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Is your union secure, and you feel that you will never fall out of love? Don’t be so sure that you and your partner are solid. You’ve probably heard that 50 percent of all marriages in this country end in divorce.

The American Psychological Association backs up this statistic. Breaking up is hard to do, yet sadly many couples don’t make it beyond the five-year mark. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to tell if you and your significant other will fall out of love long before it happens?

Thankfully, there are ways to tell if your relationship will last. You can examine things like your communication skills, bedroom habits, and how often you argue as indicators if you will make it for the long haul.

Here are thirteen signs that point to a rocky relationship that might not make it to forever.

1. You Take Your Anger Out on Each Other

Did you know that when you love someone, you are more likely to take your anger out on them? The key is that you interact more with your partner than you do anyone else, so it’s only natural to take out some of your frustrations on them. A study conducted in 2014 showed that this aggression is harmful to a relationship, and it pushes your lover away rather than bringing them closer to you.

2. There’s No Gratitude

Do you appreciate it when your partner spends the whole day cleaning and making a home-cooked meal for you? You should always pay attention to the smallest of things, and make sure you thank them for their efforts. Did you know that when you take a partner for granted, you undermine your relationship?

When you forget to say how thankful you are for their efforts, then you can compromise the physical and emotional health of the relationship. Gratitude should always be a part of your love language.

3. You Try to Change Each Other

One of the easiest ways to fall out of love is when a person won’t align with your perfect idea of a mate. Did you get together with your partner in the hopes that they would become someone else? Having a long-term relationship with someone who you want to change is never going to work.

Have you ever heard the old saying that a tiger doesn’t change their stripes? It’s because they can’t change who and what they are to appease you. Sure, some natural changes occur when you’re in love, but don’t expect to make them an entirely new person to fill your needs as it won’t work.

4. You Forgive, But You Don’t Forget

Every relationship has issues that require you to ask for forgiveness. While you forgive your partner, you must also forget the matter. Now, your brain can’t forget, but you can’t bring up the previous issues every time they make you mad in the future.

When one person is keeping score of the other’s wrongdoings, it sets a negative relationship dynamic. Part of loving and forgiving your spouse means that you release the issue and don’t use it to browbeat your partner with in the future.

5. There Are Trust Issues

When there are trust issues in a union, it makes for a rocky relationship. Sure, trust is not an easy thing to build, mostly if you’ve been burnt in the past. However, you must have a little faith in the person you are with if you want to grow old together.

When the foundation of your relationship is shaky from mistrust, then you can ensure that there will be physical and emotional problems with your union. At one point, you can almost guarantee that your partner will become tired of the trust issues and walk.

6. The Relationship is Full of Secrets

Do you have secrets that you keep from your partner? When you’re in a long-term relationship, it’s no fun to keep secrets. Sadly, many secrets cause you to lie.

When a partner tells the other that you can’t handle the truth, then they are saying that they don’t trust you with everything. Secrets in a relationship are one sure way to fall out of love.

7. There is No Compromise

What fun is a relationship if you never get any say? If you pick the restaurant this week, then your partner should get to choose next time. When one person dominates the union and makes all the decisions, it’s hard for the other person to feel important. Relationships are all about give and take, and compromise is essential.

8. You’re Not on The Same Page

For a relationship to be successful, you must both be going in the same direction. While you may think that love conquers all, it doesn’t. You must agree on the fundamentals, like if you want kids, saving money, and where you will live.

It’s easy to fall out of love when your goals don’t align. The differences between you and your spouse may start as a small annoyance, but they can fester into a significant wedge if allowed.

9. You Won’t Take Any Blame

Remember, as a kid, when nothing was ever your fault? You would always point your finger at your sibling or a friend to keep from getting into trouble. Sadly, this behavior can carry on with you into adulthood, causing you all kinds of problems.

You are not perfect, and your spouse can’t expect that you will be. However, it would help if you took your share of the blame with household and relationship issues. Let’s assume that you go over your grocery budget by $500 this month.

Rather than putting all the blame on your spouse, you must also take your part in the responsibility. Even if your partner does all the grocery shopping and cooking, you still have a hand in the matter. It may be that they need help with this aspect and rely on fast food and fancy eateries to cope with a lack of time.

Since groceries and eating is something you both enjoy, you must equally take responsibility in matters such as this one. Don’t be so eager to blame shift, or it’s one of the signs that you will fall out of love.

10. There Are Unrealistic Standards

Humans make mistakes, as no one is perfect. Your spouse is doing the best they can, but they are not infallible. If you expect your partner to be 100 percent perfect all the time, then you have unrealistic expectations.

When one person has such high requirements of the other one, it’s easy to become frustrated. Your partner will think that they can never please you, and you will feel that your partner doesn’t measure up. Stop playing the judge and quit expecting perfection.

11. You See Your Partner as Inferior

Relationships, where one person elevates their worth above the other is a recipe for disaster. When you have contempt for your significant other, it’s a telltale sign that divorce is looming. Do you continuously criticize what they do, show disrespect, are defensive, and stonewall them?

These are all indications that there is a deep rift in the union. A study in 2010 found that when one party shows content for the other, then it’s the “kiss of death” in a relationship.

12. Your Emotions Share No Similarity

Everyone has different emotions, but it can complicate things when conflict arises. If one person cries when they feel rage while the other hardly sheds a tear, it can be hard to be on the same page. Your emotional ranges don’t have to be the same, but they need to complement the other one.

For instance, if one person tends to shout and call names when you’re arguing, it can make the timid person who would never say anything wrong about you feel awful. You should have emotional similarities, or the imbalance can cause you to fall out of love.

13. You Stop Going on Dates

It takes a lot of hard work to keep a relationship alive, and it’s easy to fall into old routines. Once you commit to living together, you must try hard to make sure that romance doesn’t become automatic. Most couples waste their time on mundane tasks like grocery shopping, paying bills, or working.

However, everyday life can be far from romantic or exciting. You must make a special effort to ensure that you still do all those little things to keep the spark alive. Take your partner to the movies or out to a nice dinner.

You must put as much work into your relationship to keep your spouse as you did to attract them. Yes, you must still go on dates, even if you’ve been together for 20 years.

Final Thoughts on Recognizing the Traps That Cause Couples to Fall Out of Love

Do you see things on this list that show that you are in a rocky relationship? You can alter the course of your union by making some changes now. If you can’t seem to get on the same page with your partnership, then ask a counselor to help you sort things out.

It’s easy to fall out of love when massive issues make everyday life together challenging. So, if these issues exist, then you must work hard to alter then for the sake of your relationship.

Negativity is toxic for many reasons: 1) it destroys your mental health, 2) it can actually make you physically sick, and 3) it just brings the mood down for everyone else around you. Negativity just can’t exist if you want to create a positive life. That doesn’t mean you can never have a bad thought, but for the most part, concentrating on the positives in life helps you attract more of the same. If you only focus on everything going wrong, you miss out on the beauty right in front of you.

Many people wonder how to find this elusive happiness that everyone talks about. It doesn’t actually exist tangibly, so this means it comes from our own minds. Therefore, we can feel happy whenever we choose because we get to control our emotions. With that said, this doesn’t mean that feeling good all the time happens overnight. It takes practice to train your mind to see the good in bad situations and circumstances.

