Words Precious Than Gold: Faith Quotes to Live By

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How big of an impact faith has on a person’s life? People hear about and see others doing wondrous and extraordinary things from a strong belief, a faith-filled mission. Is living a life filled with faith worthwhile? The answer is a big YES.

Moses is one of the many prominent figures in the Holy Bible’s Old Testament as the vital person who led the Jewish people to freedom from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. When Moses did the miraculous parting of the Red Sea episode, the rest was history; Moses’ name went down in history.  

But Moses wasn’t initially this seemingly powerful man that people see now. Those miracles that he performed stemmed from discovering and knowing God. From that fateful event of the burning bush on Mount Sinai, this non-believer turned into the faith-believer that led to miraculous, historical acts that the world now knows.

This is the extraordinary power of faith, faith that can move mountains and part seas.

Jacqui Delorenzo’s A Thread of Hope is a heartwarming memoir that depicts the author’s experience of going through a spiritual awakening. The author’s life is a testimony to the miraculous power of faith. In this book, Ms. Delorenzo shared her ordeal as a victim of bullying, her episodes of depression brought by her parents’ breakup, the death of her thirteen-year-old brother, and her struggle to survive cancer.

The author is a living witness to how her faith in God turned tables around and made her a survivor continually filled with hope despite whatever obstacles and challenges life throws.

Words to Live By

People need something in life to rely on and lean on when the going gets tough. Some people turned to therapy and one-on-one counseling with professionals to help them get by. For others, hobbies became a go-to stress reliever, relaxant, and energy-springing source. For others, they turned to motivational quotes, words that can inspire them to keep going. 

The Bible contains words, phrases, and quotes that portray different meanings and other purposes. So, if your glass is looking half-empty now, and you need that spiritual push on faith to make you strive and thrive during your most challenging times, check out some Bible verses below.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Topping the list of faith-inspiring quotes comes from the book of Proverbs. A favorite and perhaps one of the most quoted verses about faith, this Proverbs talks about complete surrender to an omnipotent being. Nowadays, people are riding the trend of “over-thinking,” being over-anxious about uncertain things. This anxiety could lead to severe physical and mental health complications if not appropriately addressed. The solution? Stop worrying and trust that everything will work fine according to God’s plan. 

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22

In another well-loved faith verse, the apostle Matthew talks about faith as that robust and unyielding belief that what will give your heart desires so long as you firmly believe. This statement was from Jesus Christ when he told his apostles that they would receive anything as long as they had faith. This type of faith should also be aligned to God’s will and purpose, and believe that God is in complete control and will be doing things for men’s good and salvation.   

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'” John 20:29

This was the offshoot of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Some people witnessed Jesus being alive, but the apostles were hesitant to accept the idea that Jesus rose from the dead. Thomas was the most obstinate among them, refusing to believe unless he saw Jesus and the wounds on his hands and feet. Hence, the above verse.

The apostles, particularly Thomas, reflect a very human reaction when it comes to things that are unknown and uncertain. People tend to believe if they first see things rather than the opposite. 

It is difficult to believe in unseen things, but this is what true faith is all about. For those who could genuinely trust without needing to see proof, miracles happened in their life. Faith begets hope. And when hope takes charge in a person’s life, you’d expect that miraculous-like things could happen. It’s like a domino effect. If a person invests themselves in living a life of faith and hope, they are imbued with a positive nature and tend to live healthier lives.  

Blessed are Those Who Believe

A faith-filled life is not without challenges; there will always be something that will test this testament of belief. There will always be difficulties and persecutions, but the good news is, so will the blessings. Blessings result from a solid and steadfast faith, which should be reason enough to hold on and weather out any storms in your life. 

Powerful Habits to Make Impactful Life Decisions

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People should not take their choices for granted. This is because each decision, each simple yes or no, could make a “world of a” difference in a person’s life.

People make decisions in almost every minute of their lives. It could be a simple choice of deciding between a burger or a sandwich or a life-changing decision of whether to take the plunge and shift career or get committed to a relationship. People’s choices could also affect others, which is why decision-making is an essential life skill that should not be taken for granted.

People’s choices could be a pivotal and go-no-go deal that would determine their success or how they wanted their life to be lived.

Dr. Julius Mosley’s book about God and his righteousness, Living Life with Blinders On, is an eye-opener to readers that highlights the significance of making choices that would impact an individual’s life after death. The book states, “God has given us choices to make while we are alive.” People should make these decisions with care if they want to be part of God’s redemption plan.

Why is decision-making a life skill?

Who would have thought that a simple yes or no could be something that impactful that could affect the rest of your day? For instance, you set the alarm early in the morning to avoid the daytime traffic rush. When that alarm sounds, and in the middle of a drowsy state, it becomes a struggle of yes, turning off the alarm and getting up, or no, turning off the alarm and going back to sleep.

You know what’s going to happen. If you choose to go back to sleep, it’s going to be a mad hour of hell by the time you get up and about, plus there’s also that tendency of you being in a not-so-good mood throughout the day. If you choose to wake up, not only do you avoid the rush hour traffic, you set a more positive note to your day by being on time.

What is the effect on someone with good decision-making skills?

