Optimistic people seem to draw good things into their lives. But did you know that this includes better health, too?
This check-up from GenuLines will show you how that happens.
Improve Your Physical Health by Being Optimistic
It’s no surprise that being optimistic has mindset benefits. But did you know there are physical health benefits to being more optimistic?
Do you believe that some people are born with it and others aren’t that lucky? Yes, some come into the world with a cheery disposition.
But others including you can learn how to be optimistic. Even better news is that being optimistic can improve your general physical health.
The Benefits of Optimism on Your Physical Health
Keep a belief system of “I think I can, and I know I will.” Your goals can come to fruition with hard work and dedication.
Your workouts, exercise routines, and high intensity interval training will improve, too.
Once you develop an optimistic mindset and apply it to those routines, the benefits will include:
A more enjoyable workout
An increased capacity for a sustained commitment to your workout routine
The learned skill of creating momentum and reaching your fitness goals
An enhanced self-confidence helps you succeed in other areas of your life
Reaching goals with more ease with optimistic thinking
A willingness to take on other challenges in life
Experiencing satisfying results of optimistic thinking and affirming your success
A healthier mind and body Improved sleep
Building your self-esteem
Focusing on how hard your workout is or how much you dislike doing it keeps your mind focused on what does’t work. This will only your take you in the opposite direction of optimal physical health.
The Mind, Body Connection of Optimism
Think about the mind, body connection. Have you ever felt disappointment?
What does that feel like? It no doubt feels like a sinking in the pit of your stomach while your shoulders begin to sag.
Your emotions, thoughts, and feelings are all stored in your body somewhere. Nervousness can show up as butterflies or an upset stomach.
Anxiety can cause sweaty palms and trembling. And embarrassment leaves its own visible discomfort.
If you want a better body and a better workout don’t add more hours to your workout routine. Instead try taking on learned optimism.
If you think you can and know you will, your body and mind will begin to show the results. With more effort and less time, you may begin to see better results.
Prosperity isn’t guaranteed in life. First you have to know what it is, then know how to get there.
The following is a GenuLines road map aimed at getting you to your destination.
What Is Prosperity? ( And How Do You Find It?)
Okay, let’s have a look. The dictionary definition is – ‘The state of being prosperous’
Well that wasn’t much help. So, what is the definition?’
Prosperous means – ‘successful in material terms, bringing wealth and success.’
Okay now we’re getting somewhere. We know what prosperity is, but how do we go about finding it?
Let’s Talk About Prosperity
Although we have the dictionary definition above, I’m not real happy with it.
Yes prosperity can apply to material wealth and success. But it can also take in mental, emotional, and even spiritual wealth and success too.
But what if it doesn’t reach into every facet of our lives?
To find prosperity in all areas, we have to be very clear about the things that we want in our lives. And the things that we don’t want.
We must also make sure that we’re living a way of life that removes anything that doesn’t serve us. Examples include addictions to negative behavior or people.
Internal & External Prosperity
You can’t consider only your external environment or external resources.
You want to secure your external and internal prosperity. We do this through the means of internal mental and emotional mastery.
So even if you do lose your material wealth you won’t lose your ability to be happy. You can stay in a state of internal peace.
Bull’s-eye!.
To summarize: know yourself to the best of your ability. Then develop a better mindset and way of life.
One that supports, encourages and cultivates this innate capacity for prosperity. For you and for others, too.
You’ll become a force for good. The world, your world¸ will be a much brighter place if you can do this.
So, get to work. At the end of the day, true prosperity comes from you.
No one in the world can give this to you. You’re going to have to forge this one for yourself.
You’ve heard the saying “life is tough, then you die.” It’s like you’ve been bound and gagged all your life.
Let GenuLines help you get un-stuck with this look at some countermeasures.
What to Do When You Feel Stuck or Trapped in Life
When you feel stuck or trapped in your life, it becomes almost impossible to be happy. You tend to feel depressed, frustrated and dissatisfied.
The truth is life is full of ups and downs. There will be times of great change, and times where nothing changes at all.
