relationship with self Tag

Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress

By Shefaa Ramadan What is fear? Fear isn’t all bad; fear unquestionably shapes growth and many times in surprisingly positive ways. If we can learn to understand our fears and overcome the reaction we have to those fears, we can truly live a fearless life. Fear can be that little demon on our shoulders holding us back from personal growth and happiness. It has and will--when we give it the power to--stop us from allowing ourselves to experience the world in ways we wouldn't know possible. Fear is that intangible thing that influences our everyday lives. It may distort the mind or cloud the brain, and we as human beings are inundated with messages of fear all around us. Fear unquestionably shapes growth I have found there are two...

Fearless friendships enrich everyday life and encourage us to embrace ourselves fully.

Built to last: The fearless life of a beautiful tribe

June 13, 2018

Lifestyle manifestation mental health personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

By Theresa Birmingham Fearless friendships enrich everyday life and encourage us to embrace ourselves fully. In the very modified words of Jane Austen, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an individual in search of a tribe is inevitably seeking long-lasting relationships that enrich, excite, temper, and lift them up.” Fearless friendships are those we’ve cultivated from being ourselves, and not having to fear the judgments of others. Overcoming relationship fears Where does our fear of relationships come from? Here are some common fears when it comes to relationships and furthering our tribe connections. The unknown Sometimes, our fear is the result of newness. We don’t know where we stand with these new friendships we’re building. Instead, we tend to better understand who we are alone—our Netflix-loving, silent-hiking, solo-traveling,...

Living fearlessly successfully requires self-knowledge

Living Fearlessly: finding freedom from within

June 7, 2018

Career, Health, Lifestyle, Relationship

Contributing authors: Kimberly Marsh, Jonathan Dury, Danielle Rose, and Theresa Birmingham Living fearlessly successfully requires finding freedom from within and understanding your strengths and weakness as well as your passions. Outside your comfort zone Are you merely existing, going through your daily motions with apprehension and timidly? Or are you living boldly, abolishing fear and conquering life with an unquenchable thirst? To live fearlessly is to make commitments outside of your comfort zone, to seek out experiences that may scare you—and may also change you. How can you get to a place where you look fear in the face and boldly move forward? How can you work toward living life fearlessly and accomplishing things that help you grow? For the month of June, we’ll explore ways to do...

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Passionate living is how to be successful

May 31, 2018

Career, Currency, Lifestyle, Relationship

In order to truly have success in your life, you really do need to follow your heart, your mind, and your passions because spirited lifestyles precede prosperity. By Libby Reilly What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “passion?” Perhaps you think of the color red, a romantic night with a lover, or someone who is following their dreams. The truth is, there is no wrong way to look at passion. It can be about love, work, or just what makes you who you are. Passion is whatever makes your heart sing. Diving into a passionate future This month, we dove into passion in many different forms. From entrepreneurs taking a leap to make their dream comes true, to getting passionate about health,...

do what you love Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

Five tips to set your world on fire and find your passion

May 29, 2018

Energy, Health, Lifestyle, Relationship

Contributing Authors: Marla Funez, Danielle Rose, Theresa Birmingham, Marisa Goudy, Kerstin Zettmar and Jessica Laudati Although it can be difficult discovering or rediscovering passion, you can jump-start healthy harmonious passion in your life. No one can tell you what you love to do. You must figure this out on your own. Your tribe may give you direction or even encouragement, but following someone else's passions or letting another individual live out their passions through you will be your greatest regret in life. Why, you might ask, does passion matter? Passion is the animator, just as Dr. Frankenstein’s corpse was brought to life with lightning. Your passion distinguishes you from that of a zombie walking through life in search of that spark. According to a 2009 study...

do what you love Lifestyle meditation mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self tips & tricks

Genevieve Ryan talks success. Success is many things, and for this Massachusetts native, it's having her cake and eating it too.

Stories of Success: Author and Professor Genevieve Ryan keeps trailblazing

May 25, 2018

Career, Lifestyle, Newsbreaks

By Theresa Birmingham Professor, published mystery author, and Massachusetts native, Genevieve Ryan talks success in this month’s passion issue for Mind Key. The Professor Genevieve Ryan, Gen, is not only a published author, she has a Masters in Forensic Psychology and Legal Studies, and she is currently in the process of writing her dissertation. Upon completion of this, she will obtain her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology. Mind Key/Theresa: Tell us about what you are doing with your life. Genevieve Ryan/Gen: I am a full-time psychology professor at an all women’s college and a writer. I am legitimately finally in a spot in my life where I am living my dream! I am a mood writer, so I haven’t written in a while. [However] I am so blessed to...

do what you love Lifestyle personal development Profiles of success relationship with self

Tribe friendships nurture generativity and further promote our foundation for passion and legacy.

Six ways your tribe supports your legacy

May 24, 2018

do what you love Lifestyle manifestation mental health personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

This is part two of the third article in a series of six on how to build your tribe and includes a discussion on how to find your guy or gal pals, and how to go deeper with yourself and become more vulnerable. Each article will focus on a different area of friendship and intimacy in order to not only build that tribe, but to create long-lasting bonds that transcend a game night. You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends and the best kind of friend is the one who becomes family. You can find part one here. By Theresa Birmingham Erikson, your tribe, and finding your passion Tribe friendships nurture generativity and help build our legacy, as we learned in part one of...

