Are you willing to do what 95% of people don’t?
Most of us have ambitious goals that could transform our lives. The problem comes when executing. Distractions steal our time and focus, leaving us with nothing but frustration, stress, and a lack of motivation.
Whenever a daunting task intimidates us, we numb ourselves with cat videos or pictures of distant, unimportant relatives. According to a recent survey, “workers spend an average of 2.5 hours daily ‘accessing digital content’ unrelated to their profession.”
That’s a total of 38 wasted days per year!
But what if you invested that time — or parts of it — in your most ambitious goals? …
At 86 years old, she found herself with a newborn baby.
Güita, my great-grandmother, wasn’t long for this world. During her eighties, she was obese, and, though she’d already had two heart strokes, she refused to improve her diet and exercise routine. At most, the doctors gave her a couple of years.
However, not only did she live to celebrate her 100th birthday, but, during her nineties, she lost the excess weight, hosted weekly family gatherings, and spoke fluent French.
Unfortunately, her tipping point was a tragedy: the death of her youngest daughter, Antonieta.
Throughout her life, Antonieta was a ray of light. Always joyful, she pursued a career in acting, traveled the world in her free time, and afterward decided to get pregnant. …
Why women shouldn’t be afraid to take the first step
The boy I had a crush on when I was fifteen taught me a valuable lesson: Women shouldn’t be afraid of making the first move.
“I wanted to date you when we were young,” my teenage crush confessed one drunken night when we were eighteen.
“Me too,” I replied, hoping to feel something magical. A foolish hope. My feelings for him had long since fizzled out. The only emotion left was regret. If I had taken the first step, what would’ve happened between us?
Why women don’t take the first step and why they should.
According to a recent survey, 70% of women won’t make the first move in a relationship. Our fear of rejection and our societal norms hold us back. We’ve been taught men should chase us. We’re supposed to play hard-to-get. …
Break the routine, have fun, and grow closer to your significant other.
Since my husband and I live in Spain, in December 2020, we found ourselves with two weeks of holiday vacations and no way to leave our house. Great.
The first few days were awesome. We read books, binge-watched Netflix, and called family and friends. Then we started missing work. Did we ever think it would be a good idea to spend our vacation days during the pandemic?
Boredom clawed its way into our relationship.
My husband — a brilliant, brilliant man — gifted me a brilliant book. …
Improve your health, budget, and happiness while pursuing sustainability.
Eating less meat? Buying no clothes?
Gasp!
Months ago, I would’ve cringed at the mere idea of quitting my love for meat or fashion for the environment. After all, how could I — a single, tiny person — possibly impact something as grand as nature?
Moreover, “what was in it for me?” my selfish side asked.
My mind did a 180° when I watched the following Netflix documentaries:
- What the Health. This documentary taught me that meat and dairy aren’t as healthy as we think.
- Cowspiracy. This documentary brought tears to my eyes as I witnessed the destruction the animal farming industry brings on our planet and the animals themselves. …
This habit has super-charged the emotional intimacy in our marriage
A few years ago, I’d been waking up regularly at 2am, with a hammering heart and an over-active brain. After weeks of this, I was exhausted yet unable to nap or sleep for longer than 4 hours. And no amount of caffeine could pull me out of the resulting foggy haze.
Desperate, I researched ways to improve my sleep. Besides reducing screen time, avoiding caffeine after 2pm, and other mainstream tips, I learned that a 2010 study concluded that you can get better sleep when you have fewer negative interactions with your partner.
I felt doomed. How was I supposed to have “fewer negative interactions” when I was living like a zombie? In my half-asleep state, my emotional control (and patience) was at a historical low. I’d argued more with my partner than ever. …
Embrace vulnerability and grow closer to your significant other
Our relationship became stagnant after a month locked away at home. Being trapped in a tiny apartment put my partner and me in routine mode.
From March to May 2020, we acted like robots, following the same pattern over and over: wake up, work remotely in our pajamas (thank god we had work), eat ice cream, and binge-watch Netflix until it was time to sleep and do everything again.
The weekends were torture. At one point, we had nothing to talk about. …
Science-backed tips to help you overcome the mental health risks associated with social media.
From early to mid-2020, I quit social media. From spending an average of two hours per day, I went to zero.
I was drained.
Every time I logged on Twitter, someone announced a book deal. On LinkedIn, my schoolmates got promotions. On Instagram, fitness influencers boasted their enviable bikini bodies.
As an aspiring writer, I felt unsuccessful. As someone who had exchanged a high-paying corporate job for solopreneurship, I felt lost. As a human, I felt fat and lazy.
The worst part, though, was that I felt guilty for feeling guilty. It was exhausting.
That’s why, for almost six months, I ran away, a break-up that helped me reduce my anxiety and regain control of my life. Still, I knew I had to return. Whether we like it or not, around 4 billion people use at least one social media platform. Nowadays, it’s the easiest way to catch up with our loved ones, market a product, or learn new things. …
Take an honest look at your relationships to improve your life.
According to the longest ever study on happiness, healthy relationships are the secret to a fulfilling life. The problem? It’s tough to objectively know whether ours are beneficial or detrimental.
A few months ago, I faced this problem.
Something inside me was off. And though I knew it was a relationship-related issue, I couldn’t pinpoint the problem’s origin or brainstorm ways to feel better.
As an engineer, I set out to discover a system to measure the quality of my relationships, something that could give me a clearer picture of my situation. …
Science-backed research suggests signature strengths can help you find meaning in what you do.
Two years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life: trading my high-paying corporate job for freelance writing and teaching. Though now I work more hours than before, though I earn less money, I’m happy.
When I consider the future, my brain doesn’t ask: “Is this all there is?” No. Though many people believe my decision is a complete waste of my engineering degree, the future has stopped looking miserable.
Now, it’s exciting.
Most of my peers struggled with my decision; they didn’t understand why. And for a long time, I had no logical answer except that it felt right. …
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