tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9170097310059120112024-03-14T12:11:46.548+02:00SMart Choice LifestyleLifestyle BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-90544447396113338362017-06-07T19:10:00.000+03:002017-06-07T19:23:46.254+03:00[21 Days to Better Sleep Challenge] DAY 1/21 - Sleep Disturbances and Feeling Overwhelmed. How Teaching The Brain New Habits And Routines Can Help | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpC2f-INoPKAuZUL7bAgwNn3CUN0RuzFcDqXRRInNWp_63j-zP-hfCJHL29M0Qnxiqy4l-cCemOzBTlEfapV6-uxkaqr3rKglZeRyIQFzKglxXk-_QCedVrOkKJ28kNLXaySNgtP4W_hj3/s1600/07_06_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpC2f-INoPKAuZUL7bAgwNn3CUN0RuzFcDqXRRInNWp_63j-zP-hfCJHL29M0Qnxiqy4l-cCemOzBTlEfapV6-uxkaqr3rKglZeRyIQFzKglxXk-_QCedVrOkKJ28kNLXaySNgtP4W_hj3/s400/07_06_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Feeling excited about your future goals and planning your next trip or experience is a good thing, a healthy thing. But when all this is happening at night, you know it’s time for a self analysis. It’s not even funny how many ideas can pop into your head when you can’t sleep at night. I know myself to be an over thinker, but the speed my brain is processing information at 3 am is still mind blowing. </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few nights ago I just had it! Could no longer passively sit and watch all the to-do lists and worrying about the next day’s activities that my mind was putting me through. I did fall asleep (eventually), but the following day I sat and asked myself why was I constantly in a rush, either doing or thinking? All the roads pointed out to insufficient sleep, to chaotic sleeping patterns. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Constant attempts to find the best morning and evening routines, changing activities and having a full past two months all lead up to my body and brain not caring anymore about whatever discipline I wanted to have in my life. I just wanted to relax and recharge. But what you repeatedly do, you become, and just like that I managed to push myself into a loop: not enough sleep - rushing throughout the day - sleepy in the afternoon - hard to fall asleep at night - not enough sleep and on and on. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When you become used to doing things in a certain way and then you change them and don't try to get back at the initial stage for a while, your body will most definitely send you signals. That’s where <b><a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2017/06/reconnect-love-out-loud.html">[re]CONNECTING</a></b> with yourself proves helpful. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have to listen to our body’s needs, to be in sync with what they ask of us and to be able to nurture their wants: sleep, nutritious food, rest, movement. Headspace is essential for me. As much as I love people’s stories, i recharge in solitude. I need to go to bed early enough in order to sleep 8h and wake up recharged at a good AM hour.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Press the reset button and wish to better the way you’re feeling and thinking about ourselves, to gain more self-confidence (or to gain it back), and to do our best in this world and not waste any gifts (ex: writing, inspiring others, empowering, creating, etc). </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of the times, sleep proves to be the cause of all the chaos in our minds and lifestyle. That’s why going to bed at a decent hour (something like 10pm) can be the best choice you’ve ever done in a while, especially if your schedule is busy or you have sleep issues (like in Multiple Sclerosis or other conditions). </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A regular sleeping pattern can reduce our anxiety about schedules, can lead to more productivity (as the brain is more alert), and give us time to start our mornings slow and more mindfully. And overall, sleep is the promoter of less inflammation inside the body. We need sleep in order for our bodies to properly take care of toxin removal, hormone manufacture, and infection fighting. Whenever we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies cannot complete those important tasks, increasing our chances of developing health issues (or worsen preexisting ones) due to excess toxins, inflammation, and hormone imbalances. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to achieve having a regular sleeping pattern, some habits need to change. We all stay up to late or go to bed at different times every night. We are caught in the screens of our devices, wanting to finish </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“that one last episode of Game of Thrones!”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, those </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“last three emails!”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“one last refresh on Facebook”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We all do that! Because we want to finish what we’re doing, we don’t prioritize sleep. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Remember the chaos I was talking about earlier? Our bodies get confused. But if we set and strictly follow a bedtime routine, we will get in the habit of relaxing at a certain hour, naturally inducing sleepiness. If you know yourself as having a sleep disorder, first check solutions with your physician and add a bedtime routine that includes his/hers suggestions. All this needs to be in our best interest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arianna Huffington's #sleeprevolution movement shows a light over the importance of sleep in our lives. Here's her manifesto:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqreJo5v1Bopte52RHpjj4u306Joidj3uz8qIYLKQO5JvvCmr1weCaUWtGStfsP0mNB3MPX9CRpMfdWYAAjyNgr6go27SrcpuqvLPrNsLfsJQnvmgI14niNuYqv4-2A7Dw951GG7dykZu0/s1600/14067802_316052222075727_562320098242602912_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqreJo5v1Bopte52RHpjj4u306Joidj3uz8qIYLKQO5JvvCmr1weCaUWtGStfsP0mNB3MPX9CRpMfdWYAAjyNgr6go27SrcpuqvLPrNsLfsJQnvmgI14niNuYqv4-2A7Dw951GG7dykZu0/s640/14067802_316052222075727_562320098242602912_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, my choice / challenge for the following 21 days is to begin getting into some healthy sleeping habits (21 days is the minimum amount of days that can induce a new habit into one’s life). For increasing my chances to actually follow them, they’re included into my night routine. One hour before bedtime I put down all devices and screens, making notes on what I have to finish / see / do the next day. Then I go and make myself a chamomile tea, take a shower and wash my teeth, say my prayers and clear my mind for about 15 minutes and then do some journaling before turning the lights off.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What would your routine look like? How is your relationship with sleep and mental space going? Would love to hear that from you in the comments down below!</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until next time, have a wonderful day!</b></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-19106581622190127952017-06-06T17:50:00.001+03:002017-06-08T18:26:48.782+03:00[re]CONNECT MANIFESTO: How Multiple Sclerosis Triggered My Journey of
Self-Discovery & The Need to Love Out Loud! | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-KcW7v606AtCf4IqOMCCehCOz1Q3ny8CJk5q5XXEBdd9Pc80zj4IZ8CpfXCgPvMUvWHgdYQXUcdt1AZ4f3DXwSM5R0KHrpjOJdCs5y7REJFNGudEvn8RSdQNIaLAQdJmSyu9VGKGe-jc/s1600/06_06_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-KcW7v606AtCf4IqOMCCehCOz1Q3ny8CJk5q5XXEBdd9Pc80zj4IZ8CpfXCgPvMUvWHgdYQXUcdt1AZ4f3DXwSM5R0KHrpjOJdCs5y7REJFNGudEvn8RSdQNIaLAQdJmSyu9VGKGe-jc/s400/06_06_2017.png" width="400"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I still remember the tunnel vision that sliced the room in two parts: my mind and the rest of the world. All the eyes that were on me after the room got quiet did not matter. All that was important at that moment were my mum slowly pulling out a chair and sitting down, and my shattered identity. The tears were racing towards my eyes, but I wanted… </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I needed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be strong. Not for me… </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for her</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! It did not matter that I was just given a life-long diagnosis. All that I could focus on is what would </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THEY</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> do if I get worse? What would my loved ones do now that I had Multiple Sclerosis?</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic (life-long) inflammatory autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves). Nerve cells are covered in an insulating cover called a myelin sheath (it wraps around the nerve, like a little doughnut). Autoimmune diseases mean that your own body begins to attack itself. In MS, the immune system confuses myelin sheaths with something harmful and thus destroys them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This process is called demyelination, and it results in damaged nerves that cannot transmit impulses - resulting in a vast array of symptoms, ranging from pins and needles, numbness, to paralysis and, blindness and even death (in the more advanced and aggressive forms). Instead of keeping its integrity and acting like a unit, the body goes rogue on the brain, its command center. It’s main effect is disconnection. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All my life I’ve identified with what others thought and said about me. When their opinions and behaviors were bully-ish, aggressive and truly offensive, my self-image had to suffer. It got damaged, leading to low self-esteem and constant efforts to being liked and accepted by my peers. All this, sprinkled with emotionally internalizing all family conflicts (big or small), rose stress to an unbearable level, possibly triggering my body to attack itself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was the command I kept giving to my cells through actions, thoughts and emotions. Body postures that I kept, neuro-programming that came out of habitual negative behavior and hormonal / neurochemical imbalance, topped with being overweight and in spiritual disconnection with myself and God, all might have lead to developing Multiple Sclerosis. Or at least that’s my theory on the issue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But that was the struggle part of my life. The best parts were my family and friends, people that raised, inspired and formed me in more ways than one. From them I have inherited a survivor attitude, the need to always rise back from where I fell and keep trying, keep living. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This innate resilience got coated with all the answers I looked and searched for during the past (almost) three years since receiving the diagnosis. I not only wanted to bounce back, but I wanted to THRIVE, to be my best version, to stay on top of all that was to come, while I adapted my lifestyle accordingly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>WHO WAS I REALLY - THE JOURNEY INWARDS</i></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBYLJBipvG6NADuEgzX4viTzBVZzSycIu93yyFVD4gxvb4ocpsRNQygeu0QbKqypTaFn43Lt092bl46Yy8WWpMfBvfNflOG2QdifxDVRgPNU52S31h70pJCFThs74UKnBgyf7Lo4wQ0WT/s1600/20140726_155910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBYLJBipvG6NADuEgzX4viTzBVZzSycIu93yyFVD4gxvb4ocpsRNQygeu0QbKqypTaFn43Lt092bl46Yy8WWpMfBvfNflOG2QdifxDVRgPNU52S31h70pJCFThs74UKnBgyf7Lo4wQ0WT/s400/20140726_155910.jpg" width="300"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">But then I realized that I was disconnected from my core self. Who was I and where was I going in life? I had lots of dreams, but… WHY did I want to pursue them in the first place? This chronic illness was now part of my body and I did not know who I was behind all those social masks that we all have! So I went deep inwards. VERY deep! And eventually I reached my core. I brought a light to the deepest, most inner corners of my body, mind and soul. I now understand and know myself. I have my guiding light. It was there all along. Jesus was waiting for me to learn through all the struggles my bad and self-harming choices had put me through.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I now have the feeling that I accumulated enough information, and did enough research and exploration (both inwards and outwards) to be able to make my voice heard in the world, in the areas that matter most: self-love, love for others, all in and through God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I took the road less-travelled to journey inwards and discover, [re]CONNECT with myself and others through creative / expressive writing, art and blogging. Lots of key-areas to cover from now on, but mostly focused on brain, mental and spiritual health.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>WHAT'S NEXT FOR SMart CHOICE LIFESTYLE?</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I feel the need to express myself and help others along the way, inspire and empower them to [re]CONNECT to what’s important: to themselves, to others and to God. To be of service. To LOVE OUT LOUD and make pride less. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to empower people on how to be true to their core selves and live a fulfilling life, while using and living a brand that creates the financial means for all that. [re]CONNECT around LOVE. Get back to themselves, go within, travel, explore, grow, become their best version.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I choose weekly blogging, because everyday I have to serve, I have to storytell and teach. We’ll take themes one at a time, have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">some</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> structure, but allow flexibility. Schedule and limit choices just to be at ease. Declutter and prioritize. And most of all, EASE INTO IT. Build your lifestyle around what you do, around your priorities. Share your lessons with the WORLD. Grow. All is coming. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_C-O7xdG2QdGtg45U90qEec-Px4rFIU9SB2kbfz49rTCnxbI654jVvz_sXNkZcvurHLUaY2ysRl9i90GiCckiy2W4ccx-EDbTiTyi76Bt7NBwNHzdGxZldnzUkH1DIfkohzPC_FF-TtL/s1600/reCONNECT_06_06_2017_QUOTE.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_C-O7xdG2QdGtg45U90qEec-Px4rFIU9SB2kbfz49rTCnxbI654jVvz_sXNkZcvurHLUaY2ysRl9i90GiCckiy2W4ccx-EDbTiTyi76Bt7NBwNHzdGxZldnzUkH1DIfkohzPC_FF-TtL/s400/reCONNECT_06_06_2017_QUOTE.png" width="400"></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My core theme is CONNECTION. It is about the way I see the world, the connection with yourself, with God, with others. Make a connection, interact, collaborate. When everything else wants to tear you apart, find the road back to relationships, back to connection.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s easy to show and give love to the ones we’re used to and are similar to us. But love is universal and should be given wholeheartedly to each and every human in need. A broken heart, fear and pain are just the same for all of us. No matter the color of our skin, no matter what we bow to and believe in. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God commanded us to love one another. Even in our darkest night, our deepest pain, LOVE has to be universal and given without making any differences. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, my next journey is towards self-love and giving it back to people. Are you with me? :)</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until next time, have a wonderful day!</b></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-70333987760415176292017-03-09T20:24:00.000+02:002017-03-28T13:06:34.946+03:00Two Years of Copaxone Daily Injections and A Promise to My Inner Kid | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqep6MndPfgCuuWcd1d2yOcNyRQM2le0mPjpG9hps_KjOuukREJa-5VIIexVtkOLvqfAVU9eBGNBuEcR8drObymemVmSb7zHpHguKu9dxnhpaBWIQNNLl4lpftPFP4PeepIXcpPe7QJLwt/s1600/09_03_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqep6MndPfgCuuWcd1d2yOcNyRQM2le0mPjpG9hps_KjOuukREJa-5VIIexVtkOLvqfAVU9eBGNBuEcR8drObymemVmSb7zHpHguKu9dxnhpaBWIQNNLl4lpftPFP4PeepIXcpPe7QJLwt/s400/09_03_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>A bunch of orchids were lined up next to the window, while daylight was filling the room up. I had been waiting for this moment for almost 10 months now, and it was finally here! As I was sitting on the armchair in the neurologist’s office, the MS nurse was giving me basic training for starting Copaxone, a daily injectable drug for Multiple Sclerosis, aiming to slow down the disease progression and reduce the number of possible relapses that could in time cause disability. </i></b></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-553cff83-b42d-cdb9-031c-231cadfb54c6" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I decided to start with my stomach area, to get used to the burn that I so much read about before. The nurse was the one who gave me my first dose that day. As she pressed the auto injector against my skin, I could feel my inner kid wanting me to run away, to stop this and get back to normal. There was no turning back. I was injecting my body with a new substance that promised to help me live well, but still my mind was in fear. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I now know that in that moment I got even more stuck in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“what if…?”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> scenario that started after the diagnosis.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the press of a button, the auto injector fired inside my body and after a few seconds, my skin truly felt ON FIRE, as being stung by a bee. The excitement of that all being so new helped me feel like I got over what was the worst part. I felt pride for getting over my fear of needles and, heck! Realizing that I in fact did not have ANY needle phobia whatsoever. My panic was due to the negative emotions associated with having an injection. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8TY0bL7I8ANZQRzMvYBsv6EitXFAvyWH_-AS7qbmdw-p1HtlRFvKDf1eBLKnFVg4gEroGl-yGNFsRyquk-IYXyf5Ag2y6RWrdFqnpmpbtzhw7nmw_xbH6rDziL3W3SssvgkekDdotUeL/s1600/3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8TY0bL7I8ANZQRzMvYBsv6EitXFAvyWH_-AS7qbmdw-p1HtlRFvKDf1eBLKnFVg4gEroGl-yGNFsRyquk-IYXyf5Ag2y6RWrdFqnpmpbtzhw7nmw_xbH6rDziL3W3SssvgkekDdotUeL/s320/3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And so, little by little, injection by injection, two years passed by. I religiously did each and every one of them, rotating seven areas across my body. Little did I know that with each one, my mind was pinning me down into anxiety. You would expect that after all that I said before and after getting used to the experience, my angst should have lessened, right? That’s what I thought too!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fast forward to today. <b>I did the 728th injection in my right arm</b>. Special occasion, "special moments": as I pressed the button, the needle seemed to get stuck, but then resumed to injecting veeeeery slowly. It usually takes 10 seconds from start to finish and now it was like it was walking through a swamp. Either way, it was all ok. It all gets ok AFTER the injection. The anxiety comes BEFORE the whole deal. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rationally, there’s nothing to fear: a 1.2 cm needle, thinner than a 0.5 mechanical pencil tip, no pain when the needle pierces the skin, only the afterwards bee-sting sensation, that usually lasts 5-10 minutes, depending on the day. But my mind has other ideas: it thinks that something devastating is going to happen to me, that I might get a terrible heart attack if I inject in a vein (note: there is a thing called IPIR, meaning you COULD get a heart-attack-feeling-sensation, lasting no more than 20-30 minutes, but nothing lethal!) and maaany, maaaany more things like that. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXLMFv3BPGlzb8b5g-NCrDGP19_HIgK8zPibONrmbgjhmzj3F4CoDMrYItXDtWBYdrtsCbZR9zAUacTnnTaShijgVqYiAh-6QWdtxq0nza-N6Xr7E2fuNZ2p1t7beRPNR60xfPZd9wUkN/s1600/IMG_20160302_105103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXLMFv3BPGlzb8b5g-NCrDGP19_HIgK8zPibONrmbgjhmzj3F4CoDMrYItXDtWBYdrtsCbZR9zAUacTnnTaShijgVqYiAh-6QWdtxq0nza-N6Xr7E2fuNZ2p1t7beRPNR60xfPZd9wUkN/s400/IMG_20160302_105103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unsolved anxiety does “cute” things like these to susceptible people. The brain is used to respond to an immediate threat, but in my case there is no such thing. There’s only the unpredictability of the illness itself and the feeling that I HAVE to live my life QUICKLY, before Multiple Sclerosis strikes again. All that internal turmoil topped with a daily injection that acts like a constant reminder, have me overflowing with anxiety and nervousness that have me living a rollercoaster life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Effects</b> of this “darling” situation? Hmmm, let me limit it to <b>just three</b>, the most relevant ones to my current lifestyle: <b>emotional eating</b> (trumps all the healthy choices I want to make on a daily basis), <b>feeling overwhelmed by too many creative choices I want to pursue</b>, although I love all my ideas dearly (one of them is SMart Choice Lifestyle itself, victim of my procrastination and emotional ups and downs - I’ve been neglecting it for 2-3 weeks now), <b>losing self-confidence</b> because I am too afraid of that tiny needle and for not ACTING upon all the plans I’ve strategized for the past three years since being diagnosed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">HERE'S TO NEW BEGINNINGS!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being aware of all this gives way to <b>a new start</b>.</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> No matter what life throws at me, I’ve been given a second chance that not many people get. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="color: red;">I promise my inner kid not to fail her again, for as long as I live! I’ll be present for her fears, loves and wants and not treat her with self-doubt, no matter how fearful she might get.</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Copaxone or no Copaxone, <b>I’ll heal this anxiety and resume living my life</b>. The SMart Creative way… by the way ;) Keep you posted! </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until next time, have a wonderful day!