize your relaxation before bed. Make sure your room is a peaceful oasis, with no memories of things that cause stress.
At the end of the day, long before bedtime, you should progressively slow down your activity.
This will allow for a progressive transition between the day’s activities and the sleep period.
I would also advise a long hot bath or shower if you prefer, the use of calming incense or essential oils such as lavender has a relaxing and calming effect because taking deep breaths with the essential oil, causes the brain to receive more oxygen, in addition to also stimulating hormone production, promoting the feeling of well being and relaxing, favoring sleep. Would also add listening to a guided meditation which is a powerful tool to relax and relieve stress. Classical music also helps me and I strongly advise soft piano ballads.
When you get rid of the excitement and worry of the day, you will feel calmer and sleep will appear naturally.
Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity is essential for quality sleep, increasing the amount of deep sleep.
Physical exercise should ideally be done during the morning. Practicing at least 30 minutes of exercise daily can be beneficial because when exercising the body uses more energy, increasing the need for rest throughout the day. People who have a hard time going to the gym can try walking or cycling, before dinner, for example.
Exercising at the end of the day or very close to bedtime can have a negative impact on sleep. During physical exercise and in the following hours’ many functions are activated in our body and the body temperature rises, which will disturb sleep. So, physical activity after 9 pm is not recommended, as it can have the opposite effect, because in the short term, exercise increases mood and, therefore, can interfere with bedtime and quality of sleep.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes before bed
The consumption of stimulating drinks, such as coca-cola, coffee, black tea, green tea, and some soft drinks, should be avoided 6 hours before bed because the person may be more awake and have difficulty falling asleep. Same with cigarettes, as nicotine is a stimulant that keeps you awake. As for alcohol, even though it might help you get off to sleep, however, it will disrupt your sleep during the night.
Whenever possible, the person should opt for drinks that favor sleep, such as a glass of warm plant-based milk or tea with no caffeine. In fact, drinking a calming tea at least 30 minutes before bed makes wonders – just don’t drink too much or you will need to go to the loo through the night.
Do not eat heavy meals near bedtime
A heavy meal, close to bedtime, can lead to discomfort or reflux during the night, fragmenting and disturbing your sleep.
During sleep, there is a decrease in the activity of our digestive system.
However, you should also not be hungry when you lie down. If so, a light meal may be appropriate. But avoid liquids at night as this will increase the likelihood of waking up to go to the bathroom.
Don’t take your troubles & worries to bed
Concerns of a different nature, thinking about your problems or planning future events when you are in bed tend to keep you awake, and that was one of my main issues.
When these thoughts are frequent, a good strategy is to set aside a period during the day, far from falling asleep, for these concerns, finding resolutions and planning events can happen freely.
Having a time of day to focus on these issues will make them occur less frequently while you are in bed. On the other hand, if these intrusive thoughts arise in bed, you know that you can postpone them until the next day.
A frequent concern is a concern about not being able to sleep. And that, for sure, will keep you awake.
It is important to know that an occasional night with less sleep is not a cause for concern. In fact, sleeping fewer hours on a given night can increase the so-called pressure for sleep, leading to an improvement in the quality of sleep on subsequent nights.
Hope you find these tips helpful and manage to add them slowly into your routine.
I genuinely believe that from these strategies, you will be able to transform your nights and improve your sleep quality.
And if you liked this content, I invite you to leave a comment, telling me what you think and what you do to improve your sleep every night, to share it on your social networks, and to continue following us. [...]
Read more...
April 21, 2021Stress, a growing problem.
With the hustle and bustle of today’s world, the excess of information, and the natural demand for personal and economic growth, it is essential that each one of us learn measures to manage and reduce stress.
So what is stress exactly?
It is basically a term defined as a set of signals from the organism, feelings of emotional or physical tension that arises during events where you feel angry or frustrated, which is basically your body reaction to a demanding situation or a challenge.
Stress is understood as the physiological and behavioral response to a certain event, leading the person to feel threatened and interfering with their balance. Faced with situations of the threat of danger, the human organism naturally activates an automatic response considered a survival mechanism called “fight-flight-freeze” which is basically the body’s natural reaction to danger that helps you react to perceived threats and life-threatening situations. This response instantly causes hormonal and physiological changes.
This is a natural process that has adaptive characteristics, however, in some cases, the experience of Stress ceases to be lived only as a natural and immediate response to situations of danger, lasting for long periods of time, and may become painful and result in extreme difficulty in managing and experiencing day-to-day life.
Stress is a determinant of quality of life and one of the main causes of occupational disease, as well as one of the main promoters of Burnout, with direct implications both for the health of individuals and their professional results.
