Although several ancient concepts inform it, energy therapy is a relatively new method of <a href="https://thehumancondition.com/what-is-psychotherapy/">psychotherapy</a>. By combining alternative Eastern healing techniques with biomedical and conventional approaches to mental health, energy therapy promotes a holistic approach to well-being. Broadly, these practices target the notion of energy in the human body. For many practitioners, energy in the realm of psychology refers to the vital force within an individual.

Energy Therapy: Types, Benefits, and Effectiveness

Although several ancient concepts inform it, energy therapy is a relatively new method of psychotherapy. By combining alternative Eastern healing techniques with biomedical and conventional approaches to mental health, energy therapy promotes a holistic approach to well-being.

moneyandinvestments

Money & Investments

health

Health

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

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Mental Health

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Meditation

Energy Therapy: Types, Benefits, and Effectiveness - The Human Condition

Fatigue is a feeling that you're chronically tired - mentally and physically. It can be caused by a number of factors, including unhealthy lifestyle choices, workplace problems and stress.

Tired 🥺

Food, which gives us energy, is broken down by the digestive system. Some elements, such as water, are absorbed through the stomach. The rest are absorbed through the small intestine.

Energy explained

Drink lots of water. A dehydrated body functions less efficiently.Be careful with caffeine. 1 or 2 caffeinated drinks per day like coffee, tea or cola can boost your energy and mental alertness, but more than 6 caffeinated drinks per day may make you anxious, irritable, and negatively affect your performance. Eat breakfast. Food boosts your metabolism and gives your body energy to burn. The brain relies on glucose for fuel, so choose carbohydrate-rich breakfast foods such as cereals or whole grain bread.

Dietary suggestions

Don't skip meals. Going without food for too long allows blood sugar levels to dip. Try to eat regularly to maintain your energy levels throughout the day.Don't crash diet. Low calorie diets or diets that severely restrict carbohydrates don't contain enough energy for your body's needs. The typical crash diet also deprives the body of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.Eat a healthy diet. Increase the amount of fruit, vegetables, whole grain foods, low fat dairy products and lean meats in your diet. Reduce the amount of high fat, high sugar and high salt foods.

Get enough sleep. Adults need about 8 hours per night.Limit caffeine. Too much caffeine, especially in the evening, can cause insomnia. Limit caffeinated drinks to 5 or fewer per day, and avoid these types of drinks after dinner.Learn how to relax. A common cause of insomnia is fretting while lying in bed. Experiment with different relaxation techniques until you find one or two that work for you; for example, you could think of a restful scene, focus on your breathing, or silently repeat a mantra or phrase.Avoid reading or watching TV in bed

Sleep suggestions 

Introducing fatigue fighting strategies (above) into your lifestyle. A fit, healthy and well-rested body is less prone to severe drowsiness in the afternoon.Eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates - like a tuna sandwich - for lunch. Carbohydrates provide glucose for energy, and protein provides the amino acid tyrosine, which allows the brain to synthesize the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine to keep your mind attentive and alert.Get moving! A brisk walk or even 10 minutes of stretching at your desk can improve your blood flow and boost your energy.

Coping with the mid-afternoon energy slump

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Fatigue is a feeling that you're chronically tired - mentally and physically.
It can be caused by a number of factors, including unhealthy lifestyle choices, workplace problems and stress.

There are many different ways you can boost your energy, but see your health practitioner first to make sure you don't have an underlying medical problem.
Energy explained
Food, which gives us energy, is broken down by the digestive system. Some elements, such as water, are absorbed through the stomach. The rest are absorbed through the small intestine. 
The body's preferred energy source is glucose, from carbohydrates , but it can also use fatty acids (from fats) and amino acids (from proteins). Glucose is delivered to virtually every cell in the body by the bloodstream, and is then burned with oxygen to produce energy. Hormones control every step in this process; for example, the pancreas makes the hormone insulin, which helps to control blood sugar levels.
Dietary suggestions
If you want more energy, look at your diet and make sure you're following these basic guidelines:

Drink lots of water. A dehydrated body functions less efficiently.
Be careful with caffeine. 1 or 2 caffeinated drinks per day like coffee, tea or cola can boost your energy and mental alertness, but more than 6 caffeinated drinks per day may make you anxious, irritable, and negatively affect your performance. 
Eat breakfast. Food boosts your metabolism and gives your body energy to burn. The brain relies on glucose for fuel, so choose carbohydrate-rich breakfast foods such as cereals or whole grain bread.
Don't skip meals. Going without food for too long allows blood sugar levels to dip. Try to eat regularly to maintain your energy levels throughout the day.
Don't crash diet. Low calorie diets or diets that severely restrict carbohydrates don't contain enough energy for your body's needs. The typical crash diet also deprives the body of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Eat a healthy diet. Increase the amount of fruit, vegetables, whole grain foods, low fat dairy products and lean meats in your diet. Reduce the amount of high fat, high sugar and high salt foods.
Don't overeat. Large meals can drain your energy. Instead of eating 3 big meals per day, try eating 6 mini-meals to spread your calorie intake more evenly. This will result in more constant blood sugar and insulin levels. You'll also find it easier to lose excess body fat.
Eat iron rich foods. Women in particular are prone to iron-deficiency (anemia). Make sure your diet includes iron rich foods such as lean red meat.

Sleep suggestions
A common cause of fatigue is not enough sleep, or poor quality sleep. Suggestions include:

Get enough sleep. Adults need about 8 hours per night.
Limit caffeine. Too much caffeine, especially in the evening, can cause insomnia. Limit caffeinated drinks to 5 or fewer per day, and avoid these types of drinks after dinner.
Learn how to relax. A common cause of insomnia is fretting while lying in bed. Experiment with different relaxation techniques until you find one or two that work for you; for example, you could think of a restful scene, focus on your breathing, or silently repeat a mantra or phrase.
Avoid sleeping pills. Sleeping pills don't work in the long term because they don't address the causes of insomnia.
Avoid reading or watching TV in bed.

Lifestyle suggestions

Don't smoke. Cigarette smoke contains many harmful substances. There are many reasons why smokers typically have lower energy than non-smokers. For example, the body needs to combine glucose with oxygen to make energy, but carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen available.
Limit the time you sit down. Reduce sedentary behaviours such as watching television and using computers.
Increase physical activity. Physical activity boosts energy levels, while a sedentary lifestyle is known to cause fatigue. Being active has many healthy effects on the body and mind. It reduces blood pressure, helps to maintain a healthy weight, and is an effective treatment for depression and anxiety. A good bout of exercise also helps you sleep better at night.
Seek advice. If you haven't exercised in a long time, are obese, are over age 40 or have a chronic medical condition, seek advice from your doctor or health practitioner regarding small steps you can take towards a more active lifestyle.
Seek treatment for substance abuse if you need it. Excessive alcohol consumption or recreational drug use contributes to fatigue.   It's also potentially dangerous.
Workplace issues. Demanding jobs, conflicts at work and burnout are common causes of fatigue. Take steps to address your work problems. A good place to start is to talk with your human resources officer.

Psychological issues
Studies suggest that between 50 and 80% of fatigue cases are mainly due to psychological factors. Suggestions include:

Assess your lifestyle. Are you putting yourself under unnecessary stress? Are there ongoing problems in your life that may be causing prolonged anxiety or depression? It may help to seek professional counselling to work out family, career or personal issues.
Relaxation training. Constant anxiety drains the body of energy and can lead to burnout. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga, help to 'switch off' adrenaline and allow your body and mind to recover.
Learn to do nothing. A hectic lifestyle is exhausting. Try to carve out a few more hours in your week to simply relax and hang out. If you can't find a few more hours, it may be time to rethink your priorities and commitments.
Have more fun. Are you so preoccupied with commitments and pressures that you don't give yourself enough time for fun? Laughter is one of the best energy boosters around.

Coping with the mid-afternoon energy slump
Most people feel drowsy after lunch. This mid-afternoon drop in energy levels is linked to the brain's circadian rhythm and is 'hard wired' into the human body.  Preventing this drop in energy may be impossible, but there are ways to reduce the slump, including: 

Introducing fatigue fighting strategies (above) into your lifestyle. A fit, healthy and well-rested body is less prone to severe drowsiness in the afternoon. 
Eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates - like a tuna sandwich - for lunch. Carbohydrates provide glucose for energy, and protein provides the amino acid tyrosine, which allows the brain to synthesize the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine to keep your mind attentive and alert. 
Get moving! A brisk walk or even 10 minutes of stretching at your desk can improve your blood flow and boost your energy. 

