Lifestyle

Tips to Feeling Fresh While in Quarantine

June 8, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Quarantine Cozy. The look we’ve all been sporting for months now: sweatpants, torn old t-shirts, disheveled hair that really needs a haircut. Turns out being in lockdown really has a major effect on what you decide to wear, and how many times you choose to, uh, shower each week. It also seems like it’s crept into a lot of homes as clutter seems to be building up.

So, what are some tips to freshen up both yourself and your living space while you continue to quarantine? Look no further!

It’s time. Switch out your pajamas for some comfy clothes like high-quality hoodies, athleisure, or just by putting on shoes instead of slippers for the 91st day in a row. Again, you don’t have to wear a three-piece suit to feel good. Feeling extra fancy? Put on that beautiful dress or shirt you’ve been wanting to wear since the weather turned warm.

If you have a weekly get-together with your friends online, put your best face forward by slipping into something clean and fresh feeling, and even consider donning some jewelry or a new tie that you’ve been wanting to sport. And hey, if you’re still wearing pants, nobody will be any wiser.

It’s time for some spring cleaning! If you haven’t jumped on the Marie Kondo bandwagon, there’s no time like lockdown present. While the Kon Mari method breaks down exactly where to start de-cluttering, a less extreme way to add some life to your home is to simply analyze the clutter, and where things typically stack up. Then, take action.

If you’re continually fighting surface space, ask yourself why. If it’s because you don’t have great organization, put baskets in specific areas for shoes, keys, and so on.

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While you spring (or summer!) clean, take down any curtains, remove all your bedding, and throw them all in the wash. Get your rugs outside, and start shaking them out! A fresh and clean space will feel amazing after so much time in lockdown.

Light your outdoor space. While quarantine began in cooler months, it’s now transitioning into summer, and there’s no reason you can’t be spending more time outside. If you haven’t reset your patio for summer, what are you waiting for? Get your outside furniture freshened up, and hang any string lights that you take down for winter months. For some inspiration, check out our earlier article on our outdoor furniture and lighting. Lighting really does make a huge difference when you’re feeling less-than-fresh.

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Get some fresh air into your home. If you are in need of some natural light, you’re not alone. Open those windows, and let some fresh air in, as well as some natural sunlight. It can have a huge effect on your mood. However, if you’re a little more prone to allergies, keep those windows closed, those air filters cleaned, and try a different approach, like opting for diffusers for a subtle scent. With so many options on the market, you can likely find one that fits the aesthetic decor of your home.

How do you stay fresh while in quarantine? Comment below!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

A Guide To Making Every Day of Your Life As Special As Possible

May 29, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Many people hate the idea of routine and the mundane and want to bring as much magic as possible to their everyday lives. However, if you can’t find the magic inside of routine and the mundane, you’ll never find it elsewhere! In this guide, you’ll see how you can make every day of your life as special as possible. Take a look:

Take Time For Authentic Connection With At Least One Person

Speaking to people isn’t the same as making an authentic connection. This could be with somebody you know, or somebody you don’t. Make an effort to speak to people, listen to them, and don’t just wait for your turn to speak. Ask them questions and show a genuine interest in them. Don’t look at your phone while you’re with another person, as it sends a message that you’d rather be elsewhere.

You’ll feel so much better when you’re authentically connecting with people, and it could have a big impact on them, too.

Watch Your Wording

When speaking to other people or checking in on a loved one, watch your wording. Don’t just ask “how are you” for example. The only acceptable answer to that is ‘fine’ or an uncomfortable conversation if they absolutely have to tell you that they are not fine. Instead, ask them something specific, like how work is going. You could also say, “I’ve been feeling like this lately, how have you been feeling?” Sharing how you are feeling first is a much nicer way to open up conversation!

Get Dressed Up

You don’t need a reason to get dressed up. Saving clothes for a special occasion might make sense if you don’t want to do your food shopping in a sequined, luxury dress, but if you do then do it! Wear the clothes that make you happy and don’t be afraid to dress up. Wear your best clothes for no reason!

