WHY CRYING A LOT MEANS YOU’RE MENTALLY TOUGH

“I’m the biggest crier.” – Ronda Rousey, Mixed Martial Arts World Champion

Often times we believe that crying is for the weak and that you’re soft if you show emotions.

Well, one scientist actually believes the opposite. William H. Frey II, PhD, is a neuroscientist and tear researcher at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota and he thinks that “crying is not only a human response to sorrow and frustration, it’s a healthy one. Crying is a natural way to reduce emotional stress that, left unchecked, has negative physical affects on the body, including increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and other stress-related disorders.”

Ronda Rousey, mixed martial arts champion and arguably the toughest woman in the world openly admits to crying right before a fight, and she’s the champion.

Here’s a few reasons why crying actually means you’re tough.

It Makes You Feel Good

In a study conducted by Dr. Frey, he found that “women cry an average of 5.3 times a month, while men cry an average of 1.3 times per month.” When you meet your problem head on and release all of the pent up energy inside of you into tears, it’s like a water breaking through a dam. Embrace this feeling and let the tears flow. You’ll feel much better afterwards.

(Source: American Psychological Association)

Removes Toxins and Bad Energy

Not only does crying help you express yourself, but Dr. Frey also found that tears help to remove toxins and bad energy that build up from stress.  Crying also lowers your blood pressure and decreases your manganese levels, that, when too high, can cause severe anxiety. Talk about an ultimate release!

Makes You Human

There’s nothing more powerful than crying in front of someone. It truly takes a strong person to be able to express her/his emotions. This helps others feel empowered to also express their feelings. After you’re done crying, make sure you hug it out.

http://www.davidwolfe.com/crying-means-mentally-tough/

I have loved. I have lost and I have changed.

I have loved. 
I have lost and I have changed. 
It has been difficult but I have learned so much from it. 
I have learned that people can hurt you so deeply and not even worry about you. 
I learned that good people can change in a minute when their hearts have been broken.
I’ve met great people, but mean people as well. 
But the most important thing I have learned is that every person in this world is strong enough to let go . 
People come and go and that’s life ! 
The most important thing is to stand up and realize that you deserve something better than a person who gives up on you.
~Unknown

http://lessonslearnedinlife.com/i-have-loved-i-have-lost-and-i-have-changed-5/

Why You Should Have Turmeric Every Day

Before there were prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines, herbs and spices were the foundation of traditional medicine practices around the world.

Fast-forward thousands of years, and researchers today are now taking a fresh look at the potential in these natural remedies. The Indian spice turmeric is right at the top of the list.

Turmeric, with its mellow flavor and bright color, is a key ingredient in curry powder, and a highlight of cooking in places from India to Nepal to Southeast Asia. Turmeric’s health benefits — along with that distinctive yellow color — come from a group of flavonoids called curcuminoids. (That's why the dietary supplement from turmeric is called curcumin.)

As modern science is now showing, turmeric is an outstanding example of the concept that foods can powerfully support the body’s healing processes. The past few decades have witnessed intense research devoted to this "sacred spice." Here are seven of the most important benefits it can offer:

1. It curbs fat growth.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, appears to help suppress the growth of fat tissue and reduce weight gain, according to research from Tufts University.

2. It helps keep you young.

This spice can work on a deeper level, including on your DNA. In studies, turmeric and curcumin have shown potential to prevent DNA damage and help DNA repair. That's good news for preventing disease and slowing the aging process.

3. It fights infection.

Researchers at George Mason University have found that turmeric shows promise in combating certain viruses.

4. It reduces blood sugar.

Research on the relationship between turmeric and diabetes looks encouraging. In laboratory experiments, Indian scientists have demonstratedthat including the spice in your diet may be helpful in decreasing blood sugar and other complications of the disease.

5. It has antidepressant effects.

A study from leading universities in China revealed that a compound found in turmeric has antidepressant properties.

6. It protects the liver.

Curcumin’s ability to reduce inflammation is being studied for its potential in protecting against liver injury. Experimental research suggests that the spice seems to delay the liver damage that eventually causes cirrhosis.

7. It's anti-inflammatory.

Traditionally, turmeric has been used in India to aid in the treatment of stomach ulcers and in reducing inflammation in people with arthritis and colitis.

Because inflammation contributes to obesity and other chronic diseases, reducing inflammation has become a key goal of integrated medicine.

