You Are Stronger Than You Realize

You can do hard things, too.

When you fell and skinned your knees as a little kid, your body healed those scrapes. It stopped bleeding and it eventually grew new skin. The bruises you got from that fall turned purple and blue, then green and yellow, and then disappeared as if they were never there. The bones you broke were reset, and they grew back, too.

You healed into something new; you became something stronger, too.

You are stronger than you realize.

When the world told you “no” at every turn, you didn’t listen. You didn’t pay attention to the whisper of words intended to bring you down. You didn’t let them anchor you, or tether you, or clip your wings so that you could never fly again.

You pushed mute on what they said.

You kept forging onward, too.

You held onto the vision of what you wanted and you didn’t let go. You ignored the naysayers, the haters, and the ones who didn’t see the picture that you were trying to paint. You knew in your gut and in your heart and in your bones that you had a picture that needed to be splayed across a canvas, and you were not about to settle for a shade of gray when vibrant colors were what you wanted.

You are stronger than you realize.

You can do the hard, seemingly impossible things.

When grief has hit you in the gut and shattered you in a way you never thought possible, you stood back up. You held the pieces of your broken heart in the palms of your hands and you found a way to sew them back together. You mended what felt broken beyond repair. When it seemed easier to pull the covers over your head and fade away, you didn’t. You got out of bed. You put one foot in front of the other and you moved about your day. You let your wound become a scar, not an anchor. You found a way to begin again and live in the space of your new normal.

When life has thrown you curveballs, you’ve swerved right along it. You’ve hit the ball out of the park and climbed the mountain and finished the race.

Even when you’ve wanted to quit.

Even when you’ve wanted to curl up in the corner and cry.

Even when you’ve felt as if nothing would ever be okay again.

You persisted.

You can do hard things because you are strong.

You are strong because you’ve faced hard things.

* This article was originally published here

Why Are You Holding Yourself Back From The Things That Ignite Your Soul?

Why is it that we’re afraid to reach for the things that we want that rattle our souls? The things that make us feel alive and bold?⁣

Why is it that we allow fear to put a finger to our mouths just as we’re ready to speak our truth and to tell the world our story? ⁣

Why is it that we can look up at the stars and throw wishes at a sea of possibility, but when the dawn breaks, we are suddenly afraid to reach that high, to reach up to the sky? ⁣

⁣Why is it that we are scared to say our dreams out loud, to stand in our power, and to tell the world that we are worthy of every little bit of it?⁣⁣

Why is it that we throw shade at ourselves for the mistakes that we make but feel too shy to throw glitter at all the magic we create? ⁣

Why is it that we stop short of realizing how capable and powerful and wonderful we all are? Why stop at maybe when you keep walking to your new reality? ⁣

Why is it that we live with only one foot out the door because we worry about what we leave behind, even though it belongs to someone we’ve outgrown?⁣

Why is it that we hold ourselves back from loving the breaths between our bones and the body we often don’t consider home? Why hold back, seeing we are never alone? ⁣

I challenge you to challenge these misconceptions that the ego imparts on our world. I challenge you to challenge the doubts that permeate our universe. ⁣⁣

I challenge you to simply look into the mirror, but see that you are far from simple. See the glitter in your eyes. See the compassion at the edge of your lips. See the life that you’ve lived through your reflection. ⁣

See the person looking back at you and choose to love them. Love them hard. Love them fiercely. Love them truly. ⁣

⁣And next time you asked yourself why? Ask yourself instead, why not?

* This article was originally published here

Self-Trust Is The New Self-Care

Something I’ve begun to notice lately is how much your world changes when you start to trust yourself. In taking that one step forward, however small or gigantic, you tell yourself and the world that you believe in yourself enough to move ahead. ⁣⁣

When you do that? It’s like the universe takes notes, the ground shakes, and doors start to open everywhere from the quake. Maybe you don’t even notice at first. Maybe doubt is still distracting you from the vibration you just emanated. Yet, over time, opportunities in cracks that you created will blossom and bloom. ⁣⁣

Of course it’s still nice to get validation and affirmation from people you trust, but it’s transformation to be able to offer yourself that affirmation and let it be enough. To trust yourself is to know that you have your own back, no matter what is ahead. ⁣⁣