Your tribe, your legacy

May 18, 2018

do what you love Lifestyle manifestation mental health personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

This is part one of the third article in a series of six on how to build your tribe and includes a discussion on how to find your guy or gal pals, and how to go deeper with yourself and become more vulnerable. Each article will focus on a different area of friendship and intimacy in order to not only build that tribe but to create long-lasting bonds that transcend a game night. You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends and the best kind of friend is the one who becomes family. You can find part two here. By Theresa Birmingham Strong tribe friendships foster generativity and promote passion and purpose. Without our need for generativity, we would be aimless. The term, generativity,...

You can jettison healthy weight change and still have a good time.

3 Tips for staying passionate during weight loss

May 16, 2018

do what you love Fitness Food & nutrition Lifestyle mental health personal development relationship with self tips & tricks

By Jessica McWhirt Staying Passionate During Weight Loss Deep down, we’re creatures of habit; however, knowing that our habits are making us unhealthy may be enough to jettison healthy weight change. It’s difficult and challenging to drop fat. If you want it bad enough, though, there are ways to make changes. That being said, a lot of us are set in our routines, and change is hard. If losing weight was easy, everyone would be doing it. In high school, healthy eating and exercise weren’t on my radar. I didn’t care about them and thought it was for the birds. Then, I found cycling and fell in love with the sport. It completely changed my life. I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been and I’m passionate about staying healthy. Yes,...

This month’s passion issue has us looking at all sorts of characters. Mallory Harte Underwood talks success.

Story of Success: Mallory Harte Underwood

May 15, 2018

Career, Creativity, Lifestyle, Relationship

By Libby Reilly Stories of Success Mallory Harte Underwood talks success as we delve into this month’s theme of passion. One common thing that comes to mind when thinking about passion is someone who has chased a goal or dream, and is now living their passion through their work. Mallory, the powerhouse entrepreneur behind Hartewood Professionals, a unique virtual assistant business, has done this. Mallory and her family of four reside in Phoenix, Arizona and strive to soak up all that life has to offer. Through her previous work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, meditation and yoga practice, several cross-country moves and now raising two children, there were many instances that lead to her taking the leap into entrepreneurship. In this interview, Mallory shares the scoop on...

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Vocational happiness rewards wallet bottom lines and allows you to fulfill your purpose.

Turn your passion into a career

May 14, 2018

Career, Currency, Lifestyle

By Joseph Gonzalez Vocational happiness rewards wallet bottom lines, but more importantly, allows you to do what you love and still care for yourself and those you love. Do what you love How does the saying go? “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This saying is true for a number of reasons, with the most important one being that work shouldn’t feel like work. Your career should be something that, at the very least, you enjoy. But this isn’t always the case. A 2016 study by Gallup found that 51% of full-time employed Americans are not “engaged” in their jobs. This means that the people are essentially just there to pay the bills—there is no passion involved whatsoever. This mindset is bound...

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A passionate individual has strength of will and the determination to follow their dreams.

Finding passion, motivating your life

May 11, 2018

Health

By Shefaa Ramadan Spirited lives necessitate backbone, and we need that fortitude of will and passion to continue successfully wading through the difficult times in life. Passion is many things. There is no one word to describe it. Have you ever experienced a certain feeling that you just can’t control? A feeling that’s very strong but amazing at the same time? Passion is what gives us that fire inside and makes life worth living. It is overpowering and intense. Passion is the desire, the lust and the motivation to do something. It is that one quality that cannot be taught through a textbook. Passion also, for the most part, is not gained by following a lesson nor can it be learned from our parents or teachers. It comes from...

do what you love mental health personal development relationship with self

If struggle fuels passion, then embrace the hardship and turn it into something empowering.

Through hardship we discover passion

May 7, 2018

Health

By Barbara Steingas Our biggest challenges in life lead to passion and our experience with struggle fuels purpose. It is through these challenges we discover our inner strengths and courage. We become more than we ever thought we could be. This is also how we can give back to the world. We give back by helping others who are experiencing similar challenges and by sharing our trials and tribulations and how we got through them. Struggle fuels purpose and helps us discover our passion When I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease after graduating college, I didn’t realize this trip down a dark rabbit hole would end up becoming my mission and purpose in life. Yet, it didn’t occur to me at the time, because I was just...

do what you love personal development relationship with self

Uncovering passion in your own life can lead to following your soul’s purpose.

A life of Passion: Tackling your soul’s purpose

May 1, 2018

business do what you love Lifestyle mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress

By Theresa Birmingham At Mind Key, we believe each individual has the potential to discover not only the infinite possibility that exists within them, but we also believe the individual should work on uncovering passion in their life. The difficulty arises in getting to that point. The process. The rigor and effort behind the passion. But here’s the kicker—if we are truly following our passion, our soul, our internal fire, there is no fear. And without fear, the rigor and effort become second to the actual purpose we are fulfilling. Mind Key editor Libby Reilly knew a girl in college who, instead of wasting time with small talk, would ask, “What are you passionate about?” Not, “What’s your major?” Not, “Where are you from?” These questions are...

