Thinking Of Quitting? Tips To Help Stop Smoking

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If you have decided that it is time to give up smoking, you have already taken one of the most difficult steps. Now, you need to make the journey ahead of you as easy as possible. Of course, saying goodbye to cigarettes isn’t going to be a walk in the park. However, here are some tips that might help make the transition for you smoother.

1.    Set a quit date – A lot of people decide they are going to quit smoking and then try and embark on the difficult task the following day. Instead, set yourself a quit date. This allows you to gradually decrease your intake and therefore quitting may seem a bit easier to you. It also enables you to move from cigarettes to eLiquid to being cigarette-free altogether, which will make it a lot easier overall. There is no reason to make quitting more difficult than it needs to be. You can ease yourself off cigarettes.  

2.    Write down your reasons for quitting – Grab a piece of paper and write down all of the reasons why you want to quit smoking. You can refer to this whenever you need motivation. Reminding yourself will make you less likely to light up a cigarette.

3.    Get rid of all your cigarettes – A lot of people keep an ‘emergency cigarette’. However, all this does is offer temptation. Instead, try getting rid of all your cigarettes.

4.    Find a distraction – Determine when you would typically have a cigarette and find a distraction instead. A lot of people tend to find that they have a cigarette when they are on the phone, for example.

5.    Tell your family and friends – Support is going to be essential. If you tell your friends and family you are going to quit they will know not to tempt you with a cigarette and they will provide you with advice whenever you need it. You never know, you may find someone who wants to quit and so you can try to do so together.

6.    Quit when in a good mood – This relates to the earlier part regarding a quitting date. It is vital to select a period whereby your stress levels are as low possible. If you know you are going to be busy at work, for example, pick another time to quit.  

7.    Change your routine – Usually, people smoke simply out of habit. If you break your typical daily routine you will reduce your cravings.

8.    Switch to decaf – Too much caffeine can cause jitters whilst giving up smoking. Therefore, it is recommended that you switch to decaf for at least two months.

9.    Carry healthy snacks with you – Last but not least, it is highly recommended that you carry healthy snacks with you. Whenever you are craving a cigarette you can snack on your food instead. Some snack suggestions are as follows; celery sticks, pistachio nuts, carrot, sugarless chewing gum, dried fruit, and sunflower seeds.


These are just a few tips that may give you a better chance of successfully quitting (or at least reducing your nicotine intake). It’s time to take a step towards a healthier and happier you, and if you happen to fall off the wagon and find yourself having a cigarette, this does not mean you have undone all of your hard work. Keep going and stick at it!


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How To Achieve A Balanced State Of Well-being

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You can probably attest to the fact that a long-term healthy routine is hard to achieve. Most of us fluctuate when it comes to our physical and mental well-being. You might put on a few pounds, go running for a few weeks, lose the weight, and then go back to a sedentary lifestyle. Or maybe you get into a good sleeping pattern only to ruin it all when you take a summer vacation or see your family at Christmas. After that, it takes a few months to get back into a good rhythm. Obviously, nobody’s perfect, and we’re all allowed occasional treats or lazy days when it comes to our health. In fact, being able to relax is important for your mental health, but you should strive to maintain some semblance of balance and structure in your life. These are some small steps to achieving a balanced state of well-being.

Think about your diet and level of physical activity.

The first step to consider when you’re trying to achieve a balanced state of well-being is improving your diet. The food you eat has such a big impact on your physical and emotional well being. If you’re struggling to stick to a healthy diet then try making meal plans at first. As mentioned in the introduction, the key to achieving a lasting healthy routine is to find some semblance of structure in your life. The other component of a healthy physical lifestyle is regular exercise. You need to strive for daily physical exercise in a healthy routine.

Rather than simply going for a run when you need to lose a few pounds, as was discussed in the introduction, you should try going for a run every day. Maybe you’ve never felt the motivation to do that because you don’t have the time or energy for a strenuous workout routine. However, you don’t have to push yourself too hard at first. Even 10 minutes of jogging around your local area on a daily basis is better than doing no exercise at all. You’ll feel the difference in terms of your physical and mental health. Moving your body releases endorphins in the brain, and that’ll improve your motivation. You’ll be able to gradually increase the intensity of your workout routine.