As a rule, the person suffering from Stress feels that he/she cannot control his/her time or manage all the tasks he/she is in charge of and resents the pressure of trying to balance work and his/her personal responsibilities, causing a direct impact both on his/her personal life, as well as a professional performance.
Currently, we can say that we live in a vicious cycle of stress, characterized by anxious and depressive states and chronic fatigue, which gives rise to poor quality of life.
There are several strategies that facilitate stress management, however, I don’t believe there’s a formula as it shouldn’t be seen as “a size fits all”. It always depends on the individual’s personality and the potential stressors for that particular person.
There are several sources of stress, and they are usually situations that can be felt as being out of the person’s control such as family illness or death of someone close; loss of a job, money troubles, etc. They are usually situations that require change, and adaptation requires resilience and tailored skills to deal with a stressful situation.
Nevertheless, there are some precautions we can take in order to manage stress. Stress is not, in itself, a negative thing. It all depends on the circumstance and how we manage it. Anxiety helps us to be more alert to what surrounds us, but it can be harmful if it jeopardizes our well-being.
There are ways to avoid stress that are worth knowing, in order to better manage this reaction of our body. Therefore I would like to share with you 7 precautions to take, in order to manage stress:
Identify the source of stress
Before controlling stress, it is necessary to be able to identify its origin, that it is, what are the situations and/or the people that cause it.
For this, it is important that you establish a relationship between the episodes of stress and the situations you were experiencing at that time and/or the individuals you were with. Whenever possible, you should avoid stressors.
Stress can be triggered by a problem that may seem impossible on the surface. Learning how to find solutions to your problems will help you feel more in control, thereby lowering your stress level. A problem-solving technique involves writing down the problem and creating as many solutions as possible. Decide the good and bad points of each and select the best solution. Write down each step you need to take as part of the solution: what will be done, how it will be done when it will be done, who is involved, and where it will be done. Be the protagonist!
Learn to say “no”
A common cause of stress is having too much to do and too little time to do it. And yet, in this situation, many people still agree to take on additional responsibilities. Learning to say “no” to additional or unimportant requests will help to reduce your stress level.
I understand that sometimes, we subject ourselves to situations that are too uncomfortable and unpleasant for us, just because we can’t say “no”.
The thing is, to learn to say “no”, you need to understand why you find it difficult. Many people find it difficult to say “no” because they want to help and are trying to be kind and pleasant. For others, it is a fear of conflict, rejection, or missed opportunities. Remember that these barriers to saying “no” are all self-created.
However, it is necessary to know when something is really mandatory or when it is we who are unable to deny an invitation. This is a basic principle that you must follow, as it is a way of respecting yourself and making others respect you as well.
Live a healthy lifestyle by eating well and exercise regularly
These two aspects are very important in controlling day-to-day stress.
It is important to have a healthy diet, based on fruits, vegetables, fiber, and vitamins and to avoid fats, sugar, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco.
You should also try to avoid or reduce your intake of refined sugars – they are contained in many manufactured foods. In general, try to eat a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet.
Avoid, or at least reduce, your consumption of nicotine and any beverage that contains caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and thus increase your stress level, instead of reducing it. Alcohol is a depressant when taken in large quantities, but acts as a stimulant in smaller quantities. Therefore, using alcohol as a way to relieve stress is not helpful.
Swap caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages for water, herbal teas, or diluted natural fruit juices and stay hydrated, as this will allow your body to cope better with stress.
Regular physical exercise contributes to the production of endorphins by our body, which increases the feeling of well-being. Therefore, you should do physical activity daily, for at least 30 minutes. It is important that it is an activity that you enjoy.
Share what you feel
Whether with family, friends, or an expert, it is important to share your feelings and emotions. Failing to externalize these tensions can cause physical and psychological disturbances. Talking about what bothers you is really a therapeutic way to reduce stress levels.
Talking to someone about how you feel can be helpful. Talking can work, either by distracting you from your stressful thoughts or by releasing some of the accumulated tension by discussing it.
Stress can obscure your judgment and prevent you from seeing things clearly. Talking to a qualified professional like a psychologist can help you find solutions to your stress and put your problems in perspective
Time management
It is essential to manage the various aspects of your life and find time for work, family, leisure, etc. For this, it is important to define priorities and objectives and not have the ambition to want to do everything.
How often do we feel overwhelmed with our to-do list? Well, this is a very common cause of stress. Accept that you can’t do everything at once and start prioritizing your tasks.
Make a list of all the things you need to do and list them in order of genuine priority. Note what tasks you need to do in person and what can be delegated to others to do.
By editing what may have started as an overwhelming and unmanageable task list, you can break it down into a series of smaller, more manageable tasks spread over a long period of time, with some tasks removed from the list entirely through delegation.
Also, remember to create time off to deal with unexpected and emergency tasks and include time for your own relaxation and well-being.
