Women News Magazine Blog

Peace is my companion as I walk through the uncertainty of life. Fear and doubt flee from me when I hold the hand of peace. I may slip or stumble on the bumpy road of life, but when I hold on to the hand of peace, I stand tall.

I remind myself that, no matter what, if I keep planting the seeds of beauty in my life, beautiful things will grow. I continue to invest in my family, friends, and community, confident of the beauty to come as a result.

There are times when it seems like nothing is certain. The things that I thought would never change begin to transform. Yet, in those times, I place my trust in someone higher than myself. I rest on the thought that, although things change, there are still things that always remain the same.

I remain calm in the midst of disillusionment because peace changes my perspective. Instead of seeing disappointment as the end of a dream, I choose to see it as the beginning of a new goal.

When I think of the potential for beauty in all who surround me, I have hope. Weeds of uncertainty are unable grow into discouragement because I choose to focus my eyes on the positive. I am optimistic about my future because I know it will be full of beauty and peace.

Today, I choose to hold the hand of peace through the valley of uncertainty. I may not be sure about what the future holds, but I am sure that whatever it is, I can get through it.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What steps can I take to increase the peace in my life?
2. Can I see the potential for beauty in the things around me?
3. How can I learn not to allow disappointment to affect my peace?

Women in Business – Weight is a concern that people can experience at any age. However, for children, the concern is not only one of physical health, but also healthy self-esteem. Some kids can be mean to others with weight challenges. And no parent wants to know that their kids are being ostracized because of their weight!

If your child is heavier than other children are at their age, your first mission is to reassure your child that they’re just as special as any other child and they’re not loved any less because of their weight.

However, you also want to ensure that your child is physically healthy. Having excess weight is usually an unhealthy state for anyone, and kids who are troubled by excess weight have a higher risk of developing more serious health issues later in life.

Fortunately, due to the high metabolism of growth, children who implement healthier eating habits early can achieve a healthier weight faster than adults can.

Implementing the following tips can effectively help your child win the battle against excess weight:

1. Healthy vs. unhealthy snacks. Even though many unhealthy foods taste better to your child than healthy ones, you can still find healthy snack alternatives that your child will enjoy and benefit from.

• Replace fried chips with baked ones.

• Avoid snacks with artificial ingredients; only choose snacks with natural ingredients.

• Encourage your child to eat veggie bites by allowing them to use their favorite dip in moderation.

• Replace sugar-filled sodas and juices with natural alternatives like whole fruit or homemade fruit juices.

2. Schedule meal times. While it may be difficult to control how and what your child eats away from home, you can still have order at home. Schedule meal times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Allow snacking twice a day in between meals and cut down on any other snack time they’re currently allowed to have.

• Eliminate bedtime snacks where possible. However, avoid sending your child to bed hungry.

• Sticking to a meal schedule will train your child to be a disciplined eater so daily caloric intake will be consistent.

• Even though you’re working at cutting down your child’s weight, feel free to include a treat every now and then so they don’t give in to cravings as easily.

3. Work out together. If your child is facing challenges with weight, sending them to work out on their own might cause them to feel there’s something wrong with them. By working out together, your child will understand that exercise is a healthy part of anyone’s routine, regardless of what your weight is.

4. Encourage video games with exercise themes. Recreation is an important part of any child’s development, so you shouldn’t aim at taking away recreation in exchange for exercise. Instead, try video games that require players to engage in significant physical activity. That way, your child will be participating in healthy recreation!

These techniques are an excellent start to helping your child overcome his or her weight challenge. It’s important that you’re consistent because, if you don’t take this seriously, neither will your child. If you’re consistent, your child will transition well into a healthier lifestyle without feeling pressured.

Perhaps start with one or two of the techniques and eventually move towards accomplishing the entire list. After some time, your child will automatically choose the healthier lifestyle because it has become second nature. Moreover, when they see the marked physical benefits and improvements, they’ll be even more motivated to continue along a healthy path!

I enjoy the work that I do. I appreciate the gift of my talent and the venue through which I can share it with others. I perform my work with joy. When I speak about my work, complaints are absent because I am grateful.

