A BALANCED LIFESTYLE IS IMPORTANT:

Part of a comprehensive stress relief plan involves finding ways to calm down quickly so you can more effectively manage stress as it comes while avoiding the negative effects of chronic stress. Another important way to relieve stress is to maintain healthy lifestyle habits.

Learning to live a healthy lifestyle often brings additional benefits too, such as an endorphin rush, a release of frustration, or added longevity. Many of the healthy lifestyle habits discussed here can also help you to become less reactive to stress, in the long run, providing protection against stress you haven’t even experienced yet

While maintaining healthy habits is a bit more challenging than trying a stress relief method only once, the benefits you receive from maintaining a healthy lifestyle are more than worth the effort it takes to maintain it. The increases in health and wellness that you experience, as well as the reduction in stress, will make you wish you’d made these changes sooner, and can be wonderful sources of continued motivation.

CHANGES CAN BE INTIMIDATING: 

Many people feel intimidated or frustrated with making healthy lifestyle changes for a few reasons, including:

• Not knowing where to start: There are so many changes that can benefit health and wellness that it can be difficult to know how to begin.
• Doing too much at once: People often try to make too many changes at once, then find it too difficult (or let perfectionism sabotage their efforts) and give up the effort.
• Stress: Let’s face it—change is difficult, especially when you’re stressed. Sometimes lifestyle stress takes over and diminishes your momentum.

Given that living a healthy lifestyle can help with stress relief, and that making healthy lifestyle changes can be challenging, the following resources can help you with both choosing new goals for healthy living and with making these new goals a reality by adopting new healthy habits into your lifestyle.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES: 

Here are some changes you can make to lead a healthier, less stressed lifestyle:

• Healthy eating: One of the most popular changes people like to make to live a healthy lifestyle is to eat differently. Because of the negative health consequences of obesity, the influence fitness has on our self-esteem, and the effects on nutrition  on our stress levels and longevity, switching to a healthier diet brings some of the greatest benefits for wellness.
• Regular exercise: Getting regular exercise is another wonderful way to keep your weight in check, manage overall stress levels, and stay connected with others. Exercise can also help keep many health conditions at bay and is well worth the effort. The trick is to start gradually and work your way up.
• Quality sleep: People often underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep, and getting the right type. However, lack of adequate sleep has many negative consequences—they’re subtle but significant. Getting enough sleep isn’t one of the most popular changes that people resolve to make, but it should be. Because stress can rob you of sleep, and because many of the techniques that promote sleep can also reduce stress , it’s a very good idea to learn more about how stress affects sleep and how to get quality sleep when you’re stressed.

OTHER BENEFITS:

The great thing about moving is that just a few minutes a day can have other lasting benefits, many of which you may not even be aware of. Just some of the benefits include:

• Enhances self esteem
• Helps maintain flexibility as you age
• Improves joint stability
• Improves memory in elderly people
• Improves mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Increases and improves range of motion
• Maintains bone mass
• Prevents osteoporosis and fractures
• Reduces stress
• Reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes

HOW TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET :

Eating a healthy diet is another part of a healthy lifestyle. Not only can a nutritious diet help with weight management , but it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older.

You already know about the food groups and the fact that it is recommended that you eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods. You probably have a list of things you know you should do for a healthier diet but, again, making too many changes at once can backfire. Going on a restrictive diet may make you crave the very foods you’re trying to avoid.​

Another approach is to look for ways to make smaller changes each day.Just a few ideas for changing how you eat include:

• Cut back on sugary beverages. It’s easy to consume excess sugar and calories in the beverages that you drink. Sugary sodas, sweetened teas, juice drinks, and high-calorie coffee drinks can easily eat up your daily recommended allowance of added sugars. Consider drinking plain water or water flavored with fresh fruit or herbs. It’s a great way to stay hydrated and still get a burst of flavor.
• Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat-free yogurt is another simple way to eat fewer calories without having to change too much in your diet.
• Eat more fruits:Add it to your cereal, salads, dinners, or make it a dessert. The fruit is also a great snack after work or school to keep you going for dinner.
• Make some substitutions. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick three foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you’re at the grocery store find lower-calorie substitutes for just those three items.
• Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can—a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut, canned, or frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
• Try a healthy salad dressing: If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you’ll automatically eat fewer calories. You can also put the dressing on the side and dip, or even try making your own dressing.

CONCLUSION:

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean drastic changes. You may adapt to change better when it doesn’t require you to overhaul your entire life. Just pick one thing and work on that one thing every day, letting the rest of your life and habits stay the same. You may be surprised that those small changes really can make a difference.

Planning can be defined as “thinking in advance what is to be done, when it is to be done, how it is to be done and by whom it should be done”. In simple words we can say, planning bridges the gap between where we are standing today and where we want to reach.

Planning involves setting objectives and deciding in advance the appropriate course of action to achieve these objectives so we can also define planning as setting up of objectives and targets and formulating an action plan to achieve them.

Another important ingredient of planning is time. Plans are always developed for a fixed time period as no business can go on planning endlessly.

Features/Nature/Characteristic of Planning

1. Planning contributes to Objectives:

2.Planning is Primary function of management

3. Pervasive:

4. Planning is futuristic/Forward looking

5. Planning is continuous

6. Planning involves decision making

7.Planning is a mental exercise

Importance/Significance of Planning:

. 1️⃣Planning provides Direction:

Planning is concerned with predetermined course of action. It provides the directions to the efforts of employees. Planning makes clear what employees have to do, how to do, etc. By stating in advance how work has to be done, planning provides direction for action. Employees know in advance in which direction they have to work. This leads to Unity of Direction also. If there were no planning, employees would be working in different directions and organisation would not be able to achieve its desired goal.

2️⃣Planning Reduces the risk of uncertainties

Organisations have to face many uncertainties and unexpected situations every day. Planning helps the manager to face the uncertainty because planners try to foresee the future by making some assumptions regarding future keeping in mind their past experiences and scanning of business environments. The plans are made to overcome such uncertainties. The plans also include unexpected risks such as fire or some other calamities in the organisation. The resources are kept aside in the plan to meet such uncertainties.

3️⃣Planning reduces over lapping and wasteful activities

The organisational plans are made keeping in mind the requirements of all the departments. The departmental plans are derived from main organisational plan. As a result there will be co-ordination in different departments. On the other hand, if the managers, non-managers and all the employees are following course of action according to plan then there will be integration in the activities. Plans ensure clarity of thoughts and action and work can be carried out smoothly.

4️⃣Planning Promotes innovative ideas:

Planning requires high thinking and it is an intellectual process. So, there is a great scope of finding better ideas, better methods and procedures to perform a particular job. Planning process forces managers to think differently and assume the future conditions. So, it makes the managers innovative and creative.

Planning helps the managers to take various decisions. As in planning goals are set in advance and predictions are made for future. These predictions and goals help the manager to take fast decisions.

6. Planning establishes standard for controlling:

Controlling means comparison between planned and actual output and if there is variation between both then find out the reasons for such deviations and taking measures to match the actual output with the planned. But in case there is no planned output then controlling manager will have no base to compare whether the actual output is adequate or not.

For example, if the planned output for a week is 100 units and actual output produced by employee is 80 units then the controlling manager must take measures to bring the 80 unit production upto 100 units but if the planned output, i.e., 100 units is not given by the planners then finding out whether 80 unit production is sufficient or not will be difficult to know. So, the base for comparison in controlling is given by planning function only.

7. Focuses attention on objectives of the company:

Planning function begins with the setting up of the objectives, policies, procedures, methods and rules, etc. which are made in planning to achieve these objectives only. When employees follow the plan they are leading towards the achievement of objectives. Through planning, efforts of all the employees are directed towards the achievement of organisational goals and objectives.

1.

Once plans are made to decide the future course of action the manager may not be in a position to change them. Following predefined plan when circumstances are changed may not bring positive results for organisation. This kind of rigidity in plan may create difficulty.

2. Planning may not work in dynamic environment:

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Business environment is very dynamic as there are continuously changes taking place in economic, political and legal environment. It becomes very difficult to forecast these future changes. Plans may fail if the changes are very frequent.