Cut down on unhealthy habits.

Living a balanced lifestyle is about more than adopting healthy habits; you also have to cut down on the unhealthy habits in your existing daily routine. We’re all allowed occasional treats in life, as mentioned earlier, but you need to recognize the habits that have developed into something more excessive. Whether you drink too much alcohol, eat too much junk food, or engage in some other bad habit, you need to wean yourself off these things if you want to achieve a balanced state of well-being. You might even want to look into residential drug treatment to get some professional assistance. It’s a smart idea to get support for unhealthy habits that are starting to spiral out of control.


Prioritize a regular sleeping pattern.

This is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle, but it’s something that so many people in the modern world dismiss. You might think that a cup of coffee is the solution for a sleepless night, but that isn’t the case. A lack of energy is only one symptom of a larger problem. Sleep deprivation weakens your metabolism, immune system, muscles, and mental health. All of the healthy changes you’re making will be impeded by a poor sleeping routine. Get enough rest every night if you want to achieve a balanced state of well-being. If you’re struggling to get 8 hours of sleep because you can’t shut down your mind then try avoiding stimulants such as coffee and phone screens before bed.

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Water Intake, Dehydration & You

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“If you want to live the healthiest life possible and boost your overall wellness, you should drink more water.”

It’s fair to assume that no one reading the above statement is surprised by the idea that drinking plenty of water is crucial to human health. The fact is repeated to the point of cliche, often suggested as a cure for all ills. We all know we should be drinking more water to stave off the damage chronic dehydration can cause, enjoy a clearer complexion, and simply feel better - but is the matter actually that simple? Below, we’ve dug into the facts to try and get to the bottom of this often basically-presented - but actually surprisingly complex - issue.

The “8x8 rule”

The general recommendation is that you should drink eight (8 oz) glasses of water per day - but, unfortunately, this has been disputed on numerous occasions. Some argue that the 8x8 “rule” is arbitrary, while others dismiss it as it doesn’t take into account various lifestyle factors - for example, someone who is exercising heavily should definitely drink more than 8x8 per day.

So, how much water should you drink? It’s really up to you. If you’re thirsty, then drink water. If you’re not thirsty, then you can go without if you prefer - though there are a few caveats to keep in mind.

The risk of diuretics

Diuretics are beverages that actually contribute to dehydration. The most common example is alcohol; if you’re thirsty and you drink a glass of wine, in terms of your body’s response, you’ll be more dehydrated as a result of doing so. The same applies to beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee and green tea; the caffeine acts as a diuretic, which worsens dehydration.

Even worse, the problems diuretics can cause will be exacerbated if you are exercising regularly. It is also worth noting that the two diuretics above are not particularly beneficial beverages, either: alcohol is often misused, while the benefits of caffeine are minimal. As a result, it may be worth exploring the possibility of alternatives- such as learning how to stop drinking or maybe switching to decaf or limiting your caffeine usage. Ultimately, the benefits of cutting out alcohol and limiting your caffeine intake expand far beyond simply improving hydration levels, but can also undoubtedly be beneficial in this regard.

The importance of proper hydration during exercise

In discussing the above, we have noted the need for adequate hydration during exercise, and this is a point that is worth underlining. If you are working out, and particularly if you are sweating, then you will need to increase your water intake accordingly. It’s also worth noting that this is advisable even if you don’t particularly feel thirsty; if you’ve lost fluids due to exercise, then they need to be replenished regardless of how well-hydrated you feel.


In conclusion... Increasing your water intake is often suggested as an essential for all health-related issues but, as we have pointed out above, the matter is a little more complex than is often presented. So, while it is important to note the potential issues caused by diuretics and exercise, as a general rule: drink water when you’re thirsty, and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

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Do You Ever Feel Like Your Body Is Falling Apart?

