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We all know what it is like to feel exhausted for days on end. We know what it is like to be constantly battling that annoying head cold or back pain. We know what it is like to feel unhappy for no reason. We don’t like feeling sick or down, but we can’t figure out how to fix it. The truth is that wellness doesn’t come by accident. But it doesn’t have to be complicated either. With a little thought and effort, we can form habits and make consistent choices that will help us gain a healthy body and a joyful mind. Here are eight simple ways that you can keep happy and invigorated!

1. Stay hydrated. Water is the closest thing you can get to a cure-all. It helps everything, from bad skin to fatigue to internal issues. Drinking water doesn’t have to be boring either. Get creative with your water intake! Add lemon juice or fresh fruit for an extra sparkle. Or drink lightly-sweetened herbal tea. Either way, your body will thank you for it.  

2. Eat healthy. It’s time to keep an eye on what you are putting into your body! Start tracking what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat. Avoid eating lots of sugary desserts and processed foods. These will only junk up your system and make you feel constantly run down. Instead, choose fresh foods! And make sure to maintain a consistent eating schedule. You will feel so much more invigorated!

3. Keep active. Exercise is a huge part of staying healthy. Don’t just get a gym membership – use it! Or, if you prefer, you can find plenty of home workouts online. Exercising doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. Rather, consistency is the key. Commit to working out for 15+ minutes at least 3-4 times a week to stay energized.  

4. Engage your mind. There are so many times when it is easy to let our minds shut off. Whether it is during a long commute, waiting in line at the grocery store, or simply just chilling at home, we often forget to keep our minds working like they should. And we think it is time to change that! Use your mind intentionally to plan, consider, or make decisions during this “down time.”

5. Relax. Everyone needs time to rest in order to stay healthy! For those of us with busy schedules and a pile-up of responsibilities, it is easy to skip this. But we drastically lower our immune systems when we work ourselves too hard. Schedule time in your days to be alone or to do calming activities with others. Some good ways to relax might be reading a good book, going out into nature, crafting, journaling, or doing yoga.   

6. Maintain your internal balance. Besides keeping a balanced diet, you definitely want to make sure that your body has a healthy amount of the chemicals and vitamins that it needs. In fact, many of us live with a vitamin deficit without even knowing it. Talk to your physician to see if you need to take any supplements or vitamins to get your body in ship shape.    

7. Meditate. Our minds need rest just as much as our bodies do. Actually, our minds probably need more rest than our bodies. With so much to worry us, we need to be able to calm down and focus our minds. And meditation is a great way to do that. Practice meditation alone or with others to keep yourself calm and efficient.

8. Smile! Believe it or not, smiling is like a medicine! Smiling makes you feel better deep inside, especially if someone smiles back. And when your heart is happy, your body is likely to respond by staying healthy too. Make a point this year to smile more often – at the barista, the cashier, the server at a restaurant, the random stranger whose eye you just caught in the mall… there are people all over the place who need a bright spot in their day.

These simple actions will revitalize and reinvigorate you! They are great first steps in your journey to wellness!

The study of epigenetics has uncovered that our DNA is affected in different ways based off of our environment, diet, and habits. The primary reaction of this process is called DNA methylation – when we interact with different stressors in our environment, we are subtly molding our genetic code to express and silence certain genes. While this interaction is complex and not yet completely understood, there are many proven ways to influence your own epigenome. This means you are not just a passenger on a ride determined by your genetic history – but rather a driver that can change your own biology just by being mindful of what you do. Taking control of your epigenetics can lead to not only a healthier and happier you, but also affect any future children you might have.

Taking Control of Stress

Stress has been shown to alleviate certain chemicals in a person’s blood – specifically a hormone called glucocorticoid. This hormone can change gene expression in the brain, making a person more prone to anxiety, depression, and a host of other health problems. In extreme examples certain genetic variations associated with glucocorticoid have been shown in patients suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and other mood disorders. The good news is that you can control how you react to stress, and thus reduce or reverse the bad genes involved in expressing these hormones. Meditation, mindfulness, and breathing techniques have all been shown to decrease stress hormones.

Getting a Good Night’s Rest

Not having a good sleep pattern not only makes you irritable and tired all day, but can negatively impact the DNA methylation process. Chronically bad sleep patterns cause genetic changes that affect the gene FOXP3 – this gene is integral in the production of lymphocytes, a white blood cell. This reduction of white blood cells results in a weaker immune response, meaning that rest is not only great to overcome sickness, but also helps combat it in the first place. The average adult needs anywhere from 7 – 9 hours of sleep, with anything less than this making you tired. In order to get the epigenetic changes you so desire, make sure to get the required amount of sleep and try to follow a consistent schedule.

