You have the power to change many aspects of your life, but your skin isn’t one of them. That’s why it’s essential to get your head around being happy in your own skin.
Unfortunately this is often much easier said than done. GenuLines looks at a few ways you can learn to be happier in the body you have.
Accentuate The Positive
Write down all the things you like about yourself. Put the list in places where you’ll find them later.
These places could be on your mirror, in your wallet, or even around your desk at work. Then every time you see them, you’ll get a boost.
Quit Scrolling Social Media
Social media creates unrealistic expectations. You can you feel uncomfortable in your skin because of social media.
If so, it’s time to stop participating. Switch to books, music, and videos that are life affirming.
Work On Your Body Language
Believe it or not, your body language can play a huge part in feeling comfortable in your own skin. Catch yourself when you’re hunched over with your arms folded.
It’s time to walk with your shoulders pulled back, and your head held high. It’s a small change but it does affect your mood.
The Clothes You Wear
You may be wearing clothes that make you uncomfortable in your own skin. Aim to find clothes that fit you well.
Size is not the first consideration here. Rather, try on things that look like they will fit you and decide from there.
Being happier in your own skin is a lifelong journey. But remember that being comfortable in your skin is an inner game.
Regret is a load of baggage that you lug through life. And it doesn’t get any lighter as the years go by.
Let’s lighten things up a bit with this GenuLines look at some alternatives.
Why Regret Is a Useless Emotion And What To Do Instead
So you’re feeling sad, sorry or disappointed over something that you did or did not do. This is the textbook definition of regret.
And regret can cause terrible feelings of guilt, sadness, and even depression.
In its extreme, anxiety can soon turn into anger or resentment. You can be so unhappy with your lot in life that you begin to take that anger out on others.
Although regret is a common emotion, it’s pointless. You can’t go back in time and change past decisions.
When you live in your regret, you’re wishing for a new outcome from an old script. This a functioning level of insanity, but insanity nonetheless.
And it can cause emotional and sometimes physical distress.
Regret can also play a major role in impacting happiness. If you feel regret you may be hard on yourself; almost to the point of severe self-pity.
A big problem here is that you cloud your ability to trust in yourself.
You’ll continue to defer to the past as opposed to looking toward the future. Basking in regret will leave you blind to the good in front of you.
Although it seems easy to wallow in regret, it’s self-harming.
How to Combat Regret
Acceptance is the key to overcoming your regret. Trying to change the past is impossible and only results in frustration.
So it’s important to make peace with your previous decisions and move forward. Take responsibility for your actions and learn how to make better choices in the future.
Making the best of your bad choices shows maturity and positive thinking. Once you make a decision it’s done.
Instead of worrying about the past, why not find something positive in your present. This involves asking yourself some questions:
What can I do to make this situation better?
How can I adjust my attitude to see the positive?
What can I currently change?
These questions can help you analyze your current situation and look for the best. This will turn your negative disposition toward the positive.
Being able to overcome feelings of regret can make you a stronger person. You’re embracing positivity as opposed to living in the past.
One way to turn your regrets into an opportunity is to think about any good that’s resulted. Have you grown as a person?
Have you learned a valuable lesson?
These questions will help you to further see the good in your past. Yes, regret can be frustrating and painful.
But you have the power to keep it from controlling you.
These tough times may leave you thinking you’re out of control of your life. GenuLines respectfully disagrees.
And we’re offering some tips on putting you back in the driver’s seat.
4 Key Ways to Regain Control of Your Life
There are times when it seems our lives are spiraling out of control. Nothing seems to go right, and you feel like you can’t get a grip on reality and a foothold on stability.
Reasons for this include overwork, stress, trauma, or depression.
There are a lot of ways you can work toward getting control of your life. GenuLines narrows it down to four key steps.
1) Use the power of no
Part of how we become overworked and overstressed is by agreeing to take on far more than we can handle. You often want to please everyone or you don’t want to let those that are close to you down.
You’re taking on more responsibilities than you could ever handle.
You can’t allow yourself to feel guilty for saying no to something you can’t do. If the person who asked you to do it cares about you, they’ll understand.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew and say no when necessary.