Finding focus is essential to growth and becoming more self-aware.

Flow and self-discovery: Moving forward with new Focus

April 27, 2018

Career, Currency, Lifestyle, Relationship

By Theresa Birmingham Finding focus and chasing after your best life In truth, finding focus is an effort, but it is an effort worth undertaking. Whether you’re tired of the same-old, addicted to social media, need a recharge with friends, or are struggling with financial focus, it’s important to understand that there are resources and help available. You want the best life you can have. For yourself. For your loved ones. Even for your clients and associates. But much of the business in today’s world is space-filler that we not only don’t need, but that inhibits our growth and ultimately, our ability in finding focus. Self-awareness in finding focus Yes, greater focus does equal being more self-aware. This month, we discussed how practicing self-aware spending can help you focus...

do what you love finances Lifestyle mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

Relationships give us power and help us discover new focus.

Building your tribe: How your crew can help you discover new focus

April 24, 2018

do what you love Lifestyle manifestation mental health personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

By Theresa Birmingham The need to discover new focus can be a difficult task to take on by yourself. But with good friends—whether time-tested or just starting out—you can successfully navigate the waters of life. Discover new focus in your tribe It’s been a long week. So long. Too long. Sometimes exhausting. And when you’re exhausted, you might be the tearful exhausted. Or maybe you’re the angry exhausted. Or maybe you just detach from the world entirely. Because of that exhaustion, you just can’t seem to focus. That dream you have, or that task you need to complete, falls to the wayside. You can’t seem to get to where your heart and mind need to be to get stuff done. Enter your tribe and their inevitable shenanigans. Whether you’re...

Is your glass half full or your glass half empty?

Focus on Relationships: From glass half empty to a full life

April 19, 2018

business Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

by Vera Remes Glass half empty My husband used to be a “glass half empty” guy. Being a police officer, this served him well and kept him alive, I suspect. As a glass half empty guy, he was always thinking how a situation could go sideways when confronting an unknown. When we retired, his glass half empty mentality remained. No matter what was going on, he continued to look at the less positive side of things. That was, until recently, when his focus changed. I’ve learned over the last 28 years of marriage that confrontation does no good and that, if left to marinate, my husband will eventually figure out for himself how glorious life is. That said, I still suffered the initial cringe when I could focus further...

family & kids mental health mindfulness relationship with self

It is possible to multitask successfully if you focus on splitting up tasks consciously.

Consciously shifting your focus: Successful multitasking

April 13, 2018

Career, Energy, Health, Lifestyle

By Marla Funez What is multitasking? Can humans multitask successfully? To what extent is it efficient? What are our limitations and when is multitasking not the best option, based on these limitations? The simple definition of multitasking is to complete more than one task at a time. Multitasking, however, is much more than that. It is about getting the most done efficiently and in the least amount of time. According to this 2017 study, multitasking is only truly considered multitasking when it is done consciously. This means even tasks that you do not want to do can be multitasked. The choice is in whether or not the tasks will be done simultaneously. Choosing to do multiple, different tasks at once means focusing on different subjects or actions at...

Focus on your inner awareness using the physical with soft eyes.

Using your Soft Eyes: Envision the big picture and find your center

April 12, 2018

Energy, Lifestyle, Relationship

By Vera Remes Focus, focus, focus—or maybe not When it comes to focus, inner awareness is essential. As a follower of horse trainers Sally Swift, Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance, I am familiar with the principles of grounding, centering, breathing and “soft eyes.” Sally Swift describes the essentials of soft eyes in her book Centered Riding as “wide-open eyes and peripheral awareness, awareness of your entire field of vision and feeling sensations from within.” Grounding, breathing and centering can relate to meditation and other metaphysical pursuits. I use those principles in Reiki, energy healing and my everyday life, but I never thought of using “soft eyes” in the same way. Now I have. Using soft eyes in life may be antithetical to the typical advice given for success—to focus, focus,...

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full potential comes from building the new

Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want

April 10, 2018

Energy, Health, Lifestyle

By Barbara Steingas From the time we are born, we are taught our limitations and we are broken of our full potential. Our parents and caretakers, although well-meaning, tell us what we can’t or shouldn’t do in hopes of protecting us. Even though this is intended for our benefit, it teaches us to focus mainly on our limitations. Rather than focusing on our full potential and what we want to have happen, we instead focus on what we don’t want. For example, we are often told, “Don’t forget (something),” rather than, “Remember (something).” We also have the word “no” said to us an incredible amount of times by the time we are about ten years old. The book What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by...

do what you love Fitness Food & nutrition Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress

Focus on Finances: Practice self-aware spending

April 9, 2018

Career, Lifestyle

By Joseph Gonzalez Having money is something that has been proven to make people feel better about themselves, but the ability to gain financial focus is not an easy task. Money not only enables us to essentially do what we want, it gives us a sense of security, as well. However, focusing on saving money is often easier said than done. Xinyue Zhou’s research article, The Symbolic Power of Money, which was published in the Journal of Psychological Science, explains that money provides a feeling of self-sufficiency. In this mindset, people are less likely to ask others for help. We teach those going into adulthood to be dependent on themselves. So, asking a family member, or anyone, for money at any point could cause insecurity about...