The environment consists of number of segments and it becomes very difficult for a manager to assess future changes in the environment. For example there may be change in economic policy, change in fashion and trend or change in competitor’s policy. A manager cannot foresee these changes accurately and plan may fail if many such changes take place in environment.

3. It reduces creativity:

With the planning the managers of the organisation start working rigidly and they become the blind followers of the plan only. The managers do not take any initiative to make changes in the plan according to the changes prevailing in the business environment. They stop giving suggestions and new ideas to bring improvement in working because the guidelines for working are given in planning only.

4. Planning involves huge Cost:

Planning process involves lot of cost because it is an intellectual process and companies need to hire the professional experts to carry on this process. Along with the salary of these experts the company has to spend lot of time and money to collect accurate facts and figures. So, it is a cost-consuming process. If the benefits of planning are not more than its cost then it should not be carried on.

5. It is a time consuming process:

Planning process is a time-consuming process because it takes long time to evaluate the alternatives and select the best one. Lot of time is needed in developing planning premises. So, because of this, the action gets delayed. And whenever there is a need for prompt and immediate decision then we have to avoid planning.

6. Planning does not guarantee success:

Sometimes managers have false sense of security that plans have worked successfully in past so these will be working in future also. There is a tendency in managers to rely on pretested plans.

It is not true that if a plan has worked successfully in past, it will bring success in future also as there are so many unknown factors which may lead to failure of plan in future. Planning only provides a base for analysing future. It is not a solution for future course of action.

7. Lack of accuracy:

In planning we are always thinking in advance and planning is concerned with future only and future is always uncertain. In planning many assumptions are made to decide about future course of action. But these assumptions are not 100% accurate and if these assumptions do not hold true in present situation or in future condition then whole planning will fail.

For example, if in the plan it is assumed that there will be 5% inflation rate and in future condition the inflation rate becomes 10% then the whole plan will fail and many adjustments will be required to be made.

Sometimes planning fails due to following limitations on which managers have no control.

(i) Natural calamity:

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Natural calamities such as flood, earthquake, famine etc. may result in failure of plan.

(ii) Change in

(iii) Change in taste/fashion and trend in the market:

Sometimes plans may fail when the taste/fashion or trend in market goes against the expectation of planners.

(iv) Change in technologies:

The introduction of new technologies may also lead to failure of plans for products using old technology.

(v) Change in government/economic policy:

Managers have no control over government decisions. If government economic or industrial policies are not framed as expected by manager then also plans may fai

Plan:

Plan is a document that outlines how goals are going to be met. It is a specific action proposed to help the organization achieve its objectives. There may be more than one way and means of reaching a particular goal but with the help of logical plans, objectives of an organization could be easily achieved.

Single Use Plans:

Single use plans are one time use plan. These are designed to achieve a particular goal that once achieved will not reoccur in future. These are made to meet the needs of unique situations. The duration or length of single use plan depends upon the activity or goal for which it is made. It may last one day or it may last for weeks or months if the project for which it is made is long.

Standing Plans:

Standing plans are also known as Repeat Use Plans. These plans focus on situations which occur repeatedly. Standing plans are used over and over again. They are made once but retain their value over a period of years. Although some revisions and updates are made in these plans from time to time.

It should come as no surprise that the pressure to be available 24/7 on social media is a very real challenge for today’s teenagers. Aside from the fact that their grasp of and dependence on social media far exceeds that of many adults, they also are using social media at much greater rates too.

In fact, a report by Common Sense Media found that 75% of American teenagers have social media profiles. Social media is a daily part of life for the vast majority of teens.

THE TEEN BRAIN AND SOCIAL MEDIA: 

For many teens, social media can become almost addictive. In a study researchers found that certain regions of teen brains became activated by “likes” on social media, sometimes causing them to want to use social media more.

During the study, researchers used an fMRI scanner to image the brains of 32 teenagers as they used a fictitious social media app resembling Instagram. The teenagers were shown more than 140 images where “likes” were believed to be from their peers. However, the likes were actually assigned by the research team.

As a result, the brain scans revealed that in addition to a number of regions, the nucleus accumbens, part of the brain’s reward circuitry, was especially active when they saw a large number of likes on their own photos. According to researchers, this area of the brain is the same region that responds when we see pictures of people we love or when we win money.