To trust yourself is to hear out your fears but give your dreams the mic. To trust yourself is to walk in your truth at a pace you decide. To trust yourself is to be your own home—a foundation you can always rely on. ⁣⁣

Something magical happens when you decide to trust yourself. It’s like the wind hears you and starts to whisper your potential to the rest of the world. It’s like earth opens up to create more space for your wildest imagination. It’s like the birds sing of your potential, and over time, the universe learns of your song, your truth. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Yes, there will be detours. No, it won’t be easy. But trusting yourself means knowing these things and proceeding anyways. It won’t always be magical, but self-trust can alchemize any lackluster situation into a glittering opportunity—even if it takes time. ⁣⁣

So go ahead, take that next step toward your deepest desires and most fantastical wiles. Trust yourself enough to carve your path ahead and create more space for joy by letting go of the fears that shackled you to one place. The key is simply having the certainty, the faith, and the resolve to follow your heart. ⁣⁣

Trust it’ll lead you somewhere beautiful.

* This article was originally published here

Mind Over Money: How To Develop A Smarter Money Mindset

How big-picture thinking may improve Americans’ financial decision making and alleviate effects of stress, according to a new study from Capital One and The Decision Lab. Phyllis Harris was the first in her family to go to college, the first to have a child and the first to own a home. In short—she …

* This article was originally published here

Dear God—Thank You For Leading Me

I have spent the past few nights staring at the ceiling, wondering what the hell is going on with my life. Wondering if I am ever going to be anything or go anywhere. Thinking that I haven’t accomplished much in the 30 years that I have lived on this earth.

Something kind of weird has happened the last few nights. I have woken up, looked at the time, and it was 1:11 a.m. The first time that it happened, I didn’t think much of it. Then the next two days I woke up in the middle of the night at exactly 1:11 a.m. again.

This morning I googled what the number 111 meant, and it turns out it is an angel number that means new beginnings, optimism, inspiration, motivation, and inner intuitive voices.

Is this the sign? I wondered. Is God trying to tell me something? 

I wholeheartedly believe that God sends me messages through the universe to remind me where I am going.

Dear God—thank you for leading me.

Thank You for leading me on days when I feel lost and uncertain. 

Thank You for reminding me that I have work to do on this earth, and I have a purpose to fulfill.

Some days I get lost in my own thoughts; my mind gets foggy and I lose sight of my path. There are times I become distracted and disillusioned. And I forget where I am going. But You never give up on me. You always call me back to You. You remind me that I need to trust You and that You will show me what roads to take and what turns to avoid.

When life isn’t going the way I want it to go to, it’s easy to try and take the wheel from You and try to do things my way. I have always been a control freak, and I crave being in control. It makes me feel safe and secure. But I know that being a control freak isn’t going to get me anywhere. So God, please help me surrender control to You each and every day. Help me trust You deeply. I know that You are always looking out for my well-being, my happiness, and helping me to find my purpose. I have spent so much time searching for these in all the wrong people, places, and things. The problem is that only You know how to get me there and I have to let You lead me.

As much as I want to plan my own life, and I want things to go a certain way, I have to let go of all my worries and trust Your plan. And I know that what You have planned for me will make me happier than anything I could have plan on my own.

I’ll be honest, waiting can really get to me, but I simply have to have faith and believe that You have my life completely in Your hands. I have to learn how to have patience during these waiting periods. I have to trust that You not only have a set plan and future for my life, but You also have a set time in which all of these plans will manifest in my life.

I know that You have a perfect destiny set up for my life and You will be the one leading me there. You will be with me every step of the way. I’m convinced that letting You lead is the best thing I can do for myself.

Dear God, You hold the world in Your hands, and I fully trust you that You will lead me where You want me to go.

* This article was originally published here

Warren Buffett says public speaking is the most important skill - Business Insider

Growing up, legendary investor Warren Buffett was terrified of speaking in public. However, he realized he'd never make the type of impact that he wanted if he didn't take the steps to get his communication skills tight. As a result, while attending graduate school at Columbia, he decided to …

* This article was originally published here

I Won’t Apologize For My Mistakes, But I Will Learn From Them

I hate the word “perfect.”

I hate it because for so long that’s what I tried to be. I tried to be that person who wouldn’t falter. The kind of person who walked in a straight line. That person who wanted perfect grades and would spend so long in the mirror making sure not a hair was out of place or any bit of makeup on me was smudged. Everything had to be in order or else it wasn’t okay.

But over time I came to realize that living that way isn’t only unhealthy, it’s pretty impossible. Because sometimes even when you try your best to do everything right, life has a way of coming in and messing it up. Sometimes you find yourself staring at a fork in the road and your straight line you tried so hard to keep up with has given you options you didn’t think you’d have to choose between.

Sometimes you can study so hard for something, only to end up failing and setting you back. Sometimes your hair gets messed up from raking your hands through it because your anxiety is through the roof. Sometimes your makeup gets smudged from crying so hard over someone that didn’t deserve your tears, even though you finally thought you were strong enough to let them go.

Life can be complicated. Sometimes you don’t have control over every single thing. We want to feel like we have everything figured out and not out of order because it makes us feel like we can’t fail. We don’t want to get the thought in our heads that everything could come crashing down, because then we’re left contemplating every decision we ever made, always thinking how if we had done something different, maybe something in our life would’ve ended up different than it is now.

We think so much of the “What if?” instead of the “Why not?” mentality. It’s like we’re so afraid to make a mistake, because then we feel like we’re tainted and everyone will judge us for what we did wrong.

I’ve come to learn that no matter how hard I try to go through life smoothly, there’s always going to be bumps along the way. Sometimes it’s my fault. I’ll admit to doing things knowing that they were only going to end up turning out badly. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone out the night before a big exam because I wanted to hangout with my friends. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that extra drink, because then I wouldn’t have woken up the next day nursing a hangover. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone back to that person again, because I knew what the outcome would end up being despite thinking things could be different this time.

But I’m not afraid to fail or mess up. I’m not going to spend my life going through every bad decision I’ve made when I can instead take what I learned from it and move on. I think if I went through life walking on thin ice with the fear of it cracking under me, I would always be on edge. I needed to learn that it’s okay if I drown as long as I know I can swim my way back up.

Everything I have learned in life has been a lesson. I don’t regret anything I went through because it got me to where I am today. If my past has taught me anything, it’s that life goes on, and as much as I’d like to dwell on things, it won’t change anything. The only thing I can do is improve on my present and take what I’ve learned to make my future worth it.

We care too much about our faults instead of accepting the inevitable outcome and moving on. We need to stop being so hard on ourselves. We need to stop preaching, “I’ll never make the same mistake twice,” because that’s not always how it goes. And maybe you’ll keep making the same mistake over and over again until you learned your lesson, but that’s not someone’s right to decide that for you. It’s up to you to know when enough is enough. It’s up to you to finally start to see clearly the pattern you’ve gotten yourself into and know that it is no longer serving you anything but negative feelings. And you will see it, and you will learn that your mistakes do not define you. Maybe you won’t forget what you did wrong, but you can forgive yourself.

Because at the end of the day, we’re human and we’re not perfect. But you know what? I’m so glad I’m not perfect. It’s overrated, if you ask me.

* This article was originally published here

Don’t Let Your Fear Hold You Back From The Good Things In Life

We have so much goodness and love to give, yet I know many are afraid to receive it. It’s overwhelming. It makes us vulnerable, and it may be fleeting.

Because many of us are afraid and conditioned to believe that something bad will happen after a good thing, it seems we now all live in a pessimistic world built on fear.

The same fear that is holding us back from anything or everything good that could have happened in our lives. So we reject the idea or the possibility of good.

Our insecurities are the root of our problems. We then feel low, undeserving, unworthy of anything good. So we accept what we think we deserve, the bare minimum. But we deserve so much more. Because we are all flawed, but it is our flaws that make us human. It is our imperfections that allow us to experience life through various journeys of growth.

But we are amazing in our own way. No one person is made the same. We all deserve to be loved, yes, but by the right people. Know that not everyone is for you. But you will be loved by the right people who choose to love you. And they will be there. They will never leave. You can be the most flawed, broken person in the world, but they’ll be there. You can shun them or avoid them like the plague, but they’ll be there.