Develop A Routine Baggy Enough To Live In

Routine might seem boring, but it can be a great way to build healthy habits. If you build a routine that you’re happy with, you’ll actually want to do it every day. Not only that, you should make it ‘baggy enough to live in’ – a quote from author Matt Haig. Give yourself time to do the things you enjoy, and make sure you have down time. You don’t want to rush from pillar to post every day getting things done.

Being productive can feel good, but filling your day with tedious tasks just so you don’t have to sit with yourself or think about the fact you don’t have any hobbies you enjoy isn’t great! If you feel like you always have to be ‘busy’ try to turn yourself inside out and ask yourself why.

Appreciate The Little Things

Huge, magical things don’t have to happen for life to be special. Learn how to appreciate the little things. Notice things that would pass you by in everyday life. Pay attention to the sounds, smells, and sights that you probably ignore every day. If you don’t look for magic in the ordinary, you won’t find it. Believe it’s there, believe you will find it, and you will.

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Make Gratitude Lists

Making gratitude lists can help you to start and finish the day off right. If you’re just getting started, try writing one out before bed. When you feel ready, you can start doing it in the morning to start your day off right, too. You can include anything and everything. It may be hard at first, but you can find plenty to be grateful for when you look.

The more grateful you are for what you have, the more you’ll have to be grateful for. Try to think of 5 unique things every day. List three great things that happened to you that day, too. Again, you may need to think hard about this, especially if you’ve had a ‘bad’ day, but you will be able to find it if you think about it. You’ll eventually retrain your brain to find the positives in every day without having to think too hard.

Create A Vision Board

A vision board can help you to think more about what you really want out of life. You can make one board for your whole life, or multiple boards for different areas of your life – whatever suits you. When you fill the board with things that genuinely inspire and resonate with you and look at it every day, you’ll likely come into contact with these things a lot more. What you focus on, you attract. Make sure you’re focusing on what you want, not what you don’t want.

Pay Attention To How You Treat Your Body

If you treat your body right, it’ll reward you by keeping you healthy both physically and mentally. Fill your diet with vegetables and other whole foods, but don’t deny it chocolate or cake! Drink plenty of water. Have whatever else you like in moderation. You’ll feel much better when you eat filling, balanced meals rather than junk.

For the day to be as special as possible, you may also decide to boost your energy early on. You can do this with exercise, coffee, yerba mate, or you could buy kratom. It all depends on what you have planned, but a little energy boost will always do you good if you’re planning a busy day.

Take Time To Do Nothing

Doing nothing doesn’t have to mean being bored or unproductive. Many people find that they get their best ideas and solutions to problems when they take the time to do nothing. Actively planning to do nothing could leave you with a new creation or idea. It could mean reading that book you’ve been meaning to read, getting into that mediation habit, or doing whatever else you fancy. Try it and see what comes to you.

Get To Know Yourself

Spending time alone is healthy, but for many it can be uncomfortable. This is usually because people don’t ‘know’ themselves very well. Learning to become your own best friend and understand yourself and what you like/don’t like will work wonders for this. You’ll realize your worth and how valuable you are. You won’t waste time with people just because you’re afraid of being alone, and you won’t try to fill that empty space inside you with alcohol or another distraction.

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Try New Things

Get out of that comfort zone and try new things as often as you can. Being comfortable is nice, but nobody ever grows when they are comfortable. Getting out of your comfort zone is so important. Smile at a stranger, strike up a conversation, go to a workshop or class. Do something – anything! Aim to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself as often as possible. You’ll soon realize you’re more capable than you thought!

Reframe Your Thinking

It can be difficult to reframe your thinking when you’ve been thinking a certain way for so long. However, when you do the work to reframe your thinking, you can quickly realize how you were holding yourself back before. Turn yourself inside out and question your beliefs. Ask yourself why certain things trigger you and make you angry. Where did your beliefs come from? Are they yours, your parents, societies? Reframing your thinking will help you to look at things in a brand new way. Don’t get stuck in your ways.

