How to Feel Healthy and Less Lonely by Spending Time Alone

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Dec 25, 2017

Most of us love to be connected and surrounded by friends, but sometimes being pulled in a hundred different directions makes you forget about the interests you would pursue if you were by yourself. If you feel this way, you are not alone – but you may need to be.

There are far more interactions and distractions in our daily lives than ever before, causing our brains to be on sensory overload. If meaningful, the interactions can make us feel connected. Being in a distracted state, however, can make us feel disconnected, which can lead to loneliness.
Learning how

to rejuvenate by enjoying your own company is a great first step to reducing loneliness. Spending quality alone time can fuel your creativity, help you focus, de-clutter your mind, decrease anxiety, improve your social interactions and actually make you feel less lonely.

Here are a 10 tips to help you love, and long for, your alone time.

1) Know the Difference between Loneliness, Being Alone and Quality Alone Time

The ability to feel lonely is innate in all of us. As described in a study published in the Perspectives on Psychological Science and reported by Big Think exploring the origins of loneliness, we have physiological and psychological reactions pushing us to seek human interaction in order to survive. Because of this instinctive need to connect, we tend to measure our social success by how many friends we have online and offline and like to socialize with an entourage.

The volume of interactions we face today, however, means that even if we are not socializing and are physically alone, we are not necessarily getting the quality alone time our body and mind need in order to best function. Not turning “off” means we are still “on.”

2) Take Space to “Space Out”

Being “on” can be exhilarating but also exhausting. We need eight hours of sleep every night so our bodies can revitalize but when do our minds get refreshed? For every action, there is a reaction. While we are at work, in a conversation with friends, running errands, our mind and body are constantly reacting. If we allowed ourselves not to react, we would space out a lot more than is probably socially acceptable. Sometimes, it is good to be in full solitude to have the space to just space out.

3) Make it a Want Even if it is a Need

If you are an introvert or suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), quality alone time is not only something you seek but it is also essential to your health and happiness. Social interactions for introverts deplete energy whereas for extroverts, they boost energy. People with ADD tend to get overwhelmed by too many distractions and need more time alone than others do to give their busy brains a rest.

With ADD prevalence rising and the emergence of “introverted extroverts” who require a certain amount of solitude to offset social activities, the majority of us could benefit from making quality alone time a necessity.

4) Stop Judging Yourself

Society tells us that there are situations that are acceptable to be alone, such as in a library, and there are those where a lack of companion by your side means a lack of companionship in your life, such as a concert or weekend getaway.

Research shows that an important reason for people’s inhibitions from partaking in public, enjoyable activities alone is their concern that others will judge them if they do. Yet, we overestimate how many people will notice or care and anticipate significantly more negative reactions from others than we will actually receive.

So stop judging yourself and go see that movie that you’ve been dying to see that your partner has no interest in and all of your friends have already seen.

5) Focus on your Own Experience

You may be setting the bar too high to find friends or a partner that share every single same interest as you. Can’t find anyone to take a cooking lesson, join a volleyball league or take a dance class with you? Do it alone and you may enjoy it even more than doing it with someone who doesn’t share your same enthusiasm. Doing an activity you enjoy alone allows you to focus on your own experience instead of ensuring someone else is also having a good time.

ALSO: Dog Hailed as Hero After Refusing to Leave Goats Alone in Wildfires

6) Trust that Others May also be Alone

Chances are if you had the courage to go alone, someone else may have too. This is a great way to meet like-minded people that share a similar interest. We are more likely to meet new people when we are alone as we are more approachable and it seems more natural to strike up a conversation with a stranger. So in getting to know yourself you may, in the process, make a new friend that shares a similar interest.

7) Create Mini Vacations in Mundane Activities

In the same way that an employer encourages you to take your vacation days so that you come back to work refreshed, your family and friends need you to create mini vacations for yourself in your every day life. Turn your long commute home into a joy ride by using this built-in time alone. Allow yourself to reflect on your day without talking, emailing or texting anyone about it. “Taking time in solitude to reflect [on activities] is just as important as the activities themselves,” says Joseph Murray, an associate professor of education at Bucknell University who has studied development for more than 20 years. Your loved ones may miss you but they will be thankful for the state you are in once you reconnect.