Below, we’ll talk a little more about why negativity is toxic, and how you can engage in positive thinking to turn things around.

Science proves that negativity is toxic

“You can’t litter negativity everywhere and then wonder why you’ve got a trashy life.” – Unknown

If you’ve ever been around someone at work or school who just seems down in the dumps all the time, you know how it can affect everyone around them. In a work setting, it brings down the mood of the whole team because people can feel that energy. Just as positivity is contagious, negative moods are as well. You might think that negative moods or thoughts don’t really cause harm, but science proves otherwise.

Negativity is toxic because it can cause mental health problems.

Just as positive thinking can promote a healthy mindset, negative thoughts can do the opposite. When you constantly entertain negativity, you start to seek out experiences and people that reflect your mindset. The quote from Buddha that says “What you think, you become” very much applies here. Everything in life comes down to your mindset and the way you approach obstacles.

As they say, it doesn’t matter so much about the situation you face. Instead, it’s the attitude you have about your circumstances. A positive attitude can help you overcome any challenges. But negativity tends to drain your energy, rendering you powerless and stagnant. Studies have shown that a negative disposition can actually cause some of the world’s most common mental illnesses, like anxiety and depression. In fact, a U.K. study of more than 30,000 people, the largest of its kind, found that traumatic life events played more of a role in mental illness than even genetics or life circumstances.

The study

“Whilst we know that a person’s genetics and life circumstances contribute to mental health problems, the results of this study showed that traumatic life events are the main reason people suffer from anxiety and depression. However, the way a person thinks about and deals with, stressful events is as much an indicator of the level of stress and anxiety they feel,” said lead researcher Peter Kinderman, Head of the Institute of Psychology, Health, and Society.

So, now that you know that ruminating about the past is the main predictor of mental illness, perhaps this can offer some perspective. We often look at past experiences as a way to define ourselves, but really, they’re just stories. The things that happened to us may have shaped our character, but they don’t have to negatively affect our life moving forward.

Remaining in the present moment helps clear the chatter from your mind and keeps you focused on all the wonderful stories you can create right now. Negativity is toxic because it destroys your inner peace and takes away your strength, so try to choose positive thinking instead.

Negativity is toxic because it can harm your physical health.

It is well-documented that a negative mindset can actually cause physical health problems. Most people think negativity only affects the mind. Additionally, chronically sour moods can increase cortisol levels, which leads to all sorts of diseases. A passing negative mood probably won’t cause much harm, but making it a permanent part of your disposition can lead to problems.

Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D., science director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, said in an article on Health.com: “Many negative emotions such as anger, fear, and frustration become problematic when those emotions turn into a more permanent disposition or a habitual outlook on the world.” Some studies have shown exactly what can happen to our bodies when we maintain this habit of worry, anxiety, and stress for years on end.

The study

A 2014 study published in the journal Neurology linked high levels of cynicism later in life, i.e. a general distrust and skepticism of people, to a greater risk of dementia compared to those with a more trusting attitude. This remained true even after accounting for lifestyle factors such as smoking, age, sex, and heart health markers. Speaking of the heart, a negative outlook may affect it as well.

A 2009 study from the journal Circulation looked at data from nearly 100,000 women and found that the risk of heart disease increased in the most cynical patients. The more pessimistic women also had a higher chance of dying over the study period in comparison to those with a more optimistic outlook.

“We know that neural pathways are changing every minute of your entire life and that your brain is generating new cells throughout your life. And this neurogenesis is not only associated with the formation of new memories, but with mood stability, as well,” said Simon-Thomas.

She went on to say, “We can be deliberate about shifting our habits of feeling and thinking in the world.”

So, not only does negative thinking cause mental health problems, but it can wreak havoc on your body as well. Plus, being around negative people just brings down the mood of everyone in the surrounding area.

Negativity is toxic because it can affect other people.

In general, people don’t want to hang out with others who constantly complain or engage in negative thinking. Bad moods can easily infect everyone in a workplace or school environment, causing discord and poor morale. Of course, no one can feel happy all the time, but in general, it helps everyone when the overall mood remains positive.

If you struggle with this, it helps to block out everything except the present moment, and focus on the task at hand. You may not always feel like being at work or school, but positive thinking and staying mindful can help smooth out any tension you feel.

Now that we’ve talked about how negativity can harm your mental, physical, and emotional well-being, let’s discuss how to combat this toxic frame of mind.

How to boost positivity:

Positive thinking doesn’t always come easily, but in time, you can make it a habit instead of having to force it. Below, we’ll list a few ways that you can bring more positivity into your life.

• Keep a positive circle of friends. They say you are the five people you hang around the most. So make sure you enjoy the people you spend time with. Try to seek out friendships with people who have qualities you admire or wish to have yourself. Being around negative people will only bring you down. Therefore, try to distance yourself from those who engage in these types of attitudes.
• Recite positive affirmations or mantras every day. You can either keep sticky notes on your mirror with positive sayings or write them in a journal. Be sure you read them aloud each day. A positive mindset starts with what you feed to your brain; just like you nourish your body with wholesome foods, you have to take care of your mind as well.
• Challenge negative thinking. No one in this world can say they’ve never had a negative thought about themselves. It’s just a part of being human. However, you don’t have to agree with what your mind tells you. When a negative thought creeps into your mind, simply acknowledge it and then choose to focus on something else.

Final thoughts about how science proves that negativity is toxic

Negative thinking patterns such as rumination and overreacting can cause mental and physical health problems. It can also destroy other people’s moods and morale in a work environment. You may not think negative moods can really have that much of an impact. But science shows the harm in long-term pessimistic mindsets.

Studies prove that chronic pessimism can lead to heart problems, dementia, and mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. If you want to increase your chances of living a long, healthy life, make sure to engage in positive thinking. Recite positive affirmations, challenge your negative thoughts, and keep yourself motivated by surrounding yourself with positive people. Just remember, a positive attitude can make even the worst situation seem like a walk in the park!

Do you consider yourself a mover and a shaker? Does your natural sense of inner-drive and tenacity make you focused on what you want in life? Or perhaps a lack of motivation keeps your dreams slightly out of reach.

Remember that you are human, and nobody stays motivated 100 percent of the time. If you are working on a project or your life’s goals, you need some staying power.

These Fifteen Habits Might Point to a Lack of Motivation

Here are fifteen habits that could indicate a lack of motivation and how to fix them.

1. Procrastinating

Does chronic procrastinating stand in the way of accomplishing great things in life? It’s like any other bad habit that needs nipped in the bud and replaced with good habits. You can overcome procrastination with time and self-discipline.

One of the main reasons you may procrastinate is that you look at the big picture, which intimidates you. So, you decide you don’t want to do anything. Instead, break the goal into smaller tasks that are manageable. As you accomplish each mission, you’ll get the confidence to continue until you complete your plan.

2. Does Not Accept Challenges

Boredom is the enemy of success, and it’s an easy trap you can fall into without realizing it. Do you feel a satisfying challenge each day, or do you feel like nothing changes? Perhaps you are afraid to accept a challenge and step out of your comfort zone.