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Now we’re sure some of you can admit this. If you feel like your body is falling apart, then you really aren’t alone. From a younger age than you might think, we start experiencing things like muscle and joint ache, even though we’re sure our bodies should be fighting fit and ready to take on anything, And that is just from a young adult age. As we get older, things seem to fall apart even more, and you can’t help but feel like in a few years time, you will be nothing but a bit of skin and bone that’s holding on by a thread. But are we really falling apart, or are we causing some of the issues we’re facing? Are the aches and pains we feel normal, or are they something that needs to be addressed before they turn into something more serious? This is what we want to explore today, because we really do feel like the younger you start thinking about your body and whether it’s falling apart, the easier it will be to tackle any issues you’re facing!


Are We Causing The Issues?

Probably, because as a collective we’re really not the best at being able to care for our bodies. We put it under so much stress from an early age, and the things we put into it aren’t exactly the best. This carries on into our adult life, as the habits we pick up when we’re younger just seem to linger more than anything. But we’re all for changing our ways, so we want to highlight where you might be going wrong. For a lot of you, it will be down to the things you do on a daily basis. If you do too little exercise and just sit at a desk all day for your job, and then go home to lie in bed or sit on the sofa, you will fall victim to back and neck ache that you just can’t control. You have to keep your body active, and focus on your posture as back and neck ache is the most common form of body pain. Alternatively, you can be too active and put massive strains on muscles and joints all over your body, and causing even more pain that might be hard to correct.

Is Your Body Really Falling Apart?

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and realize the pain you’re having is not normal. As we said, back and neck pain is the most common pain symptom, but arm and leg pain is also common. One thing you could talk to your doctor about getting, are Stellate Ganglion Blocks to try and stop nerve pain in the arms and legs. It can be so crippling to live with nerve pain, and only strong medications that send your mind loopy can control it.  But a more permanent option like this is something you should try and seek.

What Can We Do To Improve Our Outcome

To improve your outcome in life, you should try and get the perfect mix of a healthy and active lifestyle, with plenty of rest combined. Try not to be too much of a couch potato, but at the same time don’t push your body daily in case you cause it harm!


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How To Be Healthy In A Relationship

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Beginning a new relationship with someone should be a joyous thing. However, there are several ways that a relationship can become less than healthy. It can affect not only your emotional health but also your physical health if your relationship doesn't progress in a healthy way. You might find that you get into bad habits for a number of reasons, from becoming too absorbed in your relationship to encouraging each other to make less healthy lifestyle decisions. When you're no longer in the dating game, a lot of things can change, but it's important to take steps to remain healthy in every way.

Don't Lose Your Sense of Self

Relationships need to be healthy in an emotional way, helping to protect your mental health. One of the most important things to remember is that you need to remain an independent person, with your own sense of self. While you can also become a couple who are in sync, you don't want to end up like a single entity, instead of two people with their own thoughts and feelings. Both of you should make sure that you still have your own friends, hobbies and time to yourselves so that you can maintain healthy boundaries between you.

Take Care of Your Sexual and Reproductive Health

Although you might be in a monogamous relationship, you still need to think about your reproductive and sexual health. It's smart to make appointments for regular STD testing, particularly if you reach a point where you're considering not using condoms. If you're not planning on having a baby any time soon, don't forget to think about your choice of contraception and ensure you're using at least one effective method of birth control. Remember that condoms are the only form of contraception that can prevent both pregnancy and disease.

Make Healthy Choices Together

It's more common than you might think for couples to get into unhealthy habits together, especially once you reach the stage of cohabiting. When you live together, it's very easy to feed into each other's laziness or lack of willpower. You can convince each other that pizza for dinner again won't hurt or that it would be much better to snuggle up at home than to go to the gym. But if you make an effort to make healthy choices together, you can encourage each other to be health instead of unhealthy.