In another part of the study, researchers could see a correlation between social media and peer influence. Participants in the study were shown both neutral photos and risky photos. What they found is that the type of image had no impact on the number of likes given by teens in the study.

Instead, they were likely to hit “like” on the popular photos regardless of what they showed. Researchers believe this behaviour shows that peers can have both a positive and negative influence on others while using social media.

MENTAL HEALTH:

Undoubtedly, social networking plays a vital role in broadening teen social connections and helping them learn valuable technical skills. But what impact is all of this social networking having on young teen minds? Most reports indicate that the impact can be significant.

Not only are teens’ developing brains vulnerable to so much time online, but because they often have difficulty self-regulating their screen time, their risks can increase with the more time they spend. Additionally, they are more susceptible to peer pressure, cyberbullying and sexting—all activities involving digital communication—making navigating the online social world treacherous at times.

DEPRESSION:

Researchers are just beginning to establish a link between depression and social media. While they have not actually discovered a cause-and-effect relationship between social media and depression, they have discovered that social media use can be associated with an intensification of the symptoms of depression, including a decrease in social activity and an increase in loneliness.

ANXIETY:

Teens often feel emotionally invested in their social media accounts. Not only do they feel pressure to respond quickly online, but they also feel pressure to have perfect photos and well-written posts, all of which can cause a great deal of anxiety. In fact, some studies have found that the larger a teen’s social circle online the more anxiety they feel about keeping up with everything online.

Additionally, if teens commit a faux pas online, this also can be an extreme source of anxiety. Many teens, especially girls, are prone to worry about what others might think of them and how they will respond when they see them next. Then factor in cyberbullying and other cruel online behaviours and you can see why social media can be a toxic source of anxiety for many teens

SLEEP DEPRIVATION :

Sometimes teens spend so many hours on social media that they begin to lose valuable sleep. Consequently, this sleep loss can lead to moodiness, a drop in grades, lack of physical activity, and overeating, as well as exacerbate existing problems like depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In fact, research shows a strong link between increased screen time and the development of ADHD-related symptoms, such as difficulty with focusing, emotional regulation, poor attention, hyperactivity, and getting enough sleep.

Additionally, a survey of 900 teens between the ages of 12 and 15 about their social media use and its impact on sleep. What they found was that one-fifth of the teens said they “almost always” wake up during the night and log in to social media.

The study also revealed that girls were significantly more likely than boys to wake up and check social media on their phones. In addition to reporting feeling tired all the time, they also reported being less happy on average than teens whose sleep was not disturbed by social media.

What’s more, teens need more sleep than adults do, a minimum of eight to 10 hours per night compared with seven or more for adults. So, logging into social media in the middle of the night can be detrimental to their physical health as well.

For instance, aside from feeling tired and irritable, lack of sleep can make accidents more likely and lower the immune system and make it harder for teens to fight infections.

Envy 

Envy- while normal emotions—can wreak havoc on teen brains if they dwell on comparing themselves to their peers. They may fixate on what someone else has or experienced, that they themselves have not. Due to the way accounts are curated, it can appear to the reader that other people lead more exciting lives than they do, which only feeds feelings of inadequacy.

Unfortunately, what teens often do not realise is that people tend to only post their “highlight reel” on social media and often keep the mundane or difficult experiences off the Internet. As a result, another person’s life may look perfect online, but offline they have struggles just like anyone else.

Still, it is easy for a teen to play the comparison game and start thinking that everyone is happier or better off than they are. As a result, this can feed into depression, loneliness, anger, and a variety of other issues.

What’s more, envy, if not dealt with, sometimes may lead to bullying and mean behaviour. Some teens, particularly those that feel bad about themselves, target others because they are jealous of the target’s clothes, body, boyfriend, successes, or any number of other things.

COMMUNICATION ISSUES:

While social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, it also is not the same as face-to-face communication. For instance, a teen cannot see a person’s facial expressions or hear their tone of voice online. As a result, it is very easy for misunderstandings to occur, especially when people try to be funny or sarcastic online.