</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-29927850769995981412017-02-03T15:16:00.001+02:002017-02-03T15:39:55.532+02:00BEHIND THE BLOG (Wk5/2017) - Gary Vaynerchuk, Simon Sinek and Amy Schmittauer Inspiration Bundle & Thriving Beyond Hardship | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrhiGEc_V8H3SJLJkaQsx8jByZmlOzBMekUVFU4g5Wc5gKNa4whxnouI857wjIYUl9v849tRCw4V8BMgI9Edle3IJ_iaKeik6giiotnbOPUiNRFJg07s-kq559dMm8L6r33xQ17eMXmtW/s1600/03_02_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrhiGEc_V8H3SJLJkaQsx8jByZmlOzBMekUVFU4g5Wc5gKNa4whxnouI857wjIYUl9v849tRCw4V8BMgI9Edle3IJ_iaKeik6giiotnbOPUiNRFJg07s-kq559dMm8L6r33xQ17eMXmtW/s400/03_02_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello everyone!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To say that this week was intense would be an understatement! From political and public opinion conflict through the beauty of Christian Greek-Orthodox services to the road to self-discovery, I didn’t get bored these past seven days, let me tell you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the change paradigms in sociology talks about conflict as being the source of any real change at a social level. I’ll not get into details about the present situation in my country (Romania) right now, as I prefer to let that to more experienced writers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I want to talk to you about today is how people change in the face of hardship. Because for all of us, real transformation mostly happens after a traumatic event or a powerful fear of losing something or someone. For two years I’ve been looking into what makes a person change in times like these. What makes certain people cope and others fall defeated?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s all in the way you choose to look at a situation. It’s in the attitude you decide to have in the aftermath of things. Life simply happens. For the better, for the worse, things will change you, without asking for permission. Right then and there, it’s crucial to bounce back up, to rebuild yourself from the ground up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is what I felt I need to do for myself, this is what I’ve searched for as stories to make me stronger and give me courage. And I can tell you that beyond any shadow of a doubt, you can THRIVE BEYOND HARDSHIP. It is possible. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you think all is destroyed, here’s just one example outside of the MS community, about THRIVING beyond hardship:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But how do we do that, you might ask? Good question! That’s exactly what I plan to do on SMart Choice Lifestyle. Focusing on millennials diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but not limited to them, my plan is to...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gather stories of the young people who bounced right back from their difficult situations and share them with the rest of the world</b>. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">#StorytellMS</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Will you join me in this journey where I aim to learn how to best help young people facing this kind of situation? Will you join me to gather stories of daily courage facing hard times living with chronic illnesses? Will you join me, will you teach me your approach in getting passed the hard times in life? Will you?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I planned this week’s letter to be short and to the point. Things change, I change. Constantly improving myself. That’s why this blog might seem chaotic at times. Thank you for being here!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>Here are this week’s FAVOURITES:</u></b></span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>1. Gary Vaynerchuk’s DailyVee vlog no. 101</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is where my theory that behind every very expansive person lies a heart of gold is confirmed. You might not know who Gary is, you might not like his voice, you might not understand how his message fits in with a blog about mental health, multiple sclerosis and lifestyle. But let me tell you this: motivation to live your life is universal. If it comes from a neurologist, a coach or an entrepreneur, it states the same thing: go do your best and thrive doing what you’re good at. You only live once! Just watch it. It made me cry. It made me act.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>“The biggest poison in us is regret!”</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>2. Evan Carmichael’s compilation on motivation via Simon Sinek</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I really can’t stop about being captivated by his speeches. They make sense to me. They inspire me to create things for others, because together is better. A great storyteller as always, for the second time in a row on weekly favourites, here are 10 motivation lessons from Simon, via Evan Carmichael. Enjoy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><u>3. Evan Carmichael’s interview with Amy Schmittauer on #VlogLikeABoss and YouTube tips&tricks</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another Evan video? What can I do if he has great people on his channel? Also for the second time on a row on BEHIND THE BLOG’s FAVOURITES, Amy Schmittauer talks all about YouTube success, #VlogLikeABoss, her journey with vlogging and business, social media and more… all in 35 minutes! A must watch!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that's it for this week's review and behind the scenes. Hope you find some use or inspiration from it.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>BEHIND THE BLOG</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a weekly letter from me to you. Its purpose is to offer a behind-the-scenes into the motivations, life events and learnings that make the building blocks for the SMart Choice Lifestyle. It’s about life through my eyes, the author of the blog. It is shared for you, so that it may help you in any way, shape or form. It also serves as a personal journal so that I can come back to what happened later in the year.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See you next week & have a wonderful weekend!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denisa</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-58427928370619944882017-01-27T14:36:00.002+02:002017-01-27T14:49:36.452+02:00BEHIND THE BLOG (Wk4/2017) - Simon Sinek Inspiration, First Presentation in a Long Time and Finding Myself at Church | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think I’m beginning to see a pattern in things that happen with me behind this blog. Remember that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2017/01/behind-blog-wk-32017-self-discovery.html">last week I told you that I didn’t feel so well</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that I had a headache and an overall malaise? Well, as it turns out, it might have caused the left wrist pain that happened that evening and continued throughout the weekend. Thankfully it stopped on Sunday. But all this taught me some interesting lessons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As I write this post on a Friday (27 Jan), each Saturday and Sunday need to fit somewhere. So the week I’ll be reviewing will be from last Saturday to this Friday ( 21-27 Jan). I know, weird. But that’s how my brain wants it right now. I’m thinking that on Mondays nobody wants to read stories, correct me if I’m wrong.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s get </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>BEHIND THE BLOG</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and see what the fourth week of 2017 brought!</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">HIGHLIGHTS</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since we last talked, I had wrist pain, a family party celebrating my dad’s birthday and had a fabulous day at church on Sunday. If you’d told me a year ago that I’ll want to attend church and actually feel amazing while doing it, I would have laughed. Because at that time my mind was so fixed on personal salvation and self-help, I couldn’t understand the role all this Christianity stuff has on our lives. The mission we have to love people and how that will make us and them better in return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But wait! What kind of Christian am I? Here's </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>10 facts about Greek-Orthodox Christianity</b></span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's a</span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> behind the scenes of a Greek-Orthodox Church</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Come and see!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">But as you live, you learn, and 2016 has proven to be a turning point where I let go of Yoga and all the universal energies, kundalini ideas, etc and </span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">turned back to what is now my greatest love of all and my best friend: Jesus Christ</b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. The other things did their job rationally, body-wise, but they are void, you’ll find nothing in them that you won’t find in Christ. It’s all a discovery process and I truly recommend it in today’s ever-disengaged world. It’s incredible what relaxation and mental ease can do to you! We each have our own methods to achieve that.</span></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">LESSONS LEARNED</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, this week taught me to focus on helping people and not on self-image (being judged by others). As public opinion, people always have different ideas of you, so trying to please them ends up making you sick. Literally! I was so focused on making my best presentation ever, that I got over-agitated and under-delivered on my speech on Wednesday evening. But that’s life and it all comes with ups and downs. But all in all, there will be people who agree with you and others who won’t. And that’s perfectly fine. </span></div>
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<b><i>“Do not be afraid, I am with you” (ISAIAH 43:5)</i></b></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WEEKLY FAVOURITES</span></i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>1. Simon Sinek’s presentations on YouTube</u> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We all resonate with certain types of people, usually with the ones we have or find things in common. Strangely enough, that's what caught my attention when discovering his work. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Coming from a Sociology background, I related to the theories that Simon talks about and being in search for my own WHY, I found his Golden Circle to be of maximum help. Not exaggerating one bit. As Steve Jobs said: <i>"As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."</i>, my why took some soul-searching, past-experiences reviews and almost two years. Not an easy job, but with good help, it's totally achievable. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon even has an online course that can help you find your Why faster (click <b><a href="https://www.startwithwhy.com/LearnYourWhy.aspx">HERE</a></b>). But the aim is to INSPIRE, not necessarily sell. Because people are drawn to stories, not numbers. It all started with WHY, and now I want to know more about how to inspire trust and confidence. Because <b>my WHY</b> is <b><u>to empower people to live life with more personal integrity and through that be the best version of themselves. Be the person they'd like to meet.</u></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's a talk about why leaders should eat last and what makes us crave connection.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>2. Amy Schmittauer’s VLAB and all around brand strategy. </u></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amy is one of my YouTube favourites. The creator and host of SavvySexySocial, she's been one for more than two years now. She motivated me to try vlogging for the first time ever in August 2016, and I must admit I kinnda miss doing videos, although it wasn't easy. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her content is both insightful and fun and thus she helps you learn about vlogging and digital marketing without making you lose interest. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This lovely lady is launching her first book on in just four days and has been documenting the entire launch journey in daily vlogs, which you can see in the playlist below. Learn to #VlogLikeABoss and start watching this one, as she is working her way to the top, I can feel it! Click <b><a href="http://vloglikeaboss.com/">HERE</a></b> for her "Vlog Like a Boss" website!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>3. "After 20 years (1997-2017)" playlist that made me remember my 12 year old self:</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that's it for this week's review and behind the scenes. Hope you find some use or inspiration from it.</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>BEHIND THE BLOG</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a weekly letter from me to you. Its purpose is to offer a behind-the-scenes into the motivations, life events and learnings that make the building blocks for the SMart Choice Lifestyle. It’s about life through my eyes, the author of the blog. It is shared for you, so that it may help you in any way, shape or form. It also serves as a personal journal so that I can come back to what happened later in the year.</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See you next week & have a wonderful weekend!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denisa</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-80577181614758096082017-01-20T17:48:00.001+02:002017-01-20T19:23:25.838+02:00Behind the Blog (Wk 3/2017) - Self-discovery, Planning and Foggy Mind | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTrfn9qRsc0BLdaaWfSO8qqCIncXrW1Uuryb0bIBI26_4v41BfVr6Z9bFAHU6PPExMssPJJT6shCU4SMVzkwz4rFkWCUNk2_elIaBU30AH2iLn5jteZR2ntuL9q_JQ8HELv2FCyOuAedM/s1600/20_01_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTrfn9qRsc0BLdaaWfSO8qqCIncXrW1Uuryb0bIBI26_4v41BfVr6Z9bFAHU6PPExMssPJJT6shCU4SMVzkwz4rFkWCUNk2_elIaBU30AH2iLn5jteZR2ntuL9q_JQ8HELv2FCyOuAedM/s400/20_01_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Hello dears,</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’m writing to you from my couch, as I sit here all bundled up in my blanket and waiting on my tea to be ready. Although today is my dad’s birthday and my week has been both productive and insightful, for some reason my mind isn’t focusing right. I woke up with a right side migraine, mostly pain in my right eye area. That made me somewhat cranky for the whole morning. Did my injection and all seemed to be ok, until I realised that I had a hard time concentrating on the task at hand. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the past four days, I have been energetic, planned all my week, made important progress in my goals for this year, but today something felt off. Then, as I sat to write this article, I realised that our thoughts are just that: thoughts! We can choose the way we feel and what we are able to do given our physical condition at some point. Once we admit to ourselves that it’s OK to have a bad day and go with the flow, it all becomes so easy to tolerate that I even question if there was something wrong to begin with. You see, it’s all a matter of perspective. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But let’s go <b>BEHIND THE BLOG</b>. Its purpose is to offer a behind-the-scenes into the motivations, life events and learnings that make the building blocks for the SMart Choice Lifestyle. It’s about life through my eyes, the author of the blog. It is shared for you, so that it may help you in any way, shape or form. So let’s see what the third week of 2017 brought.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <b>HIGHLIGHTS</b> were all about self-discovery, planning and finding purpose. I’m the kind of person who finds joy in the world of ideas and finding ways in which to help people be the best version they can be, while sticking true to their authentic selves. It’s much easier for me to write this down than it would be to talk about it on video (funny fact, my mind is a bit foggy as I write this and I kindda lost my line of thought for a bit). In short, I learned more about my personality, about what’s next in line project-wise and planned both my goals and calendar for the following months. That put my mind at ease, allowing me to focus on taking action.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <b>LESSONS</b> that I learned had to do with finding the right combinations of time, effort and planning in all that I do (there’s a lot of “I” in this article, sorry!) and with accepting bad days as well as good ones just as much. All in all, this week taught me that if I’m productive 80% of the time, I can allow myself to be off focus for the rest 20%. That’s what I’m learning just now: my mind continues to be foggy, as my right calf and foot are slightly numb and cold. But it’s on and off. I learned not to be afraid of these things anymore, as usually the anxiety is worse than the thing itself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, with that being said, I’ll keep it really short for the <b>FAVORITES</b> part, and outline them as follows (random order):</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1. The Myers-Briggs Personality Classification (I'm the INFJ type - click <a href="http://www.personality-central.com/INFJ-personality.html">HERE</a>)</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkoRKYAZgIMSH4la9f8lTjnh3lpfSjxIgRoT6vkMCl03LZGsaufwAGK-1BXLaAgG3hMmst4WmA6lHc_jQV-cmSnP1REZ8ZntxMK1sNNbE4wIYQ0CLJhGqQUrVVN3kz7xfcQahmtbOFzCd/s1600/b69a23557cd4835308d7afe93b8806d3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkoRKYAZgIMSH4la9f8lTjnh3lpfSjxIgRoT6vkMCl03LZGsaufwAGK-1BXLaAgG3hMmst4WmA6lHc_jQV-cmSnP1REZ8ZntxMK1sNNbE4wIYQ0CLJhGqQUrVVN3kz7xfcQahmtbOFzCd/s1600/b69a23557cd4835308d7afe93b8806d3.jpg" /></a></div>
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(image source - <a href="http://www.personality-central.com/INFJ-personality.html">www.personality-central.com</a>)</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2. “Discover Palace of Versailles” (wishlist item)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3. “Pride and Prejudice” (analyzed Mr. Darcy’s behavior in terms of pride and prejudice)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>4. “Ben Hur” (book)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Ben-Hur is one of the best selling books of all times. This poignant novel intertwines the life stories of a Jewish charioteer named Judah Ben-Hur and Jesus Christ. It explores the themes of betrayal and redemption. Ben-Hur's family is wrongly accused and convicted of treason during the time of Christ. Ben-Hur fights to clear his family's name and is ultimately inspired by the rise of Jesus Christ and his message. A powerful, compelling novel." </i>(Amazon)</span></div>
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<b>(or if you're the one who prefers the movie - although I TRULY recommend the book also)</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: normal;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N983kHgvjQQ" width="560"></iframe></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sorry for not being quite myself today, but at the end of the day, you have to accept that it is what it is and go with the flow. I'll adapt by pouring myself a hot cup of tea and watching "Becoming Jane" with Anne Hathaway (<b><a href="https://youtu.be/qmd-ej9Hx20">HERE</a></b>'s the link in case you're curious: )</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>See you next week & have a wonderful weekend!</b></span></span></div>
