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Living in a happy relationship doesn’t mean that there is no scope for improvement. Also, the relationship doesn’t only mean a relationship with your spouse or your partner. It includes the relationships which surround you, be it in the office, home or your friends.

To build construct your own self-confidence you need to make other people feel valued and important.

Thus, below are few behaviours to improve your relationships with others:

Give Attention:

Everyone likes attention. Also, the best way to show someone that you are paying attention to them is by listening to them very carefully. If you start listening to them and asking about things they are talking about they will feel that they are valued. Thus, showing them that they are interesting and you interested in whatever they are saying.

Accepting Them:

In between two people, acceptance is very important. Accepting the other makes the person feel comfortable around you. Especially when the acceptance is genuine. Thus, increasing the self-esteem of the person and feeling safe in your company.

Smile Often:

A simple genuine smile can make anyone happy. It makes you look attractive as well. Hence, when you smile at a person, the person feels valued and feels good from inside. Also, in this process, you raise your own self-esteem as you raise others. Thus, costing you nothing and bringing everyone closer to you.

Show Gratitude:

Gratitude is one of the biggest virtue a person can have. It shows that you respect and appreciate what the other has done. Also, it gives out the message that you value the person and their effort. Hence, increasing their self-worth and self-esteem. Thus, adding a small “thank you” to anyone who is helping you or giving you anything, brings out your positive image and your relationship with everyone around you increases.

Encourage them:

Often more than less, we forget to encourage or praise people for their achievements. We overlook what they have done and continue to do our own work. Thus, making them feel not wanted. Hence, it is important to encourage and appreciate people around you. They will feel that they are a part of your life. Thus, improving your relationships with them.

Compliment them:

Most of the times we waste our energy on criticizing other people. Hence, we forget to compliment them. Complimenting anyone can raise their self-esteem and boost their confidence. Thus, they will start appreciating you and valuing more in their life which will lead to an improvement in your relationships and your surroundings.

Reach out to them:

Most of the time we spend is on keeping tabs on who called us and who hasn’t. Hence, because of this, we lose out most of our relationships. So, instead of keeping tabs on what your close ones have done for you or haven’t, it is always a better option to reach out to them first. Sometimes, it only takes the first step.

The above-mentioned ways will improve your relationship instantly. People around you will find more attractive and would want to spend more time with you. Thus, helping you to better your relationships. But, if you face constant trouble in any of your relationships, you can always reach out for help. Seeking for help is not something to be afraid of. Hence, if you or someone you know is facing trouble in their relationship then please visit a counsellor immediately.

Read our other blog on Ways to Become More attractive.

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There is a lot of stress in our daily life. This stress starts affecting our mental wellbeing. Thus, leading to different mental health issues. As we keep a check on our physical wellness, similarly, it is as important to keep a check on our mental wellness.

Hence, below are few tips for mental wellness:

Valuing Yourself:

It is important to know and understand your own value. You need to stay away from self-criticism. Thus, treating yourself kindly. You can invest your time in the hobbies you like to do or you can try and learn a new hobby.

Taking Care of Your Body:

Body and mind have a direct connection. Hence, it is important to take care of your body. You can do this by exercising regularly, eating healthy, avoiding nicotine, drinking plenty of water as well as getting proper sleep.

Surround Yourself with Good People:

It is important for you to surround yourself with people who are loving and caring. Hence, it is important to build your own support network. Thus, you should always stay in touch with friends and family who are close to you.

Help Others:

Helping others not only make others happy, but it makes you happy as well. Hence, start helping others. There are many ways to help, you can either start volunteering in some NGO or just help a friend in need.

Learning to Deal with Stress:

Experiencing stress is a part of life. It works as a motivator as well as a setback. Hence, it is important to learn how to deal with stress. You can learn relaxation techniques or start exercising or play with your pet or just write journals. Also, it is important to remember the importance of laughter. As someone said, laughter is the best medicine. Hence, look out for things which makes you laugh and happy.

Learn About Inner Peace:

A person is truly happy when he is contempt. Hence, it is important to know how to quite your mind from the everyday hustle bustle. Thus, you can achieve this by learning different meditation techniques or tai-chi or even simple praying.

