1. Before you judge others…

    September 6, 2013

     

    Before you judge others...

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  2. Happiness and Better Health

    September 5, 2013

    Happiness Leads to Better Health

    Lately, physicians, researchers, and even economists have embarked on a journey to unveil the secrets of achieving better health. What could be deciphered from the secrets of nature is that happiness leads to better health. Well, modern research just validates what was established ages ago by sages.

    What exactly is happiness?

     

    Happiness as a concept is fairly subjective and dynamic. It often revolves around various vague aspects and so there are innumerable definitions of happiness. What has been derived from myriad definitions is that happiness is a felling of elation that protects you from stress and ill-thoughts, instilling the spirit with joy and jubilation.

    Many scholars categorize happiness as a sense of inner peace, comfort, an positive attitude that paves way for a healthier, more balanced and a long lasting life. If you are a religious person than, according to saints and spiritual teachers, happiness is a feeling of gratitude towards God for showering his blessings on our poor souls.

    Hundreds of writers, poets, and intellectuals have used their pen to describe what happiness means to them – I personally like this one:

    “Under the deep blue sea

    It’s always better my darling

    Down the wetter lines

    Take me further O my Lord – So I can either find you or happiness!”

    Does happiness really affect our health?

     

    Amusingly so, most of really happy and cheerful people comes across as exceptionally healthy for their age. Once in a blue moon we get news of our distant relative (Uncle Cheerful – almost every one of us have one) suffering from cardiac arrest.

    Statistics show that happiness is correlated with better health for individuals, communities, and even countries. So what could be the secret? Is it inner peace and comfort? Is it a positive attitude to the outside world? Is it positive thinking? Happy people certainly have less negative thoughts that cause negative emotions. It is well known from medical studies that these negative emotions ruin our psychological and physical health. As per medical researchers, happiness is the surest way to stimulate the release of anti-stress hormones and improve your immune system.

    Research studies by the Harvard’s School of Public Health in Boston and University College in London correlate happiness with longevity and show that optimistic and happy people live longer and healthier years.

    Secrets of happiness

     

    What does it take to be happy in your life? Not much, just follow these golden rules and let happiness come to you.
    1. Find Positive in everything around you
    Positive Psychology teaches us to focus on positive aspects of our life. Every moment we have a choice of focusing on positives or on negatives… this choice is yours. Positive thinking and positive attitude to others is a key to happiness.

     

    2. Eat the diet of happiness

     

    Scientist and dietitians recommend one key ingredient for your diet: Essential fatty acids or EFAs. These acids are the building blocks for your brain and deficiency causes anxiety, depression, and even dementia. EFA supplements and a diet rich in Olive oil, fish, and seasonal fruits and vegetables is essential to keep you in a positive mood.

     

    3. Sleep to heaven

     

    Sleep sets the tone and mood for the following day. Sleep is shown to be the most important factor for your mental health. Statistics prove that those who sleep well can find their joy even in the garden of hell. The insomnia or inability to sleep causes devastating impact in the life of people.

     

    4. Live and Let live

     

    The ultimate mantra to instill loads of bliss and joy within yourself and others is through adherence with the policy of ‘live and let live.’  It is a contagious policy and profits one and all for an entire life.

     

    Can we measure happiness?

     

    Assessment of happiness is subjective and depends on what you consider a happiness scale.  There is no particular criterion other than the glow on your face.

    The indicators of happiness are life satisfaction, health, community engagement. Person need some basic wealth to be happy, yet high income doesn’t really increase the level of happiness.

    The level of happiness could be measured based on surveys. In 1972, Bhutan introduced a Gross National Happiness (GNH) scale, a parameter which is closely monitored by government and considered very important to the development of their economy.

     

    Author Bio: Mike Chapman a happiness expert & fitness consultant with 5+ years of experience working in clinics and gyms and dealing with health, pain and injuries. He is delivering talks on happiness and writing articles telling people how happiness can benefit their lives and the environment.