Adopt an optimistic attitude
Being more positive, confident, and flexible can even help to increase resistance and fight stress. A negative posture further accentuates the state of stress.
In situations of a lot of pressure or stress, thinking about something positive that happened in your day or week can be a good way to relax.
Research suggests that good thoughts can be a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and illness. Previous studies have found that people with strong positive emotions have lower levels of chemicals associated with stress. In addition, by adopting a positive attitude, the person may even be able to undo some of the physical damage caused by stress.
Relax
Learning to relax your muscles and mind is an excellent way to lower your heart rate and blood pressure. This is a very effective way to prevent or counter anxiety and stress.
Every day, try to relax with a stress-reduction technique. There are many tried and tested ways to reduce stress, so try a few and see what works best for you. For example, try meditation, which is very easy and can be done anywhere, even at your desk or in the car.
If you’re not feeling well it is ok to stop and have a break. A short rest period will allow the body and the mind to recover quickly.
Don’t worry if you find it difficult to relax at first. Relaxation is a skill that needs to be learned and that improves with practice.
Hope you find these strategies helpful and manage to reduce and manage stress in your life.
Getting some self-knowledge will help us to understand our strengths and those in which we feel most vulnerable and thus gain skills that allow us to respond to stress and its effects.
And if you liked this content, I invite you to leave a comment, telling me what you think and what you do to manage your stress, to share it on your social networks, and to continue following us. [...]
Read more...
April 12, 2021An interesting fact for you, an average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, according to the National Science Foundation.
However, of those, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive thoughts. If we repeat those negative thoughts, we think negative way more, than we think positive thoughts, which is pretty demotivating.
Think about it, on a personal level, how many times has happened that you felt doomed, that you are not good enough or that you will not be able to cope with certain challenges?!
During difficult times, it’s easy to start to lose faith and believe that nothing will improve.
Everyone has been through situations like this, whether from a broken heart, during the loss of a loved one, unemployment, etc.
But, sometimes we need to go through adversity to have the opportunity to have something better, or even to learn from what happened and correct some point of improvement in us.
The reality is, to be happy, it is important to try to have a more positive and optimistic attitude towards life, but, how is it possible? The truth is that it just depends on a change in the “mental chip”, making your mind go around and everything that you perceive as negative, does not look so bad after all.
If you want to change your life for the better I recommend you these Powerful Seven Positive Thinking Techniques that will certainly help you overcome negative thinking and give you the opportunity to cultivate even more habits and positive thoughts in your life, reaching positive thinking:
Stop complaining
I would say, the first step to take in order to start thinking positively, is to eliminate the habit of complaining.
Complaining is a mindset and once you spend most of your time complaining about everything that happens to you, it becomes a routine, and you end up living focused only on the bad things, which prevents you from seeing that each adversity is an incredible experience and an opportunity for growth. On top of that, there are several theories by scientists, mental health & medical experts that explain that complaining about everything and everyone negatively alters the brain and that negativity and complaint affect the structure and function of the mind and body.
So I would recommend starting policing yourself and whenever you feel like complaining, stop, reflect, and think about the positive sides of every daily event in your life. Also, perhaps do some deeper thinking and be honest with yourself about the reasons why you are complaining, and put yourself in the shoes of people with severe problems and misfortunes and more often, you will realize how blessed you are.
Over time, I am positive you will feel lighter and will feel many positive changes happening on your evolutionary journey.
Take care of your body by engaging in a healthy routine
Optimistic people know that in addition to stopping complaining, they need to be well, physically, mentally, spiritually, and psychologically, to be able to achieve as much as they want to feel full and fulfilled in their journeys.
Therefore, positive thinking works to make people understand and encourage them to take better care of themselves. Engaging in a healthy routine is proven to bring positive thoughts.
So what can you do exactly?
Make sure you visit your doctors regularly, even if you don’t feel sick. Think about your body as an automobile. We take our cars to inspection every year, to make sure all is well so why wouldn’t you want to do the same to your body which is the most important vehicle you have?
Exercise is essential. Not going to say you must sign to a gym or run 2 marathons a year, but if you start with small goals, like exercising for just 20 minutes a day is the best way to release endorphins, which in turn will improve your mood.
Healthy eating is another key aspect you should focus on if you want to have a healthy body and overall think positively. There are hundreds and hundreds of studies and scientific research that claims that healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based wholesome diet which is a regiment that encourages whole, plant-based foods and discourages any animal products as well as all refined and processed foods.
Avoid anything that poisons and hurts your body such as alcohol, cigarettes, junk food, and any types of narcotics.
Last but not least, sleep at least 8h a day. Sleep is a vital and often neglected, component of every person’s overall health and well-being. Sleep is essential because it enables the body to repair and be ready and fit for another day.
