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Category: Simple Psychology/Lifeskills

Nothing too serious. This is what I call Simple Psychology. There are some Interesting things I find plus some Life Skill discoveries I make from time to time when Researching. They can be Life-Changing.

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Published on 1 Comment on Some Tiny Changes To Transform Your Life – You May Like To Try Some!

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.…

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 Do You Want To Break A Habit In 7 Days?

Usually we hear that it takes 21 days to Make a Habit OR Break a Habit, and that's quite True, however this Article I found today sounds like it would be So Effective, less time would be possible. It would give you good leverage - give you a Running Start - then you could Consolidate your results over the next 2 - 3 Weeks, Hey?

How To Break A Habit In Seven Days
By Cynthia Hickman

7 days 7 ways: say goodbye to bad habits in a week with these simple steps.

Monday
Wake up and own up. It's like a scene from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting: "Hello, I'm Sally and I'm an alcoholic". Whatever your bad habit is, you have to treat it the same way. Say to yourself something like, "I'm Amy and I overeat" or "I'm Simon and I spend too much time playing computer games".

Tuesday
It is important to observe yourself in the actual moment that you are doing the problematic behaviour. Say to yourself: "Here I am doing … [insert habit of choice]". Then the habit is no longer automatic or unconscious. This begins to take away its power over you.…

Published on Leave a comment on When Keeping Secrets Could Brighten Your Day!

Interesting Article From Science Daily

People who keep good news a secret -- even for a short time -- often feel energized, study says.

Though people often want to share good news as soon as they learn it, a study published by the American Psychological Association has found that keeping good news a secret before telling someone else could make people feel more energized and alive.

"Decades of research on secrecy suggest it is bad for our well-being, but this work has only examined keeping secrets that have negative implications for our lives. Is secrecy inherently bad for our well-being or do the negative effects of secrecy tend to stem from keeping negative secrets?" asked lead author Michael Slepian, PhD, an associate professor of business at Columbia University. "While negative secrets are far more common than positive secrets, some of life's most joyful occasions begin as secrets, including secret marriage proposals, surprise gifts and exciting news."

The research was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

A pre-study survey of 500 people found that 76% said the first thing they would do upon learning good news is share it with someone.…

Published on Leave a comment on Fight Depression with Exercise – It Can Lift Depressed Moods

By Dr James M. Greenblatt M.D - Psychology Today
Specialising In Depression.

Lately, exercise has been at the forefront of every conversation about health. No doubt this careful attention is due to the increasing concerns over obesity and sedentary lifestyles.

And it's true that exercise can improve our health by reducing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the risk of developing diabetes. Did you realize though that exercise also has amazing positive psychological effects?

Besides the obvious physical health benefits, exercise can also:

A great deal of research dating as far back as the 1980s has shown that exercise can effectively reduce cases of mild to moderate depression. Yet, psychiatrists, particularly those in the US, tend to underestimate the benefits of exercise and rarely prescribe it. British physicians, on the other hand, can actually prescribe exercise as a treatment for depression, with the National Health Service subsidizing some or all of the cost. Imagine being given the green light to take a walk at lunch every day by your doctor!

It's clear that there is no real downside to moderate exercise, so let's get to the particulars.…

Published on Leave a comment on TV: A Source Of Family Entertainment Or A Harmful Device? It Can Be Both – Please Read On.

By Janet Vargas - Independent Natural Health Researcher 30+ Yrs

Unable to sleep at night after you've finished your programs for the evening? The Blue Light emitted from the Screen has Affected your Melatonin Levels for the night. Maybe your Kids can't sleep after their share for the same reason? Maybe you were a bit distracted by what's on the Screen to tuck your younger Kids into bed at night - their little minds could be thinking "Why doesn't mummy (or daddy) stay with me? Why does she (or he) go so quickly?" And even your Teenage Kids could be thinking they're no competition to that mesmerizing TV of yours. That is, unless they're off in their own rooms with their own TVs and it's the other way round. You're wondering if that was such a good idea, buying that 2nd TV or everyone their TVs.

TVs can Change your Priorities; TVs can make you Lazy to get up and Attend to things or even Loved Ones; TVs can even blunt your Sensitivity to them; TV can Infiltrate your thinking habits, so you have little Interest or Motivation for anything else; TV can cause you to Compromise your Commitments or even your Morals; TV can talk you into buying things you really didn't Need and you're wondering why you bought them?…

Published on Leave a comment on Ruminating: How Do I Stop That? Here’s Some Good Solutions For You!

HOW DO I STOP THINKING OF THINGS OVER AND OVER - LIKE A GEAR STICK THAT REFUSES TO SHIFT? SEE IF THESE HELP YOU. MANY PEOPLE RUMINATE - IT MAY HELP YOU TO KNOW THAT.

Tips to Help You Stop Ruminating
By Erica Cirino from Healthline.Com

What is rumination?

Has your mind ever been filled with one single thought, or a string of thoughts, that just keep repeating… and repeating… and repeating themselves?

The process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which tend to be sad or dark, is called rumination.

A habit of rumination can be dangerous to your mental health, as it can extend or intensify depression as well as impair your ability to think and process emotions. It may also cause you to feel isolated and can, in reality, push people away.

What causes ruminating?

People ruminate for a variety of reasons. According to the American Psychological Association opens in a new window, some common reasons for rumination include:

belief that by ruminating, you’ll gain insight into your life or a problem
having a history of emotional or physical trauma
facing ongoing stressors that can’t be controlled
Ruminating is also common in people who possess certain personality characteristics, which include perfectionism, neuroticism, and an excessive focus on one’s relationships with others.…

Published on Leave a comment on 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do – Insights By Amy Morin

THIS IS A FABULOUS ARTICLE NOW IN A BOOK AS WELL BECAUSE IT CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE, AND STILL DOES (her article or her book). WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T MISS THIS - IT IMPARTS HOPE, IT INSPIRES MOTIVATION, THERE ARE PRINCIPLES EVERYONE CAN PRACTICE.

Amy, a Social Worker and Psychologist, experienced several family tragedies, including the death of a husband, her mother, and later her next husband’s father. She wrote the mentally strong article just as much for herself as for her readers.

After her article was published on Lifehack, she received a notice that was sent to all contributors — "Do not submit any new articles because the site is receiving much more traffic than normal!" Amy didn’t realize it at the time, but it was her article that triggered the wave of traffic.

Now in a book “13 things mentally strong people don’t do” Amy gives tips, exercises and excellent advice on increasing our mental strength which can change our entire attitude:

  1. They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves.
    “Self pity is easily the most destructive of the non-pharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim form reality” – John Gardner.
…

Published on Leave a comment on 5 Ways to Kick OCD Naturally Without Supplements or Medication

Heather McClees - Health Journalist and Certified Holistic Nutritionist

Anxiety is one of the most difficult health disorders to deal with, mainly because it makes you feel out of control and unable to make changes. But that’s a myth, to say the least.

During my second year of college, after parents separation, depression and anxiety, I was at a crossroads: I had been put on various medications for depression and anxiety. It was around this time that OCD started to kick in. Suddenly, everything had to be perfect and if it wasn’t, anxiety got worse. Every little thing became a huge deal in my mind, and I felt nothing like the person I used to be. I knew something wasn’t right. This wasn’t my natural self and certainly wasn’t what I wanted to be. None of the medications were working to full capacity despite two years of attempts to get them right. I knew nothing of Natural Health, and yet something within me said there had to be a better way.

As I began to study Natural Health, I discovered some of the easiest answers were also the most effective. I went from suffering panic attacks, brain fog, debilitating depression to vibrant health that has lasted over 10 years of my life.…