Today's Learning

From Karma Gaia

Uncovering The Secrets Of Manifestation

1. Clarify your vision: The necessity of specific goals.

Having defined, exact goals is essential for the art of manifestation. This clarity serves as a beacon for your thoughts and energy, guiding them precisely toward the outcomes you seek. It's about creating a vivid image of your goals in your mind, making them as real as they would be in actual reality.

Neuroplasticity research has revealed that such focused intention can really remodel our brain networks, making us better at detecting opportunities and taking action toward our goals. This mental harmony allows the cosmos to make your dreams come true.

2. Believe truly: Developing a helpful belief system.

Your belief system is the driving force behind your ability to manifest. It is not enough to hope for the best; you must sincerely believe in your heart and soul that your desires will be fulfilled. This deep-seated belief energizes your intentions, attracting the resources and opportunities you require.

Overcoming negative thought patterns is critical because they build barriers between you and your goals. Cultivate a positive and possibility-focused mindset to substantially increase your manifestation power and transform doubt into steadfast conviction.

This doesn’t mean it’s easy.

We all have residual limiting ideas that hold us back and are ingrained in our identities. These limiting thoughts often drive us to subconsciously sabotage our success. If you suspect this is impacting you, it is worth investigating and resetting. Gay Hendricks' best-selling book, The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level, explains the most prevalent types of limiting beliefs, where they originate from, and how to overcome them.

Self-doubt is one of the most serious impediments to successful manifestation. Use any of our professional resources to learn how to transform limiting beliefs.

3. Learn the art of surrender: The importance of abandoning control.

Surrendering is a subtle yet powerful part of manifestation. It entails letting go of your control over the outcome and trusting that the universe will provide what is best for you at the appropriate moment. This does not imply you stop working for your goals, but rather that you detach from the outcomes, lowering worry and resistance.

Learning to surrender and embrace trust can help your desires manifest more smoothly by aligning you with the flow of life and the creative power of the cosmos.

4. Align your energy: How to make your energy fit your desires.

Energy alignment is another critical component of effective manifestation. It's about aligning your emotional and energetic states with what you want to attract. This entails cultivating gratitude, pleasure, and love, which raises your vibrational frequency to match the essence of your desires. Such congruence not only feels good but also functions as a magnet, attracting circumstances, people, and opportunities that correspond with your goals.

Consistently connecting your energy with your goals strengthens your intentions and brings them closer to realization.

From Karma Gaia

Self-Identity Crises

Your identity is your sense of who you are, both as an individual and in relation to others and society. Your identity includes your personal characteristics, encompassing who you are physically, mentally, and in your relationships. The social roles you play are also a part of your identity.

There are also other aspects of who you are that form your identity, such as your unique memories and interpretations of them, your values, and the long-term goals you pursue.

What Is an Identity Crisis?

An identity crisis happens at a time when some change makes you reevaluate who you are. Erik Erikson, a prominent psychologist, developed a theory about identity crisis as a psychosocial stage that adolescents go through as they try to discover who they will be as they mature.

However, identity crises don’t happen just during adolescence. You could have an identity crisis any time that you undergo a life transition or find yourself in a significantly different situation or role. It could happen during midlife. An identity crisis could happen to soldiers returning to civilian life. You may be in a new relationship or having a major health problem. Or, you could have an identity crisis during the time you are moving quickly toward retirement from your work.

Signs You’re Having an Identity Crisis

1. Questioning your basic understanding of who you are

2. Feeling anxiety, agitation, or dissatisfaction with life

3. Changing yourself to suit any environment, situation, or relationship.

4. Trouble answering questions about yourself

5. Not being able to trust that you can make good decisions

How to Deal with Identity Crisis

An identity crisis is a period of significant transformation. Sadly, you may respond with changes that aren’t advantageous for your mental health and well-being. However, once you notice the indicators of an identity crisis, you can start making changes to improve yourself. Here are several approaches to dealing with an identity crisis.

• Express what is essential to you. Talking about your values might help you focus on the ones that are most important to you. You can speak with a friend or family member. Alternatively, you might talk about your values with a professional psychotherapist.

• Allow yourself time for objectivity. Instead of rushing from one decision to the next, take the time to consider your options critically.

• Take care of yourself. Learn to accept yourself as you are at this point in your personal development.

• Set hard boundaries and adhere to them. You're attempting to figure out who you are right now. So, set boundaries with others to avoid being confused by their demands or needs.

• Avoid harmful habits and destructive activities. Although it may be tempting to use drugs or alcohol, or take unreasonable risks, these ways of coping will only bring more problems.

• Address your identity crisis openly. Don’t try to hide from your self-discovery or avoid thinking about it. Only by facing it squarely can you move on to the next stage of your life.

From Karma Gaia

Gratitude Letter

One of the most effective ways to maintain mindfulness is to write a letter of thanks to someone who has positively impacted your life. The actions and attitude of the person you have thought about do not have to be extraordinary. That special person could have had a positive effect on you in more than one way. It is therapeutic to bring this experience to your mind because this person made you feel good. The act of writing a letter of gratitude encourages you to be brave in sharing your innermost feelings, helps you see things from another person's point of view, and shows compassion and love. It may surprise you to learn that there are advantages even if you write the letter but never deliver it to the recipient.

How to Do It

Call to mind someone who did something for you for which you are extremely grateful but to whom you never expressed your deep gratitude. This could be a relative, friend, teacher, or colleague. Try to pick someone who is still alive and could meet you face-to-face in the next week. It may be most helpful to select a person or act that you haven’t thought about for a while—something that isn’t always on your mind.

Now, write a letter to one of these people, guided by the following steps.

• Write as though you are addressing this person directly (“Dear ______”).

• Don’t worry about grammar or spelling.

• Describe in specific terms what this person did, why you are grateful to this person, and how this person’s behavior affected your life. Try to be as concrete as possible.

• Describe what you are doing in your life now and how you often remember their efforts.

• Try to keep your letter to roughly one page (around 300 words).

Next, you should try if at all possible to deliver your letter in person, following these steps:

• Plan a visit with the recipient. Let that person know you’d like to see them and have something special to share, but don’t reveal the exact purpose of the meeting.

• When you meet, let the person know that you are grateful to them and would like to read a letter expressing your gratitude; ask that they refrain from interrupting until you’re done.

• Take your time reading the letter. While you read, pay attention to their reaction as well as your own.

• After you have read the letter, be receptive to their reaction and discuss your feelings together.

• Remember to give the letter to the person when you leave.

If physical distance keeps you from making a visit, you may choose to arrange a phone or video chat.

From Karma Gaia

Toxic Friendships

The definition of a toxic friend

Toxic friends should be identified in order to be avoided and your general wellbeing improved. A toxic friend is someone who:

• is constantly pessimistic and depressing

• Excessively judgmental and lacking in empathy

• Is jealous of your success or happiness

• tries to exert control over you and prescribes a way for you to live

• Is manipulative and uses you for their own gain

• is the focus of attention and must be the main character in every story.

• Never accepts accountability for their deeds and consistently places the blame elsewhere.

If you have a friend who fits any or all of these descriptions, it's time to reevaluate the friendship. It is right that you are surrounded by positive individuals rather than negative people that undermine you. Life is too short to keep toxic friends.

How to get rid of toxic acquaintances from your life

If you find yourself constantly feeling drained after spending time with certain friends, it may be time to cut ties. Here are some signs that you might have a toxic friend, and how to remove them from your life:

• After hanging out with them, you feel worse.

• They depress you and are constantly negative.

• They try to drag you into controversy and spread rumors about other individuals.

• They constantly strive to outdo you or instill a sense of inferiority in you.

• They only give you a call or send you a text when they need something.

• Even when you don't want to, you always wind yourself doing what they want.

It's time to start removing yourself from this individual if any of these sound familiar to you. Reduce your time with them first, and then gradually cut them out of your life. It's critical to surround oneself with positive people, therefore don't be scared to cut ties with unhealthful friendships!

It can be difficult to realize that you need to remove someone from your life, but it is often necessary. It is best to keep your distance from someone who constantly exhibits harmful behavior. It may be challenging, but follow your instincts and break off contact with anyone who isn't beneficial to you.

From Karma Gaia

Simple Formula for Responding Not Reacting

Whether it is unexpected traffic, a meeting that didn’t go to plan, missing an aid station in your marathon, a leak in your kitchen, a disagreement with your spouse or colleague, or something more significant, you can call on the 4 P’s to get you out of reacting and into responding:

1. Pause: Take a deep breath or two. Gather yourself.

2. Process: Label the emotions you are feeling. Tell yourself, This is what is happening right now, I’m doing the best that I can.

3. Plan: Now that you’ve collected yourself, make a plan for what you want to do going forward. Figure out what resources and skills you can bring to the situation at hand.

4. Proceed: Only then take action and proceed.

What seems to happen is that the more you practice responding instead of reacting not only do you start making better decisions but you also start to experience a part of yourself that is not so susceptible to change, at least not in the way you usually experience it. It’s the part of you that pauses, processes, plans, and proceeds. The part of you that is akin to the canvas upon which the content of your life is painted.

When you react to a situation you fuse with it and become it. Going from one reaction to the next is an emotional roller-coaster. When you respond to a situation, however, you put a few degrees of freedom between a deeper and more stable sense of self and the ever-changing current of your life.

From Karma Gaia

How to Increase Happy Brain Chemicals

How to Increase Dopamine Levels Naturally

• meditate regularly (increases dopamine by 65%)

• make a daily to-do list & long term goals (each time you tick off a task or goal you increase dopamine levels)

• eat foods that are rich in L-Tyrosine (avocados, fish, eggs, cheese, banana, and pumpkin seeds)

• exercise regularly (whichever form of exercise you enjoy the most will give you the most increase in dopamine levels)

• create something such as writing, music, art & crafts (“if I create something, I am also creating dopamine”)

How to Increase Oxytocin Levels Naturally

• physical touch, cuddling, hugging, making eye contact, and even shaking hands

• socializing (connecting or talking with friends and family reduces cortisol and stimulates your vagus nerve)

• touching your pet (research shows it lowers blood pressure)

• getting a massage (reduces stress hormones)

• acupuncture (elevates oxytocin concentrations)

• listening to music (has a calming effect on the brain, slow-tempo music has also been shown to increase oxytocin)

• exercise (stimulates the vagus nerve)

• cold showers (stimulates the vagus nerve)

• meditate

How to Increase Serotonin Levels Naturally

• exercise (increases serotonin and dopamine, but also helps balance them)

• cold showers (2-3 mins of cold showers can be unpleasant but offers great benefits that have longer-lasting effects than compared to caffeine)

• sunshine (10-15 minutes of sunlight a day can increase serotonin and vitamin D)

• eating foods such as banana, eggs, omega-3 fish, nuts and seeds, leafy greens, and probiotics

• getting a massage (increases serotonin and decreases cortisol)

How to Increase Endorphin Levels Naturally

• laughter and crying

• creating music or art

• eating dark chocolate and spicy foods

• exercise or stretching

• high-intensity interval training

• getting a massage

• meditate

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From Karma Gaia

How to Break a Trauma Bond

What Is a Trauma Bond?

