Breathe Some Life Into Your Life

Relief from anxiety in 19 seconds? A free method for increased energy, improved blood circulation, reduced swelling, and improved complexion? Studies prove that simply learning how to breathe correctly can have these remarkable effects throughout your body.

learn to breatheBreathing correctly can be as powerful as it is simple. The typical person only uses around twenty percent of their lung capacity, but with practice, they can learn how to tap into their lung’s full potential. Sending better oxygen content to all the cells of the body can bring dramatic changes in general health and mood.

Famous health guru, Dr. Andrew Weil, says that if he could only give one tip for better health, it would be to breathe properly. Proper breathing technique is central to the ancient practices of Yoga, Qi Gong, Ayurveda and other meditation disciplines. A clinical study* of thousands of participants over a 30-year period presents convincing evidence that the most significant factor in peak health and long life is how well you breathe.

*You can get the complete Framingham study at the National Institute of Health’s Database. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/.

Breathing correctly is critical in maintaining the level of oxygen for energy, keeping the correct pH levels in the body, and enough carbon dioxide for bodily functions. Healthy people make 93 per cent of their energy aerobically (“in the presence of oxygen,”) but poor breathing habits can reduce the amount of energy made aerobically to 84 per cent. Seventy percent of the elimination of wastes from the body is through breathing.

The good news is that poor breathing habits can be reversed. Among infants, correct breathing comes naturally. Observe a baby as it breathes to see its belly rise and fall with each breath. As we grow older, we are taught to “suck in that gut” and “puff out that chest” as we try to achieve as slim a waist as possible. Such resistance to the natural breathing posture restricts oxygen intake, which can lead to numerous physical as well as emotional problems.

“Bad” Breathing

Shallow “chest breathing” invites problems by delivering less air per breath into the lungs. Less air per breath leads to a higher number of breaths, putting in motion a series of physiological changes that constrict blood vessels. An imbalance between the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the lungs delivers less oxygen to the brain, the heart, and the rest of the body. Carbon dioxide (CO2,) is a vital gas that is produced by the body’s energy source: metabolism. The body’s ability to maintain a normal pH (the balance between acid and alkaline that regulates the body’s chemical reactions) depends on maintaining an adequate supply of CO2.

Too much oxygen and not enough carbon dioxide can create an agitated state. As you learn to exhale slowly, you conserve carbon dioxide and rebalance the system. However, too much carbon dioxide, and not enough oxygen, can create feelings of fatigue and depression. Learning to inhale slowly re-balances your system by taking in more oxygen. In extreme cases, a restricted supply of oxygen can contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, and even phobias. Less productive exhaling can also result in a buildup of toxins that would have been eliminated through breathing.

Stress, anxiety, and emotions all affect our breathing – the natural “fight or flight” response that increases respiration. As “civilized” people, we typically do not ease such state of arousal with immediate physical activity. Once breathing is in an aroused state, the physiological effects on the body remain after the stressful event has gone. Such arousal promotes rapid breathing leading to a metabolic imbalance where CO2 levels are too low and oxygen use is poor. The key element to many meditation disciplines is that breathing technique can affect one’s emotional state as much as one’s emotional state can affect one’s breathing.

“Bad breathing” is also performed through the mouth rather than the nose, especially during exercise or a stressful situation. Breathing through the mouth permits inhaling and exhaling large volumes of air quickly. This can lead to hyperventilation, diminished energy, and a weakening of health and well-being.

“Good” Breathing

It is easy to develop good breathing habits, but it takes practice. Most of us are completely unaware of our breathing – otherwise we would have to remember to inhale over 17,000 times a day! Breathing awareness and practice, or “breathwork,” is an important part of training for athletes, musicians, vocalists, and public speakers.

To achieve normal levels of oxygen and CO2 in your system, you begin by focusing your attention on breath! Your goal is to reduce the number of respirations from a standard of 12 per minute to as few as four per minute – which can be achieved with practice. Deep, slow breathing will feel unnatural to many who first try it and may be uncomfortable to some. After years of shallow “chest breathing,” some have a low CO2 concentration leaving them with a tight chest and malfunctioning diaphragm.

A slow inhale, followed by holding the breath, and concluding with an exhale twice as long as the inhale will help balance the CO2 level. One technique is called “4-7-8 Breathing” in which you inhale to the count of four, hold the breath to the count of seven, and slowly exhale to the count of eight. The slow exhale is key to most forms of breathwork, and critical to achieving stress reduction.

