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5 Thoughts That Can Negatively Impact A Child’s Mind

5 Thoughts That Can Negatively Impact A Child's Mind


A child’s mind is highly impressionable. A lot of the things that you might think kids won’t notice, can ignore, or won’t remember may wind up influencing the people they become as adults. It can be quite the scary and overwhelming thought, especially for parents to many children!

As a parent, you need to be aware of the thoughts your child is exposed to and experiences. Unbeknownst to you, they could be very much affected by these factors, so keep an eye out! Here are five thoughts that can negatively impact a child’s mind.

1.    Negative Comparisons Harm a Child’s Mind

Even if the family environment is one that is loving and supporting, research shows that children as young as six will notice the difference. As you can imagine, this can affect a child negatively. This is then further worsened by our result-oriented society, which cares not for the effort put into a task.

After such comparisons, a child will find themselves wondering if there was a point in any of their efforts. When such thoughts are left to go unchecked, it can cause:

·         Damaged Relationships

It should come as no enormous surprise that children are emotionally vulnerable, and therefore will take your words to heart. Repeated comparison between them and their peers may make them not only despise their peers. They may also despise you for not being on their side. This result will likely damage any positive relationships they have with you and those around them.

·         Jealousy

Constant comparison between their betters will make a child naturally jealous. This only gets worse if they really cannot match up to said better, due to their better’s virtues are always being exaggerated or improved. Such emotions can easily torment a child and transform into hatred and even aggression with enough time and animosity.

·         Negativity

For a child to be measured against others and found repeatedly wanting, it can be hard for them to see themselves in any positive light. As a result, they will likely develop a defeated spirit that struggles with any sort of positive thinking. They will also likely infect others with their negative assumptions, and assume the worst of themselves and of any outcomes that will occur.

·         Nervous Upbringings

A child that is on the regular end of belittling and comparisons will naturally become nervous and jittery, and create in them a tendency to overly focus on pleasing those around them. This habit is because they will develop feelings of inadequacies as they continue to fail meeting expectations. Additionally, these doubts will make them lose any sense of autonomy, natural confidence, and knowledge of boundaries.

·         Self-Doubt

Being repeatedly told that they’re not good enough and that there’s always someone out there that’s better than them will only plant and encourage the seed of self-doubt. This leaves a child discouraged continuously as they double-think their capabilities and skills at every step of the way. They’ll often feel that they aren’t good enough as well.

2.    Jumping To Conclusions

To jump to conclusions is something that children do very often, for better or worse. This is primarily due to their struggles with developing IQ and emotional biases. Further, research reveals to us a significant impact on reasoning errors. If they are already used to negativity and comparisons, they are going to naturally gravitate to assuming the worst.

This behavior can result in them feeling hurt and accused, and be inclined to lash out and blame others when things go wrong. To avoid this, you’ll want to teach your children that:

·         Explain That Others Can Make Mistakes

Not all hurtful actions are intentional or mean-spirited. It is only natural for people to blunder, and those mistakes will often affect those around them – including your child. Despite the harm caused, it is best to teach your child that it’s likely the perpetrator had meant well and accidentally made an honest mistake. As such, they shouldn’t jump to conclusions, and instead, focus on positive thinking and offer the courtesy of forgiveness.

·         Teach Them About The Importance Of Evidence

Children are not rational and logical, and as such, are likely to accuse or suspect people based on gut feelings or baseless reasons. While gut feelings are useful and can be the first sign that something is wrong, your children should learn that it is best to look for real, proper evidence to back up such thoughts and feelings. This can help prevent hurt in the long-run, as looking for information to explain their reasoning may make them realize that they had no real cause at all.

·         Role-Play To Practice

Role-playing can help a child to learn how to empathize with others and understand. This activity encourages them to step into the shoes of others and see how the other person may have felt, and from there, have your child understand how they should, in turn, treat others. For example, you can ask a child about the last time they had accused someone. Then prompt their imagination as you ask your child how they would feel if they were in such a situation – and in turn, how it must’ve made the other person feel.

3.    Catastrophizing

To catastrophize is to magnify or minimize a situation or an outcome for the worst. In a parent, this form of catastrophizing stems from anxiety over a distressing situation – which, as research shows, is a behavior that can pass down to one’s child. This is because:

·         They Will Notice

Despite a parent’s active efforts to conceal their worries from their child, they will unintentionally show those anxieties via their behavior, such as overinvolvement. Children will then learn from such action subconsciously, and internalize that same sort of tension that their parents suffer from.