How To Add Turmeric To Your Meals

Turmeric is available as a powder in the spice section of the supermarket. You can also find it fresh at some farmer's markets and specialty stores. It's a root, or rhizome, that looks similar to ginger, like a carrot with multiple stems. Like ginger, you can use by peeling the skin, which reveals the characteristic orange color of turmeric, then slicing or grating.

Using turmeric is easy: Simply add a few shakes of turmeric to your favorite soups, chili, beans, vegetable dishes, or pasta sauce. It blends well into tomato-based sauces.

Not sure where to start? Turmeric is a star ingredient in many of the recipes I created for The Fat Resistance Diet. Here's one for vegetarian curry, an easy-to-make meal that highlights the powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients garlic, ginger, and, of course, turmeric.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons ginger, minced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups cooked kidney or garbanzo beans
• 1 cup peas
• ½ cup parsley, chopped

For serving:

• your favorite grain, cooked, such as rice, quinoa, or millet

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for about 5 minutes on medium. Add crushed tomatoes, water, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, salt and black pepper, stirring to mix.

2. Add the cauliflower, beans, and peas, stirring to coat with sauce. Cover pot and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, until cauliflower is fork tender. Add parsley, stirring to combine, then serve over rice, quinoa, or millet. Serves 4.

by Jonathan Galland

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22248/why-you-should-have-turmeric-every-day.html

31 Native American Quotes About Life And Death

“Those who have one foot in the canoe, and one foot in the boat, are going to fall into the river.” – Tuscarora

“Don’t be afraid to cry. It will free your mind of sorrowful thoughts.” – Hopi

“Day and night cannot dwell together.” – Duwamish

‘It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand.” – Apache

“They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind.” – Tuscarora

“All plants are our brothers and sisters. They talk to us and if we listen, we can hear them.” – Arapaho

‘Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I’ll understand.” – Tribe Unknown

“When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.” – Arapaho

“If we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come.” – Arapaho

“Most of us do not look as handsome to others as we do to ourselves.” – Assiniboine

“What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” – Blackfoot

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” – Cherokee

“The weakness of the enemy makes our strength.” – Cherokee

“When the white man discovered this country Indians were running it. No taxes, no debt, women did all the work. White man thought he could improve on a system like this.” – Cherokee

“A good soldier is a poor scout.” – Cheyenne

“We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.” – Dakota

“Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins.” – Cheyenne

“There is nothing as eloquent as a rattlesnake’s tail.” – Navajo

“Force, no matter how concealed, begets resistance.” – Lakota

“Our first teacher is our own heart.” – Cheyenne

“Everyone who is successful must have dreamed of something.” – Maricopa

“All who have died are equal.” – Comanche

“What the people believe is true.” – Anishinabe

“You can’t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.” – Navajo

“Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark.” – Cheyenne

“What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” – Crowfoot

“He who would do great things should not attempt them all alone.” – Seneca

“If a man is as wise as a serpent, he can afford to be as harmless as a dove.” – Cheyenne

“A brave man dies but once, a coward many times.” – Iowa

“When a man moves away from nature his heart becomes hard.” – Lakota

http://higherperspectives.com/native-american-quotes/

9 Unique Ways to Start Having More Fun

“If you are not having fun you are doing something wrong.” ~Groucho Marx

I was at my eye doctor’s office many years ago and he asked me what I do for fun. He said he asks this of everyone to see how they use their eyes.

We got into a heavy conversation about how I feel many people no longer have fun. It seems like once people get into adulthood, we forget how or don’t even know what we think is fun.

Oftentimes, people get up, go to a job they hate, come home, make dinner, and watch TV before going to bed, just do it all over again the next day. And don’t get me started on how people waste their entire weekends on chores and catching up on errands.

The human race is bored!

My doctor shared a story with me about a time when he asked one of his clients what she did for fun, and she burst into tears. She admitted to him that she doesn’t have fun anymore. She is a wife, mom, and working woman, and she forgot what fun looks like.

She told him that before she got married she used to paint, but that she hasn’t in years. She used to spend hours, losing track of time, painting beautiful portraits. She said that painting was a huge part of who she was, and she lost that.

A few weeks later my eye doctor received a package came in the mail. It was a beautiful hand-painted card that this client had painted for him. She thanked him profusely for waking her up to her passion of painting. She took it up again and it was bringing her peace, joy, and fun!

Unfortunately, too many of us are just like this woman. We get caught up with the kids, house, job, chores, parents, dog—life—and we forget to have fun.