Bad Advice

“Take a deep breath” can be very bad advice to someone who is feeling anxious or is agitated. If such a person begins taking deep breaths, they are likely to experience an even more aroused state. A person prone to anxiety most likely is at or over their optimum CO2 level and needs to slow their respiration more than increase their intake volume through “take a deep breath.”

Such advice can lead to hyperventilation (breathing too fast.) The amount of carbon dioxide in blood generally regulates breathing and a low level of CO2 tends to make the nervous system more excitable. If carbon dioxide is released too rapidly, the arteries and blood vessels constrict and an insufficient supply of oxygen to the cells results, including blood (and oxygen) supply to the brain. Restricting oxygen supply to the brain can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and cause tension, anxiety, and mood swings. Low levels of oxygen in the brain has been associated with depression and other changes in brain waves.

Remembering to Breathe

Learning the proper breathing technique is important – remembering to practice that technique can become even more important. On a typical day, it is easy to become focused on a task (such as the computer or driving) and forget to breathe properly. The tendency is to revert into shallow “chest breathing” when focused. Regularly practicing diaphragmatic breathing, with measured inhale and exhale, and it will become the only breathing you do. But, like anything else, proper breathing is a learned skill and practice is critical.

Getting “lost” at a computer keyboard or within the pages of a good book happens to everyone. You will need a timer or similar alarm to remind you on a regular basis throughout the day to practice this skill. Kitchen timers work well as does a wristwatch alarm or cell phone alarm. As these require resetting and the audible alarm can be embarrassing in some situations, there is a “personal breathing coach” device on the market with a discreet, silent alarm (breathminder.com) that is effective.

 Internet

joggingArticles regarding diaphragmatic breathing abound on the Internet. In addition to the many health benefits achieved through proper breathing technique, there are numerous web sites devoted to breathwork for sports, public speaking, singing, and musical instruments. Many sites incorporate breathwork into practice of meditation as well as natural healing and holistic medicine modalities. Search breathwork, diaphragmatic breathing, or simply healthy breathing to find an extensive array of materials.

Unfortunately, this information is not widespread in today’s medical community. Illness and Pathology, not Wellness, are the priority of most healthcare practitioners. In addition, things that are free and can’t be patented (like breathing) do not attract funding for research, so little finds its way into popular medical journals.

Breathe Some Life Into It

Breathwork is free and you already own the necessary equipment (lungs) so you and you can practice virtually anytime anywhere. You first want to evaluate your current normal breathing pattern, and then learn diaphragmatic breathing skills, and then to pace your breathing. Once you have achieved that level, the “trick” is to remember to practice your breathing and to perform it correctly. With time, these skills become your normal method of breathing and you begin to breathe some life into your life!

 
 

Guest blogger Joel McPherson, MA, HRM runs Breath Minder and Stop Anxiety Atttack Symptoms.

 

 

Five Tips to Survive and Thrive Through a Divorce

Divorce is an unfortunate reality for a lot of people at some point in their lives. While it is generally not considered a good thing, you can not only survive but thrive as you make your way through the divorce process. Here are five tips that will help if you find yourself in this situation.

TIP 1 – Keep Your Perspective – Although the divorce might seem like it is consuming your life while it is ongoing remember that at some point it will just be a part of your past life. So even though it seems enormous right now remind yourself that this feeling is temporary.

Read also: “Resentment is poison“.

TIP 2 – Hire a Good Lawyer and Follow Their Advice – Many people fear hiring a lawyer, thinking that doing so will turn their divorce into a giant battle. If you go to the right lawyer the opposite will happen and they will help you reach a fair and fast conclusion.

TIP 3 – Don’t Start Dating too Quickly – Often people feel (especially if they think their spouse is “leaving them”) that they need to immediately jump back into the dating world to prove that they are still desirable. This can be overwhelming and too much too soon. There is plenty of time to date and it will be a lot more fun after you have had a chance to transition to being single again first. This leads me to Tip #4…

TIP 4 – Let Yourself Grieve, But Don’t Dwell – Give yourself permission to feel bad about it for a little while. It is natural and healthy to grieve when a lifelong commitment doesn’t work out the way you hoped it would. But remember that you only get once chance at this life so you should treasure each day as the gift that it is. If you keep this in mind you will eventually be able to move on, appreciating your marriage for whatever positive you got out of it and then happily move forward into the next phase of your life.

