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The Importance of Congruence: How to Manage Your Thoughts

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A term you might’ve heard a lot nowadays is how you shouldn’t “bottle up” your thoughts, let alone your emotions. This means that you’re deliberately holding back from expressing a thought. Especially if it worries or concerns you because you don’t wish to face the emotions that will follow.

There are many harmful effects caused by you bottling up your thoughts. Just a couple include: 

  • Feeling anxious. As you’re trying to trick yourself into not confronting what’s on your mind, your anxiety levels will increase. 
  • Developing harmful coping mechanisms. To avoid the thoughts that are bothering you, you may find yourself eating or drinking and, if you smoke, smoking more than before. 
  • Following from the previous point, these habits can lead to not just weight gain or loss, and digestive issues as well. 

This article will explain how you should not bottle up those thoughts by confronting and accepting that you’ve been having them. 

Read Now: A Happy Diet: 9 Foods Proven to Lift Your Mood

Write Things Down

Writing can help you to understand your thoughts.

Although it sounds simple, writing down your thoughts is an effective technique. It’s even proven that it helps create catharsis. 

Whether you’re using putting a pen to paper or typing on a computer, there are several ways in which you could do this. It could be a diary or journal entry, or even a letter to a person who might be bothering you. Remember not to send that letter, as it’s only being used for self-therapy. 

As you write, your thoughts will properly take shape and become a lot clearer to you. They can become more personal than you expect. But writing will help you understand them more and give you a proper idea as to why you’ve been thinking about them. 

Exercise 

At first glance, you might be thinking “if I decide to exercise, won’t I be avoiding confronting my thoughts?”

No matter what method of exercise you engage in or how long you’ll be doing it, you’ll have the space to focus on what’s on your mind. This can be as simple as going for a walk, or going to the gym and lifting weights. Regardless, exercise gives you a chance to reflect on your thoughts and emotions. 

After all, the brain is often likened to being a muscle, so you’ll be exercising that as well as you move around. 

Read Now: Surprising Benefits of Exercise: Confidence and Creativity

Consider Why You’re Bottling Up


Negative thoughts can be difficult to deal with alone.

Sometimes, you are already fully aware of why you’ve been bottling things up. 

There are a variety of reasons for doing this. You could be angry or upset (or a combination of the two) over someone or something, which can cause emotional distress. Thinking about and focusing on these thoughts might feel as though you’re reliving the initial experience that led to you having them in the first place. This can lead to you not wanting to go through them again, but ignoring them won’t make them go away.

By choosing to ignore the problem itself, you’re going to cause yourself numerous harmful repercussions. The biggest side effect of not challenging those thoughts is the increase in your anxiety levels, which can eventually make you feel anxious all the time. 

Express Yourself Creatively

There are times when you just feel as though you want to express yourself, but you don’t want to downright say what’s on your mind. The thoughts can be negative or positive. But, that won’t stop them from being intrusive and possibly distracting you from whatever you’re doing. 

There are many creative ways for you to convey your thoughts and ideas. Some methods include: 

  • Writing: We’ve already mentioned writing a letter or diary entry, but you could also write a story. It doesn’t matter if it’s too short or too long – go for it! 
  • Drawing or painting: It can be a pencil on paper or a paintbrush on a canvas; it will reveal how dedicated you can be when creating something. 
  • Listening or dancing to music: The latter is especially effective, as your moves will help you let out any suppressed emotions you might have. 
  • Cooking or baking: Whether it’s a treat or a meal you’ve always wanted to make, you’ll be surprised by the enthusiasm you’ll have due to the anticipation of seeing the finished product. 

Talk 

A problem shared is a problem halved!

This sounds like the simplest thing to do, doesn’t it? But just saying “I’m sorry” or “I was wrong” is not easy for some people. If you’re an introvert, or you don’t want to confront your thoughts and the connected emotions, then talking won’t be easy for you. 

But, this is the most effective way to relieve yourself of stress. It doesn’t matter who you decide to talk to – it could be a friend, a family member, a work colleague, or even a stranger. Just as long as you speak to someone and say what’s on your mind, you’ll feel the burden go away. 

Read Now: How to Practice Active Listening

This was just a small number of ways to prevent you from bottling up your thoughts. If you’d like to know more on this topic, or perhaps an entirely different one altogether, please contact us today at Ceed. 

How Listening to Music Can Better Your Life

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Everybody has enjoyed music at some point in their life and has a genre they enjoy the most, whether it’s pop, rap, or reggae. No matter the genre, the feeling of listening to the genre that you like the most stays the same: it relaxes you. 

But what other effects can listening to music have on you?  

Mood Booster and Stress Reducer 

Nobody enjoys the feeling of sadness, but sometimes it is just part of our lives we can’t control. Music has a deeper connection beneath its surface than just a mix of sounds, and lyrics. It has been proven to stimulate your brain by releasing a chemical called “dopamine” which is associated with pleasure within our brain. This means that listening to music boosts yourself emotionally, and mentally reduces stress. Listening to a playlist of your favourite songs, and releasing the dopamine, can also reduce the feeling of depression. 

