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Life can be overwhelming with the pace it moves forward. Sometimes it can be exciting but other times it can feel stressful. And that stress can trigger some powerful emotions like anger, anxiety, fear, loneliness, and more. For introverts, this stress can become very overwhelming and disorienting as they often process and feel things deeply as compared to their extrovert counterparts. However, this anxiety is not permanent, it can be controlled with one key solution: mindfulness. You can easily manage stress as an introvert with mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness regularly can invoke calm and decrease feelings of stress and overwhelm.    

So, here are six ways introverts can acknowledge, understand and transform stress and anxiety into mindfulness.  

We often forget that there’s a strong connection between the body and the mind. And improving our emotional health is just as crucial to our wellbeing.

Modern life is difficult.  Family, financial and societal pressures constantly keep mounting and its but obvious that we feel suffocated under such endless expectations. There is a lot to juggle and not all of us have the mental or emotional capacity to do it all at once. But just as we look after our physical health, taking care of our mind is as important. We’re all guilty of putting more focus on having a balanced diet, exercise and living a healthier lifestyle while overlooking signs of mental and emotional exhaustion and the troubles our mind is going through. Mental health encompasses our psychological, social and emotional health and wellbeing. We often forget that there’s a strong connection between the body and the mind.  

If our emotional health and wellbeing is out of balance, we are at risk of suffering from high blood pressure, ulcers, chest pain and more such physical symptoms. When we feel good about ourselves, we are better equipped to deal with life’s ups and downs or even larger events like divorce or death. Emotionally healthy people are in better control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. They are self-aware enough to keep problems in perspective and bounce back better. These are signs that you’re an emotionally mature person.

Research has proven that emotional health and wellbeing is a skill. And that’s why we’ve put together 5 simple ways you can be emotionally healthy and happier. 

Love comes in different forms; selfless, sacrificing, first love, or one that is as divine as faith. Our round-up of beautiful romantic books explores the versatile nature of love.

It’s that time of the year where love is in the air and you should celebrate it by picking up a book. Be a part of someone’s love story and go on a journey that celebrates this sacred emotion. Now, this feeling can take many different forms, and these books explore the versatile nature of love.  

Love is kind but it can also be hard. Sometimes, it’s not about happy endings but about the journey. Love can be felt in everyday things and but at times a grand gesture is needed. Love maybe glorified but it’s the essence to survival and hope. Whatever may be your understanding of love, there’s something for everyone here. 

Different types of meditation can help us achieve enlightenment and create a higher awareness of our emotions and behaviours.

Defined as an ancient wellness technique that propels a heightened state of awareness and focused attention, the different types of meditation to achieve enlightenment guide us toward stress release and a healthier perspective on life.  

Stemming from ‘meditatum’, a Latin term which means ‘to ponder’, meditation can help us seek a better connection with our body and create a higher awareness for our emotions and behaviours. Instead of looking at it as a way of turning off your negative thoughts and feelings, consider it an observation of emotions without indulging in judgment.  

Research has proven meditation to be helpful for stress and anxiety as well as focus, concentration, and relaxation. The good news is everyone can do it, but before we get into the how, let’s learn where it came from, what different types of meditation there are and why it’s so crucial for our wellbeing.   

Have you ever wondered why looking at the sea is so calming? Science says time spent by the sea does the mind and body good.

One of the most mystical and intriguing entities on our planet is the ocean and we’re fortunate enough to have access to it. Like the mind, the ocean is in constant motion and has several layers that go deeper than the surface. At the beach, the boundaries between sand, sea, and sky become blurred – all seem to play a role together, one depending on the other. There’s a lot we can learn from the ocean and meditating by the sea or even while visualising the sea has significant benefits for our mind and body. Below, let’s answer the question why looking at the sea is so calming. 

Apart from the vast physiological benefits, yoga and meditation can both help calm and center the mind.

It’s hardly surprising that mindful practices like yoga and meditation both bring mental benefits like reduced anxiety and depression but there are a few other hidden psychological insights that you could find about yourself if you. What’s more, regular practice makes your brain work faster and better. Thus, yoga can help you attain balanced physical and mental health. 