I can handle the amount of work on my plate. I am careful to only accept responsibilities that I know I can work into my schedule. Whenever I commit to a task, I am faithful to complete it. It is better for me to say “no” to a request than to accept a job I know I am unable to fulfill.

I have assigned a specific time slot on my schedule for each one of the tasks I am committed to. During that time slot, I only work on that particular task. If I finish a task early, I use the additional time to take a walk outside or perform a relaxing activity.

Organizing my day into time slots dedicated to different tasks helps me manage my workload. The more I organize my day, the more I achieve. Organization is the key to balance.

The workload I carry leaves me enough time to eat, sleep, and participate in family activities.

In order for me to be able to balance all of my responsibilities, I must also make time for me. My schedule has time for breaks and for focusing on myself. Making myself a priority helps me be more efficient at work.

Today, I re-evaluate my commitments to ensure I have a manageable workload. I make myself a priority by avoiding over-commitments.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I feel comfortable with my workload?
2. How can I avoid over-committing?
3. Does my current workload allow enough time to take care of my basic needs?

Women Entrepreneur – Restrictive diets not only reduce our caloric intake, but also often reduce our exposure to vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy. Extreme diets can reduce your bone mass, but a balanced diet and weight-bearing exercise will protect you from osteoporosis while you shed unwanted pounds. Try these tips for maintaining strong bones while losing weight.

Eating Right

1. Eat calcium rich foods. Calcium is a key nutrient for your bones as well as your overall health. When you don’t eat enough calcium, your body pulls it from your bones. The good news for dieters is that many calcium-rich foods are low in calories and high in nutrients. Eat low-fat dairy products, dark green vegetables, beans, and oats.

2. Consider calcium supplements. Food is the best source ofcalcium but supplements can help too. Many supplements are best absorbed when taken with a meal. Take smaller doses spaced out over the day to avoid side effects like cramping or diarrhea.

3. Get enough vitamin D and magnesium. Your body needs vitamin D and magnesium to absorb and use the calcium you eat. Many common foods are fortified with vitamin D including milk, orange juice, and some breakfast cereals. Good sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds, whole grains, and many vegetables.

4. Limit your salt intake. Many Americans consume twice as much as salt as medical experts recommend. When you eat too much salt, your body loses calcium through urination. Eat healthy, fresh foods and ask restaurants to prepare your meal with less salt when you eat out.

5. Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine also interferes with calcium absorption. Limit your soft drinks and exchange your regular coffee for tea. Although tea has caffeine, research shows that its plant compounds actually help protect your bones.

Exercising Regularly

1. Incorporate weight-bearing exercise into your daily routine. Physical activity is great for your bones and your weight loss plans. Your bones are living tissue, so moderate stress makes them stronger. Try to spend about 30 minutes a day on moderate exercises you enjoy, like walking or dancing.

2. Train for strength. Strength training exercises build bone mass, so try to complete a couple of sessions a week. You can join a gym or use free weights at home. Using your own body weight is also effective through exercises like push-ups or dips.

More Lifestyle Tips to Protect Your Bones

1. Get some sun. Sunscreen is essential for avoiding skin cancer and premature aging, but your body needs a little sun to produce vitamin D. Just 5 to 10 minutes exposure about 3 times a week is adequate.

2. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption and cigarettes. Too much alcohol and tobacco are bad for your bones. While dieting, get your calories from nutrient-dense foods instead of cocktails.

3. Cultivate a healthy body image. Focus on being fit at a weight you can maintain while eating a balanced diet. Being too thin increases your risk for osteoporosis, a condition where bones lose density and become more vulnerable to fractures.

• Osteoporosis is usually associated with older women, but men can be affected too.

• Young people can reduce their risk by avoiding fad diets and building up their bone mass early in life.

4. See your doctor. You can’t feel the symptoms of osteoporosis, but many of the risk factors can be modified with diet and exercise. Talk with your doctor to find the best plan for you, especially if you restrict your calories for more than a few weeks at a time. Screening tests that measure your bone mineral density (BMD) are painless and can keep you safe.

You can lose weight while minimizing your risk of osteoporosis. Eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise so you and your bones stay fit for life.