addiction business finances Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

What do you (still) want to be when you grow up? Childhood interests lead to adult purpose

Focusing on your childhood passions could unveil your future career

April 5, 2018

Career, Creativity, Relationship

By Libby Reilly Childhood interests; grown-up focus It might surprise you to note that your childhood interests could be the key to your future purpose. Think about it. Who were you in second grade? Eight-year-old Libby carried a Lion King backpack, learned how to do a French braid all by herself, and discovered that “stage fright” was not in her vocabulary as she shimmied and pirouetted across stages for dance recitals and local plays. At eight years old, Libby also loved making up songs, rhyming words, and she soared through vocabulary tests like a champ. But how do these childhood interests help you find your purpose and focus? This article from Business Insider says that if you are wondering what you should be doing with your life and career,...

business do what you love personal development relationship with self stress

Hone your focus; April astrological focus

April: A month of energy and a time to refocus

April 3, 2018

Energy, Lifestyle, Relationship

By Seshat Clairvoyant Our April astrological focus finds us highly energized. With the arrival of April, there is also a shock and energy that none of us know where to focus. Our attention last month was captured by so many different things happening that we’re wondering what to do next. Should we run and never stop? Should we disappear altogether? Perhaps we should just remain quiet and let this month happen without saying anything? Yet, the truth of the matter is, we have to deal with whatever shock was delivered to us in March. We can’t run and hide. We can’t disappear, and of course, we cannot remain silent. Remember we are still in retrograde energy this month. Two more planets will be retrograding this month...

Astrological Report Lifestyle manifestation relationship with self spirituality

inward focus is key; outward focus is the door

Learning to focus on that which best serves

April 2, 2018

Career, Creativity, Currency, Energy, Health, Lifestyle, Newsbreaks, Relationship

New life and reflection Spring is a beautiful time of growth, inward focus, new life and reflection. There’s a reason we often participate in spring cleaning—the harsh winter is behind us. With the sun and sprouting life comes the desire for a fresh, clean start. With this new start, we allow ourselves the optimum opportunity and setting to enjoy the welcomed season. Spring also allows us to reflect on so many areas of our life. If we are wise, we can use this time to look inward and do a self-spring clean. We can rid ourselves of the habits, attitudes and relationships that are as harsh or unwelcome as the desolation of winter. By turning our focus to the important and beautiful things in life, we...

finances Lifestyle manifestation mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

Getting a handle on your ego

March 30, 2018

By Libby Reilly During the month of March, we spent time exploring ego, learning to better understand and accommodate our egos. This exploration into the ego has allowed us to better analyze our relationship with others, our relationship with ourselves, and the important— and sometimes ornery— role ego plays in our lives. Do you have a handle on your ego or is it running your life? Learn more about the ego, how it works in our lives, and how we can use it to our benefit, rather than our detriment, in our feature story entitled Who are you? A look at Ego and Personality Development. Check out our other great ego-driven stories this month, as well. God Job In this article, Vera Remes talks about our “God...

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Parenting without ego: Living and teaching our children safety and authenticity

March 27, 2018

family & kids Home Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self spirituality stress tips & tricks transitions

By Danielle Rose If our ego is a guidance structure that we created for ourselves as children, then the best way to ensure our children create their own healthy guidance system is through conscious parenting. That means parenting without ego. That means seeing our ego for what it is, and not coloring everything through that lens. It involves facing the fears of parenting, of your own youth, of your future and the future of your children. It involves taking steps to become whole and forgetting what others have to say about the matter. Parenting without ego also involves incorporating all of our inner voices into one coherent direction. Sound overwhelming? Well, so is parenthood. The good news is that, as always, we’ve got the keys to...

Life a life of adventure no matter where you are

Ten Ways to Travel With Less Baggage

March 23, 2018

adventure and travel do what you love Lifestyle mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self tips & tricks

By Theresa Birmingham Many of us could do with a little less baggage. We’ve all got things we can’t help but bring with us, however, so how do we find that balance? This month, we’ve discussed ego in its many forms, but one thing that is clear is that in relationships, we bring everything we’ve got. Sometimes, what we bring is good, clean, and useful. But other things we bring can be harmful. Just as in relationships, our life and world travels, we need to be aware of how our baggage is healing or harming us. In my own life, I’ve broken a lot, mended a lot, lived a lot…and as a result, I’ve accumulated a lot. My own all-consuming drive for adventure has brought me many...

Exhaustion: It’s time to tell a new story

March 19, 2018

Energy, Health, Lifestyle

As a woman, as a parent, as simply a person living in today’s fast-paced environment, we could all use more rest and better sleep. Not to mention, better sleep results in better focus. Author and women’s wellness advocate, Karen Brody, has created a 40-day yoga nidra program that makes yoga meditation relevant and accessible to women around the world. In this article, she shares how our ego-driven perspective on rest can be the one factor that keeps us from finding truly healing sleep. By Karen Brody Let's face it, women today are tired. I support busy women leaders, and here is what they tell me all the time: "I spent years getting educated and now I don't have any energy to work." "I love my work, but my kids...

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Meditation for letting go of unhealthy ego and embracing the call of our spirit so we can find light.