Grow an Open and Trusting Relationship

Being able to trust each other and communicate is essential in any relationship. You need to spend time nurturing an open and trusting relationship if you want to have a healthy and loving partnership. Good communication is vital for a strong relationship, so spend time talking about issues both big and small. If you don't talk about things, feelings can get buried and go ignored until everything bubbles over. You should talk regularly, even about issues that might not seem like a big deal.


If you want your relationship to be healthy, you have to nurture the relationship but also take care of yourself.


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Teeth & Ear Care

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When we talk about health there is a tendency to think of physical illness and heading to the local doctor. But health encompasses much more than just what a doctor can do to serve your ailments. With that in mind, we are going to give a rundown here of some of the other health issues that you should make sure you are getting checked out for the greater benefit of your overall health.

Teeth

First of all, let’s discuss your teeth. You spend parts of your day brushing them, flossing them and all the other daily rituals surrounding teeth. However, how often do you ask yourself about how your teeth are? While the routine of cleaning your teeth is vital to their health, there are also other parts of dental hygiene that we should all be doing. For starters, it is important to make sure you are keeping up appearances with your dentist with a regular six-month appointment.

Outside of the dental surgery, there are other things that you should be doing, especially if you have concerns about the health of your teeth. Limiting acidic drinks and sugary snacks will benefit your teeth greatly and work in a complementary way with the previously daily routine. Your dental regime should consist of at least two thorough brushes and a floss.

Finally, when it comes to teeth, you should make sure you do everything you can to protect them. People who take part in competitive sports might want to consider wearing a mouth guard and everyone should avoid using your teeth for anything other than chewing food. That means loosening bottle caps, etc.

Hearing

Another part of our general health that we don’t always pay full attention to is the delicacy of our hearing. It might have been a while since your last hearing test and so that should be top of your agenda if that is the case. As we get older our hearing naturally deteriorates and we need to make sure we are taking full advantage of the medical professionals who specialize in this field of expertise. You can learn more about hearing tests before getting one so that you are confident of what to expect.

There are some methods that you can employ to look after your hearing such as wearing ear protection in noisy environments like when using a lawnmower or in a workplace where heavy machinery is being operated. Avoid listening to loud music through headphones for extended periods of time. Also, maintain good ear hygiene using some of the many products on the market designed for this purpose.

These are just two parts of your body that need your attention and there are many more that could be discussed. From your eyes to your joints and beyond there are medical professionals to seek advice from and maintenance that you need to ensure you are doing. Your health is the most important part of your life, so keep it in check for a good time.


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Medical Appointments Every Woman Should Make

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Everyone has to make regular health appointments. We all have to see the dentist on an annual basis, and we should all check in with our hygienist on an annual basis too. Then, we should see our optician once every two years. These checkups allow medical professionals to examine us and keep an eye on our well-being. However, as women, there are certain extra checks that we should keep up with. Here are some to incorporate into your routine!

Making Appointments

It is extremely important that you keep up with the following appointments. Every year, thousands of women miss their own appointments for a host of reasons. If you’re guilty of this, it’s time to change your ways.

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, right??

After all, it’s only your own health and wellbeing that you’re risking! If you completely forget appointments, make sure to note them down in a diary and set reminders on your phone. If you fear medical professionals due to previous malpractice or negligence, overcome your fear by contacting professionals in defending malpractice claims - they can seek out justice on your behalf. If you have a hectic social schedule, make time. Cancelling one set of plans is better than leaving problems undiagnosed or untreated.

Cervical Screening

The first appointment that you should consider booking in for is cervical screening. This is alternatively referred to as a “smear test” or a “pap smear”. Put simply, it is a process that is used to examine cellular material from your cervix - this is the entrance to your womb through your vagina. Irregularities in this cellular material could be indicative of cancer or cancerous cells, so it’s important that you keep on top of these appointments. Generally speaking, it is recommended that women aged over twenty five attend annual screenings.

Breast Screening

It is recommended that you conduct regular checks on your own breasts at home. You can find out how to do this here. If you do notice changes or irregularities in your breast tissue or under your armpits, you should contact your general practitioner and schedule a breast screening. This will incorporate the use of a mammogram, which is a specialist form of X Ray that can detect the presence of cancerous cells before they are big enough to see or feel.