When people talk about yoga, they often refer to the physiological benefits like increased strength, flexibility, and relaxation amongst others like lowered blood pressure and slowed heart rate. Yoga is also seen as a tool for weight loss and improving balance and coordination but when seen under the bigger picture, yoga’s cognitive benefits amalgamated with the physiological benefits are tenfold. A yoga practice helps your brain cells develop fresh connections, and changes occur in your brain structure and function, improving cognitive skills like memory recall and knowledge intake.  

Moreover, studies using MRI scans have proved that those who practice yoga daily have a thicker cerebral cortex and hippocampus compared to nonpractitioners. When paired with a mindful meditation practice, yoga improves executive functions like reasoning, decision making, memory, learning, reaction time, and accuracy on tests of mental acuity.

Organizations need to realize that mental health is a part of the overall wellbeing of their employees and Seema Rekha, Managing Director of Antarmanh Consulting tells us how.

As per National Mental Health Survey 2015-16, nearly 15% of adults in India suffer from one or more mental health disorders. Numbers depict that 1 in 20 people are depressed while 1 in 40 have experienced some form of depression in the past. The term ‘mental health’ reflects our state of well-being in which we realize our own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and are able to make a contribution to our community. Lately, more and more people are realising the importance of mental health and mindfulness in all aspects of life but especially at the workplace.

Experiencing sadness, mood swings, anxiety, and stress at workplace is a common and normal part of life but sometimes there are events or situations that deeply impact our mental wellbeing, in turn affecting our productivity and performance at work. Similarly, sometimes, unhealthy or uncompassionate work environments can have a major impact on our mental health. To understand how poor mental health in the workplace can have negative repercussions on businesses, we spoke to Seema Rekha, Managing Director of Antarmanh Consulting, a global wellness partner for transforming organizations through people enhancement. With an expert team of management consultants, organizational development consultants, organizational psychologists, clinical psychologists, business coaches, life coaches, and more, they equip businesses and companies with wellness solutions, skills, and strategies to achieve organizational goals within a framework of trust and inclusivity.

No matter what aspect of the relationship you're setting boundaries in, it's bound to improve your relationship in the long run. Here's how to understand your own boundaries and to set them.

Setting personal and emotional boundaries is a way of letting other people know how far they can go with you when it comes to things like emotional support and labour, seeking your help or advice, or even in some cases how frequently you’re expected to get in touch. The primary criterion of a healthy boundary is one that is clearly stated and consistently enforced unlike an unspoken cut-off used as a means of avoidance.  But why is setting boundaries an integral part of any relationship’s success?  

Why Is Setting Healthy Boundaries Important?  

Boundaries are critical in creating healthy relationships and, more importantly, in taking care of ourselves. When our emotional boundaries aren’t respected, it can leave us feeling overwhelmed, enraged, anxious, and powerless and can trigger chronic anxiety, depression, and even trauma. 

Need to work on your attention span? Here is how you can!

Meditation should be a healing process. A process that involves introspection and helps you understand yourself better. Added benefits can also include increasing productivity and mindfulness. One of the various techniques which can be used is focused-attention meditation. A technique that can add to the skillset you already possess. It’s also a technique that may help you believe in yourself and build confidence to try and achieve whatever you have in mind.

What Is Focused-Attention Meditation?     

Focused meditation can be a useful tool for people who want to try meditation for stress relief. This meditation style allows you to focus your attention on an object, sound, or sensation rather than trying to achieve a clear mind without a specific focal point. You do not need an instructor for the same which makes it accessible to anyone with a few minutes of time, something to focus on, and a quiet place.      

Being able to exercise focused attention simply means being able to direct your attention, becoming aware of your mind has wandered, and then being able to redirect it and focus. Focused meditation helps to increase productivity and mindfulness.

Meditation is a great way to relax and calm your mind, boasting several psychological and physical benefits. Learn which one suits you best.

According to researchers at Harvard University, our minds are lost in thought at least 47% of the time during the day. This usually stems from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Our lifestyles make it so difficult for us to do things that are meaningful, but they also distance us from our emotions. Meditation is the antidote to this problem, pulling you away from the never-ending “what ifs” and “what could’ve been.” It also helps us rekindle our awareness and stay in touch with our feelings. With the help of meditation, you can embrace relaxing and calm minds. 

