Need An Excuse To Do Nothing Today? Here's A HUGE One!

NATIONAL LAZY DAY

Today there will not be much information regarding this annually celebrated holiday as I do not feel like doing any research. Actually, I do not feel like doing anything at all. So I'm dreaming of being in a hammock with a couple of good books and a glass of lemonade, or wine.. Yes, it is National Lazy Day, and I chose to be lazy rather than tell you that this holiday is observed each year on August 10th. Celebrate your inner couch potato by giving up all your daily chores and doing nothing the whole day long!

Lazy Day is a good excuse to be "slothful".
While I really don't want to tell you more about this awesome holiday, I'm feeling lazy, you see, so I will, so that you can make the most of trying to be dull for an entire day, too.

Also known in the United States as National Lazy Day, this unofficial holiday of unknown origins honors sloths, slackers, lay-abouts, idlers, and lazybones. It also provides an excellent excuse to those among us who are stressed and over-worked to take the day off and recharge.

How to Celebrate?

Do we really need to spell it out? Laze around, do nothing, goof-off, slack, and procrastinate. Refuse to do any chores - you can always do them the next day. Order food in instead of cooking and spend the day on the couch watching back-to-back episodes of your favorite TV show. Go to the spa and get a well-deserved "me-day". Stay in bed all day long and refuse to respond to any emails or phone calls. Watch the 1929 comedy film, Lazy Day. Okay, that one might be a little too far, unless you're into that sort of thing.

Did You Know…

…that many species of the sloth a very slow moving mammal found in Central and South America, can turn their heads 360 degrees? Now, that's a lot of effort for an animal that is named for its laziness!

5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

 

If you need an excuse to be lazy, here it is. While most of us don’t need an excuse to be lazy for 24 hours, National Lazy Day gives us a legitimate one just before the end of summer. The school year is about to resume, if it hasn’t already where you live, so enjoy it while it lasts. Side note, don't forget to take advantage of lazy day next year [2018] because it falls on a Friday!

 

Here’s a better look at the holiday and laziness.

1. It’s Not Clear Who Invented National Lazy Day, but It Was Mentioned in 2001

The origin of National Lazy Day is a mystery. However, it has been around for over a decade at least.

Slate writer David Plotz mentioned the holiday in a 2001 essay called “August, Let’s get rid of it.” He notes that August is the only month without a real holiday, but he then goes on to list “lame celebrations” that other months “didn’t want.” “Air Conditioning Appreciation Week, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Week, National Religious Software Week, Carpenter Ant Awareness Week: All these grand American celebrations belong to August,” Plotz wrote. “Is it any accident that National Lazy Day, Relaxation Day, Deadwood Day, and Failures Day are commemorated in August?”

 

2. A 2015 Study Found That Laziness Is a Sign of High Intelligence

A 2015 study by Florida Gulf Coast University and Appalachian State University researchers found that laziness correlates with high intelligence. The study suggests that people with high IQs usually don’t get bored easily, so they are interested in thinking more than engaging in physical activities. Since those with less IQs are more easily bored, they will usually do more physical activity to keep themselves interested, notes the Telegraph.

However, the study had a very small sample size. They also found that there was no difference between the physical activities of either smarter or less intelligent people on the weekends.


“Ultimately, an important factor that may help more thoughtful individuals combat their lower average activity levels is awareness,” researcher Todd McElroy told the Telegraph. “Awareness of their tendency to be less active, coupled with an awareness of the cost associated with inactivity. More thoughtful people may then choose to become more active throughout the day.”

 

3. Other Studies Show That Humans Are More Interested in Taking the Easy Way Out

Other interesting studies have determined that humans are wired to lazy.

 

As the BBC reported in 2015, researchers at the Simon Fraser University in Canada studied the habits of nine volunteers who wore leg braces to make their usual walking pattern more strenuous. It only took them all a few minutes to figure out how to change their patterns to make it easier for themselves to walk with the braces on.

“Here we have provided a physiological basis for this laziness by demonstrating that even within a well-rehearsed movement like walking, the nervous system subconsciously monitors energy use and continuously re-optimises movement patterns in a constant quest to move as cheaply as possible,” Dr. Max Donelan said, notes the BBC.

 

A February 2017 study from University College London determined that the easiest way to accomplish something will always look more appealing. The study’s abstract reads, in part:

 

When participants reported the direction of the visual motion by left or right manual reaching movement with different resistances, their reports were biased towards the direction associated with less effortful option. Repeated exposure to such resistance on hand during perceptual judgments also biased subsequent judgments using voice, indicating that effector-dependent motor costs not only biases the report at the stage of motor response, but also changed how the sensory inputs are transformed into decisions. This demonstrates that the cost to act can influence our decisions beyond the context of the specific action.

 

4. The English Bulldog Is Considered 1 of the Top Laziest Dog Breeds

It’s not just humans who enjoy being lazy. Lists on the web of the laziest dog breeds usually include the English Bulldog. You can find the breed on lists by IHeartDogs and Rover. IHeartDogs put the English Bulldog at #1 because they enjoy sleeping most of the day. The site also included the French Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Clumber Spaniel and Pug in its Top 5.

Other lazy dog breeds include the Great Dane, Shih Tzu, Greyhound (when their not racing) and the Newfoundland. Toy breeds like the Chinese crested and Japanese chin are also considered lazy.

 

And let's not even get into cats! Some may give cats the label of laziness because of their unique sleeping habits. Others may say cats are lazy because they won't fetch a ball like Fido does. If you think cats are lazy because they seem to be sleeping all the time, you may be half right. Cats sleep an average of 13 to 16 hours a day. If a human did that, he'd be called a slacker. The age and general health of the cat has a lot to do with how many hours he will sleep. His living arrangements, too, come into play. A strictly indoor cat with little mental stimulation may become bored and take naps because there's not much else to do. Bottom line, cats may appear lazy because of their normal sleeping patterns.

 

5. A Stanford University Study in 2017 Found That the U.S. Is 1 of the Laziest Countries in the World

 

 

In July, Stanford University published a major study called “Activity Inequality,” which looked at smartphone step tracking data from 717,527 users in 111 countries. The study found that the average person took 4,961 daily steps.

Hong Kong averaged the most, with 6,880 a day.
Indonesia came in last place with 3,513 steps a day on average.
In the U.S., the average was 4,774 steps a day.

