SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

  What started out as an email exchange about how we are feeling and coping these days, Lippincott NursingCenter’s clinical editor, Lisa Bonsall and managing editor, Kim Fryling-Resare, started our personal lists of 10 ways we try to stay positive. The COVID-19 pandemic, current events, and natural disasters have permeated our lives in the past eight months more than any other time in recent history. Many of us are feeling overwhelmed and even helpless but shifting to a more positive outlook can help get us through these tough times. This, of course, is not always so easy to do; it takes a conscious effort, and sometimes amazing co-workers to bring positivity about. See our lists below. We think you’ll see some common themes between our lists and be sure to let us know some of the ways you’re staying positive in these times of high strain. Creating your list may be very therapeutic for yourself or may help others see the positives during this time. Lisa Bonsall, MSN, RN, CRNP,...

  Resilience is the ability to face adversity and use life’s challenges to learn and move forward. It doesn’t mean that you will not have problems, make mistakes, or need to ask for help. How we can improve our wellness and build resilience? Identify what you can control  - Focus attention on how can make a situation better, identify points of control and takes advantages of them. Try to be flexible  – Learn how to go with the flow and accept what we can’t control is difficult. It’s wiser to practice acceptance and acknowledges that the situation has changed and how we can change with the situation. Reframe your interpretations  - Accept reality but have the ability to interpret the adversities we face, for example appreciation for what we have gained.   Seek Support  – Identify a support system makes a big difference. For example, for children having an adult who provide stability and support will impact how they will handle the situation. Talk to fri...

  With the COVID-19 pandemic, we are living through a world crisis the likes of which hasn’t been seen in 100 years. The enormous scale of the crisis and the impact it is having are naturally causing a lot of fear, uncertainty and anxiety across the globe. Add social isolation, disrupted work and family routines, cabin fever and economic instability, and it is understandable that  our mental health is suffering . In a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 45% of adults feel that worry and stress related to coronavirus has had a negative impact on their mental health [1] . The COVID-19 situation is particularly stressful because it’s hard to predict how things will develop, and our circumstances are changing rapidly. This can leave us feeling powerless, like we’re no longer in control of our own lives. As is the case in many aspects of our lives, there are things we can’t control in this situation. These include the actions and reactions of other people, how long the s...

  Over the years, education was restricted to the four walls of the classroom with a boring learning routine and sitting positions that are not ergonomic. Joe Nemo, in Inc magazine, classified online learning as a $107 billion industry that nobody is talking about. He also affirms that teaching is lucrative, which establishes the belief that the e-learning sector will continue to evolve. [1] So, what is online learning? It is a teaching-learning platform that enables students to enroll and participate in courses via the internet. It does not require being present in the physical classrooms. They can join from any location as long as they are connected to the internet. Not only that, online learning is an excellent way for subject matter professionals and experts to pass on their skills, aptitudes, and knowledge in an impactful way. Here’s why online learning is more beneficial: 1. Enhance Your Professional Skills Online learning is a vital means of updating your skills, knowledge, ...

Most of us have one or two areas of knowledge that we strive to know very well — things related to our jobs, of course, and maybe a hobby or two. But while it’s important to develop a deep understanding of the things that matter most to us, it is just as important to develop a broad understanding of the world in general. A lot of unfortunate people think that learning for the sake of learning is something for schoolchildren, and maybe college students. All the things there are to learn and know that don’t impact directly on their immediate lives they dismiss as “trivia”. Out in the “real world”, they think, there’s no time for such frivolities — there’s serious work to get done! Benefits of Learning Something New There are a lot of good, practical reasons to make learning something new every day your habit, but the best reason has nothing to do with practicality — we are learning creatures, and  the lifelong practice of learning is what makes us humans and our lives worthwhile . If...

  Are you someone who likes to grow? Do you constantly seek self-improvement through any means necessary? There is always something about ourselves we can improve on. The human potential is limitless, so it’s impossible to reach a point of no growth. Whenever we think we are good, we can be even better. As a passionate advocate of growth, I’m continuously looking for ways to self-improve. I’ve compiled 42 of my best tips, which might be helpful in your personal growth journey. Some of them are simple steps which you can engage in immediately. Some are bigger steps which takes conscious effort to act on. 1. Read Every Day Books are concentrated sources of wisdom . The more books you read, the more wisdom you expose yourself to. When you’re reading a book every day, you will feed your brain with more and more knowledge. 2. Learn a New Language As a Malaysian Punjabi, my main languages are English,  Bahasa Malaysia, Punjabi, Hindi, Cantonese (I come from Seremban), Thai (Had a go...