I make it a point to have some fun every weekend. It can be as simple as walking the dog with friends, working out, or doing something new I have never done before. I go back to work renewed when I have fun during my weekend. I am a better spouse, worker, and person.

Below are nine ways to add fun into your life:

1. Daydream.

Daydreaming gets a bad rap, but in fact, daydreaming is your mind’s way of sending your soul a message. If you daydream in a positive manner, you’ll be amazed at how creative your mind can be and the secrets it will tell you.

Take a few minutes a day to sit and be quiet and just let your mind wander. Daydream about the kind of life you’d like to have. Anything is possible in dreams, so let loose and don’t hold yourself back.

Pay attention and don’t think anything is foolish. You might want to write what you come up with on a piece of paper.

As the saying goes, “if you want to know where your heart is, look to where your mind goes when it wanders.”

2. Design your “perfect” twin.

Oftentimes we can’t imagine ourselves stepping out of our comfort zone and doing something new and different. We get so locked into what we know that we can’t let go of who we think we are.

Many years ago I gave a workshop and had the participants create their perfect “twin.” I asked them to make up another self that they wished to be. This exercise freed people; it gave them permission to be anyone they desired because it took the focus off of them.

This should be fun and freeing, so let loose and make your twin be anything you want! What qualities would you give your twin? What would they do for fun and work? Who would their friends be?

3. Write your own obituary.

Okay, this may seem rather morbid, but this can have an eye-opening effect. Imagine you are at your own funeral with all of your friends, colleagues, and family gathered around. What would you want them to say about you?

“Her house was always clean.”

“He was a workaholic.”

Or would you rather hear things like “She was so much fun, up for anything or “He didn’t take life too seriously and was always having a good time no matter what he was doing”?

Write what you think they would say currently, and then write another obituary saying what you’d like them to say. What do you need to change?

4. Create a vision board.

Still can’t figure out what’s fun for you? Try making a vision board.

Take a poster board and grab some old magazines, scissors, and glue. Flip through the magazines and cut out pictures and phrases that make you feel excited or hold meaning for you.

Once you have them cut out, paste them to the poster board. Do you see a theme? What is the board telling you?

5. Get rid of limiting beliefs.

What we tell ourselves becomes our reality. If we think we can’t do something, then we can’t or won’t even try.

For example, let’s say someone suggests skiing as something you might find fun. If you tell yourself that you’ll never be able to balance on skis, you probably won’t even try skiing.

Stop reinforcing these limiting beliefs and start telling yourself you can do it.

6. Give yourself permission.

So many people don’t give themselves permission to have fun because they think it will detract from their responsibilities.

Life is meant to be fun. What kid doesn’t love to see their mom or dad having fun, especially if it’s with them?

Yes, we all have things that we are responsible for—kids, parents, house, job—but we need to remember to add in fun and give ourselves permission to have it. You’ll be a better person for it.

7. Observe others.

Sometimes I like to watch other people who seem to be having fun. I can be too serious at times, and when I feel like I can’t loosen up, I watch other folks who can.

I had a gym teacher who was so much fun. Everyone loved her and she looked so comfortable in her skin and like she was having fun all the time.

What did I notice? She laughed at herself all the time, she found the positive in everything, and she genuinely appreciated the good things in her life.

Without her even knowing, she taught me how to have fun just by being herself.

8. Count your blessings.

People who count their blessings rather than complain about their troubles just naturally have more fun.

Think about the people you know who are always moaning and groaning about their life. How much fun do you think they have? Would they even know fun if it bit them in the nose?

Start a gratitude journal and see how much more fun life becomes without much effort.

9. Stop being a perfectionist.

I knew a woman many years ago that loved to knit, but wouldn’t show anyone her pieces because she thought they weren’t good enough. In fact, she gave up knitting years before because she thought she wasn’t good at it.

Who cares if you aren’t the best golfer or guitar player? If you are having fun and you enjoy it, isn’t that the most important thing? You may or may not improve with time and practice, but that isn’t what matters.

—

You don’t have to feel that something is missing from your life or accept that your life is dull. It simply takes a little bit of hunting and soul searching and you can bring some joy and fun back into your life.

Try these nine tips and see how much fun you and your family can enjoy.

Kids having fun image via Shutterstock

By Karen Regan

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/9-unique-ways-to-start-having-more-fun/

Show Up for Yourself and Believe in Your Dream

“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” ~Rumi

My early life was challenging, to say the least. I grew up in a difficult home situation, which I hoped to escape through an early marriage. That marriage produced four beautiful children by the time I was twenty-one years old.

We were very poor and I hoped to get us out of poverty, but I wasn’t sure it was possible.

I’d been poor all my life. I didn’t really know what it was like to have abundance. I thought success was for “other people.” My only education was a GED and I couldn’t earn enough money to pay for childcare, much less improve our situation.

It seemed to be hopeless, but I looked at my kids and decided that I had to try.

It was my ambition to earn a bachelor’s degree, which I eventually did through grants, scholarships, and a lot of hard work.

It took me five years to get through college. I finally graduated at the age of twenty-nine. After that, I always had a job and was able to take care of my family. Poverty was a distant memory.                      

What does this mean for you?

You can do a lot more than you think. You may never be twenty-one years old again, but you can have the essence of what it is that you really want. If you have a dream, it’s because there’s a part of you that’s whispering “yes” into your ear. Listen to it.

Please don’t listen to the nay-sayers. There were so many people who never thought I’d make it. They told me to go on welfare, to tolerate abuse for myself and my children, to give up.

If I’d listened to them, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. I did what needed to be done in order to achieve my dream, and so can you.

Yes, it will be hard. There were many nights that I sat up crying in bed. There were the two weeks that I went hungry so that my children could eat while I waited for the food stamp application to be approved.

When I enrolled in a junior college, I had a major meltdown on the very first day. I thought I’d lost my mind by signing up for all those classes. Who was I, trying to go to college in my mid-twenties with four children? I did it though.

If you set a big goal for yourself, it’s okay if it’s hard. It’s not fun, but it’s okay. Anything you really want that you haven’t done yet is going to be hard. Expect it to be hard.

If you’ve wanted something for this long, there’s a reason. Don’t betray yourself by not going for it. It will be hard. Do it anyway.

It’s not too late to have what you want in life. Would it have been great to have everything you wanted by the time you were twenty-five? Sure, but most of us don’t. We all have struggles and challenges. We all know someone we think had it easier.

In our culture, we’re bombarded with images of people living the dream. We feel like we are missing out if we don’t have it all.

It’s helpful to remember that gorgeous twenty-somethings with money, fulfilling relationships, and successful careers are simply not the norm. We’re all human and we all have our struggles. Life is not a commercial.

You’ll be much happier if you get over the myth that life should always be fun and easy. Start creating the life you want to have today. It’s only too late if you believe that it is. Thinking that it’s too late is an insidious myth in our youth-obsessed culture. Don’t fall for it.

You can still earn your degree, find the relationship you want, get in shape, whatever it is that you want to have. Start now. In five years, you will be five years older whether or not you did anything with your life.

The difference between those who achieve what they want in life and those who don’t is determination and tenacity, not luck, looks, or youth. I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in life, but the truth is, I’ve made the most of them and they only showed up when I did.

Show up for yourself and the opportunities will appear. Maybe they won’t appear immediately, but if you stick with it, they will show up.

The universe is an abundant place and there’s always a chance for us. Set your course today for the life you want to have and remember that you can do more than you think. The way will find you when you step up, believe in your own dream, and work toward it.

Once you achieve your big dream, remember to pay it forward and encourage someone else who needs a reminder of what’s possible.

Follow your dreams image via Shutterstock

By Renée Suzanne

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/show-up-for-yourself-and-believe-in-your-dream/

Place This Mixture Under Your Tongue Before Bed And You’ll Never Wake Up Tired

No matter how old they are, I hear people almost everyday complain: “I’m so tired!”

Instead of getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep every night, most people have been averaging 6-7. While this doesn’t sound like a huge difference, it can have a huge effect on your body.

Your body needs 8 hours of sleep in order to recharge. Many people think caffeine can make up for the lost sleep, but it definitely can’t! It may amp you up for a short period of time, but after that, expect a crash.

Turning off the TV and stepping away from the computer an hour before going to bed can be a huge help as well. They keep our brain’s functioning at a high level and we need time to calm down before passing out.

Thankfully, there is a natural remedy to sleep deprivation that many people already have in their kitchen. The secret ingredient of this remedy? Himalayan sea salt.

The video below explains the amazing health benefits of Himalayan sea salt. It can help our adrenal glands fight disease, it reduces blood pressure, and can even assist with weight loss. Surprisingly enough, it can even help with depression by regulating serotonin levels in the brain. It also helps regulate melatonin, which is essential for sleep.