Enhance an Individual’s Efficiency

The persons skilled at making choices are guaranteed to save a lot more time in the decision-making and are likely to maximize or fully utilize available resources. A good decision-maker can recognize a pattern and follow a sequence. Good selection skills can smooth out any muddled processes and pave the road towards a clearer and more focused direction.

It’s like building a house. A person with experience in the construction industry is likely to make good choices when selecting the material needed to build the house compared to someone with zero experience. The experienced person gets to save more time and money when building that dream home.

Boosts Confidence

This is the upshot of good decision-making skills. If the person keeps producing good results with their decisions, they gain more confidence in themselves, even when encountering the most difficult challenges in their life.

How to be a Better Decision-Maker

If you’ve identified yourself as a good decision-maker, you can become an influential person. Either way, this skill could help you stand out and be more assertive and poised when dealing with whatever challenges and obstacles life throws.

Here are some steps that could help you become more skilled at making decisions.

Goals and Values Setting

The choices people make in their life, big or small, are unconsciously aligned with their existing life values and principles. Hence, it’s essential that individuals should be grounded and in touch with their values and should have that mindfulness of what they want from their life. Their goal should be that roadmap that provides them a guideline or a direction each time they make choices.

You’ll become happier and healthier when you factor your values, goals, and passion into making decisions. 

Always Weigh the Pros and Cons

It’s always good to take a step back when faced with an overwhelming situation and forced to decide. Don’t ever be forced or coerced into decision-making. Do not make any choices if your emotions are running high and not stable. Always consider the advantages and disadvantages of each side in a decision. You can write these down in a list form to help you get a more comprehensive and precise picture. Listing the pros and cons also looks at the long-term and short-term consequences. Think about the futuristic impacts of your choices.

Get Feedback

Receiving feedback can be intimidating for some people because there’s the innate nature of an individual to shy away from criticism or take any critique as something negative.

Asking for and getting feedback is one of the essential steps toward becoming an effective decision-maker. Other people’s opinions can help you expand your perspectives, become more open to helpful suggestions and advice, and overcome personal biases and prejudice. You don’t necessarily have eyes on anything and everything that’s going around you, so it would be good for you to have somebody spot a fault or flaw in something that you have done that you didn’t notice otherwise.

And welcoming other people’s feedback would not only make you a more informed decision-maker, but you’d also have the opportunity to avoid repeating the same mistakes that you or other people have made.

You Can Do It

Becoming a good and effective decision-maker takes time and a lot of practice – but it’s something not impossible to achieve if you’ve got your heart and mindset to become that person. Remember to always be in tune with yourself, with your heart and mind. And always remember that whatever choices you make, big or small, will always leave a mark in your life, whether in this life or the next.

Helping Parents Educate Their Newborns

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Jo Ann Gramlich’s Talk, Play and Read with Me Mommy is an excellent toolkit for parents, old and new, to engage with their newborns and start teaching them early literacy.

For parents, their child uttering their first “proper” word—mama or dada—can be a cause for a beautiful celebration.

If a child has yet to speak their first word, or even simply utter a string of syllables before the 7th or 10th months of infancy, that can be quite concerning and troubling for any parent.

It has been shown several times in multiple studies and observations that the earlier a newborn can speak, the likelier that child will grow up to be intelligent in the future or, at the least, be ahead of their peers of the same age.

As prospective members of society, speech and communication are essential for any person.

The earlier a child’s cognitive and language skills are developed, the deeper and more stable it will be when moving forward, especially when the child is formally educated and among the same age group.

For all the parents out there raising children, whether new or old hands, always remember and never forget that learning does not only begin at school but it starts at home.

Learning begins the first moment parents start interacting with their precious little ones!

With interactive activities found in Gramlich’s Talk, Play and Read with Me Mommy, parents are empowered and guided in helping their children develop the building blocks that will help them build on and establish speech, language and literacy at an earlier age.

All parents want success for their children. 

With Talk, Play and Read with Me Mommy, parents can seize the moment and be there as their children take the first steps, begin their education early, and give their children the best chance at succeeding!

Infants’ brains are language machines.

Newborns communicate nonverbally, but their brains are already hard at work, trying to decipher what the people around them are saying, breaking down grammar rules, speech patterns, and using their understanding to produce their speech.

Don’t believe it? It’s true!

Talking more to your children and not with the stereotypical goo-goo-gaa-gaa form of gibbering commonly portrayed in media can be very beneficial and can pave the way for smoother comprehension down the road.

Communicating with your newborn boosts brain development and establishes a closer, more intimate connection between child and parent.

Parents should learn not to underestimate their children’s intelligence and always find ways to challenge them at their level.

Playing is the best mode of learning.

The best way for a child to interact with the world is through playing.  It’s natural and enjoyable for the child and helps them stay active and happy.

Parents should take every opportunity of play as a stage for children to learn with the parent’s supervision, but not in any way that hinders their freedom.

Unstructured play teaches children invaluable life skills and provides good physical and mental health. It’s okay to let children learn by exploring and being somewhat independent.

Trust is essential to a child’s development as it builds self-confidence and fosters initiative.

Children learn best by themselves with the knowledge their parent is watching over them.

Newborns love to read.

Though it’s hard to believe it, infants adore reading. 

Newborns might not understand what the letters mean, but their brains quickly make connections between what you say and the pictures they see as they take in the sounds of language and how they fit together.

Don’t underestimate your tot’s brains!

