Embracing Change: Letting Go To Welcome The New

We all have something we want to let go of, whether it be a harmful habit, physical item, or toxic viewpoint that keeps us tethered to where we are. However, despite wanting to let go, the reality is that embracing change can be hard to do. 

 

Oftentimes, the struggle to let go and embrace change has to do with not having control over the future - and that can be a really powerful fear. But the reality is that while we can make choices based on the best information we have at the time, life is always going to be in a state of flux. 

 

Whether the change is good or sad, practicing the art of letting go can help you to become more flexible and adaptable. It can also help us move forward if we’re still living in the past. Here’s some helpful information that can do just that. 

 

Why Do We Struggle With Change? 

 

Before we dive into all the ways you can start letting go, let’s first analyze why we’re so resistant to change in the first place. 

 

According to Katherine Cullen MFA, LCSW, in her article titled Why Is Change So Hard? published in Psychology Today, “We often find ourselves resisting change, perhaps because of the perceived risk or fear associated with it.” 

 

In her article, she refers to examples such as a chain smoker looking to quit the habit. First, is the acknowledgment of the act. in this case, the smoker realizes that they’re going through a lot of cigarettes per day. While this isn’t enough to prompt immediate action, it gets the gears turning. 

 

The next phase is contemplation, which is when the individual considers the pros and cons of letting go. In the case of a chain smoker, this could be comparing the benefits of quitting such as renewed lung tissue and lowering the risk of developing lung cancer, as well as the cons such as not knowing another way to relieve stress and being fearful of not having any other method of self-soothing. 

 

After weighing the pros and cons, most people will then make a detailed plan - i.e. choose a day to quit smoking and buy a yoga mat for stress relief or hard candy to suck on when they have a craving. Then, they go through with it. Getting to this point of action is hard, but maintaining the lifestyle is even harder because everything is outside of the person’s comfort zone. 

 

For a chain smoker, a watermelon-flavored hard candy is hardly going to be an adequate substitute for something they enjoy. And since lifestyle changes aren’t a linear process, any setbacks could lead to self-judgment and frustration, making embracing the new change all the more difficult. 

 

This cycle is why we’re so resistant to change. We’re often fearful of what lies on the other side of change. Though change isn’t always bad, it’s the what-ifs that we focus on. While the chain smoker giving up cigarettes is just one example, another might be an adult child having difficulty discarding their deceased mother’s clothing. 

 

While they may not necessarily need them, they’re scared of getting rid of them for the risk that they will one day change their mind, or that they will somehow be disappointing their loved ones. Fears like this lead to prolonged (and unnecessary) suffering. 

 

Parents with grown children may also suffer through the struggle to let go of their child’s bedroom or childhood effects, which can make it hard to embrace their child’s adulthood and the new dynamic shared between them. 

 

At the end of the day, the fear of letting go and embracing change often comes down to not knowing what to expect and the risk of having regrets about the decision to change later on, especially if it doesn’t pan out the way we want. 

 

Tips for Letting Go and Embracing Change

 

Letting go can be hard as is, let alone when we’re also forced to embrace the unwanted change that comes with it. 

 

As in the example above, letting go of a loved one’s clothes or personal items has nothing to do with the love of the tangible items, but rather the fear that they’re going to forget their loved ones if they don’t have a physical memory attached to them. 

 

Regardless of what you’re struggling to let go of, here are some tips that can help you welcome change, even if it’s going to be a little difficult. 

 

Declutter

 

Like the example mentioned earlier, holding onto items for the fear that you’ll regret getting rid of them isn’t a good enough reason to keep them around. Clutter can lead to stress, anxiety, and in many cases, depression. 

 

Holding onto items that no longer serve you, even if they’re simply no longer your style, can keep you in the past and chain you there. If you’re interested in letting go, start small. Grab a trash bag and find 10 items you can throw away, like receipts, chipped mugs, or socks that have holes in them. With enough practice, you can work your way up from items that are damaged to those that have a mental chokehold on you. 

 

This is especially true if you’re holding onto clutter for sentimental reasons. While it’s okay to keep a few things, dedicating your home to people or lifestyles from the past can keep you tethered to a painful time in your life. Learning to let go can help you accept what happened and embrace your new life moving forward. 

 

Don’t Dismiss Your Fears

 

One way you can embrace change is by acknowledging that you don’t want to let certain things go, whether it’s a tangible item or not. 

 

The more you try to dismiss your feelings, and by proxy, your fears, the more likely they are to stay with you and affect your decisions. If you want to truly embrace change, then acknowledge that getting rid of your mother’s items, or your child’s baby clothes (for example) is hard. 

 

Then, go ahead and acknowledge your fears about getting rid of them. For example, getting rid of baby clothes could signify that the time of your life is over, and you’re scared of what comes next. 

