Week 1 On Nutrisystem #NSNation

Welcome to the It’s Your Lucky Day Giveaway Hop!
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How many times have you looked back on moments in your life with a sheer sense of dissatisfaction? It’s not uncommon, but if you go through life with so many regrets, after a while, these feelings can add up to a well of negative emotions. And while you may look in the mirror and think to yourself “today is the first day of the rest of my life”, we struggle to keep up this attitude. Turning our life around is one of the most difficult things we can ever do, which is why it’s important to do one thing at a time, rather than trying to change everything all at once. So, with that in mind, here are a few suggestions for you to start off on the path to permanent happiness.
Fixing The Negative Opinions Of Ourselves
We live in an age where, unfortunately, so much is placed on how we look. If we feel that we are below par in any way, this negativity festers in our minds, and we can naturally cultivate low opinions of ourselves. This is how an issue like dysmorphia rears its head. There are two options; you can either fix these issues from the inside out, or the outside in. And so, when we are working to turn our lives around, if we look good we will feel good. We all have a niggling issue on our person, such as crooked teeth, wrinkles, and so on. It can be a quick fix, but if there is something that is bugging you every day of your life when you look in the mirror, a quick fix may be the answer in the short term. Juvederm Voluma fillers can help if you’ve got annoying cracks in your face, and various types of braces or retainers can help if you are annoyed with your teeth. When you are faced with something you feel you cannot change, there are little aesthetic alterations that can be made, but it’s important not to go over the top with these. Unfortunately, if there is something that we feel sticks out like a sore thumb, it breeds negativity and it naturally stops us putting ourselves out there. On the other hand, working through the problems from the inside out can be just as effective. You can do this in many ways, and it can result in a lot of soul-searching, but if you are unable to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy, or speak to a professional so you can get these issues fixed, one of the simplest approaches is to work at altering the opinion of yourself by positive self-talk. This is a practice that some people can find strange, to begin with, because you are verbalizing positive sentiments about just self. But, there are numerous benefits to doing this every day. A lot of people think that it’s silly, but a lot of athletes do it, and it’s something that’s commonplace in certain circles, especially in performance-related arenas. And if you are trying to present a more positive image of yourself to the outside world, that age-old expression of faking it until you make it is something that you should try. By taking 10 minutes every morning to undertake some positive self-talk, you are retraining your brain to think more positively. Believe it or not, and this is a fact, your brain is physically unable to tell the difference between a real thought and an imagined one. When you have got into the habit of this, it’s one of those things in life that you can’t go without.
Creating Those Lifelong Habits
And as the habits begin to ingrain themselves, you will notice the difference when you don’t practice them. This is the most vital component to turning your life around, creating those habits that you can build upon every single day. But to begin with, these habits can feel very difficult. By creating these habits, and getting on the road to turning your life around, the outset is a challenge all in itself. So if you are struggling at the very beginning, remember that it takes, at the very least, 21 days to form a habit. Because our minds and bodies are borne of habit, when we are trying to integrate a new way of thinking, a new eating pattern, or exercising, you will naturally resist these changes. But, the importance of challenging yourself is what forces the human species to develop and grow. Because our mind’s needs challenging, this is how we create new neural pathways, but also, we evolved in a physical sense to run faster, jump higher, and generally work that much harder to escape threats. We are now, in the modern age, very comfortable, and so, we need to work towards those challenges that push us out of our comfort zone. This is the overriding sensation that you need to go for, especially when it comes to turning your life around. Now, not to say that you should put yourself under extreme duress every single day of your life, but by challenging yourself to do something new every single day, you are naturally and healthily stretching out your sphere of comfort, and therefore, your confidence increases alongside it. Everything that is new and difficult we try to avoid, but it’s these challenges that we have to go for. But before that, we need to form healthy and effective habits. This is something that can take some time, but this is where you need to trust your instincts.
Alternatives To “Bettering Yourself”
Bettering yourself is a dangerous term, because this implies that there is something wrong with you. This is far from the case, but finding simple approaches to building on who you are, in comparison to who you want to be, is something that we can all benefit from. Now, not to say that you have to constantly plow through self-help books to make you into some sort of superhuman, but the never-ending quest for answers can be exhausting. When you are working at turning your life around the best method is to think about the type of person that you want to be, and take it one step at a time in the right direction. If we overload ourselves with goals and pressures, we will undoubtedly crumble under this pressure. So, this is why it’s important to gradually step outside of your comfort zone, to make changes little by little, rather than undertaking and emotional spring clean from top to bottom. This is why so many people give up exercise routines, statistics show that the people who join the gym in January give up after 24 weeks, and this could be because of the whole “new year new me” attitude, and so, the excessive pressure they place upon themselves to get fit now, means they physically cannot cope with the strain. We should undertake the same attitude when we are changing ourselves in an emotional sense. We all know that we shouldn’t place too much pressure on ourselves, but when we think about turning our life around, this encapsulates everything. But it’s worth thinking about the tortoise and the hare, or playing the long game, whatever metaphor appeals to you. The changes we make in our lives for the better are the ones that we learn over time, or are things we don’t recognize as seismic changes, because they take so long. For the modern, impatient person that needs everything changed right here, right now, this is not the answer they want to hear, but it is far better for you to make peace with the fact that you are changing yourself properly one little bit at a time, rather than making those promises to yourself that you are going to be a completely different person in six months or a years’ time, because, in all honesty, this is unrealistic. You are who you are, and the fact is that if you want to change yourself completely, you will have to get a new brain! Instead, there are unique aspects of your personality that make you inherently you, and everybody needs to harness their own uniqueness, and this is the key to turning your life around.