Reading to your kids isn’t only a way for them to develop literacy, but it’s also a way for them to make sense of the world.  Early reading instills in a child how text can be a stable source of information.

Frequently engaging in reading sessions with your child can be an excellent opportunity for parents and child to understand each other better and create stronger relationships.

Don’t all children want someone to read them bedtime stories before they go to sleep?

In conclusion

If there’s anything that parents can learn from Gramlich’s Talk, Play and Read with Me Mommy, it’s that children are born intelligent but this intelligence can only really grow if the parent takes their time to cultivate and foster it.

Caring for Stroke Patients: A Worthwhile Caregiving Endeavor

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Stroke recovery is unique to each patient. A lot of effort goes into caring for stroke patients. Still, all these endeavors become rewarding once caregivers begin to see a positive result from their actions and their patients begin to recover and regain their life.   

Caring for a stroke patient can be challenging for caregivers, especially if the patient is a loved one or a family member. There is that cloud of worry hovering up ahead, wondering how long before the patient recovers and what their anticipated needs are in the coming months or years ahead.  

One of the caregiving goals is to help loved ones get back on track as quickly as possible. In the case of stroke recovery, the recovery process for a patient and their caregivers isn’t smooth sailing at all. Stroke recovery can be daunting and challenging. A high level of the physical, mental, and emotional process goes into providing care that can become overwhelming at one point for the caregiver. 

But how can you say no to taking care of a stroke recovery patient if it’s a family member?

Caregiving is one of the most taxing jobs there is, but also one of the noblest professions. Eleanor Gaccetta, in her book One Caregiver’s Journey, effectively depicted the realities that caregivers faced in their carer roles and responsibilities. In this touching memoir, Eleanor shared her experience providing care for her mother 24/7 for almost ten years until her mother’s death at the age of 102. 

The book brought to light the real-life behind-the-scene encounters caregivers had to deal with in their line of work. Caregiving is not something for the faint-hearted but for the strong-willed and passionate individuals willing to go that extra mile to alleviate the condition and situation of their patients or loved ones. Regardless of the sickness or disease, all patients requiring caregiving assistance should have the same level of support and care.

And stroke recovery patients should be treated no differently. 

Stroke in Overview

Not unless you’ve intentionally studied to become a neurologist, you’ll undoubtedly feel bewildered by all the complexities that come with the stroke disease. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported stroke as the leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability for adults. Just looking at the statistics, one could tell just how life-threatening and severe stroke disease is. It can get unsettling for both the one providing care and the patient if they’re unaware of the health implications of stroke, including the necessary treatment or type of care. 

A stroke occurs when the brain tissue is not getting enough nutrients and oxygen because of blocked clots, bursts, or ruptures. If there’s no oxygen coming into that part of the brain, the brain cells die, which is then outwardly depicted by a sudden weakness on one side of the body, depending on the brain’s location. 

In most cases, complications include difficulties in talking or swallowing, loss of muscle movement or paralysis, memory loss, mental health problems, etc. 

Caring for a Stroke Survivor

A lot could be going in your head right now if you are caring for a stroke survivor. The experience could be daunting, even intimidating at times, that you’re rendered almost to the point of being helpless. 

Take a breather and assess the situation first. Yes, it is a big responsibility, but not an impossible situation to conquer and get under control. 

Here are some valuable suggestions to get you started on your role as a caregiver to a stroke-recovering patient, and that could also help you balance out your life in the process. 

Arm Yourself with Stroke Education

One of the missteps in caregiving is not getting enough knowledge about the sickness or the disease before diving into work. The best practice is to get enough knowledge and awareness, in this case, about stroke. All kinds of illnesses or conditions have their specific implications and treatment. 

Before putting on the caregiving hat, the caregiver should study and learn more about the disease, its causes, signs, symptoms, prognosis, treatment, and first aid management. They should also learn about lifestyle and medical risk factors, especially concerning the patient.

Review the patient’s background, such as the type of stroke complication, the patient’s lifestyle, the doctor’s ordered medication, therapy, treatment, and so on.

Preventing Risk of Stroke Recurrence

Stroke survivors have the highest risk of having another bout with stroke. Multiple recurring strokes must be avoided at all costs since the injury to the brain could get more severe and lead to long-lasting problems that would make a recovery almost impossible. 

It is essential that when caring for stroke patients, treatment should always include a combination of medication and lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes could include weight management, nutritional diet, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol, exercising, etc. 

Caregivers could also assist their patients by constantly monitoring their blood pressure and ensuring their blood pressure level is normal and under control. They could also prepare the proper meals for their patients, such as foods that are low in sodium or fats. 

House Modification

Caregivers should work with the family members to make the house hazard and risk-free for the stroke patient. Creating modifications such as grab or handle grip bars in focused areas, non-slip mats, ramps, lifting mechanisms, and so on should be encouraged to make it easy for the patient and the caregiver to be mobile. 

Emergency Contact Numbers Readily Accessible

Caregivers should also ensure that they have emergency contact numbers with them and on hand all the time. The contact numbers should include the numbers of the neurologists or physicians responsible for the patient, family members, police department, fire station, and the number of 911 or the EMRs should be on speed dial. 