Have Realistic Goals:

It is important to have goals in life, whether they are professional goals or academic goals. But, along with goals, it is also important to set realistic goals. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t aim high, but it means is you need to take steps which you are able to achieve. Thus, by achieving small steps you are able to enjoy your life more. Also, every time you achieve a goal, you need to realise the achievement. But, don’t overburden yourself with the goals.

Breaking up the Monotony:

Monotony gives us a sense of security and belonging. But, monotony also gives us a sense of depression. Hence, it is necessary to break the monotony. Thus, you can plan a road trip or try a new restaurant or a new meal which will help you break up the monotony.

Avoid any Kind of Drugs:

Drugs or Alcohol or any kind of substance effects the brain a lot. It creates a dependency and increases mental health problems. Hence, it is important to not use any kind of drugs. Also, be vary not to self-medicate. Self-medication enhances the problem. Thus, it is advisable to always visit a doctor whenever necessary.

Seek Help if Needed:

Lastly, seek help. The daily stress and tension wear us out. Hence, seeking help doesn’t mean that we are weak. It is like keeping a routine check. Also, if you think you are suffering from anything you shouldn’t be afraid to take help and get better. Counselling can help you deal with a lot of problems and get out victorious.

In conclusion, as we take care of our physical health, it is also important to take care of our mental health as well. Hence, if you feel that you are not able to handle the daily stress then please visit a mental health professional immediately.

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Blessed are those children who have an active and participative father. After the mother, the father’s role is the most important in the upbringing of the child.

Fathers play a very important role in in the lives of their children. They are there when we need someone the most, as well they are there to bring us to track if we are moving away from it. But, every father also needs to understand these feelings and structures.

Whether you have just become a father, or you have been a father for a long time. There is always a scope for improvement or learning.

Hence, below are 7 tips on how to become a better father:

Spend Quality Time:

There is always a thin line of difference between spending time and spending quality time. In an age of smartphones, we need to take out time to spend quality one on one time with our children. Thus, you can do this by reading a story to your child or playing a sport or game with your child.

Discipline them Without Being Harsh:

To be disciplined in life is very important and a child learns this from their parents. Hence, it is important to teach your child about right or wrong. But, do not punish them. Instead, you should teach them about consequences and handle the situations with love and care. Thus, you can reward their positive behaviours by teaching them what’s right and instead of punishing the negative behaviours you need to make them understand what they did wrong without scolding.

Listen to them:

Listening to your child is as important as talking to them. If you start listening to their ideas and problems from a very young age, in future it will be easier for them to talk to you about difficult topics. Also, listening should be done with empathy and understanding, instead of judging them about their ideas.

Be the Role Model:

Consciously or Unconsciously a father does become a role model for their children. If you have a girl child and you become their role model, then they would understand the respect they deserve and what to look for in a guy. Similarly, if you have a boy child, the boy will learn how to treat women with respect. Hence, it is important to show humility, honesty, love and caring for your children and becoming their role model.

Read to them:

As mentioned earlier it is important to read to them. Firstly, it ensures quality time spent with them. Secondly, reading them from a very young age teaches them the importance of literacy. When they start growing up, you also need to encourage them to read. Reading helps in a lot of things, including a personal and professional growth of the child.

Respect your Partner:

It is important to show love and respect to your partner. From there, the child learns to understand to respect each other in loving relationship. Also, if you show love and respect to your partner, the child will feel safe in the environment. Thus, they will understand that the relationship with their father is something of love and respect.

Being with them:

Most importantly, you need to be with them. No matter what age they are. You need to be with them. The bonding between the father and child should begin during pregnancy. Through touch, love, care. Thus, giving our signals to the child that you want them and love them.

All the above tips can and will help you become a better father.

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From time to time, we all get angry at someone or something. Anger is one of the basic human emotion, but it is seen in a negative light. It’s not something to look down to, but how you manage your anger matters. Management of anger can be done in a negative or a positive way. Sometimes it becomes necessary to express your anger, but other times it is also necessary to control it.

Thus, below are few tips on anger management:

Knowing the Triggers:

Firstly, it is important to know what makes you angry. If you already know the triggers then it becomes easy to avoid them. But, if the situation is unavoidable then you will be prepared for the situation.