TIP 5 – Take Care of Yourself By Having Some Fun – It might be trite but laughter really is the best medicine, even for a heartache. Find a way to get some laughter and joy into your life. If you have kids, go out of your way to do fun things with them during your with them. If you have hobbies that you enjoy, do them. And if you grew up in the 70’s or 80’s and just need a laugh check out this happy little clouds video.

Follow these tips and you will be able to move onward and upward with your life even through the divorce process.

About the Author

This is a guest post by Scott Morgan is an Austin divorce lawyer with 18 years of experience helping people navigate the divorce process. You can read more about him at the Morgan Law Firm website.

What Smoking has Taught Us and Our Children

 

flickr.com/photos/peagreenchick

Humanity has been smoking filtered tobacco cigarettes since the mid-twentieth century, and we’ve been smoking more primitive variants of the cigarette way before that. Rolling tobacco leaves, lighting them up, sucking in the smoke has been done by the Mayans since the 9th century (they called it a siyar).

Now, we return to the present. The World Health Organization states on their fact page that cancer is the leading cause of death, and lung cancer tops the list as the most prevalent killer, claiming over a million lives per year (1.37 million in 2008). Of course, tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer. Oh, and this isn’t a steady number or percentage. With their data, they predict the death toll to keep rising, doubling present death toll numbers by 2030.

This begs a simple question: why do we do this to ourselves? You’d think over a thousand years of puffing tobacco smoke and seeing the effects from doing it would teach us to stay away from burning that leaf for good. Then again, that’s just one of the many destructive activities humans have been doing since we became “civilized.”

Let’s take a look at what we’ve learned from smoking, so far:

It’s a Hard Habit to Break

The American Heart Association has claimed that nicotine addiction (nicotine is the chemical in tobacco that makes it oh so irresistible) is one of the hardest dependencies to shake off. Add the fact that tobacco companies in America (and possibly everywhere else in the world) are gradually raising the nicotine content in their cigarette products, this just means that more and more people (younger and younger, too) will get hooked.

That makes cigarette companies big-time drug dealers that are bent on making every single human addicted to their merchandise. What’s worse is that they’re totally legit in the eyes of governments.

Diminished Quality and Quantity of Life

It was already mentioned above that smoking is one of the leading causes of lung cancer, and that cancer kills more and more people all over the world (70% from the low and middle class), you could definitely infer from those bits of knowledge that smokers will tend to live shorter, more disease-ridden lives.

I don’t think any amount of YOLO-ing or believing in a sugar candy land afterlife will justify ruining the tail end of your short stay on this planet.

It’s Cool to be Stupid

Chemical addiction aside, we’ve all been exposed to the flimsy lies and flawed logic behind justifying the use of these “cancer sticks.” Still, even with the warnings, studies, and graphic images showing the insides of a dead smoker’s lungs, we puff on. Hey, lots of people are doing it, and important people, to boot. Even doctors smoke, so it can’t be that bad, right?

It’s just too hip a hobby to quit, and the alternatives and substitutes (nicotine patches or gum, e-cigarettes, inhalers, etc.) just aren’t as cool.

We Have a Long Way to Go

Humans aren’t quite the enlightened and wise race of sentients that we purport ourselves to be. We fight amongst each other, covet each other’s resources, and sacrifice the well-being of others to benefit our own agenda. The cigarette industry is a prime example of that. They entice and sell products that basically make their customers worse off. The only benefit they can really impart is that they give pharmaceutical and medical companies some big opportunities for business when the smokers’ bodies become compromised, and are in need of medical attention.

I know we can do better than this. Toss those cancer sticks into the bin, find a good hobby, and take care of your body. As far as I know, you only have one.

About the Author

Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and is currently working with her friends on a blog, Word Baristas.

Finding Your Way: Lessons from my childhood

When I was younger I used to think finding my way was something I was looking for. I would pay close attention to everything insight, because I didn’t want to miss a clue. As an adult I look back in amusement and remember how wise those thoughts truly were, beyond their surface.

Like most children, I believed nursery rhymes were important keys to living life. One of the things I felt to be important was to never step on a crack in the cement sidewalk. I fell for the saying, “if you step on a crack it may break your back.” I justified this by thinking it would help me stay healthy, so I could continue to find my way in life.

Often I would walk behind another person closely, so I could feel how it was to be in someone else’s shoes. I always heard it was important to know that, so I could understand the next person and we all know how important that is in finding our way.