Before you can grow physically, mentally, and spiritually, you need to evaluate your current conditions and attitudes. If you don’t, your life will stagnate, and you’ll never reach success. A person who does not accept challenges can’t grow.

3. Fails to Self-Educate

Learning and education don’t end after you graduate from high school and college. It’s a life-long process that maintains your memory and cognitive functions. When you lack motivation, learning new concepts and different ways to do things may not be as important.

If you want something harmful enough, are you willing to work and study it all you can? What if you’ve always dreamed of owning your own business. How motivated are you to research starting a business from scratch and marketing your skills or products?

When you are determined to educate yourself on the necessary steps to achieve your goals, a lack of motivation won’t be a problem. If it’s learning a new skill or discovering better ways to complete tasks, self-education can give you the empowerment you need. Refuse to be the person who fails to self-educate.

4. Sets Non-specific Goals

Remember when you were in high school, and your parents and teachers asked you what your life goals were? Maybe you had a few specific ideas, but most of your plans were vague since young people have difficulty seeing that far ahead. As an adult, not having a solid plan can result in a lack of motivation and an unsure future.

Brainstorming is an ideal way to list all your goals and clarify them. In comparison, you may be optimistic about what you want in the next five years, the steps you need to take maybe hazy. Break each goal down into small, precise steps, and your path to success will be more apparent.

5. Defeated Posture

Have you ever seen marathon runners poised at the starting line? As they anticipate the whistle, their posture shows that they are confident and determined to win the race. For these athletes, the race is first won in their minds, and it matters how they carry themselves.

What does your posture say about your inner drive? When you have a lack of motivation, your posture has a depressive nature, and your whole body is slumped. Your head low, and you may appear to be moving in slow motion.

Be like the marathon runner and use the posture of a winner. Keep your back straight, shoulders back, and your head up. When you practice good posture, your body feels better, and you feel like doing more. People will also look at you and assume you are a self-confident person who knows what you want.

6. Low Expectations

It must have been a sad person who recommended always to expect the worst, so you can be surprised if the outcome is positive. How can you achieve your goals if you don’t even believe it can be done? If you have low expectations of what you can do, that’s probably what you’ll get.

When you are working on a project or goal, expect the best results. Don’t lower your standards because of fear that you’ll fail. Maintain a positive attitude and see what happens.

7. Feeling Overwhelmed

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you look at a project as a whole and not in small parts. When you feel frustrated, you often want to throw up your hands and quit. How do you keep focused?

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, stand back for a bit. See how you can break your project into smaller ones and build on each success. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it.

8. No Motivational Habits

What is your motivation style? Are you a thinker or a doer? If you don’t have any motivational habits, you can’t accomplish anything.

Cultivate good motivational habits, like setting goals and follow-through. If you are weak in one area, see how you can work to make it stronger. Consider what you did in the past to finish a project successfully, and you should utilize those skills to make future endeavors a success too.

9. Low Self-Esteem

When you allow negative attitudes to control your mind, it affects your self-esteem. If you don’t believe in yourself, then who will? It’s challenging to motivate yourself to try harder if you lack confidence in your abilities.

Identify self-defeating thoughts, and don’t allow them to crush your esteem. Be your cheerleader, and you must adopt a can-do attitude. You may be surprised at what you can accomplish.

10. Never Taking Responsibility

Are you the kind of person who will never admit blame, even when you know it’s deserved? To be successful, you must take responsibility when you drop the ball. Blaming others for your shortcomings will only hurt you in the long run.

When it comes to your personal goals, the buck stops at your doorstep. Learn to admit mistakes and learn from them. You will get more respect from others and for yourself.

11. Displays a Negative Attitude

Some people are like Eeyore, the sad-sack little donkey from the classic Pooh stories. No matter how good things are going, they will complain anyway. It’s almost like a dark storm cloud that follows them and fills the atmosphere with gloom and doom. Does that sound familiar?

Having a positive outlook is just as easy as being negative. Refuse to let a negative attitude sway you from your goals. Try to keep focused on the positive things you’ve accomplished and build on them.

12. Use Lack of Motivation as a Label

One of the worst excuses for a lack of motivation is to accept it as part of your personality. Are you going to give yourself a negative label and let your dreams fall through your fingers? It’s time to rip off that self-defeating label and bring on a new one.

Instead of accepting failure, hold yourself accountable to accomplish your plans or projects one step at a time. Do you have difficulties staying focused? Have your mate, a trusted friend, or family member be your go-to support.

13. Fear of Failure

Think of all the great American inventors throughout history, like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, or Alexander Graham Bell. Do you think they got everything right on the first try? What would our world be like if these brilliant minds would have given up because they were afraid of failure?

Do you lack motivation because you are afraid of being labeled a failure? The only true failure would come from not trying at all. Take a lesson from successful people around the world who had their share of failures before realizing their dreams.

14. Unhealthy Lifestyle

When you don’t feel well most of the time, it stands to reason that you would lack motivation. A poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc on your physical and mental well-being. It can lead to debilitating diseases or contribute to premature death.

If you want the energy and stability to realize your dreams, you need a healthy body. Talk to your primary healthcare provider about a diet and exercise regimen that is best for you. A healthy lifestyle may prolong your life so you can do more of what you’ve always wanted.

15. Lack of Patience

Today’s world is founded on instant gratification. When you go through a fast-food drive-thru, dial your phone, or log onto the Internet, you expect results. Making goals for your future doesn’t work like that.

Have you ever noticed that when you fumble through something to get it done, you never get the results you wanted? Impatience can put a damper on your goals and make you give up in frustration.

Patience is a virtue worth having, especially when it comes to being motivated. Using a timeline for your goals can help you stay focused. Keep in mind that things can always change, and you must be flexible and patient for long-term success.

Final Thoughts on Identifying a Lack of Motivation–and Striving to Overcome the Challenge

When you are determined to succeed, lack of motivation won’t be an issue. People can inspire you to some degree, but you are responsible for your hopes and dreams. Once you identify that keeping on track is an issue, you can address it head-on and overcome it. So stay motivated, work hard, and you will see the results.

Surprisingly, sending text messages to your partner can help strengthen your relationship. When they know you are thinking of them, it’ll deepen your connection and let them know you are supportive. Even if you think your partner knows how you feel about them, they still need to hear it. They’ll appreciate the thought, and it’ll make their feelings for you more substantial, too.

While sending text messages can strengthen your relationship, it can harm the relationship if not done correctly. Sending sweet text messages to let your partner know you are thinking of them is perfect. On the other hand, you shouldn’t use text messages to:

-apologize

-discuss important issues

-make decisions

-send too many text messages without getting anything in return

Text Messages to Send to Strengthen Your Relationship

Every relationship needs consistent work to strengthen your relationship. New relationships require work to build and maintain the bond that is developing. Send these text messages to strengthen your relationship and show them how supportive you are and how much you care.

1. “Good morning! I woke up thinking of you, and I still can’t stop.”

When your partner knows you’re thinking of them first thing in the morning, it’ll make them feel good. They’ll see that they are essential to you and that you want them to know it. Plus, it will make them think of you, too, and they’ll be looking forward to spending time with you.

2. “I can’t focus on anything else today because I can’t stop thinking about you.”