Maximizing the DNA with Diet

Nutrition is one of the most heavily studied fields of science and it shouldn’t be surprising that diet can heavily influence your genetic code. An extreme example of this is during times of famine – one such example happened during the winter of 1944-45 in the Netherlands. Surviving children suffered from higher rates of diabetes and obesity. But even if you are not at risk for starvation, you can still manipulate your epigenome with your diet. Eating food high in sugar and unrefined carbohydrates can turn on genetic markers that increase the risk of cancer and diabetes. These genetic markers can then be passed onto offspring, further influencing their health in negative ways. Naturally, the opposite is true for a healthy diet – people who consume diets high fiber and vitamins increase the longevity and quality of their life. Diets high in polyunsaturated fatty acids can stimulate genes that produce brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – which helps the stimulation of new neurons. These same neurons help with learning and memory. Following a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will alter your genetic code in multiple beneficial ways.

Strengthening your Genetics with Exercise

One of the biggest effects you can have on what genes your DNA turns on is exercise. Just a single bout of exercise can change your methylation pattern in beneficial way – turning on those parts of your genetic code that increase fat burning and muscle growth. Consistent exercise for just three months can, unsurprisingly, lead to a thinner physique, better mood, and less stress. What is interesting is that these changes aren’t just skin deep – by exercising you are creating significant change in how your genetic code works. Participants in a Karolinska study had users exercise just one leg on a stationary bike – after three months the participants exercised leg naturally showed noticeably more muscle than the non exercised leg. Most fascinating is that when the scientists at Karolinska looked at the genomes of both legs they noticed that the genes expressed in the exercised leg where markedly different – genes associated with muscle growth and increased metabolism where turned on.

Final Thoughts

Evidence for epigenetics only continues to increase, but is still considered in its infancy. As further studies are made on mapping out the epigenome, we will further understand how our lifestyles affect which genes express themselves. In the meantime, we know the time tested methods of stress management, proper sleep schedule, a good diet, and exercise can help us take control of our genetic code in a way that benefits us. By doing all of this we are fine tuning our body to better regulate mood, increase concentration, better our immune response, improve our appearance, and fight dangerous ailments like heart disease and cancer.

Refrences:

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/how-exercise-changes-our-dna/

https://www.whatisepigenetics.com/the-epigenetics-of-sleep-3-reasons-to-catch-more-zzzs/

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-claudia-aguirre/how-diet-changes-your-dna_b_7129758.html

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/stress-hormone-causes-epigenetic-changes

Gooey chocolate with a warm chewy center. YUM! Everyone loves a good chocolate chip cookie. But that craving comes with a lot of calories (and a lot of regrets.) How do you find the proper balance between taste and nutrition?

One way is to bake healthier alternatives. There are a bevy of excellent cookies recipes that use less sugar and more natural ingredients that are as satisfying as they are healthy. Say “So long” to that chocolate chip craving and try these scrumptious cookies instead!

1. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin cookies are low in fats and contain less sugar than chocolate chip cookies. In addition, raisins are an excellent source of iron and potassium, the latter of which can even reduce hypertension. For a unique twist, substitute raisins with dried cherries. They provide a host of health benefits including preventing heart disease, reducing pain, and strengthening bones.

2. Zucchini Blondies

Zucchini? In a cookie? Yes! Shred this green veggie into your blondie and you’ll get a dose of nutrients such as Vitamin K and manganese. They’re particularly high in Vitamin C, which helps grow and repair body tissues. Add spelt flour for extra fiber.

3. Flourless Double Chocolate Cookies

To make these yummy chocolate cookies, mix unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips (which are notably healthier than milk chocolate) with baking soda, eggs, and peanut butter. Forget the refined sugar! Instead, use coconut sugar. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index and contains iron, potassium, and calcium.

4. Linzer Cookies

Originally an Austrian dessert known as a Linzer Torte, Linzer cookies consist of two circular cookies stuffed with jam. Reach for one of these if you’re craving something crispy and fruity. When baking your own Linzer cookies, choose coconut flour as opposed to regular flour. This wonder ingredient contains both protein and fiber, and it’s gluten-free!

