Motivations 4U

When life becomes a tangled web of negative news, upsetting emotions, and work overload, it's hard to find ways to feel better. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is hang on and take every step to keep your mind and emotions positive.   One way to psychologically heal yourself is to perform random acts of kindness. The really cool thing about doing random acts of kindness is that you feel great, and someone else feels blessed, too. By one simple act, two people will feel better about their lives.  Why not heal yourself and someone else through practicing kind acts? Try some of these suggestions or think of your own lovely favors to do for others.   Deposit money in a vending machine and walk away. If you work in a setting with food and beverage vending machines, a wonderful, inexpensive way to give someone's day a lift as well as your own is to deposit money in a machine and leave it for the next person. Whoever approaches the machine will see there's money

  I get up quickly when I fall because my strength is determined by my resolve to move forward, regardless of setbacks. When I am determined to succeed, a simple fall only fuels my drive. No matter how many times I fall, I wipe the dust off my knees and carry on.   Sometimes in my walk, I may stumble, which sets me back. But a minor stumble may prevent me from falling. When I stumble, I hold on to the lessons that I have learned in the past to help me stand strong once again.   Hope stays with me when I fall because when I hit the ground, the only direction to go is up. I can look forward to tomorrow because I will enter the day with new wisdom. My vision stays close to my heart even if I have to make adjustments to my plans.   I keep my dignity when I fall because my true character is revealed at the lowest point. Even when I have made a mistake, I continue to be an intelligent person worthy of admiration and respect.   Without overanalyzing my mistakes, I evaluate my actio

Diet and exercise may be the first things that come to mind when you think about taking care of your heart. However, what you do overnight counts too. Sleep deficiencies can contribute to many heart conditions, and heart troubles can make it difficult to sleep.   Experts have been aware of a link between sleep apnea and high blood pressure for many years. Now, ongoing research is discovering similar interactions related to insomnia and other sleep disorders.  Learn more about how you can use sleep to keep your heart healthy.   Understanding How Sleep Affects Your Heart   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one-third of adults get less than the minimum recommendation of 7 hours of sleep each night, adding to their risk for heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. What does that mean for you?   Consider these facts:   Count your hours. Lack of sleep can disrupt your hormones and cause calcium buildup and other changes in your arteries. On the other

 Reading is a highly effective way of increasing your knowledge. Books are quite amazing. Some of the most intelligent and capable people have chosen to write down what they know.   You can have access to this information without having to invest decades of your life. You can avoid all of the failure that comes with having to learn that knowledge yourself.   All you have to do is spend a leisurely week reading a book! There's no better deal in the world.   Of course, the faster you read, the more you can learn each week. Most adults read around 250 words per minute. Of course, the reading material impacts speed. Some things are easier to read than others.   With practice, 1,000 words per minute is definitely achievable! Some people can read many times faster than that.   If you value your time, your reading speed matters!   Try these strategies to increase your reading speed:   Keep your eyes moving forward. One study that tracked eye movement showed th

Seventy-three percent of Netflix viewers report feeling happy while they're binge-watching. However, those marathon sessions could pose risks to your mental and physical health.  A growing body of research raises concerns about what binge-watching does to your brain.   Some studies suggest that watching back-to-back episodes can contribute to depression and anxiety and impair language and memory skills.  At first, you feel pleasure as your brain produces more dopamine. Then, you may feel let down when you finish your last season of Buffy. (ok that was an old reference, lol) But meanwhile, that passive activity can decrease oxygen levels and make it harder for your brain to focus.   Does this mean you have to choose between your brain and Stranger Things? Before you cancel your streaming subscriptions, find out how to make binge-watching healthier.   Binge Watching and Mental Health:   Binge-watching is probably here to stay. Sixty-one percent of Netflix viewers also sa

There are a lot of people that like to start the day with a cup of coffee. Our minds and bodies rely on it after a while. But is that a bad thing?   It turns out that consuming caffeine has some significant benefits. But caffeine has a few downsides, too.   Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of caffeine.   Consuming caffeine has some real advantages:   Caffeine is a safe stimulant when used at the appropriate dosages. This is one of the reasons many people love a cup of coffee in the morning. Sure, coffee tastes great, but we also love the feeling of alertness and focus that the caffeine from coffee provides. Caffeine is good for your mood. Caffeine is also a mood-booster for many people. You feel more capable and the day looks a little brighter. Caffeine blunts your appetite. Caffeine is also used in many appetite suppressants. You’re not as hungry after consuming caffeine.

 Most people consider getting their bodies in better shape. But few people think about growing their intellect. However, a mind is a terrible thing to waste!  Yes, it's important to keep your body healthy and fit. But put the rest of your available exercise time toward building your intellect! Just like a muscle, if you don't use it, you'll lose it. Seniors that keep sharp and exercise their mind continuously are healthy and less likely to have memory issues as well as brain deteriorating diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. The most important thing about intellectual exercise is you need to challenge the mind. The techniques below are exercises that challenge and strengthen your brain, much like when you lift weights, you strengthen your muscles.   Try these techniques to build greater intellectual capacity:   Read. Reading is great. You can often find out more about a topic in a few hours of reading than you can in a lifetime of experimenting