Notice the Physical Signs:

When anger starts to rise, it is important that you start noticing the physical warning signs. For example, racing heart, teeth grinding, tightness in chest etc. Once you start noticing the physical signs, it becomes easier to defuse the situation.

Think Positively:

Often in anger, we are unable to control our thoughts, which escalates the situation furthermore. Hence, it is important to start thinking positively when you start getting angry. One of the best ways is to keep a pocket diary with you where you jot down the positive thoughts. So, when you start becoming angry you can refer to the diary and calm yourself.

Time Out:

When you start getting angry, it is best to take some time out for yourself and get back to the matter at hand for discussion later on. You can either go for a walk or just sit in peace. This way you will be able to give yourself space and time to think.

Distraction:

In today’s time, there are many distractions one can fall back to. When you are getting angry, try distracting yourself. Thus, listening to music, watching TV, exercising, talking to someone can help you distract from the situation.

Relaxation Techniques:

Using relaxation techniques can help you calm your mind. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, grounding, progressive muscle relaxation etc help you to focus your mind and calm yourself. You can learn these techniques online.

Assertion and Aggression:

Usually, people believe that to be assertive one has to be aggressive. It is a very common misunderstanding. Assertiveness is presenting yourself confidently and boldly in a respectful manner. While, being aggressive means to intimidate, humiliate or disregard the other.

Rehearsing the Anger Management Techniques:

It is important to practice the anger management techniques when you are not angry. Imagining a scenario and practising the skills will actually help you manage your anger in real situations.

Other Underlying Emotions:

Anger sometimes is a reaction to other underlying emotions. One must first acknowledge these emotions. This can actually be scary, but, acknowledging these emotions will help you connect your feelings and manage your anger.

Professional Help:

A psychologist can help you understand and process your emotions. Thus, controlling your anger. Hence, if you or someone you know is facing anger management issues; then please visit a professional.

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In a world statistical survey, it is seen that one in three girls and one in seven boys are sexually abused as a child.

Often more than less, it is done by people who are around us and not someone strange. The person can be the trusted servant, the maid, the cook, the cousin brother or sister, step-father, the uncle and sometimes even by the father and/or the mother. People we love, we cherish often break us and our trust.

The touch begins as play, and it is difficult to understand as a child, the why. Most of the times the child doesn’t even understand what is going on with them. Until it is too late for them to know. All these leave a dreadful memory as an adult, and the person is clouded by shame and guilt.

Many times, survivors of sexual abuse wish that the person who abused them would have been a stranger. Thus, making it easier for the others to understand what they went through, and moreover make others believe them.

But, sadly around ninety percent of time children are molested and abused by someone they loved, admired or were close to.

Most often than not, people who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse suffer from serious mental health issues. Some are constantly haunted by the memories, and some become paranoid about situations. But, most people are afraid to open up about their experience. It is after all their loved ones who did it, and no one believed them then, so why would they believe them now.

Hence, due to all these thoughts most survivors never open up. But, it is important to know and understand that it is nothing to be ashamed of, and it was not your fault. Talking about the experience helps you to heal from it, and taking help to heal yourself doesn’t mean that you have done something wrong.

The feelings of guilt, shame and sadness follow the person who is a survivor of sexual abuse. Hence, it becomes a struggle of their own pain and nightmares, and trauma and troubles related to sex or fears related to parenting. Talking about the experience is waging a war against these feelings and the whole experience itself. There have been several instances where sexual abuse survivors have successfully fought against their abusers, thus simultaneously fighting with their own feelings and guilt.

It is a very difficult and traumatic experience for the child, and fighting for your own truth and justice makes it even more difficult. But, fighting with your feelings of guilt and shame is what someone must do.

No one deserves to go through such experience and re-live it again and again.

Thus, opening up about it is the first step anyone can take.

Recently, there have been many famous celebrities who are coming forward with their own experience. People who are survivors can muster and gather strength from these reports and come forward and open up about their own feelings.

