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Five Boosts for Overcoming Overwhelm

Written by Steven Ray Marks Leave a Comment on Five Boosts for Overcoming Overwhelm
Photo by Atul Choudhary from Pexels

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 2/2/21

Today’s boosts are about dealing with times when life seems overwhelming.

Whether it’s work or family responsibilities, stress from the global situation, or your personal emotions and mental health, sometimes we all feel like we’re drinking from the firehose and it’s too much to handle.

Hopefully the advice from these articles can give you some easy ways to cope.

Five Questions to Eliminate Overwhelm

(Sue Hawkes | Thrive Global | 250 words)

When feeling overwhelmed, ask:

  1. How can/will I succeed?
  2. Make a prioritized list.
  3. Are these real deadlines?
  4. What can I let go?
  5. What can I delegate or simplify?

Related: 10 Things to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed

How to Overcome Victim Thinking

(Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | 800 words)

Seeing yourself as a victim gives you attention and validation, makes you feel right, and keeps you from having to take responsibility.

But leads to a life of overwhelm and misery.

For a happier life you control, replace a victim mentality with:

  • Gratitude
  • Taking action
  • Learning
  • Giving value
  • Forgiveness

How Hard Should I Push Myself

(Dan Shipper | Superorganizers | 1675 words)

To handle stress with less overwhelm:

  • Increase control and predictability
  • Find outlets for frustration
  • Increase social support

I found this in the Gradual Daily newsletter.

14 Ways to Make Chores More Joyful

(Ingrid Fetell Lee | Aesthetics of Joy | 3400 words)

Life is less overwhelming when chores are fun.

  • Dance while doing chores
  • Listen to podcasts/audiobooks, or watch TV
  • Incorporate a reward
  • Be ok with ok.

Even adding googly eyes to cleaning tools makes a difference.

I found this in Nir Eyal’s Nir and Far newsletter.

3 Ways to Practice Emotional Agility When Everything Is Up In the Air

(Vanessa Loder | Mind Body Green | 1100 words)

Uncertainty adds to overwhelm, especially in trying times.

To build emotional agility:

  • Accept emotions without making them your identity.
  • Have self-compassion.
  • Be curious about your emotions

Related: Disembarking From the Failboat

Self Helping Yourself Tweet of the Week

Excel: Beginner to Rockstar

As I mentioned in the intro, I’m launching a new business.

Before switching to Self-Improvement and Weight Loss, I spent 20 years in Accounting and Finance for start-ups, rising to the level of CFO. Now I’m putting my expertise to use teaching Excel.

Could winning at Excel win your next job?

Or save you hundreds of hours as an entrepreneur?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to increase your Excel skills 100% or more in four weeks. You’ll be able to get twice as much done in half the time, amaze your boss and potential employers, and enjoy unparalleled job security.

Rockstar Excel Presents

Excel: Beginner to Rockstar Course

Starting March 18, 2021

Are you an entrepreneur who struggles to finish everything?

Are you an employee whose career is stuck in neutral?

Are you looking to become more efficient and organized?

Would you like to get more done in less time?

Mastering Excel could be the solution!

Imagine taking minutes to complete what used to take you hours. Picture what you could do with five extra hours a week. What if you never had to worry about layoffs, because your skills made you too valuable for your company to lose?

I want to rock Excel
and get my free Expense Tracker

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

Enjoy Five Boosts? Please consider buying me a coffee.

I work hard reviewing hundreds of articles a week to find five that contain the best advice on easy ways to improve your life.

As well as writing the posts for Self Helping Yourself, and Rockstar Excel.

If you can’t donate, you can always help by subscribing, recommending Five Boosts, Self Helping Yourself, or any articles to your friends, or by rating/reviewing The Weight Loss Habit on Amazon. (If you’ve read it.)

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Five Boosts 12/15/20 – Loving Failure And Ignorance

Written by Steven Ray Marks Leave a Comment on Five Boosts 12/15/20 – Loving Failure And Ignorance
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Before getting to the boosts, I have a favor to ask.

I’m always trying to make Five Boosts more useful.

You can assist by completing this two-minute survey.

I’d truly appreciate it.

And don’t forget to subscribe to get Five Boosts in your inbox every week, as well as your free copy of 24 Ways to Improve Your Life.

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 12/15/20

Interview With the Millennial Money Woman

(Steven Ray Marks & Fiona | Self Helping Yourself | 1875 words)

The Millennial Money Woman (also known as Fiona) is a top personal finance blogger.

She gives easy, actionable advice on getting your money in order:

  • Start saving and investing early
  • Avoid common mistakes
  • Cut spending
  • Leverage opportunities the internet gives

Related: 13 Incredibly Easy Ways to Improve Your Finances

10 Ways to Love Your Partner in a Meaningful Way

(Kimberly Brown | Purpose Fairy | 975 words)

Love is something you actively do. A bit of mindful effort keeps your relationship strong, which makes both you and your partner much happier.

