The Colors Of A Optimistic World:

Habits Of Successful And Extremely Happy People

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Copyright © 2019 - Logan J. Davisson

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Strengthen self-confidence - How to gain self-esteem and self- confidence for everyday life, work and relationships

Everything you need to know about self-confidence

1. Measure for more self-confidence: Get to know each other

2. Measure for more self-confidence: Be independent

3. Measure for more self-confidence: Leave the comfort zone

4. Measure for more self-confidence: Cultivate what is unique

5. Measure for more self-confidence: Smile!

6. Measure for more self-confidence: Say "No" every now and then!

7. Measure for more self-confidence: Don't fool yourself and others

8. Measure for more self-confidence: Declare war on your fears

9. Measure for more self-confidence: Do what you have been missing for a long time

10. Measure for more self-confidence: Promote your strengths and talents

11. Measure for more self-confidence: Stop comparing yourself

12. Measure for more self-confidence: Go on a treasure hunt

With these 12 basics you are now well equipped to strengthen your self-confidence

Calmness - Find inner balance through relaxation and habits

The inner balance

What causes the inner balance to falter?

Integrating new habits into everyday life

Methods for a stronger inner balance: Relaxation techniques

Methods for a stronger inner balance: Reflection

Methods for a stronger inner balance: Everyday structures

Minimalism - Practical tips for clearing out, for more calmness, satisfaction, success and luck in life

Minimalism is the name of the game

The connection between minimalism and our habits

30 Days Minimalism Challenge: Practical Tips for a Minimalist Lifestyle

Leave your comfort zone

Minimalism in thought

The minimalist gift giving

Earn Money by Clearing Out

Donate superfluous items

Reduce media consumption

The 30 days shopping rule

Sorting the objects ... Red, Yellow, Green

Emotional and rational decision-making

Clearing out helper

Plan Clearing out

Buy something, get rid of two things

Does it have to be a TV?

Cosmetics and body care

The wardrobe

Investing the right way

Plastic minimalism

Food shopping - is it minimalistic?

Social Minimalism

What is your optimal order?

Digital Clearing Out

A little library?

No more presents for you?

Insurances, contributions and Co

Newsletter and Advertising

Chaos in your wallet?

Stay minimalist

Maintaining minimalism

Drink tap water

Search for challenges and practice mindfulness

Effects of minimalism: More serenity, satisfaction, success and happiness

Checklists for more order in the own four walls

Checklist Study: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Bathroom: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Corridor: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Living Room: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Dining Room: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Kitchen: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Children's Rooms: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Bedroom: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Wardrobe: Minimalism made easy!

Checklist Cellar and Attic: Minimalism made easy

Success begins in the head - Why you need the right mindset…even before you start!

1. Step to boost your mindset for success: Do you know what success means to you personally?

2. Step to boost your mindset for success: Self-reflection and honest analysis

3. Step to boost your mindset for success: Don't be afraid to take on challenges

4. Step to boost your mindset for success: Leave your comfort zone and do something new

5. Step to boost your mindset for success: If the word "if"...

6. Step to boost your mindset for success: The shy human: I would like to, but I do not know how

7. Step to boost your mindset for success: Resign: I don't have the resources

8. Step to boost your mindset for success: Fulfill your dreams and do what you always wanted to do

9. Step to boost your mindset for success: Don't think about what others might think about your goal

10. Step to boost your mindset for success: Success killer negative self-image

11. Step to boost your mindset for success: Check what you believe

12. Step to boost your mindset for success: Face your fears

13. Step to boost your mindset for success: Do not stay in the past

14. Step to boost your mindset for success: Strengthen your self-confidence

15. Step to boost your mindset for success: Emotions are signposts

16. Step to boost your mindset for success: Make yourself aware of your lifetime

17. Step to boost your mindset for success: Find out what you really want

18. Step to boost your mindset for success: Set priorities

19. Step to boost your mindset for success: Write down your ideas and flashes of inspiration immediately

20. Step to boost your mindset for success: The mystical effect of the desired energy

21. Step to boost your mindset for success: Move towards your destination

22. Step to boost your mindset for success: The right time to make your dreams come true is "now"

23. Step to boost your mindset for success: Focus on your success

24. Step to boost your mindset for success: Learn from successful role models

25. Step to boost your mindset for success: Consider your resources

26. Step to boost your mindset for success: Don't overtax yourself

27. Step to boost your mindset for success: Do not work hard but ingeniously

28. Step to boost your mindset for success: Set yourself intermediate goals on the way to a big goal

29. Step to boost your mindset for success: Set clear time limits

30. Step to boost your mindset for success: Reward yourself

31. Step to boost your mindset for success: Plan your goal achievement the other way around

32. Step to boost your mindset for success: Integrate your conscious achievement of goals into your everyday life

33. Step to boost your mindset for success: Meeting obstacles and adversities calmly on the way

34. Step to boost your mindset for success: Combine your goals with recurring everyday activities

35. Step to boost your mindset for success: To-do lists

36. Step to boost your mindset for success: Maintaining motivation on the way to the big goal

37. Step to boost your mindset for success: Finding a balance between empathy and expectation

38. Step to boost your mindset for success: Allow yourself time out

39. Step to boost your mindset for success: Dealing calmly with envy and hostility

40. Step to boost your mindset for success: Understanding criticism as an opportunity

41. Step to boost your mindset for success: Prepare yourself for extreme situations and pressure to perform

42. Step to boost your mindset for success: Endurance and dedication are the prerequisites for your success

43. Step to boost your mindset for success: Stay flexible and adaptable

44. Step to boost your mindset for success: Stay authentic

45. Step to boost your mindset for success: Show strength and recognize your limits

46. Step to boost your mindset for success: Listen to your gut instinct

47. Step to boost your mindset for success: Design your life with enthusiasm

48. Step to boost your mindset for success: Open your heart and dare

Reduce Belly Fat - Step by step weight lose with 14-day-challenge, activate fat burning and accelerate metabolism

Why does fat always develop on the underbelly?

Reduce belly fat: Healthy eating habits

Reduce belly fat: Possibilities to bring movement into everyday life

Reduce belly fat: Foods that support fat burning

Reduce belly fat: Tricks to speed up fat burning

Reduce abdominal fat: Your 14 day challenge to the flat belly!

Day 1: Getting an overview first

Day 2: Set goals

Day 3: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

Day 4: The evening remains free

Day 5: Healthy food

Day 6: Something special today

Day 7: Time for a mid-term review

Day 8: Five times a day

Day 9: Become a sugar detective

Day 10: The salad makes the difference

Day 11: Sport is anything but murder

Day 12: Indulge yourself

Day 13: Where do the calories come from?

Day 14: Final Super, you did it!

What happens now?

Vitamin Water - Refreshing aroma and detox water with fruits and herbs

What is refreshing and healthy vitamin water?

Effectiveness of electrolytes on the organism

Why is water so important for the metabolism?

Aroma water with fruits - Drink yourself healthy...this is how it works!

Aroma water with herbs - Drink yourself healthy...this is how it works!

Detox recipes for losing weight - Drink yourself healthy...this is how it works!

Vitamin water especially for the athlete

Useful tips for drinking water properly

Fighting shopping addiction - What to do when shopping becomes addiction?

Forced to spend money: Psychological causes

The compulsion to shop: Symptoms of shopping addiction

Getting a shopping addiction under control: How to combat shopping addiction?

First aid for buying addiction: How shopaholics learn to control themselves

The first important step in the fight against buying addiction is the insight that

Stay fit, healthy & vital - Inspirations for a healthy lifestyle

Fitness: Getting fit into old age - 100 are made easy

Training: How to turn your power training into a HI (I)T

Health: Strong defence - Healthy through the cool season

Nutrition: Hidden Sugar - The Calorie Trap in Everyday Life

Motivation: Bye piggy hound … take off, but right!

Prevention: Health insurance contribution - fitness studio on prescription?

The positive aspects of self-love - Boosting self-confidence and self-esteem

Appealing and likeable - How to make a good impression

Tips for learning to love yourself

The power of the insults - Insults are incredibly painful

We all know them the stumbling blocks in life

A sovereign "No" can be learned!

Letting go and clearing out the clouds frees the soul and gives wings

Coconut oil is a true beauty & health wonder - Superfood allrounder for health & nutrition

The positive effect of coconut oil on the skin

The positive effect of coconut oil on the hair

The positive effect of coconut oil on the facial skin

The positive effect of coconut oil in baby care

Coconut oil for healthy and radiant white teeth

Oil pulling & oil drawing cure - Soft detox for the body

Coconut oil in the kitchen - Pure exoticism during baking, roasting, frying, grilling & Co.

Slimming with coconut oil - Effectively lose weight without yo-yo effect

Coconut oil against ticks in humans & pets

Coconut oil against vermin such as fleas, lice and mites in humans and animals

End with diet - Diet-free slimming without sport

Fundamentals

Getting started with the change in diet

Which diet suits me?

Practical tips on changing your diet

The myths of dietary supplements

Dangers of bad nutrition

Discipline and endurance

Fashionable versus alternative diets

Summary

Saving money in the household - With the right planning of meals and weekly shopping

The advantages of a meal plan

Creating a recipe collection

Create a meal plan

Create a shopping list

Create a price list

The spontaneous shopping list

Practical tips if your meal plan doesn't work

Helpful tips in your new organized life

Tips on how to save money when shopping

Relaxation through effective stress management and calmness - How to find inner calmness

What is stress and how does it affect our body?

Types of stress - There are good and bad forms

Stress factors, the most common triggers

How does the stress manifest itself

It's in your hands

How do I deal with stress?

How does the targeted management of stress have a positive effect on my body?

Tips for fighting stress

Avoid stress in the future

Chronic fatigue - Defeating permanent fatigue and starting the day with renewed strength

Common disease chronic fatigue?

When is fatigue pathological?

Chronic fatigue - when exhaustion becomes a problem

Differentiation from similar clinical pictures

Self-test: Is your fatigue chronic?

Symptoms of chronic fatigue

Reasons of chronic fatigue

Chronic fatigue and its effects on everyday life

Treatment and therapy

Sleep well again - The best tips for a restful sleep

1. Healthy Sleep Tip: Make yourself comfortable

2. Healthy Sleep Tip: A question of timing

3. Healthy Sleep Tip: Of rituals and red light

4. Healthy Sleep Tip: This bed is reserved

5. Healthy Sleep Tip: Meditation against stress

6. Healthy Sleep Tip: Higher, faster, further

7. Healthy Sleep Tip: enjoyment instead of excess

8. Healthy Sleep Tip: Say "No" to drugs

9. Healthy Sleep Tip: Caffeine blocking hour

10. Healthy Sleep Tip: Powernap instead of hibernation

11. Healthy Sleep Tip: Let the sun shine in your heart

12. Healthy Sleep Tip: Shut down!

13. Healthy Sleep Tip: Dress Code

14. Healthy Sleep Tip: With sex into deep sleep

15. Healthy Sleep Tip: Water is good!

16. Healthy Sleep Tip: Technical helpers

17. Healthy Sleep Tip: Professional help

Boreout - Why boredom and underchallenge make you ill

Boreout vs. burnout

Where does the term "boreout" come from?

What types of boreout are known?

Characterisation of those affected

Symptoms of boreout - these can be signs!

Boreout - Where are the causes buried?

The wrong career choice

The wrong place

Finding better alternatives to work

Ways out of boreout

Make your meetings worthwhile

Become a superstar

Make a career

Diagnosis - effects at work and effects on the affected person

Therapy

Family happiness - Pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, hospital bag, baby equipment and baby sleep!

The course of pregnancy at a glance: Every 40 weeks until birth

1st to 8th week of pregnancy: body and soul in other (life) circumstances

9th to 16th week of pregnancy: The female body has now adapted to the pregnancy

17th to 24th week of pregnancy: The baby's stomach can no longer be overlooked for family, friends & colleagues

25th to 32nd week of pregnancy: Decelerated and relaxed pace of life for the mother-to-be

33rd to 40th week of pregnancy: Before birth - the date of birth is getting closer and closer

When will the baby finally be born? When the unborn baby just has to wait for himself

Checklist hospital bag: I'm packing my clinic bag and all this has to be taken with me

Checklist baby initial equipment: All important things the newborn baby needs in the first months of life

Balanced nutrition and healthy lifestyle during pregnancy

Healthy and fit with baby belly through the four seasons

Eating well with baby belly: Healthy eating while pregnant

Soft baby sleep is not child's play: Tips for falling asleep and sleeping through in the 1st year of life

Intermittent fasting - How to lose weight successfully without dieting, optimize your health and live longer

What is interval fasting?

Overview of the individual forms of fasting

Rules during fasting

How the entrance into chamfered succeeds

General questions and tips on interval fasting

Fasting Myths

Safety and side effects

Learn to love yourself - In 10 steps to more self-confidence, success and happiness in life

The most important relationship in your life...

Why is self-love so important?

Allow feelings & be happy

How more happiness & energy come into your life

Learn self-love in 10 steps – step-by-step

Mindfulness in the job - Effective tips for a mindful working day

What causes mindfulness in the workplace?

Green workplace

Clean up your workplace

Listen to your body

Attentive posture

Walk carefully

Use small moments as time out

The 3 minute mini-meditations

Really taking breaks

Enjoy every bite

Drinking carefully

Making good use of breaks

Let the phone ring sometimes

Turn off your smartphone

Don't want to hide the unpleasant

Accept errors

Relaxation exercise

Pictures at work

Listen carefully

Focus on what is good for you

Treating colleagues with care and heedful

Avoid stress

Short neck massage relieves tension

After Work Ritual

Training patience

A few cautious words at the end

Depression - Relatively unknown methods to fight depression naturally

Create a routine and set yourself reasonable goals

Physical activity

Nutrition and food

Lifestyle changes to improve sleep

Nutritional supplement

Herbs and Spices

Fight negative thoughts about

Body-mind techniques

Music and art therapy

Aromatherapy

Habits of happy people - How to lead a happier and more fulfilling life permanently

Gratefulness

Experience flow

Connectedness

Heedfulness

Placableness

Sports and nutrition

Optimism

Resilience

Care and help

Doing what you enjoy

Defeating and overcoming fears - The most valuable strategies to overcome your fears and panic attacks

Self-help in fear and panic: How you can help yourself in difficult life situations

Where do my fears and panic attacks come from?

The most valuable strategies to throw your fears overboard

How long does it take to overcome my fears?

Charismatic effect on others - Step by step to more attractiveness and charisma

Charisma is the key to positive change

What do you know about charisma?

The effectiveness

Charisma has its advantages

Secrets you can already use today

Self-confidence fights negativity

Your body can say a lot about you

Can you really listen?

The charm of humour

Open and ready for any situation

Understanding and respect

The attitude can save everything

Please note the following

A new perspective

A few words at the end

Meditation in everyday life - Learn step by step meditation, mindfulness and serenity

How can I learn to meditate?

Which meditation technique suits me?

What are the effects of meditation?

How can I make my life more conscious and mindful?

Start small and increase your meditation very gently

The real exercise is...

Come in contact with yourself

Simple but not easy

Daily challenge, daily exercise

Start right now and don't wait too long

Hay Fever - Pollen allergy naturally treat allergy-free with the help of homeopathy

Treat hay fever naturally

What is hay fever?

What to do if hay fever is suspected?

The causes of hay fever

Impairment of quality of life due to hay fever

Diagnosis of hay fever

How is hay fever treated?

Which honey is suitable for hay fever therapy?

How is honey taken?

The effect of honey

Honey from the region - a proven household remedy for hay fever

When should a doctor be consulted in hay fever?

What is the difference between industrially produced honey and natural honey from the region?

Tips for days with high pollen count

Strengthen self-confidence- How to strengthen your self-confidence & self-esteem and build up a permanently healthy self-confidence

1. Step for a healthy self-confidence: It's the same for everyone

2. Step for a healthy self-confidence: The judgement of the others

3. Step for a healthy self-confidence: Respect for the Self

4. Step for healthy self-confidence: Self-care

5. Step for a healthy self-confidence: Influence and interest

6. Step for a healthy self-confidence: Training the courage muscle

7. Step for a healthy self-confidence: From the masses to the individuals

8. Step for a healthy self-confidence: Stick to the topic

9. Step for a healthy self-confidence: upgrades

10. Step for healthy self-confidence: Continuous growth

Fascia workout for more flexibility, suppleness and vitality - How to get your fascias into top form

What are fascia and what influence do they have on my health

Adhesive and hardened fascia - Cause of many complaints

How does fascial training work

For whom fascial training is optimal

Why is body perception so important

Exercises for better body perception

Efficient fascia exercises

Fascial Stretch Exercises

Fascial Release Exercises

Rebound Elasticity Exercises

Sensory Refinement Exercises

Important tips for healthy fascia

Attractive like a magnet - How you fascinate other people

Sympathy - Two spirits meet each other

The subtle difference between love and sexual attraction

Psychology of Attraction

Psychological mechanisms of attraction and seduction

Strengthening self-confidence and learning charisma

Put your inner critic in his place

Draw people under your spell with Charisma

The key to charisma - self-esteem, self-esteem, charisma

Self-motivation - Falling down...getting up...walking on

Motivation problems: failure is one of them

Frustration and motivation

Motivational mistakes

Postponement inflammation

Out of the brooding trap: With inner dialogues to action

Break your habits and create new ones!

How about new everyday habits?

Change your mind!

Be friendly to yourself

Expose your thinking errors

You don't have to do anything!

Mistrust your thoughts

Out of the frustration trap

No more clever excuses

Mini-step is better than doing nothing!

Go on strike! ...refuse!

Get to the bottom of this yourself.

Pay attention to the language of your thoughts!

Discover the other side of your thoughts

If... then...?

Say goodbye to perfectionism

Think in worst-case scenarios!

Look for a new focus

Start with the most unpleasant one

Be honest with yourself.

Self-management instead of external management

Self-management - Become a successful personality

Thought Management - Train Optimism

What do you occupy yourself with in your thoughts?

Thinking is the most subtle energy

Let go of the past

Top performance is no coincidence

The power of habits

The power of expectation

How to create a good feeling

Language exudes thoughts

Words are energies and they create moods.

Manage your self-image and strengthen your self-confidence

Steps to optimize the self-image

Communication is crucial

Tips to optimize communication

Build your confidence and self-confidence

Satisfaction and happiness

What are you waiting for? Let's go!

Stress management - How to take pressure out of your life

Who doesn't know ...?

First pillar: Movement helps the fastest!

Second pillar: sleep and relaxation

Third pillar: Family & Friends

Fourth pillar: Nutrition ... Eat yourself fit!

Fifth pillar: Career and studies

The stable personality

Ways to enhance natural beauty with beauty, cosmetics & wellness

Beautiful and healthy skin

Healthy facial skin with the right care

Beautiful and healthy hair

Beautiful nails with the right care

Make-up and cosmetic products

Anti Aging

Wellness for your home

Healthy living & Healthy looking

Slimming to the ideal weight - Eat simply so ... healthy slimming plan

Healthy weight loss plan

Nutrition

The optimal diet

Carbohydrates

Fats

Proteins

Metabolism

Fat burning

Faster, slower and slower metabolism

Diets

Motion

Lose weight with sport

Which sport suits me best?

Walking and jogging

Cycling

Conclusion: Healthy weight loss begins in the head

Healthy nutrition

Wrong nutrition makes you sick

Change diet

Life in abundance

The nutrition pyramid

Structure of the nutrition pyramid

Drinks

Fruit, vegetables & carbohydrates

Animal Food & Fats

Vegetable food

Fruit and vegetables

Legumes

Cereals & Potatoes

Animal food

Milk & Cheese

Yoghurt & Buttermilk/Dickmilk/Kefir

Eggs

Fish

Meat

Errors & supposed truths

Fat is unhealthy

Eggs are bad for cholesterol levels

Chocolate makes you fat

You shouldn't eat in the evening.

Eating little makes you slim

Light products are low in calories

Carbohydrates are bad

Healthy nutrition plan

Healthy vegetarian diet

Eating habits

Conclusion: Slimming to ideal weight

Successful communication...at work & in everyday life

Why customer-oriented communication?

The first impression is crucial

Positive from the start ...

... and on the phone

Linguistic sympathy alarm clock

The basics of good manners

Active listening is the be-all and end-all of communication

Mistake in listening

Active Listening Methods

Targeted questions - That's how important are questions in the customer cycle?

Open questions

Closed questions

The needs assessment is decisive for sales & consulting success

Careful, trap!

Model for customer inquiries

Two communication levels - subject & relationship level

Fact Sheets for Communication Professionals

The positive basic attitude makes the difference!

Formulate comprehensibly!

Formulate concretely!

Formulate positively!

Use (customer) benefit arguments!

Visualize!

Addressing complaints correctly

Basic rules for complaints & Co.

Careful...feelings!

Attention...Escalation accelerator!

Six steps to successful complaint handling

Delivering bad news

Body language - facial expressions, gestures, posture, tone of voice & Co.

Basic rules of body language

Body language signals in conversational communication

Release call blockades

Professional customer-oriented telephone calls

Voice and speech

Correctly forward conversations within the company

Checklist for professional telephone behaviour

Call setup for outgoing calls

Highly Sensitive - The Practical Manual For Dealing With High Sensitivity And Highly Sensitive People

What is high sensibility?

Special features of high sensitivity

High sensitivity and fears

Dealing with one's own high sensitivity

Dealing with other highly sensitive people

High sensitivity in the partnership

Dealing with a highly sensitive partner

Dealing with high sensitivity at work

Dealing with highly sensitive children

Tips for dealing with high sensitivity on a daily basis

Bottom line

Dog training - Successful dog education explained step by step

Communicate unambiguously with the dog

The sooner the better

No exceptions for small dog breeds

Convince instead of persuade

The basics with playful skill

Fast house cleanliness in the first 5 months

Always play without a leash

More than just a companion

The dog's going crazy.

Search and Bring Games

Retrieve "bring" for beginners

Give the dog a task

The right environment

Dog wish in the big city

Avoid begging at the table

No sweets for the dog

Help my dog doesn't eat any more

Training without treats

Learning to stay alone

Consistency in the living room

Loud noises against negative behaviour

Problems on New Year's Eve

The right praise is the key to success

This is the only way to raise a dog

No more boredom

Collect information in advance

Improvising during Agility Training

Emotional Motivation

Dogs must be moved

Avoid unpleasant dog encounters

Build up the social behaviour of the dog as early as possible

disinhibit jumping

Behaviour during biting among dogs

To break the habit of barking to small dogs

Driving with the dog without problems

Travelling with the dog

Dogs in summer, what needs to be considered

Protect dog paws from road salt

You have to want it

Everyone pulling together

Puppies without problems

Become interesting for the dog

Dogs live in the here and now

The three greatest needs of the dog

Dogs love hand signals

The embossing phase

Patience and consistency in dog training

The dog is afraid

How dogs perceive their surroundings

The coexistence of dog and cat

Bathing in the woods - In balance through the healing power of nature

Bathing in the woods: Healing from the forest

The secret life of the trees

The healing effect of forest air

How does forest bathing become a pleasure?

This is how bathing in the woods becomes a pleasure

Power and Energy through Trees: Seeing

Power and Energy through Trees: Touching

Power and Energy through Trees: Smelling

Power and Energy through Trees: Tasting

Power and Energy through Trees: Hearing

Power and Energy through Trees: Forest Walks

Power and Energy through Trees: Breathing Exercises

Power and Energy through Trees: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Power and Energy through Trees: Forest Training

A stay in the forest is always worthwhile

Losing weight with interval fasting - How to reach your ideal weight quickly and healthily with the 16/8 method

What is interval fasting?

The theoretical and historical background of interval fasting

For whom is interval fasting suitable?

Health benefits of interval fasting

Interval fasting against civilization diseases

Interval fasting and diet

Successful weight loss with interval fasting

Interval fasting and detoxification

The concept of purification

How long do you fast?

Practical Guide: The 16/8 Method in Practice

Other methods of interval fasting

Recipes for breakfast

Recipes for lunch

Recipes for dinner

Recipes for smoothies

Guide to happiness for more satisfaction & joy in life

Be happy: The 10 most important findings of Positive Psychology

Let them talk - What others think about you: 5 tips to become independent

Reasons why laughter is healthy and important

Mindfulness & Deceleration in everyday life - I am offline!

Concentrated holiday recreation - So you get a lot of relaxation from the days off

Dissatisfied with your job: Signs that you have the wrong job

Do I have a burnout? That's how you can tell the symptoms

Burnout prevention: 10 tips - You can do it yourself!

Fulfilled Partnership - What makes a relationship really happy

Tingle & Love - Tips to keep the relationship fresh

Happy long-distance relationship - Maintaining love despite distance

Staples in relationships - How to become less affectionate

Overcome and free yourself from fears, panic attacks & phobias in your life

Social phobia - Am I affected by it myself?

Learning to let go: How to conclude with negative experiences

The art of self-motivation - What really inspires us & how to train the drive for action

More motivation with this simple method

No motivation? Tricks to get started and hold out permanently

Strengthen self-confidence - How to gain self-esteem and self- confidence for everyday life, work and relationships

It is by far the most popular area of personality development: self-confidence. We've all heard about it, and we all want to know about it in our lives. Isn't it strange that very few people have a clear idea of what exactly "self- confidence" is? As soon as this term comes up, we usually first think of a straight attitude, a confident appearance, an exemplary career and a flourishing social life. Most people are not aware that all this is only the possible consequences of a healthy self-confidence and does not have much to do with the actual essence of the whole. This is also the reason why so many people do not have a "true" self-confidence and long for it. So the circle closes and there is only one way to break it: Understand what self-confidence really is. This is where this guide will help you.

In recent years I have learned that there is more to all this than just a confident appearance and a strong confidence in his personality. In fact, our self-confidence is the key element of our quality of life. If we build it conscientiously, we will have every imaginable opportunity to shape our lives positively. If we let it atrophy, we become passive, unsuccessful and dissatisfied. The better we understand the matter, the clearer it becomes how we can think and act more happily and success-oriented. I assure you that after reading this e-book you will have a much clearer idea of the whole subject. You will also be able to pave your way to a more self-confident life on your own.

The entire subject area is so diverse that it is almost impossible to be brief in this respect. Nevertheless, I take up the challenge to give you a short, effective and easily understandable introduction to the basics. This e-book is intended as a short guide and is aimed at all those who prefer short reading and long for quick positive results in their lives. Owing to the brevity of the adviser, we will not, of course, be looking at all possible aspects of the issue, but that does not make your chances of success any less likely. The theoretical basics and practical tips you will learn in the following are perfectly sufficient to build up a healthy self-confidence, a strong self-confidence and an honest self-love. The fact that you are dealing with the topic is the first big step in the right direction. Stay on the ball and shape your path to a more self-confident life.

What exactly does "self-confidence" mean? How does it differ from self-confidence? What are the reasons why so many people long to become more self-confident, and what concrete steps can be taken to achieve this? Which principles must be understood and which logical consequences result from this? We will deal with all these questions and more in the course of this short guide. Even more: Together we will find a helpful answer to each of these questions!

As in all my publications, I would like to point out to you that there is a basic requirement for your personal success. To deal intensively with a topic and to read a guidebook on it is an important step which triggers motivation and drive for action in you. It's this very zest for action you have to give in to. Just reading this e-book and feeling motivated will not lead to great results. It will rather cause frustration, because sooner or later you will find that despite all your good intentions you have not yet become more self-confident. This realization can even cause the opposite of the desired effect and depress you. Therefore, be open-minded and willing to get involved in your personality development. Don't find the following just meaningful and helpful, but try it out in your life. While reading, always ask yourself to what extent what you have experienced can be transferred to you and your personal situation. Every person is unique and therefore it is not possible to write a universal guide to success. It is your task to adapt the contents of this short guide to your needs and to act according to the advice given. Nothing comes from nothing. Only through real action can measurable results be achieved. The good thing about it is that it also gives you full power and personal responsibility. With this e-book I give you valuable facts and suggestions on your way. What you make of it is up to you.

On the following page you will find an introductory chapter in which you will learn everything you need to know about self-confidence. This is followed by the main part of the guide, which consists of 12 basic principles and practical measures for a more self-confident life. Then the whole thing is summarized briefly and concisely to refresh your memory and motivate you.

That you're reading these lines is a very good sign. It means that you have an honest desire to change for the better and that you are willing to follow your wishes with concrete actions. If you remain motivated and open- minded, you will achieve a lot with the help of this guide. Perhaps not everything you will read below will appear completely new to you, but that doesn't make it any less important. Building your self-confidence sustainably means significantly improving your quality of life. There is no better way to invest your time and attention. I hope you enjoy reading this and wish you many important insights.

Everything you need to know about self-confidence

Most people think that self-confidence is about success, persuasiveness or particularly disciplined behaviour. This is not entirely incorrect, but basically these qualities are only the result of a healthy self-confidence. In plain language this means: being successful, convincing or disciplined does not automatically make you self-confident. However, a solid self-confidence makes it much more likely and easier to let you be all that. But that's not all. Self-confidence is the key to personality development and can therefore do much more for you. Therefore one should not have such a narrow idea of it, but understand exactly what it is all about. So, what's self-confidence anyway?

By definition, self-consciousness is "the awareness of oneself as a thinking being", or: "the conviction of one's abilities, of one's value as a person, expressed especially in self-confident appearance".

The latter definition is more in line with the term "self-confidence", which we will deal with later. First and foremost, it is important to literally perceive and understand the word "self-confidence". It's about being aware of yourself. To perceive and understand oneself. Why is this so important? Because you are the central element of your life. You experience every day of your life. You make every decision yourself and basically you do nothing but decide all day long. You decide what to eat, where to go, what to do next, with whom to interact, etc. For a happy and self-determined life it is essential to understand how important self-perception and self-confidence are. When we do this, we understand our personal responsibility. We recognize not only that we are responsible for everything that happens in our lives, but also that we have all the power over it and thus the possibility to shape it according to our ideas. That sounds simple, doesn't it?

What seems simple in theory is sometimes difficult in practice. We'll see what that's all about shortly. First of all, it is important to look at the difference between self-confidence and self-confidence.

Do you trust easily or do you have to earn your trust first? As a rule, we humans find it difficult to trust someone through the path we do not fully know. We often think that we need to find out more about a person before such an intimate relationship of trust can develop. It's the same with ourselves. We consciously do not perceive it, but in reality we distrust ourselves if we do not have a pronounced self-confidence. This is a very simple process that is completely subconscious. For this reason, self-confidence is a logical consequence of self-consciousness. Who has a consciousness about himself and knows himself completely, can also trust himself. Those who trust themselves have courage and confidence and can thus tackle great hurdles in everyday life. This ultimately results in successes that ensure self-confidence and strengthen trust. The aforementioned successes lead to pride and self-love and so the circle closes: one gets to know oneself, gains trust, is rewarded with success and admires oneself for it. After all, you're proud to be in your skin. This is what self-confidence really is and what it can do for you. Therefore, it cannot be too time-consuming to deal with the topic in peace: Because it can completely change your life for the better.

If it's so easy, why are so few people self-confident? In fact, there are many different reasons for this and it is difficult to generalize the causes. Since I do not know you personally and we communicate via this e-book, we cannot and will not undertake a journey into your very individual past. Instead, I will introduce you to general reasons for a lack of self-confidence, which you are likely to find yourself in. There's nothing wrong with that, because actually, we all can. Factors that negatively affect our self-awareness are omnipresent and it will be your job to avoid them in the future.

Among the most common reasons are the need to please others and the fear of confrontation. Most people already learn in their childhood that they receive praise and rewards from their parents, siblings and other role models if they behave according to their wishes. If they don't, they'll be blamed. While some people go through a rebellious phase as they grow up and impose their own will, others enjoy being passive and pleasing their fellow human beings. The logical consequence is a lack of self-confidence. Whoever only does what might be right for others loses sight of what he himself actually wants. One moves away from oneself and thus also weakens self- confidence.

Also the heteronomy and generalization make people less self-confident. We are constantly exposed to opinions that give us directions in life and convictions. It starts with reading the daily newspaper or watching the news on television. Furthermore, the media tell us what we should eat, what fashion trend we should not miss, what technical equipment we should buy and which car we absolutely need in order to convey a certain impression to the outside world. All this relieves us of many decisions and thus impairs our independent and self-confident thinking. Moreover, these circumstances generalize all humans. It is not about individuality and personalization, but about making everything possible "suitable for the masses". We like to underestimate it, but these influences also affect our self-confidence.

The last frequent reason for a lack of self-confidence and self-confidence that I will give you is failure. Whenever something fails in our everyday life, we are demotivated. We feel bad and never want to feel this feeling again. For many people, this means not facing the same situation again in order not to run the risk of failure in the first place. The consequence is that the trust in oneself and thus also the self-confidence disappears. One orients oneself more and more to what other, supposedly more successful people do. For this reason, it is important to remain motivated even after setbacks and defeats and not to doubt yourself.

These are just a few of the possible reasons for a weak self-confidence, but they are perfectly sufficient to understand the principle and counteract the negative influences.

They now know what self-confidence really is, how it arises, develops and why so many people lack it. Your task now is to make use of these foundations and to build up your self-confidence sustainably with the help of practical measures. In the following you will get to know 12 such measures. Question your own situation and the reasons why you long for more self-confidence. Be open-minded and willing to work against these causes. Use the main part of the short guidebook as motivation and support, so that you will soon be able to register the first positive results!

1. Measure for more self-confidence: Get to know each other

If self-confidence is about knowing oneself well, the most important basis is logically to get to know oneself sufficiently. This may sound banal, but never underestimate the effectiveness of simple approaches. As already mentioned, our everyday life consists to a very large extent of decisions. Those who know each other well can quickly and safely decide for their best. People with weak self-confidence have difficulty making decisions. This is particularly serious when major decisions have to be made, such as changing jobs, moving to a new home, buying a car or something similar. But when you're clear about your strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and character traits, it's easy to do the right thing and stand by it.

Furthermore, it is essential for your self-confidence to know yourself well. You only trust someone you know. Consequently, you must also earn (back) your own trust. The better you know your strengths, the more confident you are. The more you trust yourself, the more success you will experience that will strengthen your self- confidence and self-love. The better you understand your weaknesses, the more realistic you can be with risks and avoid serious mistakes. This also strengthens confidence in oneself. The better you know what you want from life, the easier it is for you to get exactly that. As you can see, you should not take it lightly to get to know your true nature. It's worth it. But how does it work? How can you get to know yourself better?

Imagine meeting a person for the first time. What would you want to know from this person first? What questions would you ask? And what was that person supposed to find out from you? Which of your qualities would you like to highlight because you are proud of them? Get a realistic impression of what you really need to know about yourself. Find out for yourself. Get to know each other better by asking yourself the right questions. As a little help I will give you a few questions in the following. Try to answer them honestly. You are alone with this e-book, so you can be completely open and relaxed. You will be amazed, as some of these questions may make you think longer:

- Who am I, anyway?

- Am I at peace with myself and satisfied?

- If not, what exactly makes me dissatisfied?

- What do I do about this dissatisfaction?

- What are my strengths?

- What can I do particularly well?

- How often do my strengths come to the fore in everyday life?

- What are my weaknesses?

- How often do my weaknesses stand in my way?

- What is my basic attitude towards life?

- What do I want to achieve in my life?

- Am I on the right track to doing this?

- What is really important to me?

- Does what's important to me have a place in my life?

- What am I interested in and how much time do I spend?

- How would someone who met me for the first time perceive me?

- If I could wish for a change, what would it be?

Also, ask yourself very loose and simple questions. Think about what music you like to listen to, what movies you like to watch and what you prefer to eat. Call up your hobbies in front of your eyes and whether they satisfy you.

Get to know each other completely. The more accurate, the better. You will find that you can answer some questions quickly and easily, while some are difficult for you. That is quite normal and sense of exercise.

Work with the answers that come out of this exercise. Intensify what you like and what already works well in your life. Take advantage of your strengths. Don't let your weaknesses sit on you and don't let them demotivate you. Work against them! In the following you will find some help for this. Call up your goals and wishes before your eyes and make concrete plans to achieve them.

Realize that you are the most important person in your life. This is not a selfish thought, but the key to your happiness. Even if other people have a high value in your life, you are still responsible for yourself. You can only love others if you love yourself. You can only help others if you are able to help yourself. You can only be a good role model for others if you can be proud of yourself. These are logical principles of true self-consciousness. Recognize and accept your responsibility towards yourself. Your personal happiness begins with you.

Get to know the person who holds your life in their hands. So you will learn to trust and love this person.

2. Measure for more self-confidence: Be independent

If it is your life and you have full responsibility, why should it be important or decisive what other people think about you? The fear of not pleasing others or of falling into their envy strongly affects our everyday lives. We adapt our behaviour accordingly and put our own interests and wishes aside. Does that look familiar to you? Do you know that from yourself? If so, that's no reason to get upset. It's just a good time to stop.

Too many people buy status symbols they can't afford to impress others with. We lie about our interests to make a positive impression. We say "yes" when we actually mean "no" and say that we are doing well when we are doing badly in reality. All this only because we constantly think about how our counterpart perceives us. Please don't take this the wrong way: thinking about one's external impression can be helpful, but that thought should not come first. First you come! Remember: There is only one opinion about you that really counts and this is your own!

What good does it do you to please others? How does it get you ahead in life? In fact, this has only very weak and superficial advantages for you. If, for example, you buy an expensive car to impress others, you are putting yourself in an unfavourable position. Someone will perceive you for about a minute and admire you for the great vehicle. After that this person will continue again and take care of his own affairs. The other 23 hours and 59 minutes of the day you have to stand straight for the car. They must bear the high costs and full responsibility for them.

If you go to work sick to make a positive impression on your boss, do yourself no favours at all. You are endangering your health in the long term, while the praise you receive only lasts for a few minutes. The truth is that even if you don't go to work, the company you work for will continue to exist. You are primarily responsible for yourself and not for what your employer thinks about you.

If you lose weight, exercise regularly and dress well, then you should do it for yourself first and foremost. It is important that you feel comfortable in your skin, because you only have this one body. The aesthetic feelings of other people should only play a subordinate role here. Everyone has a different taste, so you can't please everyone anyway. While you use your body continuously to cope with your everyday life, other people only see it for a relatively short time. So who should he be more important to?

A self-confident person acts in his own interest and does not think about what others might think. By the way, it is interesting to note that other people are more attracted to self-confident and self-determined personalities anyway. In plain language, this means that the stronger you build up and expand your self-confidence, the more attractive and desirable you will be in the eyes of others.

Be independent of foreign opinions and do your very own thing. A self-confident person recognizes and understands that responsibility means power. When you let other people decide how you dress, what you buy or how you spend your time, you give them power. Power over your life that would actually be better off in your own hands. But if you take full responsibility, you have full power. It's entirely up to you.

3. Measure for more self-confidence: Leave the comfort zone

In my coaching I determine their comfort zone together with my clients. The comfort zone is the nest of habits that we have built up over many years and in which we make ourselves comfortable. Always the same people, places, activities, beliefs, etc. Since this term is often misunderstood, I will give you a concrete example of the classic comfort zone, as we know it from everyday life:

Our example person is called Lisa. Lisa is 30 years old, working and a rather introverted person. She would claim of herself to be little self-confident and would like to change something about it. If you look at their everyday lives, you see that they follow a pattern. The respective days are very similar to each other and there is very little variety in them. Lisa goes to work regularly, comes home afterwards, takes care of the household and then makes herself comfortable in front of the television or in the armchair with a book. She has known her friends for a very long time and if she spends time with them, then either on the phone, at her or her friends' home or in her favourite pub. She is rather sceptical towards new acquaintances and is afraid to dissolve inner blockades or to fight long existing fears. Instead, she incorporates detours into her life that avoid confrontations and unpleasant situations. It's hard for her to get involved with new things. She doesn't like trying out new foods, reading books that don't fit her favourite genre, or testing new sports.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Can a few of these points also be applied to your situation? If so, then that's nothing to be ashamed of. It's convenient to set up a comfort zone. But you pay a high price for it: it costs us self-confidence and above all self-confidence.

The happiness and self-confidence you long for are outside your comfort zone. The whole thing is based on a simple thought: if all these things were already within your comfort zone, you wouldn't crave them. However, since you are not satisfied, but want to change something, you will have to break new ground. You have to dissolve the boundaries and leave the good old comfort zone. Not for nothing is there a saying that says, "Life begins outside the comfort zone."

Bring variety into your everyday life. Meet new people. Try different sports or a new hobby. Look at a movie you wouldn't have been interested in otherwise. Visit a restaurant with your friends where you have never been before. Don't go to the cinema for the umpteenth time on a Saturday night, but go billiards or bowling. Take part in a crime thriller dinner and interact with complete strangers. Face unpleasant challenges and even your fears.

Why would you do all that? Because all this takes courage. Because it not only enriches you with new experiences, but also encourages you to trust yourself. Every single time you venture out of the comfort zone and experience something satisfying, you strengthen your self-confidence. You notice that not only have you suffered no damage, but you have also had fun, learned new things and have grown a bit as a personality. This will give you the strength and courage to have more positive experiences that will strengthen your self-confidence even more!

You have to try some things in life to find out what you really like or don't like. Think of your favourite food and a dish that you find terrible. In order to find out what you particularly like or don't like, you had to try these things for the first time. They got involved in something new. In the same way, there are still unbelievably many things outside your comfort zone that you will love. They just don't know it yet. Of course, you will also try things that you don't like after all. However, this is part of the learning process and also strengthens your self-confidence: one more thing that you can say with certainty that does not suit you or your personality.

Never believe that you have heard, seen or got to know everything. Life is unbelievably extensive and multi- faceted. We can't "finish learning." Every day there is something new to experience and discover. The whole world is your comfort zone. Explore them!

4. Measure for more self-confidence: Cultivate what is unique

Warren Buffet is probably the most famous investor and one of the financially wealthiest people in the world. When asked about the secrets of his success at his major shareholder meetings, he likes to tell the story of the genie in the bottle and the car. She goes like this:

Imagine being 18 years old again. During a walk you will meet a genie in a bottle. He says: "Since you have found me, I will grant you a wish. I'll give you a car of your choice, no matter how expensive it costs. You can choose which one you want. The whole thing has a little catch, though: it'll be the only car you'll ever drive. You can't sell it or trade it for another. There will always be this one. So choose wisely and make a good decision." They think for a while and weigh different factors. Finally you make a choice and share your decision with the genie in the bottle. He nods briefly, disappears and where he was before, there is now the brand new car that you have wished for. You are pleased, but you also know that you will have to handle it responsibly in the future. After all, it should accompany you all your life. So take good care of it. They wash it regularly, fill it up with the best fuels, do not miss any maintenance and do not stress it beyond its limits. In addition, you can have even the smallest damage repaired immediately. In this way, you will make sure that this one car will remain loyal to you all your life and that you will always enjoy it.

This story is a symbol that should open our eyes. The irony behind this is that we would be willing to maintain a car impeccably just because we know that we can never get another. However, we often neglect our own body, although it is much more important and truly unique. It is not a desired object from a story, but actually our most important tool to cope with everyday life. Your body is the home of your consciousness or your soul. Since you identify with your body when you look in the mirror, it is directly related to your self-confidence.

This is not just about aesthetics, personal taste or pleasing others. It's about feeling good in your skin. It's about health and personal satisfaction. If you are dissatisfied with your health or the shape of your body, this will also have a negative effect on your self-confidence. But you like to look in the mirror, you like to identify with what you see. You are proud of yourself and thus strengthen your self-acceptance and self-confidence.

Your body is a status symbol. You can't buy, steal or win a beautifully shaped body in a lottery. You'll have to do something about it yourself. This simple fact is firmly anchored in the subconscious of every human being. Therefore, when you see a sporty person, you automatically know that he or she is a disciplined, persevering and self-loving person. Accordingly, you can trigger all this in yourself by living a healthy and sporty life. The goal here is not to impress others. The goal is to impress yourself and to convey a positive feeling. Start looking in the mirror with pleasure. If you are dissatisfied with your current form, do something about it. Start being proud of yourself and your progress. What's stopping you now?

Your body is unique and more important than any material possession. Look after him accordingly. Eat a healthy diet and exercise sufficiently. Better health ensures more vitality and joie de vivre. This in turn increases your self- confidence and self-confidence. Always remember: your body is not a dream item that you have received from a genie in a bottle, but your real companion throughout your whole life. It is directly linked to your quality of life. In view of this, can it really be too strenuous to do sport now and then or to refrain from unhealthy temptations?

5. Measure for more self-confidence: Smile!

Yes, there we have again one of these banal tips, how one knows them from the advisor industry. Don't you worry. I don't recommend laughing yoga and I won't advise you to walk through your neighborhood laughing out loud. No, I just want to show you that great results do not always require great deeds. Often it is also the little things in which the great potential lies. So smile often! What's the matter with you? It's simple:

Imagine your normal everyday life. They meet hundreds of people a day, sometimes even thousands. All these people pass you by without attracting your attention. There are only a few exceptions and these only occur when someone looks particularly good or smiles at you. Think about it. If you don't interact with anyone, a visit to the supermarket is as boring as ever. However, if the lady or gentleman at the checkout gives you a friendly smile, your mood suddenly rises. You will remember the moment with pleasure even later. That's because we're attracted to smiling people. We are powerless against it, because it is anchored in our subconscious. We combine a cheerful and warm smile with something positive. So we find smiling people particularly attractive, sympathetic and attractive. What do you think makes people smile in photos? Right, because there's no way to look any better. Your smile reveals your personal chocolate side.

Now you may be wondering what this has to do with your self-confidence. A good question! In general, laughter and smiles are about happiness, contentment, happiness hormones, etc. In our special context, however, it is about the effect on others! If you look at another person expressionlessly, he will either not perceive you or look back unkindly. But if you smile at a stranger, he will be happy and will smile as well. It's an unwritten law. You suddenly receive positive feedback from the reactions of your fellow human beings, which increases your self- esteem.

Yeah, we've already dealt with the fact that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks about you. It is. Nevertheless, we can use confirmation by others as a tool to increase our self-esteem. We just shouldn't make it depend on it!

Many people have a weak self-confidence because they do not consider themselves attractive. It comes just in time to get a smile every now and then and to have the feeling of being desired. But that smile won't come to you on its own. As a positive thinking person, it is your job to take the first step. You're also doing something good. It can mean a lot to a stranger to get a smile when he is having a bad day or generally going through a difficult time. It costs you nothing and gives you something very positive back. So why wouldn't you?

Get used to smiling more often. Irrespective of your self-confidence, this will also lead to positive improvements in many other areas of your life. By the way, it also strengthens self-love to see yourself smiling in the mirror.

Try it out. Do not practice an artificial smile to advertise for toothpaste. Smile warmly and sincerely. See how much better and more attractive you suddenly look. Be proud of your reflection. After all, you only have this one.

On some days we find it difficult to think positively and smile. Therefore I would like to give you a small, very effective tip on the way: Trick your brain every now and then! Go to a place where you are all alone and force a smile for about a full minute. Seriously. Seriously. Just pull the corners of your mouth apart. By straining the facial muscles, your brain will think that you are smiling and have a reason to be happy. That's why it'll release happiness hormones. You don't think so? Try it out! You'll be amazed.

6. Measure for more self-confidence: Say "No" every now and then!

If you find it hard to say "no" every now and then, you often spend your time with things or people you would otherwise avoid. You may know that from yourself: How many times have you worked overtime for someone else because you couldn't refuse? How many dates have you been persuaded to date? How many times have you donated money to charities because you couldn't say "no" to the friendly representative at your front door? How many removals have you had to take part in, how many boring events have you been bored with and how many of your beloved things have you lent? All because you're always polite and don't want to offend anyone.

The whole thing has an unpleasant consequence: If it is always only about what others want and never about what you really think, then move away from yourself. Alienation takes place and your self-confidence suffers as a result. As time goes by, it even gets worse. In the truest sense of the word, they get used to always saying "yes" and to losing out themselves. On the other hand, the people who take advantage of it are getting a better sense of when they can use you for their purposes. That sounds hard, but it actually is.

For all these reasons it is very healthy for your self-confidence to say "no" again. This is not about categorically rejecting everything. It is about seriously questioning whether you really want what you are being asked to do. A self-confident person thinks and acts in his own interest. Accordingly, you should also begin to do this.

At this point there are often misunderstandings, so here comes an all-clear: No, it doesn't make you a bad person when you think of yourself. It doesn't make you selfish. So you don't have to feel guilty. On the contrary! People who want to take advantage of your weakened self-confidence should be ashamed. If someone really needs your help and it is a serious matter, you are of course welcome to help with words and deeds. If it is not an emergency, you have the right to ask yourself whether you really want to say "yes". In astonishingly many situations you will find that this is not the case. As you learned earlier in this e-book, it is not important what others think about you. First and foremost, every person is responsible for himself. This applies not only to you, but of course also to your fellow human beings. Whether you are kind enough to take on some of the responsibility of another person is entirely up to you. But always keep in mind that self-confidence is about you and your interests, not what others want.

The whole thing is probably easier said than done. Sometimes it can be very unpleasant to refuse a request or an invitation. That's why some people make the mistake of breaking their heads through the wall to get it over with somehow. They are rude, undiplomatic and hurt or annoy their fellow men. It doesn't have to be. You can make it easy on yourself. Just be honest and stand up for your interests. When someone asks you if you can take his shift at work, you just say, "I'm sorry, but I have plans." You don't have to tell your counterpart what you're going to do. You're not accountable to anyone. If the person doesn't let go, you can still become more specific and say, "I'm not on duty at the time and don't want to go to work either." Those who resent you have a problem with themselves, but not with you. That's why you can't care, even if it sounds selfish at first. The exception, of course, would be again if this were an emergency.

Do not be afraid to be honest and stand up for your interests. After all, it's about your valuable and limited lifetime. You should spend your time only with the things you are really interested in. Given the fact that there are already so many everyday commitments that prevent us from doing so, don't let others steal you more time.

If in doubt, just go the diplomatic way. Start your rejection with "don't take it personally, but...". Then something follows, like:

- "...I don't want that."

- "...I already have something else in mind."

- "...it just doesn't fit."

Make it clear to your fellow human beings that you do not like them any less and do not want to offend them personally, but are simply not interested in doing what they are trying to impose on you. I just can't blame you for that. And even if someone isn't emotionally mature enough to accept that, that's not your problem. A self- confident person overlooks it and continues to stand by himself and his attitude.

Try it out. Just say "no." Nothing can happen. Then you will find that you feel liberated and a little proud of yourself.

7. Measure for more self-confidence: Don't fool yourself and others

Sometimes we are not fully aware of it, but we are not always honest with ourselves or our fellow human beings. Don't worry, that's not a malicious insinuation on my part, but a simple fact. We are not talking about wanton lies with the intention of harming someone, but about avoidance tactics or a slight distortion of the truth in order to deal better with certain situations. You may know that:

We say we're doing fine when we're not. We say yes, although we'd like to say no. We disguise ourselves and adapt our character traits to please others. We shut ourselves off from others and avoid them because we have difficulties trusting and do not want to be hurt. Sometimes we even come up with quite bizarre things to make them seem more interesting. So we make our holidays in our narratives more adventurous than they actually were or polish up stories of experiences a little bit so that they provide for better laughs. All of this is basically more or less harmless, but in fact it is not real and thus causes alienation, i.e. less true self-confidence.

As you may have noticed while reading this e-book, it can be quite difficult to build a true self-confidence. Now imagine how difficult it is to develop an awareness of one's "second personality". The "second personality" is the double role that we often get involved with in everyday life. It is the facade that we show other people so that they either don't recognize our true emotional state or think of us as someone we would like to be but are not in reality. Whatever the purpose of this double role is: it cannot be good in the long run. Not only because it is difficult to remember what people have told whom about themselves, but also because we know deep inside that we are not doing ourselves any favours.

A self-confident person stands by himself, his feelings, his peculiarities and his current life situation. Just because he can. If you are self-confident, you are automatically completely honest with yourself and others. If there is something in your life that you are not completely satisfied with, you can change it. After all, you know your possibilities and trust each other sufficiently to initiate a change.

What makes you really interesting and unique is not what you might one day be or what you pretend to be to others. The really interesting thing is you, the way you are. In my coaching sessions, clients keep telling me that they find it so hard to make true friends even though they try so hard to be interesting. But this is precisely the mistake: it is not a matter of attracting others, but of finding people who like you the way you are.

The truth is that not all people will or can like you. In fact, there are relatively few people who find you great. This is to be found. But if they can't really get to know you because you're maintaining a façade, you're robbing yourself of precious opportunities to build lasting relationships with others. Through a façade you take the opportunity to get to know and appreciate yourself. In this way, you will distance yourself from yourself and become more and more unhappy. You are depriving others of the chance to discover the personality that is within you and may miss out on the friendship or even partnership of your life.

Always remember that it doesn't matter what others think about you. The only opinion about you that really matters is your own. If you radiate this to the outside, sooner or later people will become aware of you who think similarly to you. Give these people a chance to get to know the real you. Start feeling comfortable in your situation. You are who you are, and nothing changes. If there are circumstances in your life that you would like to see changed, make a commitment to change them. However, do not claim that it is already different if this is not the case. Stand by yourself. It's not your job to please anyone. Your goal is to be self-confident, to be honest with yourself and to know yourself. Don't lose sight of that!

8. Measure for more self-confidence: Declare war on your fears

Fears are a very sensitive issue and therefore I mention right at the beginning of this section that no counsellor can replace therapy. Especially not a short guide. This chapter is intended to gain more courage and self- confidence, but is not intended to combat serious phobias or anxiety disorders. However, the information you will find below may help you to gain a new understanding of fear and to get a firm grip on many things you are afraid of.

Hardly anything inhibits us as much as our fears. Who is little self-confident, has also no strong confidence in itself. Those who do not trust themselves face only a few challenges. Those who face only a few challenges and rarely experience success become anxious. For example, we are afraid of confrontations with other people or everyday challenges, such as exams or high demands at work. Sometimes it is also light phobias that make life difficult for us, such as the fear of insects, elevators or large crowds of people. Individually, these fears may seem harmless, but as they add up, the pressure they exert increases. They limit everyday life and rob us of our self- confidence. It's time to do something about it!

Any fear can be overcome. Maybe it's hard for you to believe that right now, but it is. If a fear can develop in you, it can also disappear again. Depending on their severity, this may of course take longer and require more action, but it is possible. You don't have to settle for any of your fears. It is helpful to take a look at what fear actually is. Basically, fear is a thought of something that has not (yet) happened and may never happen. For example, you are not afraid of an elevator itself, but of being trapped in it. However, it's not said that the elevator will get stuck after you get in. In the same way we are afraid of wild animals, because we don't want to get hurt. As a rule, however, these animals are completely harmless and would never harm us. The same principle applies even before difficult tests. We are afraid of not being up to the task. In reality, however, we do not yet know what we will be facing in concrete terms. Only when the time has come can we assess the situation and, in most cases, we find that all fears and worries were unfounded.

From this point of view, fears are therefore false assumptions that have become fixed in the subconscious due to negative experiences of the past. To combat them, there is only one proven means: to face them and prove to yourself that the feared bad scenario will not happen. Our subconscious needs solid evidence to change its beliefs. In plain language, this means that if you ride in an elevator and don't get stuck in it, you're scratching the wrong assumption you've had so far. If you then repeat this again, you will once again prove to your subconscious mind the opposite of its previous conviction. You automatically start rethinking and questioning your fear.

This principle works with all fears, even the most serious ones. In the case of deep-seated anxiety disorders and phobias, however, they should ideally be combated with professional support. After all, they can cause severe symptoms in us. However, you can tackle the less severe fears yourself.

Always remember: The fact that something in the past was not particularly positive does not mean that it always has to be that way. Once you have fainted in the midst of a crowd, you will not have to fear crowds in the future. It will most likely not happen to you again. This is exactly what we need to prove to ourselves. Face your fears and show yourself that they are unfounded. The resulting successes will give you a feeling of elation. They will regain more confidence in themselves. Their courage will be rewarded.

To face one's fears is an excellent method to strengthen self-confidence and self-love. If you are still hesitant and don't feel confident about it, seek the support of a person you can trust completely. Over time, you will become safer and no longer need help.

Be courageous and face the challenges you would otherwise avoid. After all, it's all about your self-confidence and your quality of life. It is your life and therefore you yourself decide how you feel. It's entirely up to you.

9. Measure for more self-confidence: Do what you have been missing for a long time

What unpleasant things are you putting off? Are they simple matters, such as household chores, that you have long wanted to take care of, but for which you cannot overcome? Is it perhaps something more serious, such as unpaid bills and unopened letters? Or are you perhaps avoiding other people with whom you should have a proper pronunciation? Whatever it is, postponements damage our self-confidence. They cause blockages and fears in us. The longer we shy away from taking responsibility for an unpleasant thing or situation, the heavier the burden becomes on our shoulders and in the back of our heads.