 

Oftentimes, the difficulty of letting go is because we’re fearful of feeling sad, being alone, moving on, or feeling vulnerable. However, these are feelings shared among society. When you bring these fears to the surface, they not only no longer seem so scary, but you can now identify solutions. 

 

With the right support system, you can embrace your fears and still let go, knowing that it’s going to suck…and that’s okay. 

 

Listen to Your Inner Voice

 

At the end of the day, you’ll know when it’s time to get rid of something, or someone, or move on. These feelings are usually subtle; one day you just don’t feel the same way about it anymore. However, when you have that inkling, take notice. 

 

Your inner voice doubles as your voice of reason. Though you may be quick to ignore it or do the opposite, trust that when that little voice pops up telling you it’s time to let go, it’s because deep down, it’s what you know is best for you. 

 

Letting go and embracing change is all about the fear of not knowing what lies around the corner. You can make this change easier by trusting your gut and realizing that yes, change can be scary, but so can staying miserable where you are. 

 

Who Gets Burnout? Are You at Risk?

You may not be suffering from any chronic stress right now. You experience stress but assume it's at the same level as most people, and you handle it easily. What you need to ask yourself is this.

 

Are the problems in your life putting you at risk of going from a normal stress level to full-blown burnout?

 

Burnout and stress are related. Chronic stress, always having to deal with stressful situations and problems, can lead to burnout. On the other hand, regular doses of stress are actually good for you.

 

It's a way your body protects you. The stress response is tied to your fight-or-flight instinct. All your senses become fully aware if you must battle a threat or run in the opposite direction very quickly.

 

Burnout results from experiencing that situation constantly. Your mind, body, and/or emotions are relentlessly being hammered to the point that they give up. 

 

They simply can't take anymore. Even the strongest-willed person can suffer seriously from an endless barrage of stress to the point that some part of you shuts down.

 

Am I a Candidate for Burnout?

 

First, you need to ask yourself if you love your job. If you do, you likely don't have an issue. When you wake each morning and can't wait to get to work, your stress isn't unbearable. It's a sign that no chronic stress awaits you to clock in and get to work.

 

What do you do most of the time if you don't work? Does that cause you a lot of stress? Again, if stress isn't a constant companion, you probably don't have to worry.

 

Burnout comes from a consistent and relentless delivery of stress. 

 

Whether it's on the job, at home, or anywhere else, it's stress that you can't escape. It's right in your face and gets you to the point where you feel like you will explode.

 

Some jobs are more stressful than others. Yahoo Finance reports that the following occupations are more likely to lead to burnout than others.

 

·      Retail

·      Surgeon

·      Fast food worker

·      Social worker

·      Air traffic controller

·      Construction worker

·      Teacher

·      Nurse

·      Certified public accountant

·      Firefighter

·      Emergency medical technician

 

If you don't work any of those jobs, that doesn't mean you're immune to burnout. Frequently experiencing stress is never a good thing. Consult a mental health professional if you feel stress is too big of a part of your life.

 

3 Reasons and 3 Ways to be Present

The greatest minds on the subject will tell you we don't fully understand what existence is. For regular people, there's the idea of a past, a present, and a future. We understand we're living right now, and that's pretty much what we can wrap our minds around. We see our life playing out before us. We have senses we use to experience the world.

 

We're in the present now and have memories of a past existence. We have hopes and plans for our future. For most of us, that's what we know about life.

 

Deep thinkers tell us that all we have is the present moment. When you think about it, that makes sense. Your past is gone. There's no control over it. You really don't have any control over your future either. All you have is right now. As it turns out, embracing your present reality has a lot of benefits. Here are three reasons why you should spend more time in the present moment and three simple ways you can do just that.

 

3 Benefits of Embracing the Moment

 

1. Better Relationships and Improved Social Skills

 

Focusing on right now opens your eyes. You see the people in your life with more clarity. This includes those that you barely interact with, as well as the people you see frequently. That leads to better social skills and healthier, more fulfilling relationships.

 

2. Less Stress and Anxiety

 

This is the go-to benefit lifelong mindfulness practitioners talk about. There is much less stress when you worry less about tomorrow, next week, and next month and appreciate the present. 

 

3. Greater Self-Love and Self-Esteem

 

Being mindful of your present state of being leads to self-awareness. You find you have so much more to appreciate about who you are right now and fewer expectations of your future self.

 

3 Simple Ways To Live in the Present Moment

 

1. Breathe Deeply

 

Take a few deep breaths and focus on them. Breathe in and out and appreciate your present moment. Do this for a couple of minutes whenever you need to calm your racing mind. This is a stress-relieving aspect of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and other practices for living in the now.

 

2. Practice Daily Gratitude

 

Look around you. What do you have to be grateful for? Your truest blessings are here right now. Practice gratitude each day for the good things in your life. This teaches you to appreciate the present moment instead of spending all your time wishing for something better in the future.

