When learning a new topic, learn because you love to. It is the fulfillment that determines how well you learn.

The Love Of Learning And Knowledge

Simplify and summarise concepts when learning. If you are able to explain in simple terms or using analogies to a 12-year-old, then you have truly mastered the subject.

Feynman Technique

Use spaced repetition to reinforce the memory in your brain. Space it out over a period of time and randomise the way you memorise information. That way, it makes you think about which concept to apply in which situation.

Recall And Retain Knowledge

Time is your ally or enemy, depending on how you plan your schedule. Start early, give yourself breathing room, and set small goals for yourself.

Time is Precious

Keep the mind focused, do not let your thoughts wander away from the topic you are learning.

Eliminate Distractions

Life with knowledge is futile, life with wisdom is fruitful

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

philosophy

Philosophy

habits

Habits

education

Learning & Education

problemsolving

Problem Solving

Rules of Learning

Three simple words that ring through the streets on October 31st every year, “trick or treat”. It’s an innocent greeting as kids dressed as Batman, princesses and zombies hold out pillow cases for candy.

Trick Or Treat 

Later in life the idea of trick or treat represents that fine line so many of us walk. Every decision can steer you into either lane: the trick or the treat.
This rings especially true to when it comes to your personal finances and many have had to learn the hard way.

The Financial Crossroads

Investing into actively managed mutual funds with a 1.25% fee might sounds like a treat until you run the numbers and realize that could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars across your financial timeline by the time retirement hits.

The Costly Illusion of 1.25% Mutual Fund Fees

How about the first time you signed up for a credit card in University? Did the promo staff on campus offer you a free Frisbee as part of the registration package? With no understanding of the basics of money management and a card with a $5,000 limit you might’ve unfortunately fallen on the wrong side of trick or treat.
Every decision has a consequence and simply putting out your proverbial pillowcase could land you anywhere on the spectrum of trick or treat.

Ouch trick

Remember the neighbourhood house that was overgrown with bushes and owned by the creepy old guy, Mr. Smith, who’d lived there forever with the big dog?

Things Are Not As Scary As You Think

On Halloween with some extra spookiness in the air that stop was even scarier.
Only the most daring of your group of friends would approach the door only to run off after you thought you heard something in the bushes.

Spooky Halloween Adventures

As you got a little older and walked by that place more often maybe you had a discussion with Mr. Smith. You probably even threw the ball for his giant dog with the slobbery mouth. Every Halloween after that you convinced the local kids that there was no need to be scared.
Just like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2 with the pigeon women in Central Park. You overcame the uncertainty and turned it to a positive.

Growing Up Around Mr. Smith's Place

We as humans tend to overestimate how “scary” the unknown is without realizing we have an innate ability to adapt, push through and overcome. Eventually you learn to embrace the fear and those moments provide the greatest opportunity for growth.

Things weren’t as scary as you thought

How often does a community come together like Halloween?Strangers in costumes knocking on each other’s doors to receive free candy and get complimented on their outfits. Parents looking out for each other’s kids as they navigated the dark sidewalks and driveways. Block parties with fireworks, hot chocolate and sparklers. People driving the streets that night knowing to keep it slow and safe on all local roads.

Community & Giving 

It’s a powerful feeling that might lose touch with as you get older.
Are we losing that community spirit? Do we receive strangers with skepticism the other 364 days of the year instead of the optimism and support we do on Halloween?

Fading Community Spirit: Halloween vs. the Rest of the Year

It was such a rewarding feeling to pull together a vampire or sailor moon costume that was built entirely from the hands of you and your family. Not to mention when you’d all sit around the table and masterfully slice away at a pumpkin to display at the door.It was your vision, your work and your effort that brought it together.

DIY Is A Rewarding Feeling 

You’ve likely felt that as an adult and have even further appreciation for when you can do-it-yourself.
Sure it might not go as planned sometimes, just like your Halloween costumes. However, when you get it right, that feeling of pride is hard to match.
There are also cost-savings, skill development and a sense of ownership rooted in DIY.
From changing the oil on your car or painting the living room of your first home, that intrinsic reward of using your own hands (or mind) carries forward from youth throughout the rest of your life.

