3 Simple Ways to Change Your Behavior and Take Control of Your Life

The French philosopher, Henri Bergson, once said that, "To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."

Change is unavoidable, continuous, and is occurring all the time. 

Our country changes, our city changes, our neighborhood changes, our family changes, and we as individuals change. Sometimes it may not be perceptible by someone on the outside.

But, we know ourselves better than anyone else when we have changed. 

Our political views may have changed, our attitudes may have changed, our appearances may have changed, and even our faculties may have changed.

The term change itself has an even deeper significant when it is in reference to a change in behavior that represents coming to a fork in the road and having to choose one direction or another. If you're dissatisfied with your present state and want to change, that is significant. 

If you are dissatisfied with your career; if you're dissatisfied with your marriage or other important relationships; if you're dissatisfied with your lifestyle; or if you're dissatisfied with your career; a major change may be necessary. A desire to change and a willingness to do so is essential. No one can change you or your situation. It has to begin with you. It has to begin inside.

1. Some people continue to change jobs, mate, and friends, but never think of changing themselves. Don't become that person. If you feel that you are stuck in a rut and is seriously desirous of making a change in your life, don't hesitate to seek professional help. 

If you don't have a close friend who has your best interest at heart, then find a therapist that you can trust and establish a good working relationship with that particular person. 

2. Be willing to take your therapist's recommendations seriously. Just talking about your problem will not bring about the change you need. You must be willing to do homework between the sessions and talk about your efforts and experiences when you return to the session. Most people do not change because willingness to make the effort is lacking.

3. Think about change as taking control your life. Get off of the roller coaster ride where you are allowing others to affect your emotional level by what they say or do. It is about making the decision to become that person you want to be, to begin taking the necessary steps in that direction, and to resolve to continue to grow the rest of your life

 
You may also like Take Control of Your Life with Lifestyle Changes. Let me know your thoughts. Leave your comments below.

Connection Between Spirituality and Mental Health

Spirituality has been defined as the belief and practices that develop based on personal values and ideology of the meaning and purpose of life as part of a larger scheme.

It refers to the belief that there is a power outside of one's own that transcends understanding.

For many individuals, identifying with a religion and having religious beliefs influence their spirituality. However, spirituality is not confined to those who belonged to an organized religion or have religious beliefs.

People can develop spirituality without practicing a particular religion or believing in the powers of a supreme being. 

However, whatever is the nature of their spirituality, many individuals achieve a sense of inner peace and harmony as well as emotional fulfillment by believing that life has a purpose.

In my view spirituality and religiosity are interrelated with religiosity focusing on the external expressions of spirituality or faith. In other words religious practices can foster spirituality while spiritual practices could involve aspects of religious participation.

Nevertheless, a breakdown in spirituality can have a negative impact on one's mental well-being.

The key issue here is that whether changing their lives to improve their mental health or dealing with the recovery from a health problem, people with strong spiritual beliefs benefit from the foundation of confidence and purpose that their beliefs provide.

Now let's look at the three dimensions of spirituality. They are:
a. making personal meaning out of situations
b. coming to an understanding of self
c. appreciating the importance of connection with others.

Spirituality then may be considered a mechanism of social support, positive coping, and decision-making, avoidance of substance abuse, and help in times of stress.


What are your thoughts about spirituality? Leave your comments below.

Humans Don't Have Instincts. Humans Have Intuition: Here are 4 Ways to Use Your Intuition for Personal Gain

Instinct is defined as an unalterable behavior pattern that is universal for a species -- that is, every member of the species can be expected to do it.  

Intuition is defined as a kind of immediate knowledge or awareness not based upon some logical process -- a form of insight that brings together appropriate relationships between the elements of a problem or situation.

The key distinction to be made here is that by definition instinct can only be applied to animals while intuition can only be applied to human beings.

Intuition allows you to discover unseen realities and hidden truths. It alerts you to problems and warns you of risks and dangers you might not otherwise detect. It is that sixth sense -- that faculty of the mind that operates independently of reason and logic. 

 It is a way of sensing something that produces instantaneous comprehension and can occur spontaneously.

Certain qualities make you more sensitive to intuitive experiences like relaxation, patience, and self-control. 

Do not confuse intuition with hope, emotion, or intellect. Rather, it is developed through trial and error. Moreover, it cannot be explained. You know when you have it.

Awakening intuition is about learning to trust yourself. You need to let your intuition guide you and then be willing to follow that guidance directly and fearlessly.

Intuition can be developed to produce genius in individuals thought to be mediocre or even of inferior intelligence. Here then are four tips for developing your intuition:

1. Learn to tune into intuitive experiences and to recognize their quality. 
Intuitive impulses are a form of sensed perception and are distinguished by a vague sense of being certain or almost certain.
2. Be aware of soft facts as well as hard facts. 
 Soft facts are less formal or obvious such as impressions, feelings, inclinations, and vibrations. Hard facts are logical, objective, and overt. Soft facts are hunches, intuitive, and invisible. Hard facts are obvious, conscious, and tangible. In most situations both soft and hard facts will reveal themselves.
3. Intuition is commonly experienced within the context of choice.
When a choice need to be made, intuition will signal stop or go. This faculty is developed by comparison and contrast. By comparing your subjective experience with the eventual correctness or incorrectness of your choice, you can eventually sense the expression which will match up.
4. Be true to your intuition.
Extraneous factors will often intrude, such as social pressures, wish fulfillment, greed, impatience and so on which can alter the basis for your decision.

A word of caution. Do not rely solely upon your intuition. Study the situation. Use the other side of your brain and do your research. After you have done your research, then let your intuition guide you to your final choice. Intuition is something to be used in conjunction with your logical, rational abilities.

Now you know that the next time you hear a commentator, analyst, broadcaster, etc. associate the term instinct with human beings, it is charitable to say that you are listening to someone who is just being imprecise in their thinking. But, really it's just stupid to say this.

Now its your turn. Do you trust your intuition? If so what experiences have you had?

Leave your comments below.