Being confident also means not putting things off. A self-confident person has sufficient confidence in himself to face every situation and challenge. You build all this up by starting to catch up piece by piece on what has been pushed open. Of course it takes more or less courage and overcoming in the beginning, but it is also rewarded in the end. Every little sense of achievement strengthens your confidence in yourself. Furthermore, the successes expand your awareness of your abilities. They get used to acting positively, success-oriented and self-confidently. Of course this will not escape your subconscious mind and so in time it will become normal for you to grab things right by the hair before they become unpleasant.

Look at it this way: You can't avoid things of conscience forever anyway. Sooner or later, you will have to complete certain tasks. You must face up to your fears and face the people with whom you still urgently want to talk about something. In the end, you have to take care of it anyway, so why not now? The longer you wait, the more damage you will suffer. Whether this is financial, social or emotional damage does not make much difference to us. What is certain is that you must act.

When we repress something or push it further and further into the background, inner blockages and emotional sensitivity arise. It's like sweeping dirt under the carpet to stop seeing it. Out of sight, out of mind. This may work well for a moment, but it becomes a problem in the long run. At some point you just have to tap on the metaphorical carpet and a whole avalanche breaks out. It's exactly the same with your mind. At some point you react so sensitively to certain topics that you introduce avoidance tactics and take real detours during conversations in order not to be confronted with the repressed from the back of your head. This behavior does not fit a self-confident person. It robs you of confidence in yourself and gives you the unpleasant feeling of being weak.

Get rid of it. Take a moment to think about what you're putting off. Go ahead and make a small list. No one needs to see her, just do it for yourself. Then think about the following two suggestions:

- What negative consequences can I expect if I don't deal with them promptly?

- I'm gonna have to deal with this sooner or later anyway. So I'd better do it now before it gets any worse.

In order to build healthy self-confidence, you need to know each other first and foremost. Remember that? So you need to know exactly what's bothering you. Then you must earn your own trust. You do this by showing courage and finally getting the ball rolling. Take on what you were afraid of so far. The resulting relief will give you a wonderful feeling. You'll know who gave you that elation: Himself. And already you are a bit more self-confident again!

10. Measure for more self-confidence: Promote your strengths and talents

There is one idiom that, while terribly counterproductive, is still used by most people. It's, "Self-praise stinks." You have certainly heard or even said this before and you have certainly encountered this "wisdom" for the first time in your childhood. Now I'd like to ask you two interesting questions: How can one be proud of oneself and one's abilities and develop a healthy self-confidence if one grows up with the principle that self-praise is a bad quality? And is it still surprising that most people derive their self-esteem from confirmation by others when they have learned that self-praise is not an option? As you can see, we are not doing ourselves any favours with the truism mentioned at the beginning. Self-praise doesn't stink. On the contrary. It is very good for the self-confidence to deal with one's strengths and talents.

You live your own life and are responsible for it. Accordingly, you yourself should also be the source of your appreciation and encouragement. If you need the praise of others to feel good, make yourself addicted. They distance themselves from themselves and are externally controlled, i.e. anything but self-confident. Therefore you should deal with your strengths. What are you particularly good at? What can you be proud of? What's your talent for? What skills or special expertise have you acquired over the last few years? How often is this used in your everyday life? Do you profit from it? Or are you afraid to take advantage of it because self-praise supposedly stinks?

Life is short. That makes it all the more important to spend your time doing what you really like to do. This is not a privilege reserved for a few or "special" people. It's simply your right, so make use of it. Do not fear the thought of making an arrogant impression if you are convinced of yourself and your possibilities. If you didn't talk about anything else all day long and rub it under your fellow human beings' noses permanently, it would probably really stink. As long as this is not the case, however, you can be completely unconcerned. Anyway, you don't care what anybody else thinks about you. We have already seen this a number of times. As the saying goes: A lion is not interested in what the sheep think about him. As a self-confident person you recognize the high value of your self- perception. The image that you have of yourself is much more important than the image that you may give to the outside world. So go ahead, be proud of yourself and what you're particularly good at. Take advantage of it as often as possible in your everyday life.

As a rule, we are particularly good at the things we like to do. If you invest your full passion, attention and energy into a thing or a project, something good comes out of it. Something to be proud of. You'll admire yourself for it. It will strengthen your self-confidence as you gain new insights about abilities. The resulting success will strengthen your self-confidence and the feeling of happiness will ignite your self-love. All you can do is win.

Whether you play an instrument, build something with your hands, play a particular sport or write a book is entirely up to you. If you're not sure what your passion or talent is right now, get adventurous and try a lot of things. You do this until you have found something that you really enjoy and that fills you with satisfaction. Such a simple thing can do a lot for us and our self-confidence. Do not underestimate this effect.

Never forget that self-praise doesn't stink. If you're not proud of yourself, then who is? Do you want to constantly wait for the confirmation of others and hope that someone will perceive you or simply provide for more self- confidence yourself?

11. Measure for more self-confidence: Stop comparing yourself

We are always busy comparing ourselves with others. If we see the new car of a neighbour, we immediately ask ourselves whether it is better than our own. If we see the new hairstyle of a colleague, we compare her appearance directly with our own. If someone tells us about his net income, we compare it directly with what he receives in his own account. What do you spontaneously think of at this point? In which situations do you compare yourself with others?

Often we're jealous, too, without wanting it. It's not a bad thing, it's perfectly natural. We see a beautiful, big house and wish we would live in it ourselves. We see an extremely successful athlete and want to be able to do the same as he is. We hear about the professional success of a friend and are annoyed about not having chosen the same path. Then we compare all this with our own lives and become dissatisfied. It is a comparison in which we can only lose, because as a rule we only compare ourselves with people who are in a "better" situation. For those who would be jealous of us, we have little or no attention.

Self-confidence is about being mindful of one's own life. If, however, we are constantly busy concentrating on the successes and progresses of our fellow human beings, we move away from our own lives and thus from ourselves. There is an alienation again, which weakens the self-confidence and thus also the self-confidence. What can we logically do about it? Right, we just stop comparing ourselves to others. Here are some useful information that will help you:

Always remember that every person is unique. Everyone has their own individual background story. Everyone has different ideas about life, different abilities, talents and perhaps also a completely different attitude towards success. Basically, it doesn't matter what others do because it doesn't change what you do with yourself and your life. At most, it helps to peer over someone else's shoulder from time to time and thus gain a bit of motivation. That's all it is. What changes other people's successes in your own?

In addition, you should always ask yourself whether what you envy about others would really fit into your life. The wealthy businessman probably worked extremely hard for years, took incalculable risks and had to sacrifice a lot to get this far. Would you want that too? In the same way, the successful athlete has to train every day in order to maintain his performance level. He has an exceptionally strict diet plan and has to plan his day hard so that his body is always capable of peak performance. Would you like some? And even the banal things have their downsides. The big new house in your neighbourhood is certainly very beautiful, but would you like to clean it, take care of the garden and bear all the costs?

Even if you don't envy someone, but just compare them to yourself, don't do yourself a favor. No matter what the outcome of this comparison! You should derive your self-confidence and self-esteem from yourself, not from the fact of looking better than others or being more successful. You are unique, so also be unique. Everyone else already exists. That you are in your skin is a great privilege! Make the most of it.

Comparison with others costs time and energy. It also causes worries, anger and headaches from time to time. Save all that. Just stand by yourself and do your own thing. So you will also find yourself with absolute certainty. Be proud of the person you are. If there is something else in your life that you want to change or improve out of your own drive, you can do it. No one's stopping you. However, the motive behind it should not be to become "better" than others or to create what others have already done before you. Your motive should be to become happier, more balanced and more self-confident.

12. Measure for more self-confidence: Go on a treasure hunt

Fancy a little treasure hunt with guaranteed success? The last method for a stronger self-confidence, which I present to you, is characterized by its immediate effect, which lasts for a long time!

In everyday life we are so busy pleasing others and comparing or even adapting ourselves that we completely forget to take a look at ourselves and our own lives. That's why it's so hard for us to see the good in it. You should change that! Take your pen and paper with you for the following exercise. Of course you can do it without, but even better results can be achieved if you put your thoughts on paper in black and white.

List what's good about and in your life. No, please don't let the pessimistic voice in the back of your mind say that nothing is good. There are good things in your life, of course. Let me give you a little hint: What are really good qualities of yours? What are the characteristics of your character? To what extent does this benefit you in everyday life? What unique features do you have? What sets you apart from other people? What valuable people surround you? How important are your friends and family to you? What successes have you achieved so far? What progress have you made on your own?

There are so many good things about you that you can be proud of. Be happy about the fact that you are independent, can provide for yourself and are a free person. Enjoy the people around you. You owe it to yourself that these are a part of your life. You invest your unique personality in these social bonds and are therefore rewarded with friendship and familiarity. Be proud of everything you have already achieved. What's happened so far isn't a coincidence.

Learn to appreciate the little things in life. Be grateful to be a free man in a modern part of the world. Everything we take for granted, such as a toilet, hot water or a kitchen in which we prepare our food, is an unattainable luxury for more than half (!) of all people. Lie down on the couch in the evening and watch a movie? Absolute luxury. Make a call and have a pizza delivered to your door? For most people, this is a dream that will probably never come true.

Yeah, that seems contradictory. After all, we were told earlier not to compare ourselves. But it is also important not to take anything for granted. Self-awareness also includes developing awareness and attentiveness for life around oneself. The more you appreciate all this, the more grateful you will be. They will be grateful to themselves for making this life possible for themselves. This results in more self-confidence and self-love.

Go regularly on treasure hunts in your life. Discover how much good there is. We don't see it every day, but as soon as we see it, it's good for our self-confidence!

With these 12 basics you are now well equipped to strengthen your self-confidence

The topic "self-confidence" is very, very extensive and could still be carried out forever. However, as this is a short guide, we will leave it at the basics and measures mentioned so far. What you have experienced may seem very simple in places, but that doesn't make it any less effective. The theory is easy to understand. What most people find difficult is the practical implementation. So be brave and open-minded. Don't underestimate the great effect of simple things. The participants of my coaching are always amazed at how quickly they achieve positive results if they get involved with the simple basics. All you have to do is be brave and take the first step.

With what you have learned in this guide, you can certainly build and develop a solid self-confidence. To make this easier for you and to refresh your memory a little, I will summarize briefly and crisply what we have discussed before:

1. You only trust people you really know, so you should get to know yourself better. Deal with your interests, wishes, strengths and weaknesses. Expand your awareness of yourself in the truest sense of the word.

2. Stop trying to please others and start to please yourself. Realize that you are responsible for all progress in your life and that it does not matter what others might think about you. In this way, what you actually want will come to the fore again.

3. Leave the nest of habits, people and activities that you have built up around yourself. The key to your happiness and self-confidence lies outside your comfort zone. If all this were within this range, you wouldn't have to search for it.

4. Take care of your body, because you have only this one. It is directly linked to your self-confidence because you identify with it. The better you are in shape, the more proud you are of yourself, your performance and your appearance. The more you pay attention to your health, the more you value yourself.

5. Smile as often as you can to infect other people and get positive confirmation. Recognize how good you look and strengthen your self-love. Always find a reason to be frolicsome and happy. So life can be enjoyed much more easily.

6. Learn to say no. Do not let your fellow human beings put you in unpleasant situations. If you concentrate only on what the others want, what you want will fade into the background. You're losing your confidence. So say "no" and invest your time and other resources in your own interests to get back to yourself.

7. Don't play roles in everyday life, so don't fool anyone. Especially not yourself. If you are dishonest to yourself, you are acting contrary to your true nature and thus moving away from your self-confidence. They rob themselves and others of the chance to discover the unique and special about them. Stand by yourself and always be yourself.

8. Free yourself from your fears. Do not let this restrict you in your everyday life. It may not always be easy, but it's worth it. As soon as you have the necessary courage, your self-confidence will grow with immediate effect. You will find the strength to overcome even more hurdles.

9. Get rid of what you've been putting off for a long time. No matter whether these are outstanding conversations with fellow human beings or unfinished tasks. A self-confident person always gets clarity about his life. By "tidying up" and doing things on hold, you learn to trust each other more. In the future, you'll think to yourself, "It's half as wild. I've done worse than this."

10. Promote your strengths and talents. Life is short, so why spend it on things you don't like? Do not believe in obsolete slogans, such as: "Self-praise stinks." If you don't believe in yourself, then who does? Why pretend modesty when you could have such a good time doing what you passionately love? It's good for your self- confidence!

11. Stop comparing yourself to others. It doesn't change anything in your life and it doesn't get you anywhere. Instead, discover your uniqueness and enjoy it. What really matters is what happens in your life. The more attentive and open-minded you are, the more self-confident (in the truest sense of the word) you will be.

12. Go on a treasure hunt in your life. Be proud of all the good you have already done and achieved. Feel gratitude for everything that cannot be taken for granted. This way you will feel more satisfied immediately. You are proud of yourself and increase your self-esteem.

You are now well equipped to strengthen your self-confidence. Be open-minded and energetic, then you can only win!

Closing Remarks

It's amazing: we pay attention to so many unimportant things while neglecting ourselves. We ourselves are the most important person in our lives. If we really want to love others, we must first love ourselves. If we want to help others, we must first be able to help ourselves. If we want to give others good advice, we first have to follow it ourselves. Everything good in life begins with and with ourselves. That is why self-confidence is the central key to personality development. I hope that this guide has improved your understanding of this issue and will help you in the future to develop more self-confidence, self-confidence and self-love.

Of course, not everything you read was entirely new to you. It doesn't matter. It is important to summarise the right information in a way that is easy to understand and compact. I hope that I have succeeded. If you want to become more confident, you will have to deal with the simple things and basics. There are no secret tricks, even if some "gurus" like to say so. The further development of your personality is a very honest and logical process that requires patience, open-mindedness and positive thinking. Since you have read carefully up to this point, I am convinced that you have these qualities.

Finally, I wish you much joy and success in developing your self-confidence. Getting to know yourself better is not only incredibly exciting, but also very rewarding. With every step forward you will become happier and more satisfied. I am happy for you and wish you all the best.

Calmness - Find inner balance through relaxation and habits

Maintaining inner balance is not always easy and yet so desirable. Because who wouldn't want a deeply relaxed inner posture, even if the milk flocculates in the morning, the track is once again overcrowded and the to-do list becomes longer and longer instead of shorter. You cannot change these external stress factors directly through inner balance, because some situations or circumstances cannot be changed for the better overnight. But you can change your attitude towards these factors and still make a big change in your everyday life possible.

Imagine what it would be like if the meter-long queue at the checkout didn't put you under pure stress anymore or if the next traffic jam didn't let the adrenaline rise in you? Inner balance is not about suppressing negative emotions about these events - that would be highly unhealthy - but rather about changing the way they are evaluated. In the future you will no longer sit behind the wheel in a traffic jam, angry and scolding, but use this opportunity to listen to the radio play you have started, to call your sister or to sing along loudly to your favourite songs.

Of course, there are many other ways to express inner balance. The closer we are to ourselves, i.e. more attentive to our needs and less guided by the outside world, the more relaxation we can experience. That includes "no." To learn to say, to re-evaluate circumstances and to find out what you really want regardless of external influences. In this book you will learn how inner balance in everyday life can look like and how you can find your centre! I hope you enjoy reading, learning and trying it out!

The inner balance

An advantage of inner balance is obvious: We experience our everyday life more relaxed and can deal better with stressful situations. We feel this in more optimism and a generally better mood in everyday life. By changing the assessment of stressful situations, our thoughts about these situations change, which in turn affects our emotional world. The result is that you are more emotionally stable and happier all around through inner balance.

Consequences of prolonged stress on the psychological level can be depression or burnout, for example. But it is not on the psychological level that something changes through inner stability, but also on the physical level. In stressful situations, or situations that we perceive as stress and that we evaluate as negative, our blood pressure rises and adrenaline is released. This may be advantageous in dangerous situations, as it allows us to better prepare for a possible escape or defense - our system is then on "alert". You can imagine that everyday physical processes come to a standstill, because the potential danger and survival of these is naturally in the foreground. Permanent stress is a considerable physical strain that can lead to various diseases of the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract.

Through inner balance you manage to be psychologically and physically healthier in the long run, to feel more happiness in everyday life and to concentrate better on your own needs. The perception of one's own needs is a step towards a stronger inner balance and in most cases this improves not only the relationship to ourselves, but also the relationship to our fellow human beings.

What are the advantages of inner balance?

- They feel more happiness in everyday life.

- You know your needs and can vouch for them.

- You have a healthier relationship with yourself and your fellow human beings.

- They are mentally and physically protected from stress-related illnesses.

- You're in a generally better mood.

- You will learn to change or re-evaluate situations in your favour.

These are just a few examples, of course, and you will probably discover many more individual advantages of inner balance in the course of this book and while learning inner balance.

Dissatisfaction

Dissatisfaction is probably the opposite of inner balance. But why are we unhappy? For example, when our expectations of certain situations or people are not met or we cannot meet our own expectations. These unfulfilled expectations are the expression of an imbalance between the actual state and the desired state. How is this target state defined? Through our desires and ideas, which we in turn determine on a mental level. Both conscious and unconscious thought patterns play a role in shaping our expectations. Perhaps in a situation with unfulfilled expectations you perceive your thoughts less strongly than your dissatisfaction expressed through emotions. We are often unaware that we shape our emotions through our thoughts. But it's not that far-fetched, because a messed up meeting can cause different people to get very different ratings. Now for the positive news: We can shape our thoughts and thus also influence our emotions.

Applied to inner balance, this means that as soon as we provide for relaxed and balanced thoughts, this will be reflected in our emotions. Dissatisfaction is a momentary negative emotion that is given a place in our lives to varying degrees. By the way, this dissatisfaction is neither negative nor positive in itself, we only evaluate it negatively. How about, as a first step towards more inner balance, seeing this dissatisfaction as what it actually is: an indicator of a momentary imbalance.

In this way we have the opportunity to change our lives, for the better! This dissatisfaction is a great motivator to finally break down old structures and break new ground, to welcome personal development into one's own life. Let us now take a look at what arises in the event of long-term dissatisfaction: stress! From the outset, a distinction must be made between distress and eustress. Distress is negative stress and eustress is positive stress. How does this distinction arise? Through your assessment of the stress factor!

Stress and the physical consequences

Entertaining stress usually has no great physical consequences. However, it becomes critical when a stress factor is constantly present in everyday life over a long period of time. Of course, our handling of the stress factor is crucial and as soon as we are internally balanced, we can face various challenges that were previously assessed as negative stress factors in a completely different way. If we experience a stress situation that is classified as negative, we are usually under great pressure, which results in the release of the stress hormones cortisol, norepinephrine and adrenaline. These hormones increase our performance for a short moment and the physical processes that are not relevant for this are neglected. We consider this situation to be stressful and dangerous, our body reacts accordingly to this situation. In the early history of mankind, stress situations were above all those situations in which the actual survival was at stake. Today's stressful situations usually no longer have anything to do with the struggle for survival, but our body still reacts with an intuitive fight/escape reaction, i.e. the release of the well-tried stress hormones. So the longer a stressful situation lasts, the less chance there is of breaking down these stress hormones and we enter a chronic state of tension. No human survives long in panic mode or at peak performance level. On a physical level, a long-term state of tension can be expressed through exhaustion, chronic fatigue, irritable stomach, muscle cramps, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle tension, allergies, nervousness, grinding of teeth, nail chewing, circulatory problems, dizziness, heart disease and the like. The list of possible physical symptoms is long and can look quite different for you than for me.

So do something good for your health and ensure more inner balance in your everyday life. You will see that after a short time, thanks to a strengthened immune system, you are less susceptible to diseases, feel fitter and more vital all around, need less sleep and your digestion functions excellently. Some scientists attribute the reduction of inflammatory processes and cancer growth, for example, to the reduction of stress factors. Your physical long- term health should be a great motivator to provide more balance! By the way: stress typically leaves grim wrinkles on your face - so you will be able to see your inner balance!

Stress and the psychological consequences

But not only on the physical level long-term stress has consequences, but also on the mental level. Under constant strain we may feel helpless, determined by others, overwhelmed and listless. Some people react more and more irritated, are in a bad mood and can hardly concentrate anymore. In addition to poor concentration, creative blockages or forgetfulness can also occur. Sleep disorders, increased alcohol consumption, listlessness, sexual frustration, eating disorders or the inability to relax can also be consequences of prolonged stress situations. ADS, ADHD, burnout and anxiety disorders can also be secondary diseases due to prolonged stress situations. These are an alarm signal that the recovery phases after stress are not long enough. Thus the hormone level of the body cannot regulate itself and the maintenance measures of the body cannot begin. On the psychological level it means that the stress-inducing thoughts, which are usually based on fear, do not come to an end. On the one hand, overburdening due to the combination of career, leisure and family can be an external factor for stress and on the other hand, a negative inner attitude towards different situations can lead to internally produced stress.

Many people realize only late that they are in a stress cycle, which results from the fact that stress and negative thoughts influence each other. The deeper a person slides into the stress cycle, the more difficult it becomes to change the mental attitude to "inner balance", as the stress intensifies the negative thoughts, which in turn intensify the stress.

The connection between body and mind

Fortunately, our body signals us every second what it needs. Unfortunately, most of us have forgotten to listen to these sensitive messages or can no longer perceive them. So one morning we wake up with horrible neck tensions and wonder why we suddenly feel this strong pain. Suddenly, however, these pains do not come at all, we did not want to admit the previous less intrusive signs and suppressed them.

But why do we no longer follow our body feeling and listen to our innate instincts? Because in dangerous situations it can make sense to put your own feelings or aches and pains aside for a short moment in order to survive. When we are in a state of stress, this is exactly what happens: we no longer pay attention to our feelings and physical signs. Then lunch must be cancelled when time is short due to constant deadline pressure. The stress to which we are exposed in everyday life (or which we allow to happen!) is comparable to a real life- threatening situation for our body. If this stress condition persists for a longer period of time, we also ignore our physical and emotional needs over a longer period of time to ensure survival in an achievement-oriented society.

In this way, we distance ourselves more from our body every day until it finally makes it clear with clear signals that can no longer be ignored that the emotional and physical limits have been reached. Through the various exercises presented in this book, you will give your body and mind a well-deserved break and learn to pay more attention to your physical and mental health. You will notice that, over time, you will be able to act less through rational considerations and more through your stronger intuition. This means, for example, that you no longer know that you should drink at least one litre of water today, but that you feel your thirst. In this way you also feel when your physical and emotional limits have been reached - this is inner balance.

How inner balance shows itself in everyday life

So what does a day with inner balance look like? Now imagine the five biggest stress factors in your daily life and think about what it would be like without them. The ringing of the alarm clock would not cause you to be in a bad mood, a missed train would not make you go off your feet and a discussion with your unloved boss would not bring you to the brink of madness. Instead, the ringing of the alarm clock means a new day full of surprises and opportunities awaits you, the missed train is the perfect opportunity to pass by the bakery and dust off a second breakfast and the discussion with the boss is a way to straighten out the relationship between your boss and you and possibly explore new career prospects.

Here the everyday circumstances have not changed, but the attitude towards them and this means a big change for your emotional condition. As soon as a certain degree of inner balance is reached, it is also less difficult to change stress-inducing external factors sustainably. If you are relaxed, you are more likely to be prepared for a change of job or a spatial change, so you are open to new ideas. In most cases, prolonged stress often brings with it the feeling of "not being able to see the forest for the trees" or not being able to enjoy life itself. Inner balance also gives you the opportunity to feel grateful for the smallest things in life, to be happier, to master challenges better and to lead a more self-determined life.

Resilience

The small word "stress" has long since become a much-used fashion term, and not without reason. The number of mental illnesses due to overuse, especially in the workplace, is constantly increasing and more and more people are feeling the consequences of prolonged stress at the deterioration of their mental and physical health. In recent years, the number of days lost due to mental illness has risen dramatically - and continues to rise. It is therefore not surprising that scientists are increasingly asking themselves what helps people become more resistant to stress: Resilience - a seemingly invisible force that makes some people incredibly resilient.

The term originates from materials science and describes a substance that returns to its original shape after heavy exposure. In the psychological field, resilience thus describes the ability to find one's way back to oneself even after heavy stress, to find one's way back to inner balance and to set healthy limits in dealing with stressful situations. We find ourselves increasingly in a life situation in which we have ceased to listen to our physical, intuitive signals, but rather to orient ourselves predominantly towards the messages we receive from outside and make these our own behavioural repertoire.

Already in childhood the foundations for this resistance are laid. What is important here is a reliable person of trust, the assumption of responsibility in line with development, the opportunity for personal growth, continuous support, strong role models, personal freedom and healthy boundaries. Of course, not every human being has exactly these resources available in his childhood and accordingly we are all differently resistant when it comes to dealing with stress. Fortunately, we as adults also have the possibility to strengthen our resistance through various methods.

What causes the inner balance to falter?

We are balanced when we are completely with ourselves and pursue our individual goals, live in our rhythm and follow our own ideas - in other words, live very attentively. Of course, we can look for the reasons for our own imbalance in external factors, but this usually only helps us to a limited extent. You find your job too nerve- wracking? Then you may have been thinking about changing your job for some time. If you are already in a bad mood when thinking about your colleagues, a new workplace with a new environment can help. Can: After all, you don't know whether the new colleagues are really nicer. So in most cases it is not enough to change the external factors that contribute to a stressful everyday life, but a large part of our inner balance depends on internal factors, i.e. thought constructs.

Accordingly, this book is dedicated to external factors and their optimization, but above all to changing unconscious and conscious thought processes. If ten people wait at a bus stop and the bus seems to be waiting forever, this does not cause frustration for all ten people and in this case these ten people cannot change the external stress factor (the bus arriving too late). One or the other may call a taxi, some scold each other and others don't seem to stress the situation. So the secret lies not in the situation itself, but in how we deal with it. There are various mental constructs that contribute to a stressful everyday life. In this chapter we will take a closer look at the most common of these mental constructs, but first we will look at the changes in external factors.

The external factors change

There are people who can sit in a cloud of mosquitoes and still enjoy the sunset. You don't have to be this kind of person unless you want to become a Buddhist monk. What I want to say is that there are situations in which it is worthwhile to change the external factors. For some this conscious change may seem like an escape, for others it is the basis for a relaxed everyday life. It is much harder to enjoy the sunset when you are bitten by a mosquito every minute. It may help to find a new seat or to use mosquito spray. Even if the change of mental constructs is very effective, we can still make the external factors as pleasant as possible.

Take at least 30 minutes to write down which external factors tempt you to cherish negative emotions and to go into a state of stress. This may be the eternally nagging boss, the unhealthy diet, the noisy neighbours, the broken car or the missing holiday. In a second step, consider which of these factors you could change for the better. Changing these factors ultimately has an impact on your thinking. Let us assume, for example, that the seemingly endless chaos in your home regularly causes you stress. Of course you could now meditate on it and come to terms with the situation, but you could also radically get rid of it. When you clean out the mess, many emotions will come up and you will consider new strategies to avoid the next chaos. You thus create the basis for more order, take the additional step of changing your behaviour (less shopping) and give yourself the opportunity to deal with the reasons for the chaos. And exactly this kind of reflection is the third step: How could the uncomfortable external factors/situations arise and how could you avoid this in the future, so what have you learned from it?

Finding out unconscious thought patterns

A large part of our thoughts is unconscious and arises subconsciously. That means we can't just say to each other, "Oh, yeah, I didn't want to get under any deadline pressure anymore." Unfortunately, it's not that simple. But we can try to find out more and more about our unconscious thought patterns by taking a closer look at the situations in which we react with stress and other negative emotions. An example: It drives you mad, if your child really wants to discuss the necessity of brushing his teeth every morning and evening with excessive discussions. Most situations can be turned to the positive much more effectively with composure and a clear head than under pressure and stress. Finding out here why the behaviour of another person brings up such feelings in us can bring us more relaxation. For the more conscious we become of our partially unconscious thought processes, the more relaxed we can deal with the corresponding situation.

In the case of the stubborn brushing refusenik it could be his own fear of the dentist, the fear of the judgement of other people ("The child has bad teeth, it is the parents' fault!"), the fear of the lack of influence on the child or something completely different! What are your Top 5 situations in which you react very quickly to stress and irritation? Take some time to write down the fears that may lurk behind these negative emotions. Often it is the fear of lack of recognition, of social decline or change. All fears have a small common core: lack of self- confidence. Learning self-confidence is a lifelong task and every conflict allows us to expand this self-confidence a little. What are your fears? In the section about the different methods of strengthening inner balance you will find some inspirations to overcome the most common fears.

Obstructive thoughts: Inability

Fears arise when we believe in certain thoughts. If, for example, you believe that you are incapable of mastering a particular challenge, then that is true in this case. Because you are not able to free yourself from your hindering thoughts to solve the problem. Most of the time, we have been cherishing these obstructive thoughts not only since yesterday, but for many, many years already, and that is why we do not notice them any further. They are practically part of the mental inventory and we act according to them. If, for example, we consider ourselves incapable, we take the opportunity to break new ground, learn new things and thus learn the skills necessary for positive change. If you observe yourself for a while, you should listen to the next fit of rage or the next stressful situation to see which beliefs are buried deep in your thoughts. This may not work right away, but if you reflect on your behavior over and over again, you will come closer and closer to your beliefs.

You've been wanting to start your own business for a long time, but you're thinking, "I can't do that anyway!" Then ask yourself why exactly you think you can't. After all, being able to be self-employed is no longer a secret art, but can be professionally prepared and put into practice by going through specialist literature, coaching and seminars. The facts speak 99% against your assumption of being incapable, so it must be a hidden fear. Is it the fear of failure, the fear of public defeat or the fear of change? These are all quite normal fears, which are more or less in each of us and which have to be overcome! In the practical part of this book you will find suggestions for overcoming various fears.

Hindering Thoughts: Perfectionism

Those who are internally balanced are not afraid of perfectionism. What's the matter with you? Because there is no room for fear of mistakes, because mistakes are no longer necessarily perceived as negative cuts, but as learning opportunities and challenges for further development. Of course we should invest a lot of energy in our professional and private projects and give our best, but this does not save us from mistakes. We are all human beings and should celebrate imperfection as of today, because it makes our lives exciting and shows us our development possibilities.

Socially, mistakes are not welcome. But who is internally balanced, does not concentrate on the judgement of other people, but on his own judgement and that can be quite positive despite a mistake. Instead of running after eternal perfectionism and stonewalling yourself for mistakes, you should rather ask yourself why you make this mistake at all? Let's say you regularly make mistakes in your tax return. Maybe you just don't have a lot of motivation to do your tax return? This is not necessarily surprising, but also in other situations mistakes can point us to unnoticed needs and wishes: You're regularly late for work. Ok, traffic can be a possible reason, but maybe this job hasn't been demanding you for a long time, the working atmosphere is bad or the payment unfair.

Perfectionism in most cases keeps us from remaining flexible, from questioning ourselves and from seeing our mistakes as opportunities for learning and development. Yes, development usually also means change and this can have a frightening effect on some people. But why not try something new?

Obstructive thoughts: Boundlessness

Most people who are not relaxed know this thought and it has far-reaching consequences. Boundlessness in professional life is expressed by the desire to please the boss, in particular, regardless of one's own needs. Overtime is no longer a rarity, and leisure time and private life are now a priority far behind work. When we fall into such structures, we usually accept ourselves as extremely diligent and committed. But what added value does this behaviour based on the idea of sacrifice actually have for us in the long term? A small, because permanent stress can have serious consequences for mental and physical health.

As soon as we no longer consciously perceive our limits and begin to sacrifice ourselves for the goals of another human being, we ignore our own needs. Of course, the boss lures with a promotion and a better working position, but at what price? Would you use this commitment and this boundless sacrifice also for the realization of your own goals or is it perhaps about the recognition of a supposedly "better-off" person? The moment we begin to ignore our own limitations and work excessively hard to realize other people's dreams, we should take a step back and ask ourselves why we see this work as our first priority. Not infrequently it is not the joy of working itself that is behind it, but complexes and fears. The fear of social decline, the fear of being valued only for performance, or the fear of endangering supposedly important relationships.

Setting healthy personal limits is an expression of self-confidence and a strong sense of self-esteem, because only in very few cases do other people pay attention to setting healthy limits for them - and that is correct, because it is your task to set and adhere to these limits. Now you might think, "Overtime and extra work are my only chance to improve my professional position!" - No, I'm not. Why not simply use the time of overtime to further your education privately or to gain further qualifications? Stubborn ambition will rarely bring you to your goal and if you are willing to devote a lot of time to changing your professional position anyway, then please do so effectively and with added value!

Obstructive thoughts: Showing commitment

At the moment when the recognition and opinion of outside persons becomes more important than one's own judgement, we disregard our individual personal limits. The opinions of other people can be varied: "Children should be in kindergarten at the age of one year", "Those who do not get involved socially at least once a week do not deserve a place in our society". Or "One should be reasonably dressed." Of course it is nice to have your place in society, to be liked by the neighbours and to be appreciated by the family, but what is this recognition worth if we consider our own opinion and our own way of life to be less valuable? It is certainly praiseworthy to ensure that the children go to the ballet and that the dog attends the dog school on Saturdays. If you then add regular social commitment, parents' evenings, Pilates courses, kindergarten parties, company celebrations and the like, then the year is quickly planned out without you having to decide for yourself.

As soon as we realize that a certain activity puts us under stress and pressure, we should ask ourselves why we want to participate in this activity in the first place. Is it really our interest in the activity itself or do we just follow the opinion of other people? At these points, listen to yourself again and again to find out what motivates you to pursue exactly these activities. Are they fears of missing the boat or of not meeting social expectations? What about your very own opinion on these issues? Some superfluous activities can simply be removed from the schedule and for other activities wonderful alternatives can be found. Commitment is important when there is time and peace for it. What is more important than commitment? Your health, your relaxation and your happiness.

Obstructive thoughts: Self-doubt

I can't do that or others can do it better? Have you ever had such a thought? Then the self-doubt gnaws at you and can bring your inner balance quite beautifully out of balance. Self-doubt can manifest itself in many different ways. While one is hesitant to apply for a better position due to "lack of qualifications", the next is hesitant to approach the management of a private or professional project because "others can certainly do better". Yes, there will always be someone who has better qualifications or could manage a project better, but the fact is: you can do it too.

We are all creatures capable of learning and have an unbelievable number of opportunities for further education and training at their disposal. So it is not the challenge itself that disturbs you, but rather your self-doubt that keeps you from taking the first step in the right direction. What tasks and challenges have you not accepted in your life due to self-doubt? And for what reason? Often the fear of failing and of not being up to a task is behind the self-doubt. However, this is rarely related to the actual abilities and skills!

How are self-doubt and inner balance connected? The more balanced you become - for example through the methods proposed in this book - the sooner you will be able to unmask the hidden fears behind your excuses and devote yourself to realizing your dreams. With a growing focus on your own needs, you will learn to distinguish self-doubts/fear from actual lack of knowledge or skills. Then you are one step closer to realizing your actual wishes. The deep dissatisfaction caused by self-doubt is definitely an enemy of inner balance!

Converting obstructive thoughts

To recognize these hindering thoughts, of which there is of course much more than described in this book, is the first step. The next step is to find the reason for these negative mental patterns and the third step is to establish positive mental patterns. This sequence can be mastered by mindfulness. Mindfulness can be integrated into everyday life in a variety of ways, as experienced in the presentation of the various methods for greater inner balance later in the book.

At the beginning, it is probably very difficult in a situation where you are under acute stress, where the sequence of "recognizing thoughts, finding reasons, transforming thoughts" becomes an almost insoluble task. In such stressful situations, they act not from a relaxed position, but from the instinct-controlled escape mode. So you will not be able to get out of this situation with mindful thoughts without a little practice, even if it is your goal to experience more inner balance in everyday life.

So my tip is to do some preliminary work here and dedicate yourself to some mindfulness and reflection exercises every day. In this way, you will practise being consciously aware of yourself every day, fathoming your own fears and recognising the various mental patterns. The more you know about yourself and the reasons for your ways of thinking and behaving, the easier it is to change them for the better. But before you start your practice, you should get a little involved with the topic of how new habits should be integrated into everyday life!

Integrating new habits into everyday life

Maybe you have heard the sentence "Then just don't get upset about it..." several times in your life. And how did this recommendation work out for you? Probably you just couldn't "just" not get excited, just couldn't "just" not get angry and so this sentence didn't make a big difference in your life. But why can't we just not get excited? Because our thoughts shape our emotions and a large part of our thoughts arise unconsciously and subconsciously.

So it's not surprising why we can't "just" stop worrying about the broken cell phone battery or the sold out favorite drink. So to achieve profound inner balance, more than just a small sentence is necessary and that is exactly what this chapter is about. Not all methods will suit you or please you - so choose the methods you like right away and practice them regularly. For just as you have built up negative subconscious and unconscious beliefs through constancy and regularity, you must now work with constancy and regularity on building positive beliefs. I recommend you to devote yourself to at least one method daily for 15 minutes and to increase this time slowly but surely.

After a few weeks you may return to this chapter and discover that a previously uninteresting method now sounds appealing after all. So don't exclude uninteresting methods for eternity at the moment, but stay open for these methods and dare to approach them at a later point in time. Each method has its own advantages and effects from which you can profit in the long run. How exactly you can integrate these methods into your everyday life, you can find out now!

Accepting a new habit

Maybe you are feeling great enthusiasm right now and would like to try out all the methods right now? I advise against this, because we need an average of 30 days to successfully integrate a new habit into our daily lives and until then learning a new habit is quite exhausting for us. So my tip is: Do not take more than one method per week. Sometimes it is even enough to devote a month to just one method and then try out another. Or you can immediately find the method that suits you perfectly and you can hide all other methods of learning inner balance. So this is your first task: to read through all methods carefully and to decide on a method. Go here according to your gut feeling and trust your intuition. It does not make sense to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each method very carefully, because in the end it depends less on the method than on your application!

The first 30 days is the integration of a new habit into everyday life quite a bit of work, after all you have to convince your body and mind daily of the importance of the new habit. I can say from my own experience that it is not easy to devote half an hour every day to meditation or yoga. Even if it is quite clear that this new habit will provide more relaxation and happiness in the long run. We humans are creatures of habit and prefer the quickly perceptible success, which is only limited in yoga, for example. Since these methods only address the short-term reward system to a limited extent, we need a lot of motivation until the new habit has actually become a habit and we feel the first long-term successes.

Application of different methods

In the following chapters you will learn different methods to increase your inner balance. These methods are divided into different areas: Relaxation techniques, reflection and everyday structures. As you know, changing everyday structures only makes limited sense, but can be an important means of restoring inner balance. Especially if you have too many appointments and obligations. Although these can be perceived as less stressful with a relaxed inner posture, they are nevertheless to be seen as an expression of unhealthy border-setting on an everyday level. And the re-setting of one's own limits happens with and through the building of inner balance.

The different relaxation techniques serve to provide you with a daily haven of peace in your everyday life. Unequal people do not only have the problem to be under stress all the time, but also take the opportunity to reduce this stress and to bring the body down from the state of stress again much too rarely. In this way, you will learn again and again to relax and to really treat yourself to the urgently needed time off. And the reflection? Reflection is enormously important in order to get to know oneself better, to find out the motives for action and to recognize fears more clearly. Through the regular practice of reflection, we increase our self-aware mindfulness and better perceive our needs. In addition to changing everyday structures and consciously perceiving relaxation units, reflection helps to work through and overcome the underlying fears of stress.

Together, these three factors have a strong effect, so you will quickly notice changes. In the first week it is advisable to try a relaxation method, in the second week to devote oneself to a reflection exercise and to start changing everyday structures in the third week at the earliest. Try a method for at least four weeks, because only then can you judge comprehensively whether this method really suits you. After one month you will notice some changes in your behaviour and thinking and probably experience a little more relaxation and balance in your everyday life. After the first month, you can add another new method to your everyday life at most once a week - less is more!

Methods for a stronger inner balance: Relaxation techniques

There are many ways to achieve inner balance and these include various relaxation techniques. Not all of these techniques will suit you and that doesn't have to happen. It may be sufficient to integrate one or two of these techniques into your everyday life and thus ensure a little relaxation. During this time your body can break down the stress hormones released during the tension phase and take care of cell regeneration, metabolism and other vital physical processes.

This rest period is also optimal for your mind, because it gives you the opportunity to let negative thought patterns rest for a while, to recharge your batteries and to start the day refreshed. In our everyday life there are only few natural chances to retreat for a few minutes and therefore it is your task to take care of these little everyday breaks. It is important that you always do these relaxation sessions at the same time and in the same place so that a clear habit emerges and both your mind and your body connect with the time and place of this relaxing pause.

In the long run you will get better relaxation, which of course contributes greatly to the effectiveness of these relaxation exercises. After just a few weeks you will notice that these little everyday breaks will make you more energetic, calmer and more relaxed. However, it is important that they implement this new habit consistently, especially in the first 30 days, in order to really feel success. Your inner pig will try to dissuade you from your plan by all means, after all, the most diverse fears are strong allies of the inner pig. These methods will help you cultivate a more mindful approach to yourself.

All these relaxation techniques can be performed at home or in another undisturbed place. If you think that you need professional support in one place or another, you can join the appropriate groups!

Yoga Nidra

You have certainly heard of Yoga before, but have you also heard of Yoga Nidra? In Yoga Nidra you are both awake and asleep - the so-called yoga sleep. This state is optimal to replenish the exhausted reserves and to let the mind rest.

The word Nidra comes from the ancient Indian language Sanskrit and means sleep. However, this sleep does not mean sleep at night, but yoga sleep. In yoga sleep, your body is in deep relaxation while your senses are fully active and your mind is awake. The advantage of yoga sleep is that not only the physical energy is recharged, but above all the inner being comes to rest and can draw strength from this rest, which is not possible in this form during a normal night's sleep.

And so you can try Yoga Nidra at home:

- Lie down with comfortable clothing on a comfortable surface. You may need a small pillow, an eye mask and a light blanket.

- Then concentrate fully on your breath until your body and mind come into a relaxed state. You can always remember that you are relaxing now.

- As soon as you are relaxed, start walking through your body with your attention on your feet. Perceive each part of the body individually and consciously.

- Now you perceive your breath as it flows through your body and affects every part of your body. You will perceive tensions, pain and similar sensations - accept them as your current state.

- From time to time thoughts will come into your head, perceive them without judgement and let them go. At this moment you become an observer of yourself.

- Return to everyday life after 15 minutes by awakening each part of your body individually. On the Internet you will find great guided Yoga Nidra exercises that will help you get started in this practice.

Daily Movement

It is no longer a secret, but far too few people try to keep moving every day and this is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress and become more balanced. Of course, our survival has not depended on how fit our body is for many generations. The necessity to actually move daily is therefore not given. To relieve tension and stress, daily exercise is ideal, and if you haven't had any fun with exercise so far, it's simply because you haven't yet found the type of exercise that's right for you.

So make it your business to find a sporting activity that you also enjoy. Because if you have to struggle through a fitness program, you will quickly react with frustration and stress again. For example, if on some days you don't even know where to put all your accumulated energy, then spinning or martial arts might be the right choice for you. Or do you like the idea of jogging through the forest along a stream and showing constant stamina over a longer period of time? Still others can best switch off in team sports. If you lack the energy for all this, then meditative sports such as Qi Gong or Tai Chi are more suitable for you - try it out!

Sometimes it does not necessarily have to be a fixed sport, because our everyday life offers sufficient possibilities for physical activity. For example, you could ride your bicycle to work and leave your car behind, or you could play football with your children and not just sit on the bench.

Qi Gong

Qi Gong and Tai Chi are often confused. Qi Gong is about silence and the inner process, while Tai Chi is about the sequence of certain movements, which can range from fast and slow to acrobatic and explosive.

Qi Gong is all about re-establishing the connection between body and mind and strengthening self-awareness - ideal for re-introducing inner balance into one's own life. Qi Gong, which comes from China, is about working with the life energy: Qi is the life energy, gong is practice.

Through the regular Qi Gong practice you strengthen your immune system, your body, your mobility, increase your self-awareness and can relax comprehensively. This combines breathing, movement and meditation exercises that stimulate the life energy flowing in the body and break down blockages in it.

An exemplary exercise in Qi Gong to increase relaxation works as follows:

- Stand upright with your feet shoulderwide apart.

- Your arms hang loosely from your side of the body, your palms pointing backwards.

- Now imagine how your tailbone sinks downwards, as if it were pulled by a weight.

- Continue to stand upright and imagine yourself being pulled upwards from the vertex.

- Now walk with your attention from head to toe through your body and perceive the areas of tension.

- As soon as you are completely relaxed, you return to your everyday life with your attention.

Of course, the art of Qi Gong has many more practical exercises to help you restore your inner balance. In order to learn the movement sequences correctly, it is a good idea to attend a Qi Gong course.

Walks

Everybody should be able to integrate walks into everyday life, but they are still an effective means against stress. During a walk, all muscle groups, limbs and organs are evenly loaded. Walking is one of the most natural forms of human locomotion and therefore has no possibility of overloading individual areas of the body. Walking increases the oxygen supply to the body and improves blood circulation. This has a positive effect not only on our immune system, various inflammatory processes and the cardiovascular system, but also on our concentration, our performance and our mood. In addition, our muscles secrete the Interleukin-6 molecule during walks, which not only prevents premature ageing of the skin, but also stimulates fat burning and the supply of nutrients to the muscles.

But that's not all, because while walking the appetite-inhibiting hormone ghrelin is produced and the hormones serotonin and endorphin are released. This explains the positive effects on the body and mind. It is therefore advisable to spend about 30 minutes a day walking, ideally not along a busy road, but in a quiet, natural environment. When walking, stress hormones are broken down in the body and happiness hormones are increasingly released. The monotonous movement allows us to devote ourselves entirely to our thoughts and in doing so we actually encounter one or the other intuition in dealing with stressful situations!

Tai-Chi Chuan

Tai-Chi Chuan, Tai-Chi for short, is often practiced to reduce stress. You probably already have a picture of the meditative Tai Chi movements in your head. Even if the relaxation with Tai-Chi is actually only the way to spiritual awakening, courses of this sport are even taken over by health insurance companies, because the method is extremely effective against long-lasting stress states.

In Germany Tai-Chi is also often called "shadow boxing" and yes, shadow boxing belongs to the martial arts and is even the most frequently practiced martial art worldwide. The origin of Tai-Chi lies in China, where the martial art is practiced as a folk sport. And you too can experience inner balance with this martial art that has been tried and tested for centuries.

And so you can relax with Tai Chi at home:

- Put your feet about hip width apart.

- Let your arms hang down to the side of your body with your palms facing outwards.

- Raise and lower your arms a few times with palms facing upwards as you inhale and exhale.

- Now bring both palms together in front of your chest and draw a lying figure in front of you into the air with your hands lying next to each other.

This is a possible exercise as an introduction to the teachings of Tai Chi. You can move through the room in this way by stringing together certain sequences of movements. The slow and precise execution does not allow any stress and no hectic, here it is about precision and highest concentration. Practicing this physical and mental calm regularly helps you to take this balance with you into everyday life. On the Internet you will find many more suggestions and in every larger city you will find professional Tai Chi teachers who will introduce you to the art of Tai Chi.

Creativity

Creative living is a wonderful way to give room to accumulated emotions and to allow yourself a well-deserved break. Even if you are convinced at this point that you do not have any creative talent, you can still be creative. Because in each of us there is a more or less well hidden ability to be creative and to create something. In addition, this exercise is not about becoming the Rembrandt of the 21st century and presenting an impressive work to outside critics, but rather about giving free rein to hidden emotions through creative expression, i.e. communicating with oneself in an artistic way. It is up to you to decide how you want to be creative.

Perhaps you have always wanted to paint, are a good dancer or a writer. Especially if you've been under stress for a long time, it's hard to get creative. Creativity is something we can live out above all when we are in a relaxed state. The more often you sit in front of your screen or at the piano, the easier it will be for you to withdraw from everyday life and live out your artistic expression.

Creativity can be compared to a muscle that you have trained less or not at all over the last weeks, months and years. So the first training sessions will be exhausting, but the effort will be worth it because you will be rewarded with a wonderful opportunity to reduce and process stress. Reserve regular times in your diary, in which you can devote yourself entirely to the expression of your creativity. Be courageous and try out new possibilities of artistic design and expression!

Binaural Beats

Have you ever heard of Binaural Beats? Binaural betas are pieces of music with frequencies tuned to our brain waves. The brain waves that have been scientifically researched so far are the following:

- Delta waves with 1-3 Hz: These brain waves occur in deep sleep and in trance.

- Theta waves with 4-7 Hz: These brain waves arise during sleep and occur during deep meditative states.

- Alpha waves with 8-12 Hz: These brain waves occur in a relaxed state.

- Beta waves with 13- over 100 Hz: These brain waves indicate the awake state. Frequencies above 30Hz are associated with a wakeful state characterized by stress (positive and negative stress).

You can now imagine what kind of binaural beats are particularly helpful for relaxation: Binaural beats with alpha waves and 8-12 Hz. These tracks can be heard for free on YouTube, for example. While listening to these tracks, your brain is adjusted to the frequency of the track, making it easier for you to relax. So your brain starts to produce the same frequencies, which puts you in a relaxed state.

The Binaural Betas can be used at any time: Whether on the train, in a hot bath or meditating.

Mindfulness Meditation

Emotional outbursts occur in the brain region called the amygdala. Through increased attentiveness, we are able to strengthen another region of the brain, the prefrontal cortex. So we are moving away from a direct over-excited outburst of emotion towards a more attentive handling of our emotions. This does not mean that we suppress our emotions at this moment, but that we learn to deal with them differently. The prefrontal cortex is shut down by long-term stress because the prefrontal cortex is a fairly new brain area and in emergency situations the body reverts to the oldest brain areas. By strengthening the prefrontal cortex, you make it possible to perceive yourself more consciously and attentively.

Practice mindfulness meditation daily for at least 10 minutes and increase this time - some people meditate for two hours a day and you will soon understand why. Choose a quiet and undisturbed place for your meditation, wear comfortable clothes, sit cross-legged on the floor, put your hands loosely on your knees, close your eyes, and then begin the following meditation:

- The next time you exhale, gradually relax your body: head, face, jaw, shoulders, trunk, arms, hands, legs and feet.

- Then concentrate on your breathing for ten minutes without affecting it.

- Pay attention to the changes that occur in your body when you breathe: The chest, for example, lifts and lowers.

- Feel how each breath provides you with energy.

- Surely one or two thoughts will flow through your head. If you perceive them, do not evaluate them and always return to your breathing.

- At the end of this meditation exercise, try to feel how your body and mind have calmed down. - Open your eyes and slowly return to your everyday life with your consciousness.

The more often you do this exercise, the easier it will be for you to quickly get into a relaxed state and maintain it for the entire period of meditation. Your body and mind have had the opportunity to step out of the state of tension and you can devote yourself more attentively to your everyday life.

Progressive muscle relaxation

The progressive muscle relaxation has a lot to do with the alternation between tension and relaxation and even more with the ability to let go. Learning to let go is an important instrument for all those whose thoughts are often in the past and the future, but rarely in the here and now. Of course it is important to think about the future or to rethink past experiences, but only as long as these thoughts add value to our present. Maybe you just can't let go of the idea of a missed deadline and are therefore afraid of tackling new, interesting and exciting projects with a short deadline. Letting go of stress is learnable.

The progressive muscle relaxation can be done in peace at home or in the middle of nature - exactly where you need it and where you like it. Ideally, you should lie on a comfortable surface throughout the exercise, your arms lying loosely next to your body and your feet falling slightly outwards. The palms of your hands are down, your eyes are closed and your jaw is relaxed. Here we go:

- Breathe in and out deeply a few times.

- Watch carefully as your breathing supplies you with energy and spreads throughout your body.

- Now it starts with the tension and relaxation of the different muscle groups! Bend your arms, clench your hands into fists and now actively tighten your arms, hands and shoulders for about 7 seconds. When exhaling after 7 seconds you put your arms down again, relax and feel the heaviness and warmth of your arms and hands.

- Then it continues with the facial and neck muscles, the chest, abdominal and back muscles, as well as the foot and leg muscles.

- Once you have tensed all the muscles in your body, you can feel the relaxation spreading across your entire body.

- After a few minutes, open your eyes and return to everyday life with your attention. Perform this relaxation exercise daily to feel the calming effect on your body deeply and for a long time!

Showing humour and rediscovering your own laughter

You may not feel like laughing at the moment, but laughing is actually a great way to release tension and focus on what matters most. Laughter not only activates hundreds of muscles throughout the body, but also releases large amounts of the happiness hormones dopamine, serotonin and endorphin. Against this combination stress hormones naturally have no more chance and are reduced. When was the last time you laughed heartily and do you remember how relaxed, balanced and liberated you felt afterwards?

With increasing stress level also the daily laughter sinks. And if you think that you have forgotten to laugh over time, then I have good news for you: humour is learnable. Is there a better way to restore inner balance than to laugh heartily? From now on, go through your everyday life more open to humour and look for funny situations. What about your social environment, which people have a lot of humour there and make you laugh frequently? Surround yourself more often with funny, cheerful people! And of course you can go to cabaret, watch comedies or read humorous books.

There are many ways to make life a little easier and more relaxed, even if it doesn't work overnight. What kind of humor do you have and how can you make yourself laugh at least once a day? Life is only as serious as we take it. And by the way: humor not only makes us sexy, it also strengthens our immune system, improves our cognitive abilities, is a sign of intelligence, activates various brain areas and can even make us high!

Methods for a stronger inner balance: Reflection

Reflection teaches us an incredible amount about ourselves and gives us the opportunity to deal with ourselves, with challenges and with our fellow human beings in a more positive way. For example, we recognize negative emotions and no longer take them as an opportunity to make hasty, supposedly redeeming decisions. So our decision making becomes much more effective!

Also, by observing our own behaviour in conflict situations, we can react more calmly and strive to resolve the conflict instead of showing selfish behaviour (blame attribution). Conflicts, failures or mistakes then no longer become nightmares, but learning opportunities for which we do not have to condemn ourselves at all. Even self- pity does not find a place any more with an attentive contemplation of one's own person, because we can accept our fate as it is.

So in the future you can put your energy into optimising your abilities instead of letting your dissatisfaction, stress and anger evaporate. The better we know ourselves, the better we can set better priorities and healthier boundaries, identify our own goals and make positive changes with motivation and confidence.

Reflection can have very different faces. While one prefers to move to a monastery for a week, the other practices daily self-reflection through evening evaluation. In this chapter you will find some suggestions that will hopefully help you to find the right kind of reflection for you and make it part of your life.

Increase Self-Esteem

Increasing self-esteem is enormously important for restoring inner balance. What's the matter with you? Because we will only take healthy measures if we are actually worth it. Are you important enough to yourself to make changes for more relaxation and balance in your life, even if this may mean outside criticism? Our self-esteem is our best friend, because only through a healthy self-esteem we are motivated to make healthy decisions and to trust ourselves with them.

The cause of low self-esteem is often childhood. Not all people were allowed to experience through their parents how important, loving and strong they are. But don't worry, you can catch up at any time. Instead of often reproaching your own weaknesses and making them your personal flagship and comparing yourself with supposedly unattainable idols, you should treat yourself with a lot of love, respect and patience. This includes accepting external compliments, praising oneself regularly for success and progress, and not comparing oneself with other people. Other people are not in your situation and simply have different prerequisites. Two lives cannot be compared. It's better to compare yourself with yourself and see your progress!

In order to silence the inner critic, you should take a little time every day to play through critically judged behaviors again and to consider alternative behaviors. The neighbour treated you again unbelievably disrespectful, because your shopping basket stood in the stairwell for a few seconds? Have you been able to defend yourself self-confidently and self-confidently or have the words got stuck in your throat? Then consider for such situations how to put an end to these unsightly encounters the next time respectfully, clearly and unambiguously.

Finding acceptance and perceiving the feedback

Accept your current situation, your feelings and also your physical condition. That sound funny to you? Accepting the current situation is nevertheless a logical and important step. What triggers it in you if you don't want to accept a fact? Most likely tension! And tension is a clear messenger of impending stress, because at that very moment you have made a negative judgement about a condition. You already know that your personal attitude to the circumstances controls your emotions regarding this condition.

So it is not surprising if you get into unnecessary and additional stress due to the lack of acceptance of your situation. I'm not saying that you should suddenly love your back pain or consider your current situation perfect, but I'm simply recommending that you see the situation for what it is: a changeable condition. So you have the possibility to perceive your feelings and your physical signals exactly and to accept them without judgement. You may perceive all your negative emotions and also the physical consequences of long-term stress and imbalance exactly as such messages. The moment you perceive your emotional and physical feedback without judgment, you have made a great step! You have, so to speak, carried out an inventory or an inventory of your situation and can initiate optimizing steps based on this.

Not everyone is able to practice self-acceptance right away. It may be helpful if you take at least 15 minutes a day to take stock. You write down which aspects of your current situation you do not want to accept and then try to accept exactly these aspects as an expression of a changeable state: "I accept that I am very irritable at the moment. This is an expression of a momentary overload." You will quickly notice that you will move away from critical thinking about yourself and your situation to a focused problem-solving attitude!

