Why It’s Important to Love Yourself

Sometimes it can be hard to love yourself. After all, humans are created with flaws. However, loving yourself is important for many reasons. You can't expect to have a fulfilling life if you can't love yourself.

 

You Are The Only One You Will Spend The Rest Of Your Life With

 

Nothing in life is promised besides the fact that you will be spending the rest of your life with yourself. If you don't learn to love yourself, this can make the rest of your life very miserable. It is essential that you learn to love yourself because you need to love the person you will spend the rest of your life with to be happy. 

 

You Need To Focus On Your Journey

 

If you are filled with self-hate or self-disdain, this is a distraction from your goals. When you choose to focus on what you don't like about yourself, it takes up much more of your time than focusing on loving yourself. Once you resolve to love yourself, this will take up much less of your time and focus, and you will be able to put your energy towards what matters—your journey of success.

 

You Can’t Sell Yourself To Others If You Don’t Love You

 

Besides just helping you on your journey towards achieving your goals and finding happiness in your life, loving yourself is important when it comes to your relationships with others. In a professional sense, if you don't love yourself, it will be impossible to sell yourself to a company in a job interview. 

 

On a personal note, not loving yourself can easily come between you and a significant other. This is because you can't truly love someone else while you hate yourself. Therefore, if you want a successful romantic relationship, you need to learn to love yourself first. 

 

Overall, loving yourself is no easy task. It can take months or even years to learn to love what an amazing human being you are. It is worth it, though, because you will realize just how important it is to love yourself once you do. Loving who you are affects every aspect of your life, from your journey to your relationships with others. And if you want to live a long and happy life, you’ll need to learn to love the person who will be with you for the entire journey, you. 

How Does People Pleasing Hurt Us?

Maybe you've recently discovered that you are a people pleaser. What is so wrong with that? You like to make others happy! 

 

The truth is, people-pleasing is a damaging behavior for several reasons. Keep reading to learn more about the dangers of people-pleasing and how it may be hurting you. 

 

People Pleasing Can Damage Your Physical Health

 

When you take on risks and activities you aren't comfortable with just to make someone else happy, you are being a people-pleaser. These risks and activities can lead to physical damage.

 

Here is a question, have you ever gotten hurt doing something stupid to impress somebody? Yeah, don't worry - we all have.  

 

You Can Damage Your Mental Health

 

Besides your physical health, your mental health is in jeopardy when you constantly people-please. As a people pleaser, you often don't make enough time to care for yourself, and self-care is essential for maintaining mental health. When you disregard your mental health for too long, this can cause serious conditions like burnout and depression. 

 

You May Get Into a Toxic Relationship

 

People pleasers don't know how to say no, and sadly, there are people out there that will take advantage of this fact. Namely - toxic people who like to control others. Toxic relationships are unhealthy, as they frequently contain mental - or even physical - abuse.

 

It is extremely difficult to leave toxic relationships, so difficult in fact that many people don't get out soon enough. If you are a constant people-pleaser, you will find it harder to spot (and listen to) the signs indicating someone is toxic. 

 

You Won't Be As Successful

 

In addition to all the physical and mental damage, people-pleasing can cause, it also keeps you from achieving your dreams. You are so focused on saying yes to others and making them happy that you put what you need to do on the backburner. This means that someday you could come to realize you are working a job that you hate in a city you hate—all because you couldn't say no and tell others that you needed to focus on yourself. 

 

As you can see, being a people pleaser is quite dangerous all around. It hurts your physical and mental health and keeps you from success. So if you want to live a happy and healthy life filled with success, it's time to stop being a people pleaser right away. 

Bubble Wrap

Have you ever had what you thought was a really great idea turn out to be not so great after all? Now imagine someone else picking up your discarded idea and proving it actually was quite brilliant after all. 

 

This is what happened to Al Fielding and Marc Chavannes back in 1957.

 

These two gentlemen were working on an aesthetic problem. They wanted to create a textured wallpaper to create an interesting effect in a room. Their solution? Take two shower curtains and put them together, so that pockets of air would be trapped between them. This sheet of plastic could be put up on the walls to make for unique and charming décor.

 

The world didn’t exactly come flocking to their door. 

 

Undaunted they tried again. Same product: different marketing approaches. Maybe this unique bubbled plastic could be used to insulate greenhouses.

 

Not really. It sort of worked but was not something every greenhouse owner couldn’t live without. 

