How To Beat Self-Doubt And Insecurities To Become The Best You

One of the most limiting things a person can experience in this life is self-doubt. It has the ability to keep you feeling locked away in a prison of your own insecurities. It will suffocate your ability to explore and be free to engage with opportunities and adventures and it will hold you back from ever achieving the things that you really want.

I have personally met people who even gave up on wanting anything at all due to having such a high level of self-doubt. Their insecurities had escalated to such a point over the course of their life where they eventually gave up on even considering that they had any level of freedom at all regarding their own choices. 

This is a terrible place to find ourselves in and it causes a person to live a life that has been massively limited by the illusory constructs that have formed in their mind. Fortunately, though, with a little work and the right amount of determination there is something that we can do to conquer this.

Dominating Doubt

Doubt itself, by its very nature is negative. It is something that denounces and turns down any thoughts of positive or action-inspiring suggestion. If left unchecked, doubt becomes a mindset that keeps a person completely closed off from the world of positive inspiration and it keeps a person confined to a self-centred and destructive ego. 

In order to dominate doubt we must first desire to do so. If we do not have the desire to at least investigate the ability to overcome doubt, then there is truly no hope for us. 

A person who is happy to live in a world of doubt is like a cancer that will infect and overcome anyone who has even a shred of positivity to express, like a black hole, they consume all light, and there is no hope of it ever being re-produced in return. 

Someone who has decided to overcome doubt though is like a black hole that has decided to try to stop sucking in everything and instead has chosen to learn how to produce and create a little light. 

Without having made the choice to do this, without having personally decided that they want to become more positive, more inspiring and more encouraging, a person has no hope of ever conquering their own self-doubt.

The Argument Of Doubt

The main argument that people offer to encourage their own self-doubt is that they have either never been able to, or never witnessed something happen. For example, if you try to encourage a person to become a confident public speaker and they harbor massive amounts of internal self-doubt, they will argue that they have never been able to speak confidently in public before and so they just think that from their own point of view, it cannot be done. 

Another person who doubts the ability of someone to come up with some kind of new and enlightening invention doubts it because he has never seen it done before and therefore thinks it simply cannot be done. In all cases of self-doubt, a person is living with a mindset that has experienced great limitation somewhere in the past. 

Therefore, when we know this, we can implement strategies to conquer and eventually destroy these specific doubts. How do we do this?

Creationism

No not the kind of creationism that claims the world was created in 6 days and that all life on earth is somewhere in the region of 6,000 years old, do not even get me started on that! What I am talking about is a form of creationism that is completely and intimately personal. It is inspirational, encouraging, motivating, it is creating and producing and freeing. It is everything that self-doubt is not. 

This works for all kinds of self-doubt and insecurity because it has the effect of contradicting and opposing every form that self-doubt or insecurity takes. We intimately prove the self-doubting limitation wrong, and eventually the mind learns a newer and more positive way of thinking about things, because it has witnessed firsthand the undoing of every single one of its limiting, doubting thoughts. 

In order to do this we must either show or create a case for the opposite. We need proof. Show yourself the opposite of your own self-doubt. Investigate and encourage yourself to try your very best to achieve or to witness or experience the very thing that your mind doubts. 

Commit yourself to the challenge of proving every single one of your doubts wrong, and if you can do this, you will slowly re-program your mind to be able to achieve anything that you could possibly want to achieve.

Conquer the limitations of your doubts and you become a purely positive, inspirational, creative force of life on this planet earth. 

Sit with your doubting mind however, and you will begin to fester in a world of negativity, opposition, and argument for all things limiting. I know which path I would rather choose. 

Now the choice is up to you.

 

Anti-Inflammatory Foods And Diet To Combat Aging

 

Aging gracefully means being as healthy as you can be for as long as possible.  Your dietary and lifestyle choices play a big role in that.  Even though you make the effort to exercise and eat right, you should always be looking for ways to fight aging through eating anti-inflammatory foods. 

 

All of the anti-aging philosophies, promises, and products can be daunting.  You may wonder whether or not eating anti-inflammatory foods is helpful to you.  It turns out that the body’s aging process can be accelerated by inflammation in the body. You need to talk to your doctor, dietitian, or nutritionist to find out more about this. 