Practice a positive attitude - Look at things from a different angle

It is often not the situations themselves that put us under stress, but our assessment of the situation. So to consider a positive attitude towards stressful situations, i.e. to look at the situation from a completely new perspective, can actually reduce the pressure and stress. And even if at first it may sound as if you are lying to yourself, this new optimism will soon become a happy habit of an attentive and balanced attitude. From now on, devote at least 15 minutes a day to finding out how to redefine and evaluate stressful situations.

Here is an example: The conflict-laden relationship with the neighbours was previously a reason to lapse into a tense state. In other words, the conflict-laden relationship with the neighbours could be a wonderful occasion for spatial change, for a new beginning or for learning a wide variety of conflict management techniques. Even the queue at the supermarket checkout does not necessarily have to be evaluated negatively. This can also be a good way to write a short, nice message to your best friend, download an interesting book to your smartphone or talk to people around you.

During your daily reflection you write down which situations have caused stress in you. In a second step, try to look at the situation as objectively as possible. A defective car is a defective car and does not have to become a medium-sized family drama. What alternative perspectives could you throw at this situation? Does the situation that triggers the stress possibly also have its advantages or does it even offer opportunities for further development? The more impersonal you look at a particular situation, the more likely you are to change your perspective on the situation and see the positive aspects of it all.

Abandoning self-pity and the role of victim

Bathing in self-pity and surrendering to the role of victim is not difficult at all. And sometimes it does us good, because it gives us an extra motivation kick to develop ourselves further in life and to dare new things. So self- pity can have its good sides, as long as we don't sink completely into it. Life doesn't always run in perfect tracks, but often gives us the opportunity to make another real effort. If self-pity becomes a habit, however, then there is not much to feel of the healing effect and we drift off into a kind of victim role. This means that we no longer take responsibility for our current situation, but feel helpless, ignored, excluded and worthless. That's the opposite of self-confidence.

In the long run, this can lead to listlessness and even depression. As soon as we feel comfortable in the victim role, we hand over the responsibility. After all, the perpetrators, the others who are doing well, are the culprits and life itself has played unfair cards to you. Then it is high time to take responsibility for your own situation again and ask yourself: How could it have come to this? What have I contributed to this situation? And how can I avoid such events in the future? To work oneself out of the victim role means to practice oneself in self-reflection and relentless honesty towards oneself. So, if you show more self-pity than compassion for yourself, it's time to keep a record of the most common self-pity scenarios and the corresponding research to break down these long- established structures.

Keep a stress log

Keeping a stress log can help determine the actual causes of the stress response. Many people overlook the signs of a stress response, but this is exactly when an intervention could take place. So take at least a week to observe yourself closely. Pay attention to the following points:

- What are the signs of an impending stress response?

- What physical and psychological symptoms of stress can I perceive in myself?

- When do I react stressed

- What thoughts do I have in this stressful situation?

- Where does the pressure that leads to the stress reaction come from? External or internal factors (external circumstances or expectations of yourself)?

- How do I deal with the stress?

You will use this protocol to quickly find out in which situations you feel stressed, how the stress normally manifests itself, and how you usually deal with that stress. This helps you not only to recognize approaching stress situations in the future, but also to steer your behavior more attentively. A further step, after recognizing individual behavior patterns, is the rethinking. Some of the methods presented in this book will help you create a new perspective on immutable situations. In addition, you can consider which reaction you can use to make stressful situations less stressful.

The stress protocol, for example, has shown that you are always particularly irritated at lunchtime. This may be due to a lack of morning snack and a short break at the beginning of the lunch break. And instead of talking to the belligerent colleague at lunchtime, you could politely make her understand that at a later stage you are willing to resolve possible conflicts. Fixed behaviors are not always immediately recognizable, which is why a stress protocol can be a strong help to show these unconscious and almost intuitive behaviors.

Gratitude and pleasure

We are often so tense that we mostly forget to be grateful and enjoy, but these are exactly two attitudes that enrich our lives unbelievably. Maybe you've had the same experience before: They rush from one appointment to the next and therefore have no time to enjoy the wonderful weather or the grandiose food. The more we are under stress and put ourselves under pressure, the less time we take to enjoy and be grateful for the little things in life that make life so worth living.

The art of feeling gratitude and being able to enjoy moments seriously is an expression of inner balance. Sometimes it is enough to charge yourself with these powerful, positive emotions by consciously enjoying a tea during lunch break or by being grateful to see the squirrels climbing the trees. You can make it a habit to let this gratitude and the pleasure move back into your everyday life. Take a little time in the next days or weeks in the evening and think about the course of the day: Which moments of your everyday life deserved a little more attentiveness and gratitude, which moments could you have enjoyed more? Make a point of paying more attention to these aspects of your everyday life. By remembering it daily, your consciousness will soon be ready for gratitude and enjoyment in everyday life as well.

You may feel that you do not deserve to indulge yourself or enjoy something. Put this way of thinking aside, because it has nothing to do with reality and is merely an expression of unhealthy ways of thinking that urgently need to make room for new ways of thinking. The most popular excuse is then "I don't have time to enjoy this moment or show gratitude for it." This is not entirely true, because you set the priorities for your life and if it is one of your priorities to be more mindful of the beautiful sides of life, then you have time enough. Your current everyday life certainly has many beautiful moments of pleasure in store for you, but how about you spoil yourself consciously? Think about what enjoyment means to you. Is it the undisturbed time alone in a café or is it staying in a bookstore? Build more situations into your everyday life, which you fill with great gratitude!

Methods for a stronger inner balance: Everyday structures

Changing everyday structures can cause major changes on a mental and emotional level. In this chapter you will get to know some possibilities for changing everyday structures. This includes the linguistic structure, the structuring of your goals and tasks, as well as your usual approaches to these tasks. Of course there are many more possibilities to make your everyday life more relaxed and effective and you will find the right changes for you on your own as your inner balance progresses.

We are human beings, we develop and grow constantly, our needs are subject to change, but once we have completed our schooling, many of us lose the flexibility and adaptation of everyday life to our own needs. Growing demands from work, family and leisure are becoming an ever tighter net, which permits only little adjustment - unless we act very actively and consciously in exactly this direction. People act habitually in order to make everyday life easier for themselves.

However, it is fundamentally important and healthy to question these structures from time to time and, if necessary, to rearrange them. Especially in times in which we do not feel optimally balanced, the change of everyday structures can become an effective means. First read through the proposed optimization measures and then decide which of these changes will inspire you the most right away. Of course, you do not have to stop according to one method, but can gradually enrich your everyday structures with the various methods.

The word "must" and its relatives

The word "must" puts most people under pressure. And that's not surprising either, after all, it's clearly a challenge with an almost compelling character. The word "should" also has this message. We are often asked by the outside world to say the word "must": "The documents must be ready by the evening". Or "We have to go to the wedding from XY to Munich." And often, without hesitation, we adopt exactly this message in this compulsive form, although there is only in very few cases a vital reason for it.

Much worse, however, is when we adopt this attitude and put ourselves and other people under equal pressure with our "must" demands: "I have to have this task done by tomorrow." The word "must" does not necessarily have a positive connotation and so we should simply delete it from our vocabulary. Also terms like "problem", "difficulty" or "impossible" (and many more) point us to one thing in particular: To our supposed limits. All these negatively connotated terms do not really contribute to our relaxation and accordingly we should exchange them. Part one of this method is to pay close attention in the next week to the contexts in which you use terms with negative connotations.

Ideally you should write these words down, because the second part of this method is about finding positive alternatives for these words and using them consciously in everyday life. For example, "problems" then become "challenges", the lawn "doesn't have to" be mown (which it really doesn't have to...), but "could" or "may" be mown. And so the "food problem" becomes a "change in diet" and many more opportunities open up. Our language is an expression of our thoughts and we have the possibility to perceive our thoughts more attentively by a more conscious handling of our language, to change them in this way. These changed trains of thought will have a positive effect on your mood, motivation and balance!

"No!" say

Saying "No!" is incredibly difficult for many people, but why is that so? You can probably imagine the answer: Our fears. Let's first look at why saying "no" is fundamentally important. Every time we take on a task that doesn't match our needs, we should have said "no". The fact that we nevertheless take on these tasks means that we take on ourselves. Instead of weighing up which tasks we can take on in the context of our own health in good conscience and without stress, we focus on the needs and ideas of other people. For fear of losing prestige, endangering relationships or missing professional opportunities, we limit ourselves, ignore our needs, and put ourselves in the background in our own lives.

Observe the next few weeks very closely as you make your decisions. Many decisions have become routine and can therefore no longer be recognized as decisions. For example, it has become normal that you pay for lunch with your colleague or drive to the end of town for errands for relatives. We make thousands of decisions every day and many of them have become routine, so that we can master our everyday life at all. It would be terrible if we actually had to consider whether this is the right way to go at the slightest effort. This exercise is mainly about the bigger decisions.

At best, you write down your decisions the moment you make them. At first you will only notice a few decisions, but this will become more with increased attention. Then, in a quiet minute, consider why you made the decision and whether you are actually happy with your decision making. What alternative choices would there have been and what would have contributed to your balance? The more aware you become of your choices and needs, the more often you can make healthy decisions.

Abolish multitasking

Yes, multitasking seems like the perfect way to combine as many tasks as possible. But let's be honest: How effective are you when you do four tasks at the same time? In the meantime, studies have shown that multitasking does not increase but reduces our efficiency and productivity. And the explanation is simple: to realize our full potential, we need great mental capacity and this is blocked by the division of our concentration into several tasks. I mean that I've never seen a top athlete at training who also tried a Bulletproof Coffee and planned his weekend trip. Highest efficiency and productivity require highest concentration and we achieve this through singletasking!

Where in your everyday life do you rely on multitasking? Perhaps you are not so well aware of the situations because they have become your everyday behavioural repertoire. So take a little time, a pen and paper and think in a quiet place in which everyday situations you do multitasking. We always experience relaxation when we can consciously and attentively perceive people, places, activities and circumstances. Multitasking prevents this, however. Start by setting up your everyday life in such a way that you can singletask. This may feel unfamiliar at first, but it decelerates everyday life wonderfully and gives you the opportunity to really enjoy the individual activities!

Integrating breaks into everyday life

What do you think about people who regularly meet during working hours for a chat or a coffee break? Maybe these people are the epitome of unproductivity for you. But the reality is a little different: Those who take regular breaks are more productive in the long term. The breaks allow us to maintain the natural rhythm of relaxation and activity/tension. Even the most hardworking bodybuilder in the world needs training breaks and that's how you should handle it. A proven technique is the division of working time into units:

- 55 minutes of work

- 5 minutes break

- 55 minutes of work

- 5 minutes break

- 55 minutes of work

- 30 minutes break

- 55 minutes of work

- 5 minutes break

- ...

You can see that you should take a break of at least five minutes once an hour to increase your effectiveness and conserve your resources at the same time. Once you get used to this new rhythm, you will be able to perform better and work more creatively, effectively and productively! In the small breaks you can enjoy a short stay in the fresh air, stretch yourself, take a deep breath, eat fruit or vegetables and drink a glass of tea or water. During the longer breaks you can enjoy a full meal in peace and quiet!

Re-establish priorities

Sometimes it is time to set your priorities anew, especially when your inner balance has been lost over the years. The priorities that you set back then no longer have to correspond to your current attitude to life, so do not be afraid to rearrange this area vigorously. To do this, first write down which areas of your life you particularly fill with happiness. Is it your partnership, your family, your children, your pets, your social commitment, your job, your regular travelling, sports activities, cooking with friends or something completely different? Create your personal Top 10 to be happy. Of course, it is part of life to also provide financial security, even if the current job may not contribute to everyday happiness. Then the list of priorities is not "my profession", but "financial security". Then take a look at your everyday structure:

- How many hours do you spend sleeping?

- How much time do you spend at work?

- How much free time do you have?

Write down the exact hourly distribution of an entire week. You may find that you work a lot of overtime each week (which you don't necessarily have to make happy) and spend very little time with your loved ones. Sometimes the restructuring of the everyday life helps to bring more relaxation and equilibrium into the everyday life with regard to the newly arranged priority list. For example, if you are very lucky enough to jog through the forest with your dog, then this should not only be on your schedule once a week. So, realign your life, plan your time according to your priorities and eliminate as many stress factors as possible for a stronger inner balance!

Goals and Tasks

Some people find it extremely helpful to structure their own goals and tasks better and thus integrate more relaxation and balance into their everyday lives. Various methods can be used to classify tasks. One effective method, for example, is the Eisenhower method, in which the different tasks are divided into three categories and processed accordingly:

- Urgent and important

- Urgent, but not important

- Important, but not urgent

- Neither urgent nor important

If you now sit down once a week - at best Thursday evening to start the weekend in a relaxed way - and plan your next week according to this principle, you are freed from planning the completion of your tasks on a daily basis. Finally, the order is clear. A good goal is always to complete two to three tasks a day. There is a chance that many of the "neither urgent nor important" tasks will disappear completely from the list over time, or that you will forego performing them in the first place. This scheme can be applied both in professional and private life for the organisation of projects and challenges.

In order to find out the importance of the different tasks, it is of course fundamentally important to find your own big goal. No matter whether this is the start into self-employment, the restructuring of everyday life or the improvement of nutrition. It is not easy for many people to clearly define their own goals. So sit down in a quiet moment and consider your personal goals for the next 12 months. It is helpful not to add 5 overwhelming tasks to the list, but to combine a healthy mixture of big and small goals, because you don't want to overtax yourself. Great goals could be to finally start jogging, to inform oneself about the keeping of cats or to plan a longer stay abroad. Determine when you want which goal to be achieved and divide large goals into smaller subgoals so as not to lose track and always approach the realization motivated.

Breaking down stuck patterns of thinking

Maybe taking over a new project causes pure stress for you and your colleague? He's so happy he almost jumps up in the air. So it is rarely the situations themselves that are negative per se and thus trigger stress in us, but rather our thoughts and our evaluation of this situation. In most cases, however, these are not conscious decisions, but patterns of thought that have been practiced for years and now need to be broken up.

In order to track down your thought patterns, you have to keep a corresponding diary for a few days or weeks. Whenever you feel stressed, open a new entry in this diary. At best you start with this entry as soon as the first stress wave is over and you have a clear head again. Then consider exactly in which situation you felt stressed and which mental evaluation of the situation you were present in exactly that moment.

- Your boss is handing you a new project.

- They feel stressed and under pressure.

- Your thoughts about taking over the new project were: I will never be able to do that, when should I please do that, I am not competent enough for this project.

In the second step, you now consider a neutral and positive evaluation, which can replace your frequently used negative evaluations.

- Neutral: Yes, I'll write that down in my diary right away.

- Positive: I can now improve my time management / hand in another unloved project / pray the nice new colleague for support, a good opportunity to discuss general time management with the boss, I have the opportunity to learn new skills.

And whenever you catch yourself now with one of your old, negative evaluations, put your neutral or positive evaluation in thought to this place. The more consistently you pursue this method, the more likely this way of thinking will become your new automatism. Outsmart yourself by acting as if you already believe the new way of thinking!

Revolutionizing sleep

Sleep is one of the most important restorative means available to us. Many permanently tense people find it difficult to find a relaxed and restful sleep. Don't miss the opportunity to renew your sleeping habits and optimize your recovery during sleep. How would you like to be internally balanced during the day when you lack the energy for the simplest activities? There are eight factors that are important for healthy and restful sleep:

- Regular exercise, at best 30 minutes of physical activity daily at a fixed time.

- Provide fresh air and a room temperature of 16-20°C. Under these conditions, your sleep will not be prematurely interrupted by cold, heat or stale air.

- Avoid blue light from televisions, smartphones, etc. two hours before bedtime to stimulate the formation of melatonin (the sleep hormone). Also dimmed light, quiet music and yoga help here!

- Sleep at least 6-9 hours a day, often avoiding sleeping less in a row.

- The dinner should be rich in protein, because proteins keep you full for a long time. So you are not disturbed by a feeling of hunger when you fall asleep or sleep through the night.

- If you have problems falling asleep, do not take medication but try yoga, meditation, reading or radio plays. - A regular sleep rhythm helps the body to prepare for bed. - Avoid alcohol, nicotine and sugar before going to bed. These substances prevent a restful deep sleep. Are there areas where you can improve your sleeping habits?

Closing Remarks

I very much hope that you have found a lot of new, interesting and helpful information in this book that will enrich your life and help you to get out of the stress cycle! You now know that the occurrence of stress is caused by an overload that we bring into our lives due to excessive expectations of ourselves. The reason for these exaggerated expectations is mostly deep-seated fears that without these burdens we will not be a fully-fledged member of society, that we will not receive sufficient social recognition or that we will not be able to live up to the expectations that are supposedly directed at us from outside. All this is an expression of a low self-esteem, because in this situation the expectations of other people are given more importance than one's own needs. Through the relaxation techniques, reflection methods and possibilities for changing everyday structures presented in this book, you can sustainably change your thinking, structures and actions and thus leave the stress cycle.

The result is: Inner balance. Through stronger inner balance, nothing can throw you off track so quickly, you can resolve conflicts constructively and shape your everyday life through healthy boundaries for yourself. You know who you are, what your goals are and can clearly distinguish your needs from those of other people. The inner balance gives us daily the possibility to perceive even the smallest miracles of life and to feel gratitude. And if a challenge (formerly called a problem) crosses your path, you know that this is a wonderful opportunity to improve your skills and abilities and learn new things.

I wish you much success and joy in learning and implementing the methods to strengthen your inner balance!

Minimalism - Practical tips for clearing out, for more calmness, satisfaction, success and luck in life

Dear reader, already in 551 B.C. the Chinese philosopher Confucius said: "Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated." The everyday ballast that we carry on our shoulders does not seem to go away despite much effort. By deciding to buy this book, you are embarking on an adventure. Let's follow the traces of minimalism together to get rid of this ballast in the short and long term.

The word minimalism is currently on everyone's lips. A large part of humanity has already adopted this term, but most are not aware of the strength of the orientation of everyday life towards this lifestyle. Minimalism is the conscious limitation to the most necessary objects, for more serenity, contentment, success and happiness in life. This means that the seventeenth pair of shoes or the fourth reserve hairdryer no longer necessarily contribute to our happiness, but rather represent a material burden for us. It seems almost insane, especially in a society dominated by consumption, to deliberately focus on renunciation. After all, there are all these beautiful things around us with which we can sweeten our lives. But now let's be honest: What makes you really happy? An extensive shopping tour or a cosy dinner with your loved ones? If you're thinking, "Oh, I'd definitely prefer a shopping trip", this book on minimalism can offer you many new approaches and inspiration. And if you thought, "Yes, a dinner with my loved ones, that's what makes me happy," then you'll find the optimal guidance in this book to consciously limit your material odds and ends to make more room for love, gratitude, and conscious living. In this book we explain to you what minimalism is, how our habits and consumer behaviour are connected and how we enrich our daily lives by giving up. This is where theory and practice meet, because 30 practical tips for implementing the minimalist lifestyle and checklists for clearing out the junk await you.

How come we wrote this book? We ourselves have been minimalists for ten years and can share our experiences with you. The book's strength lies in the fact that we have not only drawn on a single experience, but have also analysed the changes in lifestyles from a wide variety of starting positions. So we can also tell you that this book is just the beginning of your journey into minimalism. Minimalism is not a thing for a weekend, but it is precisely with these small "actions" that minimalism is increasingly coming into life. What was classified as "necessary" a year ago no longer necessarily has to be important. Our attitudes towards material goods changed as we became more involved with our consumption-driven habits and travelled to poorer regions of the world. What awaited us there was not necessarily misery, but rather friendly, happy people, who could show little material possessions, but had all the closer ties to family, relatives and friends. So we quickly became aware of the importance of love in our lives and for our happiness. With so many special offers, status symbols and shopping centers, it's not always easy to focus on the really important things in life. Minimalism is an effective way to clear out, sort and prioritize both internally and externally. The book and the minimalist lifestyle will help you to achieve more happiness, contentment, serenity and personal and professional success.

Minimalism is the name of the game

Before you start with your minimalistic program, you should know as much as possible about minimalism. In this chapter you will find out what exactly is meant by minimalism, why a minimalist life makes sense and what the advantages of this lifestyle are. This basic knowledge is important so that you understand exactly how decluttering and minimalist lifestyles can enrich your everyday life and happiness. Because why should you dare to tackle the mammoth task of clearing out if the benefits are not clearly understandable beforehand?

What is minimalism?

Minimalism means limiting oneself to the bare essentials. This is done consciously in order to experience more joy of life and happiness. Minimalism can be lived out in many different ways and we almost want to think that there are as many different forms of minimalism as there are minimalists. The one minimalist may focus on not letting the wardrobe overflow. Another minimalist loves the minimalist holiday feeling of camping and yet another practices an almost ascetic lifestyle. How you live out minimalism is up to you. We are sure that you will continue to evolve as a minimalist, to examine more and more aspects of your life and to learn to apply your minimalist way of thinking beyond your home environment.

All minimalists have one thing in common regardless of their individual stage of development and focus: they focus on consciously renouncing material abundance in order to create more space for a fulfilled life. It is clear to all of them that possessions do not guarantee happiness and contentment, that material goods do not build friendships and love, and that changing one's own consumerist habits (spiritual and practical) opens entirely new doors. Suddenly there is more time again for an intensive examination of oneself and one's own happiness in life. Most people feel happy after an extensive shopping tour, but this is not a lasting, real and deep happiness. Instead of shopping indiscriminately, conscious consumption and above all renunciation are lived. The decision to minimalism has nothing to do with poverty, but with attentiveness!

Necessity of minimalism

Why is it necessary to consciously limit oneself? Because it gives us back full control over our habits and thought processes. Constantly present advertising, seemingly endless unused possibilities thanks to apps and Co., one special offer after another and how do we react to it? We just walk along, we give ourselves up to the whole thing and feel quite comfortable in our consumption-controlled skin for a short time. However, it quickly becomes clear that the new Smart TV doesn't really make you happy if you sit alone in front of it evening after evening. Today's society already teaches children at a young age that one is more respected if one is equipped with the most up- to-date material goods. Only then is one properly accepted by society and part of it. How much money do you spend on your apartment every month? How many hours did you go to work for it? And how many hours were you actually at home to enjoy this beautiful apartment and the new Smart TV? Our days have every 24 hours of which we spend on average 8 at work and 8 at bed. We still have 8 more hours left, which can be quickly filled with the way to work, a little television and shopping. How many of these 24 hours do we really consciously experience, how many of our decisions do we consciously make and how consciously do we really shape our lifetime?

This is exactly where the necessity of minimalism begins: Through a minimalist lifestyle, we carefully and consciously choose what we fill our time with, what goods are allowed to play a role in our lives, and what facets of our lives are really important to us. Through minimalism we pedal ourselves free, we free ourselves not only from material goods, but also let unhealthy behaviour and ways of thinking go, perceive ourselves better and can let true feelings of happiness enter our lives.

Advantages of minimalism

The advantages of minimalism are obvious: Those who don't spend every Saturday on extensive shopping tours suddenly have time for completely different activities and also save a lot of money. Let's say you spend an hour watching TV or sitting at your smartphone (or both at the same time?) in the evening. The conscious renunciation of media and social media can also be an aspect of minimalism. As you can see, part of your minimalism could be the deliberately limited use of media. In this way, you prevent yourself from being "sprinkled" with less valuable content on TV and other media and create space for yourself to deal with things that really get you ahead and have a real benefit for you. You could use this saved time for example to read books with useful knowledge, to become creative yourself or to learn the art of meditation.

What is the advantage of merciless clearing out of one's own four walls? The old, unused coffee machine finally finds a new owner and you have less ballast. The material ballast in your home inevitably has an influence on your mental situation. The separation from unnecessary material objects helps you to let go, to separate yourself, to create space for yourself and to focus again on yourself and your happiness in life.

The advantages of minimalism are therefore clearly defined:

- You save a lot of money by more conscious consumption.

- Material goods receive an ideal value that has nothing to do with the material value itself.

- Your handling of your belongings is becoming more conscious.

- You save a lot of time by avoiding shopping tours and dealing with the latest market trends.

- You let go of superfluous material possessions and create more space for yourself.

- You have the opportunity to consciously deal with what makes you really happy.

- You will develop more conscious and mindful thought processes and patterns of behaviour and thus have more opportunities to take care of yourself, become creative and develop yourself personally.

- You learn which facets of your life actually contribute to your long-term happiness and give your life a deeper meaning.

These are just a few of the advantages of minimalism to bring you closer to its strong effects. On your way to a minimalist lifestyle you will discover many more individual advantages that minimalism offers you personally.

The connection between minimalism and our habits

Now that you know what is meant by a minimalist lifestyle, why it makes sense and what its benefits are, it's time to take a closer look at your habits. In this chapter you will learn more about the connections between our (still) consumption-driven habits and minimalism. So you're one step closer to the practice again. It's likely that as you read through this chapter, you'll realize how minimalism could enrich your life - don't worry, in the next chapter we'll get down to work on the practical implementation.

The connection between thoughts and habits

Our thoughts control our habits. Our thoughts naturally also control our shopping habits, our media habits and similar habits. So we should take a closer look at how the thought patterns that shaped our consumer behaviour came about. The constant hype about the latest car model, the latest smartphone, the biggest TV and the most expensive shoes - does that make us happy? No, not really, because we are constantly under stress to meet these strange expectations. From experience, we can say that many of these consumption-driven habits arise out of fear. For example, there would be the fear of not fitting into society, of losing one's social status and thus of becoming an outsider. So it can't hurt if you take a little time to investigate whether there may be similar fears behind your consumption habits. These fears are human, because who wants to be alone? The hoarding and collecting lulls us into a deceptive security. Most habits are already so firmly anchored in our behavioural habits that we no longer perceive them. This is a good thing, because it makes our everyday life a lot easier. Otherwise, we would stand in front of the refrigerated shelf every time we shop and philosophize about which butter should be put in the shopping basket and why. Habits therefore make our everyday lives easier. Around 80% of our behavioural repertoire consists of habitual actions. Well, at some point in life every person comes to a point where he wants to change something. And this works best through changes in our habits. You want to make your life more minimalistic? Then you should become aware of habits that do not fit your new attitude towards life and change them in a targeted way. That sounds easy at first, but have you ever tried running backwards all day? No way! It would be incredibly exhausting because we're not used to it. Changing habits means being very reflective, motivated and mindful over a longer period of time in order to uncover old patterns of behaviour and replace them with new, better ones.

Setting new habits as goals

In order to achieve our goals, i.e. the establishment of our new minimalist lifestyle, we need one thing above all else: motivation. Motivation arises as soon as we have set ourselves a goal that is realistic, challenging and not overstraining at the same time. This goal can best be subdivided into several subgoals - this works wonderfully with minimalism. After all, minimalism has incredibly many different facets and is more a development than a fixed concept. In the next chapter you will get to know many subgoals of minimalism. Maybe some of them suit you or you can think of other inspiring partial goals. Set one minimalist goal per week and divide it into seven steps. Let us take the example of the "minimalist bathroom project" as an illustration. This project could be a weekly project and can be divided into seven different steps:

- Definition of goal: What does my perfect bathroom look like and what purpose should it serve?

- Clean out the bathroom (more on this in chapters 3 and 4)

- Give away, sell or throw away misted-out things

- Seek inspiration for redesign

- Remodel the bathroom

- simple structures, clear shapes and unobtrusive colours

- Search for natural alternatives for chemically contaminated products

- Plan regular cleaning and clearing out

Of course, your seven-part plan could look quite different, after all, you have very individual demands on your bathroom. By setting goals, deadlines and sub-goals, you first change your environment and then lay the foundation for changing your habits. Clearing out and designing is an important step, because in a tidy and newly designed bathroom it is difficult to implement the old habits. The more goals and partial goals you achieve, the more motivated you will become and the easier it will be for you to replace your old habits with new ones.

Habits of minimalism

Minimalists are individuals and therefore there are no universal habits for them to live by. The basic idea of minimalism is to simplify life as much as possible and to get rid of unnecessary ballast in order to experience more happiness and contentment in everyday life. This can express itself for each minimalist in different habits. So your habits of minimalism will be strongly influenced by what contributes to your happiness in life. Anyone who strives for minimalism basically pursues the following goals: You want to have more time for yourself or your loved ones, you want to get rid of unnecessary ballast to live more freely and to concentrate on the really important things. Depending on preferences, the goals of minimalists can look quite different. What everyone has in common, however, is that they want to achieve an overriding goal with minimalism. The more precisely this goal is defined, the easier and faster you will achieve it. Let's assume your goal is to reduce your expenses by 50% in 6 months, clean out your apartment and accumulate fewer possessions. The saved money and time you would like to use to develop your career, maybe start your own business, finally have more time for your family, learn Qigong or finance a long journey. Ultimately, the great goal of a minimalist lifestyle is to experience more personal freedom and to live more self-determinedly, in other words to free oneself from the common paradigms - the habits of minimalism that emerge depend on your individual path.

30 Days Minimalism Challenge: Practical Tips for a Minimalist Lifestyle

It is finally time, we start together into practice! Of course you can live out minimalism very individually and accordingly not all of the tips listed here may fit you - or maybe not yet! In general, you should make the implementation of at most one of these tips as your current task per week. In some cases one tip per month is enough! What's the matter with you? Because we humans need around 30 days to integrate a new habit into our everyday lives. In these 30 days we have to fight daily with our old habits and have to concentrate with much strength on the new habits and tasks. If you now take on five or ten tasks at once, this can lead to chaos. The probability that you will not permanently maintain these changes is then correspondingly high. So, take your minimalist journey slowly, but more consistently.

Leave your comfort zone

Through the lived minimalism you have to leave your previous comfort zone and get involved in new experiences. Maybe that's why your neighbours will look at you crookedly or your friends will get to know you as a kind of changed person. You will quickly notice who is enthusiastic and willing to support you and who thinks your project is strange. Of course you don't owe anyone an explanation and don't have to justify yourself for your intention. However, if you live with your partner and/or children, then it is worthwhile to say a few words about your plans and involve the family in this process. There is of course a certain potential for conflict buried here, but with loving communication you will also overcome this hurdle - it is the first step out of your comfort zone! You made a conscious decision to take this step and for good reason. So stay consistent and self-confident with your decision, after all this is about your personal happiness, which only you can shape yourself.

Minimalism in thought

Minimalism is about consciously and attentively observing one's own thoughts. This succeeds wonderfully with regular meditation, yoga, playing the piano, dancing and similar activities. During these activities you are in the here and now and also concentrate on it. Especially in meditation and yoga you have the opportunity to become an observer of your thoughts and thereby change them. You will soon find that the negative thoughts you have lead to negative feelings. Even if many of our thoughts are formed unconsciously and subconsciously, we can recognize certain patterns through regular observation and, for example, work with affirmations to change these unconscious patterns. Minimalism is all about getting rid of inefficient, unnecessary and excessively negative thoughts that block you and inhibit your personal growth, and replacing them with positive, friendly and loving thoughts. Regular practice is of elementary importance! Of course, you should be aware of where your journey is going: Which areas would you like to optimize and where would you like to experience more luck? This determines the focus of your future minimalist lifestyle.

The minimalist gift giving

Minimalist giving is not about giving as little as possible, but rather about giving as valuable a gift as possible. However, this does not mean the material value, but the ideal value. An example: It is your brother's birthday and he would certainly be happy about a new Porsche. But honest, nicely meant words are also a wonderful gift. And instead of a book, a time spent together in a beautiful place can create something much more valuable: Common, loving memories. Gifts are about showing mutual recognition and love. This is also possible without large material purchases, which in themselves are meaningless. So before you give your next gift, think carefully about what you would be happy about and how you can express your feelings as authentically as possible.

Earn Money by Clearing Out

Of course the mucked out things must be accommodated somewhere after a large clearing out action. In the best case, this is not in the basement or in the attic, where they then continue to accumulate dust undisturbed. Instead it offers to sell the sorted out items. Thanks to appropriate Internet portals this is now quite easy to manage: Take a photo of the item, post it on the sales portal, set the price and wait for an offer. But many items can also be sold at flea markets or a garage sale. Every Euro earned is a success! Anything you don't get sold will sooner or later be given away or thrown away - your earnings in these two cases are zero euros. So make it easy for yourself and don't be too dogged when it comes to pricing, after all you want to live easier than before, don't you?

Donate superfluous items

Even if you personally don't need 45 towels, but maybe only 5, this doesn't mean that the other 40 have to go to the garbage. Especially non-profit organizations are happy about all donations. Look around you for this: What charities could use something I own more than enough of? Ask these associations and be happy if your objects that are useless for you are a welcome gift for other people and animals. Food can be well used for blackboards, clothes in old clothes collections and furniture, technical equipment and the like in the social department store. You'll find a good place for everything you want to give away for free. Giving from the free heart is an incredibly beautiful feeling and you will certainly not regret it!

Reduce media consumption

Restricting media consumption today sounds like an unsolvable task. After all, almost all communication takes place via smartphones and the like. We have an important message for you: The e-mail or the SMS are waiting for you, if necessary even several days! Would you really miss all the unchecked images in Instagram? No! No! No! At best, you'd miss the habit. To limit your media consumption for more quality time with yourself or your loved ones, you should start by finding out when you are distracted by media. Is it the night before sleep, is it on the train to work? You are probably not bothered by the use of the media itself (or is it?!), but rather by the way it is used. So instead of reading posts that don't concern you on Facebook or looking at women's exchanges, you could take exciting books in digital or printed form as a distraction. Set a daily time limit for your media consumption - how about 30 minutes? If you get bored outside these 30 minutes, this is the perfect opportunity to get really creative!

The 30 days shopping rule

Changing shopping habits is not always easy. Especially because we are firmly convinced that we really need all these things. The next time you have a special offer or advertising that makes you think you really need a particular product, you put it on your 30-day list. In these 30 days you have enough time to think about whether you really need this item. After an average of three days it becomes clear: "I definitely don't need this item to be happy." In this way many impulse purchases can be averted and you will quickly develop a new connection to really important purchases. If the purchase is really important, in 99% of the cases you will not be made aware of it by an advertisement, but will encounter this necessity in everyday life. This rule will feel strange at first, after all you are acting against your habits. After about 30 days you will get used to this method and after a few months you probably won't need this 30 day rule anymore, because you don't do impulsive buying anymore.

Sorting the objects ... Red, Yellow, Green

There are many different ways to declutter. A proven technique is the sorting of objects according to different categories. Colours can be used very well for this. Red stands for "can definitely go away", yellow means "can maybe go away" and everything that ends up in the green category "may stay". With this method you take one room after the other, empty it completely and then start sorting out or categorizing it. From the potted plant to the last sock, you pick up all the items in your hand and decide which categories they belong in. All items in the Green category can be returned after cleaning up the cleared room. You will notice that one or the other piece of furniture has also had its day - get rid of it! If possible, the items in the red category should be disposed of on the same day, so that they do not sneak back in and still find a dusty place. All properties in the yellow category are allowed to stay for 30 days in a place such as the cellar or attic. After this time you can consciously go through these items again and decide whether they belong to the green or red category. Most items will be in the red category after 30 days!

Emotional and rational decision-making

When clearing out, you should proceed intuitively and decide from your gut whether you want to keep an item or not. A rational decision aid is whether you have used the item in the last 30 days or whether it is used once or twice a year (camping, diving, etc.). An emotional decision-making aid is whether one associates this object with beautiful memories of situations or dear people and thus contributes this object to daily happiness. All items that can be found in these two categories may remain natural. With all other items you can draw a courageous line and give them away, sell them or throw them away, depending on their condition.

Clearing out helper

Depending on the size of the apartment/house and the accumulated possessions, it can make sense to bring one or more helpers into the boat to clear out the trash. With a little good music and a few tasty cuts, clearing out can also be a lot of fun! However, you should choose your clearing out helpers well, because if you have chosen people with a passion for collecting, your project will be much more difficult. Who in your circle of friends and family has the ability to support your decisions, who stands behind your project and can be a good support for your clearing out action? It's not always the best friend!

Plan Clearing out

Planning a decluttering operation is very helpful. Especially when it's the first decluttering. Then knowing exactly how to carry out such a clearing out action effectively saves a lot of time and nerves. If you have a whole day or a whole weekend, you may be able to clean out your entire apartment on those days. This is of course less suitable for families with young children, as the family rhythm must of course continue so that there is no medium-sized chaos. You can also take one room a day. This takes a little more time, but you can clear it out without any time pressure. Start with the least used room and work your way up to the most used room. Experience has shown that this makes it much easier to clean out, because the rhythm of everyday life is less disturbed. With growing experience in clearing out, the most elaborate room can also be successfully cleared out. So how about the following order: storeroom, attic, garage, cellar, hallway, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, kitchen and then living room? Make a plan, set time limits and go for it!

Buy something, get rid of two things

This is a sure long-term solution to master material chaos, even without strict clearing out. You will ask yourself with each purchase which two things you would exchange for this item. Shopping is no longer just about material value, but also about ideal value. This makes impulsive buying decisions more difficult, since you have to think carefully before you buy a T-shirt which two other possessions from your inventory you would like to give away. So the value of your different possessions is questioned again and again and at the same time more and more things disappear from your possessions. So that's how you kill two birds with one stone!

Does it have to be a TV?

Some people actually have a television in every room. All of us don't have a single TV. That doesn't mean that we don't watch television at all, but that we watch what I really want to see on the laptop. So we are not dependent on following the apparently randomly arranged television program of the different stations, but can research quite purposefully to different topics and look at exactly what I need or really want to see. How about you? How often do you turn on the TV because you are really interested in the program and how much do you really need your TV? Try to get by without a TV for 30 days. You will soon see that you can think of many other beautiful activities with which you can definitely fill your time more sensibly.

Cosmetics and body care

Most of us strive for some ideal of beauty, but in the fewest cases we have created this ideal of beauty ourselves, but simply adopted it from the media. Of course, this is not bad as long as we do not harm ourselves psychologically or physically. One of these beauty ideals in our society is to use a fragrant body lotion, to buy a whitening toothpaste or to colour your hair regularly. It also works without these artificial cosmetics. Body lotion, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant and the like can be conjured up in just a few minutes using natural ingredients found in every kitchen. Instead of the chemically contaminated lotion there is then a high-quality olive oil on the skin. Body care can also be minimalist - and much healthier than the artificial alternatives! Rethinking one's own beauty standards can at best have a positive effect on one's own body image, mood and the stock of cosmetics in the bathroom.

The wardrobe

Many people are sensitive when it comes to wardrobes because there are unbelievably beautiful items of clothing hidden in them that one day could be put on again. The reality, however, is usually different: We hoard what the stuff (or the wardrobe) holds and usually only put on our favorite clothes. What does it sound like to you when we tell you that we only own clothes for a week? First of all, frighteningly little! However, we don't have to worry about what to wear on a single morning, because in the wardrobe there are only the favourite clothes in which we feel comfortable, look good and which can all be combined with each other. Enjoy the lightness of a wonderfully structured wardrobe! Anything that no longer fits, never will fit again and never has fitted, must be removed.

Investing the right way

It is worth investing in high quality things. Just for the simple reason that these items (mostly) break less quickly and you produce less garbage. In the long run you will save money - tip: buying high quality used things saves money! Minimalism also includes consciously deciding for or against the purchase of a product. To be careful, to choose carefully and not to buy the first product, gives the whole thing a whole new touch. Minimalism as it is lived is often about mindfulness. This should of course also be reflected in purchasing behaviour. So careful investing is a good way to live out minimalism to the full! This tip should be particularly heeded, because most people fail exactly here with the conversion!

Plastic minimalism

The awareness for an environmentally friendly lifestyle is getting bigger and bigger and therefore this is of course also a topic of minimalism. Environmental protection has many facets, one of which is the conscious use of plastics. You know that discarded plastic bags and plastic products are rarely recycled and most of them end up in our oceans. As a result, animals suffocate and the microplastic particles continue to spread. It is not easy to lead a plastic-free life, but a plastic-free life is definitely a worthwhile adventure. First ask yourself: Where do you use plastic in your everyday life and what environmentally friendly alternatives are there? The plastic bag when shopping can be replaced by a fabric bag, the plastic water bottle by a reusable bottle made of stainless steel and the tomatoes packed in plastic are certainly also available without plastic packaging! The possibilities here are manifold, so stay open for new ideas and enjoy every progress or improvement.

Food shopping - is it minimalistic?

Of course, minimalism also works wonderfully with food purchases. But that doesn't mean that you will have to eat only rice and dry bread for the next few years. Rather, it means that you consciously and carefully choose what ends up in your shopping cart. Shopping lists are very helpful here. You should think in advance about what you should eat during the week and what foods should be on the shopping list accordingly. This will save you time, money and reduce your waste production. Maybe Foodsharing and Meal Prep are not yet familiar terms for you - then it's time for a little research! With minimalist food handling, the aim is to throw away as little food as possible and at the same time leave as little plastic waste as possible behind. Many minimalists also focus on the environmentally friendly production of food. My tip: Plan your meals and stick to your shopping list!

Social Minimalism

Social minimalism is related to material socialism. After all, our consumer behaviour does not come about by chance, but is shaped above all by our social environment. Do you have friends and acquaintances for whom friendly words are less important than expensive gifts? Even blasphemies, constant problem-shooting and bad communication can rob you of your energy. Instead you should spend your time with people who give you energy, because these people take you further in your development (and hopefully you take them further in their development). They give you unconditional love, inspire you and the time you spend with these people is just beautiful. You don't have to end friendships (if they are friendships), but simply focus more on the people who enrich your life and contribute to your happiness - that's social minimalism.

What is your optimal order?

Chaos does not only arise because too many things accumulate in one place, but also when many things are not stored sensibly. For example, if half of your bank statements are on your desk and the other half is somewhere on the bookshelf, chaos is inevitable. A simple rule for more order is to keep the same things in the same place. So you will quickly notice when you store things double and triple. Another trick is to store things that you often use in such a way that they are ready to hand. Placing a waffle iron in front of your favourite pan is only clever to a limited extent. Only very few people think about what their optimal order might look like. Do you already have a system or do you urgently need one? There are no limits to your creativity.

Digital Clearing Out

Even on a laptop, smartphone and similar electronic devices, a lot of bits and pieces can accumulate. Cleaning up and sweeping out the corners is just as liberating as clearing out the wardrobe. Which apps and programs have you not used for ages? Get rid of it! Which photos and videos are older than one month? To the cloud or to an external hard drive with it! Which documents and notes are no longer needed? Get rid of it! We use our laptops and smartphones every day and yet we fail to keep them tidy, although this makes them much easier to use. How many email addresses do you have and how many unused accounts on different websites? Here, too, a lot will have accumulated, free yourself from it!

A little library?

Probably over the years you've accumulated a small pile of books. That's wonderful, because books are great! But have you ever thought about selling the books, which only serve as dust catchers, on the Internet? On corresponding portals for the sale of books a considerable sum can be collected. The books can also be given to the local library. There are many nice ways to better house the dusty treasures. In times of urban libraries and digital libraries, reading should not be too difficult either. You can invest the profit from the sale of the books in new literature! Maybe you have also subscribed to one or the other magazine - is this subscription still worthwhile or can you also read the newspaper comfortably in your local library? Do you know someone with whom you could share your subscription or is your subscription perhaps not so important to you? Here, too, the motto is: Be creative!

No more presents for you?

Can you imagine a birthday where your guests don't bring presents for you? For example, how about asking your guests not to bring gifts, but to raise money for a charity instead? Wouldn't that be a wonderful enrichment for your anniversary? Otherwise the money can also be used to organize an unforgettable party! Hopefully, you will spend your birthday with many loved ones, so that you will have a wonderful time even without gifts, of which you will have many great memories. Remember what is really important and put it into practice on your own birthday: Collect memories, not objects!

Insurances, contributions and Co

We Germans are careful and that's great! But maybe you have one or the other insurance that you really don't need anymore. What about contributions for associations and the like? Take a look at your regular financial commitments and sort them out vigorously. We are sure that half of these financial obligations do not enrich your life, but rather burden it. This is not "just" about the financial aspect, but also about making your finances more minimalist and above all more mindful.

Newsletter and Advertising

Advertising and newsletters are now available in two forms: Printed and digital. Of course, it is not a big act to put a newsletter into the waste paper or to move the advertising mail into the digital wastepaper basket. But look at the big picture: How much time do you spend each day sorting your physical and digital mail? Five minutes? That's not much, of course, but in a year that's around 1,825 minutes, more than 30 hours. That doesn't have to be, because in these 30 hours you can also sit in the sun with a cup of coffee or listen to an interesting podcast. What helps against the flood of advertising is a sign with "Please do not insert advertising" on the letterbox. With every advertising mail that lands in your digital mailbox, you click on "unsubscribe newsletter". Sure, it's interesting to know what's on offer. But this is only interesting until you start to define for yourself what is useful for you!

Chaos in your wallet?

Also in the purse accumulate well and gladly receipts, small cards, visiting cards, notes and the like. That doesn't have to be the case, because a well-assorted wallet makes life much easier. Do you really always have to have your credit card with you? Which loyalty cards do you actually use to collect points? If you're honest with yourself, it's amazingly little. Maybe you just go to the specific café to finally get the point card full or buy a specific fabric softener because you got a discount card through this consumer-driven reward system. Your wallet says a lot about you and your consumer behavior. Letting minimalism take over at this point can have a positive effect on the next purchase. A monthly check is also worthwhile here to sort out receipts and similar everyday collectibles.

Stay minimalist

For many people, it is much more difficult to remain minimalist than to carry out a major clearing out operation. But why is that? Because every day our habits urge us to buy, buy, buy. So to stay minimalist in the long run, you have to change your habits. This works best when you set yourself ten big goals - based on the inspiration in this chapter, for example - and then set one of those goals as your weekly task. So you are constantly busy with the topic of minimalism and its implementation and you will get many more ideas. So always make sure that you pursue new goals, challenge yourself and constantly develop yourself further! A weekly, monthly and annual check-up helps: What have I planned and what have I achieved? In order to clearly define your goals, you should write them down. This brings structure to your project and you always have your written thoughts at hand.

Maintaining minimalism

We are only too happy to slip back into our beloved habits. You have already learned how to prevent this. Changes in our habits are also accompanied by changes in our mindset. Accordingly, regular smaller clearing out actions can help you adjust your domestic status quo to your minimalist mental status quo. The more often you question yourself and your behaviour in this way, the more profound the changes will be. You will see that in one year you will think quite differently about the necessity of the second pair of sneakers. Stay open for these developments and regularly give yourself the chance to deal with your living environment. When cleaning up, sometimes not only material entanglements but also mental entanglements dissolve and you notice "Hey, I only go to Pilates because XY does that too. I'd like swimming much better!" - be curious!

Drink tap water

Water in plastic bottles is usually not only expensive, but also unhealthy. Finally, with every plastic bottle of water you drink, you also drink tiny plastic particles that come loose from the bottle and swim around in your delicious water. Sure, now you could reach for water in glass bottles, but carrying that isn't necessarily comfortable either. So why not choose the simplest solution: Drink tap water. If you live in an area with not quite as pure tap water, a water filter is of course a good idea. If you have been drinking cola and co. so far, you can do your health a big favour and switch to water. When it comes to drinking, make it as easy as possible!

Search for challenges and practice mindfulness

Letting mindfulness return to everyday life is part of the minimalist lifestyle. How will you feel lucky at breakfast when you're distracted by radio and smartphone? To eat breakfast consciously, to really enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and to participate in breakfast with all your senses - that's luck. In this way you can make your entire everyday life more conscious and mindful and consequently more minimalist! We all live in the belief that multitasking will get us ahead. We are strongly in favour of singletasking gaining the upper hand. Once we focus on just one thing, we can perceive ourselves much better in this situation. So the daily cooking, the daily walk, the daily washing up and the daily sunshine can become a reason for a good mood!

Effects of minimalism: More serenity, satisfaction, success and happiness

What happens to us when we implement minimalism in our lives? Less is more and this is exactly what minimalism is all about. We throw all the unnecessary stuff out of our lives to have more time and space for the really important things in life. The focus is on the things that offer us real added value - we become more productive, we intensify our relationships, we set ourselves goals and make our lives more inspiring. Our focus is moving away from the consumer society towards more joie de vivre. You decide for yourself what is useful and what is useless for you. So what do you want to fill your life with? It is important that you decide for yourself and not some advertising or social pressure. You pedal your way freely through the minimalist lifestyle, removing the outer shells to be close to you. You may not even know what you really want because of all your consumerism and you will find out on your minimalist journey. So the effect of minimalism is that you are closer to yourself, that you are more relaxed, that you are freer and that you are more self-determined. So you are going to deal with the question "What do I need for my happiness in life?" and you will learn a lot about yourself! By the way, you clear out your apartment or house, so you have much more space and by your changed attitude to consumption you also save a lot of money. After all, you were able to find out for yourself that it's usually not the objects that make you happy, but above all the moments with loved ones. By accumulating fewer possessions, it is easier for you to keep order, cleaning goes faster. This saves you a lot of time and stress. Also the thoughts around the new Smartphone and the alleged necessity to possess it are dropped, whereby it can be lived much more relaxed. Your neighbours always need the latest sports cars? Good for her, but you don't have to deal with these trivial decisions anymore. This gives you the opportunity to use your time and energy for really important decisions. For example, you can develop professionally, get more involved with the stock market, take care of your retirement plans, plan great parties and spend wonderful holidays with your loved ones. As you can see, this way of thinking allows you great flexibility in shaping your life and that is incredibly important. After all, only you yourself are responsible for your happiness in life and no one else. The creators of the new advertising for the new vacuum cleaner robot promise you heaven on earth, but as soon as the little electronic butler flits through your living room, you are no longer interesting for them. The attention to your true needs will increase steadily over time. So you will go through your life more attentively and consciously, perceive what really makes you happy and experience great gratitude for many incredibly small things in life. Finally you have your luck in your hand and are no longer dependent on external factors! That's an incredibly good feeling!

More serenity through minimalism

Through minimalism we experience more serenity in everyday life. How is that possible? For this we should first look at how serenity develops. Serenity arises when we feel safe and worry little. Our composure decreases, for example, when we accept the wishes and expectations of people other than ourselves. Just because Hinz and Kunz need the latest smartphone and sneakers from Nike doesn't mean that we also have these wishes or that we have to refer to these external wishes. Either we follow one trend after another because we accept other people's ideas or because we fear the rejection of those for whom this trend is really important. In both cases it is about the ideas and wishes of other people and not about our own. As soon as we try to "please others" or to bend ourselves for the recognition of others, we are no longer calm. Instead, we bow to social pressure. We cannot influence other people's opinions and so we are constantly on our guard, under constant pressure and under stress to meet external expectations. What happens as soon as we surrender to the minimalist lifestyle and find more of ourselves? We often realize that we are not following trends out of passion for the trend, but to impress other people and thus supposedly secure ourselves a place in an unstable social structure. As soon as it is more about how we imagine our four walls, how we would like to live and how we would like to use our lifetime, we move on a safe path: On our way. Here we are not exposed to the arbitrariness of other people, but work for the achievement of our own goals, wishes and ideas. At this moment, we no longer make our happiness in life dependent on the opinion of other people, but solely on our opinion. And exactly at this point serenity arises. The pressure to meet expectations as perfectly as possible disappears. We are moving more and more towards the state of our lives that we really want and this is a space where we set the standards for perfection. Suddenly it seems less important to find out when the new Smart TV will be launched and how to finance it. Rather, you're now asking yourself, "Hey, I'd like to spend another nice evening with all my friends, how do I do that?" At the moment when we no longer blame the material possessions for our happiness in life, but see them for what they are - material as a means to an end - we can focus on everything that does us good and lets us be. Minimalism suddenly gives us a lot more time to take care of it. After all, we don't have to spend ages in department stores to find the perfect leggings, we can choose more valuable activities!

More satisfaction through minimalism

Perhaps the chapter "More serenity through minimalism" has already shown you why minimalism makes us so much more satisfied. We are only satisfied when we satisfy our innermost needs. We like to satisfy these needs superficially with extensive shopping tours that give us short-term happiness or with material status symbols that represent our place in society. True satisfaction, however, looks quite different. When was the last time you spent an outdoor night under the stars? How satisfied are you when you can enjoy a richly laid breakfast table? How satisfied are you when you finally reach your personal goals and learn to play the piano again? This feeling of satisfaction is simply not comparable to the feeling of running the new Prada bag or copying the questionable style of "Instagram Models". Minimalism saves us time, saves us nerves, saves us a lot of unnecessary stress. Minimalism is about finding out what we really need in our lives and how we can make the most of our lifetime. So we must start to set our own standards and not apply the standards of other people to our lives. If we concentrate exclusively on the standards of other people, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to get to know ourselves and to develop further. Our personal development, however, is a great asset: satisfaction. In very few cases standstill brings true satisfaction. Development, however, is - because this is about the realization of our very individual goals! On the journey to a minimalist lifestyle we learn a lot about ourselves and also find out in which direction we want to develop. This step means that we are more mindful of ourselves. Mindfulness is an important means to feel satisfaction in life. Satisfaction is closely linked to gratitude. Gratitude and contentment always provide positive feelings in our lives. But it is not only by experiencing and achieving our individual goals that we become more satisfied, but also by lowering our expectations. For example, the expectations of our material possessions, which do not contribute significantly to our happiness in life. Maybe you've spent your evenings in front of the TV and started wondering if this should go on for the rest of your life. After all, you have noticed that these monotonous routines, the irrigation by a boring television program and the constant advertising don't contribute to satisfaction, but rather move further away from it. We then often try to fill the inner void with material possessions because this is an easy and quick way to stimulate our short-term reward system in the brain. In the long run, however, these measures will prevent us from achieving our true happiness in life. On the way to minimalism you will ask yourself more than once what you want, what your goal is, what your vision is and where you want to go. This is the optimal start into a life with more satisfaction, after all you pay more attention to yourself and observe yourself consciously!

More success through minimalism

How does minimalism help us to be more successful? By making our time management more effective and increasing our productivity. We can minimize or eliminate facets of our lives that prevent us from succeeding and thus unleash our full potential. This starts with a simpler everyday life, goes through a tidy workplace and does not stop at finding out one's own real goals. Over time, you will become more and more minimalistic in your everyday life. The need to go through clothing catalogues or search online for the latest trends no longer exists. Instead, you have plenty of time, space and energy to focus on your professional questions and challenges. Maybe it's time to change jobs, do further training or become self-employed - do what makes you happy. You can see that minimalism does not go hand in hand with the renunciation of professional success, but rather opens the doors to more success. The simpler and clearer your everyday structures become, the sharper your focus becomes for the really important things in life and of course this includes the path to success. In addition to this mental change, there is also a spatial change if you dare to clear out your workplace. It's much easier to work productively and effectively when you don't have to search for a working pen for 20 minutes and the drawers are just overflowing with chaos. The spatial minimalism also contributes considerably to your being able to concentrate fully on your success. With minimalism we also find out a lot about ourselves. Once we have discarded our consumption habits and realize what brings us true happiness in life, we can work towards it. You may find that professional development is a facet of your life's happiness. You will be amazed with how much creativity and motivation you will now dare to realize your professional dreams! The decision to go an unconventional way will affect all areas of your life. So it won't stay with the rigid 9-to-5 concept for long, but your professional limits will also be blown up. The result is that you are open to new things, to unconventional and exciting things and are no longer afraid of challenges. Minimalism will also be evident in professional life itself. If you've interpreted evening calls from your boss as a sign of your importance, it could soon look quite different, because time with your family has become more important to you. Of course, this does not mean that your professional success will fall by the wayside, but rather that you will make it more effective and productive by setting healthy limits, ensuring a balanced lifestyle and being able to concentrate intensively on your projects. Of course, success does not stop with the job, but can also be related to private projects. Your goal is to make your diet healthier? Here, too, a clear mind and a clear environment will help you to achieve your goals enormously. Minimalism therefore helps us to be successful on a spatial and spiritual level!

