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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.…

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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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.…

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By Janet Vargas - Independent Natural Health Research 30+ Yrs

Like someone so rightly said: Oats are Naturally Processed, Oats are OATS. 100% No Preservatives, No Additives, No Colourings. They are Uncomplicated REAL Food that Nourishes with “NO Extras” Frugal Food, Cheap to Buy!

And you can add whatever you like – you know what’s in there.

So if you’re going to “Cut things on the Budget” don’t downsize on Healthy Nutritious Meals, cut out those Sugar Laden and Artificially Coloured Ultra-Processed devitalised “Cereals” those Con Artists charge you the Earth for instead.

What an Absolute RIP-OFF and you’re taking them home, one after the other, Friends? And half the time, it’s because you weren’t brought up with OATS wonderful Oats OR your Kids have been Targeted by the Cunning guise of those Shrewd Manufacturers. Yes, they deliberately target your Kids with those endless Ads (so many rounds a day/evening) because they Know they will “Nag You” until they get what they want!

Don’t these Cereals cost a fortune Now? And there’s all manner of Packets for the Grown Ups to be irresistibly drawn to as well – specialty lines with “Nut Clusters” in them, and all the rest of it:)

With a Price to Match.…

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WHY DO WE CRAVE SUGAR?
There are many reasons why we go for sweet things.

That appetite may be hardwired. "Sweet is the first taste humans prefer from birth," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. Sugar is a carbohydrate, but carbohydrates come in other forms, too, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which have fiber and nutrients your body needs.

The taste of sugar also releases endorphins that calm and relax us, and offer a natural "high," says Susan Moores, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant in St. Paul, MN.

Sweets just taste good, too. And that preference gets reinforced when you reward yourself with sweet treats, which can make you crave it even more.

How to Stop Sugar Cravings: Tips to Use Right Now
If you're craving sugar, here are some ways to tame those cravings.

Reach for fruit. Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers. "Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."…

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MANY PEOPLE WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE BRAINY OR SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY GROW UP.
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WILL SHOW YOU A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAY TO HELP YOUR KIDS THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY OVERLOOKED OR EVEN UNDISCOVERED BY MOST PARENTS IN THIS DAY and GENERATION.
I HOPE YOU GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT - IT COULD MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR CHILDREN. SO MANY PARENTS THESE DAYS, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ON HOURS OF TV ETC AND AN ABSCENCE OF NATURE. IT HAS NOT EVEN BEEN CONSIDERED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE. IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT BACKGROUND TO PASS ON, WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THOSE WHO DO and BRING THEIR KIDS UP THAT WAY. SHALL WE GO?

From Rain Or Shine Mamma

When we think of learning, our mind immediately tends to conjure up images of classrooms, desks and text books. After all, school is the epitome of learning and an institution that most of us send our kids to in order to gain essential skills. But historically speaking, schools are a new phenomenon.

For hundreds of thousands of years, in hunter-gatherer societies, children learned the skills they needed to survive and thrive by playing and exploring on their own.…

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Hi Folks, thought I would place something Interesting; Fun Loving; Engaging here for THIS YEAR - it's amazing what you find in this list.
See how many you would like to try, hey?

Would you like more Health and Happiness without having to work too hard at it?
Here are some tried and tested tweaks that can lead to big improvements.
These people have some really great ideas.
Here's 40+ from different professions and walks in life!

From The Guardian

Putting a smile on my face the moment I wake up.
It tricks the brain into thinking: ooh, I feel quite good about today!
It’s such a simple thing and it really works.
Gaby Roslin author of Spread the Joy

Leaving my phone downstairs at night.
I bought a Lumie alarm clock to wake me up instead.
It’s helped me to avoid scrolling through news or social media late at night.
I sleep better, I feel less stressed and I am much calmer.
Joe Wicks, fitness coach

Taking a two-minute cold shower every morning.
Often, I wake up feeling depressed and low in energy,
but two minutes under the cold water makes me capable of facing the day.…

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.…

HERE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECENT GOOD NEWS STORIES OF A PERSON WITH A GENEROUS SPIRIT AND VERY CARING TOWARDS HIS FELLOWMAN. SO REFRESHING TO FIND IN A TIME OF GREED and ADVERSITY. SO MANY NICE PEOPLE I MEET IN SHOPPING CENTRES COMMENT ON HOW THE "Money and Greed" PHENONEMA IS GETTING OUT OF HAND. EVERY COMPANY OUT THERE EXPECTS US TO BE THEIR MONEY TREE. WELL HAVE A READ OF THIS.

Millionaire Builds 99 Tiny Homes to Cut Homelessness in His Community – He Even Provides Work On Site for Them

By Andy Corbley -Oct 30, 2023

After selling his company for eight figures to a competitor, one Canadian Entrepreneur is using his profit to build a community of tiny homes for those who need it most.

In the New Brunswick city of Fredericton, his factory is now churning out 1 tiny home every 4 business days in a bid to create the 12 Neighbours gated community of 99 homes and an enterprise center to give homeless Frederictonians a real second chance.

12 Neighbours founder Marcel LeBrun had a successful social media monitoring company which he sold to an American competitor, and is now putting his new money where his mouth was—every time he used to say something needed to be done about the homelessness problem in the city.…

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Our Health is as Good as the Food we Eat. And so is Our Brain. Did you know that Mental Health Disorders mostly start from long-standing Nutritional Deficiencies and also Poor Gut Health because our Neurotransmitters are present in our Gut - not just our Brain - so Both our Gut and our Brain Relate Closely together. A It is the Same with Brain Power. Everyone talks about Brainpower, but you don't just stay on whatever Foods you have and take a "Brain Power" Supplement each day. You need to build up a Nutritional Profile of Brain Friendly Foods; stay off of Sugar AND Synthetic Sweeteners that are Bad for your Body and Brain. So are Canola and Cheap Nasty Veggie Oils - they mess with your Metabolism causing Lethargy and Brain Fog in many people, and are noted for Mental Blanks (even with young people) because they are Toxic to Body and Brain Cells. Aim for Genuine Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Cold Pressed Coconut Oil. They're both beneficial for our Brain. Polyunsaturated Oils are based on Flawed Science and the ignorance prevails. Don't let that be You.

Our Body and our Brain also benefit much from 7-8 Hours of restful Sleep a Night AND 120 Minutes of Walking (collectively) each Week.…