"You have to decide who you are and force the world to deal with you, not with its idea of you." 

James Baldwin (1924-1987)
Writer, Playwright, Poet, and Activist
 
Far too often, we hide ourselves (and sometimes lose ourselves) as we strive to be whatever we believe the world wants us to be.  There comes a point, however, when we must be willing to offer our true self to the world.  This is essential both for the fullest actualization of our self, and for that of the world around us.


Image Credit:   Francis Liagre from Pixabay

There's plenty of evidence that certain dietary habits can increase your susceptibility to depression and exacerbate your symptoms.  On the other hand, certain eating habits appear to have a protective affect on one's mental health and well-being. 

To promote optimal mental health and keep depression at bay, what should you be eating more of?  And what are the foods you should be limiting in your diet?

If the cold, dark winter months are starting to drag you down, you're not alone.  Many people find this time of year challenging.  Rest assured, warmer weather and sunnier days are just around the corner!  In the meantime, there are plenty of things you can do to lift your spirits. 
 
Here are 10 ways to boost your energy and your mood during the winter months. 

You receive an encouraging call or message from out of the blue.  A door suddenly opens, or an opportunity unfolds.  A windfall lands in your lap at just the right time to get you out of a jam.  Multiple pieces come together and fall into place perfectly. 

To someone else looking on, the event that occurs may appear small, perhaps even meaningless.  But to you, it's quite meaningful.  It puts a smile not just on your face, but on your heart, too.  You sense that the stars have aligned in your favour, and it fills you with wonder, joy, peace and confidence.

As we enter the new year and make plans for the months ahead, what are you committed to?  This is a great question to ask yourself at the start of the year, because whatever you are committed to will serve as the foundation for the choices you make and the goals you choose to pursue.

Therefore, whatever you are committed to, along with your level of commitment, is going to have a major impact on the outcomes you achieve in the year ahead.

“If I wanted to order a ring for myself, the inscription I should choose would be:  'Nothing passes away.'  I believe that nothing passes away without leaving a trace, and that every step we take, however small, has significance for our present and our future existence.”  

From Anton Checkhov's, My Life

What an exciting message!  Don't underestimate the power of your words, your actions, and even your very presence.

If you see yourself as being a bit of a misfit, there are probably many times when you feel isolated, alone, and disconnected.  You may feel insecure at times, and find yourself thinking that life would be so much easier if you could just "be like everyone else."  
 
The fact that you are NOT like everyone else may be challenging at times, but there's another side to it.  Misfits often possess wonderful and valuable strengths.
 
Here are 5 great qualities that can be found among the misfits of our world.

“A particular train of thought persisted in, whether it is good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances.  We cannot directly choose our circumstances, but we can choose our thoughts and so, indirectly yet surely, shape our circumstances.”  

From James Allen's, As a Man Thinketh

Allen's words echo a sentiment that has been expressed for millennia in ancient texts around the world:  our thoughts have an effect in our lives.  Always remember that you are the "conductor" of the train of thought running in your head, and you have the power to change direction at any time. 

Every day, you make choices.  You choose what to do and how to spend your time.  You choose who to associate with and the relationships you wish to invest in.  You choose your response to the various situations and circumstances that come your way. 

Over time, the choices you engage in repeatedly become habits, i.e.:  "a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior; an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary."