The Importance of Self-Care in Today’s Busy World

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To remember

• today’s fast-paced world = easy to get caught up in hustle & bustle of everyday life.
• constant demands from work, family, + social obligations = no wonder people often neglect their own self-care.
• self-care  = practice of taking deliberate actions to promote physical, mental, + emotional well-being
• = essential for overall health & well-being
• Self-care => reduce stress + prevent burnout + improve our overall quality of life

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Preceding

Doing more

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Also of interest

1. When You Wonder If Anyone Cares
2. 30 things to start doing for yourself – #6 is vital.
3. No time like the present
4. The Order of Time – by Carlo Rovelli
5. Shortness of time
6. The express train of the speeding time
7. Work and career a major focus of young adulthood
8. Spend time creating new blogs
9. Extra Time
10. If Today Was Your Last Day On Earth?

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Related

1. Self-Care on a Budget
2. Putting Yourself First: Overcoming People-Pleasing Tendencies
3. diary of a lost 21 year old
4. Spirituality and Acceptance: The Key to Finding Inner Peace
5. One Task At A Time
6. Seagull yoga and always wanting to be somewhere else
7. #ThinkPositive2023: Mar 27
8. Stop Cribbing, Start Living: How to Shift Your Mindset and Find Joy in Everyday Life
9. The Art of Slowing Down: Why is it so challenging?
10. Qi Gong
11. Christine tricks herself into more mobility exercises
12. Natural Health. Bristol April 8th
13. Sibling Bonding
14. The Future is Bright
15. To-Do Lists
16. I’ll do it later
17. The Importance of Self-Care in Today’s Busy World
18. Healing
19. Ways To Shift From I Can’t To I Can
20. Be Your Own #1

Raising Me

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With constant demands from work, family, and social obligations, it’s no wonder that people often neglect their own self-care. However, taking care of oneself is crucial for overall health and well-being. In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of self-care and offer tips for incorporating it into your daily routine.

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is the practice of taking deliberate actions to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It involves making choices that prioritize your own health and happiness. Self-care can take many forms, including exercise, healthy eating, sleep, relaxation, and socializing with loved ones.

Why is Self-Care Important?

Self-care is important for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it helps to reduce stress and prevent burnout. When we neglect our own needs, we become more vulnerable to the effects…

View original post 299 more words

Feeling more go-go-go than ho-ho-ho.

A lot of people get a bit more stress at the end of the year, it is actually unnecessary and stupid that they are so rushed by the economic market that is flooding us with masses these days advertisements to buy this and that or to do this and that.

It’s the holiday season, yet not many of us feel rested. We’re more go-go-go than ho-ho-ho. It’s hard to pause when there’s always something we could be doing. We feel guilty admitting we need a break. And even if we do grab a quiet moment, we rarely mentally relax – we’ll check our emails.

Many argue that this is the time to celebrate Jesus’ birth and to be happy to bring the light into this world. However, many of them forget to put his message of peace into action and also feel completely free from the works that the Nazarene Jew did some 2,000 years ago.

By putting our attention more on him we could become a lot calmer, but commerce wishes to tell us that we have to provide many gifts and extensive meals this holiday season.

Many let their night’s sleep be disrupted by bobbing about what they were going to do at Christmas and what gifts would they buy for whom or who they would invite to those holidays.

The last few days, several people had put up candles, being it for Chanukah or Christmas. One would think it are both celebrations which bring us together to enjoy each other’s company.

When one loves each other there should be no reason to worry to have such a gathering, but should be looking forward just to being together. In these darker days, we also should find ourselves at ease in the warmth of our living room, with perhaps some warm drink and a cosy chat and film. Time to indulge in some relaxation.

Trouble is, rest is not an indulgence. It’s a critical part of our functioning, with one recent survey by Sleep School – The State of UK Sleep in 2022 – finding that 46% of us are currently unsatisfied with our sleep, and 58% feel unrefreshed on waking. Anxiety, stress and difficulty switching off mentally were primary contributing factors.

Too often, people don’t understand that lack of downtime or period of time when one is not working or engaged in a planned activity, is detrimental to their mental and physical health, says Dr Sabine Donnai, founder of the Viavi Health Strategy clinic.

“When people burn the candle at both ends, they’re releasing an enormous amount of cortisol, the stress hormone.”

Cortisol, also called hydrocortisone, the major glucocorticoid in humans is an organic compound belonging to the steroid family that is the principal hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, is a potent anti-inflammatory agent used for the palliative treatment of a number of conditions, including itching caused by dermatitis or insect bites, inflammation associated with arthritis or ulcerative colitis, and diseases of the adrenal glands.

We need that Cortisol because it plays a major role in our body’s response to stress. It helps to maintain blood glucose concentrations by increasing gluconeogenesis and by blocking the uptake of glucose into tissues other than the central nervous system. It also contributes to the maintenance of blood pressure by augmenting the constrictive effects of catecholamines on blood vessels.

Lots of people are so used to those cortisol rushes, they don’t realise they’re on high alert.

“They misunderstand this – ‘Oh, I’ve got lots of energy, I can just carry on, do a million things, cope on six hours sleep every night’ – and maybe they’re an A type personality that wants to do a million things.”

There are the good things of having cortisol, but like most things that can be good, having too much of it is bad.

We can need some stress to be active and get some work done quickly and in a good way. Our bow cannot always be tense. We must perform well at the right times, but we must also take the necessary rest at the right times in order to regain our senses and build up energy again.

Our stress response is supposed to be short-lived.

“If I’m chased by a lion, I’m either going to outrun it, or kill it, or it’s going to kill me,”

says Donnai.

“Either way it’s not going to take long.”

But if the stress response goes on and on and on, she says,

“your adrenal glands become fatigued and that’s what we call burnout.”