Many Americans are downright lazy. And it’s making us fat. Does that mean Indonesians are much more likely to be obese than Americans? No, the researchers say. The key is the variation in the amount of walking.

 

In countries with less obesity, the Stanford researchers say, people typically walked a similar amount every day. In nations with higher rates of obesity, there were larger gaps between those who walked a lot and those who walked very little.

Among those latter countries is the United States, where “activity inequality” ranks Americans fourth from the bottom overall. “If you think about some people in a country as ‘activity rich’ and others as ‘activity poor,’ the size of the gap between them is a strong indicator of obesity levels in that society,” Delp told the Stanford news site.

Tim Althoff, who worked on the study, pointed to Sweden, with an average of 5,863 steps, as having one of the smallest activity inequality gaps. “It also had one of the lowest rates of obesity,” he said. Another factor in activity inequality involved where people live: high-density cities or more suburban settings.

Jennifer Hicks, another researcher in the study, told the Stanford news site that they examined three California cities located close to one another – San Francisco, San Jose and Fremont. They found San Francisco held both the highest walkability score and the lowest level of activity inequality. “In cities that are more walkable, everyone tends to take more daily steps, whether male or female, young or old, healthy weight or obese,” Hicks said.

 

“The study is 1,000 times larger than any previous study on human movement,” researcher Scott Delp told the BBC. “There have been wonderful health surveys done, but our new study provides data from more countries, many more subjects, and tracks people’s activity on an ongoing basis. This opens the door to new ways of doing science at a much larger scale than we have been able to do

before.”

 

Enough About Statistics...

How to Be Lazy

Being lazy has a negative connotation, but have you ever stopped to consider why? Is it because all those over-stressed workaholics think the world will fall apart if they take a one-minute breather to do—gasp!—nothing? Or is it because your faith tells you that laziness is a sin? Or is it because it's just a much repeated "sin" from the seven deadly sins ("sloth") that has been drummed into you from birth as a "no-can-do"? It’s time to take a step back and see that laziness isn’t all it’s made out to be. In fact, being lazy now and then is a pathway to happiness, relaxation, and even success.

 

Adjusting Your Mindset

1. Reflect on what "lazy" means to you. Depending on your background and beliefs, the import of "being lazy" will likely differ, but ultimately, it's a term that tends to carry a negative implication about not pulling one's weight or not doing things when other people are doing a lot; it also tends to imply that a person does little to improve themselves or their living standards. However, what about seeing lazy in a different light? 

2. Reflect on how your lazy self can bring you to work out how to do less. Since when has getting the job done with less effort become a vice? Do you prefer to do things the hard way all the time? If so, whatever for? If the same result can be achieved with less effort, why not take that path and listen to your laziness? Think about this reality before leaping to a puritanical response: just about all of the advances in technology today are the result of laziness.
3. Consider who or what benefits from the busy, ever-working you. Every time you complain that your job consumes your soul and runs your life by the timesheet, you're actually complaining that you don't have the time to really switch off. As a generalization, the idea of lazy people isn't good for business and judgmental terms such as "bums", "good-for-nothings", "bludgers", and "time-wasters", are given to those who are not thought pulling their weight enough. We worry incessantly that someone might label us this way, even as we dare to label others lazy whenever we feel overworked.
4. Know that time spent away from work could renew your energy and spirit. The "virtue" matched to the "vice" of sloth is "diligence". For some, the art of applying oneself to the task at hand with a zealous and unquestioning belief in the worth of working hard has become more about working longer hours to earn more money and to impress others. Yet, this isn't how everyone sees the world; indeed, the Danes work a 37 hour week, find most of their wages consumed by taxes (in return for excellent social benefits), and have an average of six weeks vacation, yet they consistently score as one of the happiest nations on Earth. 

5. Redefine productivity. The how of being lazy is pretty straightforward (as it should be). At first, it may seem paradoxical to you that doing less (aka being lazy) can mean you're more productive. However, what's really going on here is a shift in your definition of "productivity". If you view being productive as "doing more", "getting more done", or perhaps the extreme of "never being caught doing nothing", then the idea of being lazy will probably freak you out. 

6. Know to stop when you’re no longer being productive. You may have the mindset that if you’re sitting at your desk, then it means you’re working, or if you’re scrubbing a counter that’s already pretty clean, that you’re doing housework. However, if you want to be lazy, then you have to be able to recognize when you’re just no longer getting anything done and to move on. This can help you save energy, to get done what you really need to get done, and to be more lazy in the process. 

7. Know that it’s okay to just spend quality time with people. Not everything has to be about multi-tasking or doing as much work as possible. If your spouse, best friend, cousin, or new acquaintance wants to spend some time with you, give in to that feeling wholeheartedly. Don’t ask your friend if she wants to go grocery shopping with you or send work emails during family movie night; instead, learn to be okay with just enjoying the time you spend with people even if it means you won’t be doing a lick of work. 

 

Taking Action

1. Be smarter about doing less. If you're lazy, then the choice is simple. Do less. But do it smartly: the lazy person makes every second count when they're doing something. If the action isn't going to count, isn't going to shave time off and free you up sooner, then either don't do it, or work out how it can be done in a way that does lessen the time and pain of input to allow you to do less

2. Enjoy nature. When was the last time you just sat in an open field and stared out at the beauty around you? If the answer is “When I was a kid” or even, “Never,” then your time in nature is long overdue. Even if you’re not the outdoorsy type, just spending a few hours hanging out by a pretty field, lake, beach, forest, garden, or mountain range can help you feel at ease and can rejuvenate your mind and body. 

3. Allow yourself weekend lie-ins. There is a lot of sleep research about that suggests regular sleep patterns are important to maintain, so sudden changes to your sleeping habits are not recommended. However, a lie-in is not about sleeping; it is about staying in bed and indulging yourself. Read a good book, eat breakfast in bed, draw in bed, or do anything you fancy while simply chilling out in bed.
4. Shop less. Less shopping gives you more time to be doing enjoyable things, like spending time with your friends, spouse, or kids, or hanging around the beach. Have a list, a plan, and do your shopping only when needed. And spending less means you acquire less, so then you own less, which means you have less to maintain and clean, and you're in better financial shape without the clutter. How's that for laziness?