 

It took two years for someone to figure out what to do with the product. Frederick W. Bowers, who worked for the company which made the sheets of plastic with air pockets, realized they would be perfect for the transport of computer equipment for a company which had a sudden need for this kind of product – IBM. The material, now called ‘Bubble Wrap,’ was absolutely perfect for the job. The rest, shall we say, is history.

 

Bubble Wrap is one of those products that seemed to come along by accident. As a wallpaper, it wasn’t a great idea. (Just imagine your kids going around the house and poking the bubbles to pop them?). On the other hand, someone who was willing to think outside the box, or more accurately, think creatively about what to put IN a box, was able to come up with a use for the product no one else would have ever considered.

 

Thankfully, the creators of Bubble Wrap hadn’t given up on the product. They knew they had something interesting, they just didn’t know what to use it for. Sometimes you must experiment with your ideas to discover what you really have. Sometimes you have to think more creatively about what you have at hand.

 

The point is not to give up. Failure should never be anything more than a marker to tell you it’s time to attack the problem from a different angle. Learn from the mistake, then move on. Imagine what you’ll come up with when you do!

 

5 Strategies for Guarding Your Personal Boundaries

Imagine an invisible fence set around yourself, with a single gate that is shut and locked, with only you in possession of the key. How does that make you feel?

 

When we have good personal boundaries, then we’ve set a space around us that we control. We tell those around us they can go only so far, and no further. Not that we’re alone, but it’s up to us to open the gate, and we get to decide who comes in.

 

The problem is, the world has a way of pushing against that fence. There will always be people who want more of your time, more of your energy. More of you. Thankfully there are things you can do to guard those boundaries and keep them strong.

 

1. Identify your limits. It’s impossible to guard what you haven’t even defined. The trick here is to define those limits clearly and succinctly. For example, you might want to protect some time with your family. But a boundary too vague is impossible to protect. But by clarifying the goal down to “Saturday’s are family time” then you know what you’re protecting (time with your family). So, with things that do come up on Saturday which do not involve the family, it's suddenly not so difficult to say no. 

 

2. Be straightforward. Never let someone push your boundaries without your permission. And when it does happen, take direct and clear action immediately. Anytime your boundaries are threatened, it’s time to open a dialogue with the violator. That gives you the opportunity to verbally reset the boundary in a way that makes it clear to the other person that the boundary is there. 

 

3. Pay attention to your feelings. If you’re feeling like someone is violating your boundaries, ask yourself why. Go with your gut instinct here as you analyze your emotions. It’s very likely that what you’re sensing is a boundary violation that you need to address.

 

4. Speak up. When you feel like your boundaries are being violated, you need to say something. After all, the best guard challenges all intruders. Being assertive now will save you a lot of heartache and problems down the road later.

 

5. Remind yourself that you have a right to set boundaries. Sometimes our boundaries have grown weak because we don’t feel like we have a right to set them in the first place. Permitting yourself to set the boundary will immediately strengthen it again.

 

Guarding your boundaries is an important part of living a life that’s not only healthy and happy but meaningful. Self-confident, strong people have solid boundaries that they protect. Protecting your boundaries is probably one of the most effective tools you have toward realizing a happy and productive life.

5 Powerful Signs You’re on The Right Path in Life

Do you sometimes wonder if you’re on the right path in life? It’s commonly asked by many people, and that’s understandable. Life is a journey, after all, and sometimes you need to check to be sure you’re heading in the right direction. 

 

There are some signs that will indicate that you are, in fact, heading where you wish to go. In this article, we will explore 5 powerful signs that you are on the right path in life. 

 

1. You’re Pursuing What You Love

 

Is your time spent doing things that really matter to you? Perhaps it’s your hobby, your job, or just something pursued in your idle time. If you are passionate about the things you do, and they make you happy, that’s a powerful sign that you are on the right path. 

 

Life isn’t just about working hard to make more money. It’s about finding satisfaction and joy in what you do. So, if your job or hobby brings your heart happiness and brightens your day, keep on that path. It means you’re thriving, rather than simply surviving. 

 

2. You’re Surrounded by Positive Influences

 

Look around you, right where you stand:

 

• Do you see hope?

• How about positivity?

• Do the people around you inspire you and lift you up?

 

If you answered “yes: to these questions, you’re on the right path in life. It takes time to fully understand it, but the people with whom you surround yourself play a crucial role in determining your life’s direction. 

 

Energy can be quite contagious, as can support. So, if you find yourself surrounded by negative people who drag you down, find some new friends. 