> Please read more about it: > Why putting your feet up is vital for good health – Having plenty of energy might be a sign you’re close to burnout

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Preceding

Coming together in dark days

Death and rest

The Proper Place of Excess

Witnesses of Christ and of his gospel

Soul Pampering Time

Hope on the Horizon: Pandemic Anxiety Management II~

Broken daily routines

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Additional reading

1. Bereshith 1-2 The Creation of the World – The Seven Days
2. Hellenistic influences
3. Looking at September 2016
4. The express train of the speeding time
5. Come ye yourselves apart … and rest awhile (Mark 6:31) (Our World) = Come ye yourselves apart … and rest awhile (Mark 6:31) (Some View on the World)
6. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
7. Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #1 Before rain of food from heaven
8. Not withholding the Good News

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Related

1. Sabbath Rest
2. Alone on Christmas Eve…
3. Rest
4. Merry Christmas!!!
5. between now and then,
6. Refuge
7. Taking A Mum Break
8. How resting can aid your mental health
9. Christmas Reflections
10. Security
11. Dealing with Discouragement
12. Relax During the Holidays
13. 🥰Arts And Craft Time With My Boy And Sisters!🥰
14. 12 Activities For You To Try Out During Boxing Day
15. 6 Tips For Reducing Stress in 2023
16. How To Meditate Properly? 8 Simple Points To Follow
17. 🥰Fashionable Cozy Xmas Selfie Time With Grinch And Max Lol🥰
18. December 26th – Psalm 46:10
19. A Better Way of Life … A Rest For Our Souls
20. How To Meditate Properly? 8 Simple Points To Follow
21. A Relaxing Environment

Incorporate new things into your daily routine – without feeling like it’s a struggle

“Many people have been conditioned into thinking of January 1 as a day when we deprive ourselves of all the things that we have been encouraged to indulge in during December,”

neurologist Dr Rachel Taylor says.

“But the brain is hardwired to make it difficult for you because it does not deal with deprivation well.”

Dr Taylor advises that if you need extra motivation to make a change,

“start to really reflect on how that food/drink/activity makes you feel.

In these dark days, it is easy to get carried away with dark thoughts. For this, we must be careful not to get discouraged or start feeling miserable. The danger is that if you get carried away by those dark thoughts, you will also start feeling inferior and others will notice your weakness and take advantage of it.

We need to be aware that everyone encounters dark moments from time to time and that not everything can always be rosy. There is really no need to always show ourselves strong. We should not always put away our weaker points. It comes down to finding the right people with whom to share our weaknesses and talk quietly about things that bother us. Sharing our weaknesses shall make us vulnerable, but to make you vulnerable shall show your strength.

Marcus Ampe always advised people to bring the mind in balance with the body. For him, it is clear we need, first and foremost, to sort out our own inner self before we start working on the outer. If we are not happy with our appearance, we must find ways to accept our “self” as it is, be it too fat or too skinny, or not the shape we would like.

“Before taking drastic action on our body, we need to calm our “soul” by going for a walk in the great outdoors, for example.”

he says.

As we walk, we can safely think about many things that bother us. But we should also try to quiet our minds while observing the greenery and animals around us. Therefore, according to Mr. Ampe:

“Even if others may want to take us deeper, we must convince ourselves that we are worth being there and that we can contribute enough to others.”

Thus, during those walks in the morning and afternoon, we need to open up to what we are, but also to change that we can let come to ourselves.

“The brain is much more likely to accept change when you have done a sound job in convincing it that it is worth the extra effort and energy it is going to have to expend on managing the change.”

Even though these are dark days, we must not let our thoughts darken. According to M. Ampe, it is therefore also best to start fully enjoying the sun’s warming rays (albeit little) after sunrise.

Dr Rachel Taylor, like him, finds that an early morning blast is essential.

“The rate of production of serotonin has been shown multiple times in research to have a direct correlation with the amount of sunlight a person gets: it rises quickly when access to sunlight increases.

In Scandinavian countries, therefore, often light therapy is used, to reduce suicides during these winter months.

“The more serotonin you have the more melatonin your brain can make, which is not just good for sleep, although that is its primary role, but is a really powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.”

That early dose of sunlight could have added benefits for weight loss: a study from the University of Alberta found that lack of exposure to sunlight could lead to an increase in fat and therefore contribute to weight gain.

Especially with these dark days and upcoming holidays, we do dare to go beyond our means and eat more than we actually need to, while also reaching for sweets a lot quicker, to feel better.

It is no use that we let ourselves become stressed by what we would go to eat at Christmas and New Year, or what presents we are going to buy. Stress is to be avoided. Though this period is one in which many people get unnecessarily stressed out. Many are very busy, dealing with endless to-do lists and struggling to balance it all. This search for trying to do the best for others results often in a day-to-day life that feels too hectic. Our running back and forth in search of the right gifts and food gets us so excited that we throw ourselves off balance.
By putting their body these days into overdrive, lots of people do not see it is taking them down. Fatigue becomes the master of them.

A good way to get back to folds should start as early as breakfast.

Many think their daily serving of breakfast cereal is a healthy dose of calories and vitamins. But the majority of people use breakfast cereals with added sugars. And these are bound to be avoided. So no granola or caramelised cereals, even those with hoing processed breakfast cereals should be taboo. The concept of cereal food that originated in the vegetarian beliefs of the American Seventh-day Adventists, who in the 1860s formed the Western Health Reform Institute, later renamed the Battle Creek Sanitarium, in Battle Creek, Michigan, was very healthy, but the food industry made something sweet after it to tempt more people to come to enjoy their products. Therefore forget those ‘modernised’ grainproducts and go back to the  source, ditching the sugary, high-carb cereal for a more balanced start to the day.

“If you start your day with a good quality source of protein, some fat and some vegetables, you will balance your blood sugar levels,”

says nutritionist Grace Kingswell, who advocates eggs and vegetables to start the day.

But, Mr Ampe warns, in doing so we must be careful not to be tempted in the supermarket to buy fruit and vegetables that do not belong in our own region during the particular season.

“Only seasonal fruit and vegetables should be put on our plates.”

he says.

In doing so, choosing the right food at the right season will bring us into balance with nature and provide the necessary nutrients and vitamins for that time of year.

“It will have positive benefits for your hormone balance, PMS, energy levels, mood, stress response, cravings, satiety, weight management, and so much more.”

remarks Kingswell.

Researchers at the University of Missouri found that a higher protein breakfast produced lower spikes in glucose and insulin after meals, which led to increased feelings of fullness throughout the day (if you struggle to eat first thing, try adding a protein shake, such as one from strongnutrients.com). Increased vegetables also have added benefits for your gut health.

After having started the day with a good meal, one can go for the first walk of the day. Before that walk, like at other moments during the day, it is, according to Mr. Ampe, also not bad to take the Bible at hand and to read, every day, some verses out of that inspiration book. The part read that day should bring something to think or meditate about.

For good reason, private devotion or mental exercise encompassing various techniques of concentration, contemplation, and abstraction, is regarded as conducive to heightened self-awareness, spiritual enlightenment, and physical and mental health. Meditation has never been more popular: there are currently more than 51 million posts on Instagram.

Neuroscientists at UC San Diego recently reported that mindful meditation can be as effective in reducing pain relief as medication. While in another recent study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers found that a guided mindfulness-based program was as effective as the use of medication for patients with anxiety disorders.

Even for a beginner with no serious health issues, a 13-minute daily meditation improves mood, sleep and memory, according to researchers at John Hopkins University.