**This information was adapted from the 'Go for your life' campaign with permission by the Victorian Government, Melbourne, Australia

Links

Eating Well With Canada's Food Guide 
Dietitian Services @ Healthlink BC

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Food

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

How to Stop Feeling Tired All the Time

Certain exercises can enhance your awareness of the muscles working in a particular area. For your middle and upper back – the traps and rhomboids – isometrics in the peak contracted (maximally shortened) position tend to work best. Plate row iso-holds are one option. Start your back workout with a few sets of 20-30 second holds.

1 💪 Find The Muscles To Feel Them Working

The iso-dynamic method is an intensity technique used to pre-fatigue a muscle group and increase time under tension.You'll always fatigue first in the shortened range of motion, so by starting each set holding for 10-20 seconds, you'll feel your dynamic reps a whole lot more when you start doing them. Give iso-dynamic chest-supported rows a try to help build your upper back while minimizing fatigue through your low back and hips.

2 💪 Pre-Fatigue the Mid-Back Muscles

If you can't feel an exercise working the intended area or feel pain doing it, why are you still using it? For building muscle, particularly in an area where you lack awareness, internal cues that help you focus on sensation will be important. Think: <ul><li>Drive your elbows behind you. </li><li>Pinch your shoulder blades together and focus here. </li> </ul>In an ideal world, a coach would place a hand between your shoulder blades to feel the mid-back.

3 💪 Use Different Grips and Angles

If your focus and intention are in the right place, but you're still not feeling it, the problem could be your exercise selection. Different exercises are suited to different individuals, and some will allow you to feel your back working harder than others.If you don't feel it, try playing around with your grip. Try another angle. Try slowing it down and focusing on the squeeze.Inverted rows are often done using an overhand grip, a lack of controlled tempo, and no regard for creating whole-body tension. Try switching to an underhand grip.

If you have a good reason for using a <a href="https://www.t-nation.com/training/partial-range-reps-not-always-cheating/">partial range of motion </a>, then go for it. But most of the time, you'll want to be using a full range – your maximum available and active range of motion.If you're doing T-bar rows and the 45-pound plates are hitting your chest early, your upper back won't get as much out of it. Try bent-over row variations where the load is kept close to your hips to target the upper back. Modified T-bar rows are nothing like the jerky versions you're used to using or seeing.

4 💪 Keep Your Reps Honest

Swap your big 45-pound plates for some with a smaller diameter. Go a little lighter, and focus on keeping your forearms as close to your inner thighs as possible when you row. You'll have more range of motion, a more intense contraction through your upper back, and your lower back will remain intact afterward. If you're experiencing fatigue through the lower back and hips, go with <a href="https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-chest-supported-rows/">chest-supported row </a>variations.

<ol><li>Make it a goal to hit at least 18 reps on the standard inverted row (12 reps for women). If you can't, your relative strength needs work.</li><li>Pull with more volume than you push.</li><li>The more you train your chest like a powerlifter, the more you should train your back like a bodybuilder.</li><li>Aim to do a dead-hang chin-up with 75% of your bench press weight (that weight should include your body weight).</li><li>For healthy shoulders, train more horizontal pulling patterns than vertical ones. You have four options in the videos above.</li></ol>

💪 10 Little Tips That'll Make a Big Difference

<ol><li>To overcome a back plateau, try switching angles and arm paths to those you neglect the most.</li><li>Weighted pull-ups are the upper body squat. A neutral grip or rings will give you the greatest return for the lowest investment.</li><li>Upper traps might look badass, but don't forget about your <a href="https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-target-the-lower-traps/">lower traps </a>.</li><li>If you have trouble feeling your lats working, try straight-arm pulldowns or pullovers BEFORE your "big" back lifts. Here's Christian Thibaudeau coaching it:</li><li>There are better options than band-assisted pull-ups for improving the "real" thing. Eccentric variations. </li></ol>

Want a big back? Or an even bigger, even stronger back? Follow these four rules, target the right muscles, and try these unique exercises.

The 4 Rules for a Big Back

People who struggle with anxiety for long periods mistakenly belief unhelpful myths about what anxiety is and how it works. If you want to feel less anxious, you should unlearn the counter-productive myths that you've heard about anxiety.

Misunderstanding anxiety

Analyzing your past may be interesting, but it isn't helpful. This is because the initial cause of your anxiety is seldom the maintaining cause of your anxiety. Until you address the maintaining causes, your anxiety will continue.