Starting your day off by listening to music can enhance the rest of your day. If you have issues with stress or just general sadness, then music is a great way to escape. Even if it’s only momentarily, it’s healthier than letting these negative feelings take you over.  

Read Now: How to Better Your Mental Health by Getting Creative

Mind Distraction and Improved Focus

It can distract your mind from your negative surroundings, keeping you occupied in a tranquil state. Noisy workplace? Just pop some earphones in and jam away. Drowning out sounds that stress you out and replacing them with dopamine fuelled music can enhance your mind to focus more on what you want to achieve. With this increase in focus, your productivity will rise higher than it did before and could even lead to avoiding work stress.   

Be warned however, as being overwhelmed by music can distract you from your work, or whatever you are doing while listening to music.  

Music can help you overcome personal difficulties.

Read Now: How Music Can Motivate You to Stick to Your Exercise Routine

Pain Management 

This effect isn’t just about physical pain, but mental pain as well. Whether it is stress, depression, or just general anger. Listening to music that relates to those emotions can cause you to push those feelings out of your mind. Knowing that someone went through the same situation as you and made a song filled with that emotion can let you know that you aren’t alone in this matter. This effect can also allow you to overcome blocks within your life. Whether that is writing blocks or mental blocks. 

It also reduces the pain you perceive and relaxes you a lot more if you are in any kind of physical pain. Which can be extremely useful if the pain is uncomfortable enough to keep you awake at night.  

Creativity and Sleep Improvement 

Music can be very tranquil and peaceful to listen to. It allows you to switch your brain off if you are listening to music without having anything to do. You create a narrative and envision the song in your head, which ultimately, can improve your creativity.

Most people listen to music when going to bed as this creativity that flows through you can help you sleep easier. The constant rush of dopamine to your brain makes your brain regulate hormones, and reduces cortisol which affects stress itself to help you sleep better.

Listening to music can improve your sleep schedule!

Mental Health Healing 

Improving your focus can also help to manage any effects that come with health conditions like autism, ADHD, or Tourette’s. As your mind becomes more focused on the rhythm, sounds, and lyrics, your brain momentarily forgets about reality and places you into a sort of daydream in your head. You remember who is in charge of your life, and it is you, and only you. 

Conclusion 

Music is of huge importance to our lives, even if you don’t listen to it every day. The deep connection between our brain and music is almost magical. You can always find websites online that allow you to listen to music, including:

Remember that there are people who are struggling or have struggled in the same way as you.  

If you require assistance with any topics mentioned here, or in general then please feel free to contact us here at Ceed today. 

Why Hobbies Are Good for Your Mental Health

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It’s very common for people not to prioritise hobbies and downtime. With working or studying full time it’s difficult to set aside time for ourselves to relax and indulge in activities we enjoy.  

Having a hobby is a great way to spend your spare time and unwind from your daily routine. Hobbies can range from learning an instrument, playing a sport, reading, photography or something artistic. 

By setting time aside for hobbies you can help improve your mental health and wellbeing. Research shows that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from low moods, stress and depression. 

Hobbies allow you to enhance your life! 

What is a Hobby? 

A hobby can be any activity that you do regularly for your own enjoyment. Whether this is something creative, athletic or academic, what matters is that it’s meaningful to you. 

When you dedicate time to voluntarily engage in pleasurable activities, your mental health can benefit. 

Read now: The Valuable Mental Health Benefits of Cold Water Swimming 

Mental Health Benefits of Hobbies: 

Reduce Stress 

Hobbies are a perfect way to distract yourself after a busy day. They provide the opportunity to focus on yourself and release any stress built up from your day.  

Spending time on a hobby can be as simple as finding the time to listen to music. Whatever activity you choose will help manage your stress levels. So, take some time out of your busy day to start painting, or go outside and walk in nature.  

Creativity Boosts Wellbeing 

Partaking in creative activities such as song-writing, knitting, art and musical performance have all been shown to increase positive moods. By pursuing creative hobbies you’ll see an improvement in your mental wellbeing.  

Creative activities also allow you to expand neural connections in your brain, which has been linked to the release of the feel good hormone dopamine. Spending as little as two hours per week on an activity you enjoy can help you live a more positive life. 

Form Connections With Others 

Hobbies that include other people, such as team sports, offer great opportunities to foster social connections and friendships. Having a healthy social life can have a highly positive impact on your mental health.  

Shared experience through hobbies can also enhance your enjoyment of the activity and help you feel less isolated. So, if you’re looking for a new hobby, try something interactive team sport or even joining a band. 

Read now: Intentional Living: How Can it Benefit You? 

A hobby is something that you do for fun or personal fulfilment. 

Tips to Make Time for Hobbies 

A common issue when it comes to investing in hobbies is time. When it comes to how our lives are typically structured, work tends to come before play.  

Although many of us feel like there isn’t enough time in the day for hobbies, there are a few changes you can make to help free up some time for the things you love: 

  • Regularly participating in a hobby doesn’t mean you have you do it daily, a weekly activity will be a lot easier to fit into your schedule. Just an hour or two a week is a great addition to your lifestyle. If you feel you still don’t have the time try saying no more often and putting a hobby higher up on your list of priorities. 
  • It’s easy to lose a lot of valuable time in your day by doing mindless things like scrolling on social media or watching TV. Be conscious of how you’re spending your free time and try to make sure you’re using it wisely.  
  • If you’re finding it difficult to find extra free time, try taking more micro-breaks during the workday. This will help you find the time to do things you enjoy while also increasing your overall productivity. You could use these short breaks to go for a walk outside, listen to your favourite podcast or read a few chapters of a book.  

Read now: Surprising Benefits of Exercise: Confidence and Creativity 

Having a hobby can greatly improve your life. Do some research and find a few activities that interest you and simply try them out. There’s no pressure to stick to anything you don’t enjoy but eventually, you’ll find a hobby that’s suited to you.  

For further advice on lifestyle changes you can make to benefit your mental health, contact our experts at Ceed here.  

Why Creating a Healthy Routine is Good for You

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Routines are the mind, and body’s natural clockwork – after getting used to a certain internal flow, a habit will fit into place like a jigsaw puzzle and can get stuck there. 

However, sometimes, these routines can be bad and ultimately unhealthy for you. Here are what a healthy routine can do for you: 

Healthiness is key to a long and prosperous life. 

Mentally 

A healthy routine doesn’t just have to be physical exercise. 

For your mental health, a healthy routine can do wonders for your mind. Spend a few hours a day listening to music, reading, writing, or going on a walk. This can lead to you spending your time being more mentally free.  

Clearing your mind from negative thoughts and clutter can improve your focus and lead you to a happier lifestyle. Your mood can improve but your focus and memory can also improve when involved in mental gymnastics. 

Being more mentally free allows you to be happier, and have a greater outlook on life.  

Physically 

Usually, when someone mentions a healthy routine, you think of physical exercise and diet, and that is what’s going to be covered in this section.  

If you are self-conscious, then physical exercise can make you feel better about yourself by improving your body, and diet. These are not only healthier choices but helps build confidence and courage in yourself to be proud of yourself.  

You can also just simply partake in a diet that will help you feel better and healthier and will have noticeable changes. You will end up feeling sick less, but it can also make your mornings a lot less groggy. 

Making it a routine to get up early would improve your sleeping pattern, and allow you to have more hours to yourself – about eight hours is healthy. This means you can have breakfast, which is stapled as one of the most important meals of the day. 

Read Now: How to Get Better Sleep 

Economically 

Your personal finance can be affected by your routine due to always buying the same thing at the shop, or for dinner every day. It can also be that you buy a takeaway frequently which can cause a decline in health and your finance as takeaways have a huge impact on you and your economy. 

By spending less money, you are also inhabiting a healthier diet – and improving physically, and mentally. As well as saving a lot more money in the long run. 

This can then be used as a sort of reward system. Let’s say you have a takeaway once a fortnight for reducing your intake. This gives you a reason for wanting to complete the challenge and results in saving money.  

Read Now: 7 Ways to Ease Financial Stress and Manage your Money 

Key to a Healthy Routine 

The key to a healthy routine is to stick to your ideals and beliefs, as delving from it can cause you to go back to your old routine. It’s about commitment, and focus. You need to want it to get it.  

It is recommended to start small and work your way up. For example, getting up earlier and having breakfast. This small step will show you what it is like to change and then can alter further changes in your routine to be healthier.   

Then someday you can tackle the more difficult changes! 

Push yourself and you will thank yourself later! 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, a healthy routine is one of the most important things for a healthier and happier life and by following your heart and not letting yourself trip on your attempts to gain a better routine, you will succeed.  

You will thank yourself in the long run. 

You are number one, and you should look out for yourself. Don’t think about how other people think, go out there and succeed. 

Hopefully, this has helped you find out why a healthy routine is good. For more information, contact us at Ceed here today. 

Why Being Spontaneous Can Make You Happier

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Be Spontaneous 

Spontaneity can have enormous payoffs for mental health and wellbeing. It can make you feel happier and more creative – it can even rewire our brains. 

When was the last time you ditched your plans and did something completely spontaneous? 

With our overfilled diaries and online planners, our lives are often packed to the brim, leaving little or no time for a sudden whim. But, although routines can help us get through everyday tasks, like cleaning our teeth, filling every single moment with planned activity can badly affect us. 

We often pack our schedules so full that we leave little room for unplanned actions, but doing so means you may be missing out on moments of joy.  

Read Now: 4 Mindful Ways to Help You Live in the Moment 

Wake up feeling happier!

The Benefits of Being Spontaneous 

Being open to spontaneous events and allowing our mind time to reflect on things, rather than rushing from one planned activity to the next, can benefit our emotional health. 

Keep Your Life Fresh 

Spontaneous people are always up to try something new. They’ll spice up the day any way they can. It could be as simple as ordering something new from a local restaurant for lunch. Because they’re always trying something new, spontaneous people never get bored and stay fresh. 

Be More Flexible 

Be ready to try and do something new. And if plans change, adapt to them. Spontaneous people don’t feel tied down to one goal and will be more than happy to accommodate a contingency, as long as it leads to an exciting adventure.  

This “go with the flow” attitude helps them avoid conflict and confrontation. Instead, they can ride the wave of excitement that continuously exists within their life. 

Be More Creative 

Spontaneous people aren’t constantly thinking about their next move – they do whatever comes to mind. This mindset means that they don’t set boundaries for what they can accomplish, and they can be more creative.  

Unlock your creativity today! 

Read Now: How to Better Your Mental Health by Getting Creative 

Less Stress 

People that are spontaneous tend to not stress out over much. They understand that life goes on, whether it goes as planned or not. And, of course, when life gets stressful, as it does every so often, spontaneous people know how to shake things up to relieve the stress and get over the hurdle they’re currently facing. 

Read Now: 4 Effective Ways to Clear Your Mind of Stress 

Be Happier 

Spontaneous people have a mindset that allows them always to see the bright side of things which optimises their ability to maintain a positive outlook on life, making them happier. 

How To Be More Spontaneous 

Becoming a more spontaneous person is certainly not easy, so here are simple things that you can do to live a more spontaneous life. Hopefully, these steps will encourage you to do something more when you’re finally ready to. 

Shake Up Your Routine 

It doesn’t have to be something drastic. You could start with something simple, like going somewhere else for your morning coffee or taking a new route home from work. 

When you do something different, you open your eyes and mind up to new possibilities. You’ll then feel more inclined and less afraid to try new things.  

Do Something New Everyday 

Whether placing a different order when you’re out at your favourite café, or putting on that shirt that you never had any confidence to wear, you need to break out of your comfort zone. There’s no need to plan for it; go with the flow. When the opportunity presents itself, don’t hesitate and do it. 

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone!

 

Do What You Want 

Forget the rules, and do whatever makes you happy. Life is for living, so live it loud and proud. Focus on what makes you happy, and incorporate it into your life as much as possible. don’t get stuck doing things that don’t work for you just because it’s become your routine. Just be sure you don’t hurt yourself or anyone else. 

Start Saying Yes 

Whether it’s an invite to a party where you don’t know many people, an invitation to have drinks with co-workers you’re not very close with, take a risk and say yes. Something as simple as this can make a big difference to your day-to-day lifestyle. Once you start saying yes, you will notice more great opportunities arising that you otherwise might have rejected.

Stop Doubting Yourself 

The more you feel like you can’t do things, the more likely you won’t. When you psych yourself out to try something new that you’re uncomfortable with, you’ll likely break out of your monotonous routine. Spice up your life by telling yourself that you can do it, and you will. 

Read Now: How to Overcome Fear of Failure 

Turn Off Your Gadgets 

When you don’t have any distractions in the way, you will be more willing to get up and get something done. Taking a break from your phone or computer can force you into new situations that are likely to be more rewarding.

Speak To a Stranger 

More often than not, we tend to retreat into our comfort zone when we’re in unfamiliar territory and faced with unfamiliar faces. Don’t hesitate to speak to a stranger. You’ll be surprised at what you may gain.    

Your life is meant to be lived and not wasted doing things that bring you no joy. Despite your responsibilities, there’s no reason why you can’t inject some spontaneity into your life to make it that much more worthwhile.  

For further advice from our professional lifestyle coaches, contact us at Ceed today!  

How to Better Your Mental Health by Getting Creative

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Everyone is creative – whether it is solving problems or creating content. It isn’t just a case of different jobs being creative or not. If you work in a warehouse for example, you may just utilise creativity in a different way.  

Creativity stems from the imagination of an individual who can improvise, using their brain in any situation to think of a solution. Utilising this creativity we all have, you can engage in many different creative activities to help you mentally, and emotionally.  

There are countless ideas that can sprout if you allow yourself to be creative.

It’s a worldwide “rumour” that creativity lies in the right-side of your brain, however, it lies in both. The right when you are imagining something on the spot, and the left when you are imagining based on something already learned or established. 

Creativity is an extraordinary concept that allows us to build ideas out of thin air. Through mental construction we can form our own creation that we can be proud of. Knowing that you created it yourself can give you a tremendous boost in mood that, if you choose, can lead into a more creativity-oriented mindset. 

Read Now:

Here are a few activities that can help you release your creative energy: 

Creative Writing 

Writing itself has been around for at least 5000+ years, and creative writing has been around for about the same time. One of the first known creative writers or authors in the world was “Enheduanna”, who lived in around the 2200 BCE time period. She was one of the first known poets and authors – she even wrote hymns.  

This is a fine example of how despite having less technology than we have now, ancient civilisations still found a way to distil their imagination, creating something out of nothing. 

