Only People Who Love Spending Time Alone Will Understand This

23 Things Only People Who Love Spending Time Alone Will Understand

1. A weekend in which you have no plans, no responsibilities, and nowhere at all to be, ranks as one of the best weekends you’ll ever have.

2. Sometimes friends will try to make plans with you and you have no reason to decline except for the fact that you just want to be alone that day. (Your plan is to have no plans, people need to understand that by now, right?)

3. A good album, book, or television show can keep your attention far longer than any party, club, or bar could.

4. Going away to a remote cabin in the middle of the woods to just exist for a period of time sounds like the best idea for a vacation that you can think of.

5. There is nothing more exciting than planning a long, solo road trip, because you know you’re going to be able to think your thoughts, listen to your music, and play your audiobooks for hours and hours on end. Is there anything better?

6. When people say they can’t eat alone at a restaurant, you’re like, really? That’s one of life’s simple pleasures! Food? Good. A book? Good. No conversation whatsoever? Perfect.

7. The worst trait any potential lover could have is “clingy.” You need your space like you need air to breathe. It’s essential. If they need to be around you all the time? Dealbreaker.

8. Even if you are attached, you carve out hours of alone time just to keep your sanity (and to keep your relationship healthy and happy, too).

9. The only person you’d ever consider marrying would be someone that also loves spending time alone, otherwise that thing’s never going to last.

10. If anyone that knew you were to describe you, one of the words they’d use emphatically to do so is: independent.

11. Your intuition is on point because you spend an insane amount of time alone and cultivating it.

12. While people around you hate being single, you consider it such a joy to be able to be at the whim of your aloneness and this feeling is especially better if you live alone, because you have so much time to do all your little things that you do when nobody is around.

13. You’re always working on a project –usually something artistic– and you start to get antsy if you haven’t been able to work on it for a few days.

14. When you do hang out with people, you prefer seeing them one on one or in a small group. The more intimate and deep the conversation, the better.

15. You are an observer –watching and studying people’s behavior– and, funny enough, are usually quite well-liked, which can serve to be a problem considering how much time you want to spend by yourself.

16. A full day by yourself makes you feel more you than anything at all.

17. You tend to enjoy cold, rainy weather, as it gives you even more of an excuse to hibernate in your home and read, sit by the fire, think, curl up, write in your journal.

18. If you are not thinking about life’s big questions, you must be dead.

19. Because you put a premium on spending time alone, you are more present and attentive when you do spend time with people, because you don’t feel as though you’re missing out on time by yourself.

20. You would much rather go on a hike or go to the beach by yourself than with anyone, which isn’t to say you dislike going with people, it’s just a more engaging experience when you do it alone.

21. Sure, it’s fun to drink wine with friends, but having a bottle of wine to yourself at the end of a long day? 100% perfect paradise heaven.

22. Traveling to a new place by yourself (even if the new place is only ten miles away) is your idea of a great time. You are always either planning a solo adventure, going on a solo adventure, or coming back from one. Experiencing the world through your own eyes without anybody else’s opinion is not just a desire, it’s an essential need of yours.

23. There is absolutely nothing that can touch the feeling of when someone cancels plans on you and you are suddenly left with surprise alone time. You’re all, “Oh good, more time to be with me!” and it’s truly an untouchable feeling of happiness. 

8 Signs You May Be an Outgoing Introvert

There are introverts, extroverts, and then there’s you - falling somewhere in between.

The term "outgoing introvert" is an oxymoron on par with "jumbo shrimp" and "deafening silence," but for people who fall into this category, life can be an unusual mix of traits and tendencies that only they can truly appreciate. 

So what are the signs that you're an outgoing introvert?

1. You’re not anti-social, you’re selectively social

When you're an outgoing introvert it’s hard for you to meet people that you like. You can be simultaneously charming as hell, but also introspective and reflective to an annoyingly mind-numbing degree. You live inside your head, but can also be the life of the party - it all depends on the people surrounding you.

2. Meeting someone you really like can feel like finding the Chupacabra

Outgoing introverts HATE small talk and avoid it at all costs, but when it’s inevitable that they have to interact with people, they can’t help but to try and make the other person feel comfortable. According to Psychology Today, the reason you may not like someone when you first meet them may be as simple as that the person you just met is an extrovert. Outgoing introverts, though still introverts at their core, tend to view extroverts as basic, simple, annoying, overconfident and pushy. This natural, almost subconscious tendency serves as a filter, often referred to as a first impression, through which a person’s future words and actions are judged. 

