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Depression can be debilitating and is very different from just feeling unhappy. Usually, there is a reason for unhappiness such as being rejected or not getting the job you wanted. Depression is a pervasive feeling. It’s almost as if you are in a black tunnel with no light. Hope disappears and the things you used to find enjoyable become a chore. Even winning the lottery would not snap someone out of depression and it is never a good idea to tell someone who is depressed to sort themselves out and pull themselves together. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple, but there are ways to alleviate the symptoms of depression.

1. Practice Mindfulness
A depressed mind tends to mull over all that is wrong and worries unnecessarily about all the negative possibilities that may emerge in the future. This negative thought cycle reinforces misery and is not helpful in managing to overcome depression. Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment and is a skill that needs to be practiced. More often than not, our brains are full of thoughts and focusing on the present moment seems unnatural for our minds. Practice on engaging your senses in the moment. Focus on touch, taste, sight, sound and smell. Engaging the senses leaves less time for worry.tely, it isn’t that simple, but there are ways to alleviate the symptoms of depression.

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

3. Distract Yourself
If possible, do your best to distract yourself from over thinking. Your thoughts are your enemy when depression sets in. Play with a pet or go for a walk. Read a book if you are able to concentrate or finish a puzzle. Do anything that takes your mind off your fears and worries. Keeping busy is an effective way to overcome depression.

4. Connect with Friends
This can be one of the hardest things to do when feeling depressed but it is one of the most rewarding activities. Force yourself to go out. Isolating oneself from others may seem a good idea but put a limit on it and then get out there again. This can have a huge positive effect on your mood.

5. Forgive Others
When we hold a grudge, we are the ones that feel the anger. The person whom we are angry with is probably merrily going about their business completely oblivious to your feelings. Don’t allow others to have this power over you. They have may have caused you grief in the past, try not to allow that grief to continue – it only affects you, not them. Find a way to forgive – they are not worthy of your time. Lighten the emotional load and you will improve your mood and help you to overcome depression.

6. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep and mood are closely connected. Inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress, while healthy sleep can enhance well-being. Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood.Take steps to ensure adequate sleep will this will lead to improved mood and well-being. The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort so aim for between 7.5 and 9 hours sleep per night.

7. Exercise
Regular exercise has benefits for helping to overcome depression. Exercise releases endorphins which improve natural immunity and improve mood. Besides lifting your mood, regular exercise offers other health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, protecting against heart disease, cancer and boosting self-esteem. Experts advise getting half an hour to an hour of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking at least three to four times per week.

8. Don’t give up
Depression can make you want to hide away from the world and disappear. It’s okay to take some time out but give yourself a time limit and then do something productive to improve your mood. Depression can be well managed (I know this from personal experience) and there can be a wonderful life beyond depression. Hang in there and keep the faith.

Although the above suggestions can be effective, depression that perseveres should be investigated further and seeing a Doctor to chat over any symptoms is a step in the right direction.

 

When I picture life, I picture us all walking down our own winding path, pulling a wagon behind us. Each person’s wagon is filled with their self-belief and self-worth. Walking down the path of life, carrying our inner beliefs, we happily trundle along the path toward whatever our own goal is, but sometimes life isn’t so breezy.

When you’re having a hard time seeing the good in yourself, remember these 5 important things.

1. Opinions Aren’t Facts

At some point in your life, you believed in yourself, and you were feeling great. Then, someone came along and made you doubt yourself. They gave their opinion of you, and it hurt. You believed in yourself less and carried the hurt with you.

You need to understand that the comment was someone’s opinion, not a fact. Just because someone doesn’t see your worth doesn’t mean no one will. You can’t please everyone, so don’t even try.

Someone had an opinion, and that’s okay. We are all entitled to opinions. But it wasn’t a fact. Don’t let that person’s negativity get absorbed into your estimation of yourself. Let it wash over you and float away.

