Millions of people around the world struggle with anxiety and fear when it comes to their finances.

This fear can manifest itself in many different ways, like overspending, refusing to open bills, or panicking at the sight of your bank account balance. It can cause a lot of stress and can even lead to depression.

Are you afraid of not having enough money? Are you afraid of losing what money you have? Are you afraid of not being able to provide for yourself or your family?

These are all valid fears. But dealing with them can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming.

If you're struggling to deal with your financial stress, there are some things you can do to overcome it.

This article will provide you with some of the best ways to deal with fears around money and how to conquer them for good.

Why should you try to overcome your fear of finances?

There are many reasons why you might want to try to overcome your fear of finances.

For one, money is a big part of our lives. It's something that we have to deal with on a daily basis, whether we like it or not.

Secondly, fear can be very debilitating. It can hold us back from achieving our goals and living the life we want to live.

Lastly, dealing with your fear of finances can be empowering. It can help you take control of your life and feel more confident and capable.

Identify your fear

The first step to overcoming your fear is acknowledging that you have a fear in the first place.

This may seem like an obvious solution, but oftentimes people try to ignore their fear or act like it doesn't exist.

If you can't acknowledge that you have a fear, you can't begin to deal with it. Acknowledging your fear is the first step to taking control of your finances.

Some ways to do this are by identifying your fear, writing it down, and talking to someone about it.

Identify your fear

This fear can manifest itself in many different ways.

For example, you may be afraid of not having enough money, of losing money, of not being able to save money, or of never being able to retire.

These are all valid fears that can hold you back from taking control of your finances.

Writing it down

Once you've identified your fear, the next step is to write it down.

This can help you to better understand your fear and what's causing it.

Writing it down will also help you to see your fear in a different light.

Sometimes, seeing your fear in black and white can help you to realize that it's not as big or as bad as you thought it was.

Talking to someone about it

If you're still struggling to overcome your fear, talking to someone about it can be a big help.

This can be a friend, family member, financial advisor, or therapist.

Talking to someone about your fear can help you to understand it better and can also give you some great tips on how to overcome it.

Once you've acknowledged your fear, you can begin to understand what's causing it.

Understand your fear

There are many different things that can cause a fear of finances. After all, money is a very emotional topic and it can be scary to think about not having enough money or losing what you already have.

If you've always avoided dealing with your finances, it can be very hard to break that habit. It can also be tough to know when this fear started or what's causing it.

Some common reasons for a fear of money are:

• A bad experience with money in the past
• Fear of not having enough money
• Fear of losing money
• Fear of not being able to save money
• Fear of never being able to retire
• Fear of never being able to payoff debt
• A general fear of numbers or math

These are all valid reasons for having a fear of finances.

The important thing is to understand what's causing your fear. By understanding the root of your fear, you can begin to deal with it at the source.

Once you understand what's causing your fear, you can begin to take steps to overcome it.

Take action to face your fear

The best way to overcome a fear is to face it head on.

At this point in the process, you should have a good understanding of your fear and what's causing it.

Now, it's time to take action. This may seem like a scary prospect, but it's the best way to deal with your fear.

Some examples of how to face your fear of money are:

• Create a budget and stick to it
• Start tracking your net worth
• Start an emergency fund
• Create a retirement plan
• Start putting money towards paying off your debt
• Start an investment account
• Make it a habit to check your bank account or expenses every month

These are all great steps to take to face your fear of money. But it the best options for you will depend on your specific fear and situation.

The important thing is to start a productive habit in the right direction.

Remember, the goal is to take small steps at first. You don't have to do all of these things at once. Just pick one or two and start working on them.

Summary

If you're struggling with a fear of money, know that you're not alone. Many people have this fear and it can be tough to overcome. It can also stunt your financial growth and keep you from reaching your financial goals.

I've found that fears surrounding money typically stem from an anxiety about the future or bad experience in the past. Whatever the reason for your fear, the best way to deal with it is to face it head on.

Start by acknowledging your fear and understanding what's causing it. Then, take action to actively address it. This may seem difficult at first, but it's the best way to make real progress with your finances.

By following these steps, you can begin to take control of your fear and start dealing with your finances in a healthy way. Just remember to go at your own pace and to take small steps at first. Over time, you'll be able to overcome your fear of money for good.

Stephen Rozo is the founder of MoneyPeoples.com, a blog about how to start a profitable rental property. He knows firsthand the challenges and rewards that come with owning a rental property and now dedicates his time to providing tips to new real estate investors. His goal is to give readers the best information on how to grow their monthly income with real estate.

The post How To Overcome a Fear of Dealing with Money appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

By Margot Machol Bisnow, author of Raising an Entrepreneur- How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams; 99 S%tories From Families Who Did

Entrepreneurs are often asked, aWhatas your secret to success?a Answers range from risk-taking and a self-starter mindset to curiosity and imagination.  But where did these traits come from, and what conditions enabled the entrepreneurs to develop them to their full potential?

This is the question I set out to answer in writing my book Raising an Entrepreneur- How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams; 99 S%tories From Families Who Did.  I interviewed a very diverse group of seventy successful entrepreneurs including Jon Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians; Paige Mycoskie, founder and owner of clothing company Aviator Nation; Thomas Vu, lead producer on League of Legends; Dhani Jones, former NFL linebacker who went on to host a TV show, co-found a creative agency, and chair an investment fund; and superstar chef and sustainability advocate Nyesha Arrington.

The group was made up of half men, half women, from every race and religion. Every socioeconomic background was represented; there were big families and small families; they came from big cities and small towns; and they had parents who hadnat gone to college to parents with advanced degrees.  Some were born in the U.S., others were born overseas or had immigrant parents.

They went into very diverse fields: They started big companies with a wide range of products and services; they started innovative non-profits and profit-for-purpose that are changing the world; they became artists like movie directors and songwriters writers; and they became activists, fighting for causes they believe in. They fit my definition of an entrepreneur: They are all people who started something.