Monitor Behavioral Changes

Behavioral changes are not uncommon in stroke patients. This is often called post-stroke depression, caused by biochemical changes to the brain when the brain is injured. So if your patient becomes sad, anxious, depressed, irritable, moody, or even has suicidal tendencies, despite normal psychological reactions to stroke, the caregiver must address these symptoms before they worsen. Social support is essential during this recovery phase since studies suggest that mental health problems often go hand in hand with a lack of support. You could also consult a healthcare specialist or a psychologist on the best ways to address these symptoms. 

Respite Care

This is the much-needed time of TLC (tender loving care) for caregivers. They’re human, after all. Respite care is short-term relief provided for primary caregivers. The period for respite care can go on for several days or even weeks. During this time, there will be a temporary replacement filling in the role of the caregiver, while the primary caregiver takes this time to enjoy that much-needed break or “respite” to attend to their personal needs. This is when caregivers care for their physical, mental, and emotional health needs.

 

Caregiving for stroke recovering patients is an ongoing learning process. It’s always helpful to have a strong network of support and connection to maximize and speed up the patient’s recovery process. Although stroke recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process, still, it is not difficult to achieve. And for caregivers, it becomes a worthwhile endeavor once they see their patients or loved ones on that transition to gaining back their life and becoming successful stroke survivors. 

Be You, Have Your Say: Building on Adolescence Authenticity

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As you read this, you’re probably starting down that road of self-realization. Good job! Because the goal of self-realization is to be authentic, and that is what everyone should strive for to achieve that healthy self-esteem, especially among adolescents. 

In a world where people’s perspectives are shaped and formed by what they see, hear, and read on social media, authenticity has become an urgent battle cry for survival. In today’s times, where the struggle to be recognized for one’s skill, talent and effort gets louder every minute, authenticity stands out as an essential virtue. Alfred H. Kurland’s book The Soul of Adolescence Aligns with the Heart of Democracy reflects adolescents’ identity, nature, purpose, and societal role.  

At the very heart is adolescence authenticity. Adolescence is considered a crucial period in a person’s social growth. It is that link between childhood and adulthood, typically marked by physical and psychological changes. During this period, the “adolescent’s” future is usually determined; whatever they grew up to become is formed by how they were or how they handled these adolescent years. 

How significant is the adolescence stage? 

The adolescence stage is about the transition from being a child to an adult, as well as the transition in education, skills, employment, and other socio-development. The age of adolescence ranges from 10 to 19, according to the World Health Organization. During this phase, adolescents experience changes in their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth. 

This crucial development stage is typically divided into three areas: early adolescence, mid-adolescence, and late adolescence. The early adolescence period, the age range between 10 and 13, is the onset of puberty. Behaviors may include deviation, mood swings, temporary disorientation or disorganization, and even insecurities. Mid-adolescence, commonly between 13 and 18 years, is marked by sexual and opposite sex awareness. Peer standards, adherence, and loyalty are very rampant at this stage. 

Late adolescence, typically between 14 and 19 years, is a transition stage where the individual begins to consolidate and conform to their identity and future. They became more selective when making decisions, be it a relationship or life decisions. 

Regardless of what adolescence phase an individual is in, one thing is for sure: all of the things that have a significant impact and influence on them during this time will set their view and attitude on how they will see and interact with the world outside as an adult.  

Why the need for authenticity?

Studies have shown that authenticity affects an individual’s self-esteem, their overall well-being. Authenticity is the quality of being genuine, legitimate, or, yes, authentic. 

What are the traits of an authentic individual?

For one thing, the person has an increased level of happiness. They are engaged and forming better and healthier relationships. They are more grounded in reality and can speak up for themselves, even under peer pressure. They’re oozing with self-confidence, self-expression, self-love, and creativity. 

And if adolescents are ingrained with these qualities, they turn out to be good adults with an inclination to become more active in participating in society. 

Teaching Adolescence Authenticity

There is no strict roadmap or blueprint for teaching adolescents how to reach and maximize their authentic selves. The core value of teaching adolescents should be centered around, “This is about you, not me, not them.”

So, start them young and start them right. Below are some top tips on how to build up authenticity among adolescents. 

Promote Self-Expression

Do you feel the need to share your thoughts and feelings? Do you have that urge to paint, act, sing, dance, or do any skills or talents that pleases you? Then go ahead, and express yourself. 

One way to instill authenticity in adolescents is to encourage them to openly and freely express themselves without fear of judgment. Self-expression helps individuals become better communicators, collaborate, participate and contribute to society. Aside from that, self-expression can also help relieve those teen-angst-related stress, decrease anxiety and depression, and promote overall healthy self-love. 

Value and Respect for Individual Differences

Never make derogatory comments about any person and their status or life choices. Valuing and respecting each other’s differences means accepting people for who they are and what they are, and whether or not their opinions or perspectives align with yours. 

Too often, people are being fed on social media about what beauty, talent, or status should ideally be. Authenticity is being genuine and should not be based on anyone’s standards.

Adolescents need to develop that character of accepting other people as what they indeed are. It should be taught that respect begets respect, that if they want to be respected for who they are, they need to give that respect first to others. 

Encourage Honesty and Integrity

Honesty and integrity work alongside each other. Integrity is moral uprightness or doing the right things even when no one is looking—those who have integrity value honesty the most. Adolescents who practice these two traits will find they’ll attract fair and honest friends or partners later in life. People will look to them as persons who are fair, trustworthy, and, yes, authentic. 