Gynecologist

Now, you don’t need to check in with a gynecologist as regularly as you might other medical professionals. But if you notice any problems with your reproductive system, or if you have any concerns, your doctor may recommend that you check in with one. Generally speaking, you can ask for your doctor to refer you. This saves you the hassle of finding a reliable gynecologist yourself.



Sure, medical appointments may not be the most pleasant scheduled events in our calendar. But it’s extremely important that we keep up with them. So, check the last time you were seen and contact the relevant professionals whenever you need.

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Make Health And Happiness Part Of Your Daily Life

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Like so many women, if you’re living a busy and stressful life, it could be taking a toll on your general health and well-being. It’s important nowadays to take the time to look after yourself and think about each lifestyle choice you make. By making positive changes to your everyday routine; you’ll become happier and healthier, which will help to lead you through a long a fulfilling life. The following are some areas to consider if you feel like life is weighing you down a little, so that you can begin to enjoy health and happiness each day.

Nourishing Yourself

Food is our body’s fuel, so filling yourself up with junk food all the time, will not have a positive effect on your health and how you feel. By no means do you have to give up your favorite treats completely, as a little of what you enjoy can do you good. However, candy, cakes, and fast food should be regarded as treats for special occasions or a reward for a heavy duty workout. By keeping your sugar intake down; you’ll have more energy and won’t have to face any crashes from the glucose leaving your system.

Cooking fresh meals is another smart idea, as it makes it simple to control what you’re eating. If you cook from scratch, then you can monitor the ingredients, including any fats and sugar, which goes into your delicious homemade meals. Cooking can also be therapeutic, as you can focus on the task at hand, and let your daily stresses float away. The more you get creative in your kitchen, the better you’ll get; so check out some recipes and tutorials online for some inspiration, and before you know it, you’ll be feeling beautiful from the inside out!

Seeking Help

It’s always a cathartic experience to talk to somebody else about your worries and problems; however, many people find it difficult and often shy away from opening up, especially when it comes to both their physical issues and mental health. Whether you have worries regarding your intimate area and want to look into the Geneveve procedure, you’re struggling with low mood and need counsel, or you’re impacted by anxiety surrounding an array of things; there’s no better time to get help, than right now.

Try and make time to call, or even email, a friend or family member to tell them what’s happening. By going through everything, you’ll be able to take the weight off your shoulders and are likely to gain some positive advice in the meantime. A simple catch up and chat with somebody can also highlight all the successes and good points in your life right now; this in itself will give you a boost and make you feel better about your situation.


If you’re uncomfortable sharing your thoughts with those that you know, or you feel your problem is too serious or complicated for them to help solve; there are plenty of resources available to you. Take a look online, and you’ll find an array of contact details to access expert help from people who have been professionally trained in dealing with your particular problem. You might just be feeling generally overwhelmed in life, and need some advice on how to ease the pressure and move forward; whatever it is, it’s not worth keeping everything to yourself.


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Keeping Your Mind Young

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As a society, we’re all obsessed with youth, and with looking and feeling young. We use face creams to keep our skin youthful and soft. We drink water to try to keep ourselves healthy and our organs running at their best. We exercise to keep ourselves physically fit and to boost our circulation. Life seems so much easier when you are younger, and everything works properly, and we’re keen to keep it going for as long as we can. Even as early as our twenties, we’re starting to think about how to prevent wrinkles and aging.

But, we rarely worry about keeping our minds young. We assume that we’ve got decades before that’s something to worry about and fail to realize that by then it might be too late. Neurology will be able to help, but it’s much easier to make changes now that will help to keep your mind young in the future.

Use Your Opposite Hand

The best way to keep your mind young is to use it more and to use parts of it that you don’t usually. As children, we’re always learning and pushing our brains. They’re getting a workout every day. Then, as adults, we stick to what we know. Parts of our minds lay stagnant and unused, leading to decay.