8) Talk to Yourself

Don’t try this with others around, but we can get so lost in our thoughts that sometimes, it helps to say them out loud. Do this while driving and pretend like you’re on the phone. The good thoughts sound better and the bad ones sound worse. Just talk it out with yourself. Creativity flourishes in solitude so who knows, during this “self-therapy” you may actually come up with a few pretty great ideas.

FAVORITES: Woman Reads to Shelter Dogs to Ease Their Loneliness—And Her Own

9) Don’t Expect Too Much and Stick With It

Have you ever noticed how you need a few days into a vacation to unwind? We may need a few tries to actually enjoy alone time and to get its benefits. Expectations are a heavy thing. What I “should” be doing, what I “should” be thinking. It might take some time to remember what it is that you enjoy doing when no one is watching, when no one is expecting anything of you. Do that thing. It can be as little as catching up on your favorite show, getting your hair done or going for a bike ride.

10) Become More Sociable

Sometimes making social plans feels like an obligation if we’re running around from one thing to the next. Instead of wanting to be left alone, we start to long for social interaction if we’ve set quality time aside for ourselves. Social outings become something we choose, not something we have to do.

Nurturing your independence can also give you more self-worth, make you feel more capable and less needy in a relationship. Once you have found satisfaction on your own and allowed time to explore your interests and your partner has done the same, it is fun to re-unite. You’ll have more to talk about and will have allowed space to miss each other.

Once you have re-connected with yourself, you can connect with others in a more meaningful way.

Share to Help a Friend… Or, (Photo by Hernán Piñera, CC)

“Christmas, my dear, will always be, just so long as we have we.” –Dr. Seuss

Quote of the Day

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Dec 25, 2017

“Christmas, my dear, will always be, just so long as we have we.” – Dr. Seuss

Check out more inspiring thoughts every day on our homepage, where we will be adding a new quote each day juxtaposed over a beautiful photo. We are collecting and archiving them on our Quote of the Day page. So why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

86-year-old With Dementia Snuggles Up to Mall Santa – and Makes Everybody Cry

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Dec 24, 2017

Santa with dementia grandma-permission Hartsocks Photography — Hartsocks Photography

An Albuquerque Santa is still wiping his eyes after a photo shoot with an elderly lady whose dementia brought her back to the childhood emotions of Christmas.

Karen Rangel, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, arrived at the mall with her children and grandchildren to sit for a holiday portrait. The resulting photos are a beautiful reminder that memories never die—even in someone with dementia.

The staff at Hartsocks’ Photography, along with the family, decided to share the images on Facebook, exclaiming, “Karen absolutely loves Santa!”

They reported that she’s been a super-fan her whole life and would even “flirt with him” as an adult when she still lived on her own.

“Karen has a special Santa doll she sleeps with. She doesn’t talk too much these days, but enjoys speaking to her Santa doll in Japanese.”

So, her loving family arranged for her to meet with Santa at the New Mexico studio on December 7.

“He gave her a special gift, a handmade Busy Blanket created just for her!” wrote Hartsocks’ Photography on their Facebook page.

While sitting on the green plush sofa, she told him that she loves him and remembers visiting him before.

“Every time Santa got close to her, she would nuzzle in and close her eyes as if there was no place she would rather be. It was so sweet and emotional for Santa and our whole staff.”

Santa held it together through the shoot, but when he saw her walk out the door, he cried.

Linda Rangel said later that after she showed her mother the picture of her with Santa, all Karen kept saying was “I miss you, Santa….Listen, I miss you, Santa.”

A true story of the magic of Christmas and the spirit of Santa that lives in all who once believed.

Don‘t forget to Share the Spirit of the Season, Or, –Photos used with permission

MORE: Officer Surprises Boy Who Calls Police Over His Fear That the Grinch Will Steal Christmas

Angel Donor Offers to Match 100K to Give Research into Rare Disease a Big Boost

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Dec 24, 2017

One anonymous guardian angel is ensuring that these two best friends with the same rare disease have a shot at surviving their sickness and being treated for their symptoms – no matter the cost.

