Jumpstart Your Dream Life

Why Uncertainty is Killing Your Future

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Do you know what’s worse than knowing something bad will happen?

Not knowing whether something bad will happen. The state of being stuck in limbo, uncertain about an outcome, is the worst state to be in. We would rather know with absolute certainty that something bad will happen than maybe have it happen.

In 2016, researchers performed a study on the stress levels of participants about to receive a painful electric shock. In situations where subjects had a 50 percent chance of receiving a shock, they experienced much higher stress than subjects who had a 0 or 100 percent chance of shock. That means participants who knew they would definitely get a shock felt calmer than participants who only had a 50 percent chance of shock.

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10 Signs You’re Overthinking Things

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There’s an epidemic sweeping across the population.

It isn’t from a pathogen floating in the air, or a substance lying on a table surface. It’s right in our heads.

We’re faced with levels of uncertainty that many of us have never had to deal with. We’re faced with concerns about whether things will remain stable. And then there’s the inability to make future plans, which leaves people with lots of spare time.

Lots of time to think. Lots of time to worry. Lots of time to overthink.

Overthinking has always been prevalent. A study showed that 73 percent of 25 to 35 year olds overthink, while 52 percent of 45 to 55 year olds overthink. A large part of the population is doing a lot of thinking.

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What to Do When Every Day Feels the Same (Especially During a Pandemic)

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Do you ever feel like you’re living your own version of Groundhog Day?

You’re repeating the same day over and over again. Nothing is unexpected, nothing can be changed. You wake up, do the same thing, go to bed, repeat.

Any sense of spontaneity you might have experienced before has been sucked out, leaving only muted shades of black, white, and grey. You look ahead, and everything looks the same. You look back, and it’s all a blur.

It’s a common feeling during normal times. You’ve been doing the same thing for awhile. Maybe you’re working in a job, running a project, and going through your routine.

You’ve lost motivation, you’re just not that excited anymore, and things are getting stale. It’s normal, no matter what you do.

But during a pandemic? Multiply that feeling by a hundred.

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8 Reasons to Keep Moving Forward When You Feel Self-Doubt

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Do you ever have one of those down days where you’ve fallen and can’t get up?

You’ve spent all your energy and have none left. You’ve exhausted every avenue you had. You’ve run into obstacles that you can’t climb over.

If this sounds familiar, no wonder you feel uncertain about things.

You’ve put in all the effort, only to yield little results. You started at the same time as everyone else, only for others to leapfrog over you. You realize that your time is limited, and yet you’ve squandered it away.

No wonder you feel doubtful about yourself.

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What to Do When Everything is Up In the Air

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It’s been a hard year.

Over the past several months, we’ve been faced with challenges that none of us have had to deal with before. All of a sudden, everybody’s lives have changed dramatically.

We can’t celebrate special occasions with loved ones out of safety reasons. Many of us are struggling to cope with a mix of emotions, such as fear, sadness, and loneliness. It feels like everything is just hanging in the air, full of uncertainty.

When will it end? And what do we do in the meantime?

The easiest and most obvious answer is: wait. Wait. That’s a heavy word.

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5 Shows You Should Watch This Holiday Season on Amazon Prime

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As the weather drops and most of us are curled up indoors, one of our favorite pastimes is watching TV.

According to a 2020 study in the UK, people watch 22.5 hours of TV per week on average. During the holiday season, that number jumps up to 25.75 hours of watching TV. Picture that: we spend three and a half more hours per week glued in front of the television during the holidays than any other time.

It shouldn’t be surprising that people watch more TV during the holidays. The weather isn’t as conducive to outdoor activities, we have more spare time, and shows get released around this time of year.

Sure, a good book can be entertaining, educational, and overall better for you. But TV shows are easy to consume, dynamic, and can even be a group activity. No wonder we love sitting on the couch and flipping on the remote.

There’s a lot to be said about a good show. A show can be thought-provoking, inspiring, or uplifting. It can change the way you think and maybe even the way you approach everyday life.

Amazon Prime has been releasing a number of interesting shows, some of which are exclusive to the subscription. If you don’t have it, you can watch using their 30-day free trial.

Here are 5 shows on Amazon Prime to watch this season:

1. Small Axe

Set between the 1960s to 1980s, Small Axe is an anthology series by Steve McQueen that tells the stories of people in London’s West Indian community who rally against a system designed against them. As the proverb goes: “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.”

Based on historical events, the individuals go through pain and hardship to fight against discrimination and racism. At the same time, the show portrays the liveliness of their community through family gatherings, people cooking meals, and friends laughing over drinks. The meeting of all these elements, big and small, combine to create a powerful force.

2. Antarctica: A Year on Ice

This visually stunning documentary on the bottom of the world talks about its landscape and the people who live there. The beautiful cinematography and time lapses during the day and night show how a place filled mostly with ice and snow can go through so many shifts.