A trauma bond is an emotional connection that arises between persons in an abusive or highly dysfunctional relationship. Often, these bonds occur from an abused person to their abuser. Trauma ties are generally defined by the 7 phases of trauma bonding which becomes a cycle of abuse followed by guilt, kindness, or affection from the abuser. The abuser may isolate the victim from friends and family, leaving them feeling more stuck in the relationship.

In a trauma bond relationship, the abused person often becomes dependent on the abuser for emotional support and other needs. They may minimize the abuse, hide the abuse from others, or excuse the abuser’s behavior. The tight emotional bond and vicious cycle of affection, kindness, and abuse make it exceedingly difficult for the abused individual to exit the relationship.

1. Find Resources Around You

Support is vital when breaking a trauma attachment. Many resources are available to help you heal from trauma and move ahead, such as domestic violence shelters. Other local groups give victims access to legal support, therapy, childcare, healthcare, employment support, educational resources, and financial assistance. Your information is private and protected, as shelters understand that abusers often search for their escaped victims.

2. Communicate Your Needs Clearly & Assertively

Learning to set relationship boundaries allows you to communicate your requirements clearly and assertively. Boundaries might seem different for everyone and can include nearly anything. However, people may push back and test these limits, especially in trauma-bond relationships.

Remember, someone acting angry or aggressive when you set limits can suggest a deeper issue. What starts as a conversation where you explain your desires might become dangerous if your spouse becomes violent. In these instances, build a safety plan to feel secure and prepared for worst-case events.

3. Disengage & Retract From the Situation

While doing so may seem paradoxical, disengaging and distancing oneself from the situation can be important, especially if the individual is threatening. Retracting can help mitigate the heightened emotions associated with a trauma bond.

4. Face Your Feelings

In dependent or trauma-bonded relationships, pushing your negative feelings aside to resolve conflicts and appease your partner can become normal. However, don’t try to flee or avoid your sentiments. Instead, focus on identifying them and taking steps to address them. Acknowledging your feelings shows you notice and care about how the dynamics in your trauma bond effect your emotions and mood. Then, you can begin to move forward.

5. Validate Yourself

Validating oneself is a vital step to increasing your self-confidence and resilience. For example, establish good self-talk by speaking to yourself with love and encouragement. This approach can function in the moment and as a long-term coping method. You can also adopt alternative strategies to legitimize your emotions, such as a creative outlet or a social support system.

6. Talk to a Professional

Having a safe environment to discuss and understand the deeper meaning behind interpersonal disputes might be the first step toward recovery from a trauma connection. One option to discover a therapist specialized in trauma ties is by checking an internet therapist directory. Reading reviews and looking at clinician bios to understand their scope of practice might give you an idea of if their experience suits your scenario. Many therapists offer a free phone consultation and virtual/teletherapy consultations, both of which allow people an opportunity to obtain care during the pandemic.

7. Keep a Journal

Journaling allows you to identify, express, and process your feelings without judgment. You can pour your feelings onto a blank paper and discharge your dread, anxiety, or depression from your head and heart. Journaling about trauma allows you to preserve a record of your reactions and healing process, reflect on the stages of trauma bonding, and uncover chances for emotional growth throughout time.

From Karma Gaia

Traits empathic people share

1. Empaths are very sensitive to their environment

People with empathy are inherently very perceptive of their surroundings. Not only can they sense non-physical feelings, but they can also detect minute changes in others. They are also very perceptive and have a profound understanding of the sentiments, motivations, and emotions of others.

Furthermore, empaths are naturally kind, honest, and wonderful listeners. They are trustworthy, compassionate, and capable of providing for others. These wonderful qualities make it easier for empathic people to have their feelings damaged, since they are frequently told they are overly sensitive.

2. Empathic people can absorb emotions and feelings

The ability to feel everything is honed in empaths, sometimes to an extreme degree. Because of this quality, empaths are able to form strong emotional bonds with individuals; but, depending on the people they interact with, this might have negative effects.

Because of their strong social bond, empaths are prone to take on the mood and emotions of everyone they come into contact with. It might be joy and optimism, but it can also be rage or fear, which is extremely draining and harmful to one's mental well-being.

3. In many cases, empaths are introverted

Empaths are frequently introverted people.

Not all introverts are empaths, and not all empaths are introverted. Still, most people stay inside their comfortable social network of close friends and family. People who are empathic tend to like this because it's easy for them to become overwhelmed by strangers or big crowds, which puts them in an unfamiliar environment.

Although, even if an empath is an extrovert, they’ll tend to limit how much time they spend with crowds or unfamiliar people. However, since social contacts can exacerbate their natural tendencies and make them uncomfortable, empaths are usually quite content to be alone themselves.

4. Empaths are intuitive

Most empathic individuals are aware of their emotions and sentiments, which enables them to use their intuition to perceive the outside environment. Because of this characteristic, empaths have an unparalleled gut feeling and will follow their intuition when determining how they feel about a person.

People who are empathic can notice things long before others do, thanks to their intuition. Being an empath is one way this trait can help you prevent mental health issues. You can stay optimistic and content by avoiding those who bring harmful and manipulative energy into your life with the use of your intuition.

5. Empathic people tend to spend time alone

Social interaction can be emotionally and physically taxing for empaths. They particularly experience this when they engage with naive, self-centered individuals, therefore they require time to recuperate from all of this negativity. Time spent alone is the go-to remedy for sensitive folks.

