Personal Growth Cafe

January 19, 2018January 5, 2018

How to Overcome Anxiety

Have you been wondering how to overcome anxiety?

Anxious thoughts, fears, and worries invade the lives of many people on a daily basis.

Chances are they’ve invaded your life as well.

Anxiety is often a result of fears that you may have about uncertain situations, places, and even people in your life.

Most of the time, these fears are based on things that haven’t happened yet.

Maybe you worry if you’ll do well in a job interview or whether a new colleague will like you.

Those who haven’t experienced anxiety may think it’s foolish to worry about something that hasn’t happened yet.

But as you know, these feelings are very real.

If you’ve had it with the stress and anxiety in your life, you can achieve peace, eliminate anxious thoughts and fears, and successfully overcome anxiety.

Here are some anxiety tips:

1. Trust that you’ve got the faith, courage, strength, skill, and support to overcome anything.

This is especially true and important when it comes to overcoming anxiety that’s based on unrealistic fears and worries that plague your mind.

A support group of family members or friends can be vital in eliminating anxiety.

Talk out your fears to someone who will listen kindly without judging you.

2. Be true to who you are as a person.

Don’t condemn yourself for how you feel.

It’s important to understand that you can’t change how you feel, but you can change how you deal with these emotions.

3. Finding a way to release your emotions is an important element to overcoming anxiety.

You can write down your fears and worries in a journal, or even find a support group you can actively participate in.

4. Remember that there are some things in life that are beyond your control.

Many times, the worries you experience are a direct result of the fact that you’re not in control of the people, things, and situations in your life.

5. The things that are in your control can be managed.

Just slow down, take one thing at a time, and focus.

This will help to ease some of the discomfort you experience from your anxiety.

6. Rely on your faith.

Attend a church service or other type of religious place of worship.

Join a faith-based support group that focuses on anxiety, achieving peace in life, or similar items of interest.

This can alleviate a lot of your anxiety.

Many experts highly praise the power of prayer and meditation.

Understanding that you can’t control everything and releasing your worries to a higher power can be calming and give you a sense of freedom and relief.

7. Pursue activities that bring you peace.

Whether this is a solitary activity or a group activity, it should be something enjoyable that will remove your anxiety and renew your love of life.

Peace-bringing activities may include a hobby like painting, writing short stories, or doing different types of crafts.

You may enroll in spiritual studies, read self-improvement books, or pray.

These are all effective ways to overcome and alleviate anxiety.

While many people resort to medications and doctor treatments when they’re seeking ways to overcome anxiety, you can work toward relieving your own anxiety without medication by simply engaging yourself in activities that bring you peace, comfort, and relief.

How have you taken care of your body and mind?

What actions can you take today to help those around you benefit from a healthy lifestyle?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Also, as your gift for taking this to heart – and this is profoundly important… to us ALL – go to UnitingPlanetEarth.com/ignition/ and do the Uniting Planet Earth 7-Day Quick-Start Ignition Program… and Allow it to Transform Your Life.

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January 18, 2018January 5, 2018

How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Everyone has experienced a restless night, which saps our energy and leaves us feeling tired the next morning.

Then there are those nights where we wake up constantly.

This can seem worse than getting no sleep at all because we feel sleep-deprived and exhausted the next morning.

The truth is, a restless night takes a toll on your entire body and mind.

Sleep deprivation can cause these health problems:

Increased stress
Fatigue
Weight gain
Extreme irritability
Illness
Inability to concentrate
And so much more

The effects of sleep deprivation are more or less the same with everyone, but the severity and order of events can vary.

If you would like to avoid these problems and get a good night’s sleep, here are some tips that can help:

How to Fall Asleep Quickly

A problem that plagues many of us is the inability to fall asleep with ease.

There are a number of issues that can interfere with your sleeping patterns, so here are some things you can do to help you fall asleep quickly:

Get sunlight during the day.
Be active and exercise.
Avoiding eating or drinking before bed.
Take your shower at least 1 hour before bed.
Clear your mind.

That last one helps us with one of the most frequent issues because our thoughts tend to race when we’re in the quietness and darkness of our bedroom.

If your thoughts keep you awake, it may be because the day’s events are replaying over and over in your mind or you are worrying about something.

It can take a bit of effort, but it is possible to clear your mind.

Meditate, pray or think about something pleasant to relax and clear your mind.

How to Stay Asleep

Falling asleep – and staying asleep – go hand-in-hand in many ways.

However, one of the most common issues that interfere with the ability to stay asleep is stress.

Getting stress under control will help you to get a peaceful sleep.

Reducing your stress will not only help you to sleep better but also improve your mental clarity and help you to avoid serious health concerns.

You can also do such things as reducing your daily intake of caffeine and making changes with your diet to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Your diet really does have an incredible influence on your sleep!

On another note, some people are heavily influenced by noise.

If you live near a busy street or have noisy neighbors, you may want to consider a sound machine or a fan in the room to drown out the noise.

If you are light sensitive, ensure that the room is dark enough for you.

If there are streetlights outside of the window, put shades over the windows to keep the light out.