 

3. You Overcome Obstacles in Your Way

 

Being on the correct path in life does not mean everything magically and automatically falls into place all the time. When you see obstacles in front of you, come up with creative, innovative ways to work around them or overcome them. 

 

Consider a situation that is the opposite: Have you ever had a failing relationship or a thankless job that you felt was time to leave? Think about the inspiration you would feel if a wonderful opportunity presented itself right then and there, to make an escape. 

 

If you’re on your right path, obstacles won’t be anything more than small bumps in an overall smooth road. Giving up should not be an option. 

 

4. You Give Back to Others

 

Although your personal destiny is a single path, it isn’t solitary. You’ve probably had mentors in your life, and there will be more, as you continue life’s voyage. These people reach out to you, sharing their resources and knowledge. To honor their example, you can learn to give the same to others, still trying to find their way. 

 

Whether you tutor students after school or volunteer in a community food pantry, you are making a difference. This cycle of giving and receiving makes us all better people. 

 

5. You Learn Something New Every Day

 

You’ll never feel old if you put new information in your brain every day. You should end your day a bit wiser than when you awoke that morning. 

 

Some ways to learn something new:

 

• Socialize with others like coworkers or friends.

• Sign up for a class at a local college or trade school.

• Visit museums in your city.

• Read informational pages or articles. 

• Play word games or number games.

• Expand your vocabulary, even if it’s just one word a day.

• Learn a new language.

 

Conclusion

 

Deciding what path to take in life and determining if it’s right for you are things only you may determine. There isn’t just one path for each person, since many roads cross or lead the same way. 

 

Direction and circumstances may change during your journey, and nothing says you have to stay locked into one specific course. It is important to remember that if you are questioning whether a path is right for you, it may indicate that you need to change your path. 

 

4 Reasons to Life Live with More Intensity

If you’re like most people, you were taught to live carefully, not to take risks, and to aim for security. Leaping into the unknown can feel reckless, even dangerous. But living a safe life, staying low-key is necessarily limiting. How can you reach your true potential and live a full life if you live in monochrome?

 

Diving into intensity can be its own reward, but there are other good reasons to dial up the excitement in your life. 

 

1. Finding Your True Self

 

A life lived on your own terms means you get to find out so much more about who you are and what you’re capable of.  Not many people break out of their comfortable social mold. Shucking off other people’s expectations means you are free to be whatever you want. 

 

2. You Can Be Your Full Self

 

Living in the modern world often means closing off part of yourself. It’s not easy to work a regular job and be the next great novelist or Olympic athlete. Modern life forces you to choose, and often your true desires suffer as part of that trade-off. How many people have walked away from their dream job to do something that was expected of them, something perhaps more lucrative or respectable? 

 

Choosing to live intensely means you can blossom into your whole self. You can live your best, most authentic life. 

 

3. Intensity Inoculates You Against Fear

 

Living intensely requires you to feel the fear and do it anyway. You can still feel fear, but it doesn’t control you. The skydiver feels fear before they jump, but they still jump!

 

Perhaps most importantly, choosing a life with more intensity will free you from the fear of failure. Failure shrinks down to being part of your risk assessment, and not something to stop you from doing anything fun. 

 

4. You Will Be Completely Free

 

Once you’ve chosen intensity, you will learn what true freedom feels like. You’re free from worrying about what other people think, you’re free to choose your own path. You’re free to succeed at whatever you want to do. 

 

Your comfort zone is suddenly limitless! You can let go of rules and restrictions and leap into the opportunities that are all around you.  Instead of putting off your dreams into some distant future when you have enough money, or the kids have gone to college, you can go for it right now!

 

Suddenly you’re in a world of possibilities. It’s up to you to be open and ready to make the most of them. 

5 Secrets to Living an Intense Life

Think of the most successful people you know. Some of the big names who have made it in their field, whether it’s politics, business or even Hollywood. The thing that has fueled their success is intensity. A complete focus on their commitment, their goal. Even at times, a perfectionism. 

 

So how can you harness that same intensity to improve your life? Here are some expert tips for living an intense life. 

 

1. Find Your Thing

 

Whatever your Thing is, it must be something you believe in with your whole heart. You can’t be intense about a product or goal you don’t believe in. So dive deep and see what really matters to you. Chances are it’s not just making money or having a secure job, it’s something that really speaks to your heart. 

 

2. Be Passionate About It

 

To live intensely means to throw yourself into your Thing, heart, and soul. Live it, breathe it, do the best you can and then some.