The DIY Pride: Halloween and Beyond

With age might come side hustles to earn extra money , working overtime to prove your value to an organization in order to receive a promotion or just sheer willpower to work harder and provide for your family.

Hustle Pays Big

There’s no substitute for hustle, especially hustling smartly. Knowing where the big payoffs come from to deliver you the best returns (like the full size chocolate bars) will be key in your personal and professional life.
Working hard and working smart is that 1-2 punch you helped learned as a kid trotting the streets on Halloween.

Hustling Smart: Lessons from Halloween

The foundation of who you are today is most likely rooted in those moments from when you were younger

Hustle, creativity, community, embracing the unknown and walking the fine line with the decisions we make are just a few examples of the life lessons October 31st can offer 

Did you know that Halloween has many life lessons, and not just spooks and thrills? Check out what you can learn from this holiday!

religionandspirituality

Religion & Spirituality

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

loveandrelationships

Love & Relationships

The Hidden Life Lessons Halloween Can Teach Us

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans currently recommend that most adults consume 5 to 6 cups (or cup equivalents) of starchy vegetables each week to help meet their total vegetable goals. Yet, as confusion around "good versus bad carbs" persists among consumers, there is a risk of starchy vegetable avoidance in favor of other carbohydrate foods perceived as equally or more nutritious – or even carbohydrate avoidance all together.

Carbohydrates: Never Good, Only Bad, Worse And Worst?

Using menu model analyses, nutrition expert Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, Associate Professor Emeritus, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, demonstrates the real-world implications of eliminating starchy vegetables in the diet and swapping them for grain-based foods. The results? Replacing starchy vegetables with grain-based alternatives, including whole-grain foods, for one day led to a 21% decrease in potassium, a 17% decrease in vitamin B6, an 11% drop in vitamin C and a 10% reduction in fiber.

What Does Going 1 Day Without Starchy Vegetables Mean?

It's tempting to think of all carbohydrate foods as interchangeable. But these foods are categorized within different food groups for a reason – perhaps most importantly, they tend to have vastly different vitamin and mineral contents.Compared to grains, starchy vegetables like potatoes tend to be higher in potassium, designated a nutrient of public health concern by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans because inadequate intake is associated with increased health risks. They can also provide an excellent source of vitamin C.

Are All Carbohydrates Interchangeable? Vitamins & Minerals

Though neither grains nor starchy vegetables are considered a major protein source, the protein quality in potatoes, a starchy vegetable, is notably higher than the protein quality of grains, comparable in quality (as measured by "biological value") to the protein in egg and milk. And though food choices from both groups can help add fiber to the diet, grains offer unique nutritional benefits as well, typically offering more thiamin, zinc and vitamin E.

Are All Carbohydrates Interchangeable? Protein

As is so often the case in the world of nutrition, guidance comes down to balance, variety and moderation – which might sound boring, but all three would benefit most people's eating styles. It's important to get the right mix of vegetables and grains and include both starchy and non-starchy vegetables to help ensure we're meeting both our macronutrient and micronutrient needs.

The 3 Nutrition Guidance Pillars: Balance, Variety, Moderation

It's important to recognize that some cultural groups traditionally use certain carb-containing foods over others. That's why more research is needed to understand how different carbohydrate food choices impact diet quality and what culturally appropriate foods should be encouraged to help close any nutrient gaps.

Nutrition Guidance And The Cultural Dimension Of Foods

A perspective recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition underscores the unique role starchy vegetables play as a vital vehicle for essential nutrients.

A perspective recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition underscores the unique role starchy vegetables play as a vital vehicle for essential nutrients

food

Food

health

Health

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

Starchy Vegetables: A Vital Vehicle For Essential Nutrients

You focus on what’s outside your control.

productivity

Productivity

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

5 Habits That Are Killing Your Productivity

Most goals fail because of a lack of motivation. We build so many systems that it pains us to admit it. But motivation is the true cause of the problem .You can work with low motivation. Thanks to the healthy habits you build around your projects, you can even work without it for a short period. But after a while, you will give up if you don’t find a way to reignite motivation . And one of the simplest ways to do it is through a life review .

