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Personal Development

This blog category is focused on personal growth and development. Here, you’ll find articles and resources that cover a wide range of topics, from developing positive habits to building healthy relationships and finding purpose and fulfillment in life. Whether you’re looking to improve your mindset, enhance your skills, or simply live a happier, more fulfilling life, this blog is designed to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need. Join us as we delve into the world of personal development and discover the power of self-improvement.

post traumatic growth

Post Traumatic Growth

Opportunities for Growth Following Tragedy Dealing with tragedy will always be a tough pill to swallow. When someone goes through a traumatic experience it can seem like the world is ending. How can someone cope with great loss? How can someone find love again after betrayal? These questions seem unanswerable when going through tragedy, but as cliché, as it may sound, there is always a silver lining that’s Post Traumatic Growth.  When experiencing a tragedy in life you have to allow yourself to go through and feel each emotion. Sometimes that entails reliving the trauma over and over in your head. Once the emotional roller coaster starts to slow, the next step is accepting that you can’t change what has happened. Many people who live through trauma struggle to try and move on and relive the moments day after day. This can be unhealthy and many may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when they can’t accept the tragedy.  It is okay to let yourself accept and feel, but we can not dwell on how we can change the past. When you let yourself let go and begin to move forward, this is called post-traumatic growth (PTG). You have to… 

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6 Amazing Self-Love Activities to practice daily

You were likely taught at a young age to love others and treat them with respect. Even if you weren’t, you’ve likely realized the wisdom of it along the way. However, what about love for yourself? Do you treat yourself with as much compassion and consideration as you do others? Far too many people in modern society are looking for someone to love them without first learning to love themselves. Instead of waiting around for someone to show you the love you desire, learn to start cultivating self-love today with this 6 Amazing Self-Love Activities to practice every day. 6 Self-Love Activities to establish Practice Compassion for Others Cultivating self-love doesn’t mean turning off your compassion for others. In fact, that’s the best place to start. When you start outwardly showing compassion for others, you will begin to reveal the way you should also be treating yourself. Think about the things you do for others. Do you do these same things for yourself? Oftentimes, we show love to others in ways that we would want to be loved ourselves. For example, if you show compassion for a friend by encouraging them with kind words, try speaking those same encouraging words… 

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post traumatic growth

Learning to Set and Maintain Boundaries

Set and Maintain Boundaries Setting healthy boundaries is an important first step in your recovery, but can sometimes be awkward and uncomfortable. We first need to get familiar with what boundaries are and which ones are important to you. Boundaries are the physical, emotional, and mental rules and limits you set for yourself and others. This set of rules should be established at the beginning of each relationship to ensure understanding.  The foundation of these boundaries comes from respect, for yourself and for others. You must first learn to respect yourself on this journey before you can expect someone to do the same for you. In time, once this respect is established, your relationships will grow and flourish. These healthy relationships will help motivate you on your journey through recovery, maintain boundaries is just one part to build a strong relation with your relatives, based on respect and confidence. Boundaries Tell Others How You Want to Be Treated When beginning to create the boundaries that best suit your needs in the recovery process, you must first know your ‘why’. Identify which values are most important to you, and the principles you have used everyday throughout your life.  Whether these values… 

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post traumatic growth

What Is Courage and How Can You be Courageous?

What Is Courage and How Can You be Courageous? Courage is a scary term for many people. They link it with fear and the unknown. It actually is a scary thing to face the most difficult things in life with bravery, but it can be done. We’ve got all you need to know how to be courageous in today’s crazy world.

Nick Sanastasso Joins Ryan Zofay Personal Development Events

Nick Santonastasso Joins Ryan Zofay

Life & Business Coach, Nick Santonastasso Joins Ryan Zofay at the We Level Up Personal Development Team. Nick Santonastasso has recently joined the personal development team at the We Level Up organization. His skills and reputation as one of the top Life & Business coaches are sure to benefit the organization. Nick Santonastasso continues to inspire the people of Florida and the world as he joins Ryan Zofay at the We Level Up development series. This inspirational figure has proven that no one has to be limited or defined by a disability. Nick Santonastasso was diagnosed with Hanhart Syndrome at a young age, but he didn’t let it stop him from pursuing his dreams and inspiring others to do the same. Hanhart Syndrome is the genetic condition that caused Nick Santonastasso to be born without legs. He is also missing an arm and was born with one finger. Despite many challenges, his determination led him to become an accomplished bodybuilder, entrepreneur, and one of the leading experts when it comes to human psychology. Additionally, he has cemented his reputation as one of the greatest communicators and rubs shoulders with the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Tony Robbins, and Ed… 

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post traumatic growth

How to Get Better Habits?