    Image Credit: Mark Sebastian – http://www.flickr.com/photos/markjsebastian/7824209576

     

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  3. How To Find Meaning In Your Day To Day Life

    August 31, 2013

    In search for meaning

    by Amanda O’Donnell

    Maybe when it comes to meaningful life you’re already set and have your goals defined. Maybe you have several things you’re working towards long term that you know will eventually bring you great life satisfaction. Maybe you’re raising kids and providing for a family. Maybe you have two years until that big promotion, or five until retirement. Maybe… Regardless if you’re lucky enough to have definite direction, playing out your daily life can be disheartening. Reminding yourself of your eventual accomplishments or the future enjoyment you’ll take from your life can get less and less easy. Your mind wanders, fills with doubt. What if this isn’t worth it? What if you never make it to the part of your life you’ve worked for? What if you’re wasting the right now?

    Finding solace in the everyday life can offer you relief from what can sometimes feel like the mundane passing of days and tasks. Here are some simple steps in the direction of your personal fulfillment.

    Remind Yourself Of Your Good Fortune

    Create a schedule or some system of expressing appreciation and thankfulness that best works for you. For instance set aside five minutes three times a day to sit and ruminate about the good things in your life. If your mind wanders and a good thing leads you to a less good thing and then a bad, refocus. Allow one good thing to lead to another good thing. Fifteen minutes a day might not seem long at all, but you’d be surprised about how many things you can give thanks for within a five minute of meditation. If you’re more comfortable writing the things down then do so. If you feel that actually saying the things aloud would mean a little more to you, then give yourself time in the morning to hear yourself say them. What might feel silly at first can really develop into a regular pattern of thought. Focusing your thought flow into a purely positive, appreciative stream (even if only for a few minutes) can make you more likely to naturally return to those thoughts later. You’ll find yourself thinking more positively about your life and situation, even when your five minutes are up!

    Make An Effort To Go Out Of Your Way

    Time and time again it’s been proven that people experience another level of fulfillment when helping others. It’s repeated back at us so often it’s become easy to write off this advice as cliched or empty. If you can’t see yourself taking all that much from an afternoon at the soup kitchen, then don’t spend an afternoon there. Sit down and really ask yourself what causes, groups of people or situations you have a vested interest in, and then think about what you could do to help. If you’re truly interested in the cause you’re helping, you’re more likely to know better how to help! And if you find yourself drawing up blank, then take it upon yourself to find something you have a passion for and make yourself of use. However, don’t think that helping people need always mean signing a volunteer list or setting aside three hours to hand out fliers on Saturdays. There are all sorts of ways you can lend a hand in your day to day life; take advantage of them! Bring a coworker coffee, hold the door open, ask someone who looks down how they’re feeling and offer an ear. When you start training yourself to consider others in various situations you’ll find yourself less focused on your own issues or dissatisfaction.

    Challenge Yourself

    Often feeling dissatisfied with your life or situation can just be a response to boredom. It makes complete sense. As your brain adjusts to the routine of your life and comes to expect certain daily things, the less stimulation you experience and the less chance for experiencing positive feelings! Some of the best feelings come from true accomplishment: setting out to do things we’re not entirely capable we can do and then doing them. You can challenge yourself and offer yourself these experiences in or outside of your daily routine. For instance, set personal goals for yourself in your daily work or at home. Assign yourself to create something. You haven’t read about something before? Do so! Set physical feats. Take weekend trips to places you haven’t been and do things you haven’t done and (better yet) are maybe afraid to do. Give yourself every opportunity to take something from your life and from each day.

    Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829334723

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  4. Why You Should Teach Your Children First Aid

    August 28, 2013

    Children and First Aid Training

    As any parent will agree, it is always well-worth having the first aid knowledge and skills to deal with an injury, from a minor graze to a potentially life-threatening choking incident.

    As children grow in independence, however, it is not possible to keep them wrapped up in cotton wool and neither can you always be there with the first aid box on hand for immediate care. Therefore it makes perfect sense to train your children in the basics of first aid care so that should a situation arise affecting a friend, a relative or even themselves, you can be sure your child can respond effectively while awaiting adult support.

    The following are the most important aspects which you should include in your child’s first aid training:

    Burns

    In the first instance, place the burn under cold running water. Many children think a quick splash is sufficient and the coldness of the water may itself be unpleasant but the longer the burn is kept cold the more quickly it will recover.

    Burns should not be covered with plasters or dressings. In the event that a burn is larger than a 50p coin, more specialist treatment should be sought.

    In the serious event of a person catching fire, your child should know (and practice) the STOP – DROP – ROLL action to extinguish the flames.