This is to help them get over their exhausted state because it prevents them from experiencing an emotional overload during this little getaway. Because of this characteristic, empaths choose to travel alone rather than in big groups because they have the freedom to decide when to depart and are not dependent on the judgment of others.

6. Intimate relationships can overwhelm empathic people

It's critical for empaths to strike the correct balance. They require personal time, which is the extreme of the range. However, an excessive amount of closeness and close relationships can be challenging and eventually overpowering. Thus, empaths may have a tendency to stay out of close relationships completely.

In reality, their fear of losing their individuality is what keeps them from entering into relationships or from getting too close.

7. The emotionally weak target empathic people

Unfairly, empathy has a bullseye on their back. Since they are sensitive, those who lack emotional stability might take advantage of them, deplete their stamina, and disturb their tranquility. As a result, empathic people become exhausted and, in some cases, inexplicably depressed.

People who lack emotional strength, such as narcissists, pessimists, drama queens, and abusive individuals, can leave empaths feeling unworthy or unlovable.

Removing yourself from these kinds of people is difficult, especially because you will have a large heart. When you notice this happening, do your best to step back and consider the potential negative effects of spending time with them on your mental health for your own wellbeing. Never put yourself at danger just to appease poisonous individuals.

From Karma Gaia

Wisdom Of The Heart

Your heart has a mysterious way of knowing. Knowing what, one may wonder? Everything.

We live in a hurried culture—doing more, moving faster, working harder, always on our way to somewhere else. Our capacity to communicate, be close, and listen is obscured by the abundance of media, technology, and stimuli. How do we begin to turn away from the deluge of external information and start listening to the inner direction and discoveries that come from the language of the heart? As the poet Rumi asks, “Do you pay regular visits to yourself?”

The heart is seen by many mystics, philosophers, and practitioners of traditional medicine as "the seat of the soul," "the supreme self," "the secret cave," or "the ruler"—a wellspring of profound insight and knowledge. The spiritual heart is referred to in the yoga tradition as hridaya, or pure consciousness, a powerful inner guide that discloses the ultimate truth.

Unfolding, remembering, and discovering are the processes involved in being aware of the intelligence of the heart. With practice, it becomes a sequence of adjustments that completely rewire the mind-body system, offering the possibility of awakening, liberation, and freedom from our limiting tales, thoughts, and beliefs, as well as from pain.

Studies reveal that the heart contains about 40,000 neurons with sensory, motor, cognitive, and memory capacities. Additionally, the heart and brain are in constant communication. The heart integrates sensations of love, compassion, and gratitude when we consciously relish them; this results in a smoother, more harmonious, and coherent heart rhythm. Heart intelligence is defined as "the flow of awareness, understanding, and intuition we experience when the mind and emotions are brought into coherent alignment with the heart" by the HearthMath Institute. Subsequently, this data is sent throughout the body on a neurological, biochemical, biophysical, and energetic level, thereby significantly impacting our perception, cognition, emotions, and behavior. Numerous advantages occur, such as heightened energy, less stress, strengthened bonds with others, improved mental clarity, enhanced intuition, and improved decision-making.

Aligning your body-heart-brain into a state of harmonious function offers a portal to the kingdom of your heart. The inherent wisdom and intelligence that each of us possesses is accessible through these hallowed doors. It helps us live more freely, wholeheartedly, and lovingly; it gives us access to new ideas, desires, and purposes; and it inspires us to boldly create and take steps toward the authentic life that calls to us.

Heart Practices for Daily Life

The heart as an object of meditation: Use your heart as an anchor for your mind's attention. Take a moment to consciously move your mind from your thoughts to your heart. Put your hand over your heart in a loving and connecting gesture. Lean in with interest and inquiry at the center of your heart. Just sit and listen, with no plans or judgments. This is a method for effortlessly being close to your own heart.

Heart-focused breathing: Imagine that you could breathe from the center of your heart. Encourage each breath to be long, slow, and steady. Start visualizing and experiencing the things that make you happy, grateful, and joyful. Inhale these feelings of optimism and exhale pain and negativity.

Heart-based journal prompts:

What does your heart have to say?

What does your heart care about most?

Identify one lifestyle change you can make to move closer to what matters to you most.

What happens when you follow the call of your heart and let it go in any direction it wants?

From Karma Gaia

Practical Ways to Build Your Self-Image

So, how do we change the way we see ourselves, from negative to positive? Can we undo the lessons we believe we have acquired throughout time? Can our perceptions of who we are change? The practical methods that follow will assist you in developing your self-image. It’s a process, don’t expect instant results. Still, you're on the right track just by being aware of your self-perception.

Stop being a perfectionist. Recognize that life isn't flawless. You will make mistakes; that's all part of the learning process. Accept responsibility for your mistakes and grow from them. It requires humility, and faith that you will do better next time.

Control Your Thoughts. Sometimes we take our inner critic too seriously because it exists inside of us. It murmurs either positive or negative ideas into our minds. Listen to your inner critic, but take its opinions with a grain of salt. Don't take its judgment lightly. When you hear destructive thoughts snowballing, say STOP, and steer your thoughts into a productive path.

Assess Yourself Honestly. This is the point where you can encounter resistance from within. It’s difficult for people to accept their weaknesses and shortcomings objectively. But if you learn how to see yourself for all that you are, you will see that along with the negatives, you have positive and lovable traits which can be developed and highlighted. When we ignore the positive aspects of who we are and concentrate only on the negatives, our self-esteem suffers.