 

What is inflammation and how can it affect your body?

 

The immune system responds to injury and diseases by providing you with inflammation.  This is a normal process that is important for healing.  One the other hand, not all inflammation is healthy for you. 

 

When inflammation gets out of hand, it can attack the normal cells of your body and the process that is supposed to heal you becomes self-destructive.  It is now well known that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses, especially those related to the aging process.  

 

Persistent stress, over-exposure to environmental toxins, and poor diet can all contribute to this type of inflammatory process.

 

Can something be done?

 

The good news is that there are some lifestyle choices that can help this process.  Following an anti-inflammatory diet is one way to control the aging process.  While it sounds like a good idea, be wary.  The anti-inflammatory diet is an eating plan you follow through on throughout your life in order to combat the aging process.  It isn’t technically geared for weight loss but rather helps improve your overall long-term health.  

 

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

 

The anti-inflammatory diet places a focus on whole foods that are whole and unrefined, high in anti-inflammatory spices, high in healthy fats, and high in omega 3 fatty acids.  

 

Some things to include in an anti-inflammatory diet include the following:

 

·      Soy products, such as tofu, soy milk, tempeh, an edamame

·      Healthy fats found in extra virgin olive oil of high quality, beans, avocados, seeds, and nuts

·      Vegetables and foods that are brightly colored, such as dark berries, fruits, and vegetables

·      Clean water and green tea as a beverage

·      Spices that are anti-inflammatory, such as cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger

 

Foods to Avoid

 

It is also important to decrease your intake of foods that cause inflammation. Highly processed foods are inflammatory as are carbohydrates that are quickly digested, such as sugar and sugary snacks. You need to stay away from foods containing vegetable shortening, partially hydrogenated oils, and polyunsaturated oils, such as soy, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils.  

 

It may be difficult to know if you are eating any of these foods, which is why you need to read the food labels to see if any of these inflammatory foods are in them. When you’re not sure, you should buy raw unprocessed foods and cook them yourself. Food that are labeled “raw” or “organic” can be seen as good foods to choose in an anti-inflammatory diet.  

 

Does an anti-inflammatory diet work?

 

According to the expert dietitians, there is good evidence to show that monounsaturated oils and omega 3 oils can fight inflammation. On the other hand, some of the information is off when it comes to taking anti-inflammatory foods to combat aging. One study indicated that heredity can play a role in who gets the disease and who doesn’t. 

 

While diet is important, genetics also plays a role in the aging process. You can decrease the effects of chronic diseases by eating an anti-inflammatory food diet. Don’t make big changes all at once. Start introducing anti-inflammatory foods gradually into your diet and take away inflammatory foods so that eventually your diet represents an anti-inflammatory diet as much as is possible. 

 

Are there risks to an anti-inflammatory diet?

 

According to experts, there are no known risks to taking an anti-inflammatory diet. You should, however, take precautions if you have food allergies. You should talk to your doctor about finding ways to use this type of diet to your advantage.  

5 Ways A Workout Buddy Serves Your Fitness Goals

It is a well established fact that fitness is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. We hear this all the time from the exerpts, and those of us who enegage in regular physical activity know how much better we feel and perform in your everyday lives.

However, finding the proper motivation for working out regularly can be extremely hard. If you’re struggling with this particular issue, then you might want to consider finding someone to be by your side during every training session. Even if you have the proper motivation and work out regularly, you may see some benefits from getting a workout buddy as well.

Having someone next to your while working out will most likely make it a friendly competition, which will help you stay focused on each exercise and will make it easier for your to tap into every bit of energy you have. Ideally, the workout body will also motivate you whenever you’re not in the mood for exercising.

However, before you start convincing the first person that comes into your mind to become your workout partner, you will need to examine a few things. The first reason why you’ll have to be picky is because you will need someone who can keep up with you (or who you can keep up with). 

You’ll also have to know that your workout buddy will be reliable and won’t miss a workout just because he or she doesn’t feel like it. However, once you find the right workout partner, you will see how easier it will be to reach your fitness goals.

