The words “peace of mind” often take on an ambiguous meaning. They can range from the serenity of a Buddhist monk to being able to sleep at night without a racing mind.
The phrase “peace of mind” has become watered down over time.
But there’s actually a valid reason for the various definitions of these words. We’re unique individuals navigating through life with a lot of perspectives and experiences.
So achieving peace of mind must also differ in its definition.
Your path to this state requires you to be your own trailblazer.
Whatever approach you take to reach piece of mind, it’s only important that you do.
Having It All
You can have all the drive, motivation, and intelligence in the world. But if you lack focus the road in front of you will always appear blurry.
We’ve already looked at the fact that peace of mind varies from person to person. But there’s one definition that encapsulates it.
– Peace of mind is the ability to appreciate and respect the person you are, realize that you are not perfect and that mistakes are inevitable. And you want to keep a limit on the regret and second-guessing you leave behind.
Looks Are Deceiving
There are many examples around us of people who, from the outside looking in, seem to have it all. They’re dominating the game of life.
Unfortunately, a lot of these people feel anything but successful in their own minds.
Sure, they may look like they’ve raced down the path of success. While this may be true; they’ve arrived at the finish line with a lot of extra baggage.
It could be that they made some unethical business decisions to accumulate a fortune. On the way they neglected those closest to them in pursuit of personal goals.
The point I’m getting at is that peace of mind is not a destination you reach.
In reality, it’s the WAY you reach this destination. As the ancients might say, “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”
Going For Broke
As you go through life, make sure to never fall into the “succeed at all costs” way of thinking. This may get you many of the material things of value the world has to offer.
But the enjoyment will fade out at some point. Another way of saying this is do things the right way.
Most of us have some form of moral compass. This could be our religious beliefs, cultural values, or personal code of ethics.
These things serve to speak to the person we are and the person we are to become. In your pursuit of success in this life, never jeopardize what is right to get ahead.
Make a habit of staying true to yourself. You’ll sleep well with a clarity of consciousness.
And that comes from knowing you did things the RIGHT way.
Keeping a good attitude helps you stay on the road to realizing your dreams. Kinda hard to argue with that.
Today GenuLines examines how your mental attitude can take some of the bumps out of that road.
How Your Mental Attitude Helps You Prosper
You’ve heard the one about ‘The Power Of Positivity’ right? Yes, it’s a famous book that made someone famous.
And it’s become even more famous because other famous people agree with this famous saying. And they live by it, or at least that’s what they tell everyone that they do.
Let’s find out for ourselves.
Being Positive Helps You To Be More Positive
Positivity has a wonderful characteristic. It’s a feedback loop of positivity.
When you’re more positive you feel better about yourself and your life. And that positivity builds on itself.
Unfortunately, negativity works in exactly the same way. But that’s for miserable people and we’re not going to be like them, are we?
To some, this will make complete sense immediately. But I can already hear some ‘Negative Nellies.’ They’re saying, “How can I be positive about my life when it’s so bad?” There’s a simple answer. It’s loved by children, and it’s called ‘Let’s Pretend’.
The Prosperity Of ‘Let’s Pretend’
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between what’s happening to you and what’s imagined. Think about spending all day imagining that everything was great.
You felt happy about yourself and your life. You would think that everything was great and that you were happy about yourself and your life.
Isn’t that great, and a positive thing to know?
But if things aren’t particularly great you can pretend and make your brain think that they actually are. But how does this apply to prosperity?
If you feel and think you’re prosperous, who on earth is there to say that you’re not. You might not have the biggest house or newest car.
Yet if you don’t need those things to be happy and peaceful in your life, then what do they have to do with true prosperity? If you’re in an internal state of happiness and peace, then you are more likely to be open to opportunities.
Your internal state influences your external state. Have a go at making yourself more prosperous by being more positive.
Nothing stings quite like criticism. And that sting can last a long time. Let GenuLines provide some relief, and a way to turn the situation around.
Criticism Is Not Always Meant To Be Negative
Do you struggle with criticism? Some of it comes from a negative place, but most of the time it’s meant with good intentions.
Unfortunately, even if the person criticizing you is coming from a good place, it can still hurt.
Differentiating Between Negative and Positive
There are a few ways to determine whether criticism is coming from a positive or negative place. Is your usual reaction to it negative?
If so, the first step is to tame that initial negative reaction.
Try to view the criticism with an open mind. Could there be any truth in what the person is saying?
Also pay attention to their delivery method. Is there a reason for their feedback, or does it appear that they are nit-picking only to be difficult?
