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Narcissistic Personality Disorder: How to Deal with Family, Friends & Co-Workers Showing Symptoms

We have encountered many of them. We live, work, hang out with them. Maybe, we have some traits of this disorder in ourselves as well.

Narcissists. Dealing with a narcissist can cause lots of fear, pain, stress, anxiety, depression. That’s why it’s of a great importance for everybody to learn how to cope with them.

Narcissists have a mental disorder which is called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), closely associated with egocentrism. In other words, being diagnosed with this disorder means a person puts a great accent and gives a whole attention to their “self”. There is no place for others on the pedestal they created for themselves only. Nobody else matters.

People with this type of disorder want to be praised and complimented all the time. Criticism is something which breaks their self-confidence.

Narcissists lack empathy; they are not able to feel what other people might think or feel. Also, they tend to wear different masks, manipulate and harm people around them.

 Here are some symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

1. Lack empathy

2. Are Focused on themselves

3. Believe they are special and nobody can compare with them

4. Live in fantasies about ideal love, success, beauty…

5. Their behavior is inappropriate

6. Use other people to achieve their goals

7. Want to receive the whole attention; to be praised and complimented

8. Dominate a conversation and interrupt people

9. Criticize those who criticize them; flatter those who flatter them

9. All this happens repeatedly.

 2 Types of Narcissists:

The Grandiose/Overt Narcissist and The Vulnerable/Covert Narcissist. While the grandiose one is much more arrogant, self-confident and dominant, the other one feels emotional and helpless if not treated the way they want.

 Causes and Treatment

The cause is not known. Maybe genetic, maybe learned. There is no cure for Narcissistic Personality Disorder. However, a psychotherapy may help these people to acknowledge their emotions, act in a positive manner and improve their relationships. Meditation may also help.

 Tips on how to deal with them

 Set boundaries.

Boundaries are healthy.

Stay calm.

Avoid conflicts with them because they won’t try to understand you. Breathe.

Ignore them.

Focus on something more important.

Try to communicate with them and raise your voice when needed.

Say what you think, say it aloud. Sometimes, allow yourself to raise a voice to point their inappropriate behavior. Be gentle, though.

Don’t let them provoke you.

They will try to manipulate, and everything will be your fault.

Try to understand them.

Especially if the traits of a narcissist are found in your parents.

Seek therapy for themselves and yourself

It may help them to see the way they treat people; it may help you to understand their world.

15 Types Of Fish You Should Never Eat

4 fish you should never eat

Not only fish is delicious, it’s among the healthiest foods on the planet. As a great source of omega-3 fats and vitamin D, fish often has the throne on our plate.

On the other side, however, fish can be a real threat to our health: a matter of life and death. Ask yourself some questions of great importance: where does all the food we eat actually come from? What does it contain? (1)

Here are 15 types of fish you should never eat and what to eat instead:

1. AMERICAN EEL

Served in sushi, this type of fish is on the “avoid list” because it is poisonous: it contains a high level of mercury (a heavy metal) and PCBs (chemicals).

An eel is also called unagi on many sushi menus. It matures slowly and it is being overfished putting it in danger of collapse. 

The great desire for this type of fish leads to even Asian countries to look for American eels that are in great danger because it can go extinct. Sadly, if it disappears, it will lead to a disaster since eels are very important for protecting our water supplies. For instance, in Delaware River, eels are a vital part of spreading the mussel populations who serve as natural filters of water. 

Apart from overfishing problems, eels store and absorb contaminants such as endocrine disruptors like flame retardants and PCBs. They can be very contaminated, so an adult person is being advised to eat no more than one eel per year. 

What to eat instead: Squid-Atlantic or Pacific caught.2. CAVIAR
A mysterious luxury. Some people love it and it’s expensive.

However, we are advised to stay away from beluga sturgeon’s eggs, aka caviar because according to Oceana, this type of fish that produces the beloved and overpriced caviar is in great danger.

Namely, beluga sturgeon fish is completely gone from many rivers and seas where it used to live and scientists from all over the world fear that it may go extinct. So, if we keep eating it instead of protecting it, it may be gone forever. 

If, however, you cannot imagine your life without caviar, try consuming the more sustainable and healthier alternative – caviar that comes from blue sturgeon raised in recirculating aquaculture systems in America. When the beluga sturgeon is farmed in closed tanks there is less waste, escapes, and diseases.

What to eat instead: Salmon caviar3. TILAPIA

Tilapia is a farmed fish and eating it leads to highly inflammatory diets thus being even worse than bacon. Still, Tilapia is one of the most consumed fish in America.This fish has very little omega-3 fatty acids but very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, meaning the natural benefits of tilapia will not increase your omega-3s.

Low omega-3 combined with high omega-6 levels is dangerous for people struggling with asthma, heart disease, arthritis, and other autoimmune and allergic disease symptoms that are vulnerable to inflammation. The inflammation that this fish causes can damage your blood vessels, your heart, skin, lung and joint tissues, and your digestive tract. 

Moreover, researchers from Wake Forest found that farmed catfish, as well as farm-raised tilapia, contain a fatty acid that is considered detrimental by the scientific community, more detrimental than doughnuts, hamburgers, and even pork bacon. 

What to eat instead: Rougheye Rockfish4. SHARK

Sharks are often found on lists of fish you shouldn’t eat for several reasons.

First, sharks stand high on the food chain because they are considered to be the kings of the sea. Being higher on the food chain translates in having higher mercury levels in them. You should stay away from foods that contain mercury because they are toxic. Second, sharks are very slow to sexually mature, plus they don’t give birth to many offspring and therefore they are tragically depleted. Sharks are also being discarded as waste by swordfish and tuna fishers. 

What to eat instead: Atlantic Mackerel and Pacific Halibut.

5. IMPORTED CATFISH

Most of it is imported from Vietnam and were poisoned with antibiotics that are banned in the U.S. 

However, not many people know that what they are getting is a fish named pangasius. This type of fish goes for $2 a pound and it is considered as one, if not the filthiest fish.

One study discovered that 70-80% of pangasius fish are contaminated with Vibrio bacteria, one of the biggest reasons behind shellfish poisoning which causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, skin infection. This bacteria is the cause of 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the U.S. yearly.

