Posts Tagged ‘life’

The Secret to Happiness & Maslow’s Hierarchy

Monday, April 26th, 2010

The secret to happiness is contentment?(Dali Lama) If we are content with what we have, and where we are, then we are happy. This means not grasping for attainment of material objects or even spiritual understanding, but being content and just allowing life to happen. How does this help us to achieve the things we want? I’m glad you asked! This brings me to Maslow’s theory on the hierarchy of human deeds? the answer to that question is revealed within the following explanation and its accompanying story.

Maslow, was an eminent Psychologist who developed a theory on the psychological need of humans; it is often demonstrated in the form of a pyramid, and referred to in relation to Education, Motivation and Sales training. A summary of his theory would be: that we humans have deeds?that must be satisfied in an order of priority, before higher ideals can be achieved the lower ideals MUST be met. The order of these needs doesn’t change from individual to individual, they are as follows: 1. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS, air, water, food, rest, exercise, etc 2.SAFETY NEEDS, shelter, job security, retirement plan, insurance 3.LOVE AND BELONGING, children, friends, partners 4.SELF ESTEEM (1), fame, recognition, reputation, dignity 5. SELF ESTEEM (2) Confidence, achievements, FREEDOM.

If we don’t meet all the needs in the lower levels we will always be in deficit and be trying to meet them before we can obtain the highest levels of complete self actualization and FREEDOM. Here’s a story I wrote to illustrate Maslow’s theory in a practical situation, it’s illustrated in a negative context because most of us will understand it better this way. Note: (L5) means level 5 as per above. The following is based on a true story; some details have been changed to allow for publishing here. A Person’s car breaks down on an old dirt road in the Barclay plains it’s a scorching 44 degrees in the shade, but there aren’t any trees to provide shelter, he’s in the middle of nowhere, outback, Australia.

He was on his way to Darwin to give a lecture on Self Defence. He had been giving these talks for some time now and really enjoyed sharing his knowledge, not for the respect that others gave him, but because he is a master of the subject and it felt good doing it. (L4/5) When he woke up he realized that he was feeling lonely and would love to have someone to talk to. (L3) After a few hours he started to feel a little uncomfortable and realized that he could be in some danger so he tried to think of a plan for his safety. After some time he decided to head off in search for help.

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The Economic Effects of Unemployment Insurance in Canada

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

It is undeniable that the current state of the Canadian economy is grim. Unemployment rates are at unprecedented highs and the labour market is at an all time low. During times of economic uncertainty and general unease about the market, social programs experience particular scrutiny and pressure.

Canadian Unemployment Insurance

Unlike the United States, where federal unemployment programs are run at the state level, the Canadian unemployment system is exclusively federal. The Canadian insurance policy is financed directly by employers’ and employees’ contributions. Up until 1991, general federal revenues also supplemented these contributions. The program is highly regional in that it provides for greater support in terms of duration of benefits and qualification periods to areas that suffer from higher unemployment.

Traditionally, unemployment insurance programs in Canada were designed to serve as a broad instrument of income supplementation that would sustain small communities and protect traditional occupations from forces of economic modernization. Those smaller communities with more traditional lifestyles happen to also be within the regions that see more support from the federal unemployment system.

Since the 1980’s, Canadian unemployment insurance programs have seen several different types of cuts, including duration of benefits, qualification periods, and amounts awarded. The government has withdrawn significant resources from these programs. These cutbacks have tended to hit harder in more affluent regions, while areas with higher unemployment still enjoy nearly the same levels of unemployment support.

Today’s Effects on the Canadian Economy

The combination of reduced benefits and the greater dependence on unemployment by the masses are culminating in an interesting end result. Since unemployment is up across all regions, the effect is greater economic fragmentation. We are seeing that smaller and poorer communities continue to uphold more traditional occupations and ways of life, arguably held up by strengthened support from federal social programs. On the other hand, the increasing level of unemployment throughout more affluent regions has created a mad scramble for more modernized industrialization.