Each day, I make it a point to pursue and nurture real-life relationships, instead of those on social networking sites. I plug into real life because it is good for my heart, mind, and body. Feeling the warmth of a person’s embrace is unparalleled by anything the virtual world has to offer.

I limit my time on social networking sites because I love my family. My love for my family and friends is more fulfilling than anything in the social networking world.

While it is easy to hide behind a computer screen, the human in me needs to connect with other individuals on a personal level. Instead of staring at a computer screen all day, I look into the eyes of another person and listen to what they have to say.

I respect my place of work by refraining from going online for personal reasons. I avoid wasting time for which I am being compensated by frivolously browsing unimportant information on social networking sites.

At home, I limit my usage to fifteen-minute intervals. I practice self-control by setting limits for myself. During my allotted time, I browse with freedom and without guilt.

When I am online, I use the time to become informed about important news events around the world. I only open social networking sites to connect with friends who live far away or to make business connections.

Today, I choose to set parameters for my social networking usage because social networking sites have great value, but real life comes first.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. In what ways is social networking interfering with my real world life?
2. What parameters do I need to set for myself?
3. Why are personal relationships valuable?

Women in Business – Getting your kids off to a great start with a new babysitter will keep them happy and improve your peace of mind when you need to be away from home. Try the following steps with your kids and new sitter to help everyone enjoy a smooth transition.

Steps To Take With Your Kids



1. Bid a warm goodbye to your old sitter. If your kids have grown close to a previous babysitter who is departing for college or for other reasons, help them say goodbye to make the transition more comfortable. You can have a simple celebration with cake or let your kids pick out a small gift.



2. Praise the new sitter. Your children will be sensitive to how you feel about your new sitter. Convey your confidence and good impressions. Tell them some interesting facts that you learned during the interview process, like whether they do magic tricks or have ever won a bicycle race.



3. Help your kids look forward to meeting the new sitter. Talk up the whole experience. Show them some pictures of their new caregiver. Countdown the days to when they’ll meet in person.



4. Let your kids play host. Give your children a role in providing an orientation for your new hire. Kids can give them a tour of the house, introduce any pets, and explain their own bedtime routine. It’s a great way to break the ice and help your children develop poise and good manners.



5. Plan some special activities. Help their first time together go smoothly by arranging some activities your little ones and their new sitter can enjoy.



Get a movie that will appeal to both children and adults. You could try a classic old comedy or animated films that are popular with all ages, like one of the Toy Story movies.
Order your kid’s favorite takeout food. Let them eat pizza or tacos for dinner. It will simplify one task and make the evening feel festive.
Put out some craft supplies. Make it easy for your kids and their new sitter to interact. Crafts are especially good for children who tend to need some time to get comfortable talking with new people. In addition, they can show off their creativity.


Steps To Take With Your New Sitter



1. Ask your new sitter to arrive early. It’s usually a good idea for a new sitter to arrive about an hour before you plan to go out. This gives you plenty of time to make introductions. You can also stay on hand in the next room while your kids and the new sitter start getting to know each other.

2. Provide all the necessary contact information and review the house rules. Give your sitter a list of important contact numbers to reach you or handle emergencies. Ensure they understand all the household routines like the alarm system, bedtimes, and any limits on visitors and television viewing.



3. Make a check-in call. About an hour after you depart, call home to confirm that everything is okay. It will make it easy for your sitter to ask you any questions that may come up.

4. Do a debriefing. Have a chat with your new sitter at the end of the evening. It’s valuable to get their impressions so you can consider any improvements you might want to make in your arrangements with them or future babysitters.

When your new sitter and your kids hit it off, you can relax, knowing they’re safe. Choose wisely when hiring someone to look after your children and give them all the support they need to do a good job.

Giving to others is one of my greatest pleasures. I am grateful to be in a position to give to others, because it means that I’ve been blessed abundantly.

When I receive, I have the opportunity to enjoy the generosity of others, but when I give, the experience is much more profound. There are numerous ways to be of service to others. I look to my community, neighbors, friends, and family for opportunities to use my talents in the service of others.