Although all forms of meditation reduce stress, anxiety and depression while increasing focus and concentration, some are solely designed to manage intrusive thoughts and progressive relaxation which helps in relaxing and calming minds.

Attend to your child’s and your own needs by practising mindfulness and meditation.

Parenting might seem absurdly difficult. It’s so demanding that the pressure simply exhausts both the mind and body. As a parent, you might behave in a way that is not consistent with your genuine nature. Two of the various emotions that are frequently felt are worry and fear. Given how stressful and overwhelming parenting can be, the idea of incorporating mindfulness for parents into their hectic schedules may feel unachievable. Finding the right time for meditation might seem a bit difficult, but with the correct mindset, taking just 10 minutes out of your day for meditation can do wonders. 

Having a significant number of physical and mental health benefits, meditation can help parents cope with stress, which can further benefit the entire household. Meditation can help parents develop compassion for themselves and learn to judge themselves less harshly. 

10 minutes of meditation a day can improve your relationship with yourself, with others, and the world around you.

In a world where technology and hustling are driving us toward a stress-driven culture, meditation can be the antidote that offsets the negative impact of this revolution. Just 10 minutes of mindful meditation can breathe relaxation and calm into your body and give you an instant dose of happiness and love.  

Meditation is scientifically known to reduce stress and anxiety and increase well-being in your daily life. While most people think of it as a way to spend quality time with yourself, it’s way more than that. It’s an opportunity to step away from the chaotic world and enter an inner world of peace and quiet. It’s the ultimate way to recharge your batteries and consciously listen to what’s going on in your mind. Doing these happiness-boosting things for a better new year leads you to be much content with your life. 

Not everything that's labelled organic and all-natural is beneficial for the skin.

While some DIYs may be inexpensive and often successful, it’s vital to understand that not all skin types respond well to these DIY natural skincare home cures. They can easily damage the skin, leaving a lasting impact. That’s why everything that’s labelled “organic” and “all-natural” cannot be beneficial for the body. 

Here are some common DIY skin-care ingredients that can cause far more harm than good to your skin and should be avoided.

India produces 5.8 million tonnes (5500 billion kgs) of plastic annually. Now would be the perfect time for you to choose to go zero waste and these stores can help you.

It’s no secret that plastic pollution is taking over the world as one of the most alarming environmental concerns with most plastic taking at least 400 years to break down. Moreover, the extraction of these fossil fuels and their transportation to plastic factories contributes 12.5 to 1.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases. Landfills where our single-use plastics are thrown account for over 15% of methane emissions. No wonder, people are wondering how they can lean towards a more zero-waste lifestyle and cut down on their environmental footprint.

What Is Zero-Waste? The best way we can reduce the impact of plastic is to stop using single-use plastic altogether. While this task can seem a bit difficult in a world full of plastic packaging, there are several alternatives that can lead you towards a zero-waste lifestyle.

Zero-waste living is essentially the conservation of all resources by being mindful of consumption and reusing and recycling of products, packaging, and materials without producing waste that harms the environment or human health. Striving for no waste can help us do our part in reducing our impact on the planet. And whether you’re a novice or a pro, these zero-waste stores are giving responsible retail therapy a whole new meaning with package-free shopping options.

Read more: 5 Zero-Waste Indian Stores To Shop From

Repeat these powerful positive affirmations to yourself daily and stride into the new year armed with a shining sense of self-awareness. Even though nothing ‘new’ happens on January 1st, humans love a new beginning to start afresh. And what better time to relook at the things that matter to us the most than at the beginning of a new year. Reciting affirmations daily affects the conscious and subconscious mind. They are a powerful way to move towards the evolution of your self.

It’s natural to take stock as you enter a new year, reflecting on the lessons you’d like to take with you. Let's learn from the best of 2022. As we begin the New Year, our minds tend to compartmentalise our lives into little chapters, chapters that brought both highs and lows into our lives. The New Year not only gives us the chance to form newer chapters, but it also gives us the opportunity to go back and honour the chapters that we’ve lived through. Let’s take this time and learn from the best of 2022.  

Each period of our lives has a purpose and is meant to teach us something. Even our most painful moments provide us with lessons that make us stronger and wiser for the future. 

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