Fate & Destiny: How they influence our Future



All of us are working towards some goals. All of us have some plans for our life. We plan for our future, our children, our career and retirement. We are always planning and trying to implement our plans. While doing all this, we forget to count fate, and that can give us a shock if we are not ready for it. When one makes plans, one should always leave the results to fate. Otherwise the shocks can be disastrous for our equanimity. Let us see how.

Some people don't believe in fate. How do these people justify few occurrences? For example, why some kids get cancer at a very early age? Why, a person who takes care of his/her health in all the possible ways, is suddenly diagnosed with impossible sounding diseases? Why does one person survive in an accident while the other person traveling with him/her dies on the spot? Why some people instinctively leave some place, a night before a natural calamity? We hear of so many such miraculous survivals and cruel deaths, that the role of fate becomes impossible to deny.

A journalist who goes out only to fulfil his/her duty gets kidnapped in a foreign country and is killed mercilessly. Why? Few others make all the plans to go to the same place, but change their plans on the way! Which power makes us act in ways that either help us survive in a disaster or pull us towards one? It is fate. Isn't it?

What should we do if life is such? We surely cannot stop planning about our future? We surely cannot sit at one place and let fate play its own game. And after thinking about the games fate plays, one cannot plan and be absolutely certain that things will turn out precisely as planned. What is the best way to live life?

Let us plan. Let us apply all our might to bring the plans to fructification. Let us fight against all the obstacles and try to reach the goals. Let us do whatever we can to achieve what we desire. Let us leave the results to God. To dream of results and be sure that they will be fulfilled as per our plans may give us a bigger shock, if that does not happen.

Stress Relief and Sleep How Sleep affects your Health




Your child brings home a report card filled with low marks. Your dog just bit your neighbor, and the sink in the kitchen no longer works. You feel you’re under major stress. As a result, you find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to get a good night’s sleep. This is truly unfortunate, because sleep can re-charge a person’s batteries, enabling him or her to better tackle the stressors that come along the road.

Stress-induced insomnia can take a variety of forms. For instance, you may have difficulty falling asleep in the first place. Or you may wake up hours earlier than you should. You may find yourself waking up several times during the middle of the night. Or you may even find that you feel tired when you wake up in the morning because you didn’t get good quality sleep.

One important point to remember is that you are not alone. Just about everyone suffers from lack of sleep at some point in life. That said, dealing with insomnia can be exhausting. You might feel run down during the day and have difficulty concentrating. You may turn to coffee in order to keep awake during the daylight hours, which can lead to a feeling of restlessness. You may even try taking a nap in the mid-morning or late afternoon, only to find that you have difficulty sleeping again at night.

While old age, depression, and substance abuse can all lead to insomnia, it might be said that the number one cause is stress. If your insomnia persists for a week, you should contact your doctor. He or she may prescribe medication to enable you to get to sleep more quickly. But you should be aware that there are other techniques you can use to deal with stress-related insomnia.

To begin with, try to determine the root cause of your stress. This might be your job, your home life, or even some of your recreational activities. Next, determine whether you are overscheduled. By eliminating some of your commitments, you might be able to seriously reduce your stress level. Then, do some problem-solving. How can you make a stressful situation better? It could involve engaging in positive thinking, changing your attitude about the situation, or coming up with solutions to resolve the situation.

There are also some concrete steps you can take to improve your sleep. For instance, make sure that your bedroom is conducive to sleep. This means finding the most comfortable bedding available, decorating your room with soft, subtle colors, and eliminating clutter or other signs of work in progress.



In addition, condition yourself to associate your bed with sleep. This means resisting the temptation to do work in bed, or study for your classes while lying down. You should even try to avoid watching TV programs in bed. The idea here is to eliminate stimulants from your sleeping area which could prevent you from falling asleep. If you like to read in bed, make sure that you read only fun, pleasurable books, not significant tomes that could keep you up at night.