The problem faced by many survivors is not that they don’t know who abused them, or where they are now, but the underlying shame of not being able to protect themselves or others and going through the horrible experience of abuse. They feel guilty about having been innocent, naïve, gullible, exploitable and incapable of defending oneself.

Hence, if you or someone you know has gone through the similar experience, it is time to open up.

Don’t be afraid, because you are not at fault.

Also, the implications of the abuse suffered, results in various mental illnesses. Thus, it is important to speak up about it to a mental health professional as soon as possible.

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We spend almost more than half of our day with our co-workers. For some, their co-workers are like friends. We work together, celebrate successes together, face failures together, complain about our bosses, have good days and bad. And yet sometimes, when we lose one of our co-workers, we don’t know how to grieve their death. Especially when our relationship is restricted to the workspace, and thought we share more than a cordial relationship with them, we may not consider them as friends. As a result, we fail to realize how much of a role they play in our lives.

Our friends and family may be unaware of their existence, and their friends and family of ours. This makes the grieving more difficult as people around don’t realize the kind of impact our co-worker might have had on our lives. We might feel unsure about the extent to which we can and should involve ourselves in the death rites. As a result, we may feel alone in our grieving process. The loss may even affect our work for some time, making it hard for us to concentrate, or feel a little lost.

As a society, death is not something that is widely spoken about or openly discusses. People often feel ashamed to grieve openly due to the fear of being judged for not being strong enough. This applies more so in a workplace environment where one is expected to keep their emotions aside for the most part.

The following tips might help you cope with the loss of a co-worker:

• Acknowledge the role they played in the organization and for each worker. A discussion around the kind of impact the co-worker had on every employee’s life might make one feel that they are allowed to grieve.
• Give yourself, and others the time and space to grieve. Understand that not everyone may cope with the loss at the same pace. Be kind to your co-workers.
• Make use of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to get a professional counselor who can help you through this grieving process. Grief groups can be created for this purpose as well. One can use one-on-one counseling as well if their company has the provision and if they feel the need for it.
• Do something for the family. This can be done at an individual level, with some co-workers as a team, or on behalf of the entire organization.

  

• Attend the funeral.
• Organize a memorial service. Just the sharing of one’s memories can be quite therapeutic for some.
• One can also create a small memorial in the workplace as a token of appreciation for the co-worker’s contribution.

If you are suffering from anxiety and depression so you should meet psychologist

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The death of a parent can be a big blow to a child. It can completely shatter their belief about the world being a safe haven. They may feel intense emotional upheaval and might start fearing losing other important and close people from their life as well. Therefore, during such times, what a child seeks most, is care from the other family members, and connection with the other parent who might withdraw due to their own grieving process, and a result may end up leaving the child feel lonely.

Some tips to keep in mind –

• A factor that might help the child cope with the loss of a present is a sense of continuity. Therefore, as difficult as it may seem, one should aim at maintaining the daily household and school routine of the child.
• Make sure that your child does not feel responsible for the death in any way.
• Give the time they need to grieve. Do not expect them to resume their life back to normal instantly. Their performance in academic may get affected for some time. They might lose interest in all activities. Be there for them during this phase. Comfort them. Assure them that they have your love and support no matter what.
• As a grieving spouse, it may be extremely difficult for you to take care of your child when you too are undergoing a grieving process. However, it is essential that you keep all channels of communication open for your child. They might not necessarily want to talk to you immediately, but it is important that you let them know that should they wish to talk about something or express their anger, frustration or grief, then you are there for them.
• Let them know that it is okay for them to feel a lot of emotions. It is okay to grieve. They do not have to feel ashamed or hesitant about expressing themselves. Encourage them to accept their feelings rather than push them away.
• Make them understand that there is no one right way to grieve and that everyone might have their own unique process.

  

• Once some time has lapsed, discuss your fond memories with each other, create rituals to remember the deceased and maintain a connection with them. You also take help with psychologist

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For children, the death of their grandparent is often the first exposure they have to the idea of mortality. Therefore, before anything else, they first need to be introduced and familiarised with the concept of death. The child might struggle with a range of emotions during such times, just like any other adult. They might feel angry, upset, and confused. However, unlike adults, children are not yet equipped to deal with such a mixed bag of emotions. Therefore, the support of their parents comes to the forefront, to help them cope with the loss. Additionally, because this might be their first encounter with the death of someone, they might have a lost of questions to ask. Thus, giving them a patient hear and clearing their doubts also becomes important.