Feeling stuck at some point in your life is normal, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay that way. Here, we’ll look at some of the best things you can do when you feel stuck or trapped in life.
Make That Tough Choice
There’s a reason why you feel stuck or trapped in life, and it’s often down to avoiding making a tough decision. For example, if you feel trapped in a job you hate, the tough choice would be to leave that job.
If you’re in a relationship that isn’t working, the hard choice would be to walk away.
What choice are you avoiding changing? Sometimes, the only way to move forward and be happy is to have the courage to make the difficult decisions.
You deserve to be happy, so never be afraid to do what’s right for you, no matter how hard it is.
Begin With Small Changes
Making changes in your life can be overwhelming. So if you want to get out of your current situation, start with small changes. Do this until you feel comfortable and confident that you’re making good decisions.
Think about the things you want to change and then figure out the steps you’ll need to get there. Working on change one step at a time prevents it from becoming overwhelming.
You’ll see steady progress as you make smaller changes. And you’ll gain the motivation to carry on making bigger ones.
Work On Self-Improvement
How you feel about yourself can hold you back. If you do feel stuck or trapped, could it be due to a lack of confidence or self-belief?
Working on self-improvement can help you to view your life in a more positive way. You’ll be able to recognize opportunities.
You’ll be more likely to work through any challenges keeping you from your dream life.
Think about your current flaws. What can you improve about yourself to be a better person?
Commit To Being Yourself
The problem could be that you aren’t being yourself in life. Many people find they struggle to be themselves around other people.
If you’re trying to present a fake version of yourself to others, you’ll never be happy. Only by being your true self will you be able to live a fulfilled and happy life.
Feeling stuck or trapped in life is common, but it doesn’t mean you need to stay stuck. The above tips and advice can help you to start moving forward and living the life you deserve.
You may feel trapped, but this is an illusion. You know what you need to do.
It’s bad enough that life today can be loaded with stress. But stress often comes with an accomplice- overwhelm.
Push back against these intruders with this GenuLines look at how they work.
Overwhelm And A Hectic Life: 2 Key Sources Of Stress
We all have our share of stresses in life, but some of them are within our ability to change. Overwhelm and living a hectic life are two of the biggest stressors.
Yet there’s a lot you can do about it!
We’re going to look at how these two things are skyrocketing your stress level and what you can do about it.
The Effects
Living a hectic life that causes overwhelm forces you to stay in a constant state of stress. You keep going and going with little to no break.
This isn’t good for the human body.
You need to take a break, allowing you to calm your mind and body, starting anew with fresh energy. Keeping yourself in a constant state of busyness is very bad for your stress level.
Of course, that, in turn, is bad for your health.
If your life seems too hectic, it’s time you do something about it. You don’t have to do everything yourself.
Start delegating. This will help you to reduce your stress and feel less overwhelmed.
More To-Do’s
There are some hectic and overwhelming things that are out of your control. But there are a few things you can do to help calm things down and reduce your stress.
First, get your priorities in order. Make a list of everything you have to do in descending order of importance.
When you’re done, see what you can cut out or delegate to someone else.
Organize
Next, get better organized. Keep a well-detailed calendar.
Divide your day into what you have to do and the time you’ve allotted in which to get it done.
This will help you to feel less overwhelmed.
Finally, ask for help. This is where your loved ones can help you.
Start delegating tasks and try to make your life less hectic.
Delegating Is a Difference Maker
It can be hard to let certain things go, but sometimes, when it comes to your health, you have to.
Delegating is a great way to turn off your feelings of overwhelm.
Delegating means allowing others to do some of the work for you so you have time to do other important things. To help with your stress, you can delegate chores to others in your household.
Have someone else drive your kids to their extracurriculars. You may even be able to let someone else help with some of the responsibilities in your life.
Why You Should Bother
It’s no secret-stress kills. Stress can cause heart attacks, strokes, and several other life-threatening conditions.
Minimizing your stress can help you think clearer, sleep better, and be healthier. It can help lessen your anxiety, as well.
So why, given an easy way to lessen your stress, would you not try it? It could mean a life and death difference for you.