5. Almond and Honey Butter Cookies

Want a fun way to get in your whole grains? Try an almond and honey butter cookie. Made with whole-wheat pastry flour, these almond-filled thumbprint cookies are a healthier alternative to processed flour cookies. Plus, there’s no sugar! Only honey is used to make them richer in taste. Can you tell the difference?

6. Snickerdoodles

These snickerdoodles are nothing to snicker at. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and filled with whole grains. How? They use unsweetened vanilla soy milk, oat flour, and coconut oil along with sorghum flour to create a savory cinnamon snack that won’t have you worrying about checking the scale in the morning.

7. Raw Chai-Spiced Cookies

All of these cookies sound delectable, but some of them require a lot of ingredients. Not these! It only takes three ingredients to make these delectable cookies — dates, oats, and chai spice. That’s it! Just blend all three ingredients in a food processor and you’ll have a cookie free of gluten, dairy, refined sugar, and oil. Now that’s a healthy cookie!

8. Lemon Coconut Cream Sandwich Cookies

Looking for a mix of fruity and creamy in your cookie? Then grab a Lemon Coconut Cream Sandwich cookie. A blend of coconut flour, almond flour, lemon juice, and raw honey help make this treat healthy and tasty. While you may be tempted to use peanut butter in your recipe, try almond butter instead. It’s higher in many nutrients, including Vitamin E, protein, and iron.

Forget the chocolate chip! Use these recipes to create healthier treats without losing any delicious flavor in the process. Substitutions can help bump up the nutrient content so experiment with a variety of ingredients. Who knows? You may just discover your own unique cookie concept. Happy snacking!

Like so many people, you may have read The Secret or another Law of Attraction book at some point. Maybe you got excited and thought you were on your way to manifesting a mansion or a Ferrari, you just had to “visualize” it as if you already had it. When it didn’t work you felt silly and went about your life.

Or, maybe you thought it was ridiculous and a passing fad and you laughed at your friends for even talking about it.

But it hasn’t gone anywhere. The Secret was just the beginning and today there are countless books, courses, coaches, websites and trainings all about the Law of Attraction and how to use it to create your best life.

So what gives? And what does the Law of Attraction have to do with quantum physics? And can you really “positive think” yourself into your dream life?

Well, yes and no. There’s more to it than that. You can’t just sit on the couch visualizing a new house, but not do anything to get it. However, your thoughts do create your reality, so it’s super important to be mindful of them.

The following are some basic principles that may help you understand the Law of Attraction/Quantum physics a little better.

• Everything is energy. Everything you see, taste and touch is energy.
• Nothing is solid.
• Everything is vibrating, nothing stays still.
• Everything created started as a thought.
• Everything has a frequency, this includes your thoughts.
• Therefore, your thoughts have tremendous power to create.

Think about what mankind has accomplished. Architecture, music, art, technology, weapons, movies, books, all of it started with a thought. Nothing exists without it.

When you understand how powerful your thoughts are, you understand that your thoughts create your reality.

What Does This Mean In Practical Terms?

A lot of Law of Attraction teachings focus on thoughts and feelings. If you can visualize something you want in your mind as though you already have it, and feel the feelings of having it, then you become a “vibrational” match for that thing, and so you will bring it into your reality.

While there is certainly truth to this, it’s important to realize that thoughts alone aren’t going to make your dreams come true. Action is important. If you stay home sitting on the couch waiting for stuff to materialize you’ll be waiting for a long time. You have to work with other laws, such as cause and effect.

Also, you have to believe you can have what you want. This is a missing element for many people. It’s important to examine your core beliefs, because you can visualize and repeat affirmations and make vision boards all day long but if you don’t believe you can have what you want, you won’t get it.

Belief is probably the biggest element when it comes to practicing the Law of Attraction. You are constantly manifesting not only what you think about, but what you believe about it on a core level.

Tools For Manifestation

Some common methods people use to manifest using the Law of Attraction include:

• Vision boards. Place photos of the things and experiences you want to have on a board where you can see them daily.
• Journal your desires as though they are in the present moment. Journal with detail what your dreams, wishes and goals are, then express gratitude for them.
• Affirmations. It’s believed that affirmations can help reprogram your subconscious. Repeat your affirmations daily and with feeling!
• Gratitude for what you have. This is all about vibration. Everything has a frequency, everything vibrates. Gratitude is considered a “high vibe” state that attracts and pulls in more of what you want.