2) Don’t be afraid to break the mold
You can’t let others dictate what you do. Same for the choices you make, or what makes you happy; you have to do things your own way for yourself.
At times what you want to do will line up with something someone else has done in the past. At other times, the path you’re walking will be unconventional.
Don’t be afraid to step into uncharted territory. Take the path less traveled, or make your own path in life; do what makes you happy.
3) Take care of yourself
One of the most important steps to regaining control of your life is taking good care of yourself. Your mental and physical health are more important than anything.
Make sure you give yourself a few days to unwind each week. And what’s most important, make at least one of those days is set aside for yourself.
Use that day to do what makes you happy, relaxes you, and allows you to recharge your battery.
4) Turn this into a learning experience
There are two ways to look at trying times in your life. You can mope and look for pity, or you can learn from your mistakes and turn those times into a learning experience.
You can learn a lot from your errors and failures and with each one, you become more resilient. .You’re optimistic approach helps you power through the hardship. You come out on the other side a better and stronger person.
When you feel like your life is spiraling out of control, your situation can seem hopeless. You can and should work to regain control.
There are many ways in which you can work to better yourself, regain stability, and regain control, but we focused on the top four reasons we find absolutely essential to regaining control of your life.
If you find yourself still struggling or feeling hopeless, seek help. A professional can help guide you through it and offer you support.
Distractions in your life can hurt your relationships. There’s help for this. And today GenuLines will show you some ways to bring this about. .
How Reducing Distractions Can Build Stronger Relationships
Spending undistracted time with people will build stronger relationships. You’ll have time to devote to each other in more effective and productive ways.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a working relationship or a personal relationship.
Enjoy Improved Communication
Take time to talk to people minus distractions from screens or other activities. This is most conducive to real conversation.
You’ll learn each other’s communication styles better.
And you’ll start understanding each other more. Knowing what the other person means when they talk to you helps all aspects of the relationship.
Have More Fun
It’s more fun to be with people when you’re not having to answer your phone or look at screens. The few times you get together will be exclusive and without distractions.
Build Positive Memories
When you look back on your life you’re not going to with you had more time with gadgets or small concerns. Instead, you’ll focus on the memories you’ve built with those closest to you.
You can’t make memories if you aren’t focused on the event or person.
Discover More Shared Interests
Remove distractions from your dealings with others and you’ll
learn more about who they are. You’re quicker to find common ground.
When you have more shared interests relationship satisfaction improves.
Foster a Sense of Commitment
When we connect to our community and environment, we’re a lot more devoted to it. Human nature is that way, even if we don’t want to do the activity in question.
Feel Happier
Studies using couples and families showed interesting results. They found that spending quality time minus distractions brought more happiness.
And they have longer-lasting relationships than those who don’t.
Reduce Stress
Distraction causes stress, and stress causes so many other problems – even physical illness. If you want to reduce your stress level, consider making lifestyle changes.
Ones that allows you to focus only on each activity you’re in as you’re in it.
Do the same with relationships. If it’s at work, find an electronics free place to talk.
At your work meeting, ask everyone to turn off unnecessary distractions. If it’s your family and friends, make a concerted effort to spend this time together without an agenda.
And ditch the distractions. you’ll be happy you did.
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.
It’s tough to feel positive these days. A lot of us need what I call an “atti-tune-up.” Today GenuLines takes a look under the hood to help you run on all cylinders.
6 Effective Ways To Change Your Attitude Towards The Positive
Your attitude reveals how you live your life, how you treat others, how others treat you, and a whole lot more.
It can help you be successful at home and work.
At the same, you’ll enjoy a sense of inner peace and confidence.
If you’re looking for ways to boost your optimism, these six effective ways can help you.
Have the Desire to Change
Change may be scary. But if you want a more positive attitude, you have to embrace change.
You’ll find you become a calmer, more accepting person. Your self-confidence will also get a nice boost because fewer things bother you.
Personal growth is a slow and steady process. Yet, it goes hand-in-hand with change and all the good that can come of it.
Find a New Vantage Point
Life shows us both a good side and a bad. They’re always there, co-existing. Which one you see depends on your perspective.
The next time something happens, try to look at it from more than one angle. If there are other people involved, try to picture it from their point of view.
