bad habits - Ceed

How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others Online

Posted on 14 March 2022 - 12:00 pm by admin

When you’re constantly seeing the lives of others online, it’s all too easy to start comparing yourself to them. We are bombarded with everyone else’s achievements and successes, and it can make us feel bad about ourselves.

It can be easy to compare yourself to others online.

But the reality is, all of us are in the same boat. The people you compare yourself to are doing the same thing to someone else. Social media is hard to avoid, so it’s best to focus on ways to make it a positive experience. There are lots of things you can do to limit the negativity that can come from social media, which can help you to stop comparing yourself to others.

Read Now: The Impact of Screen Addiction on Health and Wellbeing

Remember Reality

It’s important to remember that what you see on social media is a curated version of reality. People don’t want to post the boring or sad parts of their life, only the good stuff. This can make it seem like everyone else is living on cloud nine, and it’s easy to be jealous of that.

People only want to share the good parts of their lives!

When you are only seeing the good aspects of people’s lives, you can’t get a full understanding of them. You can’t accurately compare yourself to people’s lives, you can’t fully understand someone when you’re only getting half the story!

Take a step back and think about the things you share on social media. Likely, you aren’t posting about the boring stuff, and that’s the same for everyone. People only want to show the best versions of themselves, so it’s important to remember that when you are online.

Curate Your Feed

It’s easy to forget that you are in complete control of what you see on social media. You can actively stop following people whose posts make you feel bad about yourself, and instead, follow things that make you happy. It’s normal to compare yourself to others when you are always seeing them. In the case of social media, out of sight can really mean out of mind!

Once you stop seeing things that make you upset, you can have a more positive experience online. Accounts that focus on creating a positive atmosphere can help you feel better about yourself whilst cutting out feelings of jealousy. You are in control of what you see on a day-to-day basis, so pick things that make you happy!

Read Now: Doomscrolling: Navigating Mental Health and Social Media

Reduce Your Time Online

The more time you spend online, the higher your chances of seeing something upsetting. A digital detox is a great way to remove yourself from negative feelings that can come from social media. It gives you a chance to unplug from the internet and focus on what brings you joy in the outside world.

Try to limit your time online so you don’t get sucked in!

Even if you don’t think you can go a full day without social media, limiting your usage can make a big difference. Try setting aside an hour or two where you put your phone down and focus on reality. You will be surprised by how much difference it can make. Disconnecting from online even for a small while can often make those insecurities feel insignificant.

Have a Purpose

If you don’t have a specific reason for using social media, you can end up filling your feeds with people you are comparing yourself to. You can get sucked into everyone else’s lives and find yourself comparing every move.

Create a reason for using social media, and focus on that instead of on others. Whether you want to get ideas for craft projects, or keep up to date with pop culture. Choose something that makes you feel good, and channel your energy into it. The more focus you put on things you enjoy, the less energy you will have for comparing yourself to others.

Confront Your Feelings

If you really struggle to stop comparing yourself to others online, confront your feelings to try and find the source. Think about why seeing particular people or posts makes you upset, and try to challenge those feelings.

By acknowledging it instead of pushing it away, you can begin to understand your triggers and know what to avoid. This can help you make positive changes online and in real life, as it’s likely your insecurities carry across from your personal life to online.

Check in on how different things online make you feel.

Read Now: Toxic Positivity and Social Media: Why It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

To Sum Up…

It can be hard to challenge your feelings towards social media, but it can result in a more positive experience online. Try to remember that you aren’t alone, and everyone struggles with comparing themselves to others. Take control of your social media, and don’t let it control you any longer!

If you want to learn more about how to have a positive relationship with social media, contact our life coaches at Ceed today!

How to Stop Being Obsessive Over Things

Posted on 6 December 2021 - 12:00 pm by admin

Our minds are an enigma. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to learn new things, solve problems, or even feel emotions. We’d never feel happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, or disgusted by an event that has just taken place before us.

Emotions are a powerful thing, and they influence our actions and reactions. A common response to an unexpected circumstance is to begin obsessing over it, as we might feel out of control. Different people can obsess over different things depending on the individual, such as:

Something work-related – perhaps we made an error and want to improve ourselves
Someone in our life – a friend, family member or even a celebrity
Hobbies and interests – collecting certain items, travelling, watching certain films or TV programmes

The key here is that we know we’re being obsessive, whether we know this ourselves or have been told so by someone else. An obsession can be addictive and difficult to overcome. Here are five ways for you to try and stop obsessing over things.

1) Work Out What You’re Obsessing Over

Any given obsession has a reason behind it, even an obsession as simple as something cultural like a book series. The key to figuring out why you’re obsessed in the first place is to determine the root of it and why you feel inclined to ruminate over it.

It’s likely that there’s one aspect of your obsession you’re holding onto the most. This is likely what triggered the obsession in the first place. When it comes to a series of books, a person may become obsessed with it because of certain plot threads, characters, or the overall quality of the writing. Finding the part of your obsession that holds the most interest is useful when trying to let go.

Try to pinpoint what attracts you to obsessing over something!

2) Write Things Down

This doesn’t just go for those who have difficulty expressing their feelings. This seemingly basic solution is more effective than you might imagine. By simply jotting down any thoughts you have relating to your obsession, it will clear your mind of them and shift your focus elsewhere.

As you begin to write down those thoughts and feelings, you’ll find that things become clearer. One thing will lead to another, culminating in an understanding of how and why you’ve developed this obsession. This can bring a sense of fulfilment and leave you with an answer!

3) Distract Yourself

As we all know, obsessions can become rather intrusive. We might find ourselves thinking about whatever it is we’re obsessing over day-in and day-out, hour-by-hour. Whether it’s something we really like or is a problem that we need to solve, we can’t help but constantly think about it. An obsession can become a distraction from important matters like our careers and family life, so the distraction needs to have a distraction for it!

There are various different ways you can distract yourself from your obsession. Physical exercise will make not just your body, but your mind to focus on something else entirely. Don’t try simple walking or running, but instead aim for things like a team sport or rock climbing. Different media forms can also serve as a distraction, so try watching films and TV programmes, listen to music, or even play video games.

4) Look For New Interests

This may sound like an obvious, clichéd solution, but the truth is it can actually work! A new interest, whether it’s a skill, a type of media you like, or even a hobby can wake up your brain. This can move your perspective away from your obsession and help you out of the doldrum you’re stuck in. A change in routine can help as well.

Picking up a new hobby can help distract you from an obsession!

You might even try an activity that is the polar opposite of your obsession. This will feel like a breath of fresh air and a step in a different direction. Remember – variety is the spice of life!

5) Distance Yourself From the Obsession

Undoubtedly, it can be difficult to get over an obsession if the source of it is within arm’s reach, making it impossible to concentrate on any other topic or subject. This is why you should place a physical distance between yourself and the source, which will eventually lead to the mental distance that you’re really after.

Obviously, this will be difficult at first, but your obsession will gradually weaken and you’ll find yourself no longer interested in it anymore. If the obsession is something physical, such as a person or a book you’ve been reading, keep them out of your sight altogether.

These were just five ways to help you put an end to an obsession that you might have. If you want more advice on making lifestyle changes, contact us at Ceed today.

Kicking Bad Habits: Is My Caffeine Consumption Unhealthy?

Posted on 24 June 2021 - 12:00 pm by admin

Many adults, especially in their work lives, rely on caffeinated drinks to maintain their productivity. Millions of people rely on caffeine every day to stay alert and improve concentration.

While caffeine has its perks, it can also pose serious problems to your health and mental wellbeing. We’ve highlighted how to find out how much caffeine is a healthy amount and if you need to curb your consumption.

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Description automatically generated with medium confidence — Monitor your caffeine consumption to ensure you have a healthy intake!

What to consider about your caffeine intake:

Caffeine is not inherently bad for your health. Up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day is the recommended safe amount for most healthy adults. That is roughly the same amount of caffeine as four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of cola or two “energy shot” drinks.

