How Exercise Increases Energy And Vitality

One of the most prized things among seniors and, likewise, one of the hardest things to achieve is a renewed sense and feeling of youth. Energy, vitality, and physical agility are difficult to hold on to as we age, but not impossible with exercise.

When you introduce healthy and positive habits into your regular routine, you can begin feeling younger and have greater energy in no time. By maintaining both a physically and socially active lifestyle you can greatly improve your overall quality of life during your golden years, making them feel truly golden.

Boost your confidence and mood

While exercise is just a small chunk of recovery, it provides a host of health benefits that aren't just physical. In fact, engaging in exercise on a consistent basis has been found to improve mood, increase happiness, and boost productivity! Who knew that hitting the gym a few times a week could be as effective as a therapy session?

In addition, exercise has been known to make individuals feel a sense of calm and relief. This control helps them deal with their everyday challenges without getting overwhelmed. If you're looking for ways to improve your self-development and seek happiness, check out why and how exercise is a great tool to implement into your recovery routine.

1. Get a proven mood boost with exercise 

When you exercise, your brain releases dozens of hormones that contribute to your happiness. Of those hormones, endorphins and serotonin are the primary ones. 

The hormones regulate your mood and help you to balance your emotions. In fact, healthy doses of serotonin increase your happiness! Because of this biological boost, many doctors suggest engaging in some form of physical activity to increase the production of these hormones.

2. Feel more confident

Sure, exercising on a regular basis and eating well contribute to a nice physical appearance. That's partly one of the main reasons why people exercise so often. However, did you know that regular exercise can make you feel confident, productive, and accomplished.  

Exercise isn't an easy task. If it was, more people would enjoy doing it. But, by pushing yourself to overcome your physical limitations and hit the gym, you give yourself an immediate boost of confidence. 

Tackling those heavy weights or finally being able to run a mile on the treadmill are awesome accomplishments you can be proud of. And as you continue going, your strength and stamina will increase. This will make better equipped to tackle other challenges in and out of the gym.

3. You feel better about yourself

When you aren't happy with your outward appearance, it's hard to feel confident on a regular basis. Exercise not only improves your strength; it also improves how you look physically. When you begin to see progress, you begin to feel a sense of success and confidence.

Having a healthy sense of self-confidence helps you to develop lasting relationships with others and yourself. You're automatically happier which obviously results in an increased mood. 

“Aging is not ‘Lost Youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”

— Betty Friedan

Choosing exercise that fits your abilities and lifestyle

There are countless different forms of exercise such as cycling, kickboxing, yoga, CrossFit, Zuu workouts and so many more. When it comes to choosing a type of exercise to stay active, most people think of the popular and fancy workouts like Zumba, P90X, etc.

Little thought is given to walking as a form of exercise. It is often disparaged and thought of as an activity that is reserved for senior citizens. However, there are many health benefits that can be gained from walking daily.

It’s one of the best exercises on the planet, it needs no special equipment, and our bodies have evolved over centuries to benefit from regular walks.

1.   The impact on your body is low

Walking is a low-impact activity that won’t wear out your joints. Unlike running, kickboxing or other high-impact activities that can make your joints ache, walking is a lot more forgiving on your body.

2.   The low intensity nature allows it to be done daily

It’s a low-intensity exercise that will not tax your central nervous system like CrossFit or some of the more vigorous forms of exercise. With high intensity interval training (HIIT), you may need to take a one-day break after every workout because of the demands it places on your body. Walking is much more relaxing in comparison and can be done daily.

3.   The versatility is almost endless

Walking can be applied to many different areas in your life. You could easily walk to the mall and back, if it’s within walking distance or walk in the mall on a cold or rainy day. Driving to work? Park your car a block away and walk to your office.

There are social benefits when walking with a friend and you can inject a bit of competition to rev up the walk. The more you walk, the better.

Thousands of people wear Fitbits to track the number of steps they take daily. You’d easily meet your daily quota if you walked for 30 to 45 minutes a day.