Aside from its destructive factor in wetlands and river life, they swim in sludge and waste and are also treated with disinfectants, pesticides, and a great range of antibiotics. 

If a restaurant served you this biohazard under the guise of fancy fish and you got food poisoning, you could theoretically sue the restaurant into oblivion.

However, food poisoning cases are rarely worth the trouble, unless the cost of medical treatment and time off work have run into thousands of dollars. Contact a personal injury attorney at ASK LLP law firm when in doubt about a food poisoning compensation claim.

So, anytime you see striped catfish, basa, swai, or any kind of imported catfish on a restaurant menu – run. Because obviously, the restaurant is not taking seriously the sustainability and seafood safety.  

What to eat instead: Asian Carp.

6. ATLANTIC COD

Because of heavy fishing, this type of fish is on the list of endangered species.

Atlantic cod is a fish species discovered to be vital to feeding the early colonization of the Caribbean Sea. However, the heavy fishing over the last 1000 years made this fish extinct. Even though the female releases more than 100 million eggs, only a few can survive.

If you are a big fan of cod liver oil, be sure it doesn’t come from Atlantic cod. Instead, make sure the cod source is coming from Alaskan cod caught with a jig, pot, or longline because the regular one can contain high levels of mercury.

Sadly, poisoning from low-level mercury found in contaminated seafood may have disastrous effects, especially when it comes to a developing fetus. Also, mercury affects the heart of adults in a bad way, intensifying the risk of hypertension and heart attacks. 

What to eat instead: Alaskan Cod.

7. TUNA

It’s best to be avoided because of mercury exposure.

Tuna is one of the most popular sushi ingredients. However, when it comes to it, it’s better to avoid it. Atlantic bluefin tuna is fish you should never eat due to various reasons. 

First, because of the high demand for sushi, it is been overfished and faces near extinction. However, for the same reason fisheries managers allow the commercial fishing to continue because all they want is profit. 

Second, it is rich in mercury, so the best thing for you to do is avoid it at all costs. 

It’s discovered that: “more than 80% of the tuna sold in the U.S. comes from unsustainable, destructive sources.”

What to eat instead: Tinned Sardines.

8. SWORDFISH

Like tuna, it contains high amounts of mercury. Therefore, pregnant women and children should not consume this type of fish. Men can eat it once in a month.

SWORDFISH

When it comes to swordfish, the main thing that forbids eating them is the elevated levels of mercury inside them. Mercury in swordfish is so high, that Environmental Defense Fund recommends children and women to avoid it altogether. As for men, they recommend eating just one serving per month. 

What to eat instead: Trout.

9. KING MACKEREL

Because of high mercury and methyl mercury level, this is one of the types of fish that children and pregnant women should not consume.

Mackerel contains healthy omega-3 fatty acid. However, certain types of this kind of fish could be too much for you in the essence that they contain too much mercury.

The Food and Drug Administration is warning children and women to stay away from king mackerel because it has been discovered to contain elevated levels of mercury. 

If you want to eat a healthy mackerel, try Atlantic mackerel. This type has high levels of omega-3s and is low in mercury; therefore it is highly preferred for its sustainability and healthiness. 

What to eat instead: Atlantic Mackerel-low.

10. ORANGE ROUGHY

This fish can live more than 100 years and reproduces late in life. It contains high levels of mercury and is overfished.

Being one of the fish species that live the longest, orange roughy is said to live 150 years. It is also known as slimehead among scientists, but marketers decided to give it a fancy name and the result is a severely overfished species.

“The extremely long lifespan and the late age at maturity imply that a decimated population may take a half-century or longer before it can recover,” according to Oceana. Orange roughy doesn’t reach sexual maturity until they are 20-years-old and that makes them hard to recover. 

Besides that, orange roughy is known to have high mercury levels. 

What to eat instead: Alaskan Salmon

11. IMPORTED KING CRAB

Taking into consideration the fact that 70% of this type of fish in the U.S. is imported, you need to be aware of where it comes from.

Most of it comes from Russia where they are not protected. Russian crabs are misnamed as Alaskan to be sold.

Approximately 75% of king crab that is sold in America is imported from Russia and it is not protected or sustainable. Many red king crabs that come from Russia are caught under questionable practices and are said to come from Alaska since king crab legs can only be legally harvested in Alaska. 

Therefore, be careful where king crab legs come from before you decide to eat them. If the label says “Alaskan” or “imported” there is something wrong there.

Ask whether it’s imported or comes from Alaska.

12. IMPORTED SHRIMP

“Imported farmed shrimp comes with a whole bevy of contaminants: antibiotics, residues from chemicals used to clean pens, filth like mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of insects.” Also, Escherichia coli was detected there.

If you are wondering whether shrimp is good for you, the short answer is – NO. Why? Because researchers from Italy found that the food additive 4-hexylresorcinol which is used to stop the loss of color in shrimp, possesses estrogen-like effects and can increase breast cancer in women and decrease sperm count in men.

Moreover, almost all of the pesticides that are globally used in shrimp production are banned for us except for a diluted kind of formaldehyde (also called formalin) which is a potential carcinogen. Also, often, shrimp farm ponds are shocked with compounds of organotin to kill mollusks before getting them stocked with shrimp. However, these chemicals mimic estrogen and are being dubbed to be ‘obesogens’, meaning consuming them can lead to obesity because they tend to mess up the hormonal system in a person. 

Yes, farmed shrimp is unsustainable and toxic, but honestly, “healthy” shrimp doesn’t exist. Even if you can harvest it naturally free of toxins, it is not safe to consume them because they are naturally bottom feeders. 

What to eat instead: Domestic Shrimp.

13. CHILEAN SEA BASS

Popular at restaurants and weddings. Contaminated with elevated levels of mercury, this type of fish has a slow development and is not considered to be eco-friendly. Most of them are caught illegally.

However, it is contaminated with elevated levels of mercury which makes it dangerous for consumption. Plus, this type of fish has a slow development and is not considered to be eco-friendly. 

Most of them are caught illegally and because of overfishing, Chilean seabass is now in danger of extinction. Finally, the Environmental Defense Fund advises us to be careful with this fish due to its tendency to be problematic because it accounts for almost 20% of U.S. imports and it is plagued by by-catch problems and poor management.  