When you can’t stop thinking of someone, let them know. Better yet, if they are making you distracted, let them know that, too. They will be flattered that you are thinking of them so much, and it will make your relationship stronger.

3. “Good night, my love. I’ll be thinking of you while I drift asleep tonight.”

Telling your partner that you’re thinking of them before falling asleep is sure to strengthen your bond. It’s a sign that you want to be more serious and that you aren’t thinking of anyone else. When they receive that text message at night, they’ll likely spend their night thinking of you, too.

4. “I am so proud to have you in my life. You’re an inspiration, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for our future together. You amaze me.”

When your partner knows you are supportive and proud of them, they’ll love you even more. You should always praise your partner’s achievements and efforts. Plus, you should always let them know that you are impressed by them.

5. “You make me a better person. I love who I am when I’m with you.”

Spending time with the right person can make you strive to be better. Without even realizing it, you will be the person you want to be when you are with them. Let your significant other know this, and you may find out they feel the same way about you.

6. “I woke up thinking it was going to be a bad day, but then I remembered that I get to see you later. I can’t wait for that moment.”

Reaching out to someone you love is the best way to make a bad day better. Thinking about spending time with them later will make it even better. If you let them know this, they’ll feel giddy and excited about seeing you, too.

7. “I still get butterflies when I think about you. You’re on my mind all day, and I am so grateful that you are mine.”

If you let your partner know you still get butterflies when you think about them, they’ll be happier, too. Since these feelings tend to wear off, they’ll appreciate knowing you still feel excited about being with them.

8. “I feel at home when I’m with you, and right now, I’m missing home. I can’t wait to cuddle and spend some time together.”

When you feel at home with someone, you know you’ve found something special. They’ll know it, too, as long as you communicate those feelings with them. It’s a sweet and romantic text to send, and they’ll be looking forward to the time together, too.

9. “I never knew I could love someone as much as I love you. Thank you for coming into my life and choosing to stay here. You mean so much to me.”

Those who haven’t found the right person may not realize how strong that love will be. Once you know it, however, make sure to keep that person around. Let them know you are appreciative of your time together and let them know how special they are.

10. “I can’t stop thinking about your smile, and that look you get in your eyes. I’m fascinated by you, and I spend all my time looking forward to seeing you again.”

Pointing out the things you love about your partner is sure to strengthen your relationship. They will learn to love those things about themselves, too, if they know that you do. Never underestimate the power of flattery with someone you love.

11. “I want to know everything there is to know about you. All of your secrets, thoughts, and memories. Mostly, I want to listen to your voice as your eyes light up while you tell me.”

Wanting to know the deepest secrets of someone means you want a stronger relationship. You have likely already realized it, and your partner will recognize it after receiving this text. It will give them a good feeling all day, and they’ll look forward to sharing.

They’ll want you to share your secrets, memories, and thoughts, too. This will give you a stronger bond and bring more meaning to the relationship.

12. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. Can I see you tonight?”

Letting your partner know you have been thinking of them will make them excited and happy. Then, letting them know you hope to see them that day will make it even better. They’ll be excited to make plans and spend the rest of their day looking forward to it.

13. “Because of you, my life is amazing. I’m so proud of all you have accomplished, and I’m thankful for what you do. I’ll support anything you do in the future because I want to be there for it all. I love you.”

Always let your loved ones know when you are proud of them. They’ll see that you are supportive and caring. Plus, if you let them know you are thankful, too, they’ll feel even better about the relationship.

By telling them that you look forward to being by their side in the future, they’ll know you’re genuinely invested. This will help them open up to you, ensuring the strengthening of your relationship.

14. “I can’t stay away from you. My life seems perfect when you’re around.”

When you can’t stay away from someone, and you’re happy to be there, let them know. Letting your loved one know how special they are to you will deepen the relationship you have. Never keep these feelings to yourself if you want to see the relationship grow.

15. “I don’t know a lot about life, but I do know I never want to let you go.”

There are so many unknowns in life, and pretending to know everything doesn’t help. When you admit you have faults and don’t know everything, your partner is more likely to believe you. So, when you follow it up with not wanting to let them go, they’ll believe it.

16. “You deserve everything you want in life, and I want to make sure you get it. I’ll spend my time making sure you’re happy.”

When someone knows you want to do anything in your power to bring them happiness, they’ll be more trusting. This will allow them to open up more quickly and come to you for comfort.

17. “Thank you for being so good to me. I’m glad you are in my life.”

Always thank someone for being good to you and making you happy. Show your appreciation for them, and they’ll be sure to love you more.

18. “I keep thinking about the fun we have together. You always make me appreciate life more. I had the best time, and I can’t wait to do it again.”

Bringing up positive memories from the past can help strengthen your relationship. It’ll bring back those happy feelings and make them want to experience it again.

19. “I’m so lucky to have you. I don’t say it enough, but I appreciate you more than you know.”

As stated before, letting your loved one know that you appreciate them is beneficial to your relationship. When they see that you feel lucky, they will feel blessed, too, knowing they have someone so thoughtful.

20. “I can’t help but smile all day, thinking about how happy you make me. Spending time with you is the best part of my day.”

When your partner knows how happy you are to be with them, they’ll feel the love. Let them know you enjoy spending time with them and that they are important to you.

Final Thoughts on Text Messages to Send to Strengthen Your Relationship

Remember to let your partner know when you are thinking of them. Tell them your deepest feelings, and make sure they know how special they are to you. Studies show that communicating in intimate ways is essential to building a healthy relationship. These types of text messages can allow you to communicate more effectively. When you can read and edit before you hit send, you’ll be sure to send the right message.

Change is inevitable. It can be frightening, it can be sought after, and it can even be so subtle that it goes unnoticed, but one thing remains constant: change is always happening all around you.

If you’re looking to change aspects of your life for the better, you’ve probably found that it’s much easier said than done. Luckily, with the right habits, you can take steps towards improving yourself and enacting change in yourself in the best ways possible. Here are seven simple ways to change how you think and live.

1.    Don’t Dwell On Regrets

Regrets are a part of life. It’s normal to experience some degree of remorse over past actions, missed opportunities, and bad decisions. But that outcome does not mean you should dwell upon your regrets and let them consume you. According to research, there are six familiar sources of regrets:

• Career
• Education
• Leisure
• Parenting
• Romance
• Self

Be aware–your mind may automatically fall to these regrets if you have any within these subjects. You must learn to work past these feelings if they exist. Speak to a therapist or similar mental health professional about working through feelings of regret. You’re more energetic when you learn from them without letting them weigh you down.

2.    Learn To Reflect By Asking Why

Self-reflection is an indispensable tool for those seeking to impart positive change in their lives and thoughts. When something happens that you feel could have gone better or that you know went badly, pause and dig deep into yourself. Why did this happen? Some questions you can ask yourself are:

• Why does this situation bother me?
• Why did their actions hurt me so much?
• Do I have difficulty with this task or circumstance?
• Where are these emotions stemming from?
• Why did I have such a strong reaction to that situation?
• How can I prevent a lousy reaction next time?
• Could I have avoided this?
• How could I have aided the situation?

These questions encourage you to look inward and find answers that exist in your subconscious. They allow you to think, hard, about your actions and thoughts and where they come from, thus allowing you to begin making changes to prevent repeats of the same incident.