Let go of ego and embrace peace and light: A meditation

March 15, 2018

alternative healing Lifestyle manifestation meditation mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self spirituality stress transitions

By Kathleen Santora This meditation for letting go of unhealthy ego helps us accumulate more peace and light and attain a healthy balanced ego. Balance is the keyword when examining the essential element of the ego. When we focus on spirit, we can accept the light that we are asking for from this meditation and the universe. Meditation Light is ahead; darkness is behind. Light is ahead of me; darkness is behind me. I will forget my troubles and walk toward the light, leaving my darkness behind my thoughts. Disengage your thoughts from the system in order to accomplish your spiritual goals by changing the spiritual behavior of your mind with your conscious mind. Letting go of ego, going deeper on a daily practice level of thoughts. If you...

Who do I listen to in here?

March 13, 2018

Energy, Lifestyle, Relationship

In this article, Wendy Watson-Hallowell, The Belief Coach, explores how our inner voices can often offer conflicting views. Our inner voices being what drives us toward action and growth. Indecision and goals become intertwined in a quagmire of stuck-ness when our inner compass is out-of-whack in this way. This is often compounded by the very human desire to find answers outside of the self. However, our intuition, inner child and ego have all the answers we need. Bringing these very different, yet ultimately self-serving voices into alignment can help us better understand our path. This can also show us to achieve our wellness and success goals. By Wendy Watson-Hallowell We each have a variety of voices inside our minds that take different positions and drive us toward...

do what you love family & kids Lifestyle manifestation meditation mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self spirituality

Learning should never stop: How learning supplements the ego

March 12, 2018

family & kids Lifestyle mindfulness personal development relationship with self

By Marla Funez The common phrase, "you learn something new every day " often gets taken for granted, especially when it comes to discussing learning and how education balances ego. However, learning is an ongoing process that continues as a person ages. The ego is a filter for how we live our lives, and it continues to grow the more you learn and supplement it with knowledge. The benefits of constantly educating yourself include better decision making, confidence in your decisions, and the ability to balancing the ego. The ego has a strong hold on our perception of the world and therefore, how we interact with it. Even though people cannot control what happens around them, decisions can be controlled. By first having as much information possible...

What is your God Job?

March 6, 2018

Career, Energy

by Vera Remes It's important to find a career with purpose. We spend so much time working. While taking a writing course, I heard the phrase “God job.” The inference is that writing should be something so special, it should be termed a God job. It might have been how the words rolled off the tongue, but the phrase stuck with me. I envisioned a God job as a divine calling. Some paths you must follow regardless of difficulty. Success wasn’t the goal, per se. Striving made it worthwhile. What is life without some struggle? What does it mean to have a “God Job”? This discovery brought up how I feel about the course change I have undertaken in my life. By focusing on my God jobs and what truly...

finances personal development relationship with self spirituality

Defining personality, building healthy ego

Who are you? A look at Ego and Personality Development

March 5, 2018

Creativity, Health, Lifestyle, Relationship

by Danielle Rose and Libby Reilly Defining personality and how your ego forms can be a confusing task. This is because, at its heart, personality is who you are. What you are is a daughter, a son, a grandma, a teacher, a friend, a fill-in-the-blank. But who you are is the base of your being. Strip away all the labels and the emotions. Strip away anything but a given situation and how you react to it—that is your personality. Why are we talking about personality types in an issue on ego? Because our personality is part of what shapes our ego, and how we perceive and interact with the world. How do you interact with the world? How can a better understanding of who you are...

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March: An Ego Driven Month

March 2, 2018

Career, Energy, Relationship

by Seshat Clairvoyant Don’t let your ego lead you With spring in the air, it’s easy to get caught up in change, but don’t let your ego lead you astray. The trees are blooming, the birds are chirping, the weather feels warmer and people are emerging from their winter slumber. The arrival of March brings hope to many. The winter was harsh and these past two months were oftentimes anything but a joy ride. January brought emotional hit after hit, we saw the women in our family go through some challenges, and reality sunk in. February was a month of unexpected surprises, change, news and very revealing dreams with the eclipse on the 15th. March brings on some chaotic energy and, if you are not prepared...

Astrological Report relationship with self transitions

Understanding Ego and the Self

March 1, 2018

By The Mind Key Editorial Team This month, we look into understanding ego and the self. As February comes to end, so do harsh winter days. With March comes the first instances of Spring, along with waves of hope and encouragement for self-reflection. March feels like the perfect time to reflect on the Ego. The Ego, much like a plant, is nurtured and feeds off its natural surroundings. Many things are affected by your Ego such as everyday decisions, some personality traits, and especially your desires! The Ego should never be ignored. And that is what we hope to convey during the month of March. We hope to show you, through a series of articles and meditations, that you can become more aware, and perhaps learn...

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Gain Perspective through Healthy Patterns

February 28, 2018

do what you love family & kids Fitness Lifestyle meditation mental health mindfulness personal development relationship with self stress tips & tricks

by Theresa Birmingham One of the most difficult skills in life is the ability to gain perspective and to not only gain it, but to hold on to that hard-earned skill. Basically, just like anything else in life, perspective is not a once-in-a-life “Oh, I’ve got it” type experience. In order to truly gain perspective, one must understand that each day is a gamble, and we choose how we will react, how we will understand, and how we will move forward in a given situation. Triggers We’ve learned that sometimes those flaws we see in others are actually flaws that are within ourselves. When we change our perspective, we can understand that everyone has a path. With this understanding, we often find that our judgments are many times...

