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Psychological Effects of Color: How to Boost Emotional Health

“Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” ― Wassily Kandinsky Using the psychological effects of color is one of the easiest ways to work on your emotional wellbeing. Colors influence our mood & how you feel can affect your relationships, carry out your responsibilities, the way you handle stress, & react to change. Emotional wellbeing is about being in tune with your emotions, getting equipped to deal with them the right way, and using this knowledge to become more resilient & self-aware. LIST OF CONTENTS Psychological effects of color 5 ways to use color for emotional health Emotional health facts Which colors affect our mood The takeaway What are the psychological effects of color: According to one color psychology research paper supported by the American Psychological Association, saturation and brightness of colors affect emotions strongly. Saturated basically means purity of color, less greyish. Like deep sky blue is more saturated than say turquoise. Colors can be so visually effective that they make you feel spaces to be warmer or cooler than they actually are. So, warm & cool colors affect us literally as they are named! Research has also shown that different colors influence our behavior & thoughts in different ways. For example, yellow works up our appetite, greyish purple makes us feel more sophisticated, and green encourages creative thinking. Though red can affect analytical reasoning in the wrong way, it also makes us feel energetic & attracted to others. Blue makes us feel more trusting of others. As Carl Jung said, “colors express the main psychic functions of man.” Here is a color psychology chart to help you get a basic understanding of the connection between different colors & moods 5 ways to use the psychological effects of color at home for enhanced emotional health: . 1. Connect & relax: To keep stress levels down & encourage better interpersonal connection, make people feel comfortable & welcome in your home. Make a big gathering feel more comfortable in a relatively limited space by keeping the wall color light. It makes the room feel more spacious and also because less saturated bright colors make us feel relaxed. Warm up cool or dim spaces with bright warm colors like oranges & reds. You can even use them at the end of a long hallway to brighten up the whole space. Related: How to manage holiday stress for a happy hassle-free time 2. Safe & Comforted: Feeling safe & comforted gives our brain reprieve from staying in the fight-or-flight mode most of the time due to the stressful lives we live. It relaxes us enough to be mindful of our emotions, changed likes, dislikes, attitude, self-talk, and the way we are processing our experiences. To know how to process your emotions better, it’s important to stay self-aware & in-tune with your true inner self. Use cool colors like aqua, turquoise, & blues in living spaces with plenty of light if you live in a warmer place. It will make you feel cool & comfortable. On a primitive level, green reassures us because plenty of green around means no famine. Paint the bedroom walls in darker hues for a cozier feel. Better still, use colors that bring up warm memories from your past. 3. Building on past experiences: Color also has nostalgic value and might bring up quite different emotions for you than is generally felt because of the memories connected to them. A stimulating color may feel actually quite comforting and relaxing or bright color can make you feel anxious or gloomy because it brings up bad memories for you. Researchers call it the ecological valence theory. Your cultural background also affects how certain colors make you feel. Like, though white is associated with new beginnings like weddings in India & some other Asian countries, it’s the color of mourning. Oscar Wilde said, “Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.” So, do listen to your gut and choose to surround yourself with colors that bring up happy or peaceful memories & emotions. Related: How to Be Happy: 3 Powerful Ways to Fall Back in Love With Your Life 4. Use psychological effects of color for stress management: One of the essentials of good emotional health is managing stress effectively. When we let stress pile up, it can overwhelm us into inaction. Blue is serene, soothing, & mentally calming. Lighter shades of blue tend to slow down breathing & lowers blood pressure. The green color spectrum is less stressful on the eyes (retina) & so is a good color if you’re trying to relax. Daily little stressors can be good if you know how to handle them right. Cool colors like green, blue, & purple help you feel calm when the hue is light & bright. A calm mind is able to analyze situations better & deal with stress efficiently. Related: 5 realistic & effective coping strategies for stress 5. Encourage creative thinking: Though change is an indispensable part of our life, it’s also one of the major sources of stress. Creative thinking will help you come up with solutions & focus on the positive side to handle change better. The color green is associated with creative thinking & is a favorite with designers as the color for study room or office. The right shade of yellow in moderation will make you feel optimistic & ready for high energy creative thinking. Related: How to conquer fear of failure & make it work for you Emotional health facts: NHS’s green paper Our Healthier Nation describes health as “being confident & positive & able to cope with the ups & downs in life.” Being mindful of your self-talk, aware of your general outlook in life, & when to set boundaries is a sign of good emotional health. Emotionally healthy people: Do not suppress emotions that they’re not comfortable with. Instead, they deal with it in a healthy way. Cope with

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Creative 7 : Chalking Out Artistic Goals

It might be a bit early, but inspiration never seeks time to strike. Scrolling through a couple of my favorite art blogs, it struck me as a cool idea to have a couple of art resolutions for 2022. Though I am not a big fan of new year resolutions per se, the idea of setting up creative goal tickled me. After mulling over it and going through my bucket list, I decided why not now? So, here’s my list of 2022 art resolutions. 7 Art Resolutions – Creative Goal for 2022 A piece of art a month: I know it looks pretty candid a goal to aim for just a single piece of creative expression a month. But with my track record of far, far less, right now it seems to be a resolution worth a try. After all, not all resolutions are designed to be broken! Everyone has to begin somewhere and here is my beginning of creating art consistently. There are other creative challenges doing their rounds on the great wide web that inspire and goad you to explore your creativity more and more. You can try them out if a little push from time-to-time is what you need to connect with your creative self. Art on colored paper: A blank white canvas staring back at you is hard enough. But, when it is a colored one, it really challenges your imagination. It’s just not about what to paint, it becomes the whole planning with pigments and their eccentricities. However, it does make the whole process quite interesting if you have the confidence to pull it off. You have to begin at some point to do it well later on and there’s no better time than now. So, I have decided to make it a creative goal for 2022. Bring it on, you colored sheet of paper 🙂 . Tackle the tree: Trees in watercolor have given me nightmares ever since I can remember. There is always so much character to them, so much going on. They seem to be growing randomly, but do they really? Though I did create a foliage-rich painting this year, there’s still a long way to go before I am comfortable with this idea. So, my goal in 2022 would be to create as much detailed paintings in watercolor of trees and leaves and whatnot as I can handle. No stress! Photography: This is another thing that I have been wanting to do for a long time. The idea of using perspective and light to bring out a whole new dimension of mundane things is simply irresistible. Most of us have already become novices in photography with our smartphones and selfies. But, the actual art of capturing the mood of a frame remains a skill to be gained. Learning the technicalities of exposure, shutter speed, focus and more would be on my agenda for this creative goal of 2022. Pyrogravure aspirations: The term means ‘writing with fire’ – how cool is that! If nothing else, simply the name would be enough to gravitate me towards this wonderful technique. This style of creating art pieces by burning wood is also called pyrography…not so impactful, right? But, the creative expressions constructed using this technique are really beautiful. Also, it does need a level of expertise and experience to create something worthwhile. Pyrogravure feels to me to be a combination of carving and painting, bringing together the best of both worlds. Calligraphic dreams: This is a sphere where artistic flourish meets the essentials. It is a great skill being able to create emotions and visual imagery using the written medium as elements in a composition. Though most of us have played with letters and doodled at one time or another, advanced calligraphy is in a league of it’s own. The amazing details that can be intertwined with each letter and a gothic or classic look given to it, is simply marvelous. My goal in 2022 would be to learn 3D calligraphy, brush calligraphy and calligram. Papier mache art: Creating things in 3D form has never been my forte. So, clay modeling surely remains a distant dream. However, taking baby steps, I believe creating papier mache art would be great prepping for tougher challenges with clay.In itself, papier mache is a versatile medium creating items ranging from wearable art to creations for display. Also, it’s a great way to reduce our carbon footprint with recycling and reusing waste paper. So, not only would I be learning a new skill, but would be doing my bit for the planet! Now, that’s called a multi-purpose goal 🙂 . Having creative goals is a great way for shy artists to get along their journey of creativity. Coming up with excuses for not creating often enough is easy, but motivating yourself takes effort. Picking out new skills to learn and polishing up your knowledge on the rest, is a great way to keep the journey interesting. So pick your bucket list up, narrow it down to a manageable number and get on with it! ‘Now’ is always the best time to start. Did any of these ideas nudge you to get more creative? I would love to hear about your art goals for 2022. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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Apple Cider Vinegar Beauty Hacks – 7 Effective Uses

Apple cider vinegar beauty benefits are as diverse as it has health benefits. It’s like one of those things of nature that can be used for almost anything. The top 2 examples from the top of my head would be aloe vera and turmeric. Every family has its favourite passed through the generations. Whatever your complaint is, grandma would ask you to use that specific thing in a different way. My granny’s favourite was turmeric 🙂 . A friend of mine introduced me to apple cider vinegar a few years back. And since then, it has become one of my favourite natural ingredients whether for hair care, skin care, detox cleanse or simply for a pedicure at home. I agree it’s an acquired taste… actually, very hard to acquire 🙂 . But once you get used to it’s acidic taste, it can turn out to be very useful. The good news is, for most beauty issues you don’t have to drink apple cider vinegar. The smell isn’t too strong & it almost never burns. As a matter of fact, before beauty creams, gels and whatnots flooded the market, ACV used to be one of the go-to natural remedy items. Related: Apple Cider Vinegar – 10 Ways to Enjoy Healthier Life Aloe Vera: 7 Ways Leading to Health and Wellness 7 Reasons Why You Should Take Turmeric Seriously Apple Cider Vinegar Beauty Hacks Anti-ageing & skin care: Starting your day with warm ACV-water-honey drink will help detoxify without any much effort. It’ll also add a healthy glow to your complexion over time. If you want to put in a bit effort, use ACV as a daily toner. Dab a cotton ball in 1 part ACV and 2 parts rose-water mixture. Use this in upward strokes after cleansing your face as usual. This will take care of fine lines and wrinkles effectively. Age spots might make you look older than you really are. The simplest way to handle these would be to use ACV with onion juice. Apply the mixture on age spots. Wash off after about 15 to 20 minutes. Just be patient, because unlike magic potions, natural remedies do take time. But they add far less unwanted chemicals to our body. Dry hair care: If you want gorgeous hair, make sure your digestive system works smoothly. A detoxified body will also work wonders for your hair. If you have been regular with your morning ACV drink, you should be able to see quite a change in the way your hair looks and feels. Apple cider vinegar beauty benefits include dry hair treatment too. Mix 1 teaspoon ACV in a cup of water and rinse your hair with it after shampooing. Wait for a couple of minutes. Wash it off with warm water. This won’t only help you with dry hair but also take care of dandruff & dull, limp hair. Acne: As much as teenage acne is undesirable, adult acne is embarrassing. I know because I got adult acne whereas I never had them growing up…weird world, right? Just when you thought you were through the bad skin phase, up pops a red…umm…let’s just say ‘good-for-nothing’ on your skin. I’m sure there are scores of home remedies for this, but since we are exploring apple cider vinegar beauty secrets, here’s what to do. Mix equal quantities of baking soda and unfiltered ACV. Apply it on the bumps. Let it dry. Wash off with lukewarm water. Do this for a week. Don’t forget to follow it up with moisturizer. If you feel it’s too harsh for your skin, try mixing a tablespoon of honey with a pinch of cinnamon powder. Paint your face with this sweet-smelling paste and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Wash off. Use ACV diluted as a toner. Let it sit overnight and wash your face in the morning. This won’t only reduce the severity of acne, but also minimize the appearance of scars. Related: 7 Interesting Ways to Use Cinnamon for Beauty and Health 10 Ways to Optimised Health and Beauty Using Honey Teeth whitener: Did ever the worry of stained teeth stop you from drinking your morning cup of coffee, tea or the relaxing glass of red wine? The idea pops into my mind from time to time… but, the heart always wins. Result – stained teeth. Even the pizza with its tomato sauce and the Chinese takeaway with soy sauce and vinegar can stain your teeth. However, the good news is, you can use ACV to bring the shine back to your smile. Use ACV 1 part with 3 parts water as daily mouthwash. This will also control bad breath controller and minimize oral infections. For stronger action, make a paste of equal quantities of baking soda and ACV. Massage teeth with this and rinse off. But, take care not to repeat it too often as this can actually damage your teeth enamel making them weaker and sensitive. Yellow Nails: Have you noticed how after a few colour change, touch ups and pattern change of your nail polish, they turn yellow from being suffocated so long? Instead of covering up this unsightly mess again with a layer of nail polish, try this trick. Dip your fingers in a relaxing bowl of hot water with 1 cup ACV and 1 cup Epsom salt. This therapy will not only take care of your yellow nails, but also take care of mild fungal growths. Dip your feet in this mixture for a detox session and de-odored feet. For toe fungus, use ACV in a more concentrated stronger solution. This apple cider vinegar beauty trick can save you money by making your manicure and pedicure last longer. [bctt tweet=”Apple cider vinegar can save you money, time & effort by making your manicure and pedicure last longer” username=”nandyzsoulshine”] Moles and Skin Tags: Moles and skin tags are some of the things in life on which you don’t have any sort of control. Especially, on

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5 Reasons For Expressing Your Creativity Through Watercolor

Why I like watercolor? Well, why not? It is a challenging and idiosyncratic medium that is as much fun as difficult to get the nuances right. Water is the main element that controls every mark, value of every pigment and the neatness or blending potential of every edge. So, learning to control the amount of water in your brush is key to creating better watercolor art. It is simple enough to be used by kids yet tough to be mastered. Let us explore a few defining qualities of watercolor as an art medium. 5 Reasons I Prefer Watercolor as a Medium of Expression Innate Brilliance: Watercolor is a luminous medium. The white of paper shining through transparence of this pigment adds to the overall effect of artworks. John Clapp put it very succinctly when he said that watercolors give a feeling of wearing cotton clothes on a hot summer day. It is the clarity and breathable lightness of watercolors that appeal to me most. Also, you have a choice to go heavier with layers piling up or stay minimalistically brilliant with ideas conveyed through a few brush strokes. Immediacy: The quick process with minimum waiting time for paint to dry and the need to work fast suits me quite well. Though art being one of my passions, I get very little time to actually relish it. Being a freelance writer and full-time mom, the time-window for artistic expression gets really squeezed. On top of that, I don’t like to wait. So, you can see how expressing myself creatively through watercolors fits like a glove. However, at some point I would surely like to try my hands at advanced acrylic and oil paint…that sure is in my bucket list. Versatile: Though at first glance watercolor might not seem to be so, it is quite a versatile medium. It works well for mixed media creations binding all the elements effectively together. It can accommodate oil paint and acrylic as easily as ink and pastels. Also, watercolor does the job with equal ease whether used for tightly structured elements or a more fluid construction. It can be used as easily to bring out minute details as for a general feel of the scene. Medium with a Character: Watercolor requires planning in advance. But even when you plan everything out, you have to keep space for the unpredictability of this medium. Because of this, there is a uniqueness about each watercolor artwork that cannot be recreated exactly. Not planning the gradient and wait-time between each layer may result in a washed-out pastel look, unintentional bleeding or muddy colors. Watercolor is an unforgiving medium and mistakes are mostly irreversible. So, it forces you to be prepared, focused and aware of the process. Also, it requires a certain level of discipline and order that really does appeal to my mild OCD 🙂 . Less After-work and Economic: I find the clean-up process after creating art as one of the least appealing parts of the process. However, watercolors being one of the least messy mediums, requires just a bit of water and paper towels to do the job. Even if you forget to wash your brushes, you just have to wash them in water the next time you use. But, it is a good practice to clean them up and store them properly so as not to compromise shape of these soft bristles. Being so less messy, they are ideal for fieldwork with easy transportation of materials. Also, very little paint is wasted because you can always add some water to your palette and use it for your next creation. Watercolors have a long shelf life. Even if they dry up in tubes or bottles, adding a bit of water always does the trick. Well, they are ‘water’ colors! 🙂 These qualities make this medium quite an economic one even if good artist grade paints do cost a bit on the higher side. The suitability of each medium depends on your style as well as personality. It also sometimes depends on the emotions or ambience you are trying to present through your artwork. Like other painting media, watercolor too has it’s pros and cons. It has the power to evoke the feel of a scene as much through minute details as through a loose rendition of the scene. I would much like to know what other fellow enthusiasts feel about this medium. So, what other qualities of watercolor as a medium speak to you? Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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Apple Cider Vinegar – 10 Ways to Enjoy Healthier Life

In the absence of modern medical practices,our ancestors were acutely aware of Nature’s healing bounty. Some of them provide instant relief while others need patience and perseverance. Going back to our roots and pantry medicine has perks of its own. Continuing with my inspiration from ancient lifestyle after 10 Reasons for Turning Water into Your BFF, let’s explore the health potentials of apple cider vinegar. This time, I am following in the footsteps of ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine). Though being an all-rounder healthcare wise, it is extremely acidic and should be taken in moderation. The thing to keep in mind is drinking it diluted and not using more than 2 tablespoons a day. So, here are a few nifty ways of using apple cider vinegar for health and wellbeing. Top 10 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Walking the pH Factor Tightrope: pH is the value that shows the level of acidity. Just as the pH value of pool water tells us whether it’s good for a swim or not, somewhat similarly the pH balance of our body shows whether it’s a play field for diseases or not. The better your body’s pH balance, the healthier you are. The pH value of apple cider vinegar (ACV) is between 2.8 to 3 for a good quality batch and so it can adjust low or high values easily to the ideal (below 4.8) pH value for our body. The obvious results are significant drop in frequency of infections, stomach upsets and an overall glow of wellbeing. Not at all bad…right? Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Tamer: Apple cider vinegar works actively in reducing bad cholesterol from our body. But, what has to be understood about blood pressure is that it is not a disease in itself but is the result of some other anomaly in our body. ACV works on these with regular, proper and consistent usage to ultimately control blood pressure levels. However, one should not stop taking their regular medicines just because they are taking apple cider vinegar. It should be left to the doctor to adjust medication doses based on the improving test results. Since this is a roundabout method of tackling the issue, it takes patience and perseverance. Tame down Allergies and Flu: A tablespoon of unfiltered ACV mixed in a glass of warm water with a dash of lemon and honey can keep common cold at bay. This also works for minimizing and allaying the symptoms of allergy. It appears, fermented version of an apple really does keep the doctor away 🙂 . If you spy the beginnings of a sore throat, just sip on a handy cup of 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 cup steaming water and 1 teaspoon honey to soothe your vocals to wellness. It has antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, which do not only dilute and drain away nose stuffiness but also helps with the pain. Giving a strong nudge to your immune system to look alive, it prevents further infections too! One of the Best Tummy Doctors around Town: ACV can work wonders for regular stomach problems like indigestion, heartburn, stomach muscle cramps and even diarrhea. Simply drinking 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed in a glass of water (always remember to dilute it for use) would help. However, medical attention should be sought if the problem continues for other underlying concerns. ACV balances out the acidity level in the stomach and helps in proper digestion of whatever you eat. Thus, it takes away root cause of most of the stomach complaints. It also works on the liver to help make bile better. In it’s turn, bile helps digest food better. Detoxifying the liver with ACV wash also prevents painful liver stones by not allowing bile to harden up forming stones. Mouthwash with Superpowers: Even brushing twice a day may sometimes be not enough to deal with bad breath. Breath mints and sprays only cloak the problem. ACV mouthwash (1 part apple cider vinegar to 4 parts water) not only attacks bacteria buildup causing bad breath but also acts as an anti-inflammatory and antifungal agent. What it does as a super-agent is, it helps tackle gingivitis, mouth ulcers and other collective mouth problems. Along the way, it keeps pain in check and mouth odor at bay. Dealing with Pesky Infections: Even Hippocrates swore by ACV’s antifungal and antimicrobial qualities. To begin with, you can try out some of the effortless ways of using it. Dip your feet in a pail of warm water spiked with a cup of apple cider vinegar to deal properly with foot or toe fungus. To be one step ahead of bladder infection and recurring UTIs, take 2 tablespoon servings per day of ACV. You can take it as salad dressing, drink or any other creative delicious way you can think of. Taking a relaxing bath infused with a couple of cups of apple cider vinegar takes care of yeast infections. This therapy also works wonders for sunburns if followed with gentle layering up with coconut oil. Indispensable Metabolism and Energy: Take a regular dose of diluted unfiltered ACV alongside a healthy diet and exercise routine to give your body’s metabolism a hearty heave-ho for faster weight loss. The way it works is that the liver sweats 24×7 creating bile to be transferred to the stomach…we know that right? Your digestive machine spoons it up to break down and metabolize fat better. So, better bile production equals better functioning inner machinery! Thus, targeting the problem at it’s root, apple cider vinegar helps you stay in shape. Also, not only unbroken fat but toxins in the body sap away your energy and willingness to have fun. By giving a cleansing wash to the liver, ACV (1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 glass of water, a dash of honey and lemon) helps it to better chuck toxins away. And…detoxed body translates to higher energy levels. Hiccup and Menstrual Cramp Therapy: Try drinking 1 tablespoon of

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What 6 Home Decor Styles Say About Your Personality

We all like setting up our home in a certain way. Some like to conform strictly to interior design standards while some infuse it with their personal eccentricity. Even if taking professional help to decorate your abode, the guidelines you set for them to work on tells loads about you as an individual. In a sense, decorating our home is a journey in self-exploration. You discover more about yourself along the way, exploring things that you didn’t bother with much before. You might like a minimalistic style with no clutter while your neighbor might prefer a very personalized space with memorabilia in every nook and cranny. But, it doesn’t mean that one is better than the other. Contrarily, both might look very well planned and executed in their own specific way. It reveals personality of the homeowner and their outlook on life. Actually, it might reveal more about your personality than you yourself are aware of! The patterns, color, texture we choose tell a lot about our attitude in everyday life. Today, let’s explore a few aspects of home aesthetics and interesting insights they offer into the personality of their patrons. Don’t miss the infographic at the end. Pin it to refer whenever needed. “In a sense, decorating our home is a journey in self-exploration.” (click to Tweet) 6 Home Aesthetics as Clues to Personality Minimalistic: De-cluttered life with space to breathe, relax and ponder generally defines people with a minimalistic take on interior design. They are organized and efficient, methodical but also introverted. The color and texture chosen too reveal a great deal about the innate outlook on life of the resident. Light, unhindered view and abundance of space is quite important in their life. These homeowners do not much like to open up about their personal and family life. Hence, minimum personal effects in the room and almost a complete absence of photographs. Minimalism-preferring individuals feel constricted if people invade their personal space. They de-clutter their life, focusing mainly on one goal. Contemporary: Here, the accent is as much on comfort and character as on clean, clear lines. This style of designing is comparatively less stark than pure minimalistic. The people inhabiting are organized and efficient and a bit more open to letting others in to their personal space. Though here too, the focus is on efficiency and organized outlook on life. The idea of balance in every aspect of their life is quite important. If there is yin, there has to be yang too. The patterns chosen for furnishing like floral, geometrical or abstract give an interesting insight into the owner’s disposition. Whether they lean more towards traditional in their outlook or nonconforming futuristic. Vintage: People preferring vintage style of décor have a complex personality with something interesting under each layer. They value elegance and sophistication in people and actions. The patterns chosen, bold or subtle, also show us whether the resident has a dominating personality or more of a subtle elegant one. They are good raconteurs and also like to know the story behind incidents, people and things. These homeowners generally prefer the plush, luxuriant good life with a hearty discussion on intellectual and personal topics. They prefer their life and surroundings to be jam-packed with character treating every occasion as special. It also indicates that they like to be surrounded by memories and are quite unguarded about their personal life. However, they can be quite rigid in their outlook with a preference for traditional norms. Constant change isn’t their cup of tea. Rustic: A rustic décor reveals the artistic aspect of a person with preference for an uncomplicated outlook on life. They do not prefer complications either in life or relations. If you prefer this style, you probably have an eye for beauty in the most odd places, beyond what is obvious. You can find beauty in a trough bath, barn door or weathered piece of furniture. Also, such people are hardy because these interiors do need constant attention and care! These homeowners are mostly environmentally aware and prefer the simpler life. Transitional: If your style is transitional, you most probably like to have the best of both worlds. The patrons of this style are nonconformists and care the least about peer pressure. They may be futuristic in their outlook on life but also like to carry traditional values along. The preference is for minimum clutter whether of emotions or belongings but like to infuse every situation with a style of their own. They like to show their character and warmth through certain elements. Eclectic: People with an eclectic take on lifestyle are willing to try new things and make friends from every walk of life. They are somewhat unpredictable and like surprises. Here we can find nonconformists again, caring very little about trends and peer pressure. They are mostly outgoing people and like to collect memories and experiences. Their definition of ‘unusual’ is somewhat fluid. “Our abode is an extension of who we are.” (click to Tweet) These are just a few interesting ways of reading the personality of a homeowner. However, it must be kept in mind that these are not hard and fast rules. There may be other factors too dictating the style of someone’s home. Prevalent weather conditions, architectural constraints, availability of material, economic concerns, family dynamics and other factors play a huge role too. Be that as it may, it is a fun way to base your evaluation on. So the next time you visit someone’s home, go ahead and try these out. Who knows, maybe you will discover something new about their personality! Our abode is an extension of who we are. Does your home represent who you truly are? I would love to hear what other impressions do interiors give you about the person living there. PIN IT TO SAVE IT FOR LATER Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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14 Tips for Working From Home to Make it Easy & Effective

Staying focused & productive can be challenging when working from home. These real-life tips for working from home productively at NandyzSoulshine.com will help you get started or make the transition to work from home easier & effective. Click to read more download helpful free worksheets.

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5 Key Reasons for Selecting Graphite as Art Medium

Having used pencil from our first step towards literacy, wielding it to express emotions has become second nature to most of us. In the hands of an experienced artist, graphite can create powerful images with a character of their own. Seeing the world in greyscale makes us focus more on the mood and emotions. So, let us explore together the qualities that helped graphite create and maintain it’s niche in the vibrant world of colors. 5 Ways Graphite Stands It’s Ground as an Excellent Art Medium Versatility: The potential of graphite pencil as an art medium is way bigger than its seemingly monotone would suggest. From playful little doodles and quick rough sketches to detailed realistic renditions, the versatility of graphite is only limited by the skill of its handler. If you are not on an artistic ramble outdoors, carrying paint tubes, brushes, mixing palette, easel and the rest of the stuff might not be practicable every day. But, you never know when inspiration might strike! The humble pencil is one of the handiest tools to carry along. You can stick it in the coils of your ring binder for quick study sketches. Flexible: With its leeway to correct mistakes almost umpteen numbers of times (depending on your technique), it becomes one of the most lenient medium for creating art on paper. With acrylic to some degree and oil paint, we can keep making changes. But oil paint though being a fantastic medium and preferred by masters, requires extended investment of time. So, it is not suitable for every occasion. I like using graphite sticks and pencils because they let me make changes as I go along. Sometimes, I end up creating something very surprisingly different from what I started with. It is like putting on paper how my imagination worked out an idea. The realisation just feels superb! “It is like putting on paper how the imagination worked out an idea. The realization just feels superb!” (click to Tweet) Concentrate on Creating: Graphite is a great medium for impatient creators. It makes it easier to capture details without planning in advance or waiting for the layers to dry up. Charcoal too works great for capturing the mood in a jiffy. With pencil sketches, you do not have to worry much about mistakes, time lapse or even pre-planning. And, it does offer greater control than a brush. Of course, I am still somewhat green as far as being an artist goes and speak only of my experience. Professionals who have made paint their second nature, might feel quite differently about it. Be that as it may, graphite does come across as a very flexible no-fuss medium. Indispensable prepwork : When it comes to using paint, I like creating with watercolor. Here too, graphite comes in handy for planning the layering work better. With little scope for correction and fast pace of work while working with watercolor, graphite comes in handy. It helps planning the layering work better if I create the whole thing in greyscale first. With other mediums too, placement of elements gets easier with a pencil than tackling them directly with paint. The power of black: I feel the escalating shades of grey culminating in ebony black has the power to bring out emotions better. Colors bring along a mood of their own and certainly do add to the appeal. But if I am trying to create an aura focused on the details, concentrating on a single color works best for me. Just like some photographs look more elegant in monochrome, some ideas are expressed better through graphite. “Just like some photographs look more elegant in monochrome, some ideas are expressed better through graphite.” (click to Tweet) Being able to convert the technicolor world around us into monochrome fills the artist with pride. The ability to showcase the whole gamut of emotions with strokes from a single pencil is truly incredible. I believe, graphite preserves the beauty of a subject while bringing mood and feelings under the spotlight. Monochrome brings along with it an element of elegance and nostalgia. “Monochrome brings along with it an element of elegance and nostalgia.” (click to Tweet) I would love to hear about your take on graphite as an art medium. So, are you a fan of greyscale creations? Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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7 Reasons Why You Should Take Turmeric Seriously

Did you know about the wonder spice that has been used as a powerful and versatile herbal medicine since 3000 B.C.? The golden spice, turmeric has been an intrinsic part of traditional cultural remedies in many countries. Though this plant requires specific temperatures and conditions to grow, it is exported to be available in almost all over the world. Turmeric is a rich source of magnesium, potassium, iron, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, but curcumin is its most versatile and highly effective component. This rhizome is known for its wound-healing, protective as well as disease preventive qualities. So, let’s go ahead and explore the amazing health potentials of this wonder spice. 7 Powerful Health Reasons to Start Using Turmeric Cancer prevention: Cancer is a word that is enough to scare anyone anywhere in the world. This is mostly because the outcome of its treatment is like the result of a game of roulette – ‘unpredictable’ at best. Though the efficacy of unconventional modes of treatment for this ailment is still questionable, there are quite a few natural ways to prevent or at least delay its onset. The curcumin content of turmeric is a powerful antioxidant that directly interferes with the protein vital for tumor growth. This discourages metastasis of cancer. It also specifically inhibits colon cancer cell growth. Including turmeric in our daily diet is an effective way of creating a hostile environment for cancerous growths in the body. Cholesterol management and heart health: In today’s high-stress poor-lifestyle world, unhealthy cholesterol levels and weak blood vessels are a couple of the most common culprits affecting heart health. Turmeric helps in reducing bad cholesterol and triglycerides when taken regularly. The curcumin present in turmeric keeps the cholesterol level in our body well balanced. It also improves the overall functioning of our heart by keeping the endothelium or blood vessel lining in shipshape. The endothelium keeps a tab over our blood pressure, clotting and more. Curcumin helps reduce inflammation helping in conditions like cardiac fibrosis, myocarditis, cardiotoxicity and more. However, people with diabetes should use it cautiously as it might decrease blood sugar. Researches also have corroborated the efficacy of turmeric for heart health when taken regularly. Liver detoxification: Turmeric is a powerful anti-oxidant. It helps our lymphatic system remove toxins from the body efficiently. This in turn ensures reduced toxicity of the liver and thus fewer liver problems. It’s anti-inflammatory properties reduce liver damage. Curcumin also lowers the chances of liver fibrosis by helping manage liver stellate cells better. As we have already noted turmeric promotes a healthy cholesterol level in the body, it thus lowers chances of fatty liver disease. It encourages bile production to better metabolize fat, boosting better fat elimination from our body. Digestive health: Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties that help whether applied topically or ingested. Thus, it is very useful for common stomach problems like cramping, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, loss of appetite and more. Curcumin encourages absorption in the intestine helping with problems like bloating and indigestion. The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric help manage irritable bowel syndrome symptoms better. It improves digestion, while it’s magnesium and potassium content keeps dehydration at bay during a bout of diarrhea. Including turmeric in your daily diet or taking a pinch of this spice in a cup of warm milk every day can ensure a healthy digestive system and a happy gut. Dealing with depression: Dopamine (also known as happy hormone) is our brain’s weapon against depression. Noradrenaline and serotonin brain chemicals encourage the production of dopamine. And you guessed it right…curcumin present in turmeric enhances these chemicals and also boosts BDNF levels. Reduced BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor is directly connected with depression. Curcumin also encourages nerve growth in parts of the brain used for learning and memory. Thus, acting directly at root level, turmeric helps keep depression at bay. Managing age-related brain issues: Long-term oxidative stress and plaque build-up in the neural pathways promote many age-related psychological issues like Alzheimer’s, dementia, cognitive decline and more. Decreased levels of BDNF hormone or brain-derived neurotrophic factors also is one of the major players in promoting these issues. Curcumin content of turmeric has been shown by many studies to be very effective not only in improving our cognitive ability but also dealing with amyloid plaque that is a key indicator of Alzheimer’s. Curcumin can also cross the blood-brain barrier, reduce inflammation and oxidative damage as well as help increase BDNF hormone levels. These all go a long way in dealing with and slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s among other brain issues. Anti-ageing: Free radicals and anti-oxidative damage visually manifest as ageing. They also cause many other diseases, but are most notable as signs of ageing. We have all heard of these terms connected with the scores of anti-ageing products available around us, haven’t we? Turmeric comes in handy in keeping both free radicals and other oxidative damages under control. As already mentioned, curcumin has superb anti-oxidant properties. Thus, it also helps with slowing down the appearance of signs of ageing. It not only neutralizes free radicals, but also enhances the functioning of body’s inbuilt antioxidant enzymes. Turmeric helps slow down both visible and psychological effects of ageing. Turmeric offers an abundance of health benefits ranging from purely cosmetic to intrinsically medical. The most versatile and universally effective component of turmeric is curcumin that has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-carcinogenic and other highly desirable qualities. However, our body is not wired to absorb this efficiently. Studies have shown that the piperine in black pepper increases absorption of curcumin by a whopping 2000%. So if planning to take turmeric for medical reasons, take it with black pepper to enhance its efficacy. Like any other thing, moderation is the key. There can also be side effects like dizziness, diarrhea or nausea depending on the body’s inherent capacity to handle changed conditions. Turmeric has been used for ages in many traditional medicines for ailments ranging from arthritis to Crohn’s disease, cholesterol, skin infection, bladder inflammation and

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How to Speak the Language of Flowers Effectively

It’s easier to express your emotions more effectively using flowers. This blog post at Nandyz Soulshine will show you scientifically proven benefit of flowers in our lives including productivity, stress relief, positivity, & wellness PLUS give you easy pointers to speak the language of flowers effectively.