Change What You Can and Let Go of What You Cant. Do you detest your nose, your body, or your hair? These days, you may alter that without jeopardizing your well-being. Consult a hairdresser, get a nose job, and exercise. Make every effort to enhance what you already have. But you must also know when enough is enough. Don’t allow yourself to be like the celebrities who went through plastic surgery so many times they look like mannequins. So, you want to have a better career and be as successful as your friends? This is when being honest with yourself will be helpful. You can build on your weak traits and identify places for progress when you accept yourself as you truly are. Being humble is essential to learning. Only those who are able to own their ignorance will make a conscious effort to learn new things.

There are some things that we cannot change. Even with these characteristics, we must cherish them and concentrate on enhancing the other aspects of our personality that are malleable.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others. It's difficult not to, isn't it? But when our self-image is based on how we compare to other people, we will be in a constant state of frustration. There will always be someone superior to us in terms of beauty, strength, intelligence, and wealth. Create a picture of yourself that is based on what YOU have already achieved. Only rival yourself. Make an effort to improve upon who you were yesterday. "When the grass looks greener on the other side, it's time to work on your own grass," goes a proverb. Focus on you. Your life story and how you can make the outcomes of your own actions better.

Daily Affirmations. Every day, remind yourself of the qualities you value most about yourself. You should place the minor victories first in your mind. There are many situations in our daily lives that can make us feel inadequate. Countering our negative ideas is aided by keeping in mind our previous accomplishments.

Surround Yourself With Supportive People. Have a group of friends who really appreciate you, and can provide you with constructive and honest feedback.

From Karma Gaia

How To Maintain High Vibrations Around Energy Vampires

Have you ever experienced someone in your life draining your energy? Like their presence makes you feel heavy in some way and makes it difficult for you to stay in a high vibration?

How to have high vibrations around low-vibrational people:

1. Be Mindful of Your Inner State

Being aware of your inner state is the first step towards sustaining high spiritual vibrations. This implies being aware of one’s feelings, thoughts and responses. When you are conscious about what is happening inside you, it gets easier for you to know that someone else’s low vibrations are impacting on you. Take some time off during the day just to check on yourself. The question "how do I feel at this particular moment?" is one you can pose to yourself. By keeping your feet firmly planted, this easy technique will allow you to navigate interactions without being drawn into lesser energies.

2. Set Boundaries and Detach

When interacting with individuals that have low vibrations, it is essential to establish appropriate boundaries. It’s okay to protect your energy by limiting your time with those who drain you or bring negativity into your life. Detachment doesn’t mean you stop caring; it means you stop letting their energy dictate your own. Learn how to say no when necessary, and tell yourself that it's acceptable to stand back for your own wellbeing. In this manner, you can continue to vibrate at a greater level without experiencing guilt or overwhelm.

3. Take Care of Yourself

Taking care of oneself is crucial to maintaining a high vibration. Do things that replenish your energy, like spending time in nature, meditating, or doing something creative. Eating nourishing foods, getting enough rest, and surrounding yourself with positivity can also help. Self-nourishment might be compared to filling a cup; you cannot pour from an empty one. The more you prioritize your well-being, the more resilient you’ll be in the face of lower vibrations.

4. Hold Yourself Accountable

Acknowledging the impact of others is crucial, but you also need to take responsibility for your own energy. Take responsibility for the thoughts, feelings, and actions you choose. If you find yourself slipping into negativity, acknowledge it without judgment and take steps to shift back into a higher vibration. This could be looking at things from a different angle, being grateful, or doing something constructive. By holding yourself accountable, you empower yourself to stay aligned with the energy you wish to embody.

5. Surround Yourself with Positivity

Surrounding oneself with positive energy is another effective approach to keep your vibrations high. This entails hanging out with positive people, partaking in motivational pursuits, and setting up your surroundings to reflect the vibe you wish to keep. Music, art, books, and even the colors around you can all influence your vibration. You can maintain your high vibrations even in the face of negativity if you surround yourself with more good energy.

From Karma Gaia

Healing Journaling

Some of the best journaling prompts for healing aren’t as complicated or deep as you may think. When it comes to processing our hurt and pain and pursuing healing, sometimes all we need are open-ended questions or statements to help us get started.

Journaling Prompts for Healing Day by Day

1. How do you feel about yourself today, at this moment?

2. Write a letter of encouragement to your body.

3. Write a letter of encouragement to your mind.

4. What feelings and emotions do you experience most often?

5. What do you wish you would remember on your bad days?

6. What are some of the most important milestones on your healing journey so far?

7. What parts of your life have been affected most by your pain?

8. What do you wish you would go back and tell yourself to prepare you for what you’ve been through?

9. What encouragement would you give yourself as if you were talking to someone else?

10. Where do you want to be on your healing journey in 1 month? 1 year?

11. Make a list of things about yourself that bring you joy.

12. Make a list of small or unexpected things that have been helpful along your journey of healing? Then give thanks to them.

13. How can you make progress towards healing and self-discovery this week?

14. What could you do to make a positive difference in your own life?

15. Describe an experience that ultimately made you stronger.

16. When do you feel most alive and free?

17. Are there any feelings you’re holding back from experiencing because you’re afraid they’re too raw, hard, or difficult?

18. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned from your healing so far?