What to eat instead: Alaskan Sablefish.

14. GROUPER

It’s recommended for men and women to eat 2 servings of this type of fish per month. Children should eat only one as it contains an elevated level of mercury.

Also, except red and black grouper from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, they’re overfished.

Grouper is a type of fish that is always found on the list of food you should never eat because of its very high mercury levels. 

Grouper is also being often targeted at seafood fraud. One 2015 investigation discovered that more than a third of 19 Atlanta restaurants were selling pangasius (the filthy Vietnamese catfish) as grouper. The tests also showed that the “grouper” that was being sold is actually whitefin weakfish or king mackerel that are cheaper alternatives. 

Finally, this kind of fish is extremely vulnerable to overfishing and therefore it is advised to not consume it and take a pass whenever they see it listed on a menu.

What to eat instead: Farmed Barramundi.

15. FARMED SALMON

Raised in bad conditions. High level of chemicals. Treated with banned pesticides.

The level of Omega-3 fats is lower than before.

If there is one fish that you should stay away from and never eat it, it is salmon. Sadly, Americans consume a lot of it, and often the unhealthiest kind. Namely, eating farmed fish is dangerous, especially eating farmed salmon because most salmon that is labeled as “Atlantic” salmon is farmed. That means that fish are raised in horrible conditions and are contaminated with feces, pesticides, parasites, and bacteria. 

Moreover, wild Atlantic salmon is listed as endangered and it is illegal to fish it because there is more than 75% chance that it will be extinct by 2100. Therefore, farmed salmon aquaculture may be the main reason why species can’t be saved, along with other problems like water extraction, water pollution, and climate change. 

HEALTHIER AND SAFER FISH OPTIONS  

PACIFIC SARDINES: They are one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acid in the world. This fish is lower on the food chain and therefore, its contaminate levels are low.  

ATLANTIC MACKEREL: This is also a type of fish that is very high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. However, soak it in water and rinse it good before consuming it in order to reduce the levels of sodium because it is often preserved in tons of salt. 

WILD-CAUGHT ALASKAN SALMON: This kind of salmon protects your brain, eyes, skin, bones and more because it is one of the highest sources of omega-3s.  

 

True Leadership In Small Business

Becoming an entrepreneur, each person automatically acquires status of a leader and many believe that this honorary title has quite simple obligations – to observe workflow, assign tasks, and lead. However, it is not so. Manager is a person who can create an accurate strategy for development of the enterprise, is capable to see a goal and to lead the collective to its final goal.

It’s like writing a homework – you need click for more info to know your subject and conduct some research in order to get a high-grade. Who are the business leaders?

At the enterprise, there are always different services, departments, divisions, their sizes are various, but for the leader, it is not the key thing. It does not matter whether this is the fundraising campaign or a growing delivery company. It is necessary to organize a production process clearly. This is needed to ensure that even without knowing what the colleagues in the next office are doing, each department went to the intended goal, and all efforts of the departments formed into one single blow to the market, making a profit, producing and selling the product required.

If the entrepreneur is committed to making the company successful, he may read the literature, develop his leadership skills, and, in the end, to make things right. But it often happens that this is not enough for success.

How To Become A Good Business Leader?

An effective leader must deal with strategy issues, which means that the task of the leader is to set clear goals, coordinate the work of all units. It is necessary to ask all possible questions that may arise on the way to the goal and find answers to them. These responses are an important part of the overall strategy. And do not doubt, your staff will ask these questions, but you will have prepared answers that you can give them with the same share of positive energy that you will learn to generate over time. Focus on the talents of employees and the means that you are ready to provide for their implementation.

The leader should not delve into the details, there are special professionals to do this job. You just put these tasks and monitor the correctness of their implementation, not follow the process of each small task, so you yourself will cease to have time, and people will be irritated because you’ll climb into the work every minute. Better come and cheer the staff! Inspire them to new exploits, but do not bore them and do not create a sense of total control over some little things. For this purpose, it is necessary to hire the real professionals who you could be able to trust and who is more than once proved their reputation.

What else do you have to do? A leader-entrepreneur role always involves the entire team in the tasks, regardless of ranks, positions, and regalia. Often, younger talented mechanic gives the idea of optimizing the entire production process, and a senior engineer is silent and working for years “as he used to work”. Therefore, encouraging new ideas is also your priority. Any new idea is supported by the leader, studied and put into operation, in whole or partially. And the author of the idea is always encouraged in all possible ways.

So, we have the rule that the bringing new ideas are prestigious, profitable, and honorable. If such a policy is present in the team, then over time there are going to be a lot of innovations, and they will work for a variety of purposes in enterprise – from encouraging employees to capture a larger segment of the market. Generation of ideas is a sign of a promising and strong company. Any Manager, whether he is an owner or just a hired director, becomes an object of close attention for employees. Unfortunately, your personal life often falls under this interest. To distract employees from their private details, you can actively engage in the production process, vividly take part in it, to perform their work super-professionally and effectively, then no one will pay attention to the wife you live with, what you eat, where you go to rest.

How To Improve Leadership Skills?

  • Understand and administrate your emotions, goals, and motives, fears and emotions of others and be able to manage them;
  • Be clear and precise;
  • Be friendly (sometimes this is one of the most effective leadership skills);
  • Be able to start a conversation.

Conclusion

This topic could be continued into the large thread and contain hundreds of pages of useful information. There are many other tips to follow to be a good leader. However, tips we mentioned above will be a good thing to rely on when you are trying to start (or improve) your business. So, you will not have to nervously look for advice on “what does it mean to be a leader” because you will know a starting part of leadership. And if you approach it wisely, success won’t keep you waiting! The rest will be developed in you with the experience you will gain and leadership qualities you will improve.

Author’s Bio: Sandra Hayward is a professional journalist who is addicted to the writing. Her brilliant career and rich experience allow him to get the last information from the trusted sources and provide it to the readers. Back in the days, when Sandra was young, she always dreamt of becoming the person who brings the truth in the society. After years, she’s able to share his professional opinion with the readers and provide the last news, facts and interesting articles to you.