In modern times, we have many more ways to be inspired, whether that is by films, shows, music, paintings, games or speeches. There are countless forms of these things out there in the world for someone to begin their own journey on the creative road. 

Creative writing is one way to express an experience, emotion or a fabrication into a story format. It can be the most outlandish idea, or something very realistic.  

Why Write? 

Outputting your creativity can improve your brain’s memory. What’s more, this flow of “venting” out your opinions and experiences will release any negative emotion into what you are writing, like capturing it in a bottle. Connecting emotionally when writing embeds these feelings into the writing, strengthening the bond with it and meaning behind it.  

It’s your own creation – your own opinions, memories and inspiration mixed into a bundle. This makes writing a wonderful outlet for negative emotions, and can even preserve positive emotions forever in a written piece. 

Playing Instruments & Making Music 

It’s only in the past hundred years that music began to get more varied, more experimental and deeper, and it’s now become a part of everyday life. This is because of the dopamine released from listening to music that unknowingly lifts your mood and provides motivation. 

Why Play Music? 

Playing music yourself and learning an instrument can release this creativity and dopamine rush. This in turn strengthens the positive effect that comes with listening to music. This ultimately de-stresses you and gives you many health benefits.  

You can write as complex or as simple music as you like, but no matter what it engages and stimulates your brain. By having a song you can play yourself at anytime at home to express yourself; you basically have a infinite way to stimulate your brain at your disposal. 

Drawing & Crafting 

Express yourself and let yourself have mental freedom!

Artists can come in any form – creativity is a hidden ability in people and we can’t initially tell who is creative. Anyone can ultimately become an artist if they can learn to express themselves through drawing, and art. If they can reflect emotions, and experience and capture this in a drawn format it can inspire other people, and they can understand what the artist is demonstrating by having an open-mind.  

It can be difficult to start learning to draw but as you get better you can start to develop your own style, and way to express yourself. 

Why Draw or Craft? 

Just like other forms of expression, the benefits you gain wouldn’t be something you’d want to miss out on. 

Listening to Music & Reading

This is easier as it doesn’t require you to create content. What it does require is for you to hold an open-mind and envision what you are taking in – whether it is imagining the characters in a book, or letting the sounds of music flow through you. 

Why Listen to Music/ Read? 

Your brain will get engaged with the content and release dopamine that lifts your mood. You can indulge in whatever content you like, whether that’s listening to a happy song or a sad one.  

Relating to the music or story you’re taking in can help you find a solution to how you are feeling. Perhaps relating to a song about depression may open your eyes in some new way. 

Read Now: How Music can Motivate you to Stick to your Exercise Routine 

Conclusion

In conclusion, creativity goes hand in hand with imagination. Anything to do with creativity stimulates your brain in a great way, whether you are drawing, writing or playing music. When you create something, you are allowing yourself to be under control of the creative process. 

It’s like magic how we can create these concepts within ourselves, and the options available to us allow us to have a lot of mental freedom. 

For your next step, read on: How to Uncover Inspiration 

If you need any more help with making lifestyle changes, feel free to contact us here at Ceed today.  

Burnout: What is it and How to Avoid it

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It’s easy to feel stress in our daily lives, whether it’s from work, school, or relationships. But when that stress becomes unrelenting, you might be suffering from burnout instead. 

What is Burnout? 

Burnout is the combination of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion, often caused by prolonged stress. It’s particularly common in the workplace when employees are overworked and don’t have time to relax. Burnout can reduce productivity and decrease energy, and create a complete lack of motivation. Signs of burnout include: 

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  • Anxiety 
  • Fatigue 
  • Lack of commitment 
  • Low mood 
  • Headaches 
  • Difficulty concentrating 
  • Cynical outlook 

Read Now: How to Regain Your Lost Motivation  

Burnout or Stress? 

Whilst there are some similarities, burnout is not the same as just being stressed. Stress comes when you are still trying to cope with all your responsibilities; burnout hits when you have given up. Burnout is a more gradual process, which makes it harder to control. 

Burnout can make you feel hopeless.

Stress often feels like a state of panic, when you feel you don’t have enough time to get everything done. By the time burnout hits, you might feel like giving up on your responsibilities, as they begin to feel unachievable.  

Burnout can be caused by lots of different things, but it is usually a combination of factors, including: 

  • Taking on too many responsibilities 
  • Lack of recognition for hard work 
  • Overly demanding expectations 
  • Feeling like you have no control  
  • Not having time for socialising or relaxing  
  • Not getting enough sleep. 

Read Now: 4 Effective Ways to Clear Your Mind of Stress 

How to Avoid Burnout 

The best way to tackle burnout is to notice the signs before it becomes overwhelming. If you can work to prevent burnout before it hits, it will be much easier to manage daily stress. There are lots of different things you can do to prevent reaching burnout. 

Find the Source 

The easiest way to prevent burnout is to figure out what specifically is causing it. It’s different for everyone, so take time to evaluate your stressors, and see what often leads you to becoming burnt out.  

Finding what causes your burnout is the best way to stop it!