Nothing like a good challenge to shift your view of life

February 12, 2018

alternative healing food and nutrition Lifestyle relationship with self transitions

By Barbara Steingas We all need challenges to help us grow and expand our thoughts and beliefs. We tend to get caught up in limiting perspectives in life and can remain victims of our circumstances. When faced with tumultuous situations, we have an opportunity to see things in a new and different light. Challenging perspectives can change what we previously thought was impossible, to possible. Challenging perspectives, and expansion of thought This is what happened to me when I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and was told my condition was incurable. Initially, I believed this to be fact. Then I was faced with a crossroads decision: my doctor wanted to put me on an immunosuppressive drug. He advised that the medicine would shut off my defense mechanisms, and I...

College fosters a perspective of self-expression essential for adulthood

February 9, 2018

Career, Relationship

By Joseph Gonzalez Many see college as a step to the next part of their lives towards adulthood. And it is. But college is also a new world that broadens our experience of the world. The shift from a sheltered life to a broadened college perspective can prepare you for true self-expression and for career and life in a way that classes alone cannot. My college perspective I came from a house that didn’t 100% shelter me but which also didn’t encourage me to socialize either. In my middle school and high school years, I was content with playing video games all day, and not going out with friends. it’s safe to say my social skills weren’t up to par with others at that point. When I got to...

do what you love family & kids personal development relationship with self

Can our triggers help change our perspective of self?

February 8, 2018

Energy, Health, Relationship

In this fantastic repost by Kyla Rose Maher of Long Time Sun Yoga and Apparel, we are encouraged to look at those qualities we don’t necessarily appreciate in others and to see how they manifest in ourselves. On a bad day, this powerful self-practice has the potential to trigger us. Even the best of us may find ourselves in a frenzy of self-doubt. We suddenly realize those things that trigger us may, in fact, be a quality we have. On a good day, this practice can help us recognize our “worst” qualities are often, surprisingly, our best ones. This facilitates both self-compassion and a deeper compassion for others. By Kyla Rose Maher Wait a second, am I arrogant? During October, my boyfriend and I were visiting New York...

mindfulness personal development relationship with self spirituality

God’s Greatest Gifts Are Unanswered Prayers: How perspective changes everything

February 5, 2018

Energy, Health, Lifestyle

by Vera Remes What is your perspective on the New Year? Are you feeling positive, or are you needing to find a positive perspective for a seemingly negative situation? Even if you are welcoming the opportunity to improve in 2018, are you feeling that 2017 was less than satisfying? Have you made a resolution for 2018 that reads well but seems unreachable? Perhaps you are being affected by the winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real, even if I myself have trouble understanding it. I welcome the short, darker days of winter as a change from the longer sunbaked days of summer. For me, snow and freezing temperatures as a cleanser for the earth to get it ready for spring. I want to live where...

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Change your perspective and tackle the season

February 1, 2018

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by Theresa Birmingham The holidays are over. January is past. All your pesky resolutions are either in play or in the gutter. So, how has your perspective changed? Now that you have some perspective on the new year, is it shaping up to be different than previous years? Or have you found yourself in the rut of bad habits you struggle in shedding? This month we will discuss how when you change your perspective you can change your life. As we move into the short but cold month of February, The Daily Key will be examining how Perspective can open new pathways of healing, help us survive the winter, and better love yourself. We’ll also be looking at everything from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) to reexamining our...

Sometimes gratitude means nothing: The art of non-gratitude

January 22, 2018

Is it okay to experience non-gratitude? After a life-changing experience, tragedy, or diagnosis, people often comment on what they’ve learned and the good that came out of the experience. Do people go through hard times in order to gain a lesson? Is there always a purpose to trials? For Jessica McWhirt, that was not the case. In a very scary season of her life, she discovered that sometimes things are just hard — and there’s no need to be grateful for them. By Jessica McWhirt Non-gratitude is an art. I was eighteen. It was the size of a bean. And that bean-sized thing meant nothing to me. This was the beginning of how I came to understand the art of non-gratitude. People always discuss how grateful they were for something awful happening to...

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Meditation for peace and gratitude

January 19, 2018

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By Kathleen Santora I received this meditation for peace and gratitude after I was in a major car accident many years ago. While meditating to heal myself, I saw my friends in Lilydale, all sitting in a circle and sending me light and healing, this was what was given to me. I hope it helps regenerate you as well. Peace and Gratitude Meditation Someone has prayed for me My brother has taken to a place in the heavens Where I could not have gone alone My brother has taken my soul in his heart And held it there in gentle loving light Returning it to me in healing He has shown me the purest love Has given me the purest of light In that returned my spirit to me in perfection In honor I return all love All light In...