Beyond the scenery are the people, many of whom aren’t scientists, that spend extended periods of time in this cold climate. Interviews provide a close-up look at their day-to-day lives, including the type of work they do, their joys, and their struggles. This documentary helps you appreciate how Antarctica has remained largely the same since over a century ago, making it a place unlike any other.

3. The Expanse

Far off in the future, humans have colonized the solar system. Mars has become an independent power of its own. The two superpowers, Earth and Mars, are engaged in a cold war as they compete for precious resources. Thus begins the premise for the multi-season show The Expanse.

This show is rich in its storytelling, from its individual characters to human dynamics and conflict. There’s also an incredible amount of world-building, shown by the challenges and intricacies of living in outer space. This show is great for anyone to watch, sci-fi fan or not.

4. Happy People: A Year in the Taiga

This documentary follows a group of people who live in the Siberian Taiga. It shows life in the Taiga from spring to winter, demonstrating what everyday life is like and the work that needs to be done in each season. Life in the Taiga follows a steady rhythm, where there is a time and place for each type of work and celebration.

Life may seem harsh for these people, who rely on the land and usage of basic tools to trap and hunt. But there’s also a sense of freedom in being self-reliant. Are they truly “happy people”? You watch and decide.

5. The Pack

If you’re looking for a fun, adventurous show that involves dogs and their owners, this one’s for you. Twelve teams compete in a series of challenges across the world to get to the finish line, where $750,000 is at stake. The show focuses on the bond between dogs and people, and how both are willing to go above and beyond for the other.

Each episode takes place in a different city, where all the action is set amidst beautiful urban and nature backdrops. The tail wags, smiling faces, and people working with their dogs make this a feel-good show. The Pack is a breath of fresh air that’s exciting and invigorating, especially in a time when many of us are at home and facing personal challenges.

What’s On Your List?

These shows are notable for the feelings they provoke, each in their own way. But they’re only a few of the interesting shows that are original and exclusive to Amazon Prime.

Hopefully, you’ll watch something this season that makes you reflect, respond, and even see the future in a brighter way. Because in the end, that’s why we watch television: to incite a change within us, no matter how big or small.

What’s on your watch list these days?

Should You Suffer Now to Enjoy Life Later?

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We’re stuck in an age-old dichotomy.

Work hard now, reap the rewards later. Enjoy life now, suffer the consequences later. We’re told you can’t have both, especially not at the same time.

When you’re stuck doing something that makes you unhappy, the feeling worsens when you look around and notice other people enjoying themselves. To console yourself, you tell yourself that same line.

You’re suffering now so that you can have a better future down the road. Meanwhile, others who aren’t suffering are going to have to pay the price later. It all evens out in the end.

The question is: Does it?

Why is suffering seen as a prized state of being? Is there something to be gained from pain?

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How to Start Over Again After a Bad Ending

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In 1914, a massive fire burned through Thomas Edison’s life’s work.

The flames engulfed five city blocks in New Jersey, including Edison’s lab complex. Fueled by chemicals, flames licked the sky at 100 feet high. The firefighters fought the fire from a nearby building called the Battery Factory, which had been built with his durable Edison cement and produced batteries for experimental vehicles.

Nikola Tesla, a rival inventor, heard the tragic news. He sent his condolences in a telegraph: “As one of the millions of your admirers, I send you my sympathy. It is not only a personal and national loss, but a world loss, for you have been one of its greatest benefactors.”

Newspapers ran articles on the story, clamoring about how the fire was the worst thing to happen to Edison, who was 67 years old at the time. Was this it for him? Was this how he would see all his hard work go down?

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5 Ways to Prevent Cabin Fever When Working Remotely

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Working from home is the new norm.

What formerly caused eyebrows to rise and stir up feelings of envy has now become not only a benefit, but an expected part of work. People are working from home more than ever. In fact, research shows that remote work has grown by 159 percent from 2005 to 2017.

Companies and employees alike are increasingly recognizing the benefits of working remotely. Remote workers report being more satisfied, less stressed, and feeling healthier than the average worker. When you work within an environment of your own choosing, it’s understandable that you feel happier during the day.

But just as there are benefits, there are drawbacks.

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A Good Night’s Rest: How to Sleep Well and Wake Up Feeling Energized

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Sleep. We know it’s important to our well-being, and yet we do a poor job of translating theory into practice.

We whittle away the hours working on projects, watching late-night entertainment, and talking to other people when we should be calling it a night. Some of us pull all-nighters just to get something done right before a deadline. You might even hear someone brag about how little they sleep.

There are more things to do now than ever before. More obligations, more choices, more opportunities. But with the ever-present constraint of 24 hours in a day, the first thing we cut is sleep.

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