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<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Denisa</span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-76419930770861591212017-01-18T18:34:00.000+02:002017-03-28T13:06:59.191+03:00Changing the Conversation on Mental Health | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYS7fbBG5u18pcwG-rtRRT06tNUU4LfgfFlUHNzt6t6Fw1y_EgCd2PQhBnfCQ-blnDcnTB4vdE3XNyMB7nC7hofIHwUCpdiqyljsAuyL80fsjVLDUYYGGGwXX46t99EYIA71FpRnlcExk/s1600/18_01_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYS7fbBG5u18pcwG-rtRRT06tNUU4LfgfFlUHNzt6t6Fw1y_EgCd2PQhBnfCQ-blnDcnTB4vdE3XNyMB7nC7hofIHwUCpdiqyljsAuyL80fsjVLDUYYGGGwXX46t99EYIA71FpRnlcExk/s400/18_01_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Mental health is as important as physical health, there’s no doubt in that. Even more so when it seems like mental illness becomes more and more present in young people’s lives. Anxiety, depression and stress disorders have unfortunately become daily occurrences and people need help more than ever.</b></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-9d67a805-b25f-c776-8fac-fef8efb70dc7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The easiest, quickest and it seems the more effective form of help is simply to talk about these issues. Starting a conversation about what’s bothering us at a mental level, creating a safe space for these conversations to happen, are the key-points that should interest us in 2017. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Up until now, mental health issues have been a taboo, especially among children and young people, thought to be individuals who possess excellent health all around. Mental illness was mostly associated with elderly people, who were known to have cognitive and emotional issues. That’s what keeping things under covers does to these kind of issues!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: red;"><b>“Talking can help heal hidden challenges that we can’t deal with alone [...] two heads are better than one when dealing with a mental health problem” </b></span></i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">(HRH Duchess Catherine of Cambridge, #HeadsTogether campaign briefing, 17/01/2017)</span></i></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-YQAwEiQH6I" width="560"></iframe></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In today’s world, life is so fast paced that it can leave each and every one of us with huge amounts of stress, leading up to anxiety and isolation. We live in an ever-expanding and interconnected society, but people feel more and more alone when dealing with close relationships. Even the ones they already have seem to deteriorate due to the lack of real, empathetic conversation that plagues our century.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week, I wrote </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.ro/2017/01/behind-blog-weekly-review-week-2-2017.html">HERE</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">about <b>how the love of people can save the world</b>. Today I add more: <b>the conversations we have about health and especially about mental health, can help all of us understand each other better and by that have more tolerance in this ever-judging world</b>. Compassion comes from feeling the same as the other, and that can be achieved only if we know and understand what people are going through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People living with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Multiple Sclerosis are also affected by these issues</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as an effect of either having the disease or of going through emotional hardship without any or major support / understanding. Here to, talking about emotions and negative thoughts with someone who will truly understand is crucial to well-being and living a better life, even with a chronic illness. Find out more about the topic in the article I wrote </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.ro/2016/03/msminds-tweetchat-by-shiftms-my-review.html">HERE</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mental health needs to be talked about in a safe climate, where individuals feel comfortable with disclosing their problems. The conversation can start in the most familiar contexts we all have: with family, friends and colleagues. Opening up to the people we know and trust the most, helps with feeling supported and understood; it helps soothe the inner emotions or struggles we all have.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFn4sfylTkH1xR2MapiCU1TLQG-lcTANNjvqJx-ScoehD8Hz-D43V28lfXS1p4b12o3VnyLJV7KdOLfie7J6UVgqjht38CD92rIh2nJRFvHSqLub01INFQTKowSx3An_3uI_KhOEyPPt8/s1600/1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFn4sfylTkH1xR2MapiCU1TLQG-lcTANNjvqJx-ScoehD8Hz-D43V28lfXS1p4b12o3VnyLJV7KdOLfie7J6UVgqjht38CD92rIh2nJRFvHSqLub01INFQTKowSx3An_3uI_KhOEyPPt8/s640/1_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(image <a href="https://www.royal.uk/speech-duke-and-duchess-cambridge-and-prince-harry-heads-together-event-london-2017">source</a> - www.royal.uk) </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is no exaggeration to say that conversations – simple conversations – can be life-changing: in a workplace, in your kitchen at home, with a friend, family member or colleague. And that’s what Catherine, Harry and I want to do – we want more people to be having those conversations.” </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(HRH Duke of Cambridge, #HeadsTogether campaign briefing, 17/01/2017)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#HeadsTogether is the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over 500 people will be running for Heads Together, leading from the front (well perhaps not right at the front!), raising funds for the vital services provided by our Charity Partners. These runners will also be leading by example by starting conversations on mental health with their families, friends and colleagues.” (HRH Prince Harry, #HeadsTogether campaign briefing, 17/01/2017)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Virgin Money London Marathon will take place in April 2017, aiming “</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to end the stigma and change the conversation on mental health once and for all.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(image <a href="https://www.headstogether.org.uk/their-royal-highnesses-set-the-heads-together-ambition-for-2017/">source</a> - Heads Together)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find out more about the #HeadsTogether campaign briefing </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>HERE</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find out more about Heads Together </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://www.headstogether.org.uk/about-heads-together/">HERE</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Become a supporter </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://www.headstogether.org.uk/get-involved/become-a-supporter/">HERE</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start the conversation on social media: use the #HeadsTogether hashtag (more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://www.headstogether.org.uk/the-conversation/">HERE</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mental health is an important part of the 2017 SMart Choice Lifestyle topics, as it is strongly tied with brain health and a healthy lifestyle overall. My focus, as a young person living with MS in Europe, is to start the conversation on issues that impact our health in more ways than one.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until next time, have a wonderful day!</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-28297291670320595312017-01-13T17:26:00.001+02:002017-01-13T17:27:39.139+02:00BEHIND THE BLOG (Weekly Review) week 2 / 2017 - That Crazy Little Thing Called Love | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>What’s the one story we all look for? What’s that one feeling that lets us know that we belong? That we’re equally responsible for the other as they are for us? What’s that thing that has the power to lift us up whenever we may think life is now over? We sing it, feel it, suffer for it, wish for it. It feeds us, it starves us. It’s everywhere around us, inside us, between us… I’m talking about that crazy little thing called LOVE (Thank you for the title, Freddie!)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the second Friday that I write about what the week taught me. From this point onward, we’ll name this section <b>BEHIND THE BLOG</b>. Its purpose is to offer a behind-the-scenes into the motivations, life events and learnings that make the building blocks for the SMart Choice Lifestyle. It’s about life through my eyes, the author of the blog. It is shared for you, so that it may help you in any way, shape or form. So let’s see what the second week of 2017 brought.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>HIGHLIGHTS</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In terms of HIGHLIGHTS, I think you’ll agree with me that not all life is made out of such bright and shiny things. There may be just hidden little gems like the <b>“HUMAN”</b> documentary that opened my eyes (once more) about how unique we are as people on this planet and how much alike we really are. It taught me about that crazy little thing called <b>LOVE</b> that has the capacity of saving the world if we all work together. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLEgA6bEeal3yh19xRhfVt5q5xBohcPYz7" width="560"></iframe></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Relationships and belonging are not just for the immediate family. We all feel the same, love the same, suffer the same, hate the same… The only difference is about the local contexts and conditions we’re brought up. People are influenced by the culture they are brought in, but at the same time, they are more alike than they think, and the most powerful common ground is <b>LOVE</b>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I kid you not, at one point as I was watching the documentary and listening to the stories, my hand reached out wanting to comfort the ones who were crying. There’s something unbearable about looking in another human beings eyes and seeing them cry. It brings instant action, need to comfort and compassion.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>“Only the LOVE OF PEOPLE can SAVE THE WORLD!”</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>("HUMAN")</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It reaffirmed my belief that pride and Ego are the source of all the evil in this world. Without getting too philosophical or melodramatic, I really believe that being humble and giving more of ourselves than we actually receive can be the key to achieving harmony between people. Serving, helping people with whatever skills we have is amazingly rewarding and heart comforting. Both for the ones who receive it and for the ones who give it. We are all different and are made to serve a different purpose in this mechanism called LIFE. The essence of this mechanism is <b>LOVE</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>FAVOURITES</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With that all being said, here are some FAVOURITES from this week. Here it goes!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2) “Al Pacino’s Top 10 Rules for Success” (by Evan Carmichael)</b></span></span></h4>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3) Obama’s farewell address (ABC News)</b></span></span></h4>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>See you next week & have a wonderful weekend!</b></span></span><br />
<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denisa</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-5784934784516215582017-01-10T14:02:00.000+02:002017-03-28T13:07:28.897+03:00Make The Right Choice for Your Broken Heart. Come and See! | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_ndu1oskpLp9M9MR3k1BZ5UJM6sqvqWDEfEXG8mKGIcToa0RdWYwHH-acOAC2aSGUupa54NWqg7Wgz5ANlYwKQrXIZRSDJl-juKa3i3cLd5C4rMVsa45U0g6GET9wOV7uJ6Lz_5iAk2w/s1600/11_01_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_ndu1oskpLp9M9MR3k1BZ5UJM6sqvqWDEfEXG8mKGIcToa0RdWYwHH-acOAC2aSGUupa54NWqg7Wgz5ANlYwKQrXIZRSDJl-juKa3i3cLd5C4rMVsa45U0g6GET9wOV7uJ6Lz_5iAk2w/s400/11_01_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>As I’m writing this, outside it’s freezing cold: -15 degrees C at just 11:30. Although if you just looked outside my window it will well be misleading, as the Sun is up and shining. But the frost is also biting! So, with that being said, we’re starting today’s article with me being all bundled up with my laptop sitting on my lap, inside my home-office.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-51b5c857-882f-d5b5-99bc-b32cbd4f3788" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A year ago, I gradually got the urge to look over my faith. I was born into a Christian Greek-Orthodox family, knew the general stuff, believed that God existed, but that was about it. This black book that my dad gifted me back in 2006, was staring at me from the shelf, and one day I picked it up. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Let's really see what these stories teach me!"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But that was just the beginning. The best part of my life was yet to come.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I agree that life is a process and you need to come back to it over and over again. I know that things aren’t fixed and reality can change in the blink of an eye. Mine surely did on the day of my diagnosis! Most people choose a more spiritual life path when they’re faced with a crisis in their lives. When something happens to them, they need to cope and search for something outside of them that might help.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We’re all on a lookout for some kind of spiritual experience, something that will transcend us and hopefully transform us from the inside-out and get us out of this mindless living pattern. In today’s world, the ability to decide what type of spirituality we follow is made easy by the multitude of choices that are at our reach: meditation, mindfulness, yoga, retreats, and all that jazz. Our pick becomes part of our identity and for that needs to feel authentic to us. And although you might have heard me talk all about yoga, meditation and letting the energy flow, there came a point in my life when all that left me empty once again. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We live in a digital world, have all the social media networks, tons of friends and followers, all the things we can buy at our discretion, but we feel alone. Somehow not quite understood. The things we cherish most are those close bonds we get to have with the people we love. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Something is clearly missing from the picture and our lives can get pretty mechanical and without purpose. The gloomy picture I’m painting here has nothing to do with the nasty weather outside. It has more to do with that inside feeling we all have when nothing ever pleases us anymore.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gathering material possessions won’t make us happy forever. The clutter we create by buying so much stuff is there to compensate for the lack, the void we feel within ourselves. Once we outgrow our passions, all that until yesterday we thought was exciting becomes today the most boring thing ever. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little by little, we become robots, we imitate, we follow fashions, man-made role-models, watch TV shows, movies, go to concerts, go on vacations, to parties, to work, to a pub, to a birthday… And it’s exhausting. It damages both our bodies and our souls. The sad part is that not so many people are aware of this and most of them never do anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of us (especially in our 20’s and 30’s) are overwhelmed, our minds are racing and we have a gazillion things to do on our lists but nothing seems to make us truly happy or peaceful.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Through all this inner search, the only thing that was left standing were the prayers I learned when I was little and the need to somehow getting closer to God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>“As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>(Steve Jobs - Stanford Commencement Speech - 2005)</b></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the help of The Bible Project (</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebibleproject/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@thebibleproject</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) reading plan and their digitally drawn video Bible stories, I dove deep. By December 24th 2016, I've finished reading it all, minus the so-called Apocryphal texts.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year I'm continuing my journey by reading the entire Bible a second time, looking at how Jesus is being foreshadowed and God's love for us even when He punishes us. Also going in parallel with the Apocryphal chapters, for a 360 view on the topic.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The smartest choice I've made so far is to constantly search for Jesus in all there is around me. Being the curious person that I am, I even researched HIM in great detail. No regrets there! He is my daily companion in whatever I do, and definitely my biggest resource for all things personal or business.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Imagine having a best friend that will never leave or let you down, that will always tell the truth about who you are through your conscience and who although will sanction you for your mistakes, will always love you and care for you no matter what happens. Jesus is a personable God, one that you can establish a connection with. He never leaves us. We’re the ones who always leave Him. And that’s when all those bad things happen to us. All.The.Time! </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why search for inner peace in a form of energy or in a universal field, in a guided meditation? The world today is full of logical, scientific and factual data on spirituality, the power of the mind and so on. But brain anatomy and how to control brainwaves are a million miles away from our hearts. Faith speaks to the heart, but it only works if you choose to be humble and honestly admit your failures and mistakes.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I agree that each one of us has choices and free-will. Just come and see! Experience it for yourself. Make it intentional and explore. You first have to believe in order to have faith. Some connection needs to happen within you. Some distress, some suffering that knocks your world upside down and that nothing seems to heal you. Believe with all your heart and ask for help.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">May you all have a wonderful year, guys! Let me know if you'd like to read more stories like this or are interested in details of my journey. God bless you, no matter your beliefs!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Until next time, have a wonderful day!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-23795698826573507792017-01-06T13:39:00.002+02:002017-01-06T13:39:38.188+02:00Weekly Review: Feeling Overwhelmed (week 1 / 2017) | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHPP3Db2RqAl6CObgJfgbhd_pz7AFn9Ip9vWmopQbctrVToCfszmQURwJktgLDlWLKB8wg-bk13Sreiif_oi4ChzsJSiVPRZUJRqVTdHVxxFI_IFJUA8wRj-G3HAOEs4L6eYUd8oaeEQp/s1600/06_01_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHPP3Db2RqAl6CObgJfgbhd_pz7AFn9Ip9vWmopQbctrVToCfszmQURwJktgLDlWLKB8wg-bk13Sreiif_oi4ChzsJSiVPRZUJRqVTdHVxxFI_IFJUA8wRj-G3HAOEs4L6eYUd8oaeEQp/s400/06_01_2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>This first week of 2017 found me a bit conflicted between work and taking time off. As much as I like having free time and spending it to my liking, I also have plans for this year that I’m really excited for. Enter overwhelm and mind freeze. What do I mean by that?</b></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-371dbaba-7390-792d-63fa-fd4dccd60258" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Somehow, I wasn’t able to focus although I had my planner and to do list right in front of me, each day. Although I wrote the <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-accept-adapt-overcome-chosing.html">first article of this year about acceptance</a>, I wasn’t able to cope with my own state of mind. I think it was a combination of feeling a bit under the weather and being energized by interesting ideas. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. But then I understood where the problem laid. I wasn’t paying attention to my body and just letting my mind stress me out with a tornado of thoughts (and my mind is a true expert at speed thinking).</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The thing that helped me get back track was, as always, knowing that God has my back and the only thing I have to do is to love Him, love others and be a good person. More than a year ago I started a spiritual journey while trying to get back to myself, following the MS diagnosis. Little by little, as I read the Bible, I began to understand all of those stories I once knew from afar and more so, getting to remember and love myself through rediscovering God in my life. I am sorry that I can’t provide a road map for that, but the journey is unique and the discoveries are so personal, that no guidelines would do them justice.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All that I can tell you for the time being is to take breaks and just sit with your thoughts, whenever you feel overwhelmed. Be still and become mindful of your five senses, explore your sensations and pay attention to how you feel. It might sound like any other meditation technique you might have heard of, but this one is different. Why? Because it’s a search for the love inside your heart, it’s a journey to forgiving all that have ever done you wrong, it’s a journey to self-discovery. And it can begin now. The only trick is to keep it constant, do it daily and reflect on your findings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s all a long story and I’ll not be able to tell it all here. I plan on adding regular content on themes like these throughout 2017 and hopefully they’ll serve you well. We all learn things in our lives so that we pass them on to others that either need them or are curious to learn, to grow. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>See you next week & have a wonderful weekend!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-52581667279186982017-01-04T15:40:00.000+02:002017-01-04T15:53:16.509+02:00How to Accept, Adapt, Overcome. Choosing the Positive in Any Situation | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8yp_JbEzT_dAZZJVqSaxOKNmQI0ON3pN8PiVdbsUK6Qy4xwS71WoIXFX1YRA__PqsE4vN8_afsyP01wMXBBDaloHlSH5EPchiKD3t5ytW0TT1_0OHh6LgMzhouihI87RBg0e_69DLvF4e/s1600/Accept_Choose_Positively_04_01_2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We all make choices daily. Between 20 - 40 years old we make the most important decisions for our future in terms of job / career, relationships, family, etc. This is the same time we think of ourselves as being invincible. Or at least that’s what we like to believe. I talk mostly about MS because it’s what I know better, but the following words can be applied to all chronic illnesses.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The truth is that in most cases, life chooses FOR us. It makes us confront situations in which we have to decide what road to take. Being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis is one of those moments. You get the feeling that your life is now over, that you no longer have the freedom to choose. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Actually, the real choices are just starting. Now it’s the moment in which you choose if you either give up or keep moving forward. If you choose to fight. And as with any fight, you need a strategy. You need information about the enemy. When you don’t know who and how is attacking, you become physically, mentally and emotionally vulnerable. Now it’s the moment when you have to make the conscious choice of moving forward.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 2016, on World MS Day, we talked about independence. Although some of us have trouble being on their own two feet, we never lose our ability to choose. Being informed about what MS is, what it can do to you and how to cope with whatever it might throw at you, restores that independence. It has the power to free your mind and transform your life, empowering you to make the lifestyle decisions that can really improve both your health and quality of life. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Know what your options are at any given time. Being informed about that is the real meaning of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“knowledge is power”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - you can then make choices.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>“May your choices reflect your HOPES, not your fears.” </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>(NELSON MANDELA)</b></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Accept that there are some things that you CAN do and others that you CAN’T (are out of reach). Focus on what you do have and how that helps you go forward and grow as a person.