While I made dozens of eye-opening and heart-warming discoveries about their lives and backgrounds, I also learned a to my surprise a that they all shared three underlying experiences shaped by their families from the time they were children.

They pursued and mastered a passion when young. 

As children, they found a passion and were encouraged by their parents to pursue it a regardless of what it was.  The key word in that sentence is atheya a it wasnat something their parents loved, or their parents thought their kids would love. Itas something the kids chose themselves. And because they loved it, they worked really hard at it. And because they worked really hard, they got really good. They were praised for their effort, not their results. So they worked really hard and they learned the trade-off between hard work and results. They developed grit, defined by Angela Duckworth as apassion plus perseverance toward long-term goals.a And that led to their becoming supremely confident.

People often say, aOf course entrepreneurs are confident; itas because they are successful.a But I strongly believe it is the reverse: They are successful because they are confident. And their confidence stems from having mastered their chosen passion when they were young. Their passions included computers, music, acting, student government, chess, and for many, sports. Their intense pursuit of success in these activities taught them grit, determination, and resilience, which led to developing their confidence.

            Simon Isaac was an All-American skier on the Olympic development team. He co-founded Fatherly, a popular daily on-line newsletter, and today, heas the CEO of TaskForce, one of the worldas top content creators, with over forty-five billion views during the election.

            ElizabethMcGee Gore was the national equestrian champion. Sheas the co-founder of Hello Alice, a free artificial intelligence platform to help businesses launch and grow.

            Eric Ryan raced on the sailing team at the University of Rhode Island. Heas the co-founder of Method products, which makes environmental cleaning products; Olly, which makes healthy vitamins and supplements; and Welly Health, which makes fun bandaids.

            Radha and Miki Agrawal were known as the legendary soccer twins when they played at Cornell. The twins are serial social entrepreneurs who have co-founded five disruptive companies (including Daybreaker, Thinx, Tushy) worth half a billion dollars.

They became risk takers because they were not punished for failure or mistakes. 

As Billie Jean King says, aWe donat call it failure; we call it feedback.a The entrepreneurs I interviewed were never punished for failing; the parents said, aWhat did you learn? What would you do differently?a Nor were they punished for making mistakes. They had to fix what they had broken or the problem they created, but they werenat made to feel bad that it had happened. They learned that when they worked hard at something and failed, and kept trying new approaches, eventually they would succeed. They learned that when they failed, they could work harder and smarter and keep trying, because eventually they would figure it out.

Fast forward to today: because they arenat afraid to fail, they arenat afraid to take risks a both of which are key to successful entrepreneurship.

            My son Elliott Bisnow fell in love with tennis when he was twelve, long after other serious tennis players were already competing in tournaments. He lost most of his matches for years, but eventually fought his way to thirty-five in the country in the juniors. He started Summit, a global company for entrepreneurs and creatives that has produced over two hundred fifty events in the last decade.

            Nia Batts and her best friend, actress Sophia Bush, co-founded Detroit Blows, an inclusive non-toxic hair salon in Detroit, helping to revitalize the downtown. It was a huge success, but during the pandemic it was forced to close. When Nia read that only two percent of venture capital dollars went to women, and the amount going to women of color was astatistically significanta she decided to pivot and became Chief Marketing Officer of Union Heritage Capital, the nationas leading minority-owned diversified financial services firm.

They were trusted and supported by their familiesaleading them to treat their employees like family.

The unconditional support from their families while they were growing up is reflected in their businesses today. They honor the differences among their employees. And whether the jobs are remote or in the office, they try to create situations where their employees want to spend time. The founders donat arbitrarily order around their employees. Just as in the homes where they grew up, the entrepreneurs take care of the people they work with. Even before stakeholder capitalism became popular, these entrepreneurs valued the interests of their employees and their community.

            Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS Shoes, the first one-for-one company, providing a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair purchased. Blake says he called his approach to his job as the companyas leader, aservant leadership.a He told his top people to serve everyone in their group. And he willingly admitted his mistakes to show his employees that failure was acceptable. He says that aif you extend more trust than you might be comfortable witha|and even though those mistakes will come with a price, over the long term youall be paid back with interest.a

            Deena and Jess Robertson co-founded Modo Yoga, a community of independent hot yoga studios in the U.S. and Canada. They are committed to promoting ethical, compassionate living and a more sustainable, environmentally conscious world through their studios. Their motto is acalm mind, fit body, inspired life.a Modo Yoga was the first one-for-one yoga program, where every membership bought became a free membership for someone in an underserved community. The employees love that they are helping create more equality and diversity in the yoga community.

Itas never too early a or too late a to start. Even if you donat become an entrepreneur, becoming more entrepreneurial will help in whatever you do: It will help if you become more confident because youave mastered something you worked really hard at. It will help if you become more risk taking because youave learned not to fear failure.It will help if you become more considerate of people you work with.  Above all, itall help you become more successful at whatever you do.

***

Margot Machol Bisnow is a writer, wife, and mom from Washington, DC who speaks on raising fearless, creative, entrepreneurial kids who are filled with joy and purpose. She is the author of Raising an Entrepreneur: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams a 99 Stories From Families Who Did. Margot has a BA in English and an MBA, both from Northwestern, and spent 20 years in government, including as an FTC Commissioner and staff director of the Presidentas Council of Economic Advisers. Both her kids are now grown: Austin started a popular band, Magic Giant; Elliott founded Summit, a noted international conference series for Millennial entrepreneurs and creatives, and led the purchase and development of Powder Mountain ski resort in Utah as a permanent home for the Summit community. Her husband Mark was a late-blooming entrepreneur, and wishes his parents had read her book when he was growing up, so he might have started his company before he was 50. Margot is on the Board of Capital Partners for Education that mentors low-income DC-area high school kids.

The post 3 Life Experiences That Lead to Entrepreneurial Success appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

If youare anything like the vast majority of the population, you started this year with one of these goals as a top priority: aget in shapea, alose weighta, aget fita or aget healthya.

I get it. For the longest time my Januarys started with a rigid healthy eating plan to get back in shape and lose the holiday bulge.