“There is no need at all to repeat all the time some words or phrases,”

says Mr. Ampe.

“It is much more important to get toward mental, emotional, and physical well-being, by concentrating on the Words given by our Creator, Who has provide the most complete words or thoughts to instruct and form or mould us in the best human being we should become.”

Some prefer through the repetition of a mantra, to still the activity of thought and to experience a deep state of relaxation, which is said to lead to enhanced contentment, vitality, and creativity, but by repeating such mantra, the source of the problem is not taken away. By using the Bible as a source and backbone of life, a person shall be able to attack the real problem and origin of the troubles. Feeding yourself every day with such spiritual food shall enrich and strengthen yourself more, so that you and others shall be able to notice changes in yourself. At the same time you should not be afraid to use that active, voluntary, and systematic thinking about a biblical or theological topic, to be part of your conversation with others, by which you shall come to feel that a certain confidence shall also give you more strength.

“The meditations are designed to be incorporated into your everyday life and can be done sitting, standing or while doing light exercise such as walking, hiking or stretching. We want to make it as easy as possible to meditate any time, anywhere,”

says Julz Arney, director of fitness for health technologies at Apple.

By knowing the Divine Creator, Jehovah God, and giving time to yourself to think about His Words and worship Him, you shall find out that you will gain the first step to coming at ease with yourself and making you strong enough to tackle this world.

The tips from the experts here are small changes that you can start to incorporate into your daily routine – without feeling like it’s a struggle.

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Preceding

Facing our existence every day

O, little voice within…

Echo

Soul Pampering Time

Share Your Smile

Blossoming and healing the planet

Thinking about thinking

Thoughts and reflections taking only a few minutes

Deeper Call

‘I try to keep my hate in check. If you can’t hate, you can’t love.’

Crying is good for inner self!!

A little ray of sunshine.

Mini-MAX-malism: A Bigger Approach to Less is More

New form of body exercises gaining popularity

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Additional reading

1. Expectations for kashrut to meet individual and contemporary norms
2. Christians, secularism, morals and values
3. Every athlete exercises self control

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Related

1. Mental health tips: Easy ways to beat the winter blues, manage mood swings | Health
2. The Inferiority Bug
3. Feeling “Less Than”
4. Are You Inferior?
5. Thought For The Day: April 17, 2018 “At The Expense of Others”
6. Darkness Exists in All
7. Hijacked by Darkness
8. Beyond darkness
9. Dark Clouds
10. Dark Disquietude
11. Dark Destressing
12. Angst And Anxiety
13. Secrets from a shadow
14. 2 a.m.
15. Tea Time
16. Weather Related Depression Is Brutal
17. How to Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder
18. How to Deal with Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
19. How I’m coping with SAD (Seasonal affective disorder)
20. Understanding Inferiority
21. You’re receiving peanuts because you’re giving yourself peanuts
22. Just What If…
23. True me.. Tap-1164..
24. When you’re feeling inferior
25. Which kind of hell would you choose?
26. you are not alone
27. How Do You Know Your Body is Out Of Balance?
28. How To Ditch For Ever The Ridiculous Idea That You’re Not Good Enough
29. Fed Up With Feeling Inferior? Here’s How To Fix It With One Simple Step
30. You Are Not
31. Weakness is Powerful
32. Vulnerable
33. Causes Of Sudden Weight Gain
34. Eating Disorder in the Psych Ward.
35. Tips for avoiding holiday weight gain.
36. Today’s Health Tip ~ Want to Lose Weight?
37. Part One – Will Adrenal Fatigue Cause Weight Gain?
38. 11 Foods That Cause Visceral Fat, Ranked by How Bad They Are For You
39. Patterns of weight gain or loss later in life may increase risk
40. Boost the Effects of Exercise on Weight Loss and Health (Without Changing Your Workout Routine)
41. Offering A Little Brightness During The Darkest Months Of The Year
42. Journal Prompts & Activities to Boost Positivity this Winter
43. Day 125 – A Stunningly Sober Holiday Season
44. What is your foundation for optimal health?
45. How Can I Have True Spiritual Power?
46. He Knows Storms Are Coming
47. Give Yourself Fully to the Work of the Lord

Two Unconventional Ways to Self-Soothe

The Curious Mag

Published on Happinez Magazine on the 18th of July. Article here

Worry, anxiety, stress, frustration, and sadness are a part of life that no one is excluded from experiencing. As we become adults, we have to learn to stand on our own two feet – especially when it comes to handling our emotions (this is of course not including the help that we can receive from our friends, families, therapists, and/or support groups). We might develop certain coping mechanisms or self-soothing techniques that help us get by and get through the tough times. 

DeAndre Bush

What is self-soothing?

Self-soothing is defined as an individual’s efforts or capacity to calm oneself while in a state of emotional distress. When you find yourself experiencing negative emotions, not only is it important to sit with your feelings but also to not let yourself plummet or spiral into an emotional state that has you…

View original post 926 more words

‘Growing pains’ is a misnomer

Growing pains are common, but there’s little consensus on their scope or cause, writes Elizabeth Chang in The Washington Post. A recent review of studies on growing pain found that

“only half of the studies mentioned lower limb pain; only 48 percent of the studies reported that the pain came in the evening; and only 42 percent said it was episodic or recurrent,”

writes Chang. More than 8 in 10 studies didn’t specify the age that the pains emerged, and a whopping 93 percent made no reference to growth. Studies floated a variety of causes, including

“issues related to anatomy (hypermobility, knock knees, or low-bone-mineral density, for example), psychological issues such as stress, vascular issues such as skeletal blood flow, and metabolic problems such as low vitamin D levels.”

But the evidence supporting any one of them is thin to non-existent. [The Washington Post]

Do you want to take control of your life?

A danger for our own personality is when we allow other people to take over our mind and control ourselves.
Mind and body have to be in unison with each other and when there is an unbalance we should find our way by meditative arts. Kounovsky, Yoga, Mindfulness and meditation a.o. can help to get back in balance, having a healthy body as a covering of a healthy spirit.
A lot f people also forget that there is a Word Which can bring us back on the right path and make us stronger to cope with all the difficulties of life. That book of book is available in so many languages that everybody, wherever living in the world, can get to read that Guide to live in the best way we can.

Anita's Perspectives on Life.

What are boundaries and how to set them?

As discussed in my last article on” Gaslighting”, some people try to control other people around them. The main reason behind this kind of mentality is gaining power over others through their actions. If you are in this kind of situation, it becomes very important to gain control over your own life, so that no one can overpower you and your life.

