Emotional Acclimatization

When climbing a mountain your body needs to acclimatize to the new temperatures as you continue to rise, emotionally, you also need to acclimatize yourself to new situations. To reject adaptation is to cause yourself great discomfort and anxiety, at a molecular level your system is built to adapt, to change, and to survive. As humans we like to cling to emotions as if adapting is unnatural to us but it is not, what is unnatural is this idea that we are invincible. Anyone that is aware of their mortality would gladly accept acclimatization and move on from what was holding you back. Somehow society has turned this into a bad thing, if you do not grieve you are not a good person, if you think you are a good person by nature it means that others are bad, but would a good person compare themselves to others in such a way that you can only be good because someone else is not? It is a type of illness that needs to be addressed, this way of thinking is causing many people great discomforts and such levels of anxiety that we have begun to question our own existence. You may be wondering how we go about turning this around? We start by spreading awareness, it is okay to move on from something painful, waiting a certain amount of time to stop being despondent will only cause you greater distress and unease, these feelings of negativity are not poetic, they do not have to be apart of the human experience should you only look at things in such a way that allows you to heal naturally from pain.
May we all find Ethereal Ecstasy in this life.

Modifying Negativity to Empathy – Staying Together

When you look at your partner what do you think? When you hear the sound of them chewing or see their clothes on the floor next to the laundry bin, it can be easy to get frustrated and lash out, but that is no way to treat the person that you love if you want them to stick with you, so how do you empathize with someone you are always with? It can be easier said than done but at the end of the day it comes down to taking the time to appreciate each other and what you do to help each other. Listening is key and not the kind of listening where you half hear what the other person says and you are already thinking of your response but the kind of listening where you focus on what the other person has to say to you because you find it genuinely important, where you ask if you understood fully what their concerns were so that you can work together to fix it, the kind of listening you should always practice, especially with those that you love. When you practice active listening, you will find that you are much more empathetic with your partner and it is a great strategy to improve relationships. For more on relationships and a daily does of positivity please do not forget to like, comment and follow!

An Attitude of Gratitude will Lead You to a New Latitude

What does gratitude mean to you?
To me, it means not letting things pass by without being grateful for the moment you are in. No matter the situation there is always something to be grateful for, even if it is as simple as the fact you are able to breathe. Joseph B. Wirthlin said “we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice”. What is your favorite simple pleasure? Take a moment and reflect on what you have to be thankful for, it will make a difference in your life. I found that once I stopped getting so caught up in my head about past problems and future successes and instead started living from a more minimalistic approach while being more in the moment, life became much easier to manage. I was no longer having anxiety about all of the things that needed to be done but instead looking forward to them because doing it meant I was still alive, and that should be enough, I am here, I am conscious, I am aware.

So, how does this new attitude lead you to a new latitude? Well, the answer is quite simple, the more gratitude you have in life the more you will be able to build up your confidence, self-love and overall bliss, when these increases happen good things will also happen more allowing you to reach new heights in life.

Overcoming Common Changes & Challenges

Part 4. Self-love

Personal growth has to be intentional, it takes focus and drive to happen. Ayn Rand said “to say ‘I love you’ one must first be able to say the ‘I’.” My journey with self love began about a year ago, I had gained some weight and was having trouble shopping for new things, feeling bad about myself and completely lost I called for help, at 22 years old my parents took me shopping and showed me how to begin feeling more comfortable with myself. From there it was up to me, with new outfits ready for wearing I gained the confidence to begin exercising, I was blessed that with the help of my partner I was able to maintain this for several months, then Christmas came and with the darkness I fell tired, began struggling again and ultimately started making excuses not to do it. Self love is a journey, one that is not to be taken for granted or overlooked, no matter your starting point there is always hope. If you are also on a path of self love and acceptance just know that you are not alone and I just know that we can do it together

Overcoming Common Changes & Challenges

Part 3. Learning to Listen

How often does your mind wander while you are in conversation with someone? How much of that conversation do you remember 5 minutes later? Active listening requires making your thoughts quiet for long enough to actually hear what the other person has to say, if once they are done speaking you have a response ready but can not remember what they said you were not listening or properly understanding what the other person intended. Learning to listen is very important for a couple of reasons; first, it is a sign of respect. Second, it is a way to improve relationships and lastly, when you listen, you are not cheating yourself of the moment. When you do not pay proper attention to someone you are likely not giving attention to the moment either, by doing this you are robbing yourself of an experience. Slow it down, take the time to hear the other person, remind others to do the same, and most of all, pay attention because you may experience something extraordinary.