These people see so much potential in you that you are unable to see in yourself. But most often, these are also the people you hurt the most. Many times you test them, abuse them, and take their love for granted.

Because of your insecurities, because you feel unworthy, you expect them to throw in the towel eventually, like the majority of the world or people who are not right for us. So you push them and abuse them, hoping that they will snap and prove you right eventually.

Your insecurity becomes poison to others because some people they never leave and end up being subjected to your cycle of abuse. You do not see that, and you probably never will.

I just hope that before it gets to that, you will soon see your own worth. That you can become the potential that people see in you. That you love your flaws and you see them as seeds of opportunities to grow into better versions of you through the years of your life. And that however painful the process, however difficult, you grit out teeth and go through the process alongside people who are rooting for you.

I hope that when you see that, you will know not to hurt the ones around you, because they have their struggles and insecurities too. I hope that you will in turn show them how amazing they are and help them see their own potential.

* This article was originally published here

How to Follow Your Passion and Succeed

You're reading How to Follow Your Passion and Succeed, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Both in the physical and digital world, people would describe me as a nomad. Some would even say I'm a troublemaker, but not in a mean-spirited way. The reality is that for me, it's all about the view. By that, I mean literally and figuratively in my perspective. Because my passions are travel, connecting people, and beauty, I do everything to have all of it in my life. For instance, in following my passions, I have the chance to travel for business and pleasure when I have the opportunity to steal a weekend away someplace warm. And, aesthetic beauty is found almost anywhere—especially when I have the chance to work from a splendid beach.

I will share that sometimes people will challenge me about whether I can follow my passion and succeed. In other words, is it possible? And, is it sustainable in the long-term? My answer is a resounding, yes!

The digital age allows me to soak in different countries and locations during those moments I’m not leading a marketing team. On any given day I’m connecting with people around the world, and planning my next vacay with Hopper. But, even when I'm working, I find joy in curating and working with my team on presenting the most aesthetically beautiful marketing content images. 

You can do it too! Really. It’s not just more marketing spin from a professional marketer.

1. Perspective Changes Everything

When I was old enough to work, I immediately got a job in the beauty industry. Because I have a passion for beauty, I thought fashion was the natural place to pursue my interest. I had a great time, but today I'm in an industry focused on social good. A few people I know have asked me how I find my passion in marketing outside of the beauty or travel industries.

The answer, for me, is that every day I have the chance to lead in the creation of appealing content. Also, the digital world allows me to enjoy photography and social media (connecting people). And the more I develop in my career, the more professional and personal travel I achieve. In other words, how I view my world and reality goes a long way toward how I see my passion and success.

• Your Passion is Not Dead—It’s Fluid

Perhaps, like me, you've read articles with headlines that state that following your passion is dead. Some of those titles are clickbait. But, other ones with the same type of claims go deeper, and when you read the articles, you understand that the old way of thinking about following your passion is dead. In other words, one of the big takeaways is that your passions are not fixed. They change and evolve with time. They are fluid. Therefore, people who understand this and follow where their interests take them, have a higher likelihood of success.

My passion for connecting people has me loving what I do on social media. For instance, I just started using two platforms in my marketing group. One is Later.com for Instagram scheduling, and the other is a platform for social ad building. Again, I have the chance to curate and schedule beautiful social posts. Am I working for Vogue or Elle? No, but I've taken a deep dive into the marketing world, and I find beauty in the images I share. Again, perspective and understanding that my passions are not static. They can evolve, develop, and encompass many areas to be fulfilling.

• Curiosity feeds passion and success

It’s been a while since I spent time connecting with people in AOL chat rooms or MySpace. Remember those? Curiosity about others, as well as my interests in other cultures and aesthetics,  gives me momentum to keep going. Curiosity, to me, is the fuel that keeps all aspects of my passions alive. Again, passion is no longer considered to be this fixed asset. Instead, it's malleable.

Many years ago, the karate master, Bruce Lee, said that people had to be like water. And, what he meant by that is that when you pour water into a glass, it becomes the glass. When you pour it into a pitcher, it becomes the pitcher. In other words, it's as if water had the human characteristic of curiosity, and because of it, it supple and transforms. Curiosity makes you smarter, helps you grow, and fuels your passion. In other words, curiosity allows you to go deeper into things and keep mastering what interests you in creative ways.