What is the most crucial part of taking charge of your life?

You should have full control over your body and mind. Mind and body connection is the link between a person’s thoughts, attitudes and behaviors. Everyone knows now that emotions can affect our physical health and longevity.

You must have experienced that your body responds to stress and anxiety or depression. When you are stressed, you might develop high blood pressure or headache. While feeling depression or anxiety, you…

View original post 686 more words

Stress krijgen door perfect te willen zijn

Je krijgt geen stress omdat je niet perfect bent.
Je krijgt stress omdat je perfect wilt zijn.

Zomervakantie 2020

Met de zon die stilletjes aan tevoorschijn komt, zijn we begonnen aan de zomervakantie.

Velen hebben wel verplicht thuis moeten blijven, zo dat zij in wezen eigenlijk ook zoiets hadden als vakantie. We weten wel dat voor velen vakantie het equivalent van reizen is geworden. Maar men moet niet op reis gaan om vakantie te nemen. Ook thuis kan men van een heerlijke vakantie genieten.

Reizen en vakantie zijn helemaal niet gelijkwaardig. Reizen kan soms heel wat stress op leveren, terwijl vakantie er juist kan toe bijdragen dat heel wat stress wegvliegt.

In ieder geval zal de vakantie voor 2020 heel anders zijn dan de voorbije jaren, met misschien zelf gewijzigde vakantieplannen.

Dit is de kans om je regio te ontdekken. Wat je ook doet, het belangrijkste is om te genieten van je welverdiende rustdagen!

Mood Booster • Respirez!

Inspirez. Et expirez. En moyenne, on fait ça 12 fois par minute ou 17.000 fois par jour. Qui aurait cru qu’une activité qu’on répète autant de fois peut être compliquée. Le stress peut accélérer, sans qu’on le remarque, notre respiration. Vous vous sentez stressé ? Analysez votre respiration. Respirez calmement, votre corps s’apaisera et le stress diminuera.

Comment contrôler quelque chose qu’on fait en pilote automatique ?
La conscience est la première étape. Où se trouve votre respiration : dans la poitrine ou plus bas dans votre ventre ? Vous soulevez vos épaules en respirant ?

Comme un crocodile

Les nouveaux-nés sont donnent le meilleur exemple d’une bonne respiration. Les bébés respirent par l’abdomen. En raison de notre style de vie assis et du stress, beaucoup adoptent une respiration costale (thoracique). Retournons en enfance ! Il y a plusieurs manières d’apprendre à nouveau la respiration abdominale, dont la posture du crocodile :

• Allongez-vous sur le ventre
• Écartez vos jambes un peu plus large que vos épaules et détendez vos pieds. Le dessus de vos pieds touche le sol
• Posez vos mains l’une sur l’autre
• Mettez votre front sur vos mains
• Inspirez et concentrez-vous sur votre ventre

Si vous respirez bien par le ventre, vous remarquerez que votre torse se lève un peu du sol.

1:2

Il n’est évidemment pas toujours possible de s’allonger par terre pour contrôler sa respiration. Si vous avez un peu de difficultés avec la respiration abdominale, vous pouvez aussi vous concentrer sur la vitesse de votre respiration. Un rapport 1:2 est idéal : inspirez et expirez deux fois plus longtemps.

• Judith Witters

Mood Booster • Adem!

Adem in. En uit. Gemiddeld doen we dat 12 keer per minuut of zo’n 17.000 keer per dag. Je zou denken dat je iets wat je zó vaak herhaalt ook wel volledig onder de knie hebt. Door stress kan je ademhaling, zonder dat je het merkt, een versnelling hoger gaan. Voel je je gestrest? Let dan eens op je ademhaling. Probeer die te kalmeren en je zal merken dat de rest van je lichaam ook kalmeert en je stress vermindert.

Hoe controleer je iets dat je op automatische piloot uitvoert?
Bewustzijn is de eerste stap. Waar zit je ademhaling: in de borst of meer beneden in de buik? Gaan je schouders omhoog als je ademhaalt?

Zoals een krokodil

Het beste voorbeeld voor een goede ademhaling, is een pasgeboren baby. Baby’s ademen vanuit de buik. Door een zittende levensstijl en stress, nemen heel wat mensen gaandeweg een borstademhaling aan. Tijd om even terug te gaan naar je kindertijd dus! Er zijn verschillende manieren om jezelf de buikademhaling weer aan te leren. Een daarvan is de krokodilhouding:

• Ga op je buik liggen
• Houd je benen gespreid, iets breder dan je schouders en laat de bovenkant van je voeten ontspannen rusten op de grond
• Leg je handen op elkaar
• Leg je voorhoofd op je handen
• Adem diep in en concentreer op je buik

Als je goed vanuit je buik inademt, zal je merken dat je bovenlichaam wat van de grond wordt getild.

1:2

Natuurlijk heb je niet overal de mogelijkheid om op je buik te gaan liggen om je ademhaling te controleren. Als je wat moeite hebt met de buikademhaling, kan je focussen op je ademsnelheid. Een 1:2-verhouding is ideaal: adem in en adem twee keer zo lang uit.

• Judith Witters

Nieuwe sociale etiquette

Het is verkeerd te denken dat de problemen of moeilijkheden alleen jou overvallen. Een leven zonder lasten is een illusie. Iedereen maakt weleens een moeilijke periode door. Iedereen heeft wel eens perioden in zijn of haar leven dat het minder gaat. Die fases komen en gaan. Soms hangen ze samen met je leeftijd (puberteit, midlife, ouderdom). Soms met bepaalde ingrijpende gebeurtenissen (rouw, ontslag, relatiebreuk), soms zijn ze er gewoon, zonder duidelijk aantoonbare oorzaak. Soms duren ze lang, soms vliegen ze voorbij. Maar altijd heb je de indruk dat je er moeilijk vat op krijgt.

In deze periode van CoViD-19 lijkt het wel erger, omdat er langs meerdere fronten druk wordt uitgeoefend. Er is de onzekerheid van inkomen. Er zijn de frustraties rond het werk Voor diegenen die thuiswerken zijn er de huishoudelijke taken en de constante aanwezigheid en zorg voor de kinderen waar men mee te kampen heeft.

Familie en vrienden

Meestal heeft men vrienden om ergens op terug te vallen of over bepaalde zaken te praten. Maar nu veel die uitlaatklep voor velen weg.

Familie kies je niet, vrienden wel. Maar ze zijn allebei wel even belangrijk om een sociaal netwerk uit te bouwen. Familie en vrienden kunnen helpen beter om te gaan met de stress van het leven. Ze geven je het gevoel dat je erbij hoort. Ze kunnen je op andere gedachten brengen als je hoofd maar door blijft malen. Ze houden je actief en met de voeten op de grond en kunnen je helpen praktische problemen op te lossen. Maar met de lockdown zijn die bepaalde nodige contacten weg gevallen.