One other helpful tip is to set up a regular routine prior to going to bed. It may involve taking a bath or shower to relax you or drinking some milk right before settling down to sleep. Also, try to get up at the same time every morning so that you are following an established schedule. In addition, make sure that you do not engage in drinking beverages with caffeine or alcoholic drinks after dinner.

Insomnia is one of the most dangerous side-effects of stress. It can rob you of your energy, strength, and endurance. It can make the simplest tasks difficult to handle during the course of the day. And it can even lead to major depression. If you find yourself having trouble getting to sleep at night, take immediate action. Don’t wait for your body to feel the stress of night after night of sleeplessness. The more proactive you are, the greater the likelihood that you’ll be able to combat insomnia, as well as the stress that goes with it. Refreshed and renewed, you’ll be able to take on the challenges that come your way, once you’ve gotten enough sleep.






The Number One Secret to Deal with Stress and Anxiety: Exercise!

Exercise: The Ultimate Stress-Reliever
Perhaps it’s the result of having a new job, a new mate, or a new baby. You are overwhelmed with a feeling of excitement. Yet, you feel inadequate as well. As a result, you are under a tremendous amount of stress. At times, you might feel as if there’s no relief in sight—as if you’re on a treadmill which shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

However, the secret to effectively dealing with the stress may be to get your body onto an actual treadmill. Exercise can be the key to stress relief. It’s an obvious antidote to fatigue. It can make you feel more energetic, improving your strength and resiliency. It has been shown that individuals who are more physically fit often experience fewer health troubles. In addition, exercisers are less likely to suffer from psychological problems such as depression, binge eating, or insomnia.
Without exercise, you are increasing the likelihood that you will be afflicted with colds, flu, or other medical problems. Aerobic exercise in particular can improve your cardiovascular system and decrease your anxiety level. Some studies have shown that, during aerobic exercise, a chemical is produced in the brain which helps to heal the body from stress-related conditions. You should exercise at least three days a week for 30 minutes at a time in order to improve not only your health but your mental outlook.
If you find it difficult to become motivated to exercise, there are a number of steps you can take. To begin with, you can join an exercise club. Knowing that you’ll have to pay dues to a gym may make it more likely that you will actually end up exercising. You might also consider enlisting the aid of a personal trainer. A trainer can provide powerful motivation, pushing you to complete exercises you never thought possible. Another idea is to join an exercise class. There, you’ll meet other people who are in a similar position. The camaraderie that develops between exercisers can help to reduce your stress level.
In general, exercise should make you feel less anxious. Your muscles become less tense and you will be less shaky after a round of exercise. It has also been shown that exercise leads to an hour and a half to two hours of relaxation response. This has also been referred to as the endorphin response. As a result, your mood will improve, enabling you to deal more effectively with stress.
Exercise can also improve your self-image. You’ll experience greater self-worth, which will, in turn, reduce your stress level. A confident person is an individual who knows how to handle stress without becoming flustered. As a result of exercise, you may also end up eating better. Your improved menu may also prove to be a stress reliever. For instance, if you give up caffeinated drinks, you might become less jittery.
In addition to your sessions in the gym, you should be looking for additional opportunities to exercise. This could mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to work instead of driving, or playing touch football in the backyard with your children. The point is to get moving—and keep moving—at every available opportunity.
Exercise quickens the blood flow to your mind, offering the brain additional sugars and oxygen which can be important if you are concentrating. Exercise can also clear out waste products from the brain which can result in unclear thinking. You will also feel a greater sense of well-being as a result of exercise.

As has been shown here, exercise is beneficial for both the body and the mind. As a result, it can relax you when other techniques fail. By engaging in exercise, you free up your mind, enabling you to concentrate better and work more efficiently. Chances are you will not only feel better, you will look better as well. With your brain under control, you should experience less stress. Granted, exercise takes time and requires discipline, but it is well worth the exertion. The good feelings you get from a powerful exercise session can actually last for days. You may find that you actually look forward to working out because of the tremendous benefits it brings with it.