Myth: You must understand the origins of your anxiety

Because something feels bad, it doesn't mean it is bad. Muscles soreness after a workout feels bad but is really a good thing. Anxiety is the same. It feels bad but isn't dangerous. It is just a form of faulty or misguided fear. But, long-term anxiety can lead to chronic stress, which is associated with various adverse effects. The key insight is that worrying about anxiety teaches your brain to think that anxiety is dangerous, making you even more anxious. Make it a point to stop worrying about your anxiety.

Myth: Anxiety is dangerous

Coping skills provide only short-term relief from anxiety. For example, doing mindfulness meditation to cope with your anxiety. Doing so teaches your brain that it's not okay to feel anxious and that anxiety is bad. As stated, anxiety is not dangerous, but if you treat it like it is, you teach your brain to fear fear itself.

Myth: You need coping skills to manage your anxiety

The belief that anxiety is a sign of weakness can be very hard to shake. Even if people acknowledge intellectually that feeling anxious isn't a sign of weakness, they still feel that way experientially. For example, let's say you gave a presentation at work and got really anxious because you mixed up some information. Then you spend the rest of the day ruminating about it. "I can't believe I got so flustered..."

Myth: Anxiety is a weakness

People may feel afraid they'll never change because that's just who they are. "I've always been an anxious person." However, anxiety comes from learning and experience. The good news is what is learned can be unlearned.

Myth: You're born with anxiety

Worry and anxiety are very different. Understanding the difference can help to lower your anxiety in the long term. Worry is a series of thoughts. "I'll never get that promotion..." "My chest feels funny... Maybe I'm having a heart attack." Anxiety is an emotion. Feeling nervous before a big performance; feeling on edge in a room full of new people. You can change your emotions indirectly by changing how you think. For example, it is possible to stop worrying and redirect your attention and thinking onto something else.

Myth: Worry and anxiety are the same thing

Anxiety often stems from unhealthy relationships. People get stuck in patterns of chronic worry because they're not good at managing their relationships. They don't know how to set healthy boundaries and be assertive enough.

Myth: It’s all in your head

If you want to feel less anxious, you need to understand how anxiety actually works (and how it doesn't, despite what you're been told).

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

habits

Habits

7 Anxiety Myths Everyone (Mistakenly) Believes

You’ve been observing your dog become lazier and lazier by the day. You want to help your dog lose some weight but you don’t know where to start from. Don’t worry! You’re not alone. Pandemic has made pets across the world put on some fluff. Here’s how we helped our dog, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/travel.eat.poop.repeat/">Abby</a> shed some weight and become more active without starving her. Let’s see how!

The first change we made in our dog’s diet was to swap white rice with <a href="https://recipes.timesofindia.com/articles/food-news/what-is-red-rice-its-health-benefits-tips-to-eat-and-interesting-recipes/articleshow/65023617.cms">red rice </a>. Red rice contains abundant amounts of antioxidants that help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-101">reduce inflammation </a>in the body. So if your dog is usually bloated and extra puffy after their big rice meal, this swap will do wonders for them.

Rice Swap

We swapped our dog’s breakfast brown bread with <a href="https://epets.co/blog/87629/benefits-of-having-ragi-atta-and-feeding-them-to-your-pets">ragi </a>malt aka finger millet. Ragi has a much superior nutritional profile than other staple grains.It’s loaded with fiber, so it lessens your dog’s food cravings. It’s also an excellent gluten-free option for doggos who are allergic to wheat.

Grain Swap

We started alternating our dog’s breakfast milk with plain curd. The <a href="https://www.dairy.com.au/dairy-matters/you-ask-we-answer/what-is-the-lactose-content-of-different-dairy-products">lactose sugar content </a>is much lower in curd as compared to milk. This way, your pet gets its daily dose of calcium without consuming too many calories from sugar.

Dairy Swap

We’ve relied on packed dog treats for years, but the truth is, the calories add up and it’s not really healthy for your pooch either. So, we started making <a href="https://thedailyreport.in/2022/01/23/two-easy-and-healthy-dishes-to-make-for-your-dog-this-week/">easy treats </a>at home that are not only delicious but are low on added sugars and fats too.

