WOMEN’S ISSUES

Distortions in Your Body Image

“What disturbs people’s minds is not events, but their judgments on events.”

Epictetus

In China, parents once bound the feet of their daughters in pursuit of beauty. In parts of Africa, both men and women elongate their earlobes and decorate their skin with minerals to look attractive, and this trend may be found in the United States now. At one time in this society, we found plump, rotund people to be the epitome of beauty.

Old movies show us that the Tarzans and Supermen of past decades would hardly pass muster in today’s gyms. Today we define beauty as a thin, youthful, and muscular look. Today we go under the knife and on extreme diets to achieve a socially acceptable appearance – not to mention tattoos and body piercing – all practices that are similar to the early Chinese custom of binding feet.

Although changes are taking place, strong social standards have dictated, especially through the media, how we should look – and if our own bodies deviate from these expectations, which is the case for almost all of us, we can feel inferior and ashamed. We hide. We cover up. We don’t like an important part of our selves. We feel depressed. We feel anxious in front of other people. We feel powerless – and we are apologetic when we show the world who we are.

Weight Management and Your Emotions

Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States and most Westernized countries. If you are overweight, you are hardly alone, as you can see by looking around you. About two-thirds of Americans are overweight and the statistics climb by the year.

Even children now are heavier than they have ever been – and this is happening during a time in our history when the thin look is defined as the ideal. Type II diabetes and hypertension (or high blood pressure) are two diseases associated with obesity, and the rates of these diseases have been increasing steadily over the years. Obesity is also linked to heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

No Secrets … Telling the Truth in Our Relationships

 

When we commit ourselves to a relationship with another person, we rightly expect to experience a sense of fulfillment that we didn’t have before. Humans, as social beings, seem to have a universal desire to find a partner. Sexual attraction often serves as the motivator for making initial contact with the other person, and this is usually replaced over time with a deeper sense of commitment and intimacy.

It comes as a terrible disappointment to some people when the sexual phase of their relationship fails to lead in time to something deeper. The task, then, is to understand the forces which block the development of a deeper sense of intimacy – and to do something about it. Fortunately, with some work – and it’s often hard work – couples can learn to move into the stage of deeper sharing and more fulfillment in their relationships.

Healthy Pleasure

 

Engaging in Simple, Healthy Pleasures Can Restore Balance to our Hectic Lives

The brain has several pleasure centers which are activated by chemicals which speed satisfying sensations from one nerve to the next. Children the world over, when they are left alone to do what they choose, engage in endless hours of play. They pursue fun. Childhood may be the time in life when our brains are trained to experience pleasure. If we accomplish this task well as children, we may have healthier lives as adults — as long as we don’t lose the ability to play that we acquired in childhood.

Actively Listening – the Other Half of Effective Communication

 

Active Communication Requires One Person to Talk and the Other to Listen … and Both to Do Their Parts Well

Listening is the other half of communication. Our first thought, when we think about communication, may be to consider the speaker’s ability to convey ideas effectively. What we often forget is that without a listener the speaker may as well be talking to the wind. Just as effective speaking is an acquired skill, so is good listening. Some do it better than others. But all of us can learn to enrich our own listening skills.

Dealing with Controlling People

“If I Win, You Lose” is Not Our Only Option!

Control, like most facets of human behavior, is probably best experienced in moderation. At one end of the spectrum, control is a positive, adaptive tool. For example, control over prolonged and constant chaos in our lives is usually a good thing. At the other end, control can be seen as negative. People who are over-controlled to the point of being unable to feel or express emotion can find life’s expected turmoils to be difficult or even impossible to handle.

Losing Your Relationship – Aftermath of Divorce

Most divorcing people are forced to come to terms with a number of fears. What will people say? Who can I trust to talk to? How can I handle my partner’s anger toward me? How do I deal with my own anger? Am I a complete failure? How can I be a single parent? Will I be able to keep my children? What about money? Can I do the banking and buy groceries and pay bills and fix the car? Can I handle my loneliness? Am I completely unlovable? Will I ever love anyone else again? Do I have the energy for this much change? When we hold on to our fears and refuse to do anything about them, we increase the likelihood that these will be the very areas where we experience trouble.

Money Troubles? How to Understand Your Relationship with Money

We each have a unique relationship with money.

Though not everyone recognizes the connection, there is a direct line between how you feel about money and your financial tendencies.

Not only does your relationship with money influence financial decisions but it also plays a role in your self-worth. Thus, making it a topic worth exploring. Especially since money affects most areas of your life.

How Looking At Your Past Can Create Business Success Today

 

Everyone has a past. Our histories inform who we are, often impacting the decisions we make in the present.

However, what happens when your past becomes a barrier to creating today’s business success?

This is an important question to consider as you build your business. Believe it or not, the obstacles that you face in reaching your goals are not always the ones in front of you. Instead, the choices you make today can be also be influenced by the long shadow that you carry behind you.

And these choices can make or break your business.

That’s why it’s important to look at your past when trying to create business success today.

When She’s Smarter Than Him: How Intellectual Incompatibility Affects Relationships

 

When you think about compatibility, what comes to mind?

Obviously having similar interests is important, such as what you like to do for fun. Another aspect often is having similar life goals and whether or not you are both on the same journey together.

However, did you ever consider how intellectual incompatibility could affect your relationship?

It’s not simply a stand-alone issue. In fact, intellectual incompatibility can influence other areas of relationship compatibility.

If you are finding yourself struggling with your relationship, it may be that you need to consider whether you and your partner are intellectually compatible.