    Cuts and Grazes

    Placing a cut under running water will only inhibit natural healing, although it is an understandable response to wash away blood. Cuts should have pressure applied for several minutes using a clean towel or piece of kitchen roll until bleeding stops (holding the injury above the height of the heart will help). Clean the wound with an antiseptic wipe and, if it is shallow, leave to air dry.

    A deep wound will need expert treatment so keep the pressure applied to restrict bleeding and be sure your child knows to seek adult help.

    Splinters

    The temptation is to pull a splinter out, especially if an end is protruding from the skin. However the first step is to carefully wash the area with warm, soapy water, taking care not to push the splinter in further.

    If the end can be seen above the skin, it can be removed slowly with tweezers. If it is embedded under the skin, an adult should be asked to look at it – Forget the memories of grandmothers wielding sharp needles!

    Neck and Spinal Pain

    Most children are adventurous creatures but unfortunately climbing trees and exploring play areas carries an element of risk. Your child may come across a sibling or friend who has fallen from a height and, in the event of any neck or back pain after a fall, the injured child should not be moved. It is only natural for a child to encourage another to sit up but the importance of keeping the patient still should always be reinforced.

    Teach your child to stay calm and fetch help, or send a friend for a help while they stay with the injured person.

    Be Aware of Danger

    Whatever the situation, ensure that your child understands that he must initially assess the risk of danger to himself. This is the ‘D’ in the renowned ‘DR ABC’ of first aid care. Your child must not place himself at risk in order to assist someone else but should immediately obtain adult help.

    Ensure that your child knows how to seek paramedic assistance and always ensure that you, a relative or a neighbor can be contacted if you are leaving them alone at home.
    Training your child to administer basic first aid is a logical step to enabling them to live independently and safely, but it is important that you know yourself how to respond in the event of an injury to a member of your family. Also, to train your child you need to understand basic first aid procedures so that you share only the most relevant and up-to-date information.

    With many organizations offering pediatric or emergency first aid courses at a low cost it is easy to bring your own knowledge up to speed so that everyone in your family can benefit.

    Image Credit: Lindsay Shaver – http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindsayshaver/

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  5. Quit Smoking By Changing Your Thinking and Behavioural Patterns

    August 27, 2013

    how to quit smoking

    “I can’t do it, I have tried everything from the a–z of the quit smoking world and I can’t give up cigarettes”. How many of you have heard this sentence, or at least one very similar. See the thing is most people are looking for that easy fix, the one where they wear a patch for a few months and hey presto they are magically cured. If only it was that simple….

    NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) is promoted by many clinics and it can certainly work with some people. Yet, if you look into the statistics regarding smoking cessation with NRT you will see the success rate is very low, very low indeed. In order to really tackle smoking or more importantly the addiction to nicotine we must first have an understanding of our cognitive behaviours. Why do we smoke? What causes us to pick up a cigarette? And what stops us from wanting to quit?

    Before you decide to quit it is important that you have realistic expectations. Sure everyone wants to quit on their first attempt but in all honesty this will be very hard and may not happen. However it is wrong to look at a relapse and see it as a failure a priory. Read on these useful techniques that will help you quit smoking once and for all.

    Mind Distraction

    This is all about learning to behave differently when you are placed in an environment or situation which usually involves you smoking i.e. on a lunch break. There are certain techniques (incl. mindful meditation) that can be used to distract your mind from smoking related thoughts.

    Altering Your Thinking Patterns

    When your body is deprived of nicotine you can go through a series of mood changes. By learning how to change the way you think in certain situations you can help to make the withdrawal a lot less difficult. For example one of the most common reasons people light up a cigarette is due to stress. Instead of thinking “I really need a cigarette”, you can change your thought process to “I need to go for a walk and get some fresh air” or “I need to count to 10 and focus on my breathing”.

    Improve Your Understanding

    I am sure you have heard the saying “knowledge is power”. The more that you know and understand about your smoking addiction, how to tackle it and what to expect during this process the better place you will be in to combat your addiction.

    Understanding Social and Environmental Triggers

    If you know and understand what situations make you crave nicotine most you can then work out a way to avoid these. For example a lot of people who smoke find that when they drink alcohol they also feel the need to have a cigarette. The obvious solution for this is to instead of having that beer or glass of wine, have an orange juice instead.

