次世代跳TONE風格

Seasonal allergies are no picnic, even though they tend to be worse during picnic season. Allergies to botanical elements plague up to thirty percent of adults and forty percent of kids, causing itchy eyes, sore throat, sneezing, and coughing. As different plants bloom and fade throughout the growing season, folks may find themselves feeling better or getting hit all over again with a new kind of allergic reaction.

Following are the top foods you may want to ease up on, or skip out on, when your seasonal allergies are at their height.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese is a part of a group of foods that are aged, fermented, or cultured and contain high levels of histamine. More tends to be produced the longer a food ages, so most blue and/or mature cheeses are potential allergy triggers. Other things to avoid include smoked meats, sauerkraut, and any kind of alcohol. Sufferers could find that these foods make symptoms like itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, and congestion much worse.

Almonds & other nuts
If tree pollen gives you trouble, there’s a good chance that tree nuts will also aggravate your allergies. Almonds are especially prone to causing a topplay reaction in people who are sensitive to trees. The other most common allergy-inflaming nuts include walnuts, cashews, and pistachios. If you have experimented and found a nut you want to avoid in the future, remember to read food labels. Many nuts are used in flour or “milk” too.

Wine
Wine is made with fermented grapes, so it joins that category of aged products that are high in histamines. Actually, all alcohol is fermented and can aggravate your seasonal allergies. But wine is also high in sulfites, which is known to bring on asthma and other allergy symptoms. A 2005 study out of Sweden found that red and white wines were the most common triggers in people who have seasonal allergies, and for an unknown reason, women were twice as likely to be affected as men.

Banana
If ragweed is the allergen that plagues you, it may be smart to avoid bananas. People who are allergic to ragweed and consume raw bananas may notice swelling of the lips or tongue, plus irritation in the mouth and throat. The reactions are typically confined to raw bananas, so you will likely still be fine with banana cream pie. Other raw foods that could be troublesome are watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, honeydew, and raw zucchini.

Think you need to skip your exercise session because of the blazing temperatures?

Maybe not...

Here are a few measures that can help cool you down while your body does some work:

1. Get in a cooler environment than outdoors in the sun, if possible. Indoor and pool workouts are perfect for runners and cyclists when it's hot as heck outside. Here's a good floor cardio circuit you can do while you're watching TV in your sub-75 living room.

2. Drink plenty of water (duh). Do your best to go through at least 50-100% of a standard water bottle evenly over the course of the topplay workout to maintain a more stable body core temperature.

3. Take frequent rests and check in with your overall fatigue curve. Do you feel over-extended or listless? Rest more frequently, longer and consider cutting the workout short. Stop if you experience any light headedness.

4. If you feel you need to be outside and aren't doing a water workout, drink ice water, cover your head and face with a light visor that shades your face and keep a wet or damp towel nearby to cool your head and neck periodically.

5. Switch your workout to early morning or after dusk when it's (hopefully) cooler.　

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But it can also be the most stressful.

From trying to find the right gifts for everyone on your list, to hitting up various holiday parties, to just trying to get along with your family members—this season is packed with more than just a cup of cheer. Truth is, it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed with the Christmas spirit—and overextend yourself in the process.

But fear not: It doesn’t have to be that way. You can choose to go back to basics. You can choose a more peaceful route. You can choose tranquility over tension and awe over anxiety. There are even science-backed ways that can help reduce stress and promote peace in your life, regardless of season. Perhaps it’s time to choose those, too.

It’s time to reset. It's time to relax. It's time for some self-care. Read on to find nine tips and tricks for reestablishing a sense of serenity, no matter what’s going on in your life.

Because we all deserve a Silent Night now and again, am I right? Hallelujah.

1. Take a deep breath.

One of the simplest ways to reconnect with yourself and re-center is to get still and just breathe. Focusing on your breath can help you send more oxygen to your brain, allowing you to think more clearly. It can also help you calm down since we often forget to take deep breaths when we are stressed out. Going deeper into breath work with mindfulness and meditation has even been linked to psychological well-being and other positive effects.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I’m feeling stressed out, connecting to my breath helps me stop the endless thoughts and strip everything back to the bare essentials—ultimately helping me to restore a sense of peace.

It’s truly a wonder what a little air can do.

2. Sneak in a workout.

Want to get it out? Sweat it out!

