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Raise Your Serotonin Levels and Decrease Stress By Digging in the Dirt
In his book, Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv writes about how we have been harmed by living lives that are no longer connected with nature. What Louv refers to as “nature deficit disorder” is linked to obesity, attention disorders, and depression. In fact, scientists have discovered that you can raise your serotonin levels and decrease stress by digging in the dirt. The scientific term for healthful bacteria that soil contains is Mycobacterium vaccae – a non-pathogenic form of bacteria found naturally in dirt. This amazing form of bacteria can increase serotonin levels that keep your mood upbeat and help reduce allergies and other physical disorders which arise…
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Use Gardening to Calm Your Senses
Gardening benefits your health and well-being in so many ways and appeals to all the senses. Many people are turning to “sensory” gardens to enjoy the stimulation you can get for touch, sight, smell and sound. It’s easy to achieve and satisfying to create. Today, many care facilities are using a sensory garden for their patients. A stroll through the features it offers can relax and calm patients – and studies indicate it helps those children with autism and other disabilities to better process their thoughts and actions. Planning a Stress Relieving Garden When choosing plants for a sensory garden, remember to design and choose the plants in the garden…
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7 Easy Ways to Think Positive and Change Your Life
Positive thinking can add so much to your life – and now we know that positive thinking can add years to your life. When you think positive you get rid of stress and tend to live a healthier life and make better choices. If you’re naturally a negative thinker, there are ways you can change that thinking and get on the path to a life-changing way of thinking. If you really want to begin to think positively and change your life for the better, look at the following ways you can incorporate into your own lifestyle: Be responsible for your thoughts No one can tell you what to think or…
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Three Ways to Quiet Your Mind
If you are not overachieving and extremely busy in today’s society, you are the exception and not the norm. We are all guilty of this; we overextend, overachieve, and overstress ourselves to the point of breaking. Little do we realize, however, that we are hurting our body by hurting our mind. We all need to rest sometime, and some personality types need that downtime more than others. Here are three ways to quiet your mind when things get crazy. The Art of Gratitude It is so easy to be upset when things do not go our way. From the moment we spill our coffee, lock our keys in the car,…
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What to Do When You Don’t Feel Empowered
Even the most self-assured and positive people can have days where they feel emotionally defeated and out of control. Being self-empowered isn’t a magic state of being that is achieved and never goes away. It’s an approach to life that needs constant work, assessment, and care. When you have days where you’re not feeling empowered, it’s important to take extra care of yourself. These are the days when you need a little extra support and attention. So let’s talk about what you can do when you’re not feeling in control over your life. Pay Attention to Your Thoughts and Words There’s a very good chance that some negative self-talk has…
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Tips for Getting What You Want in Your Life
Have you ever had the thought that everyone else gets what he or she wants, except for you? Well, therein lies the problem. Thinking thoughts like those are the exact thoughts that will push away the very things you want in your life. Here are several tips for getting what you want in your life and negative thoughts are not one of them. Being Responsible Now while being responsible may not sound like a whole lot of fun, it is one surefire way to get what you want in your life. When you take responsibility for your life and stop blaming circumstances or, worse, yet, other people, you will come…
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Five Time Management Strategies for Single Parents
Single parents try to be both father and mother to their children. The other parent may be out of the picture due to many reasons, such as military deployment, divorce, or death. But no matter what the reason, it’s important for single parents to learn to manage their time wisely. If you are a single parent, these five time management strategies may help you get more time for your children and for yourself. Create a central calendar Think about the activities you and your children are involved in that require you to be out of the home. Placing these items on a central calendar that can be viewed by everyone…
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Fun Things for Single Women to Do Once Retired
Facing retirement is an exciting time and a time for new adventure. If you are a single woman getting ready to head into retirement, why not head in full steam ahead. Being a single woman should in no way, shape, or form hinder the joy of retiring. You can join many adventures, clubs, and groups as a single, newly retired woman. 1. Groups – There are so many groups for single women, no matter what age. You can join a support group of any kind from widows’ groups to entrepreneur groups. There are also many dating groups that are geared toward seniors. Groups for adventurers looking to meet other people…
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Tips to Help Overcome Shyness and Social Awkwardness
Feeling shy or awkward in certain situations is understandable. Don’t we all have a little nervousness before we go talk to that guy or girl, or get sweaty palms before giving a speech? For some, though, shyness and social awkwardness may not be circumstantial, but constant. This can be very frustrating and hard to overcome, but there are some things you can do to help overcome your shyness and approach people in social situations. Here are some tips. Learn to Laugh There’s something about laughter that makes everyone feel more comfortable. This is why “ice breaker” activities at parties are often designed to get the participants laughing. So don’t be…
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Tips to Balance Your Money and Your Life
One of the biggest stressors for families is that of financial stress. When your financial house is in order, then the rest of your life falls into place much more easily. If you are like most, financial planning was not a part of high school or college curriculum – much less balancing a checkbook or concentrating on a 401k or emergency expenditures. Without a balance of financial issues in your life, it is very difficult to have balance in other areas of your life. Unfortunately, money controls much of our thought patterns, time, and worries. Figure Out Your Spending Habits Before you can sit with your partner to discuss finances,…