Hereditary spastic paraplegia, also known as SPG47, is an ultra-rare neurodegenerative disease that causes microcephaly, seizures, and malformation of the brain.

When 4-year-olds Robbie Edwards and Molly Duffy met in person last year, they were the only two people in the United States – and the tenth and eleventh in the world – to be diagnosed with the incurable sickness.

As the tots happily played together, their parents, Chris and Kasey Edwards, and Kevin and Angela Duffy discussed how they could possibly save their daughters from the fate of the devastating disease.

The four adults founded their own nonprofit, Cure SPG47, and established a renowned scientific team composed of some of the best minds in the fields of neurology, translational neuroscience, cell biology, gene therapy, and clinical drug development.

While Robbie and Molly strengthened their friendship over the course of the last year, their parents initiated and funded two promising research options: drug screening at Boston Children’s Hospital and gene therapy at the University of Sheffield, UK.

WATCH: Adorable Preschool “Twins” Take a Stand Against Discrimination

Then, something amazing happened – an anonymous “angel donor” offered to match all of the nonprofit’s donations up to $100,000 until the end of January.

While millions are still needed to fund the research in full, a massive sum could be the financial push needed to advance proof-of-concept research and attain grant funding.

The parents’ nonprofit has started a GoFundMe to help raise the necessary funds for SPG47 research, and the page has already raised over $8,000. With the “angel donor’s” promise to double the earnings, that brings the tally up to $16,000.

This is great news for Robbie and Molly, as well as several other youngsters who were recently diagnosed with SPG47, because successful research could prevent SPG47 from taking away the physical and verbal milestones they work so hard to be able to achieve.

(WATCH the video below)

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Bus Driver Knits Personalized Hats, Scarves For Each Unique Student on Her Route

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Dec 24, 2017

This bus driver does a lot more than escort students to and from school – she also knits them custom-made hats and scarves with love in every stitch.

While Sara Lopez has been an adoring school bus driver for 16 years, she has also been crocheting for two decades.

This year, one of the parents suggested that she combine her two loves and knit hats for the kids on her route for Hermansen Elementary School in Romeoville, Illinois.

LOOK: Bus Driver Surprises Kids With Hundreds of Books For the Summer

Each hat is modeled on something the child likes, like Spongebob Squarepants, Minions, or Spiderman.

When asked why she goes the extra mile for the her tiny passengers, she says it is simply because she loves them—and loves her job.

“Our bus drivers do much more than drive and deliver,” says the school district page. “If you ride Ms. Lopez’ bus with the kids … it is like riding with a family.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Star Wars-Inspired Bionic Hand Allows Amputee to Play the Piano For First Time in 5 Years

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Dec 23, 2017

The force is strong with this one – or at least, it is strong in his bionic arm.

Jason Barnes has not been able to efficiently play a piano since he lost his right arm five years ago.

Thanks to a new kind of Star Wars-inspired technology, however, he was recently able to pluck out a few tunes at Georgia Institute of Technology.

The bionic arm, which was modeled after Luke Skywalker’s hand in Star Wars V: Empire Strikes Back, used ultrasound technology to analyze contracting muscles in a person’s remaining limb and guess which finger they are trying to move – even if they don’t have fingers.

Almost all of the prosthetic arms on the market currently use sensors that simply switch between basic modes of use, such as flexing and contracting. The ultrasound technology, on the other hand, gives amputees a new kind of dexterity that has never before been made available.

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Gil Weinberg, the Georgia Tech College of Design professor who lead the project, said: “If this type of arm can work on music, something as subtle and expressive as playing the piano, this technology can also be used for many other types of fine motor activities such as bathing, grooming and feeding.

“I also envision able-bodied persons being able to remotely control robotic arms and hands by simply moving their fingers,” he added.

“It’s completely mind-blowing,” said Barnes. “This new arm allows me to do whatever grip I want, on the fly, without changing modes or pressing a button. I never thought we’d be able to do this.”