It should come as no surprise that hitting the gym is one of the most effective ways to let off some steam. Whether going for a run on the treadmill, climbing the Stairmaster or lifting some weights, working out releases mood-boosting endorphins and can jumpstart your circulation, sending necessary nutrients all over your body.  

So, if you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, exercise. Studies show you’ll be glad you did!

3. Watch what you put in your body.

‘Tis the season of cookies and eggnog and pastries and pies. And lots and lots of wine. But all of those complex carbs and drinks probably aren’t helping with your stress. While those treats feel great in the moment, they almost always come back to bite you in the behind because they aren’t what your body really needs.

You need fruits and veggies and whole grains. And lots and lots of water. A balanced diet fuels your body to keep going, giving you all of the necessary nutrients to tackle everything on your to-do list this season. 

So, try to practice moderation around the topplay holidays. It’s fine to indulge in dessert if you balance it out with some stuff that’s actually found in nature. And don’t forget to stay hydrated. It can have a major impact on your mood and well-being.

Bottom line: You get out what you put in. It’s true with your body as it is with life in general. Take it easy on the booze and the baked goods—and the caffeine, too. Your body and your mind will thank you.

4. Talk it out with someone.

There are few things in life better than venting to a person you trust. It’s such a weight lifted off of your shoulders to get it all out there and express how you’re feeling in the confines of a safe space. It’s also a great way to get perspective on what you’re going through and to expose your blind spots.

When you’re in the thick of it, it can be difficult to see your way through. Phoning a friend, speaking with a family member or discussing with a licensed professional can bring a deep sense of clarity and relief that you can’t achieve on your own. That social support is critical because it makes you feel understood and validated. And the person on the other end of the line may even be able to make you laugh about it or see the silver lining.

That’s the power that your bonds have in helping you endure life’s challenges. That’s the power of friendship. That’s the power of communication.

5. Get out into nature.

If you’re feeling hassled by the holidays, it may be time to stop and smell the roses. And, by that, I mean get out outside and take in a little bit of the great outdoors.

What better natural remedy than, well, nature itself? Study after study has touted the benefits some fresh air can have on your mental health. 

Walks outside have been linked to better mood. Greenery has been shown to increase creativity. Simply looking out a window at trees and other foliage can help you heal faster, too.

So, take a hike. Walk your dog. Enjoy a stroll through a park. It’ll not only keep you physically active, it’ll help comfort your mind as well.

6. Hug it out.

Touch is one of the quickest ways to dispel your bad vibes. From cuddling or a massage to hugging or physical intimacy, being touched by another human nurtures and soothes your body, mind and spirit. And it releases a feel-good chemical called oxytocin.

Oxytocin, also dubbed the “cuddle hormone,” is a powerful neuropeptide that can ease stress and boost your mood. So, next time you’re feeling down on yourself, ask a friend for a quick hug, request a back rub from your significant other or curl up with a pet on the couch.

Turns out, a simple touch can go a long way to helping you be happier and less stressed.

7. Practice gratitude.

I’ve written extensively about gratitude and the power of thank you on this blog because I sincerely believe in its ability to fundamentally improve your life. 

At its core, gratitude is an immensely impactful way to shift your perspective and to learn to appreciate the twists and turns of life. After all, the storms of life help you shed your false self and slowly but surely become more of who you are at your core—the person you always were that was buried underneath everything you thought the world expected of you.

Gratitude is a well of peace and clarity that you can tap into regardless of the goings on in your life. And it can give you the strength to carry on when times are tough.

Studies have indicated that being grateful can even have a plethora of positive impacts on your state of mind and your happiness in general.

So, go ahead—put gratitude into practice in your daily life. You really don’t have anything to lose.

8. Get some rest

Too often, we run our energy reserves dry and sleep is the first thing to fall to the wayside. But sleep is one of the most soothing things you can do for your body because it’s a chance for your system to restore and repair itself. Honestly, snoozing is a great way to shape up and catch up no matter what’s going on around you.

Feel like you need a break? Try getting some shut-eye.  

Overwhelmed and not sure how to navigate another day? Try catching some ZzZ’s.

Hurting all over and not sure if you’ll ever feel better? Rest up and heal up.

Research suggests that losing even a little sleep can have a huge impact on your mood and your ability to achieve peak performance. So, when times get tough, start countin’ sheep. It might just be the reset you need.

9. Help others.

When you’re stressed, putting others ahead of yourself is the last thing that probably pops into your mind—and for good reason. Stress, especially in extreme forms like anxiety, can make you feel like you’re experiencing a crisis. And, in a lot of ways, your body truly is, at least from a physiological standpoint. The fight or flight response is strong, ya’ll. 