In sum, passion and success start in your head and how you view all of it. Have a good outlook, remember your passions are fluid, and stay curious.

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Kristy Fontelera, VP Marketing, Funds2Orgs. Kristy Fontelera is a creative professional with a background in corporate and nonprofit social media advertising, content creation, and brand strategy. As the VP of Marketing, she works with a suite of global fundraising brands as well as manages national and local social media accounts for clients and entrepreneurs. Kristy enjoys new books, traveling, Fleetwood Mac, and picnics with her pup. Most of all, Kristy is a passionate individual that loves nothing than more than to help others make an impact in their market and the world.

You've read How to Follow Your Passion and Succeed, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

* This article was originally published here

9 Surprising Reasons Why You Should Smile More

Anyone can smile, but many people aren’t smiling as often as they should. This is too bad. Smiling can do a lot for you, and it feels great, too. Think of all the people you know and how much they smile. What do the people that smile a lot have in common? What about the […]

* This article was originally published here

Dear God, Keep Me Grounded In You

Dear God,

I don’t want to be just constantly flowing with the world just to fit in with everyone else. Frankly, it gets tiring and draining. I’m sure you know this. Chasing after worldly things will always leave you drained and wanting more until you lose parts of yourself that comprises who you are.

Take me away from everything that isn’t from you, God. I’m tired of constantly conforming to the rest of the world, only to end up empty. I’m tired of being surrounded by people that don’t fuel me and inspire me to be better. I’m tired of trying to fix everything and everyone that is broken around me. I know I shouldn’t even try to fix what’s broken, because only You are capable of that. Every time I try to fix things, it ends with more frustration on my part, and I’m tired of it. I’m tired of trying to save the broken, heal the brokenhearted, and restore everything to the way it was, when clearly other people aren’t my responsibility to fix, save, or change. I know I should know better. The only thing I can do at this point is love them, pray for them, and inspire them through having You in me.

Keep me grounded in my morals and my values, God. Without these things, I don’t know who I am. If I don’t stand for anything, then I am nothing. If I don’t become the representation of what it’s like to have such a good and all-powerful God in my life, then I have no purpose in this world. I want to be grounded in Your word more than anything. The world should never have been my standard, because the world will leave me constantly drained, empty, and broken. Other people will never complete me the way You do. Alcohol, sex, drugs, and addictions will never satisfy me. All it does is temporarily fill up the void in my empty heart.

Be my light amidst all the darkness in this world, God. It’s the only way to become whole once again. Keep me grounded in Your truth, Your love, and Your grace, because I wouldn’t have it any other way.

* This article was originally published here

37 Toxic Mindsets That Are Going To Make You Miserable

1. That anything but perfection is a failure. Progress is often incremental and takes time.

2. The idea that “resting is lazy.” Self-care is a somewhat new concept to most people, and humans suck at it. We focus on things that aren’t biologically sound – like dieting, exercising to failure, or working 80 hours a week – and totally ignore what we actually makes sense in regards to being healthier and more fulfilled.

3. “I can fix this person who has hurt me many times.”

4. “If you can’t handle me at my worst then you don’t deserve me at my best.”

Sometimes someone’s worst is an absolute deal-breaker and needing to cut ties and move on doesn’t mean that that person doesn’t deserve the good things that come from a better relationship.

5. “No days off.” Sometimes you need a mental health day or a break, and people make it sound like if you don’t work yourself into the ground you won’t be successful. Successful people know when to recharge. Just an annoying mindset.

6. Quitting is only for losers.

If you try something and don’t like it, why keep doing it? Why not allow yourself to switch to a better major or try a different sport or get a new job?

I mean, don’t quit everything once it gets hard, but why stay miserable for a “quitters never win” mentality? Get a job you LIKE. Do an activity you LIKE.

7. The view that you’re good enough the way you are. I know that may sound strange, but no one’s perfect and we can all change ourselves in a positive ways. This mindset does have its correct uses (such as coming out of an abusive relationship) but more and more I’m seeing it used to justify staying a worse person than who you could be.

8. That if a person doesn’t immediately text you back then they don’t love you.

9. If you don’t post about a tragedy or support something on social media, you are ok with or don’t support/care about said something.

