Questions about runaway consumerism aside, what all this excess stuff means for most of us is more time spent maintaining our living spaces to keep some semblance of order in our lives. Most of us don’t want to spend our evenings and weekends – and more for work-at-home types – knee-deep in clutter, never sure where anything is, and constantly stepping over all those things that, for one reason or another, we just had to have....

It is common for people to start being a little stereotypical or monotonous over a period. However, one must identify when such time comes and take steps to bring back the same gusto in their life. If you have fallen victim to such dull life, then contemplate fun things to do this weekend. You can plan something with your family or friends and get out of your regular boring comfort zone....

― Franz Kafka Books inspire me and have always been my refuge to conflicts in life. Here are the 6 books that challenged my perspectives and wiped of my stringent notions. 1. The Road Less Travelled by Scott Peck Simply, buy this book for the path towards enlightenment in a spiritual way that encapsulates your personal growth. This book never gives you easy solutions to the conflicts, it simply says; “Legitimate suffering is part of life” and leaves you with better insights to lead a fulfilled life....

Pick something that is fulfilling and that can help you grow in a direction you wish, this way it will be fun learn. Here is a list of hobbies that you can try, or at least use as inspiration to find something you’ll gladly master. All of these hobbies can also help you earn a living, so you do not have to consider them as a waste of time but as a personal investment....

1. Real giving vs. giving to get A healthy relationship gives without expecting anything in return. It freely gives. One can aptly call this a true gift of love. An unhealthy relationship gives in order to get something in return. In a healthy relationship, trust is the main force in operation. By hook or by crook you got each other’s back. Your best interest is always at the forefront. If what you have is true love, both of you are willing to say to the other, “I’ve got you covered....

Standing desks were a simple way to ditch sitting and return to your natural state of “caveman” by rejecting to sit for hours on end, and replacing this modern habit with an even more modern one. Yes, humans were not made to sit on a chair. Sitting makes our spine ache and leads to obesity, among other conditions, so adopting a standing posture seemed to be the best option for all of us, busy bees who work in front of a computer....

The mind’s sole purpose is to be busy and effective – thinking efficiently, but mostly the busy mind leads to exhaustion and fatigue and not to efficiency and stamina. Efficient thinking is to be considered as fundamental for leading a quality life. Since the busy mind is a never-ending rattling machine for producing thoughts of literally any kind, we want to know how to calm that mind to think efficiently and not just think randomly....

Here are six signs that you are that unique kind of person, who is both strong and sensitive: 1. Life Sometimes Seems Too Much You have to get to lecture on time, and you know that immediately afterwards you have to go work at the restaurant, yet not before you pick up your little sister from school. And all that while knowing that your midterm exam is tomorrow. Overwhelming? Well, some people may get absolutely crushed by all of this, while some will do it up without even snorting, or giving it a second glance....

I know from my experience that it can be a really difficult thing and I even knew that my childhood friend was moving away. Still, I was not truly aware of it until the day actually came and I realized that things were changing suddenly. A lot of people become distant because they don’t see each other anymore and their friendship simply fades away. The reality is that they don’t know how to deal with the problem and make the best out of it....

However, it wasn’t very long before I started regretting these decisions and began rethinking what I loved about traveling. My health is my number one priority, and very few of my habits when I traveled aligned with my health goals. I’ve said for a long time that I never wanted to be the fat dude in a suit, and though I wasn’t at that point, some things needed to change....

Mary Anning[2] was one of only 2 children to survive of her 15 siblings when sheltering under tress in a rainstorm—lightening killed all but Mary. Her parents’ little house by the sea was flooded, she couldn’t afford to go to school to learn to read and write, and yet she became one of the most renowned fossil finders of her era, influencing the science of paleontology at a time when women weren’t even allowed to go to university....

And in recent years, the price of these cars and related transport has been steadily coming down, a trend that, if continued, will mean more and more people trading in their fossil-fuel guzzlers for the cleaner, quieter, and cheaper to run electric and eco-friendly modes of transport. Can we have both eco-friendly and stylish vehicles? Here are six models that definitely say “yes.” Tesla S A group of engineers in California founded Tesla in 2003, convinced that they could create an electric car that would be powerful, look like a sports car, and have zero emissions....

1. Have a Passion One thing that has proved to be invaluable to me in making friends across all demographics has been my love for heavy metal and radical leftist politics. The point is not that being into loud guitars and anarchism makes you more likely to make friends but that I have a passion and this allows me to reach across any boundaries and speak to people. Through these passions, I’ve been able to become close friends with conservative Catholics as well as Neo-Buddhist yoga instructors....

1. Use Your Scents Aromatherapy is a great mood changer. A scent will often evoke a memory and activate the brain. Choose a pleasant essential oil scent like lavendar, vanilla, lemon or even your favorite perfume or cologne. Use the scent effortlessly by diffusing it in the air, dab some on your wrists or even wear the scent on you in a necklace. Adding a scent to a bath is a great way to relax and change your mood as well....

Six Places Online To Find Something To Do Craigslist. The grand daddy of all websites to help you get out of the house. Classes? Check. Events? Check. Just friends? Check. More than friends? No problem. I use Craigslist all the time – my favorite sections to post are “strictly platonic” when I’m looking for tennis and hiking buddies, and in the “musicians” section when looking for fellow band mates. Whatever you’re looking for, Craigslist has you covered....

One of the first problems I faced was how I was going to schedule my coaching appointments. I live on the east side of the world in North-East Asia, and most of my clients live in North America and Europe. I realized I would be working with up to seventeen hours time difference. To overcome this difficulty, I began searching for a scheduling service that would automate my calls. A scheduling service allows you to set the parameters for when a person can schedule an appointment with you....

1. You think there’s a quick way to lose weight. If there were a pill that magically took off the pounds, we’d be living in a world without super-sized chairs in waiting rooms and seat belt extenders. The truth is, weight loss is hard. It takes determination, focus, and commitment to making healthier choices, even though it is often the less convenient or less enjoyable option. Over-the-counter options, such as green tea extract, often come with their own risks and side effects, and most of the options available are likely ineffective for weight loss....

See if your manager uses any of these statements that were a part of in my two manager’s regular communication, if so they are quickly depleting their respect quotient: 1. “You did what?” Notice the tone and the wording is immediately accusational and there is the lack of applying Stephen Covey’s principle of “seek first to understand” from his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. 2. “That’s not my problem....

As the famous judge, Sir George Jessel said, Here are some tips on how to overcome the fear of public speaking. How to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking (7 Tips) It’s the quickest way to forget your name, feel like your heart is trying to escape your chest, and turn so red people think you’ve been in the sun all day. And yet, public speaking is often one of the most powerful things you can master to further your career, earn potential income and feel happiness at work and even at home – after all, powerful communication is a skill that migrates to all areas of your life....

Don’t feel bad because you think this way. Changing your familiar routine is a difficult thing to do. When you can accomplish it, though, the benefits will be huge. Get ready, because after you read these 7 exciting things, you’ll be brave enough to venture outside your ordinary, every-day routine. Why? Because amazing things happen just outside your comfort zone. First, though, just what or where is that comfort zone?...