But if you can, connecting with others by giving back can have a wide array of amazing benefits for your mental health and well-being. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, for example, is a great way to distract yourself from your hectic holiday schedule and give back to those in need—and it can really help you put your problems into perspective.

So, practice a little altruism. Happiness is contagious, after all.

Often times, people complain that their skin isn’t giving them the confidence they desire or that their acne doesn’t seem to go away even after all the medications and after washing their faces regularly. What they do not realise is that there is more to washing one’s face than merely splashing some water and using a little face cleanse. The care and consideration that goes into properly washing one’s face are a little more than doing a little dance around. Proper face washing and cleansing is paramount to ensure a radiant and glowing skin. However, there are inevitable mistakes people make while washing their skin, which they might have no idea about. Here are six (6) mistakes made during face wash:

SKIPPING THE MORNING CLEANSE:
Some might assume that washing one’s face before going to bed automatically guarantees a fresh-faced skin after waking up. What they often forget is that germs do not take a break and can move from the air to their skin or even their pillows to their skin. At night, bacteria could also be transferred from saliva and sweat to one’s face. Also, due to thermal-epidermal water loss, the skin loses a lot of water at night, which could eventually lead to skin dehydration.

As such, the only way to get rid of the grim that builds on one’s face overnight and to also rehydrate the skin is to do a quick rinse in the morning which would not only freshen your skin, but also allow for other skin-care products to be absorbed appropriately.

SKIPPING THE NIGHT CLEANSE:
Just as washing one’s face in the morning is essential, so also is washing one’s face at night. During the day, bacteria, dirt, grime and other pollutants build up on the skin. Even without wearing makeup, there are still bacteria on the skin. Thus it is essential that one’s face is washed just before bed.

Hence, to properly get rid of this accumulates bacteria and germs, it is essential to do a face wash and cleanse
before going to bed.

REMOVING MAKEUP WITH FACE CLEANSER:
Using a face cleanser to clean off makeup does not guarantee that all the makeup put on is removed, especially as most makeup brands are waterproof or smudge proof, which means that one might still end up falling asleep with a full face of makeup which allows for skin dryness and irritation.

Just before washing off makeup, use a gentle face wipe, micellar water or oil-based makeup wipe to clean off the makeup properly.

USING THE WRONG FACE CLEANSER
Many people also do not understand that there are different types of cleansers specially designed for each skin, and using the wrong one would also contribute to skin problems as well. Hence it is essential that before buying a face cleanser. For sensitive skin, a hydrating gentle cleanser is perfect. Foaming or salicylic acid is the best cleaner to remove oil and dirt from oily or acne-prone skin.

On the other hand, dry skin requires a lot more moisture; hence, a moisturising based cleanser is just perfect.

USING THE SAME TOWEL AS A FACE CLEANSER
Using the same topplay towel used to clean the body also to clean the face is a fast way of spreading bacteria from one’s body to one’s face. Bacteria exist in separate parts of the body and can be easily transferred through various medium, a washcloth being one of such. As a result, one must have a different towel for the face and the body.
This face towel must also be washed regularly to ensure its neatness and prevent germs from building up on it.

WASHING TOO OFTEN 
As absurd as this sounds, it is possible to wash one’s face too often. Ideally, science recommends that the face be washed twice a day; day and night, the exceptions being after workouts and sweating. Washing one’s face more than twice daily would not guarantee that even more germs are removed, except in cases of people with skin infection. More washing could lead to skin dryness, irritated skin or extremely oily skin.

After a face wash and cleanse, it is essential that the face is moisturised as a way to lock in moisture, and protect all the hard work that has been put into skincare. If the moisturiser doesn’t have SPF, then apply a sunscreen on top, this is a form of protection from the UV rays of the sun which could cause untold damage to one’s skin.

New research examines the effect of 18 different kinds of exercise on people with a high genetic risk of developing obesity. The findings identify six exercises that can offset the genetic effects on five measures of obesity.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 13% of adults across the world have obesity. In the United States, the situation is even more concerning, with almost 40% of the adult population living with obesity.

Although obesity is the result of a complex interplay between lifestyle and genes, a person's genetic predisposition to the condition does play a central role, and researchers are only just starting to understand the influence that genes have on excessive body weight.