When I receive, I enjoy paying it forward. I give freely of my time, resources, and abilities in support of others. Regardless of what I give, it is always a rewarding experience.

Giving is not only exciting, but it also makes me a better person. Giving stirs up selflessness within me. The more I give, the less I focus on myself. My heart overflows with gratitude for my own blessings as I rejoice in giving to others.

The constraints I may face in life begin to minimize when I focus on my blessings. I look at life through the eyes of a giver, not wondering what others can do for me, but always looking for opportunities to serve.



Today, I choose to make a difference in the lives of those around me by volunteering my time and resources. As I give of myself, I rid myself of selfishness and negativity.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How do I feel when I give?
2. How does giving make me more selfless?
3. Where can I be of most use today?

Women in Business – It’s very easy to give up when things don’t go your way. We’ve all been in situations where a missed opportunity has discouraged us and made it difficult to persevere. Life is full of challenges. Nevertheless, it’s important that you keep trying. Every day you try is another chance for success.

Once you accept that you’re destined for success, giving up is no longer an option!

Instead of throwing in the towel, seize success by following these strategies to acquire the drive to persevere and achieve your goals:

1. Analyze why you didn’t succeed. This is perhaps the most crucial step in ensuring you don’t give up easily. Sometimes it’s difficult to deal with failure, so much so that we just feel the urge to curl up and cry. However, by analyzing what actually prevented your victory, you might be surprised at how simple the fix can be.

Did you forget a crucial step?
Were external forces affecting your focus?
Did you prepare yourself enough for the challenge?
Is it something you truly wanted to pursue to begin with?
2. Reward yourself. Even though you might not have achieved the success you were expecting, that doesn’t mean you didn’t give your 100% effort to the task. And your efforts should never go unrewarded! Reward yourself for what did go right and treat yourself to a “pick-me-up” when you’ve fallen down:

Treat yourself to your favorite desert.
Show yourself some love by getting a massage.
Get your car detailed. A spotless car can look brand new and might actually help you to feel brand new!
3. Carry out activities that you do well. Often, not succeeding may cause you to shy away from ever trying something again. You can build your inner strength and confidence by performing activities that you know you’re good at.

Get out on the court and play some winning basketball.
Challenge an opponent to a game of chess.
Work at balancing those income and expenditure reports.
Do anything you know you’re good at to help build (or rebuild) your confidence.
4. Set smaller, attainable goals. Just because you didn’t score the last time doesn’t mean you can’t score at all. Why not break up that big goal into smaller, more attainable ones? Perhaps you were overwhelmed by the task and somehow lost focus. By breaking it up into smaller goals, you’ll be more likely to achieve the big goal.

No one ever said that perseverance was easy; in fact, it can be extremely difficult to look past the mistakes, failures and under-achievements and try again. However, being able to persevere and push through until you win shows true strength and resolve.

So don’t give up too easily. You can’t win them all, but you know that you definitely have what it takes to succeed.

Once you build your confidence, drive and will power, you’ll see how easily you can develop the ability to persevere until you achieve what you set out to achieve. Nothing is impossible once you believe in yourself and allow that belief to drive you forward!

I am thankful for the opportunity to run my own business and I am grateful for what I have been given. My strong character is reflected in my business as my business steadily grows.

The way I conduct my business motivates clients to recommend me to their friends. Clients keep coming back because they enjoy doing business with me. Doors open and blessings pour upon me when I conduct my business with honesty and integrity.

Valuing human relationships above revenue brings me an abundance of both. My client base is growing because I choose to treat others the way I would want to be treated.

The quality of products I sell and services I provide is no less than what I would provide for my own family. My customers know they can trust me to provide quality service. I look at my customers as family, rather than as dollar signs.

If a disappointing situation ever arises, I deal with it with speed and integrity. I am apologetic and take full responsibility for any unsatisfactory work.

I keep a close eye on my financial health. I ensure that my budget is balanced and that all funding is accounted for. I keep my business accounts separate from my personal accounts to protect my business from any queries that may arise further down the road.

Each day, I choose to conduct my business with honesty and integrity from customer service to finances. By setting a high standard for myself, I am ensuring growth.

