5 Steps to Track Your Happiness and Reboot Your Mood

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 27, 2016

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.” –Victor Frankl Having a bad day? You might not be in control of your surroundings, but you can control your reactions to them. Simply tracking your emotions […]

Manage Stress, Don’t Eliminate It

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 27, 2016

If you define stress as that crazy out-of-control feeling you get when you’re overwhelmed and under pressure, you’ve got it partially right. Stress is your body’s reaction to difficult or challenging situations. Your heartrate increases, your breathing becomes faster, your muscles tighten and your blood pressure rises. You’re ready for action. It can create anxiety, disrupt […]

6 Signs That You’re Not Living In The Present

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 27, 2016

You’ve heard it a million times—the key to happiness is learning to live in the present moment. It’s possible this motivated you to try a mindfulness practice and carve out time to quiet your busy mind, but you still haven’t yet found that calm and centered feeling you’re seeking. You might know what you’re supposed […]

Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 27, 2016

Even if you’ve never heard of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you’ve probably witnessed it at work. If you’ve ever been scared or anxious about something, only to find that it was not as bad as you feared once you let go of your assumptions and tried it, you’ve experienced one of the principles behind CBT. Similarly, […]

Negative Thoughts & Depression: A Vicious Circle?

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 14, 2016

If you’ve ever experienced depression, you know it can be a black hole of self-doubt and distorted negative thinking. It can be hard to figure out which came first—the depression or the self-defeating thoughts. That’s because depression is likely to have many causes. It can arise from biological or cognitive roots; it can be triggered by […]

Spirituality: What’s Your Style?

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 14, 2016

If you’re committed to changing your life, whether it’s improving relationships, gaining control over your emotions or moving beyond bad habits, it shouldn’t matter whether you’re religious or not. Yet the language of 12-step recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, which uses terms like “higher power,” “God,” “spirituality,” and “prayer,” can make some people feel uncomfortable, […]

Mindfulness Is Not Effortless

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 9, 2016

Mindfulness is not effortless For most people, a mindful practice begins with meditation: learning to sit quietly and concentrate on the flow of the breath without trying to control it, watching your thoughts and judgments arise and pass. Meditation can be very calming and is a great way to learn mindfulness. But don’t confuse the […]

The Secret To Positive Change? Gratitude

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 9, 2016

The secret to positive change? Gratitude. What’s your New Year’s resolution? To be happier? Healthier? More successful? Improve your relationships? No matter what your goal, there is one thing you can do to improve the likelihood of succeeding. – Begin with gratitude Research has repeatedly confirmed that acts of gratitude, such as counting your blessings, […]

Starting a New Year – Is Everyone As Freaked Out As I Am?

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 8, 2016

The first workday of the new year has come and gone. When I woke up in the new year, I wasn’t feeling as refreshed and excited about things to come as the media was touting I should be. I was actually quite fearful of everything I needed to get done and the uncertainty of change that […]

Is Happiness Really A Choice?

Posted by aplanforliving
On January 4, 2016

Is Happiness Really A Choice? I have discussed with friends, therapists, and support groups on whether happiness is really a choice. I have been presented with scenarios like dealing with death in a family, a terminal illness, a chronic condition (especially bipolar disorder, depression or anxiety), personal failures and professional failures to name a few. The […]

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