(WATCH the video below)

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In Honor of Man Who Rescued Her 68 Years Ago, Woman Has Donated 16 Gallons of Blood

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Dec 23, 2017

A stranger’s act of kindness miraculously saved a child several decades ago – and now, that child has gone on to repay that kind act many times over.

For 70-year-old Janis Martinez, the greatest gift she ever received came from a total stranger – and it happened just after the worst trauma of her life.

When she was just 2 years old, Martinez got ahold of a match and accidentally set herself on fire. Her mother and a neighbor quickly put out the flames and took her to the hospital, already in dire condition.

LOOK: Weezer Fan Club Surprises Boy Who Lost His Dad, Sends Special Item That Was Irreplaceable

According to the video below, Martinez says she had suffered third-degree burns across 65% of her body. Most of the rest of her body was second-degree burns. Doctors told Martinez’s mother that the little girl would need a miracle to survive.

That miracle came in the form of a truck driver from New Jersey. He heard an announcement over the radio that a girl had been hurt and needed blood donations immediately. He stopped his route and drove to the hospital where he didn’t just give blood – he also donated his skin.

“[Skin donation] is a dreadful process. Very, very painful,” Martinez recalls.

The trucker’s donations allowed the young child to stabilize, but it was still weeks before she was able to go home. When she did, the prognosis wasn’t good. Doctors said that she would have brain damage, she would never live a normal life, and she would never bear children.

While it did require many surgeries in order to recover from the burns she suffered at a young age, Martinez is now 70 years old. She has children and grandchildren. She also ran a successful executive search firm for decades, and was able to retire so she could spend more time volunteering.

Throughout her life, she never stopped thinking about what that stranger did for her, and she has never stopped trying to pay back the deed. She became a volunteer, and eventually a board member, for the American Red Cross. She also became passionate about giving blood; to date, she has donated 129 pints – or more than 16 gallons.

Why?

“Because I want to save a 2-year-old baby,” Martinez says.

(WATCH the video interview below)

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Police Discover That ‘Missing’ Son Actually Has Secret Christmas Plans For Mom

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Dec 23, 2017

When Sophia Reed’s 13-year-old son Diauris went missing last week, she was terrified that something bad had happened to him. After he had been gone for several hours, she called the police.

Upon returning home to find his mother talking to an officer, Diauris revealed the real reason why he had been ‘missing’: the youngster had been out collecting recyclable cans so he and his siblings could earn some money to buy their mom a Christmas gift.

Because she had to provide the security deposit of one-month’s rent on the family’s new apartment, the Reeds had little, to no, money.

MORE: Cops Cut Some Slack For Overzealous Family Toting Massive Christmas Tree

The mother told her children that even though they couldn’t afford Christmas gifts, they were still going to enjoy the holiday together with a roof over their heads and dinner on the table in Oklahoma City.

The officers on duty were so touched by the story, the entire police department contributed money, and raised over $800 so they could buy toys, supplies, and gifts for the Reeds.

(WATCH the inspiring video below)

Deck The Halls for Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by KFOR

How to Stay Ultra Inspired All of the Time

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Dec 23, 2017

Title: How to Stay Ultra Inspired

The Lesson: What do geniuses like Leonardo de Vinci, Elon Musk, and Steve Jobs all have in common? The developed ability to stay inspired. Anyone – including you – can become a great mastermind in their life and business, as long as you master the ability to stay inspired. While it might seem simple, this quick pep talk has a few key points, tactics, and lessons on inspiration.

Notable Excerpt: “Insight number one: there is great power in circulating – because that’s when you have new conversations and that’s when you get new insights…”

The Speaker: Robin Sharma’s talks on business have attracted over 750,000 people seeking his unique insight on strategy, leadership, and entrepreneurial mastery – and those viewers are already starting to see results in their personal growth. A best-selling author and motivational speaker, Sharma’s has spent the last twenty years of his career delivering talks to thousands of people all over the world, as well as to the massive corporate workforces of Nike, Microsoft, and HP.

Books: The Canadian speaker has published 11 groundbreaking self-help books, the most notable of which include “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” and “The Leader Who Had No Title”.