Learn to take feedback critically and consider where there something you can use in the comment to change and grow as a person.

2. Growth Takes Time

Give yourself a break. This is so important if you don’t believe in yourself. You are still growing, and you are learning, failing, and learning again. No one has all the answers, and there is no right way to do something. You are just growing, and you are going to make mistakes, and that doesn’t make you a bad person or a failure. It makes you a human who is growing.

Let go of perfectionism and the idea that you have to have it all together and be right all the time. That pressure is slowing you down and causing you to doubt yourself. Just breathe. You are where you are on your journey, and that is beautiful and it is enough.

Don’t let the pressure of expectation take away from your self-belief. You are not a list of all your successes and failures; you are so much more than that.

Failure is an event, not a personal characteristic.

Learn, grow, and let yourself fail. Don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect as that has never done anyone any good. Embrace your failure and know that you learned something and are moving forward.  There is comfort in having faith that everything will be all right in the future. Your self-belief will thrive when you release these unrealistic expectations.

3. Fear Can’t Stop You

Let’s chat about your fear. When you don’t believe in yourself, it is most likely that you are afraid to. To be yourself and put yourself out there, you risk being criticized for who you are. That is scary, and as we learned from opinions, it can really damage your self-belief.

Believing in yourself takes bravery; you have to be the one who pushes you forward and believes in you. If you don’t, you just stand still. You have to believe in yourself to move forward, and fear holds you back.

  • Fear holds you back from trying in case you fail.
  • Fear stops you letting go of opinions in case they are right and you will have to go through this again.
  • Fear stops you moving forward.

Let go of fear. Adventure forward with careless abandon. Face your fears one by one and say “I see you fear, and I know everything I want is on the other side of you. I see you, and I am afraid, but I am going to face you and move past you anyway and face the consequences of my actions because I believe in myself, and I can handle anything.”.

Never fear failure; failure is just another opportunity to try again, except this time more wisely. It is the best teacher and the fastest way to succeed. Have a healthy relationship with failure and you will have a better relationship with your inner courage.

4. You Are Unique

You are unique, and I say this with all the passion in the world. You are different; you walk down your own unique and wonderful path. Not everyone is going to understand it, but that is how history is made. It is made by people who no one believed in, who stood up, defied fear and doubt and said what they believed.

You don’t have to have support to believe in yourself. You can connect with what you believe in, and if you believe it strongly enough, you can achieve anything. When you don’t believe in yourself, just remember, you are still important and unique, and you still matter.

Don’t give up on your journey because not everyone understands it. Keep connected to the knowledge that you are important and you matter.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. When your self esteem is low, it can be really hard to nurture it all by yourself. Sometimes you need a confidence boost from someone who does believe in you. Don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling and ask for support.

Something to always remember is that your self-belief comes from you, and no one can take it away without your consent. You have the power to validate yourself and your self-esteem and the power to ignore the negativity in the pursuit of your own goals.

Source: Lifehack

Hello, ladies! We bring to you 7 makeup hacks and tricks that you really need to know. The hacks will save you time and money. Leggo!

 

For Fuller lashes:

Dust some transculent powder on your lashes between coats. It will make your lashes fuller.

 

Remoisturize your mascara

Don’t throw away your dried up mascara. Instead, add a few drops of saline solution to it. It will make it moist. If you don’t have saline solution, pour few drops of hot water.

 

How to avoid lipstick smudge on your teeth

After applying lipstick on your lips, put your finger in your mouth, close your lips around your finger and then pull it out. The excess lipstick will get on your finger, and not on your teeth.

 

Make your own lipgloss

Don’t throw away your broken eye shadows. Crush the eye shadow into powder, then mix with petroleum jelly to make your own lip gloss.

How to make your lipstick last longer

Put on a coat of lipstick, then lay a tissue across your lips. Dust transculent powder on, to make the color set so it stays on longer.