Here are the five most notable ways a workout buddy will impact your fitness goals.

You’ll Push Yourself To The Limits

A study conducted by the Kansas State University in 2012 found that people who were working out with someone exercised for up to 200% longer and harder than people who worked out by themselves. This is mostly because we are all naturally competitive, so it’s always interesting to see who handles a certain exercise better.

If your workout body is fitter than you, then you will push yourself even harder, as your goal will constantly be to surpass them in physical strength and endurance.

Workouts Will Start Being Really Fun

Hitting the gym or going for a jog are not the only ways you can exercise with your workout buddy, as one-on-one sports are great as well. Playing tennis, squash, or basketball are all great ways to work out without it feeling like a workout.

But, even if you are stuck in a repetitive cycle of running and weightlifting, you will still have someone you can talk to all the time, which will surely make exercising more fun.

You’ll Start Trying Out Different Workout Routines

Don’t expect your workout buddy to have the same interests as you when it comes to workout routines. When you’re both doing your research, you will stumble upon different exercises, and that is definitely a good thing.

Doing one same old workout routine all the time will make you lose motivation, which is why you will always need to spice up your training sessions every once in a while.

You’ll Stop Quitting

We’ve all been there; working out for a month and then taking a year-long break. But knowing that someone you enjoy spending time with will be working out with you will make you look forward to every training session. Because of this, you will be more motivated to stick with exercising.

You’ll Be Able To Afford A Personal Trainer

If you’ve never exercised before and don’t know how to start, then you will need a personal trainer for some time. But, here’s the thing – they’re really expensive. Nevertheless, if you have someone that is also interested in getting fit and is willing to start working out, then you can split the cost and afford a personal trainer.

 

 

 

A Guide For Women: Finding "Me" Time

They say a woman’s work is never done. A hectic work schedule, combined with trying to balance other areas of your life, may lead to you feeling like you are spinning too many plates in the air at once. 

With kids, family, work, chores, and the many responsibilities that we have to fulfill, there never seems to be enough time to let alone think about, never mind fulfill our own needs or desires.

This can lead to women experiencing depression, anxiety, or just a general feeling that you are worn out. Besides how it affects us personally, being worn out also means that your performance and attentiveness to all you have to do will suffer. Irritation becomes common, as we feel overwhelmed and unable to deal with the stressors of the day.

Everyone is different, and each individual has different ideas about how to find time to for ‘me’. This is a guide to how make some ‘me’ time. The solutions below are not the only ones but may give you some ideas of how to find space and time in your life. 

Utilize The Time You Have

If you have errands to run or appointments to keep but find yourself early or waiting around in your car, make use of the time. For example, read a book or practice meditation. These two activities require a certain amount of tranquility and peace, so why not use your window of opportunity to do this. Of course, you could just listen to some music and relax. 

Alternatively, if you were in a more productive mood you could just catch up on paperwork that you have to do. This is your time; you can do with it what you wish. By carrying out this task now, you are freeing up time at a later date. 

Make A Date With Yourself (And Keep It!)

Once a week, take time to do the things you like to do alone. To do this you need to learn to say no to the people in your life, or learn to delegate your duties to someone else (mainly talking childcare here people!). This will enable you to have some time to relax. 

Go and grab a drink somewhere, get some exercise, or even just disappear to another part of the house. Anything you can think of to do that would enable you to free up space in that busy head of yours. 

Treat Yourself   

This can simply be an extension of the previous where you make a date with yourself. Once a month, go treat yourself, this can be anything you wish, such as shopping, a spa day, a movie, or even just spending time with your friends, catching up on their lives. This is totally your choice. Go and see the great outdoors, spend a day cycling. The point is this is ‘me’ time.   

You would think that these tips on finding ‘me’ time would be obvious. However, this time can often be difficult to find. A 2014 UK study looking at working mothers found 51% of them went weeks without relaxing on their own. 

When further questioned, nearly 75% of the 2000 women felt they lived their whole lives for other people. Some women are lucky enough to have partners and family to rely on to take the strain; others are not so fortunate. However, there are still things you can do to make time in your life. 