Having tried almost every diet imaginable, itas clear that most diets we follow do one of two things, they either restrict calories or restrict food groups. Even so-called itas not a diet but a lifestyles are still a diet because you cut the amount of food, or food groups (despite the marketing suggesting they arenat diets).

Diets aworka in the short term because in one way or another you are reducing the amount you eat. Whether thatas through counting calories or macros, limiting the time period in which you can eat, cutting out carbs or sugar, or aeliminationa diets. When you are eating less, the idea is that you will lose weight.

And for the most part we do, at least to begin with... Research shows that during the first six months of any diet (be it calorie counting or cutting carbs), the vast majority of people lose around 5-10% of their body weight.

So far so gooda| but thereas a dark side that people just donat talk about. In the long-run, restrictive diets actually do you more harm than good and hereas five reasons why...

#1 Diets donat work.

I know, I literally just told you that diets aworka in the first six months. But what about afterwards?  What about after 2 years or 5 years?  After all, if you start every January wanting to get back in shape and lose the holiday bulge, surely it would make sense to find a diet that works - for good - so that you never have to start again the following January.

The stats vary from study to study, but we can pretty confidently say that diets fail in about 80-95% of cases when participants are followed on their diets for longer than 6 months. 

Thatas a pretty high failure rate when you think about it - imagine popping into a shop to buy an appliance and the store owner telling you that thereas a high chance (80-95%) that the appliance will fail after 6 months? You just wouldnat buy it, would you?  

#2 Diets are the biggest predictor of weight gain.

Seriously. Going on a diet is the biggest predictor of gaining weight in the long run. Itas wild to think that we go on diets to lose weight, but actually weare more likely to put on weight over time.

The same research I shared above also shows that within 2-5 years, the vast majority of dieters have put weight back on, and in two thirds of cases are heavier than when they started. Thereas a lot of other research that corroborates this finding - yoyo dieting is also implicated in several negative health outcomes, including increased levels of cortisol and stress. 

Maybe restrictive diets should come with some sort of health warning?

#3 The diet industry wants you to fail - over and over

Whatas the best way to make money?  Repeat customers!

Howas this for a great money-making exercise? Offer your customers something that fails 80-95% of the time, and when it doesnat work you blame the customer (yes, itas your fault, your willpower is the reason it didnat work). Then, you make the customer feel so bad that they try a slightly different product, but this has an equally high failure rate and so your customer starts the diet-fail-repeat cycle over again. All the while you blame the customer when they fail, over and over again. 

Itas a GREAT way to make money (hence, multi-billion dollar industry), but terrible for your self-esteem, self-worth and feelings of failure.

#4 Diets mess with your biology

Diets mess with your hunger hormones. When humans face a famine (i.e. diet), they are biologically programmed to stay within a certain weight range (thatas called set-point theory), so your body does everything in its power to prevent you from losing too much weight.

One of the cleverest things your body does during a famine/diet, is make you feel more hungry by stimulating hunger hormones, and also makes it harder for you to feel full by down-regulating your fullness hormones. Itas exactly why you have an insatiable appetite when you are on a diet.

#5 Diets are a big predictor of eating disorders.

You may have been on several diets and itas never messed with your relationship with food. Thatas awesome and Iam so glad thatas the case. However, in many instances, diets create a very negative relationship with food.

Thereas a very fine line between diets and disordered eating. If you examine diets closely youall see that many of the recommendations are disordered - such as low calorie diets (1200 calories is less than the calorie needs of a toddler) and intermittent fasting which is really just skipping meals. 

In fact, the National Eating Disorders Association suggests that diets are a precursor to eating disorders.

So, you may be wondering then, if restrictive diets donat work and are bad for your health, what can we do instead to aget healthya? 

If you are officially ready to give up dieting, you can focus instead on health promoting behaviours that are related to long-term positive health outcomes (weight isnat a behaviour). These include:

• eating a variety of food including plenty of fruits and vegetables (as much as your budget will allow); 
• getting good quality sleep at night (preferably 7-8 hours per night, but also, as much as your circumstances will allow - Iam thinking children / shift work here); 
• and aiming to move your body regularly (it doesnat have to be high intensity or sweaty exercise to qualify - a simple walk around the block or standing whilst you chat on the phone can also be considered movement).

Bottom line is, diets donat work. They can be considered disordered and the precursor to eating disorders. You are much better off focusing on eating a good variety of fruits and vegetables, ensuring you get 7-8 hours of sleep per night and moving your body regularly. 

Dr. Lara Zibarras is a psychologist and food freedom coach, helping clients create a healthy and happy relationship with food. You can learn more about Laraas approach to food freedom here, or find her on Instagram and YouTube.A

The post Five Reasons Why Restrictive Diets Do More Harm Than Good appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

By Sonya Jensen

a

Of all the hard emotions aanxiety, anger, regret, etc.-- guilt can be one of the most difficult to overcome. 

Guilt tells us that what we think, want to do or have done is wrong. 

Weave hurt someone or weave screwed up a chance at something. We just plain blew it! Thatas what guilt tells us but does that really mean weave screwed up? 

Our emotions can be what we define them to be. For many of us when we first ask for what we need or set boundaries we often feel guilta|but it could also be growth.

When we ask for what we need or say no to something, weare outgrowing our fear of being too needy. We may be outgrowing our fear of setting boundaries. We may be outgrowing everything weave done our whole lives to keep us feeling included, liked or even loved. 

Guilt is a healthy emotion to experience when weave done something wrong thatas hurt other people. Itas not that weare bad and will never recover like shame wants us to believe. 

However, guilt can be both a sign youare growing and an opportunity to step back and reflect. If we always assume that guilt is right and weave done something wrong weare likely to repeat old patterns of behavior that keep us locked in cycles that arenat healthy for us anymore.

To know the difference, we have to ask ourselves:

Is what I did aasking for what I need or setting a boundarya really wrong?

Or does it feel wrong because itas different from what I usually do? 

The hard truth is, people around us benefit from us having no boundaries and no needs. 

We need to learn to question what guilt is saying and change the meaning to be a sign of growth. 