We all deal with stress daily, but that stress builds up and could cause some serious health problems. Being overwhelmed and living a hectic life are two of the biggest stresses in life.
But it’s good to know that with practice and some patience you can manage them.
You know that self-confidence is important. You just don’t think about it much.
Today you’re invited to sample some food for thought from GenuLines.
Why Self-Confidence Matters
It often seems that confidence is elusive, like a smoky mirage.
Sometimes, it feels magical and wonderful; other times it can be frustrating.
But you can build up your self-confidence without having to resort to mystical means.
‘How?’ you ask. It’s simple.
Start by recognizing that confidence is a skill you can learn. You set a goal and take small steps each day to work towards it.
Keep reading to find out more about self-confidence and why it matters.
What Is Self-Confidence?
Self-confidence isn’t tangible. You can’t touch it and say, “This is confidence.”
It’s something we get a feeling for when we, or others, have it.
Likewise, we can recognize when someone lacks it. Even when they try to attempt to compensate for it, we sense it and feel bad for them.
The good news is that self-confidence is a soft skill. Which means you can learn it and apply it to your daily life.
It’s not fixed, like your height for example.
It’s based for the most part on your mindset and the actions you do to follow through. You can boost your confidence and self-esteem by trusting your abilities.
Seeing yourself succeed in your mind is the first step in making better decisions.
Then, when your decisions make your life better, your confidence gets a nice little boost. And round and round it goes.
Confidence is Infectious
Even though we can’t see it, we still sense other people’s confidence levels in the way they behave and speak.
When you’re confident, you exude excitement and energy. You’re motivated to work hard and feel that same energy.
The downside is it goes both ways.
When one person lacks confidence, it can deflate everyone around them. They get the sense that there’s no point in trying.
Why Does Self-Confidence Matter?
There are different reasons why being confident can improve your life. Below, you’ll find a few examples of how it can make you a happier, more fulfilled individual.
Allows You to Take Positive Risks
Confidence can your life bring balance and a sense of direction. Making a conscious decision to develop your confidence does several things.
It allows you to take positive risks. It gets you out of your comfort zone.
And puts you on the path to success. The trick is understanding your own strength.
You have to believe that you can master whatever skill you’re working on.
Yes, it’ll be weird and difficult in the beginning. Yes, you’ll make mistakes along the way.
So what?
That’s what life is about. This is what boosts your self-esteem and makes you better at everything you do.
Empowers You to Embrace Your Failures
We all make mistakes. We all fail and meet obstacles in our lives.
The key is to understand that failures are a necessary part of progress. Read that again and let it sink in.
You may think that when you fail, it’s the end of the journey. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. To embrace your failures, you have to think of them as detours.
When you’re forced to change lanes or take a detour that doesn’t mean the entire journey is over. It means you’re taking a different path.
You’ll get there when the time is right.
Now, why do some people succeed after failing and others don’t? Those who manage to do that learn from their mistakes.
They go over what went wrong and find a way to fix it. In other words, they use their failures to their advantage.
They use them to prop themselves up and give them the push they need to keep going on their path.
Let’s Pause
Think about Thomas Edison and Michael Jordan. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of these two names?
Success? Fame? Glory? All of the above?
What about failure?”
These are two of the most familiar names you can think of. You say they haven’t failed.
Well, in truth they have—many times, in fact.
Yet, they’re smart enough to use their failures as stepping stones to aim higher and work harder.
Imagine the contributions we would never know if these two men had given up every time they failed! One of Edison’s quotes about refining the light bulb is, “I haven’t failed.
I’ve found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Enables You To Trust Yourself
Many times, we can be our own worst enemies. We critique every move, every word, and every thought over and over again.
In moderation, it can be a great incentive to do better. Although, this only works if we treat ourselves with the same kindness and empathy, we show others.
Sad to say, it doesn’t happen very often. The best way to break out of that negative self-talk is to have faith in yourself.
Have faith in your decisions Even if you made mistakes in the past, that doesn’t ensure future failures. Own up to your bad decision, embrace it, and move on.