Overcoming Common Changes & Challenges

Part 2. Dealing with Loss

The only constant in life is change, loss is natural and it can be horrible, so how do some people seem to get through it so gracefully? How can I? No matter the loss, it could be the loss of a loved one or the ending of a relationship be it with a partner or just a friend, you can be sure that it is not going to be easy but it can be dealt with gracefully by accepting and adapting. You may never stop feeling the sadness of your loss, but with some time your grief should evolve into growth, find a way to turn it into something to be proud of, honor the person you have lost by embracing the good left in life and continue your journey to seeing things in a positive light.

Overcoming Common Changes & Challenges

Part 1. Changing Bad Habits

It is so easy to get overwhelmed by habits, consider what holds you back and focus on one at a time. According to a news article by CBC called ‘5 Bad Habits Killing off Ontarians Faster’ the most common bad habits are smoking, drinking alcohol, poor diet, lack of physical activity and stress. These habits have been shown to reduce life expectancy by more than 7 years and that 60% of all deaths in Ontario can be attributed to one or more of those 5 habits. The question is, will we let our choices slowly kill us or will we take control and live our best lives? Make a change in the way you react to things and replace bad habits with good ones. One of the ways I have been able to greatly reduce my bad habits was by making a list of things I wanted to improve on or reduce out of my life and different strategies for overcoming the habit, then I took the time and began reflecting on it and updating as I made progress. Put the list somewhere you will see it, it does not have to be in plain sight but somewhere you will come across it at least 2-3 times a week and make sure to update, your progress matters!

5 Ways to Maintain a Positive Attitude

Being positive sometimes is easy, maintaining it can be much more of a struggle depending on where you are at in your journey. Here’s some tips to help you stay mindful and positive!

• Clean up! Organization is a fantastic way to help gain control of your environment and reduce stress. Learn to enjoy the simple tasks, be it home maintenance, personal grooming, preparing meals, if you approach the task at hand with a loving attitude and look at it in a way that you are benefiting yourself and your own mental health it can be a much more enjoyable experience.
• All that clutter on your desk, in your kitchen drawers, hidden away in closets, GET RID OF IT, you will not believe how little you actually need to live comfortably. Not to mention how much simpler it is to follow step 1 after.
• Feed your body not your appetite. Food should give you energy and mental stimulation, you should not feel tired or lazy after you eat, if you do that is a clear indication that you should not be eating that food as it has not served its purpose, to nourish and energize.
• Be mindful of who you surround yourself with. Stop and really listen to people talking, what message are they presenting? A positive one? Or negative? I am not saying that you should stop talking to your oldest friend because they are having a hard time, just to take some time and assess your friendships in a way that will help you continue to change and evolve for the better.
• Carry yourself well, be aware of what you allow into your subconscious, you don’t want to be creating negative messages or listening to them on the radio, television or from the people around you.

Application is key, take your time and consider what changes you want to make to meet your goals, what will benefit you most? Once that is figured out it is just a matter of prioritizing and being always mindful. If you enjoyed this list please like, comment, and follow for more!

Perception Determines Reality

Being genuinely real, what exactly does it mean? Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines real as “occurring or existing in actuality” but what who’s version of actuality are they referring to? How is reality determined? Each person’s reality is different because we all perceive differently, we may both see the same thing happen but interpret it differently, does that make one of us wrong and the other right? I don’t think so. If reality is based on perception all we need to do to change our reality or to be genuinely real is to change how we perceive things. Extending the boundaries of your perception can be done by changing your habits, to learn more about changing habits and adaptation be sure to subscribe.