Guilt may never go away but you can lessen its intensity and even meet yourself on the other side.

But your needs are important and sharing them clearly and positively helps teach people how to love you and be in a healthy relationship with you. 

What does it mean to state your needs positively? 

It means sharing them from the perspective of what you would like to see instead of what you donat want to see.

For example, letas say you have a need for more time together with your partner.

You could say, aWe donat spend any time together because weare so busy and I want you to plan date nights, too.a

You could also say, aI feel really close, connected and important to you when we each plan date nights and surprise one another.a

Guilt is an emotion that youall have to deal with as you continue to evolve, grow and change. 

Guilt is our bodyas way of keeping us safe and sometimes asafea means staying in patterns of behavior you know, whether or not you like it. 

You have to decide that having needs and sharing those needs are important and should be important to the people in your life who love you. There will be adjustments and feelings from others as you change and itas important to validate those feelings without necessarily making you feel like your change was wrong. 

Here is an example of validation vs agreeing with someone:

Hereas what it looks like when we validate someone elseas feelings: 

aI can see that me saying no to this activity hurt your feelings.a

On the flipside, hereas what it looks like to simply agree with someone (and bypass your own needs or boundaries):

aI feel so bad! Iave hurt your feelings. If it makes you feel better Iall do this activity with you because I hate to see you upset.a

Validation doesnat mean I agree but that Iam a human being who understands that when something doesnat go the way I want it to, that feelings get involved. 

You can overcome guilt by remembering that everyone deserves to have needs but that not all people can or should meet all of my needs. Weare each responsible for communicating our needs effectively.

By stating your needs and boundaries while still validating others feelings, the people in your life will work with you in honoring your needsa and vice versa. 

a

Sonya Jensen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified Gottman Method Couples and Sex Therapist. In addition to working on the ground with couples for nearly 10 years Sonya is an author, speaker and sought-after trainer. A candid voice for relationship health, Sonya believes  all people are worthy of a healthy, loving partnership and sheas here to be their guide.

www.sonyajensen.com 

The post How to Ask For What You Needa Without Guilt appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

Years ago, I co-created a show on Youtube called The Wellness Experiment for my old company LEAFtv. In each episode we would try out a new, and sometimes controversial, (hello V-steams!) wellness treatments. I remember, vividly, one of my favorite episodes, by far, was the cold plunge followed by an infrared sauna, episode. In fact, of all the varying practices we tried out, the way I felt after this treatment stuck out as the most impactful - my body just felt different. More alive? energetic? Iam not sure what, but I just felt good. 

Despite promises to myself to keep up with this practice, as life does, I let other things get in the way - plus the cost was pretty high for each session, and so the dream of having this practice as a regular part of my wellness routine faded into the background. It was only after a friend of mine, who was going through Chemotherapy, talked about using an infrared sauna as part of her recovery treatment, and how valuable she was finding it, that my curiosity was peaked once more. The difference this time around is that my friend had an at-home infrared sauna built at her house. That wasnat in my budget but I began to look around. Enter: Sun Home Saunas. 

Sun Home Saunas was put on my radar via my blog (this one, the one youare reading right now!) and it felt like an answer to my search. Sun Home Saunas have created an infrared sauna BLANKET, that is portable and potent. It has the same benefits as an actual infrared sauna structure, but it is more convenient and best of all, more affordable. They sent me one to try and I couldnat have been more excited. When it arrived it was just as simple as promised - all one piece, you simply need a flat surface (I used the top of my bed - my husband laid out on the floor with a pillow under his head, and the blanket). I started with 20 minutes and then after a couple of sessions graduated up to 30 minutes. I tried going to 40 but started to get fidgety so I knew I had found my comfort zone at 30. My husband, now consistently does 45 minutes. Despite the heat, I found it so relaxing. Gradually, you get to a point where the sweat is REAL but it is so gradual it didnat feel panic inducing, but actually kind of calming. When done, I simply wiped down the interior of the blanket with a damp, water and vinegar, cloth. Easy.

Due to my schedule, I do a session once a week - I try to do every monday, post work out, to start my week off with a nod to wellness and I have been super happy with the results. (My husband uses it 3-4 times/week post work out). There are so many benefits to this infrared sauna blanket - here are just a few: natural detoxification, natural production of happy chemicals - dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, yeehaw!!, total stress relief while passively burning calories, reduction of joint pain and muscle soreness - great post workout, all while boosting immunity support. Thatas a lot of benefit for something that requires you to just lie there and chill (or heat?). But by far one of the most noticeable benefits is how incredible my skin looks - tighter, glowier, and just generally more radiant. 

I am thrilled with the results, so much so, that I asked Sun Home Saunas if they could provide a discount code to my PTB audience and they happily agreed. So if you are interested to try this amazing, inventive new product, now you can add the Promo code: PTB50 for a $50 discount if you purchase a blanket.

Get yours today and i would love to hear about your experience - comment below and letas get the conversation started! Also you can follow my Infrared Sauna blanket journey for play by play of how I use it over on instagram!

The post The Power of an Infrared Sauna appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

Failure. Humiliation. These are the anxious feelings that creep up the spine of many of us when considering starting a business.

Triumph. Pride. These are the feelings we need to focus on instead!

Itas easy to say just flip the switch from fear to courage. So letas turn those words into practical actions! 

As someone who has started businesses that have resulted in alearning momentsa as well as successes, Iall give you the exact keys to unlock your self-confidence to get started!

True Confidence Comes From Prior Success

No afake it atil you make ita mumbo-jumbo here. Think of what youare actually confident in. Itas in the activities where you have experienced success!

Ideally, your business or side hustle will incorporate some aspect where you feel truly confident in your abilities.

As a wise person once proclaimed, askills pay the bills.a Where are you skilled?

If you wanted to open your own restaurant, Iad recommend you feel confident in some aspect of the restaurant industry. You might be a terrific chef, always getting compliments on your vegan lasagna and gluten-free sugar-free fat-free key lime pie. Or perhaps youare outstanding in marketing, or at interior design, or managing teams.