Don’t forget. You can also self-reflect when good things happen! To self-reflect on the positive, ask yourself these questions:

• What led to my success?
• What motivated me to reach this achievement?
• How did I feel when I was in that favorable situation?
• How can I replicate this again in the future?

3.    Learn To Love Learning

School systems can make us learn to dislike the process of learning and gaining knowledge. But without all the confines of those rules from your school days, you can, instead, begin to learn on your terms. This new habit can be a lot of fun and is a great way to sharpen your mind and gain the knowledge you need to change how you live and think.

But where do you begin? How can you start learning and enjoying the process? Here are some ideas:

• Read more books
• Watch informational documentaries or videos.
• Take a class in an exciting subject.
• Start learning a new hobby.
• Learn from friends or mentors

4.    Use Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are powerful tools. They are often used as mantras to be repeated to oneself every morning in the mirror before work, school, or other responsibilities. These affirmations have a fantastic effect on positive thinking, allowing you to slowly fake it till you make it, growing to believe in yourself more and more in the process.

Think about the kind of change you want to see in your life. Then, pick a confident, specific, and forceful statement that moves you towards your goals by affirming that you are the person you wish to be. Finally, repeat this statement for at least ten minutes, once a day:

• I am strong enough to overcome all odds.
• My intelligence makes me a valuable worker.
• I maintain healthy relationships with my friends.
• My efforts bring fruit.
• I am smart, beautiful, and valued.

When making your affirmations, try not to make these mistakes:

Using The Words “Will” or “Shall.” These words put your success permanently in your future and never in your present. Stick to terms in the present tense.

·         Putting Anything Negative In Them

Don’t make your affirmations negative, even when the overall message is still right. For example, instead of saying, “I am not harmed by adversity,” say, “I overcome adversity.” It doesn’t seem like much, but that negative spin can affect your chances.

·         Giving Up

At first, you will feel silly saying your positive affirmation. That’s normal, and it may take a while before you don’t feel weird repeating them. The goal here is a fake it till you make it type of deal. The more you say these words to yourself, the more you will believe them, and soon when you tell them, you’ll know you’re speaking the truth.

5.    Focus On Your Goals

Goals are what motivate you. They’re what you strive towards, against all the odds. When you turn your attention to them, you give power to yourself to change to meet them.

Of course, additional problems can arise if you don’t set goals in a positive or helpful way. Luckily, there are a wealth of tried and true scientific methods to ensure that you set goals correctly. Here are some actionable tips that could be helpful:

·         Set Goals You Can Hold Yourself Accountable For

Vagueness is a death sentence for goals. Only set goals that you can actively hold yourself accountable for. To do so, make goals that have definite deadlines, have specific requirements, and can be easily kept track of.

·         Make A Motivational Board

Goals are often intangible. You can’t really touch them or even view them directly on a daily basis; they exist only in your mind. A motivational board, also known as a dream board, can give your goals some physical substance to hold onto. Stick pictures, articles, handwritten goal lists, and similar items onto your motivational board and look at it every day. You’re manifesting your goals into a physical form, and that can be very powerful.

·         Be Flexible

A lot of people are a bit too steadfast with their goals. Yes, perseverance is a beautiful thing, but that doesn’t mean you have to set your goals in stone. If situations surrounding your life change, your goals can change with them. There’s no shame in needing to make changes to goals depending on your abilities or circumstances. In fact, that’s part of the best method to set goals in the first place! So be flexible.

·         Make Sure You Feel Challenged

Goals aren’t worth much if you don’t feel like they’re actually challenging you. Too-easy goals will make you become complacent, and your progress will stagnate or, at best, you’ll achieve a goal that won’t actually be that significant. Make sure your goals are challenging and challenging – but not impossible or too tough – to attain!

6.    Be Grateful

A little gratitude goes a long way. Research proves that being grateful can improve social interactions, boost positive thinking, and reduce the risk of developing symptoms of depression.

Still, sometimes, it’s hard to feel grateful, and you may get caught up in the downsides of life. If that applies to you, never fear! Here are a few tips for being grateful in your everyday life:

·         Appreciate What You Have

Every day, stop and take stock of all things you have in life that you appreciate. This list can range from something as simple as a roof over your head and having a job to more complex situations, like your witty personality, sharp thinking skills, or the strength you have to overcome difficulties. If you like, you can even keep a gratitude journal, where you write three things you’re grateful for each day.

·         Learn To Move Your Thought Patterns To Gratitude

It’s natural for many people to take notice of the bad in their lives before even beginning to notice the good. This is often because the positive parts of life can be quite constant and quickly are taken for granted, while negative things impede areas of life and draw your attention and annoyance. The next time something bad happens, stop. Then, engage in a deep breath and shift your thoughts to blessings and little things that bring you joy. You’ll find plenty of wonderful things you may have been overlooking!

·         Savor Your Successes

A lot of us don’t take a good amount of time to celebrate our successes and achievements. Don’t make this mistake. There’s nothing wrong with giving yourself credit or celebrating a little when you achieve a goal or find success. Cement this victory in your mind and remember that feeling of joy, excitement, and fulfillment. This is a win that you should remember and look back on, so you appreciate your achievements and how far you’ve come.

7.    Accept Who You Are

Here’s the truth of the matter: there is only one person who can change how you think and live, and that person is you. The irony of it all is that you can’t change yourself if you don’t like yourself first. Yes, really!

Why is this the case? Well, if you don’t love yourself, you won’t be able to work towards improvement in the way that you want to. Think about it – do you want to help people you don’t like? The same concept applies to yourself. You’re not going to want to help yourself to the true best extent of your abilities if you dislike who you are as a person.

It can be difficult to accept yourself, but here are some ideas for how to begin working on it:

• Practice regular self-care
• Admire yourself in the mirror
• Give yourself treats now and then.
• Repeat positive mantras
• Appreciate the person that you are

Final Thoughts On Some Simple Ways To Change How You Think And Live

It’s certainly not easy to enact big changes in your life. The way you think can be so ingrained in you that you struggle to overcome it. But by following these seven simple ways to change how you think and live, you will, slowly but surely, find methods that work for you. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help from loved ones or mental health professionals if you need it!

Do you feel like you have a toxic family? You can pick your friends, but when it comes to your relatives, you have no choice in the matter. There are many family members both near and far that have qualities that you don’t like, and it’s not always easy to deal with them.

However, what about the family that you live and communicate with daily? Every family goes through certain seasons where things are rough, and dealing with these each other at these times can be overwhelming. You will experience bumps in the road, such as financial difficulties, job losses, and medical problems, but outside frustrations don’t equal a toxic dynamic.

How do you know if your family’s relationship is toxic or if the complications you face were brought on by circumstantial problems that will eventually even out? Here are some classic signs that your family puts the fun in dysfunctional.

7 Ways to Identify and Overcome a Toxic Family Dynamic

Here are seven red flags that signal a toxic family relationship that might exist.

1. Punishment and Discipline Are Blurred

Many people confuse discipline and punishment, as they are not the same. When you discipline your children, you are teaching them something or correcting behavior. Punishment is something that is done out of frustration, and the parent teaches the child nothing.