Many teens spend so much time online checking statuses and likes that they may forget to interact with the people right in front of them. For this reason, friendships and dating relationships can suffer when social media takes centre stage in a person’s life. As a result, teens risk having relationships that are not deep or authentic.

Teens who place a priority on social media will often focus on the pictures they take that show how much fun they are having rather than actually focusing on having fun. The end result is that their relationships and life satisfaction may suffer.

CONCLUSION:

Because so much brain development takes place during the teen years, it is important that parents understand the impact that social media use can have on their kids. For this reason, it is important to establish guidelines for social media use. While many kids do have unrestricted access to their phones and other devices, setting limits may be helpful for your child.

It is also important for families to have regular discussions on safe use of social media. When families navigate the world of social media together, a teen’s online world becomes much more manageable.

A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are.”

Ah, soulmates. The epitome of love and partnership. In our fast-paced chaotic world, which boasts all sorts of different people, we find ourselves skimming through more relationships than we’d like in order to find that one person who can truly open our locks. 

Not just anyone can fulfill you the way your soulmate can. There’s a world of a difference between your soulmate, your heart’s other half and a life partner — a person who lacks the elements to mould perfectly to you. Your soulmate makes you feel entirely whole, healed and intact, like no piece is missing from the puzzle. A life partner, on the other hand, can be a great supporter and long-time companion, but is limited in his or her capacity to enrich your spirit. 

Most of us remain in life-partner relationships because we “settle,” for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, we may have a real subconscious fear of being alone. And since we’re biologically designed to fall in love, it’s only natural that we pair up in this world. But we sometimes prolong what are meant to be temporary relationships and mistakenly settle into them for good. There are relationships which must last for a certain period of time to close out a karmic chapter of life, relationships in which we’re meant to have children with our partner but not necessarily remain with them, and relationships which are just plain confusing because a melting pot of emotions doesn’t allow us to see our predestined path. 

Most of us fall somewhere between these two extremes, meaning that we experienced several relationships before finding the person we believe to be our perfect pairing. Whether you’re currently married, in a relationship, or contemplating entering a relationship with a new love interest, it is crucial that you know what role this person will play in your life. After all, there’s no avoiding the inevitable, often uncomfortable question we must ask ourselves: Is this the person I was bound by destiny to share my life with? Or did I settle too quickly into a relationship with someone who can never complete me?

ELEMENTS OF A SOULMATE:

1. It’s something inside: Describing how a soulmate makes you feel is difficult. It’s a tenacious, profound and lingering emotion which no words can encompass.

2. Flashbacks: If your partner is your soulmate, chances are he or she has been present in your past lives. Soulmates often choose to come back together during the same lifetime and scope each other out in the big world. You might suddenly and briefly experience flashbacks of your soulmate. You might even feel an odd sense of déjà vu, as if the moment in time has already taken place, perhaps a long time ago, perhaps in a different setting. 

3. You just get each other: Ever met two people who finsh each other’s sentences? Some people call that spending too much time together, but I call it a soulmate connection. You might experience this with your best friend or your mother, but it is the telltale sign of a soulmate when you experience it with your partner. 

4. You fall in love with his (or her) flaws: No relationship is perfect, and even soulmate relationships will experience ups and downs. Still, that bond will be much harder to break. Soulmates have an easier time of accepting, even learning to love, each other’s imperfections. Your relationship is more likely to be a soulmate match if you both love each other exactly as you each are, accepting both the great and awful tendencies we all have. 

5. It’s intense: A soulmate relationship may be more intense than normal relationships, in both good and sometimes bad ways. The most important thing is that, even during negative episodes, you’re focused on resolving the problem and can see beyond the bad moment.

6. You two against the world: Soulmates often see their relationship as “us against the world.” They feel so linked together that they’re ready and willing to take on any feat of life, so long as they have their soulmate by their side. Soulmate relationships are founded on compromise and unity above all else.

7. You’re mentally inseparable: Soulmates often have a mental connection similar to twins. They might pick up the phone to call each other at the exact same time. Though life may keep you apart at times, your minds will always be in tune if you are soulmates.