19. What are some new things you’ve learned about yourself from your healing so far?

20. If you could go back and relive any moment in your life, what would it be?

21. What do you fear most about the future?

22. What excites you most about the future?

23. What will be the mark of the “end” of your healing journey?

24. What has your pain taught you?

25. Write down 10 affirmations for yourself related to where you are in your healing.

From Karma Gaia

Dealing with traumatic stress

Regaining your mental equilibrium and starting over can take time, just as it frequently does after a disaster or traumatic incident when clearing debris and repairing damage. However, there are particular actions you can do to support your loved ones and yourself in overcoming the psychological fallout from trauma and finding a means to move on with your life.

Keep in mind that there are no right or incorrect feelings. Individuals respond to trauma in different ways, so don't dictate to yourself or anybody else what you ought to be feeling, thinking, or doing.

Don’t ignore your feelings—it will only slow recovery. Even while it might feel better in the heat of the moment to suppress your feelings, they are still there whether you want to acknowledge them or not. Allowing yourself to feel what you feel, even overwhelming feelings, will pass.

Avoid obsessively reliving the traumatic event. Repetitious thinking or viewing horrific images over and over can overwhelm your nervous system, making it harder to think clearly. Engage in mind-numbing tasks (such cooking, reading, watching movies, or playing with your children) to avoid focusing all of your energy and attention on the terrible experience.

Reestablish routine. There is comfort in the familiar. After a disaster, getting back—as much as possible—to your normal routine, will help you minimize traumatic stress, anxiety, and hopelessness. You may plan your day so that you have regular periods for eating, sleeping, spending time with family, and relaxing—even if your work or school schedule is interrupted.

Put major life decisions on hold. Making big life decisions about home, work, or family while traumatized will only increase the stress in your life. Try to hold off until things have calmed down, you've restored emotional equilibrium, and your cognitive abilities are improved.

From Karma Gaia

Healthy vs unhealthy boundaries

How do you know if a boundary is healthy…or not? It’s important to recognize that healthy boundaries help to protect and respect you; an unhealthy boundary seeks to control or harm someone else. "I need space to hang out with my friends and do things I enjoy on my own" would be a good example of a healthy boundary. But if your partner says, “I need you to stop talking to other guys/girls because you might cheat/I get jealous,” that’s not a healthy boundary; it’s a warning sign that your partner may have some trust issues and is trying to control who you hang out with. Here are some more great examples of healthy/unhealthy boundaries!

The following comparisons highlight the difference between healthy and unhealthy boundaries.

Healthy: Being your own person.

Unhealthy: Feeling incomplete without the other person.

Healthy: Accepting responsibility for your own happiness.

Unhealthy: Relying on others (especially your partner) to make you happy.

Healthy: Being able to balance separateness and togetherness.

Unhealthy: Wanting either too much or too little togetherness.

Healthy: Having meaningful friendships outside the partnership.

Unhealthy: Being unable to build and maintain close friendships with others.

Healthy: Being able to see and focus on your own, and your partner’s, good points.

Unhealthy: Always focusing on your partner’s flaws and worst qualities.

Healthy: Achieving intimacy without the use of substances.

Unhealthy: Using substances to reduce your inhibitions and achieve a false sense of intimacy.

Healthy: Communicating in a way that is open and real.

Unhealthy: Playing games; being manipulative; not being willing to listen in a non-defensive way.

Healthy: Being loyal and committed to your partner.

Unhealthy: Displaying jealousy and relationship addiction; being uncommitted to your partner.

Healthy: Respecting and accepting the ways in which you and your partner are different.

Unhealthy: Blaming and criticising your partner for having different traits and qualities from you.

Healthy: Being open and asking for what you want, in a clear and unambiguous way.

Unhealthy: Being unable to ask for what you want.

Healthy: Accepting transitions and endings.

Unhealthy: Being unable to change, let go and move on.

From Karma Gaia

Practices to Achieve Inner Peace

1. Meditate

Even though it's a straightforward practice, meditation has a significant impact on mental health. It fosters calmness and a more profound sense of tranquility.

How can one practice meditation? Find a cozy spot away from the hustle and bustle. Shut your eyes, inhale deeply, and exhale gradually. It only takes a few minutes and can have significant results, so don't stress over perfection. Remember, resources like Calm are here to help. To assist you in developing your meditation practice, we offer hundreds of programs and meditations.

2. Live in the present

How frequently do you feel like you're living in the past or worrying about the future? Like most of us, most likely quite a bit. However, as you are aware, we only really have the time we are in. Accept it and live it. Life unfolds in the now.

How to live in the present? Strive to give your whole attention to whatever you're doing, whether it's eating, walking, or even cleaning. Take note of the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings around you. It's like giving your brain a mini-vacation and the effect induces a sense of inner peace.

3. Cultivate a positive mindset

Our minds are powerful things. They can act as our greatest ally or our worst enemy. Everything depends on how we employ them. We begin to acquire inner peace when we learn how to focus on the positive and cultivate a positive mindset.

How to cultivate a positive mindset? Kickstart your day on a positive note. Jot down what you're excited about or what you’re grateful for in a journal. Cross out any negative thoughts that might try to creep in and replace them with something constructive.

4. Develop love for yourself

Self-love is the foundation for loving others. That’s not always an easy journey. We get it. However, the goal of achieving inner peace is to discover how to value your unique identity, embrace your shortcomings, and adore your talents. You are uniquely you, and that's something to celebrate.

How can one learn to love oneself? Take a moment to write down what you love about yourself. If you hit a speed bump or two, imagine your best friend. What would they say they love about you?

5. Practice self-care

It is not a luxury to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health; rather, it is essential. Remember to schedule time each day for yourself. It's not only that you deserve it, but it's also a crucial step in developing inner serenity via self-love.