Criticism can come from a negative place, but often it’s given to help us improve. Knowing the difference between helpful and negative is important.
The Role of Self-Esteem
Your self-esteem will go a long way toward determining your reaction. The more confident you are, the less likely criticism is to affect you.
If you have a healthy dose of self-esteem you’ll be able to learn from any feedback you get. You won’t personalize it.
Think about your own self-esteem. Could it use some improvement?
If so, focus on ways to build it up and you’ll notice this has a direct impact on your ability to handle criticism. You’ll find a lot of awesome self-esteem building tips online.
Top Tips to Deal with People Who Criticize Instead of Critique
We’ve all heard criticism when what we needed was an honest critique. So staying calm is important.
You may find that your first reaction to criticism is anger. But if you express anger, it isn’t going to help the situation.
In fact, it could work in your critic’s favor! Remaining calm helps you know where the criticism is coming from.
You can deal with it much better.
If the problems are coming from your boss, try and get to the bottom of where the feedback is coming from. Need to know more?
Ask to speak to somebody higher up in the company. Sometimes we need an outsider’s view to help us know what’s happening.
To Sum Up
Criticism is never nice to deal with. But, it isn’t always meant to be negative.
Sometimes it will help you to grow and become a better person. So, don’t be quick to dismiss it when it comes your way.
Think about it with an open mind and decide whether there is something you can learn.
Worrying isn’t good for much. Especially when you worry about what people think.
GenuLines wants to help you keep others’ opinions from getting to you.
Stop Worrying About What People Think
Do you find yourself always doubting your decisions? Are you fretting over other people’s reactions to your actions or opinions?
In this post, we’ll share some tips and tricks to help you stop worrying about what people think of you. Learn how to use constructive criticism to your advantage.
Then filter out any negative judgment.
This will leave you less anxious and less overwhelmed. As a result, you can stay more focused on yourself and the best ways to achieve your goals.
Let’s get started.
Are People’s Opinions Holding You Back?
Worrying about what others think and feel about you is a normal part of our DNA. We’re programmed to seek others’ approval.
Studies show there’s a reward center that’s activated when we’re given a compliment.
Even if you sense people’s recognition of your hard work, your brains fire up those same reward centers.
So acceptance brings a good feeling. Yet we won’t find acceptance from everyone every time.
Problems start when we start pivoting our lifestyles to fit people’s expectations. We give others power over our lives and how we should live it.
Thus, we lose out on experiencing genuine living.
Next
After that, things go downhill and start spiraling out of control. Being stuck in that mind frame can be destructive to you and those around you.
Going down this unproductive path, you’ll be leaving a path of destruction in your wake. It will affect your job, your relationships, and your self-esteem.
How Can I Stop Worrying About What People Think?
Do some serious soul searching. Do you feel that your reality has shifted? Have you started to believe in other people’s version of who you are as opposed to the real you?
Then, it’s time to step up and take some actionable steps. You owe it to yourself to share the real you with the world.
We rounded some simple, yet effective, ways to help you break this vicious cycle. Read on to learn more.
Focus on What’s Important
Has someone said something unkind about you? Instead of letting it fester, don’t let it go to your head.
Chances are, that person won’t recall what they said in about ten minutes. Plus, what they say reflects who they are as a person.
If you think about it, it actually has very little to do with you.
In other words, their perceptions of you come from them. And you’re not responsible for how they feel or what they think, neither can you change any of it.
So, why waste your time fretting over something you have no control over?
Instead, channel that energy into something productive. You can learn a new skill, take up a class, or pick up an old hobby.
Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you enjoy.
Some things more worthy of your time
Spend quality time with friends and family
Smile at the barista serving your coffee or hold the door for someone
Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you
Volunteer at a local shelter or food bank
Take a walk through the park
Have dinner at that restaurant you’ve been dying to try
Highlight Your Accomplishments
We’ve all been through difficult times in our lives; some more than others. At the same time, we’ve all accomplished one thing or another.
It doesn’t have to be anything grandiose or elaborate. But it does have to mean something to you.
Like filing your taxes on time or making home-cooked meals for an entire week. Be proud of yourself and all the hard work you put in.
You can even write down these accomplishments and hang them up on your fridge or vanity mirror. Then every time you catch a glimpse of one of your achievements, say to yourself, “I did that!”
Say it over and over until your subconscious takes it in.
Uplifting Talk
Another way to boost your confidence is to practice saying encouraging statements. These will help build up your self-esteem and improve the way you view yourself.
Here are a few statements to get you inspired:
My self-confidence is on the rise.
I’m worthy of all good things.
I can’t control what happens, but I can control my reaction to them.