Podcast: Sharma’s first two Mastery classes are totally free to view and you can also download his free Mastery Sessions podcast on iTunes and Soundcloud, or watch his talks on YouTube.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

Delayed on Runway, Flight Attendant and 2 Passengers Grab Instruments and Start Caroling

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Dec 22, 2017

When a United Airlines flight was delayed while it was preparing to leave for Virginia, a flight attendant and two musicians decided to give their fellow passengers some holiday cheer.

The flight was on the runway at Denver International Airport for half an hour because of a small accumulation of snow on Thursday.

WATCH: Airline Passenger Hilariously Busts a Move When Gate Agent Tells Him to Sing

In order to raise everyone’s spirits inside the plane, the trio sang a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells” with one passenger playing mandolin and the flight attendant playing the ukulele.

The video, which was posted to YouTube by Wayne Anderson, is sure to put the makeshift musical group on the nice list this year.

(WATCH the video below)

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Man Turns Abandoned Milwaukee Shopping Mall Into Winter Wonderland For 100 Kids

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Dec 22, 2017

Casey Neistat, a Milwaukee native turned YouTube star, transformed the abandoned Northridge Mall into a winter wonderland for 100 kids.

“All I could see was all of my childhood fantasies manifesting,” said Casey.

And so, the famous YouTube star is bringing new life to an abandoned mall on the northwest side. It’s the first time the mall has been revived in any way since its closing in 2003. The mall was completely empty. Broken glass, an empty food court, and eerie, boarded-up doors were all that filled the interior.

Casey partnered with Samsung to surprise 100 children from the Boys and Girls Club of Great Milwaukee to gift them electronics and show them how they can get creative with digital media. Casey was still looking for a space when he remembered the abandoned mall.

“It just turns out that Milwaukee happens to have a fantastic, huge, empty shopping mall,” recalled Casey.

Casey and Paul Leys of Samsung gave the kids smartphones, microphones, and accessories so they can learn how to create videos.

“The reason we bring people like Casey and all these different creators here is because they’re who kids look up to, and their message to these kids — and our message to kids, equally — is that you can be just like these creators. All you need is a phone,” said Paul.

The mall was transformed to include a gingerbread house, ice-skating rink, a sledding hill, and professional snowboarders who performed tricks on the escalator.

“I see it as an opportunity, and an opportunity to sort of elevate young kids and let them know that now, because of technology, they’re empowered in ways that they’ve never been empowered before,” Casey said.

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Volunteers Give Away 1,500 Christmas Trees, Set Up Dozens More For Homeless

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Dec 22, 2017

This team of friends are spending their Christmas season decking the halls of Hurricane Harvey victims and the city’s homeless.

PJ Simiens and his buddies took on the role of Santa’s little helpers last Sunday when they passed out over 1,000 artificial Christmas trees to families in Houston, Texas.

The trees, which were donated by the King of Christmas retail company, did not just bring holiday cheer to hurricane-affected residents, either. Even after Simiens and his friends passed out the majority of fake firs, there was still a few leftover in the delivery truck.

The volunteers then took the trees down to the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sister, and Habitat for Humanity. They also took a few down to the small community of homeless individuals who are currently living in tents by Minute Maid Park.

“They can look around and have a smile for Christmas. After the mess that Harvey left when we came back, all the mildew and stuff – now to look around and see all these Christmas trees near the tents – it’s a beautiful thing,” homeless resident Dustin Jones said in the KIAH video below.

(WATCH the video below)

T’is The Season To Be Jolly: Click To Share The Yuletide News With Your Friends

When Man’s Christmas Light-Covered Car is Fined $232, Community Pays it Instead

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Dec 22, 2017

Every holiday season for the past five years, the people of this South Carolina community have always been on the lookout for one of its most beloved fixtures: a car that is covered in Christmas lights, courtesy of Brandon Wooden.

Wooden has made it his Yuletide tradition to decorate the exterior of his car with nets of Christmas lights, all of which are hooked up to a power supply within the vehicle.

“I just like to see people’s reactions, spread a little love, joy,” he told WAFB. “I call it, ‘spread the glow.’”

While Wooden says that most people are usually delighted by his festive display, a Beaufort police officer was not as jolly.