5. Shelve your inner busy-bee. Busyness is a habit (often unquestioned), not a pathway to success. Needing to look and be busy all the time will reduce your productiveness dramatically because your focus is on the busy, not the achievement. Instead of running around doing lots of things, slow down. Do less and live a calmer, more peaceful life. Be content to sit, to do nothing. Relax a little. Smile and be happy.
6. Simplify your life. Own less clothes, less cars, less stuff, less anything that needs maintenance, time, attention and elbow grease. Make an effort to donate or give away the clothes you no longer wear, to clean out your kitchen cabinets, to make your social schedule less hectic, and just to make your life easier whenever you can. Though this will take more effort up front, it will leave you time for more laziness later on.
7. Let someone else do it. This is not about manipulation; it's about letting the right person for the task do it. If they're willing, happy, and most competent at the task, leave them be and don't interfere. Many of us carry guilt about letting someone get on with something, even where that person has made it clear they're best doing it on their own, because we feel compelled to help; sometimes our help is nothing more than a hindrance, and at other times, it can be viewed as overbearing and unwelcome.
8. Hop off the communications bandwagon. Constant online interactions without putting boundaries on your input can end up being time-sucking work instead of being fun or productive. Communicate less and give yourself lazy space. Less talking, less convincing, less yelling, less arguing, less emails, less IM, less phone calling, less checking in. If you make an effort to do this, you’ll be surprised by how quickly you’ll feel more “lazy” and relaxed.
9. Do things when they need doing. This sounds like work! The reality is that many things are best done immediately to save greater effort later. A true devotee of the doing less and being lazy crowd will have long ago realized that much of true work results from not doing something well at the start. Remember the saying, “A stitch in time saves nine.”
10. Quit moaning. Lazy people don't complain; first, it takes too much energy and second, complaining is sourced from a sense of unfairness, missing out, and feeling worn into-the-ground. Less complaining and criticizing frees up time and mental space for more creative thinking and more resourceful responses to situations, including finding more productive ways of solving your problems through less focus on blame and more focus on solutions.
11. Be spontaneously lazy. Once in a while, do things differently. Sleep on the couch in all of your clothes by choice (and not just because you're too exhausted to move). Create a tent from blankets with your kids and crawl in and just fall asleep in a heap together. Lie on the grass and count the clouds or stars until you can't be bothered, and just drift off. Don't get dressed all Sunday if you don't feel like it; don’t bother worrying about what the neighbors think.
12. Just put your feet up. If you’ve had a long day, or you just feel like sitting there doing nothing, do it with pride. Sit wherever you feel the most comfortable, put your feet up, lean back, and enjoy the sensation of doing absolutely nothing. Don’t think about all of the things you have to do later or worry about how much you’re being judged; think about something that makes you smile, or nothing at all.

 

Get out there and be lazy! I know you've got it in you!!

What Is What You're Saying, Saying About You?

Have you every had a conversation with someone and just thought to yourself, "This person is so dense, how do they make it through the day?" Okay, that might be a bit of an extreme thought, I'm sure most of you aren't really that mean inside your head (or at least don't admit to it out loud, right?). Anyway, the point is, we, as humans, are judged by every little thing that we do. How we dress, what we say, how we say it, how we hold ourselves, what we believe in, how we act, how we don't act, how we REact, and so many other things, it's crazy. Our brains immediately judge people. Even if we cannot consciously see a person's face, our brain is able to make a snap decision about how trustworthy they are.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the brain immediately determines how trustworthy a face is before it's fully perceived, which supports the fact that we make very fast judgments about people. So knowing this, wouldn't you want to give someone the best opportunity to make a good judgment about you that you could? I would. I would rather people think I'm intelligent or kind or humorous. So how can we do that? One big thing is by being able to speak and communicate effectively and intelligently. But where does that start? 
With your vocabulary.

Let's start with the WHY

Improving Vocabulary Increases Income

An improved vocabulary means you sound intelligent. Most smart people have an excellent vocabulary. They speak well and use the right words. After all, what creates the first impression at an interview? Of course, your physical appearance matters. If you go wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and an earring for the job of a lawyer, most people won’t take you seriously.
The way you speak is just as important as your appearance. If you are confident and your speech shows your confidence, it means you have left many others behind. It’s as simple as that.

Take A Look At The Research!

Recently a study was conducted to test this theory. The study showed twenty years after leaving college, a much higher percentage of students who finished college with an excellent vocabulary (or worked at gaining an improved vocabulary during their career) ended up in much better and more highly paid jobs than those with an average or poor vocabulary. Investing in a superior vocabulary is well worth your effort. One of the most popular vocabulary building programs which is good value for money is Ultimate Vocabulary.

An improved vocabulary will open up new opportunities for you because you will be recognized as intelligent, capable, highly educated, having good experience and successful in your career. What do you think about a person who speaks articulately and confidently? That’s right, you get the idea. So the answer to your question “should I improve my vocabulary?” is a definite YES!

Do I Really Need To Improve My Vocabulary?

A common question is “if I improve my vocabulary will it really help for my particular line of work?” It doesn’t matter whether you are working in a hotel or a software company, a better vocabulary will boost your income and help you become successful. Take note when you hear a successful person speak. Are they precise? Yes. Do they speak confidently? Yes. Do they slur? Never. Speaking confidently is about saying the right words at the right time, and for that you need an improved vocabulary. If you sound successful and look successful, there is a better chance of your being successful. A good way to develop your vocabulary is with high quality vocabulary building software.

Let's move on to the HOW

There are several proven benefits in improving your vocabulary, but how should we go about learning new words in the most effective way? By using the following ten vocabulary-building strategies, you are guaranteed to develop a strong vocabulary and keep improving it every day.

1. Read Voracious

It’s undeniable that reading is the most effective way to get new vocabulary. When you read, you see words being used in context — and that’s what makes it much more effective than, for example, merely memorizing word lists.

With context information surrounding each new word, there’s a good chance you can guess its meaning just by understanding the overall text. Finding out the meaning of words in such a way is the natural way of learning language – and reading provides the best opportunity to get exposed to this natural way of learning.

If you’re not able to infer the meaning of new words when reading, it’s probably because there are too many unknown words in the text. In that case, try reading easier materials. The key to good reading is making it a pleasurable activity; so don’t be afraid of coming across unknown words, but make sure the text is appropriate for your reading level.

2. Make Friends with the Dictionary

A dictionary is the first indispensable resource to improve your vocabulary. It’s only by looking up a word in a dictionary that you will learn its precise meaning, spelling, alternate definitions, and find much more useful information about it. A thesaurus is also a valuable resource for learning by finding connections between words, such as their synonyms and antonyms.