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Accepting illness as chronic doesn’t mean you suddenly become hopeless. Hope is always there. But when associated with the wish of getting back to the state you were BEFORE the diagnosis, things might get tough. Having expectations for something that might not return to its initial state is standing in deep anxiety, blocked and scared waiting. The reality is that you have to make the best of each day with what you have been given.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is always a way out of things, a way to make them better, a positive turn to things. No matter how bleak the horizon seems, there are always choices that can be made: you can either go on or stop then and there. What choice you make influences the outcome. Not deciding anything is also… a choice. And like any of them, it does have consequences. Choose to grow, to better yourself, to heal.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After suffering a loss of some type, you need to understand that things are never going to be the same again and be OK with that. Things in life are bound to change anyway. We assign so much control to our days, that when some external force takes something away from us, we feel like we lost the compass and our reason to continue living.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rebelling against faith and being hard headed about wanting things to go back the way they were will get you nowhere. It will only bring frustration, anger and sadness. An experience just changed you. Things aren’t going back. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But you are still here. You’ve been given a second opportunity and a great challenge. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As much as you want to go back, imagine using that same energy to rebuild yourself from scratch. It’s like surviving an earthquake. Let me paint the picture. You seem to have lost it all, and all you have left around are broken pieces. Whatever’s destroyed can no longer be brought back. In that situation you begin to rebuild whichever way you can and go back to living your life sooner or later. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having lost a part of you, either physically, emotionally or even a loved one has the same effect. You’ve been put down by life’s challenges, but at the same time, you have the pieces from which to rebuild yourself even better than before. You are stronger, you are a survivor of loss, but richer in experience and life lessons. Clean your life of all bad things. Look at what you can learn from all that happened.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After going through hardship, what is the story that you tell yourself about the situation you’re in? How do you describe it? How does it make you feel? What do you feel most insecure about? What would you have done about those insecurities before? What can you do now, given the present conditions? Think of alternate solutions. Plan. Act.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapt to your present conditions and decide to only look closer at the positives and what you CAN do, leaving the birds-eye view for the negative ones. Learn which are the best ways that help you cope and get used to your new normals. Life with MS is not a fight. There are always reasons to smile more and rebuild your life from the ground up. That’s when you begin to transform and understand that inside of you there are all the tools that will help you overcome the hardships you’re facing. You just have to choose to look at those tools, pick them up and start using them.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How would you encourage others in a similar situation? What would you teach them? What do they need to do?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Until next time, have a wonderful day!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-25780427749472111272016-10-11T13:55:00.001+03:002016-10-17T12:56:38.562+03:00ABOUT THAT SCARY PLACE INSIDE OUR MINDS - 8 TIPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH (#WorldMentalHealthDay) | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq4im9XKds0VxrBLmYxbkAhIzJ7-ncT1hsk5aAoOFY7rTlFcTX4rqMxflA3m5vMdnH2ryavUo1u_83NQ_49zaIartIi7pwhWrXSUhr8t2RDYS_YXHl5yyM_Pnf7QiaK8gVy-n7e1y46Eq/s1600/11_10_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq4im9XKds0VxrBLmYxbkAhIzJ7-ncT1hsk5aAoOFY7rTlFcTX4rqMxflA3m5vMdnH2ryavUo1u_83NQ_49zaIartIi7pwhWrXSUhr8t2RDYS_YXHl5yyM_Pnf7QiaK8gVy-n7e1y46Eq/s400/11_10_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></i></b></h3>
<h3>
<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">PROLOGUE</span></i></b></h3>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I pirouette in the dark</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I see the stars through a mirror</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tired mechanical heart</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Beats 'til the song disappears</span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45392622-b321-9b53-577a-fb0a0bbd1e0a" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Somebody shine a light</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm frozen by the fear in me</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Somebody make me feel alive</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And shatter me</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So cut me from the line</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dizzy, spinning endlessly</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Somebody make me feel alive</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And shatter me”</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Lindsey Stirling featuring Lzzy Hale - Shatter Me)</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>AFTERMATH OF THE RAT-RACE</i></span></b></h3>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I oftentimes wake up at seven in the morning already feeling anxious or with my mind racing over my to-do list. It’s like I wake up starting the race, and then I go on through my day running, but the only running really goes on inside my head. And it’s exhausting! </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We seem to not have time to just sit anymore. Simply stand still and let our minds relax and just be… just enjoy the moment. We are so wired to technology and to a responsive state, that we lose all of our connection to the outside world. And technology is just a bleep in this whole chaotic picture.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We are wired for connection. For feeling close to other people. Today’s society is disconnecting. Work is disconnecting. Technology is disconnecting. We have less and less time to spend with our own thoughts, in contact with what we feel, and thus we become more and more disconnected from ourselves. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Society is fast-forwarding us to progress and pushing us more and more over the edge.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Underneath a calm expression, there can exist tons and tons of emotional pain. Things that happened, things that hurt us, things that remained unresolved. Too often this anger becomes pointed towards ourselves, the only one responsible for the state we’re in is our own person.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We criticize, judge, and even physically tend to hurt ourselves in order to no longer feel those negative emotions. We no longer know how to deal with them. We become disconnected from the rituals the old society had.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our brains process it all and sometimes they make mistakes. Given our chaotic lives, the brain strives to adapt, but overuse can lead to trouble. </span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></i></b></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WE ALL MISS SOMETHING IMPORTANT</span></i></b></span></h3>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s that feeling that something in our lives is missing. And in the search for it, we can get hurt. And with strained relationships and constant disconnection, there’s no one there to catch us if we fall. That’s what we miss. That’s what we always look for: relationships. Meaningful ones, to be understood, cared for, accepted and loved. Loved with all our faults, quirks and ideas. Loved for who we are and for whom we might become.</span></span></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">OUR MINDS HAVE BECOME A SCARY PLACE</span></i></b></h3>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But out there is nothing but shame. People only see the negative side, people are fearful of what they don’t know or don’t understand. They need to be told that mental health is just as important as physical health. If someone has a mental illness, things can get better. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There’s this stigma that sees mental illness as dangerous, but in fact is more self-harming than a threat to others. Outside anger might come from feeling misunderstood one times to many, from feeling alone and scared. Because our minds can become a scary place. An overwhelming, non-stop chatting, scary place. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We feel trapped inside a parallel reality, full of fears, shadows and pain. But the truth and the light are out there. We forget that we are more than our thoughts. The mind only fulfills its duty: thinking. When it overthinks, that’s when we need to press pause. Unplug from the hamster wheel that we call modern life and return to ourselves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The answer we’re all looking for is not in our thoughts, not in our fears or anger. It’s hidden inside us. In fact, it’s not even hiding. It has been there all along, waiting for us to remember it. Do you know who you once were? Do you still remember the kid inside? It’s all there. Your reasons, motivations, dreams and hopes. Buried under years and years of neglect and stress.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>SEARCH FOR THE KID INSIDE </i></span></b></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g3B0YNxOe1CDTKlhDX6TAaRNIKuR8nNTpRjDGmldlIoYB93QNBv2ZJMqAMivT8-02B49dlws2B7zVzTB2MltwJGs84dv-qFy22sHul5wmD1GZw0x03nj9drBu3mWnhTVlDOL6pBMjYtu/s1600/14340022_10207262091455334_1704893365_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g3B0YNxOe1CDTKlhDX6TAaRNIKuR8nNTpRjDGmldlIoYB93QNBv2ZJMqAMivT8-02B49dlws2B7zVzTB2MltwJGs84dv-qFy22sHul5wmD1GZw0x03nj9drBu3mWnhTVlDOL6pBMjYtu/s400/14340022_10207262091455334_1704893365_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I see mental health issues as a signal from the kid we all have inside us. And it’s not pure fantasy. We all look for happiness and a life without concerns. We all want to be loved and want to pursue our dreams. We all love and want to be loved. We all feel hurt by people and we regret hurting others. That’s the kid talking to you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everytime you fight these issues, your youngest self is searching for giving and receiving love. Is looking for something to help it rediscover the world as it once saw it. That world is still there. We build modern society upon it. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>STRENGTH THROUGH FAITH</i></span></b></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The way I always find my way back is through letting go of the apparent control I we all think we have over what’s happening to and around us. I let go and accept the situation I find myself in. Then, I begin to search for lessons and solutions that are going to help me go through my emotional or physical pain better. For me, the guide that is always with me is Jesus Christ. More about my journey and lessons learned, <b><a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/09/living-with-ease-after-trauma.html">HERE</a></b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I accept that I can’t control my situation, I take it as is, go through it and have patience to be transformed. Every experience that we have changes us in one way or another. I choose to take the lesson and be grateful that I have the opportunity to learn and grow. Even through suffering, pain and fear. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>LETTING GO OF EGO & BECOME HUMBLE</i></span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I used to despise being hurt, be it physically or emotionally. I hated feeling not enough and rejected by others. But then I realised that those things were the truth I had chosen to see. I was trapped into poisoning my own mind with helpless thoughts: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Why me? Why is this happening to me? Why don’t bad people develop multiple sclerosis?”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and a whole bunch more. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It might be hard to digest, understand or accept, but suffering happens with a reason: to make us humble again. To clean our hearts and minds of all the negativity we have stored in them throughout. We are bombarded with being competitive, always on the run, always striving to become the best at our craft, always working… and never really being present. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>BE PRESENT AND PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE</i></span></b></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArZJRe_xnMkf2QrevW2ftth6cAGtpJCQzSbO-S_ODjXXDBELfyjnrGr2qGaACwZcHKm1_VaU5UzDwE5Wiy4vzGu7ZQ8cawddIKcLolxTwDErAUB6eRUfZQ4R36zo7S-JrsEor_49zJ6Ng/s1600/i282037939671987326._szw480h1280_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArZJRe_xnMkf2QrevW2ftth6cAGtpJCQzSbO-S_ODjXXDBELfyjnrGr2qGaACwZcHKm1_VaU5UzDwE5Wiy4vzGu7ZQ8cawddIKcLolxTwDErAUB6eRUfZQ4R36zo7S-JrsEor_49zJ6Ng/s400/i282037939671987326._szw480h1280_.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Life is fleeting. A moment is just a bleep on our screens. Life is much more than a rat race. Life is about living vulnerably, about accepting your challenges and understanding that you are not alone in this. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All over the world, there are people who have struggles that you know nothing about. Worse struggles, easier ones, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that counts is feeling grateful for what you have now, because somebody else might not even have that chance. Who am I to complain and rebel against life? </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anger never built anything. Negativity only destroys. Keep those inside your heart and they will certainly destroy you.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You suffer to become aware of your own self. Look at what you have, look at how you can do to help others. Accept yourself just the way you are and work to better the things that you feel could be better. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The choice is always yours to make. The outcome is not in your hands. Let go. God always knows what He’s doing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>8 STEPS THAT HELPED ME IMPROVE MY MENTAL HEALTH</i></b></span></span></span></h3>
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<i><span style="color: red;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">#WorldMentalHealthDay 2016 (yes, it was yesterday)</span></span></span></i></h3>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Journal</b> - one of the best ways to switch off that overthinking mind is to create space inside it. Write down all your concerns, fear, angsts and emotions. Once on paper, they will look more real and measurable. You can then analyze them and see that they’re not real. Look around you, life is beautiful even if it’s not perfect.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Help others</b> - take time to be there for others that need you. Find a cause to help on, teach people how to deal with things you’ve already been through, help with the dishes, with a kind word, be there for someone and just listen to them, comfort them and make them understand that you’re there to comfort them.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Reach out to people and talk about your problems</b> - remember the journaling at no. 1? It can be used to better understand your own thoughts and become able to tell them to others. Talk to people you trust and love, a psychologist, a priest, whatever choice you have. The thing is, talking about what you’re going through leads to being understood and finding a solution to your inner struggle.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Reconnect to yourself</b> - let go of always being in charge. Take time to enjoy the things you’ve already achieved, sit and have a chat with your own self. Sit still and simply begin to enjoy your presence, without anything attached to it. Listen to your favorite music, read the Bible, become aware of how it feels to live inside your body. Yet again journaling is helpful. Write these feelings and thoughts down. Let them go on paper.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Sleep more</b> - the relative amount of sleep needed by an adult is between 8-9 hours / night. Make the choice of going to bed in time to be able to sleep that much before you wake up. During sleep, the brain cleans out toxins created throughout the day, while thinking, feeling and taking care of all the operations that your body did.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Eat better</b> - good nutrients feed the body and help rise the levels of energy. Foods like vegetables, fruit, pickled vegetables, rice, fish and lean meats, nuts and seeds are proven to make the body stronger and healthier if consumed regularly, as part of a lifestyle choice. </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Move your body</b> - we have mobile joints, because we were made to move, not sit on the couch all day long. It can be comfortable, especially when holding a heavy tablet or while keeping one’s eyes on Facebook and Instagram all day. But the body needs to move its muscles. Exercise gets rid of pain, stiffness, makes you more alert and even more happy, through the release of endorphins, hormones that make you feel good.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Be grateful for what you have and let go of control</b> - look at what you do have, realistically. All hardship and trauma can be overcomed. All past negative things are now gone and you are still standing. You did good! Keep on being strong and learn from your experiences. Feel the gratitude; why are certain things important to you? Remember that things don’t always go the way we plan them and that’s OK. The things that we can act upon is our choices. Choose life, choose to become wiser.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every human is important and worthy. The main thing is that you are not alone. Most people feel the same way, but few speak up. We all have the need to heal our mental health, because the world we live in needs healing. One human at a time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Accept to be shattered. Life needs a little chaos before it smoothes out things again. It’s the only way we grow. We have both positive and negative emotions. They’re part of us.</span></span></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? </b></span></span></i><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-56543610391890687592016-10-04T14:50:00.001+03:002016-10-04T15:09:02.681+03:00Let's Talk About Sex. A Brief Overview on MS and Sexuality (Part 1) | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><u>WARNING! Neuro and anatomy geek down below! This is where I get nerdy about how the brain and body work together. Continue at your own risk! :))</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>We all do it. We all enjoy it (hopefully!). We talk about these issues with our partners and friends. But there comes Multiple Sclerosis and it all goes silent. I personally find this silence very intriguing. Is it the shame of having MS itself or the shame of not being able to enjoy it / do it as much because of MS? I am aware that some people might naturally not feel comfortable talking about this, but that's not the topic we're after today.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Either way, I think sexuality when dealing with MS is an issue that needs some light shed upon it. And this is what I'm going to do in this article today. Just to make things clear from the very beginning: <b>not everyone with MS will experience sex problems!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think it's useful to learn as much as you can about how MS symptoms affect your day to day life, just so that by <i>"knowing your enemy"</i> and your body, you'll have better coping techniques if anything goes wrong. Hoping for the better and without further adue, let's start!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't get your expectations too high, boys and girls! You're not gonna read about steamy techniques or how to perform better. It's ANATOMY time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're still reading, it means I got my point across already. So, let's get into some details and more specific things. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I first heard that sexual disfunction could be one of the symptoms of MS, I began asking myself questions. Why does it happen and most of all... how? </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enter research-mode! Here is what I found out...</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>ANATOMY, SEX & MS - AN INTRODUCTION</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We know that in <b>MS</b>, the disease <b>affects different nerves in the body</b>. Some of them control our sexual function (arousal, climaxing, etc). When inflammation and damage happens to those particular brain pathways, some signals might get disturbed and interfere with the function itself. Not to mention that there can be other symptoms that can prove to be disturbing and not allowing you to even think about sex in the first place, let alone worry about not feeling aroused properly!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our <b>brains</b> are the the <b>biggest sex organs</b> in our bodies. They are responsible for all things ranging from our emotions, perceptions of pain and pleasure, memories. In charge with the way our hearts, nerves and sensations perform. Most of all, the brain (the hypothalamus region) is involved in secreting the hormones that influence sexual feelings and responses (oxytocin, vasopressin, serotonin, dopamine). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The brain receives and processes messages from our sensory organs, giving you information about how other things and people (including yourself) look, sound, taste, smell, feel to you. It also sends and receives signals regarding your blood pressure, heart rate, breath and body temperature. These are all big parts of sexual function, experience and response.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Sex</b> is a <b>type of communication between two humans, at a very intimate level</b>. It's <b>also a communication between the brain and the rest of your body</b>. Sexuality happens mostly inside our brains, as all its parts are regulated there: physical, sensory, chemical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social, cultural issues are all born between the synapses of the brain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's <b>important to know how the brain does all its "magic" that makes us who we are</b>. For today, I'll talk about the parts of the brains' inner system. Your nervous system is made out of a few parts:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. <b>Central Nervous System (CNS)</b> (the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <b>Peripheral Nervous System</b> (the nerves that mediate the communication with the world)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a) <b>Somatic Nervous System</b> (the nerves that carry the sensory information to the brain)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">b) <b>Autonomic (or Vegetative) Nervous System</b> (which regulates the action/rest responses of all body parts) which is also made out of two smaller parts:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - <b>Sympathetic Nervous System</b> - <i>handling the action, excitement and keeping you alert</i>;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - <b>Parasympathetic Nervous System</b>- <i>handling the rest, calming and relaxation functions of the body</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>For the <b>sexual act to happen</b> normally, the <b>parasympathetic</b> (relaxation part) <b>needs to dominate the sympathetic</b> (arousal part).</u> If the first loses control, you're faced with premature ejaculation. So, here are a few substances you need to stay away from if you're faced with similar issues: alcohol, smoking, coffee, tea, cola drinks. They all accelerate the sympathetic system (they increase your sense of feeling "nervous", "agitated")</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although our bodies are made with the same pattern, <b>our sensitivity is different</b>. Some areas of the body have more sensory nerve receptors that send the messages to and from the brain. Individual sensitivity is different. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Past experiences as well as spinal cord integrity are important for how sensitive we are / become to both pain and pleasure. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We all have erogenous zones, areas of the body with high sensitivity which we find more sexually stimulating than others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Sexual arousal / response</b> and <b>orgasm</b> depend on <b>healthy spinal cord connections</b> and <b>undamaged nerve pathways between the brain and the base of the spine</b>. To understand it properly, we need to divide it into sections:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <b>THORACIC</b> - the area of your chest (ribs) up until above the belly;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <b>LUMBAR</b> - the area starting below the ribs and up above your lower back;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. <b>SACRAL</b> - the area below your lower back up until the tailbone;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Out of all the nerves in our bodies, about <b>20% or them are sexual.</b> We are interested only in the last three areas, as they are the ones responsible for conducting and controlling the sexual function throughout the body. Here we go!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>THORACIC</b> - have <i>3 pairs of sympathetic nerves</i> that innervate the breasts (nipples): 3 nerves on the right and 3 on the left side of the body (the 4th, 5th and 6th thoracic nerves) - they <i><u>cause the nipples to become erect</u></i>. Being of the sympathetic type, they transmit signals to the brain whenever the breasts are touched and caressed. At the same time, the body sends signals through the spinal cord to the brain, causing the erection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>LUMBAR</b> - <i>3 pairs of sympathetic nerves</i> (the 1st, 2nd and 3rd lumbar nerves) - they <i><u>innervate the penis and the vagina</u></i> and are <u><i>activated two times during the sexual act: at the beginning and during the last part, during orgasm/ejaculation.</i></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>SACRAL</b> - <i>3 pairs of parasympathetic nerves</i> (2nd, 3rd and 4th sacral nerves) - they are responsible for <u><i>prolonging the erection during foreplay and intercourse</i></u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Side note: I've used the term erection twice now, and I'm refering to both male and female arousal. We'll get more detailed in the second part, where I add more about each genders' sexual system.)</i></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WHAT IS THE PUDENDAL NERVE & WHY IS IT RELEVANT TO OUR TOPIC?</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <b>Pudendal Nerve</b> is located right <u>in the sacral region of the body</u>, at the bottom of the spinal cord and is the main nerve of the perineum. It is the one that <u>innervates the anus, perineum, penis, clitoris and areas around the scrotum</u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Its function is <u>to manage the sensations of defecation / urination as well as those of sexual arousal</u>. It does not carry parasympathetic fibers, as it only deals with engaging the organs and muscles in the perineum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Its <u>two most important branches</u> are:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- the Perineal Nerve (innervating the perineum area)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- the Dorsal Nerve (innervating the penis and clitoris)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Orgasms and perineal feelings during orgasms</u> (spasms with ejaculation or orgasms) are possible <u>due to both the pudendal and pelvic nerves</u>. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS & NERVE DAMAGE</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, as you can imagine, <u><i>any damage happening along any of these detailed pathways can cause issues with sexuality in an individual living with Multiple Sclerosis</i></u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is one very important aspect for all ages, but it's almost <b>crucial for young people</b>, as it's <u><i>part of the way they perceive themselves</i></u>, but most importantly, <u><i>it is the function that will insure a full relationship with a partner and the ability of creating a family</i></u>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>FEW TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE SEXUAL PROBLEMS (IF THEY HAPPEN)</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARTNER</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's important to <u><i>understand how MS is affecting both of you</i></u>. Blame or accusation and criticizing need to be avoided, as they will always have a negative impact, on the situation and both of you. Talk about your wants, fears and frustrations. Ask questions and be ready to answer theirs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2. WRITE DOWN YOUR FEELINGS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For some of you, saying things out loud might not be comfortable, so the best alternative is to <u><i>write what you're experiencing and what are the feelings associated with those issue</i></u>s. You can then either ask your partner to read what you wrote, or have a better ability to talk about the situation yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3. KNOW YOURSELF AND WHAT GETS YOU AROUSED</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Explore, remember, try new things. <u><i>Sexuality is not a fixed thing</i></u>, it doesn't have to happen by a fixed scenario. Be <u><i>open minded and work with your partner</i></u> to find the best way to making your sexual relationship more pleasurable. We are all different and <u><i>it's a private issue, so you know best what fits you</i></u>. Make choices accordingly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>4. FEEL DESIRABLE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u><i>Look after yourself</i></u> and <u><i>take care of your body</i></u>. A good diet, regular exercise, enjoying relaxing activities and spending some time on your personal appearance can make wonders. Both to your self-confidence and to how your partner sees you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>5. EDUCATE YOURSELF</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last but not least, <u><i>learn about how MS works inside your body (and mind)</i></u>. Find out more about <u><i>how it can affect relationships and sexual function</i></u>. It will make it easier to understand what you're going through while getting better at explaining it to your partner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Given this context, this is <b>the first part of many</b>, discussing this topic. So, I invite you to <b>comment down below</b>, <b>ask questions</b>, <b>write your opinions</b>, and let's make this series an opportunity for mutual learning and discovery. Have you had any issues with this? Do you have anything to add?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The more we learn, the better the outcome. One cannot fight that what is invisible. Let's inform each other! It's the best way to be able to make the smart choices that best suit our lifestyles.</span></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to be sure we stay connected. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-26573546160107594362016-09-29T13:54:00.000+03:002016-09-29T14:15:05.294+03:00How to Continue Living with Ease after Trauma | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XmOwsPY0aKnvwjEcrYcVlfTGesazvJ4CSALvKVhmSpoKWT7OmYJre1E6EAnUpwjEi6GHCjHH_wtG234dBUsjdzS3rG7AzyQ_2_M34AMQCbQOEi-jHByZ6Juq9RG5HuTqGUMZDiLfI9HU/s1600/29_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XmOwsPY0aKnvwjEcrYcVlfTGesazvJ4CSALvKVhmSpoKWT7OmYJre1E6EAnUpwjEi6GHCjHH_wtG234dBUsjdzS3rG7AzyQ_2_M34AMQCbQOEi-jHByZ6Juq9RG5HuTqGUMZDiLfI9HU/s400/29_09_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>There's this moment right after the diagnosis, when you are in need of answers. You want to know what's happening and most of all, you want to know how to make things better. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>WHERE TO START?</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Is there a possibility to continue living even after receiving a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis? Can I resume my goals and dreams and live the life I want, even faced with the unpredictability of relapses and possible disability? Is there anyone out there who has been through this and can give me some advice?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These were most of the questions that went through my mind as I was beginning my research on all things Multiple Sclerosis. As a <u>newly diagnosed 28 year old</u> in the summer of 2014, I was angry. Upset at life for throwing this at my face, when I hadn't even began to live the way I wanted. <u>I <b>felt alone</b>, as nobody was able to tell me more than some small details about how to handle this</u>. Nothing about prevention methods, how to deal with all the emotional baggage. I felt really alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>One thing I knew for sure:</b> <u>I was willing to fight this and get my life back the way I wanted. Life was going to be on my terms, and nothing was going to stop me. I am going to help at least one person not feel as alone as I did when first faced with Multiple Sclerosis.</u></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">LIFE HAPPENS</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/why-life-micromanagement-can-increase.html">anxiety</a> and <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2015/07/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-ms-version.html">rage</a> came laughing at my face. They made me more <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-deal-with-anger-without-damaging.html">irascible and snappy</a>. But I still held on to dear life. <i>"I am the boss here, I have the rules, I know best. I, I , I... !! "</i> This was just the <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2015/07/black-knights-of-ms-fear-anger-and.html">fear of losing all that I knew I was</a>. <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/04/whats-your-worst-multiple-sclerosis-fear.html">Fear of losing myself in the process</a>. And as all people in distress do, <u>I began looking for support outside of myself</u>. I looked for something to soothe my inner soul, the one that was shaking like a leaf in the face of uncertainty. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WALKING THROUGH THICK FOG</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who was I losing? Who was I really? <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2015/07/face-your-fears-whats-worst-that-can.html">How can I cope with all of this? What's the worse that can happen?</a> I immersed myself in <b>studying</b> all that I could, ranging from <b>brain anatomy</b>, <b>healthy living</b>, <b>psychology</b>, <b>introspection</b>, <b>journaling, </b> <b>blood test markers</b>, <b>treatments</b> and <b>exercise</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yeah! Exercise seemed very interesting, as <b>MS is known to go after one's mobility</b>. But I wasn't allowed to get my body to heated. What could I do in order to move but not force too much? YOGA! Such a good idea!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And Yoga was a great idea for more than a year. As I learned the poses, breathing and routines, I also <u>began to discover how my body worked</u>. Little by little, <u>I found out how my mind worked</u>. It all went together. <u>At the same time, my spirit was turning even more so to God.</u> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a long time, I had an <b>eclectic spiritual philosophy</b> going on, one made out of Christian belief, universal energy and accepting the flow of things and connecting to the higher power through prayer and letting go of my Ego (the <i>"I, I, I, I!!"</i> part of my mind that kept being afraid and angry).</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>ACHIEVING CLARITY</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I got closer and closer to God, I decided to <u>read the whole Bible for the first time in my life</u>. And from January this year, there was no turning back. <u>I slowly let go of Yoga</u>, as my focus shifted. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have always been a faithful person. Being raised in a Christian Orthodox family that was very open to religion, that encouraged learning about Jesus and the stories of the Bible, I grew in perfect acceptance of a higher power and in fascination with the story of Jesus of Nazareth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little did I know back then that <u>this seed was going to prove to be my salvation</u>. The thing that will help me out of the crash and burn of my Ego and internal fears and demons. To keep it short for this article: <b>LOVE is the ongoing message of Christianity</b>, <u>the silver lining that goes through all of us and is at the bottom of all joy and inner peace</u>. When you understand this, it all becomes crystal clear: <u>the so called fear of God is in fact the love we have for Him. All love implies respect and obedience. We strive to please the ones we love. It's that simple!</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is my perspective on things, as I was born and raised a Christian. But <u>whatever your belief</u>, this still applies: <b>LOVE is transcending all creation, it's the unifying energy</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>CLARITY PUT TO WORK</i></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDa6VKOXdnFY9Dzl6_UF4Sy6ag_T7MM8zqB9phmEpSZnydKsiS_eqigwwFbHnaR1swkg8plPqpOHZyRa7PyYc-YMHROfExG62tcVrNXlU0L8JzC8aqV87JR5BNVIt21apTKLPAAsmkqDA/s1600/29_09_2016_new_covenant.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDa6VKOXdnFY9Dzl6_UF4Sy6ag_T7MM8zqB9phmEpSZnydKsiS_eqigwwFbHnaR1swkg8plPqpOHZyRa7PyYc-YMHROfExG62tcVrNXlU0L8JzC8aqV87JR5BNVIt21apTKLPAAsmkqDA/s400/29_09_2016_new_covenant.png" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But first, <u>I had to become humble</u>. To understand that <u>if I had been given this burden was because I needed to learn a lesson</u>: <b>to love myself more</b>, <b>to love and give others more</b>, <b>to do what I love</b>, <b>to be more compassionate</b> and <b>kind to others</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>There really is power in suffering and what it brings out</u>. God doesn't play around. He gave me a harsh wake up call, a personal trauma to wake me up to the purpose we all need to have: love one another! Get my head out of my own... and start living in harmony with the people around me and with my own self. Multiple Sclerosis was the most personal lesson I had to learn. I had other lessons but failed to go deeper and become aware of their teachings. I wrote more about them and why following your heart is crucial, <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/09/follow-your-heart.html">HERE</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nowadays, I live my life with <u>the knowledge that my life has a purpose</u>. I know that <u>all fear fades away in the face of God</u>. I know that the only one that truly understands and accepts me is Jesus, and the kind of relationship we have with Him will mirror the way we treat ourselves and the people around us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know that when I <u>surrender my Ego</u> and <u>accept my faults</u>, when I <u>am humbled by my mistakes</u>, <b>I grow</b>, <b>I become the best version of me possible</b>. It's my personal choice. I continue reading the Bible every morning. It's part of my routine, along with breakfast and my daily Copaxone injection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="color: red;">HOW CAN ALL THIS HELP YOU?</span></i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Simple! Here are <b>three things you could do starting today</b>, that will <u>bring you closer to living with ease after going through a traumatic experience</u>. Little by little, the pain will subside and you will continue living.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. <b>Allow yourself to go through the emotional pain</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We are made to feel both happy and negative emotions. When we're happy, we accept that wholeheartedly. The same needs to happen with suffering. <u>We need to feel that pain in order to get passed it. Otherwise, it gets repressed, we numb or ignore it and then the damage is longer and harder.</u> Allow yourself to feel sad, angry, afraid and all that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <b>Daily journaling </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A practice that will benefit you in many ways than one. You could say that when you suffer, you don't feel like writing, you don't have the energy. A journal is the most important tool you'll ever have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>It allows you to brain-dump all your suffering without complaining that you whine to much or you should stop. It only asks the questions you write. It allows you to objectify your thoughts and feelings.</u> As you write them down, you become aware of them and the rational part of your brain kicks in and analyzes them. Maybe not at that moment, but on the long run, you'll see. <u>It's the perfect tool for self-awareness and getting in touch with who you are deep inside.</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <b>Give more of yourself to others</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Make <u>helping others your goal</u>. Look for opportunities to <u>help your family and friends with whatever they might need</u>. If you're going through something traumatic, they're probably affected to. Helping them would be just simply <u>sit down and hear them out</u>, listen to what they have to say. <u>Let them pour their heart out. Be their journal!</u> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Move outside your close circle: look for causes that you can join, or start your own. <u>That's how SMart Choice Lifestyle began</u>: <i>I wanted to help others make the best decisions for their life, even if they were going through hard times.</i> <u>And that's still my goal. It's the reason you're reading this article.</u></span></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to be sure we stay connected. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: normal;">P.S. Listening to Chopin proves to be amazing for my focus when writing :)) What's your concentration trick (if you have one)?</span></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-76491871461338296562016-09-28T16:50:00.001+03:002016-09-28T17:13:40.107+03:005 STEP PROCESS TO ACHIEVE CLARITY FOR YOUR CAREER & PERSONAL GOALS | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5hGvpfV-Eiz5O0P_suy9_V3csNwV6GGqvGeKt9TBHeEoHiasphHpJXmX_yGe5rMLZhCjB3Sl-Do67_GzgPcEncYFV_56EiocRSptaNZtZ1GF-wYf92oPwHqbRZ7AMBAjZ-h4WsZFlKDV/s1600/28_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5hGvpfV-Eiz5O0P_suy9_V3csNwV6GGqvGeKt9TBHeEoHiasphHpJXmX_yGe5rMLZhCjB3Sl-Do67_GzgPcEncYFV_56EiocRSptaNZtZ1GF-wYf92oPwHqbRZ7AMBAjZ-h4WsZFlKDV/s400/28_09_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>I've always had an eclectic way of seeing things. I draw my inspiration from an incredible array of sources, time periods and industries. It's like I'm building a never ending vision board for my life and career. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>AWARENESS FIRST</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thankfully I had a constant throughout: thinking in pictures. I draw out the way all my ideas are going to look, act and what purpose are they going to serve and need are they going to take care of. The natural outcome was that I ended up pursuing a creative career, dealing with images and stories. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hence, I decided that I am a visual storyteller. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Becoming aware of your talents and the skills that can help you move forward is essential if you want to grow a career out of just a passion. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Passion"</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> is such an emotion-filled word. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"What you're naturally good at and enjoy doing"</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> sounds better. But for the sake of word economy, let's continue naming it </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"passion"</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being multi-passionate and loving to do many things can become confusing if you don't spend time working out the bits and pieces that will help you understand what career should you really follow. Most of us finish school and immediately get a job. <i>"That's the safe thing to do!"</i> common sense tells us. Sounds fair, and for many of us, it ends up being their road in life. And that's completely fine and normal. It's their choice and if it makes them happy, go for it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>MY DREAMS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS</i></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was the other kind. The one that had the regular 9-5 job, but had her mind on creative projects almost all of the time. Given the situation, I kept the things I loved to do as hobbies and tried my best to integrate them into my daily work tasks. Every time I got the chance to do one of them, I felt happy. That feeling went away when I got back to whatever I was working on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a long while, I thought it to be normal. We all have jobs that get us tired and hobbies that help us refresh and get us back on track. And so a few years passed and while I was working, I always thought of starting my own thing on the side. The dream of building my own business doing what I loved never left me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The decisive moment that completely shifted my actions was the 25th of July 2014, the day the neurologist told me that I had Multiple Sclerosis. In less than 24 hours, all my thoughts pointed to living my life the way I always wanted and making my dreams a reality. Even more so, wanting to continue working equaled pursuing my passion. My time was limited. Nobody knew by how much or less. The illness is unpredictable, so I have to hurry! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was no turning back after that. After just a week back at the office, I listened to my gut and left. It no longer provided me with anything rather than monthly pay. I chose my health over money. And so I started my sabbatical. Taking time to clear my head after the diagnosis, learn as much as I could about the disease, find ways in which to keep it inactive and most of all <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-i-plan-to-start-business-while.html">follow my dream career</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do you know that feeling of liking so many things that you can't really decide which one to really pursue? Or, if you had narrowed in down to two or three areas, it's still difficult to start because for each one there are SO many things that you can say or do? Welcome to my world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The funny thing is that I already know what I want to do (and I kindda knew it for more than 7 years now), but there's always something left to do, improve or wait to be the right moment for. Up until a few months ago, I thought it to be fear of failure. But no. Failure doesn't scare me for quite a while now. I mean, what's the worse it can happen? I already have an incurable disease! (*smiling ironically here*)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fear of not being good enough isn't it either, as I managed to get passed peer pressure too. The thing is I find it difficult to decide. And that's so funny, because the blog is named SMart Choice, so technically, I should have mastered the decision making process by now. But not in the things I hold dear to my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And so my one year sabbatical became two years, and the more I learned and the more ideas I had, the worse I became at deciding to start. <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-keep-working-while-living-with.html">I had it all planned on paper</a>, all organized, but no action. Constant learning. An eternal student. I like learning, but I also like to be productive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The biggest lesson that I've learned these past two years is that <b>you can't work on your dreams if you don't know the dreamer</b>. Meaning that you first have to come back to knowing who you are and then see what you can do for work. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">HOW TO ACHIEVE CLARITY FOR YOUR GOALS - 5 STEP PROCESS</span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That's why I came up with this <b>5 step process</b> that you can also take to get in touch with your true self, or at least with your inner motivations and ideas that make you uniquely you, helping with your career goals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, without further adue, here are the <b>steps that get you closer to yourself</b>. You'll need a piece of paper and a few minutes to write things down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1. DEFINE THE CONTEXT</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Find a picture of yourself as a kid. Look at it and try to remember who you were back then. Asses your current lifestyle choices, the things you're naturally good at, the skills you've learned throughout the years and see where you stand. What's the thing (or things) that have remained a constant? Note them down and move on to the second step...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2. WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR AND WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Note down your core values (limit yourself to just 5, the most important ones). After a life spent working, what would you like to be remembered for? What are the most important things that you leave behind as a professional?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3. ALIGN GOALS TO PERSONALITY AND VALUES?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Make a list of goals that you want to achieve during this lifetime. Be specific in naming them. No matter how big or unimportant they seem, they are part of your vision, so note them down. Given the values and legacy that you've decided upon already, how do you plan to achieve those goals? Define a short strategy. What choices will you need to make in order to achieve those goals?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>4. DAILY ACTION PLANNING</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Achieving mastery or anything in life means discipline and work. All the people that got somewhere with their lives and careers have to (and most still are) work hard to get their goal. You'll need a plan. Make it simple, actionable and daily. Think of the bigger picture and then narrow it down to what are the daily tasks that you need to do in order to get where you want to. Start with the first goal on your list and go from there. Then act upon that plan, but...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>5. FOLLOW-UP AND REVIEW</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To know how far you've came, you need to do regular reviews and measurements. Nothing fancy, just, for example, see how much of Project X is done and what's left to do. You need to know what you need to do, in order to plan your day and efficiently dose your energy, especially when living with Multiple Sclerosis.</span></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to be sure we stay connected. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Denisa</b></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-41611390214382747212016-09-27T17:12:00.001+03:002017-02-17T14:11:47.673+02:00Creative Choices: Three Mindful Tips to Clear Overwhelm in the Creative Mind | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTUCe9PP3EdpJ_qgvNKe_IwOCsKL6Yn8yr4eKNIG7Vvhwbw6vvpNd4ba2zbvuI8U7pXV-rh7GI1C1I04-KK2iw3nZPtOuRh0eSaxR4BuLBqRgj_Z5ZwlpvmNABLHGuSra9pnk_6W456XN/s1600/27_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTUCe9PP3EdpJ_qgvNKe_IwOCsKL6Yn8yr4eKNIG7Vvhwbw6vvpNd4ba2zbvuI8U7pXV-rh7GI1C1I04-KK2iw3nZPtOuRh0eSaxR4BuLBqRgj_Z5ZwlpvmNABLHGuSra9pnk_6W456XN/s400/27_09_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>When was the last time your mind felt overwhelmed by lots and lots of thoughts? Mine is doing that as I write this blog post. Just started another draft because the previous one talked about three topics at the same time, and that really brought no value neither to me writing it or to you reading it. </i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I decided to approach things more like documenting the experience of feeling overwhelmed. You probably had many great ideas throughout your life, but not many of them got to see the light of day. It might have been for lack of time, lost interest, or resources.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're like me, and you overthink things, this might be the reason you have all these great ideas but no actual result with any of them, because you constantly feel the need of adding or remodeling something. It's a mix between overthinking and perfectionism, the mother of all anxiety for creatives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>HOW DOES OVERWHELM HAPPEN?</i></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMGChS6LfCaD6w-2MUX4v8poVVhf5kgMpOOIeRvv4infZY3SyixM1QLeVTMuiLOYUn5VZVGg-DSUNFfcTehZ6aYSl5Q7hXEF3UkRgGJ17ICRrBFF6Y5ZLSBvrB5lb-fTFbquXpWfIvyIg/s1600/creative_overwhelm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMGChS6LfCaD6w-2MUX4v8poVVhf5kgMpOOIeRvv4infZY3SyixM1QLeVTMuiLOYUn5VZVGg-DSUNFfcTehZ6aYSl5Q7hXEF3UkRgGJ17ICRrBFF6Y5ZLSBvrB5lb-fTFbquXpWfIvyIg/s320/creative_overwhelm.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You start with a simple and great idea that makes you happy. Then begin to add to it, making it more refined. But when the adding doesn't stop, you find yourself in overwhelm land and can easily give that idea up or save it for later because it got too complex.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A creative mind is contradictory and most of the times a puzzle even for the creative person. Plus, we NEED to do a thousand things at the same time, because our interests go far and wide and we </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"can't just do one single thing"</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Add this to a thirst for learning and reading, and you find yourself in my shoes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The funny, ironical things is that I have a very clear vision and outlined plan of what I want to do, but my mind keeps wanting more information. It finds that it doesn't know enough, and the more I know, the better the plan will be. The truth is the more info I consume, the more time I lose, and get further and further from my original idea. And it becomes exhausting!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The more I learn, the more I get the impression that I really don't know anything for sure. It never ends! But the truth is that all knowledge is smoke if we don't use it, if we don't act upon it. What use is there to know a lot of things if you don't share it with others? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDShkW94R5DxNed6ddWzy-iI2HKcdxUQqFj3omGdOk5Bw4_jg__HNJPzEIY8BHRfQlm4n4HVRLWQbSVbI0r7l6dNI5vqP_eP5tjzixSR2bcICJKBUAJTmsvXh6HdPZpiflpCzW9-c26Mf/s1600/creative_overwhelm_to_do_list.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDShkW94R5DxNed6ddWzy-iI2HKcdxUQqFj3omGdOk5Bw4_jg__HNJPzEIY8BHRfQlm4n4HVRLWQbSVbI0r7l6dNI5vqP_eP5tjzixSR2bcICJKBUAJTmsvXh6HdPZpiflpCzW9-c26Mf/s320/creative_overwhelm_to_do_list.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But here comes another issue! Every idea I once had wants to come out in first, and be written on this blog, for you to see and be helped by. It's like my mind has a... mind of its own! What's really happening is that my mind is overstimulated by all the information I bombard it with daily. If I keep on filling it and take little out, of course the lack of "mind space" will get to my nerves (and yours as you read this, I will get to the point in just a minute, promise!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lots of ideas and no... idea where to start from? Pick one and go do it. Overthinking leads to inaction, and nothing ever gets done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"What's this have to do with me?"</i> you're probably asking. Well, here are the <b>three key-things I learned about how to calm down any overwhelming situation</b>, before acting on each idea at a time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj9WS9x7gelburZs9Jdwe7sEljcoaP3jxmR7BrHDmOZmdVnrotBi-yLsALGg69stDcYOId8E87oy_hWV1SvsLndrwJ9-t0ktKOARbPewINsaJQ7WEn8ifLfF9-vxCIZbLUUB8AvKMA2FN/s1600/635910126750387912-571373417_Journaling-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj9WS9x7gelburZs9Jdwe7sEljcoaP3jxmR7BrHDmOZmdVnrotBi-yLsALGg69stDcYOId8E87oy_hWV1SvsLndrwJ9-t0ktKOARbPewINsaJQ7WEn8ifLfF9-vxCIZbLUUB8AvKMA2FN/s320/635910126750387912-571373417_Journaling-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Clear your mind on paper. </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Making space for thinking has proven do do wonders. Whenever I feel cluttered up inside my mind, I take out a simple notebook and a pen and dump all of my ideas and thoughts on paper. You might think that you're not good at writing or don't have the time to do that. But do you have time of being stuck between thoughts and ideas that keep you from creating and / or doing whatever you were supposed to do that day? No? OK! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then the next time when you feel that your mind is bubbling up ideas and a neverending web of thoughts, write them all down, let that weight down on paper. You might end up with some pretty usable stuff, or... with a bunch of nonsense that didn't belong inside your mind to begin with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Choose all the good info and prioritize it. Having things written down brings more clarity and space, helping your mind deal more easily with ideas and creative processes. Remember to also let go of the ideas that are no longer relevant to your current situation. That doesn't mean you abandon them forever, you just save them for later. </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Have "no info consumption" pockets of time.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have morning and evening rituals that don't involve any social media, screens or work. Allow yourself to relax into and after your day. Build habits like doing some light stretches, taking deep breaths, taking a shower and then a light and healthy meal. Use these pockets of time even for doing the "brain dump" I was talking about before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Get outside and take a brisk walk to clear your head. Spend time with friends and family and take your mind off your work for a few hours. Whenever you force a machine to work, it brakes down. The same is true for your mind and brain. Give them a rest and come back to your projects feeling refreshed and ready to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Giving your mind a rest is proven to help you relax and actually be more creative. You have time to unwind and take care of yourself, your relationships and your body. When the mind races, the body suffers, because it gets tense and not used to its highest potential. Witch brings me to number three...</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Stand still, be mindful, and pray***</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Become aware of that avalanche of thoughts and steer them away gently one by one. Focus on deep breathing and on gradually relaxing your body, beginning with your legs and going up towards the head. It will take some practice, but it will gradually pay off all the effort you might have invested into it. It can get frustrating and even impossible at times, but the trick is to commit to it and do it daily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our brains work in synergy with the mind. In fact, our minds are a complex web of neurocircuitry made out of synapses, connections between brain cells (neurons). The more we use our minds and the more information we consume, the more neural connections we create. The more of those, the more our minds grow and learn patterns. These patterns are memorized and hard to brake as they become habitual thinking ones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It takes some effort to replace them with other, more easy / useful habits to what we need in our new contexts. We can't just snap our fingers and create a new mindset. Our current one is the product of all we've learned, done, heard, smelled, tasted, spoken and felt throughout our lives. The more we repeated a pattern, the more it stuck. Transformation needs to be gradual. We need to replace some thoughts with new ones, and that takes time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(***more details on my perspective in a future article to be linked here)</span></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to be sure we stay connected. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></span></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-1100149874881337082016-09-14T14:29:00.000+03:002016-09-14T14:46:14.814+03:00Why You Need to Follow Your Heart. Time Waits for No One<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I'm sitting here with my late-time cuppa, cloudy weather and writing in English, my inner reality couldn't be more different than what's really happening outside this room. But that's what dreamers and idealists do. Or at least that's what I have been told.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I always loved escaping into words and daydream. When I was a kid, it was all productive and such, as it was my job to have an imagination an develop interesting worlds and <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/06/creative-choices-why-visual.html">stories</a>. The worlds I was constructing had strong visuals and fierce heroes. But that was back to the time of dinosaurs. Kids today are technology-bound, well adapted to a world of gadgets and science.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq52BzDJYxhIJKRIJUeYVYUbiNJxrkHbcaXN-W-ayuOLqkkYA76D8N0kBkN5OjzML29hrsyD4IbiYM2wcOgmmnhYJJEYxvK8eR4II9TP96-QEzU1efaBz_Wm9sMCfJuAKA6rIev-EznVN/s1600/14340022_10207262091455334_1704893365_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq52BzDJYxhIJKRIJUeYVYUbiNJxrkHbcaXN-W-ayuOLqkkYA76D8N0kBkN5OjzML29hrsyD4IbiYM2wcOgmmnhYJJEYxvK8eR4II9TP96-QEzU1efaBz_Wm9sMCfJuAKA6rIev-EznVN/s400/14340022_10207262091455334_1704893365_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But what about one's soul? What about one' purpose?</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My generation lived mostly in its head and thoughts. This generation lives more in its social media pages or apps. Things change and there's nothing wrong with that! It would be pretty hypocritical of me to criticize tech, as I'm writing this from a wireless-connected laptop, as I just finished a mini-browsing of my Facebook and Instagram.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All that I'm saying here is that we need a return to ourselves, to our inner beings, to our hearts. We are so connected, so informed, so skilled, so prepared nowadays, that we forget to stand still and often find ourselves on autopilot. Mostly like a machine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>It all comes back to the soul. To the heart. To the purpose.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the past 7 years, my life has been like the one of a hamster on a treadmill. That's the typical image of a 30-something in this century. I was doing all of what society and peers were expecting of me, yet I wasn't fulfilled. <i>"Things can't always be perfect!</i>" I kept telling myself in order to soothe that restlessness I had inside. Over and over again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Numbing life with life and getting smacked down by life.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ironically enough, our minds are not the masters of the lives we have. We might... think we have control over what's happening, but if we don't take conscious choices, if we don't stand up and fight for what we believe in, it all happens to us. And then it leaves us with a lesson to learn and a question to answer: <i>"Will you follow your heart?"</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Again and again, life decided to give me some "subtle" pokes. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a storyteller, I dreamed of becoming a movie director, to be able to tell stories through image, sound and words. Life happened. Peer pressure made me give up because <i>"There's too much competition! You'll lose precious time! Take the safe path!"</i>. Ended up studying Sociology for four years instead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yeah! Like this proved to be the <i>"safe path". </i>Either way, it was my choice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finished Uni, got admitted to a Master's programe, got my first job as a Life Insurance Consultant (the irony of selling life protection when mine was going to be tumbled down!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Life happened. My mother got breast cancer</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjZbmcO2kKuF0bk0IJ3OizBYy5XJP2t4P-O_q-hVm8IZFMDb1m2K5i4PSmXB2c-cjWtfmG1V9bPnXxxhiRnx5mXloXbyk63mjeIS5rcZLhGbvW2WWxD5SonKgh-QOrrNGnDEdzJ4_rfij/s1600/14341391_10207262135296430_1993489642_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjZbmcO2kKuF0bk0IJ3OizBYy5XJP2t4P-O_q-hVm8IZFMDb1m2K5i4PSmXB2c-cjWtfmG1V9bPnXxxhiRnx5mXloXbyk63mjeIS5rcZLhGbvW2WWxD5SonKgh-QOrrNGnDEdzJ4_rfij/s400/14341391_10207262135296430_1993489642_n.jpg" width="291" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That marked my first meeting with chronic disease and full-on regret. Feeling sorry for all that I made wrong, for all that I should have or shouldn't have said made me realize that we always have a choice to how we act. We always have a choice to do or not to do something. I chose to be strong for her and look for stability. I wasn't living for myself. I was now living for her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I changed jobs to a place that in other conditions I never would have looked at. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But I ended staying there for two and a half years. I learned how mean and double-faced human nature can be, and how damaging stress can be. Looking back, this experience also taught me to be humble and serve others, despite of their behavior. I was beginning to learn life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the end of those years, I chose me above all else, and quit. The pressure on my emotions was too big and wanted to brake free. I give my praise to God that my mother recovered and is still a part of my life. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It made me begin to lose Ego.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Got another job in sales and vehicle management coordination, and felt at ease. I was beginning to get back to myself bit by bit. But after only seven months, and having the past experience of feeling trapped in a place I didn't belong, I chose to leave and pursue my own thing (once more) in graphic design. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had just finished a beginner's course and was preparing for my final exams, Steve Jobs just died and made me become aware of my own limited time. I compulsively watched his Stanford 2005 Commencement Speech until it became engraved inside my mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although it was a normal consequence of life, death still scared me and put some anxiety all over my actions. Do things now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I did! Got the best results at the Graphic Design exam, and went into planning mode to pursue my dream. The focus was mostly on myself and on what I would achieve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>In came life again. Because, you know, shit happens! My grandma died</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the beginning of that year, the woman who was one of the pillars of my personality and the one that I drew much of my inspiration from was gone. Leaving me with an inflamed Ego and a big regret that I wasn't more time there for her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Time doesn't wait for anyone. Life goes on even without your input. I needed to choose once again. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I thought of her, and what would she want me to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I just started a Photography course, as it was the closer that I could get to telling visual stories. Given the death of a close family member, many would have stayed at home for some days, grieve and then go back to their activities. But I chose to be strong once more and go to my course. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, that night I stayed at her wake, went to sleep at 7 am, rested for 4-5 hours, and then went to class. Nobody knew, nobody saw anything on my face. I kept it to myself. Once more, I chose to be strong for my family and do the right thing. There's a whole other story about this experience, but I'm not going to cover this now, maybe in a later post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>All these experiences were bringing me back to God</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I always been like this. I grew up an Ortodox-Christian, not actually a church-goer, but passionate about all those stories in the Bible and God's goodness and protection. In my deepest despair, He is the one I turn to, He is the one my soul needs. Nothing else. Even if I do it unconscious, when I get afraid, I pray.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That year I prayed to be happy. I let my soul in His hands and prayed for it to be soothed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And it was. That fall I began a relationship with my best friend, a guy I've met at my Graphic Design course and that quickly became my go-to person. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He is similar to me in so many ways (good and bad), that I really couldn't have asked for a better match. I wouldn't had known what to ask for! Our relationship grew stronger as months went by. We had our ups and downs, but it was all fine in the end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Life resumed its course. I got a job as a Shop Manager for a telecom retail company, got passed some of my limits, learned a lot about me and people once again. But something felt off again. Stress was much higher than my inner feeling of fulfillment. It ended up putting great strain on me, and I came to work only to wait anxiously to get back home to my plans, peace and quiet. So I left. It didn't feel right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I felt myself calming down, I began to see things clearly and once more planned starting my own thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Guess what?! Once more it didn't happen right!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I planned to get a job in order to raise money to start my own photography business. Found a job in sales, advertising space and client relationship. All good, all stressful as always, but it was comfortable. Somehow, my dream got postponed, as I never felt quite ready. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was scared shitless, to be honest!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Life grew bored with my behavior and decided to give me one more "poke". Into my right eye. On a Friday.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The time when it happened was just right, as I once more grew to comfortable into being pushed and pulled by life and not listening to my intuition. Whenever that happened, fear took command and made me settle, going totally against my dreams of always going for what it feels right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I told <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/05/storytelling-ms-how-did-diagnosis.html">the story of my multiple sclerosis diagnosis here</a>. The thing that I would like to add to it is that as I write this story, I understand that our lives are empty without doing something with purpose, without really using the gifts we have been given. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrgN8ZMJTQcyPWXEySH2O4maYdgn4B7HSBphRWsFNy1dIa4RTywxrF84Kq1aOoAG72uMk8dalx9NILqhlpWI2KAxDdEfIxHeqELkuEJG54C-MvfGx1FDwOtJMSwPbdrefSk9U6y86jbGP/s1600/14315486_10207262091575337_1682659456_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrgN8ZMJTQcyPWXEySH2O4maYdgn4B7HSBphRWsFNy1dIa4RTywxrF84Kq1aOoAG72uMk8dalx9NILqhlpWI2KAxDdEfIxHeqELkuEJG54C-MvfGx1FDwOtJMSwPbdrefSk9U6y86jbGP/s400/14315486_10207262091575337_1682659456_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have always loved to write and tell stories. I was always able to leave myself aside in times of great distress and turn to helping others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now you tell me. <a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/06/multiple-sclerosis-can-wake-you-up-to.html">What do you choose</a>: a life that happens to you, or one designed by choice? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because things will always happen, go well, go bad, get stuck, or anything else. But what really matters is what you do with the cards that you have been dealt, and how you use them to serve others? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For me, that's what life is all about: smart choices. God knows what He's doing. Always!</span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to be sure we stay connected. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sincerely yours,</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Denisa</i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-45478617385015296982016-09-13T13:51:00.000+03:002016-09-13T14:43:51.529+03:00How to Avoid Skin Oversensitization? The Microbiome and Excessive Body Cleaning | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-WZDEDlrb4iJrZq2pDSSZie40b38gT-hF3Yyd52BGD7o6eSTh_I2Bx3dEfcv5d3HQiW5fJounMsxn5SmFiPtuwKz7JmDRG6-U3cDJOST4MRLP-AG3sJ1kQxjfeXUDA8RlSPxRH1rjuVY/s1600/13_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-WZDEDlrb4iJrZq2pDSSZie40b38gT-hF3Yyd52BGD7o6eSTh_I2Bx3dEfcv5d3HQiW5fJounMsxn5SmFiPtuwKz7JmDRG6-U3cDJOST4MRLP-AG3sJ1kQxjfeXUDA8RlSPxRH1rjuVY/s400/13_09_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>The smell of fresh cut grass and home-baked bread, followed by a delicious breakfast with hot cocoa, raspberry or rose organic jam, a soft boiled egg that was steaming when you opened it and dipped a bit of bread crust into that perfect orange yolk. And then off to play outside for the rest of the day, or until lunch. This was most of my childhood spent at grandma's!</b></i></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-b4245020-230a-cfc0-9278-96c04ca45d53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you have memories like these, you also remember that the outside world wasn’t our enemy, like it’s often portrayed today. We glorify interiors, houses and running water. Those are fine, trust me! Living without them would be manageable, but certainly not a pleasure. As we have all these comforts, we also develop many products with which we can keep it all clean and sanitary. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As time goes by, we drift further and further from nature, living in aseptic environments that keep us safe from all the germs and bacteria outside. Infections and especially bacterial ones are nasty, even life threatening if left untreated. But there’s another side of the coin that we usually tend to miss: too much cleaning and sanitizing actually could damage us even more. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How’s that?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did not have access to the vast array of personal hygiene and house cleaning items that we do now. I’m not saying that it was an extremely healthy environment in most cases, but the irony is that fewer people got sick or even fewer had allergies from a young age. People were more able to work with their surroundings, instead of against them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our bodies are custom made for living in nature. They adapt to the environments we’re in and develop immune tools to keep us safe from illness. That’s their main goal: survival. For ages, humans have been living in synergy with the natural world, taking care of it and reaping its fruits in return. People lived according to what nature provided them and our bodies adapted according to what we had to deal with on a day to day basis.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bacteria isn’t all bad. Actually, the microbiome as it is called, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">helps us stay alive. It protects us against germs, breaks down food to release energy, and produces vitamins. It </span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3426293/" target="_blank">“consists of the 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells harbored by each person, primarily bacteria in the gut”</a>.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The human microbiome is in constant exchange with our environment, human microbes flow freely onto the surfaces we interact with on a daily basis. Microbial communities are constantly being transferred between surfaces, our bodies being constantly adapting to the place we live in</span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thus excessive sensitization via all kinds of disinfectants, antibacterial soaps and personal hygiene products is similar to the effects that antibiotics have inside the body. Too much consumption and that good microbial barrier is disrupted, making way for opportunistic bacteria that can damage the skin or our body’s health. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our body’s default defense mechanism, called the immune system, has the power to regulate all these little armies of good bacteria and to keep them in tune with the rest of our bodies, while keeping a careful watch on foreign pathogens. When we disinfect to often, our immunity overreacts, and begins to think everything's a threat. Given the fact that our environments are so clean, the simplest nasty bacteria that once had no impact over our body, begins to have one now.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For people living with Multiple Sclerosis, things are even more... sensitive. Given the treatments that we need to take, our immune systems are lowered, already putting the body at risk to infections and other damage that might occur. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not saying that it's a must, but we need to be even more cautious and help our health as best we can. Over-sanitizing or under-sanitizing are neither the best way, as they are extremes. Taking care of your personal hygiene and house cleaning shouldn't go there. Keep it simple, keep it basic. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But first, let's go back to nature...</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are <b>three things</b> that you can do to <b>minimize the impact</b>, all under the same umbrella: <b>progressive desensitization to the natural world</b>. For a person that has been living indoors most of her life, going wild with these tools seems a bit out of place. This is a process, and you should only do what makes you feel comfortable and what suits your lifestyle. But do try the following:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Reduce toxic load from your personal hygiene products and house cleaners.</b> The safest way I found to do this is to replace one nasty chemical with a more natural choice. Only a couple of examples: use regular hand soap for your day to day hand wash. Only use antibacterial ones when you’ve worked with other chemicals or if you’ve been to the hospital; the same goes for hand sanitizers: you don’t need them at home, where it’s supposed to be clean); use sodium bicarbonate to get rid of nasty smells in your refrigerator (and try to clean the entire interior once a week, using a solution made of 1 part apple cider vinegar and 3 parts water).</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Go out in nature more!</b> Walking around in fresh air and being around trees and grass not only is beneficial for your fitness, but also for your mind. It can be a powerful destresser and a good time to relax. Depending on where you live, plan small or large trips to classic destinations like the local park, the nearby forest or a weekend to the mountains. No matter what you choose, nature will always pay back tenfold! Of course you have to protect yourself from falls, bees or other dangers, so make sure you learn a thing or two about how to take care of issues like these if they arise.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Take up <a href="https://greencents.com/blog/2015/11/03/urban-gardening-growing-among-millennials/" target="_blank">urban gardening</a></b>. Depending on where you live, you can create a small or a large one. Either way, it could only be just some pots you have on your balcony, but the goal is to allow yourself time to think and work with your hands. To allow yourself to get back in touch with good bacteria in nature. I personally recommend gardening without any chemicals, letting the plant grow on its own terms, while I tend to its needs and help it on the way. Great activity to bring nature back in the city!</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These were my three ideas on how you can begin to bring your body back from the aseptic world and right into the natural one. Bit by bit, you’ll adapt. It’s a process. You have to have patience! </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">But more about that in another article. </span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;">Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to be sure we stay connected. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me know if you’d want me to write a more extensive piece on this topic, or on smaller topics from it. Would love to hear your opinion on this! Leave your comments down below.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sincerely yours,</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Denisa</i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-12437143079280638622016-09-06T16:03:00.002+03:002016-09-08T16:07:52.277+03:00Three Reasons to Simplify Your Lifestyle | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq6lYXyEduld4YYp7EqJeNCz7jlZtY_PXvau_j7A0NQ4lF-4Ybxe4nYOadssu8mDiwDqvd2u0Bd4eaZdYSnSJCpjyUFrQ1MuFPW1wDn_K3leWUV3N4bykzNGmjxyz7bO5aufMj88NqBMs/s1600/08_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq6lYXyEduld4YYp7EqJeNCz7jlZtY_PXvau_j7A0NQ4lF-4Ybxe4nYOadssu8mDiwDqvd2u0Bd4eaZdYSnSJCpjyUFrQ1MuFPW1wDn_K3leWUV3N4bykzNGmjxyz7bO5aufMj88NqBMs/s400/08_09_2016.png" width="400"></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Let me tell you a story. Imagine the lead act in the most important circus in the world. He’s a famous juggler, who’s known for all his amazing balance, focus and dexterity. He adds so many new tricks to his act, that they all see him as a genius performer. </i></b></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-d1e6d51a-ff96-50b2-0acd-25c5ed3607fb" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But he begins to feel tired. The more things he has to juggle with, the more difficult his focus gets. His mind is now the one which plays tricks on him. His performance will suffer and so will he. Too much to handle. He blames himself. He’s a bad performer. He feels angry and ashamed. He no longer has the will and drive to do his best and to constantly grow his act. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He eventually settles with being a clown. An act that just makes people laugh. At least they won’t all laugh at him. When he takes of his mask and looks in the mirror, his reflection is sad, overwhelmed. Day in and day out, every evening, he plays the clown. He makes people laugh. But he cries inside. He wants his purpose back.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next day he opens the chest where he stored his juggling equipment and only takes out the three spheres and the balancing board he used to love so much. He goes outside and steps on the board. His hands instinctively begin to throw the spheres into the air. Bit by bit, his act gets better, faster. A smile comes back to his face and more and more people gather around, cheering him on. He’s the famous juggler again.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But what if he always was the lead act? What if he made it harder on himself by becoming overwhelmed instead of keeping it simple? That’s what made him happy after all, isn’t it? He loved juggling and sharing that with people. Now, when the people laugh, he laughs with them. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The juggler is in fact all of us. The many things added are the ones we constantly add to our life. Those things that got piled up into our lifestyle and now make our lives miserable, tense and sad. We need to go back to basics, rediscover what made us smile and what we did with joy. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make conscious choices about what’s relevant to our lives and what are the things that are essential to our happiness and wellbeing. Personal and professional. Integrate. We are the same persons who do them all. Choose our spheres and balancing board carefully.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here’s three reasons why:</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Better mental health</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are constantly bombarded with information, messages, emails, things to do. It never ends. When we take time to declutter, our brain thanks us and refocuses all that energy into making us healthier and more alert. Our neurons are constantly working throughout the day. We need to learn to relax and do one thing at a time. Which brings me to reason number two...</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Better focus</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our brains cannot focus on more than one thing at a time. Multitasking is just another word for overwhelming your mind. You have a limited amount of energy and time everyday. Choose the three most important things that you need to get done today and two chores. And that’s it. Do those to the best of your abilities. Use the rest of your time to learn, rest and connect with loved ones. Here’s reason number three...</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More time for what’s important</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As much as we would like to think that relationships can wait for us to send that important email, that’s not true. The most important things in life are the people we surround ourselves with. We are wired for connection and need human closeness. The real, old-fashioned one. The one without a screen in between. The one where we actually have a normal conversation, and be totally present in that moment, not on our phones. But that takes space, energy and knowing our priorities.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We live our lives by choice. What decisions we make and what things we pick is up to us. We each have a certain life, we are all unique. But one fact is universal: simplicity keeps our minds healthy and our relationships stronger.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i>Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i> to be sure we stay connected.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i><span style="color: red;"><br></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i><span style="color: red;"><br></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sincerely yours,</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Denisa</i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-21168630494219983552016-09-06T16:01:00.001+03:002016-09-06T16:01:36.833+03:00How to Get Back to What's Important? Three Steps | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IpmATUpZGQ6ctplmWqPbw7Bd76Qbv5Rmd_IMoWHJIfIw_oQQlNe544ckfigGJ5QxhwCn4WWTMpKpnvuUAfGAjhwjtJh11mpDR6ThxLfyewsvo2MzR5YZLpdztwfiW5q5Pr5SsKccCo51/s1600/07_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IpmATUpZGQ6ctplmWqPbw7Bd76Qbv5Rmd_IMoWHJIfIw_oQQlNe544ckfigGJ5QxhwCn4WWTMpKpnvuUAfGAjhwjtJh11mpDR6ThxLfyewsvo2MzR5YZLpdztwfiW5q5Pr5SsKccCo51/s400/07_09_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>This past year has been so far full of events, opportunities and things to do. I almost spread myself too thin between travelling, managing three projects simultaneously, learning new things, planning and thinking things into minute details.