Self-Reflection Questions:

Do I treat my clients the way I want to be treated?
What can I do to improve customer relationships in my business?
Why is it important to keep a close eye on my finances?

Women in Business – There has been no shortage of conversation about the importance of diet and exercise to achieving and maintaining a healthy body. However, these conversations usually lack information about how exactly the combination of diet and exercise can help you to achieve the results you desire.

Depending on what your goal is, you need to combine diet and exercise in a specific way for obtaining the body you want. Are you striving for weight loss or are you keen on building muscle? Here are some tips for balancing diet and exercise to achieve both.

Combining Diet and Exercise to Achieve Weight Loss

If your primary goal is to lose weight, follow these strategies:

1. Eat less carbs and sugars. Excess carbs can diminish any attempts at weight loss. Carbohydrates are converted into sugar, which causes your body to produce more insulin. Excessive insulin inhibits the breakdown of fat. Fat that is not broken down is stored – usually in places you don’t want it!

2. Do more cardio. Cardiovascular exercise is one of the most effective ways to burn calories! Try to include cardio in your fitness routine as often as possible for the best results. If you only have time for either a cardio workout or weight training, choose cardio if you want to lose weight.

3. Eat smaller meals more frequently. When you feed your body in heavy portions, it takes that much longer to digest the food. Hence, your body ends up storing more than you want it to. Stored food automatically results in weight gain, so keep those meals small and more frequent if you want your body to burn them well.

4. Exercise in the morning. Performing your exercise routines before you do anything tells your body to go into efficient mode. Therefore, your metabolism is higher all day.

Tips for Mixing Exercise and Diet if Your Goal is Muscle Gain

Not everybody who works out wants to lose weight! In fact, some actually want to pack on the pounds in the form of muscle. If you’re in that category, you’ll definitely get the results you’re looking for if you combine diet and exercise as recommended below:

1. Do more weight training. As muscles meet resistance, they begin to get stronger and more defined. Keep this point in mind if you’re on a “more muscle mass” mission!

2. Eat more carbs and protein. In order to develop more muscle mass, you’ll need to make two basic, yet effective, adjustments at the dinner table:

Consume more carbs, which will give you the energy and endurance needed to keep up with that weight training!
Increase your protein intake so you can provide your muscles with the nutrients they need to develop healthily.
3. Do fewer reps with heavier weights. You can’t build muscle by lifting just any weights! Lift heavier weights if your mission is to improve muscle mass. Lighter weights in longer sets burn calories, but heavier weights in shorter sets will really pile on those symbols of strength!

Once you follow these guidelines, you’ll undoubtedly see the results you’re seeking sooner than you think! All it takes is a little discipline and a lot of motivation to transform your body, but once you achieve your fitness target, it’ll be worth the effort.

I respect others regardless of race, social status, or even point of view. My standard for how I get along with others is dependent on my personal values. I believe all people should be treated with dignity and respect.

I refuse to allow disagreements on issues or politics to get in the way of my friendships. By pushing aside differences and focusing on common ground, I am able to preserve relationships.

I resist the urge to be arrogant and belittle the opinions of others. I can respect people with whom I disagree with because I am selfless and humble. Humility allows me to show grace toward others knowing that my point of view is not better than that of any other.

We are all travelers through the journey of life, trying to decipher the map to the best of our abilities. The road I choose to take may be different from the road someone else takes, but in the end, we each arrive at the destination we have chosen.

I appreciate the people in my life who think differently than I do because they encourage me to reflect, question, and wonder. Life is more exciting when I share it with people who are diverse. They also help me define my own beliefs.

Today, I agree to peacefully disagree with those who have a different view of the world than I do. I let go of anger and embrace tolerance to live in peace with everyone.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How can I respect the opinions of those who disagree with me?
2. How do I feel when others disagree with me?
3. Do I treat others with dignity and respect?

Grace and forgiveness fill my soul and cause it to overflow. Where I once used to wallow in self-pity, grace has given me the strength to live life to the fullest. After experiencing the soothing effects of grace, I seek to make grace the theme of my life.