7 Signs You’re On The Verge Of A Transformation (And How To Embrace That Spark)

And suddenly, we find ourselves on a path which doesn’t clearly show us where to go. Our life is falling apart. We lose people, relationships, jobs… we lose our identity. We fear. We feel pain.

We struggle to accept all the changes that come out of nowhere. We struggle to accept our transformation as a divine cycle of life. As something that has power over us.

Once we do that, we will be able to feel its real spiritual magic. The transformation will show us the real purpose of our existing. And everything will fall into the right place. Everything.

Here are 7 signs showing that you are close to experiencing the enlightened spiritual metamorphosis.

1. NOTHING WORKS IN YOUR FAVOR

Nothing works in your favor. You can’t get a proper job, your partner doesn’t understand you, other people don’t put themselves in your shoes, you barely understand yourself. Like the whole world is against you. And you get stuck.

Difficulties seem to be never-ending. They lurk from every and each corner. You’re pushing things to happen, and the more you do it, the more you get disappointed with the results. Nothing comes the easy way.

Breathe, relax, and let things happen themselves. It’ll be if it’s meant to be.

2. YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED AND CONFUSED

It seems like many things bother you. You can’t stand being around people too. You’re sick and tired of bad people, fake situations, news. You are in a constant fight with the whole world.

You experience difficulties accepting the reality. Reality is fake. Very often, you find yourself asking questions like: “Who am I?”, “What do I want?”, “What’s my life purpose?” That’s why you want to disconnect from everything. You seek peace and tranquility.

Spend more time with yourself to acknowledge “the real you”, your wishes and needs.

3. RELATIONSHIPS ARE FALLING APART

It seems like you are nothing more than 2 strangers. You barely speak. You have nothing to say to each other. There is no fun. No understanding. It hurts. A lot.

Sometimes a relationship is falling apart and it’s nobody’s fault. You are no longer on the same wavelength. That creates a space for other people entering your life.

As it’s said: “When one door closes, another opens”.

4. YOU SLEEP A LOT OR NOT AT ALL

If you’re on the verge of transformation, you have sleeping issues. Overthinking makes your brain tired and you want to sleep for eternity, feeling exhausted and depressed.

On the other hand, you may spend every night like an owl.

Don’t panic. It won’t last forever. Just make sure you follow what your body says.

5. YOU GET VERY EMOTIONAL

You find yourself riding on a rollercoaster; laughing a lot, crying more, crying and laughing all together. You make a big deal of situations and things. And you don’t know why.

Please, don’t be afraid. Don’t hide your emotions. Don’t feel awkward.

It will pass. Soon, your negative energy will transform into positive.

6. THE UNIVERSE IS CALLING YOU

It sends you signals everywhere. You need to be more aware. Listen to the music of the wind. It whispers you. There are some voices calling your name out. You may encounter the same person who can support you many times without even noticing it. You may see repeated numbers that have a meaning.

You just need to be aware of all these signs. The Universe wants to help you.

7. YOU EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMATION

Shed your old skin of pain and embrace the new one. Greet the new version of yourself. Rise like the phoenix from the ashes.

The Universe wanted to transform the caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. It happened. It happens. Trust it; it’s not a coincidence. Not at all.

The Popular Food Linked To Hormone Disruption And Learning Disabilities In Children

Do you know what your children eat? Are you sure that what they put in their mouth will not harm their health?

Some foods can be very dangerous, filled with poisonous chemicals which put your child’s health at risk. These toxic substances can be found even in your child’s favorite meal. Exactly, not everything popular and tasty is healthy.

It is a fact that one of children’s favorite meal is macaroni and cheese. Shockingly, chemicals known as Phthalates were found right there.

Mainly used as plasticizers, phthalates are found everywhere: building materials, personal care products, fragrances, children’s backpack lunch boxes, toys.

How do they find their way to food? During preparation, processing, packaging.

Not only they are linked to asthma, autism and altered reproductive development, this chemical enemy number one is the main reason why some children have low IQ and male fertility issues.

Some researchers decided to take the job in their hands and find out whether a food contains phthalates. Being curious about the concentration of phthalates, they tested cheese products. Why? Simply because they saw these products as the greatest source for DEHP, the most restricted phthalate, dangerous for pregnant women and children.

This report on the concentration of phthalates in food was funded by 4 advocacy groups: Environmental Health Strategy Center, Ecology Center, Healthy Babies Bright Futures and the Safer States.

What did they find? They found dangerous chemicals in 29 out of 30 tested cheese products. Processed cheese powder in boxed macaroni and cheese meal, contained the highest concentration of chemicals. Moreover, 9 of these products were made by Kraft Heinz Company.

High level of concentrations of the most restricted dangerous phthalate called DEHP, was found among all the cheese products.

Mike Belliveau, the Executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, said: “The phthalate concentrations in powder from mac & cheese mixes were more than four times higher than in block cheese and other natural cheeses like shredded cheese, string cheese, and cottage cheese.” In other words, processed food has much more phthalates than the natural one.

Do you know how many boxes of dry mix mac & cheese were sold in the U.S. in 2012? About 710 million. Pretty much a jaw-dropping fact!

They also warned that no matter we tend to use organic foods, these toxic chemicals can’t be avoided even there.

Even though a 2014 report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission made a wakeup call that phthalates are mainly found in food, drugs, beverages, a petition with a goal to remove all phthalates from food was delayed.

A matter of a great concern, isn’t it? The whole world should ask themselves: What are we doing to children?

All in all: avoid canned food and beverages as much as possible, use glass for storage, and if you microwave food, don’t do it in plastic.

Make sure your child eats fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep your child healthy and happy.

Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/CHAP-REPORT-With-Appendices.pdf

The Language Narcissists Use To Manipulate And Traumatize Their Victims

Narcissists-those loving, charismatic admirers of nothing but themselves! How many of you have fallen on your knees in front of them-charming deceivers? No shame. No fear. Nobody blames you.

Narcissists can make you feel adored like you are reaching the top of the world when in a matter of fact, you become their toy. A slave to their big manipulative ego. You become nothing but another victim.

Narcissists know how to pick their victim. They just feel it (if they have any feelings after all). And they do it so carefully. Their victim mustn’t have the same traits as theirs; Otherwise, how will they survive?