EI’s New Pilot Programs

The Canadian government realizes that adjustments need to be made to the overall system. In 2008, it launched a series of unemployment insurance pilot programs to test different methods. The Working While on Claim project incentivizes the acceptance of all types of work while on EI benefits. The New Entrant/Re-entrant project is testing whether enabling new or newly returned members of the labour market to receive benefits quicker (along with providing greater awareness about the program) can reduce the individual’s future reliance on EI benefits. The Best of 14 Weeks project is testing a method to make EI benefit levels more closely tied to full-time work earnings for individuals with irregular work patterns, (such as freelancers and seasonal workers) and to convince workers to accept any and all available work by formulating their EI benefits based on the “best 14 weeks” of earnings over the 52 weeks prior to filing their initial claim.

These pilot programs inspire hope for improvement and more positive effects of the system on the greater Canadian economy.

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What You Can Do To Overcome Depression

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Depression affects many people of various ages and races. It is a condition of the mind that alters the persons manner of thinking, sleeping, eating and feeling about him or herself. It begins as a brief feeling of low self-esteem that picks up its momentum as time passes. Different experiences trigger depression and most of those experiences are traumatic or tragic that leave a person feeling low. Depression, if not taken care of, will have a lasting, devastating effect on a persons mind. Although, there is no instant cure to overcome depression but there are things that a person suffering from it can do to help him improve his condition.

Eating right and working out can aid you in your fight to overcome depression. You can improve your frame of mind by going outdoors and feeding yourself with nutritious foods. Feasting on junk foods and snacks that are unhealthy will not make you feel any better. Comfort foods will only grant you temporary relief. To have a healthy mind is to have a healthy body. Any aggravation in your health makes you feel restless and worn out and it will only contribute to the state of your depression.

Your body and mind can only function accurately if it gets the proper sustenance to keep it going. Plenty of water is one of the most important elements that you need to include in your daily diet. You cannot overcome depression if your body is short of its supply of water. You need to drink, at least, 8 glasses of water to keep yourself satiated, comfortable and healthy.

After an exhaustive day, your mind and body needs to rest and it is vital that it gets the right amount of rest needed to make it go through another day properly. Depressed people have a hard time going to sleep because of their turbulent state of mind but following a strict bedtime that they must constantly hang onto will help their bodies get used to the routine. Sleep is extremely important to help you overcome depression easily. With sufficient sleep, you’ll be able to face the new day with enough strength and a clear mind. Taking a bath or trotting a good distance helps you fall asleep easily.

The people in your lives who are around you everyday play a huge part in improving your condition. You will find that it is extremely hard to overcome depression when you are not getting the moral support you need and nobodies willing to help you deal with your situation. If anybody else, it should be your family and friends first that must show understanding of what you’re going through and help you rise above your difficult situation.

You must also have faith in yourself and make a decision to overcome depression. If there are things that you wish to do, then do it if it can help your situation gets better. To blame you for the things that happened in the past will only aggravate the situation and changes nothing. Learn how to forgive and face the future with a more positive outlook.

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5 Must-Knows for Those Seeking Help with Depression

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Depression has no exact cause. A person can get depressed because of many things, some of which may seem ridiculous to other people. For example, you found out that the guy you like is in love with your best friend. To others, this may seem a shallow reason to be depressed, but for you, it hurts so much and you feel like the world is crashing down on you and all the hope is gone. Depression could also stem from problems with money, family, school, relationships, or insecurities. It could also be a result of a loved ones untimely death. Whatever the reason for it, you can do something if you need help with depression.

First and foremost, reach out to the people who were with you since the beginning and will, without a doubt, never hesitate to offer a helping hand - your family. While it is most likely that as you got older, your relationship with your family, especially with your parents, became less and less intimate, it is never too late to cultivate the neglected relationship. While you might feel guilty or embarrassed, do not forget that your family could be able to provide you most of the help with depression you need. No matter what has happened in the past, your family will never forsake you or turn their back on you, especially during the time when you are at your worst.

Second, love yourself more. When you are depressed, you would usually feel bad about everything. But this is no reason to neglect your responsibility to yourself. While you cannot force yourself to smile or be happy, you can do the things which you are sincerely passionate about. Engaging in the activities which you really enjoy and experiencing joy and pleasure from them considerably help with depression control. Incorporate fun activities in your schedule for the day. Go shopping with your sister who is also your BFF. Play basketball with your best buddy. Write down your thoughts on your journal. Invite your friends over and watch your favorite movies. Bake a pineapple upside-down cake. Score 100 in the karaoke bar. Go to church. If you do not feel like doing these things, push and motivate yourself. Once you are out there and you see the smiles on your family and friends faces, you might be surprised to find yourself smiling as well and feeling a lot better.

Third, find time for some regular physical activity. This may seem like the last thing you would dream of doing when you are in a state of depression but exercising on a regular basis could actually help with depression reduction. As a matter of fact, according to studies, regular physical activity can be as efficient as antidepressants in enhancing energy levels and reducing the feelings of exhaustion.

Fourth, eat a healthy and hearty meal. Your diet has a direct impact on your feelings. A good diet is one with a balanced amount of foods under the go, grow and glow categories. Also, keep in mind that breakfast is the most important meal because this is where you get the energy for the day. Make sure to eat well during this time. It would be best to not skip meals too. Ideally, you should eat every four hours. Avoid comfort foods. This may provide temporary consolation but afterwards, the melancholy will just come back in addition to a crash in energy and mood. They can only help with depression for so long.

Finally, counterbalance negative with positive. A state of depression entails a negative outlook in almost everything. You begin to feel worthless. You think your dreams will just stay as dreams. You lose all hope. You become sensitive to criticism and begin to hate everything about yourself. You start to withdraw from family and friends. You think that every event or situation that happens is bad and will always be bad. Stop thinking negatively. This cannot be achieved by just thinking positively, though. Instead, give a positive cause of a positive effect for every negative thought you have. For example, your employer gave you a very difficult task which you must accomplish within a very short period of time. Instead of hating your boss, think that your boss did that because he or she believes that you are competent enough that he or she entrusted to you such an important task. Furthermore, if you can manage to indeed carry out the task, your boss will be impressed, trust you more, or even give you a promotion while you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. It is also helpful to spend time with positive people. If you can see how they can be so optimistic in just about everything and realize the happiness they have because of it, you might be motivated to adopt their optimism as well.

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How To Achieve Happiness?

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

People nowadays work so hard to sustain a living and think too much of how to earn as much as they can. We often find ways to attain happiness but we usually forget what happiness is. Before we do anything, I think we should have a better understanding on what happiness is.It means differently to different people.

The word- ‘happiness’ has broad definitions. We generally categorize it into two states: ‘present moment’ happiness and ‘contentment’ happiness’. ‘Present moment’ happiness regarded as ‘pleasure’ and it did not last for long. On the contrary, ‘contentment’ happiness is a life-long experience.

Present moment happiness can be obtained when you are in a party, a concert, watching a sunset or having a nice meal.

Looking at the different perspectives of your life, can you feel there is a sense of comfort and delight because this is the life that you are longing for? If you can feel it , I congratulate you. You are experiencing ‘contentment’ happiness. You are satisfied with your current situation, you job, your health condition, etc.

We won’t put on our smiles every moment but I can guarantee you happiness is something that we can attain.

Sometimes, we experience a certain state of happiness but we do not realize it . Some good memories of the old days suddenly reappear in our minds and we know that we had once experienced joy when we were young.

What should you do to achieve happiness again if you are unhappy? First, it is crucial for you to know your own desire clearly. The second thing is to fight for it under your control. Bear in mind that you should not long for others’ help, as you are the only one who could make yourself happy.

Happiness is actually controlled by ourselves. We can be happy or unhappy, just depends on the way we read things around us, either positively or negatively.