More happiness through minimalism

Minimalism has two sides that influence each other: The conscious renunciation of unnecessary ballast in any form and the careful exploration of one's own happiness in life. This formula can create a lot of moments of happiness in everyday life! Let's take for example the theme Select outfit in the morning. With a minimalist lifestyle this problem does not arise at all, because ideally all garments fit together, all garments are the favorite garments and thus this decision is considerably simplified. The less actually simple and unimportant decisions we can leave out in everyday life, the more liberated our everyday life appears to us - and it is. This, for example, is one way in which minimalism can make us happy. As we clear out, we quickly realize how little belongings we need to be happy in everyday life. We finally become aware of the importance of a few objects and we give them great value because of their importance and not because of their actual material value. This is how we shape our daily lives so that we are surrounded by our favourite treasures, which are of great importance to us. What does this mean for our emotional world? That we feel true, genuine gratitude because we become much more aware of our environment and are more mindful of our material goods. In this conscious and attentive attitude we regularly feel deep gratitude. Gratitude is the basis of happiness. But minimalism is not only about clearing out, but also about setting new priorities. So the time with our dearest ones can become our highest priority and in the beautiful hours with these dear people lies a great treasure buried: Happiness. But how do these feelings of happiness actually develop? Our feelings come from our thoughts. If we have negative thoughts, we will feel this in our negative emotions. You think you can't influence your thoughts and emotions? Yes, you can! However, this requires a little practice. Every situation in life can be interpreted and evaluated in many different ways. Through this interpretation and evaluation our thoughts arise. Usually these are unconscious and subconscious processes. By concentrating more on what makes us happy on our minimalist path, we also learn to attach more or less importance to situations and to integrate the beautiful situations into our everyday life. This is the optimal way of shaping our lifetime - we fill our lives with happy moments. So minimalism and our happiness are connected. We learn to consciously separate ourselves from negative influences, to make our material and spiritual life more minimalistic and thus to create more space for the things and people that really make us happy. The freedom and self-determination that go hand in hand with minimalism give our lives a whole new dynamic and enable us to perceive and strengthen unknown facets of life. What happiness means to you in detail is of course up to you and a very individual matter. To determine these subtleties for yourself becomes definitely easier through the lived minimalism.

Checklists for more order in the own four walls

In this chapter you will find some checklists to help you clean up your apartment or house. In the case of a larger clearing out action with helpers, it is advisable to hang these lists clearly visible on the door of the respective room, so that everyone keeps track and the whole project runs as effectively as possible. With the following checklists I recommend you to declutter with the red/yellow/green categories! Clearing out is easier when you actually have three large boxes to sort into, each with its own category. This makes the process much easier! Have fun clearing out!

Checklist Study: Minimalism made easy!

- What is your vision of the perfect study? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: A large, tidy desk and a small chest of drawers with neatly arranged paperwork? All right, here we go!

- Empty the study and wipe thoroughly.

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- The red categories include: Documents, notices, account statements and letters older than 10 years, advertising brochures, defective cables, useless technology, defective pens and the like.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category includes things that you are not sure whether they will be needed again. In the study these could be old documents and letters. Everything that is older than 10 years doesn't have to be in the yellow category anymore... Sign the calendar that you go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green categories include all electronic devices, writing utensils and current paperwork from the last 10 years. That can be quite a lot under circumstances, so the trick here is also to stow these things as logically as possible.

- Establish an order: Store the paperwork sorted by category and year in a chest of drawers or a beautiful shelf, store functioning pens in a beautiful glass and sort small items using a crate system. It also often helps to keep this order by doing a "To Do Stack" from which you do three things daily. In the study it is not done with a unique clearing out action, here it concerns daily employment!

Checklist Bathroom: Minimalism made easy!

- What does your perfect bathroom look like? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: A beautiful mug with toothbrushes, a pot of homemade toothpaste, a brush, a homemade deodorant, olive oil to cream in, a homemade shampoo, two fluffy towels, a stack of toilet paper rolls and a large antique mirror. The bathroom is coloured in pastel colours and shines with its simplicity!)

- Empty the bathroom (plants, curtains, everything!) and store things in another room.

- Remove broken and/or superfluous furniture.

- Put towels, rugs and similar items in the laundry.

- Thoroughly clean the bathroom - including the light switches, edges, mouldings, windows and the back corners.

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- Sort out the red category: Half empty mascara, unused shampoo, dusty perfume bottles, the third hairdryer, expired medication, decorative items, the broken drying hood and the like no longer belong in your bathroom.

- Throw all things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again. Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category includes all items that have been used in the last four weeks. These may now be granted again.

- Establish an order: Things you use every day should be within reach, less frequently used items can stay in the back rows of your shelf or the like.

Checklist Corridor: Minimalism made easy!

- The corridor is chaotic for many people: shoes pile up, deposit bottles, waste paper and dozens of dog leashes can be found there. How would you like to be welcomed home every day? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus!

- Clear the hallway completely empty and store things in another room between.

- Use the free space and clean it thoroughly.

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- The red category includes stray keys, bits and pieces, unnecessary decorative items, unused sports items and similar ballast.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again: Spare keys, several umbrellas and bags. Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category naturally includes jackets, shoes, linen, house keys, helmets and everything you need for everyday life.

- Establish an order: The trick is to make wise use of the usually small space in the hallway. The best way to do this is with a crate system! So there are no open objects lying around and you always have the overview!

Checklist Living Room: Minimalism made easy!

- What's your vision of the perfect living room like? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: A super comfortable sofa, a big fluffy carpet, a small table, a big ball lamp at the corner, a great picture on the wall, a noble piano and... the war ́s! The dominant colours are pastel shades, beige and dark green. Here is a lot of space for artistic freedom, here can be painted and here is a lot of space for cozy evenings with friends.)

- Empty the entire living room and store things in another room.

- Now wipe through the back corner, in the cupboards/shelves and under the furniture.

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- The red category includes inanimate pot plants, unaesthetic picture frames, old newspapers, defective DVDs, obsolete electronic equipment, superfluous cables, bits and pieces, dusty candles and similar unnecessary decoration.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you're not sure if they'll be needed again - possibly a stack of nice magazines. Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category includes everything you need in your daily life in the living room. This may include (full) board games and large comfortable pillows. These things are now allowed to move back into the freshly cleaned living room.

- Establish an order: How about a small box for cables, a box for DVDs, a big plant as an eye-catcher, big pictures on the walls and colours inviting you to linger?

Checklist Dining Room: Minimalism made easy!

- A dining room is the place where people eat, where homework may be done and where comfortable rounds take place. What should this room ideally look like for you? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: Possibly a large table with some candles and comfortable chairs, beautiful pictures on the walls and an unobtrusive lighting is enough!

- Empty the entire dining room and store the items temporarily.

- Clean the dining room thoroughly.

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- Things of the red category: Unnecessary decoration, old cushions and the like.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again. It is often difficult for us to part with decorative items. Try it without! Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category includes everything that turns the dining room into a practical yet comfortable room: Noble candles, comfortable cushions and a decorative eye-catcher.

Checklist Kitchen: Minimalism made easy!

- The perfect kitchen offers plenty of space for preparing delicious meals, looks inviting and tidy, right? Many people have an infinite number of shelves, cupboards and wall units to store a wide variety of objects. Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: Two noble shelves on the wall and a small antique chest of drawers.)

- Empty the kitchen and store all the items in another room.

- Now clean the kitchen thoroughly!

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- The red categories include all plates, cups, bowls and the like which have not been used in recent months. How many knives, measuring cups, pots, juicers, mixers, casseroles, scales, spoons and can openers do you really need? You may realize that you no longer need half your storage space in the kitchen.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again. Remember, nobody needs four tableware services! Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category includes regularly used spices, your favourite pots, frequently used crockery and the like.

- Establish an order: The art of a practical and tidy kitchen is to position these things wisely: Frequently used to the front, less frequently used to the back!

Checklist Children's Rooms: Minimalism made easy!

- Depending on the age of the child, the imagination of the child must of course be taken into account. Does your kid have absolutely no sense in muckin' out? Then that's the way it is, because your vision doesn't have to be everyone's vision! Apart from that, the following applies: Hold the common vision in a nutshell.

- Clear out the entire children's room, including curtains and the like. Store the items in another room.

- Now clean the nursery thoroughly.

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ... (take into account the child's preferences!)

- The red category includes broken toys, unsightly pieces of furniture, unnoticed toys and obsolete toys. - Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again. These are mostly toys that your child loved a short while ago and now ignores. Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category includes all toys that your child loves and that are flawless. These objects are allowed to move back into the children's room - preferably sorted into boxes, so that children can keep order more easily. These checklists will help you to declutter! Of course, you can add or omit points as you see fit!

Checklist Bedroom: Minimalism made easy!

- The bedroom is a place of peace and relaxation - this is what this room should look like. What's your vision of the perfect bedroom like? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: Cosy light, a futon bed with a high-quality mattress, beige tones, floor-length curtains, comfortable pillows, a few books and most likely a cat.

- First, empty the bedroom completely and store things in another room.

- Wipe even the back corners thoroughly!

- Make any necessary design changes: Paint, install new lamp, ...

- The red category includes decorative items, broken objects, unused sports equipment and similar things that we like to park in our rest zone.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again. Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- Now it's time to put the green category away. Apart from a comfortable bed and a wardrobe, nothing really belongs in a bedroom. So: Fluffy blankets, unobtrusive light sources and the like are allowed to move back into the bedroom.

Checklist Wardrobe: Minimalism made easy!

- What does your ideal wardrobe look like? Write your vision on your checklist so you don't lose focus! (Suggestion: A homemade clothes rail from a large branch with many colorful hangers and three noble boxes under it for shoes, accessories and winter equipment.

- Store the entire contents of the wardrobe in another room - don't overlook the things on and under the wardrobe!

- Thoroughly clean the inside and outside of the wardrobe.

- Make any necessary design changes.

- Sort out what no longer fits, what has never fitted, what will never fit, does not fit optimally, no longer looks beautiful and does not let you shine in its full glory. These are all things that belong in the red category!

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

- The yellow category are things you are not sure whether they will be needed again. For example, the fancy shoes from your holiday in Italy, which you actually never wear. Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- The green category includes all the clothes in which you look stunning and which fit you perfectly. Now put these garments neatly back in your wardrobe.

- Establish an order: Which items of clothing should be ready to hand, which items of clothing should be allowed to go all the way back?

Checklist Cellar and Attic: Minimalism made easy!

- The cellar and the attic are the rooms where we store the camping equipment, Christmas decorations, tools, souvenir boxes and the like, which are only used once a year. So your vision should be to sort out everything you don't need for your happiness and used less than once a year.

- Emptying the basement and attic is not really a good idea. Here you prefer to sort everything into labeled boxes directly according to the principle and put the items of the yellow and red categories aside.

- The yellow category are things you're not sure if they'll be needed again, even though the basement and attic are yellow categories in themselves for years, right? Make a note in the calendar that you will go through this box again in exactly 30 days and then make final decisions.

- Green things are for example the diving equipment used annually, the Easter decoration or the inline skates used only in summer! The trick is to sort these things out clearly.

- Throw things out of the red category, sell or give away.

Closing remarks

So, now you have successfully worked your way through this book, taking inspiration for more serenity, happiness, success and contentment. You now know that minimalism is the conscious renunciation of "over- consumption" and that the minimalist lifestyle separates us from the pressure of perfectionism around status and material symbols. What remains is a highly mindful lifestyle, in which we consciously decide to let only really necessary and useful objects enter our lives and to fill our lifetime with meaning. Sinking into the evening in front of the television may then no longer be part of your everyday life - depending on the interpretation and exertion of minimalism - but there are plenty of possibilities in your life. Every day, for example, you have the opportunity to watch the seductive advertising that was so seductive until recently and say, "No, that doesn't fit into my life". Instead, you can devote yourself to the activities and people that contribute to your true happiness. So in minimalism you are very close to yourself, have removed the outer material layers, so to speak, and are now advancing to the core of your ego. In this way, you can freely decide what your life should look like without any outward seduction or influence. Letting go, rearranging and mindful living are the keys to a happy, successful, mindful and loving life. Your time to dedicate to someone or something is the greatest gift you can give, after all, you have no chance of regaining that time under any circumstances. So take care of yourself and make your life free, free yourself from unnatural and unnecessary compulsions and love your life! Make full use of the power of minimalism to achieve your goals and lead a truly relaxed and happy life. Now it is your turn to take the first steps, throw away the everyday ballast from your shoulders and unfold your life spirit anew.

Success begins in the head - Why you need the right mindset…even before you start!

So you want to be more successful, exhaust your resources and get on track? Then you have made the right choice! They must have a goal in mind and the will to change, and together we can embark on the journey to a more successful and strategic appearance! With the help of the tips and insights on the following pages, you can achieve a lot, but do not overtax yourself, but apply everything consistently and systematically for your life, and you will see that enduring success brings with it. But see for yourself. I hope you find the next pieces of the puzzle that will bring you the desired success.

1. Step to boost your mindset for success: Do you know what success means to you personally?

As different as people are, so is the definition of success for each individual. For some success may mean earning a lot of money, for others success means overcoming a serious illness, yet others see their success in being recognized and respected, or finding the love of their lives. Perhaps all of this applies to you or you have a completely different definition of success. Whatever you wish to be successful, you should first become aware of what success means to you and what success looks like to you. Whatever you define success and what it includes for you, one thing is clear in every case, who is successful, who achieves the goals and intentions he has set himself. Furthermore, for many, the recognition associated with achieving a goal is an essential indicator for their own success, if not even the main motivation to achieve a goal. Moreover, it can be said that people generally feel successful when the challenges they face run parallel to their growing abilities and skills and they thus have the feeling that they are up to the demands and tasks. However, as soon as an overload occurs, the successful completion of a project is automatically at risk, if the feeling of overload lasts longer, which can lead to stress or even burnout. In the opposite case, i.e. when the challenges are lower than a person's existing knowledge and skills, an overload due to understraining quickly arises and leads to boredom and a loss of motivation. The right level of demands in relation to the available resources is therefore decisive for success. This book is designed to help you achieve your goals, invest time in your success and also take time to read this book, because you will have more of it if you internalize the individual chapters and perform the suggested exercises instead of skimming through this book in quick succession. Use this book to change your life and make your dreams come true!

2. Step to boost your mindset for success: Self-reflection and honest analysis

Take a close look at your current situation. In which areas of your life are you successful and happy and where have you not yet achieved what you would like and why? Your life situation becomes most effectively clear when you take the trouble to write everything down very clearly. Often even more coherences and backgrounds come to light when writing down, because one is consciously and concentrated on one's own situation. Find out where you stand, especially in areas where the desired success has not yet been achieved. In this way, you quickly gain clarity as to where you should make changes, because this is absolutely necessary if you do not want everything to remain the same. Be absolutely honest with yourself and make a sober analysis of your current situation in all areas of life, starting with your work, your family and partnership situation, up to your living situation, your state of health, your circle of friends and finally your financial situation. Write down everything you feel about each area and what you think should change in this area to make you feel happy, satisfied and successful. Consciously dedicate at least 10 minutes to this task and write down uninhibitedly and sincerely everything you can think of and feel. This exercise will help you to see your current life situation soberly and clearly, because this is the first decisive step on the way to success. Only if you know where you stand can you set a goal at all, so take this discussion seriously, because for you it is not less important than the achievement of your personal goals!

3. Step to boost your mindset for success: Don't be afraid to take on challenges

We are all subject to constant development processes because the whole world is constantly evolving. Consciously stimulate your own development and take on challenges courageously. You can only win, because no matter how things go, you can only find out what you are capable of if you test your own limits and go beyond them again and again. Only when you take on challenges can you get to know yourself anew and perhaps you will discover skills and talents you didn't even know you had. Grow beyond yourself and learn new things. Make full use of your abilities and talents and no longer keep your strengths behind you. Don't hide behind flimsy reasons any longer but start your new life and dare to go new ways and to develop yourself further. Don't be put off by possible mistakes, mistakes are there to learn from you. You have nothing to lose. If you think you can't do something, then don't say "I can't do it", but rather "I can't do it yet", because you can finally learn it. Meeting new challenges is the most fundamental aspect when it comes to developing and unfolding your personality and building your self-confidence and self-esteem. Always keep your actual long-term goal in mind, then you will quickly realize that the previous, perhaps initially simpler path, is not really easier than accepting the challenge, since it has not brought you to your goals in the long term. Progress courageously and focus on your goal. However, always make sure that you challenge yourself, but never overtax yourself, which would have the opposite effect and throw you back on your way to your goal. The most important thing is not how much you create at once, but that you move towards your goal. Take one step at a time and enjoy every day and your partial success on your way to your goal.

4. Step to boost your mindset for success: Leave your comfort zone and do something new

Without realizing it, we tend to quickly adopt the habits and patterns we act and live by on a daily basis. For example, we always fall asleep in the same position, always have the same morning ritual when we get up, etc. Thus, in the course of time, the same behaviors and habits manifest themselves in our lives and they give us security and determine our lives without us consciously noticing it. But if you want to achieve a goal, that means a fundamental change in your life. However, no change can take place on the outside if it does not also take place on the inside. Therefore it is helpful to take a closer look at one's own habits and make conscious changes here as well. Why not take a cold shower once a day instead of warm, or sit down on another chair to eat, stand up with the other foot, eat with the other hand, etc. A small change in our habits means a new perspective and allows us a completely new perspective and thus more flexible thinking. Anyone who always moves within his familiar framework and always does the same cannot simply develop further and is treading water. It can happen very quickly that others pass by while you are still where you were before. So if you want to change something in your life, you have to change yourself and can't expect to achieve the same behaviors, patterns of thinking and actions as before. Only if you engage in new experiences will you discover new opportunities and be able to drive your development forward. But here too, you should not forget that you should start small, as too many challenges at once can quickly lead to overload and paralysis instead of development. Take small steps and make one change at a time rather than all at once. In this way you broaden your horizons and become more and more flexible and open, which enables you more and more to successfully implement even major changes.

5. Step to boost your mindset for success: If the word "if"...

All too often we boycott our own achievement by finding reasons why we cannot yet achieve our goal, according to the motto, if that or that were not the case... Or first I still have to achieve that before I can devote myself to the goal, and so on. If we put "if" and "but" before our goals are reached, we will most likely give up halfway and our goal will be a long way off. Do not hesitate and let thoughts of doubt and resistance pass. Focus on your goal and believe that you can really achieve it. Don't hide behind excuses any longer in order not to have to start, because behind your excuses are in fact your fears of failing and failing, but also the inner bastard. Face your fears and move forward fearlessly. Don't fall for the "if- and but-trap" any longer, otherwise your goals and wishes will remain nothing more than dreams. Because if you are honest with yourself, the "if" and "but" are nothing more than fine excuses and excuses for not having to take action and to face your own blockages and fears. The most popular excuse is not to have time. But when we take a close look at our time management, we find that we often spend a lot of time on ineffective activities such as watching television or surfing the Internet for hours, etc., then the justification for not having time is no longer tenable. If you really want something and something is truly important to you, then you will find the time for it. Only if something is not really important to us do we quickly find many flimsy reasons why there is no time for it now. Set priorities and invest in your future by tackling and realising your wishes and dreams.

6. Step to boost your mindset for success: The shy human: I would like to, but I do not know how

Many people are afraid to put their goals into practice because you don't know how to achieve them and so it's just a dream. If we want something but are not clear about how we can get what we want, then it is only a dream, but not a clear goal. Because that is exactly what distinguishes a dream from a goal. If we set ourselves a goal, it is essential to clearly define our goal and to consider a concrete goal planning, thus a strategy, how we can realize our goal. A good target management requires a concrete formulation and definition of our goal and requires a clear framework as well as a well structured planning of the procedure. In a thorough target planning of a large goal, intermediate steps and intermediate goals are always created, which must be achieved on the way to the large goal. If you are serious about achieving your goals, you will find more and more solutions and ideas on how to achieve them. Assuming you have a wish or a dream that you would like to realize, then you make your dream your goal, then the question of "how" quickly becomes superfluous.

7. Step to boost your mindset for success: Resign: I don't have the resources

Often our plans fail because we don't seem to have enough money or don't have the necessary knowledge and skills, and so some prefer to give up right away because it seems hopeless anyway. At least that's what many believe, and don't even try, and continue to remain in your supposedly hopeless situation and resign. But is that really the case? Can you forget your goals if you don't have the money or knowledge you need? No! Because if at the moment you still lack the necessary resources to implement your goal, then this can be changed, because you can simply start by obtaining the necessary resources or acquiring the missing knowledge, and so on. If you really seriously want to achieve a goal, then you will also find a way to create the relevant preconditions for it. There is a solution for everything and always a way. So don't throw the shotgun too quickly and don't give up so quickly! Search for solutions and you will find them!

8. Step to boost your mindset for success: Fulfill your dreams and do what you always wanted to do

Everyone has it, many dream of it, but few realize it, their dream. Do what you always wanted to do, do not wait any longer and put into action what you dream of, your lifetime is precious. Don't waste any more time with "if" and "but" because otherwise you run the risk, sometime as unfortunately many people, to stand at the end of your life and not at least to have tried it! Many people like to dream and then say: "Sometime I will make a trip around the world", or "One day I will own a Porsche", etc. That is also very nice, only "one day" and "sometime" are not in any calendar, but our lifetime is limited and can quickly be over. Live your dreams and don't waste your precious energy and time on things that don't make you happy. Take control of your life now and make yourself happy. Make the most of your precious time and embark on your own life's journey to your own personal happiness and success.

9. Step to boost your mindset for success: Don't think about what others might think about your goal

Follow your goal without constantly thinking about what others might think about it. Align your goals according to your own wishes and dreams. They can never please everyone and should not be deterred by it. There will always be supporters and critics of an idea. Talk about your goal, if at all, only with people who support your idea and find it good, but do not depend on the opinions of others. Stay true to yourself and your goal! It is certainly good to be interested in the views of others, because that means that you are open-minded, capable of criticism and willing to learn. But if you fight with fears that your fellow men might think negatively about you and your goal, this is a clear signal that you define your self-esteem exclusively through your success and make yourself dependent on the opinion of others. If this is the case with you, then you should deal separately with your self-esteem, which should not depend on your success. Because you are valuable, no matter what you do or what you achieve in your life or not.

10. Step to boost your mindset for success: Success killer negative self-image

If you have a negative image of yourself and don't trust yourself, it's not surprising if it doesn't work with the success in your life. It is therefore advisable to examine in detail what you think about yourself and what your self-image is. We develop our self-image in the first years of our lives and are shaped by our experiences and our parents, relatives, teachers, etc. As children we are not yet able to develop our self-image, so we internalize what we experience and what others tell us about us. Our self-image therefore corresponds to the image of others and what others reflect us. If our lives have been marked by defeats, negative experiences and unpleasant utterances, it is not surprising if you have a low self-esteem and a negative image of yourself as an adult. People who often experience that they are successful even as a child have a strong self-confidence and are automatically successful in adulthood because they are convinced that they can achieve their goals. To be able to achieve success is fundamentally decisive for one's own self-esteem. Those who feel inferior or even worthless cannot be successful. That is why it is very important to analyse one's own self-image precisely. Be aware that you have adopted your self-image since childhood and have carried it around with you since then without having checked it. As long as we feel like losers, we can only lose. But the good news is, just as we have learned to think badly about ourselves, we can also learn to think well about ourselves and change our self-image. Go inside yourself and listen carefully to what you often think or say about yourself, so you can quickly learn your beliefs and apply them exactly there, first transforming your self-image and then your whole life. Visualize how you would like to be, paint it in the brightest colors and imagine how you would like to behave and what you would like to do. If you often imagine a positive self-image of yourself, your subconscious will orient itself towards it and you will see yourself more and more in a positive light. You should also ensure that you can celebrate your first small successes by setting yourself small goals that you believe you are able to achieve. The more often you experience that you really achieve your goals, the more your self-confidence and your belief in yourself will grow. Start small and soon you will be able to reach large destinations. Another important point to consider in any case, do not depend on your success. Your success says nothing about your value as a person. You are no more valuable than others if you have a lot of money or are on the winner's rostrum at the Olympics. Always remember that you are valuable and endearing, no matter how successful you are. So your motivation to reach a goal should not be to polish up your self-esteem, because then you run the risk of giving up in case of failure, demoralized and demotivated, and even less of yourself.

11. Step to boost your mindset for success: Check what you believe

Test your beliefs! All too often our own convictions and beliefs prevent us from achieving our goals. But if we listen carefully to what we think about ourselves and what we think about success, money, etc., we are surprised to discover that we go through life with convictions that are often not even our own, but which we have already internalized and adopted from our parents, friends, acquaintances, etc. as a child, because we believe as a child that the grown-ups already know everything much better. But if we are convinced, for example, that money spoils the character or that you have to earn success hard... these are beliefs with fatal consequences. Because if you believe that, you will have a hard time being successful, and you will keep giving up halfway or even failing. Therefore, pay attention to what you think about yourself and the topic of success and correct old, long outdated beliefs and make yourself free. The decisive factor is what you believe! Only if you believe that you can really achieve your goal will you achieve it. But if you have inner doubts or fear that you are not up to your goal at all, it is impossible to realize your dreams and goals. In this case you should first work on your self-confidence and examine your beliefs, because not everything we believe is really true! Beliefs are at best a subjective truth and do not have to correspond to the objective truth or your own truth. If you set yourself a goal, but don't believe that you can really achieve it, you won't achieve it either. So if you want to achieve a goal, it is crucial for the success that you are absolutely convinced that you can achieve this goal. Only if you are deeply convinced of it, it will succeed. Pay close attention to your beliefs and emotions while addressing your goals. This way you can quickly find out which beliefs may block you in achieving your goals. For example, if you want more money but feel guilty in the deepest inner money or you don't think you are valuable, you will not be able to achieve your goal. Again, use the helpful method of raising awareness through brainstorming by writing down what you believe about yourself and your goals, as well as the topic of success. Get to the bottom of your beliefs and examine carefully whether they serve you or discourage and weaken you. If you have identified a negative belief, be aware that it is based on a subjective viewpoint and does not have to be true. Try to find out when and in what situation you developed this belief and why. At this point it is very momentous if you face up to your emotions and allow them to happen. Maybe old suppressed situations with other people come up and with them also the associated emotions like pain, anger, suffering etc. Allow your feelings and write them down as well. Especially when a negative belief was triggered by a close person and their behavior or statements, we often have to fight with anger and feelings of hatred because we realize that we believed the statement of a close person and concluded, for example, that we are not valuable or, for example, a failure. Forgive this person and realize that we are all just people and that each of us makes mistakes and sometimes we just don't know better. Just as we are entitled to make mistakes and not be perfect, so are others. Visualize the stressful situation and forgive the person involved as best you can. This will end the effectiveness of the old doctrine and free you. Consider reasons why this belief is not true and write behind your belief at least 3 reasons why it is not tenable. Play a little with your belief and reformulate it advantageously next. What should your creed be so that it strengthens you and serves you? Once you have found the right wording, write down your new belief again and try to live by your new one from now on. Many people are amazed at how elementary our beliefs and thinking about ourselves and our attitude towards success, money and wealth influences us. Stop being thwarted by untrue patterns of thought and free yourself. Rewrite your life and shape your future the way you want it. Then you are not going to stop on your way to your personal success.

12. Step to boost your mindset for success: Face your fears

If you notice that fears and doubts arise in you when you are confronted with your goal, it is in any case fundamentally important to first face up to your own fears and doubts and not simply push them away, because otherwise you will continue to work in your subconscious and block your success. Face your fears with courage and check them carefully. As a rule, our fears are based on old beliefs and convictions from the past that influence us and prevent us from achieving our goals. For example, if you are afraid of not being able to achieve your goal, it is advisable to work on your self-confidence first. Only if you are absolutely convinced that you can really achieve your goal will you achieve it. Do not be afraid to make a mistake or to be criticized. Nobody is perfect and making mistakes is perfectly normal. Through our mistakes we learn and make valuable experiences that help us to mature and grow. Moreover, our own mistakes make us more human, more sympathetic and sensitive, more humble to the mistakes of others, and we can also encounter others more empathetic, because others are not perfect either. We can learn from our experience and share it with others by giving valuable advice and tips to help others not make the same mistakes we do. You should understand your "failures" as "successes"! That sound funny to you? You may ask yourself how can you see failure as a success? Very simple. Every failure and defeat on the way to your goal is no less than an indication of how it does not work. Even if you have achieved an alleged failure, it is ultimately a success because you have gained experience and deepened your knowledge. In this way you can apply a different strategy and learn more and more in the process. Do not evaluate your failures as defeat or even failure, but change your perspective and your evaluation and understand your failures as successes in your development process on the way to your success!

13. Step to boost your mindset for success: Do not stay in the past

If you want to create something new and make your dreams come true, you should not stick to the past and stand in your own way. Progress courageously and make yourself free of old experiences, so that you can get involved with new and free! Living in the "here and now", we have all heard that before, but unfortunately for many it is not so easy to do this, because we are often not even aware that we are in the past and are plagued with feelings of guilt or accusations. Put an end to this and face up to your past to let it go once and for all, otherwise you waste precious life energy and lifetime on things that are no longer real, i.e. the past, and keep them upright and alive through your musings. Do you really want to continue living in the past and let your current life pass unused? Arrive in the present and practice coming into the present moment with all your attention and consciously perceiving what is happening right now or how you feel. Open yourself to your happiness, which is just waiting to be lived. Allow all the many beautiful and precious moments to enter your presence and welcome life every day. Be surprised what precious moments of happiness and experience your life has in store for you, right now.

14. Step to boost your mindset for success: Strengthen your self-confidence

If you don't feel up to your real goal, it is helpful to increase your self-confidence by first setting smaller goals that you are convinced you can achieve. With every successful experience your self-confidence grows and so you can soon venture to larger goals. Exercise regularly and keep fit, you will immediately feel more confident, attractive and balanced. Also, try to laugh as often as you can. Laughing is known to be healthy and relieves tense situations. When you laugh, you look more attractive and likeable to others and get more positive feedback. People tend to like to surround themselves with positive people. Reflect on your strengths and also on what you have already successfully mastered in your previous life. Be proud of yourself and always remember what you are grateful for in your life. It is most effective if you take at least 10 minutes and consciously write down everything for which you are grateful and what has made you happy or still makes you happy. You will be surprised how many things in your life have already gone well and how lucky you are. If you are grateful for your life and your experiences, you will feel rich and fulfilled, and will also attract fulfilling experiences.

15. Step to boost your mindset for success: Emotions are signposts

No matter what you want to achieve, you can achieve anything if you really desire what you want and the activities associated with it, give you satisfaction and pleasure. If you enjoy what you do, you can only be successful! Use your positive emotions as a guide and orientate yourself on what you enjoy. Align your goals with your pleasing emotions, then you have the best cards to be successful. If you have a strange gut feeling or you react with unpleasant feelings to a target, then do not ignore your own warning system, which wants to protect you from damage and defeat. Get to the bottom of your fears and face them, but also stay away from goals and actions that trigger negative feelings in you. Concentrate on your positive emotions and align your goals and your life to give yourself happiness and joy. Do only what feels good for you and what you are convinced of. Listen to your inner voice and let it guide you. But also be awake and recognize negative emotions as valuable warnings that you want to protect. Don't get out of the way of your negative emotions, but allow them and take a close look at what lies behind your negative emotions. In this way you can learn a lot about yourself and dissolve blockages that are usually caused by fears. Make sure that you have a good connection to your emotions and that you also take your feelings seriously, then nothing more stands in the way of your success, because in case of failure we stand in our way with our emotions and the thoughts hidden behind them about ourselves.

16. Step to boost your mindset for success: Make yourself aware of your lifetime

We spend a large part of our life working. But if we don't enjoy it, it means that we spend a significant part of our lives with something we don't really want. In the long run this can only lead to negative emotions and even illnesses and will certainly not make you happy, let alone successful. You will only be successful if you are absorbed in your work and it gives you pleasure and fills you in what you do. So if you are not happy with your work, it might make sense to consider a change of profession. It's the same with your relationships. Be aware of how much of your precious life time you may spend with people or activities that do not make you happy, perhaps even unhappy. Are you comfortable in your apartment? Is your apartment a place of peace, relaxation and harmony for you? If not, maybe you should think about a spatial change. Are you healthy and fit and feel good in your body? If not, you should do something as soon as possible! If you want to be completely happy, you should take a closer look at your entire life situation and make all the changes that are necessary to achieve your goals and fulfill your dreams. If you want to be successful, no matter in which area, you should invest as much time as possible in your success and your happiness. You should spend as much time as possible on things that make you happy and comfortable. Therefore, in order to achieve your goals, it is essential that you become aware of your lifetime and decide what your life should look like. Have you noticed that successful people are usually happier and happier and some seem to run smoothly? Somehow the ability seems to be successful to generalize to other areas of life. But to make your life successful, it is essential that you become aware of your current life and your living conditions and make changes where you are not happy and satisfied.

17. Step to boost your mindset for success: Find out what you really want

Those who want to realize their dreams must undoubtedly set themselves clear and unambiguous goals. Whether professionally or privately, in order for you to be and remain successful, you need a clear objective. Have you already thought about what you want and what defining goals you set for yourself? If not, then a conscious examination of your self-defined and most important priorities and objectives is the first important step on your way to achieving your goals, because only those who know what they want will achieve it! So if you're still not sure what you really want, you'll find here the first basic factor that prevented you from succeeding so far. Therefore, do not hesitate any longer and take the trouble to intensively deal with your dreams and wishes and the resulting goals and to make yourself aware of where you stand and where you want to go. If you set yourself exact goals, you focus your concentration on the essential and do not run the risk of getting lost in an unmanageable emotional chaos. Furthermore, a clear objective strengthens your endurance and increases your motivation, which inspires you to peak performance. But what is the best way to find out what you really want and what plans will help you move forward in your life and help you to be happy and satisfied? It is particularly important to bear in mind that you really do pursue and realize "your" own goals and not the goals of others that they expect from you, because only then will you bring the necessary perseverance and motivation that is so fundamentally decisive in the implementation of your goals. So first of all it is advisable to deal with his basic wishes and dreams in order to be able to formulate his goals clearly. What has always given you pleasure? What are your strengths and talents and what skills and abilities do you have? What have you been dreaming about for years? What do you need to be completely happy? How would you like to be? How do you imagine your life in the future? What if you could achieve anything you want to be or have? A suitable means to become aware of your wishes and goals is the method of brainstorming. This means that you write down everything that comes to mind about success and you will be surprised how many ideas you have when you let it flow and just start writing uninhibitedly. Dream calmly, freely and without limits and let your ideas run free. It is completely irrelevant whether your wishes are currently realistic, the only important thing is that they are really your wishes. Cross borders and be surprised what unfulfilled desires you have. Don't stop until you really can't think of anything else, but devote at least 10 minutes to your brainstorming. Now you have a foundation of your own wishes and desires and can start to build on them and structure and order the whole thing.

18. Step to boost your mindset for success: Set priorities

After you have made a big step with your brain storming towards your deepest heart desires and longings, it is time to take a closer look at your result. Sometimes we confuse wishes with emotions that are really behind them. It may be that you wish you had a lot of money, but in reality you may wish you had unlimited development opportunities. Or you wish to be successful in your profession, although you don't like doing it at all and basically wish to be recognized and respected. Therefore, it is advisable to take a close look at your supposed wishes and to make yourself aware of what you really want, or what is really behind your wishes and goals and what motivates you seriously for your goals. What makes your goal desirable for you? As soon as you are clear about your wishes, you should set priorities. Which of your wishes are most important to you? Reduce your wishes to the 5 that you want to achieve the most and which play the most important role in your life at the moment. Write down your wishes in the appropriate order, start with your most important goal, etc. If you set your goals in writing, this has a number of advantages. The focus on your goals increases many times over, since the conscious written examination is much more profound than a mere mental occupation with a topic. Furthermore, experience has shown that a written submission leads to clearer and more explicit wording, which considerably simplifies the setting of concrete objectives. In addition, you have your goals in black and white in front of you and can read what you have set out to do at any time, and you do not run the risk of losing your goals, as is often the case with thoughts and flashes of inspiration. Apart from this, it is extremely substantial for the successful achievement of goals to deal with the set goals on a daily basis. If you write down your goals, you can simply hang them in a place where you can spend a lot of time seeing and reading your list. This approach helps you to stay on the home straight and also has the effect that your goals get deeper and deeper into your subconscious. Furthermore, a written target plan has the same effect as a contract you have concluded with yourself personally, and thus encourages you to implement the goals you have set yourself.

19. Step to boost your mindset for success: Write down your ideas and flashes of inspiration immediately

Mostly we get the best ideas and flashes of inspiration in the most impossible situations such as on the train, in the toilet or even in the shower. But unfortunately we quickly forget our valuable ideas or can only partially remember the brilliant inspiration we had because we are exposed to a flood of information and external stimuli in our everyday life. But that's a shame, because our ideas are usually very inspiring and valuable. That's why you should write down your ideas and thoughts immediately and not lose any time. So that you are optimally prepared for such situations, always carry an idea notebook with you or use your smartphone to write a memo. If you write your note by hand, then write cleanly and legibly so that you can read what it was about at a later point in time. It also makes sense to leave enough space around or under your entry to add or write something at another time. Since many people find it difficult to find their notes again and to bring order into your note economy, a notebook is best suited. So you have all ideas and notes in one book and can't lose a note. You should see your notebook or idea book as a precious treasure trove of valuable ideas and inspirations, decorate or paint it personally, so that you also like it visually, but in any case, you should always carry your idea book with you, even when you take a walk. Even at night, you should place your book of ideas on your bedside table, because usually the best brainstorms come to us in phases of peace and relaxation.

20. Step to boost your mindset for success: The mystical effect of the desired energy

As soon as you come to terms with your wishes, they unfold a mystical attraction and have an effect on your subconscious. The emotions that your goals trigger, such as enthusiasm, passion, joy, etc., are the driving force that enables us to maintain our motivation on the way to achieving our goals and to achieve our goals. That is why it is so immensely important that you also set yourself goals that you really want to achieve. Only then you can realize your dreams and goals. It is particularly helpful to visualize your goals intensively and to colour in as much detail as possible. What do you see? How does it feel? Which colours and smells do you perceive? The more often you deal with your goal and visualize it, the more deeply your goal anchors itself in your subconscious and aligns it with the realization of your goal. This will also increase your belief that you can make it and you will soon feel how your self-confidence and motivation increase. By setting a clear goal, you take responsibility for your life and become the autonomous designer of your future. Those who consciously make their own decisions and no longer let others determine their own lives attract creativity and solution strategies as if by themselves. If you shape your own life and take responsibility for it, you free yourself and open the way to a self-determined future. Use the power of your subconscious and from now on decide for yourself how your life will continue. Imagine in detail how your goal will be achieved. The more detailed and clearer you visualize your goal, the greater the desired energy that can unfold. Decorate the whole situation in your imagination. How do you feel when you reach your goal? What do you see? What do you perceive? How do you feel? Which colours and shapes do you see and what do you hear or smell? Imagine your goal as clearly, vividly and colourfully as you can and do so as often and for as long as you can, because the more often and intensively you imagine yourself to be "already fulfilled" with your wishes and are in this imagination, the more you send out what you want and the law of resonance can work and fulfil your wish.

21. Step to boost your mindset for success: Move towards your destination

Formulate your goals so that you are moving towards your goal and not so that your goal is to get away from something. If you consciously move towards your goal, you have a good chance of reaching your goal. But if you concentrate on the deficiency, i.e. on what you "do not want", you will aim exactly the opposite and attract the deficiency and thus the failure. Articulate your goals positively and consciously refrain from negations, because your subconscious does not react to negations. For example, if you say "I don't want to weigh more than 90 kg", your subconscious will receive "I want to weigh 90 kg" and will do everything to keep your weight. You can imagine going shopping. You don't tell the saleswoman what you don't want, you tell her what you want. So formulate any negative statements in a positive way and concentrate on what you want. It is also important that you express your goals as if you have already achieved them. For example, "I am completely healthy" and not "I want to get well". Your subconscious accepts what you formulate as truth and will orientate itself towards it. So when you say "I want to get well", you keep yourself in the state of will and not the state of being.

22. Step to boost your mindset for success: The right time to make your dreams come true is "now"

Do not hesitate any longer to realize your long-awaited wishes and dreams, otherwise they remain nothing more than unfulfilled dreams and desires. Do not fall for the "if-then-trap". Many people do not dare to finally realize their dreams and have many reasons for it. "Once I have this or that, I can...". In truth, behind the many "ifs and buts" there is nothing less than our fear, which is capped and justified with these very excuses. So don't hesitate any longer and get to work today, because this is the only way to make your dreams come true! Don't put off your dreams, start right now! For example, if you have set yourself the goal of becoming self-employed, you can start planning today. The most important thing in the implementation of your planned goals is to get from the idea into action and to start by taking the first steps to come ever closer to your goal and its realization. When you start to act, it immediately affects your state of mind and belief in yourself, because if you are already doing what you have only imagined so far, the realization of your wish has already begun and your subconscious focuses on the implementation of your plans, because you start to act, which signals to your subconscious that you are convinced that you can reach your goal. Your subconscious will do anything to achieve your goal. So don't put off your goals any longer and do whatever you can to achieve your goals and act immediately. Be sure to stay tuned, there is something you can do every day to help you achieve your goals. So you will reach your goal quickly and with more and more joy and can be proud of what you have achieved.

23. Step to boost your mindset for success: Focus on your success

Many people tend to think of all the horror scenarios and obstacles that could prevent their success as soon as they have set themselves a goal, instead of thinking of success. That means you focus on your failure. The problem here is that we attract exactly what we focus on. If you often think about your possible failure and your failure, you move away more and more from your success and demotivate and demoralise yourself. Therefore you should let negative thoughts about your failure and failure, after you have already faced your fears and doubts, simply pass and focus on your goal! Visualize as often and as precisely as possible how you have already reached your goal and feel what positive emotions the achieved goal triggers in you. This keeps you on the road to success and keeps you motivated and convinced that you can really make it. You should concentrate entirely on your goal and work consistently and purposefully to achieve it. Thus you focus on the essentials on your path to success and do not run the risk of losing your way and being distracted or even discouraged. Focus on your goal until you have achieved it and strengthen your belief in it as well and as often as you can. Also, make sure that you only deal with topics that increase your awareness of success and inspire you. Avoid demotivating reading or incriminating films, because everything we consume destructively has a demotivating and weakening effect on our subconscious. Watch positive films about successful stories, read books about success and do everything that makes you positive and motivated and helps you focus on your success.

24. Step to boost your mindset for success: Learn from successful role models

On the way to your goal, it makes sense to take an example from already successful people. Look for role models and closely observe their success strategies. Surround yourself with people who have already achieved your goal and learn from them. What's their secret? How did you achieve your desired goal? You too can reach your goal without having to reinvent the wheel. Use strategies that already work and the knowledge of successful people and integrate this knowledge into your approach. In this way you can shorten your path and rely on proven methods of others. Furthermore, role models increase our faith and motivation because they have already realized what we want. The great thing about this is that our role models are also people, and they, like us, had to overcome and accept adversities and challenges in order to achieve your goal. Just read the biography of your role model. Look at pictures and videos of your role model and pay attention to how your role model behaves in certain situations. How does this person appear? How does she speak and gesture and how does her voice sound? How's her facial expression? Now visualize that you are now slipping into this person and seeing the world with your eyes. Identify yourself with your role model. How do you act now? What are you now doing in the body of your role model to achieve your goal? Often this change of perspective, through the eyes of our mission statement, brings us a completely new feeling and new solution strategies that help us in the detailed setting and implementation of our goals and dreams.

25. Step to boost your mindset for success: Consider your resources

An important aspect is the alignment of your goals with the resources you already have to achieve them. What strengths do you have that will help you achieve your goals? What weaknesses do you have that could jeopardize your success and on which you should work? What values do you have and are they compatible with the achievement of your goal? Only if you can stand absolutely behind your goals can you achieve them. How easy or difficult is it to achieve your goals based on your individual weaknesses and strengths? But the most important thing is your motivation to achieve your goals. If your motivation for achieving your goals is very high, there are a few weaknesses you cannot stop you from achieving your goals. However, it is much easier for you if you can achieve your goals without much effort and can draw on your strengths to support you. Therefore it is advisable to focus on these goals, for which you bring along a very high motivation and which fit authentically to your personality. Also check which emotions your goals trigger for you. Based on your feelings, you have a reliable navigator that clearly reflects your conviction, motivation and values in relation to your goals. You should feel comfortable with the idea of the goals you have achieved and be able to represent them with complete conviction, then you know that you are on the right track. However, since our energy is limited, we must always bear in mind that we do not overtax ourselves and that we do not want to achieve too much at once, because sometimes there is the danger that our energy is not sufficient because we have set ourselves too much, which often results in us breaking off from exhaustion because the puff is out. You should also make sure that your goals are not mutually contradictory or even mutually exclusive, because if, for example, you have set yourself the goal of becoming self-employed and at the same time never having to work again, then it is rather unlikely that you can achieve one of these goals, let alone both. In such a case it is rather meaningful itself first the one goal and then the next. and so on to undertake.

26. Step to boost your mindset for success: Don't overtax yourself

Make sure that you do not overtax yourself and want too much at once. Adapt your objectives to your realistic possibilities to avoid demotivation halfway down the line. If you would rather take small steps than all at once, then you will have a lot of staying power. Furthermore, a good structural plan with intermediate goals gives you security and helps you to keep control and not to give up on a suddenly seemingly insurmountable long way to the goal. To move forward, it is sometimes necessary to take a step backwards or small steps. You should enjoy achieving your goals and you should want to, but not have to. Only if you want to achieve your goals and look forward to achieving them, you will pursue them with ambition. It is very important for your success that you do not set your goals too high or even unrealistically, or want to achieve too many goals at the same time or that your goals stand in each other's way. Keep an eye on your realistic resources and plan enough rest periods, as well as fun and enjoyment, then you will reach your goals more easily and stay relaxed and relaxed without overexerting yourself.

27. Step to boost your mindset for success: Do not work hard but ingeniously

The secret of success is not to work particularly hard and hard, but to work wisely and ingeniously. Proceed strategically and plan your work steps efficiently. This saves you a lot of time and energy and keeps you in the fast lane. When planning, always consider periods of rest and relaxation, but also physical activity such as sports and enough time to eat a balanced diet. Only if you are fit and healthy are you also fully efficient. It is therefore very important that you allow enough time for exercise, sleep and a balanced diet. Successful people take this into account in their lifestyle because they have long understood that they can only be fully efficient and successful if they are fit and healthy. What does physical fitness and a healthy diet have to do with success? That's a lot! Only if you are physically fit and balanced and provide your body with healthy nutrition and sufficient drinking are you able to perform at peak performance and be successful. Sufficient sleep is also enormously important, in order to master its everyday life the next day again spraying before energy, without overtaxing itself thereby or overloading. It is therefore far smarter in the long run not to work hard and hard until nothing works, but to orient your planning from the outset in such a way that all important areas that contribute to your well-being and success are sufficiently taken into account.

28. Step to boost your mindset for success: Set yourself intermediate goals on the way to a big goal

If your dream is very big, it makes sense to set smaller stage destinations. This helps you to maintain your motivation and to achieve partial successes already on the way to achieving your goal. This strengthens your self-confidence and your faith in yourself. Goals that can be implemented quickly and easily are short-term goals. However, if you have set goals that require a longer preparation time and many steps, these are long-term goals that should be divided into intermediate goals. Intermediate goals prevent you from overtaxing yourself or losing motivation halfway through, because the goal you have set is still so far away. If you set intermediate goals, you can celebrate smaller and smaller successes again and again and move continuously towards your big final goal. Smaller goals are easier to achieve and thus quickly bring success, therefore short-term intermediate goals almost drive to action and motivate to continue through a rapid success and to tackle the next intermediate goal until finally the big final goal is successfully realized.

29. Step to boost your mindset for success: Set clear time limits

After you have defined the 5 most important goals that you want to achieve, it is very important to give your goals a clear time limit, which means that you define precisely when you want your goals to be achieved. This sets a more concrete focus on the achievement of goals in your consciousness and subconscious and helps you to implement your goals realistically. Apart from that, your success is now measurable and thus verifiable. In addition, you have probably already established that you always need exactly as much time for a task as you are planning yourself. For example, if you plan to clean your house in 5 hours, you will need exactly 5 hours. But if you have to clean your house in 3 hours, you will do the same. So we tend to take as much time to complete a task as has been set because you program your subconscious for a certain period of time. You can use this effect to achieve your goals by setting precise deadlines for the implementation of your goals and thus aligning your subconsciousness with the achievement of your goals up to a certain point in time. Plan the time span for your activities realistically but by no means too long, because we tend to really need the estimated time. Just try it out and plan a little less time for your activities. Usually one completes its activities faster in such a way automatically. Of course, you can also set time limits for achieving partial goals for the implementation of large goals, which gives you an even better ability to monitor your success and thus also a high incentive and many experiences of success if you find that you have come one step closer to your big goal again and have achieved what you have set out to achieve.

30. Step to boost your mindset for success: Reward yourself

In order to make the achievement of your goals even more attractive for you and to drive yourself, it is recommended to consider rewards for the individual subgoals that you grant yourself if you have successfully achieved a subgoal. There are no limits to your imagination. For example, you could treat yourself to a wellness day or an evening with friends or buy yourself a nice piece of clothing, whatever you like, the only important thing is that you reward yourself for your partial successes and spur yourself on to reach your goal piece by piece. Write the respective reward for achieving your goals behind the corresponding goal on your list and look forward to your path to success, which is so much more fun for you, by looking forward to the realization of your goals and now also to your rewards. Already the expectation of success stimulates the so-called reward system in our brain, which helps us to continue pursuing our goals. When we feel that our efforts are worthwhile, we become even more committed and it is easier for us to hold out.

31. Step to boost your mindset for success: Plan your goal achievement the other way around

Another very effective way of achieving one's goals is to imagine in detail the state in which the goal has already been achieved and then, from the existing achievement of the goal, to plan backwards until now. This variant provides a different perspective on the way to achieving the goal, as it is based on the goal already achieved. Often you discover new steps and ways to realize your goal. Furthermore, backward planning brings a further advantage. If you plan backwards from the goal you have already achieved to the present, you receive a plan that can be realized in time, because you perceive and plan time backwards in a different way. In addition, the view for the essentials is higher with backward planning and one recognizes unprofitable work steps, which one had planned with the conventional arrangement perhaps out of fear. This will sharpen your vision for what is necessary and give you a realistic picture of the time you need to master your intentions and goals. Consequently, backward planning is a very effective tool to develop a really good, well-founded and realizable target planning, which is indispensable for your success. But make sure you have enough buffer zones in place to keep your approach flexible and adaptable, because the best plan is never static and inevitably requires the implementation of free space and fine-tuning to constantly changing conditions.

32. Step to boost your mindset for success: Integrate your conscious achievement of goals into your everyday life

The conscious examination of your goals should be integrated into your everyday life as an integral part, just like eating and drinking. Consciously take time every day to deal with the achievement of your goals. Visualize daily how you have already reached your goal and direct your attention consciously to your goal. This helps you to maintain your motivation permanently and inspires you to come ever closer to your goal from the positive feelings that the goal triggers in you. Here, too, you will benefit most from your dispute if you conduct it in writing. This allows you to see clearly where you are on your way to achieving your goals and to make corrections and adjustments without any problems. Just as important is conscious action, i.e. daily "doing" in dealing with your goals. Make sure that your goal achievement becomes the daily object of your day and that you make progress every day. There is always something to do or improve and if it is only the conscious visualization and imagination of your goals.

33. Step to boost your mindset for success: Meeting obstacles and adversities calmly on the way

Obstacles and problems are to be expected on every route. Don't let that discourage you. Consider the obstacles as opportunities to grow and become stronger. The realization of a goal naturally also requires a change in one's own orientation. Obstacles and problems on the way to achieving a goal are only clear calls to grow and develop at this point. A change can only happen if the basis develops and changes accordingly. That's why you meet obstacles and adversities in a relaxed and relaxed way and overcome them instead of avoiding them. Focus on developing and growing on challenges and increase your self-esteem and self-esteem by courageously facing new tasks and obstacles. Do not ask yourself "if" you can make it, but "how" and you will find a solution. Welcome joyfully all problems that get in your way and make it your task to continue learning and to continuously find new solutions, in deep confidence in your abilities and solution competences. If you like to look back at situations in your past that you have already successfully mastered, for example when you learned to walk, then the shyness to tackle problems is quickly put into perspective again, because you know that you have already overcome and mastered much more difficult things in your life and have even grown and acquired new skills. So get rid of your fear and face your challenges, you can only win! Don't let yourself be distracted by obstacles and adversities on your way, there is always a solution if you are willing to find it.

34. Step to boost your mindset for success: Combine your goals with recurring everyday activities

If you remind yourself of your goals several times a day, it will be easier for you to stay motivated and on the home stretch. To do this, you can simply combine a day-to-day activity with your objectives. Choose something that you use several times a day. For example, you can stick a note or picture of your destination on your bathroom mirror or, for example, a password that you use frequently with your destination. Do you drink much coffee? Then make your coffee cup the medium of your destination and stick a picture or the word of your destination on your cup, and every time you enjoy your coffee, you automatically think of your destination. You could also use your pack of cigarettes or other items that you use several times a day to focus on your goal. The more often you deal with your goal, the faster you will achieve it. Take advantage of the opportunities that your everyday life offers you and let your goals be taken into account wherever possible. There are no limits to your imagination, it is only important that you do not lose sight of your goals and are reminded of them as often as possible. In this way, the necessary can be meaningfully combined with the useful and you use all possibilities to continuously come closer to your goal. Use the energy of your desire, which can unfold anew each time you recall your goal.

35. Step to boost your mindset for success: To-do lists

In order to be successful, a lot has to be mastered and done, and yet there should be enough room not to lose the important motivation on the way to the goal. That is why it is essential to structure yourself thoroughly and to plan your everyday life well. To-do lists have proven to be very effective in this respect. Write a list for each day, adapted to your resources, and note everything you want to create on that day. However, you should always take into account sufficient breaks and also times during which you can consciously deal with your goal and do not overtax yourself! Consistent and permanent "less" is "more" than too much, because too much can quickly lead to a breakdown that can bring your motivation and self-confidence to the cellar. That's why you take care of yourself and adapt your requirements to yourself and to your realistic resources. To-do lists have the positive effect of being able to celebrate small successes every day, because you can simply cross out or tick off what has been done and at the end of the day you can see how much you have actually achieved. However, if at the end of the day you find that you haven't done a lot of things on your list, you should honestly question that and adjust your to-do list accordingly in the future. Perhaps you have taken on too much or you have avoided certain tasks. However, as long as you have successfully completed at least 80% of the activities you have planned, you can look forward to and be proud of yourself. At the end of the day, with your ticked off to-do list, you have something visible in your hand by which you can clearly and easily measure your success and this is incredibly important to continuously build your self-confidence and faith in yourself, but also your belief in achieving your goals.

36. Step to boost your mindset for success: Maintaining motivation on the way to the big goal

Who doesn't know it! The e-mail box is overflowing, the next unprocessed letters are waiting in the mailbox and the dishes are waiting, but the motivation is in the cellar and you would simply prefer to lie down on the sofa and talk to friends or do something else pleasant. A good way to pull yourself together is to be aware of what it is good for, for example, if you process your emails or do the washing up promptly. To illustrate this quite consciously, it can be helpful to make a note of the reasons behind each task on your daily to-do list, with a view to achieving the actual big goal. This could look like this, for example: - Papers for the Office erledigen→ Reasons: Achieve financial freedom - Email abarbeiten→ Reasons: Clarity and structure to be independent, etc. So if you put your daily work in a meaningful relation to your main goal, you get your incentive and suddenly realize how much easier your activities are going to be. We all want to do something meaningful. By giving meaning to your rather unattractive but necessary everyday activities, your inner resistance disappears and you can pick yourself up again in the service of your goal. Be aware that you are on the best path to autonomy in achieving your goals, because if you achieve your goals, you have actively shaped your life the way you want it to be.

37. Step to boost your mindset for success: Finding a balance between empathy and expectation

Expect a lot from yourself and exceed your own limits, but don't overtax yourself and don't be too strict with yourself. If a day doesn't go as well or if you don't always manage everything as you have planned, then show compassion for yourself. We are all human beings, not machines, and should be loving and empathic towards ourselves. If your body signals to you that it is tired and needs a break, then give it the well-earned rest period. After that you can get back to work fresh and energized and you will be efficient and concentrated again. Try to strike a balance between the ambition to achieve your goal in a disciplined manner and an appropriate compassion for yourself. It doesn't help you to demotivate yourself and to torment yourself with self-reproaches, because it doesn't work that way, it only weakens you unnecessarily. Treat yourself just as you would treat a loved one close to you if they were frustrated and depressed. Expect a lot from yourself, challenge yourself, but don't overtax yourself.

38. Step to boost your mindset for success: Allow yourself time out

To be successful, high performance and a lot of endurance are necessary. So that you can get off to a good start and stay on the ball in the long term, it is immensely important to allow yourself sufficient rest periods and phases to recharge your batteries and energy. Consciously create a balance to the stressful everyday life and take care of yourself. With replenished resources it can then go on concentrated again, with new energy. Only when you are well and fit do you have the strength and stamina you need. To stay on track for success. However, if you overtax yourself, you run the risk of running out of air halfway! Go for a walk in the fresh air. Go in for sports! Exercise and fresh air get you going again and energize you anew. Also, make sure you get a good and restful sleep. You should make sure that you really do have your 8 hours of recovery sleep. The well-known afternoon nap, also known as 10-minute sleep or power napping, has also proven to be extremely effective. Our body is able to regenerate quickly, so even a small nap is enough to recharge your batteries and make you fit and powerful again. In addition, small sleep breaks benefit your cardiovascular system, but also your soul and your brain, which is usually flooded with irritants, and thus prevent burn-out and cardiovascular diseases. You can take a little nap anytime, anywhere. You should simply set an alarm clock to wake you up after a 30-minute break at the latest, otherwise you will fall into a deep sleep phase, which makes it difficult to get up again. As we now know, a short nap is enough to revitalize you. So take a little nap more often and see for yourself how you can get to work in a more balanced and energetic way and thus create your everyday life much easier.

