Utterly failed at all your New Years’ resolutions yet? We thought as much. Next time you’re determined to make a real change in your life, put your money where your mouth is. With StickK, you pick your stakes and who gets them if you slack off, whether a friend, charity or an enemy. Designate a 3rd-party referee to keep you on track, and meet those goals for real; StickK.com.
Good Jewels
Why not pick an accessory that makes you feel good as well as look good? The Acholi Necklace from Satya Jewelry and Kristen Bell is a beautiful piece, depicting the tree of life in sterling silver and gold vermeil with a boldly green peridot accent. Every cent of profits from sales of this necklace are sent directly to Invisible Children, which helps promote peace and education in North Uganda; $38; SatyaJewelry.com.
Healthy Self-Esteem
Having high self-esteem means that you have a positive image of yourself. Self-esteem comes from different sources: What others have told you, what others have done to you, what others have said about you. In addition to what we learn during our early years, certain situations lead most people to feel inferior or to lack self-esteem. A few examples of such situations include being criticized often, not feeling loved, and repeated rejections or failure. People with low self-esteem are likely to also experience negative emotions such as: sadness, inferiority, intense anger, jealousy, rejection (real or imagined) and loneliness. A successful method of helping people feel better about themselves is a special type of psychological treatment called cognitive therapy. The belief is that faulty thoughts, or twisted thinking, cause the negative emotions that leave us feeling bad about ourselves. The negative thoughts are then replaced by positive, or adaptive, ones. Other ways to help your self-esteem is to have people in your life who: Treat you with love and respect; Encourage you and are thrilled for you when you succeed; Listen to you when you need to complain; Help you bounce back from failure without criticizing you. If you notice that you are consistently feeling bad about yourself, or that your self-esteem problems are affecting your ability to enjoy life and your relationships, consider speaking to a psychologist who can help get your life back on a positive track.
Dr. Gregg Pizzi is a Licensed Psychologist and Director of Dr. Gregg A. Pizzi & Associates, P.A.. To schedule a consultation at 175 SW 7th St., call him at 1.888.DRPIZZI. For more information, visit DrPizzi.com.
Picker-Uppers
Everybody has bad days. Whether it’s tax time, a flat tire, or just waking up on the wrong side of the bed, there’s no excuse for staying cranky. Here are a few quick, simple ways to turn your mood around.
Chocolate Therapy
Put that diet on the backburner and grab yourself a bar of chocolate. Forget the calories — what you’re after are the natural chemicals in cocoa that stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers.
Get Moving
However busy your day, you’ve always got 5 minutes to spare. Use them to sneak outside for a breath of fresh air — or, even better, a quick walk. You’d spend as much time updating your Facebook status.
Clutter Free
A cluttered environment leads to a stressed-out mind. Take a minute to tidy things up. You’ll not only be rewarded with a cleaner, more serene environment, you’ll also feel a sense of accomplishment.