I am free from guilt and shame because I have been forgiven. I now work toward making myself a better person. Grace pours out over my life and gives me peace of mind and security in my soul. Through grace, my destiny has been revealed to me with clarity.

I appreciate the forgiveness I receive for my mistakes; therefore, I actively seek to forgive those who wrong me.

I treat all people with grace because it is part of my character. Race, social status, or personal beliefs are irrelevant when it comes to how I treat them. Being gracious is a character trait of mine, regardless of who the recipient may be.

My words and actions are refined. I speak softly and only when I have something important to say. Noticeably absent from my speech are gossip and arrogance because I speak only positive words. I use my tongue to build others up, instead of belittling them.

Being graceful requires that I respect the differences between all people. When I disagree, I still treat others with class. Grace and differences can co-exist.

Today, I choose to be gracious toward everyone regardless of our personal differences. I keep in mind that how I treat others is a reflection of me.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How can I exhibit grace today?
2. Why should I be gracious toward others?
3. Do I find it difficult to be gracious to people different from me?

Home-based businesses have provided income for families long before the internet. However, the internet has made opening and operating a home-based business easier than ever. These new businesses can provide you the opportunity to earn a substantial income in the comfort of your own home.

However, the picture isn’t always so sunny. A home-based business requires work just like any other business. It’s important to make the best use of your time to enable your business to bring you the profits and joy you deserve.

Being at home gives the feeling of comfort, relaxation, and escape from work, so it’s very easy to lose focus and, as a result, get much different results than the ones you want from your business venture.

Making the Most of a Home-Based Business

So what’s the fix? Developing a timetable to help manage your life at home will help ensure everything gets done when it needs to be.

Follow these tips to enable your time management tool to work effectively for you:

1. Use work time wisely. Allocate a specific time slot each day for work and use the time just for that. Avoid being distracted by TV or anything else. Remind yourself that you’ve scheduled enough time for everything, so work time should be just that!

2. Schedule enough rest time. Lack of rest can significantly impact the results from your home-based business. You’ll start to feel tired and cranky if you’re not well-rested, which will undoubtedly affect the quality and quantity of work you produce.



Avoid the temptation to cut into your rest time to get more done; use rest time for actually resting so your work doesn’t suffer.
3. Include scheduled breaks. Once your timetable includes scheduled breaks during work slots, you’ll have something to look forward to. You’ll also have less of an urge to take “unscheduled” breaks while working.

Poor Time Management Can Lead to Unnecessary Challenges

Of course, how you manage your time at home will significantly impact the success of your at-home business. But what poor time management can also affect is “the rest of your life.” That’s right, working at home in a haphazard manner can really take its toll on other things.

Family time and other important activities could be negatively impacted if you work in an ad hoc manner and don’t reserve enough time for such things.
Fitness, health, and diet also need your direct attention when you’re a work at home earner. Not paying enough attention to those things could result in your health being in jeopardy. And that’s the last thing you want when your only source of income is your home-based business!
It’s very easy to get so absorbed in your home-based business and overlook the importance of other aspects of your life. Once you lose focus, your relationships will start to suffer and you may start neglecting your health. If you’re working 16 hours per day, then you’re most likely not exercising or eating properly. Nor are you spending time with your loved ones. Try to steer clear of this scenario!

Once you create a structured approach to your business and life in general, you’ll find that you’ll accomplish more, get more financial fulfillment from your business, and be able to achieve balance in other aspects of your life as well!

Fun is important to my health. I have a demanding career and family responsibilities and balancing these two extremely important parts of my life is difficult at times. However, I understand that



making time for fun is essential to living a happy, fulfilling life. For this reason, I make it a point to inject a dose of fun into my everyday life.

Each morning, I wake up a few minutes earlier than usual in order to indulge in my favorite activities. Sometimes I go walking

with my partner or head to the local coffee shop with my best friends. Other times, I simply craft at my kitchen table or watch my favorite television shows that I record just for this purpose.

Some people may say that it is selfish to devote so much time to myself, but I highly disagree. I have a family and responsibilities but I am more than a spouse, parent or a professional; I am still an individual!

I deserve to indulge in my favorite activities and have fun living my life!