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-d2a0dc49-ff92-abac-0ab7-f695fa220a24" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don’t get me wrong, I am deeply grateful for all that has come my way for the past months. I love what I’m doing and had many breakthroughs and “aha!” moments that I’m happy for. But the constant push and pull of doing all these things wasn’t integrating my personal life. The time I had left for sleep, relationships and recharge was feeling smaller and smaller and it all was beginning to get suffocating. That’s when I knew it was time for taking a few steps back and look at the bigger picture while I get back to myself, to my core, to my WHY.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s important to be active, to do the things you love and are passionate about. But at the same time, it’s vital to not lose track of what motivated you to do all that in the first place. We tend to lose our Northern Star while we keep our eyes on the end goal.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is the need for time to just look at the stars, look within and allow yourself to relax and just be. For me, for the past two years since working for myself, that time usually begins in July. It’s also the anniversary of the day I first met multiple sclerosis and got diagnosed, and it somehow gets me into a more reflexive state. The perfect time to take a break. This period extends to August and I go back to work on September.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It doesn’t mean that I’m just sitting on my couch all day doing nothing. That’s just boring! It’s a time I review ideas, thoughts, journals. I listen more than I talk. I learn. I sleep and take care of my mind and body. I get back to my purpose, to my why: getting people to be the best version of themselves, and help them not feel alone.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since being diagnosed with an incurable illness like multiple sclerosis, I learned to make time for myself. Meaning I always prioritize my health above anything else. I can’t stress enough how important looking after yourself is. When we’re young, we think we’re indestructible, but life can prove us wrong. I can’t do anything to cure myself, just to recover and keep my health as stable as possible. On top of the yearly vacation, I also take a few steps daily, just to get back to what’s important. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And these are…</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take time off everyday.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> No matter how busy you are, we all have just 24 hours to live each day: 8 hours of sleep are non-negotiable. These should be your “default prescription” for brain and mental health. Also, add brakes throughout the day, 10-20 minute naps (if the conditions permit it). At the end of your workday, switch off: shower, eat dinner, relax with family and friends, or on your own.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divide your day into active and passive segments of time.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Meaning, the active interval is the one you are the most able, clear-minded and fit to do work. Schedule your tasks to be done during that period. The passive half has to do with switching off. It’s the time of the day when you can’t focus as well, when you’re sleepy and get ready for sleep. Respect your biological clock. It doesn’t matter if right now you’re out of sink. You can program your mind to wake up and go to sleep at certain hours, so that your clock works just fine. It’s all done by learning new habits, by choosing the right things.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Review your progress, be it personal or professional.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I assume that if you got this far into reading this article, you have a why in place. If you do, the need to measure where you are with your goals is important. It keeps you on track and connected to what really matters. Keep a journal of your thoughts, feelings and achievements. Show gratitude for your wins and forgive your losses. See where you need to improve and plan how to do that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i>Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i> to be sure we stay connected.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sincerely yours,</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Denisa</i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-79003878401608624252016-09-06T16:00:00.000+03:002016-09-07T14:35:58.269+03:00How to Unplug Your Mind? Thought Clutter Detox for Millennials | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-N2N7FUieaf0vBKx_LZcjhwyAtiKP2TRcVovBC8E0C8DxutS13R5hJTG8Ss3qyQisuRU_3FvqvDsnypLdNMnw6hUDSP-fkEmEdq4G1rt6DMCl1YvtiOhbyeJV9NG2xmrrWLADlPRd1R3/s1600/06_09_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-N2N7FUieaf0vBKx_LZcjhwyAtiKP2TRcVovBC8E0C8DxutS13R5hJTG8Ss3qyQisuRU_3FvqvDsnypLdNMnw6hUDSP-fkEmEdq4G1rt6DMCl1YvtiOhbyeJV9NG2xmrrWLADlPRd1R3/s400/06_09_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Our mind is the biggest trixter. Its basic function is to register all the information we consume throughout the day and store the bits and pieces that are proving to be useful to our daily lives. The problem these days is that with so much data to process, the mind not only can get exhausted, but it doesn’t know when to slow down and let us rest.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-4e712834-ff89-7c5c-ded5-7b058f12ce5b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ever since we were babies, we have been absorbing and learning all kind of things. From how to speak, walk and talk, to the more advanced ones, like how to write a thesis and be good at our job. We’re on a constant learning curve and that’s fine. The issue is that the mind needs rest, needs a break from all this noise, so that we can once again function at the best of our abilities the next day.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Try to sit still for a few seconds. Close your eyes and just be. Can’t shut down that constant chatter, am I right? This is one of my constant struggles as well. I have to work on myself just to be able to be aware of what I’m doing on a given day. But in time and with patience, it can be tamed, you can clear your head. It’s a daily practice.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here’s how to do it. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have scheduled hours to go on social (phone, computer, etc) and hours to rest.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Allow yourself to wake up, breathe, and start the day slowly but mindfully. The same thing goes for the evenings: leave all screens in another room, at least one hour before bed. Instead, read a fictional novel, your favorite story, anything that can get you relaxed and put your thoughts into relaxation mode. The internet, apps and games are VERY tempting, I know that! Ask me how many times I scrolled way passed midnight! But your sleep, rest and wellbeing are more important than all the entertainment and information this world can provide. Take care of yourself and sleep at least 8 hours per night.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write your mind off!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Pay attention to your thoughts and allow them to settle one at a time. Schedule 10 to 15 minutes in the morning and in the evenings to write down what’s on your mind. I find it useful to have three main categories to put my thoughts into, three “buckets of thought”: what I think, how I feel and what I need to do about it. If categorizing is not your thing, try to “brain dump” all the clutter inside your mind, and analize afterwards. Day and day out, you’ll eventually begin to see a pattern, and understand your thought process. Look for triggers, repetitive behavior with certain emotions, etc.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clear the mind, sit in silence and practice gratefulness for all the things achieved</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">today</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Even if it’s as little as writing that email that was somewhat overdue, be happy that you finally did that. What matters most is the process of expressing gratitude. Pray for guidance and ease, give thanks for what you’ve been given and the moments when you and your loved ones have been at your best. Wish for more of that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Taking care of your mind and unplugging at the end of the day, as well as having a no-gadget morning routine can be hard to achieve. Especially now, when connection is made easy. But the most important connection you’ll ever have is the one with God and with yourself. Peace of mind and ease of heart matter most than anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i>Liked this post? Subscribe <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://eepurl.com/bR1Q61" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a>,</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i> to be sure we stay connected.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 22.08px;"><i><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sincerely yours,</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Denisa</i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-9397182128394049662016-07-13T12:23:00.003+03:002016-07-13T12:23:46.405+03:00METAMORPHOSIS - ep. 24 - I Respect | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhTIlM3pT-WQEuqocse-ms5v1blQLet8hvKxr335YY7G28IASDtXYULpHKunau65smJ4r_Td2jVM8YYx74vnjlpA9Yfa6a8elmBCU0Ek4MDoFFYaT_WuLsSiThw25zmWF2WFkhVjPPi3H/s1600/29_07_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhTIlM3pT-WQEuqocse-ms5v1blQLet8hvKxr335YY7G28IASDtXYULpHKunau65smJ4r_Td2jVM8YYx74vnjlpA9Yfa6a8elmBCU0Ek4MDoFFYaT_WuLsSiThw25zmWF2WFkhVjPPi3H/s400/29_07_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>When was the last time you really felt like yourself? When did you connect to your inner core, to that playful, joyful, child-like energy that you thought to be gone as you grew up? It always comes back to you when you're emotionally and mentally balanced, when you're free of negativity.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's similar to getting back to a really good mood that you feel like yourself again, ready to conquer anything. And you have that deep breathing and slight dumb smile on your face. Face it, we all have it. It's OK to have it. As kids we did more than that, we laughed our hearts out, we poured them onto the table. That was before we learned they can get broken.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Show some respect to your own heart. Like you would do to an old and dear friend, show it some love and appreciation for where it brought you. It went to war for you, had disappointments, fear, anger, skipped a beat. All that for you to be able to live the way you wanted at that time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The true nature of our hearts is to be good, to show love, to make us compassionate and helping. To show gratitude and mercy. To correct injustice, to make people around us happy and filled with joy. It's greatest aim is to merge with the divine. And what more can we do to this world before that moment, rather that love it fully, completely and without expecting anything in return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Respect the hearts in other people too. They might have gone through harder times still. Treat anyone you meet with compassion, with kindness. Nowadays people are bruised, cynical, fearfull and disconnected. But a good heart will always make them think. Hopefully it will make them ask questions. Ideally, their own enclosed hearts will begin to shatter the wall they've built up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Respect is nothing but a big admiration for other's achievements, abilities or qualities. Respect is a form of love. Love for others, love for yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That is all for today's article. If you want to know more about HOW to begin the process of respecting your heart, let me know in the comments below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, transformation happens from within.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have a wonderful day,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Denisa</span></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-11704666806979396302016-07-13T12:23:00.001+03:002016-07-13T12:23:18.301+03:00METAMORPHOSIS - ep. 23 - I Surrender | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZec3cl12Cd8ENpTjve5F0A-kX5vWYCFFB9AT6tQx0mRhEfj__wN9zeGWweT-g98TR7WcKEHQgCxCpYk1CopTHDyWH3NUL17rSYFcY-IlYGUU4Ds_7tkuf1c_T-1EiNAJuDkgAPTuBgEI/s1600/22_07_2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZec3cl12Cd8ENpTjve5F0A-kX5vWYCFFB9AT6tQx0mRhEfj__wN9zeGWweT-g98TR7WcKEHQgCxCpYk1CopTHDyWH3NUL17rSYFcY-IlYGUU4Ds_7tkuf1c_T-1EiNAJuDkgAPTuBgEI/s400/22_07_2016.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Some time ago you got scared of being emotionally hurt. You were afraid of showing your vulnerability and kept it locked inside you. That didn't allow you to be put in any vulnerable situation, where you depended on other's acceptance, mercy or attention. You fought back whenever that happened. You were getting way to cautious.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Until you understand that sensibility is in fact a strength that allows you to deeper understand and empathize with people and the world around you. You understand that all this time you were just blocking your natural way of being: compassionate, warm, giving, in fear of what others will say or do. Who cares?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nobody looks that closely at you... not so much time anyway. We are all self-focused. We only hear others out, take them into account when they make it personal, when it involves us. Either through love or hate, we are activated by what others throw at us. Hate and anger made us close in the first time around. How about opening our hearts and give some kindness and compassion instead?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, another two lessons here: want to involve people in your cause? Make them care, establish a connection. Want everyone to leave you alone? Stop reacting to them, interrupt that connection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stop resisting to what you feel inside. Give your heart the power to make your life brighter. Allow yourself to give parts of you to others. It feels wonderful to make people smile. It's humbling to find out that you've motivated someone to not give up and move onwards with life. You might cry in either one of these moments, but surrender to that to. It's authentic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Feel free to be your own self. This world has to many masks going on already. A mask, a standardized human being never amazed anyone. Surrender to your true self. Surrender to being alive and living the best life you can possibly offer to the world around you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That is all for today's article. If you want to know more about HOW to begin the process of surrendering, let me know in the comments below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, transformation happens from within.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have a wonderful day,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Denisa</span></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-29699704852770831352016-07-13T12:22:00.002+03:002016-07-13T12:22:32.936+03:00METAMORPHOSIS - ep. 22 - I Am Focused | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XXbOsP_05y4gMMDVfLuhW7qnkVAsDv_XAFRcO2i-8wddogZSj8FCNUeEh-5lX9N19nKg2USv6pAFSiIo6zjb8fN3rOrQR1TI-4XqqUsZAXI75ntKblZT2RWN3wa1uFgLSr8_O3uYzksZ/s1600/15_07_2016+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XXbOsP_05y4gMMDVfLuhW7qnkVAsDv_XAFRcO2i-8wddogZSj8FCNUeEh-5lX9N19nKg2USv6pAFSiIo6zjb8fN3rOrQR1TI-4XqqUsZAXI75ntKblZT2RWN3wa1uFgLSr8_O3uYzksZ/s400/15_07_2016+%25282%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fireplace has always been a central focal point of every home or community for ages. It brought heat, food and a means to socialize and tell stories. At its root, the term "focus" literally means "domestic heath" (domestic fireplace floor). To focus means to pay particular attention to something or someone. </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When you're blocking out everything else and concentrating on just one thing, you know that you're focused. What happens when you're so into doing something that you become oblivious of all other stuff around you? Time flies by.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focus compresses time. When you're caught up in experiencing / doing a certain activity, you understand that all things are relative, given the situation you find yourself in at a certain moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's all a matter of perspective, of how you perceive what's happening. It's a matter of how you choose to see your reality. In this particular situation, we talk about time, but the relativity applies to how you define a situation to be real, how you picture it to be, to what emotions, beliefs or actions you associate to it. It's all about what choices you're making.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We can't make every decision right, but we can train to get the majority of them done the smart way. Be aware of your feelings, actions, consequences and surroundings. Get informed, ask questions and then focus on doing things right. Focus on bringing more good into this world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You have your very own fireplace inside you. It's the place from which every emotion pours out of you when you feel, the place you feel broken when you get rejected or get the impression that you don't belong. That inner fireplace is your heart. With every beat it tells your story, it gathers your experiences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We all have an infinite amount of love inside. For others and most importantly for ourselves. You might not be aware of this yet, but love is in your heart. Your self-confidence might be low, but you still care about yourself and what happens to you. Take time to go deeper. Take time to focus. You'll be surprised of how much you actually keep locked inside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a different process for everyone, it might take longer or happen very quickly. The main idea here is to start. Come back to your inner fireplace. To your inner focus. Then write down what happened. It will be your most cherished memory, I promise you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That is all for today's article. If you want to know more about HOW to begin the process of inner focusing, let me know in the comments below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, transformation happens from within.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have a wonderful day,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Denisa</span></i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917009731005912011.post-10896736176195987282016-07-08T16:03:00.001+03:002016-07-08T17:39:16.172+03:00METAMORPHOSIS - ep. 21 - I Enjoy | SMart Choice Lifestyle<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To enjoy means to like what you're experiencing. To feel joy and to be at ease. To give joy to others. When the mind is wondering and stressed, you're basically not there, not in the moment. That leads to automatizing your actions, which in turn don't give you any joy, getting you frustrated pretty quickly.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We all get that tendency of doing things a certain way, not because our lives depend on it, but because that's what is expected of us. Expectations are (most of the time) the root of getting disappointed. In a world so diverse, projecting a subjective (wanted) outcome onto situations and people you cannot control paves the way to getting hurt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course you can still trust people and situations and predict their actions and outcomes in relation to you. I'm just saying that it's often best to allow space for flexibility and adaptation. The world around us is constantly changing. Grabbing hold of only a certain point of view can be damaging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Situations have multiple versions and different outcomes that not always depend on your input. Accepting that is the first step you can do to have more ease and peace of mind. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Humans are adaptable creatures, you are able to get passed something unexpected. You get better at it with time, true; but the real insight here is that you are able to do it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There can even be thoughts of giving up your activity, because you are not getting what you want from it. Here's what I think you can do. Take time for yourself. Let all thoughts and worries melt away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Begin moving your body, stretch it out. Let go of judging that you're stiff, tight or unable to do x or y things. Focus on what is available to you at this time and find joy in that. Like what you do. Breathe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Find what makes you feel good in that moment, what gives you the satisfaction of getting a thing done well, not what keeps you from doing it perfectly. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Life is not about perfectionism, but about finding the imperfections, about finding how and why you react a certain way when you can or can't do a certain thing. It's all part of a process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's about ups and downs. Basically, it's a rollercoaster. Remember what I said about trusting the outcome (click <b><i><a href="http://smartchoicelifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/06/metamorphosis-ep-18-i-trust-30letters.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a></i></b>)? </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Keep at it, have faith. Do your best and see how it all turns out. You'll be surprised on how different each moment will be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As always, transformation starts from within.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have the most wonderful day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Denisa</i></b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09677039382749663162noreply@blogger.com0