Yes, there are some fantastic tools that we can all benefit from, especially when we have those bad habits like negative opinions of ourselves, which we can replace with more positive habits, turning our lives around is not about viewing it as the biggest, most difficult challenge of our lives, although if we can make these seismic changes, this is what gives us validation in our own abilities. But now, we are placing so much pressure on ourselves, that we need to turn our lives around in more subtle, and effective approaches. Remember, we are all works in progress, and this is a far healthier opinion to have, rather than making ourselves into a completely different person that we wouldn’t recognize. While it’s a cliché, to thine own self, be true is one of the best maxims that we can all take inspiration from. Turning your life around is possible, and it’s all about three things, how we view ourselves, the habits we undertake, but also making peace with ourselves to embark on this long journey in our own sweet time.

After a rough night’s sleep or no sleep at all, most people get up the next morning feeling cranky and emotional. While this won’t hurt in the short-term, it can cause serious harm if you continue to lose sleep. For this reason, you must head to bed at a reasonable hour and avoid any habits that could harm your rest. Screen time and drinking caffeine can both make it harder to nod off.
Ditching That Workout Routine
While you must make sure that you get plenty of rest, exercise is just as important. Everyone knows that this helps to maintain physical fitness, as well as a healthy weight, but there are many mental benefits too. This is because physical activity triggers the release of chemicals that fight stress. Because of this, you should choose an exercise you enjoy and get yourself moving.
Choosing To Self-Medicate
Trying to cure your mental health problems with drugs or alcohol never works out. In fact, it could leave you needing even more help. If you had bipolar disorder, for example, you would need to find a bipolar treatment center that offers dual diagnosis treatment and can tackle your addiction too. That is why it’s best to avoid relying on any substances not prescribed to you.
Ignoring Problems At Home
Everyone has stress to deal with, but problems can occur when your stress is ignored. It’s crucial that you address any stressors you face, especially if you live with them. If you’re having relationship problems, for example, you must speak to your partner and find ways to overcome them. Sometimes, bringing in a professional, like a marriage counselor, can be a lot of help.
Keeping A Messy House
Cleaning is a chore we all have to endure. Even if you don’t like doing it, everyone must try to keep their homes clean and tidy. If you allow mess to take over, it can cause a great deal of stress. Most people feel weighed down when surrounded by clutter, so make sure you purge your home of junk regularly. Clearing out anything you don’t need will make your home calmer.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Holiday Family Traditions are alive and well. I love to continue long-standing traditions that I grew up with while starting my own with my boys. Throughout the holiday whether we think about them or not, we carry out many traditions with food, celebrations and gifts. I can’t think of any other holiday food gift brand more compatible with the Holidays & family traditions than Hickory Farms. With so many possibilities & pairings, it’s easy to see why so many families count on Hickory Farms to set the scene with meats, cheeses, wines and more as part of their holiday tradition. Did you know Hickory Farms also provides a large selection of gift boxes, perfect for that hard to buy for person? Who doesn’t enjoy opening up a delicious box of Hickory Farms product.
Hickory Farms is America’s most famous holiday food gift brand, enjoyed by holiday shoppers seeking the perfect gifts for family and friends for over 60 years. Many Americans have a distinct memory of Hickory Farms at their holiday gatherings; Hickory Farms is very proud to be a part of those nostalgic moments and continues to focus on and celebrate its long heritage of tradition and authentic holiday memories. Hickory Farms helps people appreciate shared moments that are worth embracing and passing down through generations of families, but also creating new traditions and sharing them with loved ones.
Family Traditions Old & New
As I said, Hickory Farms has always been a part of our family traditions…The boys love the summer sausage and get excited every time I buy some. To me the holidays should be warm, cozy, and comforting. I like to serve foods that keep that tradition. We were able to try out Hickory Farms Tea Time Collection Gift Box which had product in it that I had never tried before. I think the chocolate covered pretzels, buttery shortbread biscuits & Belgian truffles will be a new holiday coffee table tradition!
According to a national survey, nearly half of American adults agree that the holiday shopping season officially starts when they see Hickory Farms arrive at their local mall. Hickory Farms’ food gifts are available at Holiday Market locations nationwide, on hickoryfarms.com and at leading retailers.
Connect with Hickory Farms on social media to stay up to date on all of their promotions and delicious products!
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WIN IT
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win a $25 Hickory Farms Gift Card!! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Nov 30, 2015.
The Fine Print: Entering this giveaway means that you accept both my rules & disclosure. I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Each household is only eligible to win this prize via blog reviews and giveaways once. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Many will enter, few will win! Please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery of prizing. My Sparkling Life is not responsible for any lost or misdirected packages. Prizing provided and shipped by Hickory Farms. In the rare occasion that a prize does not arrive (which has happened), please notify me.
Compensation and products for review were provided by Hickory Farms via MomTrends. I received a free sample of the product for the purpose of this review and to facilitate a giveaway. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Hickory Farms
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