    Know Your Motivational Cues

    If there are certain things that make you more motivated to quit then you should surround yourself with these.  When you find these places, people or actions that motivate you it’s a good idea to write a diary or list to help yourself remember. Positive psychology teaches us that having a set of motivational triggers really helps and essential in altering your way of thinking and acquiring positive outlook in life.

    Know Your Negative Triggers

    This again involves making a list of all the negative things that you associate with smoking. By putting this list in a spot that you will see few times a day it will help to change the way you think and feel about cigarettes. Generally speaking, knowing your negative triggers is essential for overcoming addiction, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and many other mental health condition. Many psychotherapy techniques including CBT, hypnosis, psychoanalysis, etc. aim at discovering these triggers as they are often hidden in your unconscious.

    Social Network

    Do you hang around with a lot of smokers? Surrounding yourself with people who are smoking can negatively affect your chances of quitting. It’s understandable that these people will most likely be your friends and family so you will not wish to avoid them, however by asking them to not smoke in front of you will make a massive difference.

    Weight issues

    For some people the fear of weight gain is what keeps them on the cigarettes. Before you decide to take your first step in giving up join a gym or make an exercise plan which will help you to lose weight or maintain your current weight when you quit smoking.

    What you have to remember is that although you may not be successful on your first attempt this is 100% normal. Some can quit first time around while others find it harder to break the addiction. If you are someone that has a relapse make sure to remember what worked for you the previous time around and try to include these more in your daily life.

    Image Credit: Mark Sebastian – http://www.flickr.com/photos/markjsebastian/2752162749

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  6. How Yoga Can Improve Your Creativity

    August 25, 2013

    On Yoga and Creativity

    by Edward Lakatis

    Creativity is an important element in any job. However, there are really certain jobs that may require more of it than others. Inventors, artists, musicians and scientists are only a few examples of these kinds of jobs. Individuals who choose to pursue these career paths come to realize that to continuously do well in their fields, they constantly have to churn out new ideas, new concepts, and new works. Inventors have to come up with new inventions all the time, musicians are pressured to come up with a different kind of sound that would appeal to the masses, and artists who successfully think up unique ways to make art are the ones who are usually given more opportunities to show their work. Being creative, for these people, can spell the difference between failure and success.

    With that being said, it is important that these people take the time and effort to invest in their creativity. They have to constantly look for ways to harness their creativity, whether it be incorporating a new activity, or making a major lifestyle change such as altering the diet. This is where yoga comes in. Unknown to many, yoga is actually an excellent tool for creativity. Doing yoga can do wonders for one’s creative process. Allow us to explain how yoga can make a difference.

    Yoga encourages mindfulness

    People who do yoga can attest that there is always effort involved to be more mindful, and to notice more things. From observing how the body is positioned, to how it moves from one posture to another, up to paying attention to the breath, as well as the thoughts that go through ones head, yoga is all about mindfulness. After one achieves this state of mindfulness, yoga encourages a detachment from images and words that are normally associated with certain emotions. And in a way, isn’t this what being creative is about- letting go of old norms, and finding a fresh new approach to things? Once the minds gets used to this kind of thinking in the yoga studio, it can progress and take it out into the real world, resulting in more creative ideas.

    Yoga achieves a relaxed yet alert mind

    We all have those moments when our minds are so full of different bits of information that there doesn’t seem to be any room for new ideas to develop. This is a classic sign of a stressed out mind. When the mind is stressed out, ideas stop flowing, and the person ends up stuck in a creative block. This is where yoga becomes a great tool to relax the mind. Yoga exercises teach the mind to slow down and relax. By relaxing, it is given the opportunity to recharge and realign itself. The great thing about yoga is that even if the mind is in a relaxed state, it is still continually moving and thinking. It has to have a level of alertness to process the poses and the breathing. A level of alertness is equally important in the creative process, because if the mind is too relaxed, it may stop working altogether! Yoga gives the mind the balance to flow and make room for idea generation, but also makes sure that it is constantly functioning.

    Yoga Teaches Patience

    Not many people realize it, but the process of creativity relies so much on patience. For a creative idea to fully blossom, there must be nothing short of an alignment of all the perfect elements. Many creative ideas are born because the inventor’s state of mind is right, the timing is right, and something or somebody comes into his life that contributes to the overall idea. Waiting for all of the stars to align requires a lot of patience, and many may give up because they cannot be bothered to wait. However, if one is involved in an activity that encourages patience such as yoga, then he will not mind the wait so much, and the perfect idea can come about in its own perfect time.