You want to know that one aspect of your business is going to shine!

For instance, Iave known writers who went from making the website owners who employed them rich to opening their own site as a business! 

Sure they had to learn along the way, but they always knew their writing would be excellent.

So think about where you are special. That thing you currently do as a hobby that generates lots of positive feedback could be your new business! 

For me, itas making candles that smell like food. My pepperoni pizza candle will be coming to a store near you! 

Start Slowly

Confidence is built up over time as you reach milestones. 

Thereas rarely a need to jump into your new business with both feet. Sure youall make a big splash, but thataas also how you drown. Dip your toe in. 

If your little toe isnat bitten off by a shark in a snazzy business suit, youall feel confident enough to put one foot in.

Did you know that many successful businesses start out as a side hustle? I worked for a married couple who started a travel website while they both had full-time jobs as accountants. 

It wasnat until it was clear that their fun travel site was generating good money that they felt confident enough to quit their jobs to completely focus on their new business.

Proper Perspective Is Essential

Donat put so much pressure on yourself! Itas OK to afail.a Itas OK to make mistakes. This is how you learn. 

In fact, you want to fail faster! That means youare going outside your comfort zone, being brave, and learning. Youall pick yourself up and march on, this time armed with more knowledge.

I learned that people donat want a candle that smells like boiled asparagus. They want a bacon-scented candle. 

Whatas failure anyway? Imagine your best friend or a loved one. Her or his dream is to make romantic guitar music. This is your loved oneas true passion. 

Would you be disappointed if they gave it their best effort and it just didnat work out? Or would you be proud that they gave it their best shot? And along the way they did fun shows, were smiling all the time, and lived their best life!

Or would you really be disappointed if your best friend or loved one constantly talked about following their dream but never did? There was always an excuse. There was always a areasona to procrastinate. 

Be your own best friend. Treat yourself as well as you treat your loved ones. 

Surround Yourself With Positivity

Letas be real. Starting a business is tough! So make sure to start and end your day with positive talk. 

And talk with the most supportive people in your life. You need optimists to help you focus on the good stuff. 

You should absolutely be aware of the reality of your business, even when itas struggling. But that doesnat mean negativity will help you. 

You neeaad cheerleaders. 

Your friends and family should be your trampoline. You fall down; they bounce you back up. And when you make a strained metaphor, they say, aHey that trampoline visual wasnat great but I really liked the pizza candle.a

Celebrate Small Successes

I admit it. I used to feel silly or even ashamed to celebrate the alittlea wins along the way. I was like, aI have a big goal. Big deal if I accomplished step 1 out of 10.a

But that was wrong! Thereas a reason baseball players get a high-five and clap when they get a single. Sure, itas not a home run. But it sets up the next play. Itas positive momentum!

Again, would you diminish your best friendas milestones? If your best friend had a goal to lose 20 pounds and he lost his first 2 pounds Iam sure you wouldnat say, aWhatever, tubby. Youave got a long way to go. Maybe youad be slimmer if your house wasnat decorated with bacon-scented candles!a 

No! Youad say great job! You can do it!

Your Words Matter

Speak to yourself like youad speak to your good friend. Never belittle yourself. Donat be your own worst enemy! 

Stand tall and focus on two things when you speak: your REASON for starting the business and your customers.

aToday I will get another step closer to the freedom to work on something Iam passionate about. Today I will delight my customers who are counting on me!a

Learn From the Best

A shortcut to feeling confident is to get someone who has had success on your side. This could be a mentor, a business coach, or even reading or watching content from a person with a track record you admire.

When I was a kid learning how to ride a bike, I felt better knowing my dad knew how to ride a bicycle and was there to teach me and encourage me. 

When I wanted to learn how to hit a baseball, my dad wasnat as skilled but he pointed me to books and videos from the best hitters. I felt more confident knowing I was modeling the masters rather than making it all up myself.

Summary

The people Iave been around who do NOT have confidence tend to do the following:

• They lack skills and do not learn new skills or apply the new skills
• They have very negative self-talk
• They donat seek out mentors or study the masters
• They lack the courage to try and fail; they prefer to wallow in self-pity

If you want to build the self-confidence to start a business, do the exact opposite! 

• Select a business or side hustle that utilizes a skill where youave had success
• Talk to yourself like youad speak to your loved ones
• Study the best people in your business a theyave likely written books and done interviews on video
• Start your business slowly and build up your confidence
• Know that the only failure is failing to start!

Now go kick butt and build your business!

Scott Lieberman is an online business expert. He teaches entrepreneurs how to make money online. Scott reviews business tools from the best web hosting services to email marketing software. Scott has worked with multi-billion dollar corporations, as well as with small businesses to double their profits to millions of dollars.

The post How to Build Self-Confidence to Start a Business or Side Hustle appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

Sugar tastes amazing and is in so many products that most people arenat even aware of how much they are consuming daily. 

Most people are aware that sugar isnat a healthy food, but may not realize how detrimental sugar is to your overall health. 

More recent research is showing a strong link between mental health and diet, suggesting that there is a two-way street between our bellies and our brains.

What has sugar in it?

When people talk about sugar, the first thing that comes to mind is the white, granulated stuff that the Brits pour into their tea. 

However, there are many forms of sugar that all have similar effects on the body and brain including brown sugar, honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, glucose, and juice.

The primary way that people consume sugar is through sweetened beverages such as Pepsi and in many processed foods. Most pre-packaged foods have large quantities of sugar in them. 

Breakfast cereals, energy bars, flavored yogurt, and even bread all have some form of sugar in them. 74% of all packaged food at supermarkets contains some version of sugar, making it hard to avoid the stuff. 

When you look at all the sugar-containing food you eat in a day it adds up, even before dessert is even considered!

How Much Sugar Do We Eat?

The World Health Association recommends limiting sugar to 5% of your daily caloric intake, which works out to around 6-9 teaspoons a day. The average US American consumes 22 teaspoons per day, and the average child has 32 teaspoons a day. 