Homemade Treats

Portion control doesn’t mean you have to starve your dog. We reduced the content of rice in her diet by half and doubled the veggies. We also made sure she gets half a tbsp of <a href="https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/5-reasons-to-use-ghee-for-dogs/">ghee </a>in her dinner every day so she stays full for longer. Ghee also improves joint mobility and promotes <a href="https://thedailyreport.in/2022/02/15/dog-constipation-what-to-do-when-your-dog-cant-pass-a-poo/">healthy digestion </a>in dogs.

Portion Control

I'm a dog mom who loves to keep her pet's health in check and help other pet parents do the same. 

While you're working on helping your dog become more active, it might be a great idea to put on those running shoes and get moving with them.

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Science & Nature

Here’s How We Helped Our Dog Shed Some Pounds & Get Moving - The Daily Report

Feeling overwhelmed at work or at any point in your busy life is not something to be ashamed of. Not having enough time to get things done is a common complaint that many people can relate to. In this article, I’ll provide a few coping mechanisms to deal with the stress that lacking time inflicts upon us all.Time traps, time famine, and time confetti are each phenomena that we have to deal with every so often but we hardly have the time to think, let alone give a name to them. Today, society throws at us countless distractions

Time Traps, Time Famine, Time Confetti, and 5 Ways to Cope

As briefly described in the previous paragraph, time traps may be subtle but are dangerous and detrimental to your well-being. While the connotation for the term time trap sounds negative, Persico adds that “many of us like to find some type of activity to spend our time on and for us, it is not a time trap… One person’s trap is another person’s passion.”Some obvious examples of time traps include mindlessly scrolling on social media sites, obsessively checking and refreshing your email inbox, and hopping from one video to another while on YouTube.

What are Time Traps?

Bryan Robinson, Ph.D., seems to be the online expert on the phenomenon of time famine, or what he describes as “starving for more time to do everything we need to do.” I’ve been poring over some online references for time famine, but it didn’t take me too long to come across two distinct, magnificently written articles on the subject by Dr. Robinson.The way he describes time famine is more like describing today’s individual as someone driven to eat time up as if he were in an all-you-can-eat buffet when the option to be a connoisseur has always been available.

What is Time Famine?

The term time confetti was coined by Brigid Schulte, but Ashley Whillans describes it as “little bits of seconds and minutes lost to unproductive multitasking.”Every few seconds or minutes don’t seem too bad, but collectively, that confetti adds up to something more pernicious than you might expect. A straightforward example is the whole duration of a work break, which, these days aren’t very wisely utilized by people. Someone who doesn’t fall into the trap of turning that 1-hour time off into time confetti would wisely remove himself from his workspace and get a breather fresh air.

What is Time Confetti?

Whenever you feel overwhelmed due to lack of time, remember this – each person has 24 hours in a day, no more, no less. Appreciate every second, minute, and hour. Productivity is great, and it might help you advance your career but it can also come at the expense of living a good life or failing to appreciate the mundane things that you pass by along the way.

1. Stop worrying too much about productivity.

Software engineers turn to playing music, mathematicians to stand-up-comedy, doctors to painting. When you remove yourself from what you do for a living (even if you enjoy it a lot, or even if you do it very well), you should do so while turning towards something almost completely unrelated to it. The effect becomes all too refreshing, and at the same time you are also taken from the environment that caused you to overload your schedule.

2. Adopt a hobby that is almost the exact opposite of what you spend the most time on.

Usually, the most difficult things to learn take a lot of patience. Take for example the sport tennis. Learning how to serve, do a forehand stroke, a backhand, footwork, learning how to toss the ball – each of these individual tennis skills takes a lot of practice for you to even be considered a beginner in the sport and start playing with others.The goal is not to become very good at the skill – instead, it is going through the process of learning the skill that’s valuable here. When you learn to be patient about acquiring each of the individual skills that make. up the general skill

3. Try learning a very challenging skill.

When you surround yourself with people who are obsessed about moving up in life or doing so much in their free time that doesn’t constitute leisure, you can’t avoid looking yourself in the mirror and asking, “What should I be doing? Shouldn’t I be doing more with all the free time I have?” This mentality will put you in a cyclic trap, always looking at social media posts to see what your friends have been up to and you either feel anxious or deal with the anxiety by keeping busy.The solution? Simple. Find friends who don’t put that kind of pressure on themselves.