4.   Walk your weight off

Walking may seem like a humble exercise, but it can help you lose the pounds if you’re consistent. Going for a 30 to 45-minute walk daily on an empty stomach will help your body tap into its fat stores for fuel because its low on glycogen.

This is a very effective way to lose weight. Thousands of people shirk exercise because they fear the exertion and exhaustion involved. Walking is easy enough to do and help you achieve your weight loss goal. It may take longer than more rigorous training methods, but you’ll still get there.

5.   Stress be gone

Walking will help you to relieve stress. This is especially true if you walk in a park or some picturesque setting. Walking allows you time to calm yourself and get in touch with your thoughts.

You do not need to focus on good form or train to failure like you would with resistance training. Walking is a natural form of movement and therapeutic to your soul. Walking will also aid in digestion and improve your blood circulation. It will improve your cardiovascular strength and boost your immune system.

If you walk in the sun, you’ll get your daily dose of vitamin D. Thousands of people are deficient in vitamin D and it causes them to feel lethargic and depressed. Walking will lift your moods by ensuring that you get natural vitamin D in your system. Don’t forget to wear your sunblock.

Conclusion

By now you’ll realize that walking is an activity that’s so useful it can’t be neglected. Even if you focus most of your training on hardcore activities like HIIT or weightlifting, on your off days, you can have an active rest day.

What that means is that you can go for a 30-minute walk and call it a day. The walking will help to soothe sore muscles because of the increased blood circulation, and it’s also light enough to not tax your body but still burn a few calories so that it’s easier to stay lean and fit.

I hope you found some useful information in this post. I would appreciate it if you share it with someone you care about.

Simple Love And Care Advice For Couples

Grams Wisdom 6

When I was 40 something I embarked on a new relationship. Only to find Gram had still more wisdom to share with me. Just a few months in she wanted to know was I happy and was I taking good care of him?

I admit to the desire to remind her that he was also a grown up and I hardly felt that at this stage of my life his care should be my responsibility. But I kept that thought to myself.

It seemed Gram wanted to remind me that in any couple’s relationship, what matters most is each other. Children grow and go, careers ebb and flow. If you can manage a loving caring relationship into old age, then fortune will have smiled on you.

Take a vacation

Actually, Gram said “don’t stay home and paint the house.” Whether you are a couple or a family with children, everyone benefits from a change of scenery. You and your spouse or partner need to have some fun time together to rest and recharge or soon your relationship becomes tiresome and stale.

Consider tackling that large project over several weekends instead of during your vacation. Otherwise you might come home to a newly painted house after work every day, but as you roll into the driveway you won’t appreciate it. Instead all you will see are the difficulties you encountered, how tired you were at the end of each day, and the unkind things you probably said to one another.

Play to your strengths at home

Next, she said a peaceful happy home revolves around getting things done but not if one person is doing the lion’s share of the household chores.

I was told I should play to my strengths, choose and do the chores that I wanted to do. Have him choose the things he wanted to do. Share some tasks and negotiate any leftover chores. Then finally, pay someone to do what neither of us wanted to do.

“The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.”

— Carson McCullers

What I learned on my own

Beware of Taking Each Other for Granted

Whenever a couple begins to live together or get married, everything is so new and exciting that you think it will go on forever. Unfortunately, day-to-day stresses and busy schedules can soon mean the excitement wears off and you feel like you are living in a well-worn rut. It’s like you’ve become roommates, not lovers, and have begun to take each other for granted.

It doesn’t have to be that way. The important thing to know is what bad habits are passion killers and avoid them. In fact, you could introduce some everyday habits that would prevent you from taking each other for granted. Here are some suggestions:

Learn Each Other’s Love Languages

The marriage counselor Dr. Gary Chapman has written a series of books titled, The 5 Love Languages. The five are:

* Acts of service

* Gifts

* Physical touch

* Praise

* Quality time

In the books, he states that everyone has a primary and secondary love language. Knowing your partner’s love language can help them feel appreciated and not taken for granted.