Practice Random Acts Of Kindness

Random acts of kindness feel great, and they can be a lot of fun. You could give money to charity, leave inspiring quotes dotted around town, and pay it forward in your local coffee shop. It doesn’t have to be a huge gesture or anything expensive – just do something kind for somebody else.

Buy Yourself A Gift

You shouldn’t need an excuse to buy yourself a gift. Do it because you love yourself! Buy yourself some beautiful flowers, write out a note, and admire them every day. You could even buy yourself a balloon if flowers aren’t your thing. If you have a bigger budget, go for a new outfit, or a luxury hair product. Give yourself some of the love and attention you give to others. Don’t feel guilty, as long as you can afford it!

Meditate

Meditation encourages those with a regular practice to pay attention and focus. You pay attention to your thoughts while letting them pass by without attaching to them. You focus on your breathing. You pay attention to how your body feels. You pay attention to what comes up. Meditation often helps people to feel less stressed and more creative. It helps them to sleep better. One thing is for sure: if you start meditating regularly, you’ll no doubt begin to notice the special things in each and every day.

Making every day of your life special doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. You don’t even need to have anybody else there with you. Remember, always do what makes you happy!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle Travel

The 5 Top Travel Trends to Follow in 2021

May 28, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

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2020 has been a notoriously bad year for travel. Flights are canceled, hospitality services shut down, not to mention the ethical considerations involved in hopping from country to country in the middle of a pandemic.

We will all have to settle for daydreaming about our next vacation, which hopefully will be possible next year. But when 2021 rolls around, the travel industry may look a little different. Tourism is subject to changing whims and fashions every year, and based on recent trends we can predict with some confidence how travelers will be spending their summers.

Here are five of the top travel trends you can expect to see in 2021!

Ancestry Travel

People have been able to conduct home DNA tests to find out about their ancestors for a while, but ancestry travel is now just taking off. People are increasingly going in search of their roots, traveling to the homelands and stomping-grounds of their family’s previous generations. It’s a fantastic way to combine travel with self-discovery, and many companies are now catering to this very niche form of tourism. For example, Airbnb has recently partnered with DNA lab 23andMe to encourage people to explore their heritage.

Wellness Travel

People are no longer content to spend their vaca time lying on a beach, soaking up the sun, and consuming large quantities of food and drink. What many tourists increasingly want from a vacation is to return home feeling healthier, happier, and ultimately transformed. Whether through fitness, nutrition, or meditation, wellness travel helps you to better yourself. It can take many different forms from mental health retreats and digital detox breaks, to fitness boot camps and “rewilding” vacations in which you immerse yourself in nature. There has also been a massive increase in plant medicine and ayahuasca retreats, in which drinking a psychoactive medicinal brew is intended to promote deep healing within the body. Why settle for an all-inclusive beach resort when you could instead opt for the #1 rated Ayahuasca retreat in Peru?

Vegan Travel

Veganism is one of the fastest-growing food trends in the world. More and more people are removing animal products from their diet, and this is beginning to follow through to their vacations as well. Many are opting to stay in vegan hotels, which not only serve a wholly plant-based menu but don’t contain any wool, silk, or feather products. There are currently only a select number of vegan hotels, but it’s only a matter of time before we see numbers grow.

Climate-Neutral Travel

With Greta Thunberg taking travelers to account for unnecessary flying, people are starting to be more eco-friendly with their travel decisions. We will see more travelers turning to trains or other forms of transport, and even taking steps to offset their holiday’s carbon footprint by booking eco-hotels and environmentally friendly travel providers.

Space Tourism

It may be a long time until this one is accessible to the general public, but with Virgin Galactic nearing completion, we are closer than ever before. Other companies are fast competing to be the first space tourism provider, and 2021 could well be the first year we see (ultra-rich) tourists heading into the stratosphere.

•What are your travel plans for 2021?

Thank you for reading!