4. Find friends who take it easy and who are not obsessed about ‘making it.’

This is said too much, too often in every time management course, book, article, and whatnot. But as you progress in whatever pursuit, you’ll eventually appreciate the power of ‘saying no’ And it’s just not saying no to others when they coerce or trick you into a commitment – you have to learn to say no to your own wants or wishes that seem too impractical.Learning how to prioritize is the most basic skill when it comes to managing time and overcoming time traps, time famine, and time confetti. Prioritizing includes giving up on things that matter less than the things that are important.

5. Appreciate the power of saying no.

Each of us only has 24 hours in a day. Distractions are here to stay, but these can be managed. Being overly obsessed with productivity will easily lead to anxiety, disappointment, and emptiness. Therefore, if you were to take something out of this article, let it be this – learn how to take care of your mental health.

⌛  each of us only has 24 hours in a day. Distractions are here to stay, but these can be managed. Being overly obsessed about productivity will easily lead to anxiety, disappointment, and emptiness. It's a reality where you control your time, and not letting it control you.

productivity

Productivity

timemanagement

Time Management

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Thinking About Time

You must first acknowledge that you have reached burnout. Some key indicators are mental and physical exhaustion induced by repeated pressures and stresses in your life.

Acknowledge that you are burnt out

Don’t be afraid to talk with HR or your boss about your burnout. As mentioned, the burnout phenomenon is well known, and they are likely to sympathize with your plight and will work with you on a solution

Talk to your boss

One of the only ways to properly recover is to detach yourself from your work environment for a while. Taking a vacation could in fact be the thing that saves your career to bring you back to rock-star mode.

Take some time off

During your time off, you will find yourself immersed in precious moments of much-needed sleep, relaxation and recalibration. It is also a good time to discover ways you can avoid burnout when you return to the office

Love your job again

Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire way to get burnt out, and it is also the easiest way to get bitter toward your boss or your work generally. Ask yourself, Am I over-exerting myself at work? Get really honest and curious about where you’re saying “yes,” tipping yourself over the edge of your capacity.

Know your limits

Don’t be afraid to say no

This may seem counterintuitive because it seems like an extra work-related task but, in the long run, it will actually help you work more productively and with less stress.

Organize your desk

While you are working, whether from home, in an office or in a restaurant, be sure to take frequent breaks throughout the day and slow down a little bit when you feel the need.

Throughout your work day, take time to unwind

These days, it is very easy for work to follow us outside of work. You perhaps can hear your email notifications going off while eating out for dinner or receive a work call while you are relaxing at the beach.

I personally on going through this and it's like shit 

How to have the tough conversations with yourself AND your boss that will help you regain your well-being.

teamwork

Teamwork

9 Ways To Recover From Burnout And Love Your Job Again

If you want to explore what can psychological sciences teach us about how to be happier, feel less stressed out, and build productive habits.In order to know what makes you happy, you must identify things or thoughts don't do it and why.Then, you should try to implement the following research-based methods to improve your own life.

The Science of Well-Being

Things we THINK make us being happy Lots of Money:  A little bit   :)Awesome "costly" stuff:  NO   True love:  For a little bit   :)Perfect body:  NOGood grades:  A little bit    :)

Misconceptions about Happiness according to Science

We think in relatives not absolutes, which means we take a point of reference.That's why we compare ourselves with others.The results of Social Comparison:<ul><li>Feel better when we are surrounded by people we think is inferior to us or worse when they seem to have a better salary, job, grades or body.</li><li>And this phenomenon has increased with social media since everybody is trying to achieve the standard or the trend.</li></ul>

What our expectations are so bad

<ul><li>Our minds' strongest intuitions are often totally wrong. The things we think are gonna make us happy don't really make us happy.</li><li>Our minds don't think in terms of absolutes. Causes social comparison, which is described by the image above, the orange circles are the same size but seem different due to the others surrounding them.</li><li>Our mind is built to get used to stuff. When we experience things for the first time they are amazing, but this fades away with repetition.</li><li>We don't realize our minds are built to get used to stuff. We can adapt to negative effects, we are more resilient than we think.</li></ul>

Annoying features of our mind

Savoring is the act of stepping outside of an experience to review and appreciate it.<ul><li>Lengthens the positive emotions that come with doing something you love.</li><li>It can be a nice shower, a delicious meal, a great walk outside, or any experience that you really enjoy.</li><li>Includes sharing the experience with another person, thinking about how lucky you are to enjoy the moment, keeping a photo of that activity,</li></ul>Gratitude is a positive emotional state in which one recognizes and appreciates what one has received in life.<ul><li>You can just write and take a moment to be mindful of the things you’re writing about.</li></ul>