Contact met anderen

We hebben het allemaal al gemerkt: het gevoel van alertheid in contact met anderen of geliefden.

We nemen onze burgerzin serieus en willen veilig gedrag stellen. Dit zorgt voor een bepaalde focus en lijkt in te boeten aan een bepaalde warmte, spontaniteit of eigenheid. Voor weken hebben wij nu te maken gehad met (bijna) opsluiting in ons eigen veilige stekje. Als we daarbuiten kwamen moesten wij steeds uitkijken om op veilige afstand van anderen te blijven. Er waren de laatste weken ook niet veel mogelijkheden om contacten met anderen te hebben buiten de virtuele mogelijkheden. Maar zulke elektronische contacten kunnen ware menselijke contacten niet vervangen. Integendeel, maakt het soms nog meer voelbaar dat wij van elkaar gescheiden zijn. Soms leidt dit tot eenzaamheid of vervreemding (van elkaar).

Een ongemakkelijk gevoel: een verschil van 15 naar 150 cm
Als mensen zijn we gewend om op een bepaalde manier om te gaan met elkaar. Ook met ons lichaam. Hoe nauwer de band met iemand, hoe dichter we deze ook laten komen bij ons lichaam. De gemiddelde afstand bij contact tussen dierbaren of goede vrienden is ongeveer 30 cm. We ‘zeggen’ dus iets met ons lichaam als we toenadering zoeken. Dit zit ergens ingebakken bij de sociale regels van ons menselijk contact. Wanneer we dit niet kunnen ‘zeggen’ met ons lichaam, voelen we deze dierbare boodschap minder binnenkomen, zelfs al ‘weten’ we rationeel waarom het niet kan.

Een verlies van lichaamstaal en impliciete tools
Hoe we met ons lichaam spreken hangt af van ieders persoonlijke stijl. We hebben minder toegang tot die impliciete lichaamstaal en dit voelt lastig aan! Een anders ‘lijfelijk iemand’ mist nu niet enkel fysiek contact maar ook de eigen stijl en gewoontes om met mensen om te gaan en te spreken.

Lossen van de lockdown

De lockdown heeft nu al enkele weken voor velen zwaar door gewogen. Het gros van de burgers heeft zich wel aan de maatregelen kunnen houden. De enkele uitzonderingen te na gesproken maakten dat wij de coronacrisis nog niet zo slecht zijn doorgekomen. Maar we zullen het nog een tijdje moeten volhouden.

Om dat beter te doen kunnen we nu en dan gerust een beetje relativeringsdrang en humor naar boven laten komen.

Rollenspel met dierbaren

Gebruik je verbeelding en maak de nieuwe sociale etiquette iets ‘eigen’

• Wees je bewust welke gewoontes je met bepaalde mensen hebt. Dit spreek je in normale omstandigheden ook niet expliciet uit. Even nostalgisch terugblikken kan de band ook deugd doen! vb: indien je de gewoonte hebt om te gaan dansen of naar een concert te gaan met vrienden of als je met familie gewoonlijk rugby speelt in de tuin.
• Zie de humor van deze gekke levensomstandigheden en laat jezelf experimenteren met andere vormen van een warme lichaamstaal. Zie contacten met mensen uit je bubbel ook als een kans om een andere begroeting uit te testen.
• Bespreek welke andere activiteiten je kan doen als alternatieven. vb: samen muziek luisteren, een film kijken of een gezelschaps(spel) spelen zoals ‘times up’, Kubb, petanque, andere ideeën: https://thehousethatlarsbuilt.com/2020/04/family-activities-social-distancing.html/

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Geestelijke gezondheidsproblemen kunt u proberen voorkomen door te werken aan uw mentale veerkracht. Het versterken van veerkracht helpt veel mensen om beter om te gaan met stress en problemen.

Om uw veerkracht te helpen versterken is Fitinjehoofd.be ontworpen. Fitinjehoofd.be is een interactief platform dat uw veerkracht test en oefeningen en tips aanreikt om hieraan te werken. U kunt  via de website ook de Fit In Je Hoofd app downloaden.

Andere initiatieven richten zich tot specifieke doelgroepen.

• Wie ouder is dan 60 en graag in groep aan de slag gaat, kan een kijkje nemen op Zilverwijzer (opent in nieuw venster).
• Wie problemen heeft met geld, gezondheid, erbij horen, werk vinden, goed wonen,… kan terecht bij de Goed Gevoel Stoel (opent in nieuw venster). Samen met lotgenoten gaat u aan de slag om uw welbevinden te verbeteren.
• Vrienden en familieleden van mensen met psychische en/of verslavingsproblemen kunnen terecht bij Familieplatform (opent in nieuw venster).
• Kinderen en jongeren kunnen een kijkje nemen op
  • Noknok.be (opent in nieuw venster)
    Deze site richt zich op jongeren tussen 12 en 16 jaar. Zij vinden er informatie en opdrachten om zich goed in hun vel te voelen.
  • Familieplatform/doelgroepen/kinderen.be (opent in nieuw venster)
    Deze webpagina richt zich op kinderen van ouders met psychische problemen.
  • Tweehuizen.be (opent in nieuw venster)
    Dit is een website op maat van kinderen en jongeren van wie de ouders gescheiden zijn. Ook gescheiden ouders vinden er informatie om hun kind doorheen een moeilijke periode te loodsen.

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Telefonische hulpverlening en chat

Merk je dat je angstiger en rustelozer bent en heb je nood aan een babbel in deze uitzonderlijke tijden?
Dan kan je 24/7 terecht op de gratis psychologische hulplijn op het nummer 0800 99 023 of via psyhelp@wellways.be.

Zoek je iemand om anoniem en in alle privacy mee te praten? Dan kan telefonische hulpverlening of online hulpverlening interessant zijn.

Bij een aantal organisaties kan je terecht voor een telefonisch gesprek of een online chat. Vaak is er 24 per uur iemand beschikbaar. Als je echt in de put zit en niemand kan bereiken die je kent, kan zo’n gesprek enorm ondersteunend zijn om je door het moeilijkste moment heen te helpen.

De bekendste zijn:

• Tele-Onthaal
• Zelfmoordl1813
• De Druglijn
• Awel (de vroegere Kinder- en Jongerentelefoon
• CAW
• CLBch@t
• JAC

Meer last van slaapproblemen of piekeren?