3. Coffee can actually be counter-productive for you

Science of Us writer Melissa Dahl reported on findings from psychologist Brian Little's latest book on personality science, Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being, which showed that introverts are better off avoiding caffeine before a big meeting or important event. Since you have spectrums of introversion, coffee can actually overstimulate your central nervous system that may cause you to feel overwhelmed and exhausted, rather than excited and engaged. 

4. You probably hate traditional systems 

Most of our societal constructs cater to the extrovert - from large office spaces to loud bars to the structure of our educational system - despite the fact that anywhere from one-third to half of the population has an introverted temperament. Since an outgoing introvert can feel distracted or vulnerable when they are in overstimulating environments, you probably dislike traditional systems. 

5. People always confuse you for an extrovert

Extroverts and outgoing introverts may seem almost the same on the surface, and if you’re an outgoing introvert you’ve probably been called an extrovert many times. Though the way extroverts and outgoing introverts process the world is quite different. Since introverts and extroverts have different world perspectives, they view each other as different and thus are naturally predisposed against one another. Extroverts focus on the outside world, while outgoing introverts remain mostly introspective.

6. You can be the life of the party, but you need time to warm up 

While you may enjoy being the center of attention, you feel best it in a controlled environment. You need time to warm up. You tend not to outwardly express your feelings and spill your whole life story in the first hour of meeting someone. Or the first year. You have no interest or energy to prove yourself in a crowd of strangers.

7. Your energy level depends on your environment

Outgoing introverts often need to recharge after a large use of social energy. That’s why many people often annoy the outgoing introvert and social settings are often tricky for them; it’s usually a hit or miss. If you vibe with the crowd or a person, you can get your energy from human interactions. But if you don’t, those social interactions end up draining your social batteries and the extroverts in the room end up annoying the crap out of you for sometimes no specific reason. And when your batteries are drained and you’re annoyed, you will tend towards withdrawal into yourself. 

8. You probably didn’t even know you were an outgoing introvert 

Since you're not completely an introvert nor an extrovert, in can literally take years to figure out that you’re an outgoing introvert. But once you do, you can understand why so many people easily annoy you and why you sometimes process experiences through your brain's "reward" centers quite differently than other people. In fact, a 2013 study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that people who are naturally introverted do not process rewards from external factors as strongly as extraverts do. So since you fall somewhere in the middle, that can sometimes explain why you're such a conundrum.

Mantras To Kick Your Confidence Into High Gear

10 Mantras To Kick Your Confidence Into High Gear

Confidence is the spark for your fire, the fuel for your rocket, the energy for your marathon run. Without self-confidence, you risk drifting through a life half-led. To truly be yourself and be happy with yourself, you need to develop self-confidence.
 
Confidence is not a set of rules or a blueprint – there is no “one-size-fits-all” confidence model. Confidence is a state of your mind. It comes from a sense of well-being, control over your lifestyle, acceptance of your body and your unique personality, and belief in your talents, skills, and experience.

 
Are you in control of your confidence? If you need a little boost, try these 10 mantras for size.
 

1. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined. ~Henry David Thoreau

2. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

3. With confidence, you have won before you have started. ~Marcus Garvey

4. Control your own destiny or someone else will. ~Jack Welch

5. Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. ~Bernard M. Baruch

6. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are and who you always have been. ~Sheri L. Dew

7. Saying no is one of the most powerful things that I can do for myself.
8. The antidote to fear is action.

9. If you want to improve your self-worth, stop giving other people the calculator. ~Tim Fargo

10. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~William Morrow

Positive thinking, mantras, positive self-talk, and self-confidence therapy can all help develop confidence. Look at all the things you have already achieved and focus on the big and small stuff that you are proud of. Make a list and pull it out to remind yourself how awesome you are. If you feel yourself lacking in confidence in certain situations, like job interviews, get training or experience until you are better equipped to handle the situation.

You gain confidence as you take action. Sitting back and worrying about your lack of confidence will not change anything. Taking one small step towards your goals will pay back big-time.

Confidence isn’t about never making mistakes; it is the ability to keep going and keep pushing forward. In the words of Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

Words Of Wisdom From Classic Superheroes

Surprising Words Of Wisdom From 8 Classic Superheroes

Superheroes through their do-gooder deeds, are designed to capture the imagination and inspire millions of minds. Housed within each comic or animated series are often subtle cues about mortality, doing the right thing and being a force for good not evil. 

      Unless you’re a fan of the villains, then that’s a whole other story. But acts of valour and courage aside, sometimes superheroes have the power to conjure up some poignant and surprising words of wisdom from amongst their own illustrated pages.