10. Expecting everything instantly. Patience is a virtue. You’re not going to die if you have to wait in line.

11. “If something doesn’t work 100% of the time, it isn’t worth doing.”

People use this as an excuse to never do anything. Or to deny others from trying. It’s frustrating and holds us back as a species.

12. The concept that both fault and responsibility can only be 100% or 0% and that if someone else has some fault it absolves another of all responsibility.

13. That if you change your mind or opinion about something you’re being fake or phony.

14. If you don’t like someone, you must be just jealous.

15. If you don’t listen to every song or know everything about a band you are not a real fan.

16. If you’re not 100% with us, you’re 100% against us.

17. You’re entitled to speak your mind. You’re not entitled to have people listen, comply, or care.

18. That you need to stay in contact with all of your family members even though some of them are incredibly toxic.

19. Everybody that doesn’t get along with you or agree with you is “toxic.” People are starting to expect being around nobody but people that agree with them, like a constant feedback bubble on social media, but in real life.

20. Saying “no offense” before saying something offensive won’t automatically make your comment less offensive.

21. That if you don’t like something (like a movie or video game) it means it’s bad. C’mon people, grow up already.

22. Assuming that people are not allowed to change their opinions or values over time, and judging people, famous or not, for comments made decades ago. Yes, some people have patterns of problematic comments and behavior and should not be ignored. But it also makes sense that, for example, a politician may have learned more about abortion or healthcare or what have you and be able to change their stance. We are not the same people at 25 and 50.

23. Broadcasting everything on social media…

24. “My opinion is as good as your evidence.”

25. Stop comparing traumas. It’s not a fucking competition. Learn to have empathy and take care of each others’ mental health.

26. Something I notice in the gym is the “No pain, no gain!” mentality is rampant. It is good to feel soreness and tightness after and during your workout, but working yourself to pain hinders your progress immensely. Crossfit takes this to an extreme, encouraging people to workout until total failure which can result in severe injury. Working out shouldn’t be painful. One wrong tear and you’re toast.

27. That just because someone is “trying to help” doesn’t mean you can’t tell them to stop.

28. That showing emotion makes you weak, especially men.

29. Telling kids, especially young girls, that others only pick on them because they’re jealous of them or fancy them. That is how you teach your kids that people abuse you because they like you. It needs to stop.

3o. “I can’t change anything so I’m not going to try it.”

31. That we should have unconditional love for our relatives. Bitch, if you hurt me enough, why should I even like you?

32. “Butt in seat” mentality at white collar office-type jobs. If you do your job at a computer there is no reason you shouldn’t be able to work from home. Then attendance is not as important as just getting work done, and it eliminates the need for commuting, which eases traffic and pollution.

33. There is this whole work culture expectation now of always being reachable by email or text for whatever happens. A lot of places expect, and at times demand, that you be pretty much on call even when you’re not at the office anymore.

There should be some level of balance between work and personal life and I feel like that is fading because so many places are adapting this type of culture and mentality, especially start-ups.

34. People who oppose good things because ‘I struggled through it and so should you!’ instead of thinking ‘good, nobody should go through that if possible.’

35. Alcoholism being romanticized. No, it’s pretty terrible to be honest.

36. A life without children is empty and worthless.

I am confident that I would be a terrible parent, and no it won’t change, and no my life will not suffer because of it. It is better to have that insight and avoid parenthood that have kids you resent, mistreat, or are unprepared for.

37. “I read about it on the internet, therefore it’s true!” My grandma does this all the time to “prove” her argument and it always ends up being from some Buzzfeed article. Drives me fucking nuts.

* This article was originally published here

5 questions to ask when you need help finding your purpose

Mark Twain once said the two greatest days in a person’s life are the day they’re born and the day they discover why. Deep? Definitely. But let’s be honest: the first day is a somewhat passive experience. The second day, however, can feel like a lot of pressure. While some of us can quickly …

* This article was originally published here

How to Improve Your Health on a Budget

You're reading How to Improve Your Health on a Budget, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Are you ready to make a lifestyle change but you’re worried about breaking the bank while trying to make healthier changes? The good news is that you don’t have to worry about spending a ton of money to become healthier, but rather make small lifestyle changes that will make a big impact on your overall health. Here are a few ways you can improve your health on a budget.