·         They Become Worried Too

As parent’s overinvolvement may result in them taking away any sense of agency from the child. In the process, this creates a sense of inadequacy, as children don’t successfully learn from their mistakes and situations. This outcome then gets worse in the future, as the child’s worries grow in proportion to increasingly difficult situations that they never learn how to handle.

·         They Struggle To Be Independent

Research tells us that a parent catastrophizing can result in them being more controlling, which takes away a child’s autonomy. Anxious parents are also slower and more reluctant to pull back on parental control, which results in a child struggling to understand how to care for themselves as they grow older.

4.    All-Or-Nothing Thoughts

Studies prove that children naturally struggle with nuance and accuracy. Instead, they’ll lean towards thinking in hyperboles, and gravitate towards the extreme as it is simply easier to understand. This, however, can result in all-or-nothing thinking, which can hurt a child’s self-esteem. It can also make it even more challenging for you as a parent to obtain an accurate picture of the situation when your child tries to tell you about it.

If you notice this happening on the regular, you ought to take this as a red flag that your child may be dealing with more cognitive distortion that is healthy. To break this habit, try:

·         Be A Good Example

Take a look at your behavior. Children tend to copy what they see precisely, so it’s likely that you might be unintentionally teaching them by action. Pay attention to your language, and hold yourself accountable for being accurate when you are communicating yourself.

·         Show Them That False Accusations Are Lies

It’s essential for your children to understand that extreme statements are often similar to lies, as they can be misleading and unfair. This still applies even if your child hadn’t thought of it as a lie, or intended to mislead someone – so long as it’s an untrue statement, it is not okay.

·         Provide Alternatives To This Pattern

Completely stopping a habit is not realistically possible. It’s much more useful for anyone – both child and adult – to instead swap the unwanted behavior with something more positive. For a child who’s still developing their vocabulary, you can try suggesting alternative terms that are more accurate. From there, teach them to practice it and remind them on the regular until it’s replaced their more extreme statements instead.

5.    Negative Labels

While labels are a quick and easy way to identify people, research suggests that they can also be harmful when it is negative and unfair – especially when it is an adult saddling a child with such labels.

When a child is labeled, it affects a child in the following ways:

·         The Labels Become Ingrained

Labels can be difficult to shake off. Doubly so with impressionable children, who are likely to take any negative feelings and words directed their way at face value. Once a child internalizes a label, it also solidifies any negative behavior as something they believe is part of themselves.

·         It Harms Self-Esteem

Negative labels will plant in your child’s mind the consistent negative qualities, even if said quality isn’t necessarily a bad thing. At such a young age, children will see these limiting beliefs as the truth that will shape their thoughts into adulthood permanently. This thinking pattern consequently can affect their sense of self-esteem as well.

·         You Feel Less Empathy

Placing a negative label on a child can make them appear that they are unchanging. It can also create a sense of distance between yourself and your child’s thoughts and emotions, which consequently makes it difficult for you to connect to them and see from their point of view. Instead, you’re more inclined to not look any deeper as you rely on the label to tell you all you need about the child – usually at the child’s expense.

Final Thoughts On Some Things That Can Negatively Impact A Child’s Mind

You don’t have to coddle a child to keep their mind safe. You can be a strict disciplinarian with a fair but firm parenting style. On the other hand, you can be the total opposite and be especially outwardly empathic in your parenting style. Or, you can be somewhere in between. These are all valid and workable parenting choices.

But the fact remains that, no matter what you choose, you still need to be a good parent and learn how what a child experiences can impact their mind. Learn to take note of thoughts that can harm a child and the way they develop and mature, then work to prevent or change them. You’ll be glad when your child doesn’t have to deal with these thoughts years down the line!

Lifestyle

Psychology Explains How a Calm Mind Helps You Make Better Decisions

Psychology Explains How a Calm Mind Helps You Make Better


Any decision we make sets in motion the wheels of karma, which either rewards or punishes us for our actions. The universe simply responds to our state of consciousness and the choices we make from that frequency. So it makes sense to have a calm mind when making decisions.

The universe has no fixed agenda. Once you make any decision, it works around that decision. There is no right or wrong, only a series of possibilities that shift with each thought, feeling, and action that you experience.” – Deepak Chopra

The universe may seem like a chaotic, random cluster of energy and events. But within that tumultuous energy lies order. By clearing the clutter from our minds, we can choose a path that will result in better outcomes for ourselves. Scientists and researchers have studied meditation for decades now. They discover time and again the many health benefits that can arise from the ancient practice.

People who regularly practice meditation tend to have a calmer disposition. This calm mind means they can hear their intuition much more clearly. Our intuition helps us make decisions, and if it becomes clouded by a restless mind, we might make a less than desirable choice.