That’s now part of your DNA; it’s helping shape a stronger, more resilient person. Imagine it being part of your arsenal or a superpower.
Now, you’ve turned your mistake into something that can make you more resilient and less anxious.
A Final Note
Self-confidence is an integral part of who you are. Knowing why it matters may be the difference between being happy and being miserable.
Having that self-assurance can help boost your relationships and career. You’ll also be able to inspire others to become happier and more fulfilled.
You might know how important self-care is to your well-being. But it isn’t always easy to work it into your daily routine.
Here, we’ll look at why you often fail at this.
And we’ll look at the things that are holding you back.
It’s often perceived as selfish
One of the main reasons people fail to take care of themselves is because they feel it’s selfish. It could be that you feel guilty when you take time to focus on yourself.
Or, you may worry about what other people think.
It’s a total myth that self-care is selfish. In fact, it can help you to be a better parent, friend, spouse, and relative.
The more you take care of yourself, the easier you’ll find it to take care of others.
You’ll also show your children how important this is. Teaching them to take care of their own needs is a crucial life skill.
One that’s going to help them to grow up to be happier adults.
It requires effort
There’s no getting away from the fact that self-care does take some level of effort in the beginning. When you aren’t used to making self-care a priority, you’re going to need to make quite a few changes to your routine.
Coming up with a self-care plan can feel like a chore, making it easy to put off. But there are ways to reduce the effort.
For example, focusing on one thing you want to improve at a time can help. Would you like to start working out more?
Scheduling time to exercise as soon as you wake up, for example, can be a great start. Or, if you’re looking to drink more water, focus on that goal first.
If you break down your self-care tasks, it makes them much easier, reducing a lot of the effort involved.
Different approaches work for different people
Every one of us is different, and we enjoy different things. You might find more feel-good in going for a run than you do in yoga or meditation.
So you would list running as a self-care task.
If you find one approach isn’t working, try something else. Your decision should be personal and fit your own needs.
These are some of the most common reasons people fail to take good care of themselves. It can be difficult overcoming the initial barriers.
But when you understand what and how important it is, you’ll find it much easier to stick to a self-care routine.
Children tend to have eating habits that are all over the place. They eat what delights the eyes, but their stomachs often pay the price.
Take a look at these GenuLines tips designed to get the kids on board with healthy eating.
You Can Teach Your Children How to Eat Healthier
One of the leading causes of childhood obesity is poor food choices. Offer kids either vegetables or a cookie and most will choose the cookie.
Admit it, sometimes even adults do the same thing! But, with a few strategic lessons good role modeling, you can teach your children to put health first.
Here are some ideas:
* Help them learn to like healthy foods
Forcing kids to eat vegetables and whole grains gets met with resistance. Instead of preparing a plate of lima beans and telling your children to eat it all, give them a choice.
Prepare a variety of vegetables, side dishes, and whole-grain options. Encourage your children to try new things.
Children generally have to try something several times before they begin to like it. You will have to be patient. Reward them with verbal praise when they try new healthy foods.
If they say they don’t like it, nod your head and praise them for trying it. Let them know that taste buds change and they might like it better next time or as they get a bit older.
* Make sugar a treat
Many children have become so accustomed to sweet foods. A lot of them feel that anything that doesn’t have sugar just tastes bad.
If your kids eat a lot of sweets, scale back on the amount they have available to them. Start with one treat a day and at some point consider reducing it to one treat a week.
Yet, make sure that food doesn’t become a reward for behavior. And don’t forget to check things like cereal which can be high in sugar.
Your children’s desire for sweets will decrease. And they’ll begin enjoying a variety of other healthy foods.
* Involve them in meal planning and preparation
Children who help you prepare a meal, are going to be much more excited about eating it. Invite yours to help you choose meals, help with the grocery shopping, and then prepare the foods.
While in the produce area, ask them to find and pick out the various vegetables and fruits you need for the meal. They’ll learn about their veggies, and they’ll be more excited to try them.
Consider putting them in charge of the meal choices for one evening each week. You can provide them with a list of choices. You can also browse cookbooks together.