    There may be different ways of upping person’s creativity, but yoga is one of the easiest ones to get into. It is available in many different places, and also has great variety. No matter what one’s lifestyle is, or their level of expertise, there should be a yoga class and style that will suit them. It would definitely not hurt for individuals that constantly struggle with being creative to give yoga a try. It just may be the perfect activity to get those creative juices flowing.

    Image Credit: Lululemon Athletica – www.flickr.com/photos/lululemonathletica/5725279112

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  7. Having A Mental Illness and Being Positive?

    August 22, 2013

     mental illness - positive thinking

    I hate “think positive” websites because most of them have no clue what it feels to have a mental illness. They give you this overly sweet message – just change this and that and you will be happy and achieve nirvana… Yet, I like Jeff’s blog – the message here is “bitter-sweet”, it doesn’t feel “fake positive” if you know what I mean…  Here, I decided to focus on the positive in my life, so let’s give it a shot:

    1. Finding out who your true friends are. Nothing makes people run away faster than the mention of a mental illness. At the beginning everyone sticks around but as time progresses the number gets smaller and smaller until your real friends are left.

    2. Finding out what your truly capable of. I never knew how much inner strength or will power I truly had until I became sick. After going to your absolute bottom and somehow finding the strength to still fight you find out who you truly are at the core level.

    3. Finding out what is important. At one point I had the middle class dream of a nice paycheck and a house with a white picket fence. After the depression tornado took everything away I learned the only thing that really matters are the people in your life for they can never be replaced.

    4. The ability to start over. After the mental illness beast has finally left your world you are awarded a second chance of choosing on what kind of life you want to live a luxury the “normal” people cannot pull off very easily.

    5. The power of knowing. For a very long time I seem to be wandering around in the dark with no visible purpose in my life and I could never figure out why. When the day came and the realization that I was mentally ill a boulder was lifted off of my shoulder for now I had an answer and knew exactly what I had to do to fix it. The purpose of my life is simple and that is to enjoy life as we only get one crack at it.

    To be completely honest here I am rather amazed that I was able to think of five reasons to be positive and I am sure there is a lot more, but the meds are working a little bit too well tonight so my brain appears to be running in slow motion.

     

    Andrew R.

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  8. 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Mental Outlook

    August 20, 2013

    Improve Your Mental Outlook
    When we think of ways to improve our overall wellness we tend to think of big projects that tackle big issues head on. That kind of thinking is far to often a symptom of the problem, not a path to a cure. A healthy physical and mental outlook is based on a landscape we exist in, not a destination to achieve. I’ve come up with a short list of simple activities you can add to your routine that, over time, will alleviate stress and tension and help you build wells of positive mental and physical energy to rely on.

    Do Something With Your Own Hands

    For most of us hand eye coordination and dexterity are useful only in the context of operating our digital devices: computers, tablets, mobiles. Your hands aren’t made just for accessing more data and downloading your brain into an overheated frenzy. When is the last time you shaped wet clay, carved a piece of wood, kneaded dough? The interplay between hands and mind that only occurs from doing small jobs like this satisfies your mind and relaxes your body. Whether it’s making a birdhouse, preparing a meal to share, or just giving a tired friend a thorough back rub you will gain mental energy by performing simple tasks with your hands.

    Do Low Impact Exercise

    Our culture is geared to celebrate high impact exercise. TV Infomercials compete against each other to claim their program is harder, sweatier, and more extreme. Sometimes training for a marathon or getting buff is just what you want and need, but these high impact programs can be extremely stressful and require imposing aggressive forms of self discipline to complete. They are a great way to get ripped, but not always a great way to become more relaxed and happy. Take a slow, relaxing evening walk, or slow bike ride on a quiet road. If you have a place to swim find time to just splash around a little. No laps, no grind, no constant focus on goals and improvement. You’ll be surprised at how much improvement you get from less stressful forms of exercise, and the relaxation you gain will in turn help make you physically more fit.