 

How to make your eyes appear bigger

Sweep your mascara towards your nose, instead of upward. It will make the lashes look fuller and makes your eyes look bigger.

 

Use a spoon to achieve a perfect winged eyeliner

Press the rounded side of the spoon against your eyelids, and move the spoon outwards to create the winged effect as you draw.

 

 

Photo credit: google

Congratulations on making it to 24! You’re still young, but you’re starting to move into fully-mature adulthood. So how exactly should you change you life for the better? Start by following this guide that outlines 10 things you should stop doing right now!

  1. Stop buying cheap clothes.

As a teenager and young adult, it’s fine to buy clothes and only wear them a few times, changing them as fashion dictates. However, now you’re older and probably settling into your first serious job, it’s time to start taking style more seriously. Invest in a few key pieces rather than buying a new wardrobe every few weeks.

  1. Stop dating unsuitable ones.

It can be hard to find someone worthy of your time and attention, but by the time you reach your mid-twenties, you should have a better idea about what you need in a partner. Don’t waste your time on experimenting with people who you know, deep down, are not right for you. Strike a balance between being realistic and being too willing to give people a chance.

  1. Stop caring what other people think.

It’s human nature to worry about what other people think of us, and no-one likes to feel as though they are being judged or criticized. However, being overly concerned with others’ opinions can cause you to lose sleep and even sacrifice your cherished dreams and ambitions in favour of living someone else’s idea of a great life. Trust your own judgement first and foremost.

  1. Stop blaming your parents.

Sure, no-one’s parents are perfect and yours probably made their fair share of mistakes. However, it’s too easy to fall into the trap of blaming your parents or your upbringing for any current issues you may have. This isn’t productive, and will sour familial relationships.

  1. Stop holding onto old hopes and dreams.

Are you guilty of holding onto aspirations that you really would be best off releasing? It may be time to trade in your old goals and ambitions for newer, more realistic aims. This doesn’t mean you have to give up on your vision of an ideal life, just that you need to keep your aspirations realistic.

  1. Stop living in denial about your finances.

Those years when you could get away with being oblivious to the intricacies of your financial situation are over. It’s time to get responsible and set up a decent savings account, together with a pension plan if you haven’t got one already.

  1. Stop being too nice.

This is an extension of Point 3, above, but deserves its own point. Stop people-pleasing. By your age, you should have a good idea of what you are capable of, and where your limits are. Learning how to say ‘no’ is an important step on the road to maturity.

  1. Stop wasting so much time on the internet.

This is a tough one. These days, it seems as though everyone is addicted to the internet. We use it to find information, keep in touch with friends…and most of the time just browse social media unconsciously…wasting plenty of time. Learn to set time limits for yourself. You could even try one completely internet-free day per week.

  1. Stop taking your health and fitness for granted.

Most of us can subject our bodies to late nights, too much alcohol and excessive junk food in college without feeling the after-effects. Unfortunately, as you move into your mid-twenties and then into your thirties, your body isn’t quite up to the task any more. Time to start eating more healthily and limiting those wild late nights!

  1. Stop being messy.

How many hours have you lost looking for your wallet, cell or keys? Make this the year you finally start getting your possessions in order. Nothing makes you feel more mature than knowing exactly where your stuff is.

Source: Lifehack.org

Hello again everybody.

This month I am going to give you tips that will be useful. This is an excerpt of one of the seminars I have given. At the end there is also a testimonial from a mid fifties lady who has been on two of our challenges. Our challenges really try to replace bad lifestyle habits with good lifestyle habits. They are simple and very doable. We have another 30day challenge starting on the 1st of March. Email me at olamideb@awakenlifestyles.com if you want to join. Remember if you want to go fast, go alone; If you want to go far, go in a group.