8. You feel secure and protected: Regardless of the gender of your partner, he or she should always make you feel secure and protected. This means that if you’re a man, yes, your woman should make you feel protected, too! Your soulmate will make you feel like you have a guardian angel by your side. A person who plays on your insecurities, whether consciously or subconsciously, is not your soulmate. 

9. You can’t imagine your life without him (or her): A soulmate is not someone you can walk away from that easily. It is someone you can’t imagine being without, a person you believe is worth sticking with and fighting for.

10. You look each other in the eye: Soulmates have a tendency to look into each other’s eyes when speaking more often than ordinary couples. It comes naturally from the deep-seated connection between them. Looking a person in the eye when speaking denotes a high level of comfort and confidence.

CONCLUSION:

Whether you’re designed by the universe to be soulmates or two loving people who have settled for each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the decision is yours. The beauty of free will is that you can remain in or change any relationship as you see fit. To be with your soulmate is one of the precious treasures of life. And if you feel you’ve found your heart’s other half, I wish you endless days of joy and laughter, and countless nights of deep embrace, unraveling the mysteries of the universe one by one. 

Women face special stresses and have unique needs when it comes to stress relievers and healthy lifestyle choices. The following are different ways women can make lifestyle changes to promote their health.

Social support can be a great stress reliever. Friends can help us in many ways, from offering a supportive ear to lending a helping hand. Studies have shown that those who have strong social support tend to be healthier, happier and less stressed. For women, especially, this is an important part of life to nurture, as women tend to deal with stress more often by sharing feelings and forming supportive networks.

One stumbling block to friendships for women is that we find ourselves so much busier these days. Demands of work, children, or other commitments can take over the time that was previously free to pursue friendships, so it’s important for women to make an effort to develop social support in their lives.

STRESS AND HEALTH:

Women are often the caretakers of others. We care for men and children, friends and family, but don’t always care for our own bodies.

Here are some stress relievers that are great for your body:

• Exercise: Getting out and getting active has numerous health, beauty, and stress management benefits, including a leaner body, greater energy levels, improved overall health, the opportunity to blow off steam, a change of scenery, and a catalyst to take your mind off of what’s stressing you, among other things.
• Spa Treatments: Whether you’re going to a top spa or setting up a home spa experience, pampering your body on the outside can melt away the stress that you’re feeling inside, and leave you feeling more refreshed and beautiful afterward. Read more about setting up a spa at home, and make a habit of using it.
• Healthy Eating: A healthy diet has more benefits than just making you thin; because healthy eating can leave you with more energy, thinking more clearly, and reacting in a more even-tempered way to stress.

ADEQUATE SLEEP AND REST:

According to research and a poll on this site, too many of us don’t get adequate sleep and operate in a sleep deficit. This leaves us less productive and more prone to stress, among other things. Women, because of their busy schedules and multiple roles, often find themselves getting less sleep than they need, or are unable to get a good night’s sleep due to stress. If you find yourself getting too little sleep, the following resources can help you get the quality sleep you need to function well.

• Stress and Sleep: Learn about the physical and emotional damage that can result from getting too little sleep, and how it all affects your stress levels.
• The benefits of the Power nap: Read about how to use power napping as a stress management tool and increase your productivity and improve your health in the process.
• Sleep Aids: If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, or achieving quality sleep every night, these are some all-natural ways you can get better sleep from now on.

VALUE ME TIME:

It’s important for women, including mothers, to take regular time to do things that nurture our souls and keep us feeling alive; if we don’t, we could face burnout, and we won’t be as helpful to others in our lives anyway. A regular stress management practice is a must, and it can come in the form of a hobby, a type of exercise, a tension-taming practice, or some other habit, but it’s important to make time for such things that can keep you feeling your best. The following are some important resources to help you find a regular stress relief practice:

• Choosing a healthy new habit: Perhaps the easiest way to stick with a new stress relief habit is to pick one that best fits your personality and lifestyle. This test will point you to the stress relievers that are best for you.
• Sticking with a said habit: Once you’ve chosen a stress management technique to incorporate into your lifestyle, these tips will help you make it a habit.
• Self-care strategies: These ideas will help you pamper yourself for a change.

WHAT IS LOVE? 