Earlier this week, Wooden was pulled over by a cop who wrote him a hefty $232 ticket for ‘improper lighting’.

When a woman named Darlene Tinkerdar Barnett heard about Wooden’s ticket, however, she started a GoFundMe page to pay for the infraction.

MORE: Over $60K Raised for Vendor After Video Shows Police Seizing His Money

“He brings joy to our community by driving around his specially lighted vehicle thru out the Christmas holiday,” said Barnett.

“So many of y’all have been thrilled to see this vehicle, and this is not a reflection on law enforcement. I am simply asking – as a community – we all step up and help to pay the ticket for this hard-working young man.”

Within three days, Beaufort residents donated enough money to pay for the ticket and the GoFundMe fees.

(WATCH the interview below)

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Record Baby: 26-Year-old Gives Birth to Girl Who Was Frozen 24 Years Ago

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Dec 21, 2017

This 26-year-old woman has just given birth to a 24-year-old baby, all thanks to science.

Emma Gibson, who was born one month ago, was frozen as an embryo at the National Embryo Donation Center in Clinton, Tennessee 24 years ago.

The embryo was implanted into Emma’s mother, Tina Gibson, back in March when she and her husband Benjamin found out that they could not have kids.

Tina was only 18 months old when her now-daughter was frozen at the clinic. The couple had the option not to accept the older embryo, after being told of its age, but decided to give it a try, and thought it was “great,” according to CBS news.

After a healthy delivery on Thanksgiving weekend, Emma now holds the record for being the oldest frozen embryo to ever be successfully birthed.

Benjamin said in a press release: “Emma is such a sweet miracle. I think she looks pretty perfect to have been frozen all those years ago.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Sesame Street Given $100 Million for Targeted Program to Heal Young Syrian Refugees

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 21, 2017

There are very few American children out there who have not benefited from the educational wisdom, fun, and guidance of Sesame Street.

Now, thanks to a $100 million grant, a new customized cast of Sesame Street friends will be made available to Syrian refugee children.

Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) were awarded the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change grant for their program to uplift displaced kids in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.

The program will be made available on the internet for mobile phones and computers, as well as developmental centers that will be accessible to refugee families via the IRC’s outreach network. The actual content, which will be recreated to target Syrians, is the same educational content about community and literacy that American kids know and love so much.

The grant has been described as “the largest in the history of humanitarian response, bringing hope and opportunity to a generation of refugee children” who are experiencing the “toxic stress” of displacement.

WATCH: WWII Refugees Write Comforting Letters To Syrian Refugee Youth

“Sesame Workshop and the IRC are change agents that have consistently made history by stepping up to address seemingly intractable issues. We have the relationships, track record, and evidence to implement a new framework for refugee education on an unprecedented scale,” says the program website.

“An investment in the future of these children is an investment in a more peaceful and stable world for us all.”

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photos by Sesame Workshop)

Banish Anxiety in 2018: The Secret Tool You Already Have

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Dec 21, 2017

What if there was a form of therapy – a therapist so to speak – who was always available (for free!) and always listened? That therapist is indeed at your fingertips 24/7, even when you are alone. All you need is a pen and paper or your friendly computer.

Most of us know that journaling has been shown to improve both emotional and physical health. Writing can help clear the mind, enhance your mood, alleviate stress, free up energy and awaken creativity – and therapeutic writing can be pretty fun too.

Try the prompts below to help relax your body, create more mindfulness, and give yourself a little love!

1) Feel it and Heal it—an exercise in somatic awareness.

-Take seven to ten minutes to do a written body scan. Begin at your toes and describe how they feel. Tingly or cold? Heavy or light? Tense or relaxed? Do your toes have any history, perhaps you recall breaking or stubbing one? Now, move up your body with awareness of your feet, calves, thighs, hips, all the way to your face and the crown of your head. Write about each part of your body, describing the sensations in detail and listening for anything that body part might want to tell you.

-This is also a chance to talk to your body. Has your knee been bothering you? Is your eyesight getting worse? Feel free to express your frustration with any physical challenges you may have.