Consider adding a good dictionary and thesaurus to your bookshelf. Here are some recommendations:
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary;
The New Oxford American Dictionary;
The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus.

For online dictionaries, there are many free options with great extra features. Even if you have a good dictionary in print already, you can’t miss having a good online dictionary at your disposal:
OneLook: Has a reverse look-up function (get the word from its definition) and works as a “meta-dictionary”, showing you definitions from other major online dictionaries. I recommend you try OneLook and explore its results to decide which dictionary you prefer;
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary: An old-time favorite of mine, although the blinking ads are getting a bit annoying lately;
Ninjawords: It searches the free dictionary Wiktionary. What makes this site interesting is that you can look up multiple words simultaneously. Moreover, the results pages can be bookmarked – making them good personal reference pages;
Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus: If you’re a fan of mind mapping, you will certainly enjoy viewing related words represented in a visual map format;
Answers.com, Dictionary.com, The Free Dictionary and many others: All of them are good resources – try each one at least once to help you make up your mind.

3. Use It or Lose It

Don’t settle after you learn a new word by reading it or looking it up in the dictionary: these are good starts, but it’s by using the new words that you truly commit them to your long-term memory.

Be creative and try to use your newly learned words in as many ways as possible:
Write them down;
Say them aloud;
Create sentences with them, mentally or in writing;
Try to use them in a conversation;
Discuss them with friends.

It’s also important to be aware of your own language style: every time you catch yourself saying common or nonspecific words such as “nice”, try coming up with richer and more precise expressions instead.

4. Learn One New Word a Day

If you learn just one new word every day, you’ll soon notice they add up pretty quickly. I like to think of it as the “kaizen way of growing your vocabulary" and what makes this strategy stand out is that it can be used by anyone, no matter how busy one’s schedule is. In the same way I grow my collection of favorite quotes in baby steps by receiving a new famous quote every day, I also learned to enjoy growing my vocabulary by committing myself to learning at least one new word each day.

There are many websites that provide free word-of-the-day services, delivering them in many formats – such as e-mail, RSS feeds, podcasts and even text messages sent to your cell phone. Here are my favorites:
Merriam-Webster’s Online Word of the Day: This is the website that delivers the most useful words of all. It’s also the most feature-rich: it provides audio explanation, pronunciation and word history. The service is available by e-mail, RSS feed, podcast, and SMS;
WordSmart Wordcast: Provides difficulty level, comprehensive details and audio pronunciation for the word. Just like Merriam-Webster’s Online, it’s available by e-mail, RSS feed, podcast and SMS;
Dictionary Word of the Day: Another fine service, not as complete as Merriam-Webster’s or WordSmart, but still worth checking out.

 

5. Understand the True Meaning of Words

By deeply understanding words, you can make your vocabulary grow exponentially. Instead of just memorizing words, try to really understand them by looking at their etymology, word roots, prefixes and suffixes. At least half of English words are derived from Greek and Latin roots, so there are enormous benefits in being familiar with them.

Just to pick an example, when you understand that the prefix “ortho” means straight or right, you start to find connections between seemingly unrelated words, such as orthodontist (a specialist who straightens teeth) and orthography (the correct, or straight way of writing).

Understanding the logic behind words always pays off in terms of learning and recalling. Consider the examples: “breakfast” meaning “interrupt the night’s fast”; or “rainbow” meaning “bow or arc caused by rain”: while these meanings may be trivial to native English speakers, having such insights about words, foreign or otherwise, never fails to delight me.

6. Maintain a Personal Lexicon

By keeping a personalized list of learned words, you’ll have a handy reference you can use to review these words later. It’s very likely you’ll want to go back and refresh your memory on recent words, so keeping them in your own list is much more efficient than going back to the dictionary every time.

Even if you never refer back to your lexicon again, writing words down at least once will greatly enhance your ability to commit them to your permanent memory. Another excellent learning aid is to write an original sentence containing the word — and using your lexicon to do that is a great way of enforcing this habit. You can also add many other details as you see fit, such as the date you first came across the word or maybe a sequential number to help you reach some word quota you define.

There are many ways you can keep your personal word list; each one has its own advantages and disadvantages – so make sure to pick the format that works best for you. You may prefer to keep it as a simple text file in the computer, or in a regular paper notebook; or maybe as flash cards in a shoe box.

My format of choice is a computer spreadsheet, for its handy features such as searching, sorting and filtering. For each word, I have columns for the date I learned it, a sample sentence, along with a link to its definition in an online dictionary. Lately, I’ve also been experimenting with keeping my personal lexicon in a concept map. This has been working particularly well so far, and I plan to explore the technique in more depth here when I get more conclusive results.

7. Follow a Process

To make vocabulary improvement a permanent habit in your everyday life, you should make it as habitual, automatic and tightly integrated in your daily workflow as possible – otherwise you won’t do it when your days get too busy.

If you already adopt some kind of structured workflow for your life – such as David Allen’s Getting Things Done – you’re probably familiar with the idea of organizing all input that comes to your life in “buckets”: virtual inboxes that get processed in a similar way to your e-mail inbox.

In that regard, one particularly useful concept is the one of maintaining a “Word Inbox”. By having a predefined place you use to capture the words you come across, you can process them much more efficiently.

Your process can be as simple as you wish – the key is to define it beforehand and then follow it. By knowing exactly how and how often to process your inbox, you stay on top of your vocabulary improvement process, even when there are other pressing matters crying out for your attention.

8. Play and Have Fun

Playing games and engaging in group activities are useful in any kind of learning, but particularly effective for language-related learning. Gather your family and friends and play word games together. Some interesting options are Quiddler, as well as the classics Scrabble and Boggle.

If you don’t want to spend money on boxed games, it’s easy to come up with your own word activities. You may, for example, try your own variation of “Word Evening”: at a specific day of each week, a different person brings a new word to the meal. The person reads the word, defines it, and the others must come up with a sentence using the word.

If you don’t have time or don’t want to engage in group activities, there are numerous options of word games in the Internet. You can either play them when you’re bored, or integrate them in your daily routine, such as playing a quick game after lunch, for example. Consider the following recommendations:
Merriam Webster’s Daily Word Game;
Merriam Webster’s Daily Crossword;
Word Games on Yahoo! Games.