Authenticity is an invaluable trait that every adolescent should strive to develop and build up. Developing that character begins with small steps of practicing the make-up of an authentic person. These steps, as long as done consistently, will turn into a habit that eventually will become a discipline. Later, these will be so ingrained into the individual’s life that they’ll come out naturally and automatically. And it all starts with being you, the real you, having a say and a significant part in life – the essence of adolescence authenticity.

Spiritual Fulfillment Is a Choice & It Begins with You

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Ever wonder why more is not enough? Why is contentment so elusive? There may be an aspect in your life that you have taken for granted and remains unfulfilled. The best guess is that it may be the spiritual side of your life.  

People go through their lives not knowing that their reality comprises more than the physical and material things surrounding them. The pull of instant gratification is strong and appears urgent often that people fail to see that satisfying instant pleasures and calls in life are what it is – instant, immediate, and temporary. Because of this, once their thirst for material and physical things is quenched, people either get thirstier or end up in a dazed confusion wandering around and feeling lacking, empty, and wanting. 

The book The ABBA Tradition by Michael Hattwick opens up a world of realities where everything comes together. The ABBA Tradition talks about four worlds, realities, or realms: Physical, Psychological, Transpersonal, and Transcendent. How these four realities come together creates a lasting impact on a person’s actual existence. The ABBA Vision aims to help individuals discover who they are and who they’re meant to be by exploring, rediscovering, and aligning their four realities in all aspects of their life. 

What is a Spiritually Fulfilled Life?

A spiritually fulfilled life is typically associated with spiritual awakening. Often intermixed, but despite the similarities, there’s a distinction, albeit subtle, between being spiritually fulfilled and awakened. Being fulfilled does not necessarily mean that a person is awakened spiritually. Fulfillment comes in many forms. The fulfillment could be that you may have achieved your dream house, landed a dream job, or achieved set plans or goals in life. 

But without the “awakening” aspect, you’d find that even after achieving all these goals, you’d find yourself wanting more and that sometimes more is never enough. 

A spiritually fulfilled life should be “fulfilled” and “awakened.” It should begin with an awakening to knowing and understanding your true nature. It is looking past everything physical and material and opening yourself up to an awareness that things exist beyond the physical realm. There is a spiritual aspect, a spirit or a soul, to almost anything and everything. If the spiritual element is not taken care of, there is a tendency that a person’s life structure will go into a meltdown. Yes, there is a material achievement, but the lack of peace, calmness, and meaning cuts short whatever satisfaction comes with the achievement. 

Hence, a spiritually fulfilled life is an awakening to the spiritual side of life, the realization of a person’s true nature. 

What is a spiritually unfulfilled person? 

The clear-cut sign of a person not aligned with their spirituality and not fulfilled is the sudden pangs of emptiness and insatiable craving. They’re like puppets going through a set routine in life. 

Here are other telltale signs of an un-spiritually fulfilled person:

Overwhelming Fatigue

Do you ever wonder why you’re experiencing an immense feeling of tiredness? Your whole day was full of successful activities, but when you come home late at night, there’s that incredible feeling of emptiness and fatigue that greats you. Why is that? 

This overwhelming sense of fatigue goes deeper, more profound. And it’s coming from a spiritual longing that has not been satisfied. 

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are not necessarily the offset of a sad event. A person may have everything to keep them comfortable for the rest of their life but can still end up depressed or anxious. This tells of how important spirituality is to mental health. 

A spiritually fulfilled life gives a person a sense of purpose, meaning, and hope in life – which are all tools against anxiety and depression. Being spiritually fulfilled leads to a more confident character, higher self-esteem and self-control, and, more importantly, a more extensive encompassing self-love nature. 

Embarking on Spiritual Fulfillment 

The journey towards a spiritually fulfilled life means taking care of one’s spiritual health. Improving a person’s spiritual health is the key to ensuring everything else works perfectly: the physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Below are some ways to get that spiritual side “fit” and healthy. 

Detaching from Negativity

Negativity and pessimism are the most significant barriers to spiritual fulfillment. Start by focusing on the positive side of things—practice optimism and acceptance. Be open to the fact that everything and everyone is unique, and be open to the thought that opportunities are endless in this life. 

Put on a Grateful Nature

Gratitude helps pull a person out of negativity and pessimism. A grateful person considers they have everything they ever “needed” in life, without material attachments. This is also thinking that there are more people in a much dire situation with more significant needs than you. A big shout-out of “thank you” to the universe attracts more blessings. You’d be surprised what a turnaround your life will be when you consistently start and end your day with a big “thank you.”

Practice Meditating

Take some time to spend quiet alone time with yourself. Try some deep breathing techniques. Being still and quiet helps to enhance your inner peace and taps into your sense of well-being. Doing yoga activities can also boost your spirituality. Meditating separates your body and mind from the noise of the materialistic outside world so that you can think more clearly about what you want and need in this life. 

Spiritual Fulfillment IS a Choice 

Yes, spiritual fulfillment is a personal decision for everyone. It is a choice for a person who wants to maximize receiving all blessings and the best things life offers. Starting down the journey of spiritual fulfillment is not without its challenges. But with a strong determination and will, you’ll get there, and your reward is a more fulfilled, meaningful, and purpose-brimming life.