What is a self-care routine? Schedule in some 'you-time.' Yes, that means put it in the calendar and stick to it! Spend the time on whatever you like — a thrilling novel, a soothing bath, a peaceful walk in nature, or even some relaxing yoga.

6. Visualize a peaceful place

Visualizing a happy or peaceful place engages your mind in a positive and calming way, acting as a form of mental escape from stressors and fostering a sense of inner peace.

How can I picture your serene space? Close your eyes and think of a place where you feel utterly at peace. It might be a forest, a beach, or simply a recollection. What can you hear, smell, or see? When stress starts to creep in, visit this place in your mind.

From Karma Gaia

Increase Your Good Vibes

Our vibrations originate from a variety of sources;

• Your mind

• Actions

• The people you surround yourself with

Enhancing positive energy in each of these domains would thus lead to an immensely improved quality of life. All three of these aspects are important.

Lets do this in sections…

Mind

How to use your mind and thoughts to enhance your positive energy;

This is probably one of the most difficult things to train to choose positive since it is so easy to be negative quickly.

You have a lot of ingrained habits in your head, and everyone gets set in their ways. The individuals in your immediate environment will also have a big impact on how your mind functions. This is why you need to think about who influences you.

Therefore, having one's own sense of self, opinions, and thoughts is the finest thing one can do.

The best approach to handle this is to avoid merely agreeing or following the unfavorable trends. You will learn to control this impulse and these negative thoughts eventually. It resembles forming a new habit.

It takes practice to rewire your brain to think more positively and to persuade yourself to act more morally. But you'll make it, and everything will be alright.

Here are some things that might help your mind choose the positive and let in the good vibes.

• Don’t get sucked into negative media and other peoples thoughts. Make your own decisions.

• Learn what works for you in the sense of gathering thoughts before acting on them.

• Create more positive actions for yourself. Take action. Produce. Step outside.

• Make sure you are being healthy, hydrating, and sleeping well.

Actions

How to increase your good vibes via your actions;

Your actions convey your sentiments about something and elicit feelings from other people as well as from yourself. These can be verbal or non-verbal.

This implies that it encompasses your actions, words, and behavior. One of the biggest lessons you will ever learn is realising that you probably do act in ways that need changing.

Once you have figured this out, your life will improve dramatically. Making positive choices for words and deeds will not only make you feel better about yourself, but those around you will also notice and benefit from this.

Your good vibrations can bring others up too!

Here are a few things you can do to change your actions to increase good vibes;

• Stop being horrible… Not that you are BUT if you feel yourself talking about someone else, saying negative things ‘bitching’ then just stop. When you act in this way, your negative energy grows.

• Choose better vocabulary. Use words with good meaning, and talk when it’s positive or useful. Don't say anything to start a fight or to generate a response.

• Follow the rules of just being a good human. This essentially means to act appropriately. Don't hurt other people or pretend to be someone you're not. Act morally upright. You understand this one, I'm sure.

• Be helpful. Give forth what you would like to receive in order to increase your good karma. In all you do in life, try to be of assistance to others, but remember to look after yourself as well.

• Don’t burn out. Take care of yourself as I just described. Spend some time learning to appreciate your own company and become an apprentice with yourself.

Circles

How the people you select to surround yourself with can help you feel better;

This is one of the biggest ones, yet they all work together.

The people you are around will affect your vibrations massively.

Surround yourself with people who enhance your life. Individuals who make the decision to better themselves and their own lives.

Avoid surrounding oneself with negative or unsupportive people. Select to surround yourself with individuals who exhibit the qualities you hope to possess yourself.

• Assess the connections that you have. Do these individuals positively impact your life? What emotions do they evoke in you?

• Don't waste your energy on individuals who won't treat you the way you want to be treated.

• Tighten your circle to the people who matter the most, and the people who influence you the most. Remember who is there to encourage you and provide you with constructive criticism.

Changing the circle you are in is difficult. I don't think cutting people off is a smart idea. Start by discussing your feelings. Reassess the individuals in your life if nothing changes and you still feel like you're being pulled down.

From Karma Gaia

Unlock Your Inner Power

Self-worth and confidence are important components that have a big impact on our lives. Our emotional state and our capacity to overcome obstacles in life can be significantly impacted by the way we view ourselves and interact with the world.

Our self-confidence and self-esteem rise when we feel good about ourselves, believe we can overcome challenges, and feel deserving of respect and acknowledgment. These factors improve our quality of life.

Practical tips to improve our self-confidence and self-esteem

Practise positive talk: Be mindful of how you talk to yourself. Brain circuits governing self-perception are built by internal dialogue, which is incredibly effective. Be deliberate with your words and mindful of the way you talk to yourself. Assume you are conversing with a friend.

Acknowledge your achievements and strengths: List five areas of your life (hobbies, abilities, skills, etc.) where you have succeeded. Give yourself time to be grateful for all you do well.

Set some realistic, achievable goals. As you successfully complete tasks, your confidence will grow. Start small and work your way up from there. For example, take a shower, respond to three emails, go for a little stroll, etc.

Feel it in your body: Psychologist Amy Cuddy and others have studied the positive effect of confident body postures on our minds and hormones. Plant your feet firmly, erect your shoulders, and maintain a proud posture.

Seek counselling and support: Building our self-confidence and self-esteem can be tricky. Never hesitate to ask for help if you think you might use it in this area!

Keep track of successes by regularly answering these questions: what is something you did well recently? How did you arrive there? In what way does this relate to you?

Celebrate successes: you’ve received a new promotion? Discover a method to rejoice! (For instance, having dinner with friends, celebrating with coworkers at the end of the workday, or treating yourself to a spa day..).