 

3. Forgive Yourself and Others

 

Forgiving is about letting go of the past. You remove future expectations as well. This is key to experiencing all you can in the present moment.

 

Those are just a few reasons why being present is so important. You also have three proven ways to focus more on right now and less on the past and future. Give yourself the gift of being present today so that your tomorrow can be more fulfilling.

 

5 Benefits of Biohacking

Biohacking is an individualized system of techniques that gives you the feeling of full control over your own biology. It’s noticing areas you feel you need to improve and implementing hacks to improve it. The benefits of biohacking, due to its personalization, are truly endless but, here are the top five benefits that you are sure to experience. 

 

A Better Understanding of One’s Self 

 

By far the best benefit of biohacking is learning who you truly are. With meditation and experimenting different things each day, you learn exactly what your body and soul need to be happy and healthy. During the journey of biohacking, you may identify new characteristics about yourself or identify new areas of interest you may have never discovered before.

 

You will learn that you are powerful and strong and that you can do almost anything by doing the work. You will understand what works and doesn’t work which will prevent you from experiencing most frustrations. Once you understand your true self, getting to your goals will be streamlined and easy. 

 

Improved Mood

 

Biohacking improves your mood in several different ways. Through hacking your mind, diet, and soul you’ll discover the causes and fix them. Chemical imbalances, as well as poor diet and exercise, are the main culprits of poor mental health. Improving your mood can truly open the gate to a better life.  

 

More Focus and Boosted Productivity 

 

Implementing hacks into your diet and exercise will increase your energy levels which in turn increases your productivity. It will lift the mental fog and keep you focused. Drinking bulletproof coffee each morning, drinking plenty of water each day, and getting a full night rest each night are just a few ideas that help in these areas.

 

Reduced Stress and Anxiety 

 

Dopamine and serotonin are hormones that are responsible for the “feel good” feeling. These hormones, in turn, reduce stress levels. Biohacking techniques such as meditation and eliminating sugars and processed foods from your diet will help increase these hormones. A very common goal of most biohackers is finding things that increase these hormone levels whether it be medication, diet, exercise or meditation and then doing them every day.

 

Optimal Health 

 

Optimal health is when your physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual health is balanced. Getting to a balance is all up to you and dependent upon where you feel you need improvement. Biohacking is all about getting to that balance and finding those areas to improve. Just remember that optimal health is a never-ending journey. It always needs to be worked on to get to where you want to be.  

 

Overall, there is really no reason you shouldn’t use biohacking. Everything you do with biohacking is meant to improve your quality of life in every single way. To hack your system into better cognitive functionality, greater strength, and wellbeing, and to improve your mind and soul can all be accomplished with biohacking. If you do it properly there really are no side effects. The journey to overall wellbeing is all your own. 

 

The Balancing Act: Letting Go Of The Need To Control Everything And Finding Harmony

As chaotic as modern life can be, you can find balance. It's difficult to get it right, especially when you're trying to embrace life's spontaneity while also creating an efficient routine to maximize your time and opportunities. 

 

There's a big part of it that requires control, the problem is that the desire for too much control can stress you out and make you incredibly anxious. This need for too much control steeps you into a state of perpetual tension. Here, we talk about the balancing act and the art of letting go. 

 

Control is an Illusion 

 

Control is an illusion, it's the idea that you can dictate all of the outcomes throughout your life. There are, of course, certain things you can control. If you're getting a degree, license, or qualification in something, you can control the level of study you put in for the testing process. That's in your hands. 

 

Not everything is that simple, though, and the reality is most things in life are inherently unpredictable. So, the more you cling to this illusion of control, the more stressed out you become and the more frustrated and disappointed you feel when things don't go your way. Accept that there are limits to what you can control. 

 

Embrace the Uncertainty 

 

Some of the beauty of life lies in its unpredictability, some of the greatest moments of your life probably came from nowhere. Embrace that uncertainty, it might be a shift in your perspective, but it gives you the freedom to navigate new situations with more grace and patience. Don't resist change, don't avoid unpredictability, lean in, and recognize there's a chance for growth. 

 

Cultivate Mindfulness

 

Mindfulness is a useful tool and a powerful one in your journey to let go and find balance. By cultivating a level of mindfulness, you are detaching yourself from the desperate need to control everything. Focus on the present, find peace, and enjoy clarity in the here and now instead of getting caught up in the past or obsessing about the future. 

 

Identify Your Areas of Control 

 

As important as it is to understand how limited your control is, it's just as important to recognize your areas of control. When you understand what you can control, you can focus your efforts and energy on those areas to maximize that control. It also gives you a deep sense of empowerment, without the added burden of managing something that's unmanageable. 

