Life

5 Simple Habits To Help You Achieve Your Life Goals

Published

7 years ago

Dec 24, 2015

Anna Bates

Life can move pretty fast. When early morning subway rides meet late dinners, one too many cups of coffee, and a work day that’s not-so-9-to-5, it’s hard to find the time to put in some Leslie-Knope level effort into yourself.

With New Year’s resolutions peering into our near future, now is a great time to recommit to simple habits that will help you achieve your life goals.

Here, I’ve rounded up five simple habits that don’t take much effort, but they will help fulfill some major life goals:

1. Make time for breakfast

Don’t be the typical twenty-something living on ice pops and cigarettes. If you want to start following your dreams of achieving life goals, you’ve got to give your mind and body the energy it needs. Research has shown us eating breakfast not only reduces weight gain and diabetes, but it also enhances cognitive functions (memory, creativity, learning, & more!). Jack Dorsey, Square CEO and Twitter co-founder, enjoys two hard-boiled eggs with soy sauce. Kelly Ripa eats yogurt and granola for breakfast. It’s time to limber up and leap over that hurdle seven times a week.

2. Embrace change

Some people have the life and career they’ve always wanted. But, if you’re one of the many not enjoying your current status, it’s time to change your direction. It’s time to shape your life in a way the makes you happy. We set life goals to change our lives. Design a path that leads to your life goal that allows you to enjoy the journey along the way. From travel, activities, and friends, what do you want out of life? Figure it out and make the change.

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” – Charles Darwin

3. Take a moment to enjoy the small things

Forging down the path of one of your life goals can be intimidating. Stop in the middle of the day to catch your breath and appreciate the small things. Dedicate one hour a day (preferably the morning or when you’re feeling overwhelmed) to reflection and meditation.

Think about what you would like to accomplish for that day, and then get started. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, has practiced meditation for over ten years. Oprah Winfrey, CEO of Harpo Productions Inc, believes in the “stillness” of meditation, and it allows her to cope with her hectic world. Meditation will help structure your time and be more productive. You will be ready to take calculated risks and experiment in bold new directions.

4. Invest your money

What do all millionaires and billionaires have in common? They invest. You don’t have to skip your daily latte or spend your Sunday clipping coupons. Think like a mogul and start investing. Don’t rely on your employer for financial security, take control and begin building a stake in your future. Saving alone won’t get you there. Set yourself up to have the financial freedom to enjoy your life goals with ease. Over time, investing will grow wealth and give you the strength to pursue an entrepreneurial path.

“Always invest for the long term.” – Warren Buffett

5. Live within your means

Embrace your humble habits and get into the habit of spending minimally now and it will help you have much more later. A 2013 study suggests that adults who grow up with fewer financial resources are more likely to be heavy spenders during times of economic crisis, whereas those who grew up wealthier will respond to tough times by cutting back. If you want to achieve life goals, live within your means.

Take a look at Sam Walton, Walmart founder, who drove 1979 Ford F150 pickup truck. Or, look at Ingvar Kamprad the Ikea founder, who always flies commercial. Although, both are millionaires, they both live well below their means. Next time you’re in danger of hurting your bottom line, ask yourself: Have I saved up for this? Do I need this? Will this delay me from meeting my life goals. Living smartly below your means and saving your money rather than showcasing it will help you achieve life goals faster and with less stress.

What would you add to this list of simple habits to achieve your life goals? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!

Related Topics:Career change Design direction embrace enjoy invest Positive purpose Success

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Anna Bates

Anna Bates is a Marketing Manager at Noodle, the leading education website that helps parents and students make better decisions about learning. Prior to joining Noodle, Anna was a digital marketing strategist working with a wealth of global brands like IHG, Bloomin Brands, and Mailboat Records, to name a few.

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Life

5 Indicators of Unresolved Attachment Trauma

Published

6 days ago

Jan 25, 2023

Joel Brown (Founder of Addicted2Success.com)

Trauma caused during specific stages of a child’s development, known as attachment trauma, can have lasting effects on a person’s sense of safety, security, predictability, and trust. This type of trauma is often the result of abuse, neglect, or inconsistent care from a primary caregiver.

Individuals who have not fully processed attachment trauma may display similar patterns of behavior and physical or psychological symptoms that negatively impact their adult lives, including the choices they make in relationships and business.

Unfortunately, many people may not even be aware that they are struggling with trauma. Research estimates that 6% of the population will experience PTSD in their lifetime, with a majority of males and females having experienced significant trauma.

Unresolved attachment trauma can significantly impair the overall quality of a person’s life, including their ability to form healthy relationships and make positive choices for themselves. One well-known effect of unhealed attachment trauma is the compulsion to repeat past wounds by unconsciously selecting romantic partners who trigger their developmental trauma.