From Karma Gaia

The 6 steps to mastering “negative” emotions...

The truth is, there are no “negative” emotions because they all serve a purpose. Consider them as signals of action that provide insightful information and give us the ability to make a change. Yes, some emotions are tough, challenging us at our core. But growth requires that we recognize their signals.

To truly master your emotions, follow these 6 steps of emotional mastery:

Step 1: Identify the emotion

The first step is always to identify the negative emotion – or more accurately – the action signal. What kind of feeling is it? annoyance? Sadness? Or are you just hungry? Which feeling do you actually feel? Finding the central feeling will enable you to understand its important lesson.

Step 2: Appreciate & clarify the message

As soon as the emotion has been recognized, give it your whole attention and explain what it is trying to tell you. It basically tells you that something needs to change. Is it necessary for you to modify your behavior, such as your communication style? Or maybe by shifting your perception (i.e., the meaning) of a situation? Use the table in the next section to help clarify both the emotion and its powerful message.

Step 3: Get CURIOUS

Get curious about how you want to feel by asking these four questions:

How do you want to feel?

What would you need to believe to feel that way right now?

What are you willing to do to feel that way now?

What’s great about this situation or what can you learn from it?

Understanding the cause of an issue will help you keep it from happening in the future and realize that every issue is a gift.

Step 4: Get CONFIDENT from past success

Consider a specific instance where you handled a comparable feeling well. How did you overcome it? Feel the confidence pour over you as you relive that moment as a comeback story. Recalling times when you were able to master your emotions gives powerful reassurance that you’ll navigate through this emotion once more.

Step 5: Get CERTAIN about mastering the emotion

By envisioning multiple solutions that assist you in experiencing the desired sensation, you can fortify your mental image of how you will manage this challenging feeling. If one doesn’t work, try another. Rehearse until you feel certain you can deal with the emotion.

Step 6: Feel excited and take ACTION

Take immediate action to demonstrate your ability to control your emotions. In order to modify your feelings and reinforce your practice, it is important to express your emotions in a healthy way.

Remember, you always have a choice when it comes to mastering your emotions and it all begins with the steps you take now.

Forgive The Past

Learning to sit with yourself in silence is essential in really getting to know yourself and your shadow. It is also the hardest thing to do for many people. But being able to just be with yourself, your thoughts and your feelings is powerful in getting in touch with your (wounded) shadow parts and sit with your emotions and inquiring deeper into your triggers.

Here is also a good guided meditation:

From Karma Gaia

Healing From Past & Toxic Relationships

Journaling about relationships isn’t a magic solution to relationship problems, but writing about your relationships can help you enjoy deeper, more meaningful connections. Keeping a journal allows you to reflect on your feelings, actions, and reactions in a safe space. By putting pen to paper, you give yourself the opportunity to understand patterns, recognize areas that need growth, and appreciate the moments that bring joy.

Whether they be romantic, familial, or platonic, healthy relationships are typically characterized by several key components:

Trust: Trust is foundational in any relationship. It involves believing that the other person will act with integrity, honesty, and in your best interest. Breaches in trust, like dishonesty or betrayal, can be damaging, though not irreparable with effort and commitment.

Communication: Open, honest, and effective communication is essential. This means both speaking and listening actively, expressing needs, understanding, and seeking to be understood.

Respect: Treating each other with respect involves valuing and acknowledging each other’s feelings, wishes, and rights. It also means avoiding actions or words that are harmful or demeaning.

Boundaries: Healthy relationships have established boundaries that respect individual rights and feelings. These boundaries ensure that each person feels safe and valued.

Equality: Each person has equal say and equally invests in the relationship. Decisions are made together, and each person’s input is valued.

Independence: While sharing time and experiences is crucial, it’s also important for each person to maintain their sense of self and independence outside the relationship.

Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person is crucial. It involves being attuned to each other’s emotions and offering support when needed.

Affection: Physical and emotional expressions of love, care, and appreciation, like hugging, complimenting, or saying “I love you,” can strengthen bonds.

Conflict Resolution: Disagreements and conflicts are natural in any relationship. However, the key lies in addressing them constructively, without resorting to blame, avoidance, or aggression.

Shared Experiences and Interests: While it’s essential to have individual interests, shared experiences and common interests can strengthen the bond between people.

Support: A healthy relationship involves mutual support in both good and challenging times. This means being there for each other, offering help, encouragement, and understanding.

Growth and Adaptation: As individuals change and grow, the relationship must adapt. Recognizing, appreciating, and accommodating for personal growth and changes ensures the relationship remains healthy.

Intimacy: For romantic relationships, emotional and sometimes physical intimacy is an important component. This intimacy is built on trust, respect, and open communication.

Commitment: Being dedicated to the relationship and working towards its longevity and health is crucial.

Journaling Prompts for Relationships:

1. What does a healthy relationship look like to you?

2. What does a toxic relationship look like to you?

3. Describe what romance means to you.

4. What are you most grateful for about your relationship?

5. How do you communicate love to your partner?

6. How do you want love communicated to you?

7. Is it easy or difficult for you to ask for help when needed? Why?

8. Do you believe in soulmates?

9. Do you believe in love at first sight?

10. In what ways could your relationship be better?

11. What are some ways you could make your partner feel more loved?

12. List 15 things you can do to make your relationship more fun (they can be realistic or far-fetched, anything goes!)

13. What are some ways to say “I love you” without using words?

14. Describe what commitment means to you.

15. Describe the moment when you first realized you were in love with your partner.