Eternally Free Ways To Get Your Groove Back

If you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, stressed, bored, or lethargic then, you may have lost your groove or “mojo” (as Austin Powers calls it).

Groove refers to the energy and power to perform things easily and exceptionally. When you are in the groove, you are unstoppable at work and other areas of your life!

Losing it is unavoidable due to financial setbacks, breakups, and other unfortunate circumstances.

There will be days when you feel like you are not fully yourself. I too experience writer’s block every once in a while. But it is important to pick yourself up, shake off the past, and move on.

Reclaim what is rightfully yours by following these tips:

1. DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

Happiness is an essential source of vigor. Begin by writing down a list of activities where you had so much fun. Re-live each moment mentally by reminiscing your happy times. Then, elevate your energy by recreating a couple or more of these activities.

2. TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF

Being in a rut does not mean that you have to look rotten too! Research suggests that if you look fabulous outside, you will feel fabulous inside. So style your hair differently, put on your favorite cosmetics, or wear clothes that make you feel stunning. Pretty soon you will realize that your groove relies on the self-confidence within.

3. TRAIN YOUR THOUGHTS

In the period of groove loss, you may experience a repetition of negative thoughts or worries. This is called rumination. Rumination can take a toll on your physical and mental well being. Solve this by training your thoughts.

Once it spirals off to the dark abyss, bring back the light by redirecting your mind to the positive memories, grateful thoughts, or anything pleasant. You may have to do this several times consciously until it comes naturally.

4. SHY AWAY FROM ELECTRONICS

It is easy to take things for granted because of how convenient everything is with modern technology. Say you are making a slogan for your ad campaign, instead of spending countless minutes browsing on your thesaurus, you just spend seconds to Google the synonyms.

I know you are tempted to drown yourself on K-Dramas or other television series when you feel low on “mojo” but it is hard to move on if you are avoiding things. Practice an electronics sabbatical by turning of the television, your laptop, tablets, and other devices for at least 3 days. Use this time to have an interesting conversation with your partner or kids. Tidy up your closet or organize your files as long as you do something productive and optimistic.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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Be The Best Traveler You Can Be Without Spending A Cent

If you are a seasoned traveler, backpacker, or hiker, you must be aware of the saying: “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, and kill nothing but time.”

Sometimes, we get too engrossed with our desire to have a great time that we forget that we responsible for taking care of the environment for the future generations to come. The statement above simply encapsulates that responsibility.

You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars to become good stewards of Mother Nature and have unforgettable experiences in return, all you have to do is follow these steps:

1. TAKING NOTHING BUT PICTURES

Bringing a piece of nature’s paradise from your trip may seem like a good idea at first. But it is not! Keeping a bottle of Boracay, Philippines’ glorious white sands would only tarnish its beauty. Commercial establishments had already taken up some of the island’s resources; do you want to continue what they started?

To ensure that untouched destinations such as Penghu Islands (Taiwan) and Yaeyama Islands (Japan) are maintained, it is important to take pictures and nothing else. Besides, getting “souvenirs” without permission can be punishable by the laws of that country. You would not want to pay a hefty fine!

2. LEAVING NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS

In 20 years, I picture a world filled with diverse species that are vividly scattered across the globe! I think you want to share the same vision too. I mean…would you rather see majestic birds fly through the air or birds covered with dirt due to an unfortunate oil spill?

Image Credits: Marine Photobank via Flickr (CC license)

Image Credits: Marine Photobank via Flickr (CC license)

It is our obligation to leave nothing but shoe (not carbon) footprints wherever we go. For instance, if you want to go snorkeling in Thailand’s Ko Lipe, do not forget to throw your trash in the rubbish bin and not in its beautiful waters. Do not carve your “couple name” on the walls either as vandalizing can ruin historical landmarks. Simply, do your best to contribute to the cleanliness of the place you are visiting.

3. KILLING NOTHING BUT TIME

Ambon (Indonesia) was an essential island during the heyday of the Dutch East India Company because it was used as a source of spices. Aside from spices, Ambon is famous for their eels. Imagine if people would pay to kill those eels? Fortunately, they do not!

However, that is not the case in Africa. People pay Africans to get the tusks of the helpless elephants in order to sell them internationally. Believe it or not, thousands of elephants are being killed each year for their tusks! When you purchase ivory necklaces, you may not be the one holding the knife but you just promoted the market for the illegal killings. Let us face it; do you really need that ivory tusk necklace or that tortoise-shell keychain?

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

So please, while enjoying your travels, kill nothing but negativity and time.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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Learn To Play A Musical Instrument For Free In 5 Ways

There is something extraordinary about being able to learn a new skill or achieve something new on your own, especially if you started from scratch. For instance, self-made millionaires are so admirable that we want to know their secret to success.

If you aspire to become a self-taught musician, look no further because this article will give five ways to achieve your dream. Start by finding the right instrument for you. The instrument that you shall choose must dictate the type of music you like or must resonate the type of music you visualize recreating.

1. EXPLORING THE WORLD OF MUSIC

If you want to explore the world of music, it is a good idea to start with the history first. Annenberg Learner’s Exploring the World of Music consists of a series of half-hour videos that examine topics such as sound, melody, harmony, music memory, music composers, and so on.

The featured artists perform music from Bosnia to India and Ireland to West Africa. Learn even more with the related printable materials that are available on the website for free.