Happy Child, Happy Parent

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The relationship between a parent and a child should never be taken for granted. How a child is brought up by their parents will determine the kind of adults they’ll become once they join the world of grown-ups. 

There’s nothing more important in this world for parents than seeing their kids grow up to be happy and fulfilled individuals. Parenthood is not often a smooth road to travel on; it has its bumps and sharp curves when raising a child. It’s not easy bringing a child into this world, and it’s no walk in the park raising them. Despite the challenges, being a parent remains one of the most valuable roles in life. 

Early parent-child communication is encouraged if parents want their children to grow into the kind of adults they want them to become. Jo Ann Gramlich’s interactive book Talk, Play, and Read with Me Mommy was designed to stimulate interaction between parents and their children. The initial stages of communication in Gramlich’s book focused on interactive literature. The book highlights the significance of a child’s language development at an early age, which could be achieved by early intervention through media explicitly intended for their age group. 

Where does language fit in a parent-child relationship?

Language is an essential component in any successful social interaction. Language is vital for building that much sought-after and ideal parent-child relationship. The start of any successful relationship between a parent and a child begins with an effective communication process. For communication to be considered successful, the parent should be able to make out what their child is trying to communicate, to express, and should be able to effectively interpret any signs that their child is trying to make. 

Many serious consequences can come from failed communication between a child and their parents. For one thing, failed communication could lead to academic difficulties. If a child perceives that their parents aren’t able to understand them, they will develop the thinking that they (the child) are not good communicator. Their studies get affected since they become unsure how to express themselves to their teachers or else how to express their thoughts or opinions when they’re asked to explain something. Other serious issues that could arise are anxiety disorders or behavioral problems.  

Developing a Positive Parent-Child Communication 

Knowing the importance of positive parent-child communication is the first step toward successful parenting. The next thing to do is the how-tos for the process. Here are some tips to help boost that communication process and strengthen the parent-child relationship.

Allot Playtime Together

Playing helps improve a child’s cognitive, social, physical, and emotional well-being. Being free and having fun could do wonders to a child’s self-esteem. Playtime could help boost a child’s confidence, resilience, social interaction skills, independence, curiosity, and coping skills. 

Parents should spend playtime together with their kids. Parents must be there while their child is developing their psychosocial skills to boost their self-esteem further, making them feel more confident and assured that their parents are readily there whenever they need them. 

Listening and Empathizing

A parent should always be ready to listen and empathize with their kids. This process can aid parents in effectively translating and interpreting what their child wants to send; for a parent to sit down and listen while their kids rant, rave, or cry is enough for a child to feel secure. Also, the act teaches a child to become compassionate individuals when they grow up to become adults. 

Develop a Ritual  

Creating rituals with kids does a world of wonder for their feeling of security. It could be something simple as having a movie time together on a specific day of the week, a scheduled reading time, or any activity date so long as it’s done consistently. It could even be a planned weekend of cooking or baking. Think of it as a personalized version of a holiday specifically made for the child to have a personal parent-child bonding moment. 

Consistently Show Love and Affection

Never fail to show and make children feel that they’re loved all the time – no matter what! Even if the child already knows they’re loved, expressing it outwardly and consistently will help develop individuals who will become equally loving, sincere, and compassionate later on. And, yes, this will also teach kids the value of self-care and self-love. 

There is no “one-size fits” rule regarding bringing up a child. There’s no strict roadmap to follow to achieve that successful parent-child relationship. To make everything work, the only thing to keep in mind is to ensure that good communication exists between a parent and their child. Good communication produces a happy child. And when a child is happy, the turn-out is also a happy parent.  

The Mountains We Need to Climb

Being afraid is a normal human reaction that everyone goes through. But when the fear gets too much, severe or chronic, then that’s when being afraid becomes something that needs to be addressed and treated.  

Atychiphobia is that paralyzing intense fear of defeat and failure. It is an irrational phobia often associated with a mental health disorder that prevents an individual from trying new things. People immersed in this fear avoid new or unfamiliar opportunities, dreading any adverse outcomes such as rejection or loss. 

But this is only one of the many fears people face in their lives. People are always afraid of something, whether what they’re frightened of is in the form of a phobia, trauma, or just simple anxiety. Fear comes in different shapes or sizes. It could be anxiety about the result of a test, trepidation over an incoming job interview, or worrying about family or personal matters. 

These challenges are akin to mountains that people need to climb and overcome. 

Alan V. Goldman’s book of poem Reflections on Mountaineering invokes the profound feeling of success and satisfaction over confronting and overcoming life’s problems. The mountain’s symbolistic presence represents all the obstacles and hurdles people face throughout life. Only through climbing and going over these mountains shall individuals achieve that feeling of conquest, accomplishment, and even happiness.  

The Impact of Chronic Fear 

The ultimate fear of failing prevents people from conquering their “mountains.” This overwhelming emotion has manifesting physical symptoms that include: difficulty in breathing, tightness or pain in the chest, fast heart rate or palpitations, digestive problems, cold sweat, hot or cold flushes, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and so on. 

People can genetically inherit chronic fear, meaning mental health disorder runs in the family. Low self-esteem or self-confidence can also lead to developing this fear of failure. The fear could also be a learned behavior influenced by the environment the individual has grown up or is immersed. Or it could even be a result of a traumatic experience. 