It sounds obvious, but how often do you compromise your sleep because you just put up with these distractions and annoyances?

How to Wake Up Rested

Obviously if you can fall asleep quickly (and stay soundly asleep), you’re likely to feel well rested when you awake.

However, if you don’t think of yourself as a “morning person” there are some things you can do to help.

Try getting more exercise during the day or eating more natural, unprocessed foods.

Both of these activities will help you to sleep better and wake up feeling more rested since your body and mind will be well nourished.

Get Some Rest!

If you’re sleep deprived, it’s time for you to put yourself first.

When you implement these sleep tips, you’ll start getting a good night’s sleep in no time!

How have you taken care of yourself today?

How have you taken the time to relax and relieve stress?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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January 18, 2018January 5, 2018

I trust in my ability to relax. I am calm and peaceful.

January 17, 2018January 5, 2018

Life is trying things to see if they work. – Ray Bradbury

January 17, 2018January 5, 2018

Resolving Frustration in Your Life

We all get frustrated from time to time, but we need to express it constructively and effectively, otherwise we may hurt those we love the most.

Frustration is a normal reaction to being hurt, threatened, or unable to fulfill current needs.

It’s how we express our frustration that can cause additional stress in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Most often, the way we deal with frustration is formed at a very young age.

For example, we may mirror our parent’s reaction, or we may respond in the way we were conditioned because of our life experiences.

If the typical way you handle frustration causes problems in your life, then it’s time to change how you think and react to frustrating situations.

Unhealthy methods of processing frustration can lead to health problems and even inhibit our relationships with others.

How to Deal with Frustration Effectively

Many people respond to frustration by getting angry, giving up, or indulging in other self-destructive behaviors such as abuse of food, alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.

Expressing and dealing with frustration constructively requires several key components.

These ideas can help reduce the frustration in your day-to-day life as well as help you react patiently and peacefully:

1. Establish mutual respect.

You should have a mutual respect for all people involved, even those with differing opinions than your own.

Everyone is entitled to his or her own voice and you’ll waste precious time if you’re frustrated by every differing opinion.

2. Have a clear awareness of your own needs, thoughts, and feelings.

Discover who you are as a person rather than mimicking someone else’s opinions and thoughts.

3. Learn the difference between surface and primary needs.

In other words, is this frustration about one of your basic needs not being met, or is it merely due to a less significant, secondary need?

What’s preventing you from meeting this need?

4. Be aware of what you can and cannot control.

Some causes of frustration are beyond your control and therefore there’s no purpose in wasting energy on them.

Instead, use that energy to cope with the situation and move on.

5. Communicate constructively.

Be able to communicate your own personal boundaries and needs calmly and respectfully without guilt or shame.

This should not involve raising your voice or swearing.

Rather, learn to speak up so your personal needs are met.

6. Avoid feeling responsible for the behavior of others.

Everyone has his or her own free will and you can’t force someone to do something.

They make their own decisions and a reasonable adult will take responsibility for their own actions.

Remember: only you can control your actions and no one can make you do something against your will.

7. Determine the cause.

By identifying the cause of your hurt or frustration without placing blame, you’ll loosen the grips of frustration.

8. Realize that frustration isn’t always a bad thing.

Sometimes frustration can serve as a motivator to change if certain problems in your life are keeping you from reaching your goals.

Regularly evaluate if you’re on track to meet your life goals.

Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?

Sometimes you need to create a new goal and make some life changes to reduce your frustration and make your goal become a reality.

9. Accept reality.

When frustration is aimed at a circumstance beyond our control, it’s time to learn to accept the realities of life.

10. Learning to take things in stride will make you a happier and more content person.

When the frustrating situation is something you can’t control, such as getting stuck in traffic, practicing relaxation and deep-breathing techniques can be effective.

Frustration can turn a normally peaceful person into an irrational, angry one.

If you allow it, frustration can hinder your progress and immobilize you.

The goals you’re trying to attain will all of a sudden be out of reach.

Remember that, while you can’t completely eliminate frustration from your life, you can manage how you let it affect you.

How have you remained focused on solutions?

How have you enjoyed the today?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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January 16, 2018January 5, 2018

Family time is my treasure.

January 16, 2018January 5, 2018

Regain Important Family Time by Leaving Work at the Office

On days when your spouse comes home from work irritable and grumpy from a bad day, try telling them jokingly, “Go back and come in again.”

In our high-stress society, sometimes it’s hard to keep work and home separate.

Work worries follow us home so we’re never really free of them.

Even though work is such an intertwined part of life for everyone, it’s essential to leave your work problems at work so your home can be your sanctuary.

Here are some effective tips to help you leave those work issues back at the office so you can enjoy your time at home:

1. Schedule your day.

Plan ahead for how long you’re going to be at work.

When you’re “closed” be closed, even if it means ignoring the phone or emails.

The world won’t stop spinning if you sit down to dinner with your family and let the machine get the phone.

You know that you’ll pick things up the next day, so accept that the work can wait until you get back. Train yourself for this.

If you have to initially schedule family time or alone time, do it.