      Graphic designer and comic book fan Adam Thompson used that as foundation for his unique graphic series Heroic Words of Wisdom, whereby he highlights some of his favorite quotes from classic superheroes.

Superheroes already have a prominent place in pop culture. Their images can be seen anywhere. As a fan I enjoy seeing the strength of these characters in the spotlight, but because I am looking to reach a new audience, I needed to find a new light. I had to consider that comic books are a series of images accompanied by dialogue, and since it’s the images that are already so prominent, I decided to focus on the dialogue.

15 Habits That Will Change Your Life

15 HABITS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Developing good habits is a basic principle of personal development and growth. Everything we do is the result of a habit that was previously learned. Unfortunately, not all habits that we have are good, that’s why we are constantly trying to improve.

The following is a list of 15 practical habits that can make a huge difference in your life.

Health Habits

1. Exercise 30 minutes every day. Especially if you don’t do much movement while working, it’s essential that you get some daily exercise. 30 minutes every day are theminimum recommended for optimal health.
2. Eat breakfast every day. Breakfast is the more important meal of the day, yet so many people skip it. Personally, I like to eat a couple of toasts in the morning along with a fruit beverage.
3. Sleep 8 hours. Sleep deprivation is never a good idea. You may think that you are gaining time by sleeping less, when in reality you are only gaining stress and tiredness. 8 hours are a good number of hours for most people, along with an optional 20 minutes nap after lunch.
4. Drink one glass of water when you wake up. When you wake up, your body is dehydrated and needs liquid. Make the habit of drinking one glass of water after you wake up in the morning. Also, drink more during the day.
5. Keep your body clean. I don’t advise spending your day in front of the mirror, but a minimum of personal care doesn’t hurt.

Productivity habits

1. Use an inbox system. Make the habit of keeping track of all the ideas and things that comes to mind. You can use a notebook to do this, and then sync everything on your computer.
2. Prioritize. If you have a list of things to do, where do you start? One way is to prioritize your list. If you are in doubt, ask yourself: “If I could only accomplish one thing today, what would it be?”
3. Clean off your desk and room. Having a clear room and desk is important to maintain focus and creativity.
4. Create a morning routine. There are a lot of tasks that you need to perform every day or every week. Try to automate them as much as possible.
5. Set strict deadlines. When you do something, decide in advance when you’re going to stop. There’s a rule that states that you will fulfill all the time you have available for completing a task, so make a habit of setting strict deadlines for maximizing your productivity. 

Personal Development Habits

1. Read 1 book per week. Reading is a good way to keep your brain active. With just 30 minutes per day you should be able to read one book per week, or more than 50 books per year!
2. Daily goals. Set targets for each day in advance. Decide what you’ll do, then do it. Without a clear focus, it’s too easy to succumb to distractions.
3. Think positively. You are what you think, all the time.
4. Wait before buying. Waiting 48 hours before buying anything is a tremendous money saver, try it.
5. Meditate 30 minutes per day. A great way to gain clearness and peace is through meditation. 30 minutes are not a lot, but enough to get you started with meditation.

Quotes From Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know

These Are The Quotes From Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know

It’s interesting how some of life’s greatest lessons can be found in children’s literature. And chances are that we did not realize this back when we were kids. Sometimes it’s only when we’re older that we learn to fully appreciate and understand the poignant words from our childhood entertainment.

Here’s some of the best quotes from books we used to read.

1. A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

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2. Dr Seuss, Horton Hears a Who

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3. Aesop, The Lion and the Mouse

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4. A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

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5. Roald Dahl, The Twits

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6. Dr. Seuss, Oh the Places You’ll Go

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7. Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic

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8. Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

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9. L. Frank Braum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

10. A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

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11. E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web

12. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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13. J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

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14. Shel Silverstein

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15. Roald Dahl, The Minpins

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16. Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

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17. P.L. Travers, Mary Poppins

18. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

19. Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

20. A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

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7 Social Hacks For Manipulating People

7 Social Hacks For Manipulating People:

1. Whenever someone is angry and confrontational, stand next to them instead of in front of them. You won’t appear as so much of a threat, and they eventually calm down.

2. Open with “I need your help.” People don’t like the guilt of not helping someoneout. When asking for a favor from someone, begin your request by saying “I need your help.” It greatly increases your chances of getting that favor done. 

3. Rephrase what the other person says and repeat it back to them. This makes them think you’re listening and really interested in what they’re saying. It makes them feel validated. Obviously, you don’t want to overdo this.

4. If you want someone to agree with you, nod while you talk.This gets the other person to nod too, and they begin to subconsciously think they agree with you.