How to Get Better Habits, its power and why you should break old habits You only get one life. Unfortunately, so many people get stuck on the bigger picture of what they want to do in their entire lifetime, become overwhelmed, and quit. Instead of looking at the larger picture of everything you’d like to accomplish within your life’s journey, take a second to step back and break it all down. When you break down the details of your dreams, you’ll see that your dreams are achievable, but how to get better habits? Granted, some dreams might take longer than others. However, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The way you spend each day is the secret sauce. By taking full advantage of the 24 hours in front of you, you can make things happen. Essentially, accomplishing your dreams boils down to one thing: How to Get Better Habits? Your habits are your daily rituals. They’re the things that will either set you back or set you up for success. There’s a number of reasons why habits are so essential to the bigger picture. One of the first ways your habits can change your life is because… 

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post traumatic growth

Healthy Relationship with Communication Skills

Have a Healthy Relationship is possible Communication is the key to a healthy relationship. Everyone knows that. It’s not exactly a complicated idea, so why do so many couples have trouble with it? It turns out that communication isn’t as easy as it sounds. In fact, relationship specialists and therapists have to work hard to bridge the gap between couples in order to create a healthy relationship. Much of that work goes into thinking about how humans communicate. That research focuses on breaking down the simplest and most effective communication techniques for maintaining a healthy relationship. If you want to give your relationship a boost, take a look at these strategies and try implementing them in your own life. Find Common Ground for a Healthy Relationship A healthy relationship needs common ground to work from. That’s why couples having issues need to remember the reasons they’re together in the first place. This is the single most important step in making sure your relationship is healthy and productive. Don’t know where to start? This doesn’t need to be complicated. It can be as simple as a movie you saw last week and both enjoyed. Remember the good times, and keep pointing… 

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post traumatic growth

5 Sober Date Ideas

If you’re in recovery or choosing to live a life of sobriety, you might be overwhelmed by the inclusion of alcohol in modern dating. (Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered on the perfect sober date.) Modern dating often consists of drinking to calm nerves. In fact, some people purposely choose to go on a date at a bar or restaurant where they can get the best alcohol. But going on a date without alcohol is a better option when it comes down to it anyway. You get to know who your date really is while they’re not under the influence. This can be a big factor when deciding whether or not you want a second date. Fortunately, the options are endless when it comes to a sober date. 1. Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Some people associate an ice cream date with the joy and fun of childhood. Everyone knows real ice cream is the best, so skip McDonald’s. Find a place that serves real, old-fashioned ice cream. This is especially nice in the summertime when you need to cool down. 2. Go for a hike as a sober date This is a great idea for a sober date because hiking… 

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3 Great Tips to Maintain a Healthy Heart (emotionally)

Your heart is your body’s headquarters. Without a functioning healthy heart, your body and you cannot survive. But we aren’t talking about clogged arteries… We’re talking about your emotional health. Heartbreak comes in many forms. Many of us have been hurt or betrayed by people and opportunities that we invested our hearts in. It can feel impossible to get out of bed the next day or ever trust again. But you must keep going. We’re going to give you 3 simple, yet effective strategies for keeping and maintaining a healthy heart. These are not quick overnight fixes, and they’re easier said than done, but if put into practice, you will notice a change in yourself and your life. #1: Find out who your true friends are. Many of us rotate between various social circles and groups of people, and everyone seems nice on the surface. But everyone who smiles at you does not necessarily have your best interests at heart. Try to really pay attention to how people you consider your friends act when you’re high and when you’re low, when you get a promotion or lose a job, enter a new relationship, or end one. Their initial response will… 