Health Lifestyle

Don’t Let These Things Define You

May 20, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

Our lives are meant to be lived, but yet many of us can find ourselves trapped in our own circumstance. Doing the same things each day, spending time with people that drain our energy, and perhaps not living our lives in the way we once envisioned are all things that can make us feel trapped. It’s funny that many of us can be defined by what we think we should be doing, rather than what we want to be doing. Here are some of the things that shouldn’t define who you are as a person!

Image source – Pixabay – CC0 License

Your career

Not all of us are lucky enough to know what we want to do with our lives when we are in school. Which means we often find ourselves in a situation where we get a job just to make ends meet. Some people are defined by their chosen career and love that, others choose not to be. Your career should be something you feel passionate about and enjoy doing, after all, a huge chunk of your time is spent doing it. But unless it really has any gravitas to define who you are don’t let it it dictate how you spend your life and who you are as a person.

Your relationship and the future

Your relationship can often be defined by what society thinks you should be doing. The main script is girl meets boy, girl falls in love, boy will want to ask her to marry them. You may even look online yourself and click here for diamond engagement rings while daydreaming about the big day. But it isn’t always that pain sailing. It doesn’t matter who you fall in love with, whether you choose to marry or not, don’t let your relationship define you, instead embrace it for what it is.

Whether you choose to have children

Another thing that society may expect is children, which isn’t always the case for some couples. It isn’t always a given. You may not be able to have children or find that you have trouble conceiving. It could be you choose not to, because you don’t feel that maternal instinct. All feelings are valid and whether you choose to have children or not should not be something that you feel pressured towards.

Friendships

You may find that you also let your friendships define who you are as a person. It could be that you are governed by who you spend your time with. Friendships can be the very best of you, but they also have the power to inflict and influence how you spend your time. Surround yourself with people that built you up and have good energy. Avoid the people that zap the life out of you and don’t have your best interests at heart.

Your lifestyle

Finally, your lifestyle. Your lifestyle may be all about being plant based or full of exercise. Whether it is positivity and embracing crystals or choosing to believe in star signs. Your lifestyle is yours to make and so don’t let it define you as a person, rather let it be who you are and what you are all about.

I hope this has given you something to think about when it comes to how you live your life!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

Tips On How To Be More Charitable This Year

April 1, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered about finding a way to give back? Giving back to a charity of some kind is always a great way to make a difference within that charity, as the only way they exist is through the support of others. However, it is also really good for you, as the feeling of giving back can make you feel more fulfilled. So, how can you give back? Here are a few examples of how you can!

Image Source, Pexels

Charities Abroad or at Home?

This is a subjective choice and completely a personal one too. There are many charities domestically that need your help, and many abroad. It is always best to engage in charities that mean something to you. Helping Hearts is an amazing non-profit organization that provides in-home care for those who need it. There are a plethora of charities that need help at home, and overseas, so there is a rich choice whichever location you decide. Regardless of whether they are domestic or international, just helping a charity of some kind is such an amazing act that means so much to those who need it.

Volunteering

If you are looking for a way to give back and also be actively involved in the charity you want to help, then volunteering is the best way. Volunteering is very accessible, with no money needed to volunteer. Most charities are looking for people to help them carry out the activities they need completing in order to stay open to help those in need. Activities you can do whilst volunteering are very broad. It could be litter picking in the local area, keeping it clean and tidy. It could be visiting older folk to speak to them for a little bit and provide them with the much-needed company. It is a very flexible and active way of giving back, and with no contract, you can choose and fit it around your schedule.

Donate your Skills

Similar to volunteering, another flexible way to give back is by donating your skills to the charity. Something often forgotten is that charities are structured very much like businesses. They need to create marketing, manage the money that gets donated to them, manage admin and present/pitch for government funding to keep them running. If you have a special skill, like marketing or accounting, then maybe a weekend or two helping the charity with their accounts or marketing department can be a great way to give back. If you have some free time why not? The reward will be worth the work put in!

How can I Do This on a Day to Day Basis?

There are many ways! More and more regularly businesses and big brands are starting to offer products that donate a percentage of their proceeds to charity. Some big chain coffee shops have cookies and more, customized for the charity and when one is bought, proceeds to go to the charity. The same can be said for food chains too. So when you are out and about, be vigilant and look for these places, as small donations here and there or rounding up the rest of your bill, really makes a huge difference in the long run!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

How To Have Serious Conversations

March 27, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

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If you need to have a serious conversation with someone you love, you may be feeling at a bit of loss regarding where to start. This is especially the case if you and that person have more of a less-hearted and jovial relationship. However, there is no need to fret, as we have got some helpful tips for you. Read on to discover everything you need to know about how to have a serious conversation with someone you love.

Choose the right time to talk – The first thing you need to do is choose the right time to talk. While the topic may seem urgent, there is no point in discussing it if neither of you are in the right frame of mind. You need to make sure that you are both able to focus fully on the conversation and that there are no distractions. If your other half has had a difficult day at work, for example, save the conversation for the following day.
Do your research but don’t overstep the boundaries – It is important to do your research and come into the conversation prepared. Perhaps you have been thinking about having a vasectomy for quite some time now? If so, you may want to look into a vasectomy clinic in the local area and gather some information before discussing this with your other half. However, don’t go ahead and book the appointment before you have had the conversation. If you do this, it looks like you weren’t even going to consider the other person’s opinions and thoughts in any case.
Listen to your partner when they speak – A lot of people are guilty of simply listening because they are waiting for their turn to speak. They do not truly take in what the other person has to say. If you have to have a difficult yet fruitful conversation with someone, you need to make sure that you actually listen to them and understand their perspective.
Try to begin the conversation positively – You want to start the conversation on the right tone, and this is why it is important to be positive. This will help to create a more productive space.
Stay focused on the issue at hand – Last but not least, it can be very easy to lose focus and start talking about other niggly little issues once you get started. However, you don’t want things to go off track, nor do you want your partner to feel like they are under attack! This is why it is vital to make sure you stick with the one topic at hand.

As you can see, there are a number of different steps to take when it comes to having a serious conversation with a loved one. If you follow the advice that has been provided, you will be able to ensure you have an effective and successful conversation with the person in question. Good luck!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

4 Reasons To Stay Single This Year

March 8, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

For most of your life you have been a hopeless romantic, waiting for your Prince Charming to sweep you off your feet and live happily ever after. The truth is, he never does make his grand arrival. Instead you go on dates that you wish you’d never agreed to. What if you adopted a different way of thinking this year Whether you’re reassessing your current relationship or trying to live alone for once, there are so many reasons to stay single this year. If you’re looking for a handful of reasons to make this change, consider the ideas below.

1. Freedom To Try New Activities

When you pursue a single life you are free to do whatever you like. Whether you want to do a skydive or climb Mount Everest, the world is your oyster. You could even try freechatlines.com as a singleton; there are so many activities you can do without having to consult your partner or worry about how they feel about it. Imagine going out in the evening with no obligation to tell your other half where you’re going and when you will be back. This is just one of the good reasons why you should stay single.

2. Freedom to Enhance Your Career

Although a partner may not necessarily hold you back from your career, they may not be as supportive as you’d like them to be. When you’re going solo in life you can use all of your energy on working towards your career goals. People in long term relationships often find themselves spread so thin that they lose sight of their own ambitions. You either need to find an amazing balance or you need to be single for a while.

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3. Freedom for Self Development

Experts say that it is very difficult to pursue self development when you’re in a relationship with somebody. You need to be a little bit selfish if you want to go on this sort of path. When you have no commitments to others you can make a real commitment to yourself and your personal development.

4. Freedom to Find Happiness

They say you need to find happiness by yourself before you can find happiness with anybody else. When you are truly happy you don’t rely on a partner to make you feel this way. So many people go into relationships without understanding what makes them truly happy. Their mood can deteriorate quickly when the other person doesn’t act in a way that pleases them. This is a very unhealthy cycle to get into when you’re in a relationship.