Being aware of other people’s vantage points gives clarity and puts things in their right place. It also helps you see both the good and bad in everything.
To develop a more positive attitude, direct more of your energy to the good.
Develop Good Habits
Negative thoughts and beliefs lead to negative habits. A habit is a learned behavior that, over time, becomes reflexive. Start doing more of the good habits.
Develop one good habit at a time. For example, start with taking a 10-minute walk during your lunchtime.
Add 10 minutes each week. You may even find yourself waiting in anticipation for your daily walks.
Other good habits to try could be: Getting quality sleep each night. Cutting back on processed food, alcohol, or smoking
And being a more effective manager of your money.
Take some time to re-energize and de-stress. Give back to your community.
Practice self-reflection through meditation, journaling, or prayer. Find a hobby that indulges your creative side
Spend Time with Positive People
Positive people seem to find a way to see the silver lining in a situation. Their presence will lift your mood.
Their can-do attitude will remind you of your accomplishments and life lessons.
Hanging out with people who have a positive attitude can help you see things in a brighter light. It’s a scientific fact that, after a while, you’ll start to think and act like them.
You’ll start to be more optimistic and self-assured.
Focus on Solutions
Rather than spending so much time and energy focusing on the problem, try to focus more on the solution. Brainstorm one, or ten, ways to solve a certain prickly situation.
It could get difficult in the beginning. But soon, finding solutions will become an automatic response.
Live in the Present
The past contains all life lessons that have helped shape the person you’ve become. In the future your goals and dreams are lying in wait.
While they’re important, they’re both out of your control.
The only thing you can control is the present moment. You can either make it the best it can be or you can let it pass you by, causing you to spend the rest of your life feeling regret.
One great way you can live in the present is to practice mindfulness. Sit somewhere quiet for a couple of minutes.
Let your eyes wander to absorb everything going on around you. Whatever it is you’re seeing, take a few seconds to look at every detail.
Mindfulness meditation doesn’t only reduce stress by allowing you to live in the moment. It also teaches you gratitude for all you have and all you’ve accomplished.
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.
Lack of motivation can throw cold water on the best of plans. So let GenuLines help keep you on the path toward realizing exactly what you want in life.
You get your work assignment. You know what you have to do.
You’ve got to get started – but somehow, you lack the motivation to get off square one.
Success won’t be had without motivation.
Where’s the source of your motivation?
Where can you turn for the inspiration that will propel you forward? We’re all different and we’re all motivated by different things.
You may get motivated by visualizing completion of the task and reaching the goal. There may be a job promotion in it for you and a bigger paycheck.
Or you want to finish another chapter in the book you’re writing, or you look to lose five pounds by the end of the week. Seeing the goal in your mind could motivate you toward success.
Visualize completion
Never lose sight of your ultimate goal. Know you’re going to get what you deserve and push forward with renewed motivation.
You know that success is not only an option but is a real fact. Keep this in mind and motivation comes easier.
Preparation
Motivation without the skills to achieve your goals is not enough. If you know you’re lacking something to move forward motivation is hard to summon.
Knowledge fuels motivation, and to a lesser extent, so does persistence.
Change your environment
New surroundings often give you a renewed outlook on your life. It can be something simple.
Put a new plant in your home or office, hang a new picture or open the curtains and let in the light.
This also includes surrounding yourself with positive people. When you’re around positive and successful friends their attitude rubs off on you.
You absorb their energy. But you’ll also absorb the energy of negative people or depressing surroundings.
Other methods
Find the source of your motivation and re-evaluate your tasks. Brainstorm and look for new information.
You can do this by taking a break. Go for a walk, exercise, work in the yard or relax with an inspirational book.
Using your brain in different ways will stimulate it. And stimulation leads to motivation.
Do something for others
When we do for others we find motivation within ourselves. Many times the way to achieve your goal is to assist others in reaching theirs.
Seek to serve and you’ll become energized and motivated when people rely on you. Disappoint them and you disappoint yourself – and you’re not going to let that happen, are you?
Listen
Some find a motivational source by talking or reading aloud to themselves. Keep an inspirational book handy at all times.