Voel je je niet uitgerust ’s ochtends? Pieker je ‘s nachts of nemen je angsten grotere proporties aan in het donker?

Twintig procent van de mensen slaapt slechter sinds de uitbraak van de coronacrisis. Vaak heeft dit te maken met zorgen of angst. Hoewel we als mens wel wat stress en slaapdeprivatie aankunnen, kan zich dit toch op veel lange termijn gaan wreken.

Gelukkig zijn er heel wat dingen die men kan doen om sneller in slaap te vallen. We laten ons inspireren door slaapexperten Inge Declercq en Filip Raes.

Ontspannen voor het slapengaan is een must
Het is belangrijk om je hoofd leeg te maken en te ontspannen: een serie kijken, boek lezen, dansen, joggen, yoga, wandelen, een warm bad, met je huisdier spelen, of lichaamsoefeningen.

Maak een tijd en een plek voor alles
We hebben de neiging om plaatsen te associëren met plezier, werk, rust of stress. Het is belangrijk dat we het nieuws bekijken, piekeren én (ontspannings)activiteiten buiten de slaapkamer. Dit zodat we de slaapkamer enkel associëren met rust.

Omgaan met angst of piekeren doorheen de dag en voor het slapengaan
We hebben zeker het recht om ons angstig te voelen in deze tijden. We mogen daar aandacht en tijd aan geven. Maar doe dit bewust, ook overdag en met zorg voor jezelf.

• Maak een piekerhoekje, weg van je slaapkamer waar je een beperkte tijd mag piekeren.
• Maak gebruik van een piekerdoosje. Je schrijft je zorgen in een paar woorden op en stopt deze in een doosje alvorens naar bed te gaan. Zo geef je ze even aandacht en besluit je ze weg te leggen voor een later moment.
• Je kan ook kiezen voor een piekerkwartiertje. Kies een vast moment om naar hartenlust te piekeren
• Relativeer en durf met je piekergedrag te lachen: ‘aha, daar zijn ze weer, zie me nu’. Zo bedaar je je acute stressreactie.
• Maak tijd voor buikademhalingsoefeningen doorheen de dag.
• Beperk schermtijd. Schermen geven blauw licht, een waaksignaal voor je centrale klok, die ons slaaphormoon onderdrukt.
• Bekijk geen nieuws meer na 20-21u bijvoorbeeld, en zeker geen nieuwsupdates bekijken wanneer je al in bed ligt.
• Zeg tegen jezelf: “Mijn dagen worden beheerst door dat virus en dat volstaat. Er is geen reden om er ook ‘s nachts mee bezig te zijn.”

Slaaptechnieken om uit te testen: de kracht van verbeelding

1. Visualisatie oefening: “Ik reis door mijn hoofd”
Ga terug naar een moment op vakantie en neem er desnoods een foto bij. Probeer je zoveel mogelijk details voor de geest te halen: het lekkere eten, de frisse lucht, de zon op je gezicht, wie er bij je zat, hoe je je voelde. Deze beelden verminderen de activiteit in overactieve hersengebieden, die ervoor zorgen dat je wakker ligt. Daardoor val je sneller in slaap.

2. Visualisatie oefening: “ik bereid me voor in gedachten op mijn slaap”
Probeer je stap voor stap in te beelden hoe je ’s avonds naar bed gaat. Verbeeld je eerst hoe je tot rust komt, door aangename kleren aan te doen of door een tas thee te drinken. Beeld je in hoe je je tanden poetst en nadien hoe je in bed kruipt, onder een zacht deken. Beeld je in dat je je ogen sluit en voel hoe heel je lichaam zich ontspant. Bij elke stap maak je gebruik van een “als-dan plan”, bijvoorbeeld: “Als ik gemakkelijke kleren aandoe, dan voel ik de stress van mij afglijden.”

3. Cognitieve shuffle
Deze techniek werd uitgevonden door een Canadese psycholoog Beaudoin. Deze probeert onze chaotische breintoestand tijdens (in)slaap na te doen: we ervaren dan een wirwar van onlogische samenhangende flarden van informatie die we proberen te verwerken.

• Kies een neutraal woord van minstens vijf letters, bijvoorbeeld “beer”. Dit wordt je sleutelwoord.
• Zoek een nieuw woord dat begint met de eerste letter van het sleutelwoord.
• Probeer je het woord zo goed mogelijk visueel in te beelden.
• Zoek na enkele seconden een nieuw woord, beginnende met dezelfde letter. Gebruik je fantasie.
• Vind je geen nieuwe woorden, keer terug naar je sleutelwoord en ga verder met de tweede letter van het sleutelwoord
• Zo valt ons brein makkelijker in slaap en dwalen we minder snel af naar beladen beelden of angsten.

Anxiety Management During Pandemic Days~

When living in Lockdown places, even in cities when still able to go some kilometres away from home, even if it has now become more limited in several places, those not limited by (1-1-1 or 1 person 1 meter from home at a time) may be happy to count themselves to the lucky ones who may still move around and should be enjoying to see all those things for which they previously had not taken enough time to notice them.

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To remember:

• shrieking headlines > increasing anxiety, worry, sleep disruption, feelings of helplessness, panic, and/or depression.
• some ideas that can help:
  • a customized anxiety toolbox to pick and choose
  • looking at positive images = objective + powerful anxiety reducer.
  • Self Talk Reframing (Cognitive Therapy)
  • Guided Imagination/Visualization
  • Exposure Management
  • Progressive Relaxation
  • Distraction in Action
  • Self Soothing
  • Spiritual Meditation/Prayer
  • Second Voice
  • Exercise, Diet & Good Health Practices
  • stay well informed + safe >> constant media onslaught = psychologically overwhelming + add to an unhealthy level of anxiety => reduce exposure to news.
  • Look for positive imagery +  Write blogs + stories.

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Continue reading: Hope on the Horizon: Pandemic Anxiety Management II~

Preceding

CoViD-19 warnings

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Please find also to read:

1. Using fears of the deadly coronavirus
2. Europe in Chaos for a Pandemic
3. Making deeper cuts than some terrorist attacks of the near past
4. The unseen enemy

Many of us are experiencing emotional distress from the pandemic which can affect each of us in different ways, but often presents as increasing anxiety, worry, sleep disruption, feelings of helplessness, panic, and/or depression.

The shrieking headlines don’t help do they? So what can we do to manage these feelings and feel stronger emotionally and psychologically as we prepare ourselves to face the difficult days ahead?

As a psychotherapist who has practiced for many decades, I have some ideas that can help. So if you are interested, read on.