5. If someone doesn’t like you, ask to borrow a pencil. It is a small enough favor that they won’t say no, and it gets them to like you more.

6. Fold your arms to determine interest. If someone is observing you, they will likely mimic you. Fold your arms, and see if they do it, too. 

7. Repeat a person’s name many times during a conversation. It helps you remember it, and makes them like you more.

11 Promises You Must Make to Yourself for Happiness

11 Promises You Must Make to Yourself for Happiness : 

Make these promises to yourself, and keep them.



Repeat after me: “I promise…”

1. “I will accept everything I am, and everything I am not.”– Self-worth comes from one thing: thinking that you are worthy.  So be confident.  Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren’t.  Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are, and aren’t, that you will truly find happiness and success.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
2. “I will appreciate others for who they are.” – Sometimes the way you think about a person isn’t the way they are.  On the outside, maybe they laugh, and maybe they cry; but you would be surprised at everything they keep deep inside.  So pay close attention, and love the people you care about for who they are, and not for who you want them to be.  In the long run, this is how you will get the best of them.
3. “I will speak kindly and consciously to others.” – Open your mind before you open your mouth.  Don’t mix bad words with a bad mood.  Just be calm and deal with your emotions.  You’ll have many opportunities to change your mood, but you’ll have an extremely tough time recovering the words you have spoken.
4. “I will speak kindly and consciously to myself.” – Wait, what did you just say to yourself?  Were they the inspiring, comforting words you would speak to a friend?  Or were they the belittling remarks you might shout to an enemy if you had no heart.  Or the negative assessments about life you would utter if you had no faith?  All day long we speak silently to ourselves, and a part of us believes every word.  So stay mindful, and ask yourself, “If I had a friend who always spoke to me in the same way that I am speaking to myself right now, how long would I allow that person to be my friend?”
5. “I will stop trying to control everything.” – I hate to break it to you, but you can’t control everything in your life no matter how many safeguards you put into place.  But thankfully, you don’t have to control everything to find peace and happiness.  It lives with you always, deep within.  More than getting into the nuances of control itself, you should be more interested in encouraging yourself to commit to giving it up, on purpose.  See what happens when you loosen your grip, throw your hands into the air, and allow life to just happen and flow as it does, without constant micromanagement.  Read The Power of Now.
6. “I will appreciate the beauty of small moments.” – Positive minds live positive lives.  There is always, always something to be thankful for and something to smile about.  The happiest people are not those who get everything they want; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, notice and appreciate the beauty and sweetness of everyday moments.
7. “I will do what I think is right.” – What comes easy won’t always last, and what will last won’t always come easy.  So do the right things, not the easy things.  Whatever comes your way, whatever battle is raging inside you, you always have a choice.  In the end, it’s the choices you make that make you who you are.  And no matter what, you can always choose to do the right thing.
8. “I will grow from my challenges.” – You can be stunned, awakened, and changed by what happens to you, but choose to grow from it, and refuse to be reduced by it.  Repeat after me: “I am determined to live a happy life no matter my challenges.  I will turn all my tales of fury into tales of glory.  I will turn all of my tales of woe into tales of WOW!”
9. “I will realize and use my power.” – The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.  In a world filled with doubt, you must dare to dream.  In a world filled with anger, you must dare to forgive.  In a world filled with hate, you must dare to love.  In a world filled with distrust, you must dare to believe.  And once you do, you will find that power you once thought you lacked.
10. “I will follow the path my heart longs to take.” – Life is too short to live with regrets.  So love the things that make you smile, let go of the things that make you cry, and believe that everything happens for a reason.  Follow the path that your heart longs to take; it’s your time to shine.  If you get a chance, take it.  If it changes your life, let it.  You are far from what you once were, but not yet who you are going to be.  Read The Last Lecture.
11. “I will have some fun while I’m doing it all.” – Some people frantically seek a predetermined definition of success as though their entire self-worth depends on whether or not they make it to the top.  Their goals and routines are wound tight around stringent routines that they repeat every single day without stopping to breathe.  And while discipline is important, think about how much better off they’d be if they unwound their vision just a little – like kite string – and ran with it like an optimistic youth, breathing and working, just for the joy of seeing if they can make it touch the clouds.

15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy

Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:

1. Give up your need to always be right.There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.

“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” –Lao Tzu

3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.

“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” –Eckhart Tolle

5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!

“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind.” –Elly Roselle

6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.

7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.

8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take of all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.

9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” –Joseph Campbell

10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. 

“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” –Wayne Dyer

11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.

“The only fear we have to fear, is fear itself.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt

12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.

13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.

14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another,  attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves.  You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.