Savoring & Gratitude

Research shows that happy people are motivated to do kind things for others.<ul><li>You can do one extra act of kindness per day, or you can do a few acts of kindness in a single day.</li><li>It should be something that really helps or impacts another person.</li></ul>Research shows that happy people spend more time with others and have a richer set of social connections than unhappy people.<ul><li>The simple act of talking to a stranger on the street can boost our mood more than we expect.</li></ul>

Kindness & Social Connection

Let’s Get Physical<ul><li>30 minutes a day of exercise can boost your mood in addition to making your body healthier.</li><li>Get your body moving a bit more than usual. It is not supposed to be a high-level activity, you can throw on some headphones and dance around your room. </li></ul>Sleep!One of the reasons we’re so unhappy in our modern lives is that we’re consistently sleep-deprived. <ul><li>You must get at least seven hours of sleep for at least four nights of the next week.</li><li>Be sure to practice good sleep hygiene too— no devices before bed and try to avoid caffeine and alcohol on the days you’re getting your sleep on.</li></ul>

Exercise & Sleep

Meditate!<ul><li>Practice intentionally turning your attention away from distracting thoughts toward a single point of reference.</li><li>It can have a number of positive benefits, including more positive moods, increased concentration, and more feelings of social connection.</li></ul>Gratitude Letter/Visit<ul><li>Write a letter of gratitude to someone you care about. Think of one person who has made a big difference in your life.</li><li>A gratitude letter is one of the most powerful tool for increasing happiness because it can forge social bonds and really change someone’s life.</li></ul>

Meditation & Gratitude Visit

These ideas are important to me because they guide me to have a strong sense of well-being, which helped me to overcome difficult situations and achieve my goals.

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mindfulness

Mindfulness

According to the American Psychiatric Association, major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious illness that is common and treatable. Major <a href="https://thehumancondition.com/mental-health/depression/">depression</a> negatively impacts how someone thinks, <a href="https://thehumancondition.com/category/emotions/">feels</a>, and acts and is characterized by feelings of <a href="https://thehumancondition.com/humanness-and-emotions/emotions/sadness/">sadness</a> or loss of interest in activities that they once enjoyed.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

When someone experiences chronic, severe symptoms that require professional treatment, their disorder will typically be referred to as major depressive disorder or clinical depression.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) - The Human Condition

Before you're able to do anything about repetitive thoughts, you have to notice when they're happening. "Awareness is key," Dr. Aragam says. Examine whether the thought is moving you forward to leaving you stuck. Dr. Aragam suggests a few questions: "Is this serving me? Am I going to have an answer to this right now? What else can I do?" If you can't solve whatever you're thinking about right now, it's time to try a different tactic.

1. Notice the thoughts—and ask whether they're helping

Taking your mind off of the thought your brain is chewing on can bring a lot of relief. Dr. Magavi is a fan of puzzles in particular. "Puzzles can improve mindfulness and overall mood states," she says. "They can divert attention from painful rumination. Some studies indicate that puzzles can minimize brain cell damage and facilitate the growth of new neurons."Other activities might be checking in with friends and family, playing a sport, or exercising. Re-engaging in hobbies and interests that bring you joy can be effective, too.

2. Distract yourself

On TikTok, one psychiatrist has been posting "<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@psychiachick/video/6923179480383065349?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1">why you feel like shit in a pandemic </a>" videos and touched on the topic of repetitive thoughts. She suggested that a lack of novel stimuli—aka, seeing the same four walls, the same people, the same news stories again and again—can often be a ripe environment for repetitive thoughts, particularly if you're already prone to them.That's partly because we have so many fewer natural cues to change our patterns of thinking, Dr. Aragam says. Imagine a day pre-pandemic, where you maybe would have run into a neighbor or colleague in the middle of the day.

3. Do something you haven't done before

You've heard them before—and they apply here, too. When in doubt, get your sleep in order, eat well, and stay in touch with friends and family. Sleep is especially important. "When you're more rested, you have more control over your brain, and it's less likely to fall into the traps of overthinking, rumination, and worry.

4. Focus on healthy habits

What helped was trying to put the argument in my brain aside and focusing on something else. Start doing a creativity workbook, taking day trips to nearby towns. Having something fresh to explore.

The pandemic may be worsening rumination (aka repetitive negative thoughts)&mdash;here's what you can do about it.

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