You, you get emotionally helpless, worthless, crushed in a never-ending pain. Alone. No solution. No escape. Traumatized. These manipulative creatures are like vampires that soak your blood and leave a scar for a lifetime.

Narcissists seem to play mind games using a language which only they can understand. This is how you will recognize their hidden manipulative language.

 THE SOFT ABUSE

It happens at the beginning of narcissist’s relationship with the victim. When the victim still hasn’t revealed their true face. The narcissist will attack the victim with soft words like “You can trust me”.

They will be happy to gain your confidence. You serve them all your flaws, difficulties, happy moments, past relationships. Once you reveal the true version of yourself to them, they will use it to provoke and attack you later.

 THE MYTH OF ETERNAL LOVE

They will swear on eternal love! They will shower you with thousands of sweet words. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me”, “I’ll love you until the end of my life,” “Our love is special!” are words that will totally melt your heart… or break later.

Once you are convinced of their “love”, they become more excited to follow with their manipulative game.

THE CONFUSION GAME

Narcissists never say what they mean. They never mean what they say. It’s that simply complicated.

A narcissist doesn’t like to be criticized. Ever. Therefore, they will confuse the victim with “I never said that” “That wasn’t what I meant” or “I was just joking”.

Once you get confused about their true words and intentions and have no clue what to say or do, narcissists will use it to gain the power; their word will be the last.

YOUR SECRETS-THEIR WEAPON AGAINST YOU

Let’s go back to the beginning. Do you remember that initial phase when the victim opens themselves to narcissists? Now it’s time for them to throw everything at your face! No mercy.

Narcissists will use your insecurities and past scars against you. They can’t wait to do that. They will use all the information to offend you: “You are too needy,” “You are too sensitive.”

In other words, they have no empathy and are not bothered by your feelings.

THE HIDDEN ART OF COMPLIMENTS

Nobody can make you feel so great as narcissists can! Their compliments and praises will bring you to the moon and back. And they are false. Abusive. Nothing but a huge lie and deception.

“I like your look tonight, but you were wonderful yesterday.” Not even close to honesty! They criticize you using a softer voice. And they do it for their own purposes only.

THE MIRROR EFFECT

When a narcissist does something wrong, they will blame you. Just because it’s easier. “Stop psychoanalyzing me.”, “You are ridiculous!” are the words you will hear from them often.

In the end, you will find yourself as you are the one who did something wrong when you aren’t.

GASLIGHTING

Narcissists are ready to bring their victim to insanity. You will start to question your own reality. They automatically become your idol and you are the one seeking an approval from them as they know everything.

Once they gain their power over you, they start to accuse you: “You are crazy,” “You’re making that up.”

In the end, remember, narcissists can get loud or quiet using their language; all in all, they won’t hesitate to do everything to reach their goals.

Narcissists are real psychopaths. Their behavior can lead you to anxiety, depression, even suicide.

Feel free to share this post so everybody can recognize their hidden language and be able to save themselves.

If you find yourself as their victim, know that it’s never too late to escape the narcissists’ manipulative trap. You can do it.

Image: Alexander Kuzmin

10 Differences Between Genuine And Fake People

empaths are fake

Over the course of life, we get to meet different types of people. Some are nice, honest, and genuine. They tell it like it is, they show their true selves, they treat you with respect, and they’re nice to you. Others are inauthentic. They’re phony, they don’t want others to see their insecurities and flaws, and all they are focused on is taking advantage of you. 

Unfortunately, inauthentic people can look the same as genuine people on the surface, which is why sometimes it’s difficult to recognize them. However, underneath, they possess many traits that distinguish them from authentic people. 

So, the question is: How can you identify whether someone is genuine and really being nice to you or fake and is only taking you for a ride?

In this article, we’re going to answer that question as well as explain what a genuine person is like and how to spot a phony person. 

What Is The Difference Between A Genuine And Fake Person?

Here are 10 differences between genuine and inauthentic people you should know:

1. A genuine person is compassionate, empathetic, and caring. They feel your sadness and pain. They’re willing to be there for you when you’re feeling down or going through a rough time in life. On the other hand, fake people don’t stick around in your bad times. Moreover, they feel content and happy when you’re sad or hurting or when you experience failure because this makes them feel superior to you.

2. A genuine and honest person will help you without expecting that you’ll return the favor. They’ll help you because they’re caring, generous, and benevolent. On the other hand, a fake, phony person will help you since they expect that helping you will benefit them in some way. They’ll help you because they expect something in return. 

3. You’ll never hear a genuine person tell a lie because these people hate lies. They’re honest, and upfront and they always tell it like it is. On the other hand, inauthentic people are disingenuous. They’re highly adept at lying and manipulating others. They can lie to you to your face without feeling shame or regret. 

4. Authentic people are genuinely nice. They treat you with kindness, respect, and dignity because it’s in their nature to treat everyone, including those who are not close to them, in this way.

On the other hand, inauthentic people just pretend to be generous and kind to you. When they’re being nice to you, all they’re thinking about is how they can use you to satisfy their needs.

5. Genuine people want you to be happy. They’re compassionate, caring, and thoughtful, and they’ll call or text you to see whether you are okay. On the other hand, a fake person is only focused on how they can be happy by taking advantage of you. They’re only around when they need something from you.

6. A genuine person will tell you what they think about you right to your face. They won’t do anything that could destroy your dignity. On the other hand, a phony and fake person will praise and flatter you when you’re around, but once you turn your back, they’ll talk about things behind your back and even tarnish your reputation.

7. Genuine people celebrate your successes. They’re happy when you achieve a goal, be it personal or professional. Moreover, they’ll motivate you to set higher goals and work hard to accomplish them. On the other hand, inauthentic people envy your successes and achievements. They love to see you fail. They hate that you’re better or more successful than them, and they only think about how to undermine your accomplishments.

8. A genuine person stays by your side through thick and thin. They don’t leave you to solve your problems or struggle with pain on your own. They make sure you know you can always count on them. On the other hand, a phony person only stays by your side when you’re happy or celebrating your successes. They’re nowhere to be found when you need their support or help or when you’re hurting.

9. Genuine people are modest. They’re aware of their strengths, but they don’t like bragging about them. On the other hand, phony individuals are arrogant, narcissistic, and boastful. They enjoy boasting about their achievements and how smart and successful they are. They believe they’re superior to others. They have no problem putting you down just to make themselves feel and look better than you.

10. A genuine person accepts responsibility for their actions. They’re not afraid to acknowledge their mistakes, and they’re willing to accept criticism and blame. On the other hand, a fake person will always blame you for their own mistakes and failures. If they say or do something that hurts you, they’ll lay the blame at your door.

What Is A Genuine Person Like?

Genuine people live true to themselves. They live their lives according to their own values and principles. They embrace their qualities and weaknesses. They accept themselves the way they are, and they’re not afraid to be who they really are around others.

Genuine people are also honest and trustworthy. They don’t beat around the bush or sugarcoat the truth. They tell you what they think about you openly and directly, even if they know that you might not like to hear the truth.

In addition to this, genuine people possess other characteristics that make them different from other people, and in what follows, we’ve presented 5 personality traits that all genuine and authentic people have in common.

1. They Are Trustworthy

Having a genuine person in your life means having someone you can always trust. Genuine people are not afraid to show who they really are and express their feelings. And when they say something, it’s because they really mean it.

2. They Don’t Try To Make Others Like Them

Genuine people know that there will always be those who won’t like them. And they are fine with that. They’d never allow themselves to pretend to be someone they are not or act not following their principles and values just to get someone’s affection or approval.

They’re not afraid to make unpopular decisions or swim against the current to do the right thing. They won’t let anyone or anything prevent them from living true to themselves.

3. They Embrace Vulnerability

Authentic people are aware of their imperfections and weaknesses, and they don’t try to minimize or hide them so as to protect themselves from unpleasant or harmful experiences. They also embrace their failures and fears because they don’t perceive them as flaws. Instead, they look at them as something they can grow and learn from.

Authentic people accept criticism too. If someone doesn’t like the way they talk, walk, dress, or behave, they’re okay with that. They know exactly who they are, and they accept themselves as such, so what others think of them doesn’t affect the way they think about themselves.

4. They Really Listen

When interacting with you, a genuine person will get rid of any distraction to focus on the conversation since they’re interested in what you have to say. They won’t constantly look at their phone to see if someone has texted them or liked their newly posted photo on social media. 

When an authentic person talks with you, they focus all their attention on the conversation. They listen to you attentively without judging you because your words have meaning for them.

5. They Are Generous

Genuine people are not afraid that if they share their knowledge and experience with you, you will outshine them. They don’t think that if you’re better at something or more successful than they are, this will make them look bad. They are team players and have no problem watching others do better than them.

How To Spot Fake People

It’s important to know how to recognize fake and phony people so as to save yourself from their negativity and toxicity. These individuals can make you feel mentally and physically drained in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry. In what follows, we’ve presented 8 traits that fake people have in common and that you should be aware of.

1. They Are People-Pleasers

Inauthentic and phony people will go to lengths to get other people’s validation, affection, and approval. For example, when interacting with you, they might adjust their statements to match yours or those of others and tell you things they don’t really mean instead of expressing their personal beliefs and views.

2. They Judge Others

Not only do they rarely give compliments, but they also have no problem judging and putting down others.

They’ll criticize the way you talk, walk, eat, dress, or behave and downplay your achievements because, in this way, they boost their self-confidence.

3. They Have Zero Self-Reflection

Self-reflection requires you to be aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and 

imperfections, be able to recognize and express your emotions, admit and learn from your mistakes, and accept responsibility for your actions. But fake people don’t possess the depth and genuineness that are necessary to do all of these things.

They avoid expressing their feelings openly, and they try to minimize or hide their insecurities and vulnerable sides because they don’t want others to notice their flaws. They also don’t learn from their mistakes and accept responsibility for them or their failures.

4. They’re Only Around When They Need Something From You

A fake person will be nice to you, shower you with compliments, flatter you, or call you and text you a million times a day when they need or want something from you. 

They might text you to ask you to do them a favor or invite you to lunch since another friend refused to accompany them or bailed. And if it’s you that need their help with something or a favor in return, they’ll pretend they’re busy doing other more important things.

5. They Don’t Really Listen

When talking to you, a fake person doesn’t focus on the conversation. You can talk to them for hours, and they can act like they’re interested in what you have to say, but they actually won’t pay any attention to your words. Sometimes when interacting with them, they may even appear zoned out or bored.

6. They Talk Behind Your Back

A fake person will act nice around you so that they manipulate you into telling them personal details, and they’ll be quick to share them with other people.

It can be difficult and painful to find out that someone you believed was your friend has been talking behind your back or spreading blatant lies about you. So, if you have a friend that behaves this way when you’re not around, know that they’re not a real, loyal friend. They’re a cold fake.

7. They Work Hard To Build Relationships

Authentic individuals have no trouble making friends, and you can easily find yourself attracted to them. This is not the case with fake people. Phony and inauthentic people have a hard time connecting with others as well as building and maintaining relationships. And it’s no wonder that they have trouble making friends, considering the fact that they never show their true colors and are phony.

8. They Are Fickle Friends

Unconditional and loyal friends stay by your side through thick and thin. Fake people don’t. When you’re feeling down or going through a tough time in life and need their emotional support or help, they’ll be quick to disappear. 

For instance, if you get into an argument with someone, a fake person won’t stay by your side to defend you or offer you advice. Or they can be compassionate and generous when you’re around and gossip about you once you turn your back.

Fake People Quotes 

1. “When you have fake friends, you realize who are the real ones.”

2. “Walk away from people who don’t live true to themselves.”

3. “Fake people always try to put down others.”

4. “Distance yourself from people that wear masks.”

5. “All that fake people spread is negativity.”

6. “Fake people have an image to maintain. Genuine people don’t care about it.”

7. “Fake people will be nice to your face and bad behind your back.”

8. “Fake people always envy your achievements.”

9. “When you’re going through a rough time in life, you get to realize who your real friends are and who fake ones are.”

10. “Genuine people want to see you succeed. Fake individuals want to see you fail.”

11. “Once a fake person has gotten everything they wanted from you, they reveal their true colors.”

12. “Choose your friends wisely. There are many fake ones surrounding you.”

13. “Fake people only care about themselves.”

14. “Fake people stick around in your good times and disappear in your bad times.”

15. “Walk away from people who only stick around when they need something from you.”

16. “It’s better to have an enemy than a fake friend by my side.”

17. “True friendships bring happiness and joy into your life, but the fake ones bring disappointment and sadness.”

18. “I don’t need an enemy. My life is already filled with many fake people.”

19. “Stay away from people who hate you because you’re better than them.”

20. “Genuine people are hard to find. Fake people lurk around every corner.”

8 Scientifically Proven Hacks To Make You Feel Instantly Happy

Everyone wants to have a bite of that piece of delicious cake called HAPPINESS. And it seems like many of us often find ourselves in a hurry to do that. We live in a global world that is moving at an enormous speed. We eat fast, sleep fast, love fast…breathe fast.

Do you feel caught in the same difficulty? What if I tell you that there are things which can make you happy right now? Yes, the same moment you’re reading this. They are not just some boring things which you won’t like to spend your time on, these are fun; Moreover, they are scientifically proved.

I want to share some of them with all of you. Here is how you can increase your joie de vivre. Let these 8 small but important things enter your everyday life.

1. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH FLOWERS.

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of flowers? Positivity. Natural beauty. Happiness. Sharing. Gratitude. Loving atmosphere.

Jeannette Haviland-Jones, a researcher, showed that flowers have many positive effects on our well-being: they boost our mood, make a better connection with other people. Flowers provoke a smile.

Give someone a flower. Bring them in your home. Always be happy when you receive them.

2. GET A MASSAGE.

There’s nothing more relaxing than getting a massage. You feel like over the moon and everything seems to fall into its place.

According to Paul Zak, director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, we get happy after a touch; our brain produces the love hormone called oxytocin and all this happens instantly.

Get yourself a massage. You can also learn the art of self-massage.

3. PLAY THAT UPBEAT SONG.

What can boost a mood better than music? A group of researchers at the University of Missouri have found a song that can make you happy right now: it’s about “Don’t stop me now” by Queen.

However, I am sure everybody has their own song-the one that makes you feel like the happiest person in the world. So, go on, play some music.

Enjoy its power. Sing. Lose yourself dancing.

4. SWITCH YOUR CELL PHONE OFF.

Based on a recent research, Americans teens’ high level of happiness and life-satisfaction decreased in 2012. Why does this happen? It happens because of the use of smartphones. “By 2012, half of Americans (and roughly 37% of teens) owned one. By 2016, 77% of all Americans carried an iPhone or something like it, including at least 73% of teens”.

So, next time when you are out on a dinner and have a conversation with someone, make sure your mobile device is switched off. Enjoy the present moment without any other distractions.

5. YELLOW, YELLOW, YELLOW.

A color of hope, enlightenment, happiness, optimism…warmth. Eiseman, a color specialist and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute connects yellow color with a positive mood. Moreover, yellow can help depression which shows up in Autumn and Winter.

Add yellow to your life. Buy something yellow. Paint the walls in yellow color. Get out, get some sunlight.

6. GET SOME REST.

Resting is of a great importance. We simply cannot function well without it. It’s scientifically approved that sleep boosts our mood and brings us positive emotions. Some researchers have discovered that 7 hours and 6 minutes sleeping can make people feel very happy.

So, don’t hesitate to take a nap. Dive into your mysterious dreams. Feel the magic of a good night’s sleep.

7. EXERCISE.

There is a great link between exercise and happiness. According to some researchers from the Penn State University, compared to less physically active people, physically active people are more enthusiastic, creative, relieved from stress, full of life; therefore, they are happier. Even if it’s for 15 minutes daily, you will feel its benefits.

Ride a bicycle. Walk in a forest. Do some planks. Play football. Go do some exercise!

8. SMILE.

It improves your mood, it brings good vibes and pleasure, it makes you feel happy. According to Dr. Isha Gupta, a neurologist, the simple act of smiling releases high doses of serotonin and dopamine. Dopamine increases happiness and serotonin reduces stress. In this way, not only smiling improves your mood and tricks your brain into happiness, it boosts your health too.

Hang out with someone who smiles a lot, spend time with your pet, practice smiling even when everything goes wrong. What can be more powerful than a simple smile?

😊

As it is said, little things bring the difference and make life wonderful.

Why not enjoy them?

Image: Graeme Heckels

What causes muscle fatigue and is there a way to recover?

A lot of people want to know what causes muscle fatigue, especially if you are one of those persons that work out a lot. The reality is that muscle fatigue can be problematic and it can require a lot of effort and hard work. But on the other hand, it can really pay off if you know how to deal with it the right way. It all comes down to understanding what makes your muscles fatigued and how you can eliminate all those problems.

So, what causes muscle fatigue?

Muscle fatigue can be seen as the decreased capacity of being able to perform voluntary or repeated muscle actions. Fatigued muscles can’t work properly and you will constantly feel tired in this situation. While it can differ in a variety of ways, it’s safe to say that muscle fatigue can be bad for your workout routine. It won’t help you get the best type of results from your workout, and that is obviously a thing that you need to avoid as much as possible.

But what causes this? It mostly comes down to a variety of factors. You have lactic acid for example. Many times you will see that lots of people see lactic acid as one of the major problems here. It’s not the ultimate problem in this situation, so you have to think about that. When we work out, we experience pain as well as soreness in the muscles. It does take a bit of time to get things going here, but lactic acid isn’t completely responsible all the time. You release lactic acid after physical extortion when your body isn’t able to cope with all of this anymore and you have to find a better way to work out and stay in shape. The lactate is stored in the muscles if it’s not used as raw power and energy. The more you have in your muscles, the more acidity your muscles will deal with. This will lead to things like spasms, soreness, cramps, and even pain.

Nutrient deficiency

Yes, nutrient deficient is what causes muscle fatigue most of the time. If you don’t have a lot of nutrients in your day to day diet, you can end up with some health-related problems like that, so you have to adapt everything the best way you can. The thing to keep in mind here is that you need to include minerals and other good compounds that will help you stay healthy. If you don’t, then the results will not be as good as you would expect.