Keep in mind that the actual caffeine content in beverages varies widely, especially among energy drinks. Alternative forms of caffeine—such as in powder or liquid form—can provide toxic levels of caffeine. For example, just one teaspoon of powdered caffeine is equivalent to about 28 cups of coffee. Such high levels of caffeine can cause serious health problems and possibly even death.

Although caffeine use may be safe for adults, it’s not a good idea for children. Adolescents and young adults need to be cautioned about excessive caffeine intake and mixing caffeine with alcohol and other drugs, as it can drastically increase the addictive nature of the substance. Women who are pregnant or who are looking to become pregnant and/or those who are breast-feeding should talk with their doctors about limiting caffeine use to less than 200 mg daily.

Even among adults, heavy caffeine use can cause unpleasant side effects. And caffeine may not be a good choice for people who are highly sensitive to its effects or who take certain medications.

You may want to cut back if you’re drinking more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee a day (or the equivalent) and you have side effects such as:

Headache
Insomnia
Nervousness
Irritability
Frequent urination or inability to control urination
Fast heartbeat
Muscle tremors

Furthermore, some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Be cautious if you’re susceptible to the effects of caffeine, as even small amounts may prompt unwanted effects, such as restlessness and sleep issues.

How you react to caffeine may be determined in part by how much caffeine you’re used to drinking. People who don’t regularly drink caffeine tend to be more sensitive to its effects, as is the case with any drug.

Cut back on caffeine if you’re not getting enough sleep:

Caffeine, even in the afternoon, can interfere with your sleep, as it stays in your bloodstream for an average of seven hours. Even small amounts of sleep loss can add up and disturb your daytime alertness and performance.

Using caffeine to mask sleep deprivation can create an unwelcome cycle. For example, you may drink caffeinated beverages because you have trouble staying awake during the day, however the caffeine keeps you from falling asleep at night, shortening the length of time you sleep.

Factor in any medications or supplements:

Some medications and herbal supplements may interact with caffeine and exacerbate its effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether caffeine might affect your medications. Examples of these substances include:

Ephedrine: mixing caffeine with this medication — which is used in decongestants — might increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke or seizure.
Theophylline: this medication, used to open up bronchial airways, tends to have some caffeine-like effects. Thus, taking it with caffeine might increase the adverse effects of caffeine, such as nausea and heart palpitations.
Echinacea: this herbal supplement, which is sometimes used to prevent colds or other infections, may increase the concentration of caffeine in your blood and may increase caffeine’s unpleasant effects.

Curbing your caffeine habit:

Finally, whether it’s for one of the reasons above or because you want to save money on coffee drinks, cutting back on caffeine can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine may cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and difficulty focusing on tasks. Fortunately, these symptoms are usually mild and get better after a few days. Should you want to change your caffeine habit, try these tips:

Keep tabs. Start paying attention to how much caffeine you’re getting from foods and beverages, including energy drinks. Read labels carefully. But remember that your estimate may be a little low because some foods or drinks that contain caffeine don’t list it.

Cut back gradually. For example, drink one fewer can of soda or drink a smaller cup of coffee each day. Or avoid drinking caffeinated beverages late in the day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and lessen potential withdrawal effects.
Go decaf. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste much the same as their caffeinated counterparts.
Shorten the brew time or consider switching to herbal teas. When making tea, brew it for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Or choose herbal teas that don’t have caffeine.
Check the bottle. Some over-the-counter pain relievers contain caffeine. Look for caffeine-free pain relievers instead.

To Conclude

If you’re like most adults, caffeine is a part of your daily routine. Usually, it will not pose a health problem. Yet be mindful of caffeine’s possible side effects and be ready to cut back if necessary. Excessive caffeine consumption can be a bad habit to pick up as it can negatively affect your lifestyle!

If you would like further help about how to make positive lifestyle changes, contact us today. Ceed can help you stay on top of health and fitness goals like reducing your caffeine intake!

Tag: bad habits