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Find out the Ways You can Overcome Depression

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Depression may come off as a scary illness but there are lots of effective ways you can beat depression. It is normal to experience bouts of sadness and anxiety since you cant really control your spontaneous feelings. However, you can teach yourself how to modify regular thoughts and feelings that encourage depression. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you must try hard to cope with the fluctuations of your feelings to overcome depression.

Stress is usually the culprit of your moods swings. Depression slowly inches its way towards you every time you feel strained and exhausted. If stress is your constant companion, you must know how to positively deal with it. You can relieve stress by venting it out on sports or pastimes that allow you to mingle with different kinds of people. Making new friends helps a lot in your effort to overcome depression since it can validate a sense of belonging. Newly acquired diversions will also help you stop thinking about depressing things and events.

Your depression has a lot to do with how you conduct and live your life. If you want to stay away from constantly feeling dejected and low, you must cut off any drinking habit or drug use. Alcohol can only increase your depression. A lot of people turn to alcohol to overcome depression which is a grave mistake since it will only heighten the level of depression that they are experiencing. Alcohol may offer a brief respite but you will pay a heavy price every time you come to.

Keeping a positive outlook even if things aren’t going your way will help you overcome depression big time. Look hard into yourself and evaluate your capacities. Knowing your strengths and believing in them will boost your self-esteem and will eventually make you feel good about yourself. Assess the things that make you react negatively to certain situations. You might be surprised to find out that your fears have no grounds and you have nothing to gain from your negative thinking.

When you are suffering from a serious disease, it can cause you to wallow in self-pity and depression. Your family’s support can help you overcome depression during this time. Finding sense in your life even if you’re hampered by a disease can make a big difference. Your loved ones will fill a hole that has been opened by a feeling of inadequacy brought about by your illness.

To fully overcome depression you must know how to treat yourself properly. Execute the most sensible thing to do when you body feels tired. Take a rest and don’t force yourself to take work loads that you know you cannot accomplish efficiently anymore. Like an overworked machine, your body can crash and you’ll only sink deeper into a state of despair. Depression preys on a weary mind and body. You cannot neglect the fact that rest can do wonders to your riotous emotions. Seek medical advice when you feel like you cant do it on your own.

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When Does Teenager Need Help With Depression

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

Many say that the best stage in life is during the teenage years. Perhaps this is true. But one cannot deny that it is also the stage when your life becomes one big soap opera. You begin to become self-conscious because of changes in puberty. You become part of a groupie and experience the pressure of trying to look good and fit in. You begin to have crushes and believe you are in love. You get genuinely hurt for the silliest reasons such as your crush not liking you back. You begin to have questions about who you really are and what your purpose in this world is. You begin to argue with your parents as you insist on fighting for your right to be independent and decide on certain things. You begin to feel confused. With all the drama involved, it is not so easy to determine if your teenager is just being what a normal teenager should be or if his or her behavior is already an indication of depression.

There are some signs that might be able to help you tell when a teenager requires help with depression. Some of these are regular crying, loneliness, isolation from other people, anger, feeling of guilt, lack of interest in activities and energy, struggle with concentration, skipping of meals and even thinking or actually attempting suicide. If you are confused if it is just a normal phase for a teenager or if he needs help with depression, you should consider how often the aforementioned signs happen, how extreme they are and just how different your teen acts compared to his or her previous normal behavior.

If you would not be able to provide them the help with depression they need, then it could go beyond just an air of sadness and hopelessness. One of the most common results of untreated depression is substance abuse. Many depressed teenagers, in their attempt to self-medicate, would resort to alcohol and drugs. Also, they begin to be delinquent in their studies or stop attending classes altogether. They become very sensitive to what other people have to say. When they get a criticism, they would feel very down. They would try to run away. They immerse themselves in the Internet thinking they could escape their problems if they do. They engage in reckless behavior such as unsafe sex, out-of-control drinking, and reckless driving. They begin to eat and sleep less. They might even entertain thoughts of suicide.