If you are in a toxic family pattern, then punishments can become excessive, and the behavior is never addressed. Many adults that don’t know how to handle a situation effectively may use the silent treatment as a method to manipulate their children. To combat this situation, the parent should sit down with the kids and explain to them what they did wrong, why there is a punishment, and how things could be handled better in the future.

Make sure they understand why they are in trouble and how to correct their actions. This is one of the reasons why spanking and things of that nature don’t work. Adults have temper tantrums and take out their frustrations on their children, but they never address the real issue.

2. You Play the Blame Game

Folks who have a toxic family dynamic often have problems with members not seeing the wrong that they do. Sadly, finding fault with others comes easily to them. When a family is toxic, one person may blame others for their issues as they see themselves as always right.

Additionally, they can’t comprehend taking responsibility for his/her actions because it would mean they must admit they are wrong. This should not be confused with people who don’t truly realize that they have made a mistake. To combat these issues, you need to make sure you address the problem with the person.

While it’s never popular to point out the wrongs of others, an ongoing issue of this nature can certainly make for some uncomfortable living conditions. Sit down and discuss the problems and make sure you don’t point fingers but recognize the question that needs to be addressed. In these instances, you will almost always find poor self-esteem or other issues that drive the person’s need to always be correct.

3. You Threaten Each Other

One way to tell if you have a toxic family dynamic is if there is physical violence in the home. Did you know that anger is one of the easiest emotions to show? However, there doesn’t need to be slapping and hair-pulling to be toxic.

If you have one family member who tends to use threats to punish others, then it’s a toxic family environment. An example would be if the parent were upset because their child was going through a rebellious stage and wanted to control them. The parents could tell the child if they don’t follow the rules or do what they wish, they will make them go live with another relative or parent.

While a child should know that there are rules that they must follow, their home and the security of their “safe zone” should never be compromised. Many split families often must consider where the child should live, but this decision should be based on the kid’s best interest and not as a punishment.

When a child is acting out, it means there is something under the surface that’s bothering them. There could be hormones that are raging out of control, or they could be bullied at school. To send positive vibes to this adverse situation, sit down and talk to the child openly and honestly. If you can’t get through to your child, get a therapist involved to keep the toxic aspects of the situation under control.

4. You Deal with Control Issues

Control issues are not uncommon in families. Children often feel that their parents are controlling because they can’t do what they want. There’s a difference in having control issues and being a concerned parent.

If you want positive vibes and don’t want others to feel like they walk on eggshells, then communication is vital. Never put tracking apps on phones of other adults in the home, and you should never use money as blackmail to get someone to do what you want. Finally, while you may not agree with clothing choices or makeup, you must allow people to be comfortable in their skin.

Many people try to control others when they feel like things are chaotic. The way to combat this is to get to the crux of the issue. A parent may be controlling because they fear the decisions their children make will hurt them. However, parents must give their kids room to make mistakes as it’s how they grow and learn.

Rather than talking about the issues at hand, people often use underhanded methods to control an out of control situation. Sit down and have family meetings often and make sure that you are all on the same page.

5. Critical Towards You

Do you ever feel like you can do nothing, right? If you have a toxic family member in your household, then you may feel like they are never satisfied with anything you do. You could pay off all your debt, get a promotion, and have a credit score of 850, and it still wouldn’t be good enough.

When one party likes to criticize and undermine others in the home, it can be very frustrating. You will generally find a miserable person at the crux who is battling feelings of not accomplishing goals they had for their life. It’s often that they will project their feelings of frustration on you.

Since this is truly not your problem, you need to get to the root of the behavior. It would help if you had a pattern for recovery and goals that this person and the family needs to meet. You can recover from this toxic behavior with help.

6. Sibling Rivalry is Taken to Extremes

If there is more than one child in your home, there will be some rivalry. It should be noted that not all rivalry is terrible as it can drive someone to succeed. Sadly, these behaviors can become toxic or even dangerous.

When one sibling tries to blame the other every time they get into trouble, there is an issue that needs to be handled. A parent should never allow a child to humiliate another sibling even if it’s comical. Lastly, any competition within the family should never be allowed to become personal or vindictive.

Parents must foster a healthy relationship between their children by never playing favorites, ensuring all children receive the same discipline types and giving them each equal attention.

7. They Dismiss Your Feelings

If you have a toxic family situation, you may feel that your thoughts and feelings are easily dismissed. Again, this all comes down to control, and the need to be right. The party displaying these behaviors may feel that your opinions are insignificant to theirs, or they don’t’ t value what you have to say.

You need to tell this person that it hurts you when they dismiss your feelings and work on a sufficient resolution for change. Call them out now as you don’t’ t want to wait and let things fester. When you tell them about your issues in the heat of the situation, it’s easier to address it head-on.

Final Thoughts on Handling a Toxic Family Situation

If you have toxic family dynamics in your home, you must regain control to change your environment to a healthy one. Here are some things you can do to shift your abode into one with positive vibes.

• Let Everyone Have a Voice
• Set Firm Boundaries
• Stop Toxic Behaviors Immediately
• Never Play Favorites
• Treat Everyone in the Home as an Equal
• Sever Ties when Necessary
• Get Outside Help When Needed

It’s easy to have issues that can change the dynamics of the home. However, it’s crucial as parents that you set firm boundaries and say what you will and won’t allow. Your children will run the show if you enable them to do so. If your home is a war zone, you must take control of the situation and find effective ways to change the toxicity. You will all be much healthier and happier when you get rid of toxic tendencies.

What’s the Difference Between UPF vs SPF Protection?

You need to protect your skin and the skin of your family members. Either in the sweltering summer heat or the cool, snowy rays of winter, the sun is a silent danger. But with so many methods of sun protection and ratings on the market, how can you decide which is the best for you?

When it comes down to UPF vs SPF, what is the difference and which is best? We help you decide our quick and handy guide.  

What is UPF?

UPF stands for Ultra Violet Protection Factor and is a relatively new sun protection measurement designed for sun protective fabrics. It is a grading system that states how much of the sun’s UV radiation can penetrate fabrics and reach the skin. The UPF standard is still a voluntary measure and may not be found on some products. 

UPF is measured on a scale of 15 to 50. The higher the scale number, the less of the sun’s rays can penetrate through the fabric. UPF also takes into account the amount of UVA and UVB rays that can reach the skin, whereas SPF does not. 

Do you need more information on quality UPF products? Are you still trying to figure out UPF vs SPF? This UPF guide is handy, informative, and can help protect you and your family starting today.

What is SPF?

SPF is a measurement that stands for Sun Protection Factor. It is based on the amount of time the sun takes to burn your skin. The number given on a bottle is a determining factor in how much time you can stay out after your average burn time.

The higher the value, the more protection it offers. For example, the average person takes 10 to 20 minutes to burn in the sun. A factor 30 SPF sunscreen would allow you to stay out 30 times longer than your normal burn time.

It is recommended that when purchasing a sunscreen SPF 30 is the standard protection factor. A factor of 50 only actually blocks out 1% more of the sun’s rays than a factor 30 and is commonly believed to be falsely advertised. 

UPF vs SPF and Which Is Best?

Clothing will always be the best form of protection against the sun. This is for a number of reasons. The first is that by blocking the sun with clothing, particularly UPF fabrics, the harmful rays are further away from the skin and less likely to reach your body. 