Vocabulary.com This combined learning tool and game allows you to either learn and retain words you choose or words the app chooses for you. Vocabulary.com claims to use sophisticated algorithms to customize questions and exercises just for you.
PowerVocab is a definition matching game similar to this quiz currently popular on Facebook, or to Free Rice. Players match words against multiple-choice definitions with the added elements of competing against other players and playing against the clock. (Android only.)
Magoosh Vocabulary Builder This quiz app is similar to PowerVocab but is specifically aimed at improving scores on the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) used for entry to graduate schools. Magoosh is an online prep company that helps graduate school applicants do better on the GRE and other exams.
A Word A Day Widget From the people who brought you PowerVocab, A Word A Day Widget puts a new vocabulary word on your device's home screen every day. Android only, but for iOS, try Word of the Day Widget.
7 Little Words This fun little vocabulary game gives you seven definitions and tiles with combinations of two or three letters on them that you have to arrange into the seven words. You learn as you narrow down your choices from words you do know to words you don't. I'll admit to having played many rounds of 7 Little Words myself.
Word to Word This clever word association game offers you lists of words and challenges you to find the connections between them. They could be synonyms or antonyms, related words (such as "scurvy" and "liver") or elements in common phrases. Word to Word is simple to play but looks addictive to me.
Words with Friends This highly successful game from Zynga (the company behind Farmville) has been around for years and still appeals. (I'm a recent convert myself.) Because the only way to win is to find uncommon words, Words with Friends forces you to learn new words although not ones you're likely to find on a GRE exam. Plus, it's a nice way to stay in touch with distant friends. Available for Windows Phone as well as iOS and Android.
Penny Dell Crosswords Doing crosswords is a great way to increase your vocabulary and Penny Dell Crosswords offers a free daily puzzle. But there are many other crossword app options out there, including the venerable and challenging New York Times crosswords, if you're willing to pay for the subscription. Doing a crossword puzzle on a mobile device can be a lot more appealing than doing one with a pencil or pen--no worries about illegible letters or having to erase a wrong answer.

So pick an app, download it and get playing. Your vocabulary will be bigger before you know it!

9. Leverage Every Resource You Can

The Internet is a gold mine of resources for vocabulary building. The links I collected here are just my personal recommendations and don’t even scratch the surface of what’s available online.

There are many vocabulary-related books you can explore. There is a wealth of free literature on sites such as Project Gutenberg. If you use the Firefox browser, there are many ways to integrate dictionary look-up functions, such as the plug-ins Answers.com and DictionarySearch. You can find specialized vocabulary lists, such as these feeling words or descriptive words. Damn, you can even learn some classy, Shakespearian insults! 🙂

The point is that you’re only limited by your willingness to learn: let curiosity be your guide and you will never run out of resources to learn from.

10. Diversify

Do something different from your daily routine: hunting, fishing or blogging – any activity that is not a part of your normal life can become a great way to learn new words, as every niche has its own jargon and unique ways of communicating. Read different books and magazines than the ones you’re used to. Watch foreign-language movies. Take up new hobbies, hang out with different people.

By doing things out of the ordinary you will not only improve your vocabulary but also make your life much more interesting.

Resources!

Here are a few articles that give you alternative words or synonyms for pretty common words that we use every day! Check them out and try something new today!  One of my personal go-to's for just about anything is Thesaurus.com. When I'm updating a resume or trying to reword an email, it can be extremely handy!


41 Alternatives to the Word "Cool"
61 Interchangeable Terms For Beautiful
10 Expressions To Use Instead of "Thing"
550 Substitutes for "Said"

In Conclusion...

Do you care what people think about you?
Do you want a better paying job?
Are you looking for better opportunities for yourself?
Are you intelligent?
Are you confident?

Did you answer yes to any of these questions?

This sort of thing is as easy as getting a Word of the Day calendar. A small change can open BIG doors. Why wouldn't you take the opportunity?

YouTube: Blast From the Past, The Best and The Worst

Now a days, YouTube seems like a second nature thing. The most popular of videos over the last 10 years to be watched were all music videos of the current popularity. But YouTube has not always been about what's behind the music. Today you could Vlog, or video blog. You can create "How To" tutorials. You can post reaction videos to other videos or things going on in the media. You can post rants and raves about things your passionate about. You can post commentary on anything from games to movies to other YouTube videos. YouTube is now a free form of self expression for anyone for just about any topic.

Have you thought about where it all started? Of course, I'm going to tell you. YouTube was founded by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. The domain name "YouTube.com" was activated on February 14, 2005 with video upload options being integrated on April 23, 2005. The first YouTube video, titled Me at the zoo, was uploaded on April 23, 2005, and shows co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo, I mean, obviously, right?

During the summer of 2006, YouTube was one of the fastest growing sites on the World Wide Web, hosting more than 65,000 new video uploads. The site delivered an average of 100 million video views per day in July. It was ranked the fifth-most-popular website on Alexa, far out-pacing even MySpace's rate of growth. The website averaged nearly 20 million visitors per month according to Nielsen/NetRatings, with around 44% female and 56% male visitors. The 12- to 17-year-old age group was dominant. YouTube's pre-eminence in the online market was substantial. According to the website Hitwise.com, YouTube commanded up to 64% of the UK online video market. 

On October 9, 2006, it was announced that the company would be purchased by Google for US $1.65 billion in stock, which was completed on November 13. At that time it was Google's second-largest acquisition. The agreement between Google and YouTube came after YouTube presented three agreements with media companies in an attempt to avoid copyright-infringement lawsuits. YouTube planned to continue operating independently, with its co-founders and 67 employees working within Google.

Google's February 7, 2007 SEC filing revealed the breakdown of profits for YouTube's investors after the sale to Google. In 2010, Chad Hurley's profit was more than $395 million while Steve Chen's profit was more than $326 million.

Over the next 10 years, the company won many awards, including the Peabody Award (2008). The company also had so much exposure in the media while being the media. Now lets go through a blast from the past and hit all the most viewed videos from each year since YouTube became the new hit thing.

2006

Evolution of Dance - 300 million views

Just about everyone has seen this video at least one time and at least half of you have tried to do the dance!  So many others have done their own rendition of it and posted replies to the video itself. But nobody can top the original Evolution of Dance.

2007

Charlie Bit my Finger - 852 million views

What I remember most about this video when it was so popular was everyone and their mother was quoting the "Charlie Bit My Finger" bit. As an American, it can tend to be addicting to speak in another accent, especially an English accent. Needless to say, as annoying as everyone was trying to attempt it, this video is still one of the most adorable for child videos.