39. Step to boost your mindset for success: Dealing calmly with envy and hostility

As soon as you are successful, you call envious and envious people on the plan. Don't let this discourage you or even distract you from your path! Every successful person knows this situation. They will never all agree and so you can't expect everyone to like what you do or that others value your work. There will always be people who will not grant you your success! Envy, like all other emotions, belongs to our nature and can be found everywhere. Mostly envious people, people with a weak self-esteem. So if you can understand that envious people have deep-seated problems of their own and their behaviour has nothing to do with you personally, it is also easier for you to deal with possible envious people and their envy. Apart from that you should keep in mind that you should actually feel flattered, because obviously you have something that is also desirable for others, because otherwise you would not trigger feelings of envy in others. Stand above it and just take note of this fact if you are confronted with envious looks or unobjective comments without referring to yourself personally. Often people are behind such comments who can only dream of "their success" in the deepest depths. Instead, concentrate on the people who value your work and your success and are well-disposed towards you, rejoice in your well-deserved success and let no one take it away from you.

40. Step to boost your mindset for success: Understanding criticism as an opportunity

If you are criticized constructively, you should take a closer look at this criticism. In order to be able to constantly grow and optimise oneself, it is important to take the external mirror seriously, in the form of criticism, and to reconsider it. Maybe there really is something you can improve. Use criticism profitably and accept it as a valuable hint and opportunity for optimization. Try not to take criticism personally and to refer to yourself as a whole, rather concentrate on the facts contained and look at them in a sober and value-free manner. Listen to criticism calmly and let the critic speak out, so show that you are open to constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement. In the event that you are criticized inappropriately or the criticism is not factual, you can simply state that you see things differently, but you do not have to face a criticism that is not one. Only really objective and constructive criticism is helpful for you and worth a closer look and listen. We can grow from constructive and honest criticism and see where we stand and where we can still improve. However, if a criticism triggers you to feel hurt and offended, it could be that there is some truth in the criticism and you are criticised for something that you do not like deeply in yourself. Then you can take a closer look and work on your self-esteem and self-love. If you are really sure about what you are doing and can stand behind your actions with complete conviction, a criticism will not really upset you or affect you in any way. They will be grateful for suggestions for improvement and honest criticism, but also self-confident enough not to get involved in fake and unobjective criticism and to move forward with cheerful courage.

41. Step to boost your mindset for success: Prepare yourself for extreme situations and pressure to perform

On the way to your goal you have to expect that there will be days when you have a lot of stress and are under great pressure. In such times it is not always easy to stay motivated and efficient. Especially under great stress, many people's performance decreases and it is difficult for you to concentrate. It is particularly helpful to be aware of what realistic expectations are placed on us and the subjectively perceived stress and performance pressure we put on ourselves. This depends crucially on what subjective expectations we have of ourselves, because often our subjective expectations do not meet the realistic expectations that our boss, our teachers, or a customer have of us. If we want to make everything 1000 % and super perfect, it will be difficult to meet our own expectations and we have to ask ourselves whether 100 % is not enough and we perhaps set our expectations of ourselves too high. Nevertheless, we have high expectations of ourselves, and the demand to give our best is certainly appropriate if we have set ourselves a goal, but here we have to find out the fine balance between demand and excessive demands on ourselves and adjust our goals and expectations accordingly, again and again. As always, when we are under stress, there is in reality a fear behind it, such as the fear of not being able to live up to the expectations of others. If you are also one of those people who suffer from fear of failure and can actually always do everything until it matters, then there is a sensible way to prepare mentally for such situations. One useful tool to be aware of your fears and to develop solution strategies is to imagine a worst-case scenario. Imagine the worst that can happen, what you are most afraid of, and play through this situation in detail. What could you do if that's what you're most afraid of happens? If we allow ourselves to face this situation imaginarily, we realize that our fear is not necessary at all, and recognize new solutions for how we can deal with our fears in such situations. Thus the great fear becomes smaller and smaller and possibly disappears completely. Once you have formulated and focused your actual goal, set yourself behavioral goals of how you want to act in order to achieve your goal. This method is often used in professional and competitive sports because it reduces the pressure by allowing the athlete to concentrate on the defined goals in action. This means, for example, that the actual goal, the victory of a competition, is focused by intermediate goals that relate solely and exclusively to the active action of the athlete. This approach reduces the fear of failure and allows motivation and conviction to achieve the real goal.

42. Step to boost your mindset for success: Endurance and dedication are the prerequisites for your success

Your goal will only be attainable if you are already working overtime and a lot of work and have a persistent high level of commitment. For example, if you want to set up your own business with a new project, you have to put a lot of effort and invest a lot of time. You will only be able to do this if you want to make your dream come true at all costs. Therefore, only set yourself goals that you really want to achieve and for which you are absolutely prepared! An equally important aspect is the ability to be patient. Promote the realization of your goals, but also practice patience where necessary. This preserves your nerves and helps you to stay calm, even if not everything works immediately. The decisive factor here is your frustration tolerance, which means the ability to deal with frustration and defeat. This ability is not equally well developed in all people, but can be trained as well as the ability to be patient. People with a high tolerance for frustration can deal with setbacks and frustrations much better and usually also have much more patience, but also a fighting spirit and determination not to give up, but to try again and finally succeed. In order to increase your frustration tolerance and thus your endurance, you should always face situations that are rather unpleasant for you in order to carefully perceive the feeling of frustration and to endure it for a while. If you feel that you are losing patience, count on 10, breathe in and out consciously and deeply, and hold out until you reach 10 before you act. If you keep practicing this consciously, you will notice how you can be more and more patient and how your frustration tolerance is visibly increasing. With a high tolerance for frustration and the ability to be patient, you will be able to overcome obstacles and resistance with ease and get closer and closer to your goal step by step.

43. Step to boost your mindset for success: Stay flexible and adaptable

On the route to your goal, it is always necessary to adapt and optimize your own objectives to changes. Not everything always runs smoothly and exactly as we imagine it. External conditions or hurdles often require a rethinking, which requires a high degree of flexibility and a talent for improvisation. Stay flexible and adaptable. However, you should not lose sight of the actual goal. Understand changes as improvements and use the necessary changes to optimize your plan to achieve your goals. Those who see change as a threat will find it difficult to react flexibly and show with their fear that there is still room for development in terms of self-confidence. The ability to react flexibly and adaptably to new situations or changes is something we already learn in childhood, and since these experiences are not always positive, some people conclude that changes are a danger. However, changes as well as continuous development processes are an incontrovertible natural fact, from which these people or even animals and plants benefit, which are able to adapt adequately to the new or changed conditions and to outgrow themselves. Face your resistances and fears and get free. Adaptability and flexibility as well as other skills can be trained. Be aware of how many changes in your life, you in retrospect, have led to an improvement and trust that changes will always occur in your life in the future when you are about to optimize your life. Take advantage of the opportunities your life offers you and remain flexible by relying on yourself and your abilities. Strengthen your self-confidence by recalling how you have managed to master changes many times and let them become an improvement for you. Welcome change and stay open and curious about what's new in your life!

44. Step to boost your mindset for success: Stay authentic

In order to be successful in the long run, you should remain true to yourself. Only if you are authentic will you be perceived and appreciated as the person you really are! Do not bend to meet the needs and expectations of others. Masks fall short or long and make you unbelievable. Being authentic simply means being oneself and requires a clear picture of oneself, including our weaknesses and strengths, to which we can fully subscribe. Especially in today's world, which is full of perfection, show and facades, people are increasingly looking for the real and the original. But being authentic is not only about dressing and presenting yourself in your own style, it is also about your own values. Always act as you can and remain true to your values and principles. Do not sell yourself to be successful, because this only works in the short term, but never in the long term. Apart from that, others will perceive you much more positively and sympathetically if you remain human and keep as little behind with your weaknesses and mistakes as with your strengths and abilities. Stay with yourself and don't try to fulfil any expectations or even affectionately any roles that you are not at all. This only robs you of valuable energy, because it is very strenuous to play a role. But that is not necessary! You are just as right as you are! Stand by yourself because you are perfect in your imperfection. You should also keep in mind that being authentic does not always mean staying the same, because we too are constantly evolving and changing. To be authentic means much more to remain true to oneself, one's personality and principles and to be able to stand absolutely behind one's actions. Stay authentic and on the carpet when you succeed and realize that you become mentally stronger and stronger when you accept and love yourself as you are. You no longer derive your self-esteem from the recognition of others, but from your own strengths and your own personality and thus strengthen your independence from the opinions of others. Even criticism can then no longer harm you, because you can react constructively to criticism with a strong self-confidence and a pronounced authenticity, also on your part, without grasping it personally. Say goodbye to the idea of having to please everyone, and first and foremost make yourself right by finally accepting and acknowledging yourself as you are with all your positive and negative sides, with all your strengths and your shortcomings, because that is you and you are wonderful just as you are! This makes you unique and valuable, because nobody is like you. Enrich the world with your uniqueness and don't try to rank yourself in a multitude of copies and play the role you are expected to play. Whoever manages to free himself and simply be himself and live it feels like a great burden and a lot of head cinema falls away from him. How free and with how much joy you can live if you don't have to worry about what others think about you all the time. Stay true to yourself and make yourself happy and be surprised how many people like you exactly as you are.

45. Step to boost your mindset for success: Show strength and recognize your limits

No one can do everything. Therefore, use your skills and competences to achieve your goal, but do not hesitate to seek expert advice where your knowledge and competence are not sufficient. This is the fastest way to reach your destination! Even if you prefer to manage everything on your own and have very high demands on yourself, take help and fall back on the expertise of other people, especially if you are not yet sufficiently familiar with these areas. Use the know-how of experts and shorten your path to success, because it shows true greatness when you know your own limits and can also admit your shortcomings. Do not recklessly jeopardise your success out of false pride. They don't have to do everything and always be strong. You also can't always have a solution to all the problems that arise. For this reason, you should shorten your journey by taking the necessary help where you need it. Show strength by clearly accepting your weaknesses and realize that we are human beings by nature, social beings, and it is not in our nature to fight through ourselves. Moreover, every successful person has his team or his circle of friends who intercept what you are not so good at. This gives you the opportunity to focus on what you do best, while others can benefit from doing the part they do well. So if you concentrate on your strengths and competences and give away what you don't like or where you lack the knowledge, you will reach your goal quickly and directly. Become aware of your strengths and abilities and strengthen them. Your skills prepare you for difficult situations and increase your self-confidence. This makes it easier for you to maintain your motivation and achieve your goal without getting out of hand if something does not work as it should, and to get help here and there.

46. Step to boost your mindset for success: Listen to your gut instinct

When it comes to difficult decisions that are difficult for you, you can rely on your gut feeling. Your intuition tells you reliably what we often do not understand with our heads. So if a decision feels good, you can rely on it to be right. But if your gut warns you and you have a queasy feeling, then you better not touch it. The more complex and opaque a decision is, the more well advised you are to trust your gut feeling and listen to your subconscious. Why? Have you certainly experienced that your gut feeling warned you and thus saved you from a dangerous situation, or have you done something against your logical thinking, because your gut feeling told you to do it and you were happy with it? Our consciousness consciously perceives only a fraction of our sensory impressions, the rest ends up in our subconscious, which simply stores everything and thus preserves an immeasurable treasure of experiences and impressions. The early warning system of our gut feeling is therefore particularly helpful for decisions that do not leave much time. It always points us in the right direction, because our intuition reacts much faster than our conscious thinking. Of course a good goal planning requires a lot of conscious and analytical thinking, but you should always trust at least as much in your inner voice and only do what feels good and right for you, then you are always on the safe side. Also, always try to focus your planning on efficiency. Only if your working time is worthwhile for you and you manage as easily as possible what you want to achieve, will you be satisfied and successful in the long term in your work or in achieving your goals. Also consider your investments, because they should all bring you a high value for your future. Invest in your future and plan your approach wisely and carefully, then you will have enough strength to achieve your goals quickly and be successful. The most important investment is the investment in yourself, because you are the most valuable thing you have. What you once know and have learned, no one can take away from you. And only if you are doing well are you able to reach your full potential. That's why you should always invest in yourself first!

47. Step to boost your mindset for success: Design your life with enthusiasm

People who have a positive charisma are more successful than others. Make sure that every day you devote yourself to activities or topics that inspire you and give you pleasure. If you can be happy every day and have something to laugh about, you can be appealing and attractive to others and master your everyday life with its sometimes unattractive or boring activities and challenges much easier. What is there in your life that triggers passion and enthusiasm in you? What has been your whole life, like an invisible thread running through your life, because it has always interested and gripped you? What is it worth to you to fight for it? What do you prefer to do? What are your main interests? What gives you pleasure and is easy to handle? Which topics fascinate you with skin and hair? Anyone who does something with passion and enthusiasm sprays with energy and performance, because the engine of passion spurs us on to top performance. For this reason, it is very important that you at best align your goals with your passions, or at least allow sufficient space and time for dealing with your passions in your everyday life. If you live your life with enthusiasm and joy, you will automatically be happy and in a good mood most of the time and even boring or uninteresting activities will be much easier for you. The one who cannot live passions in his life vegetates more than he lives and will not feel filled and happy. It is precisely these situations or moments in which, full of enthusiasm and joy, we are completely absorbed in one thing and are simply happy to be here and to devote ourselves to the things that inspire and fulfil us. Who loves what he does, has a maximum of motivation and performance and can only be successful. Our passions show us very clearly what our life's mission is, so do not hesitate any longer and align your life to what makes you happy and above all alive and where you can make full use of your abilities and strengths.

48. Step to boost your mindset for success: Open your heart and dare

Do finally, what you always wanted to do. Open your heart to your relationships, open yourself to the activities you perform and you will soon see how happy that makes you, and how successful you can be just by motivating your passions. It's never too late. Don't waste precious life time on things you don't want and that don't make you happy, start living your life and making yourself happy now. Enrich your fellow world and take your place by finally doing what you are there for, namely to use your personal abilities and strengths and to live with enthusiasm and passion.

Reduce Belly Fat - Step by step weight lose with 14-day-challenge, activate fat burning and accelerate metabolism

It's maddening! No matter how much sport you do, how many diets you go through, it's always the stomach that gets fat first. A beautiful flat belly is the eye-catcher par excellence, if you wear your favourite clothes. Fat on your belly, on the other hand, always makes you hide your body under more clothes.

If you're frustrated because you're gaining weight on your stomach, this book is just the thing for you. Because here you learn all backgrounds, which you must know, in order to say goodbye to your belly fat once and for all. Most women (and also men) have the problem with the abdominal fat that you have yourself. Once you understand how it comes about, you'll be able to actively do something about it - permanently and without the yo-yo effect. All you need is the motivation to finally reach your dream weight and get a nice slim belly. Everything else is explained to you by this guide.

This book is deliberately kept short. Because you don't have to learn many things to make your stomach as slim as you want it to be. It is important that you approach the whole thing with a positive attitude - and that you forgive mistakes from time to time. In the end, you yourself should be the only reason for your slender belly. You have to like yourself and feel good - and this is best done without pressure and stress, but with a good portion of optimism - and sometimes a little indulgence.

Most women are dissatisfied with their bodies. In summer they would also like to be proud of their figure in a bikini or wear tight-fitting clothes, but there is always one part of the body that frustrates most women: the belly. For in our society, the "belly of prosperity" is seen as a sign that we are weighing a few pounds too much. And for many it is the first signal that their own body is no longer as tight as it used to be.

But that doesn't have to be the case - it's not that difficult to get a grip on the annoying belly fat. With the right help, you too can finally manage to be slim and slim - even in the middle of your body.

This book shows you first of all, why fat develops at all again and again at the belly. If you understand the causes of your abdominal fat, you can also more easily become active against it. In the second chapter, you will learn all about healthy eating habits that do not allow abdominal fat to develop in the first place. The third chapter is dedicated to exercise - but don't worry, nobody expects you to perform at your best in the gym from now on. Instead, you will learn how to integrate movement into your everyday life in a meaningful way.

The fourth chapter introduces you to your new favourite foods: These actively support the burning of fat. So it's welcome to be a little more of that. In the fifth chapter you will get more tricks to make it easier for you to lose abdominal fat.

As a bonus you get your 14-day action plan, which should make the introduction to fat burning on your stomach especially easy.

But enough of the introductory words - you surely want to get started right away! So have fun and good luck with your fight against the belly fat!

Why does fat always develop on the underbelly?

Genetic causes

You probably also know them: There are people who can apparently eat what they want, don't have to exercise, and still don't gain an ounce. Some of these people also complain about it, and that is really the last thing you want to hear when you fight the kilos yourself.

Have you ever wondered what these people's secret is? Maybe they never eat when they're alone, or secretly do a lot of sports. The sobering answer to this question is: There is no secret. Because the good news is also the bad news about the belly fat: Most people can't help it at all. There are genetic predispositions for one's own physique that one inherits from parents or even grandparents. And the naturally slim people you have in your environment are actually simple - naturally slim.

What figure does your mother have? Or your father? And your brothers and sisters? Take a look around your family to see what part genetics or predisposition has as a cause for your abdominal fat.

But this knowledge should not discourage you at all. There are genetic rules for everything in life. But if man were not able to overcome them, our society would not be where it is today. There are many children who grow taller than both parents, or who have a better school leaving certificate. This is genetically not so, but still within the bounds of possibilities. And often not as hard as you might think.

Despite your genetic predisposition, all doors are open for you to become as slim as people with "slimmer" genes. So you are not fighting against your bodies and against genes that have been in your family for centuries. But you will find clever ways to trick and overcome your talents. If there is a predisposition in your family to belly fat, you simply know that you have to be a little more careful than others who do not have that predisposition. It doesn't mean you're at the mercy of genetics.

Metabolism

Our metabolism is a great thing. It ensures that the food we eat is broken down into its components and optimally utilised. Our body has the ability to perform chemical processes to produce other things from food - and thus provide us with energy for all our activities. Without metabolism no life is possible. If it doesn't work, we can no longer use our food properly and die. All living beings have metabolic processes and without them no living being would exist.

It is also a function of metabolism to ensure our long-term survival, to think about the future and to ensure that there is a buffer for us even in bad times. Our metabolism is therefore also active in planning, i.e. it builds up stocks for emergencies. Of course this makes perfect sense - and we all do it ourselves in one way or another - but unfortunately he has chosen our belly as the most important "warehouse" for it. The fact that you get fat on your stomach is therefore a well-intentioned action of your body to protect you.

Evolution has therefore provided that fat reserves are good because they ensure our survival when there is not enough to eat. This was often the case in earlier times, and in many places it actually ensured not only the survival of individual people, but the survival of the whole of humanity. Today, however, we are no longer threatened by famine in the Western world. Unfortunately, human evolution is not yet as advanced as the development of our society, in which our greater problem (and above all that of our belly fat) is an oversupply of food rather than a famine. Our metabolism, however, stupidly still functions as it did in the Stone Age. If you eat too much food, the whole thing is directly converted into fat reserves, which you probably won't need later.

In addition, we all "educate" our metabolism. If our body believes often enough that there might be periods of hunger, it tends to build up reserves all the more quickly, especially in the form of abdominal fat. The body can eat from this when there is no food for longer.

Periods of hunger? Exactly - diets. Every diet makes sure that fat reserves are built up all the more easily afterwards. That's why it's so important that you don't just limit the amount of calories you eat, but that you permanently change your eating habits so that you don't fall into the yo- yo trap and gain even more weight afterwards.

A sensible change in your habits leads to a better and faster metabolism, you burn the food you eat directly, and your body doesn't even have the idea of building up fat reserves.

Psychological stress

Our eating habits depend heavily on how we feel right now. Are you a stress eater? Or someone who likes to eat in company? Many of us have been accustomed since childhood to the fact that food is not simply to satisfy our hunger and provide us with energy, but at the same time to comfort and make us happy - which of course it does not. Nevertheless, there are many people who misuse food to give them short moments of happiness or distraction when things are not going as they wish.

Stress and sorrow also mean that we don't take so much time to choose the right food. If you barely get to take a lunch break at work, you're more likely to eat something unhealthy - simply because it's quick and much easier to get around. And anyone who has a quarrel with his friend doesn't have the nerve to stand in the kitchen for half an hour to eat a healthy diet. And then there's a bar of chocolate.

Psychological stress also leads to a restriction of the metabolism. Because the body knows above all two states: Stress and relaxation. Under stress, he's ready to fight and escape. An extensive digestion only disturbs there. Instead, your body thinks it makes sense to build up reserves now so that it can fight better later or flee without having to worry about food.

So mental stress has a big influence on your eating habits and your metabolism - and thus directly and indirectly on the fat that accumulates on your stomach. It is therefore absolutely sensible to get your stress well under control. With it you do something lasting for your health and so naturally also for your figure. Those who are more relaxed do not eat stress food so often and have a better metabolism. A lot of other things almost happen by themselves. A good opportunity to become active here is relaxation techniques such as autogenic training. They help you not to lose your head even in stressful times - and not to claim to live a healthy life.

Sports

Your body is equipped by nature to move quickly from one place to another, to carry and move things, and to defend your territory. Much of it we don't do today any more or only very rarely. Work often takes place on the computer, when we want to get somewhere, we take the car or public transport. And we fight at most still with words or on Facebook.

So your body is no longer as challenged as it was originally thought. The consequence is that you put on belly fat. Because you still have the same appetite that our ancestors had, but you burn much less. Not only because you are less active, but also because your muscles are less pronounced due to the lack of activity. And muscles burn the most calories.

Sport is the best way to balance this out. So one reason why you're putting on abdominal fat is that you don't move enough and you don't have enough muscles. Of course, the more you weigh, the harder sport becomes, and if you haven't done sport in a while, the prospect of it probably won't make you cheer.

Sport doesn't have to be as bad and exhausting as we all think. Because the great thing is that through exercise and sport also happiness hormones are released and he is also a great catalyst in stress. Sport also helps to burn fat, although the effect of sport itself is relatively small. You've had to walk a long time to burn a piece of pie. But it makes your body fitter overall and burns more energy with more muscles even when you're lying on the sofa doing nothing else.

If you have done too little sport so far, here is a way to get a better grip on your abdominal fat. In the third chapter, you'll learn how to use this opportunity without training for a marathon or registering for a gym.

Unhealthy eating habits

The most important factor that causes you to get abdominal fat is your eating habits. That's why this book also includes a whole chapter dedicated to healthy eating habits, because this is where you can make the most difference with changes.

It is especially important that you realize that these are habits, not that you eat something unhealthy every now and then. Abdominal fat only occurs when many factors (such as predisposition, too little sport, stress, poor metabolism and of course the wrong food) interact over a long period of time. A bar of chocolate doesn't get any belly fat. However, if you make it a habit over a long period of time to regularly eat the wrong and rarely the right foods, you are giving your body signals that it almost directly translates into abdominal fat.

Changing your eating habits is a special challenge, because in most cases it was not you who shaped them, but you who took them with you from childhood. You got a "consolation" in the form of a candy when you fell? Your family did not eat regularly, but everyone looked at what they were hungry for? Or dinner was the main meal? Then these things are deeply anchored in you and you live them - or variations of them - unconsciously on. Meanwhile you may give yourself the consolation if you are sad, you eat irregularly and in the evening you especially like to eat.

The fact that you have been given eating habits that may not necessarily help you today is because you have never known so much about healthy eating as you do today. That's your big advantage your parents haven't had yet. So it is now up to you to break this knot and make sure that you yourself adopt healthy eating habits and perhaps even pass them on. Because if you know which eating habits harm you, you can actively change them and consciously live and eat healthier. Remember, you're not the prisoner of your eating habits. Everything you recognize and understand, you can change as you wish.

Age

There is another point that leads you to put on belly fat and that you cannot influence yourself: Your old man. With increasing age, the fat on the stomach becomes more and more difficult (but not impossible!) to get rid of. There are two reasons for this.

The metabolism, about which you already know a lot, changes not only through your behaviour, but also quite naturally in the course of your life. In youth there are still many things that need to be developed on the body, you automatically move more and therefore consume significantly more energy. The metabolism is running at full speed. The older you get, the less energy you need as a basic need. Your body does not go through any major developments and your daily rhythm also becomes more routine and less active.

While young people are still "forced" to exercise by school, go dancing more often and wander through the city with friends, every year the evenings become calmer and take place more often at home. The fact that one has more money available with increasing age also leads to the fact that one rather goes out to eat instead of cooking something for oneself. And you like to treat yourself to something to eat. So the basic need decreases, the eating habits remain or even get worse. This naturally leads to abdominal fat.

Another reason for looking more rounded with age is the loss of connective tissue. Even if you do not weigh more than before, your body may look thicker, simply because the fat is no longer so well supported and is now more visible. As with all reasons for belly fat, you are not helplessly at the mercy of your age. You can't change the fact that you are getting older, but you can do something to tighten your connective tissue. And if you know that you burn less energy as you get older, you can do something about it - add less energy or burn more energy through exercise. You will learn how to do this in the following chapters.

Reduce belly fat: Healthy eating habits

Why your eating habits are so important

You have read in the last chapter that there are many reasons why you are always putting fat on your stomach. These reasons all play together, but they differ in two important points: On the one hand, to the extent to which you can influence them and, on the other hand, to the effect a change has on your character.

In both points the eating habits cut off best: The easiest way to change them is because you have plenty of opportunities to do so every day. You can start at any time (best now!) and it does not cost you any additional money.

At the same time, it is the easiest way to control your energy balance. One serving of fries has as many calories as you burn in an hour of aerobics. The arithmetic task is quite simple. What is simpler: to work hard for an hour or eat a piece of fruit or vegetables instead of French fries?

So you see: If you change your eating habits, you are already on the best way to the dream figure without belly fat. You can find out how simple the whole thing is in the following chapters.

Never leave the house without breakfast

You've probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's not a truism, it's true and it can help you get rid of your belly fat permanently.

If you have a healthy breakfast in the morning, you are well prepared for the day. You're not immediately hungry when you come to school or the office and you don't think about eating when you have a little stress. Your body is perfectly equipped to survive the day. Besides, your body knows immediately: There is enough to eat today! And your metabolism adjusts accordingly. So a healthy breakfast is what gets him going.

In addition, with your breakfast you already set a sign for yourself for the nutrition on the whole day. If you have a good breakfast, you will automatically make sure that you eat healthier and more balanced for the rest of the day. The perfect breakfast is balanced and fills you up for a long time. It has a lot of fibre (more about that later), vitamins and little sugar.

Good options are:

- Wholemeal bread with hummus and avocado

- Oat flakes with fruits and low-fat milk (for example also as porridge)

- Wholemeal muesli with banana and orange juice

- Low fat yoghurt with muesli and fruits

If you are not a breakfast friend at all - for example, because your family never had breakfast - you can slowly approach a regular breakfast by drinking regularly in the morning. No, not coffee, but a delicious green smoothie. It provides you with all the nutrients you need, has the same energy as a meal, fills you up for a long time, is quick to prepare and also tastes very good.

In many big cities green smoothies are now sold in all kinds of shops, so you can easily get one on your way to work. Even better, of course, is if you make it yourself. All you need is a blender and fresh fruit and vegetables. There are no limits to your imagination. As a rule of thumb, you can take twice as much fruit as vegetables so that the whole thing doesn't get too bitter. If the result is too countable, you can add more water.

A beginner smoothie, for example, consists of half a cucumber, a handful of spinach leaves, half an apple, the juice of an orange, a banana and some water. This will also help you to leave the house well strengthened and programmed for a healthy diet.

Five small meals a day

Most of us have learned at home that you eat three times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. In fact, we eat every six or seven times a day because the time between meals is so long that we bridge it with snacks and sweets. The demand for the three meals is more organizational than good for the body. In the mornings and evenings you are at home anyway and can start and end the day with a meal. And at noon you only need a break to eat when the hunger is especially big.

But it is much better for your body if it has the feeling that there is a virtually uninterrupted supply of food. Then he knows that he is always well cared for and that there is no reason at all to build up reserves in the form of abdominal fat. That doesn't mean you have to eat without a break. But if you distribute five meals throughout the day and make them slightly smaller, your metabolism will be busy all day long. And so you don't gain any weight in the first place.

The important thing, of course, is that you don't eat more than you actually need. So don't take the three meals as usual, add two more and continue snacking in between. Instead, it helps you to have breakfast in the morning, to have a second small breakfast in the late morning, to have a balanced lunch, to have a healthy snack in the afternoon and to finish off with a small dinner.

One way in which this could look concretely would be, for example:

- First breakfast at 7 am: Green Smoothie (see chapter on breakfast)

- Second breakfast 10 am: oatmeal with fruits

- Lunch at 13 o'clock: Salad

- Afternoon snack at 4 pm: Yoghurt with walnuts and honey

- Dinner at 7 pm: wholemeal noodles with tomato sauce

You see, with this pattern you eat something every three hours and are therefore never hungry. Your body is permanently supplied with food, but also has no oversupply. So he digests everything directly and does not accumulate fat reserves. And you don't even have to starve!

Avoid sugar

Sugar is one of the most important reasons why so many people in our modern society suffer from obesity. Because sugar has no nutritional value, but a lot of calories. It is particularly easy to convert into fat and that's why sweets taste so good to us, because it used to be a good thing for people to have enough supplies to survive.

In addition, sugar causes the blood sugar level to rise, insulin is released and the body no longer makes use of the fat reserves, but leaves them as they are - or builds them up further. If you eat a lot of sugar and are not a top athlete, you can be sure to get a lot of belly fat quickly.

You should therefore avoid sugar as much as possible. Doctors recommend not to consume more than 25 grams of sugar per day. That may sound a lot, but it's very, very little. Because sugar is in almost everything we eat.

Many finished foods contain a lot of industrial sugar. It is cheap and enhances the taste, and it has no fat - which many buyers pay attention to when buying the additives. So if you don't want sugar, you should rarely go for ready-made foods, but buy them as natural as possible and process them yourself.

It's best to get used to studying the ingredient lists of all the foods you buy. You often don't have to check how much sugar you have, because the ingredients must be listed in such a way that the ingredient that occurs most often comes first. And what does it usually say? That's right, sugar. Or glucose syrup, fructose, maltodextrin or whey products. There are now 70 different names for sugar. You don't have to know them all, but if you don't know the name of an ingredient, there's a good chance you don't want to know what's in it.

If you don't want or can't do without sweets, get as natural a sweetener as possible. Honey is better than sugar because it contains at least vitamins, but too much of it is not good either. Cinnamon and vanilla give a sweet taste and fruit contains a lot of sugar, but at least in combination with vitamins and fibre. Bananas, by the way, consist of 50% sugar. That's why they are so delicious and excellent for replacing sugar in desserts or cakes.

Reduce alcohol

You have changed your eating habits, reduced sugar and are eating much more fruit and vegetables? That's a reason to celebrate, so give me the champagne! But stop, unfortunately, I must slow you down a little here. Because excessive alcohol consumption is not only unhealthy, but also ensures that you gain a lot of belly fat.

One reason for this is that alcohol has a lot of calories. A litre of beer, for example, has 460 calories. That's almost as much as a whole bar of chocolate! If you go out to celebrate in the evening and drink five bottles of beer, you have already brought more than your total daily energy requirement to you. Wine has even more calories because it has more alcohol. The same of course applies to high-percentage products.

But alcohol leads to more belly fat for another reason. Just like sugar, it raises the blood sugar level, leads to cravings and ensures that no fat is burned. If you have drunk enough, you can easily drop your good intentions and eat more unhealthily and uncontrollably. And of course, that's going to be on the scales the next day and on your hips again.

If you enjoy toasting with friends in the evening and don't want to give up alcohol, try to drink something with a low alcohol content. A spritzer of wine has only half the calories left. Also make sure you don't find it too easy to eat unhealthy food, but try to eat healthy things even if you're ravenously hungry.

Many dietary fibres

Dietary fiber is the insider tip when it comes to permanently getting rid of your abdominal fat. Dietary fibre keeps you tired for a long time and doesn't make you fat. Here now all information, which you need to dietary fiber:

What is fibre?

The name "dietary fibre" initially sounds as if the body does not need it. And in fact dietary fibres are such components of food that the body cannot utilize. He excretes them undigested.

But fibre is still not unnecessary. Because they help with digestion and also keep you fed all day long.

There are two types of fibre: Soluble dietary fibres swell in liquid and thus increase their volume. Your stomach stays nice and full and you don't get hungry anymore. Insoluble dietary fibres support digestion by helping to make food more "transportable" and thus channel it through the digestive organs. Both make sure that you don't eat too much and that everything you eat is digested well and doesn't end up as fat on your hips.

Which foods contain the most fibre?

Soluble dietary fibres are present: Cereals, pulses, oat flakes, whole grain rice.

Insoluble dietary fibres are found mainly in the skin of fruit and vegetables. Especially at breakfast it is important that you consume enough fibre. This will keep you full and well prepared for the day.

The later the evening, the more stomach fat

Dinner is the exact opposite of breakfast, not only because it is at the other end of the day. While you lay the foundation for the day with breakfast and should take enough energy to be fit for the day, there is usually no physical activity after dinner. Correspondingly little you should take in the evening.

Just when you're eating late, your body can't digest everything you've given it. The energy is no longer burned, but stored for later times - exactly, in the form of abdominal fat. If you eat a lot and then only watch TV or go to sleep, you tell your body that you don't really need this energy, or at least not immediately.

Another effect of a sumptuous dinner is that the next morning you are all the more hungry. Scientists don't yet agree on why, but you've probably noticed yourself before that you were particularly hungry just after a real feast the next morning. So you start a vicious circle with an extensive dinner, where you start again with cravings in the morning.

To avoid that, you shouldn't eat anything after 8:00. If your dinner starts at 7 p.m., you will have enough time to eat in peace and then burn a large part of the energy. Because of course your dinner shouldn't be a four- course dinner at 7:00 either.

If you are used to eating late in the evening, you can gradually approach an earlier time. The best thing you can do is to move your dinner time one hour forward within a week. That's not even ten minutes a day and your body will hardly notice the change. But for you this means that you burn the energy you consume much better and do not let it go directly into your fat reserves.

Vitamins and minerals

There are so many things you have to pay attention to when eating that hardly anyone has an eye on whether they really consume enough vitamins and minerals. Most of us have some flaw. This becomes even stronger if, for example, you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet or have to do without certain things due to a food allergy.

Vitamins help to keep the body fit and also stimulate digestion. Especially vitamin C, which is found in fresh fruit and vegetables, also supports the connective tissue and helps to look slimmer.

Moreover, if you eat too few vitamins, your body always feels that it is deficient - and it expresses this through hunger. If you just don't have any vitamin-rich food at hand, you automatically reach for unhealthy things. A ravenous appetite, which always leads you to return to old eating habits, can also be caused by vitamin deficiency.

The question of whether one should take vitamins in the form of tablets is a matter of opinion. What is clear is that obtaining vitamins and minerals from food is easier for the body to digest and therefore healthier than adding tablets. Nevertheless, those who are unable to consume sufficient vitamins through food are still better off with tablets. So if you're not sure if you have a vitamin deficiency, it's best to get advice from a pharmacy and take a multivitamin if necessary.

Otherwise, the best remedy for any deficiency is to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible, and as many different varieties as possible. You'll always be well taken care of. If you don't manage to eat fruit and vegetables, drinking also helps - see the Smoothie tips in the breakfast chapter. With Smoothies you get vitamins, minerals and also fibre, because you always puree the fruits and vegetables with peel. And they make you full and taste delicious, so they are much better than any vitamin tablet.

Not all fats are the same

It used to be "fat makes fat". This is no longer true, because we now know that the body needs fat to live and that fat is sometimes very important. However, there are healthy and unhealthy fats.

Healthy fats are preferably natural, vegetable fats. You can find them in nuts or avocados, for example. They don't make you fat, they even help you get rid of your belly fat. Because fat doesn't make you fat, it makes you full. From a handful of nuts you are just as full as from a portion of French fries - with significantly fewer calories. And they are healthier because they also contain vitamins, minerals and protein.

You should avoid unhealthy fats such as in fatty meat, fried foods or chips. They can mostly be found in foods that are not very healthy anyway, so you can achieve a double positive effect by doing without them.

Drink enough

If you don't drink enough liquid, you may also get fat in your stomach. Because your body can't always tell whether you're hungry or thirsty. If you don't drink enough, you will feel a lack of food and you may even eat out of habit - although you are actually thirsty. Another sure sign that you are not drinking enough is frequent headaches or sore throats.

The best thing to do is to drink at least three litres of water or unsweetened tea every day. Both fill your stomach, give you a feeling of fullness and also give your body the fluid it needs - because water is much more important to your body than food.

If you have trouble drinking regularly, it is best to keep a glass of water on your desk at all times. You can also set your phone to remind you to drink every twenty minutes. And always take a bottle of water with you when you leave the house. With a little habit, you'll soon find it easy to drink enough fluids.

Reduce belly fat: Possibilities to bring movement into everyday life

Why exercise is important

Especially if you have been struggling with your abdominal fat for some time, you may also be among those who avoid movement. Sport at school was no fun, the effort is too much and the sense of achievement is missing. In addition - as it is also stated in Chapter 2 - there is more to eating less anyway. Because the calories that you can burn with sport, you ate very quickly again. So why all the trouble?

Even if sport isn't for everyone, there are many reasons that speak in favour of dealing with it. And it doesn't always have to be the marathon run if you want to get more exercise into life. Small changes often bring just as much. You will learn how this works in the following chapters. But here are the reasons for more movement in your life.

Reason 1: Our body is made for movement.

There's nothing to shake about it. Our body is designed to run, climb, fight and carry loads. Since we no longer do this in everyday life, sport simulates this movement. When you start, your body will really crave more exercise.

Reason 2: A fit body consumes more energy.

When you have more muscles, you consume that energy, even when they are barely in use. Every step a muscular leg takes consumes more calories than a weakened leg. Even in sleep, if you're well trained, your basal metabolic rate will increase.

Reason 3: Only movement can shape the body.

If you eat less, you can lose weight and get rid of your stomach fat. You can shape your body as you would like it to be, but only through training. The connective tissue becomes tighter through sport, your posture changes and you look slimmer - even if you are not yet.

Reason 4: There is something for everyone.

There are so many sports that everyone will find something to enjoy. It doesn't have to be the gym or the swimming pool. You can do sports in a team or you can use the time alone to pursue your thoughts. You can shoot soccer, climbing, archery, cycling. Your body will thank you for it.

Reason 5: Movement makes you happy.

Endorphins are released during sport. These are happiness hormones, and after physical exertion you actually feel a little as if you were in love right now. And that's the perfect incentive for the next workout, even when it's exhausting.

Small changes can make a big difference

Going from zero to 100 isn't that easy. And it also does not make sense, because success is usually lacking. Have you ever planned to train for an hour every day from now on, and to hold out for a few days? And how did the whole thing end?

If we take on too much, we usually achieve the opposite of what we want to achieve. You want to get rid of your belly fat, are highly motivated to do sports every day, register at the gym and go there for a week. Then this is what usually happens: You'll get sick. It's a friend's birthday. Your leg hurts. Or you just don't feel like it. And skip once. So your complete plan to do sports every day has failed. In other words: Actually it doesn't make any sense anymore to continue with it. You are frustrated and in the worst case this endangers not only your "sub-goal" sport, but the whole project to fight your belly fat.

So it is important with such changes that you approach them in a way that saves you unnecessary frustration. The best way to do that is to set realistic goals. Nobody trains every day. Even professional athletes take breaks. That's what the body needs. And of course your life doesn't change from one day to the next, but the changes happen bit by bit.

So, instead of doing a lot of sports, it's best to start by planning more exercise into your everyday life. A good goal, for example, would be to consciously move yourself once a day to a place where you wouldn't have done it otherwise. For example, you can ride your bike to work. Or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or walk to the first station. You will probably think of many more things when you look at your normal daily routine. And the great thing about such a somewhat broader goal is that if it rains in the morning and you can't take the bike, you can climb stairs later. A small setback does not mean that you have not achieved your goal.

In this way you can gradually bring more movement into your everyday life. And the lighter you get, the more fun you'll have with it.

Start at home first

Gyms are great. There are the latest devices with which you can do cardio training and train all muscle groups. You can do sports in any weather and take a shower and change clothes on the spot. There are well-trained staff who can answer all your questions and help you with the right training. You have a wide choice of courses where you can do sports to music in a group. And you'll meet people who also like to train. So there's a lot to be said for a gym.

However, fitness studios also offer great frustration potential for sports beginners and beginners. Because that's where a lot of people who've gone further than you train. If you just start and compare yourself with them, you will sometimes emerge as a loser. And then when you stay home, you feel twice as bad because you spent a lot of money. This will spoil your enjoyment of the sport even more.

So before you sign up for a studio, you should start exercising at home. Because there are many ways to train without becoming a member of a studio. You already learned how to get more exercise into your everyday life in the last chapter.

In addition, you can train at home as follows:

- Gymnastics: A few exercises (push-ups, sit-ups) you certainly still know from school times, and with a few minutes a day you already have a good introduction to training.

- Yoga: There are many instructional videos on the Internet that make it easy for you to do yoga at home.

- Dancing: A little music and you can whirl through the room to the beat. This not only burns many calories, but is also fun and in a good mood.

- Equipment: You should only buy training equipment (treadmill, stepper, home trainer, rowing machine etc.) if you are sure that you are using it. But if you like to train with a certain device, the purchase can be worthwhile. Because you save a lot of time on your way to the gym, you can train at any time of the day or night, and if you use it long enough, you'll be able to recover your initial costs at some point.

Of course, you can also train outdoors, for example while walking, running or cycling. Also a visit to the swimming pool will bring you a lot for the fight against your belly fat.

Every step counts

The easiest way to move more is to walk more. That sounds banal, but it is frightening how little some people move on foot. It is so easy to get into the car quickly or take the train, although you could also walk the same way comfortably. And often the argument (to oneself) for convenience is used to save time.

Yeah, you can get to work or friends faster in a car than on foot. But you don't "save" the time to do something great with it afterwards. Rather, you plan less time for the journey from the outset and are still just as stressed - no matter whether you take the car or walk.

In addition to the movement, the fact that you can concentrate completely on yourself also speaks for walking. In the first chapter you read that stress also causes you to gain weight. And through "pauses for thought", which automatically arise when you walk somewhere, you prevent this.

Meanwhile every mobile phone has a built-in pedometer or you can download a corresponding app. There are also very cheap pedometers that look like wristwatches. This allows you to measure exactly how many steps you take each day. And then slowly improve.

Try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. That works a lot, but it's not if you really consider all the steps you take during the day. In the office, for example, you can visit your colleague instead of calling him (but be careful not to get on his nerves or keep him away from work). Or during the break, make a small march around the block.

If you're really walking very little so far, start with a lower value. For example, start with 5,000 steps a day, but try to increase by 200 steps every day. Then, after less than a month, you have reached your goal of walking 10,000 steps every day.

Reduce belly fat: Foods that support fat burning

Your new best friends

There are foods you shouldn't eat if you want to lose belly fat. In the chapter on eating habits you got to know them. But there's also food that helps you get rid of fat. The composition of these foods stimulates the metabolism, fills you up for a long time and makes you lose weight faster. So you can eat the following foods with a clear conscience.

Avocado

Avocados aren't so popular for nothing. They are rich in vitamins and healthy fats and help you to be healthy and full. The linoleic acid (an unsaturated fatty acid) present in the avocado actively stimulates fat burning in the liver. Unfortunately, the avocado itself has relatively many calories, so it is best to combine it with low-fat foods.

Examples of ways you can prepare avocados are:

- in smoothie

- in a salad

- on toast (very tasty with hummus, salt and pepper)

- or simply for spooning

There are no limits to your imagination with avocados.

Broccoli

Broccoli is not only readily available almost all year round, it also helps to get rid of abdominal fat. The many vitamins and minerals in broccoli help the body to break down your fat. Broccoli has very few calories, so you don't have to watch how much of it you eat. The many dietary fibres ensure that you feel full for a long time. Broccoli is even said to help with cancer screening.

You can cook broccoli well and serve it with sauce. But you should be careful that the sauce does not destroy everything because it has too many calories. You can also prepare a vegetable casserole with wholemeal noodles or rice from it. By the way, you don't have to throw away the stalk of the broccoli, but you can cook it excellently and puree it to a soup.

Salad

Salad is always a good tip when it comes to losing weight. It is versatile, tasty and most ingredients have virtually no calories at all. Salad with vegetables has a lot of fiber and also salad is rich in vitamins and minerals. Therefore lettuce can also actively accelerate fat burning.

If you decide to eat more salad from now on, it will definitely support your desire to get rid of your belly fat. It is especially good to eat the salad in the evening because you will automatically eat less in the evening. Lunchtime salad is of course also a good option if you don't have much time to eat. Another advantage is that you can bring it with you and have precise control over what you eat.

If you buy lettuce on the go, be careful not to use sugary or high-calorie dressings as they can ruin everything. Simply use vinegar and oil to give your salad more flavour and better absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins.

Paprika

Paprika has a particularly high vitamin C content and therefore helps your body to get rid of your fat. In addition, red peppers taste slightly sweet, which is a good reason for many vegetable muffles to get here.

Paprika tastes very good raw. You can also spice up the taste with dips made from sour cream, mustard and a little honey, for example. These vegetables are ideal for eating in the afternoon, for example, as a snack between meals. It fills you up because of the fibre and because you have to chew it well, you also get something of it for a long time.

You can also make soup from paprika, for example together with tomatoes and some coconut milk.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit are true vitamin C bombs. The sour fruits help to accelerate the burning of fat in the body and should therefore not be missing on your next shopping list.

If the fruit is too sour for you, there's a remedy. You shouldn't sprinkle sugar on it, because industrial sugar is unhealthy and it fuels insulin release - which makes you hungry and doesn't burn fat. Before you take its full effect with sugar, you'd better not eat grapefruit.

If she's just a little too angry for you, you can squeeze her out and mix her with oranges or apples. This will give you a wonderfully fresh juice to start the day off with. Grapefruit also does very well in smoothie.

Oats

Oats are particularly rich in dietary fibres and their vitamins and minerals also help to burn fat faster. It is also very versatile and you can enjoy it differently every day.

Possibilities to prepare oats are, for example:

- as a porridge with fruits (Simply mix a cup of oat flakes, a cup of milk and a cup of water, bring to the boil and refine with fruits)

- in muesli

- in bread

- as biscuits (a very simple biscuit recipe: mix a cup of oatmeal with a crushed banana, form the mixture into small biscuits and bake for ten minutes)

Oats are not only very versatile, but also extremely inexpensive and durable. This is especially helpful for those who do not have so much time for cooking and shopping.

Nuts

Nuts have had a hard time standing for a long time because they are very rich in fat. But the fats in nuts are healthy, keep you full and help your body not to store extra fat. Because they can be perfectly transported and portioned, they are particularly suitable as snacks for in between meals.

Nuts can also be used in a completely different way:

- as nut roast (especially interesting for vegetarians)

- in a salad

- cooked with vegetables

You have a very wide choice of nuts. Above all walnuts, but also almonds and cashew kernels are very healthy and help against stomach fat. Nut blends with dried fruits are also a good snack for in between, but you have to be a little careful with the fruits, because the sugar content is particularly high here.

Reduce belly fat: Tricks to speed up fat burning

Teas and Co.

There are plenty of drinks and teas that promise to speed up fat burning. In fact, some of them help. You should not buy expensive preparations, but simply take what you find in every supermarket.

Green tea not only has an invigorating effect but also stimulates the metabolism. This allows you to actively accelerate the burning of fat and also ensures that you always drink enough.

Ginger is also very helpful in burning fat. You can easily make your own ginger tea by slicing a piece of ginger, putting it on a grill skewer and brewing it with water. Important: Do not add sugar to your tea, otherwise you will ruin the effect. If you want a bit more taste, add lemon, cinnamon or vanilla, that's also slightly sweet, but doesn't raise your blood sugar.

Massages

If you want to burn fat, you can also stimulate the burning with a massage. In addition, these massages help to strengthen your connective tissue and thus shape your body beautifully. You'll look slimmer, even without losing weight.

You need oil for a belly massage. There are special massage oils, but a simple baby oil does it too. It is best to make sure that you have a surface that can get dirty, otherwise you may mess up your most beautiful bed linen. Spread some oil on the palms of your hands and massage the oil clockwise in circles on your stomach with light pressure.

Important: If you have organ diseases or are pregnant, you should not massage your stomach yourself.

Sauna courses

Sweating cleanses the pores and stimulates the metabolism. Regular sauna sessions therefore help you burn your fat faster and get a nice slim belly.

The best thing is to go to the sauna every one to two weeks and do about three courses, each with breaks in between. If you've never been to the sauna before, it's best to start slowly and only go to a not too hot sauna for 15 minutes. If you have difficulties with your circulation, you should stop immediately, lie down flat and wait until you feel better. Sauna courses are not for everyone, but if you tolerate them well, they will help you a lot to burn your fat.

By the way, sauna professionals take ice-cold baths between courses - this stimulates circulation and makes you fit for the day. And of course it also helps the metabolism.

Sun

Sunlight contains vitamin D, which our body urgently needs but cannot produce itself. It helps against depression, reduces stress and can also help to improve your metabolism. Besides, the warmth is good for your body. So whenever the opportunity arises, you should get out into the natural sunlight.

It is best to combine your trips with a little exercise, so that you have a double effect on fat burning. But lying in the sun also makes you feel more relaxed and less hungry. You are happier, more relaxed and have no reason to eat unhealthy food.

Compresses

Cling film can not only keep your salad crisp and fresh, it can also help shape your belly.

Wraps in the right places increase fat burning and help you get to your destination faster. You should rub an oil or cream on the belly and then wrap several layers of cling film tightly around it. Of course you shouldn't pinch your blood, but it shouldn't be easy to push something under the wrap either.

Leave the wrap on your body for about half an hour before carefully loosening it and cleaning the rest of the cream from your stomach. This tightens the connective tissue and successfully supports weight loss.

Accounting

Accounting is boring and you're not supposed to become an accountant here. But an important factor in fat burning is that you know how the fat is produced. You need to weigh yourself regularly, weigh your abdominal girth and control what you eat and when you move. And from these numbers you can then see where you need to improve your behaviour - and where it already is exactly as it should be.

In the next chapter, you'll receive a bonus 14-day promotion plan in which you learn and apply exactly this. In just two weeks you'll practice all the healthy behaviors you've learned so far in this book.

Reduce abdominal fat: Your 14 day challenge to the flat belly!

Before it starts

So that you do not only learn pure theory knowledge, but start directly well into your belly fat burning, you receive this 14-day action plan as a bonus. This will allow you to start changing your life step by step over the next two weeks. Each day has three components: You make yourself aware of your behaviour by keeping a record of it and reflecting on it in the evening with the help of questions, you add a healthy eating habit every day and keep it (or do a special task), and you bring some more movement into your life. In the first week you do this by slowly increasing your daily number of steps to 10,000, in the second by integrating activity into everyday life.

There are a few things you need to get started with the action plan right away. I'm sure you'll have them all at home:

- a booklet (in which you keep a record of the plan)

- a body balance

- a tape measure

- a pedometer (e.g. in a mobile phone)

- the determination to give you 14 days to improve your life.

When you have all this, you can start right away!

Day 1: Getting an overview first

Your first day only serves to give you an overview of where you stand. Get on the scales in the morning and note your weight. You'll do that every morning from now on.

Opinions differ as to whether one should really weigh oneself every day. The weight doesn't react directly to all changes in your behavior. Sometimes it goes up even though you've had a very healthy diet. Water loss can lead to weight loss, muscle building to increase because muscles are heavier than fat. Nevertheless, it helps you to get a feeling for your weight is within a certain range and you know when it is good and when it is not. And you can take countermeasures immediately, and not after a week.

Next, you measure your abdominal girth and write it down. Since you want to lose belly fat, this is your most important value. However, fluctuations can also occur here. If you build up muscles, they will initially lie under the abdominal fat and expand your abdominal girth. As soon as the fat is gone, however, the centimeters also melt. You only measure your abdominal girth three times in a fortnight.

Today you should eat all day as you have always done and move like this. You're supposed to see what your normal behavior looks like. The only difference is, you write down everything you eat. Even if you do sports, you write that down. And in the evening, you write down the number of steps you've taken.

Every night, you end up taking stock. Ask and answer the questions in your notebook:

- How many meals have you had?

- How many times did you eat snacks in between?

- How much did you move?

- How many steps did you take?

Starting tomorrow, you will use this as a basis to adjust your behaviour step by step and get rid of your abdominal fat.

Day 2: Set goals

Today we start by setting goals that you should achieve to reduce your abdominal fat. New goals are added every day. What you have already achieved the day before, of course, you should keep.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Drink at least three liters of water or unsweetened tea. This will make you less hungry and automatically eat less.

- Move it: Walk at least 5,000 steps.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- What did you have a hard time with today?

- What was very easy for you even though you didn't expect it?

Day 3: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

In the second chapter you read that breakfast is an important foundation for you. So today you should pay special attention to this meal and prepare a really healthy breakfast. You can get suggestions in the second chapter.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Eat a healthy and fibre-rich breakfast.

- Move it: Walk at least 6,000 steps.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- Have you noticed a difference in your starvation behavior after eating healthy breakfast?

- Do you notice that your movement behaviour changes because you want to take more steps?

Day 4: The evening remains free

Yesterday you started the day healthy, today you stop it healthy. After 8:00, you shouldn't eat anything. If you're hungry, you can have a drink, of course. Unsweetened tea calms the stomach and reliably eliminates feelings of hunger. And, of course, the goals of the previous days remain the same!

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Don't eat after 8:00.

- Move it: Walk at least 7,000 steps.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- How are you doing with the new eating structures in the morning and evening?

- Have you developed strategies to control your hunger better?

Day 5: Healthy food

In this book you have learned a lot about which foods are particularly healthy. Now you should integrate them bit by bit into your diet. You will need at least one of these today for your dinner - which of course should not take place after 8 pm.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Integrate one of the foods from chapter 4 into your dinner.

- Move it: Walk at least 8,000 steps.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- Did your dinner differ much from your other meals?

- Why did you choose the food you took?

Day 6: Something special today

Not only food and exercise help to burn fat. In chapter 5 you have learned more ways to get rid of your belly fat. We'll make use of it today.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Special task: Do a stomach massage today to strengthen your connective tissue.

- Move it: Walk at least 9,000 steps.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- Did you notice a difference in connective tissue after the massage?

- Do you find the number of steps difficult?

Day 7: Time for a mid-term review

Happy birthday! You've already been successfully on your way to getting rid of your belly fat for a week. Time to take stock. Of course, you have goals again today. Today you shall get to know Smoothies, if you don't know them yet.

The fruit cocktails taste good, are healthy and last a long time. Especially green smoothies have many vitamins and fiber. You can look forward to one today! If you don't have a mixer yourself (you can also use a staff mixer), you can also use a purchased smoothie. The only important thing is that no sugar has been added.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Have a smoothie.

- Move it: Walk at least 10,000 steps.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight, your belly circumference

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- Do you have anything to do with hunger?

- How well have you integrated the changes into your everyday life?

- What are your expectations for the second week?

Day 8: Five times a day

After making minor changes to your eating habits in the last week, you should now learn to eat really healthy while keeping very clear structures. This starts with you no longer having snacks in between, but instead eating five small meals a day, as described in the second chapter.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Have five small meals (see chapter two) and refrain from eating in between.

- Move it: Do three push ups in the morning. If they are very difficult for you, you can also do push-ups while standing on the wall or put your knees on.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- How'd you get those five meals a day?

- What's hard for you these days?

- What's easy for you?

Day 9: Become a sugar detective

Sugar has many calories, makes you hungry and ensures that your fat reserves are not reduced. That's why you should avoid sugar. It should not be more than 25 grams per day, and that includes everything, for example lactose in the milk. Today you should pay special attention to sugar and actively reduce it.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Look at the sugar content in all the food you eat. Don't eat anything that has more than 3 grams of sugar per 100 grams.

- Move it: Increase the number of push-ups to five this morning.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- What sugar wells did you find today?

- How'd you like the way you handled the sugar?

Day 10: The salad makes the difference

Salad is an all-rounder. He's healthy and versatile. And you should eat it a lot more often. Take today, for example, because that's one of your goals.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Have a salad with lunch today. Make sure that the dressing is also healthy.

- Move it: Attempts to walk at least four floors today.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- How was climbing the stairs for you?

- Have you had enough of the salad?