That means most of us are consuming 2-6 times more sugar than recommended. Many nutritionists advise eating less than 6 teaspoons a day and advise not eating anything that has added sugar in any form.

While this might seem extreme, the effects that sugar has on our bodies and our brains may cause some to reconsider their current eating habits.

The Science of Sugar on the Brain

Sugar is contained in so many foods for a variety of reasons. Sugar improves taste and is a natural preservative. What people do not typically know is that sugar is also highly addictive. Research shows that sugar is more addictive than cocaine.

 It causes a release of hormones in the brain, including dopamine, creating the same effect as addictive drugs. A brief asugar higha is followed by a crash of low energy and mood, leading people to want to consume more sugar to get that good feeling again.

Like any addictive substance, the more sugar we eat, the more we crave it. Furthermore, eating a high-sugar diet for a prolonged period can fundamentally alter our brain chemistry.

Sugar addiction resides in the neural pathways for reward-seeking behavior, which can make other addictive substances harder to resist. So as silly as it may sound, sugars are among the most readily available gateway drug.

Sugar has also been linked to mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and decreased cognitive abilities. 

An interesting study on the connection between diet and mental health found that an increase in refined sugar consumption correlated to more depression and worse schizophrenia. The same study found that eating more seafood and fish reduced the prevalence of depression. 

Eating more starchy root vegetables was also connected to a lower incidence of depression.

Many other studies and anecdotes continue to emerge, connecting diet to mood and mental health. The trend seems to be increasingly damning of sugar in all its disguises.

Tips for Kicking the Addiction:

Youave probably already considered eating less sugar, but chances are your efforts havenat stuck yet. I know from personal experience how hard it is to give up or limit sugar intake.

Despite my best intentions I continue to eat more sweets than I know is good for me. Here are some recommendations for successfully and sustainably cutting down on sugar:

• Learn to identify sugar in labels: Click here for an extensive list of all the names for sugar, so you know what to avoid in the supermarket.
• Shop the outside of the supermarket: This is where the real food like fruits and vegetables live.
• Win the battle at the grocery store! Sugar cravings usually come and go quickly, so if you didnat buy them, you wonat have access to it when the cravings hit. The key here is to eat a healthy meal before going shopping; this will make it a lot easier to resist sweet foods at the store. Shop the outside of the supermarket, where the real foods live. All the produce, meat, eggs, and dairy products are against the walls while the sugar added foods lurk at eye level in the middle of the store.
• Eliminate Trigger Foods: Most people have a trigger food, whether itas chocolate, Oreos, or a bowl of sweetened cereal, that they canat stop eating. You might tell yourself that youare only having one and suddenly youave eaten all the cookies. Get those foods out of your pantry and off the shopping list.
• Eat frequent, nutritious meals. It takes some time for your taste buds and your brain to adjust to eating less sugar, so make sure you have an alternative to go to when your cravings kick in. When you wait until you are super hungry, you will have less willpower and are more likely to eat anything and everything.
• Eat whole fruits. Try adding a nut butter for some fat and protein to keep you full longer.
• Chew fennel seeds. They are an excellent digestive aid and reduce cravings and appetite.
• Eat a savory breakfast. Eating sugary cereal or some Eggo waffles will set you up for cravings later in the day. Eating a savory breakfast like eggs and toast, or cheesy grits will set you up for a successful day.
• Prepare food from scratch as much as possible. Cooking your own food lets you control how much sugar goes into it. If you want to bake cookies, go ahead. At least you can choose to add less sugar to the recipe. Just the act of preparing food changes your relationship with it and gives you more control over what you are putting in your body.

The internet is full of cleanses, diets, and tips for reducing or eliminating sugar from your diet. 

Michael Pollan, the author of several books on food, has the most simple dietary recommendation I have come across: aEat food, not too much, mostly plants.a 

He qualifies afooda as something that our great grandparents would recognize (meaning not canned or highly processed).

Eating food is such a basic element of survival, yet it has become such a struggle to find and eat the food that sustains our bodies and minds. However, if you start to form habits around healthy eating, it will pay off quickly and for a long time to come.

Clint Mally is the director of marketing atA Sandstone CareA which provides teen and young adult specific mental health and substance use treatment.

The post Sugar and Mental Health appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

Dr. Beau A. Nelson, DBH, LCSW

Some people seem to deal with difficult situations better than others. Maybe theyare the only one in the room who keeps a cool head when everyone else gets upset, or the person who seems able to focus on solutions rather than getting mired in the problems. Sometimes theyare the people we go to in a crisis: We trust them to give us wise and level-headed advice when we most need it.

Whatas different about these people? Are they super-human? What about them allows them to succeed in times of stress and even thrive under pressure?

One answer might be personalityaand to be sure, personality can affect a personas stress responseabut mindset matters a lot. Some ways of thinking in dealing with an unexpected situation or crisis are more helpful than others. We know this to be true from studies in the field of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Certain acognitive distortionsa can reduce the ability to cope in pressured situations. In direct contrast, these five mental habits tend to describe people who thrive under pressure.

Staying present in the moment a Rather than getting caught up in the fear of the moment or projecting a negative outcome, people who thrive under pressure can be present with the task at hand. They stay focused on what theyare doing in that moment and stay on track working towards an outcome.

Being flexible with options and solutions a Rather than thinking in either-or or black-and-white terms, a person who thrives under pressure understands there are many different options in a situation and determines a course of action after considering multiple inputs and available choices. Being flexible means thinking creatively and being able to perceive multiple approaches to a problem or challenge.

De-catastrophizing a People who thrive under pressure take situations at face value, address them, and stay clear of getting caught up in their emotions. To de-catastrophize is to take a step back and assess a situation as realistically as possible, without over-exaggerating the negatives. When we catastrophize, we relate to a stressful scenario as if itas the end of the world or a life-or-death situation. This soon leads to self-defeating thoughts like aI canat possibly get through this.a Being thoughtful and clearheaded allows you to function at your best and solve problems without a high degree of stress, anger, frustration, or other emotions.