Love is a set of emotions and behaviors characterized by intimacy, passion, and commitment. It involves care, closeness, protectiveness, attraction, affection, and trust. Love can vary in intensity and can change over time. It is associated with a range of positive emotions, including happiness, excitement, life satisfaction, and euphoria, but it can also result in negative emotions such as jealousy and stress.

When it comes to love, some people would say it is one of the most important human emotions. Yet despite being one of the most studied behaviors, it is still the least understood. For example, researchers debate whether love is a biological or cultural phenomenon.

Love is most likely influenced by both biological drives and cultural influences. While hormones and biology are important, the way we express and experience love is also influenced by our personal conceptions of love.

HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT LOVE? 

What are some of the signs of love?

Researchers have made distinctions between feelings of “liking” and “loving” another person. According to psychologists, romantic love is made up of three elements:

• Attachment: Needing to be with another person and desiring physical contact and approval
• Caring: Valuing the other person’s happiness and needs as much as your own
• Intimacy: Sharing private thoughts, feelings, and desires with the other person

Based on this view of romantic love, Rubin developed two questionnaires to measure these variables, known as Rubin’s Scales of Liking and Loving. While people tend to view people they like as pleasant, love is marked by being devoted, possessive, and confiding in one another. 

Types of Love 

Not all forms of love are the same, and psychologists have identified a number of different types of love that people may experience.

These types of love include:

• Friendship: This type of love involves liking someone and sharing a certain degree of intimacy.
• Infatuation: This is a form of love that often involves intense feelings of attraction without a sense of commitment; it often takes place early in a relationship and may deepen into a more lasting love.
• Passionate love: This type of love is marked by intense feelings of longing and attraction; it often involves an idealisation of the other person and a need to maintain constant physical closeness.
• Compassionate Love: This form of love is marked by trust, affection, intimacy, and commitment.
• Unrequited love: This form of love happens when one person loves another who does not return those feelings.

IS LOVE BIOLOGICAL OR CULTURAL? 

Some researchers suggest that love is a basic human emotion just like happiness or anger, while others believe that it is a cultural phenomenon that arises partly due to social pressures and expectations. 

Research has found that romantic love exists in all cultures, which suggests that love has a strong biological component. It is a part of human nature to seek out and find love. However, culture can significantly affect how individuals think about, experience, and display romantic love.

HOW TO PRACTICE LOVE: 

There is no single way to practice love. Every relationship is unique, and each person brings their own history and needs. Some things that you can do to show love to the people you care about include:

• Be willing to be vulnerable
• Be willing to forgive
• Do your best and be willing to apologize when you make mistakes
• Let them know that you care
• Listen to what they have to say
• Prioritize spending time with the other person
• Reciprocate loving gestures and acts of kindness
• Recognize and acknowledge their good qualities
• Share things about yourself
• Show affection
• Show unconditional love

IMPACT OF LOVE :

Love, attachment, and affection have an important impact on well-being and quality of life. Loving relationships have been linked to:

• Lower risk of heart disease
• Decreased risk of dying after a heart attack
• Better health habits
• Increased longevity
• Lower stress levels
• Less depression
• Lower risk of diabetes

TIPS FOR CULTIVATING LOVE :

Lasting relationships are marked by deep levels of trust, commitment, and intimacy. Some things that you can do to help cultivate loving relationships include:

• Try loving-kindness meditation: Loving-kindness meditation is a technique often used to promote self-acceptance and reduce stress, but it has also been shown to promote a variety of positive emotions and improve interpersonal relationships. LKM involves meditating while thinking about a person you love or care about, concentrating on warm feelings and your desire for their well-being and happiness.
• Communicate: Everyone’s needs are different. The best way to ensure that your needs and your loved one’s needs are met is to talk about them. Helping another person feel loved involves communicating that love to them through words and deeds. Some ways to do this include showing that you care, making them feel special, telling them they are loved, and doing things for them.
• Tackle conflict in a healthy way: Never arguing is not necessarily a sign of a healthy relationship—more often than not, it means that people are avoiding an issue rather than discussing it. Rather than avoid conflict, focus on hashing out issues in ways that are healthy in order to move a relationship forward in a positive way.