What happens if fear is not addressed?

The impact of fear, especially if it becomes severe and chronic, could turn long-term and even reach a point where it’s hard to come out and be saved.

Physical health is one of the first things that gets affected by this immense emotion. This feeling of fright harms a person’s cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. Untreated symptoms can lead to premature aging or even death. 

Another negative offshoot of chronic fear is the impact on the person’s mental health. The person could develop PTSD (post-traumatic syndrome), clinical fatigue, or depression. 

Overcoming the Fear

Treatment of this phobia or fear varies from each person. The positive outcome is not an overnight process since it takes time, discipline, and proper handling to help someone be free from this imprisoning feeling. 

The good news is that some ways and methods can aid an individual in their journey towards breaking free from their fears. 

Exposure

Gradual yet consistent exposure to things that frightens you is one step closer to overcoming fear. Hiding and shying away from the things you’re afraid of is never the solution. If you don’t try to confront and face your fears, you’ll end up hiding and running away all your life – a very unhealthy way to live. 

Visualization

Another technique to override fear is what’s called the visualization technique. For instance, you fear speaking in public, but then you’re assigned to give a speech in front of a large audience. To get you ready for the big day, do some mental exercises. While practicing for your talk, visualize you standing in front of a stage and facing the audience. Visualization is equal to enacting the possible scenarios that could happen while you’re speaking. Picture yourself putting on a brave and confident front while looking toward the audience. You’d soon see the excellent results that could come from a simple visualization technique! 

Put on a Positive Outlook

Countering fear with positive thinking is a compelling way to get over something that frightens you. Positive thinking can help you build a more excellent resistance against stress, whether physical or psychological; in this case, stress and anxiety are caused by blinding fear. 

A positive outlook on life could also motivate you to make lifestyle changes. Mindfulness exercises, relaxation activities such as yoga or deep breathing, and regular exercising are suitable methods to fight against chronic fear. 

Your Choice

You don’t have to live in fear your whole life. Fear is a normal human reaction, but the chronic or severe feeling of being afraid makes it not usual. It’s up to you whether you choose to live a life free from binding fear so that you can breathe freely or live a life imprisoned and burdened by this negative emotion. 

Create a robust support system surrounded by family or friends. Avoid consuming or doing things that tend to worsen this feeling. Approach and get the aid of a licensed physician or psychologist if you need to. You must acknowledge that you need help and take the first steps toward treating your fears. 

And sooner or later, these steps will lead you to conquer your mountains successfully. 

Growing in Catholic Faith to Conquer Spiritual Drought

Spiritual drought is that period of being distant from the presence of God. During this time, a dark void expands in a person’s life, and if not detected and treated early, it could leave a consuming devastating impact on their lives. 

People go through a season of wilderness in their life of what’s known as spiritual drought. There is that sense of lethargy that life seems meaningless to the point that they drag themselves off the bed to go to work or do something. There is that heavy feeling weighing them down, a sensation they could not detect or know where it was coming from. And when faced when a tragedy or adversity, there’s no willpower coming from them to put up a fight, overcome challenges, no will or passion for seeking to cure or heal themselves. Catholics read the Scriptures by Bramwell references the Holy Scriptures as a good source for that much-needed personal spiritual growth.

Author Fr. Bevil Bramwell, OMI, highlighted points found in the text of Benedict XVI on Dei Verbum and its basis on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, coming from the perspective that a complete understanding of the Catholic faith, including teachings on revelation and salvation, comes from the Scriptures.        

On Spiritual Drought 

In the Catholic Scriptures, spiritual drought is that period in a person’s life where they’re experiencing a lack of spiritual solace, a feeling akin to desolation, a sense of separation and isolation, of not being able to sense and feel the presence of God. A spiritual drought can also be coined as a spiritual crisis, a time of difficulty where no firm ground or roots is returning to a person’s faith. 

There are many reasons why people go through this kind of crisis. The number one cause is usually adversity or tragedy so heavy that the weight of the problem seems to extinguish all fires of hope and faith in a person’s life. For instance, a parent who loses a child to suicide will find it hard to recuperate and get back on life once more. Seeing the love of your life gone in an instant is enough for anyone and anybody to lose any will to live, any thread of interest or passion for life. And when that happens, they’ll descend through that dark, empty space where time stood still – and so does their faith. 

Another cause of spiritual drought is the failure to sustain and maintain a connection to God. Overlapping priorities can be the culprit for this failure. What are your priorities, and how are they organized accordingly? How important priority is faith and God in your life? Or does work, social life, and even money precede your spiritual life? When people don’t give importance to their faith or spiritual life, they’ll expectedly lose their way and their grip on life’s meaning and their sense of purpose; hence, the spiritual drought.  

Conquering Spiritual Drought 

“Jeremiah 24:7 I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.”

Drought typically connotes a dry spell, an environmental phenomenon characterized by a long period of low to no rainfall, leading to a water shortage. When there is drought or dryness, there is a need for refreshment. And in the case of spiritual dryness, the cure is a drink of water from the cup of faith.  