* Be a good role model
You can’t expect your children to make healthy choices if you don’t. Take good care of your health.
Exercise and eat well. Show the kids that taking care of themselves and making good food choices is important.
* Embrace other cultures
A great way to help your children appreciate food is to help them learn about what other cultures eat. You can embrace one country each month and make a meal.
You can call it “cultural night.” Combine it with family game night, and make trying new foods something to which you can look forwards.
* Teach your children the “why” behind food choices
If your children don’t know why they should make healthy choices, they won’t care. Talk to them about how some foods work.
Some provide lasting energy, while others burn out quickly and make us feel tired and cranky.
Adjust the conversation depending on your children’s ages.
Finally, just enjoy food, because it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of being too rigid about food. This can cause a backlash.
It can motivate children to hide food and to feel ashamed. Make sure children know that it’s about moderation, not restriction and deprivation.
This will lead to a happy relationship with food that they can take into their adult years.
Your anger can be a terrible master. It will create a lot of problems in your life if not reigned in.
So with that in mind, GenuLines looks at ways to keep the angry tendencies at bay.
Anger Management 101
Anger is a powerful emotion. Learning how to manage it can be difficult.
Yet, not impossible.
The problem isn’t that you get angry; the problem is in the way you express your anger. While anger is a normal and natural emotion, it can be overwhelming if not dealt with in the right way.
When you allow your anger to take over, it has a negative effect on your life. This is a sign that it’s time to make important changes to how you handle your emotions.
Allowing anger to take over can be very unhealthy. You can hurt yourself or someone you care about.
There are certain steps you have to go through to be able to cope with your anger in a healthy and productive way. We rounded up some of these tried-and-true techniques to help you cope with your anger.
You may have heard of some of them, but don’t knock any of them until you’ve tried each one several times.
Remember, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at controlling your anger. So, the next time you’re in a situation that gets your blood boiling, try these tips.
Deep Breathing
This helps you take the time to think about the situation. It gives you time to calm down rather than immediately lashing out.
Taking a few deep breaths also boosts blood flow to your brain. The more oxygen going to your brain, the more rational your thoughts and behavior will be.
Want to take it a step further? Do a slow count.
You can count up to 10 as you breathe in and out. Or you can count backward from 100.
Take the time to think about what number comes next. This effort will shift your focus and distract you from what’s making you angry.
When you disconnect yourself from the event that’s making you flustered, you’re less likely to act out. Taking some time to moderate your anger is a healthy and smart way to manage your anger.
Acknowledge Your Emotions
Start by accepting your anger. Tell yourself that it’s okay to be angry, but it’s not okay to let it out on others in a destructive way.
Be true to yourself. If you feel there are any negative issues from your past holding you back, find a way to deal with them.
There are several things you can do to move past painful memories, like
Reflecting inward can help you see things from a different vantage point. Seeing things from a different viewpoint gives you clarity.
As a result, you can deal with the situation in a calm, relaxed manner.
Also, take a moment to ask yourself if the person who angered you actually meant to harm you. Or was it unintentional?
Looking at the situation from a 3rd person viewpoint is a terrific coping mechanism. You’ll be able to reach an amicable understanding and be respectful of yourself and others.
Learn Your Flashpoints
We all have certain people or places that make us angry. Thinking about them makes your temper soar.
To avoid seething with anger over someone or something learn your flashpoints. Start by figuring out what makes you angry.
Once you’ve identified your triggers, you’ll be better equipped at handling them. For example, let’s say you always take a certain route to work, but it’s always congested and that makes you angry.
Why not look for a different route and spare yourself the aggravation of wasting time in traffic?
Do Something You Love
Anger is a very intense emotion. To balance it out, you need to take up a hobby or activity you enjoy.
Creative activities like drawing, painting, or playing a musical instrument. These can benefit your mental health.
In fact, the more time you spend on creative pastimes, the less angry and stressed you’ll feel.
Other hobbies include physical activities like hiking, kickboxing, and cycling. Even taking a 10-minute stroll in the park can uplift your mental wellbeing.