“If you obsess over whether you are making the right decision, you are basically assuming that the universe will reward you for one thing and punish you for another.

Below, we’ll go over how exactly meditation can help you increase the positive outcomes in your own life.

Here’s how a calm mind helps you make better decisions:

1 – It allows you to focus on the present moment.

Unfortunately, many people make decisions based on circumstances that happened in the past or perceived outcomes in the future. However, since we can only really live in the present, we must make decisions according to the here and now. Studies have shown that people make better decisions when practicing mindfulness meditation.

Researchers find that just a few minutes of this type of meditation can ground you in the present tense, which will help you have a calm mind. In turn, you’ll make better decisions because you can gain clarity on the situation and choices at hand.

In one study, researchers found that just 15 minutes of focused breathing meditation can help people make better decisions. Researchers from INSEAD and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania tested the hypothesis that mindfulness meditation could boost decision-making skills by increasing resistance to the sunk-cost bias. This thinking explains our tendency to continue investing in a losing proposition due to how much time, money, or energy we’ve already spent on it.

If you’ve watched a movie to the end despite not enjoying it, continued investing in a failing business, or stayed in a toxic relationship, you have experienced this whether you knew it at the time or not. Of course, these scenarios don’t seem rational, but humans don’t like to admit they’ve wasted time or energy on something.

The expert explains the link between a calm mind and making good decisions.

Andrew Hafenbrack, along with co-authors Zoe Kinias and Sigal Barsade, performed four different studies to test their hypothesis about the link between meditation and better decisions. Ultimately, they found that mindfulness meditation can effectively break the cycle of investing resources into something that no longer produced viable outcomes.

“Most people have trouble admitting they were wrong when their initial decisions lead to undesirable outcomes,” says lead author Andrew Hafenbrack. Adding, “They don’t want to feel wasteful or that their initial investment was a loss. Ironically, this kind of thinking often causes people to waste or lose more resources in an attempt to regain their initial investment or try to ‘break even.’”

For the study, one group of participants listened to a 15-minute guided meditation that told them to focus on the sensation of their breath. The other group listened to a recording that instructed them to think of whatever came to their mind. Then, researchers told both groups to decide according to various sunk cost scenarios.

The researchers discovered that mindfulness meditation, which helps people focus on the present moment and block out everything else, can help people make better decisions.

“We found that a brief period of mindfulness meditation can encourage people to make more rational decisions by considering the information available in the present moment while ignoring some of the other concerns that typically exacerbate the ‘sunk cost bias,’” explains Hafenbrack.

Mindfulness meditation increased resistance to the sunk cost bias in each experiment in two different ways.

Other researches agree

Zoe Kinias explains, “First, meditation reduced how much people focused on the past and future, and this psychological shift led to less negative emotion. The reduced negative emotion then facilitated their ability to let go of sunk costs.”

Sigal Barsade concluded, “This tool is very practical. Our findings hold great promise for research on how mindfulness can influence emotions and behavior, and how employees can use it to feel and perform better.”

So, if you find that you have trouble making decisions, try a quick guided meditation to dispel doubts and clear your mind of the constant chatter.

2 – It helps you tap into your intuition.

To make any sort of decision, you need to know what you desire in life. Most people have no idea what direction to go or what to strive for. That’s because they haven’t gotten in touch with their soul. If you want to access the deepest parts of yourself, you will have to quiet the mind and go into the heart. That introspection requires concentration and a deep longing for higher knowledge.

Many people refer to intuition as the “sixth sense.”

If you’ve ever had this gut feeling to take a different route home from work and discovered later that a bad wreck occurred on your usual route, you know the power of intuition.

Or, perhaps your intuition told you someone had bad intentions with you. Then, later on, you confirmed these suspicions. If used correctly and developed, our intuition can help us navigate the storms of life and make better decisions.

Meditation can serve as an excellent tool to develop intuition. According to a team of University of Iowa researchers, the brain’s “axis of intuition” is located in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). A 2014 Wake Forest University study analyzed the brains of 15 volunteers before and after just four days of mindfulness training. They found that in addition to brain functioning, the meditators seriously increased their vmPFC’s “activity” and “interconnectivity.” If these changes occurred after just four days, imagine how much you can develop your intuition after months or years of meditating!

By silencing the mind and focusing on the breath, we all have the potential to develop our intuition so we can make better, more informed decisions. We have unique purposes in life, and our intuition helps us steer our minds in the right direction.

 3 – A calm mind eases emotional reactivity, which can help you make better decisions.