An incredibly easy thing that you can do to challenge your brain in your day to day life is doing things with the opposite hand. Write with your opposite hand, hold your cutlery the other way around and try to rest your dominant hand when you can.

Try New Things

Trying new hobbies can be a fun way to keep your mind young. Every time you do something new, you are using a different part of your brain. Have a go at new hobbies, go to different places and try things that you’ve never done before.

Learn a Language

The language center of our brains is one that many of us rarely use. While you are young, you learn new words every day. Your vocabulary is constantly growing. Then as you get older, you just start to forget them. Reading, and having varied and interesting conversations can help a lot but learning a new language is the ultimate workout for that part of your brain.

Improve Your Diet

Your diet doesn’t just affect your body. It also has an impact on your mind. Eating healthy and getting all of the right vitamins and minerals can boost your brain power and those that regularly eat oily fish are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia as they age.

Drink Less Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol over a long period is one of the worst things that you can do for your mind and can lead to premature aging both mentally and physically. Try to limit drinking to a few units a week on only two or three evenings.

Avoid Loneliness

Loneliness is a crucial cause of mental health issues. Being lonely is a common problem as we age, and over time it can lead to increased risk of dementia, depression and even reduced life expectancy.

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The Importance Of A Strong Circle

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When it comes to wellness, most people completely forget that one of the most important tools in the bag is a good, supportive circle of people who love you and want to help you to get well again. When you’re in a crisis, the last thing you want to do is feel like a burden on others, so asking for help isn’t always the priority. The thing is, regular contact with family and friends can make you feel distracted from the pain that is going on in your own life, or it can mean that you have a good sounding board to get the support you need for your own issues.

The problem with a lot of mental health issues is that they make you think that you have no one to rely on, when in fact, you have a waiting circle of family and friends who want to know how you are doing and how they can help you. If you are suffering with depression and anxiety, these are the people that can make sure you’re not alone enough to feel so low there’s no way back. If you are suffering through the pain of addiction, these are the people who will be there for you with the information you need, such as Medication-Assisted Treatment: Fact vs Fiction, to help you to get the right treatment that you need. You need a strong, lasting circle to enrich your life and make you feel like you have something to live for. Friends and family around you make you feel good about yourself - even indirectly, and if you are struggling to recognize who is a good friend in your life, then think about these traits:

  • You respect, like and trust them, and they feel the same way about you.

  • They accept you the way you are. If you’re suffering depression, they’re there just to sit in silence with because they know that is what you need from them at that moment.

  • They will listen to you and share with you, whether good or bad.

  • They keep your confidence and trust you to keep theirs, too.

  • They will allow you to feel your emotions and not judge you for them, criticize you for them or make you feel like your feelings are not valid.

  • A good friend will give you the best advice - when you ask for it - and will assist you in taking the right action to feel better about yourself.

  • Will allow you to help them when they need it.

  • You look forward to being with them, but you’re not obsessed about it

  • Will never take advantage of you.

Not everyone in your circle will meet all of your emotional needs, but you can have a group, a solid circle of people who will all in some way make you feel like you want to be alive. They will appreciate you for your quirks and the way that you love them, and you’ll appreciate their support and friendship and the ability to make you smile when you don’t feel there’s anything to smile about. Looking after yourself means surrounding yourself with people who make you want to be better than you are. Making a list of the people that you feel close to in life can really help you to be a better, happier person because you can see on paper who you have that loves you in every avenue of your existence.

You should be able to rely on the people in your life for support and having a network of people who want to be with you and make you feel like a good person is important for your recovery. Emotional health and mental health are often fragile in those with depression and addiction, and if you know that you have a strong group of people who will always believe in you, even when you do let them down, you are lucky. You won’t always let others down, but it happens - in the same way that they may let you down. Your life can be a happier, more enjoyable thing to live when you have the right people making it worthwhile for you. Social relationships play a very important role in the quality of life that we achieve.


Life is a gift, and friends are the ribbons and bows on top that make us feel fulfilled. Making your heart feel full is easy, when you have a group of people around you who love you very much.

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