Day 11: Sport is anything but murder

Today is the start of your sports career. You buy yourself a fancy new outfit and prepare for your first marathon... No, of course not. Today you should think about a sport that you always wanted to try. Squash? Riding? Archery? And then you try to do it today - or at least make an appointment for it. Because sport can be fun, and that's exactly what you should experience.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Try to put as much fibre as possible in your food today. In chapter 2 you will find some suggestions.

- Exercise: Choose a sport you've always wanted to do. Then make an appointment - preferably today - where you will try out the sport.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- Why exactly did you choose the sport you chose?

- Did the fibre have an influence on your hunger?

Day 12: Indulge yourself

Today you are given another special task to help you burn belly fat. You can choose something from Chapter 5 that you enjoy the most.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Special task: Sauna, wrap or sun: Choose something from Chapter 5 that you want to do today.

- Move it: Take a ride on your bike today.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- How was your "special task"? Do you feel a difference?

- Do you already notice that you have become more active and agile?

Day 13: Where do the calories come from?

Today, I want you to go over your notes and see exactly where you ate what.

To do this, mark all foods in the following group with a green pencil: fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, cereals.

Animal products are marked yellow, all sweets and fast food are marked red. So you can see where the calories come from.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Evaluate your eating notes and think about how you can store more "green" food.

- Move it: Take a long walk.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- What is the colour ratio of your consumed food?

- Which form of movement did you like best?

Day 14: Final Super, you did it!

You worked for 14 days to improve your behaviour step by step and to fight your belly fat. In order for you to continue making good progress, it is now up to you. Your goals for today are to make your own plan for next week.

Your goals for today ...

What you're writing today:

- Eating habits: Make a meal plan for the next week with five small meals a day. Consider everything you've learned in this book.

- Move it: Make a sports plan for next week. Plan on walking at least 10,000 steps every day, five minutes of gymnastics every day, and about an hour of sports once a week.

Questions to answer in the evening:

- In the morning: your weight, a belly girth.

- During the day: everything you have eaten, all sporting activities

- In the evening: the number of your steps

- How were those two weeks for you?

- What are your successes? What are you proud of?

- What do you expect from the next few weeks?

- What are your goals?

What happens now?

This book has given you a lot of knowledge to help you actively fight your abdominal fat. You have also worked for 14 days to improve your eating and exercise habits and thus become healthier. Of course, it's not the end. As already mentioned in the introduction, it is important that all behavioural changes are sustainable and thus permanent if you never want to have belly fat again.

So your 14-day Challenge was just the beginning, and for you it's now about changing your life and behavior according to what you've learned. You now have the basics, and you have already taken the first steps. You don't have to go on a diet and you're always full if you continue to follow the advice in this book. And your belly grease is saying goodbye forever. Because with the tips from this book, you can convince your body that it no longer needs fat.

The best way to fight abdominal fat is to make your life healthier. It will then disappear step by step, without you having to suffer privations or enduring great efforts. Your body just gets used to finally getting what it's been wanting for a long time: a healthy diet and a little exercise.

With this book you have embarked on a journey to shape your life in such a way that your body gets what it needs from you. This trip may not always be easy, but it is definitely feasible, and you are already on your way! In this respect, keep up the good work and good luck in your fight against belly fat!

Vitamin Water - Refreshing aroma and detox water with fruits and herbs

Vitamin water is an optimal alternative to provide our body with sufficient fluids and important nutrients. Particularly on hot days, you should take care to drink water or herbal teas. However, taking still water, at least in terms of taste, is not particularly convincing.

Tap water tastes bland and boring, not for nothing has the demand for refreshing vitamin water increased. Traditional products are usually a mixture of water and caloric beverages enriched with natural flavours and vitamins. Aroma water is available in different flavours. However, the important question is whether these soft drinks with artificial additives are really healthy when it comes to finished products.

Vitamin water can also be made very easily and without much effort. There are now countless recipe ideas for all possible needs, not only as a soft drink, but also special preparations of vitamin water that support weight loss and detoxification from the organism, or of course as an ideal supplement after exercise.

Depending on the preparation, vitamin water supplies new energy and also helps us to compensate for a lack of nutrients with this drink. In the following chapters we will therefore show you the best recipe ideas for your own vitamin water.

What is refreshing and healthy vitamin water?

The idea to produce a special vitamin water comes from America. Founded in New York in 1996, Glaceau was the first manufacturer of so-called smart water. Years later, energy drinks and vitamin water from the same manufacturer came onto the market. The company was then acquired by Coca-Cola in 2007. In Germany, Glaceau beverages have been available since 2012, but were discontinued at the end of last year because sales did not meet expectations. In the USA, however, these vitamin waters are still in high demand. Among the best-known products are the lemonade flavour Multi-V, the dragon fruit flavour Power-C, the citrus flavour known under the name Ignite, and of course the essential vitamin water with orange flavour. Every single combination allegedly offers a special effect due to the vitamins and nutrients it contains.

The actual idea for vitamin water came from J. Darius Bikoff, the founder of Glaceau and a well-known triathlete. Due to a cold he enriched his drinking water with vitamin C and zinc in order to recover more quickly. Today this drink is available under the name Defense, it is vitamin water with apple and raspberry flavour. Not all soft drinks are really low in calories. Some of them have stevia added as an alternative sugar, but normal household sugar may also be included in the vitamin water products on sale.

Vitamin water has long been a favourite drink among professional athletes, but it is also frequently used in mountaineering, among other things. Depending on the variety and brand, vitamin C, vitamins B, vitamin E, calcium and magnesium are added to the water. However, biotin, sodium and pantothenic acid can also be contained in the vitamin waters. These are functional drinks, which are basically based on table water, but contain vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and fruit and colour aromas. Electrolytes are also very important for our organism, as they protect us from heat damage, which can threaten our lives together with a lack of fluids. The most important biological electrolytes include calcium, chloride, hydrogen carbonate, potassium, magnesium, sodium and phosphate.

Electrolytes play an important role in our body, as they are mainly responsible for the spread of nerve excitation. They are also known as minerals or ions and are contained in our organism only in limited quantities. These substances decompose into positively and negatively charged ions and are therefore also able to conduct electricity in an aqueous solution. As they have a direct influence on the tension of the cell membranes, they are also responsible for the various processes of contraction in our muscles. A lack of minerals can therefore be expressed through painful muscle cramps. The most important ions in our organism are bound in water by our body. If we sweat a lot, we lose a lot of electrolytes. This is also the reason why we have to drink a lot, especially on hot days, otherwise the electrolyte level can fall dangerously. This leads to dehydration, which is associated with dizziness, nausea, dizziness and heart rhythm disorders.

Especially competitive athletes have to pay particular attention to their electrolyte levels, as they are naturally exposed to extreme loads and therefore also have a much higher demand for fluids. They are therefore dependent on a liquid absorption with electrolytes, which is why they prefer isotonic drinks in sports.

Effectiveness of electrolytes on the organism

Electrolytes or minerals are not only lost in competitive sports. Also frequent vomiting, diarrhoea or excessive sweating can lead to a deficiency. Since our body is unable to produce calcium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium and sodium on its own, it is dependent on food intake. In principle, our organism can regulate the correct and necessary composition of minerals through hormones, because, for example, if the electrolyte content is too high, then it is also excreted more strongly. Electrolytes can accumulate, especially if kidney function is impaired. They are then no longer sufficiently excreted from our body. Taking medication can also significantly affect the mineral balance and disrupt the electrolyte level. Malnutrition, an increased alcohol consumption, as well as a disturbed function of the endocrine glands also lead to a lack of electrolytes.

An electrolyte fault occurs when the measured value deviates significantly from the standard level of the electrolytes. If this is the case over a longer period of time, it may lead to hyperacidity, an impaired nervous system and in the worst case to death due to the failure of the organs. Severe electrolyte disorders are usually the case with sodium, calcium or potassium and are treated as medical emergencies.

A slight disorder, such as hyperacidity, can usually be easily compensated for by consuming water or vitamin water. If the lack of water or dehydration is already too advanced and can no longer be compensated

by drinking, then an infusion containing electrolytes is indispensable. Even a water shortage of only two percent in our body can cause symptoms such as dry mouth, headaches, little urine, low blood pressure and dizziness. Other symptoms are impaired vision, aggression, mental confusion and fainting. If the lack of water is not remedied, the tongue swells strongly and delirium occurs. However, those who ensure optimal fluid intake throughout the day usually have no problems with this. If you do not necessarily want to drink vitamin water, you should look for vegetables and fruit containing pectin as well as foods rich in dietary fibres. They are able to bind water and then release it slowly through the intestines.

Electrolytes control our water balance in the organism, which is important for the bile, as well as for the stomach and intestinal fluid, the synovial fluid and also for the brain water. They are of great importance for almost all physical processes, as they are located inside and outside the body cells. By the way, our nervous system relies on electrolytes to pass on information and impulses. Through a balanced diet, sufficient minerals can be absorbed. They are found in fresh fruit and vegetables as well as wholemeal products. However, it is essential to prepare them gently, otherwise the valuable ingredients will be lost if vegetables are boiled too long, for example, or washed too long under the tap. By the way, desserts and white flour products contain virtually no minerals, which is why consumption of these foods should be limited. Vitamin water is therefore highly recommended, as it provides our organism with valuable nutrients and can therefore really prevent many diseases.

Why is water so important for the metabolism?

Water is, as is generally known, the source of life, and our body is NO exception. However, most people do not worry about their own drinking habits at all and only drink if they notice a pronounced feeling of thirst. For our organism, however, drinking is almost more important than eating. A human being can survive several weeks without food, but only a few days without fluid intake, since almost two thirds of our body consists of this vital element. Water is the means of transport for blood, sweat and also for urine. Also, it is a necessary solvent for most pulps. The body temperature is regulated by the water contained, by sweating and sweat. In order to maintain the liquid level, the constant losses must be regularly compensated by an optimal liquid supply, since we also excrete large quantities of it daily, without paying much attention to it. Part of our needs is covered by food, but it is far from enough on its own. It is not for nothing that the recommended amount of liquid is at least two litres of water a day. By the way, we only feel thirsty when there is already a fluid deficit!

A water loss of only two percent, of our body weight, can contribute to the fact that the efficiency is strongly impaired by it. We get thirsty when half a percent is already missing. Although our organism is able to compensate for a slight lack of water, this is very dangerous for our health in the long run. It leads to dry skin and dried out mucous membranes, which makes us much more susceptible to bacteria and viruses. A lack of fluids also leads to constipation, urinary infections and kidney problems. If we drink far too little, our body is also less supplied with blood, which can lead to a loss of brain performance and to concentration disorders. Lack of fluid in our body is not only expressed by thirst, but also by loss of appetite, dry mouth, headaches and nausea. Our organism sounds a clear alarm if it is not sufficiently supplied.

The water requirement is higher during heavy sweating, physical exertion, diarrhoea or vomiting, fever and also during a diet. However, older people in particular drink very little, as the feeling of thirst decreases significantly with age. In many cases, however, they simply forget to drink or are afraid of having to go to the toilet more often at night. The German Nutrition Society therefore recommends a dosage of 2.25 litres for older adults in particular, one third of which should be part of solid food. So dairy products, salads and also fruit. The other two thirds should be made up of suitable drinks, such as vitamin water or stomach-friendly teas.

The recommended amount must be distributed evenly throughout the day. Of course, not only in older adults, but of course in every age group. It is advisable to have a drink close to your eyes at work or at home so that you are really reminded of drinking. It should also be clear to everyone that a suitable drink belongs to every meal, as this makes the food easier to digest and our body also receives important additional fluids.

Our metabolism has to supply all body cells so that we really feel comfortable and so that toxins can be broken down and excreted. However, he can only work well if we provide him with the appropriate conditions for this. Metabolism is the process of processing everything we consume correctly and appropriately. The food is therefore first crushed by our metabolism and then sorted out according to its usability. The nutrients contained are distributed as required and transported to the cells. All substances that are not useful for our body must be excreted as quickly as possible in order to guarantee a good state of health. Our metabolism keeps our body functions going, supplies us with heat or energy and is involved in necessary regeneration processes. Also, the metabolism is with the main culprit whether we lose weight, gain weight or grow. A clumsy metabolism, for example, is the reason why some people gain weight very quickly and simply cannot lose weight with many diets or with exercise. A fast metabolism, on the other hand, is usually the case for particularly slim people who would like to put on a little more weight.

A disturbed metabolism can not only cause overweight and underweight, but also depression, rheumatism, diabetes mellitus, impaired thyroid functions and growth hormone deficiency. It is therefore very important to get the metabolism back under control in a natural way. This is possible through a change in diet, in which the metabolism is well supplied by proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as through physical activities and a lifestyle that is as stress-free as possible. But water is also ideal for stimulating the metabolism.

It is assumed that an adult loses more than two litres of water a day. This happens mainly through urine, through the skin and also through breathing. This large amount of liquid is an average value, which is why the recommended intake of liquid also corresponds to this value. In principle, every person must drink as much as he needs personally, since not every body or metabolism is comparable to another. Stress and sleep deprivation, as well as the absorption of toxic pollutants such as nicotine or alcohol, also require more fluids. Even with a high body weight it is clear that this organism is dependent on much more water than an underweight person.

It is recommended to drink a large glass of water before eating. This increases the energy turnover over a longer period of time. Additional calories can also be burned. If you can drink more than two litres of water a day without any problems, you can even lose weight "unintentionally". You should also be aware that you can support these effects with vitamin water from fruit and herbs, which is why we will explain the recipes in more detail in the following chapters.

Only with water is our organism able to excrete the absorbed pollutants every day. These are absorbed by environmental and home toxins, as well as, of course, by nutrition. The more harmful substances we absorb, the higher our water requirements. Unfavourable drinks for our metabolism are for example alcohol, coffee and black tea, soft drinks, sugary drinks, fruit concentrates or purchased fruit juices. Most fruit juices contain not only a lot of fructose, but also additional sugar. Fructose, by the way, is transformed much faster by our organism into fat than the normal household sugar. It also increases uric acid levels and the risk of diabetes. The typical lemonade and cola drinks also contain a lot of sugar and can cause serious health problems. If our metabolism is stimulated, then the storage of waste products and toxins is avoided. Slags, by the way, are the acids and toxins deposited in our body. They need to be neutralized so they don't burn our organs. Gout, for example, is the result of the deposition and slaging of uric acid. Slags are salts formed by our bodies, which are easily excreted through the kidneys, skin, lungs and intestines if they are in good health. If this is not the case, the diseases mentioned above occur.

Slags must therefore be removed from our bodies if we do not want to become ill. But they can also contribute to acidosis and thus to weakness of the connective tissue. In many women, the weakness of the connective tissue can be seen with pronounced dents on the buttocks and legs. If the connective tissue is not relieved, then understandably more and more slag accumulates over the years and the cellulite becomes much more intensive together with varicose veins. It is therefore also advisable in this respect to remove the metabolic waste products from our body in order to relieve our connective tissue, so that the skin is no longer as limp and wrinkled. Vitamin water is therefore not only ideal for detoxification, but also for our skin problems. The best thing to do is to get yourself a nice glass decanter, practical drinking bottles for the road, and a closable jug or jar so that you can prepare your aroma water with fruits and herbs yourself.

If you are not yet used to drinking large quantities of water, then simply place a striking 1.5 litre bottle in your immediate sight and try to empty it until you go to bed. After just a few days you will be able to see how this not only improves your general well-being, but also your skin. However, it is advisable to get used to it slowly so as not to overstrain the kidneys unnecessarily. If you can then drink the 1.5 litre bottle without any problems, then you are welcome to increase your daily dose a little more.

Aroma water with fruits - Drink yourself healthy...this is how it works!

When you look at the studies of most finished products, of water with taste, you usually lose the desire to drink water, because most products are full of artificial additives. Drinking can even become an addiction with the homemade aroma water, if you simply try out different recipes according to your mood. It tastes best if it remains in a lockable jug in the fridge for a few hours, so that the fruit aroma becomes even more intense.

Each glass of homemade aroma water becomes a new experience, as there are hundreds of recipes to try out, which ensure an excellent supply of liquid in any case. Water with taste has almost no calories and is also very inexpensive. In any case, you should use untreated ingredients in organic quality for the preparation. Suitable water is either fresh tap water or mineral water. Aroma water is quickly prepared and served in a nice carafe, also a really great eye-catcher, which will surely delight even typical drinking mufflers.

Delicious vitamin water can be made from the following types of fruit:

- Pineapple

- Apples

- Berries

- Pomegranates

- Grapefruit

- Cherries

- Kiwi

- Mango

- Melons

- Oranges

- Bunches

- Lemons

Aroma water can be prepared from all types of fruit. You should simply try out the possible combinations according to your own taste or simply according to the optical effect.

Pineapple and lemon

Pineapple naturally gives every water a good taste. Combined with lemon, it also has an anti-inflammatory and refreshing effect.

Apple and Cinnamon

These two ingredients are anti-inflammatory agents that also have a beneficial effect on the metabolism. A stick of cinnamon and some thinly sliced apple slices with skin are sufficient.

Blackberries and Blueberries

Fill a liter of water with half a cup of blackberries and half a cup of blueberries in a matching jar. This drink should remain closed in the fridge for at least one hour.

Strawberries with basil

Half a cup of strawberries with a few leaves of freshly chopped basil is really delicious and refreshing and served with ice cubes, just the right drink for particularly hot summer days.

Strawberries with cinnamon

A stick of cinnamon with a handful of strawberries is not only a great eye-catcher, but also ideal for boosting your metabolism. You can also put the strawberries with the green leaves directly into a glass or into the water carafe.

Grapefruit and apple

Some slices of grapefruit and apple slices are sufficient for the vitamin water. Both fruit varieties are very good antioxidants and also contain many valuable vitamins.

Cherries

Whether sour cherries, acerola cherries or sweet cherries - all cherry varieties are very well suited for the production of aroma water. Put a handful of cherries in the jar and chill.

Kiwi

Kiwi water is also a great eye-catcher. The kiwi is simply cut into thin slices with the skin. It can also be combined with cranberries or mint.

Mango with Ginger

100 grams of mango are already sufficient for one liter of vitamin water. The ginger is ideal against nausea and also has an analgesic effect, apart from the exotic taste of this mixture completely.

Melons

Five large melon pieces are usually sufficient for a preserving jar. It can also be a mixture of different varieties, i.e. honeydew melon and watermelon, so that the taste becomes even more fruity.

Oranges with blueberries

Orange water with a handful of blueberries also provides sufficient vitamins. A small orange is sufficient for one litre of water.

Oranges with cranberries

This vitamin water from fruits is a vitamin-rich antioxidant. For a jar, half a cup of berries and half an orange are sufficient.

Oranges with lemons

Cut half an orange and a small lemon into thin slices and place in a preserving jar with water and leave to cool for at least one hour. This recipe provides us with many important vitamins.

Grape water

Whether light or dark grapes - they are also excellent for producing refreshing vitamin water. Just put a handful of grapes in the preserving jar and chill.

Watermelon with rosemary

150 grams of watermelon, or, depending on taste, a little more of course, are sufficient for the production of one litre of vitamin water. With a sprig of rosemary to it the fat burning is cranked up and our moisture storage is filled up excellent again.

Lemon water with mint

A lemon, sliced, with five or six fresh mint leaves has a really refreshing effect and also promotes digestion.

What are the characteristics of these fruits?

The pineapple is ideal for the aroma water because it contains numerous vital substances. This tropical fruit already meets our vitamin C requirements with a portion. But it also contains important minerals and trace elements. These include calcium, iron, potassium, copper and manganese. The protein-splitting enzyme bromelain is responsible for the digestive effect. According to numerous studies, natural digestive enzymes contribute to an improvement of numerous diseases, such as cancer and stomach and intestinal problems. Bromelain has a great anti-inflammatory effect. Pineapple is a popular remedy for scurvy, bladder and kidney problems, venous diseases and sore throats in many indigenous peoples. In some indigenous peoples this fruit was also successfully used for the treatment of parasites, gonorrhea and scarlet fever. Pineapple has long been known for its excellent suitability for detoxification, as fresh juice or vitamin water with pineapple helps to wash away the existing slag from the organism. Depending on the variety, this fruit can contain up to 15 percent fructose and around 8 percent citric acid. If you have a sensitive stomach or liver problems, you should choose ripe pineapple because it contains less acid.

Apples have also long been known for their healing properties. This fruit contains many antioxidants which, like pineapple, have an anti-inflammatory effect. Vitamin water with apple slices is therefore also interesting for people who are not necessarily enthusiastic about this fruit. Apples are ideal for cleansing the liver and intestines, they have a positive effect on our brain when losing weight, and also have a preventive effect with regard to cancer. The secondary plant substances contained in apples play an important role in our health - they are also known as phytamins. By the way, this fruit also strengthens lung function due to its high flavonoid content, which makes it ideal as a supplement for respiratory problems. With apples you can produce tasty and really very healthy vitamin water. It is very advisable to use the shell as well, as it contains the most important ingredients. When shopping, you should not only look at the shiny skin, as matt apples are usually not only fresher, but also much more tasty.

Berries are known to be optimal for losing weight because they contain only a few calories compared to other fruits. Berries include blackberries, strawberries, goji berries, currants, blueberries, cranberries and gooseberries. They are really extraordinary for our health, as they also help us to stay young much longer. They have a strong antioxidant effect, strengthen our immune system and prevent infections. Berries contain a lot of vitamin C, iron, folic acid, potassium, calcium and magnesium. They are ideal for skin problems and help to keep our blood and organs clean. Berries are also good natural laxatives. They are also known for their antibacterial effect. Apart from that, the different types of berries also have other positive characteristics. Blueberries, for example, are recommended to support brain functions. Raspberries contain many important vitamins B and help with menstrual problems. Goji berries increase energy and help with prostate problems. So berries are really good and colourful vitamin bombs, which, as homemade aroma water, become more than just a great visual eye-catcher, because they also taste really tasty.

Pomegranates contain many vitamins and valuable minerals. They are also among the best-known medicinal fruits. They have a positive effect in the treatment of liver weakness, arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular problems. Pomegranates should also be a good remedy for brain performance. The bioactive ingredients, flavonoids and polyphenols, are very important for our body. They inhibit inflammation and help against oxidative stress. Pomegranates are very versatile. The fruity-sour aroma of juice or seeds can often be found in salads or sauces. For the vitamin water it is advisable to divide the pomegranate over a bowl in the middle and then dissolve the seeds with a spoon. It is advisable to put on a kitchen apron, as the stains from the juice are difficult to remove from your clothes. It is not absolutely necessary to peel the pomegranate for the aroma water, although of course you can also make a tea with the skin. The peel is boiled only briefly. Otherwise the halved fruit can be put into a suitable preserving jar with the skin and also with the seeds.

The grapefruit is a citrus fruit with a slightly bitter taste. It is ideal for a refreshing vitamin water with almost no calories and a lot of vitamin C. But also vitamin A, vitamin B, potassium, calcium and magnesium are available in larger quantities. The bitter substances contained in this fruit are able to stimulate digestion and fat burning and reduce cholesterol. The grapefruit has an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect. It is also very beneficial for the skin, as this fruit can also be applied externally. Otherwise, its taste makes it ideal for homemade aroma water. If necessary, you can of course add some stevia if the vitamin water is too sour. However, grapefruit, consumed as fruit or juice, can also enhance the effect of some medications such as special heart medicines, painkillers or even antibiotics. Those who depend on regular medication should therefore only consume this fruit as vitamin water in order to exclude possible interactions.

Cherries are not only delicious, they are also very healthy. This fruit contains numerous vitamins, minerals and trace elements, including magnesium, zinc and folic acid. They protect us from oxidative stress, reduce inflammation and also the formation of blood clots, which is why frequent consumption of cherries can reduce the risk of heart attacks. Gout attacks and the risk of cancer can also be reduced by cherries. Cherries can also help us sleep better, as melatonin is contained in this fruit. This is a sleep-inducing hormone. Unfortunately, however, they are also perishable. The vitamin water with cherries should therefore not be kept in the refrigerator for longer than 48 hours. It is recommended to remove the stems and seeds so that they can develop their full effect in the water. A handful of cherries as aroma water, offer a fruity taste that can be varied with mint, cinnamon or other fruits. Cherries with mango, green grapes, oranges or also with kiwi, as vitamin water, taste delicious and are a very good incentive to drink a little more liquid, even for those who do not like drinking.

Kiwi contains mainly antioxidants and vitamin C, much more than lemons or oranges contain. The taste of this exotic fruit is comparable to strawberries with banana and pineapple. Otherwise the nutrient density of the kiwi is much higher than that of other fruit varieties. It contains vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin K, beta carotene and potassium. But also important dietary fibres, acids and minerals are contained in this small fruit. Kiwis are inexpensive, tasty and above all have an advantageous effect for many diseases. They promote digestion, dilate the blood vessels, regulate high blood pressure and strengthen our immune system. Kiwis also protect us from oxidative stress and can therefore contribute to a longer and healthier life. It is therefore advisable to consider kiwis for vitamin water simply because of their numerous positive effects. They can be combined very well with lemons, strawberries, pineapple and also with mangos or papayas.

Mango is one of the most popular tropical fruits. The juicy-sweet flesh is now increasingly used in our food preparation. Although it contains relatively much sugar compared to other fruit varieties, it is very healthy. It contains mainly vitamin C, vitamins B, vitamin E as well as beta-carotene and folic acid. Mangos have a draining and laxative effect because they are very easily digestible. They stimulate our metabolism, strengthen our immune system, are positive for our eyes, regulate blood pressure, contribute to better wound healing and also ensure our mental fitness. This delicious fruit also has an excellent effect on the skin, as it protects against aging. You can therefore use your mango pieces used for the vitamin water as external skin care before disposal. When you buy a mango, make sure it is ripe. If black spots are visible on the skin, the fruit is already completely ripe and should therefore be eaten within 48 hours, otherwise it will begin to ferment. In addition, you can also base your selection on the sweet smell. If you want to buy mangoes in stock, please DO NOT keep them in the fridge. At least not if they are not yet properly ripe, as otherwise the taste is negatively affected by the cold.

Melons contain a lot of water and are excellent for the production of aroma water, as their taste is usually sweet and juicy. They also contribute very well to a better state of health, whether they are sugar melons, honeydew melons or watermelons. They are diuretic and laxative, strengthen our immune system and regulate high blood pressure. Melons are also able to neutralize acids. Since they have very few calories, they are also highly recommended for diets. Otherwise this fruit is also suitable against dehydration and headaches, arthritis, gout and rheumatism, as well as against obesity. Watermelons are also excellent for deacidifying and detoxifying our organism. It is clear that you can also lose a lot of weight. You can also mix watermelons for the vitamin water with some slices of cucumber, for example, to enhance the effect for a desired detoxification. However, we will discuss special detox recipes in more detail later.

Oranges are popular sources of vitamin C, although we have also mentioned other interesting alternatives in this respect. What is certain is that this citrus fruit has much more to offer than just vitamin C. Oranges also contain vitamins A and B, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Due to its excellent nutritional values, this fruit is ideal for strengthening the immune system and preventing health problems. The antioxidants contained in this type of fruit reduce and combat oxidative stress so that cell ageing can be reduced by regular consumption. The juice and also the pulp help to cleanse our blood and excrete kidney stones. Skin rashes can also be treated with oranges. Freshly squeezed juice is also an optimal means to strengthen the respiratory tract and to excrete the mucus better and more easily. With regard to the vitamin water, the oranges can also be mixed with lemons, or some cinnamon and fresh ginger can be added. By the way, the skin contains more vitamins than the pulp. You can also use the orange peel for your aroma water.

Grapes bring colour into play and have a really delicious taste. Grapes are excellent for our health because they contain many important nutrients. Red grapes, for example, contain many antioxidants, they have an antibacterial effect and purify our blood. Since the red grapes also contain folic acid, cell division can be stimulated during pregnancy. This is also the reason why many gynaecologists recommend consuming this fruit, at least in the first months of pregnancy. Otherwise, grapes stimulate digestion, have a preventive effect against Alzheimer's disease, prostate and cancer and improve the transport of oxygen in the blood. White grapes contain much less sugar than the red variety, which is why the taste is also somewhat bitter. For your vitamin water it is recommended to pay attention to organic quality. It is also advisable to wash the fruit thoroughly with warm water before further use in order to rinse off undesirable pollutants. Grapes can be combined very well with all other fruit varieties for the aroma water. By the way, it is not absolutely necessary to remove the cores for the preparation of your drinking water.

Lemons are known for their antibacterial effect and have been a very popular all-purpose product for many years, which is why they are also used in many households for cleaning purposes. They contain a lot of vitamin C, but also B vitamins, iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Lemons have a base-forming effect and are therefore recommended in order to balance the pH value again, which is indispensable in the case of acidosis. But the blood-cleansing and antipyretic effect of this fruit is no secret either. Lemons also strengthen the immune system, the antioxidants they contain fight existing free radicals and can therefore also counteract premature aging. Lemons help with constipation and flatulence, cough and sore throat, heartburn, nausea and also parasites. Long-term use also ensures radiant skin and shiny hair. The metabolism and fat burning are optimally stimulated by this fruit. Lemon water with fresh ginger and a few mint leaves is a good recipe for losing weight or thirst at high temperatures. You should also make your vitamin water from lemons, as it cleans the kidneys perfectly and can also protect the joints. In addition, this aroma water also has a very good detoxifying effect, so that you can excrete pollutants in your body much better through the urine.

In principle you can use all fruits (except bananas!) for the preparation of your healthy vitamin water and let your imagination run wild. You will be amazed how beneficial your body will react to this new form of hydration, as it is not only supplied with sufficient fluids, but also with high-quality vitamins and minerals.

Aroma water with herbs - Drink yourself healthy...this is how it works!

In the last chapter we have given you some recipes for your vitamin water with fruits. But also herbs can contribute a lot to a better state of health and emphasize the taste. There are many herbs with which you can also produce pure herbal water. Let yourself be surprised by the following explanations and flavours!

Herbs have many healing substances. For the preparation of the flavoured water, it is advisable to get the herbs fresh and to crush them lightly with a mortar before use.

Delicious flavoured water can be made from the following herbs:

- Basil

- Dill

- Fennel

- Lavender

- Balm

- Mint

- Rosemary

- Sage

- Thyme

Basil with cucumber and pineapple

Add five basil leaves, a cup of pineapple and half a cucumber and refrigerate for several hours. You can also leave out the pineapple and try this recipe with strawberries, or use lemons instead of cucumber.

Dill with cucumber

Dill tastes fantastic with cucumbers and both ingredients for the vitamin water have an extremely refreshing effect, making this recipe ideal for

particularly hot summer days. Leave half a cucumber with some dill in a jar overnight.

Fennel with apple

Put a thin slice of apple with a few twigs of fennel in the preserving jar. If you like the taste, you can also cut off some extra pieces of the tuber and put them into your water. Otherwise you can try the fennel with ginger and cinnamon.

Lavender with strawberries

For the preparation of your vitamin water you need half a cup of strawberries and some lavender, which should however be worked briefly in the mortar before, so that the aroma can develop better.

Melissa with peach

The fresh lemon balm leaves are put on together with the cut peach (without seed) and put in the fridge overnight if possible. Melissa can also be combined with other fruits or spices, such as pineapple, kiwi or ginger.

Mint with pear and grapefruit

Five to ten mint leaves with a few slices of grapefruit (with skin) and a few pieces of pear is an excellent remedy for a hangover, and also to get back into shape. Mint, by the way, is suitable for almost all fruits, or also in combination with other herbs, because it provides a particularly refreshing taste.

Rosemary with strawberries

Two large branches of rosemary are advisable for this recipe, which are prepared together with a cup of berries as infused water or vitamin water. Rosemary is also ideal with watermelon, cherries or pomegranates.

Sage with watermelon

1/3 watermelon with fresh sage, the number of leaves depends on the desired flavour. Sage is also very suitable for berries, as well as combined with mint.

Thyme with melissa and cucumber

Arrange half a cut cucumber with a few leaves of lemon balm and a stalk of thyme as aroma water and leave to stand for several hours. Thyme water can also be prepared with fresh ginger and lemon.

With these delicious and simple recipes for refreshing flavoured water, you're sure to want to drink a really big glass of your homemade preparations, don't you? Not only the recipe ideas are important, but of course also the ingredients and possible effects of the selected herbs for our drinks, which is why we describe these ingredients in more detail. In this case, you can also orientate yourself not only on the desired flavour, but also on the respective advantages of the most popular culinary herbs.

Basil is one of the most popular herbs in food preparation. This spice is particularly popular in Italian cuisine. Originally, basil was a well-known medicinal plant because it contains healing substances. Basil is prescribed in folk medicine for inflammation and digestive problems, migraine, menopausal complaints, skin diseases, sleep disorders and also for the treatment of joint pain. However, in cases of illness you are not automatically healed by some dried leaves on the pizza or in the tomato sauce. But in infusions with fresh basil you can certainly benefit from the valuable ingredients. These include vitamin C, vitamin K, beta-carotene, iron, calcium, copper and manganese. For the infusions, basil can also be prepared with paprika to make a spicy version of vitamin water.

Dill is known to most people only as a popular spice for salads and fish dishes. This option is also a particularly healthy ingredient for our vitamin water from herbs. Dill has a fine, tart taste, which also goes very well with parsley. For the preparation of flavoured water you should take the fine leaves and also the delicate dill tips. This culinary herb contains large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, but iron, calcium, manganese and folic acid also offer us numerous health benefits. Dill is good for digestion, helps against existing gases, protects our bones and is also effective against diabetes. By the way, dill is also a good home remedy against hiccups, as it not only reduces gas formation, but also has a calming effect in case of nervous disorders. Otherwise you can combine dill with other herbs and fruits, such as lemon or grapefruit.

Fennel has a very special aroma, which is why it offers many more advantages than just tea, cough or digestive problems. It can be used in many ways in food preparation and is also frequently used in naturopathy. Its healing properties are due to the essential oils it contains, which strengthen the stomach, stimulate blood circulation and are also anti-inflammatory. However, fennel loses its excellent healing properties when cooked, as the essential oils evaporate. Fennel contains many vital substances that can certainly cover our daily needs. Even if you may not be a fan of these tasty vegetables, you should pay attention to your nutritional needs. With the exception of vitamin B12, fennel contains all the vitamins of the B group, from which your muscles, heart and nerves can benefit. Otherwise it convinces with beta-carotene, calcium and potassium as well as vitamins C and E. Fennel therefore offers excellent protection against numerous diseases.

Lavender not only looks beautiful on the windowsill and in the garden, it also has very good healing properties. By the way, you can also use the flowers for your vitamin water, because they provide a very special eye-catcher in the glass carafe. In the kitchen it is used to season meat dishes, in soups and in many cheeses, such as raclette cheese or goat cheese. Lavender, consumed as tea, is a healthy alternative to conventional tranquilizers and can also bring even totally exaggerated children back to rest. In vitamin water it has a cleansing and refreshing effect that can even sharpen the senses. The leaves have an intense, aromatic taste. However, it is advisable to use it sparingly for now. Lavender has been used for years to treat liver and lung diseases, cramps, aching limbs, dental problems and also heart and digestive problems. Lavender also goes very well with berries, peaches and mangos.

Melissa is mainly used in German-speaking countries for the preparation of exotic dishes. This herb is more known to us as a medicinal herb in tea blends. The leaves are used for medicinal purposes. They have a lemon-like and very intense smell, which is why they are also known as lemon balm. In combination with lemons, oranges or of course with other fruits and herbs, this plant is a popular ingredient for infused water or detox recipes. Lemon balm is ideal for relieving stress, cramped stomach and intestinal complaints, for a better sleep as well as against flatulence. Also, melissa has an antiviral effect. In case of frequent stomach and intestinal problems, you can also prepare lemon balm with fennel and aniseed as aroma water to benefit even better from the ingredients.

Mint is one of the most popular ingredients for all kinds of herbal water, as this aromatic plant has an excellent refreshing effect. It is not included in toothpastes and chewing gum for nothing. In the kitchen it is used for smoothies, desserts, sauces and salads. Mint leaves should be used fresh for the aroma water. Although this popular herb has a very intense delicious taste, you should not exaggerate the dosage, as a strong menthol concentration can attack the gastric mucosa. Five to ten mint leaves are therefore quite sufficient for one litre of water. It can actually be combined very well with everything. So not only with fruit, but also with other herbs and spices. Especially refreshing is mint with citrus fruits or berries. But the flavoured water also tastes very good with melissa or ginger. Mint is ideal for headaches, colds and inflammation of the oral mucosa, exhaustion, itching and respiratory diseases.

Rosemary is an important ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, but the official pharmacopoeia also lists this spice as the medicinal plant of 2011. Rosemary also contains essential oil with an excellent effect. It has been known as an antiseptic since ancient times, as well as for better brain performance. Above all, the carnosolic acid contained is said to have a positive effect on Alzheimer's and dementia, as it effectively fights free radicals and toxins. But of course the intensive aroma also contributes to the fact that rosemary is now being used more and more frequently in aroma waters. Depending on its intensity, this plant is good against nausea, nervousness, exhaustion, digestive problems and also against bladder and kidney diseases. By the way, you can still use the rosemary branches for full ribbons after use in vitamin water, as it is a natural and gentle cleanser that can also relieve pain. So rosemary can be used in many ways. During pregnancy, however, you should refrain from consuming this medicinal plant!

Sage as a kitchen spice is not very widespread in German-speaking countries. It is indispensable in Mediterranean cuisine, as it is used for the preparation of salt, for sauces and also for the vegetable filling of ravioli. Pasta, for example, is served with sage leaves steamed in butter, resulting in a particularly spicy and delicious taste. If you buy sage fresh for your aroma water, pay attention to the leaves, as young leaves have a milder taste. Sage is also a popular medicinal herb with great effect for numerous ailments. It helps with respiratory diseases, as its essential oils have an antimicrobial effect. Sage is also used for excessive sweat production. Sage gives your aroma water a unique taste. You can combine this plant with lemons or limes, with berries or with anise and cloves.

Thyme is often used in food preparation. It is ideal for seasoning casseroles, salads, sauces, soups and also meat dishes. However, this spice is also a very popular and above all versatile medicinal herb with which you can emphasize the effect of your vitamin water much better. Thyme has already been recommended by Hippocrates against respiratory diseases. The essential oils contained have an antibiotic, antibacterial and mucolytic effect. It is therefore a natural antibiotic that can also relieve cramps. By the way, thyme is also a good natural remedy after an extended drinking session, as it can also help against the typical complaints of a hangover. This, too, is of course a convincing reason to enrich the vitamin water with thyme. Infusions of this popular medicinal herb are said to keep you mentally fit and can also lower your blood pressure, depending on the dosage. You can combine thyme for your flavoured water with cucumbers, strawberries, pineapple or of course with other herbs.

Of course, you can also use other herbs for your vitamin water, such as parsley, lemon grass, nettle or dandelion, as well as flowers. Daisies and sunflowers in drinking water look extremely good and contribute to rare vital substances for our organism. By the cold preparation of our aroma water also the important vitamins, minerals and trace elements remain contained. The herbal preparations should be consumed within 24 hours, as this not only changes the taste, but can also have a negative effect on our health after this period. For a summer party, or to attract even more attention with your aroma water, you can also prepare small meadow flowers, clovers and herbs as ice cubes. Only one leaf or flower per cube is placed on the water and after a few hours you will have a very colourful and above all original effect in your water glass or in the carafe. You will be enthusiastic about the healthy ideas you can come up with.

Edible flowers are not only daisies, but also violets, camomile, yarrow, roses, mallows and evening primroses. However, you should keep away from oleander flowers, golden rain and aquilegia flowers, as these flowers are poisonous! The monkshood, thimble, yew berries and daphne, whose berries are very similar to currants, are also poisonous. The deadly nightshades are also extremely dangerous. For meadow plants you should therefore only rely on reliable and really healthy alternatives for your aromatic drink.

If you want to enrich your herbal water with flowers, you can combine rose petals and daisies with balm or mint, for example. The taste is particularly aromatic after about one hour.

Detox recipes for losing weight - Drink yourself healthy...this is how it works!

Detox recipes are not only suitable for detoxifying our organism, but with the right ingredients also perfect for losing weight. But why is detox so important and what is it anyway?

Detox is the abbreviation for the English term "detoxify" and means detoxify. Originally, detoxification was mainly used to treat addictions, but nowadays more and more people swear by the excellent effects of detox treatment. Detox has also been used for many years in all kinds of fasting cures. Of course, this does not mean that you have to fast with our detox recipes. It is mainly about cleaning your body of harmful substances and boosting your metabolism a little more. If you also pay attention to a balanced diet, then you can lose weight with it. However, if you do not stick to healthy foods, even the best detox recipes will not help you much to lose weight.

The basis for every detox cure is to drink a lot of water and mainly to consume fresh fruit and vegetables. It is no coincidence that detox is also compared to a healthy diet in which many people who want to lose weight eat water, teas, fruit juices and raw food. The detoxification treatment is, as already mentioned several times, not only about the desired weight loss, but mainly about the cleansing of our organism. This also creates an excellent basis for easier change of diet afterwards. Most detox treatments do without alcohol, nicotine, salt, sugar and coffee. But you should also be able to do without meat, sausage and dairy products, at least for a few days. In addition to fruit and vegetables, wholemeal products are also recommended. If you decide to take a serious detox treatment, you should do it for three days. Below we also show you some interesting recipe ideas, so that you don't have to starve at all. So that this treatment is not too difficult for you, you can of course also try out your upcoming detox program over the weekend, since you are certainly not exposed to stress on these days, and then also have enough time for relaxation and exercise in the fresh air. These two factors are as important as water and fresh food.

Detox is optimal for our organism, but it is also an exhausting work to free it from the available toxins. With lots of sleep and relaxing baths we can relieve our body very well. Sauna sessions are also ideal for the detoxification process, as we sweat excessively and can also excrete toxins better. So you can combine your upcoming detox phase with a little wellness treatment and give your body a little more time and attention these days. Afterwards you will feel fit and beautiful again, as detox also significantly improves our skin. Typical signs of possible poisoning include limpness, fatigue, muscle weakness, anxiety or other emotional discomfort. Allergies and headaches can also indicate the presence of toxins.

Even if one pays attention to a healthy way of life, this is still far from being a sufficient guarantee that our body is really free of harmful substances. The existing environmental toxins alone can cause toxin sources to penetrate our organism through the air we breathe. However, drugs and cosmetic products may also contain substances that are harmful to health. Food colorants are added to many medications. The best example of this is cough syrup, which usually looks much more appetizing due to the dye. However, not all dyes are healthy! According to the WHO, red food colouring in particular can be harmful to health. Unfortunately, however, the pharmaceutical industry is not subject to special labelling requirements, which is why there are no references to the package inserts of most medicines. As far as cosmetics are concerned, most beauty products also contain chemical substances that are also known as harmful substances. In shampoos, for example, formaldehyde is added to guarantee a longer shelf life. According to the German Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation, the preservative methyl paraben can even cause hormonal disorders. Our household cleaning products also contain many harmful substances with which we come into daily contact.

For this reason alone, it is necessary to relieve our body so that we feel healthy and fit again. It is advisable to pay attention to the sources of toxins and to strive for detoxification several times a year.

Among the best known toxins:

- Autogenous pollutants

- Endogenous toxins

- Exogenous toxins

Autogenic pollutants are due to genetic causes, and allegedly also to heredity. This means that existing toxins can also be transferred from mother to baby during pregnancy.

Endogenous toxins are toxins produced by bacteria or other pathogens. These include putrefactive agents, alcohols, arabinitol and ammonia.

Exogenous toxins, on the other hand, are contained in food in the form of preservatives, colorants and sweeteners. This group also includes heavy metals, insecticides and herbicides, pollutants such as fluorides or parabens in the care products, as well as electrosmog, to which we are exposed through the use of microwave or mobile phones. Heavy metals are also found in dental fillings, in water, in the air and also in the ground.

All three groups can be responsible for the development of diseases of civilization. These include a weakened immune system and autoimmune diseases, circulatory disorders, allergies, high blood pressure and diabetes as well as burnout. Our body cells are thus daily in the fight against countless pollutants, which is why it becomes increasingly difficult for them to dispose of them properly over time in order to keep our bodies healthy. Detox is highly recommended for this reason alone and not just for losing weight.

How do I start my detox phase?

Get yourself a nice glass decanter for your detox recipes or the matching jars in which you prepare your vitamin water. Your shopping list should include fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. The following recipe ideas are ideal to detoxify the organism in the best way and at the same time to stimulate the own fat burning much better. It is important to choose an optimal time for which a weekend is usually particularly suitable.

The best recipe ideas to lose a few pounds with detox water

Detox lemon water to lose weight

Slice the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon, another lemon and mix the water with a pinch of sea salt and some chilli or cayenne pepper.

Pineapple water with cinnamon

For one litre of water you need half a fresh pineapple and two cinnamon sticks. The longer this exotic vitamin water is in the refrigerator, the better it tastes.

Detox water with apple vinegar

One tablespoon of apple vinegar is sufficient for one litre of water. You can also add a few slices of apple or pineapple to this aroma water and add a few basil leaves.

Mandarin water with blueberries

Two mandarins with half a cup of blueberries are ideal for preparing one litre of water. You can also use an orange instead of mandarins.

Peppermint water with cucumbers

For one litre you need half a cucumber with skin and some fresh peppermint leaves. You can also enhance the detoxifying effect with freshly grated ginger and a lemon.

Watermelon with ginger and basil

A slice cut into small pieces is sufficient for the melon water. Then simply add some ginger and fresh basil to support the detoxifying effect.

Mint water with blueberries

Half a cup of huckleberry is enough for one litre of water. All you need to do is crush the fresh mint leaves so that the aroma can be released more easily.

Cinnamon water with green apple

Two medium-sized, sliced apples with three cinnamon sticks are ideal to support the metabolism during detoxification. Of course, you can also take other apples with a sweeter taste for a change.

Cucumber-mint water with lime and cranberries

For this refreshing and purifying detox water you need a handful of cranberries, two limes, half a cucumber and some freshly grated mint leaves. The mixture should be refrigerated for at least one hour before consumption.

Strawberry detox water

A cup of strawberries with a sprig of rosemary go wonderfully together and give the vitamin water not only a beautiful colour, but also an excellent taste.

Ginger water with lemon

Two lemons and a small piece of freshly grated ginger are ideal to support fat burning and strengthen the immune system.

Detox water with chia

Two lemons and two tablespoons of chia are sufficient for one litre of water. One, the lemons, should be squeezed out. The chia seed has to grow well for about two hours.

Celery water with spinach

For the preparation of one litre, three celery sticks are recommended, some spinach leaves, as well as a lemon from which you can squeeze half of it.

Cucumber mix to lose weight

For this detox recipe you need half a cucumber, an apple and the pulp of a grapefruit. You can also add a few mint leaves to this mixture.

Detox with coconut water

A cup of coconut water is sufficient for one litre of water. Serve with a lime and a cup of mixed berries. You can also grate a little bit of the lime peel before this fruit is sliced.

Turmeric water with pepper

For this detox recipe you need a tablespoon of turmeric, two lemons, one of which is grated and squeezed, as well as a pinch of cayenne pepper and freshly grated ginger for one litre of water.

Cucumbers and radish water

One cucumber and five radishes are sliced for this recipe, you don't need to peel the vegetables. You can also add a pinch of chilli, cayenne pepper and sea salt, depending on your taste.

Beetroot with basil

A large, or two medium-sized tubers of beetroot give your detox water a beautiful colour. For a special aroma you can add fresh basil or try the mint variant.

Ginger-Garlic-Water

This recipe is for the brave. In this case, however, they are two ideal ingredients that really get the metabolism going. You will need three chopped cloves of garlic and several grated slices of ginger.

Green tea with lemon and ginger

Green tea is also excellent for detoxification and to boost metabolism and fat burning. You need a tea bag for one litre of water. The tea should of course be prepared with hot water. Then add lemon juice and freshly grated ginger.

With these recipes, you can now really try drinking water alternately and above all in a very healthy way. There are no limits to your imagination. However, you should avoid adding sugar and sweeteners to detoxify. If necessary, you can sweeten your vitamin water with a little honey.

If you prefer citrus fruits in your aromatic water, it is recommended to consume the preparation with a straw. This protects your teeth better, as the acid contained can also attack the teeth over a longer period of time and can therefore lead to sensitivity. Otherwise lemons or of course the other citrus fruits are ideal for losing weight, because the fat burning is really well brought in motion, which is also the case with ginger, as well as with the spices, like cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Ginger should not be missing on your shopping list for your aroma water. Ginger is an aromatic root that is very effective. This spice is used in the preparation of rice dishes, in beverages such as ginger ale, in gingerbread and also in many tea blends. According to the pharmaceutical newspaper, the tuber with its typically pungent and spicy taste is the medicinal plant 2018, as it can help against many ailments. Ginger contains more than 160 different ingredients. These include numerous vitamins, iron, sodium, calcium and phosphorus. But also its essential oils have a positive effect on our health. The pungent taste of ginger is due to gingerol. This is a special pungent which has an anti-inflammatory effect. The essential oils from this power tuber have long been used in aromatherapy to treat respiratory problems. Gingerols also help with pain, as this is a natural healing substance whose effect can be compared to aspirin. Ginger relieves headaches and migraines, sore throats and also muscle aches. But our digestion is also stimulated by the consumption of this tuber. Ginger is ideal for nausea, stomach and intestinal cramps, as well as against flatulence. The medicinal plant supports the burning of fat, since the appetite is stimulated after consumption and more digestive juices are also produced. Regular use of ginger reduces the risk of arteriosclerosis and blood vessel occlusions that can lead to thrombosis. Incidentally, the Chinese like to prepare a tea with cinnamon, magnolia blossoms, dates and a freshly grated ginger root in case of flu symptoms. They say this spice even protects our eyes. However, this statement has not yet been sufficiently proven, at least until now. One thing is certain: ginger is a wonderful remedy for your vitamin water. You can eat it sliced or grated. However, if you want to make a tea with it, the ginger should steep for at least 15 minutes so that its aroma can develop better. You can also combine this preparation with the other recipes by using boiled tea instead of tap water or mineral water and fortify it with lemons and herbs, for example. Otherwise, ginger also provides a fresh breath that lasts for a long time.

Cinnamon is also an excellent remedy and not just a spice for our puddings or baked apples. It is one of the oldest spices of all, and until the 18th century was also one of the most expensive spices in Europe. Cinnamon is made from the bark of cinnamon trees, to which the Ceylon cinnamon tree belongs. The cinnamon stick is therefore simply a tubular rolled up piece of bark. Cinnamon is an excellent fat burner and in Chinese medicine an excellent remedy against circulatory weakness, tension and internal cold feelings. It has a disinfecting and blood circulation-promoting effect, which can also relieve cramps. Cinnamon is used in folk medicine for loss of appetite, colds and flu, pain, flatulence and diarrhoea. But even with typical menopausal symptoms, cinnamon is an optimal alternative to do without medication. It can also lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, which is why its insulin-like effect can also help against diabetes. However, it is not yet known in what quantities and in what form cinnamon can be used for therapy. This spice contains many secondary plant substances. Cinnamon stimulates our metabolism very well, which makes it ideal for losing weight, as it is a natural fat burner. The aromatic smell alone should also improve the performance of our brain. Since cinnamon tastes really good, you should also make a note of this ingredient on your shopping list and try out our cinnamon recipes for your vitamin water.

Cayenne pepper is made from ground chillies and not from pepper plants. The name is derived from the Cayenne chili variety. Cayenne pepper is extremely hot. The reason for this is capsaicin. In any case, this active ingredient is a good way to improve blood circulation because it stimulates our body's own warmth receptors and pain receptors. Cayenne pepper is therefore also successfully used in medicine for nerve pain, muscle diseases, tension and rheumatic complaints. Since cayenne pepper has a vasodilative property, it can also be used as a blood pressure medication, as it significantly improves the flow properties of the blood. It is therefore also an excellent remedy if you suffer from cold hands and feet. It is not for nothing that most foot patches also contain cayenne pepper. However, external use is usually associated with visible skin irritation. However, for one or two pinches of cayenne pepper in your flavoured water, it is safe as long as you do not exceed the recommended dosage. Over a longer period of time, with large quantities of cayenne pepper, liver and kidney complaints can occur. You can also use chilli instead of cayenne pepper for your vitamin water, and not only add lemon juice, but also a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup.

If you want to lose weight with the detox recipes for your vitamin water, then you are also absolutely dependent on a suitable diet. The best willpower will not help you if you eat only the vitamin water for a day or two and then return to your original eating habits in the next few days. Ideally, you should follow a diet that will help you lose weight along with the flavoured water recipes.

It is important that you drink your detox water throughout the day. Moreover, the fluid requirement is higher with all diets than with a normal diet. It is not advisable to follow this diet for longer than a week to avoid a lack of nutrients in your diet, even with daily vitamin water. Through this nutrition plan for one week, and the recipes for your aroma water, you are now able to thoroughly purify your body and relieve the organism. It is advisable to do such a detox cure several times a year, because even with a really strict fasting cure it is not guaranteed that in several days, so easily, all toxins that have accumulated over the years can be eliminated. Also strict fasting cures, without medical supervision or instruction, are not recommended anyway. Otherwise, please make sure you offer your body sufficient peace and relaxation. The less respect you give your mobile phone these days, the better. Stress should be avoided as much as possible.

Sauna sessions relax very well and also provide for even more sweating. Take your vitamin water with you to compensate for the loss of fluid. Of course you should also get some fresh air during walks and sleep at least six hours in the night. You will see how fit and healthy you will feel after this detox cure. So that you will certainly consciously avoid unhealthy food afterwards.

Vitamin water especially for the athlete

Athletes naturally have a completely different nutritional requirement than people who move very little. For our organism, sport is comparable to stressful situations, as the body has to adapt to these circumstances. The processes, for the entire metabolism, usually take place in a strongly accelerated form. They are therefore dependent on large amounts of carbohydrates, fat and proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals.

Most professional athletes have nutrition experts work out their dietary plan to add all nutrients to their body in the right amounts. In many cases they are even dependent on special dietary supplements, such as proteins, for muscle building or for an optimal energy supply. For most athletes, a lack of nutrients also means a restriction of their performance. Although the nutrient requirements can usually be covered by a balanced diet, this is unfortunately not always the case. A good example of this are women who suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding. As a result, many women also have a clear iron deficiency. It is therefore quite logical that a high calorie consumption also requires many more vitamins and nutrients. Since many vitamins can only be stored in small quantities or in part in general not in our organism, a sufficient supply of vitamin C and also vitamin B must be ensured in any case. Water-soluble vitamins can hardly be stored at all. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, as well as vitamins E and K, can be deposited in body fat for later use.

The water-soluble vitamins are excreted more through sweat and urine. If the vitamin supply is neglected, then this can lead not only to a vitamin deficiency over a longer period of time, but also to a deficit with regard to antioxidants, since thereby more and more free radicals spread in our body. The lack of vitamins or nutrients is expressed by rapid fatigue, lack of appetite, performance deficits and attacks of weakness. High susceptibility to infection can also be a clear sign of vitamin deficiency and a weakened immune system.

Vitamin B is basically composed of eight different vitamins of the B group. These include thiamine, vitamin B1, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid and cobalamin, vitamin B12, which are particularly important for energy production, blood formation, skin and nails as well as for thyroid function. Vitamin B also influences nerve strength and our sensitivity to stress. These vitamins are found in cereals and pulses, in meat, soy, dairy products and also in germs. Vitamin B12, however, is almost completely absent from plant foods, but can be stored in our bodies. Frequent tingling in arms and legs may be an indication of a deficiency of these vitamins, as well as dropsy and indigestion, fatigue and cramps. An increased need is not only the case with athletes, but also with diets, as well as with the taking of medicines such as antibiotics or the birth control pill. Since UV light and prolonged cooking have a negative effect on these vitamins, the vegetables should only be steamed so that their nutritional values are not lost. For your vitamin water you can use leaves from lamb's lettuce, which contains a lot of folic acid. But also sesame seeds or sunflower seeds. The alga Chlorella contains large amounts of vitamin B12.

As has already been mentioned several times, vitamin C is not only found in fruit but also in some vegetables. According to the DGE, the German Society for Nutrition, our body is dependent on around 100 milligrams of vitamin C daily in order to function normally. Vitamin C is important for the energy metabolism, for our immune system, as well as for the formation of collagen. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant that can protect our body cells from oxidative stress. Especially during sports or other physical exertion it is important to cover the need for this vitamin well, so that our immune system can remain intact through the efforts. Athletes may need 200 milligrams per day, depending on their activity. Higher quantities are generally not recommended, as otherwise they are excreted unprocessed. A lot of vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, berries and kiwi, as well as in spinach, garlic and garden cress. The need for ascorbic acid or vitamin C can therefore also be met relatively easily by athletes if they ensure a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and additionally enrich their vitamin water with these ingredients. So it's not just a question of taste, but of covering the higher demand. The skin contains many more antioxidant compounds, which is why the fruit for the flavoured water should not be peeled, but only divided.