1.Drink water

Our bodies are made up of 50-75% water and this decreases as we age. Besides helping us lose weight, water helps nutrition work, ⅔ of the water in our bodies is intracellular (inside the cells) and ⅓ is extracellular, which circulates between cells and inside organs, supplying nutrients and excreting waste.
Research shows that obese people who drank 2 cups of water before each meal over a 3-month period lost 5 pounds more than those who didn’t. 1 year later, the water drinkers had kept more of that weight off.

2. Sleep
How much you sleep AND the quality of your sleep will affect nearly every aspect of your daily life, so it’s important to get the sleep you need every night. Proper sleep is critical for stress management, weight and overall health.
Inadequate sleep leads to an increased chance of developing obesity by 23% with just 6 hours of sleep per night and 50% with just 5 hours per night, and 73% with 4 hours per night.
Lack of sleep disrupts circadian rhythms and can lead to inefficient body regulation of energy balance, metabolism, and appetite.
Abnormal leptin and ghrelin levels – hormones that tell your body “I’m full, stop eating” – can go away with too little sleep.
Said simply: Sleep more, eat, and weigh less! Strive for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Stress:
Increases The Hormone Cortisol and makes our bodies crave carbohydrates and increases appetite
Makes our bodies store fat around the midsection

We can gain weight even if we don’t eat more due to stress
Contributes to Major Illnesses like heart disease, depression, obesity and poor mental health

3. Exercise
Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.
Examples of exercise. Walking, jogging, cycling ,dancing , swimming.

Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally.
From a health standpoint, exercise can be more beneficial than simply being at a healthy weight.
Besides burning calories, exercise is also important because when you exercise your body releases endorphins, which make you feel good and motivate you to eat well, do your job well and simply be happy
A growing body of evidence has shown that normal weight couch potatoes are more vulnerable to all causes of death, especially heart disease, than overweight people who exercise
Exercise for an exercise goal, not for a weight goal
Strive to be active at least 30 minutes every day to help keep your body strong and lean. Remember it doesn’t have to be expensive.

4. Eat Right
Feel empowered by putting the most nutrient rich foods in your body. When you focus on how good you feel when you fuel yourself with the best foods you will continue to be motivated to eat these foods.  The benefits from skin health to weight loss, and all that’s in between, will follow.

Eat Real Carbohydrates not processed food. Replace refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cereal, with complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Complex carbs are also packed with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body.

Eat healthy fats.
A common misconception is that fat should be completely eliminated. In reality, we could not live without fat. The body utilises dietary fat for energy, healthy hair, skin, nails, vitamin absorption, and normal everyday bodily functions. Good fats promote several health benefits such as protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression and it can reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Choose sources such as nuts, seeds, fish, avocados, and extra virgin olive oil.

Eat lean protein
Our bodies require protein to continuously renew and replenish our cells, stabilise our blood sugar, and give us energy.  Our bodies are literally made out of the amino acids that make up protein in our food.
Many foods contain protein, but the richest sources include animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, and fish as well as plant sources like beans, quinoa, nuts, and seeds.
Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which slows digestion and promotes stable blood sugar levels.

Eat Breakfast
By eating a hearty breakfast, you’ll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of your cravings.
When we miss our first fuel of the day, we are often hungry by mid-morning and more likely to engage in mindless nibbling, snacking, overeating, and over compensating for any calories “saved” by skipping breakfast.  Studies repeatedly show daily breakfast consumption is associated with maintaining a healthy weight.

Eat at regular times
It’s important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help maintain normal blood sugar and decrease the chances of binging when hunger strikes.
Keep track of what you eat. Try to avoid frying foods by learning how to roast or bake, and eat more raw foods to boost flavor and cut calories. Also try experimenting with herbs and spices to reduce salt intake. The healthiest foods are those found just as nature intended – whole and unprocessed. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a stalk of vegetable or a fresh fish

5. Live Deliberately

Our surroundings impact our mental and physical healthy. Improve your work and home environments:
■ A clean and organized work space increases employee productivity
■ Keep a clean and organized bedroom
■ Have a designated place for everything
■ Label items and folders
■ Use plants to help circulate air

6.Nurture and pamper yourself

Treating yourself to something special can have great emotional and physical impact
Time spent caring for yourself is valuable: massage, bubble bath, manicure , etc.