We are going to make a customized anxiety toolbox. One approach doesn’t work for everyone, pick and choose what feels right for you. Of course I’m including relaxing photos intermixed in this post because looking at positive images is an objective and powerful anxiety reducer. What you perceive influences how you think and feel.

ANXIETY TOOLBOX:

Self Talk Reframing (Cognitive Therapy)

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Learning from ourselves

Often it are the setbacks that bring people back with their feet on the ground and have they rethink about their position in this world and in their life.

The most difficult part in our life is often to liberate ourself from the chain of vanity that may have caught us, and to get to learn that we better have to become an instrument in the Hands of our Creator, following His path He has laid out in front of us.

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To remember

“You teach best what you most need to learn.”  = line from Richard Bach’s book ‘Illusions’ running through mind

Marianne Williamson frequently shares very personal stories about her honest trials through life which makes her advice all the more more palatable

• We share in our own ways + we learn in our own ways

 

today’s lesson = Humility.

• ego wants to (and has been) defending self, making excuses, + trying to justify own actions
• making way through personal feelings of remorse, embarrassment, + confusio
• often advice we give to others = exact advice we need ourselves.
• hold ourselves to some ridiculous standard of “perfection” => too self-conscious to admit struggle with things we advise others to do.
• listen to ourselves +  realize things we passionately want to teach other people = things we, ourselves, truly want to learn + embody =>  vigilant level of self awareness + honesty

enhance + deepen relationships with others + ability to impact them in a positive way

1)  Be Honest

2)  Have Compassion

3)  Stop Trying to be Perfect =>  sense of freedom

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Preceding

I is for Incompleteness

Timeless Insights on Humility

When I run after what I think I want,

Purplerays

When I run after what I think I want,
my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety;

If I sit in my own place of patience,
what I need flows to me, without pain.

From this I understand that what I want also wants me,
is looking for me and attracting me.

There is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it.

~ Rumi

Text & image source: Mystic Path to Cosmic Consciousness https://www.facebook.com/Mystic-Path-to-Cosmic-Consciousness-143005819116554/

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When in doubt, Walkabout

It is known that walking is a good way to reduce stress and to get depression out of the way.

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French verb ‘resource’ = to refresh + replenish oneself, to re-source ourselves.

> feeling empty, a little down-in-the-mouth, => a nice long walk out amid the flora + fauna of Nature= kind of re-sourcing we need < connect to own source of life, true source

‘peripatetics‘  walked + thought, working out philosophical reasoning

Druids = philosophers of their tribes

==> walk on your own two feet from time to time = you won’t regret it!

Chaos Druidry

Artwork by seeker273 on DeviantArt

In French the word ‘resource’, used as a verb, means to refresh and replenish oneself, to re-source ourselves.

When we’re feeling empty, a little down-in-the-mouth, a nice long walk out amid the flora and fauna of Nature can do just the kind of re-sourcing we need, as we connect to our own source of life, the true source, and no foot rub or spa or pots of facial creams will do exactly that.

But there’s more too. The ancient Greek philosophers had a ‘school’ of philosophy that called themselves the ‘peripatetics‘ since they walked and thought, working out their philosophical reasoning as they ambled around. A bunch of ponderous old guys in white robes…. sounds pretty druidic doesn’t it? Druids were the philosophers of their tribes. They were the judges and lawmakers – and to do that you have to be a careful…

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Negatieve stress omzetten in positieviteit

De juiste houding aannemen
kan een negatieve stress omzetten
in een positieve.

Hans Selye

English version / Engelse versie > Converting a negative stress into a positive one

Converting a negative stress into a positive one

Adopting the right attitude
can convert a negative stress
into a positive one.
Hans Selye

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Negatieve stress omzetten in positieviteit

you can’t wake a person that is pretending to be asleep

To remember

• Learning to love parts of me that no one claps for. (Rudy Francisco)
• Listening to myself > carrying a lot of unspoken stress.
• Environment allowed to silence inner voice.
• Want to feel that I am living the best life possible.
• Did not give appropriate attention to blind spots in my life =>area where a person’s view is obstructed.
• re-examine my life … again …
• We think we are safe in the bubble => we actually put ourselves in danger by becoming powerless.
• group mentality doesn’t really offer fertile ground for creativity.
• responsible for own moral + ethical landscape.
• search for your blind spots
• Examine your environment + ask hard questions
• Freedom comes when we speak the truth. Even if our voices shake.
• When truth revealed >  blind spot = weak spot.

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Related articles

• What Does ‘Community’ Mean?
• Wednesday, 5 July 2017 : 13th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Anthony Zaccaria, Priest (Psalm)

heart prints

I am still learning to love the parts of me that no one claps for.
(Rudy Francisco)

I was listening to myself speak lately and I realised that I was carrying a lot of unspoken stress. The emotions that I felt caught me completely off guard and I wondered why I allowed my environment to silence my inner voice.
I want to feel that I am living the best life possible.
I want to think that I am comfortable with my choices and that they are intentional.
I want to believe that I learned from previous mistakes and experiences.
I want people to experience me as a free spirit with an eclectic view on life.
Newsflash …!
I am so comfortable inside my own identity that I did not give appropriate attention to the blind spots in my life.

Blind spot: an area where a person’s view is obstructed.
“the…

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Detachment by Family problems

In the previous article Liza Borstlap writes

I came to believe that the conflict in my family had created itself.

It would be lovely if we all could grow up in very close lovely families which can give us everything we need. Though it does not work that way. The world is not made in such a way that all can be born at the right good place, in the right good class, receiving all the good education or even being all very bright.

First Lady Michelle Obama reads “The Cat in the Hat” to children in Ms. Mattie’s class at Prager Child Development Center March 12, during her visit to Fort Bragg, N.C. The First Lady spoke with Soldiers and Family members as part of her initiative to care for military families. First Lady vows support for military families (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even when all the material richness would be there when you are born in a rich family it does not mean you will find the luck to have a good relationship between all the members of that family.

Wherever we may be born in whatever for family we are just part of one big turmoil. Every day, people’s lives are touched by political, social, economic, and religious conflicts that tear the human family apart. In these conflicts, it is common for people to take sides — verbally or otherwise — with the nation, tribe, language group, or social class of which they are a part.
Even when people are not directly involved in some conflict, they often find themselves favouring one side over another. But regardless of which person or cause they endorse, to whom are they really giving support?

The Bible plainly states:

“The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19)

Families are not always such perfect units that shields the individual from a cruel society. Mostly we do find that in those families where there are no rules and morals and no eye for ethics the chances of getting derailed are grater than in religious families where certain religious rules go over the human will.