    Perform Manual Labor

    Most of us spend our lives trying to find ways to eliminate manual labor from the equation. The problem is, sometimes we are too successful and we cut ourselves off from any form of work that isn’t intellectually focused. Working with your mind is great, but frequently involves long processes with difficult to measure results. When is the last time you cut your own grass, or picked up trash from a public space, or planted a garden? You don’t need to break your back, just find something simple that fits into your time schedule and work at it. Unlike massive work projects that can bog you down for months without verifiable results when you mow a lawn or weed a garden you have the immediate satisfaction of seeing a job well done. This can be a great way to build positive relationships too: do you know any elderly people who could use help maintaining their yard? A space that could be improved for local children to play in? And besides, who would turn down a basket of fresh picked vegetables from your garden?

    Play a Musical Instrument

    Before the invention of TV and Radio almost everyone in the US and Europe played a musical instrument for entertainment. We have gotten away from that, and now rely on unsatisfying time filler activities instead. There are parts of your mind and spirit that are atrophying away when you don’t express them, and actually making music, however simply, is a world apart from passively listening. You can buy beginners instruments fairly cheaply, and free lessons are available all over the net. Pick up a guitar, or recorder, or small bongo drum and dedicate some time into learning the basics. You will get to the point of playing along with favorite songs before you know it, and you will find that you always feel a little happier and more positive after a half hour of making music.

    Write Something

    Writing is one of the most popular forms of personal expression there is. There are lot’s of free blogger sites on the web, pick one and open a blog. Write in it at least weekly. Here’s the catch: most people will tell you writing is all about expressing yourself, or releasing inner thoughts and feelings, and you should just write whatever you want and let the muse take you where it will. That may help you and if you enjoy this please continue in your way. I recommend a little different approach though. Write with a little self discipline. Make sure that everything you write has enough of a plan to include two basic things: a format where you have a clear beginning, middle and end is one. A simple message, or point you are making is the other. Using this approach will force you to do one simple thing every time you write: organize your thoughts. Organizing your thoughts is difficult, and it takes practice, and the goal of writing like this often is to give you that practice. If you think of the people you know who are the calmest, happiest individuals who exude a sense of peace around them they will all tend to have very organized thoughts. No jumbled up nervous tension from them, just simplicity and peace. Using writing to practice this mental sorting and indexing of thoughts will give you a tool you can use to build an island of mental peace around yourself at all times.

    Image Credit: Mark Sebastian – www.flickr.com/photos/markjsebastian/4686167305

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  9. Five Inspirational People We Can Learn From

    August 18, 2013

    by Ewan Mochrie

    Most of us live humdrum lives without a real shot at the big time, but this doesn’t mean that we can’t aspire to make a difference. In fact, all of us have aspirations… This post presents five incredible human beings who fought against the odds to stamp the world with their legacy. Quietly conquering the globe in their own unique ways, we want to take a look at five truly inspirational people who can teach us all something.

    JK Rowling

    JK RowlingJK Rowling shot to fame as the unassuming face behind the mighty Harry Potter dynasty. Rowling once faced nothing more than a broken marriage and empty bank account. Confronted with the prospect of single motherhood and a lifetime of regret, this indomitable author instead took to her battered old typewriter and began punching out the story of the century. The book was turned down left and right before one publisher took a chance…and the rest is history.

    Chris Gardner

    Chris_GardnerChris Gardner takes us from children’s fiction to the chasing of an American Dream. Canonised by Will Smith in the recent biopic The Pursuit of Happyness (no, not a typo), this incredible man went from rags to riches by pure grit and hard work. Gardner slept rough with his child in an underground station and presented himself each day at the office, training industriously to be a stockbroker. He always wore a suit and somehow kept his child fed and clothed in nursery each morning until one day his luck turned and the ceaseless hard work paid off. He now leads as CEO of Christopher Gardner International Holdings.

    Jessica Cox

    jessica coxJessica Cox is not your household name. She gives talks around the world on persistence in the face of adversity. Jessica is the Guinness World Record holder for being the very first individual on earth to qualify as a pilot…with no arms. Jessica is determined to overcome any obstacles with positive attitude and positive thinking and has never let her disability get in the way of her dreams, leading her to be seen as a shining light in the fight for the rights and opportunities for disabled people in our society. This girl has a degree, flies aircraft, drives cars, and plays piano… just like many others. The only difference is that she is doing all this with her feet. She also gives a great after-dinner speech.