So many people associate being single with feeling lonely or sad. The truth is, being single is freeing, energizing and exciting. When you’re tied down in a relationship you often forget how much fun you can have by yourself. Learning to love yourself and be alone isn’t a bad thing, so why not embrace the single life this year? You might discover some amazing things about yourself that you never even knew!

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

Why Reassessing Your Relationship From Time To Time Is Important

March 2, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

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Like anything in life, managing a relationship well is a matter of observation and maintenance. We must put time and effort into it, and not neglect it. Kindling a fire or watering a plant may be used as important metaphors for this process, although of course, the reality is a little more complex.

This is why it’s important to reassess your relationship from time to time. Of course, ‘reassessing’ suggests considering if it has any value, and sometimes, that may imply that a problem has caused you to think in that direction. But that’s simply not true. Relationships evolve, for better and worse, and often both at the same time in different ways. This is why it’s important to not only view it as one ‘given,’ but as a continual reality we must keep in mind and consider.

But how can you reassess in the healthiest manner? And what might this reveal to you in the long run? It’s worth asking these questions so we can implement the best possible solution, or to keep things working as well as they are. Let’s get started, and consider this in advance:

Are You Still A Team?

Are you and your partner still a team, or have you split into singular entities? A good relationship means sometimes being able to put their needs above your own, and to ask if you can sometimes switch this without fear of criticism or retribution. If you feel that someone is not in your corner, but actually opposed to it, there’s a good chance that finding ‘couples rehab near me’ is an essential search you should make.

How Is Your Communication?

Can you communicate? Or does it always devolve into conflict? This may signify the platform from which the both of you are beginning to speak. Speaking to and at each other are completely different efforts with vastly different results. Sometimes assessing just how you listen to one another and if conversations are contributive or point-scoring will grant you further insight. From there, you can either work on improving your communication through valid mediation services, decide further argumentative discourse is unhelpful, or celebrate those long and consideration conversations you have.

Do You Keep The Spark Alive?

How is the spark kept alive? Even something as simple as cooking dinner for your partner can be an act of love. Heading to see the movies, or watching one at home can help you spend more time together. Do you make the effort to do things together, or do you have your separate friend groups and only live together through a form of necessity? How might you improve this? A relationship is not predicated on whether you have a ravenous attraction to one another or if you share a Prince Charming and Cinderella-esque story, but if you can be great friends and include one another in that which you love and appreciate about life.

With this advice, I hope you can easily and reliably reassess your relationship from time to time. It may just be the positive stimulus you are looking for!

•How do you reassess your relationship when you need to?

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

The Obstacles: Learning The Concept Of Loving Again

February 26, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

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Learning to love again is all about getting over the obstacles within yourself, which is something that we all can struggle with. When you are on approach to a happier you need to think about the overall challenges that come with learning to love again. Ultimately when we have our hearts broken, or we are looking to start all over again, either because it’s later in life or we feel we are ready to begin again, we’ve got to remember that learning to love again isn’t something that happens overnight. Some people don’t want to give love for whatever reason. And there are numerous reasons and ideas that can help you to consolidate yourself with the concept of learning to love again.

You Can Still Protect Yourself

Some people feel that they put up a barrier between themselves in the world because there’s just a lot of concerns about relationships, especially in a physical sense. Whether it’s the alarming statistic that there were 504 new cases of HIV in Missouri a few years ago or that there is so much social media catfishing, we can feel that temptation to be overprotective of ourselves. This is natural but we have to remember that we can still protect ourselves.

When we fall in love with someone again, we have to remember that we aren’t completely giving ourselves over, it’s about finding someone that’s a perfect fit for ourselves. Some people think that when they fall in love, they have to give themselves over completely. But this is not the case. You have to remember that when you fall for someone, you can still protect yourself, and you can pull back if necessary. But you have to remember that if you are tearing away because you are sparing yourself pain rather than finding someone perfect for you then this is where you have to start addressing concerns within yourself.

