People are spending less and less time enjoying the outdoors and nature with every passing year.

The recent shift away from nature has been incredible: some studies estimate people now spend 25% less time in nature than they did 20 years ago (Pergams & Zaradic, 2007).

Instead, recreational time is often spent surfing the internet, playing video games and watching movies.

This is a pity not merely because of the physical benefits of being outside, but also because of the psychological benefits.

Here are 10 of the most remarkable ways in which being outside, in nature, can heal the mind. Continue reading.

Originally posted on PsyBlog.

Nothing is more important than your self-esteem.

How you think and feel about yourself. Basically your opinion about yourself.


Why is it so important?

• It makes life lighter and simpler. When you like or love yourself then you won’t make as many mountains out of molehills. You won’t beat yourself up as much over mistakes.
• You’ll self-sabotage less. With better self-esteem you’ll feel more deserving of good things in life. And so you will be more motivated to go after what you deep down want and put up less obstacles in your own way.
• You’ll be more attractive in any kind of relationship. Because you’ll bring less drama and unnecessary conflicts, be more resilient during tough times and simply feel happier and have a more positive attitude.

So how do you raise your self-esteem and reap these benefits?

Well, in this article I’d like to share 5 common mistakes I have made with my own self-esteem. And also what I have done to fix these mistakes by replacing them with healthier strategies and habits.

I hope this will help you to raise your awareness about your own self-esteem and give you the practical tools that you can use in your own life. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Steven Aitchison.

We all over-think aspects of our lives. Whether it's decisions, regrets, self-worth, or general worries about the future, we're so often stuck inside our own heads that it feels like there's no way out. Here's how to quit over-thinking everything and move on.

Why We Over-think

When we talk about over-thinking, we're talking about a couple of different things. On one hand, over-thinking is when you get caught in those loops where you're just thinking about one single event over and over. You might start over analysing something that happened, regretting an action you took, or worrying about the future of something. On the other hand, you can over-think decisions in a similar way. Here, you'll often analyse them into the ground to the point where you can't make a decision any more.

Either way, over-thinking is basically when you can't think about anything else, and it's affecting your life in a negative way. The end goal here is the same: get out of that thinking loop and move on. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Lifehacker.

It's the Serotonin in our brains that give us that 'feeling good' feeling.

Positive thought, positive action and positive interaction are the best ways to ensure we have a constant flow of Serotonin.


The more you do it, the easier it becomes. 


Make it your mantra today.

Researchers in the field of neuroscience have thought long and hard about the mystery of how our brains process emotions, but it took a team of researchers at Cornell University to finally solve the puzzle. It turns out the answer lies in viewing finely grained patterns of brain activity as a neural code that records people’s subjective feelings.

If two people enjoy similar activities, then it is because they have similar patterns of brain activity, explained neuroscientist Adam Anderson, an associate professor of human development at Cornell and the lead author of the recently published study on the subject. He noted that his findings refute scientists’ long-held belief that the brain represents emotions simply by activating specialized regions for either positive or negative responses.

Instead of this region-based approach, Anderson stated that the brain creates a unique code for the entire spectrum of emotions that can be read like a gauge. If the arrow on the hypothetical gauge leans one way, it indicates pleasant feelings. If it leans the other way, then the individual is going through a negative experience. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Liberty Voice.

CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK AND ADDING A FEW KEY HABITS CAN HELP YOU GET BACK THE MOTIVATION THAT YOU LOST SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY.

Companies spend a lot of time and money trying to motivate their employees.

But when was the last time a mug with your company’s logo or a coffee shop gift card made you truly excited? Real motivation doesn’t come from external rewards--it comes from making some shifts in how you think about your situation, says San Diego, California-based personal empowerment expert Susan Fowler, author of Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work . . . And What Does: The New Science of Leading, Energizing, and Engaging.

“Give a whale a fish and it’ll jump as high as you want. Give a pigeon a pellet and it’ll turn 360 degrees. That whole animal behavior theory is what the workplace is built on. We’ve got to get away from that because we’re not pigeons and we’re not whales,” she says. Continue reading.


Originally posted on Fast Company.

You may have prepared for a stressful situation like a job interview, an important meeting, or a presentation, but you're still likely to have some anxiety while you're in the situation. That's normal! 

Here are some things you can try to ease your anxiety.

Rate Your Anxiety and Watch It Ebb and Flow
Anxiety is not an all-or-nothing condition; it exists on a continuum. When you're feeling anxious, rate your anxiety on a scale from zero to ten, with zero being completely calm and ten being a state of severe anxiety. For example, say to yourself, "Oh, I'm at a seven now. I think I'll take a few deep breaths and see what happens to my anxiety level." After taking a few minutes to focus on your breathing, reassess your level. You'll likely find that your anxiety has decreased, even if only by a point or two. Realising that your anxiety level doesn't remain constant can reassure you that you won't remain in a high-anxiety state forever. Approach this task with an attitude of curiosity. Say to yourself, "I wonder what will happen to my anxiety level if I do this…" Continue reading.

Originally posted on Lifehacker.

Gratitude is the new miracle emotion.

Although gratitude has been around for as long as human beings, it’s only recently started to get the big thumbs-up from science.

So here are 10 ways gratitude can change your life, followed by a quick 4-step plan to help maximise your own gratitude, whatever level you start from.

There’s even a trick for those suffering from ‘gratitude burnout’.

1. Happier

Gratitude is different things to different people: amongst them could be counting your blessings, savouring what life has given you, thanking someone or wondering at the natural world.

Whatever form it takes, one of the best known and most researched effects of practicing gratitude is it makes you happier.

Participants in one study were 25% happier, on average, after practicing a little gratitude over a 10-week period. Continue reading.


Originally posted on PsyBlog.

Whenever I ask people what the most difficult habit is for them to break, late night snacking is often the first thing they say. We're all susceptible to curling up with a snack while we wind down our day, but it can be an unhealthy habit that's hard to kick.

If you feel like a zombie every night when you get home from work, it's because you pretty much are one. Even if you enjoy your job, you are still subject to countless stressors throughout the day that deplete your cognitive resources—especially those required for self-control. Without a well of willpower to rely on at the end of the day, our brains go into autopilot to avoid more heavy lifting.

For these reasons, more than at any other time of day our evening actions are guided by habit. All the cues and triggers around our home—the TV, computer, sofa, etc.—guide us mindlessly to the biscuit tin, or the freezer for the ice cream, and we eat to our heart's content (not our mind's or stomach's content; those guys stopped caring hours ago). Stopping doesn't even occur to us. We just continue until the cookies are gone, or the carton is empty. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Lifehacker.

We've talked about the positive benefits of playing video games before, and this video from ASAP Science explains why video games — in moderation — can help boost cognitive functioning.

Sitting around and playing video games isn't going to make you better at everything, but video games can help with memory, motor skills, strategic planning, and, of course, reaction time. Additionally, video games can help with developing a strong attention to detail. So, please, exercise and be productive, but don't feel bad about a few minutes in front of your favourite guilty pleasure.