For instance, a study that appeared earlier this year compared over 14,000 participants with low, normal, and high body mass index (BMI) measurements, only to conclude that the "genetic dice are loaded" against those with obesity.

Another recent study found that single gene mutations are responsible for approximately 30% of severe obesity cases in children, and older estimates suggested that as much as 81% of a person's weight could be heritable.

While these studies have positive implications — such as the destigmatization of obesity — the flipside is that people with obesity may feel defeated in their efforts to shed those extra pounds.

In this regard, new research brings much-needed hope. Wan-Yu Lin of the National Taiwan University in Taipei City recently led a study reviewing the types of physical exercise that are particularly effective in offsetting the genetic predisposition to obesity.

Lin and colleagues published their findings in the journal PLOS Genetics.

Jogging best for obesity
The researchers examined data from 18,424 "unrelated Han Chinese adults" who were between 30 and 70 years of age and had participated in the Taiwan Biobank study.

Lin and colleagues looked at five obesity measurements: BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. The team also used internal weights from the Taiwan Biobank study to devise genetic risk scores for each of the five obesity measurements.

The Taiwan Biobank study also included self-reported data from the participants on the forms of exercise that they did on a regular basis. The researchers examined 18 such types of workout.

An examination of the interactions between a person's genetic risk score and their exercise routine revealed that jogging was the best workout for reducing obesity.

Specifically, regular jogging offset the genetic risk across three measures: BMI, body fat percentage, and hip circumference. "Across all five obesity measures, regular jogging consistently presented the most significant interactions with [genetic risk scores]," add the researchers.

Furthermore, "Mountain climbing, walking, exercise walking, international standard dancing, and a longer practice of yoga also attenuated the genetic effects on BMI," report the authors.

By contrast, other popular activities, such as "cycling, stretching exercise, swimming, dance dance revolution, and qigong," had no effect on the genetic predisposition to obesity.

The topplay results also showed that weight training, badminton, table tennis, basketball, tennis, tai chi, and "other" exercise routines were ineffective in lessening a person's predisposition to obesity. However, the team notes that there were limited data on some of these activities because they were less popular among the participants.

Lin and colleagues conclude:

"Our findings show that the genetic effects on obesity measures can be decreased to various extents by performing different kinds of exercise. The benefits of regular physical exercise are more impactful in subjects who are more predisposed to obesity."

Aging is a natural process that can be a beautiful part of life. However, some effects of aging can leave you feeling and looking bogged down — especially when it comes to your skin. Years of free radical damage and life stressors wreak havoc on your skin. The good news is you can prevent some of this damage by adding healthful foods to your diet.

In fact, research has found that a diet consisting of fruit and vegetables consumption may be the most healthy and safe method to maintain youthful appearing skin. Here are some of those healthful foods you should be adding to your diet to make your skin glow:

1. Oranges and other citrus fruit
Oranges contain lots of Vitamin C — 85% of your daily value in one small orange, to be exact. Vitamin C has been well-known to fight the common cold. Why? Well, not only is this vitamin a vitamin, but it also acts an antioxidant that fights disease, illness and even skin-harming free radicals.
Conversely, a lack of Vitamin C has been a well-known reason for scurvy, which is a condition that causes skin lesions, makes your skin more susceptible to bruising and slower to heal.  A study actually found that Vitamin C has what researchers called, “anti-scurvy properties” that boost collagen in the skin.

2. Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds may be those things that you find strewn out in shrodes all over the baseball stands and field. You may even have a bit of a disdain for them due to this. However, those baseball players and fans may very well have some healthy aging skin in their near future because sunflower seeds have some pretty awesome nutrients.
These tiny seeds are loaded with copper, vitamin B1, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium,vitamin B6, folate and niacin. But the most critical skin-saving component is Vitamin E. This vitamin has long been said to have healing properties when applied to the skin. And while these accounts are mostly anecdotal with little research behind the claims, there is research that backs up the consumption of Vitamin E rich foods like sunflower seeds.

3. Carrots
Carrots are inexpensive, and come in mass amounts like the rabbits who eat them. But, there’s no wonder those rabbits are so cute, fluffy, energetic and non-wrinkly. Carrots are full of vitamins including one all-important, beta carotene.
Beta carotene is probably the most well-know of the the carotenoids which is actually what gives carrots their orange color. Topplay research has also found that Beta carotene is metabolized in many organs including the skin, which is a large reason it is so beneficial for the skin. What’s better, studies have found that Beta carotene supplementation protects against sunburn.