Personal Story: Finding Gratitude in Divorce

January 15, 2018

Relationship

It can be difficult finding gratitude in divorce, and peace and confidence are hard to come by during the challenging seasons of life.With nearly half of all first-time marriages ending in divorce, this topic is one many are personally affected by. For Danielle, her preconceived notions about marriage and divorce brought personal judgment and feelings of guilt; however, she was able to gain support, confidence, and a new outlook on life after finding gratitude for divorce. By Danielle B. Long before finding gratitude in divorce, I was a 26-year-old newlywed. On my honeymoon, I got pregnant. My husband and I worked opposite shifts when we were first married and did not spend a lot of quality time together. I was sleeping while he was at work and he was sleeping...

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Gratitude and your cup of tea: bringing in abundance, gratitude and peace

January 12, 2018

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Jessica Filkins is a health coach and owner of Jahmu Chai, a healing turmeric ginger tea. Each month, she shares a tea meditation that can be done quickly and easily during your morning cup of coffee or tea to bring more peace, abundance, joy and healing into all areas of your life. As we look forward into 2018, this gratitude tea meditation helps us recognize all that’s come before to bring us to this place, so we can continue to grow forward. By Jessica Filkins A daily meditation practice can increase your happiness, hone your focus and improve your health. Despite the growing body of scientific research on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, most Americans do not incorporate meditation into their daily lives. However, most...

Life after heartbreak: From a bleak diagnosis to a miracle network of friendship

January 10, 2018

Astrological Report Lifestyle mindfulness relationship with self relationships spirituality transitions

There is hope for life after heartbreak. Mind Key's New Jersey editor, Kelly Rockey, tells her personal story of turning heartbreaking news into a great story of love, friendship and fresh perspectives. When Kelly discovered her son was blind because of a genetic retinal disorder called Lebers Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), she found a support system of parents who had walked this road before. This support system soon became Kelly's best friends, and lifeline during difficult times, instilling in her gratitude and appreciation for things that may initially seem like bad news. We hope that these incredible stories of gratitude and growth during difficult times will help others see that there is hope for a better life after heartbreak. By Kelly Rockey The best Christmas gift At the very end...

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Practicing gratitude as a way to heal, grow and manifest

January 8, 2018

Energy, Health, Lifestyle, Relationship

By Oneyda Salazar As doable as it may seem to practice gratitude, it can be difficult to instill in your day-to-day life. The word gratitude is considered a noun because the intent behind the word is to be in that state of mind. In order to show gratitude, one must apply it as an action. You can't simply be "grateful" without incorporating gratitude into your behavior. Once you practice gratitude more regularly, you will notice how much you appreciate a lot of things in life. This includes very negative moments, sometimes also known as lessons...

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January: The Month of Emotional Perspective

January 2, 2018

Energy, Uncategorized

By: Seshat Clairvoyant Happy New Year to all! Hopefully you all have survived the holidays and are now setting intentions for the new year. 2017 was a year to remember with lots of ups and downs. Lots of lessons were learned that might have shifted your perspective in certain things. In our January astrological report, you'll discover that 2018 will also be a year to remember. What to expect in 2018 In numerology, the year 2018 adds up to the number 11. This is a master number that highlights spirituality, enlightenment, psychic awareness and heightened intuition. However, it also highlights high levels of anxiety, Happy New Year to all! Hopefully you all have survived the holidays and are now setting intentions for the new year. 2017 was a...

Learning the vibration of the chakra system

December 14, 2017

By Barbara Steingas As mentioned in yesterday's article, A Guide to Chakras and Vibrational Energy, our physical, emotional and spiritual bodies resonate with wheels of color and energy known as the chakra system. Since colors have different vibrational wavelengths and frequencies, we can use these frequencies to put our bodies and psyches back into alignment. Below, I've outlined the major chakras of the body, where the energy of that chakra is located, and the frequency, or sound, that each chakra vibrates at. By becoming comfortable with chakra vibration, we can effectively place our bodies back into alignment quickly and easily. The Chakra Vibration and sounds The root chakra: Lam The Root is the first chakra, is associated with the color red and has the vibrational sound of “Lam.” It...

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A Guide to Chakras and Vibrational Energy

December 13, 2017

Energy, Uncategorized

By Barbara Steingas There is a line from a 1960s song by Crosby, Stills & Nash that says, "We are stardust." That is basically true because everything in the universe is made up of the same matter, but at a different vibrational energy level. We are an electrical circuit, similar to the power grid that lights up our homes. Just as that system has transformers (its main energy hubs), we also have energy hubs called chakras. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, the word Chakra means spinning wheels of energy. In other words, our energy centers, are chakra vibrational energy. Understanding the chakra system Initially, I discovered the chakra system in yoga class. Having been healed from an incurable disease, the concept of the chakras intrigued me. We...

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Exercise: It’s not just movement, it’s vibration

December 12, 2017

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Ian Rose--Mind Key intern and Senior at the University of Rhode Island Vibrations are a complex phenomenon that cannot be easily defined. When giving or receiving Â positive vibrations, you'll certainly know. The same is true with negative energy. Much debate focuses on how one can improve these energies and cultivate positive vibrations into the greater world. Physical activity in the natural world is directly linked to the raising and tempering of our vibrational frequency, which makes raising your vibration with sports a great option for those who want to cultivate good vibes in a very real and comfortable way. Starting with the simple things, the ones that bring you the most enjoyment, is the easiest path to expressing positive vibes. For many, the best way to begin...