Once you know where the source is, it becomes a lot easier to create simple day-to-day changes. If you know where to look, you can prevent burnout and manage stress. This gives you space to set boundaries and identify areas in your life that can be improved.  

Organise Your Priorities  

If you don’t organise your priorities, you can easily end up spending too much time on less important tasks, and falling behind on the important things. Take time to assess where you should be putting your energy – you want to use it in the most efficient way possible.  

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries either. If you know your workload is too much for you, delegate tasks to someone else or ask for extensions. Becoming overwhelmed by your priorities is an easy way to end up burnt out. Prioritising the important stuff doesn’t mean you are lazy; it means you have a stronger understanding of your abilities.   

Read Now: 5 Essential Habits to Help You Stay Organised  

Ask for Help 

Tackling burnout alone can make your problems feel impossible to solve. Talking to others can help to ease the pressure you might be feeling, as it’s likely they’ve experienced something similar before. Co-workers can help you to pick up parts of your work that you don’t think you can complete, whilst friends and family can listen to and validate your concerns.  

Don’t be afraid to ask others for help.

Like the team at Ceed, life coaches can help you find the best ways of managing your workload to avoid burnout in the future. Different techniques work for different people, so it’s important to find what is best for you.  

Exercise Regularly 

Exercising on a frequent basis can help to improve your mood and boost productivity. It helps you to get better sleep, which in turn sets you up to have more energy for the working day. This can decrease emotional exhaustion, psychological distress and perceived stress.  

Exercising outside can help to boost your mood!

Even exercise like taking a short walk in your lunch break can help to relax your mind and get your blood flowing. Especially if you have a job where you are sitting in the same spot all day, it is easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. Exercising can improve your wellbeing, and in turn, fights off burnout. 

Read Now: How Exercise Improves Productivity at Work  

To Sum Up… 

Dealing with burnout can be difficult, especially when it sneaks up on you. The best way to deal with it is to prevent it. Following these simple ideas will make it easier to avoid reaching a state of burnout, and can help improve your day-to-day stresses.  

If you want further help on how to tackle burnout, contact the team at Ceed today! We can provide lifestyle coaching experts to help you grow.  

How to Make Your Dreams a Reality

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When we dream of something, we think of some bold idea to accomplish. It could be anything. We want to go out and reach that goal, and it can feel incredibly satisfying to eventually get there.

You’ve envisioned your dreams, now what?

However, the thought of making our dreams a reality is easier said than done, and sometimes we feel like we’re in limbo when it comes to seeing it finalised. 

That’s where this guide comes in. With these five tips, you’ll be making those dreams of yours a reality in no time! 

Read Now: How To Uncover Inspiration 

  1. Write Things Down 

First and foremost, to help you figure out not just what your dreams are, but how you’re possibly going to reach them, you should start by writing down your thoughts and ideas. Now, while this may sound basic, you’ll actually find that writing down your thoughts is a rather effective method. 

As you write, whether that’s with pen on paper or typing on a computer or laptop, you’ll find that your ideas begin to take shape. You’ll be able to determine what works and what doesn’t, which will then start paving the way for a plan. It’s also good to do this in case you later forget of some of the things that popped into your head. 

When it comes to writing, don’t just use it for early plans and preparation. After initial preparation, keep note (in a diary, journal etc.) of all the things you’ve been doing to ensure you achieve your long-term goal. This can be recorded on a daily or weekly basis and provides you with knowledge of what you found worked and what didn’t. 

  1. Take Small Steps 

When you’ve figured out what your dreams are and how you’re going to accomplish them, it’s very easy to assume that you can just go headlong into a plan and reach them straight away. 

Sadly, life doesn’t work like that. If anything, taking huge strides and rushing into things won’t do you any favours. While you may reach your goal, you won’t be reaching it the way you intended and may ultimately feel unsatisfied by the outcome. 

Taking small steps and writing down progress can be hugely helpful!

We all know about The Tortoise and the Hare and its moral of “slow and steady wins the race”. By taking your time and making small steps, you’ll be reaching your goal at the required pace while learning of any advantages and disadvantages that could prevent you from getting there in the first place. It’s not about the destination – it’s the journey and what you learn along the way. 

Read Now: 8 Quick and Small Changes to a Better Life  

  1. Don’t Give Up 

Life is hard. There’s no sugar-coating it. There’s always going to be a challenge or a problem we’ll come across, especially if things seemed to initially be going easy, and it’s very tempting to call it quits there. 

Here’s the thing: don’t. 

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. No doubt you’ve heard this expression before. Basically, it means that a determined person is willing to work hard to reach their goal, which is something you should absolutely be doing. When you persevere, you’ll find yourself overcoming that troublesome obstacle that had initially got in your way. 

No matter how hard the challenge will be, there’s no denying that a level of catharsis shall follow knowing you conquered that challenge and proved it could be prevailed over. 

Read Now: How to Step into Your Growth Zone 

  1. Embrace Failure 

Sometimes, no matter how hard we work and no matter what decisions we’ve made, the only outcome can be failure. Now, you’re reading this thinking “well, that’s a very negative outlook”, aren’t you? 