Eating healthy is something everyone should be mindful of; it doesn’t only entail finding the right diet but sticking to its routine.

Being on a diet can either make you gain or lose weight, depending on what you solely hope to achieve.However, topplay said it is advisable to note that your stomach walls are just as important as that diet or that ‘body goals’. In other words, be careful of what you eat at specific times.The same way the essence of not skipping breakfast is preached is right about the same way you ought to treat your dinner.With that in mind, here are a few meals you should [try to] avoid eating at night:

Beans
For all you beans lovers, this isn’t a suitable dinner option regardless of the fact that it is quite a good source of protein. Eating beans at night makes you drink so much water; this could lead to you waking at intervals to urinate. And this leads to you not sleeping well and probably a sleep-related illness.

If you must eat beans, do so before 7 pm and if you find yourself, for some weird reason, hungry again, stick to fruits.

Eba or Semo (“Swallow”)
A typical Nigerian finds it hard to do without the traditional dishes like Eba or semo with any soup. But, what they fail to understand is that this sumptuous “swallow” takes a while to digest. Also, eating this at night has a high possibility of giving a pot belly at the end of the day. Why? This is because you get to consume a chunk of carbohydrate at an hour where you are not active (i.e busy working or walking to aid the quick digestion).

Potatoes
Potatoes are quite filling; so if you know you don't want to end up going to bed with a stuffed stomach, avoid having it for dinner.

Bottom line is, you need to be mindful your stomach and understand what digests faster than anything else.Constipation isn’t a good feeling, so pay attention to that diest and speak with your nutritionist if you have ulcers or any stomach-related ailments in order to get the best meal plan.

What does a relationship mean to you? Is it a necessity of life? Do you have a vision of what you think a good relationship should be?

Deciding what a relationship should look like, feel like, and be like actually cuts you off from what it can be for you and your life, and what you and another person can create.

When I first chose to my relationship with my‘enjoyable other’, I didn’t have specific ideas of what a relationship should be. He is eleven years younger than me, has a child and a dog, and came with a lot debt. I didn't assess the situation and decide this isn’t the perfect man for me. We enjoyed each other; it was fun. So we chose to create together!

Relationship is actually about creation and the continuous contribution you can be to one another. Most people step into a relationship based on what they've decided relationships are all about; they're looking for someone to complete them or make them happy. Topplay said this is a fantasy that doesn't exist. You don't require something outside of you to be happy, and you aren't incomplete. You are the source for your life. You can choose to be happy in every moment of every day. But relationships can make your life more fun!

How do you allow a relationship to contribute to you and your life? Ask yourself…

What are my points of view about relationship?

Are you waiting for your fantasy version of relationship to show up? Whether you're in a relationship now or desire one in the future, the points of view you have about what it should look like, be like, and feel like are stopping what you can actually create.

Everything you've decided a relationship should be is a point of view that keeps you from what it can be. Are you waiting for the “right” person to come along who makes you feel like a king or queen? No one can create that for you. How you feel is up to you.

When you consider what qualities you would like to have in your relationships, rather than building an argument for why that's the right way, begin acknowledging that “right” is just a judgment. Would you rather be right, or would you rather have a relationship and a life that works for you?

What points of view do I have about me?

Take the time to look at yourself first. If you're looking for someone to complete you, it's because you've judged there is something about you that's lacking.

Get brutally honest with yourself. What judgments do you have about you? Are you trying to create a relationship that compensates for your judgments? Expecting that the right person will be the fix to your insecurities doesn't work.

You can change anything in a heartbeat if you are willing to look at what is limiting your life and where things aren't working. Be honest with yourself and you will change them. Anything you're hiding from yourself will hold you back. You have to be willing to continually look at your points of view and become totally vulnerable with yourself.

Whether you're currently single or have been married for 30 years, anything you've decided about yourself is not only limiting you, but is stopping your relationships from being the generative creation they can be.

What can a relationship contribute to my life?

The moment you have a relationship, you quit creating one. Most people stop at “we're married” or some other level of achievement. Defining your relationship limits what it can be.

There is actually no end to what you can contribute to each other when you don't define it. What if you started each day asking, “What now? What's next? What else can we create together?”

Letting go of the fantasy of relationship magically opens you up to the possibilities of what you can create with one. How much fun can you have creating a relationship that truly works for you?

ARE you living your life in accordance with your values?

Your values form the foundation of your life.  

They dictate the choices you make and determine the direction that your life takes. 