All you have to do is combine 5 teaspoons of raw, organic honey with 1 teaspoon of pink Himalayan sea salt in a jar. Then, place a small amount of this mixture under your tongue before you head to bed.

The following video will explain everything in detail!

http://higherperspectives.com/before-bed/

These Printable Mandala And Abstract Coloring Pages Relieve Stress And Help You Meditate

Meditation isn’t always about sitting quietly or chanting mantras. It’s one way to do it, there’s no doubt about that, but meditation can happen anywhere at any time. You can even meditate while you do your dishes!

Coloring has incredible soothing effects on the mind. It’s really not only for children. “I recommend it as a relaxation technique,” says Antoni Martinez, a psychologist. “We can use it to enter a more creative, freer state. I recommend it in a quiet environment, even with chill music. Let the color and the lines flow.”

Of course, many adult coloring books are expensive and who has time for them to be shipped to our homes? Just save the following images and print them out yourself!

Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

http://higherperspectives.com/coloring-pages/

God laughs when you make plans…

“Do you try to plan every area of your life? Do you project your schedule onto the future and do everything in your power to make sure things turn out the way you want? If so, then we have a lot in common. I’m a recovering over-planner. In my early twenties I tried to plan everything from when I would achieve professional goals to when I’d get married. And guess what? Exactly zero of my plans happened the way I’d projected! But now I know that’s a good thing. Instead, my life has unfolded in ways far better than I ever could have imagined.

In this video I share a story and tips about how to let go of the need to plan (and control) the course of your life. If you’re trying to live on a schedule, this video is for you!

http://gabbyb.tv/blogs/god-laughs-when-you-make-plans?inf_contact_key=6b06ba71b37e80bf0e623dbe29d09cf922798c87e908163bd0d1567fef9372b2

How To Manifest Financial Abundance

One of the biggest ways we block abundance is by cultivating a mindset of rejection, says transformation coach Jennifer Grace. When we say no to compliments, help, or opportunities, we're actually distancing ourselves from abundance. In this short video, she offers a simple mantra to help you receive what you want in life.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22225/how-to-manifest-financial-abundance.html

4th Annual LIVE Brain-A-Thon and Winning the Game of Money

If you are really serious about achieving greater financial success you must read and understand this now. 
  
In my many years of studying human perception and peak behavior it never ceases to amaze me how many people think that we see with our eyes. We don’t! 
  
We see when light bounces off an external object and enters our eye through the cornea, causing complex chemical reactions and electrical impulses to occur. This allows our brain to decipher the information from our external world and to determine whether or not it is important to us. It is actually our brain that sees and not our eyes. Our eyes are just like the lens on a camera – they allow in light that is reflected off objects so that our brain can see and process information. 
  
Seems pretty simple right? Now, you may be asking why this is important to earning money and so I’ll explain to you what is really going on and why it’s especially important to you if want to achieve higher levels of financial success. 
  
The way your brain works is really amazing when it comes to capturing and analyzing information. However, herein lies the problem. 

If you are interested in retraining your brain to maximize your potential, personally and professionally, check out this short video

  
Every second about 400 billion pieces of “information” from the outside world are being picked up through your eyes and your non-conscious mind. Your conscious mind however is made aware of up to only 2,000 of those pieces of information. That means that over 9.9999 million pieces of information are being dropped from your conscious awareness at any given time. 
  
Your brain searches the outside world for patterns and images that it currently recognizes or deems highly important. It drops all other sensory information from your perception if it is not on your “important list” or part of your current mental programming or conditioning. 
  
With that said, if you are conditioned to earn a certain income or if your company is used to generating certain revenues, your brain is will consistently seek out opportunities that match that level of income. Nothing less, nothing more. 
  
Earning more income is totally an inside mental game and not an outside game. Working harder used to be the answer because that is what our parents, teachers and mentors taught us we should do. They didn’t know better. Today we do. 
  
With all the advancements in brain research and recent understandings in quantum physics, you owe it to yourself to really understand how your priceless brain works and how to take control of all its powerful systems. In the last six years alone the advancements in human potential have been huge, especially in understanding why people get stuck financially. 
  
If you are still working way too hard daily, then you are really missing the boat on taking your income or revenues to your true potential. 
  
If you are interested in retraining your brain to maximize your potential, personally and professionally, check out this short video: 

To Your Success, 
  
John Assaraf