-Appreciation is in order as well. Perhaps you take your nose for granted. Now you have an opportunity to thank it for giving you a sense of smell and the gift of breath. Take time to acknowledge the pleasure you derive from your body.

-If you suffer from depression or anxiety, identify where that exists in your body. Does your depression live as a heaviness in the chest? Does your anxiety manifest as flutters in the belly? Each of us experience depression and anxiety differently. Describe each quality of your discomfort. What is the shape and density of your depression? The color and weight of your anxiety? Does that knot in your throat hold a reservoir of tears? Visualize the knot dissolving so that the tears can flow.

MORE: This is How Good You Feel When You Do Good For Others

You will undoubtedly notice a release as you become more acutely aware of what’s going on within your body. You may also realize how wonderful it is to develop a more intimate relationship with your life-long home!

A good follow-up for the exercise above is to write down three things you can do to be friendlier with your body. Exercise should be at the top of this list, as it is a sure way to lift your mood and reduce stress. Numbers two and three are up to you. A relaxing bath perhaps? Might you benefit from scheduling a massage? Do you need to change any eating habits? Drink more water?

Now that we have played with the idea of being more mindful in our bodies – let’s look outside. This second exercise, which is called Savor the Moment, is designed to elevate your mood and help you develop more mindfulness in your daily life.

2) Find a moment in your day that brought you joy.

It could be something tiny, like when you had a pleasant exchange with a clerk, or you noticed something beautiful in nature. Now recall the moment, using each of your senses, sight, sound, smell, touch, and expand on it, stretch it out, savor that feeling in writing. If you do this in your journal on a daily basis, you will become more aware of the pleasurable moments in even the worst of days.

CHECK OUT: Meditation and Mindfulness Tips to Combat Everyday Worries and Life’s Big Questions

Lastly, depression can be thought of as anger turned inward. Perhaps a tonic to release some of that self-abuse is this exercise in self-love:

3) Pretend you can give yourself an amazing gift. It can be anything from nature—a flower, a bolt of lightning, a ray of sunshine, a river.

Write what you would give yourself and why. What will you do with your sunset or rainbow or wave? And perhaps most importantly, how does it feel to give your self such a powerful, loving gift?

These suggestions may not cure-alls, but you will feel a difference!

Diane Sherry Case, author of Write for Recovery, is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer. Case developed Write for Recovery™ while teaching creative writing in prisons and high schools, and has expanded her coaching to help therapists utilize writing to heal their patients. Case has her Master’s Degree in both Psychology and Creative Writing.

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GNN is More Than Just Good News: Good Talks and Good Gifts are Here

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Dec 21, 2017

After 3 months of development and thorough testing by GNN fans, we are proud to unveil the new GNN website – version 5.0!

You will still find our good news posted every day right to the homepage, but we’ve added some special features to help bring some practical GOOD into your life and business.

Our new GOOD TALKS section features a collection of positive podcasts, lectures, and pep talks from our favorite motivational speakers. Updated daily, the collection has three different categories: GOOD LIFE, GOOD HEALTH, and GOOD BUSINESS. All of the videos have been chosen to inspire you in every area of your life – from relationships and parenting, to personal growth and business strategies, to maintaining your health and exploring your career.

Our new GOOD GIFTS section features products that have been exclusively hand-picked to offer special GNN discounts for our readers, with every purchase giving back to charity. You may have seen GNN news articles on these companies recently, but check out the “WITHIN GOOD” bracelet that has been designed by GNN’s own Anthony Samadani. There will be more GOOD GIFTS coming soon.

Additionally, we hope you enjoy some cool new design features on the website; like the ‘mouse-over’ navigation bar that allows you to get a quick look at the most recent headlines, talks, and gifts; our homepage’s new ‘infinite scroll’, which gives you more good news with fewer clicks; and the gorgeous Quote of the Day – which now allows you to always refer back to “What was that quote I just saw?”

If you’re looking for any of our categories — Sport, Celebrities, or Good Laughs — just check out our CHOOSE YOUR NEWS drop-down menu on the right side of the homepage, scrolling down a little, where we have all your favorite categories in a clickable list.