You might think you are being loving if you buy gifts or do acts of service, for example, but if your partner values quality time and physical touch, you will clearly not be speaking the same language.

Ironically, in many cases, one of the partners in a relationship will often become a workaholic because their love language is acts of service, but this will mean little to a partner who wants quality time with their significant other. The promise to "work less someday" often comes too little, too late, because the spouse waiting for quality time feels so alone and so taken for granted.

The workaholic partner can feel taken for granted as well: "I’m working so hard every day, and all my spouse ever does is complain I’m not home with them holding hands. Don’t they know I’m doing all this for THEM?"

Follow Through on Your Love Language Research

You can each take the free quiz online to determine your primary and secondary love languages. If they don’t mesh at all, it will be important to discuss what you can each do to ensure that the other person doesn’t feel taken for granted. https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/

Here are a few suggestions you can work into your daily schedule as positive habits that show you care, but without taking up too much time or money.

Acts of service

This means doing the dishes, taking out the trash, feeding and walking the dogs, helping more with the children, taking the car to the car-wash, doing the cooking or the laundry.

Praise

It’s easy to give words of praise:

* I’m so proud of you

* Well done

* That was amazing

* You’re such a great cook

* You’re a great dad, helping out with the kids so much

* And so, on

The praise should be sincere and, if possible, specific to something the other person has done recently. This shows you are noticing them and not taking them for granted.

Gifts

Little things can mean a lot:

* A single red rose

* Their favorite candy

* A piece of clothing you know they had their eye on at the mall

* A nice meal out

* A note tucked where it will be found later

And anything else that you know they would like.

Quality time

This can be tough if you have kids, but it is worth it to make the effort:

* Thirty minutes of chatting and hand-holding once the kids are asleep

* A regular date night

* A shared activity you both enjoy, such as a walk or a bike ride at your local beauty spot

* Walk the dog(s) together

Physical touch

In many cases, this will mean sex, but it can mean a lot of other things as well:

* Cuddling

* Holding hands

* Hugging

* Kissing

* Trading massages

* Showering or bathing together

And anything else you both enjoy.

Find your love languages and give these ideas a try - then see how it helps bring romance into your life rather than your having taken each other for granted.

I hope you enjoyed this small mix of my Gram’s wisdom with some of my own. If you found it valuable, please share it. I appreciate you taking your time to read this.

Rekindle Your Romantic Life

Activities to reawaken your romantic senses

Too many couples pay less attention to the romantic side of their lives while other aspects receive a higher priority. Sure, raising children, establishing a home, and getting ahead in your career are important for you both. And, life comes at you in seasons and it’s to be expected that some things or events just demand more of your time and attention at certain times.

Yet, putting your romantic lives on the back burner and living like roommates rather than as lovers is not good for the long-term health of your relationship. This is just as true if you are working empty nesters or an active senior couple who has fallen out of the habit of seeing yourself or your partner as a lover.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Romance and intimacy are all about making and keeping connections alive with your partner. Connections using your five senses can help.

Touch

1. Hand-holding - is something most couples do when they are first dating, but an activity many couples stop once they’ve been together for a while. Yet hand-holding brings people together both physically and emotionally.

Walking down the street or in a mall or in nature holding hands connects you in terms of posture, pace and shared experience. Holding hands when you are sitting watching TV is also a way of sharing experience.

2. Hugging - Hand-holding can lead to hugging and snuggling, especially when you are sitting together.

3. Kissing – Don’t forget that kiss on the way out the door combined with a have a good day. What about your arrival home? Do you offer a kiss and a how was your day?

4. Sleeping in bed - Do you sleep far apart? Or even in separate rooms? Or do you tend to spoon and snuggle up? There might be some valid reasons for separate rooms (such as health issues) but if this is the case, do plan to make up for the physical contact prior to going to bed to sleep.