 

3. Be Focused

 

No matter how intensely you believe in and work on your Thing, there are still only twenty-four hours in a day, and you still have only a certain amount of energy. You’re not superhuman, so make sure you don’t spread your resources too thin or get distracted. Stay focused on what you really want. And that means learning to say no sometimes, even to opportunities that seem irresistible. 

 

4. Stay in the Real World

 

Intensity needs to stay side by side with realism, or you risk getting derailed. Learn to live with good enough sometimes, and to adapt to changing circumstances.  A clever person learns to be flexible as well as passionate. Intensity can be single-minded, but it doesn’t mean being pig-headed.

 

5. Stay Balanced

 

The goal of work/life balance has become commonplace, but if you’re living intensely, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s essential. And self-care and relationships are just as important as your goal. There is such a thing as being too intense. 

 

Plenty of entrepreneurs have gotten so focused on their project that their relationships suffer. Being too intense can mean that you hurt people, and can even burn some pretty important bridges. 

 

You can live an intense life and achieve what you want out of life while still living a full, rounded life. Stay connected with people and reality, and you can make sure that there’s room for happiness and fulfillment too. 

How To Believe In Your Dreams And Make Them Happen

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in you. 

Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.”

- Rabindranath Tagore

 

Can you really believe in your dreams? Are they attainable? Do you pursue them actively, every day? If you don’t, then your dreams will only be dreams. They are more like fantasies if you don’t invest in them and act on them. 

 

Think about claiming your dreams and making them happen. This leads like a path to your life’s purpose, and the life you were intended to live. 

 

Here are some valuable steps to believe in your dreams and make them happen:

 

Don’t allow fear to overcome your dreams. 

 

Believing in your personal dreams can be tied up in your fears. Fear can hog-tie even the most noble dreams, so they won’t grow. Fear is sneaky, but so overpowering. 

 

Fear will make you think you can’t make your dreams happen. It makes you feel that you’re not young enough, or smart enough or rich enough, to make them a reality. Why is that? 

 

It’s your ingrained fear of failing that does it. This overpowers any desire or will to try to reach for your dreams. Rather than pursuing your dreams, you believe, falsely, that your dreams can never come true. You’ll never know if you could have succeeded or not. If fear wins you over, your dreams will die. 

 

Identify your dreams.

 

You may have many dreams, and some of them may change, over time. They can only come true if you truly care about them. Work on your dreams now, instead of waiting for the “best” time or situation. 

 

If you have dreams that have not yet come true, pick one now. Dedicate yourself and make it happen. Don’t worry about what other people say, and don’t make any more excuses. Either that, or perhaps this wasn’t a true dream for you from the start. Look for another from your list and go after that dream. 

 

Believe fully in your dreams. 

 

Dreams are not only powerful thoughts. They also push you to do or be something. If you are daring enough to dream, you should also hold the courage to believe in those dreams. Dreams allow you freedom to change fantasy to reality. 

 

Dreams are easier to dream than they are to make happen. If you do something you love and shoot for what you want, this is more satisfactory and simpler than holding dreams in your heart but not acting on them. Take the chance and make a dream happen in your life.  

 

Pursue your dreams. 

 

Believing in your dreams is wonderful, but only if you pursue them. In order to do that, you must:

 

1. Set goals that are realistic. 

 

Set attainable goals, but also challenge yourself to make them happen. Start with smaller goals and work your way through to larger ones. Break dreams into steps that are manageable, and that you’ll be able to complete. 

 

2. Develop a more positive attitude.

 

Believe in yourself and remain positive. Keep your motivation strong, since pursuing dreams may be tough. Surround yourself with family and friends who uphold and support you, to help keep you on the right track. 

 

3. Take definite action.

 

Don’t wait for something to happen – you need to make it happen yourself. Take steps, even if they’re small, towards your dreams. The more you act with purpose, the closer you will be to making your dreams happen. 

 

4. Persevere even if you have setbacks.

 

As with any journey, there are bumps in your path. If you come up against obstacles and they knock you back, get up and move on. When you pursue your dreams, the race is not a sprint but a marathon. Remain focused and don’t give up. 

 

Conclusion

 

Believing in your dreams and making them happen does take effort, but it is possible, as long as you’ve set your mind to it. Take smaller steps and remain positive, and you will be able to overcome any difficulties you encounter. Start pursuing your dreams today!

 

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” 
- Harriet Tubman