My ideas are great.
I’m blessed and appreciative of everyone and everything in my life.
Train Yourself to See the Positive
Our brains see the negative. They’re wired that way.
We complain, we blame others, and we dwell. This has to stop!
You can train your thoughts to be more positive. And you can do it in a healthy, productive way.
As a result, you become less anxious and more resilient.
Take an honest look at your weaknesses or flaws
We all have them.
Some are better at acknowledging and improving them than others. Why can’t that be you?
Write down a list of five things that bother you about yourself. Then, set some realistic goals to change them and reward yourself each time you reach one of your set goals.
Make sure you start small and work at your own pace. The point is to feel good about yourself, not overwhelm or burden you.
That kind of defeats the purpose.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques are becoming popular because people are realizing the importance of self-care. These techniques aim at reducing stress levels and improving your health.
They also teach you the value of savoring the present.
When you focus on your today, you stop worrying about what happened in the past or what might happen in the future. These techniques can also help you stop worrying about what people think about you.
The great thing about them is that you can do them anywhere. Whenever you start to worry, remind yourself that you could be overreacting.
It’s likely that your colleagues aren’t judging you in the harsh way you think they are.
Take a few deep breaths and focus on anything around you: your coffee mug, a cloud, and your nails. Anything that can steer your thoughts to the present moment will do the trick!
Then, lo and behold, you’ll notice that your pulse is slowing down and so is your heart rate. Your anxiety will start to recede and you’ll realize you don’t care about what people think as much anymore.
Those emotional vampires make you want to turn around and run the other way. And their effect can stay with you after they’re gone.
Today GenuLines helps you educate yourself to keep the vampires at bay.
Are Emotional Vampires Draining You Dry?
The people around us affect our view of the world. And there are plenty of reasons why some people may drain your energy more than others.
You could be dealing with a narcissist or someone who complains most of the time.
If an emotional vampire is draining you dry, it’s time to start protecting your energy. Today we look at how to recognize the signs of an emotional vampire, and the best ways to protect your energy.
Understanding The Different Types of Emotional Vampires Emotional vampires come in a variety of forms.
They include:
Victims Narcissists Constant talkers Controllers Drama queens
Each type of emotional vampire can leave an effect on you. You feel tired and deflated after being in their company.
The victim emotional vampire plays the victim, even when they’re the perpetrator. Narcissists are only interested in their own thoughts and feelings.
Constant talkers drain your mental energy.
They’re in your midst
Most of us know at least one type of emotional vampire in our lives. Not sure how to identify them?
There are a few signs to watch out for…
Tell-Tale Signs You Are Dealing with An Emotional Vampire
The main signs to watch out for include:
You feel mentally exhausted after spending time with them. Your depression or anxiety ratchet up.
You feel like they’re putting you down. You turn to comfort eating or drinking alcohol after being around them.
Protecting Your Energy
If you are dealing with an emotional vampire, how can you stop them from draining your energy? The good news is there are strategies you can use to deal with them.
First, if you can, you should distance yourself from the person. Avoid being around an emotional vampire.
Now, this isn’t always possible.
To thine own self
If you can’t distance yourself, make sure you’re practicing self-care. Taking care of yourself will allow you to feel more confident to set healthy boundaries.
You’ll be more assertive and protective of your time.
So, if you don’t already, set aside time every day to focus on yourself. Take care of your own needs first.
Then watch how your energy and tolerance changes for negative people.
Getting help
If you’re struggling to handle an emotional vampire in your life, you can also turn to therapy. Seeking help from a professional will enable you to understand why you can’t deal with the problem.
And you’ll learn about solutions that can help.
Emotional vampires are everywhere today. It isn’t always possible to get away from them immediately.
But there are things you can do in the meantime to protect yourself and your energy.
Fear is something that, at times, can help you in life. But when it takes control of your life it’s a whole different story.
Never fear, GenuLines is here to get you back in the driver’s seat.
Stop Letting Fear Control Your Life
The number one thing that holds many of us from going after our dreams is fear. If left unchecked, it can keep you locked up inside your own mental prison.
The trouble is, confronting your fears isn’t easy. And changing it is going to be uncomfortable.
While they may keep you comfortable, they can also cause frustration and depression. If you’re honest about wanting to live your best life, you need to stop letting fear rule it.
Here, we’ll look at how you can stop letting it control your life.
Explore the cause of your fear
If you want to stand any chance of getting over your fear, you’re going to need to know its cause. Write down all your fears.
Then, circle the fears that are most palpable. Once you’ve identified your main fears, start to think of ways you can prevent them from happening.