Taste and other connections

5. Sharing food can be very intimate and fun. Exploring new foods together can be an adventure and feeding one another bites from your plates is a lovely tactile experience.

6. So too are nostalgic things you like to do together that help remind you of how you became a couple.

7. Some couples "nest" by shopping together to choose things that will make their house feel more like a home.

Sound

8. Your taste in music can bring you closer together as you sing along to old favorites and new. Extra points if you have an “our song.”

9. Some couples like to have pleasant sounds in the bedroom, especially the sounds that wake them up, so they are not jolted out of their sleep each morning. Bird song, the patter of rain, and other soothing sounds can give you a chance to snuggle in bed before facing another busy day.

Smell

10. Shared smells can bring a sense of closeness. Perfume and aftershave are known for their allure, provided you don’t use too much of them and the other person likes the fragrance.

11. Scientists also posit that pheromones can affect how a couple reacts to each other.

12. Then there is aromatherapy. This ancient healing method uses highly concentrated botanicals known as essential oils to elevate the mood and re-establish balance and harmony. Citrus scents like lemon and neroli (orange flower) boost the energy. Lavender and cedar-wood are more soothing. Combine with massage for a romantic evening together.

Sight

13. Not everyone fills their house with photos, but it is always a good idea to have at least a few around the house to remind you of all the good times you have shared.

14. Some of the photos can be romantic, to remind you of what you first found so attractive about each other. You can include a wedding photo, and/or a snap from your honeymoon.

15. Some photos can be action shots of shared activities that should help you bond and make you feel closer.

16. Create a shared album online from the photos you take on your phone. Looking through them will remind you of all the fun and romance you’ve shared together.

“I am a mix of both old and modern. I think it’s up to what suits the two people in love best!”

— Shraddha Kapoor

Ideas for romantic date nights

Both men and women struggle with romantic ideas for a date night that puts romance back on the front burner, especially if they’ve been in a rut for any length of time.

Here are ten ideas that should work, and which don’t have to cost a lot.

1. Dinner for two

Depending on your budget, you could go out to your favorite restaurant. Or, you could plan to cook a nice multi-course meal, complete with wine and dessert, that caters to your tastes. Even if you are not a great cook, there are a lot of meal kit services that deliver everything you need in one package to make an (exotic) meal of your choice for a fraction of the cost of dining out.

2. Evening picnics

This is ideal when the evenings start to get longer. Head to your local park, beach or beauty spot with a picnic hamper full of your favorite treats. If it’s within walking distance of your home, you can share some champagne or even cocktails.

3. A late-night opening

Most museums and art galleries stay open late one night of the week. Take your loved one to the exhibits and plan a nice meal out or at home.

4. Movie Night

Go out or stay in with a pile of DVDs or streaming. You don’t have to see a romantic movie, but it can help.

5. Couples day at the spa

Some spas have couples' nights and special couples' rooms and other features to set a romantic mood for the evening. Choose from various forms of massage and other therapies. See if they also serve food and drink at the facility.

6. Trip to the gym

This may not sound that romantic, but the truth is that exercise elevates mood and gives a good boost of energy. Competitive couples can find it sexy to face off over various activities. Others find it fun to take classes together, such as spinning or Zumba.

7. Ballroom dancing

Even if you have two left feet, this can be an activity your partner will really enjoy and be fun and romantic as well. Dress up or down and bring your sense of humor and fun with you.

8. Sporting events 

Again, this is not always sexy or romantic for everyone, but spending quality time together on a shared activity makes it easier to get closer and bridge any gaps that have formed because you’ve been putting romance on the back burner instead of making it a priority.

9. A Concert

This is perfect if you both love music. If the price of tickets is very high in your area, look for open air concerts in the local parks.

10. An overnight getaway

Try a weeknight in a nice hotel, complete with room service and a trip to the hot tub. You can usually get an affordable room rate and won’t have to worry about anyone bothering you once you hang up that "Do not disturb" sign.