But truly we all know the most important lessen to learn as we grow, is to believe in ourselves so we can learn to believe in others.



Deryo is a singer-songwriter and composer. His blog focuses on positive lessons from everyday life and the joys of music. You can read more at: http://www.deryo.com/blog or http://www.facebook.com/deryo.sho

Indispensable Strategies for Budgeting in a Bad Economy

In a bad economy, many people find themselves in major financial trouble. That’s not just the case with those who lose their jobs. Even people who are gainfully employed can suffer major losses in a bad economy. As a result, everyone can benefit from following a few simple strategies in a bad economy. A handful of the most effective ones are outlined below.

  1. Shop Around for a Better Bank – Switching banks seems like a huge hassle, so many people stay put even when they’re paying exorbitant fees or not enjoying very competitive interest rates. Whether the switch is simple or difficult, it will pay off if it means spending less and getting more. High-yield online savings accounts are especially useful.
  2. Set Basic Goals – When it comes to personal finances, there’s always room for improvement. With that in mind, it’s smart to constantly set new goals. That’s just as true for people who are on shaky financial footing as it is for those who are in better shape. From setting aside money for an emergency fund to paying off a mountain of debt, there are always ways to make things better. Saving up for a major expense like a new house or car is another example.
  3. Pay Less for Essentials – One solid piece of advice during a bad economy is to avoid unnecessary expenses. What about the essentials? For example, car insurance is one thing that every drive must have. As easy as it is to compare vehicle insurance online, there’s no excuse for not shopping around from time to time. Shaving even a tiny amount off of a monthly premium can result in huge savings over the long run.
  4. Opt Out of Junk Mail – Junk mail can be absolutely insidious when it comes to trying to be fiscally responsible. From credit card offers to catalogs filled with the latest gadgets, the opportunities for making major mistakes are rife. Fortunately, there are ways to cut back on junk mail. Opt-out services are available. The Consumer Credit Reporting Industry, for example, maintains a website that allows people to opt out of many types of junk mail. The same process should be used to cut back on tempting marketing emails as well.
  5. Be Diligent about Paying Off Debt – People who already have debt when a bad economy develops should make paying it off a top priority. At least 20 percent of a person’s income should be used for this purpose. Expenses can be cut elsewhere to make this possible.
  6. Save Consistently – After old debt has been paid off, at least 20 percent of a person’s income should be socked away in a savings account. Once again, the best thing to do is to put it into one of the many high-yield savings accounts that are available online.
  7. Monitor Credit Carefully – Every adult in the U.S. is entitled to one free credit report from each credit-reporting agency per year, and everyone should take advantage of it. A single mistake can have very expensive consequences, so it’s important to catch errors as early as possible. It’s even possible to sign up for credit alerts that make it especially easy to nip issues in the bud.

By implementing these simple strategies, anyone can emerge unscathed from a bad economy.

Guest poster Pete Schilling is a writer for AutoInsuranceCenter.com who specializes in personal finance and insurance topics.

 

Thoughts on love

People sometimes wonder how step families work and how they merge together successfully. It can be difficult as there are a lot of emotions involved. But my children have taught me that what makes the most difficult situations work is quite simply love.

Love makes the world go around as they say and in our case love is what makes it possible for our situation to work so well.

My husband has 3 children from his first marriage and we have had two little girls who now are 3 and 5. But despite what you hear of the horror stories about step families and evil step mothers we actually all somehow manage to get along famously.

We don’t all live together all the time though so I guess that makes it a bit different but the 3 children who are 14, 11 and 9 come and stay with us in the school holidays and gosh do my girls absolutely adore them. They roll into town like a carnival, full of stories and endless games. The girls literally count down until they come to visit and get so excited to see them.

READ ALSO: Happy parents limerick

I really love my husband’s children from his first marriage. They are bright, funny and well-mannered and have embraced the girls like a rugby team embracing the quarterback who just won the game. It is so lovely to watch them all together. The care and concern the 3 older children display for the little ones is extraordinary. They all formed a bond very quickly.

I don’t think we could have anticipated how well it would all merge together but thanks to the children really it works. The holidays are filled with boisterous fun as they older children entertain the girls for hours and hours and the girls are lit up like Christmas trees the whole time.

I guess I wanted to share how special I think the bond is between them and that love binds it together. I sometimes think you can read all the books written about how to make these situations work but in this instance the children have shown me that what makes it work is love actually and lots of it. The love they show their little sisters and how much the girls love them is the glue that holds this together and makes it what it is.