2. ONLINE MUSIC THEORY GAME

With its simplistic lessons and user-friendly interface, a beginner can truly appreciate the “Online Music Theory Game”. Online Music Theory Game offers a myriad of lessons on multiple instruments such as keyboard and guitar. Its lessons include the discussion of the music fundamentals such as note duration, major and minor scales, and key signatures.

Try browsing through the lessons, here.

3. SELFTAUGHTGUITARLESSONS.COM

If you are eyeing on the sleek guitar as your instrument of choice, SelfTaughtGuitarLessons.com is a good place to start because it covers everything from the basics including how to purchase your first guitar and what its parts are. Little by little, you will be able to learn the chords and scales with the informative articles and videos. A glossary that includes the musicians’ lingo is just an added bonus of the site.

4. PLAYPERFECT MUSIC PRACTICE SOFTWARE

PlayPerfect Music Practice Software allows you to practice musical pieces by setting its speed, tempo, and visual cues. Notes display a change of color as you play and you can practice playing with or without the metronome. You can use it for any instruments such as violin, guitar, piano, cello, bass, flute, or saxophone. It is available to download for free on your Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista, and XP.

5. YOUTUBE

YouTube, a video-sharing website, is not limited to the cute cat or provocative music videos. It stores a lot of tutorials too! Simply type the musical instrument you want to play on the search tab and put the word “tutorial for beginners” beside it and click enter. Now, you will see a screen full of tutorial videos you can choose from.

Here are just some of them:

a. Flute Tutorials

b. Violin Tutorials

c. Piano Tutorials

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Have fun learning! 🙂

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7 Ways To Brighten Someone’s Day Without Spending A Fortune

1. START THE WORK DAY RIGHT. Take your co-worker to a hilarious storytelling session at lunch. Laughter has been proven to relax your muscles, trigger the flow of endorphins (happy hormones), and lessen the flow of your stress hormones.

2. MAKE YOUR SISTER SMILE by giving her a color-therapy infused lipstick. Infuse color therapy by picking suitable colors for each mood. If you want to boost your sister’s energy, choose red or orange but, if you want to keep her relaxed choose pink or lavender.

3. SPOIL YOUR SPECIAL SOMEONE. Give your beloved mother or partner the foot spa he or she deserves! Simply, squeeze and release each toe individually from the front to the back and in the spaces. Then, stroke the sole of the foot in crisscross diagonal lines. Continue to do this until the feet feels energized.

4. LEAVE SWEET NOTES FOR YOUR FAMILY.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Place sticky notes saying thoughtful messages of love and appreciation in your spouse’s wallet, child’s school bag, or your partner’s car. These will surely bring a smile to their faces.

5. BE THE BEST NEIGHBOR YOU CAN BE by bringing your neighbor’s newspaper closer to their door, by baking them cookies during special occasions, and by sharing them great deals you found at Money Digest.

6. BE GOOD TO STRANGERS by holding the door for others especially the elderly. Also, you may the intern at work on how you can help him or her. And, if you see a person who seems to be lost, offer your assistance. It may seem simple at the moment, but not to the people you helped.

7. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

In order to brighten someone else’s day, you must be in a cheerful disposition. Start by stocking your bedside drawer with pleasurable items such as your favorite scents, your personal keepsakes, and your favorite food. Then, purchase supplies to revisit or encourage a hobby of yours.

Sources: 1 & 2

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5 Budget-Friendly Ways To Train Your Brain

We use our brains on a daily basis but, do we bother optimizing its abilities? Well, there are still some people who refuse to let their brain rut. These type of people are curious and intellectually stimulated. If you want to be one of them, start by training your brain with these five ways:

1. TELLING A STORY

Storytelling can strengthen your relationships and help exercise your brain. Its benefits including putting events in a cohesive framework, remembering the events better, associating emotions with the events, focusing on the vital details, and improving your memory in general. In fact, it has been used as a treatment for people with Alzheimer’s disorder.

2. LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE

Studying a new language makes your brain grow as new connections are made in the process. It may be hard at first but, it is surely rewarding. When your brain makes new connections, you will be able to communicate creatively with more people. Learn a new language online without spending a dollar with Duolingo and other resources.

3. PLAYING SUDOKU

Puzzles in general, will help you to concentrate, sleep, and remember better. One type of puzzle that is very popular is the “Sudoku”. Sudoku is a logic-based numeric puzzle with the objective of filling up the whole grid.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Improve your problem solving skills by downloading free Sudoku puzzle App on your iOS or Android device.

4. WRITING THOUGHTS BY HAND

Writing your thoughts by hand on a piece of paper instead of typing them out on a computer screen, can ignite your creativity and fuel your memory. The act of writing it out by hand can stimulate more parts of the brain than by merely typing it. So, try to write your thoughts with the pen you want then, notice how it changes you.

5. HEARING MUSIC

You can widen your brain’s scope by listening to a genre of music that you are not familiar with. Do this with someone who understands that type of music so, he or she can welcome your questions. Listening to music has many benefits such as soothing stress, improving cognitive function, and helping one perform better in challenging situations.

All you need is to hook up the headsets or earphones to your mobile device and play the music as you travel. By doing so, you not only trained your brain but you also got to play enjoyable tunes! 🙂

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1 & 2

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