This is ideal for couples with children who can get a sitter or the Grandparents to look after them overnight while you lay the ground for the romance and intimacy that has been lacking in your relationship. Check Groupon and similar sites, or travel sites, for special deals.

Listen to each other - really listen

There is little in life more romantic than your partner wanting to confide in you their hopes and dreams. But listening is a vastly underrated skill.

Many people are in such a hurry to explain their ideas or express themselves they rarely let anyone else get a word in.

If you struggle with communication issues or if your partner is not as forthcoming as you feel they might be, perhaps it’s time to assess how good a listener you really are.

A good listener

Here are a few illustrations of the difference between a good and a bad listener.

Make time

We are all busy, so, "Have you got a minute," is often the way we open conversations with family and with friends. They mention what is on their mind, and your response is likely to be one of several things, all unlikely to be conversation openers, but rather, communication closers.

You might go into full problem-solving mode, but it’s important to consider not only the other person, but the reason they are speaking to you. Your partner might not want you to "solve" their problem. They might just want you to be a willing ear and really hear them.

You might respond negatively with an abrupt, "I really don’t have time for that now." The risk is in shutting down the conversation not just at that point, but forever.

A different approach might be to say, "I’m just finishing up something. Can you please give me X minutes, and then I will give you my full attention?"

Listen without judgement

Telling someone what to do after they have told you something is judging them and the situation. However, this is rarely helpful because we aren’t all the same, and what may seem like a minor issue to you could be a big deal to your partner.

A good listener will therefore not comment, or problem solve, unless they are asked to do so.

Repeat what you think you hear

For a bad listener, what the person says is not always what you hear. Again, this might be a value judgement on your part, such as that person is a complainer, is never happy, and so on. This devalues the person’s trust when asking for help, and real communication will not take place.

An alternative is to really listen to the person, and when they are finished speaking, to repeat what you think you have heard. You might phrase it like, "So what I think you’re saying is that you’re worried we haven’t been spending enough quality romantic time together, and you would like us to schedule a regular date night without the children around."

Defensiveness

If you’re correct about what you’ve heard in the example above, you might be furious that they are complaining they are not getting enough time with you; you already think you have plenty of quality time, and so on. Remember, this is their perception of the truth and they hope you will be willing to discuss the issue and work with them to resolve it.

You’ll never know what’s on a person’s mind if they give you the silent treatment, so practice being a good listener and see how much your relationship improves

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it valuable as well as relevant regardless of your age. Please share it with anyone you believe needs it.

Seniors Should Choose An Online Career

 Senior Benefits of an Online Career

Many people tend to stick to what they know and what they’re comfortable with in life. For seniors, it’s no different, especially when it comes to a new career. It may be difficult for you to consider what type of job you might be suited for after you retire from your previous career. Particularly since you may have worked in that career for decades. Still, you shouldn’t ignore the opportunities that working outside your comfort zone can bring. As long as it’s not too uncomfortable.  

Ageism can rear its ugly head when you are looking for work at this period in your life. No one wants to pay you for your years of experience. Many seniors often end up in part time or entry level jobs in retail or the food industry but that’s simply not the best fit for you. These lower end jobs often provide inconvenient hours, insufficient pay, and the type of environment not best suited to seniors.

It frequently involves a lot of physical activity and may be strenuous. Which can be quite hard on any seniors who have issues with mobility or energy. Online marketing is a great alternative to these more common jobs for a number of reasons, all of which are particularly beneficial to senior marketers.

While the idea of changing to an entirely different kind of career might sound daunting at first, it’s really not quite as bad as you might think. First, online marketing can all be done from the comfort of your own home. Second, you needn’t learn it all in one day. Third, there are a variety of ways to make money marketing your products or services and you get to choose.

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle

Instead of having to drive somewhere to a store dressed in a uniform, you get to wear whatever clothes are comfortable for you and work from your couch, desk, or patio. You don’t have to worry about wasting money on gas to drive to and from work, and you can have a lunch break just about any time that pleases you.