Suicidal behavior can be really dangerous. So it is a must for you to keep an eye on your child if he or she should start behaving or acting suicidal. Some signs include talking about attempting suicide or even joking about it, romanticizing death, stating phrases that send messages about death being the only option, writing stories or poems related to death, intentional involvement in accidents that can lead to injuries or even death, distribution of personal objects and looking for methods of self-injury or inflicting death. If most of these signs happen to your teenager, then surely he or she would need help with depression.

The first thing that you can and must do is talk to your teen. Try to find out what is wrong. Do not talk to him or her as if you are demanding. Rather, talk like a friend. Make them feel that you are not there to judge, reprimand or criticize. Assure your teenager that whatever it is that he or she is going through, you will support him or her and be on his or her side no matter what. If your teen will not budge, do not surrender. Be persistent. You MUST know what is wrong. But be gentle. When your teen finally speaks up, listen. If the reason for the depression is something which you find utterly illogical or foolish, do not scold your teen or tell him or her that he or she is being crazy. Instead, acknowledge the sadness. Remember that while it may seem ridiculous to you, your teenager is sincerely going through pain. If they insist that there is no problem yet they cannot offer any explanation why they have been acting differently, do not believe them. Actions speak louder than words. No matter how they deny, their actions could betray them and reveal the way they really feel.

Get in touch with your doctor at once and have your teenager be examined to see if he or she has a medical condition which could have given rise to the depression. If it was established that the depression was not the result of any health disorder, then ask help from a psychologist. Only a psychologist is qualified to tell whether your teenager is really suffering from depression.

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How To Achieve Happiness?

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

People nowadays work so hard to sustain a living and think too much of how to earn as much as they can. We often find ways to attain happiness but we usually forget what happiness is. Before we do anything, I think we should have a better understanding on what happiness is.It means differently to different people.

One state of happiness is called ‘present moment’ happiness. It is so-called ‘pleasure’ and does not last long. Another state is called ‘contentment’ happiness which is about your whole life and is long lasting.

‘Present moment’ happiness is a feeling that you can experience when you are having a party, listening to a concert, etc. You feel delighted when you are doing that.

You may get contentment happiness when you are satisfied with your life in all the different aspects. Just as you have a good relationship, have enough to live on, with good health, or you have a fulfilling job. It is a long-lasting feeling of happiness instead of getting the passion of present moment happiness.

We won’t put on our smiles every moment but I can guarantee you happiness is something that we can attain.

Sometimes we may not realize we are experiencing “contentment” happiness already. However when you looked back your life, you would find yourself having lots of good and happy moments.

When you are not happy, you still can get back a happy mindset. Be clear about what you want in life and go for it without any hesitation. You can get the outcome you desire by fighting hard for it. The key to happiness is yourself, since you are the one who control your own feelings.

Being happy or unhappy depends only on how we think about the events and circumstances around us, just like the story about a cup of half full or half empty. Remember happiness always follows the positive way of thinking, while thinking negatively only gives you sadness.

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Why Overcoming Depression Is Not Impossible

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

Depression is a very familiar word. Most people use this term when they are not feeling good about themselves or if they have problems. However, depression has a deeper meaning in scientific terms. Depression is a mental health condition that affects the way a person perceives himself, the way he does his everyday routines including eating, sleeping and interacting with people. This mental disorder is not a personal weak point therefore it is beyond the persons will or control.

People who are depressed are in a state of mental disorder that affects the body, mind and mood. The affected person cannot easily recover and be better when he decides he wants to be better. Cure does not happen instantly. It is imperative that signs of depression are identified early because this condition will go on for a long time if not given the proper treatment. Depression is a serious situation; it can be life-threatening for some people.

This condition can manifest at any time and in any place. Depression can cause the person to separate himself from his environment and from the people that he loves. Oftentimes people suffering from this condition lose interest in their usual activities. They experience sorrow, doubt, low self-esteem, torment and despondency. The sometimes lose touch with their social network and rather be alone all the time.