#1 Stop Eating Out

Stop eating out. Not just at fast-food restaurants, stop eating out at any restaurants. Eating out at restaurants is an easy way to consume extra calories, because food cooked at restaurants often has higher salt and sugar content to make it taste better. Restaurant food is often prepared in batches for mass consumption, so it’s hard to modify your dish to remove excess salt and sugar. Additionally, restaurants serve 1.5 to 2x the normal portions of, enticing you to consume much more than necessary.

A good way to eliminate these extra calories is to cook food at home. There are several other ways of enjoying time with friends in a social environment that doesn’t revolve around food. Grab a coffee at a coffee shop with friends in the morning, meet friends for a mid-day tea, or grab a glass of red wine at a board game bar at night.

You don’t always have to follow this rule, especially if you have a special occasion coming up, but for the most part try eliminating eating out from your lifestyle. If you do go out for a meal, order wisely. Ask for a menu with a calorie count if they have one available or ask for ways you can make your meal healthier by ordering unmarinated meats, salads with a simple vinegar and oil dressing, and food cooked in olive oil rather than butter. You’ll be surprised at how much better you look and feel just by making this simple change. Also, you save tons of money by doing this. This tip will not only make you healthier but will help you keep more of your money in your pocket to spend on things that make you happy.

#2 Eat Whole Foods

Eating whole foods is one of the only proven ways of sticking to a long-term health change. Fad diets, diet pills, and restrictive diets are destined to fail and can even have adverse effects. Shortly after stopping the short-term diet, you will likely gain back any of the weight you have lost plus some due to eating large portions, rewarding yourself for dieting, and losing only water weight.

Eating whole foods consists of only eating foods how they are found in nature. Sticking to this rule helps eliminate processed foods, fried foods, canned and frozen foods, and overall unhealthy foods from your diet. Filling your plate with primarily produce and small portions of protein, legumes, nuts, and good fats is low in calories and allows your body to easily break down your meal as these foods are well-known to your digestive system.

Contrary to popular belief, eating mainly produce can be more budget-friendly than you might think. Obviously, this depends on your location, but for the most part you can find produce inexpensively depending on where you shop. Shop around to not just supermarket chains, but also to small independently owned grocers, produce stands, and farmers markets for the best deals on produce. Once you find where you can find the cheapest produce, make it part of your weekly grocery trip.

In addition to being well-priced, produce is easy to make mix-and-match meals with. This gets you more bang for your buck as well as cuts down on food waste. Because the average U.S. household wastes almost $1,000 in food each year, it’s important to buy foods you will eat all of to avoid leaving money on the table, or rather, in the trash can.

#3 Get GOOD Sleep

Often people underestimate the effect sleep has on overall health. We spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping. Therefore, we should focus on getting GOOD sleep to avoid spending our days feeling groggy. Not getting good sleep has several detrimental effects on our health.

So, how do we get GOOD sleep? Well, there is a large list of things that contributes to getting a lack of sleep. Not getting enough exercise, too much exposure to artificial light at night, drinking caffeine too close to bedtime, and many other factors can be responsible for one not getting enough restful sleep at night. It’s important to know how many hours of sleep you need in accordance with your age.

There are many natural ways to promote sleep health before bed. Creating healthy nighttime routines are a great way to create good nighttime habits. Try stretching for 30 minutes before bed, reading instead of looking at your phone, and crawling into bed with a cup of chamomile tea which naturally aids sleep. Getting into the habit of doing repetitive relaxing actions before bed can help prepare your body for sleep and allow you to get GOOD sleep.

Getting good sleep will help to promote healthy brain function allowing you to have a more productive next day. Getting adequate sleep each night requires you to dish out no extra cash and can be a nice way for you to create good habits as well as take the time before bed to focus on your health, rather than your phone, work, or other sleep disturbing actions.

#4 Don’t Go to the Gym

Improving your health on a budget can feel overwhelming when you see the price of a gym membership. Before shelling out hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year on a gym membership, remember that you already have all the tools to exercise at your disposal.