Learn to Say No

No, means setting boundaries and limiting what you will or are willing to do in a single day or week. This may mean having to say no to some things, but considering how much your wellness matters, it may be well worth it.

The best tip you all need to know is…

Be Organized  

By planning your day and week you can identify opportunities for ‘me’ time. Making lists and looking at your week would help you to see those times where gaps appear in your schedule. Organization can be the key to doing this. 

The more you practice doing this the more you will learn where you can fit things in. It could be as simple as going for a walk for 20 minutes. 

On that walk, take a look at the world around you. We live in beautiful world, whether it is a flower or a smile on a person’s face. It is all there for us, you just need to be able to see it. 

Now go get yourself some ‘me’ time.

 

 

5 Health Habits You Can't Live Without

Many chronic diseases are caused by lifestyle issues. People tend not to exercise as much as they should, they allow themselves to become overweight, and they eat unhealthy foods that lead to things like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and strokes. 

The problem with lifestyle issues is that they are difficult to turn around. Many people try to change their lifestyle all at once, which is extremely difficult to accomplish. As a result, they often give up all of their healthy habits and resort to the usual negative health habits that they had been doing before they attempted a healthy lifestyle.  

Sometimes it just takes a few days or a few weeks of trying to live healthy before the individual becomes overwhelmed and stops living healthy. They stop exercising and go back to eating processed foods and junk foods. 

This is why it is better to change your health habits one habit at a time so that you don’t become overwhelmed and stop trying to be healthy altogether.  

Most weight loss programs work if they are done carefully and don’t deprive the individual too much. The same is true of exercise programs. If you choose an exercise that you really enjoy or increase your physical activity more gradually, you can usually stick to the program so that you don’t become discouraged and quit exercising altogether. 

The trick to health living is to begin gradually. Don’t try any trendy diet or fitness fad. If you try these things with gusto, you are likely to respond negatively and you won’t stick with the programs.  

There are a few simple things you can do to live a happier and healthier life. Start with just these 5 changes in health habits:

1.     Try eating one healthy meal a day. Even if you eat processed foods most of the time, if you try to eat just one healthy food each day, you will feed your body with good nutrition and healthy proteins. Healthy meals consist of mainly fruits and vegetables, supplemented with whole grain products, and lean meats. 

It doesn’t matter how much you eat because, if the food is healthy for you, it won’t usually contain a lot of calories and won’t cause weight gain as can be seen when you eat junk foods or highly processed foods. Even so, you should try to watch your portion sizes.

2.     Drink a glass of water before each meal. Water is perhaps the best liquid you can drink. When you decide to drink a glass of water before meals, (an 8-ounce glass is enough), you will feel fuller before eating, and you won’t eat as much at the meal that follows a drink of water. 

3.     Be active during lunch. Even if you are given a half-hour to eat, it usually doesn’t take that long to eat your meals. Try eating your meals and then take some time to exercise. You don’t have to work out excessively but you should be able to take a brisk walk. Not only will this energize you but also it will help burn off the calories you just ate and will aid in the digestive process. 

It really doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do as long as you choose something reasonable that will help you feel better after eating your lunch. Exercising during lunch also helps decrease the stress of your job and will make the rest of your day go easier. 

4.     Try a Meal Replacement Bar. This involves eating a healthy protein bar as a snack instead of junk foods. Most meal replacement bars contain a lot of good nutrition and fiber. They are also not as calorie-rich as you would think. They help stave off hunger pangs that are so typical of the midafternoon time. 

Keep a stash of these protein bars in your desk at work or in your purse or brief case so you can grab one whenever you feel hungry. It will keep you from going to the vending machines and eating poor food choices. Try eating a meal replacement bar that is high in fiber and that has at least 10 to 15 grams of protein per bar. 

5.     Exercise regularly. If you have a gym membership, try going there at least 3-4 times per week. Choose an activity you enjoy and make the most of it for at least a half hour per session. This will help energize you, may build muscle mass, and will help you lose weight by burning off excess calories.