Overcoming depression is not an easy thing. Since this is not something that is easily controllable, overcoming depression may be a challenge not just for the patient but for the family as well. The first step towards overcoming depression is to understand and accept that you are in that state. Acceptance will lead you to be aware that what you are experiencing is beyond what is normal. Although we can control our emotions and our thoughts, some severely depressed people need medication to cure their depression. Some psychiatrists use the trial and error method in checking which medication will help the patient in overcoming depression. Some uses the advance blood and urine tests that will help detect biological depression and will be able to help determine the best medicine that will cure the patients depression.

There are other natural therapies that will help a person in overcoming depression. These therapies are designed to help improve the persons emotional intelligence. One of these is called the pet therapy. This therapy uses a persons natural inclination to animals and helps divert his attention to it. The person is given a pet and encourages the person to nurture his relationship with the animal. This proves to be very helpful especially in the emotional aspect. Yoga and meditation is also another exercise that will help ease depression. Meditation and yoga exercises clear the mind and help the body function properly. It is a mental and physical exercise rolled into one.

People who are in a depressed condition will need the help and support of their family and friends. Being surrounded by loved ones and positive energy will aid in reducing the depression the person is undergoing. Aside from the medical treatment, helping oneself get out of the condition will boost a persons chance to be cured of depression. Reinforcing the personal relationships especially with the family will help speed up the recovery process. If this happens within the family, try to constantly make them feel that they are loved and cared for. Eliminating the feeling of loneliness will make him feel secured and motivated to go on with life. Overcoming depression is possible but it takes time and effort not just from the patient but from the people in his surroundings.

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How to Deal with Depression from Hopeless Events

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Have you found yourself in an unusual dilemma or have run away from things you deemed you’re incapacitated to execute? Have you lost confidence in yourself and felt discouraged by a lot of things? If so, you’re probably experiencing one of the most difficult emotional disorders a person can ever stumble upon ” depression. Truth is, almost all people get through this same situation, but the only difference is that, they manage to spring back and stand their ground.

So, if you’re searching for ways on how to deal with depression, it may be an easy route, but putting things in action may not be a simple journey.

How to deal with depression requires action, but how are you going to act on something when you’re in the middle of battling from the wretched and blue episodes of your life? The answer: You have to lead your way to recovery. One way of doing that is to work on and cultivate support groups. You may worry all the cliched terrors and fears in your life, but no amount of fear could ever defray the presence of family members and friends in helping you triumph over depression. Voice out what you feel, what pulls you back, and other major concerns you have. Ask for help and be resilient to their advices. Remember, its the sense of openness that frees a person from being held captive in his own shield.

Another way on how to deal with depression is to nurture oneself. In order to fill in the visible emptiness, you have to learn to spice up your life. Spicing up means acting on things you enjoy doing or things that you used to take pleasure on. If learning how to fly on an ultra light plane, engaging in an extreme sport, or expressing your insights though arts would make a difference on how you see things, go for it! This may take some time for you to realize, but if you happen to give these ideas a try, you certainly wouldn’t regret the day you come out of your shell renewed and ready to give life a good kick.

Finally, an outstanding way on how to deal with depression entails proper stress management. Give this a meticulous thought: What are the things that stresses you out, that depresses you? If you’re able to answer this question then you’ve fully identified your stresses. And when you’ve finally recognize the villain/s in your life, you can now formulate a strategy to avoid and fight your stresses especially on moments when they come uninvited.

When everything turned well as planned and your how-to-deal-with-depression strategies work to your side of the coin, ensure that you’re able to keep going until such time that you’re all composed and geared up to any sorts of frustrations, failures and hopelessness to come. Choosing to continuously deal with depression this way, is in itself a major victory.

If you want to read more about ways to deal with depression, more information can be found at our website that is about overcoming depression guide.

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