Everybody Has Love To Give

Some people are so reticent to open themselves up that they can go their entire life without loving someone ever. We have to remember that as human beings, being loving is part of our nature. Sometimes we’re not born into loving families, and sometimes we are, but if we’ve had our heart broken once, this can be the very simple reason we put up our barriers between the world and us. But you have to remember that making the choice not to love someone is exhausting. You’ve got to continually protect yourself, and over time, this can become a very exhausting practice. It becomes part of your psychological makeup, and you then find that it becomes who you are and when not loving someone is natural, this means you are, to an extent, depriving yourself of something wonderful.

Are You Depriving Others?

Everybody deserves to be loved, and when there are people that hurt in the past, choosing to hold up a barrier between us and the world means that we can be depriving others of love that we can give them. It becomes a part of who you are when you start to consciously avoid any sense of affection. But when you begin to look at the people in your sphere like your friends and family, if you don’t give them the affection that they need from you it can result in a strained relationship. If you have a friendship with someone who you might not have so much affection for, but they are in your life, you have to remember that these people deserve to be loved just as you do. Sometimes it’s those little things that everybody can benefit from, like a small gift. It doesn’t take much to do a simple act of love for someone. Keep it simple and show people that you do care about them.

Is Withholding Love Depriving You Of Happiness?

Because we are making such an active effort not to show others our affection for them when we don’t share anything, it goes back to the love that we have for ourselves. You may think that if you don’t care about others as much, this gives you more opportunity to look after yourself and love yourself more. But you have to remember that when you are protecting yourself, it’s not necessarily selfish, but it could be about low self-worth. If you are withholding love to others it may be important to go back to the drawing board and to teach yourself to love yourself. Self-esteem is one of those crucial things that there’s a difference between protecting yourself and loving yourself.

Learning To Be Who You Are

If we are reticent to love others, it can be about that barrier between us in the world, but it’s also about protecting ourselves. After a while, we start to lose track of who we are because we’ve put barrier after barrier up. And when we’ve gone through a lot of pain or suffering, we need to stand back and really think about who we are. We could perceive being loving as exposing our vulnerability, but if you learn to open yourself up, this means that you are being more honest with yourself, and in turn, it helps you to become who you are. It’s an incredibly difficult thing to recognize, but when we are more open and especially with those that we trust, we learn to be more connective. But then when you start to limit your love for others, you can struggle to be you. Learning to be who you are isn’t an overnight fix, and it’s something that can happen a long way from now, but what if we start to open ourselves up and stop being a shell? This can make us realize of what we’ve been depriving ourselves.

Loving Is Never A Bad Thing

It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. And when we learn to open ourselves up to someone, we are opening up to ourselves. Learning to love someone is never a bad thing because it helps us to understand another person’s thoughts and feelings, but it also gives us the opportunity to lay our hearts on the line. And yes, it means that you are running the risk of having it broken, but when you love someone, it’s not about the worries that could occur because they may never happen. Besides, when you look back on relationships, even the ones that failed, they are a series of moments that congregate in your mind. And a lot of these moments you look back on with fondness, regardless of the outcome. Sometimes we can miss these moments or miss the person, but we have to remember that loving is living.

Choose Life And Choose Love

Some people can definitely feel that it’s an overused concept, especially now in the modern age, where the very act of a relationship can seem non-existent for some people. But love isn’t necessarily about a relationship in the traditional sense; it’s about finding someone that you connect with. We can sometimes forget that there are important people in our life that will make us feel that life is worth living. We don’t have to be husbands or wives or partners in the traditional sense. But there’s still a lot of pressure that society puts on us to have a proper relationship in order to feel the merits of happiness. In reality, it’s essential to look at what you want and decide if a relationship is worth it. Loving someone isn’t about the traditional relationship; it’s about finding those people in your life that make everything worthwhile. Learning to love again isn’t about finding the right person; it’s about bringing the barriers down and realizing that you can experience love in so many different ways.