Wrong! 

Just because we might’ve failed at something doesn’t mean we should then give up, just as we covered previously. Failure is by no means a terrible thing. Granted, you may feel defeated by it, but the truth is it’s an opportunity to learn. Think about where you went wrong; what could then be improved? The next time around, once you’ve fixed that aspect of your methods, you’ll know the right way to go, and if that fails too, try something else until you have the right solution. 

Don’t be afraid to play your cards wrong…

Life is a gamble. Everything can be a risk. The important thing is to take those risks. If they work, they’re a success. If they don’t, it’s just another chance to acquire more knowledge. 

Read Now: How to Overcome Fear of Failure 

  1. Find Others Who Share the Same Dreams 

There are times when the only things we need are a little bit of encouragement and excitement. A little of these can go a long way, especially when you’re striving to make your dreams come true. 

Try talking to others who also share the same dreams as you do. Along the way, you may even learn tips and tricks that can help you even more. Are there things that others are doing that you feel is a method worth trying? Why not try it yourself? 

Without finding the motivation to get you going, you’ll never even leave the place you started at. 

These were just five ways to help you make your dreams become a reality. If you’d like more advice on making lifestyle changes, don’t hesitate to contact us today at Ceed. 

A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: Less Stress & More Peace

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With the advancement of technology and the impact of covid, it’s easier than ever to become disconnected from ourselves. So, it’s important to find time to centre our emotions, and look inwards to create positive changes in our mindset. 

Meditation is a tried and tested method of looking inward and understanding ourselves. Used for centuries in religious and spiritual practices, it provides space to increase self-awareness, and redirect negative thoughts.   

Meditation uses wellness and mindfulness techniques to enhance our outlook on life. It’s often used to reduce stress, help sleep patterns and increase pain tolerance.  

You can include meditation as part of a daily routine, use it as a quick stress reliever, or a way to centre emotions. You don’t need loads of time to meditate, as it can be adapted to suit you and your needs. 

Meditation has many physical, emotional and mental benefits.

How Do You Meditate? 

There are many different forms meditation can take, and each has its own benefits. The form that is most suited to you depends on what you hope to gain from meditating. 

  • Guided meditation includes a teacher to help you through the steps of meditation, explaining how the mind works and how each step is beneficial to you.  
  • Mantra meditation works by focusing on a specific mantra, such as a word or sound, to let the subtle vibrations create positive change and help you reach a deep state of meditation.  
  • Mindfulness encourages awareness of your surroundings by engaging and focusing on all of your senses without judgment. 
  • Qi gong is a Chinese practice that opens energy pathways in the body called meridians, helping the energy flow through and heal the body.  
  • Yoga is a physical practice of movements that strengthen your nervous system, helping you to relax your body and relieve tension. It promotes physical balance, which helps with mental balance.  

Read Now: Practising Yoga: Combining Mindfulness and Fitness for Healthier Living  

What are the Benefits?  

Meditation has been heavily studied, and has been proven to have a wide array of benefits. Whether you want to become stronger physically, mentally, or emotionally, meditation can assist in improving your lifestyle and mindset. So, what exactly can it do? 

Reduce Stress 

When you experience stress, it increases the hormone cortisol, which can impact your sleep, cause depression and increase fatigue. Meditation can help to reduce this response, and instead create a relaxed response that calms your body. 

This means it can help stress-related conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder. By reducing the stress hormones in your body, it reduces pressure and can calm anxiety.  

It also helps you redirect your negative thinking patterns, which are often a large contributor to stress. 

Read Now: 4 Effective Ways to Clear Your Mind of Stress  

Improve Sleep 

Meditation can help those who have sleep disorders like insomnia manage their symptoms, and as a result get better sleep. Mindfulness meditation has been found to help those who suffer from chronic insomnia. It can also improve the sleep of those without existing sleep problems. 

Meditation can help relax your thoughts before bed and calm your mind, which creates a more restful environment to sleep in. As a result, it can also reduce daytime fatigue, giving you more energy throughout the day, and deeper sleep at night.  

Meditation before bed can improve your sleep quality.

Enhance Self-awareness 

When you meditate, you create space to understand yourself, which helps you learn how to grow and improve as a person. By focusing on self-awareness, it becomes easier to recognise any harmful thoughts you may have, and learn how to challenge them.  

This process of redirecting negative thoughts shows you what your emotional triggers may be, and how to best combat them.  

It can also increase self-awareness by helping you realise and focus on the positive parts of yourself. Through meditation, you can approach your emotions without judgement, and as a result you can learn to accept both the positive and negative aspects of who you are.   

Read Now: Better Your Brain Through Neuroplasticity and Positive Thinking  

Promote Emotional Health 

Meditation can lead to an improved self-image and create a more positive outlook on life. By focusing on the things around you and your own thought processes, you can reduce negative thoughts and appreciate the positive aspects of your experience.  

It can also decrease levels of the inflammatory proteins cytokines, which can contribute to depression. Meditation is sometimes used as part of a mental health treatment plan as the benefits can help reduce depression and anxiety. 

Meditation can improve your emotional health!

Control Pain 

Many types of physical pain are linked to stress, and our perception of pain can be increased significantly when we are in stressful situations. By learning to manage our perception of stress, it becomes easier to control our pain responses. This in turn decreases the level of pain we feel. 

Whilst it won’t completely rid you of any pain you are in, it helps to manage pain and decrease levels of stress that often enhance it. 

Meditation can also reduce strain on the heart by decreasing blood pressure. Stress can often cause high blood pressure, which can potentially lead to a heart attack or a stroke. Reducing stress can alleviate the pressure on the heart and relax nerve signals.  

To Sum Up… 

Meditation is a varied and adaptable way to improve your day-to-day life. It has benefits for everyone, whether you meditate for five minutes or five hours! A little can go a long way, and daily meditation has the power to really impact your life for the better.  

If you want to learn more about how to make small changes to improve your lifestyle, contact us at Ceed today! 

The Great Health Benefits of Practicing Gratitude

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Practicing gratitude is a great habit to start. By giving thanks regularly you’ll reap benefits to both your mental health and your overall wellbeing.  

You can practice gratitude in a variety of different ways depending on your personal preference. Below we’ve laid out all the different ways you can start practicing gratitude today and the benefits you’ll begin to see.   

Gratitude helps people enjoy good experiences!

What Does it Mean to Practice Gratitude? 

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful or appreciative. Practicing gratitude involves recognising the positive things in your life and how they affect you.  You can be grateful for anything, big or small, and bringing awareness to both will be beneficial to you.  

Some examples of things to be grateful for are:  

  • A great cup of coffee in the morning 
  • Loving friends and family 
  • A drive to work with no traffic 
  • A sunny day 
  • Any pets that you have 
  • Getting to spend time in nature 
  • Finding a great new song.

Read Now: Why is Journaling Good for Your Mental Wellbeing? 

Getting Started Practicing Gratitude 

There are many different ways to start practicing gratitude, try a few from the list below and see which method best works for you. 

  1. Gratitude journaling 

Gratitude journaling is the most common technique which involves writing down and keeping note of all the things that you’re grateful for.  

This can be a simple as writing a note in your phone or buying a specific diary especially for this. A great way to start is to sit down each evening and write 3 things you noticed about your day that you appreciated.  

  1. Gratitude mapping 

Gratitude mapping is a fantastic method if you’re a visual learner. It’s a mind map or mood board of everything you’re grateful for, which you can place somewhere you’ll see every day to remind you.  

  1. Gratitude jars 

Gratitude jars are a fun way of practicing gratitude, whenever something good happens write it down and put it in a jar. When you’re feeling sad pick from the jar at random and remind yourself of something good in your life that you might’ve forgotten.  

  1. Morning meditation 

If you’re already into meditation, you can introduce gratitude to your practice. Reflect on what you’re grateful for and the accomplishments you’ve made in life. A morning meditation can set you up with optimism for the day, or an evening meditation can help you to relax before bed.   

  1. Prayer 

Prayer is a popular method of practicing gratitude, accessible to anyone. You can pray to faith, a higher power or even the universe. Expressing gratitude for your life and the world you live in and simply being thankful for being alive.  

  1. Volunteering 

Sometimes practicing gratitude can be hard, so if you’re not ready to sit and self-reflect volunteering is a practical form of gratitude. Helping those less fortunate than you can highlight areas of your own life to be grateful for, whilst bringing you a sense of purpose. 

Read Now: How to Live With Anxiety 

Benefits of Practicing Gratitude 

There are many benefits of practicing gratitude, for both your mental and physical health. When practiced regularly gratitude can have some of the following positive impacts on your wellbeing.  

Notice good things, look for them, appreciate them.
  1. Boosts the immune system 

Practicing gratitude can help to alleviate stress, and the less stressed you are, the better your immune system will be.  

Stress lowers the immune response in your body so increased mental well-being can help your body fight off illness. 

  1. Improves mental health 

Practicing gratitude is one of the many methods that can improve your mental health. A daily gratitude practice can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression and benefit your overall mood.  

  1. Improved relationships 

Practicing gratitude can help partners feel more satisfied with each other. By specifically acknowledging what you appreciate in your partner you can increase your overall relationship satisfaction.  

  1. Increased optimism 

Practicing gratitude can help you become an optimist, which can lead to you feeling positive about your life and your future. Being an optimistic person will not only help you enjoy your life more, but could also lead to a longer lifespan.   

Read Now: Practicing Mindfulness: How to Stay Stress Free 

Summary 

Practicing gratitude is a beneficial daily habit to implement for both your physical and mental wellbeing.  

To get started with a gratitude practice, there are many techniques you can try or you can simply start with being mindful of the little things in your life that you appreciate.  

For further advice on changes you can make to better your mental health, contact our experts at Ceed today.   

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