2008

Jeff Dunham - Achmed the Dead Terrorist - 63 million views

It takes true talent to really become famous in the olden days. Jeff Dunham has one of the most dying out talents I've ever seen. Ventriloquism, the beautiful dead art, is what has given this man so many personalities, including the one that made this video the most watch video of 2008. Say hello to Achmed.

2009

JK Wedding Entrance Dance - 33+ million views

Every girl dreams of their wedding down to the intricate details, but whoever was behind the original entrance dance is a pure genius. So many attempts to recreate have been posted since the original in 2009, but as similar as they all are the original has the most spunk and originality. But it sure looks like a hell of a lot of fun!

Susan Boyle - Britain's Got Talent - 120 million views

This was the first time that the world was open to the idea that beauty is deeper than skin deep. In the beginning of Susan's audition, Simon is utterly rude to her based off of her appearance.  Check out the video to see his reactions to how amazing she really is!

2010

The Bed Intruder Song Parody -- 50 million views

Around this time, it was very "hip" to create parody videos of natural things that happen. In this instance, the original video was an exclusive interview on the news from some sort of incident in a neighborhood. Of course the world made its own spin on it.

2011

The Ultimate Dog Tease - 75 million views

YouTube was often used to create nothing but comedy on every level. One of my favorites was speaking for people or things that can't actually speak. Like Dogs. Seriously, take a listen to this before you start to wonder what is going on in your pets head at home when you're talking to it.

2012

Gangnam Style - 2914 million views

I have almost no words for this video. There is not a single person that hasn't seen it or at least heard it. Believe me, after the 5th time of hearing it, you'll hate it too.

2013

What Does The Fox Say?

I can't imagine the muse for this song and video. Everyone is entitle to their own free expression, but even I, one of the creative types, don't understand where they were going with this one. But Kudos for originality.

NFL Bad Lip Reading

Pure Comedy. Enough said.

2014

Let It Go - Frozen - 84 million views

Despite that this was from a Disney movie, it represents such a wonderful message to kids everywhere. Moving forward with whatever is holding you back and possibly singing along with someone who makes all of us sound like rock stars!

2015

Electric Fence Challenge

The first time that I saw this, I almost peed myself from laughing so hard.  What makes this video the most entertaining from this girls poor stupidity is the unexpected ending. No spoilers, but trust me, its worth the watch!

2016

Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen  -  123,516,252 views

Why?  Just why?  This is a day in age Gangnam Style, but with better dance moves.

2017 so far --

Despisito

I tried my best to find videos that were strictly not music videos. 2011-2017 was even more challenging because that is solely what YouTube is for anymore. Official videos, covers, lyric videos, etc.  Its a place to get discovered. And so far this year, nothing really stands out besides the one and only J. Biebs. The collaboration with Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi is really one of the most catchy jingles of the year on top of being one of the more main stream Latina albums across all boards of genre. Though, the radio could probably play it a little less so it doesn't die out so quickly.

Some of these were wonderful, others were popular for their plain stupidity. But society likes what it likes, regardless of its sanity. What will be the next big thing?  Maybe you should start a Vlog or channel and be as famous as Jenna Marbles or Jimmy Fallon. Send me your favorites that you follow! 

Meal Prep For Dummies

Meal Prep Ideas – Why, What, and How

So you’re trying to keep up with back to school, work, activities, and somehow have to fit in feeding your family… there’s got to be an easier way! I’m here today with meal prep ideas– tips, tricks, how -to’s, best products, recipes and more. Before you click off the page, I’m here to tell you – YOU CAN DO IT. If I can, you can. You don’t have to go in 150% right away. Read through this post and decide what will work for you and go for it. There’s a little something for everyone – those just starting out, those that have been doing it for awhile and those that are hard core.

One of the things that hit me the hardest while I was starting out is how much preparation (or lack of) can affect every facet of my life. The quote “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” by Benjamin Franklin is so true. This is just one way to help find more balance. If I take a little time at the beginning of the week, I have more time throughout.

Let’s start with the WHO (that’s you!), why, what, and how’s shall we?

 

WHY:

There are a lot of good reasons to start preparing meals – or portions of a meal – ahead of time. But the the biggest reasons are: it saves sanity, time, money and generally you will be eating healthier.

WHAT:  

I have gathered recipes and tips below. There are definitely some foods that are easy to prepare ahead of time and will save well… and others will not. Anyone who has made something ahead of time only to find it rotting in their fridge can attest to that. Big time bummer!

HOW:

Again, lots of tips below but meal prep can be adjusted to fit you and your family. This is meant to make life easier/healthier, NOT to stress you out more. Different things work for different people. Some people will make a list, go shopping, get all the prep done for an entire week! (they are my heroes) Other people prep the night before for the next day. A little planning can save a lot of headaches. Says the girl who has stared at the clock at 5pm asking herself – ‘What on Earth am I going to feed these 4 other people who are asking ‘What’s for dinner!?!’ Sigh. That’s about to change.

 

Best products for easy meal prep:

 

 

Again, everyone is different but these are some things I have tried personally or have been recommended to me-

Rubbermaid Set —

Slow Cooker – make ahead proteins and awesome for busy days.

Griddler –

Rice Cooker/Food Steamer – not only great for rice, but great for steaming vegetables

Easy Lunchbox Set for lunches

Ziploc Storage Bags – gallon size

Snack bags – awesome to break down bulk snacks

Dry erase markers – to mark on containers

Sharpies – to mark on plastic bags

 

How to get started:

Just jump in! No but really.. the basic beginning steps are-

1. Check your calendar – what do you have going on this week?
2. Take a look in your pantry – what do you have that you want to use?
3. Look up favorite recipes. Try out some of the ones below!
4. Make a grocery list. You can also use the printable below. And then head to the store.
5. After shopping, sort food on counters into make now, make later.