Email your feedback or suggestions by using our contact form.

This is the start of a new beginning for a 20-year company. Thank you for sharing our stories and spreading the word about GNN among your friends. If you haven’t already, please consider contributing a few bucks to become a member and join our global community of supporters. We offer free downloadable bonuses on a secret MEMBER Page (different ebooks and audio programs) for anyone who pledges $2.00 or more, as a ‘thank you’.

ONWARD… and May GOOD bless you in the New Year.

(Photo by MiiiSH, CC)

“Just know, when everything is falling apart, that you are preparing the ground of you for something ripe that can’t yet be seen, but which, in time, will be tasted.” – Mark Nepo

Quote of the Day

By

Good News Network

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Dec 21, 2017

“Just know, when everything is falling apart, that you are preparing the ground of you for something ripe that can’t yet be seen, but which, in time, will be tasted.” – Mark Nepo

Check out more inspiring thoughts every day on our homepage, where we will be adding a new quote each day juxtaposed over a beautiful photo. We are collecting and archiving them on our Quote of the Day page. So why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Young People Are More Savvy and Generous Toward Charities Than Any Other Age Group

By

Good News Network

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Dec 20, 2017

Whoever keeps claiming that millennials are lazy self-centered needs to do their research, because this new study shows that young people are actually smarter – and more generous – than their older peers.

According to a survey conducted by the Charity Commission of the UK, youths gave an average of $42 to charity during the holiday season – which was more than their older counterparts.

Over half of polled youngsters also said that they regularly performed quick background checks on the charities they were donating to so they could ensure financial transparency and reliability. That number fell to 29% for people over 75 years old.

Additionally, the Charity Commission’s research shatters the stereotype that millennials are obsessed with their phones; 44% of 18 to 24 year olds said that they would give up their smartphones for the month of December if it meant raising $670 (£500) for a charity of their choice. Less than a third of the rest of the population said the same.

MORE: This Country’s Millennials are Least Likely to Drink and Drive Than Any Other Age Group

Helen Stephenson of the Charity Commission said: “This research shows that Christmas remains a time of generous charitable giving, and that is to be celebrated. I’m particularly pleased that young people give generously, but also that they are more likely to make basic checks before giving to their chosen charity than people from their parents’ generation.”

“This hints at a welcome shift in the public’s relationship with charities and shows why charities should be open and transparent about the way they are run and how they spend their money. By doing so they can encourage donors’ trust and generosity,” she added.

Click To Share The News With Your Young Friends (Photo by Afagen, CC)

Walmart Clerk Saves Grandfather’s Christmas From Almost Being Scammed Away

By

McKinley Corbley

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Dec 20, 2017

If it had not been for the sharp instincts of a Walmart employee, another unsuspecting senior may have been conned out of their savings because of a cleverly executed scam.

Cecil Rodgers of Cincinnati, Ohio has been looking forward to spending Christmas with his family this year – until he received a phone call from someone claiming to be his oldest grandson.

“A voice comes on and says, ‘Papaw, this is your oldest grandson. I’m in trouble,’” Rodgers told WCPO. “He said, ‘I hit a woman’s car and she was seven months pregnant. And they charged me with drunken driving and I’m in jail.’”

MORE: Guy Transforms Man He Thought Was Online Scammer into Village Saint by Sending Him $30 Camera

Rodger’s “grandson” then put a lawyer on the phone who instructed the senior to send him $2,300 for a bail bond through a direct store-to-store money transfer.

Fearing for his grandson’s wellbeing, Rodgers headed to Walmart with the money in hand.

Before he was able to make the transfer, however, Rodgers briefly mentioned his grandson’s situation to Audrella Taylor, the Walmart clerk who was managing his transaction.

Taylor sensed that something was amiss. She told Rodgers to go home and call his other family members to see if anyone else had heard about his grandson’s accident.

They had not.

Rodgers says that he is not a wealthy man; which is why he is relieved to be spending Christmas with his family without having to worry about the financial pitfalls that would come from losing $2,300 – and it’s all thanks to Taylor’s quick-thinking.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Stunning Story With Your Friends – Photo by WCPO