It is obvious that many things need to be in sync for us to be in optimum health. Don’t worry, it is like driving. When you don’t know how to, it seems difficult but when you know how to, it is very easy. These are general guidelines and the specifics may differ from person to person.

Testimonial from KI
Where do I start? I guess back to 2013 with my Cambridge diet. So I had a nice round happy face and weighed 92kg. A comfortable size 18 and then shirts started gaping at the bust line and skirts began to get snug and would ride up and crease all day long. Had heard of Cambridge but thought, too drastic!

However I really needed to shed the weight, so I dove in. Good results, because 6 months later, I was 75kg, my target weight. And down to size 14 and happy as a lark. This was April 2014. I could swear by Cambridge and mocked everyone who put the weight back on. I told them to eat right…but did I know what eat right was? I had dropped a few bad habits, but did I really know what was bad for me?? I thought bread, cakes, sweets….I was right, but didn’t know the whole story.

So come October 2016, I was 79.6kg. Praised myself though that I had done well to keep of the 17kg that I’d lost but couldn’t seem to shed the 4.6kg. Tried all kinds of diets, would drop 1kg put back 2Kg. Yo-yoed for a while. Got myself the Cambridge products and couldn’t seem to muster up the will power past 1 week. Had tossed out all big sizes, so dilemma! My size 14 clothes were tight. The first 2-3kgs you gain, your clothes are still fine. I was up almost 5kg and miserable.

So my lifestyle change started when I received the GET.IT.TOGETHER 30 day weight adjustment challenge flyer. My motivation? I needed to lose weight – 5kg. I’d seen LB’s physical change and believed something must be right here. I also liked the idea of weight adjustment…not diet!

So along came the 1st lesson, before takeoff…No flour, no sugar. I have preached that to everybody who cares to listen. That’s the starting point and we can keep whatever weight off by simply cutting out on these two “killers”.
Week 1 menu and after the 1st week I weighed in minus 2kg. Compared it to my Cambridge plan, then I weighed in minus 2.7kg but no food…only porridges, shakes and soups.

I was thrilled to high heavens. Because that 1st week, I had era, I had sweet potatoes, I had salads, chicken, fish, boiled eggs/omelets! And lost 2kg! First real diet where I was eating and losing weight. I was hooked.

My work takes me all over the place, hotels, flights…and complained to LB that the weight wasn’t dropping off as I hoped. Got my next vital lesson. Sleep! Nothing is going to happen if I didn’t get enough sleep…if I didn’t drink enough water….and throw in some physical exercise. Not to mention eating your food fresh!
I have since made so many adjustments with the varied food plans, cut out all the processed food, and seasoning with garlic, salt and ginger. Throw in the lifestyle seminar and that’s a real winner.
What more can I say? I’m down to 71.3kg after 2+months and I’m heading to a new target 70kg, to get my BMI as close to Normal as possible.

LB has been a super health coach, listening, advising and helping us make the necessary adjustments. The most fun part is get on your scale and take a photo of your weight! You can’t cheat…it’s distant coaching and I’ve encouraged a number of people to get on the challenges and they can see, feel and are living the results.

Olamide Balogun

About Olamide Balogun

Olamide Balogun (LB) is a wife of one man , a mother, a mentor and personal coach, a Human Resource consultant,
a minister of God, a friend , a confidant and many more. She trained as a lawyer and now runs an HR Consulting firm and manages furnished offices to let. LB spear headed the registration of an NGO that has adopted a school with over 2000 children in premises that has no water, electricity or toilets. LB has a passion for imparting knowledge and also for wellness and optimum quality lifestyle. Follow me at catapultbylb.wordpress.com

Source: Bellanaija