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Category: Managing Stress Tips

Published on Leave a comment on How a Lack of Limits Is Exhausting for Parents and Kids – Find Help Here!

From Psychology Today Australia

Limits Can Lead to Adapting and More Cooperation,
Peace and Joy in Families. If you don't make sufficient Limits for Kids, they Press Your Limits:)

Through the years, Parents I've known who don't practice Limits with their Kids have little, to absolutely No Peace in their house. So the Helpful Information that's in this Article I found, should prove to be of immense Value to some of you Parents out there. Enjoy!

Almost always, the challenges parents are seeking to solve when they come to see me—meltdowns, inflexibility, defiance, or power struggles—are rooted in the absence of an important limit. That is what is causing so much stress for the entire family.⁠

When the limit isn’t clear, and there is a lot of discussion or negotiation about something (more books at bedtime, more things the child says they need to do before they are willing to go to sleep, more treats, more screen time...), it opens up a big, black hole that the child fills with endless attempts to keep parents engaged or to get them to do what they want. This is not just exhausting and maddening for parents; it is exhausting for kids who expend a lot of mental energy making their case and pursuing all angles, getting themselves increasingly wound up and dysregulated.…

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Published on 1 Comment on How Simply Humming Can Reactivate A Crucial Part Of Your Nervous System

While it may not be a miracle cure, recent studies have suggested that simply humming can completely rewire your nervous system by activating the Vagus Nerve, the same nerve often targeted by many different meditation practices

Humming to a song you love is a universally shared joy. Did you know that there’s a scientifically backed reason why humming makes you feel better. Research suggests that three key receptors are at play when you start humming, mainly due to the effect it has on a nerve called the vagus nerve in your internal system.

Generally, the vagus nerve is responsible for regulating your body’s stress response, by lowering your heart rate, improving digestion and promoting feelings of calm. Since chronic stress can dampen the vagus nerve’s ability to do perform this task, we often feel on edge and unable to cope in stressful situations.

One of the ways humming counteracts this is by increasing the amount of nitric oxide being produced in your nasal passages, which acts as a gas transmitter that improves blood flow in your body. As a result, it can lower your blood pressure while sterilizing the air you’re inhaling.…

Published on Leave a comment on 8 Situations In Life Where The Best Thing To Do Is Remain Silent, According To Psychology

Lachlan Brown - Writer and Psychologist

Navigating life is a bit like dancing—it’s all about knowing when to step forward and when to take a step back. Or in some cases, when to stay completely still.

And by ‘still’, I mean silent.

Hi there, I’m Lachlan Brown, a mindfulness enthusiast. I’m here to tell you that sometimes, silence is the most powerful statement you can make.

Psychology says there are certain situations where the wisest course of action is to simply hold your tongue and let silence speak volumes.

Let’s delve into these 8 situations where it’s best to remain silent. 

1) When emotions are running high

We’ve all been there. Tensions are rising, voices escalating, and the air is practically humming with emotion. It’s in these instances that psychology urges us to zip it.

Why, you ask? Well, because as per research, emotional arousal impairs our ability to process information and make balanced decisions.

You see, when we’re heated up, our brain goes into fight or flight mode. We’re more likely to say things we don’t mean or make decisions that we later regret. It’s a primal instinct that doesn’t serve us well in most modern-day scenarios.…

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Published on 3 Comments on Use These 10 Phrases to Disarm a Narcissist – These Should Help

By Sanjana Gupta from Very Well Mind

THIS IS A TRICKY ONE TO DEAL WITH, HOW TO MANAGE WITH THESE PEOPLE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POSITIVE and HELPFUL ARTICLES I HAVE FOUND ABOUT THIS NEED, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD POST IT FOR YOU. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MOST TIMES, A PERSON WHO IS NARCISSISTIC HAS HAD A DIFFICULT UPBRINGING WITH PARENTS WHO WERE ABUSIVE or WHO DID NOT GIVE THEM MUCH ATTENTION; SELDOM SHOWED AFFECTION ETC AND THEY FELT UNIMPORTANT; NOT VALUED and UNLOVED. NARCISSISM IS A DISTORTED WAY THEY COPE WITH BAGGAGE THAT IS LEFT FROM THEIR UPBRINGING. AND IT’S KIND OF LIKE THEIR UNMET NEEDS and  ISSUES WITH THEIR PARENTS ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS YOU. IT'S KIND OF A PERMANENT REACTION TO BAD PARENTING.

RELATING WITH SUCH A PERSON CAN MEAN A VERY STRESSFUL LIFE OR RELATIONSHIP FOR YOU IF YOU DON’T LEARN APPROPRIATE WAYS OF HANDLING THAT. YOU MAY FIND THE STRATEGIES IN THIS ARTICLE BENEFICIAL TO YOUR CAUSE. I HOPE SO!

Interacting with a narcissist can leave you feeling confused, frustrated, angry, upset, and used.1 Whether it’s a friend, family member, colleague, or neighbour, dealing with them can be difficult and leave you drained.…

Published on Leave a comment on How to Stop Negative Thoughts – These Strategies Are Really Helpful

By Arlin Cuncic, MA from Very Well Mind

Negative thoughts can contribute to problems such as social anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem. The key to changing your negative thoughts is to understand how you think now (and the problems that result), then use strategies to change these thoughts or make them have less of an effect.

"Our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all linked, so our thoughts impact how we feel and act. So, although we all have unhelpful thoughts from time to time, it’s important to know what to do when they appear so we don’t let them change the course of our day," explains Rachel Goldman, PhD, a psychologist and clinical assistant professor at the NYU School of Medicine.

Therapy can often be helpful for changing negative thoughts, but you can also learn how to change your thought patterns. This article discusses some of the steps you can take to change your negative thoughts. Some of the ways that you can get rid of negative thoughts include:

  1. Using mindfulness to build self-awareness
  2. Identifying negative thoughts
  3. Replacing negative thoughts with more realistic, positive ones
  4. Practicing acceptance rather than trying to avoid or deny negative thoughts
  5. Learning to cope with feedback and criticism
  6. Using a diary to track your thoughts

Combat Negative Thoughts With Mindfulness

Mindfulness has its roots in meditation.…

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Published on 2 Comments on How Clutter Affects Our Health and Is Best Avoided – Some Ways To Improve

THIS POST HAS A BALANCE OF HOW CLUTTER AFFECTS US and POSITIVE APPROACHES AGAINST NEGATIVE MINDSETS THAT CAN HINDER US FROM DECLUTTERING and MAKING PROGRESS WITH THIS STRATEGY.
BE SURE TO SEE THE TWO REALLY HELPFUL VIDEOS ON THIS PAGE. THEY WILL HELP YOU CONSIDERABLY.

How Clutter Can Affect Your Health

Barbara Brody from WebMD

Too Much Stuff

If your closets are bursting or your desk is topped with piles of disorganized papers, you may want to take some steps toward a neater home or workspace. While a bit of chaos might have some upsides -- at least one study suggests that a messy room spurs creativity -- it has many more downsides. It can even be damaging for your physical and mental health.

Mess Equals Stress

When everything is in order, you know exactly where you put your glasses and keys so you can grab them and go on with your day. That saves time and a whole lot of hassle. In one study, women who saw their homes as cluttered had high levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day, while those who described their abode as a well-organized, restful space had lower levels.…

Published on Leave a comment on 10 Reasons To Make Reading a Habit For Your Brain And Other Benefits

THIS KEEPS COMING UP IN RESEARCH OVER RECENT MONTHS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ARTICLES, FROM Jim Kwik - A Brain Trainer to Top Performers. HE IS THE 2rd BRAIN TRAINING GUY WHO HIGHLY RECOMMENDS IT. THE OTHER GUY SAID IT'S THE BEST EXERCISE WE CAN DO FOR OUR BRAIN. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT WALKING BENEFITS OUR BRAIN TOO and SO DOES HANDWRITING!

The digital era has changed the way we read. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, the average American is reading fewer books than they were forty years ago, with only 31% of the population reading at least one book a year. This is a 10% decline in overall reading habits. So, why are people reading less?