 

Once you get home from the store:

• Wash and prep fruit and vegetables.
• Cut it up, store in containers or baggies in the fridge.
• Bake your chicken and brown your meat.
• Shred or cube chicken and store in a large container in the fridge to use throughout the week. You could divide it into each container for the day to be used. As a general rule, most sources I’ve found say that you cooked meat will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
• Cook rice, pasta, etc and store in containers. (As a general rule, most pasta and rice will last for 3-5 days.)
• And then – label everything. You can use dry erase markers on plastic containers or sharpies on plastic bags. There are some great products that are different colors and if you are really on your game, you can have a different color for each day. Go you! I’m not there yet but hope to be someday. OR if you meal prep the same thing for every day, then it’s easy and there is no guessing what is on the menu. (but I think that would get old fast)

USEFUL TOOLS

Here are some printables to help you out:

 

Meal Planner Prep Calendar

 

 Grocery Store List Chart – with categories & without

 

 

Grocery Store List

 

 

 **********

Recipes to try:

 

BREAKFAST

Muffin Tin Baked Eggs from Lauren Hefez

Blender Pancakes — can be made ahead
and put in plastic bags

 Protein Packed Breakfast Burritos from bebe a la mode

 

 

LUNCH




Avocado Chicken Wrap –
this one does well for a leftover lunch.
Probably not best to make a whole
week of it because the avocado would brown.

 

Mason Jar Salads from Jessica in the Kitchen

 

Packed lunch ideas– this has over 30 ideas of what to pack for lunch. Use these ideas!

 

 

SNACKS 

 

5 Ingredient Blender Muffins

Homemade Granola Bars from Knitty
Bitties – these are amazing!!

 

Genius celery and peanut butter idea
from Choose to Thrive

 

DINNER

 

 

 Crockpot Shredded Chicken to go with
everything! from Family Fresh Meals






 Zucchini Boats from Frugal Coupon Living

 

Grilled Chicken Veggie Bowls from Picky Palate

 

 

 

These are some of the best tips/tricks/ideas:





Meal Prep 101 from Happy is the New Healthy

Meal Prep for Beginners from Eats and Exercise
 

Sunday Food Prep from Mrs. January

 

 How to make meal prep easy with your crockpot from Moms with Crockpots

 

Best & Worst Freezer Meals
from New Life Wellness

11 Secrets to Freezing Fruits and Vegetables from Design Mom

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

Believe me, with a little practice, you can be a pro like the best of them!

How To Cope With Being Sad

So here's the deal. There is this thing out there called bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness marked by extreme mood swings from high (mania) to low (depression) and low to high. The mood swings may even become mixed, so you might feel elated and depressed at the same time.

Bipolar is not a rare diagnosis. More than 5 million people in the United States are living with some form of bipolar disorder. Unless you have severe mania, bipolar can be difficult to diagnose. Approximately 1 in 5 people diagnosed with bipolar also have borderline personality disorder. Symptoms tend to appear in a person’s late teens or early adult years, but they can occur in children as well. Women are more likely to receive bipolar diagnoses than men, though the reason for this remains unclear.

Why is this information important?  Well, I'm glad you asked!

This is just one of many of the things out there that explains why some people may be overly emotional. Today what I want to briefly touch upon is how to cope with being being a little overly emotional. 

DISCLAIMER: THIS WILL NOT WORK IN EVERY SITUATION OR EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.

But what do I mean exactly? I mean, everyone has their own ways to deal with whatever may roll their way. Some like to hold it all in and bottle it up, while others like to let it all hang out.  This is merely another option if you know that you need to handle your emotions in a different fashion than you have been currently accustomed. 

Emotions: How Do We Deal With Them?

Here are a few common patterns I’ve observed that people use to “deal with” difficult emotions. I’ve personally noticed that these techniques apply to many of my patients, although there are of course other strategies.

• Avoidance: Growing up, I really believed everything was always happy. I wasn’t in touch with my feelings enough to even know I had sadness and pain buried inside. When we don’t deal with the source of our pain, it comes out in other, sometimes unhealthy ways. (For me, that was the habit of binging on chocolate.)
• Guarding: When a friend says something upsetting but we keep our disappointment to ourselves, we’re guarding our feelings. Sometimes we fear the friend’s response to our anger; sometimes we’re afraid of seeming vulnerable. But hiding true feelings can keep us from having authentic interactions with the people we feel closest to.
• Judgment: When we aren’t feeling secure and comfortable with ourselves, we’re more likely to pass judgment over everyone else. If we feel “fat,” we may be more inclined to focus on someone else’s faults instead of acknowledging that we’re dissatisfied with ourselves in that moment.
• Anger: Expressing anger can make us feel powerful when we’re feeling weak. If a friend makes a joke at our expense, instead of just saying the joke was hurtful, we might act aggressive to try to regain power in the relationship.
• Depression: Being consistently unable to deal with sadness or pain can lead to depression. It’s okay to be sad, but it’s a problem if we hate ourselves for feeling that way.
• Anxiety: Avoiding difficult emotions can result from anxiety. We often try to control things in our environment to relieve our anxiety, rather than dealing with the feelings directly.

Believe me, I've fallen victim to many of these different responses. But Is this really that healthy for our well being? No. The answer to that question is no. I know that doesn't mean that we'll turn it all around here and now and suddenly start dealing with things in a better, more self helping way, but it is good to get educated on some of the other ideas of handling some emotions.

Depression gets a lot of press and attention these days. But sadness is a different thing. Sadness is the feeling that comes from an unhappy event. Now, if you don’t deal with it, sadness can become chronic and lead to depression. This is why you might want to learn to deal with it when it comes. And it will come.

Just the other day, for example, I was very, very sad. Something happened in my life, which none of you need to know about or worry about because I am fine. Everything is fine, but something did occur which made me utterly and incredibly sad. And as I came out of it a little bit, I thought of this blog.

I made this list as much for me as for you...

1. Cry. Cry like you mean it. Oh, did I ever cry. I cried loud enough that I’m sure a neighbor or two wondered what was happening. As I cried, I thought about how I am like all three of my daughters bundled up into one. I flung myself on my bed and cried (just like my littlest). I checked my phone and cried (just like my teenager). I swore I had nothing to wear and would never leave the house again and cried (just like my oldest). And then my personal favorite: I cried in the shower. It’s not that crying feels good—in fact, it usually gives me a headache—it’s that it’s NECESSARY.

2. Write bad poetry. Or good poetry, if you can. The main thing is to write it out. Dealing with sadness is a little bit like detoxing—if you hold it in, it will fester and turn into something worse like sickness or depression. Get it out. Put words to it. Or pictures. Or music...

3. Listen to music. Sad music. Let yourself feel it. Look into the darkness and see that it’s not as scary as you thought. It’s just...sad. And sadness is a universal inspiration for great music.