In addition to my personal fun time, I try to plan activities that the entire family will enjoy.



I understand that my family is constantly evolving. Therefore, it is important that we are diligent about rediscovering our individual interests and our favorite activities as a family.

Today, I loosen up a bit. I am comfortable with having more days of youthful fun. This is what keeps my spirit alive and my relationships strong!

Self-Reflection Questions:

What activities do I consider fun?
How can I incorporate more fun into my life?
Why should I make fun an important part of each day?

Women in Business – Insufficient deep and restful sleep can cause serious health challenges. The human body requires adequate sleep to rejuvenate cells and repair damage. Prolonged insomnia can really take its toll on the body and mind, and this disorder is often times difficult to control.

The good news is that symptoms of insomnia may not be as hard to combat as you think. Of course, taking medication helps, but medication has a nasty side effect of leaving you feeling groggy in the morning. For many insomnia sufferers, medication may not be the best solution.

It’s very possible that you have preventable behaviors that are causing your sleeplessness.

Sleeping and eating habits directly affect your ability to fall asleep. These easy adjustments to your routine may leave you sleeping like a baby.

Are Your Sleeping Habits Keeping You Awake at Night?

Your challenge with insomnia could very well be due to your sleeping habits. Try these strategies to develop effective sleeping habits:

Have a consistent bedtime. Try to head to bed at the same time every night. That way, your brain and body can adjust to sleeping at that time.
Control the temperature. The temperature in your room may be affecting how well you sleep at night. Is your thermostat turned up too high? Lower temperatures trick our bodies into rest to conserve energy and body heat. Consider adjusting the temperature and see if you notice a difference: 6 to 10 degrees cooler than your daytime temperature is sufficient.
Eliminate as much light as possible. A darker room is more likely to induce sleep than a bright room. Therefore, if you’re accustomed to going to bed with the lights on, try turning them off and see if the results are any different. Consider purchasing a sleep mask to block out any ambient lighting.
Could You Be Eating Your Way to Sleeplessness?

In many cases, how and what you eat could be the reason you can’t sleep. Consider these tips and adjust your diet as necessary so you can have more restful nights:

Avoid eating heavy late night meals. If you’re up late at night, you’ll likely get hungry. However, eating heavier meals too late at night can put a lot of pressure on your digestive system. When your body is trying to digest food, it can keep you awake.
Avoid caffeine consumption. While you might be a caffeine lover, it could very well be the cause of your insomnia. Remember that caffeine is a stimulant, which is why it keeps you going during the day. But it will also keep you going at night because its effects can last for several hours!
If possible, avoid caffeinated beverages for at least five hours before you go to bed. Also, look for hidden sources of caffeine.
Try drinking milk before bedtime. Milk contains amino acids that are converted into a sleep-inducing compound when consumed. A glass of milk at night about an hour before bedtime can kick your sleeping into gear!
Once you understand your body and its sleep cycles, you may be able to formulate a plan to sleep at night without the aid of medication! By changing a few habits, you’ll allow your body to be perfectly in tune with its signals for rest.

There is nothing my family members can do to earn my love; it is something I give to them freely. There is nothing they can do to lose it either, because I love them for who they are, not for what they do.

The love I share with the people in my life is unconditional. When I express my love, I hold nothing back because I want to live a life without regrets. I give my all to those I love. There is no doubt in my mind that the people whom I love know exactly how I feel about them.



I share my heart openly and honestly, with the people I love. I am unafraid to tell them how much they mean to me. Even if they may be tired of hearing it, I tell them again. Life is too precious to take love for granted.

The love I have for my family and friends is about more than hugs and kisses; it is accepting their personalities, quirks and imperfections. My love is humble, placing the needs of my family before my own.

My love is forgiving. I love freely, without regard to the past. I am strong enough to be vulnerable to pain. My love is strong enough to bypass the warning signs of previous hurts.

My love is powerful enough to transform lives. My family members are inspired to live better simply because they have been changed by the love I show them.

Today, I embrace the divine love given to me and share it with the world.

Self-Reflection Questions:

How can I learn to give love freely?
How can I ensure the people I love know how I feel about them?
How can my love inspire others?