Here are 3 lessons that I’ve learnt about being part of a step family:

  1. Accept– Accept that there are lots of dynamics and it won’t always be easy. Every step family is different but it’s unique and it’s yours to love and cherish as it is.
  2. Nurture– Give it lots of nurturing but don’t try to push it too much to “work” or “be perfect”. Everyone is coming in from different places and taking it in so it takes time for everyone to fit together, build and grow into a new situation.
  3. Love– In a complicated situation often the simplest solutions are the best. Showing love, patience and understanding wherever possible is going to be priceless.


Josie loves her big family and knows the truth in the saying ‘love makes the world go around’.

What Can Snatch Away the Job Opportunity from You

In today’s competitive world, gaining your dream job is a greatest thing to achieve. Employers often prefer recruiting candidates who are perfect in each and every thing they do. Thus, the only way to impress and realize the employers that your are the appropriate candidate is to draft an effective and error free resume. Any small mistake in your resume can create a severe drawback and decrease your chances of getting selected. Apart from resume mistakes, candidates are unaware of many other reasons that snatch away their job opportunities. Following are some of the common mistakes made by applicants while applying for a job or going for an interview.

  • Your Social Media Profile: After going through an impressive resume, employers now-a-days go through the candidate’s social media profiles to gain some additional knowledge about the applicant. Thus, make sure you keep your social media profile clean to ensure it doesn’t become a reason for your rejection. Avoid uploading any photos, videos, or information that can snatch away a precious job opportunity from you.
  • Irrelevant Information in Resume: Your resume is the first impression of you in front of the employer. Thus, make sure you draft an effective and error free resume. Your resume must include all the essential information relevant to the applied job position. All the important segments in your resume such as the career objectives, key skills, and experience must provide adequate information to the employer that will help them in judging your eligibility for the applied job position. Including any irrelevant information in your resume will create a bad impression of you making an employer realize that you are unaware of the job profile and are inappropriate candidate for that particular job.
  • Fake Information: Candidates often include fake information in their resume in order to impress the employer and gain their dream job. However, applicants must understand that each and every information in your resume is verified by the employer before they actually call you for the interview. Thus, any fake information in your resume can definitely snatch away a good job opportunity from you.
  • Inappropriate Dress Code: This is another common reason for rejection among the candidates. Many a times, applicants are unaware of the dress code for the interviews and end up wearing casuals. Your dress code is your first impression on the employer when you go for an interview. Thus, an applicant must be well dressed in formal shirt, trouser, and shoes. Wearing a tie would definitely add more effect on your personality.

The above points well help you understand some of the common mistakes made by applicants while applying for a job. Your career is the most important thing in your life. Thus, avoid making any mistakes that would snatch any good job opportunities from you and restrict you from building a bright career.


 


Ana can provide more information on career guidance and help you take your career at top. Visit www.bestsampleresume.com/

 

Do your research before you take out a mortgage

While the housing market has improved slightly since the crisis a few years ago – there’s even been recent suggestions of a bubble in Canada – it can still be a minefield to buyers if they don’t know how it works. To get an idea of what you need, it’s crucial that you do your homework on mortgages. Knowledge is power, and with the right research you will have the best chance of living happily ever after. Here we look at the first steps you need to take ahead of taking out a mortgage.

What can you afford?

It may seem obvious, but with the many houses that will be on the market understanding your limits is key. Properties can make you fall in love at first sight, but know what’s too high. Statistics for June 2011 showed that one in every 583 homes was in the midst of active foreclosure proceedings. With this in mind, speak to smaller lenders and brokers as well as the big banks to see what you are capable of borrowing.

How does the market look?

As commitments go, there aren’t many more worrying than taking out a mortgage. With the possibility for borrowing far more money than your actual salary, whether you’re on a fixed or variable rate there’s a gamble within a mortgage. So, with this in mind, make sure you get expert, impartial advice through your research. People tend to search for rates these days online. Banks are there to be bargained with, they wouldn’t make so much money if this wasn’t true, so don’t just take the first offer on the table.

Lenders: How do they work?

Getting a lender to give you the seal of approval is the most important part of taking out a mortgage, so you need to know what sways their decisions. What happens is that your credit report and application form will be valued and a decision will be made based upon those things. Each lender uses different calculations, and the mortgages are of course different so acceptance can vary. The thing of most importance is your credit health-check.

How to check your credit health

Your credit report is of paramount importance and everything from credit cards, loans and existing mortgages will be taken into consideration. Any other credit will also be looked at along with your repayment history and this is what lenders will use to assess your application. If you have a clean track record of timely repayments, you’ll be held in good stead. Get a check from more than one place and be sure to clear up any inaccuracies that you feel there are within the reports.

Know what mortgage you need

Just like researching the market, knowing what you want and how it will be set out is also important. With this in mind, don’t be scared to ask a lot of questions to get the detailed information you are after. Just be sure that you don’t actually enter the application process because this will work against your actual submission. Remember that putting a bigger down payment on your home, you will be in a better position to find the top rates no matter what mortgage you’re looking into.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a number of steps that you need to take when considering your mortgage and how to find it. Applications for mortgages have shot up to a three-year high according to reports, and it’s certainly a time to be considering taking one out. Follow all these steps and you’ll be well on the way to getting the best mortgage for your needs.

Got Doubt? How to Stay Positive and Overcome Those Doubtful Thoughts

Doubt and business seem to be two words that are never far away. Doubting yourself is so easy to do when working because there is so much pressure. You want to make sure that you do everything correct because having a job is what allows you to pay for the important things in life—a place to live, a future for your child, a car to drive. You want to make sure that your boss likes you and that you are appreciated, so doubt is almost inevitable.

Unfortunately, doubt is something that can seem difficult to shake. Doubt is one reason that someone may feel unhappy, so it’s important that if you feel like you always doubt your decisions you determine three things: Where the doubt comes from in the first place, how to get rid of self-doubt, and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Why Are You Feeling Doubtful?

There are many reasons that a person might let doubt bring him/her down. It is important to understand where your doubt started so that you can better make sure it doesn’t continually take away your happiness. Consider some of the reasons you may feel doubtful below:

  • You try to do too much at once, so you are unprepared.
  • You were/are constantly told that you were/are doing something wrong.
  • You were/are constantly being told that you can’t/couldn’t do something.
  • You are trying to take on a task that you are not qualified to complete.

As you can see, there are really two different types of doubt: One you feel because of someone or something telling you that you can’t do it and the other because you actually cannot complete the project. No matter what the reason or reasons for feeling doubtful, it needs to come to a stop so that you can be happy again!

How to Get Rid of Doubt and Start Being Happy Again

As with any problem, there are different ways to get to the answer. You must determine what is right for you in order to get back to your confident self, and in many cases this will be a few different things:

  1. 1. Make sure you really want to do whatever it is that is making you feel doubtful.

You have to be motivated to complete your task. If you think you feel doubtful because you simply are not qualified to complete a task, then the answer is to stop trying! Do not let someone, even a boss, persuade you to do something that you are not equipped to handle. A challenge is always great, but sometimes a person just flat out does not have the time to learn an entirely new skill. If someone asked me to balance the company checkbook while the accountant is on vacation, I’m going to feel doubtful because I am not qualified for that job. However, if you are really motivated to do something, this is the first step in making sure you kick those doubtful emotions.

  1. 2. Take your time and go at a speed you feel comfortable.

Many people feel doubtful because they are moving too fast. If you’re not sure what’s happening, of course you’re not going to be confident that everything is running smoothly. You want to make sure that you’re completing your task one step at a time. In the long run, this will probably save you time because you will not have to go back and fix mistakes. In the majority of cases, your boss will understand that doing something slowly and correct is better than being quick and sloppy.

  1. 3. Ask for help if you need help.

Confidence often disappears when someone tries to do something alone. If you need help, it’s important to ask for help. Nobody is going to see this as a problem, so it’s important to get over your fear of asking questions. Even if you don’t have a question, just have someone look over your work when you’re finished before you submit it to your boss. It is always easier for someone else to see your mistakes, so take confidence in this.

How to Make Sure You Stay Happy by Overcoming Doubt

The truth is—it can be difficult to always feel confident. Do not get discouraged if sometimes you feel doubtful, but rather do what you can to remain happy. After all, feeling doubtful about feeling doubtful is not going to solve your problem! You want to make sure that you ask questions, take your time, and make sure you have the right motivation for the task at hand. Try and surround yourself with people that make you feel confident, and lean on them if things get stressful and overwhelming.

Have you ever felt doubtful at work and let it affect your overall happiness? What did you do to solve the problem?

Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to background checks. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including phone systems to small businesses and entrepreneurs for a lead generation company, Resource Nation.