 

The Process

 

While some people think letting go is showing weakness, the reality is it's recognition that you are human. Sometimes, you have to surrender to the process and let life do what it's going to do without trying to control every single detail. You can't micromanage, so don't bother trying!

 

The Joy of Imperfection 

 

There are two big issues that plague us – the need for control and perfectionism and they go hand-in-hand. When you embrace imperfection, you're letting go of control – you're letting go of the idea that everything needs to be flawless and freeing yourself from the unrealistic expectations society places on you. Find joy in those imperfections, that's where you can flourish. 

 

Embrace Self-Compassion 

 

Self-compassion is the final piece of the puzzle because you can't let go and find balance without it. You need to recognize that it's okay that you don't have it all figured out, that it's okay if you're still making mistakes – it's all part of the human experience. `Treat yourself with kindness in those moments of uncertainty. 

 

Final Thoughts

 

There is a delicate balancing act between leaning into life and letting go of control. You have to make a conscious effort to loosen your grip on those reins, but in doing so, you will finally be able to find harmony in life! The biggest secret out there is you'll find harmony in this moment, which means letting go and enjoying every moment for what it is. 

 

5 Ways To Stop The Negative Effects Of Social Media

There’s no denying that there’s a lot of good that we can take from social media. The most important is that it allows us to connect with family and friends. We can also preserve memories, share things that interest us, and it’s also a great place where we can learn new, interesting things like a new skill or talent.

 

Not only that, but these platforms offer information in a myriad of ways. For example, YouTube has full-length tutorials on how to do all sorts of things, from fixing the kitchen sink to doing a macramé plant holder.

 

Pinterest is also just as popular for its vast array of data. Yet, it focuses more on pictures and short reels.

 

Then, you have Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and others that provide an image picture or brief video content along with a short-written explanation.

 

Nevertheless, with all these benefits that social media seems to provide, it also has its disadvantages. Research shows that spending too much time on these platforms can lead to increased stress, loneliness, isolation, and depression.

 

So, how can you take the good while minimizing the negative effects of social media? Here are five things you can try today to help you do just that.

 

Customize Your Feed

 

Unfollow and remove negative or fearmongering pages. Delete toxic friends. Limit who views and comments on your posts.

 

It sounds drastic but tell yourself that it’s perfectly okay to keep a small circle of virtual friends.

 

Instead, you can replace them with accounts that make you feel good about yourself. Look for influencers who embrace their natural beauty. Follow people who are constantly spreading positive words of motivation across their feeds.

 

Regulate the When

 

Many of us set alarms on our devices. So, it’s become second nature to immediately reach for your phone as soon as you wake up, which leads to getting bombarded with a stream of news, updates, and inconsequential posts.

 

This only leads to exacerbating your stress and anxiety, which isn’t exactly the best way to gear up for a new day.

 

Instead, consider integrating more mindful routines around two or more screen-free activities like journaling, meditating, and practicing gratitude.

 

When you do start scrolling through social media, set a time limit on how long you spend on each app. One study found that a healthy amount of time would be between an hour to two hours in total for the entire day.

 

Just make sure you split it up into 15- to 30-minute increments throughout the day. For example, you can schedule 30 minutes after breakfast, 30 minutes during your lunch break, another 30 minutes in the afternoon, and 30 minutes about three hours before bedtime.

 

Turn off Notifications

 

Just because you have your phone on you all the time doesn’t mean you have to be available 24/7. It’s okay to disconnect from the virtual world at certain times during the day.

 

Getting inundated with notifications from various social media platforms can be overwhelming. It’s especially infuriating when you’re trying to work, study, or just enjoy a few minutes of peace and quiet.

 

Remind yourself that social media apps are designed to hijack your attention and get you to spend as much as possible on them so they can generate revenue from ads.

 

The most effective you can do to reduce the amount of time wasted on these apps is to switch off notifications as many times as you need during the day.

 

Be Critical

 

Always be critical of social media. Remember that all the posts and reels you’re seeing are someone’s best moments of the day, maybe even the whole week.

 

They’re only showing you what they want you to see, which is why they probably have some time to prepare for it and set everything up. So, it’s not exactly their typical day-to-day life that they’re displaying.

 

Detox

 

Try this the next time you feel you’ve had too much social media exposure: nothing.

Put the phone down and just be in the moment. Take a look around the room. Notice how the light shines through the window. Listen to the different sounds around you.

 

Full disclosure: you’ll probably start to feel uncomfortable after about five seconds. But that’s okay.

 

As you try to hang on for a full 60 seconds, think about why you’re uncomfortable. Knowing the reason can help wean you off your addiction to social media as well as the notion that you simply must have your phone in your hand all the time.

 

Instead, why not do something more constructive with your time? You can learn a new skill, revisit an old hobby, read, exercise, go for a walk, journal, draw, paint, or play a musical instrument, and more!

 

So, find what you’re passionate about. Then, spend time doing more of that instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media.