But, not all of us view breaks the same. For some of us, it may be harder to take breaks than others. Some personalities have a running list in their head of what needs to get done and have to fight against the voice telling them they can’t rest until everything is complete and in its place.

Of course, the most obvious is books - you can find countless books dealing with just about every subject under the sun. Interested in cooking in a new way? Would you like to try out a new art form? How about planning a trip to somewhere you’ve never been? Yep, there is a book for that!

Whether we like it or not, studying is a crucial part of the educational experience. Whether you’re trying to memorize muscles in the body or quizzing yourself on the details surrounding a certain period of history, the truth about studying is that not all methods are created equal.

If you’re anything like me, if you plan to spend time journeying into the past, you better pack an ample supply of forgiveness. We will face pain as we travel through memories. We’ve all been wronged. We’ve all been hurt, and it affects us, often deeply, and often over a long period of time.

Interestingly enough, I have come to find that these brain patterns affect my relationships. Going back to high school, I can remember being awake at 6:30am to get ready for school. Awake, but not alert.

Family secrets can have a powerful effect on us and seriously change the way we view people we love or ourselves. According to Psychology Today, there are three types of family secrets: individual, internal, and shared.

What if we each made it a goal in life to ask more questions? Can you imagine what a powerful tool that would be for shaping… well, literally everything? If we asked our neighbors more thoughtful questions, we might be able to see challenges they’re facing that we couldn’t see before.

In one study, researchers found that high heat levels raise your heart rate just enough to give it a gentle workout. The same study found positive anti-inflammatory and blood sugar responses, two of the body's signals that relate to illness or infection.

I was one of those kids who loved playing board or card games. I was also the same kid who hated to lose at Monopoly, but my drive to win eventually led me to learn how to strategize. Playing games is a great way to engage your brain and increase your enjoyment levels.

Early last year, lying in a hospital bed, I mourned, “We didn’t get to go camping together.” Things looked bleak, and my husband asked if I had any life regrets. I don’t recall a word of this conversation, so I was as surprised as anyone to hear that NOT CAMPING was on my list of life disappointments!

Ah, there it was. That made sense. I was wanted, but the timing was difficult. That added up. Scientific studies confirm that babies pick up on emotions their mothers are feeling, even before they are born.

Do you find yourself overreacting to little irritations? Your spouse forgot to pick up something on the way home, and it sets you off in a bad mood for the entire evening. Your child tracked mud on the new carpet, and you explode.

One of the things that he said to us once stood out to me. He told us that fear gives us two options, which boil down to two acronyms created by author Zig Ziglar:

Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise

What might this look like in your own life? Well, consider your relationship with your parents. It’s quite possible that one of their greatest goals is to keep you safe while one of YOUR greatest goals is to try new things and see what the world has to offer. All sorts of arguments and conflicts can grow out of that.

It was a gift of a whole day. One that I would not have to spend in school waiting for the hours to pass by, but instead, I could go back to sleep, read a favorite book, play a game, go sledding or play in the snow, or just get cozy on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and a favorite movie to watch.

Here are a few ways you can take pretty normal, everyday activities and turn them into something more. Not only will you learn a lot in the process, but you’ll have a sense of accomplishment when you complete what you set out to do!

When was the last time you were generous towards someone else? Whether it was paying for your friend’s coffee, spending time volunteering at XYZ, helping someone carry something in even though you were busy, etc.?

Sometimes, as we get older, we may feel the need to shrug off traditions as silly and maybe even stifling. They may seem like something that we do “just because” and we have no connection as to why our family may do it in the first place.

Nature provides us with indicators that the seasons are about to change. One day you look outside and the leaves have started to change colors, the next day, you feel the nip in the air or see frost on the ground. Have you ever noticed subtle changes in the relationships around you?

I learned my lesson that year. And this year, when the volunteer squash and tomatoes popped up – they were ripped out. It pained me to have to rip out healthy plants, but I knew that if I didn’t pare down, nothing would grow well.

Kind of like life, right?