8 Ways to Be Single and Satisfied

Okay, I haven't forgotten about those men and women who are not married. If you are single, please read the following and get more on being single and satisfied by clicking the title of this post.

Happiness basically comes from within.
Furthermore, unless we have learned how to live fulfilled, contented and happy lives as singles, we are not likely to find fulfilling relationships or make healthy marriage partners should we decide to marry. Happy, well-adjusted people tend to have happy well-adjusted relationships. Looking to someone else to meet our unmet needs and fill the void caused by unresolved personal issues is a recipe for relational disaster. This is why it is imperative to resolve our own personal problems if we are to find loving, lasting and healthy relationships. Fundamentally, to a varying degree, especially romantically, we are as sick or as healthy as the people we are attracted to.
Happy, well-adjusted people tend to have happy well-adjusted relationships.
If you have either chosen a single life or been thrust into it by circumstances beyond your control, the question is, as a single, "How do you find fulfillment and satisfaction in light of the fact that we have been created for relationships?"

First, make a commitment to continue growing emotionally and spiritually.
Second, and equally important, is to take care of your physical wellbeing.
Third, maintain a clear conscience. There’s nothing like a guilty conscience to destroy one’s peace of mind.
Fourth, remember that character counts.
Fifth, know what your gifts and talents are and develop these.
Sixth, master the art of effective communications.
Seventh, recognize legitimate needs and get these met in healthy ways.
Finally, serve others.

Someone has wisely said that the person who is all wrapped up in him or her self makes a mighty small package. Don’t allow this to be said of you. If you consistently practice these eight principles, I am confident that you, too, will find considerable peace, contentment, fulfillment and satisfaction in your singleness.

25 Ways to Love Your Mate

I discovered these great tips for loving your mate at SelfhelpMagazine.com, posted by Connie Saindon. For the full 100 just click the title to linkback to their site. This one is not only for the virtuous women, but for those wonderful men as well. Be blessed!

1. Hug them.

2. Write a love note.

3. Call them at work just to say "Hi."

4. Give them a foot massage.

5. Tell them a joke.

6. Caress them with slow gentle strokes.

7. Go for a walk with them.

8. Send them a "happy gram."

9. Admit your mistakes.

10. Say: "I love you."

11. Indulge a whim.

12. Listen to them talk about an interest of theirs.

13. Be trustworthy.

14. Instead of complaining, tell them what you would prefer.

15. Look at them when you're in a discussion.

16. Send flowers.

17. Compliment something they did.

18. Offer to help.

19. Ask them to show you how to do something.

20. Call when you are going to be late.

21. Take them out to dinner.

22. Write them a poem about how special they are.

23. Cut out a cartoon they'll enjoy.

24. Ask them what they'd like sexually.

25. Go shopping together.

27 Ways to Reduce Stress and Boost Energy

Stress can take a toll on both your physical health and mental well-being. It can lower your immunity to colds, flu, and even more serious illnesses. It can affect your sleep patterns, interfere with job performance, and leave you irritable. Stress can also trigger all sorts of skin disorders, including psoriasis, eczema, acne, rosacea, and hives.Fortunately, there are ways to get a handle on stress and up your energy:

1. Peace of Mind
2. Learn relaxation techniques.
3. Schedule "worry sessions."Set aside a specific 15 minutes each day when you'll concentrate on everything that's bothering you. When worries pop up during the day, save them for these 15 minutes. Then picture yourself conquering a particular challenge. It's not easy, but it's simple. And it works.
4. Keep a journal.New studies suggest that people who are able to write about their innermost feelings may enjoy better mental and physical health. Writing is also a powerful tool that helps you organize your thoughts and make life a little bit easier.
5. Pep up with a scent.When you need an energy boost, take a whiff of muguet or peppermint oil. Preliminary studies suggest these scents can promote alertness.
6. Power naps.15-20 minutes can be very energizing and rejuvenating. Careful - more than 20 minutes and you'll wake up more tired than you were to begin with.
7. Delegate.On your weekly calendar, eliminate the least important tasks and activities. Delegate household chores. Even if things aren't done the way you want them done, it's important for everyone to pitch in so you don't feel like the Lone Ranger.
8. Reward yourself.Every day engage in a just-for-you activity, PROVIDED you accomplished something you set out to do for that day.
9. Laugh.Laughter really is good medicine.
10. Cry.Feel better after a good cry? Studies show that the tears you produce when you're anxious, upset, sad, or angry contain stress-relieving hormones.
11. Get a body massage.
12. DO NOT skip meals.
13. Eat a "good mood" breakfast.
14. Have a midmorning muffin.USE THIS ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Carbs combined with a LIMITED amount of sugar can restore mental energy.
15. Quick, low-fat lunch.Broiled fish, skinless chicken, tuna, deli turkey or chicken with a teaspoon of low-fat mayo on whole-grain bread can give you energy for the afternoon.
16. Beat the mid-afternoon lag.If you're droopy by 3 pm, have a cup of coffee to get back on track. (I don't suggest doing this very often, either. It's quite possible you need to catch up with some Z's.)
17. Make dinner your lightest meal.If you've eaten a balanced, substantial lunch, you'll feel surprisingly satisfied with a light dinner.
18. Watch the caffeine.A little caffeine is okay for a little boost. Too much and you're making your adrenal glands work overtime.
19. Cut back on sugar and starches.
20. NO alcohol.
21. Aerobic exercise daily.Along with cardiovascular health, aerobic exercise boosts production of endorphins. 25-30 minutes can significantly reduce stress and increase energy.
22. Deep breathing.
23. Shrug off tight shoulders.Whenever you notice you're tense around your neck area and shoulders, shrug your shoulders ten times.
24. Take a break to stretch.Alternating arms, reach upward, stretching toward the ceiling. Five times each side.
25. Stretch neck tension away.Touch your chin to your chest and hold for 2 seconds. Try to touch your left ear to your left shoulder (keep it relaxed - no reaching up!) and hold for 2 seconds. Repeat for the right ear/shoulder for 2 seconds. Repeat entire cycle if necessary.
26. Stand up.If you spend most of the day sitting at a desk, stand up once every hour for 20 minutes, and do any of the exercises mentioned above to relax and stimulate circulation.
27. Take out your frustrations on the iron.Pumping iron, that is. You've got all those stress hormones flowing around your body and they're not getting used up. Aerobic exercise may calm them down some, but new studies are showing lifting weights help you burn off those stress hormones more effectively.

For more detailed ways to reduce stress/boost energy click here
Submitted at Fitness.com

How to Take Time to Write

I am on vacation this week and so I am thinking this means I will have plenty of time to post. Ugh! I'm not so sure about that. I have a list of things I really want to get done and I need to organize my time properly so that I will definitely take care of all that I need to. Have you ever looked at the time and it was way past the time you thought it was so you just start to wonder , " Where did the time go?" Well I will try my best to make a post each day because it is so necessary for my mental stability I think! Maybe a list would be appropriate to ensure that I get done what needs to be done in a timely manner but with less frustration and stress. Wait a minute, I did say I am on vacation this week right? OK let's start this over. I am on vacation this weeks and so this means I have plenty of time to post! YEAH... that's more like it! I will take the time to write. I am speaking it and so that settles it. As I've said before I speak best in the written form. God is good all the time! Right on...Write On!

How to Let Go and Let God

I've recently been doing a lot more soul searching and meditating. Talk about a wake-up call! I am coming to the realization that I have not been putting forth much effort in my passions. My husband, always very supportive, has helped me to understand that I need to take more time doing the things that I love to do and relax in a way that I have never relaxed. I am taking more bubble baths and allowing myself to laugh at myself. The buck definitely does not stop there. I have a whole list of things that I could be focusing more attention on, but at the top of that list is actually not listing. Okay maybe that was a little confusing or even contradictory, either way, it did spiral out the way I meant it. See, that's the thing, I've been too cautious in my writing and maybe a little too conservative. Bottom line; I haven't been giving it my all. Well I definitely accredit this awakening to my love for Christ and actually turning back to Him since I have also not been giving my all to Him either. What I am saying is this: It's time I, "Let Go, Let Love, Let God." I need to get back to making Him the center of my attention and everything else will fall into place: financial stability, mental health, physical health, family, friends, and being my all and all. "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" Ephesians 5:20