Time is a major factor in the benefits of online marketing. Where some jobs would have you working inconsistent hours, inconvenient hours, or just not giving you the hours you want, online marketing allows you to choose when you work and how much you work. Imagine being able to take the time to attend your grandchildren’s dance recitals or baseball games anytime you choose.

If you so desire, you can work all day every day, or just for a few hours every other day. It’s entirely up to you to make your own schedule. As far as earnings go, there’s no real limit to it. If you work consistently, you can earn anywhere from $20,000 a year to six or seven figures.

Given that all of your work in online marketing is done from a computer, you don’t even need to be at home while you’re working. You can be travelling in another state or in another country and still work if you want to, as long as you have an internet connection and access to your files on your laptop or in the cloud.

For more information check 5 Online Businesses You Can Start With No Money by Brian Edmondson for the balance small business.

If this post has been of any value to you, I would be grateful if you shared it with a friend who could also benefit.

How Forgiveness Makes Us Happier and Healthier

We occasionally come face to face with people whom for one reason or another we have not forgiven some trespass of theirs in the past or even worse yet we are the party guilty of something unforgivable. Whether they are family or friends we seldom or no longer speak to it is always an uncomfortable meeting.

Forgiveness Can Restore Your Life

Once you realize that forgiveness doesn’t excuse or condone a transgression. It may be easier to enjoy the benefits of the true meaning of forgiveness.

Whether justice is served with apologies, reparation or other positive actions, forgiveness can lift the burden of anger and resentment and give you back your thoughts.

When you practice forgiveness, you gift yourself with a much deserved freedom, to get on with your life and give the person who wronged you the least amount of thought and time possible.

When you forgive, you’re releasing the burden of what happened from your shoulders. Making the decision to rid your mind of thoughts of revenge and anger. Choosing instead the happy and peaceful memories that lie in the future.

Forgiveness – Getting There

You may want to be able to forgive – to release the anger that’s dominating your thoughts and making your stomach churn – but you don’t know how. Or, perhaps the wrong perpetrated against you was so heinous that forgiveness seems out of the question.

You may be afraid that if you forgive, you’re “giving in.” You need not forget the memory of the transgression nor let the person who perpetrated it back into your life. You’re never obligated to condone the action or display kindness toward the person. That’s not what true forgiveness is.

The best way you can begin to forgive is to practice controlling your thought process. When negative thoughts of revenge and anger first appear, practice booting them out immediately and replace them with positive thoughts – of doing something for yourself.

Others are not always at fault. So don’t continue to beat yourself up if you have acted in a way that has harmed YOU in the past. Let go of what you can’t change. Choose forgiveness for yourself

Spend your energy in positive ways rather than dwelling on past, hurtful instances. Keep in mind that you’re not making the transgression “okay” if you choose not to think about it. You’re trading the harm that the thoughts are causing in your energy and life for a more abundant and happier life.

Forgiveness Shows Character

If you can forgive, you’re way ahead in strength of character. It takes courage and commitment to forgive and not seek revenge for every wrong done against you. Forgiveness is a virtue that deals with temperance – and temperance is the action we take against excess in everything – anger, food, envy and other emotional triggers.

When you forgive, you’re making a conscious effort to live a happier, more active and authentic life that strengthens your character even more because you’ve worked through a major problem to success.

With forgiveness, you must acknowledge the pain perpetrated against you. After you forgive, you’ll soon be aware that you have no more thoughts of revenge and you may not even feel anger for the person who hurt you.

Letting go of negative thoughts certainly doesn’t take away the pain and hurt, but it helps you move it into a category of the “past” so you can get on with your future. The ability to move past the hurts and into the realm of forgiveness is a huge character builder because all the steps you have to take discard the negative portions of your character while replacing them with positive ones.

Get Your Power Back with Forgiveness

When something has happened to shake your trust or belief in another person (especially someone you love), you may feel anger and resentment for a long time. You can reduce the power that the other person has over your feelings and actions by forgiving and letting go of the destructive emotions and the hurt of past transgressions.