Why do most goals fail?

A life review helps you keep track of your long-term goals and understand how you are working towards them.Usually, you have to split long-term goals into smaller pieces you can track easier. But this way, you may lose focus on why you are doing certain things instead of others and, therefore, lose motivation.Yet, with a life review, you can reignite the passion and motivation that made you choose those goals in the first place.

What is a Life Review?

You can do a simple life review analyzing four things:<ul><li>your weaknesses </li><li>successes </li><li>time management </li><li>and improvement. </li></ul>But you must be honest while doing it. Otherwise, you will never achieve the desired results, and your motivation will never reignite.So be critical. Be honest. And let’s dive into it.

You can download a tracking infographic for this article by subscribing to <a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com">The Challenge</a>, a newsletter where I discuss self-improvement, goal-setting, habits, time management, and health tips and tricks.Every week you will get:<ul><li>a challenge to pursue to improve your life</li><li>an infographic to track it.</li></ul><a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com">Subscribe now</a> to help me continue publishing this type of content.

The Challenge

First, review your pain points — a.k.a. the problems that prevent you from working at your best.Those problems might be temporary, like a stressful period at work, or recursive, like procrastinating too long.In both cases, you must acknowledge them and the effects on your performance.

1 — The Pain Points

The best way to review your problems is to note them as soon as you notice them.Also, your mind will start troubleshooting and problem-solving them passively once it becomes aware. Therefore, the best way to review your problems is to keep a pain points notebook or sheet that is easily available and that you can always reach every time you meet a new issue.So during the life review, you can write the effects and solutions of the problems in your notebook.

A - Review your problems.

When you ask people to review their problems, they start brainstorming whatever comes to their mind. But that’s ineffective because there’s only a slim chance you will get the real problem this way. Yet, to solve a problem, you must get personal. So it would be better, during the life review, to spot problems by starting from the effects.You can find the real pain point going backwards. So, my issue was not binge-watching videos. I was afraid of eating alone in silence. And I should have worked on that.

B - Review the effects.

Once you find the personal issue that keeps you from working consistently, it becomes easier to solve it. And instead of solving procrastination, you only have to solve eating alone in silence, which is way easier.So during your life review, find solutions to your pain points because you will use them as your goals later.

C - Review the solutions.

A life review doesn’t only focus on the negatives. Otherwise, it will never reignite your motivation. Therefore, focus on your accomplishments and the feelings they triggered.

2 — The Success Stories

You can review the accomplishments in a similar way to the pain points. You only need a notebook or a piece of paper.But you don’t have to fill it as soon as they happen. You will probably remember them for longer. So you can fill the success stories in one iteration during the life review.Also, build a clear definition of a success story. Otherwise, you will put everything in there only to feed your pride. <ul><li>What courses did you follow?</li><li>Which book have you read?</li><li>Which strategies did you try? Did they work?</li><li>And how much progress did you make?</li></ul>

A - Review the accomplishments.

Success stories help your motivation grow stronger because they remind you everything is doable. But besides factual data, you should also collect emotive ones.How did you feel when you accomplished the first milestone of your project? And how does it make you feel now?Do you want to replicate the same feelings? And how could you do it?Again, if you recognize those desires, your mind will troubleshoot them and search for solutions to live those moments again.

B - Review the feelings.

How much time do you spend doing the things you want to do?Time management is fundamental in a life review because time is your currency. And you have to make sure to spend it efficiently.This doesn’t mean you have to work every minute of the day. On the contrary, breaks are a strong ally <a href="https://www.cosmopolitanmindset.com/how-to-use-periodization-to-boost-your-side-hustle/">if done right</a>. But you must be in control of your time and make sure you are not losing it to external stimuli that come from marketing campaigns and social networks.So how do you do that?You can work towards two things: flexibility and strictness.

3 — The Time Management

If your friend asks you to take a 30-minute walk tomorrow, could you fit it into your schedule without ruining the week’s planning?Suppose you have a weekly plan (otherwise, <a href="https://www.cosmopolitanmindset.com/3-time-management-secrets-that-doubled-my-productivity/">you should build one</a>). Then, your flexibility defines how much you know about your task's length and how fast you can finish it.The more you know, the more flexible you will be. And improving this parameter is not that hard. You only need to keep track of the repetitive tasks in your day and note how much they take until completion.So, if you want to achieve flexibility and more free time, <a href="https://www.cosmopolitanmindset.com/how-to-achieve-flexibility-and-more-free-time/">here 3 steps that could help you</a>.

A - Review the flexibility.

How strict are you with your plan?The importance of flexibility might suggest you should not be strict, but it’s the opposite.Flexibility is a short-term value. You must be flexible to take that opportunity in the moment or the near future. But strictness is a long-term value. And you can’t miss the deadlines of your tasks.So flexibility allows you to move your working hours around, while strictness guarantees you finish each task before its deadline.

B - Review the strictness.

Now that you have all this data from your life review, you should finally trigger your motivation again. And you can do it in two ways:<ul><li>update your goals</li><li>and set new goals.</li></ul>

4 — The Space for Improvement

The first thing to do once you finish your life review is to update your goals with the new problems and solutions you found.Most times, you set long-term goals in a state of ecstasy or blind luck when everything is going great. But after a while, you might realize that wasn’t the norm. So you might want to scale back your goals based on that data.Also, old goals are the ones that need the most motivation. Their level diminishes over time, and you might be in disbelief. So take care of them. And don’t overestimate your abilities this time.

A - Update your goals.

Practicing your old goals might have uncovered pain points you didn’t even know you had. Or you might want to try different strategies that work better (at least in theory).So, besides updating old goals, you might also set new ones based on your life review and how well you did.But don’t try to improve everything at once. If you have many pain points to fix, start with the first. Make a goal for it, solve it, and then go to the next.You can’t make the same error you made with your old goals and overestimate yourself. So take one step at a time, and you will succeed.

B - Set new goals.

A life review helps you understand your current state and your direction. And it could help you with long-term goals you fail to track efficiently.If you loved the article and want to support my work, subscribe and share <a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com/">The Challenge</a> with your friends and families!

Final Thoughts

A life review can help you understand what is going wrong in your life and fix it before it's too late. Here's a guide on how to do it!

Most goals fail because of a lack of motivation. But if you learn how to make a life review, you could reignite your motivation in only 4 simple steps.

timemanagement

Time Management

How To Make a Life Review To Reignite Your Motivation

We all have wanted to change our bad habits but lack the self-control to do it. This phenomenon is something that happens to everyone. Indeed, relying on self-control can only work as a short-term strategy. Researchers have found that people with high self-control spend less time in tempting situations. Simply put, it is easier to avoid temptation than resist it.

Self-control 

If you want to quit smoking, having a cigarette on the table will be counterproductive. To eliminate this habit, what you need to do is to put the cigarettes out of sight. A plate of cookies on your table will prompt you to start eating even when you’re not hungry. Store them away in a distant cupboard, and you will stop eating as much. The main point is this: you do things that are obvious and in plain sight. So you have to design your environment according to what you want.

Hiding Undesirable Things 

Making things obvious is effective in creating good habits. If you want to exercise more, try placing your exercise clothes beside your bed. The presence of the clothes will remind you to exercise every time you wake up. If you want to create a habit of reading, place your book on the work table so you cannot avoid seeing it. Doing this will reduce the amount of willpower needed to take action. Try to notice your environment. Are things in the right spot for you to do them?

Making Good Things Obvious 

Some habits give you delayed rewards. For example, exercising can be unpleasant in the present but rewarding in the future. However, creating a routine that gives you an immediate payoff will help make the habit more appealing. For example, you can reward yourself for meditating by eating a cookie. You can treat yourself to a massage after you exercise. Crafting your habits this way will give you both short-term and long-term rewards and increase your motivation.

Making The Rewards Obvious 

Is there any immediate reward you can attach to the habit you’re trying to make? Making the benefits more obvious will go a long way to helping you succeed.

Unlocking Success

You can create better habits by making good things more visible and undesirable things out of sight. 
You can rely on your willpower from time to time. But designing your environment the right way will ensure long-term success.

Visualizing Success

mindfulness

Mindfulness

Design your environment for success: The long-term strategy to foster good habits

<ol><li>Specific (simple, sensible, significant)</li><li>Measurable (meaningful, motivating)</li><li>Achievable (agreed, attainable)</li><li>Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based)</li></ol>

1. Setting clear and measurable goals 🎯

<ol><li>Make a list. Figure out how to write a daily routine begins by writing down everything you need to get done daily, both at home and at work</li><li>Structure your day. Think about when you work best. Then, group your tasks into the time of day that makes the most sense for when you will efficiently complete them.</li><li>Get specific</li><li>Schedule time for flexibility</li><li>Test drive your new routine </li></ol>

2. Developing a daily routine 📅

<ol><li>Write down all of your tasks</li><li>Determine which tasks are truly important</li><li>Stick to a schedule that reflects your priority tasks</li><li>Tackle your most intense, high-effort tasks first</li><li>Focus on one task at a time (try not to multitask</li></ol>

3. Prioritizing Tasks Based On Importance 

<ol><li>Have a plan the night before</li><li>Turn off the distractions</li><li>Get comfortable (knowing what environment makes you comfortable yet focused at the same time can help you maintain focus)</li><li>Practice meditation (allow your mind to let go of interrupting thoughts and get centered on one thing)</li><li>Set smaller goals</li><li>Sleep (help you increase your focus and improve your overall health)</li><li>Use visual reminders (stuck on the top of your office computer "Focus, Focus, Focus." Look at this reminder and repeat those words out loud.</li><li>Reward yourself (choose the task and the costomized reward)</li><li>Take a walk </li><li>Unplug and play</li></ol>

4. Staying focused and avoiding distractions

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Write down your goals</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Read your list every day and take action</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Break your goals down into smaller tasks</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Schedule time on your calendar</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Get up early. Waking up earlier than usual gives you extra time to focus on your goals without distractions. It can also help you make better decisions and be more productive throughout the day </li></ol>

5. Taking action on their goals 🏃  

<ol><li>Participate in meetup to learn from others</li><li>Read a book</li><li>Join a learning center</li><li>Use your drive time</li><li>Take advantage of the web</li><li>Set smart goals to track progress and motivate learning</li><li>Stay current with industry trends and best practices</li><li>Be willing to fall in order to learn</li><li>Focus on the process rather than the outcome</li><li>Don't be afraid to ask questions</li><li>Take time for reflection and relaxation</li><li>Play to your strengths</li><li>Learning from those around you</li><li>Build a portfolio of experiences</li></ol>

6. Constantly learning and growing 📚

<ol><li>Practice gratitude</li><li>Try to do more each day</li><li>Describe yourself with positive words</li><li>Surround yourself with positive people</li><li>Start meditating every day</li><li>Don't expect results</li><li>Try to make other people feel happy</li><li>Focus on what you get to do</li><li>Remember what you have to be thankful for</li><li>Stay connected with loved ones</li><li>Remember one good thing each day</li><li>Have things to look forward to (no matter how small)</li><li>Find absorbing hobbies</li><li>Don't immerse yourself in negative thinking</li><li>Think about your purpose in life </li></ol>

7. Keeping a positive attitude 😃

<ol><li>Keep a gratitude journal</li><li>Remember the bad. To be grateful in your current state, it's helpful to remember the hard times that you once experienced.</li><li>Ask yourself 3 questions. Meditate on your relationships using 3 questions 1.What have I received from__? 2.What have I given to__? What troubles and difficulty have I caused?</li><li>Share your gratitude with others</li><li>Come to your senses</li><li>Use visual reminders</li><li>Make a vow to practice gratitude</li><li>Watch your language. </li><li>Go through the motions. Smiling, saying thank you, and writing letters of gratitude.</li><li>Think outside the box. Flex your gratitude muscles</li></ol>

8. Practicing gratitude 🙏

<ol><li>Decide to surround yourself with greatness</li><li>Let go of negative relationships</li><li>Identify positive people</li><li>Join a professional group (online or in person, coach and seek out uplifting people to spend time with.)</li><li>Get outside your comfort zone to surround yourself with good people; spend time where they are</li></ol>

9. Surrounding themselves with positive influences 🌟 

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Identify your relationship needs</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Develop your people skills</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Focus on your emotional intelligence</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Practice mindful listening</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Schedule time to build relationships</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Manage your boundaries</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Appreciate others</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be positive</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid gossiping. If you're experiencing conflict with someone talk to them directly about the problem.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be proactive in your networking efforts. Attend events and conferences, join professional organizations, and reach out to people in your network to schedule coffee or lunch dates</li></ol>

10. Networking and building relationships 🤝

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Set clear goals - define your short-term and long-term goals. Having a clear sense of purpose will help you prioritize tasks.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Plan your day - create a daily to-do list</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Time management - use time management techniques like the Pomodoro</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Declutter - keep your physical and digital spaces organized.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use technology - utilize productivity apps and tools like task management apps, calendars, and project management software.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Set deadlines - assign realistic deadlines for tasks.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Single -tasking - focus on a task at a time rather than multitasking, which reduce overall productivity</li></ol>

11. Being organized and productive 🗂️  

<ol><li>Listen actively: pay close attention to the speaker and demonstrate that you're engaged by nodding, making eye contact and providing verbal cues like "I see" or "Go on"</li><li>Clarify your message: be clear and concise in your message. Avoid jargon or overly complex language</li><li>Body language: non-verbal cues, such as body language and facial expressions, play a significant role in communication. Be mindful of your gestures and posture</li><li>Empathize: try to understand the perspective and feelings of the person you're communicating with. Show empathy and acknowledge their emotions</li><li>Ask questions</li></ol>

12. Communicating effectively 💬

<ol><li>Open mindedness (embrace new ideas and be open to different perspectives)</li><li>Embrace change (recognize that change is a part of life)</li><li>Learn continuously (cultivate a growth mindset by actively seeking opportunities for learning and personal development)</li><li>Step out of your comfort zone (challenge yourself to try new experiences and activities)</li><li>Practice patience (be patient with yourself and others)</li><li>Maintain a positive attitude (a positive outlook can help you see the potential benefits of charge and adapt more effectively)</li><li>Problem solving. Develop strong problem solving skills</li><li>Set realistic expectations</li></ol>

13. Being adaptable and flexible 🔄

<ol><li>Set clear goals</li><li>Create a plan</li><li>Prioritize tasks</li><li>Establish a routine</li><li>Time management</li><li>Avoid distractions</li><li>Set deadlines</li><li>Monitor progress</li><li>Practice self-control</li><li>Accountability</li><li>Learn to say No</li><li>Visualize success</li><li>Avoid procrastination</li><li>Self-retraint</li><li>Maintain healthy habits</li><li>Seek support</li><li>Learn from mistakes</li><li>Self-Awareness</li><li>Resilience</li><li>Celebrate small wins </li></ol>

14. Being self-disciplined 🎖️

<ol><li>Noticing times when you lost your patience and what it felt like</li><li>Use the STOP practice</li><li>Practicing with the smaller stuff</li><li>Taking a break by moving and shifting focus</li><li>Reflect on circumstances </li></ol>

15. Being patient and persistent ⏳

<ol><li>Know your limits</li><li>Be assertive</li><li>Use a positive tone</li><li>Provide alternatives</li><li>Be honest</li><li>Practice Self-care</li><li>Be firm, be clear about your boundaries, and don't back down </li></ol>

16. Setting boundaries and saying "no" 🛑

<ol><li>Be organized</li><li>Be motivated</li><li>Don't overpromise</li><li>Be principled</li><li>Be sincere </li></ol>

17. Keeping promises and commitments 🤝

Habits are an essential part of our daily lives. They shape our behaviours, attitudes, and ultimately, our success.

1. Setting clear and measurable goals 🎯 2.

strategy

Strategy

100 Habits of Highly Successful People: The Ultimate Guide to Crushing It (Without Crushing Yourself)

A brief step-by-step explanation of how I deal with stress and anxiety:
<ul>
<li>Step 1 - Identify the Source of Discomfort</li>
<li>Step 2 - Analyze Stressful Thoughts</li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: I'm not a qualified professional of any kind when it comes to human psychology.

Worry Less

When you feel discomfort, the first thing you should do is ask yourself why you are feeling that discomfort. Where does it come from? Is it guilt, something you did in the near or distant past? Is it fear of what could happen in the future? Is it the discomfort of having to do something but not being able to do it now? What is it?
To understand that, you don't have to write down what you have been doing or avoiding until now. You don't have to meditate or even talk to yourself in the mirror for 10 minutes. You just have to calm down, take a deep breath, and focus on what is going on in your mind. It doesn't even take 10 seconds.

Step 1 - Identify the Source of Discomfort

This step is about analyzing the thing that is stressing you out. As mentioned above, there are three main ways of looking at stressful thoughts:
<ul>
<li>Guilt of the past</li>
<li>Procrastination (things you should do now but are putting off)</li>
<li>Fear of what could happen in the future</li>
</ul>
After you look at the situation from the perspective of time, you should start looking for other approaches. Other approaches include:
<ul>
<li>Is it a problem that needs to be solved?</li>
<li>Can I solve it?</li>
<li>Is it my fault? And so on.</li>
</ul>

Step 2 - Analyze Stressful Thoughts

If it is something you did in the past, chances are that you can't change it, and it is not a problem that requires a solution. You should just let go. Forgive yourself and promise to never do it again.
If you wronged somebody else, a smart approach would be to apologize. Tell them that you are sorry and that it will never happen again.
Stop worrying about what happened in the past. There's an Ethiopian saying that goes, "You don't build a house for a winter that is over." It's gone; move on.

Dealing with Guilt

This is what most of us have struggled with and are still struggling with now. Procrastination is the act of putting off tasks that you should do and cannot avoid in the long run.
You should look at it from various angles. Ask yourself questions like, "Why?", "What do I need to start doing the work?", "Who's at fault for not starting the work?" If you can answer these questions, you will get to work in no time.
Answering the above questions will help you understand the problem better. If the reason for your procrastination is mere laziness, get up and start by doing the worst part first.

Handling Procrastination

If there are things you need to have in place to start the work, start getting those things in place. Sometimes it's only a pen.
If there are other people that you need to start the work, call them or send them a text. Tell them that you should get started if you want the work to be done on time.
Don't worry, just do it.

Don't worry, just do it.

Some people are obsessed with the future. They are constantly anxious about what will happen. This arises from self-doubt and procrastination. Solving one solves the other after all.
When you are in a state of fear and anxiety stressing over the future, you should take a deep breath and try to analyze the exact thing that you are afraid of. What decisions can you make to control the outcome? Who controls the outcome? Is there anything you can do about it? If yes, well, just do it. If not, just wait and see what will happen.

Facing Fear

Of course, it is easier said than done. You can't just sit there and stop worrying. You shouldn't worry about things that you can not change, but you can't just switch it off either. There are ways to make it easier. Some of them are:
<ul>
<li>Meditation</li>
<li>Exercise</li>
<li>Going for a walk</li>
<li>Talking to someone you trust</li>
<li>Sleeping</li>
<li>Taking a shower</li>
<li>Most importantly, praying</li>
</ul>

Techniques for Dealing with Anxiety

Identify the cause of your anxiety. Can you solve it? If yes, solve it and don't think about it. If no, stop thinking about it and wait for things to happen. To make it easier, use one of the seven ways to help yourself feel comfortable. Pray to God.

Summary

How to Stop Worrying

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Rules of Learning

The Hidden Life Lessons Halloween Can Teach Us

Starchy Vegetables: A Vital Vehicle For Essential Nutrients

5 Habits That Are Killing Your Productivity

How To Make a Life Review To Reignite Your Motivation

Design your environment for success: The long-term strategy to foster good habits

100 Habits of Highly Successful People: The Ultimate Guide to Crushing It (Without Crushing Yourself)

How to Stop Worrying

The power of being specific: Tracking your habits and making them stick

No Excuses!

It's time to Read like a Pro.

It's time to
Read like a Pro.