We must come to see we too can often be the cause of a problem. We too can be making problems even bigger than they are. Also by becoming indifferent for what goes on we can get ourselves in a deeper mess than we would love to see ourselves. Indifference in the end shall create emotional agitation and stress which shall become so unbearable that the person shall find no inner peace left. Danger then is that one tries to look for detachment, thinking it can preserve the self.

Another big problem is when people are not open enough to tell each-other what is on their liver. When not willing to let yourself be seen by the other like you are, you are that other person not giving the opportunity to get to know you, like you are really. It is by not having the open spirit to allow each other to be him or herself that restrictions are also laid on each other. When people than start remaining silent about the interference, the neglect, the labelling and toxic in-fighting, that often leaves a person with a limp and the frustration may ferment the malfunction in the own body as well as in the facility of being part of one united family.

It is not by secretly covering our own failures and mishaps until we can identify the black sheep that can take the blame, that we are going to come to a good solution. The opposite, that will bring us deeper in the well.

Deep in us may we find it screwing and tormenting. Our head can becoming spinning and looking for answers, but not seeing the places where those answers are easy to pick up. This deep-seated conflict between the desire to know and the inability to find the answer has tormented thinkers and philosophers throughout the ages. However, since God has put that yearning or desire in our heart, is it not logical to look to him to provide what is needed to satisfy that desire? After all, the Bible says of Jehovah:

“You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:16)

For all those conflict which are between the family members, those persons should come to see what binds them, what makes it that they are brother and sister and that their is something in their blood which is more than special, even unique.

Even when we do feel so much hurt by our own family members, we should come over the point of being selfish and come to see that we can be a necessary link to heal the wounds made previously.

Being kind to those in our family involves following the admonition of the apostle Paul:

“Really put them all away from you, wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of your mouth.”

Every day, Christian families should communicate with one another in a respectful manner. Why? Because good communication is the lifeblood of strong, healthy families. When disagreements arise, to smooth the conflict, try to solve the problem rather than win the argument. Happy family members make an earnest effort to promote kindness and consideration for one another. — Colossians 3:8, 12-14.

By turning to God’s Word, the Bible, we can find satisfying explanations about life and death and about God’s eternal purpose regarding the earth and the human family. — Ephesians 3:11.

Kindness is positive and makes us want to do good to others. Thus, we seek to be useful, considerate, and helpful in an agreeable manner with other family members. It takes both individual and collective effort to show the type of kindness that speaks well of a family. As a result, not only will they have God’s blessing but, in the congregation and in the community, they will honour the God of kindness, Jehovah. — 1 Peter 2:12.

When frustrated, when in conflict with members of the family it would be best to seek Biblical advice and to put your own “self” not in the centre but alongside all others in the family. By going to look for answers in the Holy Scriptures solutions may be found. Even when others do not want to know of God, you yourself will be able to change so much that your improved attitude shall be helpful to heal the wounds.

Seeing all the conflicts around us we also should try to become part of them. Best we take on a form of neutrality. Taking care of not to become misled with what is going on around us we should show others the other way to come closer to each other and to have agapé love.

We ourselves should know that our time on earth is limited and that we should make the best of it. Our hope should be in the coming new world, and it is that idea that we should share with those around us. Our task is to come up for others and to protect them, but we must know that we can not take them or ourselves out of this world. (John 17:15, 16) We live in this world and have to live with it, but that does not mean we have to live according to it. No, we have to live according to God’s Law and by following His word many blessings may come over us already in this life. By not wanting to be part of this world, but by being part of God’s world we shall find ways to bring the love of Christ over unto others as well and then the love of Christ may also grow deeper in us.  .

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Preceding articles:

When you stay in your lane, there’s no traffic.

Family happiness and little things we do

Families with four or more kids most happiest

.under the gazebo.

How to Raise a Happy Child

Crisis man needed in this world

Dissolve The Barriers You Created

What is important?

Learning that stuff is just stuff

72 Synod Fathers on the topic “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world”

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Additional reading

1. Behold, My mother and My brothers!
2. Importance of parents 1
3. Importance of parents 2
4. Father and motherhood
5. Youngsters, parents and the search to root in life
6. Some one or something to fear #4 Families and Competition
7. Teach children the Bible
8. Poverty and conservative role patterns
9. Dignified role for the woman
10. Connection between women and environmental sustainability
11. Three years ago and look back at several decennials ago
12. Growing rift between observant parents and their children
13. Synod of Bishops concerning minors
14. Two synods and life in the church community
15. Need to Embrace People Where They Are
16. Conclusion of the synod of bishops for seeing the family in the light of the Gospel and church tradition
17. Don’t be the weakest link
18. I’m not a Mooch
19. Patience is the ability to count down before blasting off
20. Agape, a love to share with others from the Fruit of the Spirit
21. Better loaves when the heart is joyous
22. Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
23. Agape, a love to share with others from the Fruit of the Spirit

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Further reading

1. Conflict: Understanding Suspense
2. Understanding others
3. Understanding between religions
4. Urges
5. Subconflict, and Lots of It
6. Fighting words: The role of conflict in fiction writing.
7. No one listening? Then stop shouting, you might get heard
8. The Rise and Fall of Action – for all levels
9. Never Doubt Yourself
10. Remembering Infinity: Caution…Egos at Work!
11. Follow your heart when it’s in conflict with your brain!!!
12. Can the World Bank Reduce Conflict in Nigeria by Providing Social Assistance?
13. I Find my self conflicted
14. Governance in a Mature Society, Part 2
15. Communicating With Family – How to Let a Family Member Know They Hurt You
16. Blessings and Duct Tape: How to Help Your Kids Get Along
17. Stand Firm
18. Hope For Battle Weary Mamas
19. Family Conflict and Summer: The Best Time To Work Out Issues
20. The father-child meeting
21. The Problem With Beliefs
22. Fighting With Your Spouse: How You Indirectly Effect Your Child
23. 6 Tips for Handling Family Conflicts While Caregiving
24. 10 Things You Need To Hear If Your Significant Other And Your Family Don’t Get Along
25. Hurt People Hurt People
26. Divorce: Part 1
27. Divorce: Part 2, the minor problem
28. Their’s Was A Perpetual Love Affair
29. Depression: Postpartum Depression in Mothers
30. Personality: The Birth Order Effect
31. Frustration
32. Finding Home
33. The Very Best Way To Understand Grace
34. Just like Granny told you, “Count your blessings!”

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Related articles

• Enhanced Vision (preparing for mgpc 14/8/2016)
• New Song for this Sunday
• Encouragement for your down times
• His Word reveals His greatness
• 3 things that we can learn from bad experiences
• Paedophile back working with kids in Australian church