These self-destructive emotions and thoughts can cost you dearly in terms of power for yourself. Forgiveness is a tried and true way for victims to reclaim their power and gain power over the person who wronged them. If you don’t choose to forgive, the transgressor retains the power over you.

You may always remember the hurt or tragedy you suffered through the act of another person, but that doesn’t mean that it has to stalk you forever. When you forgive, you get a type of peace and calm without condoning the act or excusing the person who transgressed against you.

Keep in mind that there’s no timeline for forgiveness. It should happen when and only when you’re ready and not when others say you should move on or it would be better for you if you moved on.

How Forgiveness is its Own Revenge

The only way to move beyond what you’ve been through is with authentic forgiveness.

Some stages involved in the process are:

1. Don’t think you can change the past. Wanting a different outcome won’t make it happen. You’re left with the reality of what happened and although you can’t change it, you can let go of that hope and get on with the future.

2. Make a decision that you won’t seek revenge on the other person. When you forgive, you make a conscious decision not to seek justice by yourself. Rather, living your life the best you can will be the best revenge.

3. Move beyond the bitterness. That happens when you actively choose to replace the vindictive and negative thoughts with positive ones. How can you change your life for the better and open yourself up to new relationships? When you figure it out, forgiveness is possible.

4. Mentally end resentment and anger and need for revenge. Your thoughts control your actions and to some degree, your body. Only positive thoughts and a decision to end the negative can get you out of the prison of thoughts of revenge.

 

 Mental, Physical and Spiritual Benefits of Forgiveness

The power of forgiveness has long been touted by religions of the world as a way to reach a higher level of spirituality. During recent decades, the power of forgiveness is also discussed among medical and psychological professionals as a method to let go of anger and resentment and prevent health problems.

The mental benefits of forgiveness may include:

·  Ridding your mind of depression and lifting the anxiety you may feel from anger and resentment.

·  Clarity and focus. You’re better able to cope with reality and the matters at hand when you choose forgiveness over negative thoughts.

·  Protects against long-term stress. Poor mental health is often associated with stress and nothing causes stress like anger and resentment.

The physical benefits of forgiveness may include:

1. Lower blood pressure. Stress and anxiety may cause your blood pressure to soar. Forgiveness is letting go and can calm your nerves and mind.

2. Enjoy a longer and healthier life span. Unconditional forgiveness (not expecting an apology or reparations) is known to help people live longer and fuller lives.

3. Healthier immune system. If your immune system isn’t healthy, it has a much more difficult time fighting off diseases – both mental and physical.

Spiritual benefits of forgiveness may include:

1. Acceptance of others with compassion and understanding. Rather than concentrating on revenge, forgiveness can lead to spirituality.

2. Opens your heart and mind to others. Relationships can be improved with forgiveness.

3. Calm and peacefulness in your life. If you’ve ever experienced full-blown anger, you know how debilitating it can be. It interferes with sleep, physical functions and turns your spirit to hurt and dismay.

The Difference Between Reconciliation and Forgiveness

The act of forgiveness doesn’t always lead to reconciliation and vice versa. One isn’t necessarily dependent on the other. You can forgive without having any thoughts about restoring a relationship, and you can reconcile and “agree to disagree” without forgiving the other person.

You may think that in certain cases (such as with a spouse) you can’t possibly forgive without letting the person back in your life. For example, if your best friend has an affair with your husband, you may let both relationships fall to the wayside.

On the other hand, you can forgive the people involved so that you can get on with your own life. The harm done to your relationship may negate any possibility of reconciliation.

Forgiveness doesn’t require you to interact with the other person involved. Reconciliation does require your involvement and means that you actively engage with the offender.

The process of reconciliation means that you exchange a dialogue with the offender, express how you’ve been hurt and try to reestablish trust by moving past the hurt and anger and establish forgiveness.