How children respond to death and grieve will determine how they handle such losses in the future as well. How much and how they grieve will also depend on the relationship proximity they shared with their grandparent. Children often tend to be extremely close to their grandparents during their childhood as they act as secondary, if not primary caregivers. Therefore, losing them can be a big blow for a child.

The following tips might help you support your child as they cope with the loss of heir grandparent –

• Answer their questions honestly and maintain consistency.
• Avoid using euphemisms. Use simple language.
• Provide the platform to express themselves freely. Listen and accept their feelings. Comfort them.
• Give them the time and space they need to grieve. Understand that some children may grieve way after the death has occurred.
• Try not to put the entire onus of death on old age as this might instill a fear in the child about losing everyone who is turning old.
• Ensure that the child does not feel that they are to be blamed for the death in any way. Tell them that death is a natural part of life and not a form of punishment.

  

• Create a ritual or ceremony that helps the child remember and preserve their good memories.

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Art therapy is a modern form of therapy.  It replaces the traditional therapy model by making use of imaginative structures. It is generally combined with other forms of psychotherapy. Although more beneficial for children, especially those who have trouble expressing their emotions, art therapy can be used with adults as well. Everyone can be creative in some form or the other. Therefore, what art therapy aims to do is, provide people the opportunity to think and act creatively. For this purpose, it uses a variety of modalities such as clay, paint, paper, color pencils etc.

It has the following benefits –

• Self-exploration: Art therapy offers a means of catharsis, by providing an insight into feelings that one might not have been previously aware of.
• Self-worth: The entire process (creative and analytical) involved in the creation of an artwork and then seeing a tangible end product provides a sense of fulfillment.
• Empowerment: Art therapy allows one to express one’s emotions and fears that one might not have been able to verbally. Thus, by allowing a sense of control over one’s feelings, it provides a sense of empowerment.
• Brain connectivity and plasticity: By encouraging creative thinking, art therapy simulates the process of creation of new pathways in your brain.
• Stress buster: Artistic and creative activities help you forget your problems and calm down. It provides you a mental escape and helps you connect with yourself better.

• Mental health: Art therapy improves the mental health of people suffering from other illnesses or traumatic experiences as well. Art therapy has benefits for – cancer patients; survivors of violence; substance abuser and addicts; people suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and other emotional issues. It also helps people deal with relationship issues.
• Rapport Formation: It serves as a great tool for ice breaking, especially with children.

Psychologist is explain more about the Art therapy

Art therapy is not a tool for aiding healing, but an instrument for promoting mental well-being.

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Feeling sad is very common. We all feel it on a regular basis. But grief is an intense emotion that one experiences when they lose something or someone of significance to them. The loss could be of someone close to you due to death or separation otherwise, an object of personal significance, job, loss of financial stability, loss of health, retirement etc. Coping with this loss can be extremely difficult for some, and the pain experienced due to this loss, overwhelming.

There is no one correct method of grieving. Everyone has their own process of grieving. However, some might user healthier ways to grieve the loss and overcome the pain than others. Doing so would require the following:

• Acknowledge and accept the loss.
• Understand that the loss can trigger a varied array of emotions and thoughts.
• Recognize that grieving process is unique for everyone.
• Seek the support of the people around you to help you cope with the loss.
• Understand the difference between grief and depression.

The most famous theory on Grief has been proposed by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross in 1969. According to her, people experiencing grief might follow the progression of stages given below. However, not everyone might go through each stage or in the specific order. :

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

   

Although we all experience grief at some point in our lives, it is important to realize when this grief has such a debilitating effect on our lives that it becomes complicated grief or depression. Complicated grief is when one’s grief becomes the center stage of their life, overtaking all other aspects of functioning. As a result, one is unable to resume functioning normally. While depression and grief share a lot of symptoms, grief is an amalgamation of more than one emotion. Unlike depression, it involves both good and bad days. psychologist also help you Coping up with Grief

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