You’ll soon begin to enjoy the rewards of scheduled time off.

Turn off your cell phone, blackberry, or beeper when you walk in the door.

Your messages will still be there in the morning when you start your workday again.

This idea might prove a little tricky for stay at home moms, but learn how to set boundaries for your children.

After you put them to bed, tell them Mommy hours are over, and it’s time for you to relax.

Most children respect these parameters, and other people who need you will learn to respect your boundaries as well.

2. Change your clothes.

Work attire has certain standards and, when you change into comfortable clothing at home, you give yourself a chance to relax.

Whether you wear a uniform or business wear, changing your clothes is a mental indicator that work time is up.

Keep a cozy pair of slippers by the door so you can get comfortable immediately after you come into the door.

3. Give yourself time to de-stress.

You can just sit in the chair, read a good book, or fix a drink.

Whatever your method is to de-stress, make sure you’ve spelled out ahead of time that you aren’t to be interrupted until you’re ready.

If you know you don’t want to be pummeled by your kids the moment you walk in the door, arrange with your spouse or kids to allow a few minutes to de-stress.

Use your commuting time to de-stress, especially if you use public transit.

Listening to your iPod or just daydreaming out the window can make a world of difference in your mood once you get home.

Don’t stay in de-stress mode, however, for the entire evening!

Still take part with the family once you’ve cleared your mind for a bit.

4. Separate your work area.

As more and more people begin working from home, it’s harder to separate the two lives.

In order to help you distance yourself from work once work hours are over, keep your work area physically separate from your family area.

Establish your work area in a dedicated workroom, or separate your work area with a wall or a room divider so you’re not pulled back to your work area when you’re interacting with your family.

If you work with a laptop, don’t be tempted to bring your work into your family space.

It’s too easy to get distracted by work when your family needs you at the end of the day.

You’ll find so much peace of mind once you realize that you’re in control of your schedule!

Don’t let the boss run your world outside of work.

You’ll be happier, healthier and more productive when you take time for yourself and your family.

Treat yourself with the respect you deserve!

How can you carve out more time to spend with your family?

What can you do today to show your family that you appreciate them?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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January 15, 2018January 5, 2018

Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow. – Norman Vincent Peale

January 15, 2018January 5, 2018

Staying Motivated No Matter What!

Do you have the motivation you need to get up and face the day with a smile?

If you’re lacking motivation you’ll be happy to discover that you don’t have to go through life bored, tired, or down.

You actually can manifest your motivation!

There are many things you can do to harness and use motivation in any situation and at any time.

After all, being motivated will help you enjoy your life in so many ways!

How You Can Stay Motivated

Staying motivated has much to do with how much energy you have working for you.

You’ll be more motivated to get things done when you’re putting your energy to good use.

Be sure to eat a balanced diet and get enough rest; this will ensure that your energy level and your motivation are always at their peak.

Another way to stay motivated is to remember your past accomplishments.

This feeling can pick you up and remind you that you are strong and fully capable.

Focusing on your past successes will help you lower your head and push forward even when you don’t want to.

Ask yourself: What would life be like if you never pushed yourself to do things you don’t want to do?

You would probably never take out the trash, you might never get up for work in the morning, and you probably wouldn’t even get dinner on the table.

But then, what’s the point of life?

Life wouldn’t be as comfortable or enjoyable without pushing yourself through roadblocks, barriers, or uninteresting tasks.

Without motivation, life can be messy, boring, or more complicated than it should be.

That’s not what you want, right?

Utilizing the Power of Motivational Affirmations

You can use motivational affirmations for those days when you simply want to stay in bed with the covers over your head.

Search for motivational affirmations that speak to you.

Whether you write them yourself or use others that have already been created, find statements that touch your life.

Think about your goals that make you want to be a better person, and then turn these thoughts into positive statements.

Affirmations always focus on the positive and the present so you can inspire personal growth in your life.

Affirmations are easy to use and can help keep you motivated in any situation, best of all, they are simple to use throughout your day.

The key is to repeat the affirmations several times until you notice a positive change in your mood.

Examples of Motivational Affirmations

Some examples of motivating affirmations are:

“I welcome positive energy and I use that feeling to accomplish more.”

“I use my energy to live my life to the fullest.”

These are simple statements that encapsulate the way you would like to think or respond in difficult situations.

Instead of talking yourself out of tackling a task, you can use affirmations to get you motivated to complete the task in record time!

Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, remembering pleasant memories of past tasks completed, and using motivational affirmations can help you to get – and stay – motivated.

Once you find what works for you, you’ll notice how much more you’re enjoying your life and work, so get started today!

How do you keep yourself motivated?

What is your biggest motivation?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

January 14, 2018January 5, 2018

Posts

How to Overcome Anxiety

How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

I trust in my ability to relax. I am calm and peaceful.

Life is trying things to see if they work. – Ray Bradbury

Resolving Frustration in Your Life

Family time is my treasure.

Regain Important Family Time by Leaving Work at the Office

Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow. – Norman Vincent Peale

Staying Motivated No Matter What!

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein