Motivations 4U

 Do you have any weaknesses? We all do, but some of us do a poor job of dealing with them. Others appear to have no weaknesses because their weaknesses are never exposed. Your weaknesses can be a big drag on your life, or they can have minimal impact. It depends on the weakness and how you address it.   A weakness doesn't have to be a hindrance! Use these techniques to deal with weaknesses strategically:   Decide if your weakness is relevant. Not all weaknesses are worthy of addressing. If you're a terrible athlete but have no interest in playing sports, why work on your athleticism? Everyone has weaknesses, but not everyone has weaknesses that matter to them. ●       Consider your life and your goals. Do your weaknesses get in the way of either? If not, don't worry about them! You are very fortunate! Work around your weakness. In many cases, it's possible to work around your weaknesses. If you're terrible o

You may know that low levels of the brain chemical serotonin are often associated with depression. However, it's been difficult for scientists to measure its natural fluctuations. A recent study provides the first glimpse at monitoring serotonin in humans in real-time.   Several patients scheduled for brain surgery without full anesthesia volunteered to have a special microelectrode inserted during their procedure. The device tracked their serotonin levels while they performed a psychological test following the movement of a random dot.   In addition to providing a breakthrough in measuring serotonin, this study by neuroscientists at University College London produced several other important findings. It confirmed serotonin's involvement in a wide range of cognitive functions and showed how it affects different parts of the brain.   These findings could help create more effective treatments for many conditions, including depression and Parkinson's Disease.  

TV commercials encourage you to have a drink to relax. However, the relationship between alcohol and anxiety can be more complicated than that. Many adults can safely drink in moderation. For others, alcohol may cause anxiety or aggravate pre-existing conditions.   There are several reasons why alcohol tends to disturb your peace of mind.   Embarrassing yourself at an office party may be an obvious danger, but there's also a molecular explanation. Alcohol causes changes in your brain chemicals, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is involved in regulating anxiety.   Your brain adjusts to the sedating effects of alcohol but may have trouble balancing itself again when your blood alcohol content starts to fall. That could leave you feeling more anxious than when you started, and that uneasiness may last for a day or more. Prolonged heavy drinking often contributes to anxiety.   Lifestyle changes and professional help can make a big difference if alcohol an

  Significantly changing your life in 30 days really is possible, although not always easy. But even though this adventure is often a big challenge, the payoffs can be enormous.   We've all taken on challenges of one sort of another for 30 days. Maybe you tried a diet or an exercise program. Perhaps you decided to give up TV for 30 days. Even if you didn't stick with the program long-term, the results were great, weren't they? Now imagine if you expanded that idea to incorporate many areas of your life.   This program includes implementing several 30-day challenges simultaneously. You can use these suggestions or develop your own. Try creating a 30-day challenge from each category, and see where your new adventures lead you. 1.      Adjust your finances. Making more money or spending less is always a good financial theme. Alternatively, you might try balancing your accounts each day. 2.      Kick start your physical health. Diet, exercise, or combinations of b

  New tasks, surroundings, and people can be exciting, even when they require stepping out of my comfort zone. This is especially true when I have been engrossed in particular routines for a lengthy period of time. I find that the best cure is exposure.   I try to remain aware of the complacent feeling that occurs with particular routines. When I recognize complacency in me, I do something to fight it.   Sometimes, I change the order of my tasks, the times I take my breaks, or my regular work tempo. I may even take a course to learn something different, strengthen my skills, or expand my world.   When I see someone new, I am the first to introduce myself.   By exposing myself to new things, I avoid complacency in my life, opinions, and beliefs. I try new foods, attend new types of events, and seek new opportunities to be active.   Today, I want to try something different from my normal routine. I may go out to eat at a restaurant that serves a type of food that is complet

Life is a jumble of activities. There is work, home life, and all sorts of unexpected events. If I am not careful, my life can become an endless list of tasks to complete. Although I want to achieve many goals, I also desire adventure in my life.   Seeking excitement brings balance to a life filled with required activities. Balancing the unknown with the known makes for a more interesting life experience.   I believe that my goal to cultivate exciting experiences helps me to find some of the most wonderful things in life. Choosing to carry a sense of excitement livens up my day.   I can experience adventure in many ways other than taking an expensive trip. Adventure is found in the most unobtrusive places, like in a nearby park or just by taking a walk in my neighborhood.   I recognize that joy and excitement can be found in all kinds of places and situations. I look for adventure through simple acts like extending a hand to new friends or taking on a fresh project at

Regardless of where you live, chances are you only use a fraction of your community resources. Undoubtedly, there are adventures waiting for you just down the street!   Unless you live in a community with less than a few thousand people, you likely have access to dozens of activities and businesses in your city or town.   Consider the following suggestions before you set out to explore your community:   1.      Make a list of places you've heard about in your community but never visited. Maybe your city has a factory that produces a product, and that factory gives regular tours. If you've never taken the tour, put that factory on your list. ·        If your area is known for producing certain products, decide to learn about those products and how they're made. 2.      Check out the agriculture in your area. Are you surrounded by rich, fertile farmland where food products, like soybeans, berries, or other fruits and vegetables are grown? If so, visiting