In today’s world it’s incredibly easy to work out for free. Instead of joining a gym, decide what exercise you’d like to do. If you like running, get outside and explore your neighborhood on a run. You can even look online for running trails around your city to enjoy more scenic routes. If you like yoga, search YouTube for a free, online instructor. You can find almost any kind of yoga on YouTube whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced yogi. If you prefer strength training, search YouTube for at home strength training workouts. If you don’t have a set of weights at home and don’t want to invest in a set, use full water bottles to add weight to your workout.

If you don’t want to feel pressured to purchase a gym membership, calculate how much it would cost you per day if you don’t use your gym. This will quickly make you realize how much money you’d be wasting by only using your gym a few times a week. This can really put things into perspective for you when planning your fitness goals.

Outro:

There are many ways to improve your health that cost a ton of money without a doubt. However, you can almost always find a similar alternative, if not the same thing, for free or cheap. When trying to improve your health on a budget, remember to avoid eating out, always shop around to find the best prices on produce, create healthy nighttime habits in order to get the best sleep, and exercise at home or outside. By following these four simple tips you’ll be on your way to improving your health in no time!

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Samantha Rupp holds a BS in Business Administration and is a contributing editor for 365BusinessTips.com as well as a marketing expert for an event insurance company. She lives in San Diego, California and enjoys traveling, spending time on the beach and reading up on business industry trends. Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Trust Yourself—You Were Made To Live This Life

Trust yourself. It’s a simple statement that may seem impossible. We question ourselves; we question our beings. We question why we’re here and what we’re supposed to do. We may wonder if we’re really supposed to be here. Sometimes I wonder why I’m here, what my purpose is, and what am I doing. Is there a reason for me to be here? I’ll question everything I do, every move I make, every call, text, and word, every breath I take. I wonder if I’m doing things “right.”

What is the “right” way to do things? I’m doing the best I know how, but is that good enough? Yes. Yes is a complete sentence. Yes. I’m good enough. I’m meant to be here. The butterfly effect tells us that everything we do can cause a drastic change in the future. It can make incredible things happen. Me being here makes a difference.

Sometimes it may not be an obvious thing. You may make a huge difference in the life of someone else by flashing them a smile. That could be what they needed to make their day different. That could be exactly what someone needed to make their life different. It could change what their next action is. And it’s because of you—you made something a little bit better.

When going through life, sometimes it may feel like just going through the motions. That’s enough. Go through the motions. Get through the day. You can do it. Even if it feels like the worst day of your life, keep pushing. You’re something special. There isn’t anyone like you in the world, and you need to know that.

Trust your judgment, trust what you believe, trust that you can accomplish your dreams. We’re our own worst enemies, but we can also be our own best friends. It’s difficult—life isn’t easy. Life is never going to be easy. Life isn’t meant to be easy, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not beautiful. Not being easy doesn’t mean that it’s not meaningful.

You’ve survived every bad day you’ve had so far. I’ve overcome every obstacle I’ve met. There are going to be more obstacles. There are going to be more bad days. There’s going to be more to life than what’s happening right now.

Trust yourself. Think about it some more. What’s holding you back from accomplishing your deepest dreams? What’s holding you back from doing something you’ve always wanted to do? Why are you letting it hold you back? A lot of the time, the answer may be “money.” Money is an obstacle, there’s no doubt about that. The real answer is your doubt. You’re holding yourself back. Why? You don’t believe in yourself.

Belief is one of the strongest things in the world. Belief in yourself is something that you can do. You can get through it. Believe that you can manage what you’re facing. There’s stress, and there’s emotion, but there’s also power. You hold your own power. You were made to be here. There’s a reason that you’re still in this world, in this life. There’s a reason you’re here, and you’re going to keep going.

You are important. You’re the only you there is. There will never, ever be another you. You as a person are irreplaceable. It’s beautiful, and you can keep going. In blatant terms, you got this. Keep going, because you were made to be here. You belong in this life, and no one is ever going to be able to take that away from you. You belong. You were made to be here. You are a beautiful, incredible being, and you are the only one that can fulfill your destiny.

You never know what you mean to someone else. You never know the impact you’ve had on their life. Trust yourself and know that you are you, and do your best. Push yourself to be the best version of you that you can be. It’s not an easy path, but you CAN do it. Look forward—the future is bright, and you are your own shining star.

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