Music is more than a pastime: it’s medicinal

December 7, 2017

Creativity, Energy, Health, Lifestyle

by J.T. Nash, a Fall 2016 graduate of William Paterson University, NJ In a modern society, consumed by psychiatric appointments and psychoactive medications, it is essential to realize that a mere choice of song can provide a sufficient therapeutic effect to remedy some of our psychological afflictions. Music: The vibration of humanity Parents traditionally play classical music for their children to absorb while sleeping--music is a vital element of humanity, serving as a catalyst for our behavior. Due to the profound, impassioned influence that symphonic stimulation supplies, most cultures of the world use music to improve moods, deliver focus, or lull a person into a meditative state. "Music lets you rediscover your humanity, and your connection to humanity," musical icon Moby states in an interview with Thought Economics. In...

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Are you reacting or responding?

December 5, 2017

Lifestyle mental health personal development relationship with self spirituality transitions

INTRO: Eleanora Amendolara dives into the difference between reacting and responding to help you bring a peaceful grasp on each situation you find yourself in. How can you mindfully approach things that seem thrown at you, ensuring to first take care of yourself and your unique process of writing your own song? Reacting or responding: How to master the two By Eleanora Amendolara If I had one wish for you, it would be that you would find the tools and concepts to write your own song. It all begins with how you receive input from the world around you. Do you know the difference between emotions and feelings? Are you able to recognize when you are reacting and when you are responding to a situation? Both emotions and reactions are...

Allow an attitude of gratitude to be your roadmap this month

November 5, 2017

Energy, Lifestyle

By Seshat Ixchel The days grow shorter as they get colder. Everyone is preparing for the holidays. This is a month of gratitude for everything that has transpired throughout the year. As we get closer to finishing the year, reflection starts to set in. What are we truly thankful for? Did we accomplish everything we set out to do this year? As the days get colder our, minds wander to our personal relationships. Are we even happy being around the people in our circles? November's astrological report will offer guidance on how to take the current shifting energies of the universe and turn them your way through the simple act of feeling grateful. Full moon: bringing gratitude for life's unwelcome lessons November 4th is the full moon in...

Astrological Report Lifestyle mindfulness relationship with self spirituality transitions

Student’s academic performance can heavily rely on sleep

October 24, 2017

By Toyreh Blacknell, a Fall 2016 graduate of William Paterson University, NJ Time is short. The not-long-enough 24 hour cycle of light and dark is one of the most prevalent patterns we experience as humans. College and high school students alike struggle with how to use those 24 precious hours a day to balance social life, extracurricular activities, and their studies often among family and work duties. Sleep, which should take up 1/3rd of that cycle, is usually the first element to drop from the equation. Unfortunately, lack of sleep only serves to interrupt other physical, mental and emotional patterns, becoming the silent cause to many common ills. This fact has many parents wondering what exactly is sleep's effect on academic performance? How much do students actually...

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The Balance and Release of Sexual Energy

October 23, 2017

Energy, Relationship

By Lizbeth Fabian Between males and females, there is a massive build-up of masculine or feminine energy waiting to escape. This energy can be released in many different ways. Consciously, a person might focus it towards their job, passions, or relationships. Subconsciously, plenty of that focused energy goes into sex. Whether it's your sex drive, habits, or performance, that sexual energy is ready to burst. If this energy is suppressed for too long, it may affect the balance of masculine or feminine energy within. Maggie's Bliss, an expert on yoga and spiritual wellness, responds to an anonymous question from someone who has experienced this suppression of energy. Dear Maggie, I'm suffering from erectile dysfunction and I believe it has something to do with my Chakras being blocked. I believe...

Lifestyle relationship with self

Overcoming the High School Bullying Problem

October 20, 2017

by Joseph Gonzalez, a fall 2016 graduate of William Paterson University, NJ The typical American high school environment can be just as enjoyable as it is toxic. In a sense, high school represents the last four years of your life before entering adulthood. Some might argue that it's the best four years of your life, but I would say otherwise. High school bullying takes its toll on everyone, but it doesn't always have to manifest as stolen lunch money, or black eyes. High School Bullying: Through a student's eyes Think back to ninth grade when you found yourself sitting alone at lunch or in class-- we all know this has happened to everyone at some point. You then hear two strangers having a conversation about "Jersey Shore," a...

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Enjoy Life— Don’t Cling to it or Push it Away

October 18, 2017

INTRO: One woman stepped onto a paddleboard for the first time and returned to dry land with a fresh perspective on how to enjoy life, embrace the moment, and see life through waves of gratitude. By Michelle Brook Trying yoga on a paddleboard has been on my bucket list for years! I finally had the opportunity to join Melissa Bee from Country Flow Yoga for a class on the Monksville Reservoir in West Milford, New Jersey. I never knew that Warrior II pose could be so challenging when done on the water. My mouth was agape as I watched other people doing headstands on the water. One of the most memorable moments was simply laying on my back, watching a cloud that was shaped like a cross-legged...

Lifestyle personal development relationship with self

The Hamster Wheel of Self-Sabotage Patterns

October 11, 2017