Accepting a situation for what it is a Instead of focusing on past failures, getting caught up with other peopleas emotions, or blaming others and not taking responsibility, people who thrive under pressure are able to see the present situation for what it is and acknowledge their role in it. Theyare also able to approach it with a realistic sense of context and see that it is one task among many, as opposed to an earth-shattering, make-or-break event that theyall never recover from.

Trusting oneas judgment a You may not always be right, but inaction is paralyzing. People who thrive under pressure are good at addressing the situation at hand or delegating or getting the resources that they need. A measure of confidence is very helpful when youare dealing with a stressful situation that demands quick thought and immediate action. Self-doubt or people pleasing is generally not going to be effective in a critical situation.

While skills for thriving under pressure are as varied as the people who practice them, these straightforward and centered approaches may help you navigate high-stress situations more effectively. Theyare also mental habits that, when practiced, can build confidence and self-assurance, increase competence, and improve decision-making abilities. Anyone can develop skills to be better at dealing with pressured situations. It takes effort, focus, and learning the best ways to deal with our emotions and other people.

Dr. Beau A. Nelson is Chief Clinical Officer at the national behavioral health provider FHE Health.

The post 5 Mental Habits of People Who Thrive Under Pressure appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

Are you feeling a bit bored at work? Are you missing the growth and challenge you felt when you first started your role?
A
If you have been in the same role or industry for a while, these surges of lethargy are completely understandable. Your connection with your work is similar to your personal relationships. Both require energy to keep the relationship exciting and stimulating.A
A
How can you fall back in love with your job and your work? Lead with curiosity to invigorate what excites you most. Here are three questions to initiate your discovery of falling back in love.A A
A
Question #1: What interested you about your role or industry in the first place?A
A
Many times, we get caught in our routines and forget what initially attracted us to our job. Make a list of the items that originally interested you about your role. Highlight areas you no longer are experiencing. If these areas bring you joy and excitement, create an action plan to integrate them back into your work.A
A
Question #2: Where can you become an expert in your field?A
A
Once you understand your responsibilities and how to effectively execute your projects, itas easy to stay complacent. Becoming an expert takes work, dedication, and concentration. What more can you learn about your role? Are there courses that can provide you a deeper knowledge? Take this opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments, then ask yourself what else you can learn to continue to grow.
A
Question #3: How does your role give you purpose?A
A
In every job you take, itas important to ensure you understand how your responsibilities tie to your overall mission or purpose. This exercise might appear to be easy for some roles compared to others. For example, letas look at a teacheras purpose. Their purpose could be to increase emotional wellbeing for future generations. What if your job is to deliver packages? Amazon does a great job of sharing their employeesa purpose, from the moment a package is ordered to delivered.
A
No matter what role you are in, ensure you see how your actions impact your final consumer and highlight each impact you create that energizes your passion and purpose.A

How Collaboration Creates Competitive & Cohesive Teams

I spoke at a Human Resources Leader Conference in Las Vegas last week. Pre-Covid 19, these events were overflowing. People polled said they liked the live events because it gave them an opportunity to network, helped them professional development, and gave access to new tools and technologies in the exhibition hall.

But this week, when the organizers polled the attendees, hands down, the number one reason stated was to connect with others.

Was this just a reaction to quarantine and zoom fatigue? It turns out that the leaders were looking to cross- collaborate with a diverse population. Collaboration was the goal.

When I was new to the airline industry, I got hired byA AllegiantA . They were expanding their fleet and bases daily, and my team needed to grow exponentially. Rather than panic, I leaned into what I knew. I leveraged my expertise in Talent Acquisition to recruit a team from various industries, including hospitality, entertainment, engineering, and customer service. My boss actually called my team, athe island of misfit toys!a

I grew the team from seven to seventeen quite quickly. We amisfitsa from outside the industry learned from those with experience inside. But the opposite was also true. People familiar with hospitality and customer service standards brought their expertise to our talent acquisition strategy; the people from engineering brought industry insights to help us differentiate ourselves from our competitors, and the entertainment industry professionals provided recommendations on process to enhance our interview experience. The company grew to become cohesive and highly competitive. Within one year, Allegiant went from a poor rating on Glassdoor to receiving an award for being one of the best places to interview.

The challenges we faced, our diverse perspectives, and our ability to collaborate created a winning team, or what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defines as an aoptimal experiencea in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. We achieved flow as a team.

How has collaboration brought out the best in you and your teams? Challenges will keep on coming. Rather than having to figure out each answer on your own, collaborate to create. Your best solution might just be one misfit idea away!

Rebecca Ahmed is an award-winning speaker, business consultant, and an Energy Leadership Index™ Master Practitioner (ELI-MP), which is an exclusive training in human energy and how we can experience, express, and expand it in ourselves and others. Rebecca is also a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF),A

The post How To Lead with Curiosity To Fall Back In Love With Your Job appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

aI have a book within me just waiting to be born.a

aI keep notes of these phrases that come to me.a

aIave tried over and over and haven't been able to write it.a

As a book-writing coach, I hear these types of comments a lot. There are so many talented, smart individuals who have a book living inside them, but for myriad reasons a time management, writer's block, fear of failure a they have trouble getting it onto the page.

The process of writing a book is complex, time-intensive, and filled with obstacles, some mental and some physical. Every journey starts differently, yet the path always looks and feels the same.

You begin with an idea or image a something within, like a seed germinating beneath the surface. You tinker with this seed, collecting scraps of paper and notes on your phone. You finally take the leap and jot those notes down in a document on your computer. Then, the first touch of paralysis occurs. Now what? Youave got some disconnected thoughts and feelings written down but nothing that resembles a story. Or you know exactly what you want to write but the way it comes out feels wrong.

Thereas nothing like having a book feel so alive inside your soul and then meet reality on the page: a jumbled mess that wouldn't entice a single reader.

Obstacles in Telling Your Story

Every story is alive, its own being with its own heartbeat and shape, which is why the initial stages can seem overwhelming. You know the book is meant to be birthed, but itas formless inside you. That lack of shape is hard to hold. Writing a book from an evocative place, one of memory and emotion, can relieve feelings of paralysis. You can shape your story around the crux of this emotion and figure out where the beginning, climax, and end are.