This can help you to feel like you have more control over them.
You won’t always be able to prevent your fears from coming true. But most of them are nothing more than a defense mechanism.
By facing our fears, we often find that they weren’t as bad as we thought they’d be. Once you have an idea of what’s causing them, you can then look at ways to combat them.
Practice mindfulness
Fear tends to generate a lot of anxiety. By practicing mindfulness, it can help to bring a sense of calm into the mind.
Lowering your anxiety levels will in turn give your fear less control over you. When you’re in a calmer state, you’re going to feel a lot stronger and better able to face your fear.
Meditation and deep breathing exercises are great for calming anxiety. They also deliver a lot of other great benefits for the mind and body.
Start with short, guided meditations if you’re a beginner. They’re free on sites such as YouTube.
Focus on the consequences if you don’t change
If you’re struggling to face your fears, focus on what will happen if you don’t make the needed changes. That is, how will your life be a year from now if you don’t change anything now?
Most likely, you’ll still be stuck feeling dissatisfied with your life. You’ll be unable to move forward.
The reason you’re reading this is that you’re already feeling fed up and wanting to make a change. So, if you don’t start facing your fear, you’ll only start to feel more frustrated, resentful, and lost.
Summary
Focusing on what will happen if you don’t face your fear can provide you with the motivation you need to do it.
These are the best ways you can stop letting fear control your life. Only by recognizing and facing up to this can you get past it.
Fear is also linked to how you feel about yourself. So work on your self-improvement and boost your confidence.
You’ll be in a much better position to face your fears.
Focus can become a casualty during times like these we’re living in. Important things can fall through the cracks.
So with that said GenuLines reminds you that focus is key to getting the results you want in life.
Why Mental Focus Is Crucial For Success
Mental focus is one of the most important skills when it comes to success in any area of your life. To focus means to concentrate on a particular task or problem for a period of time.
It’s something you can get better at with practice. For now, let’s look at exactly why mental focus is crucial for success and how it can help you get things done.
Focus Keeps Distractions At Bay
Distractions are all around us. You sit down at your desk and end up checking email.
You browse through Facebook. Or you get lost on YouTube watching video after video.
We get distracted by new projects. Or things that need to be taken care of around the house or the office, and of course by family members and coworkers.
With all these distractions it’s a wonder we get anything done. There’s always something else that demands our attention, or a fun new project we’d rather be working on.
This is where your focus can make a huge difference and help you get things done. Focus is like a pair of blinders.
It helps you concentrate on the task at hand until it’s done.
Focus Keeps You From Making Mistakes
You make fewer mistakes when you’re not always distracted. You give full attention to whatever you’re working on.
The mistakes come when you’re not engaged and immersed in the task you’re working on.
To turn this around, concentrate on your work. If you do make mistakes you’re more likely to catch and fix them.
The end result is a better quality product, no matter what you’re working on.
Focus Helps You Get More Done Faster
Have you ever worked on a tight deadline? Let’s say you have to finish a report or write a blog post before you can head out to lunch to meet a friend.
You become dialed in (thanks to that looming deadline). Now tasks that would usually take you half a day you’re doing in 30 minutes.
Best of all, the end result is often better than your usual work. Now you’re focused and are getting into the flow.
And things seem to come together with almost no effort.
There’s no getting around some tasks. You can dodge them all you want and yet there they are.
It’s a challenge that GenuLines is happy to take on with a look at why they happen.
Why Do We Avoid Certain Tasks?
Do you find yourself dreading a particular task in your life every time you have to complete it? Do you often wonder why you avoid that task?
There are several reasons humans avoid completing specific tasks. These can vary from person to person.
You Don’t Think You’ll Have Fun
One of the main reasons people avoid certain tasks is that they don’t believe that they’ll enjoy them. Or it could be that they’ve performed the task before and didn’t have fun.
Humans generally want to avoid doing things that lead to unhappiness. This is especially true when they see the task at hand may be especially difficult or complex.
Fatigue
When you’re tired, you’ll generally avoid certain tasks. Even if you usually have fun doing them.
This is because you’re tired and need to get some rest.
If you find yourself avoiding a task because you feel exhausted, then it’s time to get some rest. Try to do it later. It’s tough to focus when fatigue sets in.
It could lead you to become distracted as an avoidance tactic for certain tasks.
You Don’t Think You’ll Do Well
Fear of failure is another big reason that people will avoid certain tasks. Often, they’re afraid of looking bad.
Or they want to avoid the embarrassment they might feel. This fear of failure is quite common but it’s one of the easier fears to overcome.