When you actually hear the positive affirmations they become more effective.
Motivation comes from many different sources. Look within and find what works for you.
Believe in yourself. Look forward to the good that will come into your life.
Do these things and expect motivation to come your way..
No matter how focused you are, some days, it’s hard not to get distracted. And, in a time of societal upheaval, those distractions can get out of hand.
Let GenuLines help you with this list of points to bring back your focus.
Life can sometimes get in the way of meeting your goals, but it doesn’t have to derail you.
Here are some expert tips on how to stay on track, no matter what else is happening around you.
1. Get Organized
It’s easier to focus if you’re not distracted by the small, daily tasks. Commit to a nightly practice of preparing for the next day.
Decide what to wear, what to have for lunch and the other necessary things that are part of your routine. Have your gym bag ready and packed so you can just pick it up and go.
It can help to get organized for your week on a Sunday evening. For example, have all your work clothes clean and pressed and ready to wear.
You might even consider a minimalist work wardrobe of similar garments to mix and match. You can also bulk cook and freeze meals so that you don’t even think about dinner during the week.
2. Do the Tough Things First
You can free up a lot of mental energy by putting the difficult tasks and decisions at the top of your to-do list. Do the hardest tasks when your brain is still fresh first thing in the morning.
This way you can get on with your day without a nagging dread at the back of your mind.
3. Keep Your Energy High
It might surprise you to hear that fatigue can be a distraction. If your energy is low, you won’t be performing at your best, so make sure you take regular breaks.
Get out of the office and get some fresh air. Eat your lunch in the park and give your eyes a break from looking at a screen.
Eat lots of fresh foods and stay hydrated by keeping a water pitcher on your desk.
4. Manage Your Priorities
Chances are, many of the requests you get during the day don’t deserve to be your top priority. Instead of responding straight away, decide on how urgent the request is.
Do you really need to answer that email now? Learn to focus on requests and respond as you see fit.
5. Keep Your Eye on the Prize
There are so many distractions in modern life that it can be easy to lose sight of what you want to achieve. Have a visual reminder of what you’re working toward.
This could be a mission statement or a post-it note on your computer. Check-in every day to see how you’re tracking and make sure you keep a line of sight on your big goal.
Now we don’t mean that your mind can keep you from aging. But it can make you feel that way!
You often hear people over the age of 50 talk about aging. They talk about deterioration, decline, and feeling unwanted and not useful.
One way to deal with this is to focus on the positive things age brings. Things like wisdom, understanding, and the ability to help others.
Doing your best to be healthy is another way to keep the bad thoughts at a distance.
Your outlook and quality of life are likely to increase, too.
Ignore the Culture Surrounding You
We live in a world obsessed with youth. Every day, older people get pushed to the side in favor of the young.
The late teens and early twenties are the years called prime.
To get past this and actually start living with an ageless mindset, you have to do your best to tune it out. You’ve aged to the best you’ve ever been.
You’re wizened and seasoned. Stop denying your aging and own it; that’s what will truly make you ageless.
Love Your Body and Own Your Age
The only way to ensure you keep having the ageless mindset is to continue to love your body. Remind yourself that you’re getting better with age.
Appreciate your body for what it does for you and how far it’s taken you. Every day that you’re alive, you can learn something new and adapt to changes around you.
Never Say ‘Never’
One thing that will knock you off your path towards an ageless mindset is negativity. We psych ourselves with an attitude that we’re too old to do certain things.
You feel too set in your ways to learn. That can lead to feeling too old to be of value.
These thoughts are toxic and they threaten the positivity you’re working to maintain. Block negative mind chatter about your abilities, your worth, or your age.
It may take you a little extra effort to get where you want to go, but if you make the effort, you can.
How you deal with aging is up to you. You can dye you hair and lie about your age.
Or you can move forward with a new positive mindset that will have you feeling ageless.
Overheard: “Happiness is not a goal… it’s a by-product of a life well lived”
Where can you turn for the inspiration that will propel you forward? We’re all different and we’re all motivated by different things.
Overheard: “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”
Overheard: “Creation is in part 
You often hear people over the age of 50 talk about aging. They talk about deterioration, decline, and feeling unwanted and not useful.
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