4. Get dressed. I’m serious. In my darkest moment, I panicked and thought I had absolutely nothing to wear (I was traveling, so I had limited choices). But the act of actually putting work clothes on was a little like getting suited up for a battle I knew I had to face.

5. Go outside. Yes, despite your utter, brutal sadness, the world is going on as if nothing happened. As if all is well. And yes, soon you will be one of those people walking around like everything is fine. Because everything will be fine.

6. Work. It’s hard to cry when you are having a meeting about something completely not related to your current sadness.

7. Don’t be surprised if no one notices that you seem sad. Yes, your whole world has just fallen apart, but don’t expect anyone to say anything about it. Which is probably better anyway, since if they do you might just burst into tears, and that could be awkward.

8. Walk, run, or ride. The rhythmic physical exertion is good for you—natural endorphins will help you feel a bit better. Plus, sweat is a great camouflage for tears. You can cry all you want and people will just think you’re really working hard and in physical pain from your sport.

9. Clean something. One way sadness can lead to depression is if you let things go and suddenly the heaviness of everything drags you into a deep hole. Cleaning can make you feel like your world is a bit shinier and brighter. It’s like a little step stool to help you get out of the hole.

10. Get out in nature. The fresh air, the earth, the animals and birds will be a reminder that everything goes through cycles—even your life and your mood. Healing is a fundamental part of everything, and yes...it will get better.

11. Meditate. Ask the universe to guide you in your sadness—what do you need to learn from the experience? How can you grow from it? How can you expand your perception of what is possible?

12. Talk to someone. Friend, therapist, family member. Talk to someone you can trust who is just going to listen and comfort, not try to judge or fix you.

13. Take it one day at a time. If your sadness is due to a singular event, each day will get slightly better (as long as you follow my 21-step plan). If your sadness is due to a LACK of an event, determine to take action. And each day take one more action toward your own happiness.

14. Dream Baby Dream. Just when I was starting to feel better on my way to work the first day of my sadness, “Dream Baby Dream” by Bruce Springsteen came on and I cried even harder, even though Bruce himself was telling me to “Come on darling and dry your eyes” because “I just wanna see you smile.” But the message of this song is a perfect encouragement to start the process of healing and moving on and imagining a future when all this sadness you’re feeling at this moment will just be a distant memory.

15. Remember, it will get better. It will. It will. I promise it will! If we believe it, it will. Right?

16. Don’t forget to eat, but not too much. Interestingly, I realized that sadness makes me not want to eat. But not eating makes me cranky. And so I eat.

17. Comfort yourself physically. Take a hot bath. Get a massage. Take a nap. Wear a favorite sweater.

18. Start to laugh again. Watch a funny movie. Or stupid pet videos on Facebook and YouTube.

19. Give yourself time and permission. Heal on your own schedule, no one else’s. There is no right or wrong. I remember after my father died, people wondered why I was still sad a month later. They had no idea. No idea. It took a few years.

20. Be grateful for the experience. One day you’ll look back on it and understand it all in the arc of your life experience. And isn’t it better to feel something than to feel nothing at all? Understanding sadness makes the happiness all that much sweeter.

21. Focus on the good and move on. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and get on with things. Before you know it, you’ll be happy again. After all, you have so many things in your life to be happy about. Appreciate those things, and suddenly your sadness will feel smaller and your happiness will grow larger.

**********

This is just a quick list but don't let that limit you.  It's important that no matter what sort of emotion you're having that you are to Acknowledge your feelings. Sadness is normal and can even be healthy. Research has shown that experiencing mixed feelings and negative feelings is crucial to mental well-being. Many studies have shown that people who apologize for or repress their feelings actually intensify those negative feelings. Try to acknowledge your emotions without judging yourself for them. It’s easy to think, “This isn’t a big deal, why am I so sad about it?” Instead, accept your emotions for what they are. This will help you manage them.

Distract yourself. Studies have shown that rumination, or the process of going over and over your feelings of sadness, hinders recovery. Distracting yourself from ruminating on your sadness may help you overcome it. Find pleasant things to do. Doing things that you enjoy can help you overcome sadness, even if you don’t initially feel like doing them. Go for a walk. Take an art class. Find a new hobby. Learn how to play classical guitar. Whatever it is that you get enjoyment out of, make yourself do it. Interact with friends. Interacting with loved ones can boost your body’s production of oxytocin. Go to a movie, grab a coffee, go on a blind date. Studies have shown that retreating from others can worsen depressive symptoms, including sadness.

Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is based on acknowledging your experiences and accepting them without judging them or yourself. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can actually change how your brain responds to sadness. It can also help you recover from sadness faster.
Because mindfulness focuses on remaining in the present moment, it can help you avoid rumination.

Stop the Negative Self Talk. Depressed people tend to see the world in a negative way. When things go wrong they blame themselves and when they go right, they put it down to luck. Depression reinforces self doubt and feelings of worthlessness. Monitor your inner negative talk and make allowances for this type of thinking by reminding yourself that your thinking is that of a depressed person, not a healthy functioning person. Don’t take your thoughts seriously when you are feeling low. Acknowledge the thoughts but this doesn’t mean you have to believe them. Keep perspective.

What we need to do most is Honor Your Feelings

To start getting in touch with your emotions, here are a few simple strategies:

• Pause: Not everyone needs a full therapy session to deal with his/her feelings. When difficult emotions arise, get in the habit of taking a moment to pause and consider how you’re feeling. Notice physical sensations too: Is your throat tight? Is your heart beating fast? Is your stomach in knots? Just recognizing these sensations is an important step.
• Breathe: Focus on the natural ebb and flow of your breath. It can help us feel calm and keep us from getting caught up in our feelings
• Reflect: Don’t resist the way you’re feeling. Instead, think about why you might be scared, anxious, or frustrated. These are natural emotions, but learning what triggers these feelings can help you can handle them more effectively the next time they arise.

Difficult emotions are part of the human experience. Be secure in your vulnerability. Real strength is not pretending not to feel; it’s the courage to know our feelings are OK. I'm not saying that this process is easy. Because it's not. But everything that we know now, we have learned from taking baby steps.  If there is a better way for you out there on how to cope or how to handle, it may not come natural immediately, but with best practices and a little help, you could become a master at any one of these.  Do what is right for you. Feel what you feel. Be the you that you need to be, with or without emotions.  

Good Luck.