The remedy usually is the result of working on self-confidence and self-acceptance.
Medical Conditions
Several conditions such as anxiety and depression can lead you to avoid what you want to do. Although this may sound bad, treatment of the underlying condition is possible.
And this can help you find your motivation to follow through.
The reasons on this list may vary, but they all boil down to a shortage of motivation. If this is the case with you then start by realizing that you lack motivation.
Once you do, you can start paving your road to the future with real motivation.
Overheard: “The hardest task needs the lightest hand or else its completion will not lead to freedom but to a tyranny much worse than the one it replaces”
Procrastination is a thief. It will rob you of precious minutes and hours before you realize they’re gone.
You put off the task you intended to complete today. There was good reason to do it, but right now you can’t remember why.
Procrastination comes in many disguises. Sometimes it’s called rationalization.
You didn’t get started on that project because the weather was too hot. Or you didn’t have all the parts to finish the job.
You can always come up with good reasons to delay a project.
Procrastination as a habit
When you put off correcting this it becomes your constant companion. You find ways to delay a task because there are other things more important to do.
There are lots of excuses.
Like checking your email. Playing an on-line game.
Or turning on the TV to see if you’re missing something interesting.
You have to recognize a real reason you delay as opposed to an excuse not to do something you don’t want to do. Ask yourself if that job needs to get done. and if your answer is yes then get it done and then reward yourself for a victory over procrastination.
When the job is complete, step back and assess what you’ve done to see if it was worth the time and effort. Could be you were procrastinating for good reason, but that’s rarely the case.
Lack of direction can cause you to procrastinate because you’re not sure what to do next.
Disorganization
This could be the father of procrastination. Get organized with a to-do list, putting the most urgent at the top.
Make a deal with yourself that you cannot do anything else until you finish at least one thing on the list. You can make giant strides with tiny steps.
Big projects can be daunting whether you’re writing a book or building a house. Break them into sections.
A small manageable task is much more palatable than trying to swallow the entire project. No matter how small the success it’s another step toward completion.
Decide what needs done and do it. Even if it’s done wrong at least you’ve done something.
Indecision
Indecision can cause major delays in both your business and personal life. It’s easier to make a decision if you make a list of project pros and cons.
Once you have a clear direction, your mind clears and the way opens up.
Fear of failure can cause procrastination. But, the failure lies in never getting started.
Difficult and dreaded tasks are rarely as bad as they seem at the beginning. Stop procrastinating today.
We’ve heard a lot about getting out of our comfort zone. But have you ever thought about why you should?
After all, it’s a place where we feel safe and in control.
It’s where we can predict what will happen and how we will feel. There won’t be any surprises that we can’t deal with.
So why would you feel compelled or even want to get out of your comfort zone? You need to do it because that would be key to your personal growth and happiness.
The benefits
Stepping out of that zone helps you build up your self-confidence and the way you view yourself.
Is being there holding you back from living a fulfilled life and growing in your career? The answer is yes.
It can also keep you from realizing and achieving your desires. You avoid challenges and you don’t have to rise to any new levels.
Here are 3 ways this is holding you back.
1. It’s keeping you from personal growth
When you’re afraid of something, staying in your comfort zone keeps you from facing that fear.
Then you suffer from it forever or until you do face it. You sidestep situations that would force you to face the fear as a way of overcoming it.
For example, say you have a fear of public speaking. It could keep you from taking a job that requires you to speak in front of others.
You hesitate even though it’s a step up on your career ladder.
2. Your happiness suffers
You might be prone to struggle with self-confidence and self-esteem issues. These problems can grow unless you begin to address them.
Stepping outside your comfort zone helps you build self-confidence. You see yourself in a better light.
When you’re confident and have good self-esteem, you’re happier. For example, if you’re not confident in your abilities, you may fear trying something new.
This drags down your confidence. You feel less competent and it’s making you unhappy.
3. Your comfort zone can make you feel trapped and unhealthy
Often our comfort zone keeps us doing bad habits out of fear. You might want to be more active, run a marathon, feel fewer aches and pains and go on adventures.
But to do any of these things means doing something that is outside your comfort zone.
For example, you want to run a short marathon. It’s always been a dream of yours, but you procrastinate and make excuses why you can’t.
You’re too out of shape. You don’t have time. You’re too old.
But the real reason is that you’re afraid to get out of your comfort zone and begin working with a trainer. As a result, you continue to eat unhealthily and you gain weight.
You lose muscle tone and put your dream on the back burner. At some point, your health takes a hit.
Staying in your comfort zone holds you back from living a life you love, from being happy, and from growing. You end up letting your fears rule.