Suggestions include:

  • Talk to each other daily
  • Build them up
  • Flirt
  • Be more give than taking
  • Love yourself

How to Cope With Feelings of Isolation During the Holidays

(Abby Moore | Mind Body Green | 675 words)

The holidays are especially difficult for those with pandemic-related mental health challenges.

I know it’s hard for me – I haven’t seen my mother and sister in nearly a year.

To feel a bit better, make a plan of joyful ways to spend the holiday.

Adapt traditions for quarantine, or create new ones.

Spend time outdoors, or volunteer. Charity is a great way to boost your mood.

Video chat with family. It’s not the real thing, but it’s better than nothing.

Selective Ignorance: Cultivating Intentional Knowledge in a Chaotic World

(Anne-Laure Le Cunff | Ness Labs | 1350 words)

The unlimited knowledge is at our fingertips is both a blessing and a curse.

What knowledge we consume and how we consume it can make us miserable or be a distraction.

Cultivate selective ignorance by limiting information sources that don’t provide value or enjoyment.

How to Overcome Failure and Use it as Motivation

(DJ Jeffries | Addicted 2 Success | 925 words)

Everybody fails sometimes. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Failure is an opportunity to learn and come out of it stronger.

To do this:

  • Understand what went wrong.
  • Look to friends for advice.
  • Listen to constructive feedback.
  • Keep moving forward.
  • Don’t be afraid of failure.

I always say: “If you failed but learned how to do better next time, you haven’t really failed.”

Related: Disembarking From the Failboat

Self Helping Yourself Tweet of the Week

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

Enjoy Five Boosts? Please consider buying me a coffee.

I work hard reviewing hundreds of articles a week to find five that contain the best advice on easy ways to improve your life.

As well as writing the posts for Self Helping Yourself, and Rockstar Excel.

If you can’t donate, you can always help by subscribing, recommending Five Boosts, Self Helping Yourself, or any articles to your friends, or by rating/reviewing The Weight Loss Habit on Amazon. (If you’ve read it.)

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Five Boosts 12/1/20 – Be Thankful for Imperfections

Written by Steven Ray Marks Leave a Comment on Five Boosts 12/1/20 – Be Thankful for Imperfections
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 12/1/20

Before getting to this week’s boosts, I want to thank Lynn DeLong for her lovely review of The Weight Loss Habit. Please do check it out.

5 Reasons to Embrace Your Imperfections

(Josh Spector | For the Interested | 700 words)

Imperfections make us unique. They make our creations interesting and relatable. And give us room to grow.

Perfect is boring.

Moreover, there’s no such thing as perfect. It’s an unattainable standard. Chasing perfection is an excuse to avoid finishing our work.

Related: Perfectionism Paralysis Can be Beaten by Half-Assing It

The Power of Thankfulness: 5 Essential Tips

(Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | 725 words)

Gratitude hugely increases your happiness.

  1. Think of three things to be thankful for today, and 3 people to be thankful for in life.
  2. Tell people you’re thankful for them.
  3. Think of 3 aspects of yourself you’re thankful for.
  4. Be thankful for things you take for granted.
  5. Start and end your day with thankfulness.

Delightful December Can Make You Happier

(Steven Ray Marks | Self Helping Yourself | 825 words)

Delightful December is a month-long challenge to dramatically improve your mood.

  1. Avoid posting anything negative on social media.
  2. Instead, every day in December, post:
  • Something you’re grateful for.
  • Something that made you happy.
  • Something you’re looking forward to.

5 Tools to Manage Anxiety When it Arises

(Kristina Hallett, PhD, ABPP | Mind Body Green | 875 words)

A certain amount of anxiety is normal. To manage it:

  1. Stop with the “what-ifs.”
  2. Return to the present moment.
  3. Engage your senses.
  4. Practice progressive muscle relaxation.
  5. Go for a walk.

What Successful People Know About Failure

(LaRae Quy | laraequy.com | 1300 words)

Everyone experiences failure. It’s naturally unpleasant, but it’s also an opportunity.

  1. Failure feeds the starving brain. Is this a challenge to keep pursuing, or should we shift focus to something else?
  2. Failure gives us humility.
  3. Failure leads to new discoveries.
  4. Failure gets our attention.

Bonus Boost

15 Ways to Avoid Gaining Weight Over the Holidays

(Steven Ray Marks | Self Helping Yourself | 1750 words)

The holidays are an especially difficult time for those of us who struggle with weight.

Here are some tips to avoid common pitfalls, without relying on willpower. Including:

  • Skip less exciting dishes.
  • Serve yourself tiny portions.
  • Compliment people while declining their food.
  • Use a smaller plate.
  • Don’t sit or stand near food.

Self Helping Yourself Tweet of the Week

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

Enjoy Five Boosts? Please consider buying me a coffee.

I work hard reviewing hundreds of articles a week to find five that contain the best advice on easy ways to improve your life.

As well as writing the posts for Self Helping Yourself, and Rockstar Excel.

If you can’t donate, you can always help by subscribing, recommending Five Boosts, Self Helping Yourself, or any articles to your friends, or by rating/reviewing The Weight Loss Habit on Amazon. (If you’ve read it.)

