Peace Lover

You hear it all the time—relationships are hard work! It's two individuals coming together with their own imperfections, values, and belief systems. But long-distance relationships? Well, that's another category of challenging. I would never wish a long-distance relationship on anyone, especially doing it in the beginning of a relationship. Distance is a blessing in disguise. Distance teaches you unique, valuable lessons that you wouldn't ordinarily learn without going through this—and they're lessons every couple needs. Here are some of the most crucial ones: 1. Watch your tone. Communication is foundation to a strong relationship. And when you can't turn to any physical means of connecting, then it absolutely takes on a whole new priority. I learned quickly that the tone of my voice could be condescending and aggressive even when it was not my intention. My tone would easily turn a conversation into a negative one, and the only person to blame ...

Do you remember that catchy Jordin Sparks song from a couple of years ago,  Battlefield ? The chorus goes something like this: I never meant to start a war You know I never want to hurt you Don’t even know what we’re fighting for Why does love always feel like a battlefield? The  YouTube video  of this song has been watched more than 46  million  times, so I’m guessing Sparks is not alone in feeling this way. Your love may not feel like a battlefield exactly, (and I hope it doesn’t), but I think the reason that this song resonates with so many people is because it touches on the truth that  some degree of conflict is inevitable in close personal relationships.  Everyone is different. No matter how well you know yourself and your partner, no matter how well you speak each others love languages, you’re not going to avoid conflict altogether. You  will  disagree with some of your partner’s opinions and their choices. Y...

Millions of families around the world await the advent of this five-day long festival. Looking back into mythology this day bears a huge significance as it marks the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. People of Ayodhya were ecstatic at the homecoming of Lord Rama and rejoiced by lighting up their houses with lamps and distributing sweets to each other. People have different beliefs and sentiments attached to Diwali but a common emotion of immense joy and happiness is what binds us all together. Diwali also marks the start of the new Hindu financial year and many businessmen, traders, and shopkeepers, open new accounts books. The festival celebrates Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Investment, spending, and purchases are considered auspicious on this day. It is the peak buying season for Gold and other jewellery. Diwali or Deepawali is the symbol of victory of righteousness and spiritual illumination. The spirit of Diwali holds relevant even in the modern day. ...

These are my BIG FOUR!  Regardless if you’re young, old, male or female these basic four emotions – mad, sad, glad, and afraid – are appropriate for you.  Processing your feelings is healthy and I highly recommend that.  Here’s why. Feeling Angry Feeling angry or “mad?”  Oh no!  This is the feeling that scares everyone.  I’m always amazed at the number of people that think being mad and/or angry is always a negative.  I can tell you that if you don’t allow yourself or your child to feel this feeling it can lead to depression.  It’s  how  you handle or behave while being angry that is key and crucial. Getting angry and saying hurtful things or hitting a wall are not healthy ways of release.  But taking a walk, or hitting a punching bag is completely acceptable!  So think about this one long and hard – it’s not the feeling that’s bad – it’s the behavior.  That’s why anger management programs exist...

For most of us the average day includes a mix of things we both look forward to and things we don’t look forward to. We look forward to coffee in the morning, we regret that we have to go to work; we look forward to coming home at the end of the day, we dislike that we have to do laundry. But how much of your life are you giving up if you dread, dislike, regret and don’t look forward to, say, 50 percent of your average day? Logical reasoning says that, based on this estimate, you’re giving up half of your entire life. And you’re giving it up simply because you aren’t looking at your life from a healthy perspective. When we don’t look forward to something—when we don’t enjoy it—we aren’t very present in that current moment. It’s like life is just passing by, and we’re just waiting for it to pass so we can get on with the more fun or interesting parts of each day. When we get caught up in this waiting-for-better-moments routine, we aren’t actively living, are we? We end...

Roughly speaking, a person builds up an idealized image of himself because he cannot tolerate himself as he actually is. The image apparently counteracts this calamity; but having placed himself on a pedestal, he can tolerate his real self still less and starts to rage against it, to despise himself and to chafe under the yoke of his own unattainable demands upon himself. He wavers then between self-adoration and self-contempt, between his idealized image and his despised image, with no solid middle ground to fall back on. There is, to mention only one other factor, the alienation from self that robs a person of his motor force. He can still be a good worker, he may even be able to make a considerable effort when put under external pressure, but he collapses when left to his own resources. This does not only mean that he cannot do anything constructive or enjoyable with his free time; it means nothing less than that all his creative forces may go to waste. When a person feels th...