Another reason is that in daily activity, particularly when traveling or in outdoor pursuits, it can be too easy to forget the reapplication of sunscreen. Sweat from the body, water, and wear on the skin can all remove the protection afforded by lotions.

SPF also fails to measure UVA and UVB rays. UVA is responsible for the aging of the skin while sunburn comes from UVB rays. Both of these are also responsible for skin cancer, so it pays to have a measurement that protects you against these.

How Do I Get More Protection?

So, when looking at UPF vs SPF, how can you ensure you’re protected? One of the best ways to protect your skin is to use a combination of both. A high SPF factor sunscreen such as factor 30 should be combined with quality UPF fabrics and clothing. 

Protect your skin today by checking out some of the handy online UPF fabric guides today! 

How to Help an Addict: A Guide to Understanding Addiction

Understanding addiction can be difficult for those who have no first-hand experience of coping with it.

But when it comes to helping someone that you’re close to that is struggling with an addiction, it is essential that you develop empathy for their situation and try and understand what they are going through.

So, what can we do to try to understand what our loved ones are going through?

In this article, we’ll talk about addiction and all of the ways that you can help someone who is struggling with an addiction.

What Causes Addiction?

If you want to know how to understand addiction, you will first need to learn about addiction and what can cause it.

The word addiction comes from the Latin word for ‘enslaved by.’ If you have experienced addiction yourself, you will understand why this turn of phrase is used.

There are three elements to addiction. Firstly there is the craving for the object of the addiction; secondly, there is the loss of control over its use, and thirdly, there is the inability to stop even when it is having a detrimental effect on your life or health.

Many people associate addiction with drink and drugs; however, it is possible to get addicted to gambling, sex, the internet, video games, eating, shopping, and much more.

Addiction centers around the part of our brains that process enjoyment. When we do something or consume something we enjoy, our brains produce dopamine.

When the brain’s reward system gets flooded with dopamine, the hippocampus stores the memories of this rapid sense of satisfaction, and the amygdala creates a conditioned response to the stimuli.

Over time, and through repeated use, more and more dopamine will be required to reach the same levels. This means that a greater hit of the object of the addiction is required.

Understanding addiction means realizing that the way that these hormones interact with the different parts of the brain is the root cause of the problem.

How Can You Help Someone With an Addiction?

There are several ways that you can help someone with an addiction. With your help and support, they can overcome their addiction, and it can become more manageable.

Here are some steps you can take to support someone with an addiction.

Understanding Addiction

One of the most important things that you can do for someone with any form of addiction is to take the time to understand the addiction. Realize that they don’t just have poor willpower or an inability to make good life choices.

Addiction is powerful and cunning; if someone has developed an addiction to something, then it will take a lot of hard work and willpower to break that addiction.

Learn about how their addiction affects them. Over time, addicts learn to hide their addiction in shame and secrecy. By helping them break down the secrecy associated with the addiction, you’ll be able to start unpicking everything that is associated with it.

The more you can learn about their addiction, the better. Try and ask questions in a non-judgemental way and be supportive in your responses. Understand that it will be hard for them to open up to you about their addiction.

Talk to Your Loved One

If someone that you’re close to is going through a trying time with an addiction, they will need your support. They don’t need your judgment or your anger at them. Try your best to show them as much support as you possibly can.

Take the time to talk to them and be there for them when they need to talk to you. Opening up about addiction is hard; however, it will be very beneficial in their recovery to have the support of those that are close.

Research Options for Treatment and Support

When someone is in the throes of their addiction, they may not be able to see a way out for themselves. Help them out by researching the various different support options which may be available to them.

There are several options available. A rehab clinic may be a good first step, but this should be followed up with continued outpatient support, help from a therapist, or membership of a twelve-step program.

Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation

An inpatient program for a drink or drug addiction will usually start with a period of detoxification. During this time, the addict will get rid of the drug from their system. This will help them to deal with the immediate physical cravings and withdrawals associated with their substance use.

Once the drugs or alcohol have left their system for enough time, it will be time to engage in rehabilitation. This will include group therapy, one-to-one counseling, and other activities such as meditation or yoga.

The idea of rehabilitation is that it will identify the problems in the addict’s life, which caused them to turn to their addiction in the first place.

Join a Twelve-Step Program

One of the most effective ways of dealing with addiction is to join a twelve-step program. There are programs available for many different forms of addiction. The most famous twelve-step program is Alcoholics Anonymous.

Participation in a twelve-step program will see the addict looking into various areas of their lives and reviewing how their addiction has made them behave. For many, there is a strong religious element to this format, although you don’t have to be religious to follow this path.

Helping an Addict

If you really want to help an addict through their addiction, spend some time learning about and understanding addiction. Once you know how their addiction affects them, help them further by suggesting programs of recovery and by being someone that they can speak to.

For more useful articles, be sure and explore the rest of the site.

10 Essential Insurance Plans Everyone Should Have

Did you know that almost 6,000 insurance companies operate in the US? Of these, more than 2,500 are property and casualty insurers. They make up the brunt of the insurance sector, as they’re the ones that sell home and auto insurance.

All that should already give you an idea of how varied the insurance sector is.

The big question now is, which of these provide essential insurance coverage?

We’ve rounded up 10 of the most vital ones that most people shouldn’t go without, so be sure to read on!

1. Health Insurance

This is one of the types of insurance you should never bypass, even if it’s no longer the law. That’s right: As of January 2019, health insurance, at the federal level, is no longer a requirement in the US.

However, some states, such as California and New Jersey, have state-imposed laws. In these states, health insurance is either mandatory or will become required.

For many good reasons, seeing as a health plan can help ease the burden of medical costs. With health insurance, you can reduce your out-of-pocket spending on health care services. Some comprehensive policies even offer free preventive services, such as check-ups and screenings.

Keep in mind that health care spending in the US may reach a staggering $6 trillion by 2027. That shows how expensive medical care has become, and you can be at risk if you don’t have a health plan. Without a health policy, you may end up facing exorbitant hospital and medical bills.

Not sure where to start when it comes to purchasing health plans? You can compare plans here so that you’ll have a better idea of what each scheme covers and what they don’t.

2. Dental Insurance

Most basic types of health insurance offer little to no coverage at all for dental care services. That’s why for every US adult with no health policy, three adults are without dental coverage.

The thing is, poor oral health doesn’t only cause tooth decay and periodontitis. It can also affect the overall health and well-being of individuals. Researchers, for instance, say that gum disease and heart disease may go hand in hand.

Many other studies found links between oral health, strokes, diabetes, and mental illnesses. Others found evidence that poor dental health can result in nutritional deficiencies. Some researchers also say that the state of the mouth is a risk factor for obesity.

As you can see, dental health is just as vital as general health. As such, it’s best to supplement your health policy with a dental plan. This way, you can improve both, which in turn, can help you have a better quality of life.

3. Motor Vehicle Insurance

There are only two states in the nation that don’t impose the purchase of auto insurance. These two are New Hampshire and Virginia. If you aren’t from these states, it’s your legal responsibility to carry auto insurance.