Vitamin D or pantothenic acid is present in meat, fish and wheat. It has a supporting effect on our energy metabolism, on the muscle functions, the immune system, as well as for the teeth and bones. Vitamin D is often also called sun vitamin, as we can absorb a large part of our requirements through solar radiation. However, this ability decreases with increasing age, which increases the risk of osteoporosis from the age of 65. This fat-soluble vitamin is especially important for vegans, as well as for people who live mainly in dark rooms. On average, only two to four micrograms of vitamin D are absorbed through food. However, the recommended daily requirement is 20 micrograms. Large amounts of pantothenic acid are found in fatty fish, but small amounts may also be found in mushrooms, avocados and eggs. Depending on the sport, it may be advisable to use dietary supplements to prevent deficiency symptoms. Vitamin D is also available in powder form, which is of course ideal for the preparation of vitamin water.

Vitamin E is contained in many skin care products, which is why it is often referred to as a vitamin for beauty. In addition, this vitamin is important for almost all cells, as it has an important influence on cell division and also strengthens and protects it very well. Vitamin E is also a good antioxidant as it can neutralize the free radicals in our body. As athletes are exposed to heavy stress during intensive training, vitamin E is particularly important for cell protection. The recommended daily requirement for adults is between 12 and 14 milligrams. Depending on the activities, athletes may need twice as much. This fat-soluble vitamin is found in wholemeal products, vegetable oils, as well as in almonds and nuts. A lack of vitamin E can lead to nervousness and significant mood swings, joint pain, delayed wound healing and a complete loss of physical and mental performance. Vitamin E is therefore absolutely necessary, as a deficit can also lead to sensory disorders and coordination problems. This clearly shows that this vitamin is much more than just a beauty vitamin. Vegetables such as parsnips, pumpkin, spinach, cabbage and paprika are suitable for vitamin water.

Vitamin K can protect us from many diseases, including cancer. It regulates blood coagulation and is involved in bone formation. This fat-soluble vitamin also keeps our blood vessels clean, as it prevents the available calcium from settling in the arteries as plaque, which leads to calcification of the artery walls. A deficiency of vitamin K can adversely affect blood coagulation. Vitamin K is present in most green plants, leaves, but also in liver and eggs. According to the German Society for Nutrition, the recommended dose is between 60 and 70 micrograms for adults, or about twice that for competitive athletes. The leaves of beetroot, parsley, chives and avocados are suitable for the vitamin water of athletes. But grass powder, such as kamut grass or wheatgrass, also contains a great deal of vitamin K. By the way, wheatgrass is a real healer, because this food contains an extraordinary density of nutrients. Barley grass has many more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and bioflavonoids than other green plants, which is why it is also one of the best known antioxidants. It lowers cholesterol levels, improves the skin's elasticity and also activates the intestinal flora.

The increased need for vitamins among athletes is due to the following reasons:

- Higher energy metabolism

- Higher metabolism and need for proteins, fat and carbohydrates

- More oxidative stress or free radicals through sport

- More susceptible immune system

- Higher oxygen transport necessary

- Higher losses due to sweating

- Higher consumption through muscle work

Not only vitamins are vital for athletes, as minerals also play a considerable role. For example, many competitive athletes lack iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. The intake of sodium is also often neglected in the diet. By the way, a deficit can be expressed not only in a drop in performance, but also through a higher risk of injury.

Even if you are not a competitive athlete yourself, but only a completely normal recreational athlete, you should absolutely pay attention to a balanced supply with the valuable nutrients. Wrong eating habits, with too much fat or sugar, for example, can lead to health problems and even serious illnesses during sports, stress or other physical and mental strain.

As an athlete, you must also pay attention to the minerals, as an intensive workout also excretes more minerals through the sweat. This can endanger the electrolyte balance in particular, because without minerals we cannot exist at all. In principle, each individual mineral also has a different effect, which, however, can also contribute to the same physical processes. Minerals are actively involved in our metabolism, they support the transport of oxygen and are also involved in the mineralisation of teeth and bones.

Most athletes suffer from a lack of calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron and also zinc. The risk groups include people who eat an unbalanced diet or who deliberately have to maintain a low weight.

Calcium is one of the most important minerals, which is why a sufficient supply must be ensured as early as childhood. It is mainly involved in building our bones and also our teeth, as well as for blood coagulation. Calcium also supports the regulation of muscle contractions, as the contraction can only take place when the muscle cells are supplied with calcium ions. This mineral makes up two percent of our body mass, with almost everything in our teeth and bones. Only one percent of this is present in the body fluid. If there is a deficiency, our organism accesses the reserves present in the bones. In Germany alone, around seven million people are affected by calcium deficiency. The recommended dose of this important mineral is 1000 milligrams, in competitive athletes the need is twice as high. But children and the elderly also have a higher need. Good sources of calcium are dairy products, pulses and broccoli. Athletes can therefore prepare their vitamin water with mineral water containing calcium, as some varieties even contain 400 milligrams per litre.

Potassium is present in many foods. However, this mineral is particularly necessary for athletes and especially for runners. Our organism depends on potassium to build muscle glycogen. A deficiency leads to general exhaustion as well as muscle weakness. According to the German Society for Nutrition, 2000 milligrams are sufficient to cover daily needs in normal cases. Due to the greater loss of sweat and higher muscle contractions, the dose is somewhat higher in athletes. Relatively large amounts of this mineral are contained in vegetable foods, i.e. in vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruit. The drinking water for athletes can therefore be enriched with apricots, honeydew melons, plums and bananas to provide sufficient potassium. However, it should also be mentioned that potassium can only be optimally absorbed in combination with magnesium. Potassium is also present in meat, fish and cereals. Those who take care of their health and also eat mainly raw foods, in the form of fruit and vegetables, will certainly not be exposed to a deficit of this mineral if magnesium is taken care of at the same time. If there is a lack of magnesium, the intake of potassium is limited. Poor endurance performance can be the case, as well as unnecessarily long phases of regeneration. Potassium also regulates our water balance in the body in cooperation with sodium.

Magnesium is absolutely necessary for the performance of athletes, as this mineral is also involved in the supply of energy. Magnesium also plays a very important role in muscle relaxation, muscle contraction, the effect of hormones and blood circulation. A deficiency leads to painful muscle cramps, tremors, muscle hardening and also to exhaustion. Especially after marathons or hard competitions, magnesium deficiency is widespread. In particularly strenuous sports, the loss due to sweat and urine can even amount to up to three grams per week. No wonder that many athletes come back to magnesium as a dietary supplement. Magnesium citrate, for example in powder form, is particularly suitable for the preparation of special vitamin water for athletes, as it is very well absorbed by the organism and can also bind excess acids. Magnesium is also found in green vegetables, milk and wholemeal products, pulses and also in poultry and liver. Of course you can also prepare your detox drink for athletes with mineral water containing magnesium. The average daily requirement is 350 milligrams. Athletes usually take about 600 milligrams per day and in the case of competitions even more to make up for the deficit more quickly.

Sodium or common salt is present in most foods, which is why recreational athletes should not have any major problems with it. However, high temperatures and extreme physical stress can certainly lead to a deficit. Sodium is vital for us because this mineral regulates our water balance together with potassium and is also involved in the regulation of our acid-base balance. Sodium supports the absorption of water and binds it in the tissues. However, if too little salt is absorbed with the liquid, our organism is no longer able to absorb sufficient liquid for the system of vessels. Sodium deficiency occurs not only when you lose a lot of this mineral through sweating, but also when you consume large amounts of water with glucose that does not contain sodium. In this case, the required sodium ions are removed from the blood and released into the intestine for the absorption of the liquid. The salt concentration is therefore no longer sufficient if athletes drink too much low-sodium water to distribute and control the liquid optimally. If there is a deficit of sodium in the blood, the water flows into the body cells and usually causes them to swell considerably. Understandably, this also reduces the blood supply. This usually results in severe headaches, dizziness and vomiting. In the worst case, drinking too much water after exercise can even lead to death. It is therefore advisable not to drink huge amounts of water after a competition or marathon, but first to pay attention to the quality of the drink. Even isotonic drinks containing small amounts of salt can cancel out the effect of minerals if the organism is really flooded with them. Athletes should therefore prepare their drink with sodium-rich mineral water at important events and also take in glucose in addition to sodium, so that water can really be absorbed from the intestines in sufficient form. It is also advisable to pay attention to the other electrolytes, i.e. calcium, potassium and magnesium.

If you yourself are only an occasional recreational athlete, then you don't need to worry a lot about this, because you will certainly not lose litres of sweat with important vitamins and minerals during your training. In the last chapter we also give you important hints for a correct drinking behaviour especially for athletes.

However, the typical energy drinks are not necessarily advisable, as it is not yet clear to what extent these drinks can really contribute to additional energy. As a rule, these are hypertonic beverages that only unnecessarily drain fluid from our organism and therefore support dehydration during longer periods of stress. It is worthwhile for your health if you prefer your vitamin water or other mineralised drinks when exercising and do not use the energy drinks that are ready to buy.

Useful tips for drinking water properly

So far you have gained a good overview of how you can prepare all kinds of vitamin water to compensate for a possible dehydration and to bring your body back into optimal shape. Most people not only drink too little, however, but also have a completely wrong drinking behaviour, which is why we dedicate a separate chapter to this topic. Normally, many people drink only with meals, or when thirsty feelings are noticeable. But above all, the water should not necessarily be drunk at any time in order to really take full advantage of it. For example, if you do not drink much during the day, this will affect your performance during mental and physical activity. If you consume a lot of water in the evening, you should not be surprised if you have to go to the toilet several times during the night.

According to the experts, even with a slight feeling of thirst we already suffer from a fluid deficit of about two percent. Even in this case there is a restriction in terms of our ability to think, as well as in terms of endurance. A strong feeling of thirst is compared with a fluid deficiency of about six percent. Typical symptoms include weakness, fatigue and marked irritability. A water shortage of more than ten percent can have life-threatening effects. Even without exercise, we lose on average about two litres through sweat, urine, stools and breathing, which is why the intake of fluids is so important. Otherwise our body dries out properly, which can also be clearly seen in the accelerated formation of wrinkles. This is also the case if we have the wrong drinking habits and neglect water.

You can therefore prepare your flavoured water in the evening and leave it in the fridge overnight, so that you don't have to worry about it in the morning and don't lose any time. Drink a large glass of it right after getting up and take the rest to work. If you don't have to go out, put your water carafe visibly near you to be reminded of it. Please make it a habit to drink a large glass of vitamin water before each meal. The ideal time is about half an hour before dinner. This has the advantage that there really is enough water in your pancreas to neutralize the stomach acid, which is extremely acidic by the way. The typically unpleasant feeling of fullness after eating, or even the embarrassing burping can thus be excellently avoided. If you suffer from heartburn more often, you can enrich your vitamin water with sodium ions, as this is a useful home remedy against heartburn.

After eating, however, it is advisable not to drink anything more. If you also drink a lot after eating, the digestive process is hindered and the gastric juices are also extremely diluted, making the food much more difficult to decompose. It is recommended that you do not return to drinking water until about two hours after each meal. Unless, of course, you feel thirsty during this period. In principle, our organism needs a little more than two hours to digest the food properly. In order for the decomposed meals to be transported optimally through the intestines, our body depends on about eight to nine litres of water. Our body takes the water for this process from the tissue and cells. Afterwards, it must be filtered again before the vital fluid in our organism is transported back to the various organs. Our human body has to work as hard as a machine in order to perform all functions optimally. The least we can do ourselves is to ensure a healthy diet and drink plenty of water.

It is assumed that a person weighing around 50 kilograms depends on two liters of water every day. If you weigh twice as much, then of course your requirement is also correspondingly higher and is between 3.5 and 4 litres. Remember that the consumption of lemonade drinks, cola, coffee, black tea and alcohol also drains water from the body and we are therefore dependent on additional drinking. This is also one of the reasons why many countries offer a glass of water with coffee or wine.

If you consume a lot of fresh fruit in addition to your vitamin water, you can of course subtract the approximate water content from the required intake of liquids. For example, melons, oranges and grapes contain a lot of water.

Water during sports

Athletes should not only consume your vitamin water after physical activity, but also, if possible, during the respective training sessions. In this case, it is advisable to take smaller portions so that even excessive sweating does not lead to a water deficit and loss of performance. Please also remember the necessary supply of minerals in your drinking water to maintain the salt balance, so that the blood and body fluids such as lymph and cell fluids really do remain conductive. A deficit after sport is also not immediately compensated by our body. You should therefore drink it slowly and never ingest excessive amounts of water into your body.

Closing remarks

It is really incredible how important water is for our body. With the numerous recipe ideas on how to make your vitamin water really tasty and above all varied, you should now have no more excuses to drink water. It is also understandable, however, that such a real grumpy drinker has to get used to drinking water. To start with, therefore, pay attention to the appearance by creating particularly beautiful eye-catchers, as is the case with the recipe for blueberries with oranges or, of course, with the red berries with herbal ingredients.

If you start by drinking a large glass of water right after getting up and of course before each main meal, then you have already taken a very important step towards better health. It is then up to you to drink another glass between meals. Consuming two litres of water a day should not in itself be a problem at all. You can also choose a particularly beautiful half-litre glass for your flavoured drinking water, because this also allows you to control your consumption much better. One glass before breakfast and one before lunch, then you already get a liter of water. If you then have a glass in the afternoon and one before dinner, then the daily workload is already fulfilled. It would be ideal if you also planned a glass of water in the morning and another glass in the afternoon, even if these are only small quantities.

You will be amazed at how your body reacts to the unfamiliar water supply after just a few days. Water helps to increase our immune system and physical and mental performance, to eat healthier, it regulates body temperature, contributes to fat reduction and calorie burning and also solves the usual digestive problems. Since drinking plenty of water can also prevent cell damage, it also helps against wrinkles, as it makes the skin firmer and smoother. If you try a detox treatment with vitamin water, then you will surely notice that coffee and cigarettes do not taste as good as originally assumed. Even without fruits and herbs, water helps to transport the harmful gases from our lungs, which contributes to better oxygen transport. By the way, water shortage can also be one of the Reasons for sexual weakness and high blood pressure. So please do not let it come to a water shortage first, because with these recipes for flavoured water you will definitely feel fit and healthy again once your organism has gotten used to it.

Fighting shopping addiction - What to do when shopping becomes addiction?

For most people, shopping is an everyday activity that is associated with either fun or stress and serves the purchase of goods and products. Usually the motivation behind the purchase of a certain product is mostly the necessity to need it. This applies, for example, above all to food, but also to clothing. Entertainment products such as televisions and books are not vital, but are socially recognized as part of everyday necessities.

As a rule, people often buy more products than they actually need. The phenomenon can often be observed in women who buy more clothes than they actually need on so-called shopping tours. This behaviour is in most cases completely unproblematic and is even demanded and promoted by society. It is not for nothing that today's society can be characterized as a consumer society. However, those who begin to compulsively purchase goods in the knowledge that they do not need them at all and thereby exceed their financial limits suffer from a buying addiction.

Buying addiction is referred to in specialist circles as oniomania, the buying delusion, but compulsive buying behaviour, compulsive buying, pathological buying addiction or the colloquial buying frenzy are terms for a buying behaviour exceeding the normal level. The phenomenon of pathological buying madness has been described for over 100 years. However, this clinical picture has not yet been fully addressed and scientific research has so far only been carried out on a small scale. The ICD (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems), the reference work for mental disorders, does not list shopping addiction. The very terms that are used synonymously for compulsive shopping behaviour clearly indicate that shopping addiction has not yet been clearly classified. It is well known that the competent authorities do not work quickly, and it was not until 1968, for example, that the Federal Social Court recognised alcoholism as a disease.

Therefore, shopping addiction is not a recognized mental disorder in Germany to this day. From a medical point of view, it is counted as a non-substance-related dependency, impulse control disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. If a physician is forced to name shopping addiction as a diagnosis, he must in most cases select the ICD code F63.9 "unspecified abnormal habits and impulse control disorders". These impulse control disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders also include gambling addiction and kleptomania. In the case of an impulse control disorder, those affected are not in a position to withstand an impulse and give in to it in awareness of possible negative consequences. In Germany, it is estimated that 5 % of the population suffer from shopping addiction. How high the number of unreported cases is, however, is not known. Similarly, the group of people at risk of shopping addiction is not included in these censuses. The lack of concrete diagnostic criteria due to the lack of classification in the health care system makes it even more difficult to obtain a truly transparent number of those actually affected.

If you or an acquaintance, family member or friend suffers from buying addiction, this guide will tell you, among other things, what causes are responsible for buying addiction, how you can recognise buying addiction and how you can actively take action against it.

The shopping opportunities in the 21st century tempt many people to overconsume all kinds of goods. Shopping centres that are often open into the evening hours and advertising brochures and advertisements on every corner. In addition, bargains and sales are supposed to suggest that there is a unique opportunity that should not be missed. Shopping possibilities in the internet are still the cherry on the cream. Purchased with one click and already at home the next day. Advertising and marketing ensure that certain products promise to lead a happy and fulfilling life with exactly this purchase. Advertising is aimed at demonstrating the compelling social and psychological necessity of a particular product. The frequently used phrase "you have to treat yourself to something" is almost an absolution, why many people afford things with a clear conscience, which they neither need nor meet their financial budget. If the social media and television also show a reality in which living standards marked by luxury and expensive products belong to normality, many people feel excluded and their self-esteem diminishes. The assumption that one does not belong to society because this standard of living cannot be imitated quickly leads to ignorance of one's own financial limits. It is completely forgotten that the standards of living portrayed in the media rarely correspond to reality. Numerous unconsciously conveyed slogans or marketing campaigns in everyday life convey the message that shopping helps in every situation. What is for most people a nice change and deserved distraction, can quickly become a trap for psychologically attacked people.

Usually it is not a problem to regulate your buying behaviour accordingly and to have an awareness of whether this product is really necessary and to consciously encourage advertising to buy. Of course, everyone has bought something they knew was unnecessary when they bought it, but it may have been outrageously cheap or so fascinating and beautiful that you have to have it. At the latest, when the financial means are no longer sufficient, reason wins and further purchases are broken off - albeit with a heavy heart.

Buying addicts lack this feeling of whether they really need something. Even financial limits can be skilfully ignored. They act compulsively and experience an unbearable urge to buy something. At the beginning of this disease, there are always personal problems that are intended to distract from the addiction to shopping. Those affected are not addicted to a particular product or merchandise, but rather to the feeling that buying from them triggers it. Particularly fatal: In a consumer-oriented society, shopping addiction remains undiscovered for a long time, not least because those affected can hide their addiction for a long time. Shopping addiction is so easy to exercise, it can be hidden because it is socially recognized. The inhibitions like with drugs or alcohol, which are already stigmatized by society, are completely eliminated with shopping addiction.

Forced to spend money: Psychological causes

Despite the fact that shopping addiction is not listed as a mental illness in its own right, it should be taken seriously and should never be trivialised. Thus it is based on psychological causes that indicate the urgent need for treatment. It is not scientifically clear whether buying addiction is an impulse control disorder or an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Even the question of whether there is a real addiction could still not be answered from the perspective of science, although buying addiction fulfils numerous criteria of behavioural addiction. In doing so, shopping addiction can affect anyone and does not stop at social status or educational level. Both a nurse and a successful senior physician can be affected.

Young people are supposed to be a vulnerable group because of the brand fixation and the associated status. In addition, they are far less critical in their purchasing behaviour than adults and succumb to the belief that branded products are a guarantee of quality. The trend of so-called "Haul videos" can be critical, among other things. On YouTube young people present their "haul", the English term for raid. In a video the product is presented, quality and price are introduced, evaluated and a possible purchase recommendation is pronounced. What at first appears to be completely casual can become a shopping trap for many young people. It is also not without danger that young people grow up with the increasing cashless payment system and the Internet and often lack the connection to spending money. Those who rarely physically hand over cash tend to spend money more quickly that is not available at all. It is therefore not uncommon for young people in particular to quickly fall into debt traps. Due to the fact that young people usually still live at home, however, their pathological buying behaviour is noticeable earlier than that of an adult. The parents then settle the debts that have already arisen and try to put a stop to the compulsive behaviour of their child through various measures. The extent to which these measures are crowned with success depends on how precise they are. Responsible parents try to find a therapy place for their children and try to find out the causes of shopping addiction.

It is assumed that 90% of all shopping addicts are women, whereas an American study shows that men can be affected by shopping addiction in the same way as women. Younger people also tend to be more inclined towards shopping addicts than older people. Likewise, people who live in a supposedly happy partnership can satisfy their unfulfilled desire for love through shopping addiction. As ready as the spectrum of those affected may be, some commonalities can certainly be worked out. Nevertheless, the current state of research can be expanded in terms of frequency, who is particularly severely affected, what the concrete causes are and which mechanisms are effective in the case of shopping addicts.

For example, some scientists believe that a genetic disposition can be determined. This assumption, however, is of a more general nature and aims much more at the basic nature of the character. People who have emotional instability or low self-esteem and a tendency to develop depression are more likely to develop addictions. In psychology, a biological predisposition has been found in people who suffer from addiction. In patients with this condition, the reward centre in the brain should be less pronounced. Addiction fatally activates this reward centre, releases positive feelings and, in the case of shopping addiction, is associated with shopping. Nevertheless, there is no particular personality type that necessarily suffers from addiction. This phenomenon could not be scientifically proven. Thus, people can have the above-mentioned characteristics, such as a tendency to depression or an unstable personality, without ever in their life ever coming into contact with an addiction or showing an addictive behavior. Rather, science tries to explain that under certain circumstances it may be more likely to develop an addiction. However, this case does not necessarily have to occur. In addition to these biological dispositions, social and family factors also play an important role. People whose childhood was marked by withdrawal of love or performance orientation often grow up to become less stable personalities. The danger of getting addicted is thus increased if some components come together.

For example, it is assumed that shopping addiction is always based on a reduced self-esteem. The assumed correlation between shopping addiction and the frequent occurrence among women could be explained, among other things, by a lack of self-esteem. Psychological theories assume that women and fewer men in particular suffer from low self-esteem. Possible reasons cited are that women, unlike men, make their self-esteem more dependent on the outside world. They tend not to assess their abilities and characteristics realistically. The reason for this is that women always compare themselves with an ideal and not with competitors or other people. Added to this is the often unconscious attitude towards women to adapt and to be responsible for the happiness of children and men. Combined with their own self-critical attitude and the daily tension between career and family, many women experience problems with their own self-esteem. In extreme cases, a certain tendency to fall ill with a shopping addiction cannot be ruled out. However, even men may have problems with their self-esteem due to a dominant mother, childhood bullying or family tensions. For example, men cannot be excluded in principle if one speaks of a probability of falling ill with shopping addiction.

The psychological causes of addiction to shopping can therefore be quite varied: genetics, personality, neurobiological processes in the brain that favour it, mental illnesses or stress caused either by everyday life or by strokes of fate. Why, for example, a lack of self-esteem or neurobiological processes in the brain can lead to shopping addiction, will be briefly explained at this point.

Lack of self-esteem

Since self-esteem has been mentioned several times, the causes and, above all, the consequences and possible connection with shopping addiction will be examined more closely at this point. Psychologically, self-esteem is the value that an individual ascribes to himself. In other words, self-esteem can be understood as the evaluation one gives oneself. Self-esteem is often referred to as self-respect, self-confidence or self-confidence, but it is not entirely correct. Self-confidence and self-assurance are closely linked to self-esteem, but do not have the same meaning. As a rule, self-esteem includes one's own personality, abilities, memories and feelings about oneself.

How positive or negative your self-esteem is depends on three factors. This includes comparisons with other people, feedback from the environment and the principle of self-observation. In self-observation, one's own behaviour and experience is analysed and classified. As a rule, it is set in relation to previous events and is central to one's own self-perception. In the course of life, the formation of self-esteem concentrates primarily on social comparisons and is repeatedly called into question by school changes or other upheavals. Puberty would be a fitting example of such an "identity crisis". But even the change from kindergarten to school is a change that can leave its first traces.

A reduced self-esteem can primarily be traced back to a difficult childhood. However, a low self-esteem can also burn into the body over the course of a lifetime as a result of emotional injuries. While in childhood the parents are still the central figures in the life of a child, in later years this centre of life can shift and the partner can take on the central role. Disappointments from relationships are therefore a serious component that have a massive impact on self-esteem. For this it is often sufficient to have been cheated or lied to by the partner and to have destroyed the trust lastingly. Many people then ask themselves the question "why wasn't I enough for him/her" and often completely ignore that they are not solely to blame for the failure of the relationship. Fraud in relationships can be compared to a traumatic experience in which a person had to fear for his life. The psychological consequences are correspondingly far-reaching.

If the causes lie in the childhood, it is often the lack of recognition of the parents up to indifference, an emotional neglect or the absolute opposite, overprotection and overcare. Especially children who have only been rewarded with emotional goods and not with love can be prone to shopping addiction. The rush of shopping can then serve the purpose of self-affirmation and suppress the feeling of receiving too little recognition. In childhood there was an imprint on material goods which can no longer be discarded in adulthood. For example, if a child has received a gift for good grades, the focus is on materialism. And who doesn't know from their own childhood that their parents banned video games or television as a punishment? The deprivation of material goods in childhood, like the excess, can lead to the conviction in adulthood that the focus is unnaturally placed on possessions and valuables. It has long been known that concentration on materialistic values leads to a long-term decline in quality of life. While it is essential for a happy life that basic needs are met, an accumulation of material possessions does not improve quality of life and mental well-being. It is therefore a fallacy of a shopaholic who believes that buying this garment now will make him happier. But those who concentrate on material things and put a lot of energy into shopping tours rob themselves of energy and time to take care of the central things in life.

This feeling that material possessions lead to social acceptance and more is reinforced by the interpretation of one's own society. Material objects of value, as those affected believe, play a central role in gaining recognition and affection. If those affected receive the appropriate compliments for their acquired clothing or the latest mobile phone, they are ultimately even strengthened in this perception. The self-esteem is upgraded and the affected persons are driven further into addiction in this way. Since society is increasingly focusing on these material values, it is not unlikely that buying addiction will be more strongly represented in the coming generations than it is currently the case.

Sooner or later, a lack of security, closeness and love often triggers an inner emptiness that is to be filled by the purchase of products. For example, those affected report that the arrival of packages ordered online gives them a childlike feeling of Christmas again. In this case, shopping addiction is a desperate attempt to restore the feeling of beautiful memories and love. The central role of the inner child also becomes clear in this description. In psychology, thoughts, feelings and experiences from childhood that can play an important role in experiencing and acting despite their advanced age are called inner children. Many shopping addicts are in a permanent conflict with their inner child, that is, in their case fear of rejection or withdrawal of love, and their adult self, which is marked by reason and a sense of responsibility. Psychotherapy is one way of ending one's own conflict with one's inner child and finding peace with childhood experiences and feelings.

The attention and attention that the affected person receives from the seller is also a factor that should not be underestimated. The feeling of lack of attention and devotion can be compensated in this way. For this reason, the goods already purchased are not returned. Affected people report the fear that the seller's recognition and love will be lost if they return their purchase. What is particularly striking about these descriptions is the distorted perception of those affected. The salesman does his job professionally and rarely offers his customers honest feelings of recognition or even love. The longing of those affected for attention and positive attention and the deficits that are present in their own lives become clear.

Strokes of fate

A stroke of fate can include sudden unemployment, the death of a relative or similar stressful life situations such as separation from one's long-term partner. Studies have shown that these factors have a significant influence on self-esteem in adulthood. While, for example, a breach of trust in a partnership or marriage can lead to a loss of self-esteem and thus trigger a buying addiction, stressful life situations can be unloaded by compulsive shopping. In this case, those affected try to distract themselves from their negative feelings and problems. In these cases, there must not have been a disposition for shopping addiction in the past, but those affected experience by chance that shopping makes them easier and more joyful. Once this positive experience is made, it can happen that the positive feelings want to be experienced again and a vicious circle begins.

The psychosocial consequences of unemployment are manifold. For example, those who suddenly become unemployed may feel excluded from society. Particularly in Germany, social recognition is often defined by the professional success of the individual. The fear of being considered lazy or poor plays a central role for many unemployed people. Another far-reaching factor for many unemployed people is the threat of poverty. The financial imbalance, which many find themselves in as a result of unemployment, leads to restrictions in purchasing behaviour to date and the abandonment of products or services that have so far met their own needs. In order to escape this feeling and compensate for it, excessive buying noise can occur. The motivation can be quite different. Some people may not want to accept that their financial possibilities are limited from now on. Or they try to drive away boredom by shopping tours. The role of work in everyday life is often underestimated. It cannot be denied that the profession is essential for the daily structure of many people. If these structures no longer exist, there is a danger that many unemployed people will fall into a hole and from now on opportunities will be sought to fill the day with other activities.

If an already buying addict is affected by unemployment, the symptoms of buying addiction may worsen. More drastic, however, are the financial consequences of unemployment. Both factors favour each other and lead to a deterioration of the coercive behaviour. Even people who are potentially at risk of becoming shopping addicts should pay particular attention to their buying behaviour in the event of unemployment.

If a partner dies and children are left behind, many shopping addicts with a bad conscience start buying countless products not only for themselves but also for the children. Not only the emotional gap in oneself is to be closed with it. Such behavior is a desperate attempt to make the family happy again. Here the low self-esteem shows itself again, because without the partner the affected feel a large inability to care for the common children. If this feeling is compensated by an enormous number of material goods, it can no longer be understood as normal mourning behaviour.

The aforementioned strokes of fate do not necessarily lead to someone slipping into shopping addiction. Ultimately, numerous factors determine whether buying addiction occurs at all. This can be the interplay of a low self-esteem and a possible stroke of fate, but it can also be the interaction of a low self-esteem and a possible stroke of fate in another mental illness. Depending on personality and life management strategies, difficult life situations can also not lead to a psychological imbalance at all and can be mourned and processed to a normal degree. Since behavioural addictions are primarily about learning behaviour, it is recommended that people who are affected by strokes of fate should be mindful of possible addictive substances or behavioural addictions. This includes drugs, alcohol, but also shopping or gambling. If someone in your environment is affected by a stroke of fate, it is advisable to offer help and support.

Occurrence with other diseases

In most cases, shopping addiction is linked to other illnesses or other psychological and physical symptoms occur that indicate the presence of another illness. Depression often occurs in parallel with shopping addiction. Anxiety disorders and inner emptiness are also characteristic of people with shopping addiction. Accompanying eating disorders can also occur.

The accumulation or morbid hoarding of goods can possibly lead to the well-known "Messie syndrome". Studies show that half of all shoppers have Messie syndrome at the same time. Similar to shopping addiction, this syndrome is characterized by reduced self-esteem and psychological imbalance. Nevertheless, not every sales addict necessarily has to be a Messie. Depending on personality and past, a sales addict may tend to give away or throw away his or her purchased products and thus not count as a Messie.

Inevitably, from a scientific point of view, the question arises at this point whether shopping addiction may only occur as a symptom of other mental disorders and whether it does not exist at all as an independent disease. As already mentioned, buying addiction is obviously associated with an impulse control or obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, it is argued that shopping addiction should be listed as a disease in its own right because, among other things, the neurobiological mechanisms should be clearly distinguished from an obsessive-compulsive disorder and shopping addiction could not yet be clearly assigned to the impulse control disorder.

The question also arises when shopping addiction is combined with depression, for example, which disease is the result of the other disease. Or to put it another way, what came first? Chicken or egg? However, the answer to this question is only relevant from a scientific point of view. For first aid measures and other treatments, the question of whether addiction to shopping is caused by depression or whether depression is caused by addiction to shopping is not of decisive importance. The treatment in both cases would probably differ only slightly from each other. If the shopping addiction is clearly only a symptom of a borderline disease, for example, and self-injurious behaviour occurs, the treatment should of course be adapted according to the underlying disease.

Scientists have also observed that shopping addiction is just one of the many addictions that people can have. In some circumstances, shopping addiction can go hand in hand with drug or alcohol addiction, but also with another behavioural addiction such as gambling addiction.

Hormones as cause

It is controversial whether an imbalance of serotonin and dopamine is the cause of symptoms in a shopping addiction. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects the central nervous system and is better known as happiness hormone. A lack of serotonin can negatively influence the mood and lead to depression. Since shopping addiction can often occur in combination with other mental illnesses such as depressive moods, an unbalanced serotonin-dopamine balance is not uncommon. Therefore, it is not possible to identify this hormonal imbalance as the sole cause of shopping addiction. However, the aim of a behavioural addiction such as shopping addiction is to compensate for an imbalance in hormones that has already arisen or has arisen as a result of the addiction.

The exact processes that take place in the brain of a shopping addict have not yet been fully clarified. However, studies have shown that, similarly to other addicts, purchasing addicts have fewer receptors in their midbrain to which messenger substances such as dopamine, which trigger feelings of happiness, can dock. The purchase of a certain product triggers the release of dopamine in the brain. The reward system of humans is misshaped with a buying addiction, since the act of purchase alone leads to the distribution of feelings of happiness. In addition, in people with addictions, due to the lack of possible docking sites for these hormones, an increased release of dopamine is necessary to contribute to a satisfying feeling of happiness. Experts describe this chemical process in the brain as "addiction memory". The reward system in the brain is given a central role and it is pointed out that it ultimately does not matter to the brain whether the increased release of dopamine and the associated euphoric effect is related to a substance or to an activity. In the case of buying addiction, psychological dependence is crucial.

While at the beginning of the addiction to buying the distribution of dopamine still leads to a longer lasting feeling of happiness, with the progression of the addiction to buying this period becomes shorter and shorter. Soon after the purchase, the person concerned falls into a depressive hole and is subject to the assumption that only a purchase will make him happy again. A vicious circle has arisen. The reason for this is that the brain has reduced the body's own release of dopamine to a minimum and has already become accustomed to the increased release of hormones resulting from the purchase. This hormonal process in the brain is responsible for the fact that the longer the affected person is suffering from addiction, the more things have to be bought. Only through this more can the intoxicating or satisfying feeling be experienced again and again.

This state is comparable with a downward turning spiral. So, the longer you suffer from shopping addiction, the more your brain gets used to the happy hormones. In order to maintain this feeling of happiness, you must therefore consume an ever higher "dose". So, every day, a shopping addict feels the need to buy even more clothes or an even more expensive car in order to trigger the surge of happiness hormones.

The compulsion to shop: Symptoms of shopping addiction

Shopping addiction often occurs similar to a seizure. It is often associated with certain triggers. This can include stress and frustration, among other things. Everyone knows the situation of the so-called "frustration purchase". Trouble in the office or stress with the partner, then gladly on-line or however in the shopping centre a not compellingly needed pair of shoes or a DVD is bought. In principle, such frustration purchases are unproblematic, they are regarded as so-called compensatory actions and have the function of suppressing problems and eliminating frustration for a short time. Such a compensatory action may not sound reasonable at first, but it is a normal mechanism of the human psyche. If a person would immediately deal with every problem or frustration he experiences, the result would be excessive demands. A short-term distraction through frustration buying is therefore socially recognized and tolerated. Boredom and escaping from the dreary and depressing daily routine can also drive people into shopping addiction.

However, if these frustration purchases become uncontrollable, the boundary to pathological or pathological behaviour is crossed. Usually this transition happens fluently and is not perceived at first. Therefore, a buying addiction usually goes unnoticed for a longer period of time. The inability to regulate oneself and to permanently compensate one's problems by buying is perceived as a pathological element. Fatal is at the beginning of the buying addiction that the addicts often even get recognition and attention from their environment for their purchases. The environment feels envy and respect for the expensive purchases and does not initially come up with the idea that the purchasing behaviour of the person concerned may no longer correspond to the norm. This attitude confirms the shopping addict's behaviour, as he has achieved what he is so desperately looking for: Attention, care, attention. Often these emotions are confused with honest sympathy, but in the long run they are no substitute for the inner emptiness that the affected person feels a short time later. In order to restore the experienced feeling, the next shopping frenzy follows.

The problem of recognising a buying addiction, however, is not only due to the fact that it comes creepingly. The social reputation of shopping addiction is by no means as bad as that of drug or alcohol addiction. There is no stigmatisation of the shopping addict and the critical perception of the environment is by no means as sharpened as is the case with other addictions.

Characteristics of buying addiction

The primary most important characteristic of buying addiction is the urge to buy something that is not actually needed. The shopping addict acts impulsively and purchases excessively, especially at an advanced stage of the disease.

At the beginning of a shopping tour, whether online or in the shop, most people feel feelings such as anger, grief, frustration, loneliness or anxiety. Often the feeling of an inner emptiness, which is to be filled by shopping, is also described.

A typical feature of shopping addicts is that the acquired goods are generally not used and are no longer taken into account after the purchase. For example, it is not uncommon for shopping addicts to accumulate several televisions or 20 pairs of identical shoes. It is even common that the articles are never unpacked or that food from the special offer rots and is not eaten.

It's about the act of buying for the addict, not the goods or services they get. This act is associated with a feeling of strong excitement, tension or excitement. When you buy, you feel relief, happiness and satisfaction. After shopping, there is a feeling of remorse and a guilty conscience. These feelings often occur when leaving the department store, but a return of the goods is often categorically excluded. If they return the goods out of bad conscience, they tend to make a new purchase out of frustration that exceeds the value of the previous purchase. A feeling of helplessness is typical for shopaholics in this context. Although they see through the harmfulness of their behaviour, they cannot free themselves from it on their own.

Typical of the consequences of buying addiction is the feeling of no longer having control over one's own will and having nothing to oppose the urge to buy. Those affected feel powerless against their own feelings and have the feeling of losing control over their lives and over themselves.

Current activities are often interrupted in order to give in to the urge to buy. This can lead to a frustrating argument at work, the work is then interrupted and the person concerned goes to a department store to suppress the frustration and push it away.

Buying is increasingly becoming the centre of life and determines the whole of life. As soon as you wake up, your thoughts revolve around possible purchases. The shopping orgies do not necessarily occur daily, however, but can appear in phases. Particularly at times when shopping is socially normal and deliberate, as in the pre-Christmas period or in special sales, the shopping addict can pursue his addiction inconspicuously.

Those affected tend to justify their behaviour and point out that they have only bought special offers and can therefore save money. The reference to the fact that the money is earned by oneself or that one finally earned this purchase is not uncommon. Also, the intention to save from the next month on and to pay bills and debts are typical for a shopping addiction. Buying addicts tend not only to justify their behavior, but tell lies about their buying behavior or the real price or amount they have spent.

There is almost always a financial loss, as people who are addicted to buying purchase products beyond their financial means. There is a great danger of cashless shopping with free credit cards, as the inhibition threshold drops. The overview of money already spent is quickly lost, and studies have also shown that credit card holders spend more money on purchases than people who shop with cash. According to studies, those affected actually tend to prefer payment with a credit card to cash. They also seem to develop a certain dependency on their credit card and don't want to leave the house without it.

The shopping addiction is hidden, because beside the shame about one's own behaviour the fear of criticism plays a dominating role. Fear of criticism is closely associated with low self-esteem. If those affected do not live alone, they hide the products in the cellar, give them away to friends or family or sell them again at rock-bottom prices on the Internet. If the household is run alone, Messie syndrome may occur. In contrast to alcohol addiction, which is recognizable by an alcohol flag, or drug addiction, which is associated with many physical symptoms, shopping addiction can be relatively well hidden externally. The person concerned cannot see their addiction from the outside, and the condition of the apartment does not have to be an indication of buying addiction.

For outsiders, the descriptions of those affected are particularly conspicuous. Emotional life seems to depend exclusively on material goods and to be defined by them. In particular, formulations that implicitly indicate that a person is only well when he or she can buy something in particular are a clear warning.

If those affected suffer from shopping addiction for a longer period of time, their self-esteem deteriorates considerably. Depression and suicidal thoughts can result. From a certain point in time, the effects of buying addiction cannot be confined to the financial sphere alone. The previously attacked psyche is pulled further down and fears determine more and more life. The fear of losing one's job, one's family, friends and one's position in life, is now dominant. Especially when the pressure from outside, be it at work or from the family, is increasing, many people believe that it would be a relief for their environment if they no longer lived.

Withdrawal symptoms

If it is not possible for the person concerned to have to buy something to give in to the compulsion, withdrawal symptoms occur. Withdrawal symptoms are another typical symptom and also occur in other addictions. Symptoms of withdrawal symptoms usually occur when the financial means have been exhausted or when those affected are prevented from being able to continue buying.

The objection that there can be no physical withdrawal symptoms in an addiction that is not dependent on a particular drug or alcohol is only partially justified. In the case of shopping addiction, the body gets used to the increased release of dopamine, the happiness hormone, which has a calming or intoxicating effect. If this regular release of dopamine is now abruptly stopped, there will be considerable mood swings. These mental withdrawal symptoms cannot of course be compared to heroin withdrawal, but they are experienced by those affected in a very agonizing way. The withdrawal symptoms of shopping addiction must therefore not be dismissed like shopping addiction itself, but the suffering of those affected is clearly present. The fact that suicidal thoughts and states of despair can occur under drastic purchase withdrawal shows the immense psychological suffering pressure of the concerning.

Withdrawal symptoms primarily include inner restlessness, which can turn into aggressiveness. Irritation and aggression can occur when it is no longer possible for those affected to pursue their addiction. Desperate and driven by inner restlessness, they may tend to develop other disorders, such as eating disorders, under withdrawal, or the underlying disease, such as depression, may worsen drastically in the course of "purchase withdrawal".

As already described, shopping addiction and its secondary and main diseases have an effect on the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin. If there is a clear lack of this transmitter, it can lead to increased impulsiveness and aggressiveness, which can be a further explanation for the withdrawal symptoms in a non-substance addiction.

Sleep disorders and depression can also occur, and withdrawal symptoms can even manifest themselves in psychosomatic disorders. Psychosomatic diseases are all diseases that have no physical but a mental cause.

Differences in purchasing behaviour

The buying behaviour can be very type-dependent and does not follow a generally valid pattern. It's not random, though. A specialization on certain products is usual. Irrespective of gender, there are those affected who only buy special offers, better known as "bargain hunters", or who purchase the goods depending on their emotions, or who start shopping indiscriminately in stressful situations. A collective delusion can also manifest itself in the form of buying addiction. The opposite of the bargain hunters are people who only buy luxury items and who are satisfied by buying high-priced items. Buying addicts, who predominantly buy luxury goods, have most likely cultivated a wasteful lifestyle even before their buying addiction and define themselves above all through their material possessions and strive to demonstrate them to the outside world.

Some of those affected concentrate their buying behaviour purely on online shopping, while others prefer to shop with cash or credit cards in shops. Which kind of shopping is preferred is very individual as well as the motives. If a childlike feeling like Christmas and unpacking presents is to be evoked, it seems more likely that the person concerned will choose online shopping. He may even resort to the option of having the order sent to him as a gift - many mail order companies now offer this option. Those, on the other hand, who prefer to buy locally and take advantage of comprehensive advice, attach great importance to external perception through contact with the sales staff. Regardless of the purchasing behaviour of the person concerned, the cause remains the same. The self-esteem is to be improved by the self-gift or the recognition from the outside.

Although the state of research on the frequency of buying addiction is insufficient, it has so far been possible to observe gender-specific buying behaviour. Basically, men and women differed in their buying behaviour.

Women often buy clothes, jewellery and cosmetics. Most men, on the other hand, tend to either buy prestige items such as cell phones or cars, or to go for entertainment products such as computer and console games. This buying behavior can be accordingly pronounced with a buying addiction. At a certain point in time, the people concerned buy far beyond their financial means, but at the beginning of their buying addiction, buying actions are oriented towards their social and financial status. Those who have had to live sparingly even before shopping addiction will probably not tend to want to buy several cars or expensive brand watches. A certain personal prevalence is certainly given, despite the fact that the goods are no longer paid attention after the purchase. After all, it would give the shopping addict little pleasure if he could not identify himself at all personally with the goods he is buying.

Since shopping addiction is based on a low self-esteem, importance is attached to the external perception of the products or services at the beginning of the addiction. Those affected try to present a socially conforming and ideal image of themselves, which in reality they do not correspond to at all. Often, however, there is a desire to sketch a picture of oneself that people think they need to be in order to be loved. Therefore, clothing, sporting goods or electronic objects are particularly suitable for improving perception. As shopping addiction progresses, the value of these products is not lost, so people do not switch to other less prestigious products. On the contrary, it may even be the case that shopping addicts are turning to more and more expensive products or the number of things they buy is increasing. However, they are increasingly losing personal value for those affected. The purchase is then in the foreground, no longer the goods themselves. The fact that shopping addicts are buying more and more and more expensive can be compared with an increase in dose, similar to people with a substance dependency. The reason for this is that the brain has already become accustomed to hormone secretion. If the product becomes more expensive, the "kick" for the affected person is greater and the euphoric effect occurs. A clear symptom of behavioral addiction.

At the beginning of the buying addiction, the choice of products and the motivation behind the buying of the affected persons was definitely present with calculation regarding the external perception and representation. These thoughts and feelings, however, are increasingly receding into the background. The affected person switches to a kind of "autopilot" at a certain point of his addiction and only pursues his compulsion or goes to the urge to have to shop.

Getting a shopping addiction under control: How to combat shopping addiction?

Shopping addiction is a so-called "secret" disease that is characterized by the fact that it can be hidden for a long time. In most cases, a longer period of time also passes before those affected become aware that they have a problem at all. If you notice your pathological behavior, you usually use a lot of energy to hide it from your environment. Justifications, secretiveness and lies make the environment suspicious and can lead to a break in interpersonal relationships. A central symptom of shopping addiction is the shame about the impulsive and senseless shopping is and thus closely related to the shame about the actual disorder. Those affected always seek few social contacts and isolate themselves, too great is the fear and shame that the environment might notice the shopping addiction. Or relatives and friends turn away from the affected person, because they reacted aggressively and unintelligently to their clues. However, there is a possibility that shopping addiction may arise as a result of social isolation and that shame may play a subordinate role due to a lack of social contacts. In this case, the insight into the pathological behaviour can only be gained very late, possibly only when the financial situation has become hopeless and the person concerned has to fear criminal consequences.

An insight into having to take action against shopping addiction is delayed by those affected. The social contacts and critical confrontation with the pathological buying behaviour can be missing, which is fatal for the buying addict himself. While in the beginning euphoria and adrenaline prevailed, desperation and remorse increasingly come to the fore. Those affected feel helpless, because at a certain point they are not only aware of their problematic situation, but also become aware that they can no longer manoeuvre themselves out of it alone without help. The feeling of powerlessness over compulsive behaviour places a heavy burden on those affected and, in addition to social isolation, causes conflicts in every area of life. Social isolation, financial situation and despair often lead to suicidal thoughts.

Insight into buying addiction itself

As a rule, a distinction is made between people who are addicted to shopping and those who are at risk of becoming addicted to shopping. If, for example, you find yourself in many of the symptoms and characteristics mentioned, but have not yet completely lost control over your purchasing behavior, you may be at risk of becoming addicted to shopping. Since shopping addiction goes through different phases and comes creepingly, people who frequently reward themselves with purchases should therefore keep an eye on their buying behaviour.

Buying addiction can basically be divided into three phases. In the first phase the joy about the purchased product still dominates and the act of purchase itself is secondary. However, this weighting increasingly shifts and the joy disappears and the act of purchase itself becomes the centre of attention. At this point, the aforementioned misdirected reward has already taken place in the brain. The act of purchase now releases the euphoric hormones. In the second phase there is a loss of control. The person concerned buys without measure and clearly exceeds his financial possibilities. In the third phase, the financial situation is already hopeless and the affected person recognizes above all his financial imbalance. However, he is incapable of freeing himself from this situation.

At this point it is important to understand that at the beginning of the buying addiction the person concerned is still enjoying his addiction and shopping and may even be happy about the things he has bought. Only when a certain amount of suffering arises as a result of the loss of control does the addiction to shopping begin to become a problem for the person concerned. A typical characteristic of people is that they want to have control over themselves and their lives. A permanent remote control through an uninfluenceable component such as shopping addiction is therefore tormenting for almost everyone.

If unused goods and products accumulate in the cellar or living quarters or the first reminders from the bank flutter into the house, relatives will be pricked up at the latest. In the run-up to the sale, the first lies or contradictory behaviour can already have made the partner or friends suspicious, especially with separate living rooms or separate cellar compartments, the shopping addiction can be concealed over a longer period of time. Some people also give away their purchased goods, so that the extent of the loss cannot be determined and can thus be hidden for even longer.

Buying addicts often develop a feeling very quickly that their behaviour is compulsive and, above all, pointless. Of course, they are not unaware that they have ten different mobile phones in their bedroom, of which only one is in use, or that four televisions in the basement are not necessary. The main reasons are the precarious financial situation, the frustration after shopping and the guilty conscience due to the pointless spending of money. Shame prevails and shopping addiction is swept under the carpet for a long time. The incipient insight into buying addiction can drive the person concerned even further into addiction. The distraction of shopping can cause another shopping frenzy to suppress the feelings of despair and personal inability or even inadequacy for a brief moment.

Thus, in the first place, there is no insight into shopping addiction itself, the problem is known to those affected and suffering pressure exists. Much more the insight must take place that their illness cannot be mastered without foreign assistance from the outside. As a first important step they have to learn to reduce their sense of shame and to become aware of addiction in all its facets.

If the obligation to buy is very pronounced, those affected cannot manage to escape this obligation permanently without outside help. Friends and family should carefully and above all empathetically seek the conversation, without throwing accusations around. If the affected person is in an unstable and depressive state, he needs outside support, as he is no longer able to free himself from this misery. For self-protection, some first aid measures should be observed in order to protect the person concerned from himself. If thoughts are expressed that point to self-endangerment in the form of self-injury or even statements about suicide, it may even be necessary to treat the affected person in hospital for a certain period of time. It should be noted that this description is not intended to panic, but only the extreme case. Buying addicts do not have to compulsively develop suicidal thoughts due to their overall mental condition. However, if there are strong accompanying symptoms or if the shopping addiction is clearly based on a psychological problem, an inpatient stay for shopping addicts can be a sensible option.

Shopping addiction is an addictive disorder

At the beginning of this guide it was mentioned that shopping addiction, unlike drug or alcohol addiction, is not recognised by the World Health Organisation as a separate disease. It is medically counted as an impulse control or obsessive-compulsive disorder and is not listed for addictions. Efforts are being made to change this, but this has not yet been achieved. Psychologists, however, argue that pathological behaviour should be considered an addictive disease because of its effects on the psyche and life.

An addiction is generally understood to be dependence on substances or behaviours. An addiction is a learned behaviour in which the affected person repeatedly rewards himself for his destructive behaviour. It takes place in three phases, in the first phase there is a loss of control, then tolerance development and withdrawal symptoms. An addiction is characterised by a vicious circle in which the various factors reinforce each other and ensure that the person concerned is pulled further and further downwards. It has already been mentioned that the loss of control when shopping has a euphoric effect on shopping addiction. The development of tolerance is triggered by the chemical processes in the brain, which, among other things, ensure that the person concerned has to buy ever larger quantities or increasingly expensive products. Withdrawal symptoms are becoming more frequent as a result of the development of tolerance, which is driving the addicted shopper more and more frequently to comply with his addiction.

The fatal thing about shopping addiction is that there are three vicious circles that exist side by side. Once a vicious circle that includes all psychosocial factors such as friends, family, job and the financial consequences. Then there is the somatic vicious circle, which addresses the process already described, which takes place in the brain and causes the physical withdrawal symptoms. And last but not least the intrapsychic vicious circle, which contains the negative self-perception. In sum and individually, these three vicious circles all have the same effect. They lead to conflicts with oneself and the environment and aversions. An aversion is a rejection, in this case mainly against oneself and against the environment. The result is a desire to numb these feelings: the affected person goes shopping, distracts himself from his worries and problems and feels a certain relief. He has completely unconsciously rewarded himself for his self-destructive thoughts and is still in the vicious circle and the downward spiral. Because with every shopping tour he rewards himself again, which leads to bigger problems on all three levels mentioned. Basically, the addict hates himself for this behavior, but he is incapable of freeing himself from it. This hatred then leads to another shopping tour and worsens the problem step by step.

In a behavioral addiction such as shopping addiction, the addict rewards himself again and again with his excessive shopping moves and is unable to keep control over his behavior. He can neither limit himself in the quantity of his purchases nor is he even able to cancel a purchase at all. Many shopaholics described their shopping frenzy as a film that they experience and in which they act as if standing next to themselves in delusion.

It is particularly important that those affected recognise that they are suffering from a pathological addiction. This addiction is equivalent to an alcohol or drug addiction and must never be classified as less dangerous. Not only the insight that they suffer from shopping addiction, but and above all that they suffer from an addiction is central. The disease of addiction requires responsible self-management throughout one's life, which should be supported and supported by one's environment. Affected people need to understand that they are not addicted to a particular product such as clothing, but that they are buying as a kind of sedative or possibly stimulant to use.

Although shopping addiction is not a substance-dependent addiction, just like alcohol addiction, the brain does not work in favour of one's own health due to the out-of-balance release of hormones. The insight of being addicted to buying does not only include the knowledge itself. Understanding the dimensions of the problem is one of them. It may help those affected to become aware of the effects on the brain and to understand that the hormonal imbalance in the brain must be rebalanced. As with substance-dependent addicts, this process is usually lengthy.

First aid for buying addiction: How shopaholics learn to control themselves

Essentially, a step-by-step formula against buying addiction can be divided into three central steps. At the beginning there is the already extensively mentioned insight into buying addiction. Affected people must learn to understand their behaviour. This includes not only the admission, but already the next step: When do I want to buy? Am I bored right now or am I stressed or frustrated? Is there a system for my shopping attacks? If one's own behaviour becomes more transparent to oneself, the design of possible countermeasures is made much easier. The first important step is to make the person concerned aware of the consequences of his buying addiction, financially, psychosocially, interpersonally, and to recognize that there are emotional causes for buying addiction.

In second place is then the change in purchasing behaviour, for which the first aid measures listed here play a central role.

The third step is outside help. These should be a behavioural therapy, a self-help group and a debt counsellor. Friends and family or at least a confidant should be initiated in the best case already in the first step.

Although a pronounced addiction to shopping requires therapy, important measures in the fight against coercion can be found here. If you are aware of any tendencies of buying addiction yourself, you can also orient yourself to these practical first aid measures.

Treatment with medication makes little sense, as you have to work actively on purchasing behaviour. If shopping addiction is a side effect of depression or other mental disorder requiring treatment, treatment with medication may make sense in consultation with a psychiatrist and therapist. However, behavioural therapy is still recommended. The combination of application of first aid measures, behavior therapy and self-help groups are important steps out of shopping addiction. Such an overall treatment plan is recommended in severe cases.

Those affected should be aware that their shopping addiction is well treated, but can never be completely cured. There is a psychological tendency to get addicted and there is always the danger of relapse, especially when life situations become stressful. However, this realization is no reason to burrow one's head in the sand. If you stick to a few tips and tricks, you can learn how to deal with shopping addiction and lead a largely unrestricted life.

First aid measures

If the person concerned has come to the conclusion that he or she suffers from a buying addiction, first aid measures must be taken. Since a buying addiction is characterized by faulty money management, a lack of self-control and a high focus on material goods, most of these measures start at precisely these points.

This includes first and foremost dealing openly with one's illness and asking friends and family for support. If therapy discussions have already taken place, the partner or family should be initiated into the strategies and tactics against shopping addiction. In this way, relatives can actively help with the implementation. If the partner has little insight and even doubts the illness, he can come to a discussion with the therapist or participate in a meeting of the self-help group. If family support is completely eliminated, those affected should not be afraid to seek support from an addiction counselling centre. After all, support is one of the most important cornerstones for the successful implementation of first aid measures. Relatives should urgently avoid showering the person concerned with accusations, criticism or blame. Rather, they should be aware of the psychological vulnerability and lability and lovingly support you and not let accusations or "how could you let it get so far?!" sentences fall. The child has literally already fallen into the well, the affected persons are helped by active support that is oriented towards the future and does not repeatedly address the stressful feelings and events of the past.

Credit cards and cheque cards should be issued or blocked as a first measure and only cash payments should be made. Thus, those affected are compelled to be able to buy things only for the amount they carry with them. It is advisable not to let this amount be too high, but to take only the amount that is really needed for the purchase with you. In this way, the attitude to money is changed. External support should be sought for these steps so that this measure can be implemented without compromise. Those severely affected can, if the basis of trust permits, even hand over their finances to another person for a certain period of time. However, this should only be seen as a short-term measure, primarily for self-protection. The buying addict must finally learn a new buying behavior in the long run and should not be completely incapacitated from all financial things for an indefinite period of time. It is important to note that relatives should always treat those affected with respect and treat them at eye level. From the moment he asks for help, he is well aware of his problems and wants to be supported and not condemned.