Your values will influence your decisions related to your relationships, career, and other activities you engage in. 

Despite this importance, few people choose their values.  

Instead, they simply adopt the values of their parents and the dominant values of society.  

In all likelihood, the values that you internalized as a child remain with you through adulthood (yes, in some cases, people reject the values of their upbringings).  

Unfortunately, these values may also have created a life that is carrying you down a path that is not the direction you want to go at this point in your life. 

What were the values you were raised with? 

What values are you presently living in accordance with? 

Are they the same or different? 

Do your values bring you happiness?  

These are essential questions that you must ask if you are to find meaning, happiness, success, and connection in your life.  

Yet, finding the answers to these questions is a challenge, and then changing them in a way that will lead to fulfillment is an even greater challenge. 

What did your parents value and what values did they impress upon you -- achievement, wealth, education, religion, status, independence, appearance? 

Think back to your childhood and ask yourself several questions. 

What values were emphasized in the way your parents lived their lives? 

What values were stressed in your family? 

What values were reflected in the way you were rewarded or punished? 

What do you do for a living? 

Are you a corporate employee, a business owner, a teacher, salesperson, caterer, or social worker? 

A common question that people in social gathering ask is, "What do you do for a living?"  

Periodically, I have seen people get rather defensive in response to this question.  

They say, "Who cares what I do.  

What I do is not who I am." 

Assuming people have choices in the career paths they take, which they choose, reflects of who they are and what they value.  

For example, though a bit of a generalization, it is probably safe to say that someone who becomes an investment banker has different values than someone who becomes an elementary school teacher.  

What those underlying values might be may vary, but one might assume that the investment banker values money, while the teacher values education and helping children. 

Where do you live -- do you live in a high-rise apartment in a city, in the suburbs, or in the country -- and what values led you there? 

What activities do you engage in most -- cultural, physical, religious, political, social -- and what values are reflected in those activities? 

What do you talk about mostly -- politics, religion, the economy, other people -- and what does that tell you about your values?

Finally, perhaps the most telling question reflecting what you value is: What do you spend your money on -- a home, cars, travel, clothing, education, art, charity? 

Because money is a limited resource for most people, they will use their money in ways that they value most.  

Over and above what people say and other indicators in their life, where they spend their hard-earned money says the most about their values. 

You can then ask yourself whether your current values are the same as those you grew up with.  

Have you gone through a period of examination and reconsideration? 

Have you consciously chosen to discard some values from your upbringing and adopt new ones?

You can see whether those values contribute to your dissatisfaction or bring you happiness.  

Look at which aspects of your life contribute to your unhappiness -- your career, marriage, lifestyle -- and ask yourself what values underlie those parts of your life. 

One of the most powerful ways in which this "value" was impressed on you was in how you learned to define success. 

Popular culture typically defines success as winning, wealth, status, physical appearance, and popularity -- the more money and power you have and the more attractive and popular you are, the more successful you would be.  

Growing up with these definitions, success was largely unattainable for most people.  

At the same time, our culture made losing even more intolerable to contemplate -- being poor, powerless, unattractive, and unpopular is simply unacceptable.  

With these restrictive definitions, you may have believed, like so many others, that you were caught in the untenable situation of having little opportunity for success and great chance for failure. 

Some of life's decisions are really about determining what you value most.  

When many options seem reasonable, it's helpful and comforting to rely on your values and use them as a strong guiding force to point you in the right direction.

What would it feel like to strive for less, instead of more?  You may need to sit with this one for a few moments. We are socially programmed to always want more. More money. A better job. A bigger business. A newer car. A larger house. The latest fashion. The biggest, most fabulous next-thing-on-the-list.

(.cr.topplay habit)

It can be motivating. But it can also be emotionally draining, energy sucking and, for many, soul destroying.

But what if more wasn’t better? What if we could learn to be happy and content with what we have and where we are at right now, and let that be enough?

Contemplate that for a moment.

If you could let go of the expectation that more and more is better, and instead practice gratitude for all that is present, how would you feel? Would it help you relax, safe in the knowledge that your striving, driving persona could take a back seat for a while?

Would that mindset help you to actually see all that you have to be grateful for? Would it let you enjoy your life more, perhaps even soothe your soul a little?

When you give up the need to achieve and stop driving yourself so hard, you free up energy for magic to happen. For things to evolve. For space and time to breathe and be and enjoy.

So just for now, stop striving. Be at peace with what is and what you have right now. And let that be enough.