It may seem simplistic to say technology, but the availability of social media, streaming apps, and access to the Internet has provided a welcome distraction to many people who are overworked and overwhelmed. And there are plenty of digital resources for anyone to access news, stories, and other reading material that condense the content into bite-sized pieces. Studies show that the average reading time online is approximately 55 seconds, which isn’t nearly long enough to see the amazing brain benefits reading can provide.…

Published on Leave a comment on 10 Meaningful Habits To Support Your Mental Health – Everyone Needs To Do These

EVERYONE NEEDS TO LOOK AFTER THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IN THIS STRESSFUL AGE. THIS BENEFITS OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AS WELL. MENTAL HEALTH and PHYSICAL HEALTH ARE MORE CLOSELY RELATED THAN WE REALIZE BECAUSE FOR A VERY LONG TIME EVERYTHING WAS THOUGHT OF (and treated) AS SEPARATE BY THE MEDICAL PROFESSION BUT NOT SO BY NATURAL PRACTITIONERS LIKE NATUROPATHS - THEY SEE THINGS AS INTERRELATED. LETS SEE WHAT THIS WRITER FROM Positive.News HAS TO OFFER US, SHALL WE?

1. Move: it’s a mental health super booster

Your mind as well as your body get a mood-boosting workout from physical activity. It releases feelgood endorphins, reduces stress hormones and aids relaxation. Research shows it can be 1.5 times more effective than counselling and medication at managing depression. Short, high intensity exercise works best, but experts say all forms of physical activity are beneficial – and no one’s suggesting you have to sign up to a marathon unless you want to.

“Create opportunities to move,” suggests psychologist and wellness expert Lee Chambers. “Station things further away, park further away from the entrance and take the stairs. Let the blood flow to your brain.”

2. Sleep: don’t sideline the shut-eye

Just as important as physical activity is getting enough rest.…

Published on Leave a comment on Their Bodies Age, But Seniors Have Higher Emotional Well-Being – Here’s Why

By Knowable Magazine

Bodies lose their vigor with the passing of the years, but in the emotional realm, older people seem to rule supreme.

For the past 20 years, Susan Turk Charles, a psychologist at the University of California, Irvine, has been monitoring the shifting moods, the sense of satisfaction, and the outbursts of anger and sadness in people of all ages—with a special interest in how we handle and experience emotions as we grow older.

Emotionally Adjusted In Later Years - Happier

She fell in love with the idea of studying a process related to aging that is not defined by a decline. Unlike physical fitness or cognition, where you may see slowing or declines, emotional regulation and experience are often as good, if not better, as we age.

What is the secret behind this grizzled levelheadedness? How can we make sure that as many people as possible can benefit from it? And what can it teach the young? In 2010, Charles and Stanford psychologist Laura Carstensen coauthored an article on social and emotional aging in the Annual Review of Psychology. They have found that, on average, older people have more satisfying social contacts and report higher emotional well-being.…

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Published on 1 Comment on Keep Your Little Friends Happy And Healthy With A Sparkling Clean Bird Bath

IT'S EASY THIS WAY!!!

Lets Keep Their Birdbaths Clean So They Will Be Happy - Just Like We Are With Our Clean Baths:)

Safe and Natural Methods for Cleaning Your Bird Bath

We wouldn't want to take a bath in a gunky tub, so we clean it regularly. And while birds may not be quite as picky as humans when it comes to bathing, that doesn't mean a clean bird bath isn't essential for their health and well-being. Knowing how to clean a Bird Bath and what cleaners to use helps keep birds Safe and Healthy and prevents the spread of disease.

Easy Ways to Clean a Bird Bath

Whether you've got a concrete Bird Bath or any other common type, the methods we're discussing should do the trick. First, dump out any water that's in the bath. Take a moment to look over how dirty it is. If it's just a bit mucky, a quick clean with a natural cleaner like vinegar or Baking Soda may be all you need. But if you see some hardcore stains, it's time to bring out stronger cleaners.

Clean It Naturally With Water

You don't need a cleanser for the majority of bird bath cleanings, as long as you keep it relatively clean and well-maintained.…