Here are some ways to cure and conquer that dry spell in your spiritual life.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to be in the present moment, to focus, and be aware of your present thoughts, actions, and emotions. Self-awareness will help you recognize your needs and ultimately will help dissect the root cause of your spiritual drought. Being aware that your body needs to take a break because you’re tired, or that you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced life, or knowing that the lifestyle you inculcated is wearing you down, will help you redirect and refocus your attention back to your life’s purpose and will enable you to come up with solutions to solve your spiritual crisis. 

Seek for Support 

Be honest when you need help and support. A spiritual crisis often entails assistance coming from peers and loved ones. Since the crisis is a dark void, a bewildering maze of heavy burdens and problems, it’s best to have someone shine the light for you and guide you out of that void. Don’t go through a crisis alone. Seek counseling or spiritual counseling. As Matthew 7:7 goes, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye. shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” And when you earnestly seek out that relief, it shall then be given to you. 

Take Ownership

Don’t blame other people for the spiritual crisis you find yourself in. Remember that everything is a personal choice; a choice to be happy, a choice to live life fully, and a choice to be spiritually awakened. To change that struggle in life and to change that meaningless and lack of a sense of purpose requires the willpower to do so, and that willpower should come from the people themselves seeking spiritual relief through their faith. Do something about your spirituality by taking ownership of it and reconnecting with God. 

That wilderness of spiritual drought can take hold of peoples’ lives at any time – if people let it do so. It all boils down to the choices people make and how they take control of their priorities in life. If people choose to grow their spirituality, hope and faith flourish. And if they grow in their Catholic faith, they conquer their spiritual drought. 

Why Poetry? Few Reasons Why We Need Poetry In our Life

The Digital Age is all around the globe. That means attention is shrinking, and focus is altering. But why do we still need poetry?

Throughout the history of humankind, poets used their work for different reasons. For example, authorities in ancient Japan consider poetry essential to the proper performance of the government. But what was the original purpose of poetry? The predominant objective of poetry is to work on something meaningful using its medium, language. 

Ancient peoples used literature from generation to generation to tell the experiences of their age. Today, the best poetry can capture the different instances of human knowledge and emotions within a few precise lines. Given the impetus of poetry, what duty does it do in society?

If you’re a person who has no artistic or literary intuition, you probably make fun of the idea that poetry has immense significance. Poetry is vital to society. Poems may praise or critique the authority or appear to praise them while offering cloak-and-dagger criticism

through encoded language.

 Whether noticeable or not, poetry has whittled societies in any aspect of someone’s life. Poetry impacts human life using the expression of the “Human Condition.” For example, poets can make compelling opinions about how governments treat their people. Poems can touch on the subjects at the individual level, like the intricate and unique feelings of falling in love.

 If you’ve read anything by a poet you admire, such as reading Innerlight’s book, a collection of poetry by Grace Crook, you’ve tasted the emotional thwack of their poems. Poetry can offer readers something to digest or gnaw on if your left brain is more potent than your right brain. Poetry helps you contemplate something using its container of communication, its language. 

Monumental poems usually have several layers of meaning, and it’s quite an exercise of the brain to desquamate each of those layers and lay bare what the poet gives voice to. The seductive charm of poetry is that “Everyone interprets a poem differently.” You don’t have to be clever or genius to appreciate a poem.

Poetry is arguably the bearing of all human expression. Poets often follow and break the rules of language depending on the instinct they follow as a practitioner of the craft. To understand and appreciate poetry, one must have veritable mastery over the craft of verse. For example, poets use words that are not usually used in everyday conversation or in ways that may seem odd to someone who is not a native speaker of the language the poet used.

Like most types of genres in literature, poetry uplifts readers to look at the world differently. In this manner, wordplay is an essential aspect of poetry. Depending on the poet’s aesthetic taste, poetry is broken into short but dreadful and beautiful sentences. In this genre, words are magic, spirit, an abyss, and demanding. One obtains the utmost admiration for them when handling intricate sentence formation provided in poems.

 Writing, speaking, and understanding can all be crucial influenced and fostered by the use of poetry. Learning writing rules and breaking them with poetry provide alternative angles. Speaking poetry aloud along with its beat, rhythm, and rhyme can loosen the tongue and craft a firm foundation for verbal communication. Learning to understand poetry also gives me the mental bravery and drive to understand written communication.

One of the austerities of the current age is the ability to understand one another. Misperception and misconception lead to mass amounts of vexation. This is what poetry solves. It gives people the improved ability to understand others. That means diving deep into what parts you want them to understand, what you want them to feel, and what to take home with them that will resonate long after reading. 

For readers, it gives them the patience to look into someone else’s mind and cultivate empathy for another person. This concludes that writing and reading poetry convey personal opinions, and the ability to empathize is equivalent to good communication.

Have you ever felt out of place in your mind? Ever been dash because your friends or partners couldn’t ever possibly understand you because you don’t even realize what is going through your head? 

Writing poetry is the best way to grasp internal confusion. It decelerates the world around you. 

It makes your thoughts into short, direct sentences while calming the anxiety out of your body using the rhythmic voice of words. It makes you think. It makes you human. It makes you divine. It apex what the issues might be and forces you to reasonably and orderly answer them. Poetry can give you facts about yourself that you never knew existed but always wanted to understand. “There is no more extraordinary sadness than not knowing one’s self-worth, but there is no greater power than a complete understanding of one’s identity. ” Poetry can give you that power.

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