Finally, it’s important to realize that you are constantly manifesting, even if you aren’t trying to. Using the Law of Attraction is essentially just manifesting with intention rather than by default. Keep your thoughts positive, get clear on the things you want and express gratitude for what you have. Do these things and you’ll see real magic start to happen.

Depression can be a difficult condition to treat in some people, especially those who are unable or unwilling to take medications. Even for individuals with milder depression who don’t take medicine, dealing with depression makes life much more difficult on a daily basis.

The good news is that several non-medicine options can help dramatically reduce depression in some individuals. While medicine is still a viable option for many persons, and the best option for some, you can often find healing and recovery through other treatments, too.

Below are five non-pharmaceutical options for treating depression that you should consider.

Exposure to Natural Lighting

Depression has been linked to significantly reduced levels of natural light in many individuals. Why this occurs isn’t known for certain, but many researchers believe that a deficiency in vitamin D is linked to the increased incidence of depression.

This would indicate that affected persons can boost their vitamin D naturally by increasing exposure to natural lighting. While sunlight can be in short supply during the winter months, you can find other substitutes for natural lighting. For example, full-spectrum light bulbs are available that can be used to increase your exposure levels.

Journaling

If you suffer from depression, another helpful way to thwart it is to engage in journaling. Keeping a diary is a good way to gain perspective on your own personal feelings and experiences. It can help you to look back and see where you’ve been and how far you come, emotionally speaking.

Journaling does not have to be complicated, as it can be as simple as writing your thoughts daily or weekly in a plain spiral-bound notebook. However, one key to making your journal successful is to be honest and open when writing.

You will find your depression will be better managed whenever you are willing to share deeply from your heart in your writing.  After all, remember that your journal is just for you and no one else, unless you choose to share.

Physical Exercise

A simple, but powerful way to fight depression is to engage in physical exercise. Being active helps generate brain and body chemicals that boost your mood. By combining exercise with outdoor activity, you get even more benefits by increasing light exposure.

In general, the more vigorous the exercise, the more it will enhance the chemical effects that ward off depression. However, even a moderate amount of exercise can help and should be performed if nothing else is available.

For example, try to get up from your desk at work at least once per hour and take a vigorous stroll. Be sure to walk outside or in front of a window, if possible.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A relatively recent advance in depression treatment is the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Through the repeated administration of TMS, the brain’s biochemistry can be carefully reshaped to produce a more positive mood.

This technique utilizes a powerful magnet that is placed in close proximity to the head, and pulses of magnetic energy are painlessly passed into the brain. Though TMS is safe, it must be administered by a medical professional who determines if you are a good candidate for the treatment.

Counseling

One of the oldest non-pharmaceutical treatment options for depression is counseling. There are several behavioral and emotional therapies used by counselors and psychologists, and cognitive behavioral therapy is currently one of the most prevalent.

In cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapist works with individuals to help adjust thinking and reduce or eliminate flawed patterns of thought. In many cases, cognitive behavioral therapy enables individuals to self-correct whenever negative thinking arises, and this can greatly reduce the likelihood of depression recurring.

Everyone knows that feeling when a cold or worse is coming on. The fatigue, combination stuffy sinuses and drippy nose, andthe constant urge to curl up under a blanket rather than getting your normal daily tasks finished are all hallmarks of a fast approaching illness. During this ‘bad feeling about this’ time and in the days afterward when you’re holed up with a box of tissues, we’re all tempted to look for quick remedies that will make the experience easier and get us back on our feet faster. This is exactly when things your mother and grandmother used to say pop into your head and you think “Hey, why not?”

One of these common phrases is “Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever”. You may have heard this backward as well because it’s surprisingly hard for people to remember correctly. Especially when you have no idea why this advice exists. Today, we’re going to clear up this literally centuries-old misunderstanding about how illness works and what you’re supposed to do about it when all you feel like doing is sleeping or shuffling around your house wrapped in a blanket and feeling vaguely miserable.

It All Started Back in the 1500s

As it turns out, the reason we still hear this old adage repeated and occasionally see someone actually try to follow the ancient advice is because of primitive medical knowledge and technology nearly half a millennium ago. Back then, they knew some about how metabolism worked, in that food made you both warmer and more energetic, and they drew conclusions from this basic understanding of the relationship between food and heat.

Why “Feed a Cold”?