Some people feel put off by the idea of having a partner, and it’s unsurprising because of the various social and relationship problems out there. However, this means that in order to feel any sense of fulfillment, maybe it’s about finding the right social group? Learning to love again is not just about the people that suit you, but it’s about making sure that you are open and receptive to finding happiness in other ways. It’s not about the typical constructs. Of course, if the time comes that you feel you need to get into a relationship, then you will know. It’s about trusting yourself and remembering that when we open ourselves up to love in so many different ways that we’ve got to be comfortable with who we are. It’s such a terrible cliche, but we’ve got to learn to love ourselves before we do anything else!

Whether we are finding love in a relationship sense, or we are looking to strengthen connections with people in our lives, learning to love again is about bringing those barriers down. It’s never an easy thing to do because it requires taking a long look in the mirror. And when our heart has been broken, this can mean that we are jumping through various psychological hoops. But the practice of learning to open yourself up is worth it entirely.

Thank you for reading!

Health Lifestyle

Top Tips For A Happier 2020

February 19, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

Sitting down and making those painstakingly difficult New Year’s Resolution Lists, that last a matter of days, sometimes only hours…is not something we relish. It’s good to make lists; we can’t deny that list-making and being proactive and organized is the key to a healthy mind and less stress. However, when it comes to making changes, it can be a little trickier to muster up the strength. Here are some tips of how to make a positive change in the New Year, because I do believe that we all endeavor to make at least the first few months of any New Year, a positive, life-changing, goal-making, dream-creating one. Mostly. Right?

Photo: Pixabay

Get Out More

Another way to get out and about would be to take an hour off on the weekend with a friend or family member, and go swimming or play your favorite sport. You’ll be amazed how good sports are as a bonding session with your friends and family (hello sand volleyball)!

Getting out doesn’t necessarily mean going out socializing every night, burning the candles at both ends, and spending an exorbitant amount of money that you don’t have, just to say ‘you’ve been out.’ While socializing is a very important part of keeping a healthy mind and attitude towards life, there are ways of doing it without breaking the bank after Christmas. Inviting some friends round, having/cooking dinner together, and catching up… it can be difficult to find energy for that if you work 9-5.

If you work from home, try taking a long walk in your area before you sit down to work; it gets the blood going, gives you a little bit of energy, and releases endorphins: and then you’re engaged in your body and mind, ready for the day! If you are struggling with anxiety, it could be good to look for a therapist and they can assist you with getting out and about.

Planning Ahead

Keeping a planner is essential anyway, especially for someone who has a million errands to run week by week and is trying to juggle a social life, possibly a relationship, and maybe even children all in one. However, planning ahead is one sure way to make you feel more positive in the moment. If you plan a nice evening meal a few weeks in advance, maybe even a break to the city or even just a shopping trip; you always have little things in the pipeline to look forward to, which I find has always kept a healthy happy mind. The feeling of excitement is my absolute favorite! Being spontaneous is also incredible but for people who find their lives to be mundane, especially after the comedown of the Christmas period, then making sure you get things down on your calendar in advance can be a little trick to keep you feeling higher and not lower. We all have those moments of panic, freak out, mental breakdown, and feeling as if life is taking a nosedive. It’s not. You can always elevate yourself somehow, and remember of course, you are never alone!

Be Thoughtful

Doing a little good deed can make you feel on top of the world. This does not have to include money, and sometimes, it may not even need much time, but being thoughtful to others, and spreading a little bit of joy, and a touch of sparkle into someone’s life can be fulfilling. Little things, such as leaving sweet, kind post-its on your colleagues’ desks, or sending someone a text whom you haven’t spoken to in a while, or even an e-card through email, just to make someone smile when they open it, are all simple, yet impactful gestures. You could smile at strangers (I always do- is it a Midwest thing?), give a bit of spare change to a homeless person, even a few quarters or dollars, look for some bargains in the charity shops and support a good cause (NOT Goodwill), or even just compliment a stranger. Everyone loves a good compliment! Striving to be content is vital, and it all comes from within yourself.

•How do you take care of your mental and emotional health? What do you want to improve in 2020?

Thank you for reading!