In fact, even if you’re from the Granite State or the Old Dominion State, you still need “proof of liability.” For instance, if you’re at fault for a car crash in NH, you must prove that you can pay for the damages you caused. Otherwise, you’ll likely end up getting your driving privileges suspended.

In Virginia, you can “skip” auto insurance, but if you do, you need to shell out $500. This is for the “Uninsured Motor Vehicle Fee,” which is only a permit that lets you drive without coverage. It’s not insurance, so, if you end up in a crash, you’re likely to end up paying for the damages too.

Keep in mind that road crashes are so common in the US, and they cause at least 4.4 million serious injuries each year. Overall, these accidents cost the economy and society at least $871 billion per year.

4. Homeowners’ or Renters’ Insurance

Federal and state laws don’t require these types of insurance plans. However, homes purchased through a mortgage, which 62.9% of homeowners did, often do. It’s one of the most common requirements set forth by most mortgage lenders.

Renters’ insurance isn’t a federal or state law, but landlords can demand it from their tenants. It’s usually a part of a rental agreement that protects the rented-out property. However, it also protects renters, as this policy covers their possessions too.

You should get a policy even if you’re already free from mortgage or if your landlord doesn’t require you. A homeowners’ or renters’ insurance policy can protect you from sudden losses. It can also help you pay for the costs to fix or replace property damaged by accidental causes.

5. Flood Insurance

The basic types of insurance coverage for homes exclude flood damage coverage. For properties within a high-risk flood zone, flood insurance is often mandatory. These include homes purchased with government backing.

However, you should still get flood insurance even if your home is outside of a high-risk zone. For starters, the frequency of floods in the US has risen by more than 250% since 2000. This means that even low- to moderate-risk homes are at a severe threat of flood damage.

6. Life Insurance

70% of Americans believe that life insurance can protect their financial well-being. That makes it one of the essential types of insurance, but only half of the respondents said they own one. Others in this group were also unsure if they had a life insurance plan.

Wherever in the US you may be, no law requires you to purchase this type of insurance. However, it’s your life on the line here, as well as the future of your loved ones. A life insurance policy can protect your family’s finances in case you pass away.

Some types of life insurance policies even let you build a “savings” account as you pay for your premiums. These include permanent life policies, such as universal or whole life insurance plans. These come with a “cash value” component that grows every year.

After some time, say ten years, you may already be able to withdraw or borrow against that savings account. You can then use the money as you see fit while you’re still alive and well.

7. Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation is mandatory in 49 states. The Lone Star State is the lone state that doesn’t require this coverage in the US.

Workers’ comp, however, is the legal responsibility of employers. They must be the ones to purchase this for their workers. If they don’t, they will face severe penalties from the federal to the local level.

With that said, be sure that your employer has given you workers’ compensation. This policy should cover you for injuries and illnesses that occur while you’re on the job. It should also pay for lost wages in case you can’t go to work due to a job-related health issue.

8. Disability Insurance

Sixty-one million adults, or 25% of the US adult population, have at least one type of disability. The majority of them have problems with mobility, followed by cognition issues. What’s more, these conditions affect not only older adults but younger people too.

Living with a disability can have a severe impact on one’s ability to work. Moreover, these health conditions cause a massive spike in medical and care costs.

With disability insurance, you can protect yourself and your financial well-being. You also get to safeguard your loved ones who depend on your ability to generate income. It can help you pay for your bills and other expenses if you can’t work due to a disabling injury or illness.

9. Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance provides coverage for claims that existing policies won’t cover. They are “add-ons” to typical insurance plans that have limitations. The “umbrella” part of your policy pays for whatever these restrictions don’t.

For instance, let’s say your homeowners’ policy has a property coverage limit of $100,000. However, a fire occurred, and your home has sustained damages that cost $150,000 to repair or replace. If you have an umbrella policy, it should cover that remaining $50,000 (or up to the umbrella coverage’s limits).

10. Home-Based Business Insurance

As of June 2020, about 40% of Americans work full-time from their own houses. Many others run their sole businesses or sidelines from home.

If any of these is true in your case, know that your home insurance may not cover all of your business properties. A few examples are computers, electronics, and equipment you use for your business. Your policy may also not cover injuries to others that occur due to business activities.

To protect yourself from such losses and liabilities, consider getting home-based business coverage.

Don’t Bypass these Essential Insurance Plans

There you have it, ten of the essential insurance plans that most people would benefit from. There are many others, such as travel insurance, but the ones above should be your priorities. It’s also best to get them as early as now, as the longer you wait, the more expensive they may become.

Looking for more of the latest news in health, finance, and technology? Then please feel free to check out the other posts we have here at Healthcare Business Today!

We do not have to tell you just how vital any company’s workforce is — after all, it is the workforce that gets everything done. Think of it as the organization’s spine, i.e., without it, one can not operate. Now that we agree about the role of the workforce let’s move on to its management. Workforce management is an absolute must for any company that wishes to grow its business and, along with it, the profits. And exactly how does workforce management help with that? But if one had to surmise, they would say workforce management enables all that by streamlining run-of-the-mill processes. It is by leveraging modern tools in service of the goals mentioned above. And among the many other novel technologies available in the market, it is the Internet of Things that have demonstrated high levels of potential in this regard.

But before we discuss workforce management and IoT any further, let’s take a moment to understand what the latter really is quick. The Internet of Things is best described as a network of interconnected devices that enables data collection, transfer, analysis, and more. It makes use of a vast number of connected sensors, wireless networks, devices, real-time analytics, and more to execute various tasks and achieve a variety of goals. Even this most basic definition offers plenty of insights about the many, many different ways in which IoT can be leveraged. It is about streamlining workforce management and achieve substantially better results. But to help you understand this duo and its potential better, I am sharing some of their benefits in detail below:

1. Access to data via a central platform: IoT can be leveraged to gather data about not only employees but other tangential aspects, including clients, offerings, and more. It is because they are all consequential to the company’s performance and hence, inter-linked. So, IoT not only enables companies to gather it but also collates and channels it into a unified platform from where it can be utilized in an appropriate manner to assist the endeavors to achieve the business’ goals. 

2. Mobile workforce management: This refers to the tools one uses for the management of employees who do not operate from the premises. With IoT in the mix, mobile workforce management can leverage cloud computing, cloud-based communication tools to enable efficient operations even with a remote workforce. So, it can be used to monitor employee performance, check the progress of projects, schedule tasks, send alerts for pending tasks, and so much more. And this is as effective across the entire spectrum of industries, i.e., be it utility workforce management or any other type — the results of this integration are evident and quickly at that.

3. Better visibility: The union of workforce management with IoT also empowers the company with substantially improved levels of visibility since the data isn’t merely collected and dumped into a database. It is also processed to glean insights that help achieve better visibility into the company’s operations. Such levels of visibility can then be leveraged to drive informed decisions aimed at fostering a better rate of growth for the business.

4. Track internal processes: The ability to seamlessly monitor the company’s internal processes is also invaluable and lends many contexts to workforce management and its ability to be efficient. So, say, you can track a given piece of equipment’s performance and start to notice some lags or stats that shouldn’t ideally be there. These insights can then be used to ensure that a relevant technician is assigned. So, that they can take up the task of checking out the equipment and carry out any preventive and corrective measures to ensure it keeps running as intended. It helps companies save much precious time.