The first half of our adage relates to why a cold is called a “cold”, which is because people thought it had to do with a lowered body temperature and being exposed to cold. Therefore, feeding a cold to theoretically raise your body temperature seemed like a good idea.

Why “Starve a Fever”?

The second half of the adage relates to an assumption that was clearly recorded in a dictionary published in 1574. The dictionary suggests that “fasting is a great remedy of fever” because, assumably, not eating will lower your body heat and therefore reduce the fever. And to be fair, people back then were very concerned with lowering fevers because they used to be a lot more fatal.

How Colds and Fevers Really Work

The problem with the adage is that, when followed strictly, people can actually hurt themselves by either forcing themselves to eat too much while down with a cold or not getting enough calories during a fever. Now we know that your body needs a certain number of calories to keep all systems running and to build up armies of white blood cells to fight the illness. We also know that there’s not a lot of difference between a cold and a fever and often one is caused by the other.

Eat When You’re Hungry

If you’re at home right now with your tissue box wondering if you should stuff or starve yourself, don’t. For the most part, being sick means that you don’t feel like eating but if you’re hungry through the illness, this is a clear signal that your body needs calories. If you want to eat for the entire day, be sure to consume in one or two bowls of hot chicken and rice or noodle soup to provide your body with the calories it needs to fight back the illness.

Drink Plenty of Liquids

But most of all, be sure to hydrate. Fighting illness takes water through sweat when you’re feeling feverish or clammy, through mucus that generates to carry germs out of your body when you cough or sneeze, and from clearing your digestive system. Drink water and sip warm broth or non-caffeinated herbal tea. This is also another reason soup is widely recommended.

Take Care of Yourself and Don’t worry About Old Phrases

So the next time you’re feeling under the weather or stuck at home with a head full of mucus, that old phrase may pop into your mind but don’t worry about it. Eat when you’re hungry, drink plenty of liquids, and apply good common sense instead of a mistaken advice thought up 500 years ago. Happy healing!

If you’ve always wanted to try yoga, but haven’t gotten started, here’s some motivation: Yoga has been proven to alleviate many health problems. Here’s a look at just a few of them:

Yoga Makes Menopause More Manageable

The journal Menopause published a study by Yuko Kai that showed yoga decreases depression and other side effects of menopause. In fact, it reported, “No adverse events, including increased hot flashes, were reported by the participants during the study period.” Yoga Journal recommends a number of poses for menopause relief, including the big toe pose, the bridge pose, and the downward-facing dog pose.

Yoga Helps Asthmatics Breathe Easier 

The journal Asthma published a study that showed yoga leads to a reduced need for medication, fewer attacks, and fewer symptoms when an attack does occur. Pairing stretches with breathing and medication helps, too: Another study published in the International Journal of Yoga found: “Breathing exercises (pranayama) … improved [asthma patients’] lung function … and should be a regular part of therapy.” Pranayama is done by practicing breath control during certain poses; the study found that it opened up airways and helped participants expel more air.

Yoga Could Banish Your Backache

You’ve probably heard of tension headaches, but did you know when back muscles tighten due to stress it can cause a tension backache? Fortunately, yoga is known to alleviate tension-related backaches. One report from NPR states that a yoga class for back pain can be just as effective as physical therapy. Many animal poses can help back pain, including the dolphin, the cat, and the cow, among others. The study behind NPR’s report has provided a guidebook that you may find helpful.

Yoga May Improve Your Memory

Yoga can help improve problem-solving and memory abilities, especially as you get older. One study found that older adults did better on problem-solving and memory tests after doing gentle yoga three times a week. In fact, both yoga and meditation have been found to reduce pre-Alzheimer’s cognitive impairments. The Indian Yoga Association recommends knee-to-head, Sarvangasana, Padmasana, Paschimottanasana, and Bhujangasana poses to improve memory.

Yoga Might Help with ED

Many men struggle with ED, and it’s fairly commonplace for medications to be prescribed as treatment. But, before reaching for a pill, men should consider trying some yoga poses. The Journal of Sexual Medicine published a study that found men with ED tripled their stamina by doing yoga for just one hour a day for 12 weeks. The lotus pose, the child’s pose, and the Downward-Facing Dog are a few positions to consider.

Yoga Can Soothe You to Sleep

Yoga increases relaxation and provides a sense of calmness that can help combat insomnia. The trick to using yoga for sleep is to choose the right form as some forms, are more energizing (having the opposite effect). According to Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Better styles for pre-sleep are hatha yoga (which focuses on body position) and nidra (which focuses on breathing and more restorative poses, such as lying and sitting postures).” The August 2016 issue of Prevention recommends the child’s pose, the supine twist, and the cat-cow as sleep-friendly poses, among others.