Confrontation exercises in department stores can be helpful. Putting things aside before paying and leaving the store again without buying anything can be a measure that can counteract buying addiction. In this way, the affected person can learn to control his or her impulses and record his or her first small experiences of success. Usually the compulsion to buy something vanishes when the people concerned have resisted the atmosphere of the shopping malls or the pedestrian zone and were able to escape from the situation. From the point of view of behavioural therapy, these exercises are intended to counter-condition the previous behaviour.

If purchases have to be made that were previously the object of desire, those affected can first take a look at the product in the shop accompanied by an escort. The purchase itself should not be made until the next day, so that the person concerned can reconsider the purchase decision and become aware of the necessity of the product.

For everyday shopping, it helps to write a shopping list and meticulously adhere to it. It often helps to ask someone to accompany you when you are shopping, so that no deviation from the shopping list can take place. The creation of the shopping list should best be done with a trusted person who, in case of doubt, can question the necessity of a certain matter. The shopping list should not include things like "butter" or similar products. The brand and the quantity should be written down specifically. Thus the urge to "have a look" is completely suspended and shopping step by step is no longer perceived as a euphoric activity, but perhaps even as a nuisance.

Sufficient time should be allowed for purchasing. Those who rush through the aisles under stress tend to pack things that they don't need or to compensate for the stress caused by unnecessary shopping in those moments. Since buying is the central problem of the buying addict, he should consciously deal with this action and under no circumstances rush through the aisles stressed out with the aim of escaping the "dangerous" situation as quickly as possible and just not fall into a shopping frenzy. On the contrary, purchasing should be conscious and above all concentrated. The aim is to maintain control over one's own behaviour.

A combination with breathing exercises can help to maintain calm. Instead of planning a bulk purchase once a week, it is advisable to make small purchases several times a week. Large purchases can often trigger a feeling of stress or even excessive demands. Affected people can get stressed by thoughts like "will that last a whole week now?" and tend to buy compensation food for fear of not having enough food in the house. The feeling of control and security plays a central role in this organization and the fact of preventing overbuying.

Even if the person concerned does not go shopping alone, he should ask himself, especially for purchases that do not serve daily use such as toilet paper: "Why would I like to have this watch/jacket/DVD now? "Do I really need them? After the realization "I have a shopping addiction" the affected person is not forced to live abstinently from now on and not to be allowed to buy any more material things. The people affected, just like people with a shopping addiction, have the desire to watch a DVD or to buy clothes. They just need to develop an awareness of why they want to own these things and value them. If the person concerned is aware of the purchase and knows his motives, it is legitimate to buy material valuables.

It is also advisable to keep a purchase diary or purchase records. This should record which goods and products have been purchased at which price. If the expenses and the number of the purchased products are written down and in black and white, it is no longer possible for those concerned to lie to themselves.

The purchase diary can also be extended by your own income and kept as a household diary. Nowadays, household diaries no longer have to be listed in writing, but can be created online. However, it is advisable to keep a household diary by hand, especially for those with a shopping addiction. In this way, the awareness of income and above all expenditure is trained and the brain is better able to remember which expenditure was made for which price. It is important not to create the household diary on the side in front of the television, but to sit down at a table and document your finances with full attention. The advantage of a household diary is that, in contrast to the purchase diary, services are also listed. Since certain services, such as a visit to a hairdresser, can also fall under the term shopping addiction, the person concerned can thus see how often certain services are called upon and whether this is necessary at all in the intervals that have occurred so far.

Sports, meeting friends or painting can help distract you from the urge to buy something. Affected people are encouraged to take on new hobbies or to take up old ones that they have discarded as a result of addiction. For example, those who used to visit the climbing hall regularly or go jogging every morning can take up these leisure activities again in their everyday lives.

Customer accounts both online and on-site should be blocked to reduce the risk of recidivism. Purchases on account or payment by instalments should be avoided completely. It also helps to delete credit card information or payment data from all pages on which those affected have made purchases so far. A potential purchase is of course not made impossible in this way, but it is made more difficult in a certain way. If the person concerned has to enter his or her payment data, he or she will gain time to question himself or herself and his or her current actions and possibly even cancel them.

With the help of youth protection, affected persons can even block entire pages and prevent themselves from shopping. The best thing to do is to ask a trusted third party to block the pages. This prevents the temptation to simply release the pages again with the help of a PIN.

Advertising blockers or filters can help shield some prohibited stimuli from themselves and completely eliminate advertising on the Internet. This makes it easy to eliminate various temptations while surfing.

In general, this should be avoided in the future, online, via television channels or catalogues shopping. In order to minimize the risk of relapse, catalogues should be cancelled or the corresponding television channels blocked.

In addition, a list can be created with all the things that the affected person already has or even position them clearly visible in the apartment. It is also a good idea to carry this list with you when you shop, and even to take it out at times of doubt and remember that you already own this product. In particular, products that have not yet been unpacked or even used should be listed. On the one hand this measure serves as a deterrent, on the other hand it makes the person concerned aware of which things he does not need at all and therefore does not have to buy.

Purchases should be limited to the essential necessary products. "Just like that''' through the shopping mile or visit department stores during the pre-Christmas period should be avoided at first. Special sales, sales or discount campaigns by department stores should also not be used for shopping, so that those affected are not tempted to buy something unnecessary in the first place. Non-affected people can imagine a shopping spree for a shopping addict who is on "withdrawal" as if a dry alcoholic were visiting a bar. Often the company of a friend or family member who supervises the purchase helps. It can help many affected people to write down a list of places they should avoid and carry with them. In addition to shopping centres, weekly markets and pedestrian zones, there may be other places on the list where people are confronted with advertising.

The evening commercial break in the TV should be avoided in the beginning time possibly also. Asking the partner to switch, switching briefly to still at the beginning or consciously focusing on relaxation methods can help regulate thoughts about shopping.

It is even recommended not to travel at the beginning of a treatment against shopping addiction. In foreign places, most people tend to buy things that are not necessary at all and spend money unnecessarily.

Learning relaxation methods such as autogenic training, breathing exercises or yoga can help relieve stress. Endurance or weight training can also have a positive effect. The connection is relatively simple: in stressful situations, various hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released. If the body is not able to break down these stress hormones, these tensions affect the psyche and can be discharged in a shopping frenzy. If, however, the body is able to break down these hormones through movement, the psyche and body return to a relaxed state. If you also learn to consciously relax your body, you can influence psychological relaxation through physical relaxation. The perception of mind and body is an important aspect of relaxation methods and even helps to improve self-control. Buying addicts who have problems with this self-control should therefore try out whether one of the many relaxation methods helps them.

However, it should be noted that these tips provide a remedy in acute cases, but only serve to combat symptoms and stop or suppress the delusion of buying. They primarily serve the self-protection of the person concerned, who should not get himself further into financial distress. There is even the danger that if shopping is completely prevented, another addiction will occur. Since those affected suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms as a result of the sudden compulsion to end their shopping addiction, the accumulated feelings and aggressiveness can be channelled into other coercive acts or an addiction.

The causes, the inner conflicts and problems, are still present and must be treated on a long-term basis. Therefore, it is often not sufficient to apply only the first aid measures mentioned above. The causes cannot be eliminated, but in the course of a therapy the affected person can learn which events in the past triggered the shopping addiction in the first place. Acceptance of the past, insight and the learning of new behaviours then come first. The central question that those affected must ask themselves is: WHAT am I missing? What do I try to compensate through my buying behavior? These can be affection, love, recognition, but also the lack of meaningful activity. What can I do to be satisfied with myself and my life again?

Debt due to buying addiction

EC cards, credit cards or other forms of cashless payment quickly tempt you to lose track of your finances. Buying addicts, however, not only lose the feeling of their own financial possibilities, they usually simply ignore them completely. Buying addicts are well aware that they clearly exceed their financial limits. However, this does not prevent them from doing it again and again, because they are far too absorbed by their compulsive behaviour for that. The possibility of obtaining credit or borrowing money from banks makes it easier for people with a shopping addiction to pursue their addiction. If these possibilities are exhausted, it can happen that money is borrowed from friends or family. If this is the case, the true purpose of use is concealed. The affected person increasingly gets feelings of guilt, because in this case the personal component plays an important role. He tries to suppress these feelings of guilt by shopping, which drives him further and further into the negative spiral.

A longer period of time usually elapses before the treatment of shopping addiction can be achieved. Since the people concerned have purchased far more than their financial means, a relatively large mountain of debt has accumulated over this period. Financial problems are thus one of many consequences of buying addiction. It is typical that the exact amount of debt is not even known to those affected. Because reminders and invoices are often thrown away unread.

Many people who are addicted to buying withdraw completely or, depending on their personality, can develop the fixed idea of obtaining money illegally when their money reserves have been used up or when their partner has taken their credit card and cash from them in order to stop the buying frenzy. Often they are involved in theft or drug trafficking, which sooner or later leads to legal consequences.

If bills are not paid, the affected persons may be reported for fraud under certain circumstances. In such a case, punitive circumstances due to shopping addiction must not be expected. As long as shopping addiction has not been recognised as an illness in its own right, defendants cannot hope for a reduction in punishment. However, if the addiction to shopping occurs in combination with another serious condition where the addiction to shopping only occurs as a symptom, the assessment may be different. Due to the lack of recognition of addiction and public debate on both a social and scientific level, many court experts have to impose appropriate conditions and write assessments in the event of shopping addiction. Often a stay in a forensic or closed psychiatric institution is planned.

Another difficulty that arises in the case of buying addiction: a private bankruptcy cannot be applied for if the debts occur in connection with a criminal offence. However, since many shopping addicts often have numerous advertisements from mail-order companies for fraud, the offence is in most cases committed.

In any case, it is worth accepting the help of a debt counsellor who can help you get an overview of your finances and draw up a debt reduction plan. Depending on the scope of services, the creditor then contacts the creditors and agrees repayment formalities.

Outpatient behavioural therapy

Behavioural therapy is a method in the field of psychotherapy. The method of behavioural therapy is often described as helping people to help themselves. In essence, the approach is to make the causes of the problems clear to the patient after he has seen them and how this behaviour has become entrenched in the past. However, the focus of behavioural therapy should be on providing the patient with various methods to help him solve his problems himself. Which form of behavioural therapy is used always depends on the training of the therapist. Cognitive behavioural therapy is the most common form of therapy. This is based on the assumption that problem-solving strategies have been learned wrongly, that wrong assumptions are made, and that the wrong conclusions for further behaviour are drawn from this. The aim of behavioural therapy is therefore to learn new problem-solving strategies in order to be able to cope with one's own life independently again in the long term.

In fact, behavioural therapy is a very important step for severely affected people. The deeper psychological problems, which have led to shopping addiction in the first place, can be specifically addressed and dealt with. The goal is that at some point an inner peace with one's own psychological deficits will emerge and the acceptance that problems exist, but that they can be overcome. The aforementioned conflict with the inner child can also be an issue in psychotherapy. It is highly likely that these conflicts will be discussed with the therapist when researching the causes and that the therapist will help those affected to come to terms with these early childhood experiences.

In the next step, behavioural therapy will focus on purchasing behaviour and develop an awareness of purchasing. This includes, among other things, weighing up the reasons for or against purchasing and thus avoiding unnecessary purchases. In addition, attempts are made to make one's own behaviour more transparent and to reflect on oneself. This means that the question must be asked "When do I feel the urge to go shopping? Once it is clear to the affected person in which situations he would like to go shopping in order to compensate for something, a therapist can be used exactly at this point. Once this awareness has occurred, strategies can be learned to deal with these stressful situations and not give in to the urge to buy.

The University of Erlangen has developed a therapy programme specially designed for people with shopping addictions, the effectiveness of which has been proven in studies. 50% of those affected could be cured of shopping addiction in the long term and did not relapse. The therapy is based on the assumption that the pathological buying behaviour has a disturbance in impulse control. Patients must therefore learn to understand and reflect on their behaviour. Once this has been done, the next step is to redirect. This can be, for example, sport or a particular hobby that is practised until the urge to buy something has evaporated.

Those who have focused on material reward in the past must learn to reward themselves in other ways. This can happen, for example, through sport, hobbies or some other form of self-employment.

Behavioural therapy can take place individually or be organised as group therapy. Individual discussions have the advantage over group discussions that individual problems can be better dealt with. Especially at the beginning of a therapy it is difficult for those affected to open themselves up to a stranger. In an individual therapy, the affected person is only forced to open up to the therapist, which can be a relief for many people due to shame about their problems.

In therapy, the affected person is specifically prepared for life after therapy if he or she has become aware of how his or her addiction to shopping developed at all. Emergency plans are drawn up together with the therapist in the event of a relapse. This includes, among other things, the first aid measures already mentioned. Especially at the beginning of the therapy, possible relapses must be expected. There is nothing unusual about regression in the course of therapy and it is even necessary to take a big step in the right direction. The affected person must learn to stay on the ball and not be discouraged.

No statement can be made about the exact duration of the psychotherapy without considering the individual case. In principle, the duration of psychotherapy depends on several factors. Among other things, the course of therapy and the therapy goal determine the individual duration. The course of a therapy is not predictable, difficult situations in everyday life can cause the shopping addict to relapse again and again, which prolongs the process again and again. If there is also a lack of family or friendly support, a longer duration can be assumed. Ultimately, the extent of the buying addiction determines the duration of therapy and the agreed therapeutic goal. The therapy goal is usually agreed between patient and therapist at the beginning of a therapy and should at best be abstinence and safety with the learned measures and the resulting control. Patients should assume a minimum duration of six months regardless of the course of therapy and the therapy goal. A therapy session usually lasts 50 minutes and in the case of behavioural therapy usually takes place once a week. If desired, the frequency can be increased to two to three times a week, especially at the beginning.

The costs of psychotherapy are borne by the statutory health insurance funds, despite the fact that shopping addiction has not yet been classified as a recognised disease. Privately insured persons must pay for psychotherapy themselves, depending on the range of services offered. If the financial possibilities are limited, a group therapy would be the cheaper alternative.

After the end of psychotherapy, many people still feel unprepared for life without therapy. However, those affected should not be impressed by this, as it is a completely normal sensation. It is important to be aware that the therapy was of great importance for personal development. The affected person has learned a lot about himself and his life and has been given the necessary measures to deal with his obligation to buy. Therapy should always be seen as an opportunity to learn something about yourself, your fellow human beings and life. Despite the fact that psychotherapy is not yet fully recognized in today's society and that some people have many prejudices, it is the best way to come to terms with yourself. The fear of relapse accompanies most people who have undergone therapy for the rest of their lives. In fact, an addict is never completely cured. It is precisely because buying is a socially recognised act that the person concerned will be repeatedly exposed to offers and temptations. Probably he will have to fight against this feeling again and again his whole life. However, those who become aware of how successfully they have already defeated their obligation to buy and resisted some attractive things on a number of occasions will gain the self-confidence to be able to resist this obligation.

Self-help groups

Another important step in the fight against shopping addiction is to go to a self-help group. Self-help groups can also be visited as a supplement to individual therapy. However, they should continue to be visited especially after the end of behavioural therapy as a long-term measure against shopping addiction. An addiction is never considered to be completely cured and anyone who has ever been affected by buying addiction is always in danger of relapsing. Particularly in difficult or stressful life situations, those affected should not shy away from addressing their thoughts and fears within a self-help group if they fear being able to relapse again.

Self-help groups are self-organised associations of people who suffer from the same problems and serve the exchange of information, mutual motivation and sympathy. Although the anonymity of most groups does not demonstrate any scientific effectiveness, many people affected perceive self-help groups, not least because social contacts can be established in this way. Self-help groups can be the right step, especially when those affected have largely isolated themselves socially as a result of their addiction. The feeling of finally being understood and not being alone in the world with this disease is a great relief for many addicts.

Those who are not yet deeply in the debt spiral, have a slightly pronounced shopping addiction or consider themselves to be at risk can visit a self-help group in addition to the first aid measures mentioned above. There, those affected have the opportunity to exchange information with others about addiction and possible everyday strategies. There, an open dialogue can develop about the community feeling that develops and through conversations about addiction and one's own behaviour, shame can be reduced step by step.

The sharing of successes, i.e. having resisted the compulsion, can also help in such successes. Affected people can have the courage to talk, get tips from others and learn that other people can deal with shopping addiction and have accepted it. The leader of the self-help group is usually an affected person who has already successfully defeated the addiction and can therefore act as a mentor.

If the persons concerned have isolated themselves socially, a self-help group can be important in order to re-establish social contacts. However, contacts and friendships from the past should be taken up again in order to bring a certain normality into everyday life. If the addict only has contact with people who were or are also addicted to buying, it can quickly happen that the resulting friendship is only about the addiction. There is too great a danger that dealing with addiction will become a central issue in everyday life for those affected. Often, relationships among addicts are merely purposeful relationships that serve self-affirmation and are marked by lasting comparisons among themselves. With the help of a therapist, shopping addicts should try to re-establish their social structure, which may have fallen apart, or work out a new one. For new social contacts, for example, hobbies can be used, where contacts can be made easily and without having shopping addiction in mind. However, new acquaintances should be quickly informed of the shopping addiction in order not to risk a relapse through joint leisure activities.

The first important step in the fight against buying addiction is the insight that

Although shopping addiction has not - yet - been clearly classified as a disease, the clinical picture with its symptoms is relatively clear and easy to grasp. It can mainly be described as a vicious circle and a downward spiral that only comes to an end after years. Shopping addiction comes creepingly and often unnoticed, it begins with the socially recognized frustration purchase and ends in real shopping rushes, in which the affected people ask themselves at the end: "What the hell have I actually bought everything for?

The first important step in the fight against buying addiction is to realize that you are addicted to buying. To have the insight, to have a problem and to want to take action against it is a big challenge for those affected. Once those affected have understood that they are addicted to buying,

further steps follow. The analysis of the shopping behaviour, the financial conditions, the application of first aid measures and the attendance of a behavioural therapy should help in the long run to get his shopping behaviour under control.

Purchasing addiction only occurs in societies that are capitalist, consumer-oriented and have a questionable attitude to material things and money spending. In these societies, in which a purchase is socially recognized and even wanted, many people threaten to slip into an obligation to buy. In the beginning there is often only the urge to buy, possibly as a valve in the form of a frustration purchase or as a self reward. The positive feelings from the shopping quickly lead to an actually unwanted reward in the brain, which has a large part in the development of the addiction. The body is then not dependent on a substance, but on its own feelings of happiness.

Preventive measures to prevent shopping addiction are difficult to implement. First and foremost, they must start with education and the foundation stone must be laid at birth. If a child grows with a healthy self-esteem, is lovingly cared for and learns a corresponding frustration tolerance, the probability that it will later become addicted to shopping is more likely to be classified as low. Those who learn to express their feelings, do not shy away from conflicts and learn a healthy attitude towards money have the best starting conditions to avoid becoming addicted to shopping later.

Stay fit, healthy & vital - Inspirations for a healthy lifestyle

Fitness: Getting fit into old age - 100 are made easy

If you rest, you rust!

The older you get, the more your body and your head will benefit from exercise. Unfortunately, older people often do without sport, but it is precisely at this age that regular exercise is invaluable for the body and mind. As early as the age of 55, muscles begin to lose strength, endurance and mobility much faster than before when they are not exercised. Scientific studies have shown that people over the age of 60 usually do significantly less exercise than before. Well trained 60-year-olds can be at least as fit as moderately trained 40-year-olds. The good news: It's never too late to really get going with sports activities!

The body ages

With increasing age, many processes in the body no longer proceed as they did at a young age. Above all, regeneration processes that keep the body strong and mobile slow down.

This has consequences on many levels:

BONES: The bone density in the body continuously decreases with age, the bones become more porous. Although this is a normal aging process, it can be considerably slowed down by regular loading of the skeletal apparatus. Strong bones are essential for a stable and balanced body.

MUSCLES: With increasing age, muscle mass is reduced and the remaining muscles lose their elasticity and firmness. Muscle loss results in an overall unstable body which is more susceptible to falling and at the same time heals worse in case of injury.

HEART-CIRCULATION SYSTEMS: With increasing age, the performance of the heart decreases and the vascular system loses flexibility. The absorption of oxygen is also reduced. Sport strengthens your cardiovascular system, boosts metabolism and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

COORDINATION: The speed with which nerve stimuli are directed to the brain and then converted into muscle reactions slows down. The reaction capacity also deteriorates. This leads to an increasing restriction of motor activity, especially when people then fall into activity. Regular, light movements and even everyday activities (such as housework) train the motor skills.

BRAIN: Brain calcifications in the brain make it difficult for the messenger substances to exchange information, resulting in forgetfulness, poorly functioning short-term memory and even Alzheimer's and dementia. In fact, exercise and regular activity can stop this process by slowing down the aging process and stimulating brain activity. Scientific studies have shown that active sportsmen and women are significantly less likely to suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's disease. For this effect, just 30 minutes of light physical activity per week is sufficient.

JOINTS: From the age of 50, joint cartilage and intervertebral discs shrink, calcification puts additional stress on the joints and the flexibility of the joints decreases rapidly. This leads to a restriction of the mobility of the entire body. In principle, the following applies: the less weight is placed on the joints, i. e. the slimmer the person, the less stress and wear on the knees, hips and other joints.

Let us guide you

If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of putting together a suitable training program, let us help and advise you. In the gym, not only are experienced fitness trainers at your side to advise you on the creation of a suitable program, but they will also accompany you during your workout and can help you to perform exercises and movements correctly.

Sporting activity: the power lies in peace and quiet!

The most important thing in advance: physical exercise in old age should always be adapted to your state of health. It is therefore advisable to clarify with your family doctor which sports programme is best suited to you before you start your sport. Too much overburdening of the body can have negative consequences as well as too much protection. Basically, you should always listen to your body during training: You are not fit and efficient every day and if you feel uncomfortable during the workout, then take it easy to slow down or stop the workout.

It's all in the mix

The older you get, the more you should focus on muscle maintenance and muscle build-up combined with a light endurance workout.

Maintaining muscle mass has highest priority because the muscles support and strengthen the whole body. Make sure that you really strengthen the whole body and not just individual parts. In strength training, it is advisable to focus on many repetitions with little weight so that you can achieve the best effect of muscle maintenance.

Endurance training is the ideal balance to muscle training and has above all the goal that the metabolism is stimulated and the cardiovascular system is strengthened. In addition, the organs are supplied with more oxygen and can therefore work better. Endurance training also often results in weight loss, which in turn has a positive effect on your joints. Ideal here are sports such as walking, cycling and hiking.

In addition to strength and endurance training, you should also integrate a light coordination and flexibility workout into your sports plan. This strengthens and trains your motor skills and keeps the whole body mobile. This serves in particular to prevent falls and injuries.

Good for the psyche

Physical activity will not only slow down your body's aging process and increase the performance of your brain, but will also make a significant contribution to your general well-being. If you feel good and strong in your body, then the joy of life and the joy of other activities increases, the quality of life is improved and you will feel younger and more agile. Therefore: Don't rest and rust, but rather (re)discover the joy of movement! In every age!

Training: How to turn your power training into a HI (I)T

Do you know this? You work hard and regularly tread on the treadmill or crosstrainer, but somehow you don't want to improve your fitness. And fat burning could also use a little turbo. Here I have the suitable training method ready, with which your training will literally become a HI (I)T: The high-intensity interval training, short "HIIT" (High Intensity Interval Training). This workout is one of the most popular fitness trends - because it brings pure action and guarantees you to your limits!

The training method consists of high-intensity intervals in combination with slow regeneration phases. This interaction of stress and recovery phases ensures measurable body fat loss. HIIT is a short and performance-enhancing training system that can achieve even better results with its intensity than a long-term cardio workout.

Fat Killer High Intensity

HIIT burns more body fat than moderate fitness training. They exercises take the body to its limits. This requires above-average amounts of oxygen, which stimulates the metabolism. In order to get back to normal after training, the body has to spend a lot of energy. This is known as the afterburning effect. What does that mean in concrete terms? Even hours after highly intensive interval training, the energy metabolism is still increased.

But not only the fat burning is strongly stimulated, but also the endurance is increased extremely. There are several studies that have investigated the success of High Intensity Interval Training - and all of them came to the conclusion that high-intensity interval training applied to jogging improves endurance three to four times faster than regular running training. High Intensity Interval Training is also supported by the action factor: explosive training is fun and provides endless power - a great combination for every sports enthusiast.

Powertraining HIIT - How does it work?

Powertraining can be done practically everywhere: On the treadmill, on the crosstrainer, on the bike or on the training area. Because of the high strain, sports and fitness experts recommend training 15 to 30 minutes a week after the system no more than two to three times a week.

The simplest basic exercise is to switch between sprinting and walking. Exercises such as jumping jacks, crunches, squats, lunges or push-ups are also ideal. The important thing is: Go to your limits during the highly intensive stress phase and don't do anything halfway!

The HIIT Training Plan

You always start with a ten-minute warm-up phase, which consists of a constant, even warm-up. Afterwards, the actual HIIT training begins, which is adapted to the physical stress limit on a weekly basis.

Here is an example of a HIIT training plan that should be customized:

#Week 1-2

30 seconds HIIT (Sprint)

60 seconds recovery (walking)

Total duration: 10 minutes (twice a week)

#Week 3-4

30 seconds HIIT (Sprint)

60 seconds recovery (walking)

Total duration: 15 minutes (twice a week)

#Week 5-12

30 seconds HIIT (Sprint)

60 seconds recovery (walking)

Total duration: 20 minutes (three times per week)

Who is HIIT suitable for?

In addition to all the positive effects, highly intensive interval training also has its drawbacks: For example, if you are not fully motivated, you literally run out of air at the end of the intervals. So the motto is:"Entirely or not at all! It is also important to give your body enough time to regenerate - High Intensity Training is not a training method suitable for every day.

Overall, it can be said: That HIIT alone does not fill an athlete's heart, but it can spice up the daily training routine. If you want some more action for the routine cardio unit or just want to break down fat effectively, you will surely find your fulfilment in High Intensity Interval Training.

Health: Strong defence - Healthy through the cool season

Autumn and winter with its wet and cold days is the time when colds have an easy time: Quickly one has caught a cold, coughs oneself or suffers from dullness and pain in the limbs. Get your immune system up to speed and arm yourself against bothersome pathogens. With a few simple measures it works.

The germs lurk everywhere. Bacteria and viruses are tireless in your attempt to penetrate the body. Whoever wants to be immune from the nose and coughing sensation therefore needs an intact immune defence. The good news is that everyone can do a lot for themselves. It starts with nutrition. If you eat vitamin-rich food, you already have a great chance of escaping the uninvited guests brilliantly. This primarily includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Vitamins A, C, D and E deserve special attention. The fat-soluble vitamin A does something good for not only the eyes, but also the skin - and ensures for example to keep the mucous membranes in mouth and nose healthy. This is the only way to achieve optimal defense. They are not only the first instance in the fight against germs, well moistened mucous membranes are also better able to remove pathogens.

With these tips, you can beat the cold into flight!

#1: Stay active in sport

Even if autumn is not so inviting, summer is back again: keep fit and exercise regularly. Intensive exercise pushes the immune system and makes you strong and resistant to over pathogens. You will find ideal conditions in bad weather in the gym.

#2: Sweating for health

It's not only more fun to use the sauna when the days are getting cooler again, it's only then that it really makes sense: sweating in the sauna ensures that your cardiovascular system is working at full speed, that pathogens are sweating and your immune system is strengthened. Regular sauna use is therefore a real cold stopper!

#3: Leverage the power of vitamins

Right now you should pay attention to a particularly vitamin-rich diet and put even more fruit and vegetables on your diet than usual. Vitamins strengthen the immune system from the inside out and your body becomes more resistant to infection from other sniffing noses. Pay attention to the high-fibre diet (e. g. wholemeal products) combined with lean protein sources (lean meat, dairy products, eggs, pulses) and healthy fats (nuts, avocado) - and you're ready to face the threat of colds.

#4: Drink enough and avoid feeling thirsty

Now it's time for a lot of drinking: at least 2 litres of water, heavily diluted juice spritzers or unsugared tea a day are mandatory, because this way you moisten the mucous membranes, which act as a barrier against bacteria and viruses, and rinse pathogens directly out of the body.

#5: Keep yourself warm

When we freeze, the body's own defence system slows down, so watch out for warm clothing if you want to avoid a cold. Thick socks, scarves and warm sweaters not only feel good when the temperature drops, but also provide an immune system that runs at full speed.

#6: Keep your hands clean

After colds are usually transmitted by droplet infection, avoid physical contact with sick persons. Wash and disinfect your hands several times a day. If you have a cold pathogen, you can pick it up with your hands at any place where sick people have caught it.

#7: Avoid public transport

Numerous studies have shown that illnesses on public transport are spreading particularly rapidly. Buttons, poles and waste bins are ideal for spreading pathogens, and the more people in a place, the more likely it is to become infected. Therefore, avoid these situations as often as you can.

#8: Harden yourself

Alternate showers are a great way to boost your immune system and harden yourself. Admittedly, they require some effort, but those who endure will also be rewarded with a firmer skin and an energy boost. Shower yourself normally warm and finally with cold water first your legs and then your arms.

#9: Relaxing and enough sleep

While we sleep, numerous regeneration processes take place in the body, the immune system works at full speed and the entire organism is calibrated practically once. For this reason, make sure that your body has sufficient recovery phases at this very moment, so that it is able to confront the viruses and bacteria in a stronger way.

#10: Fresh air against disease

The heating air in the cold season dries out your mucous membranes so that they no longer act as a barrier against colds.

Nutrition: Hidden Sugar - The Calorie Trap in Everyday Life

There is also a lot of sugar in foods that we would not expect to find!

Eight lump sugar - this is the amount of sugar recommended by the World Health Organization as the maximum daily ration for an adult. Can you handle that? Certainly not if you also use industrially produced food, sweeten your coffee and like to eat a piece of chocolate in the evening. In short, if you don't study every food label carefully and don't know every industrial code name for sugar, you are likely to get above the recommended 25 grams of sugar per day. And for that you don't have to eat sweets and cakes non-stop, because sugar is also added to foods that you wouldn't expect and would never guess.

Sugar: The amount makes the poison!

As harmless as a moderate sugar consumption may be, too much sugar can have serious health consequences in the long run. Obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease are noted as a result of the increase in sugar consumption in society leading to widespread diseases - a worrying development that is increasingly affecting children. But also on a less dramatic level, too much sugar brings undesirable side effects such as fatigue, impure skin, lack of drive, heartburn, weight gain and cravings.

It is therefore worthwhile to keep an eye on your own sugar consumption - here a little help by presenting the most important everyday sugar traps:

#1: Fruit yoghurt

With six cubes of sugar in a standard 150 g cup of fruit yoghurt, an adult's daily sugar intake would be almost exhausted. Industrially produced fruit yoghurts are therefore the sugar trap par excellence. By the way: even with the low-fat version you save calories, but no sugar.

Healthier alternative: mix natural yoghurt and fresh fruit yourself!

2: Canned fruit

The popular and supposedly healthy fruit preserves turn out to be real sugar bombs, as the fruits are preserved in a sugar syrup mixture for a longer shelf life. Thus, a 450g tin of pineapple already contains 18 sugar cubes. Result: A real sugar bomb!

#3: Sauces and dressings

Ready-made sauces (e. g. grilled sauces) and dressings often contain a lot of sugar in order to provide the spicy-strong taste. First and foremost ketchup, which comes to 43 cubes of sugar at 500 ml.

Healthier alternative: Always prepare the dips, marinades and dressings yourself, but avoid this sugar trap.

#4: Ready meals

Ready meals, whether frozen food (pasta dishes, pizzas, baguettes) or other products (bag soups, packed delicatessen salads, ready-made pasta sauces) usually contain a lot of sugar. On the one hand for a more intense taste, and on the other hand for a longer shelf life. 200 g packed, the coleslaw already has eight sugar cubes and the supposedly healthy salad is thus exposed as a sugar trap.

#5: Vegetables from the screw-in jar

No matter whether red cabbage or gherkins, the strict look at the label is also worthwhile here, because mostly the pickled vegetables are mixed with a lot of sugar. An average sized screw-in jar with pickled gherkins contains four cubed sugars, red cabbage weighing 700 g and an unbelievable 25 cubed sugars.

#6: Cereals

Anyone who reaches for traditional cereals and cornflakes in the morning or snacks a muesli bar in the hope of doing something good with them, will accidentally land directly in the sugar trap. The sugar content of these products is extremely high, which means that even a large bowl of muesli becomes a calorie bomb that does not even last long. A normal muesli bar already contains about three cubes of sugar and is therefore not really suitable as a healthy snack in between meals.

Healthier option: Mix your own oatmeal, nuts and dried fruit cereals together.

#7: Smoothies

Even smoothies that do not contain added sugar, i. e. only display their own fructose, add almost nine cubes of sugar to 200 ml. The reason for this are the many fruits, which have much less mass than if they were eaten as a whole. Unfortunately, pureeing only reduces the filling effect of the fruit, but not the calories.

Label confusion in the supermarket

#1: Conceptual confusion

Sugar is often not listed as sugar on the product, but as ingredients whose names end in -ose (glucose, dextrose, maltose, lactose, fructose), syrups, dairy products (lactose, skimmed milk powder, sweet whey powder), malt (maltose, barley malt) and fructose. Actually, all these ingredients are sugar, but in different forms.

#2: Sugar redistribution

Ingredient lists of foodstuffs must be structured in such a way that the ingredients are listed in descending order according to the quantity contained in the product. It is of course important to prevent sugar from being mentioned as the first ingredient. For this reason, various sugars with different names are usually used and only a small amount of each, so that the sugars all have to be listed in the last places on the list of ingredients.

#3: Proportional cheat

Considering above all the given portion sizes and the sugar or calories contained therein, many products are harmless. This is because the portions are unrealistically small. For example, a portion of frozen pizza is half a pizza, a portion of chocolate bar is half a chocolate bar and a portion of crunchy muesli is 50 g - portions that in reality are probably considered to be considerably too small. If you convert the sugar content to the actually eaten portion, it only becomes clear how much sugar you have actually consumed.

#4: Fruit sweetness

If only fructose is used in a product, the manufacturer may declare the product with the indication "natural sweetness" or "no added sugar". This fructose, however, is by no means the sweetness of fruit, but a mixture of glucose and fructose, which is almost synonymous with normal household sugar.

#5: Properties-Dizziness

Who cares about the sugar content when a product has many other great properties? For example, is low-fat, provides energy or is beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract? With these advertising promises, the manufacturer distracts the consumer's attention from the sugar content and to other positive characteristics, so that the quantity of sugar fades into the background.

Motivation: Bye piggy hound … take off, but right!

That's how you fraternize with your inner bastard:

Good intentions such as eating healthier food, exercising more sport and working less are often made with the best intentions and are meant to be absolutely serious - and yet they cannot always be put into practice on a permanent basis in everyday life. Especially now in the cold season, when the weather is increasingly inviting you to watch television on the couch, it is doubly difficult to stick to your own goals. The motto is therefore now: Make your inner bastard a friend, so that in the future he will work with you instead of against you.

#1: Acceptance instead of hostility

The human being is a creature of habit and it is completely normal that it is difficult for you to break out of your comfort zone. Accept this instead of criticizing yourself for it. Not self-criticism, but self-motivation takes you further - so always proceed in a friendly and motivating manner with you, just as a supportive fitness coach from the outside would do.

#2: Arguments instead of obedience

If you notice that the inner bastard intervenes in the implementation of your goals, this is your opportunity to question your motives once again. Why do you want to achieve this goal? How important is it to you? In short: question your intentions and find convincing arguments for it. Whoever succeeds in convincing the inner pig dog, stands a good chance of working hand in hand with him in the future.

#3: Sense of reality instead of dreams of desire

Stay on the ground with your goals, because nothing is more demotivated than if your goals are unrealistic and thus attainable from the outset. A challenge is good, but pre-programmed failures expose the inner bastard immediately. If you want to run a marathon in two months, but have never been jogging before.

#4: Reward instead of punishment

Find an ally for your goals, e. g. a training partner, with whom you arrange to meet for sports. This increases the pressure, but at the same time you have a comrade-in-arms who gives you positive feedback and reflects that you are on the right track. Appropriate fitness apps can also activate the reward center in the brain in the same way.

#5: Planning instead of running

Be as concrete as possible in your objectives. If you want to do more sport, then decide directly on which days of the week, how long and which training unit you want to do. Find a way to make it easy for you to stay on it. So, for example, register in a gym where training is possible in any weather and at any time of the day.

And: Develop an emergency strategy. How do you want to proceed when a training session actually fails. Do you want to catch up with the unit or will you train longer next time? That way, you remain able to act even in the event of setbacks.

#6: Pull through instead of argue

And if the bastard just doesn't want to rest, if all the plans and arguments don't help discussions, then only one thing helps: Make it easy! Don't think about it for long, but just do it and hold on. Because: Once you have consistently implemented a new behaviour for a certain period of time, it becomes a habit and you can rely on your inner pig dog to support you in continuing your behaviour at the latest from this point in time.

Prevention: Health insurance contribution - fitness studio on prescription?

The recently passed prevention law promotes and supports health programmes in fitness studios in a new way and thus brings some advantages for the sports enthusiastic fitness studio member!

The law to strengthen health promotion and prevention, in short the prevention law, has been in force since 2016. It is intended to strengthen health promotion and prevention both in the immediate everyday life of citizens and to support individual health promotion services. The main aim is to improve people's movement habits and put this idea on a legal basis. In the future, the health insurance funds - which benefit immensely from a healthier population - will be made more obligated to achieve this goal, and all insured persons can ultimately benefit from this.

New status for fitness studios

According to the new law, fitness studios are given a much higher priority than before, as they are becoming the most important partner of health insurance companies in their efforts to improve the health and exercise habits of the population. Fitness studios promote regular physical activity and thus contribute to the reduction of the so-called avoidable diseases of civilization (such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, various cardiovascular diseases, etc.), the cause of which can often be found in individual lifestyles with little physical activity. According to the new law, the health insurance companies now have the obligation to provide these services for health promotion for the insured and must therefore work more closely with the existing sports providers.

Increased benchmarks and new cooperations

Whereas by 2015, the annual health insurance fund had to pay only 3.17 euros for a health-promoting prevention measure, the new law has more than doubled this contribution and increased it to 7.00 euros, bringing the total volume for this area to around 490 million euros per year. The advantage for the fitness industry is obvious: due to the increased compulsory expenditures of the health insurance companies, the health insurance company can be expected to cooperate more closely with fitness studios in the future, to promote and subsidize quality-assured course concepts and thus increase the number of health-promoting courses financed by the health insurance companies accordingly.

Most fitness studios have been offering courses for a long time, which promote health and thus make a preventive contribution to improving the lifestyle. If these movement concepts now correspond to the quality criteria of the health insurance companies and are therefore considered "quality-assured", they can be financed by the health insurance companies and also explicitly recommended as concepts for the improvement of health behaviour.

Three criteria determine whether a course can be financed by the health insurance fund: The qualification of the trainer, the certification of the fitness centre and the implementation of a standardised course programme in accordance with the guidelines. If these conditions are met, the corresponding range of exercise activities can be subsidised by the health insurance fund and made available to you as a member of the fitness studio at a reasonable price or free of charge.

Medical recommendations

Another new feature of the prevention law is that in future doctors will be required to make recommendations for prevention, e. g. to provide information on quality assured short offers in fitness studios. This is intended to motivate and guide people who would not have found access to the gym in other ways to a more active, healthier lifestyle.

In summary, then, it is possible to state that: That the new law will significantly support and advance the provision of subsidised and thus favourable exercise programmes for health promotion in fitness studios. Access to and information on these programmes will also be simplified in the future, inter alia by means of appropriate medical recommendations.

The positive aspects of self-love - Boosting self-confidence and self-esteem

Appealing and likeable - How to make a good impression

How can you make others likeable and likeable? This does not require a great deal of witchcraft, but rather very important basics. Some of them are very simple and others a bit more complicated, but everyone can learn. I'll introduce you to the best tips now.

Perhaps you've heard before that we make a decision within the first few seconds or even tenths of a second about who we like and who we don't like. That puts a lot of pressure on you, of course, but it shouldn't be. Because you can't and don't have to appeal to everyone. It's perfectly normal that not every person can relate to you. Because you can't make sense of every person. Nevertheless, of course we would like to be well received by most people and there is some good advice for that.

The magic formula common to all tips and recommendations is this one: Make your counterpart feel comfortable in your presence! And how exactly do you achieve this by giving sympathy. Because if you give up sympathy, you get some back.

Tip 1: May your fellow human beings

Sympathy is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I. e. if we believe that another person likes us, then we automatically automatically behave in a much more friendly and direct way towards this person. With the effect that this person probably really likes us more.

If, on the other hand, we believe that our counterparts do not like or fear rejection, then we unconsciously behave in a reserved and cooler way towards this person. And in this way, they run the risk of getting more frequent and stronger.

So sympathy has a lot to do with your thoughts and beliefs. Of course, people who love themselves, like themselves and are at peace with themselves have a clear advantage here. Because if you don't think it's possible that someone else might like you. Then, of course, you will always go in all social interactions with this expectation and attitude. And unconsciously contribute to the fact that other people really don't like you so much.

If you want to change that, then start appreciating and loving yourself.

Tip 2: Let your counterpart know that you find him/her likeable

People like people who like them, too. We feel flattered when we experience that an opposite person likes us and react accordingly benevolently. You're probably also aware of this effect that you suddenly look at a person with completely different eyes after hearing that he or she thinks you're good.

Tip 3: Be a good listener

You don't have to do anything great to make other people like you. You don't have to have insane narrative skills and the best stories. It's much more important than telling a story, it's listening. So be a good listener, because people love to talk about themselves. There are studies which show that the greater the proportion of our speakers, the more valuable we are in assessing a consultation or conversation.

Tip 4: Interested questions

Because of this, you will of course make sure that your partner can tell you even more about yourself. You also show your interest in each other's lives and also show him that your full attention is with him. Of course, the whole thing should not end in an interrogation, so if possible ask questions about topics your partner likes to talk about, such as hobbies, passions, traveling, etc., please do not hesitate to contact us.

Tip 5: Emphasize your similarities

It's not about foolishly talking to others after the mouth, but if the other one was perhaps now in the USA and you were already in the USA. Then this is not only a good topic of conversation, but also makes each other more likeable. Because Gleich and Gleich likes to join us!

Tip 6: Make a compliment

Again, do not mucilage or talk to others after the mouth. But everyone is happy about a sincere compliment. It's also a great icebreaker, e. g. as a conversation starter. Just come up to someone and say,"Hey I like your glasses, they look great on you. I've been looking for a while, too. Where did you buy them?". You can then start a conversation about this. By the way, this also shows that you are self-confident and do not feel threatened by others, because you are able to praise their successes and achievements without feeling worse.

7. Tip: Smile, smile and smile

A smile always has a pleasant effect and so you can gain sympathy without giving a sound of yourself. Just ask yourself in which company you would like to stay. In the company of someone who looks grouchy and grumpy all the time. Or in the company of someone who smiles and shines all the time.

8. Tip: look your opponent in the eyes

Eye contact is also absolutely essential, because it signals to you that you are really there with the attention. That you're not yawning or searching the room with your eyes. Instead, you really concentrate on your counterpart, you really listen to him or her. It also signals that you are self-confident again, because you don't look down with your eyes completely intimidated. That means you're able to keep eye contact for a long time.

Tip 9: Ask for advice

The very fact that you ask the person about something impresses most people. You will then feel important, valued and interesting. And they respond to that not only with an answer, but also with sympathy for you.

Tip 10: Admit small mistakes and weaknesses

This sounds paradoxical, because most people think they have to be perfect and liked. But the opposite is the case, we are all not perfect and have these small mistakes, weaknesses and peculiarities that make us human and sympathetic. Just imagine you're listening to stories of two women telling pretty much the same things. But one tells all the time about her (everyday) routines, successes and how well she gets everything under one roof and how perfect her life is. The other woman also gets everything on the line and with which runs it also super, but she tells then between in between in it that she can not resist e. g. chocolate simply or that she is already quite a clumsy one and runs more often times somewhere against a wall. Which of the two women do you find more likeable? It is precisely these small mistakes and weaknesses that make us likeable.

Tip 11: Be authentic

You see some of these tips are very easy to implement and others may require you to develop a positive self-image of yourself. For all tips and tricks, however, it is absolutely essential that you don't bend or warp. It's that you always stay authentic and that you stay "you". Because people like people who are authentic. We are attracted to such personalities because we know that we can trust them. It's hard to like a human being if we don't know exactly what to expect and how this person feels and feels.

If you have understood that you are likeable and loveable, other people will see it too!

Tips for learning to love yourself

Being able to love oneself is the prerequisite for a happy life. Here are some tips on how to do this.

I also belong to the kind of mice who believe that self-love is selfishness. I can't explain it to myself - why. It had been so natural to me for a very long time and this is not true in the front and back. I have known and knew since childhood on the phrase "Love your next as well as yourself". It has long been proven that we cannot love others if we cannot love ourselves. Just to have a look at what stands in our way and which tips you can do. We consider this to be selfish, i. e. something you shouldn't do, because it is seen as negative. The German-American psychoanalyst Erich Fromm says quite clearly,"Selfish people cannot love even themselves. So these are two completely different shoes. One thing is still very important, we are so happy to be in the victim role, i. e. we like to flee so much into the victim role because we are always to blame for others. For example, our "parents have..., our teacher has..., my supervisor has... etc." and that's why I consider myself a failure, so I am not able to love myself. But that's not the way to play it. There are two protagonists in self-love - you love yourself, it's all about you, someone else has no say at all. It is only between you and your consciousness and your inner self. Or whatever you want to call it now. If you realize that, we know we can do something. Then we can use the levers and make a difference. That's what this is all about.

I really want to put this sentence above all else because I think it is the most meaningful sentence of all - treat yourself as you treat your best friend or best friend. What happens if something happens to your girlfriend that she's so sorry about? Then you go and comfort her and say to her "this can happen - we are all just people. You know what I cooked a nice dinner for us. Come to me and we'll talk about it and then the whole thing will be forgotten ". There we have some nice tips such as bath tubs, a back massage or anything else we can think of to comfort this friend or friend and say "It's not so bad - just look at life". But how do we deal with ourselves when something has happened to us, the thumb goes down like that. Maybe something like "I didn't deserve it any better, or is it clear I'm a failure". Here we draw quite different registers with ourselves. And this must end! When situations arise again, where you think you have to finish yourself off. Then please hold your breath and think about what I would say to my girlfriend if it happened or to my boyfriend. Seeing what's done. It's a great way to deal with yourself and is incredibly helpful. This of course also includes being able to forgive oneself, being able to treat oneself to something. Of course, I also know this when my desk or diary is full or whatever. Then I rarely get the idea of doing something good for myself. That I'm having a wellness day or an extended walk on the beach at this moment, for example, that's only been happening recently when I was thinking about it. But otherwise, it's always something off the desk. I myself am not always valuable enough and that has now come to an end. For example, I also know this one when I read a recipe and I think you cook it when this person comes to visit. Total rubbish - meanwhile I cook it just like that in the everyday kitchen for me and my husband. Because we're worth it. And also to pay attention to my body in general, i. e. sports and doing something like this, that is also part of being worthwhile to oneself. For me this is body, mind and soul. We're made up of so many fragments that are valuable. And then the question to yourself - "Can you be good alone? Being alone with yourself, are you valuable enough to be able to endure yourself as company?". That's another very important point, because does the TV always have to be running or do you prefer to be together with others or something? Just to have a look - just be alone and see what I feel really good or what I need. Just to stop for a moment, because this time is also precious and important. It also helps to increase self-esteem and to make self-love possible and to give room for it. And not to get high on anything that doesn't do you any good. Always a look... which is good for you!

That we should control our thoughts is the beginning of action. The way we think about ourselves is a very big key. I could also sometimes imagine that it would also sometimes obstruct us to have goals. So say, if I have the promotion, then I'm worth it because then I've achieved something. And only then will I be happy and good enough. Total rubbish - you're worth it now, you're precious and special. There's not a second time in the world like this. You are unbelievably special and you're worth looking at, and not just when I've done this and that or when I have a family or something. We all have our patterns in mind where we want to go and that it is only then the right time for you to be worth it. That's just not true, it's NOW. And always remember that there are these two doers, you and you-you and your self. You love yourself - that's what I think is a crucial point.

The power of the insults - Insults are incredibly painful

The power of the insults - Insults are incredibly painful. But how can I deal with this?

First of all, what we have to deal with it afterwards for possible actions. So not what can I do to prevent this from happening to me, but how do I deal with it afterwards.

We all know you, offenses happen to us in life, whether in childhood, in adulthood, in professional life, in private life the spectrum is infinite. Of course, bullying is also part of this, but also injustices experienced as a child. Exclusions in working life when someone has been promoted, for example, and has passed me by, so to speak, and I don't feel respected or offended.

As we can see, there are many shades. And then comes the question: What do I do with it afterwards? What do I do with this offence, and there it is called the span incredibly wide and indeed one can feel this revenge once. And the statistics unfortunately also say that Amokläufer had become like this because one offended them at some point.

So this example is the one extreme and the other extreme says something quite precious and here starts now with a quote from Stephen Hawking, one calls him the most intelligent person in the world at the moment:"The greatest danger of mankind is a lack of empathy". And how we can deal with offenses is certainly hard to learn empathy at school, even if it sounds a bit hard now. Knowing how you feel, I did it myself and I don't want this other person to experience it that way.

The pop star of physics Stephen Hawking goes back to the fact that, incidentally, has been in 2015, which can certainly google again well the press was full of it. He says no natural disaster threatens humanity as much as the lack of empathy, because that leads to aggression. And if all of us can contribute to it, the insults they have inflicted on us don't lead to new aggressions. But that I also have the chance to learn empathy through it. This is the same cradle, then this is incredibly important not only for you and me, but for all of humanity. In other words, creation in general, not only does this affect mankind as a whole, but also animals and plants in exactly the same way. To be this mindful of wanting to protect this, that this does not happen. And to have a look at yourself.

We have the option of deciding - How do I deal with insult? What does that cause in me? And since the bandwidth - that's why I called the two extremes - is to look at each other and how incredibly important empathy is for humanity.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that. That together we can help to bring this important thing forward and bring it into the world. I hope we succeed.

We all know them the stumbling blocks in life

Ever these difficulties - what to do? We all know the stumbling blocks in life. But how can I deal with this?

I think we all know the range is so wide, from everyday difficulties to these really deep valleys that we have to go through.

I think we've all learned somehow that we're growing by our difficulties. I used to get used to looking back at the end of the year. How did the year actually go? And then it turned out that some of the difficulties or catastrophes I had to face were not so bad or sometimes even an advantage. The older you get, the more you can of course take a look at events, which have turned out to be different.

We all know sayings like "If life gives you lemons, ask for tequila or make a lemonade out of it" or something like that. But two other sayings helped me a lot. In the job once when I thought here is nothing going on and actually already wanted to sink down together and then this came along and that, I didn't know where to start and stop. I pinned a line behind my desk that I changed sometime. I don't remember his original name either. My saying was "I ride the tiger his name is stress" and then I sat on top of it had the reins in the hand and went through. That means I rode and didn't watch where to start and complain. But I did it. I went through it and that felt quite different to me.

But another incredibly beautiful saying, I mean it is a Chinese wisdom that says,"A dragon of the climbs wants a headwind". I think this is such a nice picture, when we look at it, if we see in some situations, not this headwind that has caught us not so rigid, but come into motion and look where it is less painful or where is here something nice for me despite everything. In other words, in spite of all the difficulty, I am becoming more open and freer again. Because when we know that challenges have allowed us to grow, i. e. to experience life much more intensively. That also means being freer and everything. Quite the beautiful things we want to have in our lives, and for that we need the headwind. Me anyway! I always grow much faster then, I know that well and yet I'm still afraid when there's something coming to me again where I think it can't be true now. What is that again?

But to know that there are other possibilities. I do not know now which picture corresponds to you there, whether you see yourself rather on the tiger with the reins in hand, and tell you: Yes I ride through it and hold the reins in the hand and am not so the leaf in the wind, which can be driven in such a way. Or if you say I play with it: I am the dragon in the wind, who uses this headwind to climb even higher.

Anyway, I just wanted to show you some new ideas. What's the headwind for me? Ultimately, it is something positive or contains something positive. To call the situation of oneself positive, I think that's a bit difficult for all of us. But it's contained in there and then the headwind may not feel that bad any more. I certainly hope so.

A sovereign "No" can be learned!

You can learn to say a sovereign "NO" - but it is possible - in some areas I can also do it, despite the need for harmony.

Oh dear, that's a very difficult discipline for me, but I can tell you about my little learning successes, but also about my learning things.

So where I managed to say NO, if I'm asked to do something I don't really want to do, it's when you start making me feel guilty.

Examples ... You can't let this one or that one down and they have all sorts of arguments... Why can't you... make me feel bad.

And now I have learned to say to the person... Oh, I'm really sorry, but in this case I have to say NO, but I'm sure you will find someone... often it's about a third person... but also when the person comes directly to me and tries to make me feel guilty. Then I can argue and say... I'm absolutely sure you can do it and find someone... or you can do it yourself... you don't need me for that anymore... and I'm looking forward to your positive reports then... and END.

I don't justify myself anymore!

That's actually something I learned on the job, generally speaking as an "argumentation aid" I was in such a seminar that one doesn't provide arguments why not, because I have just too much work for example or because I'm doing something else. Because that way the other one is always tempted to argue against it.... well, that would be over soon or I can take this off your hands.

NO, do not give any reasons!

So far, in my memory, I have been asked why not? And I said that there are just so many reasons, but I have to stay with my NO, so please accept it now. And afterwards, you can choose a good day, a good way or another topic of conversation or something like that.

As described above, this will work out quite well. But where it's still difficult for me and you can ask yourself why. When they start praising me. With praise and recognition, I really achieve the most.

I also remember an example from the job, and I was actually over 30 years old. I was independent now and that's the way it is, that sometimes you have a lot of work to do and then there are other phases. But I was incredibly busy during this phase, I was able to get along well with four hours of sleep the night over many years. It was so, a client came to my office and said that no one else can do that, you have to do that and prefer to do so yesterday. And I knew very well that this person knew that my weak point is so pleasing because otherwise I have always enjoyed his praise or appreciation very much. So I joked (flattest) back "yes yes" clear I know the trick and so after which I said first quite clearly "no", it was not said that no one else can do that I could not do it myself and so. Then I said,"Everyone is replaceable," because those were his words, I thought I could get him. To cut a long story short, I did it even though I couldn't do it anymore. Of course, I am working hard to make sure that I still have the sovereignty to do what I really want.

Then, of course, I come to a game where there is a need for harmony, I can't say for sure. I had no worries about getting rid of the other assignments or that the client thinks badly of me or something. That wasn't my construction site, so to speak, or wanting to do it right for everyone. These are all examples that play into it, why you don't say NO.

Then I discovered such an interplay again, that when one of them does that, the others withdraw. And now I don't take job examples at all, but more in my private life. Be it in associations, larger groups where help is simply needed, or in families when children take care of their parents. Even if there are several siblings who could actually do this, if one of them does it, the other siblings all withdraw.

This phenomenon - one regrets that then and the others have arguments like: I couldn't do that, how great you do it, no with old people that's really not my thing. One notices that the siblings start whining quite quickly.

I believe that society out there, I don't know what it takes when people do this kind of thing, that's incredibly much work and emotional commitment. You don't want to try this interplay on the back of your parents, let's see what happens if I don't do it. Whether the others will come after all, and not only every quarter of a year, drive up with a thick bouquet of flowers and then maybe invite you to dinner. But it's about the daily or all day or two days or something like that when there's trouble and something has to be done.

However, I have also observed this interplay in the other context with myself, which means that I have withdrawn when I saw it, for example, in the circle of friends or something like that, someone is already doing it. Someone was looking for someone, someone can organize or do that and somebody else was willing to do it, then I put my hands in my lap a little bit and thought that this is the same thing you don't want to do.

For me the solution is already for some time that I offer myself as an auxiliary person for this person. That I don't say that at all in an open conversation, but afterwards I turn to the person who said I take over and then say that you can use me, where can I help you I don't want to stand in the front row I can't do that at the moment, but help those or be a sidekick. It works out pretty well, too, so if you give a little backup.

This topic "being able to say NO" and "the interplay of a power" and everyone else pulling or leaning back is also a difficult thing.

The best thing to do is to think about how you can behave at this moment in time, and already put a few appropriate sentences into your head. Simply phrase it briefly and concisely and stand firm in his opinion. I think everyone should find a way to say NO in spite of the need for harmony.

Letting go and clearing out the clouds frees the soul and gives wings

Letting go and clearing out the clouds frees the soul, gives freedom. No matter whether it's a desk, wardrobe or kitchen - anyone who tidies up and separates from things creates a lot of space for new things... in themselves. Of course, this also applies to the separation of old love letters and photos in case of heartbreak.

It's about letting go of the subject, not about characteristics or habits, but about things. I want to give you a lot of courage to clear out. It has always