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post traumatic growth

The Happiness Playlist: 25 Songs to Improve Your Mood

Why create a Happiness Playlist? From the ancient drumbeats our ancestors used to the advanced music and streaming services of today, music has held an undeniable effect on the human psyche since the beginning. How is it that sound sequences and rhythms can affect us so much? Follow along for a quick rundown of what makes music so powerful for humans, and our ultimate Happiness Playlist. The Power of Music Many studies have been conducted over the years to try and further understand what it is about music that touches us so. With that research, many interesting things have been discovered to help unravel the mystery. One such truth research has uncovered is that people tend to prefer music that is reflective of the mood that they are currently experiencing. Another fact that research has revealed is that regularly listening to one type of music will typically make someone begin to exhibit a disposition that is more like that of that particular type of music. So, for example, if someone listens to a very upbeat and joyous kind of playlist for several weeks, they are very likely to start to exhibit more of a joyous and upbeat character. Likewise, regularly… 

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post traumatic growth

5 Steps for Reaching Your Goals in 2021

Reaching Your Goals It happens every year: January 1st arrives and with it, a sense of possibility. We review the past year to acknowledge achievements and progress and begin to set new goals or resolutions for the year to come. It all seems hopeful and exciting for a little while, but we can crash and burn quickly without an effective plan. Today, we’re sharing the top keys to reaching your goals. 1. Optimize Your Space With estimates stating that over 7-million people are working from home during quarantine, it has never been a better time to optimize your workspace. Organize, clean, and put things where you can easily find them. If you’re the type of person that likes to lounge around the house all day in your pajamas while tackling a work-related task, hear us out: While those new pajama pants may seem comfortable, they’re killing your efficiency, so get up and reaching your goals. Instead, we encourage you to use your home as you would an office space. Set boundaries between work and play; the living room, kitchen and bedroom are your ‘play’ areas, while the spare bedroom is your office. Maintaining boundaries between work-related tasks and leisure will… 

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post traumatic growth

Holiday Depression

Is It Normal to Experience Sadness During the Holiday Season or “Holiday Depression”? For many people across the world, the holiday season marks the most exciting time of the year, but this joy is not always universal. For many, the holidays can heighten feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and the well-known “Holiday Depression”. If you or a loved one falls into this category, you may be asking yourself whether it’s normal to feel sadness during the holiday season or whether something deeper is wrong. Holiday Blues “Holiday Depression” or “Holiday Blues” are both common terms. They describe feelings of sadness that hit from the middle of November until the first week of January. However, most mental health specialists do not recognize these terms. Instead, most professionals look at how this season can amplify underlying feelings of depression and anxiety. There is often an underlying trigger, and it is absolutely normal to experience sadness during the holidays. Celebrations and Family Celebrations with gifts and family are a source of joy for many. For others, the tradition of giving presents during this season can highlight financial difficulties. It can also amplify feelings of inadequacy and comparison. The focus on family can bring on… 

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post traumatic growth

How to Nurture Connections and Relationships

Due to our human nature, it is important for us to feel connected to others. We need to have positive relationships with others in business and personal life to be able to thrive! However, maintaining those connections is not always easy. Misunderstandings, differing views, and so many other factors can sever even the strongest of ties between people. It takes personal development and awareness to achieve this, so we’re going to give you 5 of the best ways to nurture connections and relationships. Notice the Good in Others It’s easy to only see the worst in others. We can point out bad habits, silently judge people for the smallest slights, and even wish ill on others in authority. Take the time to notice the good about someone daily. Maybe that boss who keeps asking you to stay late has a talent for encouraging the troops no matter the situation. Perhaps that friend with the weird laugh knows how to lighten the mood with a funny story or joke. By taking the time to change your mindset, you’ll be able to see someone in a new light. Beware of Assuming in Relationships We’ve all had that moment when a friend says… 

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post traumatic growth

Finding Purpose in Life Can Help You Achieve Change

Finding Purpose in Life Think about the last time something meaningful happened in your life. Maybe you moved into your dream home, or you successfully pursued your career passion. It could even be something as simple as meeting a new friend. No matter what the nature of the event was, there’s a good chance that it was brought about by change. Change is a natural part of life that’s meant to be embraced. When you decide to take the leap and go in for that job interview or start leading a healthier lifestyle, you’ll notice your life-transforming in ways you never imagined. To achieve this meaningful sense of change in your life, you first need to identify your purpose, finding purpose in life gives you control over where you want to go. Defining your life purpose allows you to have a clear sense of direction and pursue your goals more deliberately. Here are some simple steps for defining your own purpose and changing your life for the better. Define Your Skills Your natural abilities are essential to your life’s purpose. These innate skills are a unique part of who you are, which helps to set you apart from the rest of the… 

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