Take care of your mind by practicing mindfulness
Taking care of our bodies is crucial as discussed, but research has found time and time again that taking care of ourselves mentally is as essential. Yoga and meditation can influence our happiness and train our brain to be more positive. But there’s other ways that can contribute to your wellbeing. An easy exercise is to set up an alarm a few times a day and when it buzzes, stop for 1 minute and take a few deep breaths. I am also a fan of having my daily walk where I get to switch off from the world, even if for 10minutes. To listen to classical music or other types can also do wonders to your mind.
All this might sound rather insignificant but the truth is these small breaks and treats will train your brain to be more balanced and will bring more positivity into your life.
Make a difference with one small act of kindness at a time
Once we stop focusing on ourselves and start looking at other people around the world, we can realize how privileged we are, so one of my biggest tips for you to have even more positive thoughts is to make little acts of kindness. There are countless children, the elderly, animals, etc that need assistance, and helping others will allow you to feel useful and make a difference in someone’s life, even if it is with a minimal attitude. What you give to people around you matters a lot as generosity, in all areas, is a fight against negativity, as it demonstrates that good deeds exist and can be born in any circumstance. So lend a helping hand to that old neighbor, offer to carry or even do their grocery shopping to them. Help that friend that is about to move or donate some time or money to a cause that means to you and spread positivity.
But it is important not to expect any kind of recognition or reward, because the way others react to your help may not live up to your expectations, generate frustration and feed pessimism.
Erase negative self-talking
There are certain words and ideas that can run in your mind constantly which eventually can turn into negative views that stick into your head.
But how can you fight it? Whenever you are overwhelmed by negative thoughts, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and focus on good memories, achievements, and people who bring positive energies into your life.
You can also try to stay as busy as possible as it’s easier to get away from negative energy. Another way to ward off negative thinking is to focus on other activities. Reading practice is excellent for that as it takes your thinking to other spheres and stimulates creativity and imagination. Also, reading is a great ally for those who have insomnia, helping to forget some problems and conflicts of their day, relaxing their body, and inducing a night of peaceful sleep.
And do not be carried away by moments of crisis or by small defeats of daily life. Be optimistic and keep your self-motivation.
6. Surround yourself with positive people
Who we hang with are somehow responsible for helping to maintain our spirits and support when we go through difficult situations. If you maintain a bond with a negative group, you will naturally be bombarded with negative ideas and solutions.
By maintaining a positive social circle, moving away from pessimistic people, you are more likely to receive good encouragement to deal with situations that require greater effort. As they say, those who have good friends have everything. So make sure you select your companies wisely to ward off negative thinking.
If you are not able to deal with negative thinking alone, or if this is causing damage to your life, preventing you from having a quality of life and being able to act and react to everyday situations, seek help from an expert such as a psychologist or therapist. It will help to understand and deal with negative thinking, establishing healthy ways to deal with fear and avoid negativity, during the therapeutic process.
7. Be Truly Grateful
Being upset at the world won’t do you any good, in fact, when you focus on the bad, it will make your perspective more negative and destructive. Instead, being grateful and thankful for what you have and what you have achieved is a great way to embrace a more positive attitude.
Having gratitude is by far one of the best ways to feel positive and consequently have a successful life.
Whether you are grateful for having a roof under your head, have food to eat, family and friends you can count on, a job that offers you what you need to live, among other things, makes you more optimistic. And even if you don’t have any of that, I truly believe that you should reflect and you will realize that you have something, big or small, that gives you reasons to be thankful and motivated to keep going, even if it is the simple fact that you are alive.
The truth is that being grateful activates the pineal gland and helps the body produce dopamine. Dopamine recovers the feeling of well-being and prevents psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression.
To make it more effective, I recommend a simple exercise: every morning when you wake up, write down (on a diary, the notes on your phone, an app, etc) at least three things you are grateful for, and perhaps even repeat the same process before going to bed, and write down three things you were grateful for in that day. By making it a habit hopefully it turns into a routine that focuses on all the things you have in life, not on those that are missing. And remember, when attention is focused on gratitude, what we are grateful for will expand into the Universe so don’t let your negative thoughts jeopardize your shining moments as what is positive in your life deserves a thank you from your soul.
Don’t feel overwhelmed with all these techniques and feel comfortable adding them slowly into your routine.
I genuinely believe that from these tips, your reality will be transformed positively and that you will achieve what you so long for in your life. All of this, through positive thinking.
And if you liked this content, I invite you to leave a comment, telling me what you think and what you do to cultivate positive thinking every day, to share it on your social networks, and to continue following us, because, daily a novelty to make your life even more positive and optimistic. [...]
Read more...