Everyone knows that in a highly reactive, emotionally charged state, the right decisions seldom happen. Our emotions can serve as a powerful tool to make decisions. But if we only go by how we feel, we have the potential to cause devastating choices. For example, in a period of loneliness, we might go back to our toxic ex just because they feel familiar. However, if we had stopped to analyze the repercussions of this decision, we would know that getting back with that person would only lead to more problems.

Researchers from Michigan State University (MSU)  found neural evidence that mindfulness helps people control negative emotions. The team of psychology researchers, led by Yanli Lin, an MSU graduate student, found 68 females who had never practiced mindfulness meditation before participating in the study. Researchers found that the participants came into the study with various levels of natural mindfulness.

The participants then engaged in one of two 18-minute activities. Researchers gave one group a guided meditation to listen to, and the other a language-learning presentation. Afterward, researchers showed both groups disturbing images, such as a bloody corpse. They were instructed to view the photos either “mindfully” or “naturally,” and completed a questionnaire afterward.

The study found that whether the participants had high or low levels of natural mindfulness, the brain could control negative emotions to the same degree. The meditating group recovered more quickly, however, after looking at the photos, which suggests that meditation helps calm negative emotions.

Final thoughts about how a calm mind helps you make better decisions

Having a clear and calm mind can help you make better decisions in three ways:

  • by keeping your attention on the present
  • helping you tap into your intuition
  • and easing negative emotions.

So learn to look at the world with an objective, rational, and calm mind. Indeed, you can quickly discern between a good and bad choice. If you haven’t begun a meditation practice, we encourage you to get started with one! Even 15 to 30 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your mindset and consciousness.

Entertainment

How to Drive in NYC Without Losing Your Mind (or Car)

How to Drive in NYC Without Losing Your Mind (or


How to Drive in NYC Without Losing Your Mind (or Car)

In New York City, there are almost 4 million registered drivers. It’s a busy and hectic city, so most people choose to take public transit or taxis to get to their destinations.

Whether you’re moving to NYC or you’re planning on vacationing there, you may be opting to get on the road yourself instead of relying on others to get you places. If you’re wondering how to drive in NYC, then keep reading. In this article, we’ll give you some tips and tricks to making driving in NYC easier.

Don’t Turn on Red!

In most of the country, you can turn right on a red light, so long as you make a complete stop and check for oncoming traffic or pedestrians first. But this isn’t the case in NYC.

Here, you’re not allowed to turn right on red lights, so don’t make that mistake. There are a few streets where there are signs indicating you can do so, but that’ll be rare.

Research Parking Garages Beforehand

Parking can be expensive in NYC, but you can find some good deals if you know where to look. Before you embark on your journey through the city, go online, do some research, and write down the best parking garages so you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg when you want to park.

If you’re driving around and a garage sign has an amazing rate, make sure to check the fine print. Usually, they’ll say “up to half an hour” in tiny font on the bottom.

Take a Picture of Where You’ve Parked

The blocks can start melting together in your mind, so it may be confusing as to where you’ve parked your car. Take a picture of your car in the garage, and then either write down the cross streets or take advantage of the photo metadata (if you have it turned on, it can show the location of where you took the photo).

Not only can this be beneficial in locating your car, but also in filing any disputes if your car gets ticketed or towed. Both are common occurrences in NYC, so the more evidence you have of you following the law, the better.

Double Check Your License Restrictions

If you have any drivers license restrictions, you need to ensure you can still drive in NYC legally; otherwise, you risk hefty fines and citations if caught. Plus, if you get into an accident, it can cause some major problems with your insurance company.

Most people have restrictions on their licenses, so take a good look at yours to learn exactly what it’s for and if you can drive safely in the city.

Learn How to Drive in NYC Smoothly

How to drive in NYC isn’t so hard; it just takes some practice and knowledge. With our tips and tricks in mind, you’ll navigate the city like a pro. So just take it easy and remember to breathe!

For more interesting reads, check out our other articles.

Technology

How to Make a Photography Website That Will Blow Your Client’s Mind

How to Make a Photography Website That Will Blow Your


How to Make a Photography Website That Will Blow Your Client’s Mind

If you’re a photographer looking to drum up some extra business, you need a website.

Websites are today’s business cards, but they do so much more.

Creating a photography website is a great way to showcase your work. A photography website can act as a landing page for all your social media followers. If someone on Instagram wants to work with you, they’ll want to contact you through a website.

So if you’re serious about your photography, it’s time to set up a website. Check out our tips on how to make a photography website to get started.

Pick a Good Domain Name

There are lots of different methods to pick out a domain name. You should make sure it’s short, simple, and easy to remember. If you can, choose a “.com” domain because they are the most popular.

When you’re creating your photography website, pick something like YourNamePhotography.com.