One of the hardest obstacles in theA process of writing a bookA is often what to eliminate from our stories. Every part feels crucial to who we are and how we came to be. The best way to begin to organize it is to figure out what story you want to tell. Is it a love story, a story of loss, a story of hope or triumph? Then, eliminate the parts that would invite too many doors to open for the reader. Let them walk through the door that feels most heavy for you a a door that you would need readers' help to open.

For me, thatas the door of grief. Thatas the door of my childhood. Of yellow hair curlers, hymns played on the piano, buttery grits, the smell of honeysuckle, my grandmotheras loving hand as she tucked me in for a nap. The same hand I held before she passed.

There, a heartbeat. The story is alive.

Another obstacle is often the structure of the story. Sometimes our memories are malleable. We donat know the exact dates an experience happened, or perhaps we donat know whether it's more important to be accurate or true. When we're accurate, we give over to the logical part of our brains, writing down the facts. When we're true, we lean into the emotions we feel throughout the story.

Emotions fuel our memories. It makes perfect sense to tell a story about anger and move from your parentsa anger to a moment when you expressed anger the same way they did. Twenty years could have passed between those moments, but the reader will understand why you organized it that way a you were showing them a story connected by emotion, by what feels true.

How to Begin Writing a Book

When we look back on our lives, we're looking for patterns to connect experiences. One way to do this is by making a shape with the dots along our lifetime. Like constellations in the sky, we can make meaning out of experiences that shine brightest to us. The most common pattern of telling a story is an arc or wave. It begins as a calm surface until the tension rises and rises, escalating to form the shape of a giant wave whose energetic body has nothing to do but crash and break until equilibrium returns.

Although the wave is the most common storytelling form, your book can take on many shapes. In her book about storytelling structure, "Meander, Spiral, Explode," Jane Alison argues that as human beings, we observe the day-to-day always "alert to patterns," the ways in which our experiences shape themselves, the "ways we can replicate [the experience's] shape with words." A brilliant notion, we can shape moments in our lives to create texture, vibrancy, emotion, and meaning.

The most important thing when sitting down to write your book is to recognize the patterns throughout your life and corral them onto the page. Recognizing patterns, however, is not easy. Thereas so much freedom in organizing your story, depending on how you want it shaped, which is why the act itself can be difficult. Here's where to start writing a book:

• Find a memory that has a hold on you and build around it. Write out the sensory details: What do you see, feel, smell, touch, or taste? What textures, colors, and movements do you observe? See what dots you can connect as you explore the memory. Were you wearing a yellow shirt when you met the love of your life by the lemons in the grocery store? That pattern of yellow might repeat itself in other memories. Hold on to those patterns for the future of crafting your story.
• Settle on what the story is about a a love story, a loss story, a career story a and eliminate tangential ideas. Fall into the story completely to see what patterns show up when you surrender to a theme or frame around your life. Perhaps yellow flowers arrived at your wedding or the logo of your company matches the yellow of your parents' childhood car. The motifs of love and courage are intertwined with a vibrant color.
• Pick a structure that supports the story. Sometimes that means leaning into a classic narrative structure, like the heroas journey, following a chronological path of adventure. Or perhaps it means organizing by idea or theme or a colorful image, circling around a concept until you come to a conclusion that feels most true.

Writing a book is excavating meaning from the deep recesses of the mind, and the process of telling your story reshapes how you see yourself. Writing out your story is so humbling; itas like holding up a mirror and meeting yourself for the first time. You get the opportunity to be gentler to your past and to claim victory over your present. A truly great story has the power to impact its audience in a radical way, but no one will ever be as changed as when a writer births a story that was always destined to be.

Kelsey Schurer is an executive editor atA Round Table Companies, where she works on projects such as book coaching, business storytelling, and childrenas illustrated books. She played an integral role in creatingA The Story Hero, RTCas educational storytelling course.

The post 3 Tips to Start theA Process of Writing a Book appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

The five best and five worst things that happened to the Angels during the first half of the season.

Angels closer Raisel Iglesias started June with an epic blown save against the Phillies, but followed that up with dominant performances the rest of the month.

Mike Trout of the Angels and Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox share their memories of the MLB draft in commercials that will begin airing Friday.

Shohei Ohtani extended his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings while recording 11 strikeouts in the Angels' 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Angels reliever Archie Bradley sustained a broken elbow after falling over the dugout railing during the Angels-Mariners on-field brawl Sunday.

A total of 12 players and coaches have been disciplined for their roles in the brawl Sunday between the Angels and Mariners.

An Orange County grand jury blasts the Anaheim City Council, not just the former mayor, for rushing to approve the now-defunct Angel Stadium deal.

Benches clear for the Angels and Mariners after pitcher Andrew Wantz hits Seattle's Jesse Winker with a pitch during the Angels' 2-1 win Sunday.

Shohei Ohtani hits a 462-foot home run, but leaves two runners stranded on a game-ending lineout in the Angels' 5-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Mike Trout went deep for his record 53rd career home run against the Seattle Mariners, but the rest of the offense sputtered and the Angels lost 4-3.

After a 27-17 start, the Angels have slipped under .500 because of issues with their hitting and pitching that even Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani can't overcome.

If the Angels are looking for manager after the season, they should consider former center fielder Darin Erstad for a lot of reasons.

Shohei Ohtani struck out a career-high 13 over eight innings of two-hit ball in the Angels' 5-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday at Angel Stadium.

Reid Detmers was optioned to triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday just six weeks after the Angels left-hander threw a no-hitter against Tampa Bay.

Shohei Ohtani had a big night, but the Angels' comeback fell short in the wild 12-11 extra innings loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday at Angel Stadium.

The Angels, who were unhappy with the slickness of the baseballs during a series in Seattle, were happy to hear MLB is standardizing its procedures.

In the same year Disney was looking to part ways with the Angels, the team put up its most memorable season, defeating the Giants in the 2002 World Series.