However, there are other less recognized but equally detrimental signs of unprocessed developmental trauma.

Five possible indications of unresolved attachment trauma are:

1. Unconscious Sabotage

Self-sabotage is a common pattern among individuals with unprocessed attachment trauma. This cycle often begins with hurting others, which is then followed by hurting oneself. It is also common for those with attachment trauma to have heightened emotional sensitivity, which can trigger this cycle.

This pattern can manifest in lashing out, shutting down, or impulsive behavior that leads to feelings of guilt, shame, and self-loathing.

Many people with attachment trauma are not aware of their wounds and operate on survival mode, unconsciously testing or challenging the emotional investment of those around them, and pushing them away out of self-preservation and fear of abandonment.

This can lead to a pattern of making poor choices for themselves based on impulsivity.

2. Persistent Pain

Chronic pain is a common symptom that can stem from early trauma. Studies have shown a connection between physical conditions such as fibromyalgia, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, insomnia, muscle aches, back pain, chest pain, and chronic fatigue with the aftermath of chronic developmental trauma, particularly physical abuse.

Research has found that individuals with insecure attachment styles, such as anxious, avoidant, or disorganized, have a higher incidence of somatic symptoms and a history of physical and emotional abuse in childhood compared to those with a secure attachment style.

3. Behaviors That Block Out Trauma

Trauma blocking practises are used to avoid the pain and memories connected with traumatic events.

Emotional numbing, avoidance, and escape via briefly pleasurable activities that distract from terrible memories or suffering are common examples. Unfortunately, this escape habit stops people from successfully processing and recovering from their trauma.

Furthermore, when the pain resurfaces, more and more diversions are necessary to continue ignoring it. This can be seen in compulsive behaviours such as drug or alcohol addiction, emotional eating, numbing oneself through relationships, workaholism, excessive or dangerous exercise routines, compulsive internet or technology use, or any other compulsive behaviour used to distract yoursef from intrusive thoughts and emotions.

These actions have the potential to prolong a cycle of avoidance and repression, preventing persons from healing and progressing.

4. A strong need for control

It’s understandable that some people may struggle with control issues in their adult lives, especially if they felt helpless or vulnerable during their childhood.

This can happen if someone had an overbearing caregiver who didn’t let them make their own choices, expected too much from them, or didn’t take care of them properly. As adults, they might try to control everything in their life to feel more in control and less anxious or scared. This might be because they didn’t feel like they had control over their life when they were a child.

It’s important to remember that everyone’s experiences are different and it’s okay to seek help if you’re struggling with control issues.

5. Psychological Symptoms That Are Not Explained

Individuals with a history of developmental trauma may experience a range of psychological symptoms, including obsessive-compulsive behavior, intense mood swings, irritability, anger, depression, emotional numbing, or severe anxiety.

These symptoms can vary in intensity and may occur intermittently throughout the day. People with this type of trauma may attempt to “distract” themselves from these symptoms by denying or rationalizing them, or may resort to substance abuse or behavioral addictions as coping mechanisms. This can be a maladaptive way of trying to numb their symptoms.

What to do next if you’re suffering from emotional attachment trauma?

Everyone’s experience of healing from trauma is unique. It’s important to be aware of whether you have experienced childhood developmental trauma and how it may be affecting your relationships as an adult. Sometimes, the effects of trauma can be overwhelming and we may try to push them away or avoid them.

If you notice that you’re engaging in these behaviors, it’s important to seek help from a trauma therapist who can support you on your healing journey. Remember, you’re not alone and it’s never too late to start healing.

There are several ways that people can work to overcome emotional attachment trauma:

Therapy: One of the most effective ways to overcome emotional attachment trauma is through therapy. A therapist can help you process your experiences, understand the impact of your trauma on your life, and develop coping strategies to manage symptoms.
Support groups: Joining a support group of people who have had similar experiences can be a great way to find validation, empathy, and a sense of community.
Mindfulness practices: Mindfulness practices such as meditation, pilates, prayer time with God or journaling can help you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, and develop a sense of spiritual connection and self-regulation.
Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT): This is a type of therapy that is specifically designed to help individuals process and recover from traumatic events.
Building a safety net: Building a support system of people you trust, who are there for you when you need them, can help you feel more secure and safe in your life.

It’s important to remember that healing from emotional attachment trauma is a process and it may take time. It’s also important to find a therapist who is experienced in treating trauma, who you feel comfortable talking with, and who can help you develop a personalized treatment plan.

If you desire to work with me on healing your wounds and unlocking the aspects of you that were never realized so you can achieve more success in your life then head over to awebliss.com and join my weekly LIVE online mentorship calls.