Let’s say you meet someone while you’re out doing your photography thing. They might not remember anything about you but your name. Use that simplicity to your advantage, and use your name in the domain.

Know What You’re Trying to Do

If you’re trying to figure out how to make a photography website, you might be starting a business. If that’s true, then you need to ask yourself the age-old question: “Why am I doing this?”

Are you trying to display your latest photography project? Are you hoping to bring in new work? Is it a little of both?

Your answers will determine the photos for your portfolio and the layout of your website.

Choose the Best Stuff

Once you’ve picked out your domain and you’ve figured out your “Why” it’s time to create your portfolio.

This isn’t social media, where an ever-steady stream of content is a good thing. Your website needs to display your best work. That means you need to be very selective.

Most photographers have a hard time choosing their best photos. If that’s you, take your photos to one of your friends. Give them clear guidelines about what you’re looking for, then let them choose.

How to Make a Photography Website Layout

How you build a photography website matters. It should have an easy to follow layout so that you can attract the right clients.

The Homepage

This is your landing page. You need a nice big picture of you or your best work. Put your name and subheader here.

Check out Michael Grecco Productions for a great example of a homepage.

Your Gallery

This is why your client is here. Make sure your gallery is well organized to display all your great work.

“About Me”

People want to know the person behind the camera. It helps them trust you, which gets you more business.

Client Showcase and Review

If you’ve worked as a freelance photographer, this is the place to show off your past work. Add a few satisfied testimonials while you’re at it.

Contact Information

Your audience might love your work, but if they don’t know how to contact you then it doesn’t matter.

Blog

Blogs aren’t necessary for creating a photography website. But blogs are a good way to earn trust and add some SEO rich content to your site.

Want More Tips For Creating a Photography Website?

If you want to know more about how to create a photography website, check out our blog. We have a ton of great tips for website and content creation.

Health

Keep Your Mind at Ease with a Stress Journal

Keep Your Mind at Ease with a Stress Journal


Keep Your Mind at Ease with a Stress Journal

At first, feeling stressed may seem pretty normal.

After all, who isn’t stressed in the UK these days? However, it can be harmful if left untreated.

According to stats from the Labor Force Survey, stress was a factor in 37% of all work-related health cases from 2015-2016. It also accounted for 45% of all working days lost.

Some people use aromatherapy, copper, and other tools to handle stress. However, many still struggle with it. You need a proactive way of combating stress.

Use A Stress Journal

A stress journal is a simple way for you to manage your feelings of stress in a healthy, proactive way. Think of it as a one-person therapy session you can have at any time.

Using a stress journal is simple. All you have to do is write down a record your feelings of stress. Eventually, you’ll identify patterns in your stress. This way, you can find ways to reduce stressful behaviors.

You may not have ever kept a diary, but keeping a journal could be the key to getting your stress under control. It’s not about the quality of your writing, it’s about putting your feelings on paper.

Articulate Feelings

Do you ever have trouble explaining to people why you’re stressed?

Verbal communication may not work best for you, but journaling gives you an outlet for complicated feelings.

If you have trouble verbalizing and vocalizing how you feel, writing those feelings down can help you to better identify how you feel. Imagine finally being able to pinpoint your feelings of stress.

It will do wonders to boost your mood!

Process Emotions

Do you ever feel like you have trouble dealing with your feelings? Everyone has different ways of dealing with stress.

Some smoke or buy cigarettes online UK, while others get massages. Once you’ve found a stress relief method that works for you, why not try to expand your arsenal? Having a variety of ways to handle your stress ensures you’ll always stay in touch with your emotions — and that your methods remain effective.

If you’re stressed out and upset, finding a way to process difficult feelings can be hard. A stress journal will give you time to reflect on your feelings.

Having a bad client call or a fight with your spouse may feel awful, but it isn’t the end of the world.

Taking time to write down your feelings and being able to reflect on them is crucial for managing stress. It may also help you to put your problems into perspective.

Identify Stressors

When you’re stressed out, it can be easy to attribute certain frustrations and feelings to the wrong cause. Keeping a journal may help you make a breakthrough to discover exactly why you’re feeling so stressed out.

You may think that meetings with your boss stress you out. But after looking through a few weeks of entries, you find that talking to a certain coworker before meetings make you more stressed than simply talking to our boss.

Dealing with stress is important. However, finding the cause for that stress is just as crucial. Once you sort through your journal, you may find that your stress is being caused by something you’d never even thought of.

Stress Journals: Wrapping Up

How do you deal with stress?

Do you have ways to handle stress that have helped you in the past? Tell our readers about it in the comments section!