    Malala Yousafzi

    Malala-Yousafzai

    Malala Yousafzi is only fifteen and she has already been called one of the future leaders of global unity. After the Pakistani schoolgirl was shot in the head by Taliban activists for challenging those in power, she survived and came back even stronger. Her reply to the rise of gender-based violence and terror was one of awe-inspiring defiance. ‘I want every girl, every child to be educated’ resonated across the world’s media and we certainly hope that she will continue fighting for women’s rights and equality in Islamic world and will have successful career in world politics.

    Nelson Mandela

    Nelson-MandelaIt may be a cliche but no list can truly be complete without homage to Nelson Mandela. We can all learn something from the iconic leader’s gentle resilience and unceasing devotion to end the apartheid. He spent almost thirty years in jail for political rebellion and arose from mire to become South Africa’s first black President and to win a Nobel Peace Prize. His smiling image is well known all over the world and his refusal to condemn those who took away his freedom makes him a legend of inspiration across the globe.

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  10. 7 Most Notable Benefits of Yoga

    August 15, 2013

     benefits of yoga

    Do you frequent the gym and you are looking to expand your fitness horizons?  Are you an exercise newcomer struggling to find a place to start? Are you a yoga skeptic and have never taken the plunge to actually try a class? The truth is, yoga has many benefits and has the potential to bring a whole new level of health and wellness to your life.  Read on to discover seven significant benefits yoga can bring to you and has already brought to countless others. Let’s move past the stereotypes that say yoga is for hippies, people without any sense of athleticism and individuals with the ultimate skills in flexibility.  The fact of the matter is, and has been proven, that yoga is for everyone.

    • Optimism Yoga has a natural ability to increase levels of GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter present in the brain which lowers anxiety and gives people a sense of calm and general well being. If you are naturally a more stressed and anxious person, yoga has the potential to truly change the quality of your life by helping you to relax and go about your days more calmly. In a sense, yoga can be a natural form of antidepressant.  Just as depression medications increase GABA levels, so does yoga.

     

    • Pain Relief  When you are in pain, the last thing you are likely thinking about is exercising.  But wait! Incorporating yoga into your life as a part of your daily regimen can actually lower chronic pain.  How? There are “markers” in your body called Cytokines which indicate you are holding inflammation in that area.   After practicing yoga regularly, these cytokines decrease and you are left with less pain. Yoga has also been shown to lessen arthritis and fibromyalgia pain.
    • Quality of Sleep Regular yoga practice is known to cure several conditions, some of which include insomnia or abnormal sleeping habits. Yoga helps people to unwind and de-stress at the end of the day. When you feel more relaxed and have a clear mind, getting a quality night’s sleep is much easier.
    • Calmness Yoga is often times considered an alternative medicine practice offering a refreshing mind-body healing approach.  Yoga combines physical and mental disciplines to help yogis achieve peacefulness of both body and mind.  Post yoga, you are left feeling relaxed and better able to manage stress and anxiety.
    • Posture  Poor posture can be attributed to the presence of many undesirable health conditions such as varicose veins, pinched nerves, heart strain and belly fat.  Many problems related to posture are caused by long hours spent each day at one’s workplace, hunched over a computer.  The good news is, many yoga poses help to counteract your tendency to slouch, increase your body awareness and, in turn, improve your posture.  There was once a (false) belief that yoga actually makes people taller.  While this is not exactly true, yoga can noticeably improve your posture, making you appear taller and thinner. Talk about a nice, simple confidence boost!
    • Strength Can yoga build muscle? During a yoga class, you are required to hold your body in positions in which you must support yourself for considerable lengths of time. You build muscle tone by holding and supporting your own body weight, much like you do during conventional strength training exercise. Practicing yoga can lead to improved balance, flexibility, strength and range of motion. With this, you’re at a much lower risk for injuring yourself in other physical activities or in your daily life.

    Depending on what you are looking to get out of Yoga, there are many variations of yoga practices that can provide you with the specific benefits you are looking for.  All in all, yoga can be a great addition to any physical fitness routine no matter your fitness level or goals.

    Image Credit/Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yogamama-co-uk/3794867064

    Category Motivational, Yoga, Tai Chi and Meditation | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,, | Comments Off on 7 Most Notable Benefits of Yoga

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