Recommended by the biggest natural athletes Steve cook, you will need to have magnesium, potassium, calcium and other nutrients in your diet. These help you keep the acidity levels under control, you can prevent exercise buildups, not to mention you can increase blood cell production this way too and enhance circulation as well. There are lots of really neat benefits you can get if you have the right nutrition, so you want to use all of this to your advantage the best way that you possibly can.

Anaerobic respiration

When your muscles contract and work properly, they will need to obtain energy and this arrives in the form of oxygen. The focus here has to be on getting more oxygen because once your oxygen levels are poor, you will end up having lactic acid building up and then you will have more acidic muscles. As you would imagine, this is the type of thing that you really need to avoid/.

A lack of good warmup

Let’s face it, most of the time what causes muscle fatigue is a lack of warming up. Most people believe that they can do anything they want and they can prepare for the workout as they see fit. To some degree, this is real. But on the other hand, it can also be very problematic and that’s exactly what you need to think about. If you don’t start warming up the right way, you can end up losing your muscle benefits and the results are actually pretty bad. You have to learn how to stop this kind of problem, but you can do that with help from a warmup. You just need to identify the right warmup type that really works for you and move onward with it. Yes, it’s a system that does make a lot of sense, so try to use that to your advantage.

Recovering from muscle fatigue

As you can imagine, putting a lot of stress on your muscles will not help you all the time. That’s why you need to have a recovery strategy in place. Thankfully, there are tons of great options for you to focus on here. First, you need to have enough rest. A good resting strategy that helps you sleep for at least 7 hours per night will help pay off very well.

Cold and hot therapy can be really good, which is exactly the type of thing that you would expect from something like this. Again, you do need a proper warmup strategy. You need to work as hard as possible to warm up and enjoy that session. And it will definitely work out well for you if you use this approach in a meaningful way. Just try to not rush this into anyway, as you can deal with some problems.

You can also use muscle percussion therapy, one of the most efficient ways to prevent the muscle damage and to get rid of the muscle pain. This percussion therapy is being used by most big athletes around the world to enhance their performance and that’s one of the main reasons that some of the best muscle massager guns like Exogun are becoming more and more popular among everyone. Every one of these massage treatment strategies are offered in massage chairs.

11 Plants Native Americans Use To Cure EVERYTHING (From joint pain to cancer)

I’ve always wanted to learn more about Native Americans. Since the story of Pocahontas and the Grandmother Willow tree; since I saw their deep connection with nature.

Native Americans love nature. They breathe nature. Nature is their mother, spirit, their home. Plants have always been Native Americans’ greatest treasure. They know every tiny secret of each plant. They know more than we do.

What do Cherokee, a tribe living in Southeastern United States know about plants that we don’t? They discovered 11 plants that cure everything. Here they are.

1. YARROW

This herb is well-known for fighting bacteria and viruses. It stops bleeding. It helps rheumatism, hemorrhoids, regulates menstrual period. A cup of tea can help a better digestion and improve the function of kidneys. It’s very useful for skin irritations too.

The mighty warrior Achilles used it to heal his wounds.

2. MINT

We consume it as a tea. A plant which contains Vitamin A, C. It’s also rich in magnesium, calcium, phosphorus. If you have a digestive problem, a cup of mint tea will help you a lot. The Cherokee use it to lower high blood pressure.

If you have an itchy skin, feel free to add some mint to your bath.

3. WILD GINGER

This is a plant which does wonder with bronchitis. It really helps with the elimination of secretion from the lungs. A cup of tea from the root of a ginger helps a lot with upset stomach, colic and intestinal gas.

The Cherokee use it for ear infections. Its strong influence is also beneficial for snake bite wound.

4. ROSE HIP

A massive source of vitamin C. It prevents cold, flu. It manages diabetes and boosts the whole immune system. Joint pain is naturally treated by rose hip. This fruit of the wild roses treats arthritis pain, high blood pressure, candida.

The magic of it doesn’t stop here: it may help fight against breast cancer too.

5. BLACKBERRIES

Rich in vitamin A, C, B6, E, K, riboflavin, thiamine, zinc, calcium, magnesium, blackberries strengthen our immune system. They improve digestion and helps with coughing and sore throats.

A cup of blackberry tea is a great solution for diarrhea and joints.

6. BUCK BRUSH

A magical plant which stimulates proper kidney function. It has been used by the Cherokee to treat throat issues as well as cysts, inflammation, fibroid tumors. Some recent studies show that buck brush is also great for high blood pressure and lymphatic blockages.

Leave the leaves of this plant in heated water for 5 minutes and then drink the tea while it’s still warm. You will feel its benefits.

7. CATTAIL

As one of the most famous survival plants, cattail is used as food and preventative medicine, very helpful in the recovery process. Its root is packed with starch, and the male plants have a lot of pollen. It helps with diarrhea. It can be prepared similarly like potatoes, mashed and boiled which helps with sores and burns.

As a great source of protein, cattail can be used in baking as well.

8. MULLEIN

A very powerful herb which treats asthma, tuberculosis, pneumonia. Its roots and flowers are commonly used. Besides for the respiratory tract, mullein is used for flu, inflammation, ear infections, hemorrhoids and as a relax/sleep aid.

A warm decoction can reduce swelling and joint pain. Soak your feet in.

9. GREENBRIAR

A plant rich in vitamins and minerals. The Cherokee use it to treat urinary infections. It can be applied to burns, scalds, minor sores. A cup of Greenbriar root tea helps with arthritis too.

 You can make a jam of its berries. Delicious!

 10. YELLOW DOCK

A herb very similar to spinach, known as a blood purifier and detoxifier of the liver. It has long roots; Therefore, it’s a source of many vitamins and minerals. Combined with alfalfa, dandelion root and burdock, yellow dock can treat mild cases of anemia.

Yellow dock’s crashed roots mixed with warm water make it a great antiseptic.

 11. SUMAC

The Cherokee use it in treating eye problems. A cup of tea made of the leaves and berries of this plant helps with diarrhea. According to a study from the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, sumac can lower cholesterol.

It contains a lot of vitamin C. Therefore, it reduces fever.

In the end: Follow Cherokee’ s unique gathering method: pick every third plant. You’ll let them continue growing this way; they’ll not disappear.

Also, please make sure you use them properly. Consult a licensed naturopath, people who are already experienced for a guidance.

Enjoy their magical benefits on your health.