These activities can help release pent-up negative energy in a healthy and safe way. Not only that, but exercise also stimulates your brain to release more feel-good hormones.
So, you don’t only get better at controlling your anger, you also feel happier and more resilient.
Do you have a bad habit or two, or more? Let GenuLines help you as we take a closer look at them.
See if any of these are holding you back.
What Exactly Is a Bad Habit?
For the most part, a bad habit is something that you do again and again,. Something you can stop doing when you decide to, and that society has deemed to be bad.
Often it breaks laws, customs, or some societal moral code. Most of us think that bad habits are something you should avoid.
This is because they can often affect your health and wellness. There are different categories of bad habits.
Let’s look at the most common ones.
* Time-Wasting Habits
These include not putting things where they go. Or not creating a home for everything you own.
And not keeping your stuff organized. Wasting time can end up affecting your downtime because you still have to make time for work.
* Unhealthy Habits
As an example there’s eating unhealthy snacks every night. Watching lots of TV instead of doing physical things.
And avoiding regular doctor visits.
* Lost Productivity Habits
Lack of a morning routine and some sort of schedule hurts your productivity. These types of bad habits are for the most part a lack of good habits.
* Habits That Harm Your Financial Health
Habits like gambling can ruin your financial health today. Overspending is often started by a bad habit of not minding your finances.
* Habits That Impede Your Social Life
For some people, bad habits can hurt their social life. Being late and slighting others are two examples.
* Habits That Harm Others
Some people develop habits that harm themselves as well as others. For example, a smoking habit can hurt you and those around you (especially kids).
* Habits That Ruin Relationships
Some people allow their habits to even ruin their relationships. Being sloppy, unclean, and not thinking of others can ruin many relationships.
Especially if you’re late a lot or gossip too much.
* Gross Habits
Smoking and nail-biting come to mind when it comes to gross habits. So does nose picking, picking your toes with your fingers, and other rude behavior.
It’s best not do them in public (and some not even in private). If you do have these habits, you can stop them with a plan.
Bad habits are those that are not good for you or anyone else around you – whether human, animal or the environment.
If most people agree on anything it’s that they want to be happy. But many don’t know how to get to that state.
GenuLines asks you to consider a road map that shows the starting point is VERY close to home!
Real Happiness Comes From Within
Life isn’t always a sip of the sweetest nectar. Often when we look around, everybody else seems to have a happier life.
Yet they may be thinking the same about us. So, how do you become happy?
A good start is to love yourself.
To love yourself means to accept that you’re not a perfect being, but you are a valuable human being. You have as much worth as anyone else.
Genuine happiness also implies contentment and a certain level of peace. It’s not about always being ecstatic.
You’ll experience happiness when you feel good about your job. Or your family and friends.
Your looks, your living arrangement, your car, and your possessions.
Life teaches you about right and wrong, trying and failing, winning and losing. Failure is part of life, and it can be an important step on the way to success.
It should never stop you from being happy.
But what about the downtimes?
How can we be happy in the face of negative feelings?
Start by making an effort to improve the quality of your life and your surroundings. Better yet, help somebody else do that.
Whether it’s cleaning up your room, helping a friend, taking care of your sick dog, working out … they all can help you feel better.
Imagine life as a big scoreboard like the ones used in pro sports. Every time you take a step forward, you score points.
Wouldn’t it be nice to look at that board at the end of each game and think to yourself “Whew! Not bad. I’m glad I gave it a shot.”, instead of looking at a bunch of zeroes.
Genuine happiness isn’t about driving the hottest car. Or being employee of the year.
How do you become genuinely happy?
Everyone has their own definition of happiness. But you don’t have to be rich or even successful in worldly terms.
It’s about doing and making the best out of every situation. When you can laugh at your own mistakes yet be willing to try again you’re getting it.
When you learn to accept yourself and your faults, you pass ‘Happiness 101’. If you have trouble doing this, work on accepting others and their faults.
When you know how to accept others, you’ll likely get acceptance from them. Know how to love and expect more love to come your way.