Yoga May Minimize Migraines

As the American Migraine Foundation points out, a lot of research shows that reducing stress levels can help improve migraines. Since yoga reduces stress, it only stands to reason that it would be helpful for migraine sufferers. The AMF recommends taking an in-person class with a teacher so they can help you modify any uncomfortable poses, but if you want a sneak-peek, check out the Yoga International suggested yin sequence for headaches. And, Yoga Journal has a roundup of the 16 most calming poses–and when it comes to stress-relief… the calmer, the better!

When you’re frustrated with someone, what do you think? Do you blame yourself or someone else? Do you judge your actions positively or negatively? You’re not alone; inner speech such as this is actually quite common.

Russell T Hurlburt PhD and his partner Chris Heavey, devised a study that examined different elements of pristine inner experience which is defined as “an experience of a. . .thought that does not include the experiences of words, images or any other symbols.” In other words, thoughts that don’t illicit mental pictures, like remembering your last vacation or imagining the future. It is simply interior dialogue, sounds, feelings etc. that are disconnected from all visual imagery.

The researchers found that subjects experienced inner dialogue in 26% of the samples. That may seem like a small number, but remember that is only the result of subjects that reported inner dialogue. Some subjects may not have even noticed their interior dialogue while others subjects said they never experienced it or were unaware of its presence. Awareness is a key factor when it comes to our inner dialogue; if you don’t know it’s there, you don’t realize how damaging it can be.

Then again, some people are just more conscious of what they’re saying to themselves than others. The study also revealed that some subjects experienced inner dialogue in up to 75% of the samples. Whether they realize it or not, these people have an advantage over those that aren’t aware of inner dialogue. Their awareness can help them correct their thinking for powerful, productive thoughts. So how can you be one of them?

Below are 4 ways you can learn to become attuned to your inner dialogue. . .and change it to a reflect more positive thinking.

1. Identify thoughts

Identifying negative inner speech is often the hardest part of changing our thoughts. Once you’re aware you’re experiencing them, ask yourself, “What is my inner dialogue telling me?” You may think you know, but you’re probably only aware of the surface-level characteristics. Dig deeper into your thoughts. Maybe they’re saying you didn’t do a great job at work today, but what constitutes a “great day” for you? And in turn, why did not achieving this “great day” sour your mood? Is it because you don’t think you’re good enough at your job? Maybe you feel you’re not good enough period. Then that is what you need to identify first so that you change your inner dialogue to bolster your own self image.

  2. Analyze emotions

After understanding what your thoughts are saying, learn how they’re affecting you. How does thinking these thoughts make you feel? If you said bad, unhappy, or just plain gloomy, then you need to change them. By not assessing our own emotions, we neglect to realize how hurtful our inner dialogue is. That is why we shrug if off, thinking it doesn’t matter. It does matter. Your inner dialogue shouldn’t make you feel worse about yourself. Become aware of what you’re feeling so that your inner dialogue can make you feel as great as you are.

  3. Cultivate positivity

The way to create a positive mindset is cultivating one. One of the definitions of cultivate courtesy of Dictionary.com is “to develop or improve by education or training.” A positive mental attitude is acquired through this training, which, when done consistently, can become a handy tool in your toolbox. This is accomplished through establishing a malleable mental attitude. In other words, create a mindset that is open to change and constant restructuring. For instance, if you’re blaming someone that you believe wronged you, think of the positives that person’s brought to your life. Is it worth it getting upset with them?  Or say you feel defeated because you didn’t accomplish what you’d hoped. Be content with what you did complete and move forward. It takes work to rewire the brain, but this new connection makes us work better than ever.

  4. Repeat affirmations

Finally, remember repetition. Using positivity in an isolated incident isn’t going to help you in the long run. Think positive in every instance. Any time you can’t yourself doubting your abilities, change the inner dialogue to say “I can do this.” Repeat it over and over to yourself. You’ll convince yourself that you can. That inner dialogue will no longer be a barrier blocking you from self-actualization. Continue to ride the wave of positive thoughts and you’ll reach the shore eventually.

Understanding and identifying your inner dialogue will help you understand how to change your thinking for the better. Listen to what you have to say; you’ll learn a lot about yourself.