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Fear, Investing, And Impostors – Five Boosts 8/2/20

Written by Steven Ray Marks Leave a Comment on Fear, Investing, And Impostors – Five Boosts 8/2/20

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 8/2/20

The Incredibly Simple, One Sentence Guide to Investing

(Steven Ray Marks | Self Helping Yourself | 1700 words)

The one sentence is:

“Once you’ve paid off all your credit card debt, invest as much as you can in your 401k, and park your money in an index fund without paying any attention to the market.”

That’s all you need to know about investing.

Anything more complicated will give you worse results.

The article gives more detail on why this is the case, what an index fund is, and how to pick which index fund, so it’s definitely worth reading. (If I do say so myself. 😉)

21 Ways to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

(Kyle Eschenroeder | Startup Bros. | 3100 Words)

Impostor Syndrome is the feeling that you’re not qualified to be doing your job, and that everyone will realize you’re a fraud. It’s shockingly common, even among elites and experts.

It’s hard to summarize this lengthy article, because each of the 21 diverse suggestions will resonate with different people.

But if this is something you ever suffer from, or you ever haven’t pursued something you wanted because you thought you weren’t qualified, I highly recommend reading this.

I found this article in For the Interested, which gives advice mainly directed toward online creators, but is useful for everyone.

Optimism 2020: A Manifesto

(Trevor McKendrick | How It Actually Works | 450 Words | Subscribe)

Fifteen suggestions on being more optimistic, including:

  • Focus on things you can influence.
  • Do something today instead of daydreaming about tomorrow.
  • Move fast. Most decisions can be reversed later.
  • Recognize the pie is not fixed and life is not zero sum.
  • Believe we can solve any problem.

6 Strategies to Overcome Fear

(Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | 1400 Words | Subscribe)

  1. Ask what’s the worst that can happen.
  2. Write out the fear.
  3. Change your perspective.
  4. Question your fears and what they’re based on.
  5. Breathe and take a moment to accept the fear.
  6. Take small steps forward.

How to Change Your Personality For the Better

(Olga Khazan | Next Big Idea Club | 600 Words | Subscribe)

Most people assume that their personality is fixed.

But you actually can change your personality if you want.

All you have to do is act the way you want your personality to be, and eventually your personality will change to follow your actions.

I found this in Nir Eyal’s Nir and Far newsletter.

Self Helping Yourself Tweet of the Week

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

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Giraffe Punching, Apologies, and Goals – Five Boosts 7/26/20

Written by Steven Ray Marks Leave a Comment on Giraffe Punching, Apologies, and Goals – Five Boosts 7/26/20
Giraffe Punching

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 7/26/20

Stop Giraffe Punching to Be More Tolerant, Less Stressed, Have a Better Outlook, and Be Happier Overall

(Self Helping Yourself | Steven Ray Marks)

Giraffe Punching is repeatedly lecturing an audience that already agrees with you, or telling them to stop doing something none of them are doing, in a condescending and insulting way.

The term comes from it being pointless to yell at people to stop punching giraffes.

This is something that everyone does, when they get frustrated by bad behavior in the world and then take it out on the wrong people.

But making a conscious effort to stop will make you happier, improve your relationships, and improve your perspective on the world.

How to Talk to People Who Disagree With You and Still Be Kind

(Tanya Basu | MIT Technology Review)

I changed the headline of this article.

It’s actually about talking to conspiracy theorists, but it’s excellent advice for talking to anyone who disagrees with you.

Speak respectfully, privately, and test the waters first.

Find an element you agree on.

Use a “truth sandwich” or Socratic method.

Be careful with loved ones, remember that some people don’t want to change, and if it gets bad, stop.

And remember that even if you don’t change someone’s mind, every pleasant interaction you have makes people more open to your view. (Though unpleasant interactions make them even more skeptical of your view.)

See also: How to Win Allies and How to Stop Making Enemies.

How Good Apologies Enhance Our Well-Being

(Molly Howes, Ph.D. | Mind Body Green)

Being more willing to genuinely apologize after wronging someone will lead to better relationships and increased self-respect.

It also provides a good example for children, helping them develop a sense of empathy.

A good apology involves understanding the other person’s injury, articulating sincere regret, making reparations, and making a plan so it doesn’t happen again.

25 Ways to Dramatically Increase Your Chances of Reaching Your Goals

(Ayodeji Awosika | Medium)

Some suggestions include:

Write your goals down. Get quick wins. Don’t brag about things you haven’t yet done. Focus on one thing at a time. And align goals with positivity.

I agree with most of the 25 items on this list, but not all of them. I suspect Awosika would be totally fine with that, since one of the items is “Don’t be a self-help robot.”

So pick and choose the suggestions that you think will work well for you.

5 Habits to Take Action Every Day

Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | Subscribe)

Change requires consistent daily action. But it can be hard to maintain motivation to keep that action going.

To fight this:

1. Focus on the process rather than results.

2. Remember why you are taking action.

3. Remember quitting or laziness will make you feel bad about yourself.

4. Take smaller steps on days when big ones seem too daunting.

5. Celebrate what you did each day.

Self Helping Yourself Tweet of the Week

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

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