One way to think about the difference between reconciliation and forgiveness is that reconciliation is accomplished by an outward process and forgiveness is given from inside with discipline and through a continuous process.

With forgiveness, apologies aren’t necessary, but they do help. Don’t expect participation from the offender when you choose to forgive. Give it freely and with love and acceptance in your heart.

Why it’s Difficult to Forgive

When someone we love and trusted has treated us with disdain the last thing on our minds is forgiveness. Our dreams have been shattered and we usually become angry. Forgiveness isn’t on the horizon.

If you’re infused with anger and resentment toward another person, your thoughts are likely full of negativity and blame. You may also have guilt for how you might have contributed to the situation or think that forgiving is only for the weak.

Being judgmental is also a reason why it’s so hard to forgive another. If you perceive the other person as not appreciating you or all you’ve done for them or the love and trust you’ve put in the relationship, it becomes even more difficult.

You can make the choice to forgive and still not reconcile or accept what they’ve done. But, when your harshness of judging begins to permeate your own life and make you bitter and resentful, forgiveness is that gift you give yourself so you can pick up the pieces and go on in a healthy manner.

Think of a time when you needed forgiveness for something you thoughtlessly did that hurt another person. How did you feel about how the other person reacted to the transgression? What would have made you understand the action you perpetrated better and help you see how hurtful it was?

Chances are, you reacted to the anger of the other person by making up excuses that it wasn’t really your fault. But, if that same person forgave you in a calm manner, it’s more likely you were better able to see the error of your ways and offer a sincere apology to that person.

For more on Forgiveness please check out this post from Mindvalley.

How To Forgive Others And Set Yourself Free

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Begin Your New Career No Schooling Necessary

Some retirees think that going back to school to learn something new is the only answer to beginning a new career. That’s no longer true. Unless you have a driving passion and an overwhelming desire to spend time in a classroom, you can begin an online career right away.

You’ll make the leap from having a boss and a 9 to 5 schedule to being your own boss and setting your own hours. After many years at a job, that’s commonly what retirees long for most. If you don’t have a degree – don’t worry. You don’t need one.

What you will need is your knowledge and experience that you’ve garnered over time and a passion for something you can turn into an online business. You won’t need a large amount of startup cash.

In fact, establishing an online business can be started on a shoestring budget and embellished and expanded later when you’re making money. Many retirees begin their new online careers by setting up a blog.

A blog is based on a subject you know well and have had some experience in. It could be based on the hobby that you love or your travels. Travel blogs are very popular with retirees who always wanted to travel, but never had the time or money.

You can share your travel experiences with others who love to travel on your blog. You’ll write short articles about what you’ve experienced and offer tips and advice on the areas you visit, where to stay, or even what and how to pack.

Be sure that you write about relevant subjects that are truly helpful and real. You’ll build an audience of followers that are anxious to read your blogs to see what exciting adventures you’re off to now.

“You don’t need to be a genius or a visionary, or even a college graduate for that matter, to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream.”

— Michael Dell

You can even go as far out as to have a blog about potty-training puppies. It seems that almost every family (and individuals) has at least one dog in their house and if you have some tips up your sleeve about dogs, they’ll read your blogs.

When you begin to get an audience for your blog, you’ll want to look in to setting up links to products offered by other bloggers that will enhance what you offer. These will be your affiliate links and you will set up links to their websites.

Your followers who click on the links in your blog can purchase products that you recommend – and you get a commission each time they buy. When you have products to purchase, those affiliates might link to your site and send their website traffic your way.

Make sure you like the products you’re recommending or you’ll lose your audience’s trust. So if you have an interest or passion that has followed you throughout your life (and career), look at starting an online business that will give you an outlet for doing what you love while providing an extra income.

Not everyone is cut out for additional schooling. As a retiree, you can use the knowledge and experiences you’ve gained over the years to start another career – and this time, be your own boss.

For additional information I suggest you check out Melyssa Griffin’s blog post:

How + Why You Should think Beyond Your Blog If You Want To Monetize Your Site